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Mark's Top 10
of 2007
Every year critics hail the annual
cinema output as the best in years, and I generally roll my
eyes at that (though I've been guilty as well). No
one year is categorically better than any other, and the top
films in any given 365 day period tend to be of a similar caliber. 2007
has been no different, but I had a very difficult time this
year distinguishing which of those best films was truly my
favorite or "the best." For the second year
in a row I chose a foreign film as the best of the year, though
this year there are three imports on the list, an indicator
of a growing trend toward lackluster American films. That
said, the top three films here are essentially a three-way
tie, so there's still some quality in Hollywood.
Honorable mention: Knocked
Up, The Namesake, Juno ,
Sicko,
and Zodiac.
10. Eastern Promises: It
doesn't get much more violent than a naked, barehanded smackdown
delivered by a tattooed mafioso in a steam bath. For that
very reason, Eastern Promises is the perfect film
for gore-master David Cronenberg to helm. Both his direction
and Viggo Mortensen's performance provide a fitting beating
to most (if not all) of their competition this year.
9. Atonement: In terms
of technical prowess, Atonement might just belong
at the top spot on this list. Unfortunately, the
artistic elements of screenplay and performance (other
than James McEvoy's) detract too much from the film as
a whole for it to be more than an appearance among the
more successful films of the year. That said, it's
one hell of a movie, and should be seen for its technical
merits alone.
8. The Orphanage: If all
horror movies were as frightening and emotionally moving as
The Orphanage, there might be less Saw sequels
and more quality from the genre. This film follows closely
in the tradition of past works such as Alejandro Amenábar's
The Others and
Guillermo del Toro's The Devil's Backbone in both
effective cinema and cathartic emotion. What do the Spanish
know about horror that the rest of the world hasn't caught
onto yet?
7. 3:10 t0 Yuma: This is
undoubtedly one of the best films of the Western genre in the
last thirty years (and a remake at that!) It goes beyond
just the genre, however, and stands firmly among the most enjoyable
and highest quality films of the year. Crowe and Bale are both
at their best, and every technical aspect of the movie from
direction to editing is near perfect.
6. Into the Wild: Here is an example of a film which parallels its subject, such that the simplicity and idealism of the film is completely embodied in the character of Christopher McCandless. One gets the sense from Into the Wild that it really might be worth it to abandon the world and experience a life of true freedom. Eddie Vedder (whose music was ubiquitous of the era) adds as much to the film with his touching songs as do Emile Hirsch in the lead role or Sean Penn with his steady and masterful direction.
5. Black Book: I have not
been as surprised by any film quite as much as I was by Paul
Verhoeven's Black Book in a long time. I expected
kitsch and expoitation like his previous American work, but
had no idea that I was in store for a gorgeous exploration
of very serious and emotional themes. Carice van Houten
carries this unique war film with unparalleled aplomb, and
the end result is one of the most moving cinema experiences
one could imagine.
4. Across the Universe: The
very notion of a film such as Across the Universe should
have had me running for the hills. I'm generally turned
off by high-concept jukebox movies like this, but Julie Taymor's
unrelenting vision and visual style are so powerful here
that I couldn't help but be completely won over. Even
with all its flaws, this film will have a lasting (and extremely
positive) effect on me.
3. There Will Be Blood: In
this extreme departure from his style and
regular collaborators, Paul Thomas Anderson drills to
the core of human greed and brings up one of the best crafted
and most powerful movies in a long time. Daniel Day-Lewis
is a force to be reckoned with, as is Jonny Greenwood's overpowering
score which influences the film as much as any on-screen personality.
2. No Country For Old Men: I
feel almost wrong using words to describe a film which did
so much without using any more than the bare minimum. Despite
all their past masterpieces, the Coen Brothers have made the
film of their career with No Country for Old Men.
I can't think of a single negative quality of the film, nor
a single complaint. This is the finest example of perfection
I have seen in a long time.
1. The Diving Bell and the
Butterfly: Rarely does a film come along that stands
so far above the rest of the films of its era. This
year features many of them, but The Diving Bell and the
Butterfly impacted me on a level much deeper than anything
else in 2007. It is such a unique and powerful vision, and
is more a moving painting than a film. Just thinking of
the film now gives me a feeling of catharsis and awe and
I saw the movie two months ago. This is a masterpiece
if ever the title deserved to be given to any work of cinema.
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