The Zone's 2007 Movie Journal

[burlivesleftnut]

Best movies: The Host, Zodiac, Sunshine, Bourne Ultimatum, Hot Fuzz, Sweeney Todd, Live Free or Die Hard, Superbad

Worst: Charlie Wilson's War, Juno, History Boys, Spiderman 3, Pirates 3, Transformers, FF2

[LeFlambeur]

I'm actually surprised that I was able to keep this thing up the whole year. Kudos to Nachokoolaid for creating this kick-ass thread, its been a blast.

Looking back, I saw alot of great films this year. Among the one's that I haven't seen before some favorites were: Blue Velvet, Shoot the Piano Player, Au Hazard Balthezar, Come and See, Man with a Movie Camera, Ordet, Night and Fog, Ozu's Early Spring, but the best of the best for me was Murnau's Sunrise. The story had the simplicity of a fairy tale, but was told with such verve, such energy, that any of its shortcomings were easily forgotton. Its one of the best films I've ever seen. Its a fuckin tour de force man.

I've done a pretty good job of avoiding total garbage this year, I hated very little that I saw, even amongst what I bombed. The only film that I had trouble getting through was Stranger than Fiction. Which I already complained about earlier.

[cinephile2000]

I was just wondering what peoples last count for the number of movies they saw was. Mine is 344 I think. I might of lost count once.

[Ribbons]

Mine is 344 I think.

Damn, son! I haven't been keeping track, but I'd say mine is around 50, even taking DVDs and movies on TV into account.

[burlivesleftnut]

I was just wondering what peoples last count for the number of movies they saw was. Mine is 344 I think. I might of lost count once.

Oh well mine was 345*. Too. Bad.


*plus or minus a few hundred

[Keepcoolbutcare]

'ze best, first time viewing?

if...

The Holy Mountain

Spirit of the Beehive

total?

somewhere between 150 and 200.

what can I say, except to quote a movie...

Ordell Robbie: Damn girl, you gettin' high already? It's only 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I get my shit done for the day, then I get high. And besides, getting high and watching TV will rob you of your ambition!
Melanie: Not if your ambition is to get high and watch TV...

[magicmonkey]

'ze best, first time viewing?

if...

The Holy Mountain

Spirit of the Beehive

total?

somewhere between 150 and 200.

what can I say, except to quote a movie...

Ordell Robbie: Damn girl, you gettin' high already? It's only 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I get my shit done for the day, then I get high. And besides, getting high and watching TV will rob you of your ambition!
Melanie: Not if your ambition is to get high and watch TV...

Heh, ditto. 'cept I watched 200-250... Potentially a personal record.

The Holy Mountain was certainly up there as a first watch for me too, that guy knows how to pull his punches and fuck wit ya mind then tell ya that its all baloney!

The other great movies I saw were 'Star Struck" not to be confused with "Stardust", and Svankmeyer's "Alice", which was a first viewing for me, as in watching it all the way through. These were both sublime experiences, that challenged me and transported me in ways so very differently. I also caught up with some Ingmar Bergman movies I'd never seen, and again they didn't disappoint. He injects so much power into his movies, and "Skammen" was my fav.

A late entry to my fav's was also "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1962).

So many movies, so little time.

[stereosforgeeks]

I am about 400-450 this yr. It is a step down from the 550 I did last yr.

[Al Shut]

Since it's forseeable I wont see any more movies this year.

Best movie: Tie between Big Fish and Pom Poko (Both brought me to tears )

Worst: Resident Evil 2 (Technically maybe not the worst but my love for the games made me hate it)

And since I saw them all three on TV, the same for cinema.

Best: Sunshine

Worst: Tales from Earthsea (brought me also to tears, of boredom)

[Leckomaniac]

I honestly am having a tough time deciding on what my favorite film of 2007 is. Last year my choice was pretty obvious. The Fountain just caught hold of me from the moment I saw it. I simply HAD to see it as much as possible while it was in th theatres. The film just called to me.

This year I haven't had that experience. There have been some stellar films (No Country for Old Men, Once, There Will Be Blood, Atonement, The Assassination of Jesse James...etc) but I just don't see one of the them demanding the top spot. Hm.

[Nachokoolaid]

At final count, I saw 240 films. My faves...

PAN'S LABYRINTH. Amazing. Del Toro is beyond awesome.
BEOWULF - Must be seen in Imax 3D.

Worst:

Aquamarine. Hard not to vomit.
John Tucker Must Die. Holy shit this was bad.

See you in the 2008 Movie Journal!!!

[havocSchultz]

So I'd have to say the movie(s) I enjoyed the most this year would be Hot Fuzz, Superbad, and Grindhouse...

