Before my actual top 10 films this year, I would like to mention 3 Gems that are ineligible for inclusion here but are better than most of what I saw this year altogether. That says a lot as 2007 was a great year at the cinema with quite a few memorable films. Actually, I could have easily made a top 25 list of great selections had I had seen a few more of the releases in time

Balderunner:Final Cut

Epic Sc-fi and one of my all time faves finally got the final cut release. The superb DVD set is the best release of the year

In The Lives Of Others

2007 Oscar winner for Best foreign film, this German project is a powerhouse. Most people didn’t get a chance to experience this work well into 2007. This would have been my #1 last year had I seen it before the years end.

Children Of Men

What a fabulous film. Like the previous title, I did not get a chance to see this one until 2007..It certainly would have been in my top 3 for 2006

MY TOP 10 FILMS OF 2007

1.No Country For Old Men

2.Across The Universe

3.Amazing Grace

4.Ratatouille

T-5.Michael Clayton

T-5.Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead

6.Crime Novel (AKA Romanzo Criminale)

7.Attonement

8.3:10 To Yuma

9.Life In A… Metro

T-10.The Kite Runner

T-10.Persepolis

As I mentioned earlier this was a great year of new releases. Below is a list of noteworthy titles that appear in many top 10 lists and could have also made mine had I seen them in time…

I anxiously look forward to seeing some of these interesting ‘07 titles ASAP>

• The Namesake
• The Great Debaters
• Sweeney Todd
• There Will Be Blood
• Once
• Juno
• The Air I Breathe
• Redacted
• Control
• Shut Up And Sing
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
• Talk To Me
• Rocket Science

Curious to see where some of your favs from ‘07 came up across other critics top 10 lists from around the globe.. Go Check out this chart>

Share your thoughts on the above selections and do post your personal top films of 2007 as well.

Give me a Great film that enlightens over one that merely entertains any day of the week!

I feel that one can learn a lot about a stranger by the type of films they like and observing an individual’s top 10 list is a great way to sum up this experience. This personal list reflects my taste in cinema and I look forward to getting a glance at some of your favs from 2006.

Before the actual list, I would like to mention 3 very special films that were inelegible for inclusion due to various reasons.

WATER I saw this at the 2005 TIFF but it received wide release in 2006. This Marvellous film is one of the best I have seen in a while and was first in my ‘05 list. I’ll even go as far as stating that this was the most moving cinematic experiences of my life!(SEE HERE for further thoughts..) If you did not see it on the big screen, you truly missed out. WATER is Canadas entry for the Oscars this year and I really hope that it makes it.

The New World Although The New World was released very late in 2005, I did not catch it on screen until mid ‘06 and most people saw this on DVD last summer. The New World is a brilliant film and althought it’s not for everybody, those who can appreciate it will be rewarded.

The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D This classic film came out in the early 90’s but was re-released in theaters this year under a digital 3D treatment! WOW.. what an amazing experience. I feel sorry for fans who missed out on it in 2006.

My Top 10 Films Of 2006

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1 The Departed: After a few weak outings, The great Martin Scorsese returns to the big leagues with this marvellous production. The finest film of 2006 and Scorsese’s fifth masterpiece as it has the grit of Raging Bull/Taxi Driver and the wit of Casino/Goodfellas. The all star cast does well to deliver the great script. Those who saw it and thought of this as just an average film will come to appreciate the depth of the characters and the brilliant storyline fully, once they catch the DVD. A remake of Infernal Affairs(2002), The Departed is superior to its predecessor in every way. IA was a good flick but this one is a magnificent film! All HOLLYWOOD politics aside(I’m willing to overlook the films exclusion from the AFI Top 10), if this doesn’t get the best director Oscar…there are going be a few riots out there.

2 Lady In The Water: The love it or hate it film of 2006…M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film struck a cord with me. Butchered by most Critics and film-goers alike as even the most loyal Shyamalan fans shunned this production. This film is not for everyone and I can see why this could fly right over most folks. It is not a horror film out to provide cheap thrills thus it disappointed so many film fans. I feel this is the directors best work yet! If you “got” SIGNS than you will like this one as well. Watch this fable of faith with an open mind and you may be surprised.

3 Apocalypto: Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto is a thrill ride from the first scene and is a visually stunning journey. The film truly transports the audience but its more than a mere adventure ride. This is a humanistic masterpiece where Mayan civilization is used as a metaphor for all of humanity. This memorable film is filled with breathtaking cinematography, defined characters and a story line is carried very well by the manny invloved in it. Gibson did a fabulous job directing this remarkable film.

