The Films of 2007

FANTASTIC!!!

Probably the greatest achievement ever to grace the screen in recent memory. This was a grand throwback to the those good old days when movie making was just that..pure sleazy entertainment. But who remembers those grindhouse movies that came out of the 1970's and 1980's? When movie theatres and drive-in theatres were places of sleaze and depravity and the movies that were made were fast,cheaply made and way out of control? Remember when you saw these movies that they were so damn good that you'd also had an awesome and thrilling time you'd had? For those that have never seen a grindhouse movie,will for your enjoyment directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino have re-created the experience for those who have never seen it and it turns out to be one of the best films of 2007. These two maverick filmmakers have joined forces and made a three-hour "double feature" with the sort of blood,gore,mindless action,tawdry,titillating storylines,babealicious eye candy(which consisting of chicks who basically kick some ass)and complete lack of cimematic responsiblity that were staples of every true grindhouse release. What they did here was astounding to boot-a double feature of two trashy,skanky,butt-ugly films(by messing up there own film prints and everything else in between just to make it look like the original thing)movies of their own. Grindhouse also pays a grand tribute to some of the directors of that genre including Jack Starrett, Jack Hill, John Carpenter,and not to mention Roger Corman. These guys were the kings of 70's and 80's grindhouse cimema and this movie has brought that back in full glory. The two films presented have significiant tastes. Planet Terror pulls a horror genre that was really violent and totally gross starring Rose McGowan as the heroine.
The other was probably the best outta the rest..Death Proof was a grand throwback to those car chasing films from the 1970's starring Kurt Russell and a host of babes including Rose McGowan again and also Rosario Dawson and Zoe Bell. Great entertainment. Rumor has it there will be a sequel to this coming in 2008 too.

Possibly the greatest performance ever coming from Adam Sandler in a riveting dramatic role. A riveting delivery from Sandler not to mention Don Cheadle in a hellva film that makes this worth seeing.

A major disappointment. The first two films(The Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man's Chest)were little more than animations of the swarthy waxen characters in the semi-macabre Disney theme park ride. Pillaging,rum-guzzling and sword-fighting took center stage and left the meager outline of a plot in place of a compelling and cohesive storyline. Instead shimmering special effects and the kooky deviant Captain Jack Sparrow(Johnny Depp)provided the golden ticket to blockbuster success. But since this is Disney-spawned fantasy and high adventure,the high seas romance and gross out villains are all part of the cimematic game. Still in this third and possibly final installment of the trilogy,it is wade through a lot of cimematic bloat to get to the film's final treasure. Unsurprisingly,the third installment in the series functions as little more than a big-budget extension of its predecessors. Filmed in tandem with last year's mega installment of Dead Man's Chest(which picks up where POTC 2 left off),with the same team of writers,producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski,the new version is extremely good but it gets very boring quickly since the film runs at the timely length of 168 minutes(close to three hours)and basically undermines itself by trying to outdo each love triangle,plot twist and ghoulish sea creature. Don't get me wrong here,its good but gets dull and boring and tiredsome very quickly. The only thing that saves this film is the outstanding special effects. But as far as the acting is concern all eyes are on Johnny Depp(teen lust),and the saving grace here comes from Geoffrey Rush,
Bill Nighy,Stellan Skaksgrad,and newcomer to the format--martial arts legend Chow Yun-Fat in a different role as a ruthless Chinese pirates. It is worth seeing for the effects,but be forewarned its gets boring quickly and its doesn't have the firepower of the first installment either.

Let me say that after the huge success of the last Spider-Man installment I can say that this was good in its own terms but also kinda drag on for about 146 minutes. In this installment,the special effects here are absolutely fantastic and incredible to behold with Spidey not only battling Green Goblin(James Franco),but also two other villains as well which include the Sandman(Thomas Haden Church),and Venom(Topher Grace). It also has a dark side with a Greek sorta tragedy that has coherent with just a hint of a Star Wars saga per se
Episode VI:The Return Of The Jedi. Here our webslinging hero(Tobey Maguire) confronts his dark side here with the uncontrollable fear that dwells within him and taking him over to the dark side of his powers while he faces new challenges that await him. However as far as the acting is concern its passable but with more plots and twists then any installment that ever came about. The one thing that was annoying in this was Kristen Dunst's character of Mary Jane Watson who was a annoying and whining as she can be and that was really hurt this picture. But the saving grace here is the action sequences including the opening and the grand finale(where the character of Green Goblin dies at the hands of one of Spidey's nemesis). It was good but I gave it four stars(for its elaborate FX)which will not disppoint for the start of the 2007 summer bonanza.

One of the best comedies of the summer and a perfect retreat from the norm of silly sequels and stupid kiddie fare. This was a comedy that was adult-oriented and it doesn't disappoint neither.

Jenna,a melancholy server at Joe's Diner comtemplates her oppressive marriage after discovering that she is pregnant. We quickly learn however,that this is a fairy tale as the pie making princess(Keri Russell)discovers a fairy-godfather(Andy Griffith). Her pies,creatively concocted and titled,contain within their crusts the passion of which she has her own little outlet,and its easy to believe that a crust filled with so much delicious inspiration could be a kitchen-centric declaration of love. If you thought that this was the big screen remake of the classic 1970's sitcom "Alice"(which was also based on the 1974 Oscar winning film by Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) then you're sadly mistaken cause it does look a lot like that show with one exception. Keri Russell gives the performance of her career here and seeing Andy Griffith making a theatrical comeback after six years is enough to make this one of the best written and produced films that came out of 2007. Worth seeing.

