Best Movies of 2009 Thus far - Top 10 Films of year Counted Down
I realize that 2009 is significantly from over, but as we are through the summer blockbuster season I assumed it would be an appropriate time to come up with a list of the best 10 best movies of 2009 (until now). There are still a few big releases heading to like Sherlock Holmes, so there may be some slight alterations when all has been said and done, but overall I will be pretty satisfied until this is just about how things will shake out. Without further ado, listed here are my picks for top level films of the year until now:
10 - I Love You Man - Paul Rudd of Anchorman fame and Jason Segel of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and TV's How I Met Your Mother form teams in this classic buddy movie about a guy who gets engaged to discover he has no friends to face up for him at his wedding. Under urging from his fiance Peter Klaven (Rudd) goes on a series of "man dates" in a mission to find a friend as well as a potential best man. After several spectacular failures he accidentally meets up with Sidney Fife (Segel), a painfully honest, but loyal friend. Though seemingly polar opposites the pair hits it off immediately, mostly caused by a mutual love of the rockband Rush. However, Peter's fiance Zooey (Rashida Jones) is under impressed Sidney's influence on her husband-to-be.
The movie is clever and consistently funny throughout, and comes with a great supporting cast including Jon Favreau, J.K. Simmons, Jaime Pressley, Andy Sandberg and Jane Curtin. For those who missed this in theaters ensure that you pick it up on DVD as things are one of the funniest movies of the year.
9 - Coraline - One of the most useful movies of the year is usually one of the most unique. Featuring the voice acting of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher and Ian McShane Coraline is usually an animated film which is quite different than the most common offerings you see from Pixar and Dreamworks. Fanning voices main character Coraline Jones who discovers a secret door in their house, walks through it, and discovers a different reality to her actual. The animation is highly rated, featuring stop motion stereoscopic 3D, and with the voice acting, and also the intriguing plot the film is destined to be an instant classic that will be enjoyed for a long time by children and adults alike.
8 - Watchmen - To be honest when I heard this movie was coming out I thought it would have ended up being a lot higher on a listing of the best films of the year. That's not to say I was disappointed - I enjoyed the film immensely - just not quite as much as I figured I would.
Much different than typical superhero films like Spiderman and X-men this film definitely has a darker, grittier side inside the spirit of a film like Las vegas. The movie isn't quite as action-packed as I expected and tends to wander and/or drag on in parts. However, the acting is highly rated and the narration by Rorschach (Jackie Earle Hayley) is especially good. For fans of your graphic novels this movie may be something of a letdown, however it is still much better than big budget films like GI Joe: Rise of your Cobra and Transformers: Revenge of your Fallen.
7 - Public Enemies - The actor-brad pitt is one of the most versatile actors doing work in Hollywood today. Whether they are playing a crazed pirate, a demonic barber, or perhaps in this case, legendary villain John Dillinger they are always completely believable. Public Enemies is a very good film, even though it will not challenge Goodfellas or any other films of that caliber among the best gangster movies ever produced. Much like Watchmen the film usually drag in places, but there's enough action throughout to hold views from getting too antsy. Christian Bale as FBI agent Melvin Purvis is not as good as Depp, but does a serviceable job.
Despite some minor flaws Public Enemies continues to very much worth viewing at least one time, and the set design and also the digital imagery inside the film are practically it gets.
6 - The Hurt Locker - Of the movies on this list, with perhaps the exception of Coraline, The Hurt Locker is one of unheralded. With names like Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and perhaps Evangeline Lily of television's Lost there may be decent star power, nevertheless for whatever reason the film didn't have the promotion that it deserved. As emotional as things are thrilling The Hurt Locker provides the audience a vividly portrayed look at an elite unit that has the unenviable job (as you would expect) of disarming bombs in the midst of battle. If you are one of many who haven't heard of this film definitely give it a look when it hits DVD.
5 - Inglorious Basterds - There was clearly a lot of hype surrounding this movie, and with director Quentin Tarantino and Holly A-list actor Brad Pitt attached to the film, our prime anticipation hardly has come about as a shock. Tarantino is back in a big way, after lukewarm reviews of his last film Death Proof, with this particular tale of a selection of Jewish-American soldiers who spread terror over the enemy's ranks by brutally killing Nazis. Pitt is stellar inside the lead role as Lt. Aldo Raine, simple fact the film is over 2.5 hours long you'll never find it dragging. For those who hurry you can still catch it in theaters. Otherwise you need to wait the long months until it sees the lighting of day on DVD.
4 - Up - As well as Coraline was, it couldn't dethrone the 800 pound gorilla Pixar for that title of the best animated movie of 2009. Pixar, just like Johnny Depp, just never manage to make a bad movie, without any matter how much praise is heaped upon them first movie they somehow manage to outdo themselves yearly.
Ed Asner, who was so good as Lou Grant on TV so many years ago, proves he still hasn't lost his acting ability, handing over a top notch performance because the voice of Carl Fredricksen, a cantankerous old man who sets on an incredible adventure inside the twilight of his life to meet up with a lifelong promise to his deceased wife. The film, like all Pixar films, has a good amount of humor, but also has moments that will have you blinking back tears. A high level fan of Pixar films then you've no doubt already seen this place, but if you'd dismissed being a kid's movie what you are doing yourself a disservice, and you should make sure to pick it up on DVD (or Blu-Ray) the morning it hits stores.
3 - District 9 - Though many of them are calling this film the best science fiction movie ever I wouldn't go quite that far. Still, regarded as incredible movie as well as a stunning debut for director Neil Blomkamp. The film is unusual straight away for the simple fact of the company's setting. The story takes place in South Africa, a refreshing departure utilizing alien "invasion" movies very often seem to take place on U.S. soil. Basically I've put the word invasion in quotes. It is not your typical movie where army troops and a few extraordinary civilians must defend Earth from annihilation by unwelcome extra terrestrial visitors. Instead, the aliens purpose is unknown, and the've been segregated and forced into slums below the watchful eye of the military. I cannot get into too many specific details, but the reality is the film is noticeably different than any sci-fi movie that That i've ever seen.
2 - The Hangover - Although this might not have enjoyed the critical acclaim of various of the other films on this list, The Hangover deserves its spot as things are one of the funniest comedy movies ahead along in years. Starring Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper and also the outrageously funny Zach Galifianakis the film is all about 2 buddies (then one soon to be brother-in-law) who take their friend Doug to Las Vegas for his bachelor party. Regardly happens in Vegas (even during real life) things get quickly out of control and after a nights debauchery the sorry crew awakens and discovers they've lost their friend. Unable to recall how it happened they must try and retrace their steps from your previous night to find Doug and get him home soon enough for his wedding.
Don't forget to settle right to the end in this one. The slideshow in the credits is just as funny because the main film.
1 - Star Trek - With the amount installments of this venerable sci-fi classic already it seemed unlikely that just one more chapter would come up at # 1 on a list of the best 10 best movies of 2009. Yet here you go. Why, you ask? To put it simply, this isn't your father's Star Trek. The series have been completely reinvented, much in the way that Batman Begins would be a few years back. It's darker, more violent and grittier than many of the previous installments.
This film is a prequel to the others, and follows the adventures of any young James Kirk, detailing how he came to the academy, met Spock, Bones, Scotty and also the rest of the crew, and ultimately came to captain the Starship Enterprise.
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If your not a fan of the original series and also have snubbed this film as result you're making a mistake. This movie is a plus without being a die hard Trekkie, of course, if you haven't seen it ensure that you mark November 17th on your calendar as which is the day it will be on DVD.