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No Country for Old Men (2007)
Returning to their Blood Simple and Fargo roots, the Coen brothers fashion their slickest and most sophisticated thriller to date. Trademark dark, subtle humor relieves the intensely suspenseful drama, as Javier Bardem personifies the most relentless and cold hearted villain in recent film history.
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Into Great Silence (2007)
Philip Gröning's meditative documentary gently allows us to experience the daily life of the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps. Bathed entirely in natural lighting, the camera work itself is well worth its two and a half hour running time. (full review ... ) |
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Ratatouille (2007)
The strongest Pixar offering to date, Brad Bird delivers a charming portrait of a extraordinary rat who breaks ranks from his garbage devouring pack to satisfy his gourmet palate in Paris—a tale with great cross-over between generations and film tastes. |
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There Will Be Blood (2007)
Director Paul Thomas Anderson delivers a strong indictment of American capitalism in this deftly crafted epic about an oilman. Strong acting supports the film, highlighted by Daniel Day-Lewis, early shoe-in for the Best Actor Oscar.
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The
Savages (2007)
Growing up in a dysfunctional family is never easy, but it's really rough when a parent reaches his final days angry and disoriented. But the crisis serves to bring a middle aged brother and sister to deeper understanding and appreciation of each other. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney reward with a strong character study. (full review ... ) |
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The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
Poet/filmmaker Julian Schabel is establishing his niche at crafting great films about creative artists, and adds another portrait to his cache with this biopic about stroke victim Jean-Dominique Bauby. Among the most creative cinematic feats of the year highlight the film, as it begins from Bauby's immobile point of view (through his right eye). |
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3:10 to Yuma (2007)
This remake of the 1957 film far surpasses the original, by focusing on character development and crafting a modern "buddy" movie a la Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid where traditional "good" and "bad" stereotypes vanish. Christian Bale and Russell Crowe play off each other well in an overlooked film that should have a long shelf life. |
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Nanking (2007)
Although I knew that many Chinese friends hated the Japanese, I never fully understood the reasons until seeing this devastating documentary. It chronicles the literal rape of the former capital by "Japanese Dogs" who violate the essence of the Samurai code, as it effectively weaves first person reports with rare archive photos and footage. (full review ... ) |
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I'm Not There (2007)
Gotta give recognition for creativity even if it doesn't totally work 100% of the time, but this film provokes and causes flashbacks for weeks after viewing. Todd Hayes creates a visual portait of the 20th century's songwriting Rimbaud—an inventive metaphoric biopic that matches the many personas of Dylan himself. (full review ... ). |
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Once (2007)
Using Dublin as background location, a street singer discovers connection and love from an unexpected source in this indie charmer. Glen Hansard (singer for indie rock band The Frames) hooks up with Czech immigrant Marketa Irglova for a recording session and more. (full review ... ) |
Honorable
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Lust, Caution (2007)
Ang Lee follows Brokeback Mountain with a visual stunner taking place during Japanese occupation of China—an erotic and suspenseful drama with very strong acting performances from veteran Tony Leung and newcomer Wei Tang. (... Full Review)
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Sicko (2007)
More power to Michael Moore. This time he delivers a documentary that even his conservative enemies have a difficult time knocking, as he exposes the non-sensical and dysfunctional state of the U.S. health care system. We'd be better off in Cuba! |
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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
Sidney Lumet delivers another dark and tragic tale—this time about a dysfunctional New York City family. Outwardly successful, the eldest son is an emotional cripple with a drug habit while the youngest is a passive soul who is struggling to pay alimony. A robbery designed to get them out of their holes goes badly awry in the well constructed film. |
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Persepolis (2007)
Simple black and white images paint a poignant autobiographical coming of age story of an Iranian girl struggling to cope with a plethora of conflicting forces. Westerners viewing this should walk away with a greater understanding of contemporary Iranians. |
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Sweeney Todd (2007)
You can always count on Tim Burton to deliver definitive Gothic look and feel to his films and on Johnny Depp to deliver definitive acting, and both are at the top of their game in this bloody musical. But did you expect Depp to sing effectively and demonstrate the emotional range in such a vehicle, or for Helena Bonham Carter to provide such natural humor as she bakes the worst meat pies in London? |
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The Orphanage (2007)
Producer Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) turns the directing reigns over to Sergio Sánchez to deliver a fine suspenseful ghost story that illustrates motherly love, guilt, and life's fragility.
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Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher delivers an intense character driven study of key people attempting to solve the riddle of the infamous Zodiac serial killer. Released too early to garner the award recognition it deserves, it's certainly worth checking out. |
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Eastern Promises (2007)
Following his A History of Violence, David Croneberg again casts leading man Viggo Mortensen to guide us through the shady underworld of the Russian mafia. When a nurse obtains the diary of a woman who dies during childbirth, the plot thickens, the blood flows, and Mortensen's mysterious character has one of the most memorable bath house scenes ever filmed. |
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Lake of Fire (2007)
Abortion is the most volatile and contentious issue in the U.S., and Tony Kaye cruises through this minefield remarkably objective. Among the year's most provocative documentaries. (Full review ... ) |
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King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
Who woulda thought that the game of Donkey Kong could ever create the type of drama portrayed in this fine documentary. We have a classic confrontation between the two greatest players in history, and the stakes are unbelievably high and heartfelt. |
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Sharkwater (2007)
First time filmmaker Rob Stewart makes a passionate and earnest case for saving sharks from extinction in a documentary that turns into a thriller when a corrupt government and Asian mafia gets involved. (full review) |
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Rocket Science (2007)
2002's Spellbound director Jeffrey Blitz fashions a quirky teen comedy that follows a stuttering protagonist who joins the high school debate team. Although fairly predictable, it offers nuances of adolescent angst that haven't been over explored. (full review) |
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August Evening (2007)
Channelling Ozu and Satyajit Ray, director/writer/editor Chris Eska crafts a profound character study in his first feature film, a nominee for Independent Film's 2008 Spirt Award. (full review ... ) |
