This year I decided to do my own Top Ten of the Year, which is not too difficult, since I have them all on record in this very blog.

So, these are the best movies that I watched in 2007, that are less than 5 years old:

1) Once: this is the most recent one, so I might change my mind in a few months. But I just enjoyed this little movie so much, I’ve been obsessing about it and the soundtrack. A great simple story about struggling musicians in Dublin.

2) Zodiac: Fincher back in top form, not only great visuals, but they help to tell a great moody/scary story.

3) The Prestige: technically released in 2006, but I only got to watch it this year. One of those great twist stories. Also interesting magic tricks and performances.

4) Pan’s Labyrinth: drama, magic, horror, a great fairy tale for adults. One of my favorite movie endings.

5) The Namesake: I love movies that span a lifetime, this is one of the best ones and it also presents a struggling foreign family (Indian) in America.

6) The Man From Earth: best indy of the year (though Once is also indy). It’s so indy nobody heard of it. Great sci-fi story without any effects, literally filmed like a play. The story of a man who lived 10000 years.

7) Stardust: a great surprise for me, great story, amazing and funny characters, just a fun time.

The Fountain: Daren Aronofsky always tries to give us something to think about, it doesn’t work for everybody, but it works for me.

9) Death Proof: Tarantino never disappoints. A great entertaining movie with great action scenes.

10) Sunshine: Another surprise for me. Best spaceship movie in years. The end changes things, but I still liked it.

Although the majority of movies I watched were at least decent, there were a few that I really didn’t like:

- Transformers: already said enough about this.
- Planet Terror: really didn’t get any fun from it.
- A Good Year: such a disappointing movie by two greats, Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe.
- Spider-Man 3: biggest disappointment after two previous great movies.

Even though I was born and raised in Italy, I was never too fond of Italian movies. Too many T&A comedies and not enough substance. At least on the surface. By the time I started to look for good movies I already left Italy and I couldn’t find the good Italian movies even if I wanted to.

So the bulk of the movies I watched and like are American. However I was always interested in Asian movies. First as a kid I loved the Bruce Lee movies. But more recently I was into the Hong Kong (John Woo etc..), Chinese, Japanese and Korean wave of new titles. I am no expert of Asian movies at all, I only dabbled from time to time, but I watched some unforgettable movies that prompted me to look for others like them.

I also included Japanese animated movies, because these are truly films, not at all like the cute Disney films. Also I did not want to include more than one film for each director, otherwise half of it would be Kurosawa movies and the other half would be Ang Lee ones.

So, in no particular order, here are my favorite Asian movies:

• Seven Samurai (Japan): I’ve written enough about this movie, so just check out my review.
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (China): this is not only a great action movie, but it also speaks to personal relationships and spirituality.
• Hana-bi (Japan): a great story about a police officer and Yakuza. Violent action but also very philosophical and personal.
• Battle Royale (Japan): a brilliant original concept (a high school class stranded in an island, forced to kill each other in order to survive). Lots of fun (violent) action and commentary on war.
• Old Boy (Korea): one of the most original screenplay ever, with a great twist. A man is imprisoned in a hotel room for 15 years, and when he comes out he must find who did it and why. Not for the faint of heart. (I sense a trend in these last 3 movies…)
• Grave of the Fireflies (Japan): the effects of war on a little kid and his sister. The most heartbreaking movie about war, if you don’t cry at the end of this movie you are not human. Just thinking about it my eyes are getting watery. This film shows the power of animation. This should have been in my Top 10 Movies.
• In the mood for love (Hong Kong): a powerful tale of love and affairs, without showing any sex scene, not even a kiss actually. Very poetic and moody.
• Princess Mononoke (Japan): an adult fairy tale about nature vs technology, a fantasy story drawing from Japanese folk tales. My favorite Miyazaki animated movie.
• The Road Home (China): a love story taking place in China, about a woman who waits for her love. You might find it boring, but I thought it was a touching story.
• Yi Yi (Taiwan): a modern tale of a typical Taiwanese family. This is a great family drama that spoke to my roots.

