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| No Country for Old Men |
Back in May, I posted that My Movie Year would be 1954. Specifically, my all-time slate of five Best Picture nominees would be that year's lineup (Dial M for Murder, On the Waterfront, Rear Window, Sabrina, and Seven Samurai). But, in terms of the overall release catalog, 2007 stands out as, arguably, the best year for film ever. While many would name a year like 1939 or 1976 as film's pinnacle year, I have not seen enough films from those years to properly classify one of them as such. (For example, I've seen 17 films from 1939 and 159 films from 2007.)
Check out some of 2007's great films after the cut.
30 Notable Films:
**** Films:
American Gangster
Washington and Crowe play cat and mouse in this modern gangster classic.
Washington and Crowe play cat and mouse in this modern gangster classic.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
A beautiful portrait of the outlaw and his relationship with his killer.
A beautiful portrait of the outlaw and his relationship with his killer.
Atonement
This tragic love story has it all - iconic images, a haunting score, and great performances.
This tragic love story has it all - iconic images, a haunting score, and great performances.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
A great little crime drama with a fantastic cast.
A great little crime drama with a fantastic cast.
The Bourne Ultimatum
Greengrass and Damon don't disappoint in this slam-bang finish.
The Darjeeling Limited
A quirky, albeit forgotten, film that allows Anderson to do his thing almost perfectly.
A quirky, albeit forgotten, film that allows Anderson to do his thing almost perfectly.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
This is art-house cinema at its most colorful and its most moving.
This is art-house cinema at its most colorful and its most moving.
Eastern Promises
Another modern gangster gem with a terrific ensemble.
Another modern gangster gem with a terrific ensemble.
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
A heartbreaking abortion tale with a brave leading performance by Marinca.
A heartbreaking abortion tale with a brave leading performance by Marinca.
Gone Baby Gone
A surprisingly mature directorial debut that poses some difficult questions.
A surprisingly mature directorial debut that poses some difficult questions.
Michael Clayton
Clooney leads a strong cast in this throwback legal thriller.
Clooney leads a strong cast in this throwback legal thriller.
No Country for Old Men
A contemporary western with loads of suspense and great dialogue.
A contemporary western with loads of suspense and great dialogue.
Once
This low-budget musical drama remains one of the best films in recent memory.
This low-budget musical drama remains one of the best films in recent memory.
Ratatouille
Pixar does it again with its second best film (behind Nemo).
Pixar does it again with its second best film (behind Nemo).
Rescue Dawn
Bale, Zahn, et al. give stellar performances in this survival story.
Bale, Zahn, et al. give stellar performances in this survival story.
Stardust
A light fantasy that never ceases to entertain.
A light fantasy that never ceases to entertain.
There Will Be Blood
A masterful epic of greed with one of the most memorable endings ever shot.
A masterful epic of greed with one of the most memorable endings ever shot.
3:10 to Yuma
This western remake pits Crowe against Bale in what is a pairing for the ages.
This western remake pits Crowe against Bale in what is a pairing for the ages.
We Own the Night
An overlooked crime film with style and some brilliant performances.
An overlooked crime film with style and some brilliant performances.
***1/2 Films:
Across the Universe
A musical based on songs by The Beatles. Need I say more?
A musical based on songs by The Beatles. Need I say more?
Disturbia
This loose remake of Rear Window is smart, tense, and, actually, good.
This loose remake of Rear Window is smart, tense, and, actually, good.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Wonderfully crafted with an ensemble cast to die for.
Wonderfully crafted with an ensemble cast to die for.
In the Valley of Elah
A quietly effective film with subtle performances.
A quietly effective film with subtle performances.
Interview
A showcase for the year's Best Actress runner-up: the fabulous Sienna Miller.
A showcase for the year's Best Actress runner-up: the fabulous Sienna Miller.
Into the Wild
Though overpraised, it is a beautiful tale of a man's struggle with nature and with himself.
Though overpraised, it is a beautiful tale of a man's struggle with nature and with himself.
Lars and the Real Girl
One of the year's best dramedies with a great ensemble.
One of the year's best dramedies with a great ensemble.
Paris, Je T'aime
A collection of 18 shorts about relationships in the City of Light.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Depp and Burton return with a bloody brilliant musical.
Waitress
Russell gives a great performance in Shelly's unsung charmer.
Zodiac
Fincher's suspenseful serial killer film based on true events.
Fincher's suspenseful serial killer film based on true events.
Other Notable Films:
Death at a Funeral, Enchanted, Hot Fuzz, I Am Legend, I'm Not There, Juno, Knocked Up, The Lookout, Planet Terror, Quiet City, Red Road, The Savages, Superbad, 2 Days in Paris
Notable Films I Haven't Seen Yet:
Bug, Control, Death Proof, Lust, Caution, Paranoid Park, Persepolis, Sunshine, This is England, 28 Weeks Later
While I still have more films to see from 2007, it seems that anyone could compile a great top 10 list from the 30 notable films I listed above, or with the additional ones I listed. There's something for everybody. A solid pick like There Will Be Blood here. A surprising pick like Disturbia there. And that's just from the films I've mentioned, as there are probably other great ones that I've forgotten to include.
Sample lists: (Random possibilities)
1. No Country for Old Men
2. There Will Be Blood
3. Red Road
4. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
5. Zodiac
6. The Savages
7. Michael Clayton
8. Enchanted
9. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
10. 3:10 to Yuma
1. Atonement
2. The Darjeeling Limited
3. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
4. There Will Be Blood
5. Once
6. American Gangster
7. Ratatouille
8. Waitress
9. Lars and the Real Girl
10. The Bourne Ultimatum
As a reminder, my current list:
1. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
2. Atonement
3. Once
4. American Gangster
5. There Will Be Blood
6. We Own the Night
7. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
8. Rescue Dawn
9. Gone Baby Gone
10. The Bourne Ultimatum
Some yearly top ten lists may feature a few great films, but can they boast such a broad catalog of fine work? (Yes, that includes Disturbia.) Though it's impossible to answer that question definitively, it seems like this is a tough year to top, even for years like 1939. Thoughts?
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