This is a very difficult task but one that must be done. Many movies this year deserve to be in the Top 10 list, some more deserving than others. From comedy to action; from fantasy that lets your imagination run wild to drama that reminds you home is where the heart is, movies in 2007 have shown us that we CAN learn something by watching someone else portraying it on the big screen.
To close this very memorable year, it is a great honor for me to give you the Most Awesome Movies of 2007 .
10). KNOCKED UP
It’s a toss-up between this and Juno, which is more family friendly, but I chose this movie simply because the humor (though crude) is gut-busting funny and the problematic relationship presented in this movie is not toned down. I also like how the filmmaker puts pictures of the stars and the crew with their babies while the credits roll at the end.
9). WHY DID I GET MARRIED?
This movie fails to explain the background of each marital issue (not even through flashbacks) and suddenly just throws them out there in the dinner scene. But the upside is that writer/director Tyler Perry, in my opinion, successfully brings us complicated problems that can arise in a marriage and resolves them through possible scenarios or solutions that just might work. This movie reminds every couple what it really means to be together and it is done in a comedic but effective manner.
8). THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
I still can’t get over how brilliant the camera work is in this amazing film that takes us on a journey to the true center of human struggle. Let’s just put it this way: If one man who is both paralyzed and mute managed to write a book by blinking his only eye, the rest of us who are physically healthy can accomplish just about anything we can imagine.
7). SICKO
Michael Moore may just be the king of documentary films. This one has a political agenda and is very one-sided but his research and hours of interviews are compiled in a way that makes the audiences want to care again about the current state of health care even when it’s not directly affecting them… yet.
6). STARDUST
If I could pick just one fantasy film this year that’s the most entertaining of all, it’s this one starring Michelle Pfeiffer (who still looks good for her age) and Robert DeNiro in a hilarious performance like never before. It’s a tale of recognizing true love when it’s in front of you. This adventure is one to be enjoyed by everyone of all ages.
5). GONE BABY GONE
What is the right thing to do? Someone once said that if you can’t do something smart, then do something right. Well this movie proves that it’s easier said than done. Ben Affleck is a better director than he is an actor and his brother Casey Affleck is a better actor than Ben. The storyline is what makes this movie compelling, riveting, and worthy to be on this list.
4). THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
Hands down the most exciting, thrilling action movie of the year! Matt Damon is not afraid to be typecast and the trilogy returns with speed, agility, and fights scenes that get your adrenaline rushing as fast as the car chases. This is definitely the ultimate Bourne.
3). DEATH AT A FUNERAL
It is somewhat troubling that we can find laughter in the midst of death but that is what makes this moviesimply the best comedy film of the year. One after another, each character and situation just gets more and more hilarious. A story about a dysfunctional family has never been this… morbidly funny.
2). IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH
It’s one of the most misunderstood films of the year because people thought it was anti-war just from watching the trailer. I think writer/director Paul Haggis brings us one possibility of what war can do to people who live through it. It shows the psychological trauma and damage that scar the minds of those directly involved and the families they leave behind.
1). BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD
And finally, my Number One movie of the year is this best-reviewed and well-crafted thriller/drama. It’s a combination of skilled writing, masterful acting, and experienced directing. Two desperate brothers will do anything to get money and what we get is the most awesome movie of the year.
