TOP 40 Movies of 2007

I'm a movie-buff, no denying. Only I will bother to come-up with this kind of lists =x

But films are such a big part of the entertainment business, and I'm sure in one way or another, you're affected by this multi-billion dollar industry. Movies move us in such a profound way it's so hard to explain.

"What is your favourite movie ever?" Such a question will instantly evoke so much memory flashes that it's bound to cause a headache.

People like to remember things that make them laugh, cry, think deeply, or simply go: "WOW!" (Or, on the other hand, "YUCK. WHY DID I WATCH THAT!?")

Which movies made it to the top10? Most importantly, who's #1?? There are guaranteed surprises along the way. So... here's presenting to you my personal list of the TOP40 MOVIES OF 2007!

Rating system:
WoooooW (5.0/5) = Go watch it. Now.
WooooW (4.0/5) = Solid. Recommended.
WoooW (3.0/5) = Good entertainment.
WooW (2.0/5) = Er..think twice.
WoW (1.0/5) = Danger! Run away!!

(beginning with the WORST to the BEST)


THE UGLY: [is it a coincidence they are all comedies? It's so hard to make intelligent ones nowadays.]

#40 Epic Movie > WooW (1.5/5) > so lame it's not funny. a very, very bad spoof movie. Totally NOT in the league of Scary Movie or Date Movie. Life is precious, don’t watch this!!

#39 Shrek 3 > WoooW (2.5/5) > disappointing and forgettable. No longer as fun as the brilliant first two.

#38 Balls of Fury > WoooW (2.5/5) > read review. On second thought, this movie didn’t deserve my original rating (3.0). It’s a very mediocre (and mindless) flick. Only Maggie Q was a breath of fresh air. Christopher Walken should sue the producers for casting him in this mess!


THE MEDIOCRE: [3 of them were multi-million dollar productions. One was even the most expensive Chinese film ever-made, with a price-tag of $45m. Though all three were a smash at the box-office (thank goodness), there's still no excuse to give audiences a bad storyline]


#37 High School Musical 2 >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> Not as infectious as the first; but the premise itself (a country club - not the high school, technically) proves interesting enough for the dynamics of this highly-bankable Disney channel musical. As usual, the show delivers the tunes (You Are the Music in Me, Fabulous, Bet on It, to name a few), but the real show-stopping numbers are I Don’t Dance, which features a nifty baseball-park dance, and the finale, All For One. Like the first movie, real-life couple Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens share electrifying chemistry on-screen.
P.S. On a side note, Hudgens will still reprise her role in High School Musical 3 despite her nude-photos scandal. Good for her.

#36 Curse of the Golden Flower (滿城盡帶黃金甲) >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> the story was unbefitting for the grandeur of the film. What a waste of talents for a movie, too. Chow Yun Fatt was disappointing; Gong Li let her boobs did the acting; and Jay Chou was perfectly … miscast. But the sets were really extraordinary ($45,000,000 leh!)


#35 Transformers >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT of the year! But I’m in love with the robots, effects, cars and… that’s all. Jazz was killed. The script was crap. Doesn’t have that epic Jurassic Park feeling, you know?

#34 1408 >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> This is an old-school, spooky-flick based on a book by Stephen King. The haunted hotel room itself is effectively claustrophobic and the movie does deliver a couple of good scares. Primarily a film exploring the themes of faith and redemption, the mediocrity of the script is improved by a competent John Cusack. Ace production values. Good entertainment for a lazy, rainy afternoon.

#33 Mr Bean's Holiday >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> possibly his last foray - not as hilarious as Bean: The Ultimate Disaster, but still funny. This movie made me think twice before eating a fresh oyster =x

#32 Spiderman 3 >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> great, great effects but story falls flat. Soulless. There are just bloody too many villains! Venom deserves more than this, seriously.


#31 Secret (不能说的秘密) >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> read review. Interesting twist but bad ending. Quite amateur but good effort, still. Has effectively become a mini-phenomenon in the Mandarin pop market. Jay Chou is undeniably talented.


THE NOT-BADs: [these are movies that I actually enjoyed. Can tell that the producers or actors did put in some hard effort. FUNNIEST MOVIE and GROSSEST MOVIE are both in this category =x Don't worry, they're 2 different movies]

#30 Beowulf >> WoooW (3.0/5) >> read review. As I've said, after watching Enchanted and Stardust, I have to minus 0.5 from original rating (3.5). It belongs here only because of the grandeur of the ancient poem it was based on and the masterful technology which helped realise the text on-screen. However, it is precisely this CGI that failed the movie. Why not spend that money to make it a motion picture? I’m sure it would turn out as spectacular as the LOTR trilogy, which was all I was thinking of throughout the show.

#29 Resident Evil 3: Extinction >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> read review. A slick made-for-guys showcase of (scary) zombies, shoot-outs and babes. Sets are worthy, ‘cause they’ve got all the money from the first two movies.


