Paul Picks Top Flix

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Paul.

Herewith, my favorite movies of 2007. House rules. There must be at least one comedy, one musical, and one mindless action picture...but nothing with the word “Matrix” in the title. Also, there must be at least one Tommy Lee Jones movie, because he is more interesting in repose than most actors jumping off rooftops.

My Baker’s Dozen Faves:

1. Waitress – A must for every woman who yearns to bake “I Hate My Husband Pie.” The sentimental pick after the tragic murder of writer/director/co-star Adrienne Shelly. A sweet laffer with heart. Speaking of which...

2. A Mighty Heart – The realistic, gritty, heartbreaking Daniel Pearl story. Prediction: Angelina Jolie gets Oscar nom.

3. The Lives of Others – East German snooping. A suspenser devastating in the details.

4. Ratatouille – A sly, witty tooner set in a restaurant. If “Waitress” doesn’t make you hungry, this one will.
5. Michael Clayton – I’m a sucker for dirty lawyer movies. This one’s more solid than spectacular, but as Renee said with a sigh when George Clooney came on the screen: “Now, there’s a movie star.”

6. Sicko – Those darn medical insurers. Michael Moore at his best. This one’s tarnished a bit by the not entirely accurate representations of health care in Cuba.

7. The Bourne Ultimatum – The new template for hyper-paced actioners. Sets record for two-second shots. (Honestly, count them). Great for the attention impaired.

8. Away From Her – Jule Christie, still radiant at 66, humanizes Alzheimers in sweet sudser.

9 & 10. TIE: Sweeney Todd & Hairspray – The former tuner is filled with blood, the latter with nostalgia. Loved them both, especially Tim Burton's version of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney," which drained all the corn syrup from the musical theater. How about these lyrics from the number, "No Place Like London"?

"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
And it's filled with people who are filled with shit!
And the vermin of the world inhabit it!"

"My Fair Lady," it ain't. Jeez, even the poster is dark.

11. The Lookout – Finally, a heist movie where we don't root for the criminals. Superior script by veteran scribe and rookie director Scott Frank. Jeff Daniels, the Jack Lemmon of his generation, will get Oscar nom for supporting role.

12. In the Valley of Elah – A whodunit and more. The aftermath of Iraq on our soldiers’ psyches. My Tommy Lee Jones pick, topping the over-hyped “No Country for Old Men.”

13. 3:10 to Yuma – From the Elmore Leonard novel, this re-make is the best horse opera since “Unforgiven,” even if the ending is hard to buy. Russell Crowe is the smart killer with a hidden humanity. Christian Bale proves the real meaning of courage. Bale has quietly become one of our best actors. If you never saw his debut in Steven Spielberg’s under-appreciated “Empire of the Sun,” rent it now.


MOVIES (REAL) CRITICS LIKED THAT DIDN’T MAKE MY LIST

1. The Savages - Octogenarian writes on bathroom wall with his feces. Now, that’s entertainment!

2. Lars and the Real Girl - Lonely fellow buys a make-believe girlfriend from Real Doll. (No, it’s not about Jim Born’s years at Florida State).

3. No Country for Old Men - I know I’m in the minority here, but some plot devices that worked in the book looked like...well, plot devices on the screen.

4. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - It paralyzed me.

5. There Will Be Blood - Yeah, I got all the metaphorical stuff about avarice and predatory capitalism, and the American Way. And, yeah, I know Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant, even if he borrowed the voice of John Huston’s Noah Cross from “Chinatown.” But I hated the obtrusive (yet highly praised) score by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, which telegraphed every punch. I found the film ponderous and pretentious...and way too long at two hours, thirty-eight minutes, which is nearly one hour longer than either “Casablanca” or “The Maltese Falcon.”

MOVIE I’D LEAP OFF A MOUNTAIN TO SEE

Steep, the extreme skiing docu. Seems like the mountain equivalent of “Riding Giants,” the breathtaking surfing documentary of a few years ago. Check out the spectacular "Steep" trailer.

“HONEY, IT’S ALIVE!”

The cliche scene of the year. Along with her doofus boyfriend, the smart, unmarried pregnant woman goes all mushy when she sees the beating heart of her baby-to-be on the sonogram. Look for the scene in both “Juno” and “Knocked Up,” which are otherwise smart and sassy.


HOW TO KILL A MOVIE AT THE BOX OFFICE

Describe it, as Salon.com does, as a “Romanian abortion thriller." Talking about “4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days.” Trailer here. “C’mon honey. Pack up the kids. Let’s go see that Romanian abortion thriller at the multiplex.”

What about you? What's your favorite movie of 2007? (Jim Born's pick is "Florida State Football Highlights," although that's more of a short than a feature.) Any movies you hated?

(Click envelope below to send to a fellow cineophile.

Paul