While we are already a little ways into 2008, let's take a look back at the movies that made 2007 spectacular. Here are the ten best films of last year:
10. Superbad – The plot is simple enough. Three high-school students— Seth, Evan and Fogell [ak.a. McLovin'] — try to score booze and "woo" women. Writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg weave the most honest dialogue about high school since "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." It is hands-down the funniest film of the year.
9. No End in Sight – No matter what your political persuasion, writer and director Charles Ferguson's documentary about the lack of preparation and foresight in planning the aftermath of the Iraq War will upset, anger and horrify partisan and nonpartisan viewers alike.
8. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – Mathieu Amalric's stunning portrayal of Jean-Dominique Bauby, the French Elle editor who suffered a stroke and was left completely paralyzed except for his left eye, is heartfelt in the tragedy of his condition. But Bauby's remarkable accomplishment after his stroke exemplifies the triumph of the human spirit.
7. There Will Be Blood – Daniel Day-Lewis is a tour-de-force as a turn-of-the-century oil baron whose obsession with competition distorts his moral compass. Paul Thomas Anderson's vision of the struggle between greed and religion is visceral and brutal at its core.
6. Michael Clayton – George Clooney stars in the title role as a lawyer trying to fix a near-impossible situation. Tom Wilkinson brilliantly plays a lead litigator representing a Fortune-500 company who has a nervous breakdown while trying to clear his conscience. This film is fast-paced, clever and will entertain from start to finish.
5. Paris, Je T'aime – Eighteen directors, including the Coen brothers, Gus Van Sant, Alexander Payne and Wes Craven direct 18 short stories about love in Paris. The talent behind the camera and the talent in front, including Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Steve Buscemi, Natalie Portman, Elijah Wood, Gena Rowlands and Nick Nolte, create a potpourri of life stories in the City of Lights.
4. Juno – How can a story about teen pregnancy be quirky, fun and charming? I don't know, but Ellen Page —who stars in the title role and is wonderful in every scene —somehow pulls it off. This smartly-written comedy will put a smile on your face. Jennifer Garner takes a surprising turn as a desperate yuppie whose character has more depth than may appear at the surface, and Michael Cera is solid as the unprepared father to Juno's baby.
3. Once – Set in present-day Dublin, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova play a broken-hearted street performer and an optimistic piano player who decide to make a record together. This touching story of finding one's true love, but not under perfect circumstances, resonates true. This film will stay with you for a long time.
2. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters – Director Seth Gordon does something extraordinary: He filmed a movie with genuine suspense and intrigue about two 30-something men vying for the title of Donkey Kong World Champion. Yes, that's right, it's about a video game. You'll want to watch this film a second time for two reasons. One, you won't believe the events and people are actually real as the film plays like a Christopher Guest mockumentary rather than a true documentary. Two, Billy Mitchell, the original record holder, is a villain only Darth Vader could love.
1. No Country For Old Men – When Llewelyn Moss, smartly played by Josh Brolin, unexpectedly finds a satchel full of drug money, an unrelenting psychopath, Anton Chigurh played by Javier Bardem, follows in pursuit. Bardem should win Best Supporting Actor as he turns an unforgettable performance as the killer who sometimes decides his victim's fate with a toss of a coin. Tommy Lee Jones is the frustrated sheriff trying to help Moss, but is at a loss to understand the increasingly violent changes in his world. This Coen brothers' film will fascinate and sometimes frustrate, but the film is truly a masterpiece. It's the best film of 2007.