The 2007 Summer Movie Recap

The summer of 2007 was one of the most entertaining summers of cinema I have ever experienced. For three months I had a film I wanted to see almost every weekend, and for the most part did. There were blockbusters and sleepers, intense action movies and family fun films. Here are my favorite movies of the summer…a little late. Click the link next to the title of the film to see its review (if available). Maybe you have seen them, and maybe you missed a few; either way, enjoy!

First the Worst:

I did not say this summer was perfect. There were two huge disappointments I witnessed in 2007.

Pirates of the Caribbean 3

(review) I will not waste too much of your time discussing this movie, because it wasted so much of mine. Pirates 3 is nearly three complete hours of nonsensical boredom. It meanders around an extremely confusing plot while attempting to overcompensate with impressive CG visuals. The movie just is not any fun, hard as it may try. If you have somehow not seen it already, please do not bother.

Spider-Man 3

(review) Spider-Man 3 disappointed more than any movie in history. Not only did it completely disregard what made its predecessors successful, it also felt the need to completely rip out every Spider-Man fan’s heart more and more with each minute of footage. Horrible story, horrible characters, underused villains, and emo-transformations: these are only a few of the miscues of this film. It is a disgrace to movies, comics, and entertainment. Stan Lee does not deserve this. I recommend attempting to burn available copies to purge the Earth of this virus.

Films I Missed:

There were a few movies I was hoping to see that I did not. I still hope to check this out when they release on DVD. Since I have not seen them I cannot provide any thoughts or recommendations, but I have included a synopsis of each taken from Rotten Tomatoes.

Once

The Irish romance ONCE may be a musical, but it is miles away from the traditional Hollywood idea of people bursting into song. Glen Hansard (frontman for indie rock band the Frames) plays the guy, a street musician who is playing for change when he meets the girl (Marketa Irglova), an immigrant from the Czech Republic. The pair immediately bond over their shared love of music (he is a guitarist, and she plays the piano), and the film chronicles their tentative relationship. Both are weighed down by plenty of baggage: his songs are fueled by a painful breakup, and she is a young mother who left her husband behind in her native country.

Rescue Dawn

Incomparable director Werner Herzog takes another strange turn in his eclectic career with RESCUE DAWN–a major studio picture starring Christian Bale (BATMAN BEGINS). The film is an adaptation of Herzog’s 1997 documentary LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY, which focused on Dieter Dengler, a pilot who was imprisoned by enemy forces during the Vietnam war. Dengler escaped and his incredible reminisces about this period in his life spilled onto the screen in Herzog’s documentary. Here, Bale plays Dengler, while Herzog constructs a dark masterpiece around him, inviting his audience to observe a dramatic reconstruction of the events that beset the unfortunate soldier. Bale’s Dengler is aided by fellow captive Duane (Steve Zahn), and a capable cast of characters who variously play prisoners and sadistic guards. The film is split into two parts, with the harrowing experiences of prison life taking the bulk of Herzog’s screen time, followed by a desperate bid for survival in the jungle.

Day Watch

A dazzling mix of state-of-the-art visual effects, amazing action sequences, and nail-biting horror set in contemporary Moscow, DAY WATCH (DNEVNOI DOZOR) revolves around the conflict and balance maintained between the forces of light and darkness — the result of a medieval truce between the opposing sides. This ancient war between the forces of Light and Darkness is reaching a tragic outcome. Each side has gained a powerful Great Other, who are headed for a clash, and Anton Gorodetsky is once again caught up in the midst of things. On one side is Anton’s son, Yegor, who has joined the ranks of the Dark Others, while Anton’s love interest Svetlana is the hope of the Light. But that’s just the beginning of his troubles: Anton is on the run after having been accused of murder. Things are getting worse, and only the ancient Chalk of Fate can save the day. The problem is the magical Chalk has been lost hundreds of years ago…

3:10 to Yuma

Based on the Elmore Leonard story, 3:10 TO YUMA is a riveting remake of the 1957 classic Western. It’s the story of Dan Evans (Christian Bale), a down-and-out rancher who lost his leg in the Civil War. With a wife and two sons, he is struggling to put food on the table, and unable to make payments on his land. When the notorious gunman Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is apprehended nearby, a few local men are needed to escort him to the town of Contention so he can be put on the 3:10 train to Yuma Prison. Few will volunteer for the job, as they know that Wade’s ruthless gang will follow them, but Evans sees an opportunity to make some fast cash, and offers to go in exchange for $200. The small team of men set off, and are later joined by Evans’s young son William (Logan Lerman), who has run away from home to join them. What follows is a race against time, as the group tries to get to Yuma without the clever and dangerous Wade outsmarting them.

