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The AICN-Downunder Annual 2007

First, yo! by SkinJob69	Jan 2nd, 2008 08:58:02 AM

I can die and go to heaven now... by SkinJob69	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:01:44 AM
and not feel like the good Lord done cheated me!
The Fountain?! by Garbageman33	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:02:56 AM
You're gonna get flamed so bad I suggest having a fire extinguisher handy.
good for you, laturo.. by ironic_name	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:19:55 AM
..for decreeing the fountain as film of the year. and since you won't answer my question, I've decided you are the annoying fat one on tvs.
Great list by MonkeyBytes	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:23:45 AM
Seriously. Even when you know people will disagree, the choices are well justified with your explanations. And there isn't a horribly vivid sexual/scatalogical image in the whole lot. Harry and Co. could learn a lot from the effort expended here. Top notch.
Latauro you suck by messi	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:24:04 AM
melbourne sucks.
I fell asleep during The Fountain by haggardatbest	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:53:40 AM
My wife enjoyed it, but I really didn't like it. I like what it tried to do, but the film itself was not as good as the nap.
The Fountain!?!?! by Frodo T. Baggins	Jan 2nd, 2008 10:21:52 AM
I took a steamy dump in the fountain then used it as a baday! It had its moments. But not Top 10. & Rachel Weiz and her horrible accents give me diariah.
Latauro by Series7	Jan 2nd, 2008 10:50:03 AM
I enjoy reading your updates and articles even if you talk about movies that are old over here. Also haggardatbest my girlfriend hated the fountain and I liked it, she wanted to leave half way through? I thought it would be like a good date movie? Maybe I am the girl in the relationship????
Rachel Weiz by Series7	Jan 2nd, 2008 10:55:44 AM
Also I don't understand why guys go apeshit over her? I don't think she is an amazing actress, i thought her portrayal in The Constant Gardener was that good. She reminds me of Catherine Zeta-Jones but with a slight down syndrome.
No country by Series7	Jan 2nd, 2008 11:22:17 AM
Am I that only person who didn't think that Javier Bardem was scary at all? You wanna talk about crazy bad guys in movies watch John Goodman in Barton Fink. John Goodman is easily one of the most likable actors ever and to see him go nuts in that movie is crazy. But I do agree is was Brolin's movie but he isn't getting enough credit. Just like when Denzel got the Oscar for Leading Role when he was the supporting guy.
Finally some love for JESSE JAMES! by brokentusk	Jan 2nd, 2008 11:40:53 AM
This might be the best Top Ten list I've read so far. In fact, pretty much every list I've read has been identical to the one before it – except this one. I was waiting for someone to take a step back and consider some other films that came out earlier in the year that people seem to have forgotten about. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD is a great example of this. After I saw the film a few months ago, I walked out thinking I had just watched a film that was going to be nominated for every award under the sun. However, that hasn't happened. Instead, people seem to have completely forgotten about it, or at least are so busy lobbing praise on other films that everyone else is fellating (I saw JUNO, it was very cute, but like LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE last year, completely over-praised and over-hyped). Honestly, every element of JESSE JAMES was perfect - the cinematography, the script, the editing, the acting – it was all exceptional and I'm extremely pleased to see SOMEONE recognize it for the genius that it is. Great list Latauro, good job!
I Heard Sunshine Was Sunset by Frodo T. Baggins	Jan 2nd, 2008 12:15:11 PM
Still have been dying to see it. Love Boyle. & Ellen Paige I have loved since X3. She looked familiar as an actress. But that sexy girl superhero just ran through my heart. & Then got preggers shortly after. Ah to have loved and lost...
You're right about The Fountain by Toonol	Jan 2nd, 2008 01:47:57 PM
I watched it three times over three consecutive days. Haven't done that with a movie since my days as a teenager. Yet, none of my friends like it. Well written article.
Wes Anderson by Errockk	Jan 2nd, 2008 02:01:56 PM
Is a genius. I wish he could come out with a new movie every week.
where's "Next Week" ??? by couP	Jan 2nd, 2008 05:05:48 PM

Top Tens by Latauro	Jan 2nd, 2008 05:24:57 PM
Thanks to all for the well-written comments and/or the juvenile flaming. Coup: Next Weeks will return with the regular column. brokentusk: I appreciate that, but to be fair, I have seen Jesse James pop up on a couple of other lists, I think one or two of the Chud top tens had it. I, too, am amazed it's not on every damn list everywhere.
Correction by Latauro	Jan 2nd, 2008 06:11:15 PM
I've just received a few emails informing me that I got the Gabriel box office wrong (my fault for only using one source). From what I've been told, the box office was somewhere between 1.1 mil and 1.5 mil.
Nice rant about the Aussie film industry by fabiodeniro	Jan 2nd, 2008 06:35:20 PM
Next week: Cowgirl highjinks aplenty in The Assination of Jenna Jameson by the Coward Robert Black
Brand Upon the Brain! by Paroxysm	Jan 2nd, 2008 06:39:41 PM
My god someone else with Brand Upon the Brain! int heir top ten. That film blew me away at BIFF this year. At first you think it extreme stylization is going to start to grate but it never does. Best film about harvesting orphans and love triangles with a cross dressing fictional character ever.
Word. by Zappary	Jan 2nd, 2008 07:01:42 PM
Agreed with putting The Fountain at #1. That was an experience, and haters can go jump. Also, Gabriel was a friggin' atrocious film. The only credit I'm willing to give them is for trying to make a film that people would actually want to watch, unlike the rest of the Aussie industry. Just a shame it was unwatchable in the first place...
Hairspray was mindless dreary dogshit by quantize	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:06:35 PM
And Travolta was utterly embarrassing yeh if you do get a spray, get some taste this year
...and only serves as a reminder how good Waters vers is by quantize	Jan 2nd, 2008 09:07:58 PM

