Top 10 Films of 2007

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Top Musical of 2007

"Once" (John Carney, Ireland)
 

Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame (2007) *****

A little girl in Afghanistan tries to get to school. One of the greatest Iranian films of all times, directed by 18-years-old Hana Makhmalbaf (Mohsen's daughter and Samira's younger sister). A profound portrait of humanity at its most complex.

Ratatouille (2007) *****

Terrific animated film about a fin gourmet rat.

Eastern Promises (2007) *****

While also being a terrific and exciting gangster film in its own right, David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" is above all a profound human drama about integrity and courage. Naomi Watts plays a second-generation Russian immigrant in London who is confronted by a difficult moral dilemma. And so does the viewer, because unlike most films dealing with sensationalistic subjects such as forced prostitution, human trafficking and sexual exploitation, "Eastern Promises" doesn't manicheistically divide the world between "good" victims and "bad" villains. Instead, the victims are mostly passive (like in real life), while the real struggle occurs between our revulsion at oppression and injustice, and our fascination with the human evil. Rarely have we seen a more complex and fascinating gallery of ruthless gangsters who remain humane and attractive despite their unforgivable behaviour. They are members of the London chapter of the fearsome Russian mafia organization known as "Vory v zakone" ("Thieves in law") and they include such memorable figures as Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl), his son Kirill (Vincent Cassel) and his driver Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). Sharply written, brilliantly directed and perfectly acted, "Eastern Promises" is David Cronenberg's best film.

Charlie Wilson's War (2007) ****

This is an amazing film. Amazing for many reasons. It's an amazing film because it's fiercely anti-Communist, denouncing Soviet crimes against humanity in Afghanistan in the 1980's like no other Hollywood movie in recent memory. It's an amazing film because it celebrates Texas Congressman Charles Wilson (Tom Hanks) as a great American hero, without sweeping his personal life under the carpet. In fact, the film praises the hedonistic lifestyle of "Good Time Charlie" and goes as far as to denounce a young hot-shot district attorney from New York named Rudy Giuliani for trying to investigate him. It's an amazing film because it celebrates Texas socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts) as an arch-conservative, right-wing Christian fundamentalist who hates Commies like a plague - it is absolutely unprecedented to see such a figure presented as a 100% positive and admirable character in a Hollywood movie. Especially in a Hollywood movie written by liberal Aaron Sorkin ("West Wing", "The American President") and directed by liberal Mike Nichols ("Primary Colors"). But "Charlie Wilson's War" had to be an amazing movie, because Charlie Wilson was a such an amazing character himself. He was a liberal, pro-choice, women-chasing Democrat from Texas who was more anti-Communist than Ronald Reagan himself. Like Oscar Schindler (another hedonistic bon vivant turned humanitarian crusader), he had an epiphany while visiting a refugee camp in Pakistan and seeing Afghan children mutilated by bombs hidden in toys. Brilliantly directed, "Charlie Wilson's War" is a crisp, biting satire that confidently mixes sex and politics, and moves at a breakneck pace without wasting a single moment. Soundbites are sharp and memorable. Moreover, the film offers an amazing emotional roller-coaster, going from satiric farce to Schindler-caliber pathos in a matter of seconds, and featuring naked Playboy bunnies in hot tubs, as well as disfigured Afghan mothers, not to mention a bevy of drop-dead gorgeous congressional assistants working for Charlie (Amy Adams among them). While the film is a hilarious political satire, it has no broad political caricatures. Every major character - left or right - is a complex, multi-dimensional individual full of contradictions and nuances. The film is anti-red, but it paints everything in amazing shades of grey.

Du levande (2007) ****

Juno (2007) ****

Hilarious, intelligent, bittersweet and deeply touching comedy about a teenage girl who gets pregnant and decides to give her baby for adoption. This is an amazingly surprising film, which subverts every imaginable cliché on this subject (usually after suggesting a cliché, but then pulling the rug from under the viewer's feet by avoiding it altogether). Ellen Page is amazing in the title role. The unbelievably clever script was written by former stripper Diablo Cody.

There is a great review of the movie by Dana Stevens in Slate.

Once (2007) ****

A superlative musical film from Ireland. A pure delight.

La Zona (2007) ****

Excellent Mexican drama directed by Rodrigo Pla, a powerful allegory about fascism. Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

Katyn (2007) ****

Incredibly powerful film about the massacre of the Polish POWs at the Katyn Forest by the Soviets in 1940.

American Gangster (2007) ****

Continental, un film sans fusil (2007) ****

Excellent film about alienation and solitude. In its own, uniquely Canadian style, this gently, ever-so-bittersweet comedy recalls the upbeat sad-sack ethos of a Kaurismaki film. Characters in their daily struggle possess the strange dignity of their persistence and the odd ingenuity of their patchwork coping mechanisms. The film is available for purchase here.