Best movie of 2007 so far?

[Guest Jacob Cross]

Anybody here seen Bug? I've been wanting to see it, but I prefer seeing movies in the middle of the day and the only showing around here is after 8. Is it worth the bother or should I wait for DVD?

 

I wouldn't even wait for the DVD. I saw it and thought it was terrible. Well I take that back, get the DVD and give it the MST3K treatment if anything.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

After remembering every movie I saw since my friends started a Tuesday movie night in late February where a group of us (varying from 2 to 14 people) have gone to a movie almost every week, I came up with this list. Some of the position of the movies probably could have gone either way as a lot were even for different reasons.

 

1. 300 - seem to remember liking it a lot. It's funny that I've gone to the theatre more times in 2007 then maybe the past two years combined but I'm delcaring a movie that probably shouldn't be called MOTY my top movie so far. I guess it means there was a lot out there that I wanted to see (or would accept seeing in a social gathering) that didn't deliver as high as I hoped.

 

2. Grindhouse - one of 2007s bombs had our biggest TMN turn out (the 14 people mentioned above) though I didn't know at least 5 of them. If the movie had opened with the Hobo with a Shotgun trailer, did the real trailers, then Planet Terror, then more fake trailers, then like, a 40 minute version of "Death Proof", easy #1. I don't mean to rag on Death Proof because it was fine for what it was, but it was just way too slow of a start after seeing Planet Terror. Maybe even if the order of the movies had been reversed, we all would have forgotten how dull the Jungle Julie bit was and been like, "wow awesome car scene followed by awesome Planet Terror!", but it was not to be. Still great, though.

 

3. Knocked Up - can't go wrong with Katherine Heigl, Marshall from HIMYM, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, appearances by people from The Office, and funny writing. A good time had by all.

 

4. Blades of Glory - I think the "everyone loves John Heder" fad coming off of Napoleon Dynamite was the worst thing since people in grade 5 taped pictures of Jonathan Taylor Thomas to their desk and Will Ferrell's act in these types of movies isn't exactly fresh, but it was still a pretty funny movie. And Jenna Fischer is in it! In lingere!

 

5. Disturbia - Never had any intention of seeing this (I had actually suggested Vacancy instead, but that waited for a week later - see how THAT turned out below) but I was convinced to go and quite enjoyed the film. Thumbs up.

 

6. 28 Weeks Later - Mixed reviews from everyone that went to see this, but on the whole I would say I enjoyed it. Is it the 6th top movie I saw? I don't know, but the movies from 5-9 or so are about even (for different reasons, as stated above).

 

7. TMNT - Most of the people I saw this with really enjoyed it (though had the same complaints about the human animation everyone who talked about it here mentioned) except for one guy who hated it because it "confusingly mixed canons" (ie Kairi does not exist in the previous movie canon, which this follows based on references to them). I was surprisingly entertained by it overall though.

 

8. Kickin' It Old School (dead serious) - Maybe when I see it on TV next year I won't like it, but I ended up going with a group of people that really wanted to see this and perhaps their laughter was contageous. This is the kind of movie that I REALLY shouldn't like, but between all the 80s references and lines that made us all laugh (and the fact this was a double bill night and we just sat through The Condemned), we came out of it thinking we just discovered the hidden gem of 2007.

 

9. Spider-Man 3: Putting this movie any lower would make me sad since in a perfect world, this would have been an EASY #1 for 2007. There was no way this movie could have ever lived up to it's hype, and I was ready to accept that, but it was just a big mess. I still liked it - and as far as Marvel 3quels go, it was better than X-Men 3 as well as Superman Returns, which I can't stand - and although I left the theatre claiming it was still ok and I enjoyed myself, reality (well, the negativity from everyone else I know that saw it) has set in. I hate it when stuff like this happens because I really should own this on DVD to be a completist, but I don't think it deserves my purchase.

 

10. Ocean's 13 - I haven't seen 11 and have been told to steer clear of 12 (though someone else told me 12 was ok). The person I was with (the one that likes 12) told me this was about on par with 12 and was ok, but I really liked it as, without prior viewings of the series, the "big heist" scheming was really fun to watch and see unfold. I was told if I enjoyed that, I should really watch the original.

 

11. Meet the Robinsons - Didn't want to go but went with a group anyway (the females in our group thought it "looked cute" and wanted to go, y'all know how that is). Pretty clever little tale with some funny lines.

 

12. Shrek 3 - Well this was a let down. It wasn't bad but it seemed to just be there, going through the motions. I vaguely recall laughing out loud at some dialogue from the princesses, but I don't recall much else. I'd probably rate the series "2 > 1 > 3", just like Spider-Man.

 

13. Ghostwriter - I liked this movie. It wasn't a good movie or anything, but as a cheesey spaghetti western about a flaming skull biker, it was tops.

