Meet the Spartans was the number one movie in America this weekend with $18.7 million, just a little over Rambo’s $18.2 million. It was only at 4% (which is out of 100 percent people) on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, don’t get me wrong. I knew this movie was going to do well. Terrible movies usually do somehow end up with decent box office. But Meet the Spartans? Seriously?
John Rambo is pissed about this. He might go off and kill 400 more people. Burma!
This is sort of like my rant about 300 in my best of 2007 post, but only worse. It’s like all those people who nearly ruined 300 for me went out and made a crappy movie number one. In the big scheme of things, I know that this doesn’t matter. But come on. Did this honestly look funny? In the trailer, a guy randomly turns into a transformer to play Chris Crocker’s “Leave Britney Alone!” video. Yes, comic genius! Right? I mean, right? I mean, that sounds like a good ole’ time at the movies to me.
Don’t you dare say I don’t have a sense of humor. This is not comedy. This is not a movie. This should not exist.
America, go kill yourself. No, right now. I mean it.
Go take a knife and stab yourself in the eye Demolition Man style (and yes, mentioning that film does make the pain hurt a little less). Go stick your head in an oven and turn it on. Drink a vat of acid. Stand in front of an 18-wheeler. Tie a rope to a bolder and then around your neck and then proceed to toss that bolder off a cliff. Just die please and stop going to see movies. No, you can’t even leave your house. You do not deserve sunlight. And don’t you dare reproduce. Don’t you dare do it. Oh, what am I saying? Of course you will. You will like a jackrabbit. And you know what? Your son is going to hate you for it.
All because you make movies like Meet the Spartans successful.
I’m not defending Rambo either. It definitely wasn’t a cinematic gem. But at least Sly Stallone cares about his films. If only we could get him off that HGH…
I’m getting sidetracked. Meet the Spartans should not exist. The people who saw this movie and somehow made it a hit should not exist. Period.
So, if you just got back form a screening of Meet the Spartans and now you’re at your job at 7/11 pondering a certain question in your head, yes, there is an answer to it: Jump. Jump, my friend. Just climb the tallest building you can find and take a leap. I promise you’ll feel better afterwards. I know I will. 
Monday, January 28, 2008
Meet the Spartans? Really?
Wesley's There Will Be Blood Review. Kinda.
*Warning: Extremely minor plot detail spoilers. But nothing big at all. Really...I mean it. It's all vague*
I’ve been putting this review off for the past few days because I’m really not sure how to review this movie. It isn’t like anything I’ve seen in a really long time. I’m not even sure that I would call it a movie. It’s more like an experience.
So, I guess the main question would be is the movie any good? Yes. It’s very good. But it’s different.
Basically, There Will Be Blood follows one of the most frustratingly awful characters ever written around for two and half hours. And that’s not all. Everyone around him is pretty awful too. So, as an audience member, you don’t really have anyone to connect with. In that sense, There Will Be Blood is a very detached film experience. But it’s a very good one.
Much has already been said about Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance in this movie, so I’ll keep it short. Much like Javier Bardem did in his performance of Anton Chigur in No Country for Old Men, Lewis becomes the character of Daniel Plainview. It is something that is scary and awe inspiring to watch. He makes every line of dialogue stand out and every movement significant. He makes acting with a napkin on his face something to be inspired by. He makes slapping people around manly again. He makes the word “milkshake” dramatic. He convinced me that he could eat me and my whole family alive without breaking a sweat. His performance is really amazing to see happen on the screen.
Okay, I still really don’t know how to review this movie. It’s really hard to watch at times and it made me really uncomfortable. There’s not really anyone to like. But it still works. The directing, acting, and cinematography are all amazing.
Jonny Greenwood’s score is like nothing I’ve ever heard before. It actually makes the film even more dramatic and sinister. The first ten minutes of the film (which contains little to no dialogue) were heightened even more by his music. Just those shots of the hills while those violins were building in the background gave me goose bumps.
