The year is almost over, and since January there have been a ton of great and memorable films. Some were big-budget explosion movies that were more entertaining than great, and others were smaller films that still managed to be highly acclaimed. Now that the year is wrapping up, it’s time to go back and list my top ten movies of 2009.
Number ten is “Angels and Demons,†the Ron Howard-directed thriller based on the book by Dan Brown. Starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, “Angels and Demons†was a moody and tense thriller. It had many interesting plot twists and strong performances, but it was a little too dark in tone. The film took itself far too seriously, so it was hard to be entertained. Still, it managed to be a good film and it kept my attention all the way to the brilliant twist at the end.
Number nine goes to “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.†This film, from director Gavin Hood, was much improved over “X-Men: The Last Stand,†although still doesn’t top the first two films. It was loud, had good acting, and cool special effects, but it wasn’t quite as good as expected. The script was a little cliché, and some of the scenes were a bit too comedic for being based on a dark superhero origin. However, Hugh Jackman is always great as Wolverine, and the film was very fun to watch.
Number eight is “Public Enemies,†the gangster film starring Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, one of the greatest criminals of all time. The film had great performances from everyone except Christian Bale, who after Batman always speaks in that low raspy voice, even when he is trying to be dramatic. He was miscast, but Depp was perfect as Dillinger. He always had that tough guy look on his face, but also had a touch of the Jack Sparrow romance. The film had a strong ending scene, but near the middle it started to drag. Still, a great film.
The seventh slot goes to “Taken,†the action film starring Liam Neeson as an ex-“preventer†whose daughter is kidnapped in Paris. The film was fast-paced, action-packed, and totally unrealistic. It also took a while for things to start speeding up, but after a half an hour the remainder of the film is just Neeson beating people up. What is there not to like?
Number six is “Terminator Salvation,†the fourth in the classic Terminator franchise from director McG (yes that’s his name). The film starred Christian Bale as John Connor, but again, he wasn’t very good. This guy needs to learn to stop using the Batman voice. However, the film was very good. A lot of people disliked the film because of the PG-13 rating, since all of the other films were rated R. But the rating didn’t bother me at all. I just cared about the plot and the action, and thankfully both were pretty good. It paid homage to the Cameron films, and was a nice addition to the franchise.
Now I am getting serious with naming the best films. Number five is “Zombieland,†the ultra-hilarious zombie spoof starring the ultra-hilarious Woody Harrelson. The film was advertised poorly, and the previews made it look stupid, but the film was brilliant. It was almost as funny as “Shaun of the Dead,†the film that inspired this one. There were so many great moments in this film, including the cameo by Bill Murray. Harrelson was genius, and even the co-star Jesse Eisenberg was excellent, even though I have never seen him before. Overall, “Zombieland†was close to flawless.
Number four is “Inglourious Basterds,†the Tarantino-directed war satire starring Brad Pitt. This film was genius, and definitely one of Tarantino’s better movies. Brad Pitt was hilarious, but a little miscast. Christoph Waltz, however, was absolutely fantastic. He probably had the best acting this whole year, and definitely deserves an Oscar. Although a bit long and slow, “Inglourious Basterds†was perfect.
Number three is “The Hangover,†aka the funniest movie of the year and probably decade. With a low budget, no stars, and very little advertising, “The Hangover†soared as the biggest sleeper hit of the year. It was brilliantly written, directed, and acted, and there were so many hilarious lines in the film that makes it worth watching several times just to hear them again. This movie is the definition of comedy, and will continue to be until the sequel hits.
The number two spot goes to “District 9,†the science fiction film from first-time director Neill Blomkamp. Produced by Peter Jackson, “District 9†blew me away. From the unbelievable special effects ($30 million budget!) to the terrific acting from lead Sharlto Copley who has never acted a day in his life, “District 9†is perhaps the greatest sci-fi film of the decade. Well, until number one came along…
…which is “Avatar.†Through personal connections, I managed to catch an advance of this film, and I was blown away. I knew from the previews and hype that it was going to be good, but not this good. “Avatar,†from highly acclaimed director James Cameron, was absolutely terrific. The film was made almost entirely out of CGI, but the actors did all of the motion capture work and acting for the characters, making them seem alive. The 3D effects were the best ever, and the world of Pandora felt like a believable world. The emotions on the alien faces as their world is getting excavated were so believable that I felt emotional toward them. My advice, see this movie right after your last final on the 18th, not to only relieve stress but to enter a new world that will change ours forever.
Overall, 2009 was a strong year in cinema. With films still yet to be released, such as “Invictus†and “Up In The Air,†this year may have just enough to pack the Academy Awards with competition. 2010, here we come.