So my Top 1 would more than likely come from those...

Worst...?

Hands down...Black Christmas remake...Maybe if the original wasn't my favorite horror film of all time...I wouldn't have hated it so much...but that doesn't mean it would've actually been any better...

I'd say "Fuck that movie!" but it doesn't even deserve a fucking...

It deserves a nasty, painful, down and dirty cock tease...than it deserves herpes...but sex-less herpes...herpes by association...half the fun...twice the laughter...

[Nachokoolaid]

Well, I didn't see No Country for Old Men, either Grindhouse film, or The Bourne Ultimatum, so all those films will go on my 2008 movie journal. I think all of those have a shot at being great.

[Leckomaniac]

10) Stardust/Meet The Robinsons (this movie rocked...deal)
9) Grindhouse
8) Ratatouille
7) Once
6) King of Kong
5) Zodiac
4) Atonement
3) The Assassination of Jesse James
2) There Will Be Blood
1) No Country For Old Men

[stereosforgeeks]

Lots of great December movies:

Sommaren Med Monika (Summer With Monika)
Jeder Fur Sich Und Gott Gegen Alle (Kaspar Hauser: Every Man for Himself and God Against All)
Das Testament Des Dr. Mabuse (The Testament of Dr. Mabuse)
I'm Not There
En Passion (The Passion Of Anna)
The Last Winter
Tystnaden (The Silence)
4 Luni, 3 Saptamani, Si 2 Zile (4 month, 3 Weeks, And 2 Days)
Away From Her
Ten Canoes
God Grew Tired Of Us: The Story Of Lost Boys Of Sudan
Grbavica
Juno
Bikur Ha-Tizmoret (The Band's Visit)
Nanking
Offside
Die Grobe Stille (Into Great Silence)

Worst Movie:
The Girl Next Door

2007 List coming shortly, I am trying to finish up some viewing before making the list.

[godzillasushi]

December was pretty nice to me.

Paris, Je T'aime, The Pristige, The Bourne Ultamatum, Surf's Up, The Simpsons Movie, all were great.

But I do have one that I didn't like at all. Sweeney Todd. I know exactly who the people are that like this movie. They are the same people that wear all the Nightmare BC stuff.

Don't think I can do a best of the year thing. It would be pretty hard. If I had to choose a single movie that was better then anything I would probably go with Ratatouille. Zodiac was very good.

But the worst movies are easy - FF2:RotSSm, The Messengers, Premonition, Next, and those are only newer movies.

Transformers was very dissapointing. I shouldn't have rated so high. I did that with a lot of movies.

300 was also really boring and didn't do it for me.

I'm more interested in everyone elses lists.

[stereosforgeeks]

As of right now I'd go with this list:

1. The Band's Visit
2. You, The Living
3. 4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days
4. No Country for Old Men
5. Ten Canoes
6. Rescue Dawn
7. Into Great Silence
8. Offside
9. Away From Her
10. Ratatouille
11. Grbavica
12. Lust Caution
13. I'm Not There
14. Assassination of Jesse James

Honorable Mention to Killer Of Sheep, which was re-released this year.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

8. Offside

can you, or someone, anyone, who at least has more than a spot of compassion and empathy, can you please explain to me, someone who, heh, feels badly (proper usage!), the reason, or reasons, critically or emotionally, that you liked this movie?

it's not like I didn't...but it certainly didn't inform me of anything new, didn't show me anything I didn't know already.

Honorable Mention to Killer Of Sheep, which was re-released this year.

it would've had to have been released once to have been re-released...unless my film professor circa 1995 lied (she was crazy, so it's possible), unless all other sources have gotten the facts wrong, Burnett's masterpiece, aside from some film fests, has never gotten a theatrical run.

which is why you'll see it on a lot of critics top-10 lists for this year.

I don't remember much about it, 'cept it was powerful, moving, and one of the most honest, heartfelt films I've ever had the pleasure to experience.

netflix must have like, one copy, 'cuz it's been on the top of my queue for ages now.

[stereosforgeeks]

8. Offside

can you, or someone, anyone, who at least has more than a spot of compassion and empathy, can you please explain to me, someone who, heh, feels badly (proper usage!), the reason, or reasons, critically or emotionally, that you liked this movie?

it's not like I didn't...but it certainly didn't inform me of anything new, didn't show me anything I didn't know already.

I think you are looking at the movie from the wrong reference point. You the stoner academic leftist will not see anything that you didnt already know about with this movie. It is for all the people that think women should be boxed and segregated.

