Favorite Films of 2007 - Part 1

For today's Monday Media Review we have elected to share with you Stephen Simon's (Spiritual Cinema Circle) personal favorite films of 2007. Many of you already know that we are HUGE fans of the Spiritual Cinema Circle and of Stephen Simon, so it should come as no surprise that we place value on his opinions. Below are the first two of his 2007 selections and, in Mr. Simon's words, his reasons for these choices. We will present the his additional selections next week.

REIGN OVER ME

With bravura performances from both Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle, the film is a beautiful paean to the powers of love, friendship, and, most importantly, healing. Sandler, in particular, is brilliant beyond words. Unfortunately, like Jim Carrey in ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND in 2004 and Will Ferrell in STRANGER THAN FICTION in 2006, Sandler is seen as, and I’m afraid somewhat resented for, being a successful broad comedian, and his incredible performance has been unjustly ignored.

ENCHANTED

What a delightful, whimsical, and hilarious film! Putting some of Disney’s classic fairy tale characters into a modern day context works so well that my whole family just sat there smiling, laughing, and applauding throughout the film. Amy Adams’ fairy tale princess, separated from her prince and sent to modern day New York by an evil queen, is so pitch perfect that we were repeating her lines for days.