Movies

Comedies can win Oscars, or at least Golden Globes. Foreign films get their own category. So, aside from family films, the one genre that never gets much recognition other than through box office dollars is the action movie genre. Action films have become blurred with thrillers recently, as Hollywood has leaned more toward serious, realistic action-thrillers over kick-ass explosion-filled extravaganzas. This list includes some of those, but 2007 saw the reemergence of some bad ass action films.

And no, Spider-Man 3 is not on the list. Here are the top ten action movies of 2007:

1. Transformers (2007)
   The top five action movies of 2007 are pretty close to one another, and the top three are almost interchangeable. But there’s no denying that the film with the biggest impact over the summer was an explosive action film that had fan boys salivating and even regular audience members blown away by spectacular visual effects and a finale that all but destroys Los Angeles. The movie was plagued with some annoying dialogue and other screenplay issues, but Michael Bay’s action sequences overcame those flaws to make Transformers the best action movie of 2007.
2. 300 (2007)
   Coming in a very close second place is 300, a movie from Dawn of the Dead director Zach Snyder. 300 could have been a complete disaster, but Snyder made the movie a visual feast. Some people complained that the movie had a lot more talking than fighting, but I found it to have the perfect balance of politics, drama, visuals and action. 300 is by far and away the most visually original picture of 2007, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Visual Effects Oscar gets handed out – on the one hand, Transfomers offered seamless visuals; on the other, 300 was one long special effect that defied expectations and made the film the biggest hit of the first four months of the year.
3. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
   The smartest action film in the top three, the third Bourne film places third simply because I thought The Bourne Supremacy was slightly better. The Bourne Ultimatum felt a bit like it was re-treading on the second film’s originality only with a less interesting plot, but I only say that because Supremacy is one of my all-time favorite action films. Ultimatum is still a great action movie, and continues to prove that Matt Damon can be an action hero, and a damn intimidating one to boot.
4. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
   Despite going way too over the top at times (the fighter jet blowing up a billion dollars worth of highway, for instance), the fourth Die Hard movie was everything fans were expecting and waiting for. People had all but given up on the chance that they would indeed make a fourth movie, but Bruce Willis brought his rugged John McClain back to theaters one more time. The movie is one long action sequence, and while it is hit a bit by the fact that it is rated PG-13, it is still a pretty brutal thrill ride. At the very least, it was refreshing to return to the action films of old, where tough guys did tough things.
5. No Country for Old Men (2007)
   Who knew that a major Best Picture contender would end up on a Top Ten list for Best Action Movie? Regardless, No Country for Old Men, from the Coen Brothers, is one of the most exciting movies I’ve seen in a long time. Not your typical action film, the Coen Brothers fill their film with an impending sense of dread, and give us one of the scariest and most ruthless villains ever witnessed on the silver screen. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t end the way most of us would have liked – otherwise, this film could have been a lot higher on this list.
6. Shooter (2007)
   Items six through ten aren’t nearly as good as items one through five, but are still good entries for those looking for mindless entertainment. Shooter is a pretty mindless film that tries to cover some idiocies with a political assassination and conspiracy storyline, which, for the most part, works well enough. Mark Wahlberg does a good job in the lead, and Shooter offers plenty of action and intrigue. It’s not a great movie, but it’s still better than most action movies we get these days.
7. 28 Weeks Later (2007)
   Okay, so 28 Weeks Later is technically a horror movie, or at the very least a zombie movie, but as far as excitement goes, it’s a great little film. The movie didn’t receive very good reviews nor box office revenues, but this zombie sequel is exciting and suspenseful from the first minute to the last. The opening sequence is great, and the film is full of exciting moments.
8. Vacancy (2007)
   It’s been a while since I last saw this thriller, but I had to put it on the list anyway. It’s not an action movie per se, but it is action-packed, so I think it deserves a place. Starring the unlikely combination of Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale as a nearly divorced couple, Vacancy is about two people who find themselves trapped at the hotel from Hell. The movie is exciting from beginning to the end, minus the last two minutes, which are just dreadful. Still, I hadn’t sat on the edge of my seat like this in a long time.
9. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
   I wasn’t crazy about the ending of this one either, but there’s no denying that 3:10 to Yuma is still a thoroughly entertaining film. Starring the great combination of Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, the western remake offers a complicated and disturbing villain (Crowe), some good action scenes and several other exciting moments. If anyone still thinks that westerns are out of date, 3:10 to Yuma is just one of many recent westerns that proves them wrong.
10. The Kingdom (2007)
    This one wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be, but The Kingdom has some great action, especially toward the end. Somehow this movie, which featured some pretty spectacular trailers and a quality cast, flopped in theaters despite having everything that action audiences require. The shortcoming of the film is that the screenplay isn’t nearly as good as it should have been, given the material.

Other movies that almost made the list: Planet Terror, Death Proof and Smokin’ Aces. The two Grindhouse films were both thoroughly entertaining and offered some good action, while Smokin’ Aces was entertaining but not quite as action packed as I was hoping for.

Why wasn’t Spider-Man 3 on the list? Because it just wasn’t that good of a movie. Harry Potter? Not nearly as good as the other movies (and not really an action movie). Pirates of the Caribbean? That movie just sucked. Fantastic Four 2? Enough said.

