The Best (and Worst) of 2007 (So Far)
Apr 30, 2016 11:42:17 GMT -5
Pear, moimoi, and 1 more like this
Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on Apr 30, 2016 11:42:17 GMT -5
Me vs. RT
As I’ve been ranking these films, I’ve been checking in with RottenTomatoes to see how my impressions stack up against the critical consensus of the time, and I’ve noticed a pattern. I in 2016 am much more willing to put genre and comedy films in the same rarified air as, if not higher than, the high- and middle-brow darlings of the same year. At the same time, I’ve been much more deeply critical of certain blockbusters (300, Spider-Man 3) than my counterparts a decade ago, who may have simply written them off as harmless, “good enough” popcorn fare.
It’s a real testament to how quickly and completely the traditional social hierarchy within film has disappeared. Sure, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Witch both enjoy RT scores in the 90s now, but that never would’ve happened in 2007, because there would always be a sizable contingent of assholes who’d say “well, it’s no Citizen Kane.” Horror, action, comedy, and science fiction are taken seriously enough now that they’re taken to task and given their due. Thomas Boswell once said that we’ve reached a point where we no longer see baseball players as heroes to be idolized, nor as scoundrels to be trashed, but as humans, as equals. I think the same can be said for movies today.
And with that...
The Best of 2007 So Far:
10. Meet the Robinsons
Disney Animation’s first post-Eisner movie is a refreshingly heartfelt return to form as well as a tribute to the ideals of Uncle Walt.
9. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Despite appearances, this Romanian drama is a quietly fascinating look at life under the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu.
8. A Mighty Heart
Overshadowed at the time by star Angelina Jolie’s celebrity and shift to more dramatic roles, Michael Winterbottom’s portrait of the disappearance of journalist Daniel Pearl, as experienced by his wife and colleague Mariane, is treated with the sincerity and realism it deserves.
7. Sicko
Carefully balancing real-life horror stories with his trademark sarcastic humor, Sicko sees left-wing documentarian Michael Moore make one of his best films with a passionate moral argument for universal healthcare.
6. Paranoid Park
While not always a pleasant film, Gus Van Sant’s austere teen-thriller succeeds in its purpose and perfectly captures the look and feel of 2000s America.
5. Disturbia
While dated in places, what could have been a shallow retread of Rear Window is a fun, suspenseful thriller anchored by the performances of Shia LaBoeuf and David Morse.
4. Grindhouse
Robert Rodriguez’s and Quentin Tarantino’s campy double-feature is a deliriously fun homage to b-movies and a must-see for aspiring filmmakers and cinephiles in general.
3. Ratatouille
Brad Bird and Pixar’s charming, funny, and endlessly gorgeous contribution to 2007 is one of their finest, and a family film for the ages.
2. Hot Fuzz
Edgar Wright’s loving send-up of Hollywood cop movies is a joy for fans of the genre and newcomers alike, and a breath of fresh air in the age of grimdark.
1. Zodiac
With the help of James Vanderbilt’s brilliant script, David Fincher delivers a darkly fascinating true-crime thriller with an unconventional cast and painstaking attention to detail. My all-time favorite movie.
The Worst of 2007 So Far:
10. Spider-Man 3
The final installment of Sam Raimi’s genre-defining superhero trilogy nearly undoes the goodwill of the preceding chapters with an overstuffed plot and near-universal character derailment.
9. 300
Zack Snyder’s breakout blockbuster may have been novel at the time, but its nauseating visual effects and shallow characterization get in the way of enjoyment.
8. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters
A 90-minute version of the late-night stoner cartoon demonstrates why the original episodes were only ten minutes long.
7. The Astronaut Farmer
Intended as a modern fairytale promoting hope and optimism, this film is derailed at every turn by the anti-government paranoia of its era.
6. Stomp the Yard
Everyone knows that dance movies are stingy with actual dancing, but Stomp the Yard fills its remaining time with shallow characters and a bafflingly antiquated depiction of class conflict.
5. Smokin' Aces
Joe Carnahan’s gory take on quirky, violent films from the 1990s is overstuffed, overcomplicated, impossible to follow, and features a bizarre, incomprehensible stab at political commentary.
4. The Number 23
While Joel Schumacher’s homage to numerological conspiracies was widely derided in its time, The Number 23 is underappreciated as a must-see for lovers of so-bad-it’s-good camp.
3. Georgia Rule
Trying to be a feel-good movie about sexual abuse, Georgia Rule brings a new definition to tone-deafness with the help of an awkward, directionless script and oblivious direction.
2. Wild Hogs
Priding itself on favoring one lazy male sterotype over another, this contractual obligation of a film is an embarrassment to everyone involved.
1. Norbit
Originally, I was numb to Norbit’s insulting stupidity because I knew it was coming. But as time has gone on, my revulsion to it has only grown. How Eddie Murphy expected this ugly, incompetent farce to be a hit is a testament to his lack of self-awareness, with all the unexamined gay subtext that implies.
