This is the 5th in a series of 12 posts discussing the most memorable movies of each year. This year we focus on a very weak year in 2007. Remember, these are not necessarily the best films or the most profitable films, but the most memorable.
10. Michael Clayton- The film and it's star George Clooney racked up a ton of award nominations for Michael Clayton, but the true greatness of the film lies in its supporting performances from Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson. The film also brought back the business thriller genre, which has been dormant for a long time.
9. Into the Wild- Sean Penn has quietly become a very good director despite not being known for it. The terrific Into the Wild was a story that sticks with you, about a young man who gave up everything to find himself, and its based off a true story. The film stays with you long after you finish it. Great supporting performances from Hal Holbrook and Vince Vaughn.
8. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street- Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter star in this musical based off the stage play. Sasha Baron Cohen also pops up in a supporting role. The film turned the musical genre on its head with dark visuals and graphic violence, but all of it somehow works well together.
7. Zodiac- David Fincher has been a mainstay on this list, and two years before I discussed the comeback of Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man and Tropic Thunder, he teamed up with Jake Gyllenhaal for this story of the Zodiac killer. How do you make a serial killer movie about a true story where the killer was never caught? Simple, you do the investigation yourself and based off that, you hint at who the killer actually was. The film is very long but every moment is tense and gripping, and what could have been cheap horror, became terrific fun.
6. Enchanted- A live action film combined with the world of cartoons? Why not. In this we get the first big performance from Amy Adams as a princess from the animated Disney like world, but when she is thrust into our world, along with dragons, animals, and a bumbling prince (James Mardsen) you get a ridiculously fun, charming film.
5. Gone Baby Gone- Ben Affleck's first film as a director, and he smartly let himself focus on only that by casting his brother Casey along side Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Amy Ryan, and an amazingly underrated performance by Ed Harris. One of the most gripping films of the year, and one that you never forget as your hero goes the ethical route, instead of the one a less honest movie would have used.
4. American Gangster- Russell Crowe and Josh Brolin give great performances, but the real story is Denzel Washington, cast against type as the villain. He is a sympathetic villain but a bad dude none the less. And the meeting of the powerhouses leaves the viewer thinking about the film for a long time.
3. Juno- The "trendy" movie of the year, pair some very different people with a quirky story line, and boom, you get a bona fide hit. Ellen Page, Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, and JK Simmons all give funny and touching performances in what became the best comedy of the year.
2. No Country for Old Men- The film received many props for the performances of its stars, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin, but is also remembered for its graphic violence and Coen brothers focused plot. The film fails miserably at the 3/4 mark but for 75%, is a great ride.
1. Eastern Promises- The mixture of Viggo Mortensen with director David Cronenberg has given us some spectacular films, but none as good as this. Not as many people saw the film as others on this list, but those who did will never forget it, right up until the final, graphic fight scene, and the final twist. In a weak year for film, Easter Promises runs away with the memories.
-Maximus
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