#28 The Protégé (门徒) >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> gripping story throughout, with worthy performances by Andy Lau and Daniel Wu. Don’t do drugs, ok?

#27 Borat >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> ingenious and laugh-out-laugh first-half degenerates into a rude, disgusting second-half which leaves audiences in bad taste. GROSSEST MOVIE of the year!

#26 The Game Plan >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> read review. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson did a remarkable job as a serious jock turned caring father in this occasionally-funny Disney fare. Film was saved by a dramatic and touching second-half.

#25 Just Follow Law (我在政府部门的日子) >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> FUNNIEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR! I remember laughing so, so, so hard at this movie that I cried. This movie made me salute Fann Wong for her incredible acting. She grabbed her body at places that I’m sure she hasn’t before in her life. Storyline was not exactly original, but it succeeded as a sharp, satirical observation of the civil service. Hilarious, Singaporean stuff. Ignore the rubbish ending, though.

#24 Music and Lyrics >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> not exactly a musical but it’s a feel-good romantic comedy starring two of the most bankable stars in the genre - Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. The soundtrack is filled with delicious 80’s pop, and the theme song Way Back Into Love (duet by the two stars) is a lovely number you won’t soon forget.


#23 200 Pounds Beauty >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> only Korean show I watched this year, but it serves as a solid romantic comedy of slapstick-humour and moving moments. The lead actress is drop-dead gorgeous and the soundtrack (“Maria … Ave Maria!”) is infectiously memorable.

#22 Ocean's 13 >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> not as smart as the first two, sadly. But it’s a guilty pleasure to watch the cool dudes George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon do their ’thang again. That last Oprah Winfrey scene is classic.


#21 Babel >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> it’s like the international version of Crash (2006’s Oscar Best Picture) featuring 4 intertwining stories from Mexico, America, Middle-East and Japan. It’s both intriguing and unsettling at the same time (not a good thing). Solid performances throughout, though.

#20 Knocked-Up >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> read review. Funny! Mature content. Touching. Katherine Heigl is gorgeous.

#19 Dreamgirls >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> probably not as fantastic as I imagined but the songs and costumes are amazing. There’s a reason why American Idol alumni Jennifer Hudson won her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. And just f.y.i., THREE out of 5 songs in the Best Song (Oscar) category came from the soundtrack of Dreamgirls. Wow. And Beyonce is officially the chio-est star in Hollywood =)


#18 Friends with Money >> WooooW (3.5/5) >> Happy Life V.S. Money. Who wins? An ensemble-acting piece that delivers laughs and moving moments. And Jennifer Aniston is in the movie. Yay! (F.Y.I, this has NOTHING to do with the sitcom Friends)


THE WORTHY-ONES: [Solid entertainment pieces in their own rights. You are bound to find something you enjoy over here =D]


#17 Battle of Wits (墨攻) >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> Old-fashioned but very smart and an outright-good war movie. Andy Lau (刘德华) is firm and steady in his place. Forget about Curse of the Golden Flower. Watch this.

#16 Disturbia >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> The four stars I awarded are four solid stars. Although it started off slow, this Hitchcock-style thriller picks up along the way and delivers the excitement right till the end. It’s first-rate entertainment for today’s YouTube-loving youths. Shia LeBeouf and his competent co-stars are fun to watch.

#15 The Simpsons Movie >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> Didn’t disappoint. The dysfunctional family is in its element. Set to become a cult classic. Laugh-every-minute good stuff!


[ I did this poster myself! The 'dead-man's chest' key is a keychain I bought from Hong Kong Disneyland (incidentally a very disappointing Disneyland). But it's cool, right? =P ]

#14 Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> this is the best ‘trilogy movie’ this year. Shrek 3 certainly can’t compare to this excellent series. The first pirates got us all excited and the second got us all ROFL. The third combined the excitement of the first and the humour of the second and gave us a finale that was BIG ON EFFECTS, genuinely-inspired moments and a stirring soundtrack. Who can forget Chow Yun-Fat’s “Welcome to Singapore.”?

#13 Zodiac >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> (Not to be confused with the gawd-awful Singaporean-animation of the same name) This Hollywood-film is a taut and suspenseful thriller about a psychopath serial-killer that terrorised the US back in the 70’s. What’s most scary about the film is that it is based on true events - and the case remained unsolved to this day. Clever, spine-chilling stuff.



#12 The Devil Wears Prada >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> a chick flick that’s surprisingly endearing and very enjoyable. Anne Hathaway was gorgeous in the film’s Oscar-nominated wardrobe and the ever-reliable Meryl Streep delivered the acting chops once again as the aforementioned ‘Devil’. And who could’ve forgotten the comic revelation that was Emily Blunt? Gets better on repeated viewings.

