The TGIF Movie Review: The Best of 2007
February 8th, 2008 by Matt
- There Will Be Blood: This is film about greed incarnate, betrayal in all its ugly forms, and violence as a corrupting and corrupted force. The flick also includes the best acting performance I’ve ever seen (Daniel Day-Lewis), and the greatest insult ever given in a movie. Ever. I won’t share it for fear of ruining it, but trust me when I say that you’ll know it when you hear it. This might be the best movie I’ve ever seen.
- Into the Wild: Into the Wild is based on the book by the same name written by John Krakaur, and it’s my favorite nonfiction work ever written. The story is basically this: Christopher McCandless graduates from Emory University, and then essentially disappears without telling his family of his plans. He wander the country discovering what it means to be a human being before ultimately dying in Alaska. He has epiphanies, however, that few of us are lucky enough to have.
- Michael Clayton: This flick about a lawyer/fixer (starring George Clooney in the title role) is as engaging as a legal thriller can get. The ending is a cinematic revelation.
- Charlie Wilson’s War: Another work on celluloid based on true events, Charlie Wilson’s War tells the story of, go figure, Charlie Wilson, a member of Congress from Texas, who, along with the CIA, helps fund Afghanistan in it’s war again the Soviets. The closing includes a sobering reminder of the ways our failings led to the rise of the Taliban.
- Zodiac: As I previously reviewed, Zodiac, yet another film based on true events, tells the story of the Zodiac killer, a serial murderer who terrified San Francisco residents during the late ’60s and early ’70s, and who mystified the authorities, intentionally and successfully. But the movie isn’t really about the brutality of the murders (and they are brutal) or the murders themselves. And the film’s not really about who actually committed the murders (though we’re led to believe who it likely is/was). This film is really about Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist at the San Francisco Chronicle, who becomes obsessed with the identity of the killer.
- Eastern Promises: This movie is a must-see if only for the five-minute fight scene in a steam room. I honestly don’t know how they pulled it off.
- Gone Baby Gone: Ben Affleck’s directorial debut is surprisingly moving, exciting, and tight as a pair of ’80s jeans. Amy Ryan shines as a mother whose child is kidnapped, and Casey Afflect is a gumshoe who tries to unravel the mystery of the kid’s disappearance.
- No Country for Old Men: The latest from the Coen brothers is like a love poem to nihilism and the pervasiveness of violence in a cultural gone horribly out of control. As such, this isn’t exactly the feel-good film of the year, but at the same time, it is masterfully crafted (there’s no soundtrack) and acted (Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem excell).
- Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead: This film about a jewelry heist gone horribly wrong is really a tale about family, lust, love, and trust (or rather, the destruction of those four things).
- Across the Universe: This Julie Tamor experiment succeeds in taking the catalog of Beattles tunes and turning into a well-wrought film. Bono and Eddie Izzard make incredibly forgettable appearances, but the direction is intoxicating and the remainder of the cast shines with their vocal skills and their sincerity.
Some of these films are on DVD and some are still in the theaters. Take if from me: all are essential viewing for film fans, particularly if you’re obsessed with the Oscars like me.
Share This
Add this to your favorites