Atlantic City Weekly

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When the final pleasures are remembered, the movie year 2007 was full of diversity. There were fabulous little films that delivered far more than the many high-powered studio films. A couple of veteran directors returned to form (Sidney Lumet, the Coen Brothers) and Ben Affleck proved his worth behind the camera. This list (at right) is in alphabetical order, but if you forced me to choose the best film of 2007, it would be the hilarious and touching Juno.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead A cynical and tasty melodrama about a family that puts the "dys" in dysfunctional, directed by 83-year-old Sidney Lumet (Serpico, The Verdict, 12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon). In an era when movies too often lack fire and focus, Lumet delivers a ton of both.

Bourne Ultimatum It is extremely rare to retain the quality in movie sequels. That is precisely why the exquisite consistency and thrill level of the Bourne trilogy continues to astonish and delight moviegoers and critics alike.

Gone Baby Gone With his brilliant directorial debut, Ben Affleck has finally proven that his screenwriting Oscar for Good Will Hunting was not a fluke. On the surface a standard cop melodrama, layers of details work their magic, changing the emotional climate and sending the story off into several unexpected turns. He also proves that nepotism is a good thing; Casey Affleck is terrific in the lead role.

Grindhouse The passion for genre flicks shared by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez was put into hyper-drive for this send-up/tribute of a Roger Corman style B-grade double feature with Rodriquez' Planet Terror and Tarantino's Death Proof. Blood, guts and a spectacular car chase were wrapped up in a package that included hilarious coming attraction trailers, scratched up celluloid effects, and the tie-dyed logos that used to announce "Our Feature Presentation."

Juno The filmmaking team of Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking) and brash new screenwriter Diablo Cody have taken the premise of a teen comedy and injected it with an anti-cliché serum. The remarkable performance by Ellen Page, in combination with the film's hilarious dialogue, fresh characters and ability to travel a cinematic path less taken, combine to make it a movie that sticks to your ribs and stays in your heart.

Knocked Up Judd Apatow sees love as something that can slip in the back door when the front door is barricaded by common sense. Katherine Heigl is likable and funny as the girl who has a one-night-stand with a jobless slacker (Seth Rogan) and winds up pregnant. Apatow juggles the romantic elements with the guys-night-out hijinks in a way that finds common ground for both sexes to laugh.

The Lives of Others The debut feature of writer-director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck brilliantly delineates the complex nature of a police state, and the desire to hold on to one's freedom and beliefs when "Big Brother" is always watching. It's on this list because this 2006 Oscar winner (best foreign language film) wasn't given a wide release until April '07.

The Lookout Screenwriter Scott Frank (Get Shorty, Out of Sight) made his directorial debut with this tale of a brain-damaged accident victim (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who is sucked into a bank heist with sex -- in the form of fetching Isla Fisher -- as the bait. Gordon-Levitt is spectacular as a young man who had it all until a teenage prank destroyed his life.

No Country For Old Men This is a crime story that finds the Coen Brothers in a blood simple state of mind -- their particular, intoxicating blend of bloodletting and dry humor. It pits a psychotic assassin played by Javier Bardem against a good ol' boy played by Josh Brolin in a fascinating chase across Texas border towns.

Waitress This comedy-drama about a waitress (Keri Russell) who makes both luscious pies -- and pie-in-the-sky plans for her future -- is a heavenly slice of life. Waitress combines the sensuality of Like Water For Chocolate with Scorsese's diner classic about female empowerment, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. Tragically, writer-director Adrienne Shelly was senselessly murdered in November 2006.

The Moviejunkie's Top 10 of 2007

(in alphabetical order)

• Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
• Bourne Ultimatum
• Gone Baby Gone
• Grindhouse
• Juno
• Knocked Up
• The Lives of Others
• The Lookout
• No Country For Old Men
• Waitress

Hoffman's Second 10:

Amazing Grace, Breach, Charlie Wilson's War, Enchanted, Hairspray, Live Free or Die Hard, Michael Clayton, Sicko, Talk to Me, Zodiac.