Two films that are getting a lot of buzz that I haven't been able to see yet are Invictus and Up In the Air. Obviously since I haven't seen them, I didn't put them on the list but I hear they are great and would really like to see them.
10. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER
Finally a fresh new twist for the romantic comedy genre. Sometimes watching romantic comedies can get so boring with the same plots and stories and cliche endings, but 500 Days of Summer does the opposite. The cast is great in this film and the film itself was well written. Definitely the best romantic comedy of the year.
9. UP
Pixar films will probably always be in the top 10 films of the year for me. The time and effort put into these films are clearly seen when you go to watch a Pixar film. Up is no different.
8. DISTRICT 9
Much like 500 Days of Summer, it was nice to see a change in the sci-fi world with District 9. Instead of aliens coming to destroy us or us going to an alien planet, a simple story of aliens actually getting stranded here and being put into shelters. The film gave us a unique approach going documentary style for part of the film which I thought was a good approach.
7. ZOMBIELAND
While I am tired of the zombie and vampire films that have been coming out like crazy, I have to say that Zombieland was a complete suprise. From the trailer I thought it was going to be one of those stupid raunchy comedies, but man was I wrong. This was definitely one of the funniest, well written films of the year.
6. THE HANGOVER
By far the funniest movie of the year. This film has the perfect cast who mesh together perfectly. It's good to know that there is still potential for comedies to still actually be funny.
5. AVATAR
By far the best film graphics wise I have ever seen. Cameron does not play around when it comes to trying to further technology for film. Sadly though, the story brings the film down a lot. Still it is good enough to crack the top five in my opinion. The characters were good the acting and effects were great, just the story was holding it back.
4. STAR TREK
I never thought I would be into something as nerdy as Star Trek. Star Wars is one thing, but Star Trek is completely different. Well J.J. Abrhams changed my mind real quick with his re-invention of the franchise. What a brilliant way to bring Trek back and now open it to a whole new world of possabilities. Along with the story, the film has a great ensemble cast who all are great in the film and the effects are top notch as well.
3. THE ROAD
This is a film I am still thinking about two weeks after I have seen it. It has a very powerful impact on the mind and makes you think what a post apocolyptic scenerio would really be like. The small all do great jobs, but really the story is what launches this film into the top three.
2. THE HURT LOCKER
The Hurt Locker maybe the best war film of the decade. It takes you into Iraq and puts you right there with the OED squads. A very powerful story of the squads and what they go through mentally and physically with defusing bombs, coping with being away from family, and the stress that goes into being a soldier.
1. INGLORIOUS BASTARDS
I liked this film when I saw it in theatres, but when I rewatched it at home, for some reason I fell in love with it. It isn't just about killing Nazi's and all of that fun stuff. There is a really good story that goes along with it, and I loved every aspect of this film. The characters were great, the writting was great and the story was was top notch, especially the brilliant ending.
What are your favorites of 09?
Posts
I gotta be honest, I usually have trouble putting together a list like this because I never really know what to include and what to leave off, but as I look back at the films that were released this year, the list is quite underwhelming. I don't think I can even list 20 movies I really enjoyed watching. To be fair, I really didn't watch that many movies this year, but these are the ones that I felt deserved this high esteem.
ReplyDeleteHonorable Mentions: Like I said, I don't have a very long list of enjoyable movies from this year, but these are the few that I did see and like, just not enough to make the top 10.
The Watchmen: Great adaptation of the source material.
I Love You Man: Paul Rudd and Jason Segel together in a comedy is all I really need to be entertained.
Funny People: All the right ingredients, just drug on too much for me to really love it.
Extract: Not a great film by any standards, but the cast was enough for me to enjoy this offering by Mike Judge.
Now for the top 10
ReplyDelete10. Where the Wild Things Are: Everything that I hoped it would be, this was marketed towards children but was made with a more mature audience in mind.
9. Avatar: You said it all; amazing graphics but the story has been done before, although I do feel that Cameron did a superb job telling it.
8. District 9: Like you said, really hard to come across and original sci-fi film, but this was a fantastic movie with its not-so-subtle subtext on the apartheid of South Africa
7. Zombieland: When I saw the trailer for this movie, like several others I thought it would be a lame American rip off of Shaun of the Dead. I was incredibly surprised by this film; besides the Hangover, I haven't laughed that hard in a movie in long time.