I haven’t had an experience like There Will Be Blood since 2001: A Space Odyssey. Yes, they are very different films, but in a way they feel similar. If Kubrick was still alive, I could see him directing this movie. With that amount of attention to detail, feeling and atmosphere…it felt like a Kubrick film. At times it was cold…almost too cold… but still, it somehow kept a strong emotional pull for me.
The ending is amazing. Don’t let anyone spoil it for you. It’s so out of left field and random but I loved every second of it. The last line is very ambiguous, but I loved that too. It’s perfect.
So, technically speaking, There Will Be Blood is the perfect film. It’s tragic, cold, emotional, and scary. The acting is some of the best I’ve ever seen. The attention to detail is astounding. The direction is very well done. It’s truly an epic of filmmaking. But I could still see how someone could really hate this film. It’s not for everyone. It’s not an easy film to watch. As you can probably tell by just reading this vague review, it’s not that easy to even describe afterwards. It’s something else. It’s There Will Be Blood. Just see it and feel how you feel afterwards. As for me, I still feel like I have to think about it some more. But for a review’s sake, I’ll put down a number for now. But see it.
9/10
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Jason's Rambo Review
So last night at around 11:00pm, I was sitting in a theater watching one monotonous movie trailer after another just waiting for Rambo to come onto the screen. I am not as familiar with the second two Rambo's as much as I am with the first one (which I just re-watched last week, it was awesome, I kinda wish I was reviewing it), but was still eager to see what Stallone had up his sleeve for this one. Rocky Balboa was a mild success, both in the box office and as a continuation of the Rocky series, so why should Rambo (just "Rambo") be any different?
I am just going to be blunt right off the bat. This movie is terrible. It just doesn't work on any conceivable level and (*spoilers* sorta), you spend most of the movie in boredom watching these persistent missionaries, whom you care nothing about, die as Rambo tries effortlessly to save them by destroying a whole battalion of Burmese psycho soldiers. Oh, and this all happens in the last ten minutes.
(No more spoilers)
Don't get me wrong, Rambo is still BA, (*spoiler* sorta, I lied before, but only in the last 30 minutes or so) but now he has taking the form of some massive HGH junkie that has spent most of his life after Rambo 3 living in Thailand as snake wrangler. This movie is just bogus. The plot is terrible, the characters are forgettable, and Rambo is just a shell of a man who now has an oddly grotesque face seemingly because he gets kicks out of shooting steroids into his cheeks.
I am a big fan of Stallone. I like that he does what he loves and continues to expand the movie series that mean the most to him. But where Rocky Balboa took the place of Rocky V and became a great ending to a great series, Rambo just becomes a meaningless echo in a Hollywood currently overloaded with crap.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Hey! It's Caleb's Lists of Movies of 2007!!
So, as I was watching "My Fair Brady" on VH1, finishing up my second pack of Oreo Cakesters, and coming to the realization that I was what's wrong with America, I figured it was finally time to make my YDKS debut. I'm really not sure why it took me so long. But that doesn't really matter. I'm here now.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Heath Ledger: 1979 - 2008
Heath Ledger was found dead in a NYC apartment today at around 2pm. He was only 28 years old. I don't want to believe it. He had such a charisma on screen and was in the prime of his acting career. This sucks. Filming on Dark Knight is said to be complete and Heath was attached to Terry Gilliam's new movie. This is just terrible. Here is a link to one of the first reports at TMZ.com.
*Update*
Ledger had indeed completely finished his all of his work on Dark Knight. So no worries there I guess.
Oscar Nominations
The Oscar Nominations were announced this morning, and after reading over the list, i was pleasantly surprised. Here is a link to a nicely organized list over at Comingsoon.net. Some of the more intriguing parts of the list include the exclusion of King of Kong from Best Documentary and Ratatouille received a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. I will see most of the nominees by the time the Oscars air on February 24th. Until then though, we still have Rambo and Be Kind Rewind to look forward to.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Wesley's Cloverfield Review
*Warning: There are some story elements discussed in the following review so beware of some minor spoilers*
As a kid, I grew up watching Godzilla movies. One day, I got sick at school and spent most of the day rolling around in pain on a cot next to the elementary school office. Finally, I decided to give in and just get them to call my mom. Twenty minutes later she arrived. But she didn’t arrive alone.