Has anyone realized that 2008 has just as many big movies, if not more big movies, than 2007 did? We get Batman, Bond, Harry, Indy, Kirk, Rambo and Mulder over the span of approximately 180 days, and those are only a fraction of the cool-looking movies coming out this year. Of course, the most anticipated movies of 2008 includes a lot of big budget films – because the smaller films and dramas that come out at year’s end have yet to release trailers or develop much buzz as of yet. That will change, but in the meantime, here are my 20 most anticipated movies of 2008. Enjoy the 2008 movie list:

1. The Dark Knight (2008)
   Easily my most anticipated movie of 2008, The Dark Knight brings back nearly everyone that made Batman Begins so great, while adding Heath Ledger as The Joker. I was skeptical about whether it was smart to bring back The Joker after Jack Nicholson made an icon of the character in Tim Burton’s original, but there is no denying that Heath Ledger looks and sounds a heck of a lot more terrifying. Without all the back story that slowed down the first one (don’t get me wrong – I loved it), The Dark Knight promises to be more action-packed and even better.
2. James Bond 22 (2008)
   On Batman’s heels is the latest James Bond film, which once again stars Daniel Craig. After Casino Royale defied expectations and proved that the world could handle a blond Bond, I have huge expectations for this sequel. That being said, there have been a few worrisome developments. There was one article that suggested the producers wanted to inject more humor into the film, though I’m guessing that was fake news – after all, why would they mess with a formula that worked so well, both critically and financially, the last time out? Oh, and the director has never done an action movie before. Regardless, expectations have never been higher for a Bond film; I usually went to the theaters expecting some fun action and entertainment, but now I expect a truly quality film.
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
   In other years, this movie might have been #1, but not this year. Still, there’s no denying that the biggest movie of the year will probably be Indiana Jones 4. We haven’t seen any previews yet, but with Harrison Ford returning to the role and Steven Spielberg back as director, there’s no reason not to expect another entertaining thrill ride. The only thing that could kill this film will be super high expectations; fans have been waiting nearly 20 years, and the anticipation in the weeks leading up to the film’s release will be crazy.
4. Star Trek (2008)
   The buzz is already big on this film. Abrams is flying high right now after Cloverfield launched big (and his previous directorial effort, Mission: Impossible III, was an awesome movie), and thus I am expecting nothing less than incredible for the new Star Trek movie. Looking back, the last several movies have been a bit cheesy and not all that great, but the teaser trailer for this film indicates that much of the cheese factor may be removed. How this rests with Trekkies is anyone’s guess, but hopefully fans of the shows (like me) realize that something like this is necessary to keep the franchise going – much like the Bond franchise needed Casino Royale.
5. Cloverfield (2008)
   This J.J. Abrams-produced movie has already been released in theaters, but even before I saw it, I was definitely looking forward to it. The marketing team did an incredible job of creating buzz for the film over a six-month period, and for the most part, the film lived up to expectations.
6. The X-Files 2 (2008)
   This sequel is flying under the radar right now, and often times I forget that it’s even coming to theaters this year, but once the trailer hits the airwaves, things will change. As a huge X-Files fan, I’m definitely looking forward to this long overdue film, but the question remains: will anyone care? It’s been a long time since The X-Files ended, and the movie is probably not going to make hundreds of millions of dollars. It’s anyone’s guess, but I hope it delivers big in one way or another.
7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2008)
   Normally, a Harry Potter movie would rank much higher, and in years past they have often topped my lists; however, after the disappointing last movie, it’s a waiting game for me. David Yates, who I pretty much blamed for the previous film’s lack of cohesion, is returning to direct this film, and I really have to wonder what Warner Brothers was thinking. That being said, the original screenwriter – who has done all of the other movies except for The Order of the Phoenix, is returning, and that should spice things up a bit. This prequel to the final movie (rumored to be two movies?) is an important one, and so Yates better not blow it again.
8. Rambo (2008)
   Okay, it might be endless entertainment, but if you’re a guy, you have to be at least a little excited at the prospect of watching a new Rambo movie. Sure, Sylvestor Stallone is scraping for any way to make a buck, but after Rocky Balboa managed to be halfway decent, I’m holding out hope. Furthermore, the previews have absolutely kicked ass; I don’t care how old Stallone is – if he’s tearing apart bad guys with his bare hands and blood is flying everywhere, I am in theaters opening night.
9. Iron Man (2008)
   I was skeptical about this one at first. While I was a comic book fan as a kid, I never purchased a single Iron Man comic, though I’m sure I’ve read one or two over the years. The character never intrigued me very much, and the thought of a tin man flying around doesn’t sound like it could work. Still, the previews for Iron Man have suggested otherwise. The trailers are kick ass, full of explosions, special effects and everything else you’d want from a movie like this.
10. Hancock (2008)
    This superhero movie took me by surprise when I saw a preview for it in front of National Treasure 2; I hadn’t heard or seen anything about it up until then. But this movie, about a loser of a superhero who causes millions of dollars of damage to everything he touches, looks pretty damn entertaining. Did I mention it stars Will Smith? That alone means this film will be a blast, as he has yet to truly disappoint in a blockbuster flick.
11. Get Smart (2008)
    Steve Carrell is at the peak of his career right now, and Get Smart looks like it may finally capitalize on his sense of humor (since Evan Almighty sucked Jesus balls). The teaser trailer for the movie is spectacular, and features Carrell in all kinds of awkward, spy-oriented situations. The phone booth sequence is entertaining, as is the phone-throwing attempt. I usually don’t put too many comedies on my list, but Get Smart definitely deserves a place.
12. Wall-E (2008)
    This is the new movie from Pixar. Enough said. Okay, I’ll add that the visuals look great, and once again Pixar is doing something unique, which is more than what can be sound about their competitors.
13. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo (2008)
    The first movie looked completely awful, but it was so funny and I ended up watching it twice in the same day. The second movie looks pretty funny as well, though for these kind of films, you can never tell. The marketing team will of course be able to make a funny two-minute trailer out of ninety minutes of stupidity, but I’m holding out hope that this Harold and Kumar sequel will be pretty good.
14. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
    The trailer for this sequel isn’t as good as I would have liked, but since the first movie was such a refreshing jolt of excitement, I have high hopes for this sequel. All of the main cast members are returning, and it looks like Guillermo del Toro, fresh off his foreign-language masterpiece Pan’s Labyrinth, has injected similar styles from that Oscar-nominated film into this one.
15. Jumper (2008)
    This Hayden Christensen/Samuel L. Jackson sci-fi thriller may end up being mindless fluff, but Jumper looks cool. The concept, about a young man who can teleport anywhere in the world, is relatively unique, and the special effects look good enough to back up the idea. The movie’s release date suggests it won’t be anything too intelligent, but you never know.
16. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
    I actually liked the first Hulk movie moderately enough, up until the absolutely horrible ending. That being said, if I watched it again, I would probably laugh at how bad it is. I’ve never been a fan of the Hulk – I never understood what the big deal is about an anti-hero who turns into a monster – but this movie does have potential. After all, the studio heard the complaints about the original film and have presumably made amends. The presence of Ed Norton as Bruce Banner doesn’t hurt, either.
17. Revolutionary Road (2008)
    Again, here’s another drama without a trailer, but come awards time, everyone expects this film to be right up among the major contenders. Why? The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, reuniting for the first time since Titanic, and is directed by Sam Mendes, who directed one of my all-time favorite movies, American Beauty. You may have heard of it.
18. Sex and the City (2008)
    I’m not anticipating this comedy as much as I am intrigued by it. Even though I am a 25-year old straight male, I have to admit that I have seen almost all of the Sex and the City episodes and thoroughly enjoyed them (living with two females for a year helped). It’s truly one of the best comedies ever to be seen on television; of course, HBO has an unfair advantage in that it puts a lot more dollars into its shows than the average sitcom. Whether the television show will work as a movie is anyone’s guess, but we’ll find out in a few months…
19. Run, Fatboy, Run (2008)
    Just to fill out my Top 20, I added one that I haven’t seen on anyone else’s list. Run, Fatboy, Run, starring Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) looks funny in a completely goofy kind of way, and that’s enough to have me looking forward to it. Pegg really hasn’t stumbled yet, and while I’m not expecting anything as clever as his Shaun or Hot Fuzz, this one should be a bloody good time.
20. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
    Some people are really looking forward to this movie. I’m holding my breath. The previews don’t make this one look as good as the first one, and the first one was a mild disappointment. I thought the first one looked cool, until I sat down for a two-and-a-half hour film that was mildly entertaining at best and boring at its worst, so the marketing department is really going to have to step it up to convince me that this sequel is different.

