Top Ten Movies and Albums of 2007

TOP TEN MOVIES

10. American Gangster

Based on the life of Manhattan drug lord Frank Lucas, American Gangster is a memorable entry into the gangster film canon. Starring Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Crowe as the cop hell-bent on ending his reign as kingpin, the film plays out like a giant game of tug-of-war, closely following Lucas’ and Roberts’ lives separately until their inevitable meeting at the movie’s climax. Despite its predictability, American Gangster’s strong performances, epic scope and stark portrayal of the violence and chaos of 1970s New York City make it one of the year’s best movies. Justin Hunter Scott

9. Waitress

Waitress is the story of a woman whose life has spun completely off track, but who finds new hope through baking and illicit sex. Despite the seemingly sordid premise, it’s a beautiful movie—feel-good and charming, and at once heartbreaking and uplifting. Come for Keri Russell in her sparkling role as the title character, stay for Cheryl Hines and director Adrienne Shelley as wacky but sweet co-waitresses and enjoy Nathan Fillion (who deserves to be a real movie star) as Russell’s surprisingly complex doctor/lover/savior. Leave with renewed hope in the power of simple movies—and desperate for a pie that looks that good. Shira Hecht

8. Ratatouille

The concept is somewhere between ridiculous and grotesque: an uber-cultured French rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) pursues his dream as a Parisian bistro chef. But what could have been a disaster of bland clichés turns out to be a masterful blend of superb Pixar animation sprinkled with off-the-cutting-board witticisms and just a hint of irony. Ratatouille proves that the right cinematic ingredients can make anyone love a rat.
Chelsea Paige

7. Children of Men

Adapted from P.D. James’ sci-fi novel of the same name, Children of Men is the dystopian vision of a world where humans have mysteriously lost the ability to procreate. But when one woman (Claire-Hope Ashitey) miraculously becomes pregnant, all hell breaks loose as different factions vie to control her for political ends. Clive Owen delivers a fantastic performance as the morally admirable Theo Faron, and Michael Caine’s turn as the wily hippy Jasper is both hilarious and memorable. With its impeccable set design and expert direction by Alfonso Cuarón, Children of Men is the best science fiction movie of the year.
Justin Hunter Scott

6. Michael Clayton

Despite a scathing review from one of the Voice’s own critics, the rest of our staff liked Michael Clayton enough to vote it to #6. The film follows Clayton (George Clooney), a “fixer” for a high-powered New York City law firm, as he struggles with his conscience and the firm’s rampant corruption. Chief litigator Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), Clayton’s close friend, suffers a mental breakdown and another litigator, the chilling Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton), decides to take the matter into her own hands. The film rewards close attention with a richly intricate plot that culminates in an indelibly satisfying ending.
Jeff Reger

5. Darjeeling Limited

In the tradition of The Royal Tenenbaums, indie darling Wes Anderson’s latest opus is a visually stunning examination of one family’s hopes, melancholy and abundant quirks. A mustachioed Jason Schwartzman and a bandaged Owen Wilson, both Anderson stalwarts, team up with Adrien Brody on a train trip through India in a quest for self-discovery, brotherly bonding and maternal love from an impeccable Anjelica Huston. The whimsical soundtrack and sumptuous landscapes—classic Anderson fare—only add to the story’s heart-wrenching beauty. In constantly aiming for poignancy, The Darjeeling Ltd could slip into preciousness, but the film’s aesthetic value is undeniable.
Juliana Brint

4. Knocked Up

Writer/director Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up accomplishes the feat of turning a situation few would find comical into a non-stop laugh fest. The premise is simple: Allison (Katherine Heigl) finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand with the jobless, thinks-he’s-still-in-college Ben (Seth Rogen). We all know that the ensuing bout between maturity and irresponsibility will inevitably produce a happy ending (it’s a comedy, after all). Nonetheless, the entertaining and realistic subplots—Ben and his ridiculous roommates, Alison’s sister’s failing marriage and, of course, the nine months of pregnancy and the growth of Alison and Ben’s romance prove that Knocked Up earns, if not requires, repeated viewings.
Liz Kuebler

