Most critics acknowledge that 1939 was the best year in cinema. I disagree. For me, it’s 2007.
I often find that critics, and even audiences, have on a thick pair of rose-tinted nostalgia goggles when it comes to movies; the past is held aloft on a golden pedestal.
While the passage of time allows films to breathe and gives audiences more time to appreciate their genius, 50 years don’t have to pass for one to recognise a movie’s greatness.
I can’t shake the feeling that 1939’s hallowed reputation is as much to do with its importance rather than the quality of movies as judged by modern standards.
Take Citizen Kane for example, a pioneering movie released in 1941 that many consider the greatest movie of all time. It introduced new storytelling techniques, revolutionised cinematography and editing; it would not be hyperbolic to say other great films have been made on the shoulders of Citizen Kane.
I certainly appreciate its importance and its towering legacy, but by the time I saw it, all of the movie’s pioneering techniques had become commonplace. It didn’t quite work for me.
Cinema is continuously improving and evolving; great movies are made almost every year. While there is no harm in exalting the past, we mustn’t hesitate to hail the recent classics as well.
With that out of the way, I would like to make a case for what I consider the best year in movies – 2007, at least in my lifetime.
No Country for Old Men (93% RT, 8.1 IMDB): The finest movie in the Coen Brothers’ stellar cinematography, this riveting and immensely rewatchable film also gave us one of cinema’s great villains – Anton Chigurh, brought to life by Javier Bardem’s exceptional Oscar-winning performance.
There Will Be Blood (91%, 8.2): Paul Thomas Anderson’s character study of a man consumed by greed and ego is bolstered by a performance for the ages from Daniel Day-Lewis and an often-overlooked performance from Paul Dano, who went toe to toe with the master in a way not many have done, before or since.
Michael Clayton (90%, 7.3): A strong contender for the best screenplay in recent memory, Dan Gilroy’s razor-sharp story about corruption at the highest level is more relevant now than ever.
Lost in the shadow of the two behemoths above, Michael Clayton stands out for its pacing, characters and quite possibly George Clooney’s finest moment as an actor.
Zodiac (90%, 7.7): Far more profound than any serial killer movie has any right to be, David Fincher’s richly textured and atmospheric study on obsession has a stacked cast firing on all cylinders.
Fincher has made some stunning films, but there is a strong argument to be made that Zodiac is perhaps his most significant accomplishment as a director, although it may not be his best film.
Eastern Promises (89%, 7.7): David Cronenberg’s follow-up to 2005’s excellent ‘A History of Violence’ features a chilling yet intriguing story of an innocent mid-wife embroiled in the shady undertakings of the Russian mafia in London.
The immensely gifted Viggo Mortensen delivers one of his most excellent performances. The movie contains scenes of chilling violence; none more so than a bathroom brawl for the ages towards the climax.
Ratatouille (96%, 8): The BBC included Ratatouille in its ‘Greatest Movies of the 21st Century’ list; it is one of seven movies from 2007 on that list. One of Pixar’s most exceptional efforts, Ratatouille is the entertaining, inspiring and heart-warming story of Remy the rat, the unlikely master chef.
Hot Fuzz (91%, 7.9): Narrowly beating out ‘Shaun of the Dead,’ Hot Fuzz is the finest instalment in kinetic director Edgar Wright’s zany ‘Three Cornettos’ trilogy.
A gloriously self-aware send-up of action movies, Hot Fuzz soars on the back of Wright’s mercurial talents behind the camera, a crackling script, and a sterling showing from two of his regulars – Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. A genuinely clever and hilarious action-comedy unlike any other.
Into The Wild (82%, 8.1): Featuring one of the century’s most overlooked performances – Emile Hirsch is breathtakingly brilliant in the film – Into The Wild is a poignant character study of a man looking to find meaning in a world consumed by apathy.
While the Sean Penn directorial was warmly received when it came out, as the years have passed, the film has acquired a cult standing, and rightfully so.
Juno (94%, 7.5): Diablo Cody’s crackling script was brought to life in the best way possible courtesy the talents of Jason Reitman and a cast in sync with the writer’s vision.
Dodging clichés at every turn, Juno is a funny, heartfelt and often aching look at the perils of unplanned pregnancy, told through the point of view of the snarkiest teenager in film history.
The Bourne Ultimatum (92%, 8): Undoubtedly the most exceptional entry in the now dormant Bourne franchise, Ultimatum was the zenith of the original trilogy and brought Jason Bourne’s tragic yet thrilling story to a satisfying close.
The movie is chock-full of exhilarating set pieces and impactful drama. Matt Damon, who had reinvented himself as an action star 6 years prior with the Bourne Identity, had a firm on the handle on the character by the third movie, and to one's surprise, knocked it out of the park.
Those are the ten I adore the most, there are several others, but I sense this answer is already running too long so I will omit the brief descriptions moving forward.
While not all of the movies in this second batch are necessary ‘greats’, although most undoubtedly are, they have all left a lasting impact on the cinema landscape.
I must admit beforehand I have yet to see two of them (Jesse James and Diving Bell), but such is their reputation that I was compelled to include them.
Atonement (83%, 7.8), Gone Baby Gone (94%, 7.7), 3:10 to Yuma (89%, 7.7), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (94%, 8), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (76%, 7.5), Sunshine (76%, 7.3)
We’re not done yet. The third batch is for the crowd-pleasers – average to good movies that have endured over time and are beloved to countless fans across the world.
Superbad (87%, 7.6), Knocked Up (90%, 7), 300 (60%, 7.7), Enchanted (93%, 7.1), Stardust (76%, 7.7), Death at a Funeral (61%, 7.4), The Simpsons Movie (88%, 7.3).
Bonus – 2007 also marked the debuts of some of today’s finest actors and entertainers: Emma Stone, Tom Hiddleston, Michael Fassbender, Andrew Garfield and Saoirse Ronan.
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