4 The Proposition: Set in the Aussie outback, The Proposition is a grim, gory, gripping and gritty tale that is rough, raw, rugged and real. I loved the way this film was shot(no pun intended!) as there were some scenes with breathtaking landscape cinematography. If you thought A History of violence was brutal.. wait till you see some of the scenarios here. This Grand and poetic western is a savage and complex masterpiece.

5 Pan’s Labyrinth: Guillermo del Toro(Hellboy) wrote/directed this brilliant fantasy epic. This film was the most well received title of 2006 and for good reason as it’s great cinema. Intelligent and moving, this truly was a mesmerizing experience. Outstanding cinematography and impressive visual effects are capped by marvellously portrayed characters in this dark fable. It also featured one of the finest underscores of ‘06 as I will be picking up the soundtrack CD very soon. Look for Labyrinth come Oscar time.

6 Snow Cake: I knew nothing about it going in and was treated to a delightful gem. Wow, where did this come from? I adored every minute of this fabulous film. The two leads give outstanding performances here; Alan Rickman in the role of his life was brilliant. Loved the great script in a Canadian setting and bonus points for that scene with the comic heros reference. Snow Cake is a low key Drama that is truly moving. Go see it!

7 Stranger Than Fiction: Will Ferrell follows Jim Carrey’s(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind/loved it!) and Adam Sandler’s(Punch-Drunk Love/hated it!) lead into a serious role and pulls it off brilliantly in Stranger Than Fiction. A superb script that is almost Charlie Kaufman-esque. Very touching cinematic experience with surprisingly subtle performances makes this “moral tale” a truly memorable experience.

8 49 Up: Michael Apted’s ongoing Sociology experiment represents the original “reality TV” project. Don’t let that deceive you though as unlike the “real” fluff that you see today, this is one of the most innovative films series ever created. It’s the seventh part of a landmark documentary that began 42 years ago where the subjects have been interviewed on film every seven years since their childhood. Get the entire series and enjoy the “show”.

9 The Lake House: Not just another Chick Flick.. I feel slightly guilty for including this film in my top 10 as it could be considered pretty Cheesy by many but there was something fairly charming about this film that moved me! I am not a fan of either of the leads but their onscreen chemistry was ‘magical’. Quite possibly the finest performance by both Bullock & Reeve to date. The Lake House is a delightful Love story. Do give this film a chance!

10 Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna: Bollywood melodrama galore! Another borderline inclusion in my list… Everyone I know hated this film but I happened to enjoy it very much. This is supposedly the most expensive Hindi film ever made so if you can look past the soap opera storyline and take in the visuals you will see the state of modern day bollywood cinematography. A mature tale that showcases human emotions and the reality of relationships in our lives. A few Must See Bollywood titles

Some Decent(I hope!) titles that I haven’t see yet…

The Painted Veil
Three Times
Curse Of The Golden Flower
The Science of Sleep
Days Of Glory
Akeelah And The Bee
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
The Last King Of Scotland
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros
Children Of Men
Little Children
The Good Shepherd
The Good German

and The Two Good Little Children of German Shepherds(just kidding!)...

Lastly, here are some Personal Lists from the past few weeks…

5 Most eagerly awaited 2007 titles

5 Most Interesting New ‘old films’

5 Most Over-hyped films from 2006

Top 5 comedies of 2006

Complete Summary of 2006 @ the Theaters (coming soon!)

_~~My All Time Favourite Films_~~

>>>>>TOP 10 FILMS OF 2006<<<<<

Do share your own best of 2006!

Those of you who have dropped by my page before have seen many of my entries and goals relating to movies and are aware of my passion for CINEMA.

More than just a form of escapism/entertainment, I enjoy films that preach wisdom and enlighten us in one form or another.

This list represents the cream of the crop from my viewings amongst the 2005 releases
Many of u will have seen most of these films or at least were aware of them. The point of this entry is to present some great films to people who share my passion.

(I’d like to dedicate this entry to a few very special eFriends who have inspired me and cheered anything and everything that I posted, regularly! + A few greetings / Thank U’s @ the END) Don’t peek!

My 2005 List has an incredibly high number of mainstream Hollywood releases even though … during the last few years I have shifted my attention towards more independent/art house projects. I also hold high respect for the international cinema scene

But this year I was not able to dig up as many hidden gems for a few reasons…..
Partly due to the fact that I had to move to a different city( I miss those Double bills at the Mayfair!) and partly because I got to spend over 2 months traveling overseas. Also spending too much time “doing nothing” has resulted in a serious drop in my viewings(Could it be that my procrastinating ways have overcome my love for movies too :( ) I only got to see a 1/3rd(maybe!) of my average totals from previous yrs.

