Top 10 Films of 2007

10


In the Valley of Elah
★★★★ / ★★★★

This is one of the best anti-war films I’ve seen in a while. Tommy Lee Jones is excellent as a father who wants to find out who murdred his son and why. Jones is an expert when it comes to looking defeated and tired but he’s incendiary when he tries to keep his anger from bubbling over, spilling, and causing a flood. Charlize Theron is just as great as the detective that helps Jones. We root for her because she is not taken seriously by the guys at the police station; even though she’s far from perfect, she tries her best to solve crimes when no one would even bother. I’m impressed with this picture because it is so angry in a quiet way. It managed to keep me interested because it does not always show the audience what the characters see. Just when you think that the case is solved, it turns out to be otherwise so it becomes suspenseful. I’m also impressed with the images that this film presented: the flag, the videos from Iraq, the distraught soldiers, the empty land… Somehow, they all fit together because they pretty much symbolize the same thing. This film is consistently memorable scene-wise but if I were to pick the highlights, I would choose the scene where Jones tells the story of David and Goliath to Theron’s son, Susan Sarandon’s heartbreaking reaction when she finally sees her son’s remains, the revelation of what truly happened with Jones’ son, and the last scene. Anger and sadness are the two emotions that drive this film. By the end of the film, we realize that there are no easy answers no matter how many times we go over the facts. Even though the case is “solved,” there is no solace because there is nothing that can replace a life.

9


Into the Wild
★★★★ / ★★★★

The only regret I have is not catching this film in theaters. If I had, this easily would have been on my Top 10 Films of 2007 list. I would like to start off by giving kudos to Emile Hirsch for his completely captivating performance. He won me over just a few months ago in “The Mudge Boy” and I cannot believe this is the same guy from the fun yet sophomoric “The Girl Next Door.” I’ve seen all of his films and this is his most mature film to date, alongside “Imaginary Heroes” and “Alpha Dog.” He’s definitely someone that everyone needs to watch out for because he’s building quite a repertoire. He’s got “Speed Racer” and “Milk” coming up; the latter I have high expectations for now that he’s proven himself as a serious actor. In this film, he has completely embraced his character, not just psychologically but physically as well, to the point where I started asking, “How the hell did he pull that off?!” I love that the film is not just about one thing; it’s not just about Christopher McCandless, or family dynamics, or the people one meets on the road, or the life lessons learned (or not learned). It’s about all of those elements combined which made it reach a completely new, raw and captivating level. My favourite scenes are with Hal Holbrook because everything felt sadder, happier yet heavier, and lighter at the same time (he deserves the Oscar nomination). There was that one scene when Hirsch and Holbrook sat on this hill and Holbrook says, “When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God’s light shines upon you.” And suddenly the clouds parted and the sunlight fell upon them. I’m not a religious person but that really got to me though I don’t know exactly why… or for way too many reasons. For me, it’s not about a sign that God or a higher power exists–it’s more about the message of what was said and what was left unsaid between the characters, between the landscapes and those that live in and on them, between the film and the audience. I understand that a lot of people decided to shy away from this picture because of its two-and-a-half hour running time. Some of my friends did and I admit that I was really annoyed by that. (Which proves this is not for everyone.) I mean, if one can spend three hours doing absolutely nothing, why not take a risk at something that could potentially enhance one’s way of thinking? But there’s no hard feelings because, in a way, it made it that much more special since someone did stick with me and by the time the movie ended, I felt emotionally richer. The movie also had an underlying message regarding people that choose to stick by you no matter what, whether you’ve known them for a long time or not. I feel like this movie is about pretty much everything and it felt so right and down-to-earth. I am so glad to have had the honor of watching this film. Sean Penn is a great director and I’ll be looking forward to his future directing endeavors. “Into the Wild” reminded me and redefined my reason for falling in love with motion pictures.

