We're on the verge of concluding another year of blockbusters and indie favorites, of searing dramas and delightful comedies ... and plenty of less-stellar efforts, too. Infuzemag.com's staff took part of December to reflect back on a year of movie watching and pick their favorites for 2007, both as theatrical releases and as DVDs.

Of course, part of the challenge of putting together a list like this is the necessary limitation of time. None of us are paid critics; we see movies in our spare time. We see all we can, but we certainly don't see anything, nor could we if we wanted to. So consider this a "best of what we saw," rather than a definitive list. (And please do add your own picks on our message board -- you'll find a link to discuss this at the bottom of this article. I know I'd love to read what you found worthy, and why!)

So, without further adieu ... Here are a few of our favorites for 2007!

Theatrical Releases

Hairspray
When I saw Hairspray for the first time, I saw it cold: No IMDB'ing, no spoilers, no warning. I got my first dose of 1960s reality during the song "Nicest Kids in Town." Listening to the racially biased lyrics, I was surprised less at the words and more at the smiling faces that accompanied them. The unsettling differences between racial perspectives in the film and in the present day reveal first where society used to be and second, to echo Hairspray's Tracy Turnblad, how far we've come.

Regardless of the final results, Hairspray has already earned a place alongside this year's most significant films (and a place in my highly selective DVD collection). Like contemporary literature that reveals the mindset of its respective era, the new Hairspray reflects a society that has struggled with and is learning to embrace diversity. The film illustrates this on many levels, for instance in the real-life experience of Nikki Blonsky, who, like her misfit character Tracy, rises from obscurity to stardom simply by being true to herself.

Through Hairspray, and the memories it revived in others, I learned a valuable lesson. Yes, the '60s were a time of controversy, bigotry, and injustice. But they were also a time of seeking God, dancing in the streets (literally, I'm told), and sporting those squishy pink curlers in public like it was nobody's business.

Naturally, there are those who compare Hairspray's revolutionized Baltimore with today's world and say that liberty and equality can't happen overnight. Obviously, the racism that festered for years will not vanish in seconds. Yet the purpose of Hairspray's simple and audacious approach to life is not to fantasize but to challenge society with a question: "Why not?"

-- Heather West

No Country for Old Men
I hate to jump on bandwagons. Honestly, I do. (I hope my DVD choice redeems me in this regard!) But for 2007, I can't avoid it: The Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men was the most dazzling experience (albeit a bleak and brutal one) I had in a theater in 2007.

News of another Coen Brothers film didn't do much for me this time around; I wasn't too taken with either of their last two films, Cruel Intentions and their remake of the Ealing Studios classic, The Ladykillers. I mean, shouldn't the filmmaking team that gave us Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Miller's Crossing, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple (and on and on ...) be held to higher expectations? After two disappointments, I lowered my bar. And within 10 minutes of No Country for Old Men, the Coen Brothers destroyed said bar.

Based (closely) on Cormac McCarthy's novel and set in 1980, No Country for Old Men tells a very simple story: a Vietnam vet (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon the remains of a major drug deal gone horribly wrong; he takes the satchel full of money, but leaves the pickup truck full of heroin and the bodies and vehicles strewn across the desert near his home. He thinks he's just gotten his ticket punched, but the punching remains to be done by a force of nature named Chigurh (Javier Bardem), who redefines "ruthlessness." Trying to keep up with Chigurh's pursuit of the money (and extermination of everything that gets in his way is a rural sheriff close to retirement (Tommy Lee Jones).

Everything about No Country for Old Men is note perfect: the stunning cinematography, the bravura performances by the leads (along with outstanding support from the rest of the cast), and the fearless writing and direction of the Coens, who did nothing to soften the ultra-dark tones of McCarthy's source material. It is a very violent film, but unlike the overwhelming majority of films that trade in violence, No Country goes out of its way to de-glamorize the brutality. The profound sense of senselessness and defeat that Jones expresses as the film heads toward its conclusion (of sorts) defines the War on Drugs as its fought along the border, both in the time this film is set (1980) and now.

Granted, in some ways this was the feel-bad movie of 2007. If it wasn't such an amazing film, there's no way I would recommend it. But I do.

-- Sam Gaines

Ratatouille
Ratatouille turned kitchen rats in the kitchen into a beloved fable for children of all ages. With the big noise made by other bigger-name movies, why would I pick the strange cartoon from Pixar/Disney? A couple of reasons. First, it tells a great, unique story that that shows confidence in its audience's intelligence. I can't think of many movies that involve some of the more complex themes found in this one, that also appeals to an audience of all ages.

Second, it serves as a reminder that Pixar should never be discounted. After Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles, I keep expecting Pixar to have a dud. But they find new ways to innovate and change the traditional children's story. Every Pixar movie I've seen the last five years has had just as many adults as children, and most movies (animated or otherwise) just can't make that claim.

Finally, I am a father of two who tries to share movie experiences with my kids, and frequently, I find the action movies too violent for them. Even a movie like Batman Begins or Spider-Man (which are great movies in their own right) tends to give them nightmares. Instead, we have gotten into the habit of watching for movies that enjoy the fantasy of on-screen storytelling without extreme violence.

Perhaps the best example of the excitement created by Pixar releases (and this one in particular) is voiced by a three-year-old I met on a subway in Washington D.C. He was hanging over the seat smiling at me, and I asked him what he was doing. His mother said they were going to see a movie, so I asked what movie. With a big grin, he shouted, "RAT-A-TOOEY!" The entire subway car started laughing. We need more movies that can create that kind of excitement and laughter.

