While trying unsuccessfully to get over the whole Amy Adams kudos debacle (did you see she’s just been nominated for best actress by the Broadcast Film Critics Association?), I began wondering about year end lists and how many of them feature at least one obligatory mainstream movie. Typically its a funny but highly overrated comedy, like Borat, The 40-Year-Old Virgin or Little Miss Sunshine, sometimes its an action movie, rarely it’s a thriller or well-made horror flick.
So, I’m wondering what will be the most mainstream best movie of 2007, the one that features on the most year-end top ten lists. I’m so far discounting Juno, because it’s still in its little indie darling stage, and not yet a wide-release hit. Instead, I’m counting on either Knocked Up or even Superbad to take the honor. Already I’ve seen, thanks to Movie City News, both movies featured on a list made by a publication called the Georgetown Voice. But while I figured the former had more cred with critics, it’s the latter that has shown up on more lists by itself, including those of Victoria Times‘ Michael D. Reid and Artforum’s T.J. Wilcox.
Of course, few of the heavy hitter critics have issued their lists, and we have a lot more year-end surprises to look forward to. Superbad could easily be outdone by The Bourne Ultimatum, which featured on the National Board of Review list, or Ratatouille, which also shows up on Reid and the Georgetown Voice’s lists, or … umm … cough … (awkward) … Beowulf, which somehow made it on the end of Time critic Richard Corliss’ (”It’s 3-Delirious”) — meanwhile his colleague, Richard Schickel’s obligatory pick is Dan in Real Life.
Other mainstream movies that may feature on a few or many lists include Sweeney Todd (which isn’t out yet, but most likely will be a mainstream hit), Hairspray and maybe The Simpsons Movie. Also, at least one guy out there will highlight Transformers just for the hell of it. Then, of course, there’s always Enchanted, which can still claim status as one of the top 20 best-reviewed movies of the year, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Personally, I’m hoping that at least one smart individual features The Kingdom, non-ironically, so I’m not the only one left to defend it’s merits as an ’80s-era throwback action flick response to the war on terror.
