Announcer: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!
Audience: AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES!!!
Announcer: Tonight, the Starlight Playhouse proudly presents…The 2007 Year End Spectacular!!!
Audience: (with boisterous cheers and thankful cries of pleasure) YAY!
Yes my loyal Droogies, it’s that time of year again. The annual occurrence where I, your humble narrator, get up on my digital soap box with complete and utter self absorption and spew my end of year lists onto a blank blog slate for you to peruse.
You, my honorable Malchicks and Cheenas, whom I have, in some way or another fooled myself into thinking actually care about what I have to say. And for this false sense of superiority I say…Thank You.
So here we go.
THE FILMS OF 2007
THE TOP TEN FILMS OF 2007
So on January 1, 2007 I made a vow to myself to, for the first time in my tenure as geeky film dude, actually put together true top ten list. I’ve avoided this in the past because I didn’t want to seem myopic or uncool. But I must say, although I feel bad for the films that didn’t make it to the top ten (and believe me there are many), I found that forcing myself to just ten truly added a nice new level of internal conflict and debate to the already overworked fandom part of my brain.
But I digress.
What a year huh? It was the summer of mostly unsuccessful Three-Quels and a fall and winter of mostly unsuccessful (and pretty bad) anti war films. But as a whole, 2007 actually did turn out some of the better films in recent years. And here are the ten best (in my opinion)
10. DEATH PROOF – Not only does this Tarantino schlockfest contain some of the writer’s best dialogue to date, the last 40 minutes of the films has one of the finest car chases I’ve ever seen captured on celluloid. More than this, we were introduced to a new, ready to break out, on screen heroine in Zoe Bell, and got to witness Kurt Russell finest acting in 15 years. Kurt we’re not afraid of your scar…we’re afraid of your car.
9. ZODIAC – Great script, great acting, great cinematography, but all of these elements are overshadowed by David Fincher’s vision and taught direction. Fincher’s attention to detail is infamous around Hollywood (he did 50 takes of the soap hitting the tray in FIGHT CLUB), but it pays off in this wonderful homage to the 70’s paranoia filmmakers like Pakula and Coppola. The out-of-the-shot tension that Fincher creates in felt in every frame of this film. He is meticulous with his camera movements and only shows us just enough to keep us one step ahead of our main characters. A true development can been seen from Fincher film to Fincher film, I can’t wait to see what’s next.
8. RATATOUILLE – What is there left to say about writer/director Brad Bird that hasn’t already been said? The guy’s goven us some of the most brilliant Simpons episodes ever, one of the more underrated 2D animated films of all time in the IRON GIANT, and wrote/directed/produced the best film of 2004 in THE INCREDIBLES. What Bird’s accomplished with RATATOUILLE was no small feat though, the images and story he put together for the film are so lifelike and pleasing, they’re almost as good as the food being prepared by the characters. More than this, casting Patton Oswalt as the voice or the main rat Remy was a wonderful choice.
7. EASTERN PROMISES – David Cronenberg’s biggest strength as a filmmaker is that he knows how to slyly ease an audience into a world that they otherwise would have never wanted to be a part of. His movies are small, quiet, intimate yarns, with fully fleshed out characters. Following up the brilliant A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE is no small feat, but Cronenberg accomplishes this in spades with this gritty portrait of the Russian mob. And with understated performances from Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, and Armin Mueller-Stahl, the film could be one of Cronenberg’s best.
6. HAIRSPRAY – This film is the cinematic equivalent of diving into a fresh baked happiness pie. HAIRSPRAY is pure visual and audible cotton candy, and quite easily the most fun I had in a theater in a long long time. It’s not small task to blend the subversiveness of a John Waters films with an uproarious musical, and on top of this to successfully transition a monster Broadway smash to the big screen. But director Andrew Shankmen (a former Broadway choreographer) did so, and in turn left audiences knowing that you just can’t stop the beat.