Without any further adieu

MY PICKS FOR THE TOP 10 OF 2005*

1* Water
Deepa Mehta completes her elemental trilogy with this highly controversial yet deeply rich and rewarding project. By far, the best film I had the pleasure of experiencing this year. Water was the opening movie at the TIFF and got a limited release across Canada in November(US release coming this summer)A marvellous cinematic achievement (Detailed Review )A film of this caliber comes along once in a while and makes me glad that I’m a cinema aficionado
Although many great films follow, this one left a personal mark on me an will find a place amongst my all timefaves!

2* Syriana
Complex and engaging. This film will not leave you time for popcorn breaks in between. *One of the most thought provoking films in recent years.Pure Genius. First of 2 magnificent Clooney films in ‘05!

3* Crash
I usually read a few reviews and check with some reliable friends for recommendations before I go to the theaters. This film was an “accident” as I knew absolutely nothing about it going in! Who knew it would turn out to be one of the finest and most talked about films of the year! Blunt and Provocative…. Watch for it come Oscar time , although I certainly hope its early release doesn’t become its downfall as the academy tends to have a very “short” memory.

4* Oldboy
What an experience! Be forewarned, this may not be “everyone’s cup of tea”
more here

5* MunichWOW! All controversy aside, Eric Bana’s performance alone is worth the price of admission. Arguably Spielberg’s BEST!... and that’s saying a lot. True film buffs should be getting goosebumps right about now! : )
An important film with a powerful message

6* Jarhead
The director of American Beauty brings us another *psychological stunner!
Great Film here

7* Good Night, and Good Luck
George Clooney *directs and stars in another brilliant production.
more here

8* Kingdom Of Heaven
Do not buy into all the negative reviews! *The most underrated film of ‘05. If you haven’t seen it yet, wait for the extended cut DVD release coming early ‘06. Give this movie a chance!

Bear with me Guys!

2 not so average chick flicks : P

T-9ShopgirlAKA Relationship 101 AKA Lost In Translation 4 : )
(Garden State was pt 2 and see MISC. below for pt 3)
The “Love it or Hate it with Passion” film of the year…NO WAIT that would be Crap Kong

T-9Pride & Prejudice
OK, nothing will ever come close to the magnificent ‘95 BBC miniseries but this was surprisingly good for a 2 hr rendition. If you’ve read the book or at least seen the mini series, you will truly enjoy this.

Now, I’ll make an effort to redeem my Masculinity with

2 not so average Comic Book adaptations

; )BaRe with US, Ladies!
( We like our Comics but we LOVE you more )

T-10Sin City
Robert Rodriguez brings Frank Miller’s classic graphic novel to life. Kill Bill was a mild family film in comparison to this brutal yet brilliant recreation. Simply Sinsational. Can’t wait for the series to continue….
Also, the extended cut DVD with the complete graphic novel was DA BOMB!

T-10Batman Begins
Oh, how long had we hoped for this….. The only Batman film worth your time! Quite simply the best superhero film ever...You heard me right Spidy fans. Being a big fan of “THE MAN” I was tempted to put this at the number one spot(Guilty pleasure! :P) but seriously, this was a wonderful production. Apart from the extremely annoying Katie Holmes character, this was a truly fabulous Film!
I highly recommend it to Batman fans as well as any cinema fan who likes well made films!

MISC. recommendations and rants!

Films From Abroad

Another film that I highly recommend is
Last Life In The Universe (AKA Lost In Translation pt 3 : ) ). If you liked LiT you will love this.

Although it came out 2 yrs ago, I bought the DVD this year and it simply BLEW me away. This will join Water to become the latest to make it into my ALL TIME FAVOURITES LIST

Fans of the great Kar Wai Wong and his Masterpiece In The Mood For Love finally got 2046 and its final cut!

Faboulous Creation of his Imagination

I think his work is very special!

Also, another amazing job by Christopher Doyle!

Fans of the Japanese Animation Guru Hayao Miyazaki got to see Howl’s Moving Castle
Althouh I felt it was not at the level of brilliance as his previous two films, it was still very solid

Those of you who have not seen Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.... Go out and get them TODAY
I also have to make time to explore his work from the 80’s

Another one that impressed me was the German Drama The Downfall
which outlines the last few days of WW2 and Hitler

Not To be left out…

Ingmar Bergman returns years later with a follow up to Scenes from a Marriage with the adorable human character study in SarabandGreat Film!

