My 10 Favorite Films of 2009 plus some other crap...

My 10 Favorite Films of 2009 plus some other crap…
This list is in no particular order…read away!

Inglourious Basterds
Tarantino’s fictional take on the fall of the Third Reich stands out as the year’s best and my favorite. It was a horrible time in the history of the human race however to see history re-written like this was very satisfying. Tarantino’s characters are so well developed that you can’t help but connect with them. Bloody and disturbing with moments of humor make this a unique creation. Sadly, Mike Meyers cameo falls flat but the film succeeds on many levels and is definitely going to be nominated for Best Picture. See my review for more detail.

Up
Disney/Pixar continues its successful streak of beautifully written and rendered animated films. I can still remember the tears and laughs coming from the audience (and myself) upon first viewing. The movie was a sight to be seen in its 3D form. Living artwork and thrilling sequences made this a must for movie lovers. See my review for more detail.

Star Trek
Wow a lot of hardcore fans wanted this film to fail without even seeing it. And guess what, It became one of the biggest hits of 2009 with critics and audiences alike. It was spectacular, witty, emotional and all together a perfect resurrection to a dying franchise. Thanks J.J. for breathing new life into Roddenberry’s vision. Also thanks for bringing some of the hottest new talent to light (Chris pine anyone?) See my review for more detail.

Coraline
Director Henry Selick took a surprisingly dark children’s story by Neil Gaiman and made it digestible to the masses. Although it’s still a pretty eerie children’s tale, it has a lot going for it. Beyond the technical aspect of stop motion animation, the story reminds children to be careful what they wish for. Completely immersive in 3D and well worth the time at the movies.

The Hangover
This is one of the funniest and most unpredictable movies of the year. Todd Phillips creation just keeps building and building and ends on a surprisingly warm note… then bam!, more raunch! It’s an interesting construct which works because of its characters. The great thing is a lot of us can relate to similar stories of a drunken forgotten night in sin city. It’s just craziness!

Avatar
Writer/Director James Cameron returns to bring us a somewhat generic story about greed, inhumanity and love. Although the story has been told many times, its Cameron’s telling that changes the game. The use of technology, motion-capture, face-capture, CGI and 3D makes the film all the more special. All of it would be nothing without engaging characters and incredible sequences. Awesome job James.

District 9
Social commentary within a gritty Science Fiction film succeeds in this Neil Blomkamp film. Don’t get me wrong, its chock full of amazing effects, bloody violence and incredible CGI Prawns lol. The movie is grounded in the real world and its authenticity makes the entire story work. See my review for more detail.

The Road
A post-apocalyptic tale based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy about the survival of one man’s family. Viggo Mortensen and child actor Kodit Smit-Mcphee turn in amazing performances within this dark subject matter. As heavy as the film can be, it has moments of sincerity and truth that show humanity in its true light.

(500) Days Of Summer
One of the most romantic movies I saw this year. Its hits on all the right notes and shows the truth behind those subtle times with a new love. It’s the little moments that amount to so much in a relationship but are they enough to label it as “the one”. Zooey and Joseph deliver casual, likable, and believable performances. The soundtrack alone can transport you into many moments you’ve had yourself. A relatable film about creating a relationship in a young professional’s world.

Guilty Pleasures of 2009

2012- Don’t blame me for loving the destruction of Los Angeles but the effects and sound work were awesome. Cheesy dialogue be damned!

G.I. Joe- True to the over the top cartoon of the same name. A popcorn flick that doesn’t need to be taken seriously, and if you do, it’s your loss.

Jennifer’s Body- Diablo Cody Dialogue and Bloody boy eating Megan Fox add to this crazy cool movie. Also thanks Amanda Seyfried for playing the “straight” girl.


Worst Movies of 2009

Wolverine- Why in the world was this movie so full of crap? You have some great characters but let’s just throw in every single mutant we can. Wtf! Not good, not fun and an overall waste of a movie.

Terminator: Salvation- Effects aside this movie had so many awful boring moments. Bad acting and sub-par directing leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

New Moon- The most overhyped piece of cinematic garbage to ever make 300 million. Here’s hoping Eclipse will get New Moon out of my head.


Movies I have yet to see in 2009
Up in the Air, Precious, Brothers, A Single Man, The Hurt Locker


Movies I’m looking forward to in 2010

Clash of The Titans
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Iron Man 2
Inception
Toy Story 3
The Wolfman
DayBreakers
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 1
Alice in Wonderland
The Crazies
Rapunzel
Tron: Legacy
Twilight: Eclipse
Voyage of the Dawn Treader