Top 15 of 2007 part III

5. Once

A heartbroken Irishman meets a Czech immigrant while busking on the streets of Dublin. They both share a love of music and write a series of songs together as their friendship blossoms.

Normally I would rather watch a baseball player throw rabbit traps at my nuts then a romantic drama, but this film came highly recommended from very reliable sources – and with good reason. I haven’t felt this touched since I shared a sleeping bag with my Scoutmaster.

It also went on to win an Oscar for best original song.


4. Hot Fuzz

I have a lot of love for the Wright/Pegg/Frost team, as Shaun of the Dead was the first film I saw when I got to London back in ’04.

Hot Fuzz is the second film in their “Blood and Ice cream” trilogy (the third film World’s End will be released next year). Its a British country town thriller that warps into an action packed shoot out sending up such pinnacles of cinema as Bad Boys 2 and Point Break.



3. Behind the Mask

Clever indie flick about a documentary crew interview a young man whose goal is to become an infamous serial killer along the lines of Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees. The crew follow him for a week as he trains, and sets up an abandoned house for his triumphant killing spree.


2. The Bourne Ultimatum

A fast paced thrill ride of a film, with not a single frame going to waste. The movie feels like one long chase scene, and I mean that as a compliment.

Bourne Ultimatum finishes off a near perfect trilogy, and they haven't gone down that usual Hollywood route and fuck up a good thing by planning an unnecessary fourth film.

Yeah right.



1. No Country For Old Men

An amazing achievement for the Coen Brothers, taking a story that seems so simple, and creating something equally humorous and suspensful. The film has many exciting (yet slow paced) chase scenes, and the whole thing has more tension than Mr. Lifto's penis.

Typically of the “quirky” Coen brothers, they build up to an almighty crescendo, than fizzle out at the finish with an ambiguous finale. Loved the film, but not a huge fan of the ending.