As many people know, Roman Polanski is not allowed to return to the United States or travel to countries that have an extradition treaty with the U.S. (like Great Britain) due to his conviction of “engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor” in the late 1970′s.

With a new movie called Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired looking to be a major contender at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, I figured now would be a good time to gauge what people think of Polanski and what should happen to resolve everything. The movie, directed by Marina Zenovich, details the events revolving around Polanski’s conviction and flight to France, is sure to stir up controversy…

These are not all the facts, but this is what I pulled from Wikipedia:

•  In 1977, Polanski got the permission of Samantha Geimer’s mother to conduct a private photo shoot of the 13-year old (or was she 14?) girl.
• On March 10, despite her reservations, Geimer returned for a second photo shoot. “We did photos with me drinking champagne,” Geimer says. “Toward the end it got a little scary, and I realized he had other intentions and I knew I was not where I should be. I just didn’t quite know how to get myself out of there… I said no several times, and then, well, gave up on that.” This took place at Jack Nicholson’s home.
• Polanski was initially charged with rape via use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, but put in a plea agreement for a lesser charge.
• On a tip that the judge was going to throw out the plea agreement, Polanski fled to France, where he was still a citizen. France and the U.S. do have an extradition treaty, but France will not extradite its own citizens. The U.S. could put in a request for France to try him, but they have not do so and will probably never do so.
• While Polanski admitted to unlawful conduct, psychiatric experts did not consider him a sexual predator and both the defense and prosecution believed probation would be sufficient punishment rather than jail. (Yahoo!)
• In a 2003 interview, Geimer (now Samantha Gailey) said, “Straight up, what he did to me was wrong. But I wish he would return to America so the whole ordeal can be put to rest for both of us… I’m sure if he could go back, he wouldn’t do it again. He made a terrible mistake but he’s paid for it”.

So, here are some questions:

• Is Roman Polanski likely to re-offend?
• Has Polanski already “paid his due”?
• Since Polanski has directed several great films and the crime committed was thirty years ago, does that factor in?
• Do any of the previous questions matter? He had sex with a 13-year old.

What do you think? I’m torn myself. I must admit that I do have some compassion for people who committed crimes decades earlier. More than likely, those people have grown beyond whatever they did in the past, experience guilt and suffer as a result. And the fact that Polanski has won Oscars and contributed extensively to the arts does provide some bias. At the same time, Polanski had sex with a young girl. He knew how old she was, and he knew she was really, really young. And according to the initial charge and statements from Geimer, the sex was definitely not consensual or pleasant in any way or form.

Some may take offense to the fact that I may appear more concerned about the next Batman movie than Heath Ledger, but that is not my intent with this article. Heath Ledger’s death was shocking and a little depressing, considering that he was a great and underrated actor who, I believe, was on the verge of breaking through to becoming a huge star. But if you are a Batman fan, you must admit that seconds after learning of Heath Ledger’s death, you thought of the upcoming movie The Dark Knight and how it will be affected by the situation.

