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November 23, 2009
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Home > Movies > Commentaries > 2008 |  
The 2007 Critics' Choice Awards
A combination of Oscar nominees and lesser-known indies makes up our list for the best overall movies of the year.
| posted 2/05/2008



6. No Country for Old Men

directed by Ethan and Joel Coen

"A gripping cat-and-mouse battle between a tracker and the assassin tracking him to recover his blood money. The Coen brothers have never been better in their storytelling." "The silence of God may have been the mystery foremost on Cormac McCarthy's mind as he wrote this tale of evil men who escape judgment." "What is perhaps most amazing is that a film this terrifying, this violent, and this relentlessly nihilistic should also be this enthralling." "Tense, amusing, challenging. An interesting tension in this film between absurdism and fatalism." "A film that intentionally refuses satisfaction or answers to its audience, leaving us, like the older characters in the film, to stand stumped and disillusioned by the mundane nightmare of the modern world." (Our review.)







7. Hairspray
directed by Adam Shankman

"Infectiously joyous celebration of the positive side of the '60s, diversity, and positive thinking. "Though there are great messages concerning racial equality and self-sacrifice during the civil rights movement, it never takes itself too seriously—and that's what makes it one of the year's sweetest and most charming movies." "Very fun, exuberant musical with some great performances from young actors." "Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is terrific, a star in the making." "The most fun in a theater this year … Great songs and art direction, hammered home by the top-notch acting." (Our review.)

8. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

directed by Julian Schnabel

"A sort of antithesis to recent pro-euthanasia films like The Sea Inside and Million Dollar Baby. An affirmation of the value of life even under the most excruciatingly debilitating conditions." "Mesmerizing filmmaking; a visually brilliant immersion into a world of unimaginable limitations that turns out to be an extraordinarily liberating experience." "Schnabel helps us rediscover some of the more delicate joys of living, and provokes us to reflect on the gravity of our own decisions." "Fluidly weaves the worlds of imagination, memory, and dreams into a tapestry of one man's point of view on a world both tragic and hopeful." "A great character study of a dynamic man's journey out of the cocoon." "A gorgeous piece of filmmaking, pulsating with life and energy." (Our review.)




9. Zodiac

directed by David Fincher

"One of the most intriguing, taut thrillers of the year." "A gripping tale about one of the most famous unsolved mysteries. A fascinating procedural reminiscent of All the President's Men or JFK." "Fincher reminds us that reason, information, the mass media, and technology—while helpful in bringing criminals to justice—are not enough to help humankind resolve the problem of evil." "A wonderful crime story because of its unique nature—it's not about the killer but about the man obsessed with finding the killer." "Touches on some interesting themes regarding the changes wrought by time, the relationship between reality and pop culture, and the obsessive lengths some people will go to find order and meaning in the seeming chaos and indifference of the world." (Our review.)




10. Into Great Silence

directed by Philip Gröning

"A transformational theatrical experience, a spiritual encounter, an exercise in contemplation and introspection, a profound meditation on what it means to give oneself totally and completely to God." "Gets you into the otherworldly rhythm of life in a secluded monastery." "The movie shows rather than tells, and makes it all the more reverent, prayerful, and tranquil because of it." "Pure cinema at its purest and most exalted. Sublimely beautiful; precise compositions and stunning lighting." "The film demands patience—three hours of it—and if it were any shorter, it would not achieve what it achieves. It is meant to test us; to cause us to ponder the sacrifice, restraint and stillness required to find true silence; to include us toward the 'still small voice' of God." (Our review.)



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