Top Ten of 2007

Below are my top ten films of 2007 (in alphabetical order, because ranking them is just too hard). Note – I saw these films at the cinema in 2007. They may have been released earlier in some parts of the world and you may wonder why they appear in this list – it is because I live in New Zealand and we get some things a tad late. Deal with it.

The Bourne Ultimatum – The third in the Bourne trilogy delivers in spades. Fantastic, intelligent, fast-paced thriller. It is a rare thing indeed. Best action film of the year.

Breach – A gem of a film. Great acting (especially from the amazing Chris Cooper). A compelling and intriguing story.

Eastern Promises – Just brilliant. A tale of morality and the human condition. And you gotta love the Russian accents … Although Viggo Mortensen is sexy in any language.

Hot Fuzz – No, it’s not as good as Shaun of the Dead, but it’s still a very clever and very funny comedy. And stands up to repeats viewings. Funniest film of the year.

Into the Wild – A beautifully film adaptation of a great book about one man’s need to find himself. Wonderfully acted by a stellar cast; great directing by Sean Penn; brilliant soundtrack by Eddie Vedder.

The Last King of Scotland – A disturbing film. Superb acting (and certainly not just a one-man show). Great script. Deserved award-winner.

Lives of Others – Arguably the best foreign film of the last decade. Utterly compelling. The characters are brilliantly realised and the acting is superb – you truly care what happens to the people in this story. Excellent film-making.

Music and Lyrics – It’s in this list because of my weakness for three things: Hugh, Drew and romance. Throw in some music and, BAM, fantastic film! This is a lovely rom-com that delivers on both laughs and chemistry – best rom-com of the year, no contest.

Pan’s Labyrinth – My personal favourite of the year (so good it has entered my top ten of all time). I can’t rave enough about this film. If you haven’t seen it, SEE IT! Yes, it’s a fairy tale, but definitely not one for the kids.

The Prestige – A clever and entertaining story with some fantastic acting and enough twists and turns to make you dizzy. A film you will think about long after the credits have rolled.

Notable mentions: The Bridge (a truly powerful documentary), The Descent (bloody scary), Dreamgirls (great music and phenomenal performance by Jennifer Hudson), The Simpsons Movie (they did it – kept you laughing for 90 minutes!) Stardust (lovely adaptation of the Neil Gaiman novel)