The good news is that assuming to IMDB, The Dark Knight (2008), directed by Christopher Nolan, is in post-production, which, with exception to a major film fire (knock on wood, Ledger’s scenes should all be complete. Of course, there always chances of needed reshoots or additional scenes to be filmed, but I don’t see Nolan as someone who often does stuff like this – and I don’t see the WB tampering with the director’s vision. I have looked around on the Internet for other articles about this topic, but have yet to find anything too substantial. Most are just re-iterating the news story, which you can read here. The basics are that Ledger fell victim to drug abuse and either accidentally overdosed or killed himself (since he was found surrounded by pills), which is a fuzzy line anyway.

Will The Dark Knight be pushed back at all, my boss asked. Highly unlikely. The Dark Knight is WB’s tentpole release of the summer, and buzz is high. Also, with the film’s release several months away, there is really no emotional obligation to put things on hold. Even if The Dark Knight were to open this Friday, I doubt the WB would push back the release.

Some fans are concerned that the ending of The Dark Knight will be changed. I don’t know what fans have heard, but there seems to be some assumptions that The Joker lives at the end (based on the fact that Ledger allegedly had signed on for a sequel). The worries surround the thought that The Joker may escape at the end, and thus the WB would be forced to deal with a situation where they would have to tie up loose ends. To this, I say these worries are unfounded: more than likely, The Joker will survive (didn’t they learn their lesson with Tim Burton’s Batman?) but will be incarcerated. The other option, if he doesn’t get killed, is that he escapes, though I find this a bit unlikely since The Dark Knight is probably Nolan’s last Batman film – and who would want to end a comic book film with the villain “winning” unless you plan to wrap up the story later on? And even if The Joker does escape, who cares? You can just drop the storyline for the next film or, heaven forbid, get yet another actor to play the creepy Batman foe.

Anyway, unless I hear otherwise, I will assume that all of Heath Ledger’s scenes have been filmed and that the movie will be released on time (presumably with a “In memory of Heath Ledger” at the beginning or end). Of course, with Ledger’s life cut short at age 28, that means we’ve been denied a good fifty or sixty years of quality acting. While some people shrugged Ledger off as a pretty face, remember that he turned in an Oscar-worthy performance in Brokeback Mountain, was great in I’m Not There, and was poised to break out in The Dark Knight. After all, how many actors get so much positive buzz just from a movie trailer?

Up until now, I’ve stayed quiet on the Golden Globes. Yes, the reason is partially that I’ve been too busy to do a blog post, but after the winners were announced in a press conference earlier in the week, I had to chime in. How in God’s name did Sweeney Todd win Best Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes?

Sweeney Todd, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, is a f**k up in more ways than one. The production values are pretty good, but the movie is boring and features some of the worst music to ever grace musicals. The songs are literally brain numbing, and when sung by the likes of Helena Bonham Carter (who was somehow nominated for Best Actress for her role) and several other actors who just weren’t made for musicals, the film just sucked. Two of my buddies spent most of the time laughing at how bad it was, and even my brother, who I thought might like the film, didn’t find much to be entertained by. My movie review is less than friendly.

All four of the other movies nominated in the category are so much better. Hairspray isn’t anything spectacular, but Charlie Wilson’s War and Across the Universe are both a step above much of the landscape. Juno is simply terrific, and a legitimate (albeit unlikely) contender for Oscar Gold.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the Golden Globes. I never understood the point of them. They’re like the Oscars, only not as prestigious and not as meaningful, and they often have a few off-the-wall surprises like Sweeney Todd that just plain out suck. It’s hard to take the Golden Globes too seriously, and they’re pretty much like Spring Training to the MLB or Pre-Season for the NFL. In other words, they’re meaningless.

While I’m on my rant about the Golden Globes, I’ve always hated the Best Musical or Comedy category. I do realize that comedies often get screwed when it comes to year-end awards (though since Shakespeare in Love, not nearly so much), but the Best Musical or Comedy category often serves as a means to provide non-deserving films a chance at an award (come on, did anyone really think that Dreamgirls was that good of a movie?). Thinking of Dreamgirls, the category tends to favor dramas that happen to have music in them. As Chicago proved, musicals can compete with dramas in the main event, so why should musical dramas (Walk the Line, Ray, Dreamgirls and so on and so forth) get placed in a separate category, which only serves to neglect the real point of the category: to benefit comedies.

And furthermore, do you realize that the Golden Globes nominated 12 movies for best picture this year? 12 movies! For some reason, they nominated seven movies for Best Drama, and another five for Best Musical or Comedy. That means that twelve different movies get to market that they were nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes. What bullsh*t.

At least Atonement and Daniel Day-Lewis won for Best Drama and Best Actor respectively.

Michael Clayton (2007), the critically acclaimed drama-thriller starring George Clooney, is returning to theaters on January 25th, presumably with hopes of getting some Oscar recognition. While quite incredible, the movie has suffered from a few things that could hurt its chances:

• It didn’t make any money. Sadly, financial success is often a factor in winning major awards.
• Very few people saw it. This ties in with the financial succes, of course, but the movie pretty much arrived with a thud.
• Everyone has forgotten it already. Sometimes, releasing a movie in October is good enough to carry it through early January. And other times, like in 2007, people will forget a film a month later.
• 2007 is just too competitive. In most years, George Clooney would be guaranteed an Oscar nomination, Tom Wilkinson a supporting nod and the movie a possible Best Picture nod. In most years. 2007 has been filled with great movies, and Michael Clayton doesn’t have the same kind of punch as some of the heavyweights.

