A Decade of Movie Memories: 2007

2007 was an awesome year for me with regards to film. I launched Movie Moxie, covered several film festivals (TIFF, Toronto After Dark and Reel Asian in 2007), started hanging out with other film folks and on top of all that it was an excellent year for film. Unlike my 2006 list, several of these films haven't been reviewed, probably because the number I saw increased dramatically as well as festivalling. I normally wouldn't even post on Dec 24 because that's we my family celebrates Christmas but looking at the fantastic films of 2007 it feels like sharing & remember them is gift like in it of itself.

As with previous years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 the parameters or the list are films seen theatrically, no series included and films are listed in the chronological order in which I saw them. This is a list of favourite movie memories, not a best of list.

Control
Beautiful black & white biopic on Ian Curtis, lead singer of Joy Division in a powerful performance from Sam Riley - someone from this film alone I will see anything he's involved it. Fantastic. Was also a reminder to not listen/read reviews of biopics when I don't know what happened - because not everyone does, and it's rather inevitable people will talk about what happens in the film like fact, because in essence, it is. That's likely the reason I never reviewed it!

Enchanted
I asked my Mom to so see this with me at the Bloor one afternoon as I know she enjoys animation (this is only partly animated) and I had the day off. But - *lots* of people had the day off as it was the new "Family Day" holiday in Ontario and the theatre was packed with families who brought the little girls in their lives. The film started mucho late as they usually clear the popcorn line so long, which was almost to the outside doors, but I didn't care at all. To be in a theatre full of kids that were that excited and attentive was quite the site. I had my issues with the film itself, but the experience was lovely.

Fido
Canadian zombie-drama-comedy-commentary. Really, do you need to know any more? It's freaking awesome.

300
I remember debating with my sister Jamie about whether or not we wanted to see 300 or not, we sent emails back and forth throughout the day and only decided on the last minute. On the one hand it looked like a lot of fun, epic and rah! But, it also felt like it had the potential for lots of gender crap. We decided to gamble it and thankfully it was a lot of fun without gender crap. So oddly, the experience was more a relief than anything else.

After the Wedding / Efter brylluppet
Here's the teary one of the year. My goodness this film is absolutely fantastic, I went to see it purely because it was nominated for best foreign film at the Oscars but I had no idea what I was in for. It's a straight up drama but the story is compelling, the characters real and the acting is spectacular. Secured that I will see anything by Susanne Bier, and anything that stars Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, King Arthur, Valhalla Rising). It's also one film that I feel strongly about recommending it to anyone, anywhere - it's completely universal.

Let's All Hate Toronto
It was a unique experience to see this film at the NFB with a full house. It's a documentary where a guy literally travels Canada to try and discover why everyone ... hates Toronto. It has lots of Canadian and regional references but also a larger message. I also do love seeing cultural reflection as well being a proud Torontonian.

Sunshine
This was my birthday pick for the movies, going with my Mom, sister Jamie and her husband. We saw it at the Cumberland but weren't at the screening with the Q&A with Danny Boyle (how did I miss that?). We sat pretty close and I can still remember seeing all the images so big and the connection of the sound to the image and how it really felt like you were in space. This one is a big re-watcher for me, I watch it all the time.

Hairspray
Since Moulin Rouge! in 2001 we seemed to get about 1 really big musical per year and for 2007 it was Hairspray. I didn't know the story at all before going in and ended up loving every minute of it. I loved the earnestness yet politeness of the main character, the fact that it actually had a message, and the over the top enthusiasm over all.

The Golden Compass
What a beautiful experience seeing this film was, earlier in the year it was awesome to surrounded by all the enthusiastic girls at Enchanted but for me if I was a kid I would have loved to see The Golden Compass. Not only is it a fantasy film, but one with an adventurous female protagonist. Not a sister, or a friend but she is actually the protagonist. We don't see this enough. But even more than that I loved the character of Serafina Pekkala who made my Favourite Characters list because I would have loved being a kid getting to see a character like hers on screen - powerful, mysterious and brave. Wow. This one was actually Jamie's birthday pick and after the film we went and had dinner over on Baldwin. Good times.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
I was in such a rush to get to the theatre to see this that I actually missed the beginning of it, it was at The Bloor and they don't show previews. I really really wanted to see it so braved being late, which I hate doing. I ended up sitting near the back and it was quite the experience. A matinee with a pretty good house but the funniest thing was that I knew I was with my peoples as this felt like the sweetheart film for genre folk of the year. A documentary on the epic battle for high score of Donkey Kong between Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe, which also looks at the history of the game and score keeping. The dialogue is unforgettable, it's absolute documentary gold - you couldn't get better if you tried. One of the few times I've actively bought a DVD on the day of it's release and I've rewatched it more times than I care to admit. Brilliant film.