I returned home that day with a VHS box set of old Japanese Godzilla (technically Gojira) movies. It had everything. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. King Kong…I was in heaven. Suddenly, being sick didn’t matter anymore. Quickly, I was becoming a Godzilla fanatic.
Shortly after my investment into the giant green lizard from Japan, Roland Emmerich’s 1998 remake of the same name came out. It was panned not only by critics but Godzilla fans all over the world. As a young, impressionable kid, I loved the film. However, as I have aged and become somewhat wiser, I have come to see what the panning was all about. While it can fall into that “so-bad-it’s-good” catorgy, Godzilla (1998) is essentially an embarrassment to the Godzilla mythos.
Before I saw equally horrible embarrassment that was Transformers, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Cloverfield trailer right before it. Immediately, I was fairly intrigued. As one can tell, I’m obviously already a huge monster movie fan through Godzilla. This was just going to be like Godzilla, only with hand held cameras. What could be better than that? Finally, we were going to get a new giant monster movie, only with a fresh, original angle to go along with it.
As hype continued throughout the months, I started to care less and less about Cloverfield. Much like what happened after I saw 300, I was already getting sick of Cloverfield without even seeing it. By the time last night rolled around, I really wasn’t that excited. Still, having looked over some positive reviews beforehand, I was still ready for what would most likely be a good time.
So, after months of hype and building, does Cloverfield really deliver?
Yes. It’s by no means perfect, but Cloverfield is one of the most entertaining times I’ve had in the theater in a while.
First off, I really liked the first twenty minutes or so. The very rough opening with the timers and property of United States government labels followed by very amateurism footage was a really nice touch. The footage definitely got more professional looking once Hud took control of the camera, but that’s okay. Overall, it gave the film a very realistic and immediate feel. I did enjoy the section of the film taking place during Rob’s party. It really established some of the main characters well along with putting some weight into the Rob and Beth relationship.
Once the monster hit Manhattan, however, things got crazy pretty quick. Considering the very short running time of the movie (it runs about 84 minutes), there was non-stop tension, confusion, and action from here on out. Each sequence containing the monster was really well done. You see a lot of it, but it’s still hard to put it together all of it due its enormous scope and elusiveness. But I liked that. The action is handled very well. It’s never very fun like most action / monster movies. Instead, it’s very immediate, intense, and often unexpected.
The characters were all very well developed and realistic. Like Jason, I really liked the character of Hud. He was a character that I would usually hate with a passion in other movies but, for some reason, he just works really well in this film. So that’s something to be applauded. A comic relief character that I don’t want to beat over the head with a hammer. That’s a new one. Good job.
Despite the movie being fairly non-stop action once the monster comes into play, the quiet moments in between really worked very well. The most impressive scene for me was the subway sequence when Rob gets a phone call from his mother. It could have been forced and cheesy, but it wasn’t. It felt realistic, plausible, and it was very effective.
Like most reviews have stated, this is a movie that is all about characters and how they cope with this situation. It is not about the monster. The monster is always lurking around, but he is not the focus in any way. You don’t find out what the monster is there for or where he came from. It doesn’t matter. It’s not about that. It’s all about the characters, how they get through the horrible, seemingly inescapable situation present and why they do the things they do.
As I could tell from both the first trailer and the poster, the situation is very 9/11-like in nature. When the monster first attacks, a giant cloud of rubble, smoke, and debris comes shooting down the street, causing people to duck into near by stores to avoid it. This footage is almost an exact copy of the footage of people trying to avoid the aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center. Steven Spielberg tried to create this very same feel with his remake of War of the Worlds, even having characters ask, “Is it the terrorists?” However, that movie failed on every level possible. Cloverfield doesn’t. It feels real. The situation is happening and it is, despite having a giant monster, relevant. So suck it, Spielberg. You just got showed up by a first time director (yeah, he did direct some TV shows, but this was his first feature film).