3. Superbad

In Knocked Up the boy-meets-and-impregnates-girl storyline paled in comparison to the wisecracking characters and witty one-liners. Fortunately, Superbad wisely does away with a plot—and for the most part, girls—except as objects of awkward teenage desire. The result is one long, dirty-minded, testosterone-fueled extravaganza, where the jokes hit so hard and so fast that you might miss what happens next if you laugh too hard. As in every good high school comedy, though, the heart of the story is the relationship between the two main characters (Michael Cera and Jonah Hill) as the boys deal with their fears of growing up, growing apart and getting some along the way.
Shira Hecht

2. Pan’s Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth intertwines a traditional fairytale—replete with elaborate backdrops, hazy flashbacks and terrifying mythical creatures—with the grim real life of a little girl, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), who lives with her mother (Maribel Verdu) and stepfather (Sergi Lopez), a Spanish military official, in the isolated woods of post-Civil War Spain. Taken in tandem, the two stories make for a thrilling fable in which the real-life villains are even scarier than their fantasy counterparts. Writer/director Guillermo del Toro has crafted a magical world that is simultaneously so frightening and enticing that Ofelia cannot turn back—and neither will you.
Vivian Chen

1. The Lives of Others

This unerringly honest and intelligent German film was released stateside only after its Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film of 2006. Set in 1984 East Berlin, The Lives of Others follows two upright men as they struggle with the state’s endemic corruption and corrosive ideology; one, Capt. Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe), is a Stasi officer assigned to spy on the other, Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch), a patriotic playwright who becomes disillusioned with the state after the blacklisting and subsequent suicide of his close friend. Wiesler begins to sympathize with Dreyman after discovering the true reason for the investigation: a powerful government official, Minister Hempf (Thomas Thieme), is infatuated with Dreyman’s girlfriend, Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck). This meticulously crafted drama expertly captures the atmosphere of an oppressive society where good people are forced to muddle through ethical dilemmas, with tragic results. Jeff Reger

TOP TEN ALBUMS

10. Caribou ANDORRA

Andorra could be the soundtrack to one of Brian Wilson’s dreams. Dan Snaith’s fourth effort—he previously released music under the name Manitoba—roots itself in the sensibilities of ‘60s pop. On this latest album, Snaith expands his work with rhythmic and electronic flourishing. As the Canadian has noted in previous interviews, the album has more of a “full-band” feel than his previous compositions, so the disc serves as a nice point of entry for those less enthusiastic about electronica. Be sure to check out album highlights “Melody Day” and “Eli” for starters.
Dan Cook

9. Nina Nastasia & Jim White YOU FOLLOW ME

A successful collaboration between an introspective singer-songwriter, a virtuoso drummer and a punk-rock producer is a rarity, but Nastasia and White, along with producer Steve Albini, have released a raw, dynamic album. White’s sly drumming surrounds and propels Nastasia’s marvelous, vulnerable voice to evoke a deep loneliness. On “Late Night,” drummer and singer alike begin with a whisper but crescendo throughout the song. Rarely is the combination of lyrics and musicianship as effective as it is on You Follow Me, and only the album’s limited ambition keeps it from the top of the list.
Tim Fernholz

8. Of Montreal HISSING FAUNA, ARE YOU THE DESTROYER?

This year in Of Montreal-land, lead singer Kevin Barnes broke up with his wife and got funky. No more loopy, folksy narratives; on this album, we’re having sex. Those outside of the Barnes family circle got all of the musical upheaval with none of the emotional baggage. The album is a delightful amalgamation of off-the-wall beats, gorgeous yet scathing lyrics and those transcendent moments when confusion and chaos suddenly give way to pure pop bliss. Barnes might be crazy and heartbroken, but he understands the art of melody. Here’s hoping he remains this bizarre and prolific when he figures his life out.
Shira Hecht

7. Akron/Family LOVE IS SIMPLE

Akron/Family built a solid reputation on their frenzied guitar rock-outs, chaotic tribal rhythms and multi-part vocal harmonies. But after their fantastic debut and excellent split LP with Angels of Light, the band seemed to lose their way on 2006’s Meek Warrior. Thankfully, they’ve returned to form on their latest effort. With romping Neil Young-esque rockers balanced against extended tribal jams, Love Is Simple is perhaps their best album to date, largely due to its cohesive theme and boundless energy. Highlights include “Don’t Be Afraid You’re Already Dead” and “Phenomena,” though the album is excellent from start to finish.
Justin Hunter Scott

