Big Picture Big Sound

With 2007 fading fast in the rearview mirror, it's time to evaluate the cinematic year and all it entailed. As always, there were a few pleasant surprises (who knew that the enchanting "Juno" would be this year's little engine that could, or that I'd easily keep my popcorn down during "Atonement?") and a few crashing disappointments (some of which are pitifully featured below).

I've never been very good at random guesswork. Some people have a knack for it; I could predict that someone is 35 and discover he isn't old enough to legally buy a pack of Marlboros. It's just not my thing. But in the spirit of good fun (and better yet, self-humiliation) Joe and I are revisiting our picks for best fall/winter releases.

Note: On my list, I haven't yet seen the ultra-gritty "American Gangster" or politically charged "Lions for Lambs," which, from everything I've heard, sounds about as informed and genuine as Mike Huckabee discussing foreign policy. On both accounts, yeah, I'll pass.

Click here for Joe's recap.

"Across the Universe"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: Woo-hoo! One of two on my list that I enjoyed more than expected. Julie Taymor's Beatle-centric musical won't be joining the ranks of "Singin' in the Rain" anytime soon, but it's adventurous and catchy enough to make an impression. Besides, when else will you get the chance to see the self-serious Bono sing, "I am the Eggman"?


"Lust, Caution"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: About as well as Ang did making this movie (ouch). This agonizingly overlong, Shanghai-based espionage thriller takes the words "dry" and "boring" to new heights. Even the sex scenes between Tang Wei and Tony Leung are painful to sit through — literally: There's a lot of throat grabbing, rape simulations and other such erotic activities. Major meh.


"Lars and the Real Girl"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: I wanted to love this one but ultimately just kinda-sorta liked it. Truth be told, I gave it a 3-star prediction and hoped it would be half a point higher; instead, it was half a point lower. Alas. Ryan Gosling is decent in this story about a man who falls for a doll, but it's hard to relate to — or worse, laugh at — a guy who would look right at home in a strait jacket.


"Reservation Road"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: Not so good. I am always starved for a solid thriller, but there's not a goosebump or raised hair to be found in this molasses-paced portrait of two families dealing with the death of a kid. It's essentially a character study about dronish people, the type you'd pray not to bump into at a party until you were at least semi-buzzed. Between this and the inexcusably bad "The Brave One," here's hoping 2008 can yield some better chills and thrills.


"Margot at the Wedding"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: Wasn't what I hoped it would be, but it's not a total wash. It does have that bad-taste awkwardness that Noah Baumbach is so good at serving up, though, be warned, not to the same effect as "Squid and the Whale." Where that one has subtle depth, this one veers more toward the vapid (and at times, shticky). Still, the zingy one-liners and nuanced performances make it worthy of the old college try.


"Sweeney Todd"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: Very well. So well, in fact, that this one surpassed my expectations and landed a spot on my top 10 for the year. Recent Burton/Depp collaborations have made me want to slit my own neck, but they redeem themselves with this bloody good musical tale of revenge and defective meat pies. Way to go, boys.


"The Savages"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: Close but no cigar. Tamara Jenkins' dysfunctional family outing, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, has a certain charm to it, but doesn't resonate or stir up too much conversation in the aftermath. It's a good film with good acting (would you expect anything less from them?) … and that's about it. Ta-da.


"There Will Be Blood"
Prediction:
How'd I do?: This breaks my heart a little, but PTA's latest is no "Boogie Nights." Everyone singing this movie's praises talks about the acting by Daniel Day-Lewis, which is of course mindblowing, and the myriad of great scenes in the first two-thirds. But what about the last third? Remember that endless stretch of time where virtually nothing memorable happens and there are sudden flash-forwards in time? Yeah, me neither. "There Will Be Blood" gets my vote for "Most In Need Of An Editor"; it is a fascinating journey that goes on to the point of exhaustion.