All that being said, Michael Clayton is a really good movie. Read the Michael Clayton movie review or – on January 25th – watch the movie in theaters! It’s reaching 1,000 theaters across the country, so it’s not exactly a tiny re-release.

The Top Ten Movies of 2007 List, as selected by me, Erik Samdahl, is here! As I said all year, 2007 was a terrific 365 days for film, as there were more quality movies than the last two or three years combined. I usually scrape to put a Top Ten List together, but this year I had nearly twenty candidates that I would feel happy about mentioning here. Beyond those twenty candidates, there were several others that were still well done, including some great action movies, quality thrillers and some of the funniest comedies in a long while. Still, in such a competitive year, these films below really stood out. These are the creme of the crop, the best of the best, the must-see films of 2007…

11. Ratatouille (UPDATED: I moved this to #11)

I normally don’t place animated films in my Top Ten, but Pixar came along, delivered a comeback after the horrible movie Cars and provided audiences with the best animated picture in years. Ratatouille is the perfect example of why Pixar is better than any other animated comedy; unlike the other companies, they actually try (and normally succeed) to do something unique. They don’t rely on modern day satires, spoofs and references, and instead go about creating memorable, high quality stories. Ratatouille is a well-written, witty and entertaining animated picture, and a sure lock for this year’s Oscar in the category. On top of that, the visual effects are simply stunning; the Pixar team really outdid themselves this time.

10. I’m Not There

I had trouble deciding where to place I’m Not There on this Top Ten List. I found I’m Not There pretty confusing at times and didn’t find it as entertaining as some of the other pictures on the list. That being said, the movie is easily the most ambitious film of the year. Writer/director Todd Haynes really deserves props for managing to pull this feat off, as his movie stars not one but six actors (including Richard Gere, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett and even some little black kid) as Bob Dylan. To make things even more confusing, each actor represents a metaphorical stage in Dylan’s life and career, and if you’re like me and don’t know a thing about Dylan, you’ll be lost. Still, for Haynes to actually develop a coherent film out of this chaos is absolutely amazing, and he makes it look easy.

9. Lars and the Real Girl

I normally don’t place feel-good movies on my top ten lists as I generally tend to lean toward serious dramas, but I have two on here this year. Lars and the Real Girl stars Ryan Gosling as a socially awkward young man who finally gets a girlfriend – unfortunately, his girlfriend is a life-size sex doll. To help Lars get over his psychological issues, the townspeople decide to pretend that his girlfriend is real. The movie features some great comedic performances, and, in general, the movie is quite funny; it’s also sweet, touching and sad all at once.

8. Charlie Wilson’s War

Funny and politically charged, this movie based on the screenplay from “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin stars Tom Hanks as a womanizing, cocaine-snorting U.S. Representative who decides to covertly fight the Russians by funding Afghanistan militants. It doesn’t sound like a comedy at first glance, but the movie is at times quite hilarious. Hanks is the best we’ve seen him in years, but Philip Seymour Hoffman is the scene-stealer. Charlie Wilson’s War isn’t for everyone, but for those who like a little dose of politics with their comedy, this one is a must-see.

7. Once (UPDATED: I added this movie to the list on 1/23/2008)

I forgot to add Once to this Top Ten List because based it on a list of movie reviews I had done for 2007. However, I hadn’t yet written a review for Once, a film I had already intended to put on the list. Hence, I forgot. Once is an incredibly simply but mesmerizing film. The song, which is nominated for an Oscar (it better win!), is simply astounding, and pretty much makes the film. Regardless, the chemistry between the two leads is terrific.

6. No Country for Old Men

And now come the heavy hitters. No Country for Old Men is still a front runner for Best Picture, as it has already picked up several awards over the last month and a half. The movie, easily the best Cohen Brothers film in years, is a dark and depressing action-drama about a man (James Brolin) who discovers a bunch of drug money and finds that by taking it he has unleashed the wrath of one of the nastiest, most psychotic assassins in the history of cinema. Javier Bardem is absolutely stunning as the madman killer. Still, as good as the movie is, I feel it was slightly over-hyped; the ending left a lot of audiences wanting more, and in all honesty, it isn’t a very satisfying conclusion to such an exciting, suspense-filled film. Nevertheless, No Country for Old Men leaves you on the edge of your seat the entire time, and that’s worth something.

5. Juno

The other feel-good movie of the year, Juno is tearing it up at the box office and has critics singing praise with its excellent screenplay and terrific acting from young star Ellen Page. The screenplay, from writer Diablo Cody, is one of the top candidates to win Best Screenplay, and Page has an outside chance at winning Best Actress. The dialogue is what makes this movie – about a pregnant 16-year old girl who decides to give away her baby – so good, as its sharp wit flies so fast that’s it hard to keep up with all of it. Juno also has its sweet side to it, which will delight the female members of the audience.

4. Zodiac

David Fincher’s Zodiac may long be forgotten as the film was released way back in March, but those of you who saw this picture hopefully realized that Fincher has developed quite a masterpiece. While the movie, based on the real Zodiac serial killer investigation, isn’t your typical crime thriller, Fincher somehow managed to make a suspenseful drama out of a three-hour, dialogue-driven screenplay. Not everyone loved Zodiac, but it is one of the best serial killer films in a long time.

3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Few people have seen this Brad Pitt/Casey Affleck drama, and even fewer would probably place this film in their top ten list, but The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is an amazingly engrossing and deep drama. The film is nearly three hours long and features almost no action, which may surprise people expecting an action-western, but for those of you who know better, the picture is an impressive character study of two drastically different men. Brad Pitt is stunning as the outlaw James, even if you don’t realize how good he is for most of the movie. Casey Affleck, however, is absolutely captivating, and delivers the best performance of his career, knocking off his previous best – from Gone Baby Gone, which just missed out on making this top ten list. Needless to say, 2007 was a good year for the younger Affleck brother, and Jesse James is an excellent movie, highlighted by a shockingly good final half hour.