Finally, The Good:

9. Superbad

Superbad is easily the most crude film I have ever witnessed. The same creative team of actors from Knocked Up came together to create a perverse high school journey of babes, booze, and one of the highest profanity counts in history. I thought that things went too far, but I do realize that it was the intention from the start to disgust and shock. I cannot recommend the film because of its obscene nature, but that aside that I was not impressed with the humor. Every segment with the two cops (Rogen & Hader) was brilliant, but outside of them the laughs are few and far between. If Superbad is your favorite movie, neither your IQ nor your moral standards are very high.

8. Surf’s Up

This animated tale of surfing penguins was actually much more than a children’s movie. The documentary (yes, documentary) about a young penguin’s quest for surfing fame has comedy and drama that its target audience probably will not appreciate. I laughed throughout the movie and did not feel like I was watching a dumbed down film. Both parents, older siblings, and kids can enjoy this surprisingly intelligent tuxedo formal.

7. Transformers

(review) I loved Transformers for many reasons, but at the same time I was disappointed in areas such as the absurd length. It was entertaining, action-packed, and often hilarious, but it should have been 30 minutes shorter. Also, I was particularly annoyed with the close camera on the transformations. Still, the Bumblebee car chase was excellent, and even with my gripes the movie was a fun time.

6. Knocked Up

(review) The precursor to Superbad is richer in comedy and heart. Whereas Superbad is wholly based on gross-out humor, Knocked Up takes a solid romantic comedy and places the humor over it. Because of its more solid foundation, I found Knocked Up to be a much more complete film than Superbad.

5. Rush Hour 3

(review) Just to be honest, I have an extreme love of the Rush Hour series. I have seen each of the first two films at least twenty times each, and can easily quote the entirety of either. My hope for the third film was that they would stick to the formula, and they did. I honestly wanted it to be more of the same, and that is exactly what was delivered. If you enjoyed the other movies and feel the same way I do, you will not be disappointed by Rush Hour 3. I’ll be picking it up on DVD just to memorize everything.

4. Live Free or Die Hard

(review) I was only casually familiar with the Die Hard series going into LFODH. I had seen bits and pieces of the previous films, but that did not hinder me at all from enjoying this iteration. The movie is a classic action blockbuster, with tons of explosions and plenty of cheesy one-liners. The movie is so exhilarating you cannot help but feel the rush the whole time. Between the comedy and absurd action, I loved Live Free or Die Hard. One question though: why does he look like a mannequin and lack eyebrows on the DVD cover?

3. Ratatouille

(review) Standards for a Pixar film are always extremely high, and in they case of Ratatouille they once again exceeded even the highest expecations. The heartfelt story, the likable characters, the amazing animation…there is plenty to love about this film. I found it hysterical and cannot wait to see it again. It can be enjoyed by kids and adults, and it is not only one of the best movies of 2007, but one of the best animated films (CG or not) of all time.

2. Bourne Ultimatum

(review) Readers of this site know how much I adored The Bourne Ultimatum. In fact, the Bourne series is about as close to a perfect trilogy as you can get. The third and final film took the franchise to new heights in terms of camera, action, and storytelling. It not only is an excellent film itself, but actually raises the quality of the previous films by completing what they started in beautiful fashion. The Bourne Ultimatum is one of my favorite movies, and it is really 1a rather than a 2. Any other summer it would have claimed the number one spot, but this summer…

1. Sunshine

(review) …there was Sunshine. This moving sci-fi epic was one of the most original movies I have seen in a long time. The characters are deep, the story is compelling, and the movie hits you with feverish intensity. Sunshine is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. The artistic presentation of both the ship and space is inspiring and often jaw-dropping. The third act is a drastic change of pace, but it complements the rest of the film. If you want to read more about why I loved the movie check out my review. This movie is an instant purchase for me once it is released, and it highly recommended that you check it out.

I hope you enjoyed my take on the summer of 2007. Hopefully you learned about some movies that you missed so that you can enjoy them on DVD. In my opinion the top 3 (Ratatouille, Bourne, and Sunshine) cannot be missed. Be sure to let me know what you think about this piece in the comments. Thanks for reading!