The Ten Best Movies I’ve Missed So Far

Tags: Top Ten, 2007

I’ve been reading a few lists consisting of the best films from the first half of 2007 (or at least the best reviewed films). Going through the lists, I progressively become more depressed. Why? I’ll tell you why: apparently, I’ve been watching junk all year. Here’s an example that can be applied for almost every film found in these “best of the first half” lists:

I look up movie times. “Hmm, nothing good…hey, there’s Hot Fuzz. Maybe I can catch that one. Let’s see, is it any good?” I skim through a few reviews. They say it was okay. I say, “Eh, maybe I don’t feel like watching it.”

Fast forward to now. I’m looking through these lists, and bam, smack dab in the Top Ten, I see—yes, you’re a quick one—Hot Fuzz. The list writers say, “Hilarious! Clever, sharp, funny!” to which I say, “What the—?!”

Rinse & repeat, because this happened over and over.

So here are the Top Ten movies that I missed in the first half of 2007 that I want to see now. These are the ones that are supposed to be good.

Tie - Paris, je t’aime

I was a little more excited about this one before I heard that it was a little uneven, but nevertheless, the idea of watching 18 short films from the likes of Cuaron, Craven, the Coens, Van Sant, and more, is just too much to pass up. To top it off, it all takes place in my favorite city—that is, if I ever were to go to Paris.
Live Free or Die Hard

I’m hoping this will be the summer action movie that I’m looking for (shame on you, Transformers). What’s holding me back is that I haven’t seen the previous films in the series. But I can wait. The stunts and effects look absolutely spectacular, in a “yeah, right” kind of way.
Black Book

I didn’t see this on the lists, but the moment I saw the preview, I knew I had to see it. I love Paul Verhoeven for his broad strokes and blatant satire, plus the dude’s got plenty of style. I’m hoping this movie can deliver.
The Lookout

After seeing the trailer for this film, I laughed—how cheesy and lame! Jeff Daniels looks like an idiot and Joseph Gordon Levitt yelling “I have the money! I have the power!” was almost too much to bear. Yet when it opened, I saw some positive reviews; some really positive reviews. A lot of people said it was a smart thriller—wait, they still make smart movies? Seeing this film on Halfway Top Ten lists solidified that I had to see it.
Sicko

I like Michael Moore. He fudges facts? I like him even more (or would that be “even Moore?”). The guy’s got guts and passion, and that’s something I can’t deny. Plus, he’s entertaining! Isn’t that why I go to the movies in the first place? The best part is that I’m hearing that Sicko is his best film to date, in part due to its accessibility. You don’t have to be liberal or a Democrat to appreciate this one, because this is an issue we all can relate to.
Black Snake Moan

C’mon, with a hot title like that, who wouldn’t want to see it?
Hot Fuzz

As I mentioned in the intro, the movie interested me, but I neglected to see it due to mixed reviews. Nevertheless, I was a Shaun of the Dead fan, and what I appreciate the most about these kinds of movies (besides how hilarious they are) is the production value; Shaun of the Dead was a comedy with style and a relatively slick look, and Hot Fuzz looks to be the same.
Waitress

I know very little about this film, but it got good reviews, and it’s playing in indie theaters, which automatically means it’s good, right?
Once

I have a bad connotation with this film, but I want to see it anyway. Rave reviews speak of a different approach to the modern musical, and I’m a sucker for modern musical re-inventors.
Bridge to Terabithia

What? A kid’s movie? That’s right. I read this book back in elementary school, and though I remember enjoying it a lot, I do not remember a lot of what happens (just the really, really important stuff). From what I’ve heard, it’s somewhat of the sleeper of the year, because despite the lack of hype and box office success, I’ve heard nothing but good things about this film, how it handles the material, and how its young, talented actors handle the material. I like intelligent, thoughtful films, and if it means it has to be rated less than PG-13, I’m okay with that. Plus, the family film genre has been tainted by terrible fluff, bad sequels, and films that are anything but “family friendly.” It’s good to see that Terabithia is doing something to bring family films back to what they used to be: “for the family.” And “good.”