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| Poor Al Mohler
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| The Five Best of 2007
It has been an annual tradition of mine to post the five best films of the year on my Xanga. Thus, here are the top five films of 2007, which I highly recommend.
Note: For the first time ever, an indie film has not topped my list (since 2003, when I first started making these lists).
#5 - The Bourne Ultimatum
Hollywood has a tendency these days to churn out mindless action movies that have little regard for good storytelling. The mentality seems to be "let's just throw in a bunch of explosions, gun battles, and special effects, and hope that audiences will eat it up".
The Bourne Ultimatum defies the tides
of its time and shows how good action flicks should really be done. The
non-stop pulsating action in this film actually progresses the story forward to its satisfying conclusion, which wraps up all the questions we've had since the first film. Ultimatum also features
one of the greatest chase scenes ever, one that sets the bar high for
future action films. This is easily the best of the Bourne trilogy (a rarity for a final film).
#4 - Live Free or Die Hard
"It was like
eating a good steak meal", said my friend Jason Choi as we walked out of the theater. Since then, I have heard no better description of the fourth Die Hard. Live Free or Die Hard is a blast from the
past, giving us the same over the top action that we expect from good
ol' John McClane. I grew up with the Die Hard movies, so this was
an extremely nostalgic experience, especially when Bruce Willis jumps out of a police car
as he launches it up at an enemy helicopter. It was a jolly good time.
Disclaimer: I know I bagged on action movies with mindless stories, but Die Hard is not included in that category. There is the presence of a story, and though it may be simple and at times unoriginal, it does provide ample conflict and a legitimate struggle for John McClane.
#3 - There Will Be Blood
Paul
Thomas Anderson (one of my favorite filmmakers) has made a
sprawling epic about family, religion, oil, and the poison of the sin of greed. Anderson's slow pacing and long drawn
out scenes carefully tell the story of this heartless oil prospector
(played by Daniel Day-Lewis) in a small developing town. Day-Lewis also gives one of the greatest
performances I have ever seen in any film (he was the Oscar winner for Best Actor for this film). There Will Be Blood is an instant masterpiece, almost like a good classic novel in an English Literature class that begs discussion and analysis.
#2 - Sunshine
It is the year 2057 and the sun is dying. Life on Earth is reaching its end as everything freezes to death. Our hope is a team of scientists, engineers, and physicists who are sent on a mission to re-ignite the sun with a payload, a nuclear device the size of Manhattan Island.
Sound interesting? The premise alone intrigued me, and the rest of the story did not fail to let me down. Director Danny Boyle succeeds in creating a bleak futuristic atmosphere with the help of a powerful soundtrack by Underworld. I'm going to refrain from saying any more because a part of the experience of this film was not knowing what to expect. Just go and see it for yourself.
#1 - Ratatouille
"Ratatouille"
proves that the writers at Pixar have a unique talent for developing
extremely lovable characters and strong character-driven stories. "Ratatouille" is a
tasty treat, much like the food that its protagonist cooks up in the
kitchen. It will no doubt satisfy and quench the hunger of moviegoers (both young and old)
for good wholesome entertainment.
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