It is rather the portrait of these women struggling against such unbelievable restrictions. All they want is to be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of watching a football match. The wit of the characters and the communication between the men and women which shows just how pointless these restrictions really are.

The part I really loved about the film was the rush of color you see when you see the field when the rest of the film had a rather subdued palate. It's that rush of euphoria those women must have felt upon seeing their passion up close for the first time in their lives.

[stereosforgeeks]

Honorable Mention to Killer Of Sheep, which was re-released this year.

it would've had to have been released once to have been re-released...unless my film professor circa 1995 lied (she was crazy, so it's possible), unless all other sources have gotten the facts wrong, Burnett's masterpiece, aside from some film fests, has never gotten a theatrical run.

which is why you'll see it on a lot of critics top-10 lists for this year.

I don't remember much about it, 'cept it was powerful, moving, and one of the most honest, heartfelt films I've ever had the pleasure to experience.

netflix must have like, one copy, 'cuz it's been on the top of my queue for ages now.

You could be right about just playing festivals, but because it is an old film I left it off my list. It would definitely take my number 1.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

It is rather the portrait of these women struggling against such unbelievable restrictions. All they want is to be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of watching a football match. The wit of the characters and the communication between the men and women which shows just how pointless these restrictions really are.

fair enough.

[MasterWhedon]

Here's my Top 10 of 2007:

1. MICHAEL CLAYTON
This film provides a rather bleak and unflattering view of Corporate America and makes you think, quite genuinely, that all hope is lost. But then it's not, and your faith in humanity is restored. The script is note-perfect, the performances are career bests and the direction socks you in the gut while staying the hell out of the way. At once a gripping thriller and a study of a man finally looking in the mirror, this is the best--and my favorite--movie of the year.

2. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
I love how the Coens build terror with so little in this film. Little noises, little looks, little pauses. What starts as a traditional "modern western" soon becomes a strange and haunting story that rides clear off the rails, leaving you far away from your comfort zone. I highly suspect it'll win Best Picture at the Oscars.

3. RATATOUILLE
Probably the most unique film on the list, it's also a little piece of magic. The animation is wonderful, but it's the storytelling that's most enthralling. The inventiveness in the staging of scenes of the constantly-surprising narrative make what could've been an "also ran" movie for Pixar into one of their best.

4. JUNO
The whole movie really boils down to Ellen Page's performance, and she is fantastic. It'll be hard to imagine anyone but her winning the Oscar. Sure, the movie exists in this ultra-clever movie world--the kinda place I usually avoid these days--but everything about it feels so warm and welcoming. Another movie can focus on the anguish of teen pregnancy; I'll take the whimsy and joy of this one any day of the week.

5. HOT FUZZ
"Have you ever fired two guns whilst jumping through the air?" Maybe the best cop comedy I've ever seen, this movie clearly loves the hell out of every movie it's so righteously skewering.

6. 3:10 TO YUMA
It's a simple story of the lengths a man will go to for the sake of his family. Despite the world against him and the inevitable bearing down, he still stands up. Sure, because he needs the money, but more so because he needs to show his son that's what a man does.

7. KNOCKED UP
I really dig everything this movie has to say about relationships. The characters are all so flawed and prone to moments of irrational, foot-in-mouth freak-outs--it's sort of the anti-fairy tale in the way things don't end happily ever after just because the movie's wrapping up. They end happily every after because the characters are all trying really hard to make things work. And that's closer to reality than 90% of other romantic comedies.

8. CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR
What I love about this movie is exactly what I loved so much about The West Wing: the fate of the world is decided by a handful of guys with rolled-up shirtsleeves sitting around a room and working the problem through. It's scary to think it's all so simple, but kinda comforting too.

9. GONE BABY GONE
One hell of a tight little film, this thing grabs onto your moral center and twists it all the way around. Everything about it feels authentic and true, and leaves you with absolutely no easy answers.

10. 300
It's an overblown, bombastic, tragic tale as big, ridiculous and glorious as any campfire story. And it sure is pretty.


HONORABLE MENTIONS
Beowulf
The Bourne Ultimatum
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
I Am Legend
The Kite Runner
The Lookout
No End In Sight
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Superbad
Zodiac

[stereosforgeeks]

Best actress is by far is Julie Christie in Away From Her.

[MonkeyM666]

So who in the Zone watched the most films over 2007??? I think that we all know that stereosforgeeks listened to the most music .

[Pacino86845]

I've still got a few key films to watch, but for now my top 5 2007 films are comprised of: No Country For Old Men, Paprika, Once, Grindhouse, and Lust, Caution.

[stereosforgeeks]

So who in the Zone watched the most films over 2007??? I think that we all know that stereosforgeeks listened to the most music .