2. There Will Be Blood

The top two films of 2007 really set themselves apart from the rest. There Will Be Blood, Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece, is a bold and powerful examination of one man’s rise and fall. The movie is excellent, but Daniel Day-Lewis delivers his best performance ever – and that’s saying a lot. Day-Lewis transforms himself into a mesmerizing character who hates everyone and is greedy beyond belief. Like I say in my movie review, if he doesn’t win an Oscar, I will turn my back on the awards show forever.

1. Atonement

While There Will Be Blood was amazing, it will not appeal to everyone. Atonement, on the other hand, is a bit more mainstream, but thanks to incredible direction from Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice), Atonement is the best movie of 2007. Its widespread appeal is not the reason Atonement is the best movie of 2007; the movie is simply captivating from beginning to end. A near-thriller to begin with, the film turns into a war romance in the second half, but the film carries more than a few punches that catch you off guard. Wright does a marvelous job of crafting a story that makes you optimistic and then crushes your emotions, and then starts all over and does it again. Atonement is a sad movie, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t great.

Why did I choose Atonement over There Will Be Blood? It was a close decision, but I felt There Will Be Blood dragged in a few small sections while Atonement did not; there were a few parts where Blood seemed to lose focus, whereas Atonement is just a bit more consistent. There Will Be Blood has better acting, but Atonement pulls at your emotions slightly more. Still, it was a tough decision, but I stand by it.

Stay tuned for other top ten lists over the coming weeks!

OK, as of writing this post it’s late on January 11th. The month is almost halfway over, and only now am I writing my The Top Movies to See in January 2008 article. Thankfully, it is January, and very few new movies come out in the beginning of the year – and the ones that do, you don’t want to see.

Keep in mind that this list is for movies officially released in January 2008, and does not include limited releases that came out in December 2007 or earlier and are only now opening wide. For those, see this December 2007 movies list.

Unfortunately, there are only two movies being released in January, 2008 that I actually want to see, and those are:

1. Cloverfield
   All I can say here is: Duh. Probably one of the most hyped films featuring no big name stars or based on an established franchise, the marketing team for Cloverfield has to be praised for creating more Internet buzz than even Snakes on a Plane. Of course, that film never lived up to its buzz in terms of box office success, but Cloverfield has a few things going for it that Snakes on a Plane didn’t:
   • It looks good.
   • It is a monster movie, but no one knows what the monster looks like. Ooh… mystery. Suspense. Excitement!
   • It isn’t called Snakes on a Plane, which means it will attract normal audiences.
   • There will have been no major theatrical releases, except for expansions, for nearly a month.
   • It looks good. Did I say that already?
2. Rambo
   People are utterly divided on this one. There is the camp that laugh and mock the fact that Sylvestor Stallone is trying to resurrect his other successful franchise to reclaim a career he once had; and then there’s the camp that has seen the previews for Rambo and are uber-excited for an ultra-bloody and non-stop action movie. I am, needless to say, in the latter group, and am excited to see Stallone kick ass once more in the role that made him an action hero. Oh, and Rocky Balboa wasn’t half bad, either.
3. Cassandra’s Dream
   While Woody Allen continues to have a lot of hits and misses, one of my favorite films in recent memory is Allen’s Match Point, and Cassandra’s Dream has a similar feel to it. A crime drama about two ordinary men who agree to murder someone for cash they desperately need, the movie could be 2008′s In the Bedroom, though no one expects it to be that good. Still, this one looks interesting.
4. Untraceable
   The techno-thriller genre is not my favorite, especially ones that feature killer websites. Hollywood’s attempts to make thrillers based on Internet-themed stories have historically failed badly, and so I’m hesitant about Diane Lane’s new movie Untraceable. That being said, the movie trailer is well constructed and has an interesting concept, though it will be interesting to see how the ultra-hacker/killer is played out. So this one could go either way, but it looks like a fun ride.
5. Teeth
   Wow. Have you watched the movie trailer for this film? This one looks weird – whether it’s any good remains to be seen. It appears to be about a girl who has deadly teeth in her… female region. That’s only a guess, but there’s “something not right down there”, and the movie’s title is Teeth, and this gives me enough info that tells me I want to see more, though I am guessing a penis or two gets bitten off in the process. Um, yeah.
6. First Sunday
   I’ve grown to never underestimate Ice Cube; not only does he generally make pretty good movies, but his movies make a lot of money, too. However, First Sunday doesn’t look like a winner. He doesn’t have the family thing going for this movie, and on the flip side, there doesn’t be much edge to this flick – at least compared to Friday. And since this movie is clearly aimed at the exact same audience, the previews for First Sunday make me want to just head on over to Blockbuster and rent another Ice Cube movie instead. Furthermore, Tracy Morgan co-stars; while Morgan is funny, he’s only tolerable in small doses – I can’t imagine sitting through an hour and a half movie with him.
7. Mad Money
   This movie doesn’t look terrible, but it doesn’t look all that good, either. Starring Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes, Mad Money is about three ordinary women who steal a lot of money. Unfortunately, while the concept is decent enough, the previews just aren’t that funny and look more like the “women-defying-their-own-characters” genre, which is not surprising since it’s from the people behind Thelma and Louise. Mad Money may serve as good counter programming for the more male-oriented movies of January, but it’s not going to pull in many men… at least by choice.
8. 27 Dresses
   One of the film most likely to make some money this month, 27 Dresses has everything one needs to make a successful chick flick: a good-looking, popular cast, a storyline that every single woman dreads (attending 26 weddings that aren’t yours) and your standard romantic fluff. There are some funny moments in the movie trailer, but overall you can tell exactly what’s going to happen from the previews. From a guy’s perspective, that’s enough to not see the movie unless I’m on a date.
9. One Missed Call
   This forgettable horror movie somehow made $12+ million last weekend, probably because there was nothing else new to see (come on, people, what about all the award contenders out in theaters right now?). One Missed Call looks like a lame Japanese techno-horror movie without the Japanese influence; J-horror remakes are bad enough, let alone ones that American writers came up with independently. There’s nothing even remotely interesting about this movie other than the very catchy movie poster.
10. How She Move
    Your typical dance move for the winter of 2008, How She Move looks about as unique as a grilled cheese sandwich. I am really getting sick of these dance movies, yet they continue to make money. Why? I don’t know. Are these films really filling a gap for a demand that can’t be filled by higher quality films?
11. VeggieTales: The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything
    This movie is about a bunch of vegetables. Christian-themed vegetables. Need I say more? Still, I’d rather see this one than any of the Uwe Boll movies.
12. Meet the Spartans
    2008′s first stupid spoof comedy, Meet the Spartans has all the intelligent makings of classics that came before it. Really, this genre grew old long ago, and this spoof on 300 looks no different. Watch this one come and go quickly.
13. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
    God, I just know some people are going to be tricked into going to see this movie. With enhanced production values and an almost-decent cast (Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski, Ray Liotta and more), In the Name of the King looks like your typical, B-grade fantasy action picture. Don’t be fooled! The movie is directed by Uwe Boll, and will suck as always. Don’t even think about it. Don’t. Please, please don’t.
14. Seed
    This film is still slated for January 25th, but I have to imagine it’s going to get pushed back or sent direct to DVD. The world can’t handle two Uwe Boll movies in one month, and the studio hasn’t even released a movie trailer for it yet. Is it that bad that marketing refuses to make a trailer?

