The International Writers Magazine: Film 2007

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The Best and the Worst of 2007 Filmgoing • Sam North makes a personal list It’s a challenge to think of the best and worst films of the year. If you have seen at least fifty or more, I like to think where, when and why I went as well. Often there is so much anticipation and then acute disappointment. To select ten of the best does that mean there are ten equally as bad? It’s more like 10 good, 20 so-so and 50 stinkers. Anyway here goes:

The best in no particular order:

I: Golden Compass – particularly for not disappointing. Great care has been taken to completely envision Philip Pullman’s parallel world, the casting was excellent and the excitement was real. (Even if the Bear was way too OTT with that McKellen voice)
2: Michael Clayton: a real throwback to the way thrillers used to be and nice shades of Three Days of the Condor. Clooney was great and weary and it was a quality movie.
3: Superbad: Hilarious. No film that makes you laugh that much can be left out.
4: Blades of Glory: Stupid, ridiculous, wonderful. Hump that.
5: Smokin Aces: Why the hell wasn’t this bigger? Makes no sense at all.
6: Waitress: Charming, funny and sad and poignant given that the Director was murdered.
7: The Last Mimzy: Shoot the marketing people. Very neat kids movie with some great special effects
8: 1408: At last John Cusak makes a good movie. When will he get the message and make Gross Point 11?
9: Bourne Ultimatum: Like a fantastic roller coaster ride. Keep your heart pumping
10: Die Hard 4: Funny, great special effects and nicely cynical.
11: Shoot ‘Em Up: This only made $12 million in the USA. What’s wrong with you people? Best and funniest violent movie of the decade and you don’t go to see it?
12: The Darjeeling Limited: Finally a Wes Anderson movie you can love. Great eccentric performances by the bickering brothers in India.
13: Ecoute Le Temps starring Emille Dequenne. Intense and spooky. Darn DVD only in French so far. But brilliant low budget movie.

The Worst in no particular order:

1: Elizabeth: The Golden Age – Dull, great frocks will win an Oscar though.
2: Transformers: Junk. If only it didn't have those monsters in it, might have been a good movie.
3: The Simpsons Movie: And the jokes will be inserted later
4: Stardust: Saved by De Nero in drag and Sienna Miller can act? Not in this she can't.
5: The Number 23: Well that was surprise - er well not exactly. Great trailer though.
6: Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium: Natalie Portman used to be sexy, Hoffman used not to have a speech impediment
7: Spider Man 3: Three villains? No plot? No charisma? Plain bad That Disco Jive? Puke.
8: Run Fat Boy Run: Just not funny. Not even fat!
9: Atonement: God I hope it doesn’t win an Oscar. I love Keira but this was turgid and mawkish tosh – the novel overrated too and conceited.
10: The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford: Great performances, brilliant photography but I was only one awake in cinema.
11: Lust and Caution: It's 1940's Shanghai. A 1980's London taxi drops off the heroine and the film crumbles to dust. I'm in the mood for love it ain't. Avoid.

I just checked the top 150 grossing movies of this year and realised that I skipped at least half of them. Thanks god. Next up 'I am Legend' when it gets here. I hope it is as good as they say. You will have your own list but hey. I paid my dollar. This is my list! Black Sheep didn't make it on to either list. Just loved the trailer.

Happy Moviegoing in 2008 Hackreader.

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