I was only at 355 this year. Quite the step down from 675 the year before.

[godzillasushi]

Hmmm I only had 143 movies. Not that it's a small number, but alla you putzes have seen a lot more then I did. Especially Stereos who lists movies that I will never see or hear about again. Like Grbavica. Good ole Grbavica....

[stereosforgeeks]

Hmmm I only had 143 movies. Not that it's a small number, but alla you putzes have seen a lot more then I did. Especially Stereos who lists movies that I will never see or hear about again. Like Grbavica. Good ole Grbavica....

come on who doesnt want to see a movie about a mother and daughter post Balkan war!

[bastard_robo]

Well, after much debate, and thought, I've come up with my top list of 2007.

As always, my list is basted on how many times I watched said films, how they impacted me, and just how much I fucking liked the movie...

So from top to bottom....

10. Hot Fuzz: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost hit it out of the park again!
9. The Assisnation of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: Probably the best made wester/biography in a long time.. Brad Pitt at his best.
8.The Darjeering Limited: Wes Anderson proves yet again that he can do no wrong.
7.Super Bad: Seth Rogan is the fucking man!
6.The Mist: Hands down the best monster movie in a long fucking time! Great Ending!
5.Transformers: Deliverd everything I was hoping for. The best theater going experiance I've had in a long long time.. No childhood rape here!
4.Juno: Ellen Paig is a gem! So is everything else in this film.
3. Enchanted: I make no excuses.. I just flat out love this movie
2. Stardust: The perfect adult fantasy!
1. 300: The most macho, fucking action packed ass kicking film all year! Watched it the most out of anything this year and has been horribly quoted ever since!

Well, that is my list. There were some others that I just liked, such as Shoot Em Up and TMNT, but this is the main list.

[Seppuku]

3. Enchanted: I make no excuses.. I just flat out love this movie

Me too. The ending wasn't exactly all that well thought out, but apart from that this was aces!


Woah, I'm even starting to sound like Giselle.

[Pacino86845]

Running list of 2007 releases, I'll be updating as I keep watchin' 'em... releases following American release schedule (more or less) with my scores for the films. Not counting DVDs and other things to sneak some of last year's films onto this list... Films are grouped by rating only... order is random among films sharing the same score.

6/10 is considered "average, but worthwhile." 1 is the lowest possible score, 10 is the highest (with the exception of Spinal Tap, which goes up to 11).

There Will Be Blood 10/10


No Country For Old Men 9/10
Grindhouse 9/10
Lust, Caution 9/10
Once 9/10
Paprika 9/10
Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) 9/10


Hot Fuzz 8/10
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 8/10
Zodiac 8/10
Sicko 8/10
Knocked Up 8/10
Persepolis 8/10
Ratatouille 8/10
Hallam Foe 8/10
Eastern Promises 8/10
American Gangster 8/10
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days 8/10
Black Snake Moan 8/10
The Darjeeling Limited 8/10
Michael Clayton 8/10


Juno 7/10
The Host 7/10
Spider-man 3 7/10
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 7/10
The Bourne Ultimatum 7/10
Superbad 7/10
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 7/10
Gone Baby Gone 7/10
I'm Not There 7/10
The Great Debaters 7/10
The Mist 7/10
The Kite Runner 7/10
Atonement 7/10
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters 7/10


Rescue Dawn 6/10
Lady Chatterley 6/10
Ocean's 13 6/10
1408 6/10
Ensemble, C'est Tout 6/10
Zwartboek (Black Book) 6/10
The Simpsons Movie 6/10
Mr. Brooks 6/10
Live Free Or Die Hard 6/10
Charlie Wilson's War 6/10
El Orfanato (The Orphanage) 6/10
I Am Legend 6/10
Shoot 'Em Up 6/10
Lars and the Real Girl 6/10
Southland Tales 6/10


TMNT 5/10
I'm a Cyborg, But That's Ok 5/10
Transformers 5/10
Odette Toulemonde 5/10
Tekkon Kinkreet 5/10
Sunshine 5/10
The Kingdom 5/10
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 5/10
Into the Wild 5/10
In The Valley of Elah 5/10


300 4/10
Death at a Funeral 4/10
Disturbia 4/10
The Heartbreak Kid 4/10
I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry 4/10
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer 4/10
The Lookout 4/10


The Number 23 3/10
28 Weeks Later 3/10
Hostel: Part II 3/10
Halloween 3/10
Next 3/10
The Bucket List 3/10
Margot At the Wedding 3/10


Breach 2/10
30 Days of Night 2/10


The Seeker: The Dark is Rising 1/10