Still, Cloverfield isn’t a perfect film. That fact that Rob continues to go into the middle of Manhattan to find Beth despite all the things he has seen and some of his friends getting killed along the way is just insane. Yeah, he loved her. Really, I get it. But come on, man. She said she was bleeding and was unable to move in her last phone message. Odds are that she will be dead by the time you reach her. It just doesn’t seem like a risk worth taking, especially when you have friends good enough to follow your crazy ass in the process. Plus, didn’t she leave your party with another guy? Wise up. Still, I get it. It was a plot device. It just doesn’t make Rob look like the most intelligent person in the world. The other thing I had a problem with was the footage of Rob and Beth going to Coney Island that was intercut with the footage of the monster’s attack on New York City. I had heard that this footage was the heart of the film and that it helped the audience really understand Rob’s undying love for Beth. I didn’t really get that. The first part before the trip to Coney Island worked pretty well, but once the trip started…well…it was just them on a train to the island. That’s it. They don’t really do much other than giggle and smile. Oh, aren’t they in love! Don’t make me blush. Aww…they’re on a Ferris wheel (hey, make sure you look closely behind them in this scene). So sweet. No, really, I get it. I know what it was there for. Yes, I even agree that it was a really smart idea to intercut it with the monster attack footage. It just doesn’t work as well as I think it was meant to work. It just didn’t have the emotional pull that I wanted it to have for me.
Other than other little things here and there, the movie didn’t really bother me much more. I actually really liked the ending. Judging by reactions I heard in the theater (which were a bunch of “Awww!” s and “That’s it! Seriously!”), most people weren’t in to it. But this just proves to me that most people are morons. Oh really, you thought it was going to end differently? Where you paying attention to the text at the beginning of the movie? It had to end that way so everything would make sense. It was the right way to go and I loved it for that. As for the people that didn’t like it and felt that they were ripped off- screw them. They’re probably the people thought Transformers was the best thing since sliced bread. They’re the people that laughed when No Country For Old Men ended. They’re the people that don’t need to exist. They’re the people that just need to not step outside of their homes. Really. I mean it. Don’t bother me with your presence. And don’t be an ass when a movie I enjoyed ends and voice your oh so important, ignorant opinion. I didn’t do that when Transformers ended. I didn’t scream complaints in the theater. Who the hell are you? What’s your favorite movie? It doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t even exist.
And no, I’m by no means a J.J. Abrams fanboy. I refuse to watch Lost and I thought Mission Impossible III was extremely overrated and stupid. Sure, it was better than the second one, but what isn’t. Troll 2 is a better movie than Mission Impossible II.
Lastly, the song played over the end credits is amazing. Who ever decided on that has a great sense of humor. Good work.
So, overall, Cloverfield was really what I wanted it to be: a really intense, personal attack of what a giant monster attack could be like. It was really well done, acted, and directed. If you want to be entertained for a solid 84 minutes, I’d recommend it. Just be prepared to except some extreme character decisions here and there. Overall, good stuff. Gojira would be proud.
7/10
Cloverfield...A few words from Jason.
I must admit that my expectations were low for this one. First of all, this movie was extremely over-marketed. Admittedly, most movies are nowadays. But still, it was. Second, it looked like a cheesy gimmick to get you into the theater. "Look a new Godzilla movie, but wait, there is a twist and it involves a hand-held camera and young adults." But, needless to say, both ploys were enough to get me to watch. The Verdict? Here are some questions to help us answer that one.
Is it perfect? No.
If it is not perfect, than what is it? Clever, uh wait...fun, no no...clever.
Which was it? Both...yeah, both.
Is it funny? Yes (Hud, best character ever).
