2007: The Year of the Genre Film?

[Ghost]

This has been a pretty weak year in films, in my opinion. But my top 10 list as of today would have an unusual amount of genre films in it.

I started this thread after watching the much-maligned The Invasion. The negative reaction makes me wonder whether if Stanley Kubrick showed up today, anyone would recognize his genius. This is the version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers that Kubrick might have made. At least the parts that weren't egregiously tacked on by the studio.

If I had to list a top 10 so far list it would probably include The Invasion definitely include 28 Weeks Later (For being a less sentimental response to the "Children of Men" Ocean's 13, which despite a flat ending, resembles Soderbergh favorite Point Blank, with an old school criminal working through outdated codes of honor in a modern technological crime world; maybe Live Free and Die Hard, which understands that the whole world is now Nakatoni Plaza. Among the artier stuff, I would also have Zodiac, which is still a subverted police procedural and Once, which is, after all, a musical. Only The Namesake is really a classic art film.

Maybe that will change, but so far, this is the way I feel.

[TheSlipperyOne]

At least the parts that weren't egregiously tacked on by the studio.


Do you know who directed those parts? :D

[Via_Chicago]

This has been a pretty weak year in films, in my opinion. But my top 10 list as of today would have an unusual amount of genre films in it.

Disagree. Zodiac alone is better than any American film I saw in 2006 (and just about every foreign film as well) save for Children of Men. This is not to mention some good foreign fare (Offsides, Black Book, The Lives of Others) as well as some great summer films (Ratatouille chief among those). This all before the bulk of the contenders come out for awards season in September (I'm most excited for Cronenberg's Eastern Promises).

The negative reaction makes me wonder whether if Stanley Kubrick showed up today, anyone would recognize his genius.

Are you serious?!

a subverted police procedural

Subverted?

2007 has been fine, and most years always look like this until the fall anyway. Now if you feel the same way in January, then let's talk.

[hangthadj]

i haven't seen zodiac yet, but i fully agree with VC's anticipation of Eastern Promises and his appreciation of Black Book (a film I likely enjoyed even more than him).

[Via_Chicago]

i haven't seen zodiac yet, but i fully agree with VC's anticipation of Eastern Promises and his appreciation of Black Book (a film I likely enjoyed even more than him).

http://cn.yimg.com/sp/sarticle/ent/200609031701540.jpg

Who wouldn't want to watch a genre film with her in it? Rumors are that she's one of the next Bond girls. I thought I was going to pass on it because it's being directed by Marc (I can't direction action sequences to save my life) Forster, but if she's in it I am so there.

[Ghost]

Disagree. Zodiac alone is better than any American film I saw in 2006 (and just about every foreign film as well) save for Children of Men. This is not to mention some good foreign fare (Offsides, Black Book, The Lives of Others) as well as some great summer films (Ratatouille chief among those). This all before the bulk of the contenders come out for awards season in September (I'm most excited for Cronenberg's Eastern Promises).



Are you serious?!



Subverted?

2007 has been fine, and most years always look like this until the fall anyway. Now if you feel the same way in January, then let's talk.

While it's impressive technically, I spent most of Ratatouille rooting for the rat poison. Wish I had thought of that line before writing the review. I think it's most popular among people who love gourmet food. Which ain't me.

Lives of Others = 2006. Haven't seen Black Book. Neglected to mention Rescue Dawn, which is a pretty good film, although could be considered an independently financed prison break genre film. It's arty, but not that arty.

Yes, I'm serious about the Kubrick. The Invasion is like having the Ludovenko method put into convenient patch form and spread thorughout society. There's more to it, but a strong Kubrick influence, in my view.

It should get better in September and moving into the latter parts of the year - Eastern Promises, Control, No Country for Old Men, Snow Angels, There Will Be Blood, maybe Charlie Wilson's War. But man, I thought in March, when Zodiac and The Namesake arrived, that this was going to be a really strong year. And there's been not that much since. Besides some very good genre films.

[Via_Chicago]

While it's impressive technically, I spent most of Ratatouille rooting for the rat poison. Wish I had thought of that line before writing the review. I think it's most popular among people who love gourmet food. Which ain't me.

Aight.

Lives of Others = 2006. Haven't seen Black Book. Neglected to mention Rescue Dawn, which is a pretty good film, although could be considered an independently financed prison break genre film. It's arty, but not that arty.

Calling Rescue Dawn a "prison break genre film" is a massive, massive stretch. Every film is a genre film then. Le Trou is a prison break film. Escape from Alcatraz is a prison break film. Rescue Dawn ain't. War film? Sure. Prison break? Eh...no. Prison break films are about method, not something I think of when I think of Herzog.

Yes, I'm serious about the Kubrick. The Invasion is like having the Ludovenko method put into convenient patch form and spread thorughout society. There's more to it, but a strong Kubrick influence, in my view.

Rosenbaum shocked me when he made it a Critic's Choice in the Chicago Reader, so I might give this a shot when it comes to DVD (I never see new movies unless the theatre I run shows it, and we ain't showing The Invasion). That said, there's quality, and then there's Kubrick (and it's not like I think Kubrick is unfallible, I despise A Clockwork Orange). I do wish that the studio hadn't messed with Hirschbiegel's original film. It might've been rubbish (somehow I doubt it), but it would've been interesting (I liked Downfall).

It should get better in September and moving into the latter parts of the year - Eastern Promises, Control, No Country for Old Men, Snow Angels, There Will Be Blood, maybe Charlie Wilson's War. But man, I thought in March, when Zodiac and The Namesake arrived, that this was going to be a really strong year. And there's been not that much since. Besides some very good genre films.

Of those I'm interested in the Cronenberg, the Gordon-Green, and the Anderson. I also hold out hope that I'll get to see some of the Cannes foreign entries, especially Bela Tarr's The Man From London. I'm also looking forward to:

3:10 to Yuma - Love the original. I sort of loathe the idea of this remake, but I'll give it a shot.
The Darjeeling Limited - I actually like Wes Anderson. There. I said it.
Funny Games - Why the hell would Haeneke remake his own film? I dunno, but I wanna find out.
I'm Not There - Todd Haynes and a weird-ass Dylan biopic.
Atonement - This may be my most anticipated movie of the year next to Eastern Promises. Like GringoTex, I loved, loved, loved Wright's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.