Yea, this is late. All the excitement of the whole new decade thing has passed. Oh well, here's my top 25 of the past decade:
25. The Departed (2007)
24. Big Fish (2003)
23. Spirited Away (2001)
22. The Station Agent (2003)
21. Children of Men (2006)
20. Rocket Science (2007)
19. High Fidelity (2000)
18. Dear Zachary (2008)
17. Into the Wild (2007)
16. The Wackness (2008)
15. No Country for Old Men (2007)
14. Memento (2001)
13. Lord of the Rings (2001)
12. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
11. Before Sunset (2004)
10. The Dark Knight (2008)
9. Brick (2005)
8. City of God (2002)
7. All the Real Girls (2003)
6. The Fall (2008)
5. Garden State (2004)
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
3. (500) Days of Summer (2009)
2. Donnie Darko (2001)
1. Almost Famous (2000)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Top 30 of 2009 (Updated)
I ended up seeing some more (really good) movies from 2009 and also got to see some of the same movies more than once so I made some changes and I thought I'd update this. I know, I know, you can barely contain your excitement. Here's my top 30 of 09 (without the blurbs because I'm lazy):
30. Adam
29. Humpday
28. Inglourious Basterds
27. Friday the 13th
26. Up
25. Extract
24. The Road
23. Star Trek
22. I Love You, Man
21. Trick 'R Treat
20. Away We Go
19. Goodbye Solo
18. The Brothers Bloom
17. Moon
16. The House of the Devil
15. The Hurt Locker
14. In the Loop
13. Avatar
12. The Hangover
11. Anvil! The Story of Anvil
10. Red Cliff
9. The White Ribbon
8. Fantastic Mr. Fox
7. Adventureland
6. Drag Me to Hell
5. Up in the Air
4. Peter and Vandy
3. Sin Nombre
2. Where the Wild Things Are
1. (500) Days of Summer
30. Adam
29. Humpday
28. Inglourious Basterds
27. Friday the 13th
26. Up
25. Extract
24. The Road
23. Star Trek
22. I Love You, Man
21. Trick 'R Treat
20. Away We Go
19. Goodbye Solo
18. The Brothers Bloom
17. Moon
16. The House of the Devil
15. The Hurt Locker
14. In the Loop
13. Avatar
12. The Hangover
11. Anvil! The Story of Anvil
10. Red Cliff
9. The White Ribbon
8. Fantastic Mr. Fox
7. Adventureland
6. Drag Me to Hell
5. Up in the Air
4. Peter and Vandy
3. Sin Nombre
2. Where the Wild Things Are
1. (500) Days of Summer
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Top 21 Movies of 2009
Ah yes, it's that time of the year again. I decided to go all out this year and make my pointless end of the year list into blog form for all five of you that will read this. I should be looking for summer internships right now but here I am.
All in all, I saw 43 movies this year, so ya know, this list would probably look a lot different if I actually saw everything I wanted to see. Some of the big ones I still really want to see: The White Ribbon, Sugar, Moon, Sherlock Holmes, Adam, Peter and Vandy, Precious, Alexander the Last, Goodbye Solo, The Cove, etc.
Why top 21? Why not 21? Numbers are arbitrary anyways. It could be 15, 19, 20 or 27. Well, not 27. That's ridiculous. Anyways, ever since I saw High Fidelity I couldn't stop making lists, so here it goes: my top 21 of 2009:
Honorable mentions: Inglorious Basterds (I really didn't like it as much as everyone else. that's a whole separate story), Taken, Paranormal Activity, Fired Up! (don't knock it till you see it)
21. Twilight: New Moon - I know. Say what you will about Twilight fans, but this is actually a really solid movie. When action, romance and drama are coupled with a great soundtrack, you can't deny the power of Twil- Nope. I couldn't even finish that sentence. I can't describe how awful Twilight is. Here's the real list:
21. Up - I'm not really crazy about kids movies, so a lot of people will have this higher on their lists. But I can still appreciate the simple story and great animation. Once again Pixar put out another great movie proving they can do no wrong.