Is it suspenseful? Yes
You said earlier it looked like a cheesy gimmick. Does it pour corn? Yes, some parts.
Is it an American Godzilla? No (Does no one remember that we have King Kong anyway? We do do not need our own lizard when we have giant super cool..., nay, giant super sensitive monkeys?).
Do you get to see the monster? Yes.
What is it? You'll never know.
I am easily affected by motion sickness, should I see it? I think it is worth a couple pukes into the popcorn bucket.
What's the Verdict? Too Cool.
This movie puts you directly into the action. You are not above it, in it momentarily and then suddenly out, or looking through glass at what is happening outside. You are IN it. It is like a ride and you get to feel every twist and turn, every high and low. Some of the weaker plot points get in the way and some of the scenes wreak of cheese. But there are some parts of the ride that will make you come back for more. And really, they are the moments that make you get on the ride in the first place. Cloverfield is a great ride and it is perfection when it comes to audience participation. I think that is what made me truly enjoy it so much. I was a part of every scene, and that to me is too cool.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Wesley's 2007 Movie Roundup
With Jason's list up and posted, I'd like to add my own list of what I believe is the best and worst films of 2007. When the year first started, I was really disappointed with most of the movies that I saw. However, as time has gone by, I have come to realize that I've really seen a lot of really good movies this year. Although I didn't get to see certain movies that would probably end up on this list such as There Will Be Blood and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, I feel like I saw enough to justify this list. I'm going to follow some of the format that Jason did with his post, but I will vary it up from time to time with some new catorgies here and there.
Best Of 2007:
10. Juno
9. The Darjeeling Limited
8. Eastern Promises
7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
6. Hot Fuzz
5. Grindhouse
4. Knocked Up
3. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
2. Zodiac
1. No Country for Old Men
Worst of 2007:
I usually can tell which movies I'm going to like so usually I don't see something awful unless it's on purpose or my mistake. So this list is pretty short.
5. Spider-man 3
4. Hatchet
3. Smokin' Aces
2. AVP-R
1. Transformers
Movies that Left Me Indifferent:
After watching these, I didn't really feel like I hated them or really liked them. They filled up the hour and half and that's what they were there for. I'll never see them again and I couldn't care less.
4. 28 Weeks Later
3. Blades of Glory
2. Reno 911: Miami
1. TMNT
Honorable Mentions:
These movies weren't bad, but unfortunately I can only fit ten movies in a top ten.
11. Shoot ‘Em Up
10. The Simpsons Movie
9. Live Free or Die Hard
8. The Host
7. Black Snake Moan
6. American Gangster
5. 300
4. Halloween (2007)
3. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
2. Superbad
1. The Bourne Ultimatium
Most Overrated Movie of the Year:
Transformers
- The fact that so many people love this movie confuses me in ways that you may not understand. Which part of this gem made you people think this was a good movie? Was it the part when Shia LaBeouf's mom discusses masturbation with him? Was it the pointless Kill Bill nod with Bubblebee? Or how about when the Transformer urinated on the FBI agent? Did you guys eat that up? Or was it the awful characterizations? How about those unengaging, shaky, and poorly constructed action sequences? Wasn't it cool when Jazz called people bitches? Hey, Bernie Mac's in this movie. Isn’t he funny? Why is John Turturro in this movie and why is he so terrible in it? Who wrote this? I've never liked a Michael Bay movie and this is another reason why. No, this movie is not escapism entertainment. Transformers is pure mindless crap. If you gave me a DVD of this I would break it in two.
Runner-Up: 300
- 300 is not by any means a bad movie. In fact, it's fairly well done. However, despite its good points, it's not the best movie ever made. Talk to any mainstream moviegoer and mention this film. They'll go crazy. 300? The 300? That's the best movie ever made! It's awesome! I wanna be a Spartan! Never has the mindless popularity of a movie made me start to dislike it more than the case of 300. I know this shouldn't be the case, but when you hear this opinion over and over again without any substance backing it up, you really just start to get sick of the film itself. It slowly started to go from a movie I enjoyed pretty thoroughly the first time I viewed it to something I started to secretly dislike. No, it’s not the best movie ever made. It’s a good movie, but it’s not perfect. I don’t know. I’m just sick of hearing of it.
