pakmannen on 2/1/2007 at 11:21

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>> Pan's Labyrinth <<

Casino Royale = flawed but obviously heaps better than Brosnan
Borat, MI3 and Snakes on a motherf****ng Plane = good entertainment
Da Vinci = :(

Children of Men & The Departed are on my to see list

godismygoldfish on 2/1/2007 at 15:54

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You all posted some good ones, but somehow you all overlooked A Scanner Darkly? Easily one of the best PKD adaptations and a briallant film in it's own right. Excellent writing, performances, and damn clever ideas that actually worked in execution. (The moment Bob blacks out and the sound goes all fuzzy was the best sound moment I have heard in a film in years)

Oh yeah, and the rest:

Pan's Labyrinth
Brick
Casino Royale

Slightly dissapointing but still great:

The Fountain

Utter Shite:

Snakes on a Plane
X3
Pirates 2

pakmannen on 2/1/2007 at 23:41

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Speaking of Children of Men and Pan's Labyrinth, anyone seen Babel? Seems like the mariachi brothers are getting a lot of attention lately.

Fafhrd on 3/1/2007 at 08:33

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While I liked it, it didn't feel so much like a film as a series of vignettes about drug abuse.

I'm ashamed I forgot Thank You for Smoking, however, as that is by far the funniest film I'd seen all year.
[edit]nm, IMDB IS FULL OF LIES says it came out in '05, which means my sense of time is even more fucked up than I thought. I could've SWORN I saw it mid '06.

Oli G on 4/1/2007 at 21:31

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Most of the best films I've seen this year have already been mentioned: Pan's Labyrinth, Children of Men and The Departed were my top 3. Children of Men in particular was incredible, although admittedly mainly for its construction: there was a terrific sense of realism and tension, and the lengthy tracking shots which provided this were a remarkable spectacle. I do think the film gives the impression that it's being far deeper and more profound than it actually is, but nevertheless the post-9/11 update of the P.D. James novel was extremely well accomplished. It's nice to see a film that far outclasses the book on which it's based - particularly when the book itself is pretty good. If there was a flaw to the book it was that I really couldn't see it having much appeal to people who aren't familiar with the Oxford setting: for the dystopia to have any resonance, you need to be familiar with the original so it was fortunate that I am. In a way the same goes for the film - I don't know what impact the film would be likely to have on people who don't live in Britain. I'm sure anyone would enjoy it, but I think you need to be British and with a solid awareness of current affairs in the country to feel the film's full force. Again, lucky that I am. And what a spectacle it is to watch.

I don't imagine too many people got a chance to see it, but The Wind that Shakes the Barley is a very emotive and engaging drama set around the struggle for Irish Independence in the early part of the 20th Century. With it being directed by Ken Loach I expected something polemical and more than a little socialist, but it's an incredibly balanced and human assesment of the political situation. All in all it's more about character and people than politics, and that's what gives it its strength. Very dialogue heavy, but never dull and the unglamorous sense of realism really works in its favour. Cillian Murphy gives a terrific performance so it'd be nice to see him get some more lead roles in the future.

In terms of blockbuster-type films for pure entertainment, I very much enjoyed The Prestige. Some shaky moments and the plot requires a massive suspension of disbelief, but if you don't go in expecting a realistic film then it's very engrossing. Good to see Michael Caine in good form again (as he was in Children of Men) - and especially nice to see him in a part with so much screen time, despite his age. David Bowie's cameo was slightly unnecessary and the only thing worse than his accent was his moustache, but because it's David Bowie I think he deserves a little leeway. I did work out the plot twist quite a while before it's revealed, but this really doesn't ruin the film. If anything it's good that you can do this: the plot is somehow more believable when you can make sense of it for yourself, and that the scriptwriters don't resort to some cheap deus ex machina trick to resolve all the loose ends is a real mark of quality.