Best of 2007 (20 to 11)
20. THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
The film suffers a little from compressing such a huge timeframe into such a brief period, but otherwise it does a reasonable job of adapting Giles Fodden's novel and an excellent job of entertaining. Whitaker's Oscar-winning performance manages to capture Idi Amin in all his fascinating, crazy glory.
19. SMALL ENGINE REPAIR
Shattered dreams and broken friendships simmer away in a blend of country music, alcohol and engine repair workshops. Something's got to give. Delightful emotional drama.
18. PLANET TERROR
Whether divorced from GRINDHOUSE or as part of it, Robert Rodriguez's gorefest tribute to 80s zombie horror is one non-stop thrill ride from start to finish and one of the most enjoyable cinema experiences of the year.
17. WAR DANCE
Sad but ultimately uplifting portrait of a group of Ugandan children who find joy in the world of music. An audience favourite.
16. NANKING
Part reconstruction, part harrowing archive footage, it's a shocking documentary about the atrocities committed by the Japanese army in Nanking during World War II. Once seen, it will not be forgotten - not for the squeamish.
15. ATONEMENT
Period drama with lots of posh English people? Oh God, please, no. What a surprise then that the film turned out to be a wonderfully complex tale of a love cut short, with an exemplary cast.
14. THE BOTHERSOME MAN
Barmy Scandinavian film with a sterile, subdued atmosphere and a healthy dose of weirdness and black humour. Not like anything else you'll have seen in the cinema this year.
13. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
Long title, long film, long time since anyone made a western this good. Terrific, epic, beautifully shot, impeccably acted by all concerned (Affleck in particular was robbed of an Oscar) and an interesting look at celebrity culture before it became such a thing. Occupies a twilight world halfway between Sergio Leone and Terence Malick and is a pure delight from beginning to end.
12. BUENOS AIRES 1977
Tense, gripping thriller that follows the attempts of a group of innocent men to escape from the torture of a shady Argentinean government. Sadly doesn't seem to have found a cinema release for reasons that I cannot fathom.
11. JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLE'S TEMPLE
The full story behind the Reverend Jim Jones and his ill-fated community in Guyana is brought to life in this documentary which features rare archive material and new interviews with the survivors. Sickening and touching in equal measure, this will have you revolted one minute and wiping away a tear the next.
The film suffers a little from compressing such a huge timeframe into such a brief period, but otherwise it does a reasonable job of adapting Giles Fodden's novel and an excellent job of entertaining. Whitaker's Oscar-winning performance manages to capture Idi Amin in all his fascinating, crazy glory.
19. SMALL ENGINE REPAIR
Shattered dreams and broken friendships simmer away in a blend of country music, alcohol and engine repair workshops. Something's got to give. Delightful emotional drama.
18. PLANET TERROR
Whether divorced from GRINDHOUSE or as part of it, Robert Rodriguez's gorefest tribute to 80s zombie horror is one non-stop thrill ride from start to finish and one of the most enjoyable cinema experiences of the year.
17. WAR DANCE
Sad but ultimately uplifting portrait of a group of Ugandan children who find joy in the world of music. An audience favourite.
16. NANKING
Part reconstruction, part harrowing archive footage, it's a shocking documentary about the atrocities committed by the Japanese army in Nanking during World War II. Once seen, it will not be forgotten - not for the squeamish.
15. ATONEMENT
Period drama with lots of posh English people? Oh God, please, no. What a surprise then that the film turned out to be a wonderfully complex tale of a love cut short, with an exemplary cast.
14. THE BOTHERSOME MAN
Barmy Scandinavian film with a sterile, subdued atmosphere and a healthy dose of weirdness and black humour. Not like anything else you'll have seen in the cinema this year.
13. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
Long title, long film, long time since anyone made a western this good. Terrific, epic, beautifully shot, impeccably acted by all concerned (Affleck in particular was robbed of an Oscar) and an interesting look at celebrity culture before it became such a thing. Occupies a twilight world halfway between Sergio Leone and Terence Malick and is a pure delight from beginning to end.
12. BUENOS AIRES 1977
Tense, gripping thriller that follows the attempts of a group of innocent men to escape from the torture of a shady Argentinean government. Sadly doesn't seem to have found a cinema release for reasons that I cannot fathom.
11. JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLE'S TEMPLE
The full story behind the Reverend Jim Jones and his ill-fated community in Guyana is brought to life in this documentary which features rare archive material and new interviews with the survivors. Sickening and touching in equal measure, this will have you revolted one minute and wiping away a tear the next.
Labels: American westerns, Best of 2007, documentaries, horror, Irish film, scottish film
posted by Alan at 8:03 pm
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