6. Inglourious Basterds <---Correct spelling of this film
Much like Avatar, this was a very long movie that I never once thought "they could have really done without this part of the story" or
"I wish this would end already" One of Brad Pitt's finest performances, and that's coming from a Brad Pitt fan.
5. Adventureland: Say what you will, I don't care, easily the most underrated film of the year for me. I Have watched this movie more times than any other one on this list, at least half a dozen times, and it has yet to lose any of its appeal. This was a horribly mis-marketed film, which is why so many people hated it. They were going in expecting another Superbad, and I can't blame them, that is how it was marketed. The film, however, was a surprising relatable tale of the horrors of working a summer job and how people cope with everything that comes with that territory.
ReplyDelete4. Star Trek: I am, always have been, and always will be a Star Trek fan. I am not to the level that I consider myself a trekkie, but I do own the entire ST: TNG, ST: DS9, and ST: Voyager series on dvd, and have watched all of them all the way through. Even with JJ Abrams at the helm of this movie, I found it hard to get excited for. I was never a fan of the original series, and I wasn't sure how I felt about a prequel to the Star Trek world (I never could watch Enterprise) I was tought, once again, to never doubt JJ Abrams. He did the impossible, he has not only completely revived this franchise, he has greatly expanded its audience.
3. The Hangover: This movie showed what I already knew to be true: Zack Galifinakis is a comedic genius and not enough people know about him. I liked everything about this movie, but for me he completely stole the show in this one. Easily the best laugh-out-loud comedy since Wedding Crashers, and maybe the best since Old School.
2. 500 Days of Summer: This movie was only as good as it was because of the casting of the two leads. This is one of a few movies that as soon as I watched the first trailer I could not wait. This really may have been my most anticipated film of the summer, and it did not fail to meet and exceed every one of my expectations. I can't imagine any other two actors/actresses playing the roles played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, who I've loved since Brick, and Zooey Deschanel who I've always thought was great but constantly under-utilized in her movie roles.
1. Hurt Locker: Ryan you said it all, best war movie of the decade. It really puts you right in it, and for my money there wasn't a better performance this year than Jeremy Renner. I loved the very short-lived Unusuals, and when I heard the lead from that show was going to be in this I knew I had to see it as soon as it came out. No movie this year was as powerful to me as this one.
10. 'Arry Potter!!
ReplyDelete9. Avatar
8. Zombieland
7. Watchmen
6. District 9
5. Inglorious Basterds
4. The Hangover
3. Star Trek
2. Fantastic Mr. Fox
1. UP
10. Funny People
ReplyDelete9. Zombieland
8. Milk-This movie was technically released in 2008, but it wasn't released world wide until 2009.
7. Star Trek
6. Fantastic Mr. Fox
5. The Hangover
4. Up
3. Watchmen
2. District 9
1. Inglorious Basterds
How did Ryan give Star Trek his number one movie of the summer, but put the hurt locker in front of it on this list?
Better late then never I suppose....
ReplyDeleteHonorable Mentions: Adventureland & Paranormal Activity
10.Sunshine Cleaning- a charming dramedy with two rising female leads
9. District 9 - A unique movie in a genre where most movies are very much alike.
8. The Hangover - Absolutely hilarious and Zack Galifinakis finally gets his big break.
7. Up - Pixar is just amazing and are able to tell stories like few others.
6. Inglourious Basterds- Another great film from Tarantino. However I feel his films have become less and less about plot and more and more about pithy, playful dialogue.
5. Zombieland - Incredibly funny and entertaining and has the best cameo in any film ever.
4. Star Trek - A nice reboot to a stagnant series using a lot more flash and a little less substance (but in a good way).
3. Avatar - Breathtakingly amazing visuals and a well told story. However, a frequently recycled story using the Pocahontas template even going so far as to have the main character have the same initials as John Smith. On a side note I may be in love with Zoe Saldana.
2. The Hurt Locker - A very unique movie in that it is not plot driven, character driven, or dialogue driven. Instead it is almost exclusively driven by raw emotion and tension and this dynamic works well here.
1. 500 Days of Summer - Hurt Locker will almost definitely be the big award winner of the year but 500 Days of Summer stole my heart. A great story lead by two of my absolute favorite actors. The film has just the right amounts of comedy, charm, and heart.