The second funniest movie of the summer. And its above the norm for the average teen comedy. Co-written by Knocked Up star Seth Rogan,the film tells about a couple of misfits who are out to get booze,get admission into the biggest party of the year and to get the hottie of their dreams. The funniest film I have seen since the original "American Pie",and not to mention director Greg Mottola went into familiar territory here-the high school hijinks movie which by the way pays homage to the teen oriented comedies of the 1980's and 1990's. Superbad is a cut above the ordinary teen comedies and it shows in some of the language(which is unrelentingly foul),but there is a sweet movie(with a cast of unknowns)about friendship underneath the dirty words and some of the sexual content and drug usuge-all involving teens.

The third installment to Robert Ludlum's best selling novel is a gritty and taut atmosphere lingers as director Paul Greengrass and screenwriter Tony Gilroy handle with plot and character development with a deft touch that is punctuated by sensational stunt work and intricate set pieces. Matt Damon is visually stunning here. Nevertheless,the real trimuph is how this throwback to the episonage thrillers of the 1960's and 1970's has been updated as a compelling,exhilarating,zeitgeist as it is something that we haven't see the likes us since the days of Sean Connery and Michael Caine respectivity.

This was probably the one of the best films of 2007. Director James Mangold (who helm the Oscar-winning Walk The Line) does a astounding masterpiece of a remake Delmar Daves' 1957 Western of the same title that starred Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. In this new version,which is bigger,bloodier,way noisier and more violent than the original. In a movie that features two of the hottest actors in cimema today,Russell Crowe and Christian Bale-aka The Gladiator and The Batman. Christian Bale plays a financially strapped rancher who joins a posse attempting to deliver a captured outlaw(Russell Crowe)to the train to prison. With unexpected results. At a time when Hollywood has basically rejected the American Western(which were standard during its heyday)
and probably from the looks hasn't seen anything that bold and exciting since Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winning 1992 film
"Unforgiven". However,it is a pleasure to see this genre make a strong comeback and to see one done with this film's energy and conviction cause it brims with the genre's traditional satisfactions and seeing Bale and Crowe in the performance that ranks with the best of the year.

The best film yet about the Iraq War ever witnessed. A movie that really tells the truth on George Bush's pathetic administration.

At a running time of no more than 87 minutes, "The Simpsons Movie",wasn't full of the zesty,timely humor that was associated with some of the show's best episodes. But it didn't quite disappoint either. And the wait for a full length theatrical feature film featuring Matt Groening's comic characters was well worth it. Practically all of the gang was there with at least a one-liner or two,and there are quite a few funny sight gags that are hilarious. Seeing Homer choke Bart like the earlier episodes was great,and the opening Itchy and Scratchy number is fittingly over the top. But comedic misfires do creep up at times,and they do make this long-awaited movie seem a bit behind the times occasionally. But that's only a minor complaint as the good definitely outweighs the bad. "The Simpsons Movie" was funny enough,and had a good enough story to be worthwhile. There were a few revelations along the way too. There is a lot of them since this film carries a strong "PG-13" rating for irrelevant humor throughout and it shows. Marge and the rest of the family not only cusses but also Bart who gets away with a lot plus some cartoon nudity and rude humor. Bart also has a change of heart about his next door neighbor Ned Flanders. Lisa finds a soul-mate and Homer goes just a little too far with his special brand of stupidity,ensnaring all of Springfield in a government-corporate machination that threatens to blow their beloved city out of existance. Over free donuts and pig droppings. What I thought was the funniest thing about "The Simpsons Movie" was that out of all the show material it had to draw on over the last two decades,was the cameo during the last 20 minutes. And you mean to tell me that we waited almost 18 years for this to arrive? It was something I didn't see coming and it was a fresh sample of the show's irrelevant spirit that has kept viewers tuned in since. When Springfield resident Ralph Wiggum sings the 20th Century-Fox cadence,even a devoted and die hard fan of the show will crack a smile. I knew it was coming and it came.
In a nutshell bursting with it. If you think that this was last you maybe sadly mistaken since I heard there will a sequel to this and the rumor is that there will be a theatrical version of another FOX animated hit "Family Guy" coming soon to a theatre near you.

"American Gangster" is this year's version of "The Departed". Ridley Scott's direction and the spectacular acting of Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe has OSCAR written all over it.

This year's "Butch Cassidy." And Brad Pitt is the Robert Redford of our generation.

This was the true story of Professor Melvin B. Tolson,who formed a debate team at a small African-American college(Wiley College) in rural Texas in the 1930's and made his team overcome obstacles to achieve the ultimate goal inspite of the racial barriers that affective them. Denzel Washington not only directs that masterpiece of entertainment but also stars as the professor who instills his students the tools to succeed. This movie has OSCAR written all over it and seeing two of the greatest actors of our time(Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker,both Oscar winners)together in one astounding picture that ranks as one of the best of 2007.