At the end of every "movie year" (March-Feb), there are always a few that you remember and think, "Actually, that was a pretty good time at the movies." There are also some where you think, "Wow, that was a waste of time," but we won't go there now.These are the movies that I'm glad I saw in the theater in 2007. They're NOT by any means the best of the year; they're just the ones that I have the fondest memories of going to.
The Host - Part horror flick, part monster B movie, part sci-fi, part heroic fantasy, part slapstick comedy, part family drama - and all fantastic. Sign me up for more of these, please.
Across the Universe - About as close as you can get to going to a Beatles concert, and that ain't happening anytime soon. The great moments in this more than made up for the bad ones, and it was fun to see how many songs you knew. Didn't hurt that it was a visual delight, either.
I'm Not There - Another musical feature, with just enough head-scratching weirdness to keep you on your toes. Phenomenal soundtrack and some really great scenes - I'd love to see "Pressing On" again.
Live Free or Die Hard - Awesome, and really funny.
Hot Fuzz - Despite some nasty deaths, it had two of the best characters and some of the best lines ("Have you ever fired two guns whilst jumping through the air?") of the year. Great fun on a summer evening.
I Am Legend - Tell me you were yawning with boredom when Sam went missing in the dark warehouse. Scariest scene of the year - after any scene with Anton Chigurh (scariest character of the year) from No Country for Old Men.
Bee Movie & Ratatouille - Nothing like seeing dazzling animation on the big screen. Why would you even bother on regular old TV?
Blades of Glory - Went into this expecting an over-the-top, wacky showdown between Will Ferrell and anybody who dared face him. Turned out to be a really funny, over-the-top, wacky showdown between Will Ferrell and several people who dared face him. Probably not as funny the second time around, but oh well.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets - As much fun as the first National Treasure, except I got to enjoy this one in the theater.
2 Days in Paris - Shocker of the year: a romantic comedy that was actually funny - sometimes hilarious, thanks to Adam Goldberg.
Stardust - It was either this or Rush Hour 3 (we were in St. Cloud, in August). I almost had as much fun as it looked like Robert de Niro was having in this fantastical adventure.
There you have it. There were other great outings to the theater, of course, but going to No End in Sight or There Will Be Blood is more of an academic affair than a "fun time."
I'm not a big horror geek, but I apparently need to see The Host. Too many people have good things to say about it.
ReplyDeleteI like your thoughts on Across the Universe. It's by no means a "great" film, but it was fun.
Disagree on Live Free or Die Hard. The more I think about it, the dumber it gets.
Really, really glad to hear someone besides me rave about 2 Days in Paris. That was one of my favorites of the year, and definitely one of the 3 or 4 funniest.
Believe me, The Host is the closest I came to seeing a horror movie all year. I've never even seen Saw, Hostel, The Descent, Hills Have Eyes, et al. Had it come out in December I might not have seen it, but it was perfect for a spring screening.
ReplyDeleteI can't really defend Live Free or Die Hard with any logic. I do think it was funny for a first viewing, but it was otherwise fairly forgettable.