2007 in review...

Better late than never. I didn't see as many movies in the theaters as I thought. But here's a rundown:

Blades of Glory- 3 stars. Good, silly Will Ferrell fun!

Shrek the Third- 2 1/2 stars. Entertaining, but the charm has worn out.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End- 3 stars. A mess, but fun.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- 3 1/2 stars. I saw it three times in the theater.

Hairspray- 4 stars. My favorite film of the summer. I love musicals.

Ratatouille- 3 stars. Another excellent Disney/Pixar film. Much better story than Cars.

The Simpsons Movie- 3 stars. Fun, hilarious big screen adventure of TV's favorite dysfunctional family.

The Golden Compass- 3 stars First part of the His Dark Materials Trilogy- a lavish production. The film was a little rushed and themes were toned down from the book, but it was enjoyable. Unfortunately, it did not do well at the box office in the U.S., so it's unlikely that the remaining two parts will make it to the screen.

Enchanted-3 1/2 stars. Probably the most fun I had in the theater in 2007 (except for Hairspray). A delightful send-up of the Disney princess craze and Disney movies in general- with an animated princess banished to the real world of New York City.

Sweeney Todd- 3 1/2 stars. Gory and haunting adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical. Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton team up once again. Sondheim's music is mostly intact, and Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Alan Rickman can really sing. It's a little too intense. I spent large portions of the film covering my eyes!

Atonement- 4 stars. Best movie I saw in 2007. Excellent adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel. Beautifully shot and acted. A four hankie movie if ever there was one- the end of the film is heartbreaking.

Still hoping to see: Kite Runner, Michael Clayton, Juno, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood. The last four and Atonement are this year's Best Picture Oscar nominees.

2007 was another good year for movies. 2008 and 2009 look a bit gloomy with the WGA strike still going on (though it may be over this week). There are still plenty of films already in the can, however, and I already have a list of what I'm looking forward to:

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull- the title has me thinking WTF?, but it will be nice to have Harrison Ford back as Indy.

Mamma Mia- an adaptation of the hit Broadway show- a story about a wedding set to the music of ABBA. I loved ABBA as a kid. I'm getting "Dancing Queen" in my head now.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince- Duh. Of course I'm looking forward to this one!

Star Trek- officially, Star Trek XI- but it takes place long before the original show's adventures. I can't wait to see what the new cast and crew does with the franchise. It needs some refreshing.