#11 The Queen >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> okay, I bought the VCD for this. But still, Helen Mirren’s Oscar-winning role as Queen Elizabeth was a spectacle I couldn’t miss. I wasn’t disappointed. This movie tells the true-story of the widespread criticism and hatred that was cast upon the British Royal Family in the wake of Princess Diana’s death. Insightful, engaging, warm and funny.


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Are you ready for TEN of the BEST movies this year? (In my opinion lah)
In the list, there are TWO animations, ONE musical, ONE sci-fi movie, TWO based on a book (1 fantasy and the other rated R21), THREE action movies, and ONE based on a true-story. Yup, that's TEN in total. Which is number ONE?

Here we go.. the TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2007!


#10 Sunshine >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> An exceptionally-filmed and scary sci-fi flick that deserves a cult status. The Sun has died and a mission of scientists sent to re-ignite it goes awfully wrong after they discover a distress signal sent out by a space shuttle that went missing years ago. Nail-biting stuff. Ambitious and excellent on effects. Besides Hollywood stars like Chris Evans, it stars a couple of respectable Asian actors including Michelle Yeoh.


#9 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> read review. Well-made. Delicious acting (from the young and old actors alike). The mature edge is what the next (final) two movies should take. Great showdown that effectively captures the magic of the book.


#8 Lust, Caution >> WooooW (4.0/5) >> read review. A lushly-filmed erotic espionage that haunts its audience long after the final scene fades out. Tang Wei is the magnificent newcomer whose vulnerability and sensuality propelled this film to a certified cult status. Lee Ang and Tony Leung are unstoppable as usual.


THE FANTASTICs: [near-classics that are admirable and utterly-memorable]


#7 Meet the Robinsons >> WoooooW (4.5/5) >> This movie was grossly-underrated! An orphan-boy travels into the future and meets this quirky family who changes his life forever. It’s imaginative, funny and very touching. This is how an animation should be made. Cherish your family! Almost on-par with Ratatouille. It’s still seriously recommended if you enjoy animation.


#6 300 >> WoooooW (4.5/5) >> Breakthrough movie of the year. Violent, brutal and very, very cool! A technical feat also. "This - is - SPARTA!!" Sorry, a little carried away =x


#5 The Bourne Ultimatum >> WoooooW (4.5/5) >> read review. Shockingly clever and exciting thriller. Jason Bourne is finally on his ending-quest to find out his true identity and his lost-memories. Matt Damon excels. Julia Stiles is under-used (damn it). The director (Paul Greengrass) rocks. It's a fantastic and raw action movie.


THE CLASSICs: [these are the perfectly-justified reasons why we pay to go to the movies.]


#4 Ratatouille >> WoooooW (5.0/5) >> read review. Brilliantly funny and beautiful at the same time. Disney + Pixar = instant classic. You just have to love it =)


#3 Hot Fuzz >> WoooooW (5.0/5) >> who knew I could enjoy this movie SO MUCH? It’s a guy’s ultimate guilty pleasure, I tell you. It is a great spoof on cop-buddy movies and guess what, it is extremely funny. There’s a silly twist to boot, and the finale firearms shoot-out is unexplainably cool.


#2 Hairspray >> WoooooW (5.0/5) >> read review. Seriously, you can’t stop the beat! An instant classic. An energetic and extremely entertaining achievement. The song-and-dance numbers are show-stopping to say the least. The final dance number is worth your ticket price, trust me. John Travolta is a hoot in a classic cross-dressing role. The ENTIRE cast is great!


#1 The Pursuit of Happyness >> WoooooW (5.0/5) >> Favourite movie ever. It’s the same reason why Tuesdays with Morrie (by Mitch Albom) is my favourite book ever. The movie is funny and very touching (sob sob) mainly because of Will Smith and his talented, cute son Christopher Smith. Uplifting and feel-good as it was inspired by a true story. Highly, highly recommended. Hard-work pays off. (I’ve got the DVD.) =P

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THE ALTERNATE CATEGORies

Movies I Watched After This List was Made: Stardust (3.5/5 - read review), Enchanted (3.5/5 - read review)

Pity I Didn't Watch! : Letters from Iwo Jima, 881, Alone

Lucky I Didn't Watch: License to Wed, Bridge to Taribithia, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry

Coming Soon (that I'm excited about): I Am Legend (Will Smith stars in this ultra-slick vampire flick), The Golden Compass (Nicole Kidman and 007's Daniel Craig team up in this fantasy epic), 30 Days of Night (Graphic zombie film from the people who brought us Sin City), Ah Long Ltd (Local comedy brings Jack Neo and Fann Wong together again), The Dark Knight (Christian Bale reprises his critical-acclaimed role as Batman in this much-anticipated prequel)

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So there you go. The TOP40 of 2007. You don't have to agree with everything. But I hope you'll go check-out some of the recommended and worthy ones; and run away from those Ugly ones (you've been warned!).

Rest assured I'll still be reviewing movies along the way. Until next year, when I have a new list for 2008. See you then!

Take care, peeps!