As you can see, there aren’t a lot of great new films to choose from. Beyond Cloverfield and Rambo, there’s nothing with much weight, and those two are canceled out by two different Uwe Boll movies. Again, I haven’t listed here movies that are expanding wide, such as The Bucket List, Atonement (excellent movie!), The Orphanage and so on and so forth.

Watch the new movie trailer for George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead, the latest “sequel” in his Night of the Living Dead series. This latest picture looks like more of a re-imagining than a sequel, as it is about a bunch of young people who witness the beginning of zombies coming back to life (whereas Land of the Dead was a continuation from his previous films).

Frankly, Diary of the Dead doesn’t look all that good. I mean, it’s hard to really mess up a zombie picture, but Romero’s decision to go with a Blair Witch hand held camera approach isn’t the greatest. After all, who would run around with a camera the whole time? Basically, compared to some of the more exciting zombie films that have come out in recent years, Romero’s takes on the zombie franchise are starting to look old. He should quick while he is still regarded as “the master of zombie movies”.

Here’s the movie trailer for George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead:

I normally don’t feature projects like this, but writer David Desjardin contacted me in regards to a project he has been working on called Heavy Weapon. David, who’s in the military, decided to write an action movie script after he and his friends found themselves complaining about how modern action movies don’t compare to those in the 1980′s. This right there caught me attention, as while there have been quality action films of late, they just don’t compare to the classics of the 80′s (think Stallone and Schwarzenegger at their apex).

So, what does David do in response to his disappointment? He writes his own script. Of course, tons of people write movie scripts that never see the light of day nor are of any quality to deserve such honor, but here are a few things that make David’s script stand out from the rest:

• He actually registered the script with the WGA, which means he knows more about getting a script produced than 90% of other amateurs.
• The script is available for any to edit and refine.

I’m not endorsing the script; in fact, I haven’t read it. But the concept is a neat one: How better to create the perfect action movie than allow anyone in the world to edit it? David explains:

Basically, the idea behind Heavy Weapon is to allow anyone (especially action movie fans) to influence the script. You could almost look at it as being akin to the old Choose Your Own Adventure books: We’ve built the foundation for the movie, but anyone can suggest changes to be implemented throughout the story. Nearly every aspect of this movie is open for change; the actors, the characters, the spoken dialogue, the action. Everyone has the opportunity to make this movie rock, and it’s all up to the fan-base to spread the word about “their” movie. The internet community worked wonders for giving Snakes On A Plane that boost to the box office, and the way we see it, if that community actually holds stakes in this film, it could easily be a [shared] success in not only being picked up by a production company but eventually being shown nation-wide on the silver screen.

If you do provide work to the script, you won’t go unrewarded:

We’ve even worked incentives into the project to show our support to those who get involved in the project. Not just monitary incentives for providing workable script ideas, but also the incentive of seeing your name credited in the movie as a writer if you help as a major contributor. Don’t think we’d forget about the little guys either; If you help in even the slightest with anything that is implemented into the script, we’ll make sure your name makes it into the credits.

Who knows if this concept will take off. The probability of it succeeding are rather slim, but I think the idea has a lot better shot than most other projects. I get plenty of emails from people asking “How can I get my script turned into a movie?” and it is clear they will never get their script produced, let alone learn how to write quality English. David’s project is the first one to come along that I think actually has a chance.

Learn more at http://www.heavyweaponmovie.com/

Ukranian hottie Olga Kurylenko has been selected to bed with James Bond in the new James Bond film called… James Bond 22. Kurylenko is a very attractive model, as seen from this lovely image (main picture), and that’s about all that I have to say about that.