Most Underrated Movie:
Halloween (2007)
- Halloween is a movie that should have never been remade. It’s my favorite horror movie and holds a very special place in my heart for nearly traumatizing me as a child. So, when I heard the remake was coming out, I was not very happy. However, Rob Zombie’s attachment interested me. Although I hated Zombie’s first film, House of a 1000 Corpses, I thought his second effort, The Devil’s Rejects, was a pretty solid film. Halloween is definitely a step down, but it’s not a huge one. Although the film is extremely flawed, what Zombie attempts to do with the character of Michael Myers and the mythos of Halloween is admirable. Unlike most pointless horror remakes, he actually adds a new element to story, making Michael Myers more of a tragic figure than the epitome of the boogieman. The film is by no means perfect, but it’s definitely not the piece of a trash that most people make it out to be. I like to view it as a decent love letter to the original film.
Fanboy Movie of the Year:
Grindhouse
-This movie made me feel like I was twelve years old. I say that in a good way. It was the most fun I’ve had in a movie theater in a long time. I loved everything about this movie. I loved the missing reels, the fake trailers, the scratches in the film, the hilarious moments, the awesome directing, and Kurt Russell’s amazing performance as Stuntman Mike. It’s really sad that it didn’t do very well. Never has a weekend box office depressed me more. Yeah, I didn’t expect it to be a box office smash but I still wish it did better. It’s even sadder that the Weinsteins have been milking it for everything it’s worth by splitting it in two for a DVD release.
Runner-Ups: Hot Fuzz and Shoot ‘Em Up
Biggest Surprise of the Year:
Knocked Up
-I knew that it was probably going to be a good movie since it was coming from Judd Apatow, who directed the well done comedy The 40 Year Old Virgin and produced one of my favorite TV shows in Freaks and Geeks. However, I never expected to be drawn into this movie as much as I was the first time I saw it. Not only was it hilarious, but it was really touching as well. Out of all the films I saw this year, Knocked Up was the one that I truly enjoyed watching the most.
Biggest Disappointment of the Year:
Spider-man 3
- Upon rewatching this a few weeks back, I found it to not be as bad as I originally thought. However, this was one of the most disappointing and embarrassing theater experiences of my entire life. Things started off well. The first hour or so was fairly entertaining. Sandman's introduction was amazing and some of the early fight scenes really were great (Harry vs. Peter, the Crane scene, the first Sandman fight). However, once the black suit came into play and Peter started dancing everywhere, I was just too mortified to watch. Venom was completely wasted and the black suit was very misinterpreted. Also, there was a lot of forced acting all around. It just didn't feel like the other films. I had no emotional attachment to it by the end, which sucks. Also, the final battle was completely lifeless and ridiculous. It could have easily taken place in Batman and Robin. Overall, the movie wasn’t horrible. However, looking back at the perfection of Spider-man and Spider-man 2, this film should have been incredible.
Best Use of Music of the Year:
Donovan- “Hurdy Gurdy Man” in Zodiac
-Donovan songs have been used effectively in movies before such as Atlantis in Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece Goodfellas. However, David Fincher uses the song Hurdy Gurdy Man in the opening murder of Zodiac to make a tension filled scene even more haunting and surreal. Its reprise at the end of the film only serves as an echo of not only what survivor Michael Mageau has been through but everyone involved in the Zodiac case. After seeing this movie, it is impossible to listen to this song and not have the images of the film enter your brain.
