2007: The year in cinema
Jan. 2nd, 2008 10:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fancycwabsWhat I saw in movie theaters in 2007, with a sentence or two about each one.
Children of Men: In addition to a compelling storyline, this had two or three long shots that will be shown in film schools along with that one in Goodfellas and the one in The Player. Bonus points to Cuaron for taking a page out of Hitchcock early on, too.
Zodiac: David Fincher took a fairly low-key approach to this one, and I think it paid off fairly well, although it has the creepiest use of Donovan's "Hurdy-Gurdy Man" ever.
Black Snake Moan: Chock full of offensive goodness.
300: I can't believe they're letting this guy direct Watchmen.
Grindhouse: This was, without question, the best time I had at the movies this year. Rodriguez has such visual panache that you don't mind that his characters are ridiculously one-dimensional, and Death Proof ultimately delivered the sort of visceral adrenalin rush Tarantino hadn't really captured since Pulp Fiction.
Spider-Man 3: I think Spider-Man 2 really benefited from having Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Chabon working on the story, as Spider-Man 3 just barely survives being a convoluted, nonsensical mess.
Pirates of The Carribean: The One with Cwabs: Well, it was better than the second one, anyway.
Knocked Up: Enjoyable, but probably my least favorite of the three Judd Apatow-related movies released this year
Ocean's 13: See Pirates of The Carribean.
Ratatouille: Anthony Bourdain was listed as a consultant on this film, and yet I didn't see a single member of the kitchen staff swearing, getting high, or having sex in the walk-in cooler.
Transformers: I was never into Transformers as a kid, primarily as a function of my parents unwillingness to let me play with toys that had the possibility of never-ending collectibility (and therefore expense). I need to remember to thank them, as had I been a fan I'd probably be bitching about Michael Bay raping my childhood about now.
Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix: I always associated Umbridge with a certain ex-girlfriend; significantly younger, much more obsessive. That they didn't cast her instead of Imelda Staunton is only a factor of her American heritage, I'm sure.
Hairspray: Negro Day's the best!
The Simpsons Movie: Having not watched The Simpsons at to any significant extent in the last ten years, it's nice to see that I haven't really missed a whole lot.
The Bourne Ultimatum: Solid.
Superbad: Movies like this make me think that that I missed out on too much debauchery in high school.
3:10 to Yuma: 90% of a great western, written by Elmore Leonard, and 10% of a children's movie written by a twelve-year-old girl.
Gone Baby Gone: I've read all of Dennis Lehane's Kenzie-Genarro novels; a lot of them end up cloying and silly in spite of the underlying current of hard-boiled detective work. Gone Baby Gone cut that out, and ends up ultimately being better than the book.
Beowulf: There's a scene early on in this where Virtual Anthony Hopkins comes into his great pleasure hall and waves his arms, and you can see Robert Zemekis telling Anthony Hopkins-In-A-Motion-Capture-Suit, "I want you to come in and wave your arms."
No Country for Old Men: Behold the power of compressed air!
I Am Legend: Well-done, especially for what is largely a Will Smith one-man-show.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story: If Joaquin Phoenix and Jamie Foxx can be nominated for Academy Awards for their roles, I see no reason that John C. Reilly shouldn't, as well.
Sweeney Todd: God. I have to end the year with this one, which becomes progressively worse with each passing moment and each quote by one particular Johnny Depp-obsesssed acquaintance of mine. Why couldn't I have gone to see Enchanted or something?
Children of Men: In addition to a compelling storyline, this had two or three long shots that will be shown in film schools along with that one in Goodfellas and the one in The Player. Bonus points to Cuaron for taking a page out of Hitchcock early on, too.
Zodiac: David Fincher took a fairly low-key approach to this one, and I think it paid off fairly well, although it has the creepiest use of Donovan's "Hurdy-Gurdy Man" ever.
Black Snake Moan: Chock full of offensive goodness.
300: I can't believe they're letting this guy direct Watchmen.
Grindhouse: This was, without question, the best time I had at the movies this year. Rodriguez has such visual panache that you don't mind that his characters are ridiculously one-dimensional, and Death Proof ultimately delivered the sort of visceral adrenalin rush Tarantino hadn't really captured since Pulp Fiction.
Spider-Man 3: I think Spider-Man 2 really benefited from having Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Chabon working on the story, as Spider-Man 3 just barely survives being a convoluted, nonsensical mess.
Pirates of The Carribean: The One with Cwabs: Well, it was better than the second one, anyway.
