We’re already deep into November, so I’m going to have to apologize for not posting this sooner. Then again, there are still about seven good weeks of movie-watching left in 2007, and in an effort to help guide you through the most intense part of the cinematic year, here is my list of fifteen movies to watch before the end of the year.

A quick note: I’ve only picked good films to include on this list. I’ve seen a lot of duds that are about to be released as well, but you can just ask me about what movies to avoid by email or in person.

What I’ve Seen

American Gangster (November 2)
The film is gritty but is crafted with finesse. Denzel clearly outshines his own performance in Training Day in this film, and Russel Crowe is underused but still remarkably good. One gangster movie that is going down in film history that you don’t want to miss.

No Country for Old Men (November 9)
After Ratatouille, this is clearly the best film of the year. The Coen brothers have managed to create a film which will keep you on the edge of your seat, but has enough humor to make sure you don’t die of a coronary from the intensity of the action. Plus, Javier Bardem is probably the creepiest guy you’ll ever see on screen.

Margot at the Wedding (November 16)
Noah Baunbach’s most recent film is nowhere close to being as good as his 2005 masterpiece The Squid and the Whale, but some solid performances by Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and surprisingly, Jack Black, make this movie entertaining and endearing all at the same time.

I’m Not There (November 21)
To be honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of this movie, but then again, I’m not a huge Dylan fan. Every Dylan fan I have met that has seen this film, however, is touting this as one of the best movies of the year, and I’ll admit that Cate Blanchett was particularly good in her portrayal of the musician.

Juno (December 5)
When they are teaching Writing Comedies 101 in film school, I seriously hope that Juno is a required movie to watch as an example of brilliant comedic writing. Jason Reitman takes Diablo Cody’s phenomenal script and makes it come alive with the help of a career-defining performance by Ellen Page, who happens to be one of my favorite actresses.

Atonement (December 7)
It wasn’t the best adaptation of Ian McEwan’s poignant novel, but the story is strong, the set design is lush, and the costume design is just divine. Worth it for the escape as well as the fact that it is guaranteed to make you cry.

Persepolis (December 25)
This film is proof that animation is sometimes the best way to tell a difficult and layered story. The drawings are simple but the visual technique is perfectly suited to this tale of a girl growing up in Iran during political upheaval. It is easily one of my top five films of the year.

Cassandra’s Dream (December 28)
Woody Allen may not be able to create masterpieces like Annie Hall anymore, but his recent Match Point and now Cassandra’s Dream prove that he still has the knack for creating a solid and enthralling film. I’d argue that Allen could have done more with the immensely talented cast, but he still pulls off an engaging and interesting thriller, and a perfect end to the movie year.

What I Want to See

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (November 16)
I’m not completely sold on this film just yet, but it does star Natalie Portman and was shot entirely in Toronto. I’m willing to give it a shot, hoping that its whimsy in magic will be a good respite from all the seriousness of the meetings I’ve been having over the past few weeks.

The Savages (November 28)
My crush on Laura Linney not withstanding, Tamara Jenkins is a fantastic storyteller and Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of the most impressive actors of his generation, so it makes sense that this family drama will be poignant and intense.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (November 30)
If there’s one thing I regret from this past September, it was missing the screening of Julian Schnabel’s film at the Toronto International Film Festival. I’ve heard the film is nothing short of genius, and was a favorite at this year’s festival in Toronto as well as at Cannes.

The Golden Compass (December 7)
Polar bears that fight and talk, and a world where every human is accompanied by their animal spirit guides: that’s the backdrop for this film based on a fantastic novel by Philip Pullman. I want to see it just to see how they pull off all the stunning effects and magical worlds.

The Kite Runner (December 14)
Khaled Hosseini’s first novel was one of the best books I have read in the past decade, and I was skeptical when I heard it was being converted into a film. However, I have been hearing great things about Marc Forster’s adaptation of the book, so I’m looking forward to seeing if he has been able to capture the inner turmoil of the novel without making it too melodramatic.

Sweeney Todd (December 21)
The dynamic duo of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are at it again, this time in a musical about a serial killer barber. Yes, a musical about a serial killer. If that’s not enough to entice you to watch this film, the desaturated look and the excessive amounts of blood should be big selling points as well.

There Will Be Blood (December 26)
From what I hear, there won’t be much blood in Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie, but there surely will be lots of oil. Couple that with drama, intensity, and assured stunning performances by Daniel Day Lewis and Paul Dano, its almost certain that this will be one of the most-anticipated films of the year.

What’s Next

January is usually a pretty drab month when it comes to cinema, as all the studios have pushed out their Oscar contenders for release before the end of the calendar year.

While J.J. Abrams is still releasing his much anticipated Cloverfield on January 18, I’ll be using my time in January to gather my thoughts on the past year in cinema. I’ll be posting some thoughts on my favorite films and likely Academy Award contenders on this site early in the new year.

If all goes well, I’ll also be launching a new film site which will feature a round-up of all the movies being released each week, so look out for my launch announcement in January.

This is the last film-related post you’ll be seeing on Eloquation for about two months. (Don’t worry, I’ve got quite a few posts lined up on other topics coming up for this site.) In the meantime, happy movie-watching!