5. KNOCKED UP – Honestly, for this slot, it was a toss up between this and SUPERBAD. However, what SUPERBAD has in laughs, KNOCKED UP has in heart, and for me that puts KNOCKED UP one slight notch above it’s equally deserving sister film. Judd Apatow is a player right now, but for those who’ve followed his work since FREAKS AND GEEKS, it’s comes as no surprise that he is now being touted around Hollywood as guy who makes sincere gross-out comedies…which oddly enough appeal to both genders. The allure of a film like KNOCKED UP is that it teeters on that line between reality and the hyper-reality of movies. And come on folks, that line is where we all want to be in our own lives anyway, right? But sadly enough, we know it’s not possible, so the second best thing is to escape for two hours with characters that do reside on that line. And for this reason Judd Apatow is going to be around for a long long time.
4. INTO THE WILD – The film is a visual poem with textured characters, crackling dialogue, and an enveloping score that slowly lures you in never lets go. Writer/director Sean Penn delivers on every possible level, but for all the virtues contained in this film, the true stand out is the performance of Emile Hirsch. The character of Christopher McCandless is in its truest form an anti-hero. He’s even loathsome in parts, and it’s to Hirsch’s credit as an actor and Penn’s credit as a writer/director, that the audience doesn’t turn on him. They stick with him to the bitter end, and even feel a little sad for the lost and thick-headed boy. Finally, I would be remise if I also didn’t give a quick shout out to Hal Holbrook for one of the most beautiful performances of the year.
3. JUNO – There’s no reason for me to go too deep into this film because there have been articles upon articles dissecting it already. Pieces ranging from it’s brilliant first time writer Diablo Cody, the maturation of second time director Jason Reitman, and the signaling of the arrival of a new female starlet in Ellen Page. To me, the quality of this film is explained by sharing the story of my first screening of the film. Back in September at the Toronto Film Festival I sat in a packed theater with hard to please, quick to bury and bad mouth, industry types. 10 minutes into the film the tone in the theater clearly shifted, and it was as if everyone watching JUNO pleasantly regressed and were reminded of why they actually got into this business…because it can be FUN and a truly great film can honestly effect people. Needless to say the film got a standing ovation and everyone walked out with smiles on their faces. I don’t want to go on too much longer, but I have to point out that in a film that contains the best ensamble cast of the year, kudos must be given to Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons for stealing every scene they are in.
2. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – If ones says that this film could be the Coen Brothers best they better mean it, because when looking at the Coen Brothers’ filmography almost every movie could be argued to be just that. Well, I am saying NO COUTRY FOR OLD MEN is the Coen’s best. It is the perfect storm of all the beloved Coen Brother nuances, and contains some of the best acting in any of their films. When looking closely, the elements that make up a Coen Brother film are like pieces to a beautiful jigsaw puzzle. The cinematography must fit with the framing and camera movement, which then slips in with the production design, which then ultimately clicks with the sound design, etc... And with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, all the pieces have fit just right. After a string of so-so films, the Coen Brothers are back to form.
1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD - I really don’t know what to say about this film other than...PERFECT. The moment the first credit popped up at the end of the film I turned to my friend and said, “That’s an American Classic”. Movies like this are just not made anymore. So much care, so much detail, so many layers. The word “auteur” is thrown around a lot these days, but Paul Thomas Anderson truly is one. He has put together one of the best American made films since RAGING BULL, and more than this, a laid out a character study on par with CITIZEN KANE. This film solidifies Anderson’s place in the pantheon of great American directors. Daniel Day Lewis is beyond good, and is the best actor working today. His Daniel Plainview will be talked about for years to come.
(I know I said this was a true top ten, but I have to say that SWEENEY TODD and GONE BABY GONE just missed making it onto the list by the slightest margins. In fact each film was on, and then off my list multiple times.)
THE BOTTOM TEN FILMS OF 2007 (or as I like to call it, “Did they need the money, or did they loose a bet?”)
Let’s just say be glad that I saw these films and you didn’t. But if you did happen pay the money and witness these cinematic travesties…well, I feel your pain.
10. THE HEARTBREAK KID – Oh boy, Ben Stiller must have needed the money. The Farrelly Brothers are slipping. I think this film actually contained zero laughs.
9. SMOKIN’ ACES – This was what Joe Carnahan decided to follow up NARC with? Wow?! And he wants to do a sequel? Who is managing this guy? When you have a film with Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, Jeremy Piven, Peter Berg, Jason Batemen, and your best performances come from Common and Alicia Keys, you better know you’ve done something terribly wrong.