20. Friday the 13th - What? What's wrong with you, Gary? I know, but give it a chance. This is actually a really fun movie. The acting is passable, the effects are impressive and there are plenty of gratuitous boobs and hilarious gore to go around. It's not a great film by any means, but it's a lot of fun.
19. Extract - As with almost all of Mike Judge's work (Office Space, Idiocracy), Extract is based on the idea that most people are complete idiots. This offbeat comedy will probably be really hit or miss based on your personal tastes, but I really enjoyed it. It's worth checking out this movie solely for one of the most hilarious characters I've seen in a long time. (Brad, the pool boy)
18. The Road - It's hard to say I enjoyed The Road. You can't really enjoy watching anything this bleak and depressing. But I loved the book and I was happy to see that John Hillcoat was so faithful to the original material. The Road is an interesting, albeit depressing, examination of the morality of survival behavior and the father-son relationship.
17. Star Trek - Star Trek was the perfect summer blockbuster. Low on intellectual curiosity and high on explosions while maintaining a story interesting enough that it didn't only resort to action (i.e. Transformers 2. Sorry, Mirza).
16. I Love You, Man - Watching Judd Apatow's friends sit around, hang out and talk about nothing is more entertaining than most comedies. So it didn't really bother me that nothing was at stake (plot-wise) in this comedy. With this role, Paul Rudd has established himself as one of the most likable actors in Hollywood.
15. Trick 'R Treat - It's hard to see movies like Captivity and Saw 17 (or whatever terrible sequel they are on now) get theatrical releases while Mike Dougherty's horror anthology Trick 'R Treat go straight to DVD. Dougherty appreciates the magic of Halloween like no one else and it shows. This is a really fun (and well made) horror movie that is definitely worth seeking out once October rolls around next year.
14. Away We Go - I've got a soft spot for movies about road trips. Here, Sam Mendes has done it again with a heart warming road trip movie about relationships and parenthood with enough quirky characters and great soundtrack to make any indie kid happy.
13. The Brothers Bloom - Rian Johnson is legit. That's all I have to say about that.
12. The Hurt Locker - Whoa. This movie deserves the hype. Surprisingly (and thankfully) free from any overbearing political agenda, Kathryn Bigelow made one of the most suspenseful and stunningly realistic depictions of modern war. If you missed it, don't worry. I wouldn't be surprised to see this get a re-release once Oscar season rolls around.
11. In the Loop - This is a hilarious satire that feels like Dr. Strangelove meets Spinal Tap; a political comedy without politics in the Iraq War era. Like other British comedies, the jokes are subtle and if you aren't really working to decipher those damn British accents you'll miss a lot of the jokes. But it's definitely worth the extra effort.
10. The House of the Devil - The House of the Devil is my pick for the most overlooked movie of 2009. While it got great reviews (87% of RT), practically no one saw this in theaters. Ti West wrote, directed and edited this low key, atmospheric throw back to 1980s horror. It also has Greta Gerwig, the Queen of mumblecore. Score.
9. The Hangover - Proving that the best comedies truly do need an R rating, The Hangover is the funniest movie to come out this year. Relying on shock value and great performances, Todd Phillips (Old School, Road Trip) has proven that he's the best comedic director around today.
8. Anvil! The Story of Anvil - You don't need to be a fan of heavy metal to appreciate this story. Anvil! follows two best friends, now in their 50s, who refuse to give up on the pact they made at the age of 14 to stay together and keep rocking. This is one of the most uplifting and inspiring documentaries you will ever see.
7. Avatar - After I saw Jurassic Park for the first time when I was a kid I was blown away by what movies could really do. Jurassic Park was the movie that made me excited about movies. Avatar is the Jurassic Park for the generation of kids today. Sure, some of the lines were ridiculous and the plot was predictable. But the movie's technical and visual accomplishments far overshadow its faults.
6. Adventureland - Probably the most poorly marketed movie of 2009, Adventureland really didn't get the recognition it deserved. Marketed as a comedy, Greg Mottola's (Superbad) coming of age dramedy was a touching, funny and personal love story that felt real.
5. Drag Me to Hell - Sam Raimi is back. Sam Raimi's return to the B-movie, over the top horror he defined with the Evil Dead Trilogy proves he hasn't missed a step. Drag Me to Hell is simply a lot of fun to watch. What else can you ask for?
