- INGLORIOUS BASTERDS - Wow. Tarantino does it again. Big time. At first I was shocked by how many elderly people were in the crowd at a Tarantino film, but then I realized if anyone was hungry to see history re-written so Hitler gets what he deserves, it would be people who were actually alive when it all went down.
- UP - This movie could have consisted solely of the opening sequence showing the ups and downs of Carl & Ellie's relationship, and it would still be in my top 10 of the year. There's more storytelling in this 5-minute vignette than in most of the other movies that came out this year.
- THE HANGOVER - This movie made me laugh more than any other movie this year. And for that, it gets to sit pretty at #3.
- AWAY WE GO - I heard some people complain that the main characters in this movie were either A) Too smarmy or B) Too much in love with each other to be interesting. Really? Well, then maybe THAT is why I fell in love with this movie and the main characters: because smarmy and totally in love pretty much describes me.
- FANTASTIC MR FOX - I didn't want to see this at all. The animation didn't look appealing and I'm not particularly a Wes Anderson fan. Who knew that this style of jerky stop-motion animation and Anderson's quirky filmmaking would be a perfect match I couldn't resist. And, when Mr Fox finally faces his only phobia, well...I admit I raised my fist along with them in a sincere LOL moment.
- PRECIOUS - The only time we see our heroine Precious smile in this movie is during the dream sequences, when the only thing she can do to protect herself from feeling the hurt around her is to leave this world for the brighter one in her imagination. And when she smiles in these visions, she beams. And when Mo'Nique delivers her Oscar-worthy monologue near the film's end...wow. It makes you wonder what she was thinking when she gave us Phat Girlz.
- SHERLOCK HOLMES - I'll be honest. I didn't really want to see this one. I had forgotten, however, it was directed by Guy Ritchie, and from the first time Holmes walks us through a fight sequence and explains what will happen to his opponent's body before the first blow is thrown...I was hooked. CSI meets Arthur Conan Doyle.
- UP IN THE AIR - My wife accuses me of having a man-crush on George Clooney and I really have no defense. What can I say, this year he was the man. He appears in 2 films in my top 10 list. Anyone else in the role he played in this film may not have been able to make him so likable. Anyone who plays someone whose job it is to fire people (especially with the economy what it is these days) and make him someone you'd wanna hang out with is doing something right.
- THE PROPOSAL - I like Sandra Bullock. I like Ryan Reynolds. I did not, however, expect to like this movie as much as I did. This is how to do a romantic comedy (Sorry Hugh & Sarah Jessica).
- PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - It wasn't until the next day when it really hit me how good this movie is. The filmmakers created very tangible suspense throughout the whole film and they did it without ever showing you anything. A shadow here. A door closing there. And still they managed to freak me out. Kinda makes you wish the guys from Saw would put down their buckets of blood and re-think a thing or two.
So there they are. Whaddya think? Am I close? What did you like? Comment and discuss.
5 comments:
I as you had a lot of films I still want to see. A few of them made your list. I loved Up but I will add it added the new wrinkle of my first discussions about death with a 5 year old.
Is the fact that The Hangover the hardest you laugh this year a praise of Hangover or an indictment on 2009 comedies. I'll be honest I laughed harder during The Goods, but it was almost too crude to include on my list.
Every year we disagree on something my friend and this year, praise for Paranormal Activity has me thankful that you're such a great guy. If you had my personality, I would stop being your friend over endorsing that steaming pile of celluloid. We rented that thing on Redbox (@$1.06) and I still feel cheated. I'll pray for you on this one.
You must see THE BLIND SIDE, I thought it was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. It could be that I am a softy when it comes to true stories that warm my heart and this one did.
UP made me smile!
HANGOVER also made me laugh the hardest that I think I ever have in a movie!
INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, I really need to see this one, just saw that it comes out or came out on dvd.
Thanks for your thoughts Eddie!
"Not at the table, Carlos!"
John, "Paranormal Activity," like "Blair Witch" seemed to be pretty polarizing. People either seem to love these low-budget thrillers or hate them. I loved them both. Did you equally loathe "Blair Witch?"
there's the irony. Loved Blair Wirch. Saw it at least twice in the theater. Once with Troy where I the more we talked that night the more it freaked him out. The best though was seeing it with Gabe, who spent the entire movie with his legs pulled into his chest, his eyes peeking through his hands, rocking back & forth and occassionally going, "aaahhh shoot!"
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