Best & Worst of 2007

Best & Worst of 2007

Into the Wild (A+)
Michael Clayton (A+)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (A+)
The Assassination of Jesse James...(A+)
Ratatouille (A+)
Charlie Wilson's War (A)
American Gangster (A)
Eastern Promises (A)
Gone Baby Gone (A)
Atonement (A)
The Namesake (A)
No Country for Old Men (A)
The Darjeeling Limited (A)
Zodiac (A)
The Lookout (A)
The Bourne Ultimatum (A)
The Great Debaters (A)
Sweeney Todd (A)
Hot Fuzz (A)
The Hoax (A)
The Simpsons Movie (A)
Sicko (A)
Superbad (A)
Beowulf (A)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (A)
Live Free or Die Hard (A-)
Reno 911!: Miami (A-)
Knocked Up (A-)
Ocean's 13 (A-)
We Own the Night (B+)
The Kingdom (B+)
A Mighty Heart (B+)
Juno (B+)
Transformers (B+)
Year of the Dog (B+)
Hairspray (B+)
Blades of Glory (B+)
The Invasion (B+)
Mr. Brooks (B+)
Shooter (B+)
TMNT (B+)
The Brave One (B)
Dan in Real Life (B)
Bee Movie (B)
National Treasure: Book of Secrets (B)
Fracture (B)
Disturbia (B)
Ghost Rider (B-)
Lions for Lambs (B-)
No Reservations (C+)
I Am Legend (C+)
Wild Hogs (C+)
The Astronaut Farmer (C+)
3:10 to Yuma (C)
Spider-Man 3 (C)
Shrek the Third (C)
Hitman (C)
Hannibal Rising (C-)
Reign Over Me (D+)
Shoot 'Em Up (D)

Spider-Man 3

May I have your attention please: The summer movie season has just begun. In case you just crawled out from under a rock, Spider-Man is out again defending his beloved New York City. And this time around, he's got his hands full.

While it's no match to its predecessor Spider-Man 2, the third (and final?) installment does justice to the key characters while introducing a few new faces. Back for the third film are Tobey Maguire (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson), and James Franco (Harry Osborn/New Goblin). All are in full form as they try to come to terms with the events that have transpired over the course of the first two films.

The story begins with the webbed hero being at an all time high in popularity. Of course, that simply can't last as Spider-Man must face four - yes four- villains this time around. First up is a mysterious symbiote from outer space that attaches to a human host. The symbiote finds its way to Spidey, which generates a more bad boy personae for our hero.

Next up is Flint Marko/Sandman, played by the versatile Thomas Haden Church. Discovered to be the real murderer of Ben Parker, Marko stumbles upon an experiment that changes his DNA to sand. Needless to say, the special effects are spectacular. Not to be outdone, Eddie Brock/Venom, played surprisingly well by Topher Grace, takes revenge on Peter after some less than stellar occurrences at the Daily Bugle.

Last, but of course not least, is the revenge story we've all been waiting for. Finally, after stewing over the death of his father, Harry Osborn finally takes his revenge against Pete. It's hard to believe, but the story of Peter and Harry's friendship outshines the love story between Pete and Mary Jane.

A could be problem for the film is the enormous scope and story matter. There is a lot to cram into the 140 minute running time, but due to great direction and fine editing, it all works out in the end. Don't get me wrong, the film has some flaws, but its still amazing (pun completely intended). A-.

The Hoax

Richard Gere and Alfred Molina work wonders with this delightful film from Lasse Halstrom, the talented director who brought such films as Chocolat and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Set in the late 1960s-early 1970s, the film uncovers the events of Clifford Irving's fake autobiography of aviation legend Howard Hughes. Alone, however, Gere is not. Alfred Molina works as his co-author Dick Suskind. Together, they fabricate the book accounting Hughes' life.

