I used to be one of those people who hated creating top 10 lists each year. I always found it kind of trite and cliche. Now find it an interesting exercise to see if I can remember even a third of the movies I saw, much less come up with a top ten list. This has been one of those years where nothing really excited me enough to attend a screening. So I probably only saw about 150 movies this year. Out of that short list here are my top 10 films of 2007. Followed by a quick parting shot at the worst.

10) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

The first two Pirates films are two of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t do the full walk-out because I had my Niece and Nephew with me. So I wondered the theater for 40 minutes and when I came back, they were still on that damn Island. I loathed everything about that film - especially Captain Jack Sparrow. A little of him goes a very long way. So needless to say I wasn’t looking forward to sitting through the 3rd and final installment, but something amazing happened, I loved Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. I thought the story worked really well, the set pieces were gorgeous, I didn’t find Sparrow as annoying - because he was used sparingly. It wasn’t as gross and slimy as the 2nd one and most of all everything made sense.

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For many people the quintessential rock and roll spoof is the classic mockumentary This is Spinal Tap. Walk Hard is a spoof of the Rock and Roll bio picture and the music industry, but it’s not trying to be Spinal Tap, and it’s not trying to be a spoof of E!’s True Hollywood Story.  Well, then again maybe it is.   Honestly, I’m not quite sure what it’s trying to be. The humor is not sophisticated, or dry, or even over the top. It goes for the sweet middle ground, and you know what?  That’s ok, because, for the most part this movie works.  The first 1/2 hour has some laugh out loud moments, 30 minutes into it, it clearly runs out of steam, but picks up again for the third act.

John C. Reilly’s Dewy Cox is part Elvis crossed with Johnny Cash, his music makes girls go wild.  He eventually falls in love with his own June Cash, his backup singer Darlene Madison (played by Jenna Fischer) He’s chasing the dream of one day writing the perfect song that sums up his entire life.  Along the way he has a series of tragedies including the death of his brother and mother which sends him spiraling out of control and into a world of drugs given to him by his constantly high band mate Sam (Tim Meadows). That’s about all the plot you need to know.  

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After several years of contentious bickering and lawsuits, Peter Jackson and Newline Cinema have kissed and made up. This means The Hobbit is officially a go.  Check out the full announcement.

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Hey everyone, I’ve been hearing some buzz about JJ Abram’s new flick Cloverfield.  Not sure what it’s about, but here’s the first look at the film!

Here’s a look at Sarah Michelle Gellar’s latest opus Possession.

Hey, one of my studio plants - I don’t have many, sent over this link for Penelope a new film starring EM Favorite Christina Ricci, Reese Whiterspoon and hot new star James McAvoy. Movie looks interesting, can’t wait to see more. It looks really fun.  Think - Ugly Betty.

Atonement led all Golden Globe film nominees with seven nods, including Best Drama and Best Acting honors for stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. The ceremony airs Jan. 13 on NBC. Here’s the complete list of nominations for the 65th Annual Golden Globes:

FILM

Best Motion Picture-Drama

• American Gangster
• Atonement
• Eastern Promises
• The Great Debaters
• Michael Clayton
• No Country for Old Men
• There Will Be Blood

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

• George Clooney, Michael Clayton
• Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
• James McAvoy, Atonement
• Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
• Denzel Washington, American Gangster

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The folks at Sega sent over the link to download the trailer for the upcoming Iron Man game. But I’m too lazy to download it and am grabbing this clip from one of my favorite sites on the web gametrailers.com. I had a chance to watch them play it at Comic Con last year and the game is shaping up really nice. Take a gander.

39 Washington, DC area Film Critics (WAFCA - of which I’m one) huddled together in a small broom closet this weekend to do our annual duty of selected the best of the year. In the last three weeks we were hit with an avalanche of DVD Screeners (about 50) and had a bunch of screenings to attend (about 100) and walked away with our eventual best Picture selection. Generally, I disagree with my fellow members, but last year and this year they got everything right, with the exception of Clooney for Michael Clayton - a film I absolutely HATED. I’m still mixed on No Country for Old Men, which is why I haven’t written a review yet. The first 90 minutes I sat there thinking, I’m watching the clear Best Picture of the Year, but then that weird ass last 20 minutes just ruins the entire film for me. I left the theater really angry and wondering what the f just happened. I’m still not entirely sure if the last 20 minutes is enough to throw out the first 90 minutes of brilliance or not. Ultimately, I did cast my ballad for No Country and am glad that it won. Because the other selections where two films that I absolutely loathe (Atonement and Michael Clayton.) So we did good this year and I’m happy with the results. Without Further adieu……

BEST PICTURE
Winner: No Country for Old Men

BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Ethan and Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)

BEST ACTOR
Winner: George Clooney (Michael Clayton)

BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Julie Christie (Away from Her)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: Aaron Sorkin (Charlie Wilson’s War)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Diablo Cody (Juno)

BEST ENSEMBLE
Winner: No Country for Old Men

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner: Ratatouille

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
Winner: Sicko

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

BEST ART DIRECTION
Winner: Sweeney Todd

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Winner: Ellen Page (Juno)

Rambo- Trailer 2 - Watch more free videos
Our secret source sent over another look at the upcoming 2nd Rambo Teaser Trailer.