8. HALLOWEEN – Bascially this film can be summed up in one image - Rob Zombie relieving himself on John Carpeter’s filmography and then accidentially steping on the negative of the original masterpiece. My question is…how in the world did Carpenter OK this?
7. #23 – Jim Carrey…PLEASE go back to doing comedy. And Joel Schumacker…PLEASE stop directing movies.
6. SHREK 3 – Unfunny, unimaginative, and unworthy of my time. It’s like Dreamworks released this film because they owed someone money.
5. WILD HOGS – I get Travolta, Lawrence, and Allen in this film, but what the hell was William H. Macy doing in this? Again, did he loose a bet or something?
4. LICENSE TO WED – Let’s just hope John Krasinski makes better choices in the future. And is it me, or is Robin Williams “antics” now starting to come off as the musings of a mad man?
3. FANTASIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER – If the first one was a dead bird in a sumo wrestlers jock strap, this one was at least a live bird in a sumo wrestlers jock strap. Not too much better, but at least an improvement.
2. RUSH HOUR 3 – Chris Tucker waited ten years to get back into movies, and returned to the silver screen for this? Did he loose a bet? (Are we beginning to see a pattern forming?) This film solidifies Brett Ratner as the biggest piece of Hollywood excrement…EVER!
1. GHOST RIDER – I can’t completely write this film off because is has Eva Mendes in it…well, yeah, actually I can. I wish this film had never been made because then my wife would not have put it on our Netflix queue, and I in turn would not have needed to sit through it.
MY OSCAR NOMINATIONS
I am not going to even bother typing a best picture list. You should just take my top five from the above section and figure that those are the ones I would nominate…if I could. (OH WOULD THAT BE A DREAM!!!!!)
Best Actor
- Daniel Day Lewis – THERE WILL BE BLOOD (WINNER)
- Emile Hirsch – INTO THE WILD
- Johnny Depp – SWEENEY TODD
- Viggo Mortensen – EASTERN PROMISES
- Christian Bale – RESCUE DAWN
Best Actress
- Ellen Paige – JUNO (WINNER)
- Amy Adams – ENCHANTED
- Keri Russell – WAITRESS
- Anjelina Jolie – A MIGHTY HEART
- Helena Bonham Carter – SWEENEY TODD
Best Supporting Actor
- Javier Bardem – NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (WINNER)
- Hal Holbrook – INTO THE WILD
- Ben Foster – 3:10 TO YUMA
- Philip Seymour Hoffman – CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR
- Casey Affleck – THE ASSASINATION OF JESSIE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
Best Supporting Actress
- Cate Blanchet – I’M NOT THERE (WINNER)
- Amy Ryan – GONE BABY GONE
- Julia Roberts – CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR
- Queen Latifa - HAIRSPRAY
- Allison Janney – JUNO
Best Director
- Paul Thomas Anderson – THERE WILL BE BLOOD (WINNER)
- Joel and Ethan Coen – NO COUNTRY FROM OLD MEN
- Sean Penn – INTO THE WILD
- David Cronenberg – EASTERN PROMISES
- Tim Burton – SWEENEY TODD
Best Screenplay
- Diablo Cody – JUNO (WINNER)
- Judd Apatow – KNOCKED UP
- Adrienne Shelly – WAITRESS
- Scott Frank - THE LOOKOUT
- Kelly Masterson – BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOUR DEAD
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Paul Thomas Anderson – THERE WILL BE BLOOD (WINNER)
- Joel and Ethan Coen – NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
- Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard – GONE BABY GONE
- Halsted Welles, Michael Brandt, Derek Hass – 3:10 TO YUMA
- Aaron Sorkin – CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR
OTHER AWARDS FOR 2007
ACTOR OF THE YEAR - Christian Bale (RESCUE DAWN, 3:10 TO YUMA, and I’M NOT THERE)
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR – Amy Adams (ENCHANTED and CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR)
BEAKOUT MALE TALENT – Ben Affleck (co-writer and director of GONE BABY GONE)
BREAKOUT FEMALE TALENT – Diablo Cody (writer of JUNO)
BEST THRILLER – MR. BROOKS
BEST CRIME MOVIE – ZODIAC
BEST ACTION MOVIE – THE BOURNE SUPREMACY
BEST COMEDY – SUPERBAD
BEST COMIC BOOK ADAPTATION – 300
BEST BOOK ADAPTION – HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
BEST MUSICAL – SWEENEY TODD
BEST ANIMATED MOVIE – RATATOUILLE
BEST DRAMA – THERE WILL BE BLOOD
BEST SCI-FI MOVIE – SUNSHINE
BEST HORROR – THE MIST
BEST DOCUMENTARY – NO END IN SIGHT
BIGGEST DISAPOINTMENT(S) – Anything with the #3 in it (SPIDERMAN, SHREK, PIRATES, OCEANS, RUSH HOUR, etc…)
MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE – LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD
BEST TRAILER - CLOVERFIELD
TOP TWENTY MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2008
1. INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOME OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
2. THE DARK KNIGHT
3. BOND 22
4. WALL E
5. THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
6. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE
7. STAR TREK
8. X-FILES 2
9. THE HAPPENING
10. TROPIC THUNDER
11. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BEJAMIN BUTTON
12. HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY
13. THE INCREDIBLE HULK
14. IRON MAN
15. BE KIND, REWIND
16. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL
17. HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY
18. GET SMART
19. RAMBO
20. NICK AND NORA’S INFINATE PLAYLIST
THE TELEVISION OF 2007
THE TOP TWENTY SHOWS OF 2007
Why twenty? Well, there are way more television programs than there are movies, so comparatively twenty is not that big of a number for me to choose. But if you are still not convinced…this is MY list and MY blog so I’ll do what I want! And if you don’t like it, well stop reading (if you haven’t done so already).
Anyway…
This was an exceptional year for television. Programming risks were taken, and for the first time, in a long time, networks were not so quick to pull shows off the air. Now, I am not going to get into a whole big thing about the writers strike and how it might effect future shows and scheduling. What I will say is this, looking forward things looks grim (at this point we can put the grave stone down for the 2008 fall TV line-up), but when looking back at 2007, all I see is Anna Friel waiting for me to come home holding a delicious pies of the Pie Hole.
And away we go…
20. LIFE – One of the better new shows from the 2007 season (see previous blog entry for full review of LIFE). The show got better with each episode, and Damien Lewis is just terrific as the enigmatic Detective Charlie Crews.
19. STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP – Say what you want about this show, when it returned from it’s mid-season hiatus with the “K & R” episodes, this show was better than anything on TV. Too bad people had to give up on it so quickly.
18. IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA – I got into this show late, but was able to catch up in time to start the third season as it aired. Hilarious show, and with each passing season the “gang” pushes the envelope even further. Where else can you get a show where your protagonists find a baby in a dumpster, and some how sees it as an opportunity to make cash by passing it off as a baby model. So mean spirited, but so much fun!
17. MY NAME IS EARL – I know this show came out of the box smokin’, and has lost some of it’s public penash. But now that it’s settled in with it’s core audience the show is really groovin’. What makes EARL such a great show is that it’s constantly experimenting with story structure. For example, almost every show has the played out flashback, “what were our characters like before all this”, episode. But on EARL, instead of showing hackneyed flashbacks the producers shot an episode of FOX’s COPS and had EARL’s main characters watching themselves be arrested “way be when”. Very creative.
16. NIP/TUCK – Yes, as I type this the current season is still going on, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s by far McNamara/Troy’s most hedonistic and twisted yet. I’m just going to throw some random words and phrases out to sum up how much of a wild ride this season’s been…Hollywood, reality show, pooping in a hot tub, excess fat hanging off a body, consensual stachatory rape, fruit cake, birds flying into people, meth explosion, porn, modeling, kidnapping, lesbians, Marilyn Monroes, experimental drugs, orgies…oh and the list could go on. This is one perverse show.
17. HOUSE – In the TV dictionary, next to the word “consistent”, there should be a picture of HOUSE. Every episode is solid. I can’t say anything bad about the show. Week to week, it’s just a great watch. And Hugh Laurie is the sweet ambrosia of the gods sent down to us via the boob tube. And just for a second can we thank Dr. Gregory House for not choosing Cut Throat Bitch. She was so annoying!