Of course, they can't get away with it. Eventually, the two men are caught for their wrongful deeds. But the nice part of the film is that it doesn't focus on the payoff, rather it's all about the process. My favorite part of this film is of course the subject matter. If you've seen Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, then this film is even a bigger treat as it focuses on the life of Howard Hughes, as played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the aforementioned Aviator.

The film works wonders with the subject matter, and it all boils down to having too much fun and telling too many lies. A.

Hot Fuzz

When I first sat down to watch Shaun of the Dead, I wasn't expecting much. However, what I got was a great film about love - with zombies. Needless to say, the success of that film has propelled its creators to try bigger and better things. Hot Fuzz, starring the same guys from Shaun, shows us just how flashy and manly we like our action movies. With a blueprint from filmmakers like Michael Bay and James Cameron, Fuzz sets up one sweet film that will surely be remembered.

The film revolves around Nicholas Angel, a no-fun cop who gets a transfer to a small community. While in the community, he uncovers a mysterious commonality between murders and accidents. For years the town has registered a high number of accidents with an extremely low number of murders. But Angel feels differently. Filled to the brim with cheesy action scenes and witty quips, the film works on so many levels. If you are a fan of action films, and you're willing to admit that they can be at times cheesy, this film will not miss. A.

The Astronaut Farmer

Although this is not Billy Bob Thornton's finest hour, it's definitely not his worst, either. A combination of October Sky and Apollo 13, The Astronaut Farmer takes viewers to a small farm where one man's life long dream of going into space actually becomes reality. For the first hour of the film, it seems as though everything is right on track. However, it's the last third of the film that lets us down.

Sitting in the theatre, I couldn't help but think that one particular sequence was no more than a dream by the title character of the film. However, as the scene went on - and on - I realized that this was indeed an integral part of the film. While not spoiling the outcome, it seems as though this film sets one up for some disappointment. However, in the end it all works out. Don't expect greatness. C+.

The Sopranos Premiere

In the first of the nine remaining episodes of The Sopranos, we take a bit of a break from the mob scene and work our way up to the lakefront summer home of Bobby and Janice Bacalieri. The episode had very few of the main stars, and we only barely heard from Christopher as Tony slammed his phone shut when Chrissy wanted to wish him a happy birthday.

The episode was again perfect Soprano material as the show never wandered away from what it prizes most - the human drama involved. While Tony is facing an uncertain future within his ranks as boss, his enemies - and associates - seem to be a little disgruntled. In my opinion, look for Phil Leotardo to put pressure on Tony, but more importantly, look for an important development with Bobby. The last scene in the episode raises many questions as to the loyalty that Bobby has for Tony. After all, Bobby has treated Tony like crap for a lot of years. Could Bobby flip and go to the Feds? Could Bobby try to help put a hit on Tony? Or is Bobby still fine with his place in the ranks?

For the critics out there who like to complain about this show, I would like to remind them that it is still the best hour of television on each week. I'm sure some will complain that this first episode was slow, but if you look a little deeper into the characters, a lot happened. As an avid fan of the series, I can only wonder will Tony survive 8 more episodes? A.

Grindhouse

Just when we all thought Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino had pushed the limits of filmmaking, they go a little farther. In the new stylized film Grindhouse, the two directors each create films reminiscent of old style grind-house films. Planet Terror, the first film of the two, created by Rodriguez, revolves around zombies taking over the planet. In order to save the day, Six Feet Under alum Freddy Rodriguez and The Terminator star Michael Biehn must try and stop the zombies. The film is flimsy - but that's exactly what makes it so great.

Up next is Tarantino's Death Proof. At first it seems as though Tarantino is a bit heavy handed with all of the patented dialogue involving sex, guns, and music. But just when we get a little restless, Tarantino cranks up the action. Kurt Russel stars in one of his finest roles as a washed up stunt driver. While not giving anything away, this movie is a surefire highspeed adrenaline-charged racecar of a film that stops at nothing to keep us involved.

