Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Eyegasm - Movies in 2009

2009 was a pretty awesome year for movies... and since there isn't always a lot to do, I see a lot of them. According to my list on Rateyourmusic.com, I've seen 40 movies in 2009... here are my top 15.

Click on the movie posters to watch their trailers on YouTube.

15.

RT: 83%
tf:

One of the coolest looking movies I've seen in a really long time, I saw this just the other night in 3D. The first hour and a half of the story keep you guessing what might happen but the final hour was a little disappointing - but probably only because of its attempt at mass appeal. Cameron sat on this script for years until the technology was good enough to replicate his visions, and they invented an entire language for the Na'vi tribe. I'm not sure if it lived up to the general public's hype, but it was much better than I personally was expecting.

14.

RT: 50%
tf:

I think I liked this movie for a lot of reasons that you typically wouldn't like a movie for... if that makes sense. Seth Rogen took on a really different, and pretty difficult, role in this film as he essentially plays a pathetic loser trying to make something of himself... it's a hard thing to make funny. However, because the scenes fluctuate back and forth from awkwardly saddening to hysterically laughable, it just works for me.

13.

RT: 83%
tf:

You have to be crazy not to like a Jason Segel, Paul Rudd bromance movie. C'mon...

12.

RT: 86%
tf:

I don't know exactly what message to take away from this movie, which is probably why it hasn't climbed as high on the list as it might on others... I'm not a believer in true love or anything like that, and 500 days is a movie that wants you to understand people will take shits on your heart... and it's just something you have to deal with. But that's not uplifting in any way, it's just kind of tragic. I can't really say too much without spoiling the movie for those of you who haven't seen it... but it was definitely one of the best romance dramas of recent history.

11.

RT: 89%
tf:

Zombies... Woody Harrelson... and Bill Murray? This is the softer side of zombie apocalypse... a side you can laugh about and not have nightmares when you go to sleep at night. I'm still not really sure if I like the less funny version of Michael Cera or not, there wasn't anything that crazy in the plot and it was pretty straightforward, but I laughed throughout the entire movie, so I can't complain.

10.

RT: 98%
tf:

Pixar has gotten really good at making movies that parents can take their kids to without having to sacrifice the mature themes they really want. Up was one of the saddest movies of the year, in all honesty... but kids probably had no idea and were just sucked in by the adventure of it all. The movie's two main characters serve as a direct parallel to this and the story is both entertaining and emotionally engaging. I felt like an idiot buying a ticket for this at 11:30 on a Friday night, but it turned out to be a good decision.

09.

RT: 90%
tf:

A modern day mixture between Cloverfield and Independence Day, this movie operates perfectly with an unknown cast and does probably the most realistic job of estimating the conditions of a possible alien invasion. I really liked the blend of comedy, action and drama that it offered and if any movie has ever been ripe for a sequel, it's this one.

08.

RT: 88%
tf:

I can never tell whether I love or hate Tarantino - love Pulp Fiction, hate Kill Bill... so I had low expectations going into Inglourious Basterds, but holy shit this movie was awesome. People always mention his use of dialogue being a central focus to his films, and I loved every painstaking minute of anticipation it delivered... I'm also always down for using Brad Pitt to sell tickets and ignoring history too. GJ QT.

07.

RT: 63%
tf:

This begins the best of the best for me this year, and if you'll notice - none of these movies get particularly good reviews. I don't know if I like fighting for the underdog or if I can just somehow find what most of the critics are missing... but every year the movies I like the most are the ones that don't get the credit. With that said, Extract was one of the most cleverly funny movies I have seen in a long time. First of all this cast was loaded... Secondly, it was surprisingly fun having no idea which way the plot was going to go, and finally the storyline was more than engaging enough to peak my interest the whole time. Comedies get beat up pretty often for just being slapstick or whatever, but this was a smart movie, and it definitely doesn't get the credit it deserved.

06.

RT: 57%
tf:

Probably the most intense movie I've ever seen... definitely the most intense of the year, I'm surprised this didn't get better reviews from the critics. Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman all gave outstanding performances and you need to keep your eyes on this freak of a young actress Bailee Madison. She plays one of Tobey's daughters in the movie and she is just incredible. I don't know how in the world she can comprehend such adult notions of a character's portrayal, but she is going to be huge - that's for certain.

05.

RT: 73%
tf:

The most anticipated movie of the year did not disappoint. Spike Jonze did a perfect job encapsulating the darker, dramatic view of this children's masterpiece and I could never have imagined it turning out any better. I'm going to call this the most underrated movie of the year... because I just don't agree with any of the criticism it received. A lot of people wanted a happier version... but they should have known what to expect. A lot of people thought its plot development was too slow... and I can't stand how impatient the general public has become with popular cinema, it's just ridiculous. If you liked the children's book when you were a kid like I did... I remember constantly being on the waiting list to check this book out at my school library, than you should be able to appreciate this interpretation.

04.

RT: 78%
tf:

Comedy of the year. One of the most quotable movies I've ever seen it's just littered with one-liners and gets better every time. Zach Galifianakis is amazing, and now one of my heroes... I don't have much to say about this movie other than if you haven't seen it, you're either over the hill or in a hole and you sure as hell aren't reading this.

03.

RT: 68%
tf:

Pardon my French but I fucking love Judd Apatow. And with that love comes a little bit of hate - for anyone who complained about this movie. If you left the theater early because you thought this movie was too long, or not LOL funny enough... you are an idiot. Judd Apatow is the master of dark, dramatic comedy and you would know this if you ventured farther into his work past Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin... but since I'm assuming you haven't, I'm not even going to waste my time. For those of you who have though, you loved this movie... and you understand that this was one of the best roles Adam Sandler has ever played and the cast that surrounded him was near perfect. Thank you, Judd.

02.

RT: 66%
tf:

This movie completely won me over. The awkwardness. The simplicity. The soundtrack. Everything about this movie was better than I ever would have believed. I've seen it something like 5 times since I first saw it in the theater and the ending still provokes that beautiful tingly feeling that my words can't really describe. Not too many other people really enjoyed this movie the way I did, and that's fine... I understand it doesn't have the mass appeal that many of the other movies on this list do, but that just makes it all the more mine.

01.

RT: 72%
tf:

A lot of you are probably saying, "Really?... The Road?" - and Yes. The Road. This was the perfect apocalyptic movie for me... it didn't have anything to do with zombies, asteroids or John Cusack and I don't think any other attempt will ever come close. The appeal of this movie wasn't the action or the visualization of losing everything, it was the emotional consciousness, the deep human instinct, the love and passion, the internal fight to live no matter what the consequences. It's just amazing to think about what would happen if man had no moral code... if we lost all faith, etc. - this movie creates the contemplation of many of these ideas that we in normal circumstances have no reason to consider, and it's that thought progression that earns this film title of tastyflapjack movie of the year.

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