2007 Best Picture Thoughts

So, as of earlier this week, I've now seen all 5 of the nominees for best picture this year. I must say, first off, that the five that were chosen were all good movies. I thoroughly enjoyed them all. However, I do have favorites, so here is my order and thoughts about each of the films:

5. Juno. Honestly, I don't think I was an in to this movie as everyone else was, at least until the end. In the beginning of the movie, I hated it. It was trying too hard to be witty and cool. Too many one liners. However, by the end I was sold and found the movie to be a success. I don't think it deserved to be nominated for best picture, especially with Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in the running, which was by far a much better picture, but that is my choice to make I suppose.


4. Michael Clayton. This was a very entertaining movie with some interesting twists and turns. The cinematography was also very good at times. Good performances from George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson. The ending was a little bit of a let down overall. But the movie as a whole was very good.


3. Atonement. This movie was probably the biggest surprise of the list and was the one I saw last. I, first of all, do not like Kiera Knightley, which was probably one of the main reasons it took me so long to see this film. However, I thought the storyline was perfect. The cinematography, especially in the beginning, was great. And the ending was exactly what it needed to be, completely changing the way you viewed the rest of the film.

2. No Country for Old Men. This movie was fantastic from beginning to end. The Cohen brothers proved that you don't need expensive special effects to make a movie intense. Javier Bardem was probably one of the most frightening villains in recent memory. But the movie left you with a feeling that there was more than what you just saw to it. I love it when a movie leaves you completely satisfied, while at the same time wanting more. Some have said that since this wasn't a typical Cohen Brother's film it was a let down. I think that the fact that this was such a departure from their previous work it shows a depth of film making that many indie film makers lack. This was a great film.

1. There Will Be Blood. The choice between this movie and No Country was a very tough one. As far as pure entertainment value, I believe that No Country wins that contest. However, even in the slower moments of There Will Be Blood one word continued to float in my mind: fascinating. Everything about that movie was just utterly fascinating. The turn of the century short story feel of the film was completely engaging if you were paying attention and Daniel Day Lewis' performance was nothing short of brilliant. This was another movie that you have to see at least twice, if not more, to completely understand the nuances and the story within the story. This was a great film.