Critic Consensus Top Ten Films of 2007

"The Critic Sees" by Jasper Johns.






If any of you really know me out there, you know that I'm a statistical hound.

I was the type of kid that read Baseball Enyclopedias for breakfast and invented stats before sabermetrics spawned moneyball.

Well, I've decided to blend my statistical background with my film "foreground" and comprise a formula that best illustrates the critical consensus best films of the year.

I'm starting with the Year 2007 because the raw data has already been compiled.

I will update the Year 2008 sometime in January when all the lists are in.

First things first: The Formula.

It's really easy. Even my wife, who is notoriously horrid in math, can figure this out.

I take the Top Ten Lists of the National Critics from The Austin Chronicle to the Washington Post (which are compiled on Metacritic.com) and I allocate the following scores to the list:

1(10 points), 2(9), 3(8), 4(7), 5(6),6(5),7(4),8(3),9(2),10(1).

Criteria: Some critics have a tendency to bend the rules in their favor. This is like a student not doing the homework assignment. This is a TOP TEN List, not a Top Eleven, or a Top Ten and 1/2. TOP TEN.

But I'm willing to be a little lenient. If your (critic's) list has one-tie, then your list is admissable.

Two or more ties?

Sorry, try again next year and maybe read the assignment.

That goes for you: Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader, Scott Foundas & Ella Taylor of the LA Weekly, Kenneth Turan & Carina Chocano of the Los Angeles Times, A.O. Scott & Manohla Dargis of the New York Times, & lastly you, Dennis Harvey of Variety.

Upon further ado, here is the Critic Consensus Top Ten Films of 2007.

10. Zodiac (99)
9. The Lives of Others (99)
8. I'm Not There (102)
7. Into the Wild (104)
6. Once (113)
5. Ratatouille (123.5)
4. Atonement (124)
3. There Will Be Blood (194)
2. The Diving Bell & Butterfly (230)
1. No Country For Old Men (300)

Why, do you ask, does "The Lives of Others" beat out "Zodiac" even though they both have 99?

Easy. Tie-breaker. The first tie-breaker is the highest score (10). They both have 2. The next tie-breaker is the second highest score (9). "The Lives of Others" had more.

If any of you are interested in learning which other films rank on the list, then please either:

1) Name the film in the comment section and I will reply,

OR

2) Pick a number between 11 and 120, and I will glady reply back.

The list spans from "No Country For Old Men" (300) to "The TV Set" (1).

Let's just pick a random number and test the system, I'm thinking...

67?

"A Mighty Heart" (8)

How 'bout...

29?

"Gone Baby Gone" (21)

And last, the year I was born...

'79?

"Blame It on Fidel!"

The End.