My Movie Faves of 2009

Here follows a list of my 10 favorite films of the past year. Note these are not what I think are the best of the year. There is a huge difference between favorites and the best made films. That list is to be made by other people (with more 'qualified' experience reviewing films). The following are my favorite films of 2009:

10. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Yes it is somewhat retarded explosive Michael Bay Stupidity on film, but god I love it. I love films that stir my inner 7-year-old and make him stare at the screen in awe of 30 foot robots fist-fighting against buildings. It's just cool cinema.

9. The Road
I love this post apocalyptic film mostly because it is unapologetically bleak. The world is dying and mankind is clinging by it's fingernails struggling to survive. There is no hope in this world. A brave film.

8. Anti-Christ
This film polarized audiences, and upon viewing it does force you to contemplate about a wide variety of subjects; misogyny, origin of man, psychological impacts of loss, and the presence of extreme violence in film. It is a hard film to watch and the violence can be difficult to stomach, but the conversations it sparked and the incredible cinematography make this an unlikely favorite for me.

7. Watchmen
A mature comic hero film that raises some fascinating questions about vigilantism and the costs of maintaining peace. While I enjoyed the theatrical version, I think the best is the recently released Ultimate Cut, which includes the comic within the comic, increasing the depth of the material. Watchmen is a fantastic project filled with adoration to its source material, and it's a film executed to near perfection.

6. Zombieland
You have to love zombies. This movie was a love letter to all things zombie. Woody Harrelson chews scenes as the ultimate zombie slayer in the funniest movie of the genre since Shaun of the Dead.

5. Precious
A tough film to watch, filled with abuse, hate, and oppression, yet still manages to uplift and inspire with a genuine authenticity. Plus, it's chock full of outstanding performances. Look for it to win some in award season.

4. District 9
Great Science Fiction is able to present fantastical situations and infuse them into modern issues and themes. District 9 is as close to a modern Science Fiction classic as I could imagine. Tackling racial issues head on by utilizing an alien race is what makes this film important, but it's also a hell of an entertainment.

3. Inglorious Basterds
Only Tarantino could rewrite the history books and do it with such style. I don't know how he is able to tighten the screws using only words and a pair of characters at a table gabbing about milk. The man has a talent for words. Thinking back, it seems as if the film has only a handful of scenes (A handful of terrific scenes mind you). Tarantino squeezes every juicy character moment from the performers in these few scenes. It is a great performance piece, a bit of a black comedy, and a war film all wrapped up in a nice, tight, Tarantino bundle-of-joy. In other words: it's awesome!!

2. Avatar
The build up to this movie has been incredible over the past few years. But none of the game-changing talk lives up to how much this film knocked me on my ass. Seeing this movie in IMAX 3D was one of the greatest film-going experiences I have had. Cameron paints a classic, simple story with the most colorful, eye-poppingly gorgeous eye candy you will ever see. This film is the very definition of escapism. Taking you to a completely artificial world and telling a very relevant story, this is a movie you should not deprive yourself of seeing on as big a screen as you can find.

And my number 1 favorite film of 2009 is...



A TIE!!

1. Star Trek/Up
In compiling this list I couldn't decide which of these I enjoyed more.

Star Trek brings a much needed, incredible sense of adventure into a long stale series. After seeing this in the early summer, I netflixed every previous Star Trek film, and I have to say you ain't missing much (unless you are a hardcore Trekkie, in which case, God help you). This is a terrific entertainment that rarely slows down; a movie that will have you on the edge of your seat cheering. After enduring the tepid Star Wars Prequels, it's nice to see a return to great space adventure. I can't wait for the next in the series.

Up was a film I was not expecting to like. An old protagonist, a talking dog, and a flying house make up a few hurdles to this uncharacteristic animated film. I should have trusted Pixar. The opening 10 minutes is the best, emotionally packed bit of animation I have ever seen. Telling a life's time of story in 10 minutes is an incredibly feat of storytelling.

I love that the hero of this "cartoon" is an old man (even the elderly dream of adventures). I love the tenderness, the sadness, and the final triumph. Laced with gut-busting comedy, the film packs a sweet light-hearted tone, yet explores the fragility of life, and the impact of death on the living. This is an extraordinary creation from the best minds in animation and it sits comfortably on top of my list for 2009.

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