i avoid most crap films but Gabriel... by ephor	Jan 2nd, 2008 10:05:27 PM
... was probably the worst I saw this year. It had attrocious dialogue, stupid characters, a complete lack of logic ('Hrm, if I use my powers, the Fallen will be abe to detect me', uses power.... and then uses powers again) And the HD looked horrible on the big screen. extremely low contrast and compressed to shit.
oh and good call on This Is England by ephor	Jan 2nd, 2008 10:15:00 PM
that's my number 1 so far. but I haven't seen No Country yet, or Juno or THere will be blood (which come out in Jan), or Darjeeling. Number 2 would be Zodiac, The LIves of Others number 3.
Solid Top 10 by MMacKK	Jan 3rd, 2008 02:41:17 AM
The Fountain I would place in my Top 10. Artistic to a tee. See Dead Man's Shoes by Shane Meadows. Absolutely brilliant and really complements Paddy Conisidine's role in Hot Fuzz, ironically. And As It Was In Heaven is still playing in Sydney at the Hayden Orpheum. Its in Week 58, and Australian Record for Longest Running Film. Its insanity. And Spaced is fucking fantastic.
PS by MMacKK	Jan 3rd, 2008 02:42:05 AM
Sunshine would definitely be in my top 10. Danny Boyle is nothing short of brilliant, and it was a fucking well crafted, awesome movie.
nice try fabdeniro. here's my 10 by couP	Jan 3rd, 2008 07:48:26 AM
taking into account the backward aussie releases and me not being privy to screenings of juno and TWBB and what not.. 1. A Mighty Heart 2. Into the Wild 3. The Bourne Ultimatum 4. Transformers 5. The Blood Diamond 6. Atonement 7. Waitress 8. The Darjeeling Limited 9. Bridge to Terabithia 10. Pan's Labyrinth
The Assassination by hamo455	Jan 3rd, 2008 03:11:32 PM
of JJ etc is still showing in NZ cinemas, so I don't count it as an "earlier in the year" film. I also don't know about the comment about Raimi having total control of Spidey 3. Wasn't he completely anti-Venom, and somewhat forced into having the character in the film by the faceless studio boogeymen? To me Spidey 3 felt like a good director doing what he could within some pretty strict restraints. But anyway Lat, love your work as always. How come you don't get black posts in talkback? If they can't fly you back and forth from Aussie to here, they could at least give you black posts...
the fountain, oh yeah by ranma627	Jan 3rd, 2008 04:36:38 PM
Seeing that as number one made me so freakin' happy. I love that film so much. I fell asleep the first time I tried watching it and I didn't get it, but I knew there was something to it, but I went back an discovered what is honestly the most beautiful film I've ever seen. Zodiac is my favorite of the year, by the way.
Next week by hamo455	Jan 3rd, 2008 04:59:04 PM
Daniel Day Lewis to reprise his role as Christy Brown in the post-apocalyptic sequel I Am Leg-End.
Hamo and ranma by Latauro	Jan 3rd, 2008 05:40:10 PM
Hamo: I don't know whether to be disgusted or impressed with that next week joke. I think impressed. It made me laugh quite a bit. As for the black band thing, it doesn't bother me... doesn't bother me at all... (grinds teeth) ranma: Mad props for going back and giving the film a second chance. Good on you.
Try your own, it's fun (even if not funny) by fabiodeniro	Jan 3rd, 2008 09:54:37 PM
Next week: Pete Doherty and Baby Spice together at last in the direct to video sequel: Shoot Em Up: Hotshot
Why no 007 in 07? by half vader	Jan 7th, 2008 10:57:17 AM
Because that sort of thing has worked to make such high-quality things in the past. And remember the last one? The Omen 6-6-06?! sidenote: releasing the Mummy sequel on EXACTLY the same day a year later worked wonders for the quality of that film. I guess people who are impressed with that sort of thing like marketing types and folks who get excited to see their trip metre tick over to a big number woulda liked it though. 'Cause like it's so clever and all.
So Lat, "The Waterhose" didn't make the list?! by half vader	Jan 8th, 2008 01:00:30 AM

7 007 films in 07 by Latauro	Jan 9th, 2008 08:31:26 PM
Oh, I'm not actually advocating that they change the schedule so that they can do the "007 in 2007" thing, I'm just surprised that they didn't. As you say, it's the sort of thing that marketing departments love. And Waterhorse had some good stuff and some bad stuff, but was not nearly divisive enough to land in either the best or worst list.

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The AICN-Downunder Annual 2007

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