From what I had heard of this film, I expected only a kind of cinematic stunt: one single take, a follow shot lasting an hour and a half. Instead there is an actual story, a discourse between the Stranger and the floating narrator. I had forgotten the Russians’ ability to make the fantastic seem mundane, creating a mysterious dreamlike environment where no explanations are owed to the audience, freeing the narrative to wander where it will. Though I can see how it might infuriate others, I actually enjoy that style of storytelling. Is the narrator a ghost? A time traveller? Why does the Stranger keep getting chased away by men in white gloves? And where can I buy a coat just like the Stranger’s?

The director describes making the film in a single breath. It is quite an astonishing accomplishment. With only minimal rehearsal, the entire film was shot in a single take. No possibility of reshoots, hundreds of extras, various lighting challenges, and no room for error. I found myself at times thinking to the extras or the cameraman, “Don’t screw up!” But they didn’t. Russian Ark is gorgeous and haunting, a very brave film indeed.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Pan’s Labyrinth
4. Heavenly Creatures
5. Uzumaki
6. Russian Ark
7. Ghost World
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10.

Not too much to say about this one. Two high school girls drift about the summer after graduation, meddling with people’s lives. It had the pathetic, depressed quality of American Splendor (also a comic-to-film), but I didn’t enjoy it as much.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Pan’s Labyrinth
4. Heavenly Creatures
5. Uzumaki
6. Ghost World
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10.

A very dark fairytale. The two worlds of the film, 1944 Spain and the Faerie world are both richly textured and detailed. There are really two stories interwoven into one, each one equally engaging. The creature designs are gorgeous, with very little CGI for the main creatures. The violence in the film is extreme and gory, but it all occurs in the “normal” world, which makes it that much more horrific. The camera rarely ever looks away, even when you wish it very much would.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Pan’s Labyrinth
4. Heavenly Creatures
5. Uzumaki
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10.

Uzumaki didn’t have quite the same effect the second time around. Also, I saw it with a bunch of friends, so it didn’t seem as creepy.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Heavenly Creatures
4. Uzumaki
5.
6.
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9.
10.

I’m not too familiar with Peter Jackson’s earlier works, so Heavenly Creatures was a bit of an education. It featured Kate Winslet in her very first role, a surprisingly mature and capable young actress.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
3. Heavenly Creatures
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10.

I was really surprised with Stay. I had expected a mildly entertaining Sixth Sense or Jacob’s Ladder retread. Instead I got a thought provoking, cleverly woven story with exceptional cinematography and fascinating visual tricks. I had never noticed Ryan Gosling before this film, but he, Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts and Bob Hoskins were a great cast. I’m surprised there wasn’t more buzz about this film.

1. Children of Men
2. Stay
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5.
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7.
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9.
10.

Even if Children of Men had been worthless, it would still make the #1 slot by virtue of being the first film I’ve seen in 2007. Fortunately, it is a work of art.

Absolutely devastating, at once horrific and beautiful. One of the most frightening movies I have seen in quite a while. We absolutely cannot let the world get anywhere close to the one in this movie.

At the very least, this is the Oscar for best cinematography. There is a single take that is one of the most astonishing things I’ve ever seen on film. It goes on forever, impossibly choreographed, flawlessly executed.

1. Children of Men
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10.

Although I might catch “Children of Men” before the year’s up, I think the top 10 list is locked up for 2006. I’ll take a stab at what the 2007 list will look like.

1. The Fountain
2. Stardust
3. Stranger Than Fiction
4. Pan’s Labyrinth
5. Dusk Watch
6. Hot Fuzz
7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
8. Transformers
9. 300
10. Spider-Man 3

I’m sure there will be some surprises in there, foreign and indy films that show up via Netflix.

Tenacious D is a glorious rock opera, oozing with comedic genius. Its awesomeness was evident within about 5 seconds when Meatloaf appeared as young JB’s father. The film then proceeded to rule.

1. Brick
2. Inside Man
3. Day Watch
4. Night Watch
5. Howl’s Moving Castle
6. The Departed
7. Crash
8. Uzumaki
9. Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny
10. The Prestige