8


Juno
★★★★ / ★★★★

I smiled from ear to ear from the first to the last scene. That said, I think this is one of the best movies of the year. Sure, the way the characters talk are witty and sarcastic, but what I love about this film is its heart. Even though Juno thinks she’s smart (and she is), we find out that she has flaws just like us so eventually it’s easier to identify with her. The adolescents deal with problems the way they know how and sometimes that’s enough to be really touching. This movie is the “Little Miss Sunshine” of 2007 because it made me feel good inside and out. It made me wish that I knew a person like Juno because she’s one of those characters that are rich personality-wise and is worth knowing for a long time. Some people claim that it’s pretentious because of the way Juno and her friends talk. I cannot disagree more. I’ve met people that do talk like Juno and those people have friends that talk like Juno. It’s a rarity but they exist and people who label this movie as pretentious soley because of that choose to show their ignorance. Even if only 1% of you wants to see this movie, follow that 1%. It won’t let you down.

7


Sicko
★★★★ / ★★★★

I don’t even know where to begin. This film shocked the hell out of me. I saw this with a friend who has relatives in the United Kingdom and he says that Michael Moore is right about the difference between the insurance here in the United States and the insurance there in the UK. Intense tear-jerker moments are abound because one cannot help but feel bad for the families who got screwed over by the greedy insurance companies. The United States government is not innocent about these happenings either. In fact, they encourage and profit from the suffering of others… and they do not feel remorse about it. This film opened my eyes in so many ways because I had this idea that America had the best health coverage in the world. In fact, that way of thinking cannot be any more wrong. I guess it is because I see a plethora of commercials about health insurances and how they claim that “it’s for everyone.” I will never see a health insurance commercial the same way. They reject people for no good reason–they result to discrimination, racism, maybe even sexism. Moreover, when I do make it in the medical field and if universal health care is still not available here in the United States, I most likely will not work for this country (I’ll move to the UK, France or Canada). One of my main motivations is to help people; money is secondary, if not lower, on my list of priorities. I don’t think I can live with myself, knowing that Americans have to choose between life (and going into incredibly deep debt) or death (having to choose to die because going into debt is simply not an option). If countries like Cuba (a Third World country!), France, Canada and the UK can give ANYONE (citizen of not) medicine FOR FREE, how come America can’t do the same? There’s something seriously wrong with this country. Just thinking about it makes me feel disgusting, if not a bit bitter. This is Michael Moore’s best movie and I’ll be getting on DVD to show to ANYONE who wants to wake up from this “American Dream.”

6


Ratatouille
★★★★ / ★★★★

Pixar’s best since “Finding Nemo,” no doubt about it. “The Incredibles” was pretty good but “Cars” was kind of a mess. I love that this film made rats look irresistably cute–I never thought that was possible. I couldn’t have picked a better setting than Paris and the sewers for rats to roam around in. Although the animation here is top-notch, it’s more human than any live-action films I’ve seen in a while. Among the Pixar films, this is a stand-out for me because it had a “timeless” look to it. It’s the kind of film I’ll remember forever and recommend to future generations (like “Finding Nemo”). I cannot praise this film enough because I savoured every second of it. All characters, even the antagonists, you end up loving for who they are. It’s rare to find that in an hour and fifty minute film. My thumbs can’t go up any higher!

5


Alpha Dog
★★★★ / ★★★★

Emile Hirsch is pimp in this movie! As embarrassed I am to say that, I believed him to be the leader of the pack. Even though he was short, he overpowers everyone because his character has the money and his limits extended more than anyone (arguably). Critics loved Justin Timberlake in this movie and I must agree with them. He gave heart to this movie and in the end he ends up to be the one audiences got to know most. But I must say I also loved Anton Yelchin’s performance. His character’s innocence was demolished during the last thirty minutes of the film and the way he did it took my breath away because he was so convincing. Even though the dialogue is kind of “ghetto,” I advise you to not let that hinder your decision to watch this amazing sleeper film. I can’t recommend this film enough.

