A Little Too Late? Nah.

We're already 1/4 of the way into 2008, and I'm just barely getting around to posting my movie-related top 10s for 2007.

Top 10 Movies
1. Lars and the Real Girl -- While Lars and the Real Girl was not the most technically perfect movie of 2007, it was the movie that has stuck with me the most. The performances were captivating and real. Not once did I feel emotionally manipulated. This is the type of movie that can wake me from numbness.

2. Juno -- Some of the funniest, sharpest dialogue I've ever heard delivered by some of my favorite actors and actresses. Honestly, it would have been weird for me to not love this movie. It's not for everyone, though, so don't be fooled by its fluke-ish popularity for a movie that under 99% of circumstances would have flown under the average American's radar. (To be honest, I kind of wish it had stayed a smaller deal, but let's not get into that.)

3. No Country for Old Men -- I've said it before, and I'll say it again: This movie is perfect. Everything about it could serve as a "flawless example of x technique" in a film textbook. But that doesn't make it any less thrilling.

4. Waitress -- Anything I could say about this movie I've probably already said. I love the characters and the way their little lives are big and complicated (to them). I love that they're human; I love them and their flaws. And they are very flawed. (If you can't overlook that, don't even try to watch it.)

5. There Will Be Blood -- Two words (one hyphenated): Daniel Day-Lewis. His Daniel Plainview is marvelously scheming, and even though you want to hate him, you can't. Because he's not just a one-dimensional villain. Plus, this is a total "English major" movie where metaphors and symbolism abound.

6. Atonement -- Even if you don't dig the sweeping tragic romance period-piece thing, Atonement has so much more going for it. Joe Wright has very carefully assembled a film that combines techniques and details flawlessly. But it doesn't feel like every piece of its execution was forced into perfection -- the soundtrack and the cinematography are so organic and natural. It's a nice break from a lot of heavy-handed filmmaking that happens these days.

7. Hot Fuzz -- One of the funniest movies of 2007, and, in my opinion, better than Shaun of the Dead. The more you watch it, the more jokes, gags, and little visual cues you pick up, making it funnier and more enjoyable with each viewing (kind of like "Arrested Development").

8. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street -- This is Tim Burton at his best. Who else could take such a bleak musical made for the stage and put it on film without losing its theatrics? (Answer: no one. Only Tim Burton could have pulled this off.) The colors and costumes are very Tim Burton-esque, and he gets stellar performances from all of his cast, including the delightfully devilish Alan Rickman. Bonus: Sasha Baron Cohen in a blue spandex onesie-like costume. Try not to laugh; I dare you.

9. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford -- I'm still not sure how people mistook Brad Pitt as the lead in this film. Casey Affleck gives one of the most unsettling performances I've ever seen, and yet, he's never heavy-handed. The cinematography (by Roger Deakins, who also did the cinematography for No Country for Old Men) is masterful.

10. Bourne Ultimatum -- Here's a prime example of a trilogy that got better with each film, a feat that most can't pull off. (I'm looking at you, Pirates.) And no matter what anyone says, Matt Damon was the perfect choice for Jason Bourne. Paul Greengrass, I thank you for taking this series away from Doug Liman.

A common theme in my top 10: Flawed characters. What can I say? Perfection is boring.

Runners-up (in alphabetical order)
* Across the Universe -- You either hate it or love it. I loved it. The art direction is spectacular and original, and there's very little to not like. Unless you hate the whole thing, of course.

* The Darjeeling Limited -- A lot of people are tired of Wes Anderson's shtick. I'm not. And I hope Adrien Brody has been added to the Wes Anderson Catalog of Preferred Actors.

* Michael Clayton -- Tightly written and superbly executed, Michael Clayton is the Barack Obama to a John Grisham film's Godzillary.

* Once -- A simple, but lovely story that can't really be marketed. So, aside from the soundtrack, erase what you've heard and just watch it. And enjoy it, because it's quite fantastic.

* Pan's Labyrinth -- Guillermo del Toro's dark foreign fairytale movie has fascinating visuals and a unique story. And one of the freakiest monsters I've ever seen.


Top 10 Female Performances
1. Ellen Page (Juno) -- One of Page's advantages is that she is young and hip. So, when she plays a young, hip teenager, we don't have to stretch our imaginations. But, she's anything but lazy. Her ability to cover the entire range of female moods and emotions is amazing. No one else could have pulled this off. No one.

2. Keri Russell (Waitress) -- Completely charming and lovable, Keri Russell knows how to make Jenna's Southern drawl sound wonderful instead of grating. I dare you not to love Jenna and all her quirks and flaws. For you menfolk, the fact that she's completely gorgeous probably helps.

3. Adrienne Shelly (Waitress) -- Not only did Adrienne Shelly write Waitress, but she played one of its best characters. Her performance as Jenna's friend Dawn is humorous and touching. I'm sad that we won't get to see anymore of Adrienne Shelly.

4. Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) -- For a young girl, Ronan is incredibly talented. (She wasn't nominated for an Oscar for nothing.) Although most of the acting in Atonement is superb, she puts Romola Garai, who plays the older version of her character, to shame.

5. Marketa Irglova (Once) -- It's refreshing to see someone like Irglova getting attention at the Oscars. She's proof that you don't have to be anything but yourself in order to create and be part of beautiful things.

6. Patricia Clarkson (Lars and the Real Girl) -- If psychologists were all like her Dagmar, we'd all try really hard to get one. Her earnestness and kindness seem to exist outside the film.