4. Up in the Air - UITA is getting a lot of flack not deserving the hype because it is too simple. Frankly, I think that's pretty damn stupid. Every movie doesn't have to try to be Primer or Memento. Jason Reitman relies on three strong performances to create an engaging and funny story. UITA is a comedy that's willing to be poignant and a romance that's okay with ambiguity.
3. Sin Nombre - Cary Fukunaga's debut film Sin Nombre is amazing. Yes, there are subtitles, sorry. Suck it up because it's worth it. Rarely do you see a debut film this impressive visually with such great cinematography, and... well I don't know. If you want to hear about that stuff read a real review, I just know it's good.
2. Where the Wild Things Are - There's something really satisfying about seeing a director take a huge risk and having it pay off. WTWTA is a really polarizing movie. You will probably either love it or you will hate it. This is not a kid's movie. This a movie which perfectly captures what it's like to be a kid, the good and the bad. Spike Jonze is hands down the best director for capturing emotions, which is exactly what he set out to do and accomplished with WTWTA.
1. (500) Days of Summer - I can't stress how much I love this movie. With a great soundtrack, JGL and Zooey Deschanel, what's not to love? It feels like the Annie Hall of our generation. (500) Days of Summer is a completely fresh perspectve on relationships and the perfect anti romantic comedy for the cynical guy who still finds a way to believe in love.
All in all, I saw 43 movies this year, so ya know, this list would probably look a lot different if I actually saw everything I wanted to see. Some of the big ones I still really want to see: The White Ribbon, Sugar, Moon, Sherlock Holmes, Adam, Peter and Vandy, Precious, Alexander the Last, Goodbye Solo, The Cove, etc.
Why top 21? Why not 21? Numbers are arbitrary anyways. It could be 15, 19, 20 or 27. Well, not 27. That's ridiculous. Anyways, ever since I saw High Fidelity I couldn't stop making lists, so here it goes: my top 21 of 2009:
Honorable mentions: Inglorious Basterds (I really didn't like it as much as everyone else. that's a whole separate story), Taken, Paranormal Activity, Fired Up! (don't knock it till you see it)
21. Twilight: New Moon - I know. Say what you will about Twilight fans, but this is actually a really solid movie. When action, romance and drama are coupled with a great soundtrack, you can't deny the power of Twil- Nope. I couldn't even finish that sentence. I can't describe how awful Twilight is. Here's the real list:
21. Up - I'm not really crazy about kids movies, so a lot of people will have this higher on their lists. But I can still appreciate the simple story and great animation. Once again Pixar put out another great movie proving they can do no wrong.
20. Friday the 13th - What? What's wrong with you, Gary? I know, but give it a chance. This is actually a really fun movie. The acting is passable, the effects are impressive and there are plenty of gratuitous boobs and hilarious gore to go around. It's not a great film by any means, but it's a lot of fun.
19. Extract - As with almost all of Mike Judge's work (Office Space, Idiocracy), Extract is based on the idea that most people are complete idiots. This offbeat comedy will probably be really hit or miss based on your personal tastes, but I really enjoyed it. It's worth checking out this movie solely for one of the most hilarious characters I've seen in a long time. (Brad, the pool boy)
18. The Road - It's hard to say I enjoyed The Road. You can't really enjoy watching anything this bleak and depressing. But I loved the book and I was happy to see that John Hillcoat was so faithful to the original material. The Road is an interesting, albeit depressing, examination of the morality of survival behavior and the father-son relationship.
17. Star Trek - Star Trek was the perfect summer blockbuster. Low on intellectual curiosity and high on explosions while maintaining a story interesting enough that it didn't only resort to action (i.e. Transformers 2. Sorry, Mirza).
16. I Love You, Man - Watching Judd Apatow's friends sit around, hang out and talk about nothing is more entertaining than most comedies. So it didn't really bother me that nothing was at stake (plot-wise) in this comedy. With this role, Paul Rudd has established himself as one of the most likable actors in Hollywood.
