| yeah its february and I finally post.. |
[09 Feb 2008|02:36pm] |
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David Bowie - A Better Future |
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Marisa's Top Ten Movies of 2007
There Will Be Blood
It was a difficult decision but I don't think I have ever seen a film like this. There is a quote that says, "You never know when you are living in a golden age." When watching this film you know you are experiencing something and suddenly it hits you, this is a special kind of film making that you can only get from the masters. Like a Kubrick film it sits with you for a while and gets inside of you. Paul Thomas Anderson's films to me are very human and intensely sensitive, he manages to capture and show us the fragileness and essence of a character. He is also able to capture the humanity in inhumane people. This ability paired with Daniel Day Lewis and Paul Dano's brilliant acting, music by Johnny Greenwood, an illustration of how a system and lifestyle can create this monster that is Daniel, and an exciting throwback to old classic Americana makes for a total masterpiece.
No Country For Old Men
It was hard to decide between this and There Will Be Blood. This was by far the most impressive Coen brothers movie I have seen. They are architects of film. The best way for me to describe it is that they put down a solid base and foundation and it builds from there. The architecture can be felt throughout the film in the storytelling, insertion of Coen brothers humor, choice of actors, hair and costumes, cinematography, dialogue, plot, right down to the type of dog that chases Josh Brolin down. All of it works together in one big momentous symphony of intrigue, painful suspense and deep moments of pensiveness. Its a film that changes direction half way through but really doesn't in the grand scheme of things. As a critic stated, you realize that the movie you have been watching isn't about the young man being chased, its about the older man observing the chase.
Zodiac
By far the most underrated films of the year. This to is another brilliant film by David Fincher. In a very honest, accurate and noble way he portrays the horrors committed by the Zodiac serial killer that terrorized San Francisco. This story is mainly about its effects on the people impacted by the case (San Franciscans) and the people trying to resolve it. This movie isn't a typical serial killer thrasher flick but more in the tradition of the film JFK, Network and even All of the Presidents Men (three of my faves). Its about the people investigating it and the trials and tribulations they go through. Its also in the tradition of one of my favorite movies of all time Network, about the mainstream media and film industry that exploits these stories for sensationalism and glorified violence. Only to hinder the efforts of the real people behind the scenes trying to solve the case and disrespect the real lives that are lost. By far the most disturbing and amazing sequences are those of the real life accounts of the people who survived the Zodiac attacks. The attacks are reenacted in a most frightening and blood curdling way and almost all are from accounts of sole survivors of them. Not to mention the brilliant acting by Mark Ruffalo as the noble reluctant hero cop, Robert Downey Jr. (magical), Jake Gyllenhaal and Anthony Edwards of E.R. fame.
Into the Wild
A very philosophical, beautiful and honest portrayal of the true story of Christopher McCandless an extraordinary young person that ventures out to live his own life in the wild. For those of us Thoreau fans, this is the ultimate portrayal of a person who lives by that philosophy and creates his own. Not using maps, burning all of his money and giving his entire $24,000 savings account to a charity to go on nationwide trek on his own making friends and forming his own family of them along the way. Its a memorial to a free spirit and explorer like Christopher who was brave enough to follow his heart without any fear or regret.