7. Kelly Garner (Lars and the Real Girl) -- Quirky and unconventional, Garner's Margo is a nice change of pace for the girl next door. Sorry, guys, we're not what movies and television portray us as. We are awkward and weird and we don't have perfect hair. But we're still awesome.

8. Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd) -- She was perfectly suited to play Mrs. Lovett, a character blind to the self-destructive tendencies of her desires. Even though her voice is one of the weakest in the film when she solos, it compliments Depp's in their duets.

9. Natalie Portman (Hotel Chevalier) -- I know, I know, Hotel Chevalier is a short film. But Portman's performance is magnificent. I'm not sure if you can still get this from iTunes for free (and I'm too lazy to look for you), but it's worth a shot.

10. Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) -- Ryan should have won Best Supporting Actress for this role. She was, in my opinion, much more deserving than Tilda Swinton.


Top 10 Male Performances
1. Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) -- "I drink your milkshake. I drink it up!" That is all.

2. Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) -- Holy freaking scary. I wouldn't want Chigurh following me. And honestly, I think that pageboy cut only makes him creepier.

3. Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl) -- One of the most underrated performances of the year. Gosling plays Lars without a hint of irony. This is a role that can only be done by one of the best. And Gosling is easily one of the best.

4. Michael Cera (Juno...and Superbad) -- It might be a little illegal, my adoration of Michael Cera. He compliments Ellen Page perfectly in Juno, and he brings just enough awkward emotional gravitas to counteract the uber-crude Jonah Hill in Superbad. (And those moves in the opening credits? Totally boss.)

5. Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Gone Baby Gone) -- I'm not sure how he isn't a bigger deal than Ben, because he deserves to be. Whether he's stealing the show from Brad Pitt in The Assassination of Jesse James or going back to his Boston roots in Gone Baby Gone, he's fascinating to watch.

6. Matt Damon (The Bourne Ultimatum) -- I seriously just started typing "Jason Bourne." That should tell you how convincing he is.

7. Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd) -- Who, other than Johnny Depp, could have played Sweeney Todd so well? (Answer: no one.) Depp's best characters are flawed in their egocentricity and blind disregard for rules, and Sweeney Todd fits that bill.

8. James McAvoy (Atonement) -- Another overlooked performance of 2007. McAvoy's not just a dreamy Scotsman. The boy can act.

9. Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz) -- Perhaps my geeky crush on Simon Pegg is blinding my judgment. Or not. He was perfect for the role of Sgt. Nicholas Angel.

10. George Clooney (Michael Clayton) -- We laughed at George Clooney's Oceans 11-13 antics, even if we enjoyed them (or didn't, in the case of 12). Well, Clooney is all laughing at us now. Michael Clayton is payback that we should embrace.


Top 10 Soundtracks
1. Atonement (Dario Marianelli)

2. Once (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova)

3. Across the Universe (Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson, and the rest of the cast) -- make sure to get the two-disc version with all 31 tracks. Anything else is a waste.

4. The Darjeeling Limited (Various artists)

5. Dan in Real Life (Sondre Lerche, mostly)

6. Juno (Various Artists)

7. Sweeney Todd (Cast & Score)

8. There Will Be Blood (Jonny Greenwood. Aw, yeah.) -- Greenwood (Radiohead's guitarist) uses heavy strings arrangements, rather than the cliché percussion, to build and punctuate tension.

9. Pan's Labyrinth (Javier Navarrete)

10. Ratatouille (Michael Giacchino)


And, for funsies, here are some random tops (and bottoms) from 2007.

Movies that did well* at the box office that I refused to see in 2007**
1. Transformers
2. Wild Hogs
3. National Treasure: Book of Secrets
4. Norbit
5. Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
6. Ghost Rider
7. Hairspray
8. The Game Plan
9. Live Free or Die Hard
10. Rush Hour 3

* Did well = Made close to or more than $100 million at the box office
** And will not be seeing even though 2007 is over. I'm too tired to explain all of them now. If you really want one, leave a comment and ask.

The Bottom O' the Barrel
1. Because I Said So -- Mandy Moore, we need to chat. I'm (mostly) unashamed to admit that I like your music, but what is your deal with movies? This was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. And Diane Keaton? You went from Annie Hall and The Godfather trilogy to this? Just for that awful scene with the computer malfunctioning, I have to say: Shame. On. You.

2. License to Wed -- *Sigh.* Why, John Krasinski, why? Well, I actually think I know why. You get a nice paycheck, you get a leading man role, you get to work with a bunch of "The Office" cast members (Mindy Kaling, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey) and smokin' hot Mandy Moore, and it was probably really fun making the movie. But watching it? Not fun. And that's me biting my tongue.

3. The Ten -- Unfunny. Disgusting. A waste of time. Rarely do I disagree with Eric D. Snider, but I vehemently disagreed with him on this one.

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End -- This was a shipwreck, to say the least. Though with Jerry Bruckheimer's name attached, I shouldn't be so surprised. His roster is, shall we say, craptacular?

5. Smiley Face -- John Krasinski, Adam Brody, Danny Masterson. Should be funny, right? Well, it wasn't. Maybe you have to buy into the whole ditzy Anna Faris thing, but I think it's grating.

I can guarantee that there are many other bad movies that could be found on a list like this, but thankfully I haven't seen them. Or maybe I have, and I've magically forgotten all about them.



Sometime soon I'll post a Top 10 for 2007 music, too. Keep your eyes peeled.