The Movie Club Redux, Part 11: On the Floor

TO: Boltron, Tavis, Lin
FROM: Levi
RE: Best of Stab

Bolton, you asked for a "Best of" list, but there are too many films I haven't yet seen to make any definitive stab. For example, I have yet to see "Michael Clayton" or "The Savages," and "There Will Be Blood" hasn't opened here just yet. (This is one thing I missed about living in Los Angeles -- you get so-called prestige pictures first. By now, I'd have already written three emails to Bolton telling him how awesome "Blood" is.) However, I'm not gonna take a total cop-out, so here are the best movies of 2007 that I have seen:

Once
Ratatouille
No Country for Old Men
Sweeney Todd
3:10 to Yuma
Hot Fuzz ("Crusty jugglers!")
Zodiac
Superbad

These aren't in any specific order, except for "Once," a movie which left me on the floor of the Fox Tower downtown and pulled off the same feat here at home. That movie levels me. Bolton pointed out the beauty of the scene where the two leads feel their way through a song in a piano shop, but I am smashed by the scene after the recording session ends. Everybody has just been a part of something magical that will never be replicated in their lives. It is incredibly powerful and for a few moments, I am insanely jealous of the characters for having such an experience. And it takes a lot to make me envious of imaginary people.

It's funny, Bolton, how you mention you cannot remember many bad movies of the year -- I am the same way. If think a movie sucks, it rarely stays with me unless it was something I was so looking forward to that I cannot help but carry my disappointment on my back for weeks. And this was the first year where I really did make an effort to steer clear of movies I just knew wouldn't entertain me, such as the third "Pirates" movie. I saw the second one out of duty, and halfway through that inane Liar's Dice scene, I knew I had to change my game plan. No more catching the second or third movie in a trilogy just to "see how it finishes."

You mention how "Knocked Up" had you seeing red, primarily for the fact it didn't click with your politics. That's a perfectly acceptable position, but I guess the reason I was partially shut down is that I just rejected the love story. The whole time, I just sat there and thought: false. I have known these people in real life -- career-climber and schlub -- and can tell you that it just isn't going to happen. Now, a comedy where she cannot get him out of her life because he decides to man up and take responsibility and they eventually find common understanding and respect (not love, mind you)? That I would have been more in tune with.

Also, your aside about "Juno" isn't entirely right. It isn't an evil abortion clinic worker that keeps Juno from having an abortion. It's the apathy in the clinic that unnerves her. And that sat with me just fine. I think if the girl saw that it would be harder, she might have done it. But confronted with apathy, she buckled. I get that.

Are there any movies you are all really looking forward to this year? I'll stick my neck out here with:

Cloverfield
Run, Fat Boy, Run
Iron Man
Wall-E
The Dark Knight
City of Ember
Synecdoche
The Ruins

I'm even looking forward to the next "Harry Potter" movie, as last year's "Order of the Phoenix" was the first one I've enjoyed. Also, add "The Time Traveler's Wife" to that list if it actually does come out at the end of 2008.