Thursday 31 December 2009

Year in Review - Movies

I saw just a measly 47 movies in the theatre this year. I keep track of everything I see and each year I realize that I need to keep track of more and more info as I go. Last year, I just wrote down the movies I saw. This year I kept track of who I saw them with and the date. I think for 2010, I will add where I saw them and a rating. Going back at the end of the year and trying to remember how I felt about a movie I saw in January has been too hard. Although, if I can't remember how I felt about a movie then I think that kind of says something about it too.

I have done my best to order these movies from most enjoyed to least enjoyed. (I find that rating system best because I am not trying to claim these are the best and worst of the year just what I enjoyed - movie tastes are personal y'all)

Without any further ado, with scores out of 10, here is my final movie list for 2009:

10/10
It's Complicated - There wasn't a single moment of this movie that I didn't enjoy. There were some parallels to my own family and that made it relatable. I smiled and laughed through the whole movie.

9.5/10
District 9 - Aliens in Johannesburg forced to live in slum-like conditions. Fascinating, disturbing, and brilliantly filmed.
Fantastic Mr. Fox - Charming, funny, clever, cute. So much cussing fun!
(500) Days of Summer - Original, interesting, fun and you get to stare at Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel
Disney's A Christmas Carol 3D - The classic story done in stunning and beautiful 3D CGI.

9/10
Up in The Air - Original, interesting, relatable. The story of a man ready to make a connection
Zombieland - Badass zombie-killing fun. Clever and original (clearly I like clever and original)
An Education - A coming of age story about a teenage girl in London in the 60's who gets involved with a man in his 30's. Well acted, beautifully filmed.
Where the Wild Things Are - Melancholy and beautiful. So many layers to this movie,
One Week - Joshua Jackson rides a motorcycle across Canada from Toronto to Tofino looking to find meaning in his life. Beautifully Canadian and touching.
Milk
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
I'm not elaborating the above 3 because they are all 2008 Oscar nominees that I just happened to go see in 2009 and everyone already knows all about them.

8.5/10
Whip It - Roller Derby+Drew Barrymore+Ellen Page+fun+grrl power = my kind of movie
Bandslam - I didn't want to see this movie. I thought it looked like a terrible teen angst film but I went because I love movies and it's what TT wanted to see. I loved it. It had a John Hughes feel to it and I don't think we've had one of those kinds of movies at all this past decade.
This is it - Michael Jackson concert footage. Moving, spectacular and interesting.
The Blind Side - Feel good American movie. Does what it sets out to do - make you feel good.

8/10
The Hangover - ridiculous and fun.
The Proposal Hello, shirtless Ryan Reynolds, How you doin'?
I Love You, Man - Again, ridiculous and fun. And extremely quotable "Slappin' da bass"
The I Heart Revolution - Hillsong United's documentary on what just one person can do to make a difference in the world.
Doubt - Meryl Streep vs. Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Plus Amy Adams for good measure.

7.5/10
Coraline 3D - An adventurous girl finds a portal to a parallel world where everyone and everything is better...or is it!
Adventureland - Set in 1987 (always fun) A recent college grad takes a nowhere job at an amusement park and learns about the real world.
17 Again - A 35 year old man wishes he could do it over and wakes up to find he's 17. Zac Efron as the eye candy.
Funny People - Comedians, terminal diseases and friendship.
Julie & Julia - This movie would be so much higher on my list if it had only been about Julia Child.

7/10
My Life in Ruins - Nia Vardalos as a tour guide in Greece. Beautiful scenery, ridiculous love story and cheesy, stereotypical tourists. Somehow still entertaining and fun.
Star Trek - Expected to crush on Chris Pine as captain Kirk and instead fell for Zachary Quinto as Spock
Extract - Funny, quirky and kind of forgettable.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Brad Pitt ages backward...blah, blah, blah.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Did I see this? It's on my list so clearly I did but I have no memory of it. Why do I have it as a 7 then? Who knows...moving right along.

6.5/10
Paper Heart - I wanted to love this movie. It was fine. While filming a documentary about not believing in love, Charlene Yi meets Michael Cera and just maybe starts to believe in love.
Post Grad - Cute movie about life after college. It's missing the amusement park and 80's music.
New Moon - Much improved follow up to Twilight.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - Not as terrible as you'd expect.
Terminator Salvation - Brooding and dark. Christian Bale as John Connor with Batman's voice. Anton Yelchin and Sam Worthington save the movie - Hello boys.

6/10
New in Town - Renee Zellweger is a high powered business women who moves to nowhere Minnesota in winter for work and butts heads with a very sexy Harry ConnickJr.
Confessions of a Shopaholic - Isla Fisher shops way too much.
He's Just Not That Into You - Ensemble cast talks about cliches of dating and then fall into all the predictable story lines themselves.
Duplicity - Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Should have been better.
State of Play - Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. Should have been better.
Love Happens - Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart. Should have been better.
Fame - 4 years of performing arts school crammed into an hour and 45 minutes.

5.5/10
Everybody's Fine - Everybody is NOT fine.

1.5/10
Couples Retreat - not worthy of a write up.

1/10
The Ugly Truth - terrible!

1 comment:

Next in Line said...

I love your movie review list. Now I check which ones I missed that I should rent.