why 2009 you ask? well, with 4 kids and a job where i often work evenings, it's just easier to watch films on netflix streaming or video.
the idea of a top 10 list is to both confirm with others your shared love for movies that 'everybody' saw and to alert others to lesser known films that perhaps they should see...i'll attempt to do both. some of the films i mention may need to be viewed in an edited format.
i will attempt to keep my 'top' list to under 15 and then i'll add in a few honorable mentions etc.
my criteria for a top film? if it made me want to cry, made me laugh, moved/inspired me or made me think.
top 15 movies of 2009...
15-Sunshine Cleaning
amy adams shines in this story of a struggling single mom, her sister and life's vicissitudes. includes laughs and inspiring moments...14-An Education
carey mulligan allows this movie to work. she is a smart, attractive and fun 17 year old ready to take on the world. a twist ending makes you rethink and step back from what you've been enjoying to that point. the movie held plenty of lite moments, but held gravitas as well.13-Duplicity
a chance to watch two great actors. one of the better opening scenes of the year. mild suspense, plot twists and a great love story.12-Whip It
good clean fun in drew barrymore's directing debut. enjoyed jimmy fallon in his few shining moments...11-Trucker
michelle monaghan is intense and moving in this story of a trucker mom whose son re-enters her life.10-Zombieland
laugh often in a graphic movie with impressive titles, captions and scripting. i especially enjoyed their time in bill murray's home.9-Fantastic Mr. Fox
probably one of the first wes anderson movies i have enjoyed... clooney was great and the unique animation was enjoyable. not really a kids movie--although i showed the final scenes to my kids and they hung in there for 10 minutes or so.8-The Hangover
i am a little embarrassed at how hard i laughed through most of this movie. clearly one of the funniest and best comedies of the year...7-Inglorious Basterds
this too may be the first tarantino film i have enjoyed. the iconic moments in pulp fiction were too few and far between, but this film had just the right mix of absurd comedy and earnest plot to keep me hooked. as my brother said, 'a nice little revenge flick.'6-Sherlock Holmes
at this point i start to diverge from the critics because there were too many great movies with action, suspense, romance that weren't depressing. and i guess those are my kind of movies.5-Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
if you hadn't heard. i love harry potter
4-Star Trek
what a great flick. time travel, fighting, science fiction, smart dialogue, romance, great characters. hopefully you saw this one.3-Up
i thought i might cry after just the opening sequence recounting the love story between the man and his deceased wife. the rest was icing on the cake. i need to watch this again with the kids. soon.2-Hurt Locker
a justly deserved academy award winning show. intense, heart felt, instructive, disturbing and exciting. and what a great addition to aj's bachelor party.1-Avatar
hopefully everyone saw this on a really big screen. yes, it is a movie i'll remember when and where i saw it the first time (in vegas with jonny) just like the first time i saw return of the jedi (opening week with my dad.) and it should probably have won the academy award...Honorable Mention
-Up in the Air: i felt i spent too much time with a man i didn't like--waiting for him to get a clue... still it was unique and a movie i still think about.
-The Young Victoria
-Princess and the Frog: kids and i have seen it twice. great songs. great strong female character.
-500 Days of Summer: it didn't take too long for me to feel like summer didn't deserve him anyway. drop it and move on.
-The Messenger
-The Invention of Lying: ricky gervais as a prophet? jennifer garner in anything...
-Julie and Julia: good date movie.
-District 9: unique but i didn't find it compelling.
-The Blind Side: great show.
-Adventureland: bella breaking out of her mold a bit.
Best Kids Movies
-Up
-Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
-Princess and the Frog
Movies I tried to Rent/Stream more than 5 times and wasn't feeling it...
-Precious
-A Serious Man
-The Road
-Public Enemies
-Coraline
-Invictus
Movies on other top ten lists that I didn't enjoy
-Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans: i couldn't stand cage's character, but that was the point right?
-A Single Man: after the 4th or 5th time he began to kill himself i started to wish he'd get it over with...or that the movie would end.
-Julia: I had no desire to continue watching this woman live her life--regardless the plot twists ahead.
A great documentary:
-The Cove: instructive and interesting regarding the whaling industry. i feel like i should care more, but there was some beautiful footage of dolphins and it was a bit of a caper flick. all told, i don't think we should eat dolphins.
did i miss a 'must see' from 2009? do you agree with my list?
10 comments:
#1? AVATAR? weird.
stephen: you're saying you'd prefer a wierd movie took the #1 spot?
I still don't get how you watch all these movies, Paul. :) And how you've only seen 1/2 with me. :)
Solid list, Paul. I do have to agree with Stephen though :)
Here are a couple I might have thrown in my own top 15 (not mentioned here):
-Crazy Heart
-Up in the Air
-The Road
-Moon
Just for fun, here were the movies that disappointed me the most:
-Invictus
-Where the Wild Things Are
-Sherlock Holmes
-Men Who Stare At Goats
aj: ah ha. you didn't love avatar either hmmm...
i agree with your added list. maybe it was my mood in the ER the night i finally put the list together.
crazy heart i genuinely enjoyed. i loved how it lulled you in with his rascally ways as this loveable old cranky guy and i enjoyed the love story with the single mom. then you're jolted back to reality when he loses the boy. the show was great. i probably should have included it in the top. i must admit i was maybe feeling a bit turned off to the genre after ray, walk the line, the wrestler etc. etc. (the wrestler being the show i possibly liked better than crazy heart.)
the road, i should probably watch it :) i've heard it's plodding with minimal payoff at the end, but perhaps that's not a fair characterization.
up in the air. clooney was great (as i said in the post.) i loved the ending.
i didn't see invictus because because others too had been disappointed with it.
didn't see goats or wild for similar reasons.
moon. hmm. i'd seen posters, but it was not on my radar. haven't seen in many other 'best of lists'.
i will check it out.
amy: :)
I don't disagree with Avatar sitting at the top. I loved it and was hugely impressed both times I watched it. The Road I really enjoyed as well as Crazy Heart. Fantastic Mr. Fox was good, and I think Rushmore is the only other Wes Anderson I've really enjoyed. Why haven't I watched Star Trek? Also, Hurt Locker was a wonderful part of the bachelor party, and reminds me that I need to watch the Band of Brothers series. Good list Paul
todd: thank you...
glad to hear we see eye to eye on avatar.
you give another reason to see 'the road'.
the 'band of brothers'
another to see with your brother in mind? 'restrepo'. you can find it on netflix. embedded filmakers with soldiers in afghanistan...
Glad I wasn't there.
you would have enjoyed it...
Wow, I think I have only seen one of these movies...I guess I better get on the "band" wagon.
Post a Comment