Despite the deluge of mediocre to just-plain-awful motion pictures in 2007, some real gems arrived during the past 12 months to remind me why I enjoy going to the movies so much. And, I have to admit that 2007 turned out to be a terrific year for musicals. Although I've yet to catch Across the Universe, seeing films like Hairspray, Enchanted, Once, August Rush, Walk Hard, La Vie en Rose, Music and Lyrics, Sweeney Todd and Show Business: The Road to Broadway all in one year renewed my faith in the possibility of more musicals to come in the near future.  

Here are my picks for the top ten films of the year:

1. Hairspray. For an avid movie musical fan like me, Hairspray has it all -- rousing song-and-dance routines, talented performers, a feel-good story about an underdog’s triumph, and timeless appeal. It’s the best film musical since Singin’ in the Rain.  

2.  Enchanted. I’m still under the spell of this highly entertaining fantasy. Performances by Amy Adams, James Marsden and Susan Sarandon simply couldn’t be better. Everything about Enchanted worked for me, including the delightful music of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz.  

3.  Michael Clayton. Intensity and suspense fill the screen in this exceptional thriller. George Clooney delivers his best performance ever as a “fixer” trying to bring an attorney (played by the great Tom Wilkinson) -- who’s apparently gone bonkers -- back into the fold. 

4.  3:10 to Yuma. Brilliant acting by Christian Bale, Russell Crowe and Ben Foster revitalizes the Western genre by drawing us into this superb remake of the 1957 film, one I thought could never be improved upon. I was so wrong!   

5.  Juno. Captivating from beginning to end, this endearing comedy benefits from Ellen Page’s amusing and fearless portrayal of a pregnant 16-year-old who seems more mature than the adults around her. The movie also features an absolutely perfect supporting cast as well as Jason Reitman’s spot-on direction of Diablo Cody’s witty screenplay.    

6.  Disturbia. Is it blasphemy to say I enjoyed Disturbia more than the very similar Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Rear Window? So be it. I found this film to be a tight, well-acted (particularly by Shia LeBeouf) and excruciatingly suspenseful cinematic experience.   

7.  The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This inspiring French film about a man who must learn to communicate by blinking one eye may be uncomfortable to watch, but its incredible camera work gives us a glimpse of what the real Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric) had to go through after suffering a debilitating stroke. 

8.  There Will Be Blood. Daniel Day-Lewis completely transforms himself -- body and soul -- into the character of a ruthless oil tycoon who's spellbinding to watch and horrifying to contemplate in this fascinating adaptation of Upton Sinclair's Oil!

9. The Host. Who cares if I’m the only critic with this Korean horror film on my top ten list? Because of its unique monster, wonderful characters and surprising sense of humor, I couldn’t resist giving it recognition here.     

10. Waitress. Keri Russell simply shines in this clever, offbeat dramedy about an abused wife who finds solace in baking the yummiest and most creative pies ever to come out of an oven. I’m drooling right now just thinking about them.

Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order): 30 Days of Night, August Rush, Bridge to Terabithia, The Bucket List, The Kite Runner, La Vie en Rose, The Last Legion, Music and Lyrics, No End in Sight, Once, Ratatouille, Rescue Dawn, Show Business: The Road to Broadway, Sicko, The Simpsons Movie.

My list of 2007’s “flops” includes fifteen movies I’ve awarded “dishonorable mention” status to. It doesn’t matter if one or two earned big bucks at the box office, they still flopped with me. This is, after all, my list.   

Dishonorable Mention (in alphabetical order): Alpha Dog, Awake, Beowulf, Because I Said So,  License To Wed, Happily N'Ever After, The Heartbreak Kid, Lucky You, Margot at the Wedding, The Number 23, Premonition, P.S. I Love You, Redacted, Rush Hour 3, Underdog.

REVISED January 3, 2008. After seeing There Will Be Blood today, I revised my top ten list to include this powerful film, mainly because of Daniel Day-Lewis' amazing performance.