16. THE SOPRANOS – Forget the last few seconds of black in the series finale. Why doesn’t anyone talk about the sound made when the SUV ran over Phil Leotardo’s head, and the subsequent reaction of the three school boys…GENIOUS! Anyway, I am sad to see this show go. I respected this show. Respected it because it never caved in to the public pressure of what fans and critics thought it “should have been”. It always stayed true to what it was. And week to week, it was nice to hang with Tony and his family. Who cares if we don’t know if he lives or dies, let’s just say we were just visiting for a while, and now it’s time to leave…but it don’t mean we won’t miss ya.
15. DAMAGES – The show started off slow, but after episode four (see previous blog) I was sold. More than anything, what hooked me was the clever narrative structure and the acting. With stand out performances from Glenn Close and Ted Danson, it’s no surprise that FX reupped the show for a second season (also good numbers and positive word of mouth didn’t hurt).
14. REAPER – Cheesy, clever, and just way cool. With one of the better young casts on TV, this show fills the void left open after BUFFY was cancelled. Brett Harrison is solid as Sam, but the show really belongs to veteran character actor Ray Wise. Wise’s Devil is playful and funny, but when push comes to shove, he’s a mean and scary dude. This is a deliciously bizarre show, and in another universe could have been a great Roger Corman film.
13. 30 ROCK – Awards, accolades, critic darling…yes, 30 ROCK is all these things. But what should never be lost is the fact that this show is hil-ar-ious. Once it hit its stride mid-way through the first season the show was delivering laughs on par with ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Much has been made about Baldwin’s portrayal of Jack Donaghy (and rightfully so), but I have to throw some love to the Tracy Morgan. Morgan slays me every time he opens his mouth and spews out one of his non-sequiters. Case in point, take a look at this bit of dialogue…
(Tracy enters into Jack’s office where Jack and a well dressed woman wait)
Jack – Oh, hey, Tracy, this Susan Hocker the NBC’s psychologist.
Tracy – So who’s crazier, me or Anne Curry?
I love this show. Absolutely brilliant!
12. BATTLESTAR GALLACTICA – Could be the best piece of Sci-Fi ever shot (that means for TV or Film). What makes the show unique is it’s insistence on remaining practical and real. Sure, it takes place in space, but every piece of action and every object in the GALLACTICA world seems like it could exists. The characters are real humans in extraordinary situations, and like a classic piece of sci-fi the similarities and subtle references to our world today are potent and true.
11. THE RICHES – In all honesty, I would watch Eddie Izzard in anything. It’s just serendipitous that he just happens to be acting in this quirky family dramedy. What’s more, he’s not even the best part of the show. Minnie Driver owns this show, and her relationship with Izzard’s character is genuine and textured. You actually believe that they are husband and wife. Unlike many of the more popular shows on TV about suburbia, THE RICHES doesn’t shy away from possibly distancing their audiences. The dirty and the disturbing are out in force on this show, and that takes guts.
10. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM – What kind of demented mind takes his personal life, dirty laundry, hardships, and critiques, and bundles them all together are shares them with an audience on a weekly basis? Larry David, that’s who. After going through a quasi-public divorce and bout with environmentalism, David decided to use his weekly comedy show to work out his own demons. And lucky for us, because this past season of CURB was by far the funniest. At first I thought the Black family was kind of a stretch, but they ultimately were used well throughout the season and wound up being part of the single funniest moments of the TV year (the final montage in the season finale). We can only hope that Larry has more demons in his closet so we can get some more CURB.
9. SOUTH PARK – In this, its eleventh season, SOUTH PARK is still the best piece of social satire out there. No one cuts down public perceptions and conceptions in a more biting way than Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Part of the fun in each episode is to slowly watch how Trey and Matt take a completely irrelevant and more often than not juvenile “A” storyline and slowly build it up to make a much larger social statement. For example in one episode this past season the kids find a military portal to the our imagination (bare with me here), and wind up taking part in a war between the good imaginary characters and the evil ones (in our imagination). All the while, a much larger side war is being waged where the US Government is trying to destroy “our imagination” by turning “our evil thoughts” against us. Completely genius.