 

14. Fantastic Four 2: Rise and Fall of the Silver Surfer - The first movie wasn't very good and about the only thing this did to improve on it was to actually film in NYC instead of pretending some guy from CTV, some guy from MuchMusic, and a CityTV micraphone (all obviously from Toronto) were the Big Apple. It was ok, maybe better than Ghostrider, but maybe not. Johnny was really funny in this movie though - the corporate logo uniform was a good gag.

 

15. The Condemned - how the hell do you make Steve Austin beating the hell out of people in a movie that has an asian guy doing mad flips and kicks so dull and not entertaining? By shaking the camera during every fight, I guess.

 

16. Vacancy - By the books Hollywood suspense complete with characters that should be dead not being dead. The male friend I was with and I mocked the entire movie all the way through, sometimes annoying our female companions (who got all jumpy at times) but usually amusing them with our spot on wit. There were also annoying teenagers there too (one was on the phone).

 

On the topic of phones, do people not realize that opening their phone - whether it's silent or not - to send a text message or check the time - emits a bright light that's annoying? I thought maybe I was just being sensitive to my surroundings but someone else bitched about this with me.

 

17. Rise: Blood Hunter - I had never heard of this movie and feel I am worse off for seeing it. No one that saw this movie in our group understands why it was picked over Knocked Up including the person that picked it.

 

I was out of town for Pirates 3 and was told it was good, but I suspect it was another trilogy letdown based on what people are saying.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Ghostwriter was a PBS show in the nineties. Ghostrider is the movie.

[Red Baron 0]

While Zodiac might not be MOTY, but I can see Downey Jr. picking up an Oscar nomination.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

1. Hot Fuzz

2. Alpha Dog

3. Ocean's 13

4. Grindhouse

5. 28 Weeks Later

[Mecha Mummy 0]

I think my order thusfar is something like...

 

1. Hot Fuzz

2. Zodiac

3. Grindhouse

 

With nothing else really standing out. I like Hot Fuzz and Zodiac pretty much equally, though.

[Just John 0]

1. Grindhouse

2. Mr. Brooks (can't believe I'm the first one to list this)

3. 300

4. Fracture

5. Smokin' Aces

 

Still need to see Black Snake Moan.

[bob_barron 0]

Good call on Mr. Brooks, Just John. I forgot to add that to my list. Really good thriller with the usual great William Hurt performance.

 

I still haven't decided how I feel about the tease ending of his daughter killing him

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

A lot of people told me Hot Fuzz was really dull. The most positive thing a friend told me was "they shouldn't have marketed it as a comedy", which I guess was his way of saying "it was a good movie but not funny".

[Youth N Asia 0]

1. 300

2. Knocked Up

3. Smokin' Aces

4. Hostel 2

 

*Updated to add Hostel 2*

 

Didn't love Spidey, haven't seen Pirates yet, plus I've seen a lot of blah movies this year. Looking forward to Harry Potter, I am Legend, and 1408 coming this year

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

Planet Terror from Grindhouse is probably the best movie of the year, so far. However, Death Proof from Grindhouse is one of the most boring, yet somehow still annoying, movies I've seen in a long time. I haven't seen Zodiac yet, but I imagine it would be up there for sure. Knocked Up was a fun movie, I only saw half of Hot Fuzz online and Pirates of The Carribean 3 was probably the best in the series. 300 was visually spectacular, but not much in terms of characterization and depth.

[Guest SoulxOfxLove]

-Pirates 3

-Fracture

-Spidy 3

-Hostel 2 (was okay)

 

 

Any1 excited for Rush Hour 3??

I Am.....yep.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I don't think I've seen a real good movie yet this year.

 

Knocked Up was probably the most enjoyable, but it's a stretch to call it great.

300 was fun to look at, but it was paper thin on story and character development.

Spidey 3 was entertaining, but underwhelming.

Pirates sucked dick.

 

I didn't bother with Grindhouse and I have yet to see Hot Fuzz or Ocean's 13.

[Just John 0]

I still haven't decided how I feel about the tease ending of his daughter killing him

 

I thought that was an unnecessary swerve, but it didn't affect my view of the movie. Since it was after all the main storylines wrapped up, it's not like it killed momentum or anything. It seemed tacked on at worst.

[Jingus 0]

Planet Terror from Grindhouse is probably the best movie of the year, so far. However, Death Proof from Grindhouse is one of the most boring, yet somehow still annoying, movies I've seen in a long time.

And that's where subjectivity comes in. I thought Deathproof was the best thing in Grindhouse (except for Werewolves of the SS, natch) and was really underwhelmed by Planet Terror. Then again, I like most of Tarantino's movies and dislike most of Rodriguez's, so it wasn't a surprise for me.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

Yeah, like I said in the other thread "Planet Terror" is fun but way too self aware and ironic for my tastes; a problem I have with a lot of Rodriguez's stuff save most of Sin City which is due in large part to Rourke and Willis treating their over the top characters and dialouge with dignity. Overall, "Grindhouse" was a great experience though and the two movies contrast and compliment each other nicely.