Awards Page Index * OSCAR coverage here
2007 Year in Review
Over Appreciated (and the Unseen)
Nathaniel R December 30th
(Pg 1 -Overrated & Avoided / Pg 2 -Hall of Shame)

American Generic: Denzel finally remembers to act once he's staring a true
peer in the face. Too bad the megawatt thespians didn't share more scenes.

My New Years Resolution is to try not to be such a curmudgeon about the movies. In 2008 I vow to rediscover the fiery joy of movie going that bad movies always attempt to snuff out. I will watch movies until I find another grade "A" masterpiece even if I have to watch twice as many. But until January 1st and that determined positivity kicks in, a little purging of some pricklier feelings...

 

#3 Gone Baby Gone
Not without its moments, but uneven and only partially satisfying in nearly all of its overstuffed identities. As a morality horror film its affecting but too late in coming, as a crime mystery its intense but needlessly confusing and clichéd, as an actorly drama its both eye catching and off putting (I know I'm in the minority --and how!-- but I felt that Amy Ryan's performance was overworked and under directed rather than deeply successful. All in all a promising first film, but no more than that. Let's see if Ben Affleck can improve on his second feature before we consider showering him with awards.

#2 Knocked Up
Quite funny on a scene-by-scene basis but almost a perfect distillation of two troubling and stubborn problems in today's filmmaking: retrograde sexual politics and overindulgent running times. Re: the sexual politics. Its inability to even say the word "abortion" is but the tip of the iceberg. It has very little interest in women except in how they mother (either through child rearing or grown man rearing) and plays like a male fantasy throughout (that the schlub always gets and deserves the hot chick is so overused and pandering but nobody is willing to rain on that particular public parade). Re: the running time. I called it Clocked Up after my first viewing but the public and critical response was so favorable that I had actually intended to see it again to reevaluate. Yet whenever the chance arose I balked. I thought about that last 1/2 hour and how it felt like a full 2 hour sequel to an earlier funnier movie that had already pushed the limits of a suitable length for a comedy. I thought about how I sat in the theater fearing that the movie would actually never end... perhaps we'd watch the baby grow up, perhaps we'd be with it until it left its hot mom and chubby dad for college.

#1 American Gangster
Audiences embraced a non-CGI laden drama for grownups. Yay! That silver lining has a cloud: is violent manliness really the only bankable variety of drama anymore? And if so, can't the chosen film be a little more dangerous aesthetically or thrilling narratively? With Ridley Scott doing "for hire" direction and less than fully rounded characterizations, this one needs a highchair to get anywhere near The Departed (to which its often unfortunately compared). That said: My gratitude goes out to supporting players Ruby Dee and Josh Brolin who briefly give this thing sting and punch, respectively, whilst slapping and threatening the sleepwalking Denzel Washington. Hit him again, Ruby!

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Before we get to the "worst" of the year, I feel the need to put things in context. I saw roughly 90 movies in 2007 (full list) which is less than usual for me --I feel OK about having a full picture of the movie year at 100+ The following films are hated by some pockets of moviegoers, but I missed my window to see them or just heeded my own spidey sense "Danger! Do not proceed!"

I Skipped It Because...

The Great Debaters
...I assumed it was this year's Bobby --a late entry that inexplicably ended up on the Golden Globe list. I also skipped it because I learned my lesson trusting Denzel behind the camera for Antwone Fisher
Shrek the Third
... I've seen it twice. I didn't like it either time.
Meet the Robinsons / Alvin and the Chipmunks/ Bee Movie
... I know its not fair to assume that all non-Pixar animated fare will be as manic and obnoxious as Chicken Little but I find myself assuming just that
Wild Hogs / I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
...I'd prefer movies not to deal with or refer to homosexuality at all rather than sit through what I've heard about either of these two.
Rush Hour 3 / Saw IV / Resident Evil / Hostel Par Two / The Hills Have Eyes 2 / Are We Done Yet / Daddy Day Camp
...Why start now?

Surfs Up
...when you find yourself at the zoo and you have zero desire to see the penguins, you'll know: something inside you has died. Hollywood killed it.
Captivity / The Heartbreak Kid
... if you can smell misogyny in the marketing alone, run!
Halloween
... If there's one thing --OK two things-- I hate more than gore for gore's sake, its the weird hot trend of explanatory back story and remake fervor. I don't need to know about the unhappy childhoods of cannibals or why Willy Wonka is weird or the one event that changed [insert biopic subject name]'s everything. Please don't oversimplify everything. What happened to mystery? I'm not 3 years old. I'm not asking "why?" constantly and even if I were you suck at explaining it, Hollywood. Stop reducing. Start complicating.
Fred Clause
...I'm betting its noisy and unfunny and that it lasts over two hours despite being a broad comedy. Let me go check. Close... 4 minutes shy of 2 full hours. In other words, roughly 26 minutes too long ;)
Freedom Writers / The Reaping
...you know why

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Unfortunately, there's more...
"Cinematic Shame" -Worst Films, Embarrassing Performances, and more...