It’s that time again. I would have liked to get this out sooner, but it’s been a struggle just to watch everything that I’d planned on from 2009. I literally have a spreadsheet set up that includes 82 movies to watch along their respective ratings, and while my efforts were great, I only got around to watching 58 of them. I could take the time needed to watch the remaining movies, but there comes a time when you need to cut your losses and work with what you have. That being said, here are my Top 10 of 2009:
#10 – The Hangover – This movie is a ride, and a hilarious one at that. You’ll constantly find yourself saying, “WTF?!” along with the guys in the film as they experience the repercussions of a forgotten night. Finally someone was smart enough to bring back the R-rated comedy. I’m hoping its success inspires others to do the same.
#9 – The Brothers Bloom – Very funny, very quirky, very original, and very well done. The Brothers Bloom is a little bit of everything that adds up to a whole lot of enjoyment. You’ll find your brain aching as you take the twists and turns presented by these brotherly con-men.
#8 – Phoebe in Wonderland – This was the first movie that starred Elle Fanning (yes, Dakota’s sister) and I have to say, “Bravo.” It’s also the only movie on this list that was released in a limited capacity and then went right to DVD. It’s a shame, because as you can see it was one of the better films to come out last year. I’ll admit that maybe I ranked it higher than others would because I’m a teacher, but it’s my list after all, so I can do that.
#7 – Taken – The moral of this story: Don’t mess with Liam Neeson, cause he’s BAD ASS. He told you what he was gonna do, he did it, and I couldn’t have been happier watching it. Nothing gets me fired up more than watching a movie about a man on a mission with some serious motivation.
#6 – Watchmen – The book Watchmen is arguably the greatest graphic novel of all time. You can imagine the pressure that brings when it comes to adapting it to a movie. Aside from Sin City, which recreated a book panel-by-panel and line-by-line, Watchmen is the most accurate portrayal of a comic book’s source material into a film that I’ve ever seen. Sure, the ending was slightly altered, but it kept the same general idea.
#5 – (500) Days of Summer – I was blown away after watching (500) Days of Summer. I was even more amazed when I saw that this was the first movie directed by Marc Webb. This is the perfect movie for the hopeless romantic as its realistic and yet optimistic.
#4 – Up in the Air – For whatever reason I was REALLY looking forward to seeing this one. I suppose it could be due to the fact that Jason Reitman is on a huge role. With my expectations so high, I was afraid to be disappointed; fortunately, I was not. I’m even tempted to go as far as saying that this could be George Clooney’s best performance yet.
#3 – UP – After seeing last year’s entry from Pixar, I walked out of the theater for the first time thinking that a CGI-animated movie could be up for a Best Picture Academy Award. While it seems like a very odd concept on the surface, I assure you that UP will hit every emotional button you have.
#2 – Avatar – Like most people, I too think this movie lived up to the hype. You can claim that James Cameron just mashed up a whole bunch of concepts and plot devices from other movies, and that’s fine. Even if that’s the case, you have to admit he did a really good job of it. This movie also set a new bar for using 3D technology.
#1 – Star Trek – Set your arguments aside, I’m a Trekkie, always have been (No, not a “trekker”. That’s the term for Trekkies-in-denial). I’ll admit, I was never a huge fan of the original series, much more a Next Generation/DS9 guy. However, I was still very excited when I heard about this movie, and rightfully so. It had a great cast, great story, great effects…the total package.
Honorable mentions that I would still recommend:
- Adam
- District 9
- I Love You, Man
- Sherlock Holmes
- Law Abiding Citizen
- Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince
- Surrogates
- The Great Buck Howard
- State of Play
- Angels & Demons
Huge Let-downs:
- Monsters vs. Aliens
- Knowing
- Observe & Report
Well, of course Knowing sucked, Nicholas Cage was in it. You’ve given me some ideas for Movies to rent, thanks!
That’s what I do it for. Filter out the garbage so normal people can save some time.
Although, I found UP too sad….