Top 10 Films of 2007 (Joel's picks)
10. Die Hard 4.0
Len Wiseman's Bruce Willis star-vehicle would have been the highlight of almost any other blockbuster season but unfortunately the successful return to form for its protagonist (who is now the wrong side of 50) was lost under the radar by most in the summer melee of pirates, insects and green ogres. This fourth instalment may not match the action-movie-template status of the first wisecracking hero versus textbook villain classic yarn but it's wonderfully suited for a contemporary audience with the nods to techno terrorism. Willis displays his regular charm, possibly partly due to the realisation that his beloved franchise revisit could be more than a paycheque, and the decent efforts from Timothy Olyphant and Justin Long make sure Wiseman's big-budget daredevil jaunt is.
9. Ratatouille
Similar to last year's Cars, Ratatouille isn't quite the almost-perfect Pixar formula we have come to expect, regardless of what the vast majority of critics have stated. However, with the masterful Brad Bird at the helm, an excellent animated French kitchen setting (with every stereotype one can think of), and superb vocal lending from Patton Oswalt and Peter O'Toole among others, the exhaustively marketed vermin adventure ticks all the important boxes for an entertaining and heartfelt 110 minutes.
8. The Last King of Scotland
It seems like a lifetime ago when Forest Whitaker was running around terrorising every awards ceremony on Earth but the 2007 British release of the film assures Kevin MacDonald's film of qualification. Even though Whitaker is seemingly in a Method comfort zone playing Idi Amin, a Ugandan dictator with lunacy oozing from every pore, the film is arguably stolen from his grasp by James McAvoy's delightful turn as a fictional doctor. The consequent relationship that develops between the two is both na�ve and brave in the David versus Goliath sense and makes for an edge of the seat thrill ride. As the film's tagline states, MacDonald delivers unmissable charm and unnerving magnetism.
7. American Gangster
Ridley Scott's eagerly anticipated epic was pencilled in by some as an automatic classic. Unfortunately, the heavyweight presence of Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe couldn't quite translate on film to the extent I hoped for and, even though the chemistry was there, the script never allowed them to venture into the high gears the Oscar winners are capable of. Nevertheless, the duo and the renowned director working at below par is still filmic gold and the story of Frank Lucas' narcotics empire and his eventual downfall at the hands of a determined cop was beautifully shot. The ferocity and tenseness were constant throughout but Scott couldn't quite propel his film into the upper echelons of crime dramas to join Michael Mann's masterful Heat.
6. Ocean's 13 [My review]
It may be the smuggest franchise in motion picture history but Steven Soderbergh's heist trilogy is a guilty pleasure of mine and the third instalment is a return to form for the Georgia native and his gang of A-Listers. Clooney, Pitt, Damon etc. simply just appear to go through the motions but that's the joy of the series - apart from Twelve where the "I'm a celebrity... and you're not!" attitude went too far. When you can see some of your favourite movie stars on screen teaming up and undertaking a fantasy we all secretly wish we could pull off, it's extremely entertaining. The inclusion of Al Pacino as the villainous Willie Bank was an ingenious move and the legendary veteran balances uncharacteristic whispers and his trademark screeches to perfection. Soderbergh infuses the tension of the first film, the comedy has a certain freshness (mainly thanks to the stars not caring about making fun of themselves), and the Las Vegas setting is presented as such a cool and hip place to be that the state of Nevada should use the film in their marketing campaigns.
5. Transformers [My review]
Wow, what a risky flick this was. Michael Bay isn't the most admired director in Hollywood thanks to his "Let's blow stuff up!" and ask questions later attitude, but the guy certainly created something tasty here. The story, special effects, acting (from sure-fire future star Shia LeBeouf in particular), pacing, Megan Fox's faultless physique, and the action were all as good as could be expected and in the process Bay and Executive Producer Steven Spielberg have spawned a franchise.
4. Superbad [My review]
"I'm not crying! I just have something in both of my eyes!" Ridiculously funny yet realistically accurate lines like this are what the Seth Rogen/Judd Apatow stable are all about - Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin were, after all, based on one joke but both films take reality-based situations and permeate as many gags and strange characters into proceedings as possible to pull off cracking comedy. Superbad is no different in that regard. Taking both classic teen flicks and their own life experiences as inspiration, Rogen and screenwriting chum Evan Goldberg toss director Greg Mottola a screwball and the quarterback of the hilarious story knocks it out of the park. I'm not sure why I just used two American sports references as the film is nothing to do with athleticism, apart from possibly how appalling our protagonist Jonah Hill appears to be at physical activity. However, Hill along with partners in crime Christopher Mintz-Plass as the already celebrated cult hero McLovin and the deadpan Michael Pena are superb, bringing a Jim/Stifler American Pie-ness to 2007. The jokes are fired like bullets in what is easily the funniest film of the year.
3. 3:10 to Yuma
To be honest I wasn't expecting almost-classic standard from James Mangold's Western remake but I was desperate to go to the cinema on my birthday and Russell Crowe's star power pulled me to the multiplex. The dustbowl aesthetic is reminiscent of Leone's Spaghetti films and along with Three Burials and Open Range, Mangold directs one of the best efforts in the genre since Eastwood's Unforgiven. Christian Bale also proves his acting chops again here (as if any more evidence was needed) and his chemistry with the villainous Crowe in the tense dialogue-heavy scenes is awesome to behold.
2. The Bourne Ultimatum [My review]
If trilogies don't mess up by the second instalment, chances are they certainly do by the third. However, the Bourne juggernaut has arguably improved as time has flown by and Ultimatum proves the franchise is one of, if not the best action trifecta of all time. Matt Damon has justified his position as a top Hollywood star via Jason Bourne's iconic stature and Paul Greengrass proves why he is one of the world's best directors here with his, at times, documentary style realism and shaky camerawork. The choreography of the fight sequences, the Waterloo Station trepidation and the overall evolution of the story (in what appears to be an appropriate place to finish for all parties involved, not just Damon) is simply irresistible. And who can forget Moby's "Extreme Ways" as a perfect climax to proceedings?
Text copyright Filmverdict 2008. Any film stills are copyright of their respective owners.