8. EXTRAS – Remember what I said about Eddie Izzard? Well, if Rickie Gervais and Stephen Merchant asked me to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge…well folks, get the scuba team because they are going to need to be doing to dredging. EXTRAS is a sharp and hilariously uncomfortable look at fame and ego. However, for the many accolades that Gervais and Merchant get, the true star of this show is Ashley Jensen’s Maggie. She is above and beyond the most talented comedic actress working today. Gervais’ character of Andy Millman would be nothing without his loyal and dim witted sidekick Maggie. The series came to a close in a wonderful Christmas special, and I am sad to see it go, but much like the original BBC THE OFFICE, I am just happy that I was able to enjoy it while it lasted.
7. CALIFORNICATION – Obsession is a strong word, but I know I am obsessed with this show. CALIFORNICATION oozes cool. The show is like eating a piece of extra dark chocolate…delectably bitter. David Duchovny has found a role that was tailor made for him in Hank Moody. He delivers his dialogue with such ease and grace, that the banter with the other actors almost seems like a well choreographed tango. The rest of the cast is rounded out with excellent character actors, but the true breakout here is the young actress who plays Hank’s daughter Becca, Madeleine Martin. She acts on a much more mature level than her 12 year old age dictates. If you haven’t see the show, I strongly recommend trying to pick it up.
6. RESCUE ME – The best ensemble cast on TV. What this show does better than any other is that it transitions from comedy to drama to tragedy and back to comedy seamlessly, and sometimes all in one scene. Denis Leary and Peter Tolan are the workhorses of this show. They produce every episode, write almost every episode, and Peter Tolan directs the majority of the episodes. The world that their characters live in is a post 9/11 New York City, where there is no bad or good…just grey. This show is about living with one’s self, and how no matter how hard you want it to stop the world it won’t ever let you get off.
5. THE OFFICE – A sign of a good comedy is when the action not making you laugh is just as compelling as the funny stuff. This is THE OFFICE to a tee. Start to finish, every moment of this show is worth watching. It was great to see Jim and Pam finally consummate their relationship, and who didn’t like seeing the Schrute farm. To me, what separates and makes the US version better than the BCC one is that is it has a much kinder heart. All the characters have traits that we all can relate too, and each one seems like someone we already know. More than this, I love the fact that all the actors are either writers or producers on the show because it’s clear that in every episode the performers are honestly invested in what they are doing.
4. PUSHING DAISIES – The facts are these…this show rocks my socks off! Made up of mostly former Broadway actors (who get to sing a lot…YAY!) this show is almost as delicious as the pies Ned the baker makes. The visuals are Tim Burton light, and the scripts are sharp and twisty. Lee Pace and Anna Friel combine to make up the cutest couple on TV, and the enchanting Kristin Cheneworth flourishes as Olive the lonely-hearted barista. And no other show out there could land such geek worthy guest actors as Mike White, Molly Shannon, and Paul Reubens. After the first two episodes I was sure this show would be cancelled, but the fact that ABC has stuck with this imaginative show for so long gives me hope that times and tastes in this business are a-changin’.
3. BIG LOVE – I can honestly say I don’t miss SIX FEET UNDER anymore. BIG LOVE has filled in that empty space in my TV watching heart. In previous posts I’ve written about my admiration for the actors on this show, but what’s rarely said about BIG LOVE is how much it’s had to overcome to be success. Before the show first premiered (almost three years ago now) it was mocked and disregarded as a show about polygamy. But over time it was clear that BIG LOVE was about much more than that. It’s a show about human connection, family, beliefs, and roots. The fact that BIG LOVE is now viewed as a quality TV program and nothing else is it’s biggest achievement.
2. LOST – Some say the third season of LOST was not so great. I disagree. What I will agree to is that the first six episodes of LOST were a little slow, but the last 16 were some of the best storytelling and acting around. I’ve always said each season of LOST is like a layer of a gobstopper. Each season brings you in deeper, and you ultimately can’t remember where you started, and when you do finally remember you’re surprised how far you’ve come in such a short period of time. It is a show that can be watched over and over, and upon each viewing new insights begin to reveal themselves. LOST is the TV equivalent to Alice’s rabbit hole, and we as audience members just have to enjoy the ride down. But Just remember…NOT PENNY’S BOAT!!!
1. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS – I am not going to say much here. For those of you who’ve read me before, you’re already well aware of my undying affection for this show (and my totally hetro crush on Coach Taylor). If this is your first time reading the blog, go back, check out some of my previous posts on FNL. This all said…this is what I will say about the show…CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS, CAN’T LOOSE!!!
So that’s it. 2007 has come to a close, and all we can hope for in 2008 is that the popcorn be hot, the projection be clear, the sound be loud, the commercials be minimal, and the writers be working.
Till 2008 my loyal ad much loved Droogies.
Your Humble Narrator,
Alex
P.S. – For those of you who really are interested, below is my full list and grades for ALL the films of 2007. Yeah, I did see all of these, and yeah, I am that insane.
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – A+
ZODIAC - A
NO END IN SIGHT - A
KNOCKED UP – A
RATATOUILLE – A
HAIRSPRAY – A
GONE BABY GONE – A
SWEENEY TODD – A
EASTERN PROMISES – A
DEATHPROOF – A
JUNO – A
INTO THE WILD – A
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – A
THE LOOKOUT – A-
THE HOST – A-
HOT FUZZ – A-
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY – A-
SUPERBAD – A-
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE – A-
THE KING OF KONG – A-
THE MIST – A-
MR. BROOKS – A-
THE NAMESAKE – B+
THE SIMPSON’S MOVIE – B+
3:10 TO YUMA – B+
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX – B+
SUNSHINE – B+
I’M NOT THERE – B+
CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR – B+
A MIGHTY HEART – B+
DISTURBIA – B+
I AM LEGEND – B+
ENCHANTED – B+
BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD – B+
SLEUTH – B+
1408 – B+
SICKO – B+
DAN IN REAL LIFE – B
SURF’S UP – B
AMERICAN GANGSTER – B
RESCUE DAWN – B
RENO 911: MIAMI – B
MICHAEL CLAYTON – B
300 – B
NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS – B
LIVE FREE, OR DIE HARD – B
28 WEEKS LATER – B
PLANET TERROR – B-
OCEAN’S 13 – B-
TRANSFORMERS – B-
HOT ROD – B-
SHOOT EM’ UP – B-
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSIE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD – B-
THE KINGDOM – B-
IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH – B-
IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON – B-
THE SAVAGES – B-
WALK HARD – B-
THE KITE RUNNER – B-
BEE MOVIE – B-
MEET THE ROBINSONS – B-
THE BRAVE ONE – B-
SPIDERMAN 3 – C+
30 DAYS OF NIGHT – C+
TALK TO ME – C+
THE INVISIBLE – C+
BEOWULF – C+
BLACK SNAKE MOAN - C
BLADES OF GLORY – C
I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY – C
THE DARJEELING EXPRESS – C
CAPTAIN MIKE ACROSS AMERICA – C-
HITMAN – C-
LARS AND THE REAL GIRL – C-
REDACTED – C-
NORBIT – C-
THE EX – C-
MR. MAGORIUM’S WONDER EMPORIUM – D+
THE BROTHER’S SOLOMON – D+
RENDITION – D+
HOSTEL 2 – D+
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLDS END – D+
I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE – D
GOAL 2 – D
BALLS OF FURY – D
#23 – D-
FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER – D-
SMOKIN’ ACES – D-
SHREK 3 – D-
WILD HOGS – D-
THE HEARTBREAK KID – D-
HALLOWEEN - F
GHOST RIDER – F
RUSH HOUR 3 – F
LICENSE TO WED - F
MOVIES I MISSED OR HAD NO INTEREST IN SEEING IN 2007
ATONEMENT
THE GOLDEN COMPASS
FRED CLAUS
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS
THE BUCKET LIST
THE GREAT DEBATERS
THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE
RESERVATION ROAD
MARTIAN CHILD
LUST CAUTION
MARGOT AT THE WEDDING
THE NINES
THE INVASION
DEATH SENTENCE
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