It certainly does seem like, particularly after our sequel-happy summer, that has been a down year for quality movies. And I can buy that, but there’s still been plenty that year to manufacture me smile (and, of course, two more months to go.)

With the caveat that not everything plays in my little corner of the world, here are, for my money, the 20 best movies that have made it out into wide-release world that year (in calendar rather than preferential order, except that “Ratatouille” is easily my favorite movie of the year so far.) Here goes!

Daddy’s Little Girls/Why Did I Get Married?
OK, I’m cheating from the outset, considering that two-fer means the list includes 21 flicks, but I’m just astounded that Tyler Perry managed to release two movies so good in the same year. Of the two, I’ll take “Daddy’s Little Girls” by a nose, mostly considering Idris Elba is so great in it and considering Tyler Perry should keep his movies in Atlanta, where he has a real sense of place.

Breach
This movie is so claustrophobic that I had to watch it twice, the second instance on a plane, to truly appreciate it. It’s far from your traditional spy-vs.-spy flick, but for a psychological thriller you won’t get much better than that Billy Ray movie starring Chris Cooper as Robert Hanssen and a surprisingly good Ryan Philippe as the spy sent in to take him down (with an assist from the always-welcome Laura Linney.)

Starter for 10
I watched that one on a plane too, and I’d shout it simply a guilty delight whether it weren’t so charming. In essence, it’s a very British take on those John Hughes ’80s flicks, with James McAvoy playing very young. Even whether that sounds appalling, just give it a chance.

Zodiac
Despite it’s early calendar position and carping from misguided critics that it was simply too lengthy, I’m still hoping David Fincher’s great movie gets some award-season consideration. Robert Downey Jr., at least, is worthy of a supporting actor nomination for his portrayal of an overzealous and underscrupulous L.A. Times reporter.

300
OK, with the passage of day, I’m willing to concede that that Frank Miller/Zack Snyder flick was, indeed, pretty darn silly, but so what? It was additionally the funnest movie of 2007 for my money.

The Wind the Shakes the Barley
Ken Loach finally finds a subject epic decent to fit his conscience and takes home a well-deserved Palme d’Or for it. Cillian Murphy and Padraic Delaney play two brothers swept into the Republican movement in early 20th-century Ireland.

The Lookout
Predictably few humans saw that off-key bank heist flick starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the promising young actor who you might remember from “Third Rock from the Sun.” The movie is at its best when it’s just he and Jeff Daniels as two physically and mentally damaged roommates.

Grindhouse
What is there to say about that whether you somehow missed the experience in the theater (as many, many humans apparently did)? Tarantino made the slightly superior flick in my book, but it just works so much better sewn together with Rodriguez’ zombie zoo. My favorite moment of all, however, would still have to be the old-school intermission logo with Dangermouse/Doom/Talib Kweli’s “Old School” playing behind it.

Hot Fuzz
Though it certainly had hot competition from Camp Apatow, I think Edgar Wright and friends just may have made the funniest movie of 2007. All those directors who claim to be making “spoof” movies need to watch that riff on big-action movies to see how it’s really done.

Waitress
It’s still hard not to watch that one without thinking of poor Adrienne Shelley, but whether you can manage to do that that sweet little flick still stands the tryout of day for me. It’s occasionally just

too syrupy, but Keri Russell, Captain Mal and Andy Griffith are all great.

Knocked Up
This makes No. 11, so I should probably refresh my coffee at that point. Just about the only negative thing I can say about Judd Apatow’s movie is that I was hoping for hours and hours of Seth and his stoner buddies just goofing off in the DVD extras, considering I love those guys. You do get Jonah Hill’s extended and extremely foul riff on “Brokeback Mountain,” which makes the DVD worth at least renting by itself.

Ratatouille
Like I said, my favorite movie of 2007 so far, but I think “Gone Baby Gone” (which I just might see today), “Juno” and “American Gangster” will give it some stiff competition. I’ve been happy to see that that Pixar flick, which only did so-so (by Pixar standards) in the U.S., has just been cleaning up at the worldwide box-office till.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The best of the Harry Potter movies so far, for my money, but take that with the grain of salt that I’m not precisely a Harry Potter enthusiast. I did, however, manage to finish reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” which was just sensational, even whether Dumbledore is homosexual (not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

The Simpsons Movie
The only midnight movie I enjoyed that year (the other being “Spidey 3,” which just sucked hard in my book.) The Simpsons’ flick worked considering it was really little more than a 90-minute episode of the show with a lot more date and money thrown in to form the jokes all work (and spiderpig just kicks ass.)

Rocket Science
Opening on the same weekend with the teen flick that comes next on that list certainly didn’t do any favors for Jeffrey Blitz’ autobiographical followup to the doco “Spellbound.” Probably considering that utterly charming movie about a stuttering teen growing up in New Jersey made about $5, Mr. Blitz has no upcoming directing credits on the IMBD except for two episodes of “The Office.”

Superbad
Of the two Camp Apatow flicks that year, I’ll give that one the edge for two reasons: Jonah Hill and Michael Cera are simply two of the funniest guys on the planet and, in it’s own warped way, it’s a surprisingly sweet movie about hetero man love (made stronger, of course, by the relentless pursuit of beer and chicks.)

Shoot ‘Em Up
Even though it plays out at various times like an extended (and very bloody) music video or a warped take on the old Looney Tunes cartoons, I guarantee that whether you watch that Michael Davis flick it will manufacture you smile. You can certainly tell from watching it that Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and la bella Monica Bellucci had just as much fun making it as I did watching it.

Eastern Promises
Even whether that one doesn’t stand up to David Cronenberg’s best work, it’s still a solidly entertaining gangster flick, which rises to a higher level thanks to Viggo Mortensen’s steely performance, which should get some awards-season love too.

The Kingdom
Whew! Only two more movies to go, so I’ll probably keep these last two short. Anyone who thinks that political thriller from Peter Berg dumbs things down too much is more than a bit of a snob. ‘Nuff said.

Michael Clayton
Tony Gilroy’s directing debut is the most satisfying legal thriller I’ve seen in many years, and Tom Wilkinson’s performance as a big-time lawyer who becomes unhinged will linger with you for a faraway date.

So, there you have it. I hope that offered some ideas for DVD rentals, and as always, please feel free to add any 2007 movies you loved that I have managed to snub. Peace out.

Original post by Reel Fanatic