The Namesake
Once when I was younger I was watching some political pundits talk and they were discussing the issue of more women and minorities being elected to congress. They said that the fact that they are there means they are representing a whole new point of view, issues and group of people. They contribute to the dialogue that was otherwise dominated by old white men. The same you could say about filmmakers like Mira Nair, Spike Lee, and Kasi Lemmons who directed my other fave this year Talk to Me. Mira Nair portrays so beautifully and clearly the life of second generation children of immigrants and a family that is bicultural. Growing up the same way as Gogol did, not of Indian descent but being a child that grew up with two cultures you get to see the struggle that many of us second generation children go through and the struggle that our parents went through. It is one of the most beautiful films she has done and I think the most accurate portrayal of the beauty of our cultures and the hardships we have balancing them out and above all finding our own identity.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
This year has been a really interesting year, to explore every aspect of life and put it on film in such an honest and beautiful way, these films I have enjoyed this year all lend a sensitivity and a focus to those whose voices aren't often heard. The Diving Bell portrays the life of those people in hospitals that some of us forget about, tucked away in a wing of a medical center surviving by a thread with not much of a life left but still living. A man who is stripped down to only communicating and experiencing life through his one eye allows you to peer into that transition between life and death. A sort of chance to watch your family and loved ones around you when not much of you is left and are close to death. Julian Schnabel the director said, "What I tried to show was what my father was seeing when he was dying, not what I was seeing when I was looking at him. The fear that he had was something that I thought if somebody could have a tool to look into their interior life, to find peace in that, to feel that they could accept the transition. He just wasn’t prepared in any way. I think that Jean-Dominique Bauby was definitely prepared. He was in some place between life and death. He was reporting back from that place. Because it was a such a particular vantage point that he had, I don’t think anybody ever reported back from that place, and that I think became very comforting for him. He lost his self pity, he had the work to do, and he in fact got to relive his life in that year and three months. He actually stayed alive long enough to finish the book."
Talk to Me
Another film that I suggest everyone go out and rent or BUY. Hilarious, beautiful, touching, political and a story of true friendship. Two opposites who need each other, two sides of a culture that are endearing and can also be too much. To quote Dewey, "I need you to say the things I can't say, and you need me to do the things you can't do." Kasi like Mira portrays her culture and the issues of them so well. Petey Green the man with the mic who is not afraid to say what is on his mind even if it breaks all rules and offends everyone and Dewey Hughes a classy and sometimes uppity type who helps catapult Petey to stardom and has the skills to work in a tough corporate world are a sort of yin and yang. They need each other and love each other even though they are polar opposites and they represent to me, two sides to black culture and the struggles within it. Overall, you can't have one side without the other and they each make up what is wonderful about it. Petey Green, you are missed my friend.
Atonement
Beautifully directed, my favorite is the score made up by the typewriter typing and the long sequence inspired by Children of Men with McAvoy looking over the soldiers left stranded on Normandy beach. Not only that, I am a romantic and the love story is enduring. Its a bit cliché, a love and war story but its more about the character who has never gotten to participate in life and love. She manipulates and damages the lives of the two main characters and in the end finds a way to redeem it. Its a story of a writer and observer and a tragic war and situation that tears two lovers apart. I can't help it, unrequited love pulls at my heart string and James McAvoy is freaking hot.
3:10 to Yuma
The great return of the western. Russell Crowe is deliciously evil and a brilliant actor as well as the quiet and steady Christian Bale. Its an exciting movie and more need to be made like it. If you want to have fun and be intrigued with action and watch the underdog win you will like it. He also teaches the bad guy to be good by setting an example and ultimately redeems him in the end.
Sweeney Todd
One of Tim Burton's best and bloodiest. Wonderfully cast, the music is awesome and Johnny Depp is impeccable. A fun time to be had for those with morbid humor and a love of musicals. I don't think there are many of those types..
The King of Kong
Billy Mitchell is the ultimate maniacal geek villain besides Bill Gates. He has a monopoly on the classic arcade game world because he was the best gamer at virtually every game in the 80s. He will stop at nothing to hold on to his empire when all of a sudden a science teacher, (Steve Wiebe) who has always been above average and has lead an average life beats his record in Donkey Kong. Its heartbreaking, hilarious and unbelievable. Its a fight that is still being mounted with each topping each others scores. To think that nerds could create an empire and be ruthless and mean in it as well. ASHLEY ANDERSON, GO RENT IT!
Well there is my long winded mini-review of my favorite films. I suggest you see them all if you haven't. There are still some I need to see but I hope this helps get some out there that haven't been talked about. My music one is coming up!!
Runners Up and Must Sees as well:
Once
Sicko
La Vie en Rose
Superbad
Ratatouille
Sunshine
Knocked Up
In the Valley of Elah
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
Hot Fuzz
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Live Free or Die Hard
Persepolis
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