The Star Trek and the (500) Days of Summer casts have reason to celebrate as both movies make the Top 5 of Chris's Best Movies of 2009 (Courtesy Photo)
It's hard to believe the year has passed us by in a blur and we're already into a new decade. Yes, 2009 had a lot to offer, although the Summer season seemed a bit lacking compared to 2008 and the year of "The Dark Knight." Without further or do, here are my top 10 movies of 2009: (Keep in mind, I have not seen a few movies on every critics Top 10 list so bear with me.)
#10 - Paranormal Activity (R) Starring Kate Featherson and Micah Sloat
This indie movie horror hit made people think "Blair who?" After a young, middle class couple moves into a suburban 'starter' tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to. With a budget of only $15,000 and a total box office gross of $108 million (not including rentals and sales), this film proves to Hollywood that a great concept and story are worth more than any visual effects you can splash on the screen. The only thing really to fear is a sequel is coming in 2012 that Hollywood is sure to screw up in some way.
#9 - Funny People (R) Starring Seth Rogan, Adam Sandler
Judd Apatow's third film after huge hits "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up" was a disappointment in the box office but I thought it was a very well made film. George (Sandler) is a very successful stand up comedian who learns that he has an untreatable blood disorder and is given less than a year to live. Ira (Rogen) is a struggling up-and-coming stand up comedian who works at a deli and has yet to figure out his onstage persona. One night, these two perform at the same club and George takes notice of Ira. George hires Ira to be his semi-personal assistant as well as his friend with both learning what life really is about. Great performances by Sandler who has a fantastic version of The Beatles "Real Love" in the movie.
#8 - The Hurt Locker (R) Starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty
Three members of the Army's elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad battle insurgents and one another as they search for and disarm a wave of roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad—in order to try and make the city a safer place for Iraqis and Americans alike. Their mission is clear—protect and save—but it's anything but easy, as the margin of error when defusing a war-zone bomb is zero. Most people are saying this is the best movie of 2009. I have to disagree. It's top 10 and will get nomnated for sure. "The Hurt Locker" is a fantastic eye-opener about what bomb defusers go through in Iraq and how insane one must be to do it. But this movie really left me feeling that it doesn't deserve a Best Picture win. Kind of like "Crash" in 2004, it was a good movie but not great but went on to win. You never know with Hollywood.
#7 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG-13) Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon
The sixth movie in the Harry Potter franchise finds Harry (Radcliffe) inching ever so closer to Voldemort. In the sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and in both wizard and muggle worlds Lord Voldemort and his henchmen are increasingly active. With vacancies to fill at Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore (Gambon) persuades Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), back from retirement to become the potions teacher, while Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) receives long awaited news. Harry Potter, together with Dumbledore, must face treacherous tasks to defeat his evil nemesis. As the kids get older, the movies get better and darker. Here's hoping they keep most of the elements of the last book, seeing it's being split into two movies.
#6 - Watchmen (R) Starring Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley
"The world will shout SAVE US! And I'll whisper...NO!" The greatest graphic novel of our time finally comes to the big screen in this very well done adaptation. "Watchmen" is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the "Doomsday Clock" - which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union - is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach (Haley) sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion - a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers - Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity... but who is watching the Watchmen? Brilliant suspense thriller where even if you didn't read the novel, you can still follow it.
#5 - District 9 (R) Starring Sharlto Copley
This is where my list gets tough. All these movies in the Top 5 could easily be number one. In 1982, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-eight years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe (Copley) in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed to a strange alien chemical and must rely on the help of his only two new 'Prawn' friends Chris Johnson and his son. The most original movie of 2009. The story behind this is nothing I have seen and flows really well. The unknown actor, Sharlto Copley, shines as Wikus, trying to save himself from transformation and get back home to his wife. Highly recommend this film that was produced by Peter Jackson.
