M&C’s Patrick Luce, Jeff Swindoll and June L. share what made their “best” list for DVD releases in 2007 – including Eastern Promises, The Kingdom, Dr. Who, Casanova, Stardust, Once, and Blade Runner – The Final Cut.
From Patrick Luce:
It is always hard for me to put a list together of my favorite films. I watch way too many and by the time the year is over it is nearly impossible for me to put them in some sort of order. With that said, here are some of my favorite DVD releases of 2007. They may not have been the best movies ever made, but make it to my list for one reason or another.
8.) The Simpsons Movie - I am not a huge fan of comedy, and I am only somewhat familiar with The Simpsons (I actually don’t watch that much television). However, this movie made me laugh until I almost cried.
Without a doubt, The Simpsons Movie was one of the funniest DVDs that I sat through during 2007. Yes, the plot was disrespectful and was not politically correct, but it was fun. The show's creators turn up controversy just right for the big screen without going too far overboard simply because they can now.
7.) Transformers (Two Disc Special Edition) – This will not make any critics “best of” list, but it makes mine because this movie was entertaining. I watched it with my two sons, and they loved it.
The movie made me feel like a kid again (I grew up watching the Transformers cartoon and playing with the toys) and it was great to finally see them on the big screen.
6.) 300 (Two-Disc Special Edition) - Director Zack Snyder adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel 300 is a stylized powerhouse of a film that starts with tension and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time the film plays. The film starts with killing, ends with killing, and is filled with killing throughout.
Oh yeah, there is also a pretty decent story in there about honor, strength, loyalty and love. Once again, Miller's talent in comics (which includes GRAPHIC NOVELS) makes an easy transition to the screen thanks to a director who knows how to match the vision of the original creator.
However, this is not a historical tale and it doesn't make any attempt to be one. It is a fantasy film from a storyteller that is taking license with his source material. Wrapped in this brilliant story is equally impressive filming. Even with the huge amounts of blood being spilled on the screen, the film is beautiful to watch.
The lighting, use of green-screen environments, and special effects CGI all work together. Like Robert Rodriguez's work on Miller's Sin City, Snyder handles Miller's art and translates it perfectly to what you are seeing on the film. Even if it is not your kind of movie, the visuals of the film make it worth taking the time to watch.
5.) Battlestar Galactica - Razor (Unrated Extended Edition) - If you are a fan of Battlestar, WATCH THIS MOVIE!!! The film already aired on Sci-Fi, but this is the unrated version with everything they had to cut for TV back in. Hands down, this is one of the best science fiction series ever on television, and one of the best series out right now.
4.) Stardust - This is a GREAT film and easy to recommend. The movie will become a classic for many. I will admit I had zero interest in seeing it, but decided to give it a chance because I was bored and had nothing else to watch.
3.) 3:10 to Yuma – The cover features a quote claiming it is the best western since Unforgiven. I am not sure about that, but it is a GREAT movie. The film does an excellent job of combining several themes into a story that holds your attention from start to finish.
Russell Crowe and Christian Bale work excellent together and director James Mangold (Walk the Line) packs the film with tons of action to keep you from getting bored. The film is a remake of one of my favorite westerns, and demonstrates that sometimes Hollywood can actually do a remake that works. It even manages to be more entertaining than the original – although I still prefer the Glenn Ford version.
2.) Pan’s Labyrinth: 2-Disc Platinum Edition - Guillermo Del Toro's incredible fairytale Pan's Labyrinth is without a doubt one of the best movies I have seen in a long time, and I would highly recommend it.
Del Toro is a master storyteller, and without a doubt Pan's Labyrinth is his master story – thus far. The film is a blend of horror, fantasy, and history. It fires on all cylinders, never drags, and keeps you wondering just what might really be happening.
Pan's Labyrinth is a MUST SEE film. Even if you are not a fan of the genre, the movie will capture attention, and hold it until the credits roll. The ending may leave you will more questions than answers, but it will just make you want to watch the movie again.
1). Eastern Promises - This is hands down the best movie of the year. The film is easily this generation's Godfather and begs for a sequel. Or at least, I will beg for a sequel. PLEASE. The film can be seen as a continuation of David Cronenberg's A History of Violence since it follows many of its themes.
Once again, Viggo Mortensen demonstrates he is a powerful actor willing to take risk (yes, I am referring to the fight scene). He also shows how he is able to capture the nature of a character - good or bad (the scene where he threatens the uncle was chilling and he doesn't say a word).
Yes, Cronenberg keeps all his style - over the top violence and more nudity than is probably needed - but he also manages to capture a truly excellent film that rises above a somewhat hard to follow plot. Is there another director (besides Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood) that is enjoying this level of story-making and bringing this quality of film to the screen? The man deserves his Oscar, and Eastern Promises might be the movie to give him one.
Some honorable mentions - Flags of Our Fathers; Jericho – The Complete First Season; The Black Donnellys - The Complete Series; Friday Night Lights - The Complete First Season; Heroes - Season 1; Disturbia; Fracture; Breach; and Payback – Straight Up: The Director’s Cut.
From Jeff Swindoll:
9) The documentary front features some fine stuff (although as you soon see I have a predilection towards those about film) including This Film has Not Been Rated about the ratings system, Cannes: All Access Pass about the titular film festival, and Going to Pieces about the rise and fall of the slasher film.