6. Andrew Bird ARMCHAIR APOCRYPHA

On his seventh album, Andrew Bird proves himself a Renaissance man of sorts, showcasing his prowess on the violin, the guitar and even the glockenspiel, which he layers to create a brooding, symphonic sound. Bird’s guitar is more prominent here than on previous efforts, punctuating the otherwise soft and restrained ambience of songs like “Fiery Crash” and “Imitosis.” Still, superhuman whistling abilities remain his secret weapon and provide the perfect foil to the driving drums in “Dark Matter.” Throw in some sardonic humor and Bird’s low, meandering vocals, and you have an album as dark as it is beautiful.
Vivian Chen

5. Spoon GA GA GA GA GA

Most people know that Spoon craft short pop songs for albums that grow on you. Most others know that Girls Can Tell is the best among them … or is it? Indeed, the band’s most recent—albeit most foolishly named—effort punches to victory with, well, short pop songs. But they’re so well executed, so crisp, that you’ll be rooting for this album to take the crown. Perfect, then, that the album’s stand-out track, a brass-driven meditation on middle-class mediocrity, is entitled “The Underdog.” Not buying my rave? I’ll let Britt Daniel and company answer the haters: “You got no fear of the underdog / That’s why you will not survive!”
Tim Fernholz

4. Battles MIRRORED

Battles’ full-length debut is a well-crafted blitzkrieg of percussive and vocal textures rendered by morphing synthesizers, clean guitar work and stampeding drums. The college-radio friendly track “Atlas” combines extraterrestrial pitch-shifting vocals, snorting low-pitch synths and a primordial yet stabilizing bass drum. The strength of the track—and Mirrored in general—lies in the band’s ability to assemble and then pulverize songs as conceptually complex as they are danceable, despite the potential for an utter meltdown.
Chelsea Paige

3. Radiohead IN RAINBOWS

With its pay-what-you-want price tag, In Rainbows garnered media fanfare as a turning point in the struggle between bands and record companies. But don’t let that distract you from the fact that this is an excellent album. Accessible and straightforward in a way Radiohead hasn’t been since The Bends, In Rainbows is arguably their most beautiful work to date. Album highlights such as “Nude” and “Reckoner” feel light and airy, eschewing the skittish electronics of the band’s last three albums. While it lacks the innovation of OK Computer or Kid A, In Rainbows hints at an intriguing new direction for a band riding one of the longest winning streaks in rock history.
Justin Hunter Scott

2. Panda Bear PERSON PITCH

Translating melody into prose is always an exercise in futility, and in the case of Person Pitch, it’s even more difficult than usual. Sure, we could talk about its swirling cauldron of loping samples and found sounds, its clattering, train-track percussions and underwater love letters to the gods of dub. But trying to articulate the sound of a perfect four-part harmony gracefully ascending to the sky of whatever self-contained world this album inhabits? Panda Bear, also Animal Collective’s soft-spoken tunesmith, has created an aural banquet too sumptuous to be relegated to the pulp of this newspaper. Listen for yourself.
Traviss Cassidy

1. Animal Collective STRAWBERRY JAM

In 2006, Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox (a.k.a. Panda Bear) sat on an airplane contemplating a small portion of his in-flight meal: “The sun was coming in through the airplane window,” he noted, “and I just looked at [this carton of strawberry jam] and said, ‘Man, it’d be really sweet if we could get the music from the album to sound like [this].’” One look at the cover of Animal Collective’s eighth LP says it all: Strawberry Jam is all about texture. From the chaotic swarm of “Peacebone” to the harmonic downpour of “For Reverend Green,” the album is as sweet as it is sharp, melding a seamless pastiche of psychedelia, electronica and pop. The New York-based quartet has released similarly laudable efforts over the past eight years, but none with the same immediacy or jaunt as Jam. Here, Animal Collective pick up the tempo, drop the filler and repress campy musings in favor of accessibility. Ready those taste buds—Strawberry Jam is a must-listen. Dan Cook