Top Films of 2009

Without further ado, and exactly three weeks after the end of 2009... I bring you the list of my top ten films of 2009.  It's amazing that I wound up seeing more movies being back in New York than when I was in Los Angeles.  You get so wrapped up in what you're doing out there, it is easy to forget why you're there in the first place.

0.   Battle for Terra

A special mention cause I just can’t vote for my own movie.  But seriously, best film of the year.  Maybe.

1.   Avatar

            A feat in filmmaking. 

2.   The Hurt Locker

Tense, gripping and superbly done.  Anyone that hasn’t seen this ‘little’ war film needs to.  Asap.  Done by Kathryn Bigelow, who somehow makes more guys guy movies than just about anyone.

3.   Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

The most fun at the movies in 2009.  I had a smile on my face the entire time.  And seeing it in 3D made it that much better.

4.   Public Enemies

Mann being Mann.  Depp being Depp… and a supporting cast that surrounds them that blows any other film this year away. 

5.   The Hangover

           

Funniest movie of the year.  Refreshing to see a comedy that wasn’t secretly about some sappy love story.

6.   District 9

The biggest little sci-fi film in a long time.  Blomkamp’s short film is one of my favorite of all time, and I was really looking forward to this – and it delivered.  Although there were some things that I couldn’t buy, it was fun and sucked me in.

7.   Inglorious Basterds

Tarantino’s return to form.  I actually didn’t want to see this after suffering through Grind House.  But I’m glad I did.  I think they actually did a bad job of selling this film, as it was much better than the trailer let on.  Pitt wasn’t so absurdly over the top (Burn After Reading) and it wasn’t goofy.  It all seemed to fit, which is a huge achievement by QT.

8.   Where the Wild Things Are

Dark, terrifying and sad… but oddly fun.  I know, it makes no sense, but either does this film.  And it was great.  Made me feel like a care-free kid again.

9.    Gomorrah

The best foreign film of the year was an engrossing look at modern 'mafia' in Italy. Which is more Boyz n the Hood or New Jack City than Godfather.

10.   500 Days of Summer

           

I tend to despise these chic, too smart for their own good geek romance movies.  While this movie still had some of the trappings (the annoyingly precocious younger sister), it still came out on top.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt was the real reason this was able to shine.  The script was clever in a good way, and the direction really paid it off.