-- Rick Dorn

Transformers
In one word: robots. Two words: giant robots. Three words: giant robots fighting!

It's too easy to pick the Oscar-nominated favorite or movie adaptation of a famous novel but what excites me even more is how long I have to wait in line to see a movie. To be in a crowded movie theater and anticipate a visual treat. To be reminded how I played with action figures as a child and pretended they were real. Transformers had everything for a hit summer blockbuster:

A reluctant hero? Check.
A powerful villain? Check.
Good vs. Evil? Check.
Robots that cause big explosions and know kung fu? Check.
A future "it girl"? Check.
Michael Bay? Check.

Shia LaBeouf is perfectly cast as Sam Witwicky, a lovable loser that suddenly has the fate of the world in his hands. Nothing prepared him (and me) for what is to come in the form of giant robots ... that may or may not be of a Japanese origin. I was in complete awe when I first saw Optimus Prime transform in and out of his famous disguise -- a Peterbilt truck. But I was even more surprised when I heard the familiar voice of Peter Cullen. It was more than meets the eye!

Transformers is a pure roller coaster ride of a movie with all the popcorn and cheers thrown in. It may not win any major movie awards (well, maybe MTV) but it will certainly play a huge part in pop culture. I am definitely looking forward to the possibility of Transformers 2!

-- Victor Ho

DVDs

300
When I thought about best DVD releases of the year, I tried to think of movies that translated well to the small screen, but still retained the power of the theatrical presentation. To me, the DVD release that did this best in 2007 was the Two-Disc Special Edition of 300.

The movie is a violent, glorious mess based on the true story of the Spartans' last stand at Thermopylae. Director Zack Snyder turned it into a fantastic, visualized adventure ride in the theater. The last movie that seemed light-years ahead of the rest of the movie industry in terms of appearance, camera shots, and story was The Matrix back in 1999. I think 300 is doing it again. The color scheme, the camera angles, and the action sequences all cry out to be copied by other directors.

Starring Gerard Butler (exuding testosterone), and a mostly unknown cast filled with some of the buffest humans this side of the WWE, 300 is a filmed version of the Frank Miller graphic novel. Most of the story is taken from historic accounts, but aspects of it were extended to add to the human element in the story. 300 becomes a bigger-than-life tale of sacrifice, bravery, and loss, and the elements just come together seamlessly to make a visual experience unlike any other.

I saw this movie for the first time on DVD, and I was astounded by the power of the visuals. I bought the special edition, and the bonus features give extra glory to original creator Frank Miller and the original historical story it is based upon. Thanks to this film, Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) is a hot new director, and I can't wait to see what he does next. If you want to see the most influential film of the next five years, see 300. Big-screen or small, you will be amazed.

-- Rick Dorn

The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky (Boxed Set)
Well, somebody's got to make the nutty, arty pick, right? I'll let that somebody be me. Anchor Bay did a certain sub-market of bizarre cinema aficionados a great service in 2007 by releasing three of the seminal films of notorious quasi-surrealist auteur (and Panic movement co-founder) Alejandro Jodorowsky in a single box. Those three films -- Fando y Lis (1968), El Topo (1970), The Holy Mountain (1973) -- have been making the rounds for years as dubbed-down VHS tapes, prized by collectors and traded frequently as a result. (The story behind the long delay of releasing these films is itself too long to recount here, but Jodorowsky discusses it in an interview included in the package.)

Anchor Bay rewards the patient, though, by presenting all three films in beautifully restored prints. And that's hardly all. Credit the home entertainment specialists for tossing in an early Jodorowsky short film (La Cravate, 1958), the full-length documentary La Constellation Jodorowsky, deleted scenes, stills, and director's commentaries for all three films.

Jodorowsky is not for all tastes, to issue the understatement of the year; like Bunuel, he delights in tweaking modern sensibilities (but on an even more bizarre, grander -- albeit much less cohesive -- scale). But for those fascinated by the cinema's utterly bizarre possibilities, this collection is a wonderful testament to a true iconoclast in every sense. Now, if we can just get on with the DVD release of Jodorowsky's Santa Sangre ...

-- Sam Gaines

Shanghai Kiss
It's rare to find an excellent independent film featuring an Asian-American actor that doesn't showcase his kung fu skills or speak any Chinese. Shanghai Kiss is one such film that is sweet, funny, and true to its culture.

Liam Liu (Ken Leung) is a struggling Asian-American actor living in Los Angeles trying to discover his Chinese identity while fighting feelings he developed for Adelaide Bourbon (Heroes star Hayden Panettiere), a free-spirited high school teenager. When Liam visits China and meets Micki Yang (Kelly Hu), a sophisticated Chinese woman, he finds he can define himself as a man with her. But things get complicated when his mind is focused on Adelaide, who may be the one true love of his life.

It's impossible to resist Panettiere's graceful charms and smile. Not since Natalie Portman's performance as Marty in Beautiful Girls has there been an performance by a female lead so effortlessly able to steal every scene in the film. Leung is convincing as the neurotic lost soul who tries to bridge the gap between his American and Chinese cultural influences. Other notable supporting actors include Joel Moore as his wisecracking best friend and the prolific James Hong as his traditional Chinese father.

The DVD offers an interesting commentary by the producers and director into the filmmaking process and the challenges of looking for set locations in China.

Shanghai Kiss is a love story that needs no translation.

 

-- Victor Ho

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