Movies of 2007
Jan. 28th, 2008 03:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meteordustIn 2007, I saw 6 movies at the cinema, down from 12 the previous year.
The movie that was made for me:
Happy Feet
I love penguins. I love musicals. Put the two together and you have a winner. A heartwarming story, impressive animation, great songs, and a whole slew of appearances from Aussie talent. I also note that even as an animated penguin Elijah Wood has slightly disturbing eyes.
The movie that tells a story about a story:
Stranger than Fiction
Stranger than Fiction is for Will Ferrell what The Truman Show was for Jim Carrey - a movie that demonstrates he is capable of serious, subtle, and moving work. And like The Truman Show, it is a movie that explores the idea of someone's life as someone else's story. Great performances from all the cast, especially Emma Thompson, the novelist who intends to kill off her main character, only to find that he somehow also exists as a real person.
The movie that brought back heroes in a half shell:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
You either like the idea of a brotherhood of ninja turtles who fight crime and eat pizza, or you don't. For me, it was fun, and nostalgic, and sometimes even cool. Also. Swordfight between rivals. On a rooftop. In the rain. That's my kind of movie.
The most disappointing movie of the year:
Tales from Earthsea
Studio Ghibli has made some of my favourite movies of all time, so when I heard they were adapting Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea stories, I was pretty well pleased, especially after the Sci Fi Channel travesty. Unfortunately, it was not the legendary Hayao Miyazaki who got to direct, but his son Goro Miyazaki. The latter had never directed a movie before, and it shows. I have never before emerged from a Ghibli movie feeling I could not recommend it, and yet the baffling plot, thin characterisation, and poor pacing leave me no choice. The animation was lovely - I particularly liked the gorgeous old city of Hort - but it wasn't enough to salvage the rest.
The movie that would have been twice as good if it was half as long:
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End
Better than the second, but not as good as the first. This is because it is burdened with a convoluted and increasingly ridiculous plot where there are not only a billion competing agendas but everyone switches sides at least twice. Still, there is enough awesome cool stuff in this movie to fill two hours. Unfortunately it runs for three.
The best movie of the year:
Sicko
As soon as I saw this movie, I called it, and I stand by that judgment. It's the best of all Michael Moore's works so far, and it's a movie I believe everyone should see.
The movie that was made for me:
Happy Feet
I love penguins. I love musicals. Put the two together and you have a winner. A heartwarming story, impressive animation, great songs, and a whole slew of appearances from Aussie talent. I also note that even as an animated penguin Elijah Wood has slightly disturbing eyes.
The movie that tells a story about a story:
Stranger than Fiction
Stranger than Fiction is for Will Ferrell what The Truman Show was for Jim Carrey - a movie that demonstrates he is capable of serious, subtle, and moving work. And like The Truman Show, it is a movie that explores the idea of someone's life as someone else's story. Great performances from all the cast, especially Emma Thompson, the novelist who intends to kill off her main character, only to find that he somehow also exists as a real person.
The movie that brought back heroes in a half shell:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
You either like the idea of a brotherhood of ninja turtles who fight crime and eat pizza, or you don't. For me, it was fun, and nostalgic, and sometimes even cool. Also. Swordfight between rivals. On a rooftop. In the rain. That's my kind of movie.
The most disappointing movie of the year:
Tales from Earthsea
Studio Ghibli has made some of my favourite movies of all time, so when I heard they were adapting Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea stories, I was pretty well pleased, especially after the Sci Fi Channel travesty. Unfortunately, it was not the legendary Hayao Miyazaki who got to direct, but his son Goro Miyazaki. The latter had never directed a movie before, and it shows. I have never before emerged from a Ghibli movie feeling I could not recommend it, and yet the baffling plot, thin characterisation, and poor pacing leave me no choice. The animation was lovely - I particularly liked the gorgeous old city of Hort - but it wasn't enough to salvage the rest.
The movie that would have been twice as good if it was half as long:
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End
Better than the second, but not as good as the first. This is because it is burdened with a convoluted and increasingly ridiculous plot where there are not only a billion competing agendas but everyone switches sides at least twice. Still, there is enough awesome cool stuff in this movie to fill two hours. Unfortunately it runs for three.
The best movie of the year:
Sicko
As soon as I saw this movie, I called it, and I stand by that judgment. It's the best of all Michael Moore's works so far, and it's a movie I believe everyone should see.