Most Effective Movie of the Year:
No Country for Old Men
- It should be no surprise that the movie I choose for this would be my number 1 movie of the year. It has been years since a movie has had an effect on me like No Country for Old Men did. Never have I been so tense, uncomfortable, and, by the end, upset by a movie. The acting, directing, and lack of a musical score all added to this effect. Plus, it probably has a little to do with Javier Bardem and his rendition of Chigur. Never have I seen a bad guy in a movie that is so menacing, interesting, and horrifying. The scene between him and Woody Harrelson in that hotel room was one of the most intense things I’ve ever seen in a movie. So here’s to No Country for Old Men for completely draining me and making me think for hours and hours later.
Runner-Up: Zodiac
-The first time I saw this movie, it was really late at night. By the time the end credits popped up around 2 am, I was completely engrossed and frustrated. Yes, I knew the Zodiac killer was never caught. Still, due to David Fincher’s incredibly detailed and obsessive direction, I was completely drawn in. As the film hit dead end after dead end, I felt like I was dying inside more and more. I just wanted things to work out. Never has a film made me feel the frustrations and anger of obsession and a criminal case like Zodiac did. David Fincher truly created an epic crime drama with this film and it’s a shame that it doesn’t get as much recognition as it does.
Movies I Haven’t Seen That Are Supposed to Be Somewhat Good or Interesting:
King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters
Ratatouille
The Mist
3:10 to Yuma
Across the Universe
There Will Be Blood
Southland Tales
Lars and the Real Girl
Gone Baby Gone
Michael Clayton
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
I'm Not There
Gracie is Gone
Youth Without Youth
Atonement
The Kite Runner
Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
Color Me Kubric
Into the Wild
The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Rocket Science
The Kingdom
The Devil Came on Horseback
Once
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Jason's 2007 Movie Roundup
2007 is wrapped for movies, but I am so far behind that this post may present itself as meaningless. Still I will pursue the dream of covering all the movies of 2007. In my last post, I declared 2007 to be one of the worst movie years of recent memory. However, that did not stop the year from ending on a high note. Here are my updated lists for the year.
*Disclaimer: Maybe I should point out, that the movies in my Top Ten are not necessarily the greatest movies of 2007. They are simply my favorites and they are in order from least to greatest with the only weight being how much I loved them. They come from only the movies I have seen in 2007 and are not meant to be in any way related to anyone else's list. And as for Eastern Promises, just because a movie is well made, that does not make it a good movie.
Top Ten - 2007 (In Order from what I have seen.)
10. King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters
9. Hot Fuzz
8. The Bourne Ultimatum
7. Knocked Up
6. Juno
5. Grindhouse
4. Zodiac
3. Superbad
2. Ratatouille
1. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Honorable Mentions
- Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
- The Mist
- Halloween (2007)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Dan in Real Life
- 3:10 to Yuma
- Across the Universe
- Sunshine
- The Simpsons
- Hot Rod
- Evan Almighty
- Live Free or Die Hard
- I Am Legend
- 28 Weeks Later
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- Bug
- 300
- The Host
- Reign Over Me
- TMNT
- Blades of Glory
Worst of 2007
- Transformers
- Spider-Man 3
- Beowulf
- Hitman
- The Heartbreak Kid
- 30 Days of Night
- AvP-R
- Eastern Promises
- The Game Plan
- Rush Hour 3
- Hostel: Part II
- Waitress
- The Ex
- Shrek the Third
- Fracture
- The Condemned
- Kickin' It Old School
- Premonition
- Hannibal Rising
- The Number 23
- Reno 911: Miami
- Stomp the Yard
- Catch and Release
- Epic Movie
Movies to See
- There Will Be Blood
- No Country For Old Men (Saw it, but I need some time.)
- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
- American Gangster
- Southland Tales
- Lars and the Real Girl
- The Darjeeling Limited
- Gone Baby Gone
- Michael Clayton
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
- I'm Not There
- Gracie is Gone
- Youth Without Youth
- Atonement
- The Kite Runner
- Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
- Black Snake Moan
- Color Me Kubric
- Into the Wild
- The Poughkeepsie Tapes
- Rocket Science
- The Kingdom
- Hatchet
- The Devil Came on Horseback
- Once