8) Television was also represented by great releases including the first season of Dexter, the wonderful sci-fi miniseries The Lost Room, two volumes of the Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, and the definitive release of Twin Peaks in a “Gold box” edition. However, a favorite would have to be the fantastic The War documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick – a great documentary on the greatest of generations.
7) On the drama front several standouts of the year include Away from Her (and sure to score Julie Christie an Oscar nomination), the true story of the Zodiac killer was told by director David Fincher (and a more loaded edition in ’08), Cronenberg told of us some Eastern Promises, the Breach also told the true story of espionage, and The Lookout featured some fine performances. However a standout was the two-disc edition of Pan’s Labyrinth.
6) 2007 also saw some sought after cult classics making it to DVD. I personally was elated that Witchfinder General finally made it out of the vault with the original soundtrack and the expanded UK cut. It was also a personal “full circle” since it was one of the first titles that I reviewed online (a guest spot at another site), so that was another bit of icing on that cake. A sure to be cult classic would have to be Stranger than Fiction, which was also another favorite in the past year. The Monster Squad, another cult favorite, also creeped onto DVD.
5) Let’s get animated with Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, the first volume of Popeye the Sailor Cartoons, the Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and a third volume of Donald Duck. All fine releases and showing their cartoon counterparts in a fine light. Not to mention two disc editions of Peter Pan and The Jungle Book.
4) Moving off the planet (well, a little) I also have to recall with great delight the new adventures of an old Timelord as David Tennant takes over the Doctor Who franchise and seasons two and three made it onto DVD in 2007. Season three has a recording of a live concert that is worth the cost of the disc alone to any Whovian. The planet is also featured in the excellent Planet Earth set as our world is examined in a series of documentaries. Blade Runner also got a grand release as well, but I didn’t review that one (but I did get it on HD-DVD – yummy).
3) On the comedy side of things, I have to laugh when I think of both Idiocracy and Borat. Idiocracy got short shrift on DVD from Fox, undeservedly so, but the hilarity of the film elevates it higher than the treatment that Fox gave it. Borat did get a wealth of special features and also features a hilarious film. Alas, we’ve recently heard his creator says that Borat is dead – Borat we hardly knew ye.
2) The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Get Smart: Smart came out in 2006, but I reviewed it towards the end of this year so I think it fits. Whatever the case, Smart is an excellent set and UNCLE is more of the same. Also speaking of spies, the granddaddy of them all got rebooted onto DVD with Daniel Craig’s interpretation of James Bond in Casino Royale and this one also falls on my best of list. Santa brought me a Bluray player and Royale leaps off the screen in high-def.
1) Once: I said so in my review, but this small film has a big heart and also features an excellent soundtrack. The performers are not professional actors, but they are musicians and end up scoring in both departments – well acted and sung. Excellent film and well worth owning. It probably helps that it’s more recent in my mind. One from earlier in the year that turned my tin ear was Music and Lyrics.
By no means is this a full accounting of the last year and these titles only sprang to my diseased mind when the assignment was assigned. There were a great number of wonderful releases in 2007 and those on my Christmas list probably also fall into a best of listing as well so see them as a supplement. Here’s raising a glass (of diet Coke at the moment) to the New Year and to more releases to come across the ole’ review desk. Cheers.
June’s Picks for 2007:
My colleague Jeff and I have been discussing what we think are the “best” DVDs of 2007. You know how those work conversations go during the dregs of holidays, while everyone is still high on cookies and presents under the tree, and we wax poetic with opinions and accolades.
Like most friends, there are things we agree upon, and there are other things that we can’t even discuss, because they may lead to a big argument. Jeff said he was sending in his list, so I thought I would do the same. We are enough in agreement and disagreement to provide some choices in our selections.
I can’t choose in an order of 1 to 10, because I like different things for completely different reasons. For example 2007 was a great year for fantasy and science fiction DVD’s and it is difficult to rate one above the other, as they are all good and all so different.
Instead, in the category of Science Fiction, I would recommend, Battlestar Gallactica:Razor, Dr. Who Seasons 2 and 3; The final season of Stargate SG-1, and Sci Fi channel’s series Eureka.
In the category of Fantasy, Stardust leads, but I would also include, Sci Fi Channel’s The Lost Room miniseries as one of the most original stories I’ve ever seen. Harry Potter The Order of the Phoenix, Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and Pan’s Labyrinth round out my selections.
Costume dramas were in abundance, and are always great fun. My picks for 2007 would be Casanova, and the SHOWTIME series The Tudors. Include with these, Miss Potter which is a genuine jewel of a film both in story and in production, really capturing the feeling of early 20th century. To finish this category, I really enjoyed The Last Legion as an old school adventure story although there are others who would disagree.
Foreign films had a good showing in 2007, and my top pick in that category is After the Wedding. It made me remember what movies should be, with careful crafting of story, excellent acting and amazing cinematography, without using “special effects.”
I reviewed a lot of television series, some for a specific season and others for the complete series. My top pick would be Northern Exposure complete series, but it is closely followed by some lesser known but equally good sets My Life So Far complete series, and from the BBC New Street Law Season One, and Robin Hood Season One.
As you can see, there was a lot to love this year. M&C hopes that everyone can take advantage of owning some of these gems to enjoy in multiple viewings. Many (if not all) of the DVDs mentioned in this list have full reviews written by M&C’s writers and can be found in the DVD database .
Thanks for reading and Happy 2008! Got a few titles of your own to add to the list? Let us know in the talkback section below.
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