Next Time: License to Wed
As I’ve been ranking these films, I’ve been checking in with RottenTomatoes to see how my impressions stack up against the critical consensus of the time, and I’ve noticed a pattern. I in 2016 am much more willing to put genre and comedy films in the same rarified air as, if not higher than, the high- and middle-brow darlings of the same year. At the same time, I’ve been much more deeply critical of certain blockbusters (300, Spider-Man 3) than my counterparts a decade ago, who may have simply written them off as harmless, “good enough” popcorn fare.
It’s a real testament to how quickly and completely the traditional social hierarchy within film has disappeared. Sure, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Witch both enjoy RT scores in the 90s now, but that never would’ve happened in 2007, because there would always be a sizable contingent of assholes who’d say “well, it’s no Citizen Kane.” Horror, action, comedy, and science fiction are taken seriously enough now that they’re taken to task and given their due. Thomas Boswell once said that we’ve reached a point where we no longer see baseball players as heroes to be idolized, nor as scoundrels to be trashed, but as humans, as equals. I think the same can be said for movies today.
And with that...
The Best of 2007 So Far:
10. Meet the Robinsons
Disney Animation’s first post-Eisner movie is a refreshingly heartfelt return to form as well as a tribute to the ideals of Uncle Walt.
9. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Despite appearances, this Romanian drama is a quietly fascinating look at life under the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu.
8. A Mighty Heart
Overshadowed at the time by star Angelina Jolie’s celebrity and shift to more dramatic roles, Michael Winterbottom’s portrait of the disappearance of journalist Daniel Pearl, as experienced by his wife and colleague Mariane, is treated with the sincerity and realism it deserves.
7. Sicko
Carefully balancing real-life horror stories with his trademark sarcastic humor, Sicko sees left-wing documentarian Michael Moore make one of his best films with a passionate moral argument for universal healthcare.
6. Paranoid Park
While not always a pleasant film, Gus Van Sant’s austere teen-thriller succeeds in its purpose and perfectly captures the look and feel of 2000s America.
5. Disturbia
While dated in places, what could have been a shallow retread of Rear Window is a fun, suspenseful thriller anchored by the performances of Shia LaBoeuf and David Morse.
4. Grindhouse
Robert Rodriguez’s and Quentin Tarantino’s campy double-feature is a deliriously fun homage to b-movies and a must-see for aspiring filmmakers and cinephiles in general.
3. Ratatouille
Brad Bird and Pixar’s charming, funny, and endlessly gorgeous contribution to 2007 is one of their finest, and a family film for the ages.
2. Hot Fuzz
Edgar Wright’s loving send-up of Hollywood cop movies is a joy for fans of the genre and newcomers alike, and a breath of fresh air in the age of grimdark.
1. Zodiac
With the help of James Vanderbilt’s brilliant script, David Fincher delivers a darkly fascinating true-crime thriller with an unconventional cast and painstaking attention to detail. My all-time favorite movie.
The Worst of 2007 So Far:
10. Spider-Man 3
The final installment of Sam Raimi’s genre-defining superhero trilogy nearly undoes the goodwill of the preceding chapters with an overstuffed plot and near-universal character derailment.
9. 300
Zack Snyder’s breakout blockbuster may have been novel at the time, but its nauseating visual effects and shallow characterization get in the way of enjoyment.
8. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters
A 90-minute version of the late-night stoner cartoon demonstrates why the original episodes were only ten minutes long.
7. The Astronaut Farmer
Intended as a modern fairytale promoting hope and optimism, this film is derailed at every turn by the anti-government paranoia of its era.
6. Stomp the Yard
Everyone knows that dance movies are stingy with actual dancing, but Stomp the Yard fills its remaining time with shallow characters and a bafflingly antiquated depiction of class conflict.
5. Smokin' Aces
Joe Carnahan’s gory take on quirky, violent films from the 1990s is overstuffed, overcomplicated, impossible to follow, and features a bizarre, incomprehensible stab at political commentary.
4. The Number 23
While Joel Schumacher’s homage to numerological conspiracies was widely derided in its time, The Number 23 is underappreciated as a must-see for lovers of so-bad-it’s-good camp.
3. Georgia Rule
Trying to be a feel-good movie about sexual abuse, Georgia Rule brings a new definition to tone-deafness with the help of an awkward, directionless script and oblivious direction.
2. Wild Hogs
Priding itself on favoring one lazy male sterotype over another, this contractual obligation of a film is an embarrassment to everyone involved.
1. Norbit
Originally, I was numb to Norbit’s insulting stupidity because I knew it was coming. But as time has gone on, my revulsion to it has only grown. How Eddie Murphy expected this ugly, incompetent farce to be a hit is a testament to his lack of self-awareness, with all the unexamined gay subtext that implies.
Next Time: License to Wed