2007 was filled with so much of…well…waiting. Waiting for the music industry to finally figure it all out. Waiting for the DVD standard to be decided on – oh well – let’s just pass on HDDVD AND Blu-Ray. There was barely a budge out of the film attendance records in the US. All the standard movie franchise sequels…yawn! that we aren’t surprised. What is interesting is how many small inventive films are out there being made. My favorite films I saw this year (being a father of a 5 year old who hates sitters…we don’t get out much) are as follows:In no particularly order:
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – Poetic, astonishingly beautiful and inspiring. Schnabel is one of those guys who falls into that multi-hyphenate world reeking of confidence along with others like Saul Bass, Tibor Kalman, Rem Koolhaas, Philippe Starke, Brian Eno and Francis Ford Coppola. Now…”ooh be doo, I wanna be like you hoo hoo”.
- Ratatouille (Brad Bird is a genius) – Can I please score a Brad Bird short in 2008? I loved this film. As I am also a wanna be Food Network star and celebrity chef, I really enjoyed this film. But especially as it is basically about art and passion for your art. Ian Holm is especially good and scary.-
- I Am Legend – though it’s a little too reliant on spooky sound effects and jarring editing, the film is pretty entertaining. Man would I love that house on Washington Square South.
- RAN – Saw this for the first time this year on DVD. It’s Kurosawa’s epic telling of King Lear. Fantastic – and the score by Toru Takemitsu is perfect.
Films I wished I saw:
- No Country For Old Men – The Coens are some of my favorite filmmakers ever. Now if only I could score one of their films. Do you need some help Carter?
- 300 – looked pretty amazing – like a graphic novel come to life – it’s on my list
Let’s go on with a much greater year…welcome 2008.And for some reflective music on the passing of 2007… here’s fellow monk Tom Curiano’s “Italian Job”. Buon provecho!