Friday 4 January 2008

Films in 2007

Because I am obsessive, and put things in my diary, this is an ordered list of the films that I saw at the cinema in 2007, along with a few words on each.

Apocalypto (an interesting diversion, and well worth seeing)
Smokin' Aces (enjoyable and off-beat crime film)
The Last King Of Scotland (you can see everything that's coming from a mile off, but the performances of the two leads are so great as to push aside the script's shortcomings)
Babel (a difficult film in some ways, and it could have done with one of the plots being pruned, but worth seeing, especially for the strand set in Japan)
Hot Fuzz (brilliantly funny, sublime performances and a clever script)
The Science Of Sleep (heartbreaking, funny, whimsical, visually lovely... really recommended)
300 (possibly the most masculine film ever made; good fun but didn't completely deliver on the promise of the trailers)
Sunshine (an extremely well made and acted film, whose script feels )
Spider-Man 3 (the year's biggest letdown)
28 Weeks Later (not a by-the-numbers sequel, but the film never really lives up to its exceptional opening ten minutes)
Transformers (more enjoyable than it has any right to be)
Goldfinger (a one off showing of the best Bond film - how could I not go and see it on the big screen?)
Paris Je T'aime (a delightful collection of short films that dazzles and amazes with its diverse subjects, and paints a beautiful love letter to the city of love...)
Waitress (mildly disappointing deadpan comedy - I was expecting a lot more based on reviews I had seen)
The Bourne Ultimatum (film of the summer for me - a flawless lesson in intelligent action cinema)
Knocked Up (provides more proof, after The 40 Year Old Virgin, that you can make a crude comedy with genuine heart as well; really recommended)
Year Of The Dog (an interesting, but ultimately underwhelming, drama/comedy)
Eagle Vs Shark (quirky Kiwi comedy with lots of laughs)
Superbad (another crude comedy with a lot of heart that makes stars of its young leads)
Shoot 'Em Up (insanely OTT with a plot that makes not a lick of sense, and all the better for it)
Death Proof (Tarantino delivers a brilliant homage to exploitation era cinema)
Daywatch (a great sequel to Night Watch, but unwatchable if you haven't seen the first film)
Stardust (excellent adaptation of Neil Gaiman's graphic novel/book, fun for all the family)
Eastern Promises (a gritty crime movie that delivers a hardhitting message too)
30 Days Of Night (a scary horror movie with a neat concept, but a little predictable)

My top five films of 2007 (in a very sketchy order) are:

1. The Bourne Ultimatum
2. Knocked Up
3. The Science Of Sleep
4. Paris Je T'aime
5. Death Proof

Of course, it almost goes without saying that the film that I am most looking forward to this year is The Dark Knight...

I don't know if there are any more lists or things that I want to say about 2007. It was an alright year, as years go. It was the year that I started eating salads and tinned fish, the year that I went to various festivals in Edinburgh, the year that it really hit me: there is more to life than this nine to five stuff.

Now then, what about 2008?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is No Country for Old Men playing there?

That's my pick for best movie of the last 5 years.


I hated Spiderman 3.

noisms said...

You eat salad now? I didn't know that.

By the way, you've NEVER WORKED A 9-5 JOB, dolt.

NathanRyder said...

Matt - No Country For Old Men is out in a few weeks over here... Release schedules for less blockbuster-y films are often a little skewed in the UK.

noisms - yes, I eat salad - though mainly just leafy stuff, I'm not big on raw tomatoes. And I have had TWO 9-5 jobs (the furniture shop for several long periods, and also when I was a support assistant) and that doesn't count my PhD.