Note: I did not see “There Will Be Blood” or “Juno” yet, so they are not on this list and also DO NOT SPOIL THEM FOR ME. Thanks.
No Country For Old Men
Best movie I saw this year, hands-down. No Country accomplished the rare task of burning nearly 50% of the dialogue directly into my mind on first viewing, as well as allowing me to vividly recall dozens of shots and scenes afterward. Everything in the Coen Brothers’ masterpiece is so tightly fitted and precise, and everything communicates exactly what it’s supposed to, in the shorted amount of time necessary. Javier Bardem deserves any award we can give him for his stunning Anton Chigurh, the survivalist killing machine that hunts Llewelyn (and anyone else he dislikes) across Texas. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
Zodiac
David Fincher’s on-and-off streak continues with Zodiac. The sequence has been: Alien 3 (off), Seven (on), The Game (off), Fight Club (on), Panic Room (off), and finally Zodiac, a strange, beautiful movie that tells the story of the reporters and lawmen who hunted San Francisco’s most notorious serial killer. Instead of becoming a crime movie, Zodiac slowly evolves into a slow-burning character study about the three people torn apart by their obsession with the killings, and uses Fincher’s precise directorial work and clever visuals throughout.
Hot Fuzz
So many funny movies this year, but Hot Fuzz was my favorite by far. Structured almost like a mystery film, Hot Fuzz managed a complex plot filled with great running jokes, great characters, and sharp pacing for such a blend of genres. If the dumb action/comedy marketing turned you off this film, I urge you, reconsider.
i just watched zodiac the other night. initially the title turned me off (for some reason, it evoked “the ring” in my head), but after watching it, i was elbowing family members out of the way so i could read the epilogue. that and i had to convince myself to go to sleep and not try to think about it over and over again.