Knocked Up: Enjoyable, but probably my least favorite of the three Judd Apatow-related movies released this year
Ocean's 13: See Pirates of The Carribean.
Ratatouille: Anthony Bourdain was listed as a consultant on this film, and yet I didn't see a single member of the kitchen staff swearing, getting high, or having sex in the walk-in cooler.
Transformers: I was never into Transformers as a kid, primarily as a function of my parents unwillingness to let me play with toys that had the possibility of never-ending collectibility (and therefore expense). I need to remember to thank them, as had I been a fan I'd probably be bitching about Michael Bay raping my childhood about now.
Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix: I always associated Umbridge with a certain ex-girlfriend; significantly younger, much more obsessive. That they didn't cast her instead of Imelda Staunton is only a factor of her American heritage, I'm sure.
Hairspray: Negro Day's the best!
The Simpsons Movie: Having not watched The Simpsons at to any significant extent in the last ten years, it's nice to see that I haven't really missed a whole lot.
The Bourne Ultimatum: Solid.
Superbad: Movies like this make me think that that I missed out on too much debauchery in high school.
3:10 to Yuma: 90% of a great western, written by Elmore Leonard, and 10% of a children's movie written by a twelve-year-old girl.
Gone Baby Gone: I've read all of Dennis Lehane's Kenzie-Genarro novels; a lot of them end up cloying and silly in spite of the underlying current of hard-boiled detective work. Gone Baby Gone cut that out, and ends up ultimately being better than the book.
Beowulf: There's a scene early on in this where Virtual Anthony Hopkins comes into his great pleasure hall and waves his arms, and you can see Robert Zemekis telling Anthony Hopkins-In-A-Motion-Capture-Suit, "I want you to come in and wave your arms."
No Country for Old Men: Behold the power of compressed air!
I Am Legend: Well-done, especially for what is largely a Will Smith one-man-show.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story: If Joaquin Phoenix and Jamie Foxx can be nominated for Academy Awards for their roles, I see no reason that John C. Reilly shouldn't, as well.
Sweeney Todd: God. I have to end the year with this one, which becomes progressively worse with each passing moment and each quote by one particular Johnny Depp-obsesssed acquaintance of mine. Why couldn't I have gone to see Enchanted or something?
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My 2 cent
Date: 2008-01-02 06:07 pm (UTC)Zodiac: Eh. It was no Se7en. And CERTAINLY no Fight Club.
Black Snake Moan: I loved this movie. Was it "good"? Doesn't matter.
300: SO HAPPY that I avoided it.
Grindhouse: I concur.
Spider-Man 3: See 300.
Pirates of The Carribean: See 300.
Knocked Up: LOVED. IT. The scene in the restaurant where he totally goes off on her? Hilarious and Awesome. Apatow's greatest gift is the honesty he brings to his characters.
Ocean's 13: See 300.
Ratatouille: On Teh List.
Transformers: See 300.
Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix: This entire series of movies SUCKZ. I quit after #3.
Hairspray: Brilliant. Is there anything Christopher Walken CAN'T do?
The Simpsons Movie: Everyone said it was like a decent episode of the TV show. Avoided it.
The Bourne Ultimatum: I know these movies are well-crafted. Just not my cup of tea. I quit after the first one.
Superbad: HIGH on the list.
3:10 to Yuma: Haven't seen it yet. Questionable.
Gone Baby Gone: On Teh List.
Beowulf: Just not interested.
No Country for Old Men: Would you hold still for a moment please?
I Am Legend: On Teh List.
Walk Hard: On Teh List.
Sweeney Todd: Dunno if I can/want to handle it.
Re: My 2 cent
Date: 2008-01-02 06:37 pm (UTC)Based on your "See 300" comment, you might want to keep I Am Legend off teh list, as it's more popcorn than social commentary. It's better than everything else on the "See 300" list, but a good notch below everything else on Teh List.
Re: My 2 cent
Date: 2008-01-02 06:55 pm (UTC)Re: My 2 cent
Date: 2008-01-02 09:15 pm (UTC)Re: My 2 cent
Date: 2008-01-02 11:49 pm (UTC)Re: My 2 cent
Date: 2008-01-03 03:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-02 10:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-03 03:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-03 03:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-03 03:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-03 04:02 am (UTC)Not only do I respect your opinion as someone who knows more about theater and whatnot than I do, but when I was young and dumb, one of my Smart friends introduced me to it, and I dont want to ruin the memory.