15. Trick 'R Treat - It's hard to see movies like Captivity and Saw 17 (or whatever terrible sequel they are on now) get theatrical releases while Mike Dougherty's horror anthology Trick 'R Treat go straight to DVD. Dougherty appreciates the magic of Halloween like no one else and it shows. This is a really fun (and well made) horror movie that is definitely worth seeking out once October rolls around next year.
14. Away We Go - I've got a soft spot for movies about road trips. Here, Sam Mendes has done it again with a heart warming road trip movie about relationships and parenthood with enough quirky characters and great soundtrack to make any indie kid happy.
13. The Brothers Bloom - Rian Johnson is legit. That's all I have to say about that.
12. The Hurt Locker - Whoa. This movie deserves the hype. Surprisingly (and thankfully) free from any overbearing political agenda, Kathryn Bigelow made one of the most suspenseful and stunningly realistic depictions of modern war. If you missed it, don't worry. I wouldn't be surprised to see this get a re-release once Oscar season rolls around.
11. In the Loop - This is a hilarious satire that feels like Dr. Strangelove meets Spinal Tap; a political comedy without politics in the Iraq War era. Like other British comedies, the jokes are subtle and if you aren't really working to decipher those damn British accents you'll miss a lot of the jokes. But it's definitely worth the extra effort.
10. The House of the Devil - The House of the Devil is my pick for the most overlooked movie of 2009. While it got great reviews (87% of RT), practically no one saw this in theaters. Ti West wrote, directed and edited this low key, atmospheric throw back to 1980s horror. It also has Greta Gerwig, the Queen of mumblecore. Score.
9. The Hangover - Proving that the best comedies truly do need an R rating, The Hangover is the funniest movie to come out this year. Relying on shock value and great performances, Todd Phillips (Old School, Road Trip) has proven that he's the best comedic director around today.
8. Anvil! The Story of Anvil - You don't need to be a fan of heavy metal to appreciate this story. Anvil! follows two best friends, now in their 50s, who refuse to give up on the pact they made at the age of 14 to stay together and keep rocking. This is one of the most uplifting and inspiring documentaries you will ever see.
7. Avatar - After I saw Jurassic Park for the first time when I was a kid I was blown away by what movies could really do. Jurassic Park was the movie that made me excited about movies. Avatar is the Jurassic Park for the generation of kids today. Sure, some of the lines were ridiculous and the plot was predictable. But the movie's technical and visual accomplishments far overshadow its faults.
6. Adventureland - Probably the most poorly marketed movie of 2009, Adventureland really didn't get the recognition it deserved. Marketed as a comedy, Greg Mottola's (Superbad) coming of age dramedy was a touching, funny and personal love story that felt real.
5. Drag Me to Hell - Sam Raimi is back. Sam Raimi's return to the B-movie, over the top horror he defined with the Evil Dead Trilogy proves he hasn't missed a step. Drag Me to Hell is simply a lot of fun to watch. What else can you ask for?
4. Up in the Air - UITA is getting a lot of flack not deserving the hype because it is too simple. Frankly, I think that's pretty damn stupid. Every movie doesn't have to try to be Primer or Memento. Jason Reitman relies on three strong performances to create an engaging and funny story. UITA is a comedy that's willing to be poignant and a romance that's okay with ambiguity.
3. Sin Nombre - Cary Fukunaga's debut film Sin Nombre is amazing. Yes, there are subtitles, sorry. Suck it up because it's worth it. Rarely do you see a debut film this impressive visually with such great cinematography, and... well I don't know. If you want to hear about that stuff read a real review, I just know it's good.
2. Where the Wild Things Are - There's something really satisfying about seeing a director take a huge risk and having it pay off. WTWTA is a really polarizing movie. You will probably either love it or you will hate it. This is not a kid's movie. This a movie which perfectly captures what it's like to be a kid, the good and the bad. Spike Jonze is hands down the best director for capturing emotions, which is exactly what he set out to do and accomplished with WTWTA.
1. (500) Days of Summer - I can't stress how much I love this movie. With a great soundtrack, JGL and Zooey Deschanel, what's not to love? It feels like the Annie Hall of our generation. (500) Days of Summer is a completely fresh perspectve on relationships and the perfect anti romantic comedy for the cynical guy who still finds a way to believe in love.
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