If you want to watch something different from a typical Hollywood movie, I suggest you to start from these movies. If you like these, just look for other movies by the same directors. You won’t be disappointed.

I’d like to talk about movies other than the ones I am watching at the moment, so the Top 10 Lists is a good idea to bring older movies that I haven’t watched recently into the discussion. So here are the Top 10 Nostalgia Movies, movies that I watched as a kid (up until 12) and I loved so much that I watched many many times.

I had no problem coming up with 7 titles, but then I couldn’t think of more. So I looked online and I found so many more that I kept slapping my forehead saying “Of course! How could I forget that?!?”.

• E.T. (1982): this is I believe my experience in a movie theater. I remember at the end of the story I was crying so bad, but when the plant resurrected I started to smile. This is a great movie that I re-watched 3 years ago and it still is great.
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): I remember my uncle taping this movie and playing the truck chase in slow motion. We would study how Indy goes from front seat to front of the car, to below the car and back on.
• Rocky (1976): a classic movie with the Italian Stallion Rocky Balboa. How can anyone forget that music theme?
• Star Wars (1977): I’ve talked about this long enough. Go read my previous posts.
• Goonies (1985): full of imagination and adventure and fun. There was even an Asian looking kid like me! I am scared to re-watch it though. It could be ugly and I don’t want to ruin my memories.
• Superman (1978): another favorite of mine, also reviewed previously.
• Back to the Future (1985): just a great story with lots of fun and great music. Probably the first sci-fi story I saw.
• The Sound of Music/Mary Poppins (1965/1964): these are typical family movies, but I watched them and I enjoyed a lot as a kid. Funny thing is that I saw the Italian dubbed versions, so I know the songs in Italian.
• Ghostbusters (1984): a funny and a little bit scary movie of my childhood. Haven’t seen it in years though, I am sure I will still like it.
• Top Gun (1986): the coolest 80’s movie with the coolest 80’s music.

These are the top nostalgic movies from my childhood, some of which I am proud of, some less…

These lists are a way for me to push the few readers I have to discuss movies with me. So if you have been reading this blog but never left a comment before (cough*susan*cough), please do so now. What are the movies you most fondly remember from YOUR childhood?

All movie sites have some kind list of their all time favorite movies. I never tried to do that myself, because I would have to remember all the movies I’ve seen in my life and compare them. That would have been an impossible task.

However I came up with a different list: top 10 movies off the top of your head. Basically I sat down and started typing titles of movies that I really love, without thinking too much about it. Here’s the result, in no particular order:

• Fight Club: I watched this film 10 times, and everytime I get something new. The plot is great, Ed Norton is my favorite modern actor, Fincher is one of my favorite young directors, I love the narration.
• Godfather & II: ok I cheated, these are two movies, but they’re from the same filmmakers. Truly classic movies of the 70’s.
• The Usual Suspects: the best twist ending I’ve ever seen on movies, next to Fight Club. A great ensemble cast, Singer is another favorite young director of mine.
• Requiem for a Dream: again, by a young director (Aronofsky). This is the most gut wrenching movie I’ve seen. It just punches you in the stomach, and makes you glad that you are not the people depicted in the movie. Very emotional movie about addictions.
• Mulholland Drive: funny, misterious, dramatic, puzzling. Lynch’s masterpiece in my opinion, because it actually makes sense.
• Goodfellas: Scorsese’s output has been almost constantly good for more than 30 years. This movie is my favorite of his. Until I rewatch Taxi Driver or Raging Bull…
• Memento: the most original screenplay I’ve ever seen. Great directing by Nolan and acting by Pierce, complement this genius idea of showing this story backwards.
• Chasing Amy: the best Kevin Smith movie, personal, funny, dramatic. It is all about relationships, both friendship and romantic. Did I mention it is funny? When I get to the end I almost tear up.
• Seven Samurai: heard of Akira Kurosawa for years, and I finally got to see this movie. Expectations were high, but they were blown away. A true masterpiece.
• Vertigo: the perfect Hitchcock movie, great plot twist, great characterization, great acting. What more can I say about this classic from the master of suspence?

That was interesting, and it didn’t take me long. So what is YOUR list?