Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

And I haven't yet read the criticisms with knowledge of the actual film yet, but I'm just wondering: What were people expecting? A straightforward 80-minute film? I mean, yeah, of course it's amazingly long and convoluted (although, those people that had trouble following it? It's really not that hard to follow)

Hollywood used to crank these kinds of films out with regularity in the '50s and '60s (including more than 45-60 minutes extra film), and 90% of those films had not a smidgen of the enjoyment of this film. (I'm looking at you, Ben-Hur)

Spider-Man 3 was tired and rehashing old plot points and Shrek the Third was closer to a remake than a sequel, but this? Other than maybe the protagonists making it until the end (which is never in doubt), the path to which they were going to get there was almost certainly not predictable, and never lacked excitement. Where the other thirds came off as uninspired cash cows, this film actually had something to say, and that was: Just have fun. The film's job: Don't overthink it, but actually BRING SOME THINKING to the party. And this film did it in droves.

I know I'm going to regret this, but god help me:
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is, at this very moment, my #1 film of 2007.