#4 - Sherlock Holmes (PG-13) Starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law
Guy Ritchie's best to date brings Sherlock Holmes back to the big screen for the first time in the U.S. since 1985's "The Young Sherlock Holmes." After finally catching serial killer and occult "sorcerer" Lord Blackwood, legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes (Downey, Jr.) and his assistant Dr. Watson (Law) can close yet another successful case. But when Blackwood mysteriously returns from the grave and resumes his killing spree, Holmes must take up the hunt once again. Contending with his partner's new fiancée and the dimwitted head of Scotland Yard, the dauntless detective must unravel the clues that will lead him into a twisted web of murder, deceit, and black magic - and the deadly embrace of temptress Irene Adler. Very well done and just an enjoyable film. Holmes is back and a sequel is in the works with Brad Pitt set to star as Holmes nemisis Professor Morriarty.
#3 - (500) Days of Summer (PG-13) Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel
"This is not a love story," the narrator says before plunging you into this 1 1/2 hour masterpiece. He's Tom, from New Jersey, working in L.A. writing greeting cards even through he's an architect by training. She's Summer, in from Michigan. Day one is her first day as an AA in Tom's office. We jump back and forth in time: by day 67, they've become an item when she decides to put aside the lovemaking and just be friends. Tom, a romantic who's sure Summer is the one for him, wallows in self pity. We go back to the early days and see the relationship begin. Summer tells him right away that she doesn't believe in love. He mopes well past day 100. Then, as day 500 approaches, they find themselves at a wedding together. Does the old flame rekindle? Is Tom right that destiny controls love?
What a fresh, original comedy. Guys, we've all been in this situation at one time or another. Boy meets girl. Girl says she doesn't believe in love or wants a relationship. It turns into one. Someone gets hurt along the line. After watching this film, it took me a while to ponder what I thought. I think it brought back some painful memories at first. But the movie shines and Gordon-Levitt should get an Oscar© nod for his well placed performance.
#2 - Avatar (PG-13) Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver
James Cameron does it again. When his brother is killed in battle, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully (Worthington) decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge's intentions of driving off the native humanoid "Na'vi" in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch, while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an "avatar" identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri (Saldana), the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand - and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora.
Visually stunning with a wonderful cast and pretty decent storyline. The front runner (according to all industry experts) for the Best Picture Oscar with nothing coming close, Cameron is on pace to break his unbreakable record of nearly $2 billion dollars gross for a film. Currently, "Titanic" is at the top with $1.8 billion.
and the #1 Movie of 2009 is: Star Trek (PG-13) Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto
Yes folks, my number one film is Star Trek. Why? Because J.J. Abrams has rebooted the nearly dead franchise and brought it back to the land of living. Critics universally adored this film and it will surely get a Best Picture Oscar nod now that the field has been expanded to 10. On the day of James Kirk's birth, his father dies on his ship in a last stand against a mysterious alien vessel. He was looking for Ambassador Spock, who is a child on Vulcan at that time, disdained by his neighbors for his half-human nature. Twenty years later, Kirk (Pine) has grown into a young troublemaker inspired by Capt. Christopher Pike to fulfill his potential in Starfleet even as he annoys his instructors like young Lt. Spock (Quinto). Suddenly, there is an emergency at Vulcan and the newly commissioned USS Enterprise is crewed with promising cadets like Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov and even Kirk himself thanks to Leonard McCoy's medical trickery. Together, this crew will have an adventure in the final frontier where the old legend is altered forever even as the new version of it is just beginning. The cast was pitch perfect. The characters we knew and loved in the original show had the same mannerisms and zing that has made Star Trek stand tall for 40 years. I for one thought this was the best movie of the summer season as well.
Now before people berate my list, I have not seen the following: "Inglorious Basterds," "Up in the Air" and "Up." When I do, I might update my list if they deem to change the list in anyway. What is your top 10? Thoughts on mine? Comment below!
Lord Stanley's Cup awaits this years Hockey Champion. (Courtesy NHL.com)