Another one worth mentioning is South Korean director Ki-duk Kim’s 3-IronA hauntingly beautiful film.
I also highly recommend his older work Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring

Alrighty then!

IMHOMarch of the Penguins & King Kong were 2 of this years most overhyped and overachieving films

To start off, how an average production about penguins goes on to become one of the biggest grossing Documentaries of ALL TIME is beyond me
You see better stuff on the discovery channel! If you want to see a truly special nature Doc, check out Winged Migration from a few years back(Stunning cinematography).
This years Grizzly Man wasn’t too bad either

Secondly…

KONG '05

What can I say… I am at a loss for any sort of explanation…

I have a NEW theory that tries to make sense of all the acclaim this film is getting. This elaborate scheme randomly exposes “different” cuts of the film delivered to various cities/cinemas! Also involved are handout$ to acclaimed critic$ in exchange for 4 star reviews....
I received squat….thus I am giving my honest opinion ;P

At least these folks saw the same version as me…. : )

These guys must have been lucky enough to see the 1:30 min version

Sadly it will still end up here soon enough…..

Looking back over the year as a whole , once again here is The GOOD(WATER)my thoughts on it coming soon!... the BAD(KONG) and the UGLY!(BLEEP) ;0 OK, that last one is from ‘04

I’m sure there were a lot of worthy films that I missed but here are a few that I want to see ASAP

The New World
I have been waiting for this release for such a long time but a few reliable sources have told me that its good but not great.We’ll see. Still, all hope is not lost as given the films scope ,I’m hoping Mr. Horner becomes inspired and composes a grand score ( unlike his usual rehashed efforts of late)

Also hearing good things about Woody Allen’s latest film Match Point
Any one seen it yet??

Followers of the UP Documentry series by Michael Apted were aware that 2005 was the year of 49 UP

Last year also saw the release of all the previous installments in The Up Series (Seven Up ,7 Plus Seven ,21 Up ,28 Up , 35 Up , 42 Up) in a DVD set

Brilliant stuff.

What a Fascinating concept!
I have got to get my hands on these …....

Lastly, here are a few low key films that have created a lot of buzz
gonna check these out soon!

The Squid and the Whale

Broken Flowers

Me and You and Everyone we Know
and
Juneug

They will be added into my All Consumingqueue....

THE END

Ok, enough movie talk!

I’d like to take this opportunity now and Wish all my fellow 43folks a happy 2006!

May the new year bring U Peace, Love, Health and Happiness
May all your Dreams come true
and may ‘06 be YOUR year!

More specifically, my well wishes to all the people who I’ve come across and gotten to know here over the months…

And to the few Dozen loyal subscribers(whoever you are…)

Thanks for taking the time to drop by….
Cheers to you!

I would like to mention  a few of these special people in particular...

They have been my biggest fans and have always dropped by to check on my entries OH so regularly!

First and foremost .. an old friend S G. I hope you are well. All the best to you my dear! : (

Next, someone who I’ve gotten to know over the last few months…the one and only > D
This individual has been the biggest fan of my lists and faithfully drops by with the most heartfelt and sincere comments.
She told me once that “my lists inspire her” ... I told her “we all know who the TRUE film buff in town is”
Her expertise in Cinema is unmatched by anyone I know and to boot she is one of the most thoughtful and compassionate personalities around 43T. : D

That brings us to Nw, someone who I’ve only known a few weeks but seems as if we are long lost friends. Genuine, intelligent and a truly Empathic individual.. She’s always there to cheer friends and strangers alike! : )

Then there is Misty. A humble soul. Always puts on a brave face regardless. Always there to make someone’s day with her remarks!
I’m gonna hold you to the “Baggae hauling” promise. :P

(Hmmm, who shall we cheerbomb next! HINT HINT)

All of these Gals are so down to earth and friendly and truly awe inspiring! Many of you know all this about them as they already have a huge fan base around 43things.Albeit only via this virtual community, I’m glad I got to know them!
It’s truly been a pleasure

Last(I promise) but not least…..

Props to the ROBOTS Team

These guys/gals have something truly special going here as they continue to do an excellent job maintaining and expanding the 43 network!

I think we all need to appreciate a little more … all the effort they put in behind the scenes.

Happy 1 YR anniversary and many many returns…..

Cheers to all of U

If you saw atleast 10 film in ‘05.. you can make a list

Also ..spread the word among film buffs around 43things by sending personal invites
*

I’d like to finish with a line from one of the movies

“Good Night, and Good Luck.*“