Put together, these two films showcase the journey that two filmmakers have made over the last decade and a half. While the films seem odd at times, they really aren't given the directors at the helm. To boot, there are a few trailers attached to the films that make the grind-house effect that much more potent. A.

The Race Is On

With Spider-Man 3 opening in just under a month, it's now clear as to what the big films are going to be when the summer season begins. Coming out of the gate right away in May are three of the biggest films of the year, Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End. It's really anyone's guess as to which of the three films will do the best at the box office. However, I have some of my own thoughts.

It's been almost three years since we've seen Peter Parker and company on the big screen. That said, I think audiences are craving the web slinger, and with a Friday opening, this film could actually steal back the top spot on the all time opening weekend list, which by the way was broken last year when Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest stole the spot from the first Spider-Man. With Sam Raimi at the helm, Spider-Man 3 will surely receive critical praise, and with a cast including franchise newcomers Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church, and Bryce Dallas Howard, the film could even bring in a few new fans.

The Shrek world could continue to thrive, but if there is any place for erosion this film will be the one. After two overly successful films in the franchise already, a third film seems like a lock. But the real question is whether or not audiences really feel the need for another go-around. After all, Shrek 2 was more of a rehashing than breaking new ground. Likewise, Shrek the Third is sandwiched in between Spidy and Pirates, which could cause some problems as people will still be getting over the Spider-Man hype and gearing up for that last chapter in...

The Pirates of the Caribbean series. Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End is a bit of a mystery as to how it will do at the box office. Will people be yearning for Jack after only a mere 10 month break, or will people come out in droves to see what happened to everyone's favorite pirate and his precious ship? My bet is that this film does quite well. However, as some people didn't like the second film, there could be some erosion.

All in all, it will be a banner year for movies, as these three are just starting off in the month of May. Look for other films, such as The Bourne Ultimatum, Live Free or Die Hard, and Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer to all do well.

The Lookout

Coupled with his astounding performances in Mysterious Skin and Brick, Third Rock from the Sun alum Joseph Gordon-Levitt is making a name for himself in Hollywood. Set against the backdrop of wintry Kansas, Levitt shines as Chris Pratt, a young man who succumbs to brain injury when he is involved in a car accident. Living his life day to day, Pratt learns to cope with his injury as he takes classes and cleans a bank at night. Little to his dismay, a group of thieves decide they want to rob the bank he cleans. There's just one catch - they need him to be the lookout.

From then on, the film spirals downward into betrayal, anger, and regret. Carefully acted, and even more carefully directed, the film takes the notion of classic film noir and blends it with modern-day character drama, culminating in a true tour de force.

In one of the finest roles of his career, Jeff Daniels stars as Levitt's blind friend. Daniels works well as a supporting character, and he shows his range as a great character actor. While some critics complain that the payoff for the film is not that great, I disagree. Directed by Scott Frank, the screenplay writer of The Interpreter and Minority Report, the film works wonders with a story that is rich with character devlopment and carefully calculated plot elements. The Lookout is one of the first great films of the year. A.

Blades of Glory

While I'm not a big fan of cheesy comedies, Blades of Glory works wonders with the headlined cast including Will Ferrell and Jon Heder. Set against the backdrop of the world skating competition, two skaters, Chaz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder), get disqualified for fighting during a skating competition. Banned from men's singles competition for life, the two men are coaxed into forming a pairs team.

What makes this movie really great is the combination of the good story and great villains played by the real life couple Will Arnett and Amy Poehler. Likewise, it's great to see that actual figure skaters, including the likes of Brian Boitano, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Kerrigan, and Sasha Cohen, are willing to show that the world of skating can be at times frivolous.

The onscreen chemistry of Ferrell and Heder is near that of Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci or Chris Farley and David Spade. The two work wonders both on the ice and off. While not the most serious film of the year, Blades does a good job of keeping one entertained for 90 minutes. B+.