Current mood:	content
Current music:	"United States" by Smashing Pumpkins (Zeitgeist)
Entry tags:	movies

Best Movies of the First Half of 2007
The movies that get released in the first half of the year are often forgotten by the time year-end lists are made, so I thought I'd post what I consider to be the best movies of the first half of 2007 (January through the end of June exactly). Many of these are already available on DVD; if not, they will be soon. My list is even heavier on foreign films than usual, partly because of the fabulous Chinese and Korean film festivals I saw at the American Film Institute and partly because the more mainstream, English-language films so far this year collectively have been rather weak. Of the English-language movies, I can safely say that only Grindhouse and Once stand out enough to make my end-of-year list. Grindhouse undoubtedly has limited appeal, though I'm sure it would appeal to more people if they just would give it a chance. However, if you must see only one of the films on the list below, I heartily recommend Once. It's both superb and a real crowd pleaser. It's the only movie I've seen so far this year in which the audience actually applauded at the end. Please check it out. Without further ado, here is my list:

1. Grindhouse
   
2. Once
   
3. The Banquet (Ye yan)
   
4. The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)
   
5. Exiled (Fong juk)
   
6. A Dirty Carnival (Biyeolhan geori)
   
7. The Lookout
   
8. 300
   
9. Zodiac
   
10. Knocked Up
    

Honorable mentions (in no particular order): Paris, je t'aime; Black Snake Moan; The Namesake; Waitress; After the Wedding (Efter brylluppet); Away from Her; Bridge to Terabithia; Black Book (Zwartboek); Triad Election