Top Ten of 2007

So, as my thousands of readers have definitely noticed, I haven’t added a new post since October 2007. This is by no means a result of my laziness. It’s just extraordinarily difficult to find Netflix reviews that are hilariously off the mark. Yet I found the blog enormously enjoyable to write.

Keeping that in mind, coupled with the fact that I have a fair amount of free time at my job, I’ve decided to expand the scope of Misses the Point. Starting in 2008, I’ll be writing short reviews of every movie I see in theaters (reviewing every movie I rent would be too time-consuming). I will, however, write about other movies I find particularly striking, or ideas/arguments I have that are movie-related. Whenever I find a spectacularly bad review, I'll be sure to write about it.

To give you an idea of what’s in store, I’m presenting my first annual Top Ten list. I saw many movies this year (quite possibly more than any other year in my life). Many of them were entertaining and thought-provoking, so coming up with a list was quite the challenge. I don’t know about others that do this, but positions 3-10 on my list are pretty arbitrary. I mean, what makes number 8 better than number 9? Keeping that in mind, on with the list:

10. Superbad. This has been a strong year for comedies, and Superbad made me laugh more than any movie I’ve seen this year. Michael Cera and Jonah Hill had fantastic chemistry, and their deliveries made sure that the jokes never grew stale. It certainly helped that I saw this movie with two friends who share my infantile sense of humor. Now when are they going to make a coffee table book of the dick drawings?

9. Helvetica. Yes, this is a documentary about a font. What starts out as a history of the now ubiquitous typeface quickly becomes a history of 20th century design. Thoughtful viewers will notice how the differing design philosophies (an esoteric topic) nevertheless infiltrate our daily lives. Given how common Helvetica is in our world, the font was an excellent entry point for the discussion it raises. It’s available from Netflix on Watch It Now, so I highly recommend you check it out.

8. The Lives of Others. What can I say about this movie that hasn’t been said already? Oh, I liked it better than Pan’s Labyrinth. So there.

7. La Vie En Rose. I was surprised that I found this portrayal of Edith Piaf so moving. The biopics of accomplished musicians always seemed pretty ordinary. After all, Walk Hard takes its inspiration from such clichés. Yet Marion Cotillard gives a great performance, the songs are wonderful, and some sequences literally took my breath away. Julie Christie will probably win Best Actress this March, and that’s bullshit.

6. No End in Sight. I hate political documentaries. Hate them. They’re so slanted that any compelling argument is cast aside in favor of filmmaker’s agenda. Comparatively speaking, No End in Sight takes an objective stance, and points out specifically how Iraq was so mismanaged. Such an approach is far more compelling than the schlock that Michael Moore produces. This is the only movie I’ve ever seen that produced tears of anger.

5. 12:08 East of Bucharest. Full disclosure here: this movie has a unique appeal to me. My family is Romanian, and I’m the first one born in the United States. I don’t speak the language (long story). Therefore, seeing a Romanian comedy illuminated a great deal about my family’s idiosyncrasies. I was given an opportunity to see how my relatives’ quirks are systemic of Romanians in general. That being said, the movie is genuinely funny. It plays like a cross between The Office, Anchorman, and This is Spinal Tap.

4. Atonement. When I read the book, I thought it was unfilmable. So much relies on issues of subjectivity vs. objectivity. The book’s scope is massive. The book's peculiar frame make it so that you don’t really get to know any of the characters. Through Joe Wright’s effortless direction, he remained true to the book, and made a movie that’s both romantic and devastating. Also, the long tracking shot rivals the action sequences found in Children of Men.

3. Black Book. The top three spots will illustrate that I’m a sucker for moral ambiguity. This movie, directed by Paul “Showgirls” Verhoeven, has ambiguity up the wazzoo. It’s is about a Jewish woman who falls involve with the Nazi officer that she tries to deceive. With thrilling set pieces and a compelling story, viewers will easily be caught up in the narrative. At the same time, however, this movie does a good job of illustrating the futility of war, and how it becomes a larger-than-life, chaotic force. Plus, how often do you get a scene of a woman dyeing her pubic hair?

2. No Country for Old Men. Again, what can I say about this movie that hasn’t been said already? Oh, people who don’t like the ending are dumb.

1. Gone Baby Gone. I feel that it’s almost cheating to pick a Boston-based crime saga as my favorite for the second year in a row. This movie has truly flawed but sympathetic characters, suspenseful sequences, fantastic twists, and a doozy of an ending. It’s entertaining yet raises important questions of class and nature vs. nurture. People who don’t like this movie haven’t thought about it long enough. The final sequence creates one of the most fascinating dilemmas I’ve ever seen. When you see it, think about which side you agree with, and what the implications of your choice are.

So there it is. That this list is subject to revision because I haven't seen There Will Be Blood yet. Be sure to comment and let me know just how I’m a fucking idiot. Or just save your snarky comments for my all-new 2008 content. Happy holidays!