Top 10 Dissapointments of 2007

First was my top 10 Film of 2007, and now the disappointments of the year. The same variables as before count, so if something dire is missing, be sure to shout out about it. Also it must be noted that these aren't necessarily films which had hype but failed to live up to expectations. The disappointment factor here is that they did not make for good cinema.
And with that, here are my disappointing 10:

10. Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider comes across as something deserving of more violence, something akin to Blade. The acting is not particularly bad, but an inconsistent beginning arc, pointless romance, and extremely short fight scenes, don't help make a good film out of a cool premise.

9. Night at the Museum
Review not available.

8. Flicka
Review not available.

7. Mr Bean's Holiday
Mr Bean's holiday never reaches it potential, but there are some shining moments worthy of the original television series. While wholesome clean fun, the sentimental flavour of the story only goes to numb its overall performance.
6/10

6. Pirates of the Caribbean; At World's End
What started with smooth sailing, and a bumpy voyage, ultimately ends on a satisfyingly note, but it's not the film many would have hoped for. The magic of the original is mostly not present, the characters lack the depth they had captured from the previous installments, and the humour and action is not of an exceptionally high standard. Still, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is entertaining, with some gorgeous scenery and choreography, likable characters, and a fulfilling fantasy story :never has the world of pirates from long ago felt so real and fresh.
6/10

5. Gracie
Review not available.

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Order of the Phoenix is both a better and worse film in the series thus far. The world of magic is easily becoming more realistic and not some light-hearted affair at creating a simple fairy tale feel, and the film itself feels more mature. But acting, cinematography and, most importantly, the story, fail to deliver. This latest incarnation of the popular book series, is moving in the right direction and it's obvious that we can expect great things from the films to come, but then again, what is expected is never always delivered, and the order of the Phoenix is a prime example. It's not a particularly bad film, but it falls short of expectations.
6/10

3. Spider-man 3
With a mess of a storyline, odd placed scenes and dialogue, underdevelopment of villain characters, and a general lack of energy, Spider-Man 3 becomes the very thing it was toted never to be: an utterly horrid film experience. And any positive elements are so far and few, that they themselves cannot effectively be of any help. Spider-Man 3 attempts to be two films, but only proves to be half the potential of one.
5/10

2. The Return
Review not available.

1. Premonition
Review not available.

What were your disappointing films of last year?

Top 10 Films of 2007

With my first post of 2008, I have decided to run through my top 10 films of last year which were released in South Africa - this is important as some films that have already debuted in America in 2007, will not be released until 2008 here. It should be noted that i have not seen every film, and so would have missed out on some classics, either due to time (I am still a student at Varsity), or because I felt some films contained material that was not too my liking (such as extreme gore for instance). As well, I have not written a review for every film I did see.
So from the films I did get around to seeing, here are my top 10:

10. The Pursuit of Happyness
Review not available.

9. The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum is a rare breed of action thriller films: it's constantly action packed, always story driven, never without intrigue, and a very fun watch with a coolness factor that surpasses even the likes of Steve McQueen himself. It's sad to have to say that its ultimateness has to be barred by a constant shaking camera, but even with that, the final Bourne film is easily one of the best in cinema today.
9/10

8. Curse of the Golden Flower
As an instant classic, Curse of the Golden Flower continues where the amazingly beautiful Hero and House of Flying Daggers left off, and moves into it's own direction. The only concern with the film is it's monotonous music, but that doesn't stop it being a dazzling film with amazing acting, a solid story, lush cinematography and awesome, if a little weak, action sequences.
9/10

7. The Queen
Review not available.

6. The Host
Review not available.

5. The Presitge
Review not available.

4. Sunshine
Sunshine illuminates itself into the best that cinema has to offer. Every aspect is well conceived in its execution, but it is not without its faults. These however, never distract from what is ultimately an entertaining and thought provoking experience.
9/10

3. The Fountain
Review not available.

2. The Lives of Others
Review not available.

1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
While Robert Ford’s bullet was effective in hitting its intended target, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, sadly, misses by a few inches. The story is engaging, if a little inaccurate and a little too much to digest in regards to the films length; the acting is of a sublime quality; the music is well placed and fits the films overall mood nicely, and the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking in its simplicity, but becomes overused. If you can survive till the films conclusion, and honestly if you cannot then it is a real shame, you will have watched one of the best films to grace 2007. The name of Jesse James still lives on, but now in a far more grand state.
9/10

What were your Top 10 films of last year?