The 100 Project: The Top 25 Movies of 2007

    By the end of 2007, I was entering into a period of transition. Lots of transitions. The firs t was the closing of the Blockbuster where I was working. In this case, I was transferred to another location less than a mile away. There was lots of talk about this growing company called Netflix that was renting out DVDs through the mail. They had gotten big enough for Blockbuster to see them as a legitimate threat. Us employees were "asked" to push Blockbuster's new online service and other incentive programs. Many of us felt like the band playing while the Titanic sank. Of course, management assured us things were under control. It was the old ,"we're too big to fail" logic. The closing of that particular store did wonders for my movie collection, though. Lots of inventory was marked down, further and further as the drop dead date neared. Throw in my employee discount and a good chunk of a couple paychecks wound up on the shelves in my living room. This was very close to the the dawn of 2008, so I'll have more changes to talk about in the 2008 post. Now, I'll just get on with what you're here for.

My Top 25 Movies of 2007

• According to my Letterboxd account, I've watched 122 movies released during 2007.
• Of the 9 films I saw in theaters that year, only 1 makes my top 25.
• I've seen all 5 of the Best Picture nominees. 3 make my top 25, including 2 of my top 4.
• For the first time since 2002, a documentary cracks my top 10.
• For the first time since 1986 a full-blown, live action musical makes my top 10. 
• In all, 3 live-action musicals make my top 25.

25. The Great Debaters

24. 3:10 to Yuma

23. 30 Days of Night

22. Juno

21. The Bourne Ultimatum

20. Teeth

19. Superbad

18. Enchanted

17. The Mist

16. Hot Fuzz

15. Ratatouille

14. Talk to Me

13. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

12. Shoot 'em Up

11. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

10. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

This is the last movie directed by the legendary Sidney Lumet and one of the last performances by the iconic Philip Seymour Hoffman. Neither of those facts get it here. What does the trick is that it's one of the most underrated/underseen heist movies of the 21st century.

9. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Before I sat down to watch this, I would've said you must be crazy if you told that a documentary about a guy trying to set the world record in Donkey Kong would be one of my favorite movies of the year. Yet, here we are. It's full of intrigue and suspense. We have real sympathy for the hero and genuinely hate the villain. And it's a documentary about Donkey Kong. 

8. Paranormal Activity

I'm generally not a fan of found footage movies. Like any other sub-genre, it has its gems. This is one of them. Chaining the concept to the haunted house template works wonders, mostly because of near-perfect execution. There are some shenanigans with different endings that may change your perception, but either works for me.

7. I Am Legend

I get it. It's pretty cool to hate this movie. But I just can't. The source of most of that hate seems to be the ending. Having read the original novel, I will agree that this movie botches it. They actually shot a better ending, which you can watch. However, I like it as is. Will Smith is as compelling as ever, without devolving into his well-worn persona. The film also manages to be fun with some truly tense moments.

6. Hairspray

If you know me, you know I'm not the biggest fan of musicals. You might also know that when I find one I like, I generally LOVE it. Hairspray falls into that category. It's got an odd history. It's an adaptation of a Broadway musical that was an adaptation of a John Waters flick. And it blows that first film out of the water. It tackles some heavy topics, but has more fun than should be allowed. 

5. American Gangster

Ridley Scott. Denzel Washington. Russell Crowe. Magic. It weaves together the rise and fall of a gangster with a police procedural very effectively. The performances are great all around, especially a supporting turn by the late-great Ruby Dee. As for Ridley Scott, it's arguably his last great movie, though I haven't seen All the Money in the World just yet.

4. There Will Be Blood

Nowadays, this movie is mostly known for the collection of memes it has spawned. What's becoming lost is just how great this movie is. The performance by Daniel Day Lewis is amazing, but the work by Paul Dano is just as good, if less showy. It's also a movie that works better for me as a metaphor for America's involvement in the Middle East than it does on the surface. Just think on it a bit.

3. Gone Baby Gone

The directorial debut of Ben Affleck is a doozy. The first time I watched this I was on the edge of my seat for almost the entire time. We move from place to place all around Boston and our heroes are put through the ringer. The best part, the thing that catapults this up my rankings, is that it ends with a real conundrum. Watch it with a group, then discuss what you would do in that situation.

2. Persepolis

I wasn't sure what to expect when I watched this. I mean, it's an animated biopic adapted from a graphic novel. That doesn't sound like a winning formula. Somehow, it is. It deals with a number of socio-political topics, but what sells us is that it's also just a coming-of-age story. We watch the main character grow up, can't help but fall in love with her and experience every twist, turn, rise, and drop of her personal rollercoaster.

1. No Country for Old Men

In some cases, all it takes to make a good movie is a good villain. This movie has a villain who instantly became iconic. There just aren't enough words to describe how good Javier Bardem is in this part. Now, add that to another great Coen brothers script with excellent work by other performers such as Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin and you get an unforgettable concoction. And yeah, I think the ending is perfect.

Honorable Mentions (alphabetically): 1408, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Grindhouse, I Think I Love My Wife, The Kingdom, Mr. Brooks, Ocean's Thirteen, Reign Over Me, The Simpsons Movie, Things We Lost in the Fire, Trick 'r Treat, Zodiac