Since I’ve already laid into Yahoo! once in the last week, I’ll do it again: In their news story titled “Ukraine’s Olga Kurlyenko picked as new “Bond girl”, you may notice that they manage to spell this woman’s name wrong in the title. If I met her in person I probably would be too distracted to spell her name right, too, but somehow I’m guessing the writer of the story wasn’t staring at her at the time of writing (well, not in person anyway). One hand busy or not, great editing on their part, even if the story is originally from ET.

Anyway, the 28-year old Kurylenko crushed rumors that other hottie Gemma Arterton (picture inset) was going to be THE Bond girl, but since she’s still going to be in the movie in a smaller role, she’s presumably A Bond girl nonetheless.

James Bond 22 returns Daniel Craig to the role of the British secret agent under the direction of Marc Foster; the movie comes to theaters this November. I have to do a Most Anticipated List of 2008, because Bond 22 is going to be right up there near the top. The addition of these two lovely ladies doesn’t hurt my excitement either, and I mean that in the most innocent of ways.

I warned you that I had big things coming, and those “things” are here! After nearly six months of slow development and several weeks of hectic chaos, Movie-Source.com has become FilmJabber.

I started Movie-Source.com way back in high school in 1998, and it has gone through many renovations over the years. I changed the design in my senior year of university in 2004, and since then, due to work and other reasons, I hadn’t gotten around to changing the design since then. Due to various reasons, I decided to retire the Movie-Source.com brand and launch FilmJabber in its stead.

FilmJabber offers a lot of the same content:

• Over 2,000 movie reviews
• Over 3,000 movie previews and film details
• Release date schedules from 1995 through 2009
• Past and upcoming DVD release dates
• Hundreds of contests and giveaways for DVDs, autographed posters and prize packs
• And more…

While we have lots of great new things planned (as my schedule restricted me, I had to push some of these back to later dates):

• User reviews and trailer reviews
• User ratings
• Movie polls
• Member-only access
• Additional blogs
• Some social networking elements (though we have no intention of doing what a thousand other sites are trying to do)

So stay posted, and let me know if you have any comments or concerns. There will be several small modifications to the site over the next few weeks, as I had to push back some minor display and usability items to get this thing out the door. I appreciate your patience and know that I haven’t been delivering many updates, but over the next week I plan to make sure the movie database is brought back up to date, release nearly 20 movie reviews and launch over 10 new contests.

I normally don’t attack other websites, but since this other website is one of the largest portals in the world, I had to point this out. I’ve noticed this occurring on Yahoo!’s homepage for the last month or two now, and normally don’t think much of it, but today is just ridiculous.

As you know, Yahoo! features several news stories separated out by “Featured”, “Entertainment”, “Sports” and “Video”, and the “Entertainment” tab is generally movie and music related. What I have noticed is that Yahoo’s scoops are generally a day or two old, which is generally not a big deal except that Yahoo! is one of the biggest companies in the world. I sometimes report on things a week late or longer if it catches my fancy, but Yahoo! has someone paid to be on top of things.

Anyway, this isn’t about a day or two delay. Today, January 3rd, 2008, I went to Yahoo! and noticed a headline: Indiana Jones’ love child? with the subtext: “Rumors about the new Indiana Jones film hint at a possible son.”

Are you kidding me? Hasn’t this been old news for a year now? Haven’t we known that Indiana Jones has a son, and that son is played by Shia LaBeouf? How can they report this as “the latest scoop”? Here’s a screenshot:

Anyway, that’s all I have to say about that.

Watch the new kick-ass preview of Cloverfield, which debuted on Dick Clark’s New Year’s show:

I like Johnny Depp. He’s a fun, dynamic actor. But ever since Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl put him back on the map, critics and audiences alike have kissed his butt like he is the ruler of the world. Has everyone failed to notice that he has only done two good movies since Blow in 2001?

That’s right, you heard me! Sure, some of his bad movies weren’t THAT bad, but they sure as hell weren’t that good, and some have been downright awful. Here are the good ones:

• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
  The idea sounded dreadful from the start, but somehow Disney and Johnny Depp managed to make an entertaining, funny and dark “family” film. A surprisingly good film, especially considering it’s based on a theme park ride.
• Finding Neverland
  This award-winning drama wasn’t particularly memorable, but was still entrancing while you were watching it.

And that’s it! Two good movies in the last seven years, yet Depp is still as popular as ever. That’s all fine and good, but acknowledge his failures, people!

The bad ones:

• Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
  This follow-up to one of my favorite action films of all time – Desperado – was supposed to kick ass, but instead it was one of the worst movies ever to grace the silver screen. Depp was dreadful in it, too.
• Secret Window (2004)
  This movie was good for a while, until the final act killed any chance of it being any good. The final minutes are particularly bad, especially when Depp dons braces.
• The Libertine (2004)
  Not as dreadful as it was boring, most people probably don’t even know Depp starred in this film – if they even heard of it in the first place.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
  Another Tim Burton collaboration, this one had the makings of being awesome, except Depp’s portrayal of Willy Wonka came off more like a creepy Michael Jackson than anything else. Again, not horrible, but not very goo, either.
• Corpse Bride (2005)
  Probably his best of the bad, the only thing wrong with Corpse Bride is that it is no Nightmare Before Christmas. It was mildly entertaining but never very engaging.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
  They should have left it as a sequel. This movie sucked balls.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
  Not quite as bad as #2, this one still also sucked balls.
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
  Quite possibly the worst musical I have seen in a long while. Depp isn’t bad as the title character, and Tim Burton tries, but the story is surprisingly dull and the musical, presumably derived from the play, is terrible and often cringe-inducing.