Top Ten List: Best Films of 2009

First, let's briefly talk about the worst of 2009. The very worst, in my opinion, was the conintual destruction of the greatest horror movie franchise of all time, i.e. Rob Zombie's Halloween 2. In the sequel, Donald Pleasance continues to roll over in his grave at the portrayal of Dr. Loomis. Also, there were ghosts. It was just bad. Then there was Drag Me To Hell which seem people seem to think was "fun and frightening." I prefer "ridiculous and silly." I can't tell The Unborn and The Uninvited apart. Never mind because they both sucked. Saw VI was the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, for me. 2012 was a huge brainless extravaganza. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was even more brainless and boring and terrible. The only good thing about My Bloody Valentine was the fact that Dean from Supernatural was in it. Orphan was a solid thriller up until that AWFUL ending. Then there was Obsessed which was quite possibly so bad it was good. That one is actually worth Netflixing.

There were also a few films that didn't quite make my Top Ten that should still probably be singled out for being damn good.
Honoroable Mentions: The Hangover (hilarious!), The Brothers Bloom (brilliant!), Precious (heartbreaking yet a little too Lifetime movie for me), Brothers (harrowing drama), Two Lovers (solid story and acting) and Notorious (may Biggie live on forever!).

Top Ten Best Films of 2009
10. District 9 - One of the best sci-fi films in a long time, it is so un-Hollywood it's hard to believe it was such a big summer blockbuster. The characters are unlikeable. The story is presented in a documentary style format. But the story is smart and well told. The characters are complex and even if the main character is a huge jerk, you still want to see what happens to him. It's both an enjoyable film and a social commentary.

09. Where The Wild Things Are - Thank goodness it was Spike Jonez who decided to adapt the greatest children's book of all time. In the hands of anyone else, it probably would have been a huge disaster. But Jonez kept the rebellious spirit alive and crafted a movie that can be enjoyed by children of all ages.

08. The Last House on the Left - I don't know what it is about Wes Craven movies but it seems they are the only ones Hollywood can remake correctly (hence why I'm soo excited for the Nightmare on Elm Street remake). First there was The Hills Have Eyes and now this... both far better than the originals. The Last House on the Left is a terrifying thriller of a movie, but it's also brilliantly acted and beautifully filmed.

07. Up in the Air - Jason Reitman's old school film is enjoyable and engaging. About a man who doesn't connect with anyone in his life because he spends all his time in airports and on planes. Then he meets two women (the wonderful Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga) who try to make him change his ways. Does it work? The wonderful ending lets you decide for yourself.

06. An Education - One of the best coming of age dramas in recent years, the British film follows a young girl who falls for a much older man. The film belongs to Carey Mulligan who perfectly inhabits a character walking a fine line between childhood and womanhood.

05. (500) Days of Summer - What a way to recreate and revive the boring romantic comedy genre. When every movie that comes out of there is such a cliched bore, (500) Days of Summer completely changes the game. The cast is adorable and the script is nothing short of brilliant. It's one of the most creative, unique stories about love to come along in a while.

04. Bright Star - Probably the most beautifully shot film of the year, Bright Star tells the story of the tragic love story between poet John Keats and girl next store Fanny Brawne. The performances (especially Abbie Cornish) are amazing but it's the direction by the glorious Jane Campion that really puts this film above most others.

03. Inglourious Basterds - You really haven't seen war until you've seen it through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino. This is quite possibly his most enjoyable, most well-done movie ever. Yes, ever. He's created two of the most memorable and best characters of the year (played by Christoph Waltz and Melanie Laurent). For how tense it could be, it's also a hell of a lot of fun!

02. The Hurt Locker - The word "intense" was created to describe a movie like The Hurt Locker. It's quite possibly the greatest modern war movie ever made and is so close to perfection it's just scary. Kathryn Bigelow directs the hell out of this movie and the performances are out of this world.

01. Avatar - It's true I may have enjoyed a few other movies more than Avatar this year. But, really, Avatar is in a league of it's own. It's so far and away from everything else that it's almost not even really fair to judge it against other films. James Cameron has created a planet. He has created a complete race of people. Avatar is truly the most spectacular thing you've ever seen at the movies.