4


There Will Be Blood
★★★★ / ★★★★

Daniel Day-Lewis definitely deserve the Best Actor Oscar. He was funny, scary, sad–but above all, twisted. Because of him, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. His portrayal of a man consumed by competition and success was very believable. One minute he’s someone one can relate to, the next minute, he’s a complete psychopath. Paul Dano wasn’t bad either. He provided a much-needed comic relief and much more. (The comments about organized religion was a breath of fresh air.) What I love about this film is its relentless soundtrack: it’s always there even though nothing much is happening on screen. It’s as if it became a character itself. I also love the fact that it’s so different from the other films out there. The tones are never complimentary yet all of it still manages to fit together like a puzzle. There are long moments of silences, which I also enjoyed, but I do admit that they could’ve cut at least fifteen minutes of those scenes. Still, one could argue that those scenes enhanced the film by making the audiences feel like they, too, are part of the oil mining business. It’s a long movie but if one can hang in there, it really is worth pondering over once the credits start rolling.

3


Bourne Ultimatum, The
★★★★ / ★★★★

Jason Bourne pulled a Sydney Bristow. For the fans of the great show called “Alias,” you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, that’s okay. All the more reason for you to see it. Although I predicted that something like that happened to Bourne, it remains extraordinarily exciting. No one is safe in this supposed final installment. I am immensely glad they had the bravado to kill off a potential main character in the first few scenes, not to mention put Julia Stiles’ beloved character in an unimaginable danger in the roofs. It was so exhilirating, I got numb and shaken at several points throughout the film. The assassins are deadlier, the hand-to-hand combats more real, and the car chases at its best. Not to mention desperation is in the air as characters switch from one side to another in search for the truth. I can only hope they make a fourth movie in the future–I can’t get enough of Jason Bourne! For me, “The Bourne” series has revolutionized the spy-thriller genre in so many levels. Which one is the best “Bourne” movie? All of them. They’re unique in their own way. This one expertly used flashbacks, past dialogues, scenes, character foils, and similar situations that happened in the past two movies. It was eerie yet it provides some form of closure. It reminded me of the last season of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” It is officially my favourite film series of all time, right next to “Indiana Jones.” “The Bourne Ultimatum” is THE best movie of summer 2007.

2


Gone Baby Gone
★★★★ / ★★★★

I’m surprised by how focused this movie was. I didn’t think Ben Affleck had it in him to direct such a suspenseful picture but I was proven wrong. I liked the dark tone of the film, the twists, and the evolution of Casey Affleck’s charismatic but flawed character. None of the elements in this film felt forced. Even though it was about a tragedy, it had some sort of an organic feel to it; as if it can happen in real life, not just in the movies. I also liked that the ending offers no easy solution, which made it all the more haunting. I think this film deserves to be nominated for at least one Oscar because I enjoyed it a lot. I wouldn’t change anything about this film because every punch landed on the right spot. The highlight has got to be the lake scene when the protagonists are about to get the missing girl. My heart pounded so fast during that scene. If this becomes a minor classic, I wouldn’t be surprised.

1


No Country for Old Men
★★★★ / ★★★★

Pulse-pounding! There are a lot of highlights in this film such as the first few shots when the filmmakers scanned over the land. The shadows are menacing and the silences are as dangerous as grenades exploding from a few feet away. I love “Fargo” and it remains one of my favorite movies but I couldn’t help but notice a sense of maturity in this picture. It’s as focused as it can get. Five minutes into the film, everything started rolling and people started dying. The violence is deftly handled, the dialogue is crisp, and the characters are endlessly fascinating. I heard a lot of complaints about the ending but I thought it was the right kind of conclusion for this film. My favourite scene has got to be the hotel scene when one of the characters awaits for the enemy behind the door. And then the chase after that was magnificent. This is Coen Brothers at their finest. They thrilled me with silence and that is damn hard to accomplish. Actions do speak louder than words!