NYC Film Critic

Looking back on 2007, it’s been quite a year for me both personally and professionally. First came a new apartment, followed by a new job and, most signficantly, a new baby. And even with all these changes, I still found the time to see 186 films over the past 12 months, down slightly from last year, but still a respectable number. And of those 186 features, I’m happy to say that I’d classify about 60-70% of those as good, great, or excellent. As a lot of people have already pointed out, 2007 was arguably the best year for movies since the glory days of 1999. This fall in particular was overflowing with Top Ten contenders, some of which connected with audiences while others, which were equally deserving, fell by the wayside. When it came time to assemble my Top Ten list, I found myself having to choose from almost 50 candidates and had at least another dozen competing for a place in another category. But enough of my jabbering–let’s get to the lists!

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My feature story about Juan Antonio Bayona, director of the excellent ghost story The Orphanage–due out here December 28.
Ghostly Orphanage

Catching up on a few recent postings on the revamped Giantmag.com
Aisha Tyler Q&A
Best DVD Bet: The Simpsons Movie
Best DVD Bet: Harry Potter Box Set
Best DVD Bet: The Jason Bourne Collection

2007 was my second year as a voting member of the NYFCO, so going in I had a much better idea of what to expect than I did my first time out. The chief thing I learned was that nine times out of ten, my own personal favorite choice in each category probably wouldn’t win and may not even place. Accepting that cold, hard fact made it a little easier to be strategic in terms of voting. It’s all a numbers game in the end and if you manage to plan your own votes so you get the right numbers, a favorite can still win or, more often, you’re able to ensure that the next best film/actor/director wins. Without spoiling everything, here’s a general recap of how the awards went, category by category.
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Commentary to come later, but here’s the final results from the 2007 NYFCO Awards meeting.  This is the critics’ group I belong to, along with 27 other web-based/print reviewers from the New York area.

BEST PICTURE
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (tie)
There Will Be Blood (tie)

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood

BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood

BEST ACTRESS
Julie Christie – Away From Her

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem – No Country for Old Men

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – I’m Not There

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
There Will Be Blood – Robert Elswit

BEST SCREENPLAY
The Darjeeling Limited – Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola

BEST FOREIGN PICTURE
The Lives of Others (tie)
Persepolis (tie)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Persepolis

BEST MUSIC/SCORE
There Will Be Blood – Jonny Greenwood

BEST BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
Ellen Page – Juno

BEST DEBUT AS DIRECTOR
Sarah Polley – Away From Her

BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

BEST PICTURES (alphabetical)
Atonement (Focus Features)
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (THINKFilm)
The Darjeeling Limited (Fox Searchlight)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Miramax)
I’m Not There (The Weinstein Company)
Juno (Fox Searchlight)
Michael Clayton (Warner Bros.)
No Country for Old Men (Miramax)
Persepolis (Sony Pictures Classics)
Sweeney Todd (DreamWorks)
There Will Be Blood (Paramount Vantage)