List Your Top Ten Films of 2009!

[Minnesota]

Calling all Film afficianatos, movie buffs, and others! It's the once annual time of year to give opinions of the year's best. 2009 was another excellent year, highlighted no doubt, by its unprecedented, depth defying, stunning visuals. As per usual with the thread, feel free to give your opinions    , arguments    , etcetera      ... but most important of all give us YOUR list

Possible Questions / Concerns / Excuses:
Do I have to post 10? Maybe I haven't seen ten good movies this year.
A: No set rules, but feel free to post a list to the best of your ability.

Is there a specific format that my post should adhere to?
A: Feel free to be as dyslexic as you want.

Do Direct to DVD, foreign, etcetera count?
A: Absolutely. (Of course use your best judgment... stringing 2 episodes of House together is probably not a movie by most acounts.

Can I change my list if I see a new movie that fits on the list?
A:  Yes, that seems reasonable. Its not like this is fantasy football or anything.

Where can I find a list of movies?
A: This is a list http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_in_film *not neccesarily a complete list.

Best of luck with the lists!
(BTW last years thread ... http://forum.rifftrax.com/index.php/topic,12360.0.html)

[Minnesota]

1. Watchmen (Damn good.)
2. Funny People (A good Drama Comedy. How often can you say that?)
3. District 9 (Classic Sci-fi)
4. Final Destination 3D (MORE!)
5. Knowing (see also; fans of the X-files)
6. Terminator Salvation (Christian Bale has a knack for getting out acted in really great movies.)
7. My Bloody Valentine 3D (A nice horror surprise)
8. The Hangover (R rated comedy makes the list)
9. Notorious (Worth your time)
10. Star Trek (I must need to see more movies... a Star Trek just made my top ten lol)


Honourable Mentions...
Crank 2 (never slows down) Surrogates (Fun movie) Wolverine (good re-boot to the franchise) Up (I'm gonna be honest I fell asleep during this one... but what I saw was really good)

Dishonourable Mentions...
Ice Age 2 (ugh, dinosaurs, really?), Transformers 2 (its sortof what I expected out of this movie... it deserves a spot on the years worst, but then again its the type of movie that makes me forward to the summer.)

Hopefulls / Need to see: Avatar, 9, Up , Paranormal Activity, 2012,

[mrbasehart]

Man, this just brings up how many films I've not seen made this year.  I haven't seen Watchmen, A Serious Man, Up in the Air, District 9, The Hurt Locker, Wolverine, Avatar, Terminator or Transformers.


1. Up: I know it's been getting some criticism about the way in which the story develops after the first 25 minutes, but I loved the movie. 
2. The Damned United: Probably won't appeal to those who have no interest in football, but it's a great biopic of an interesting man.  Michael Sheen is fantastic in it.
3. Lebanon: Tough to watch but ultimately rewarding, this move takes place entirely inside a tank during a brutal conflict between Lebanon and Israel.  Like Das Boot, but better.
4. Moon: A really excellent Sci-Fi movie which harkens back to the more cerebral offerings of the 70s, featuring a great performance by Sam Rockwell and astounding production design, considering the low budget.
5. The Young Victoria is a biopic of the highest quality, chronicalling the earlier years of Victoria and the matrimonial pressure she was put under and the confusion around her succession to the throne.  Beautifully made and Emily Blunt is really quite good.
6. Star Trek: I really liked it.  Fast and funny, it has a great cast and the ability to welcome new fans to the franchise.  Something that hadn't been done in a long time.
7. Paranormal Activity, though while not as good as Blair Witch Project, hits the same feeling of dread and the uncanny nature of the supernatural.  The way in which it's shot dispenses with the artifice of movie making and heightens the believability of the plight of the couple.  Well acted, too.
8. Zombieland isn't a horror movie, but it's a pretty fun comedy.  Michael Cera Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson make for a good pairing, and Emma Stone is very nice to look at.  Best cameo of the year.
9.  Drag Me to Hell is one heck of a thrill ride.  I think Mark Kermode called it a roller-coaster, and he's completely right.  It's perhaps a little dark for some, but to those of us who wanted Raimi to "get back to his roots" it's a the perfect tonic.
10.  Dead Snow isn't a great movie, and probably shows how weak a) my list is and b) how week the year has been, but it does have Nazi zombies and some awesome death scenes.

[Nunyerbiz]

I highly doubt I've seen 10 movies that were released in 2009... but the ones that I can recall liking, in no particular order:

The Hangover: Not as good as the hype, but still a pretty damn funny movie.
Star Trek: basehart said it best
Up: I'm one of those people that thought it was Pixar's first stumble, but even so it was still an enjoyable watch, a subpar Pixar effort is still 7 outta 10 stars.
2012: ate my popcorn, drank my soda and had a rip-roarin good time with this one...
Taken: it's like an old Steven Segal movie done with competent actors and stuff... great fun.
Extract: similar to all of Mike Judge's "good but not great" films... wished it broke that trend, but still enjoyed it.

[Relaxing Dragon]

I'm going to need to wait a little longer for my list, since there's still at least 2 films I need to get to that haven't been released yet (The Lovely Bones and Sherlock Holmes).

I also seem to be in the minority that thought this was a good year, since I've got something like 30 possibilities tallied up so far.

[spaceforarent]

I highly doubt I've seen 10 movies that were released in 2009... but the ones that I can recall liking, in no particular order:

According to this one website I've only seen 6 movies this year. So by default, Transformers 2 and Fast and Furious are on my list. Yea...

The other are Up, Star Trek, District 9, and Watchmen.

[SmilinJackRoss]

1. A Serious Man
2. Moon
3. Up In The Air
4. Inglorious Basterds
5. Sherlock Holmes
6. Away We Go
7. The Informant!
8. (500) Days of Summer
9. Funny People
10. State of Play

11th place:
District 9
Star Trek
Paranormal Activity
Up
The Hangover
Public Enemies

films I need to see that look like they have the potential to make my list:
Crazy Heart
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Invictus

[esoobaC .T bocaJ]

Up
Star Trek
District 9
The Boat that Rocked or Pirate Radio whatever it's called
The Hangover
Zombieland
Coraline
Gamer
Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day
Taken
The Brothers Bloom
Black Dynamite


I'm pretty sure that might be more than 10 but whatever.

[MontyServo]

I haven't seen enough to list a top 10, but of the ones I have seen my favorites included:

Zombieland
Star Trek
Orphan
Bright Star
Up

And the two worst films of 2009, of the ones I have seen:
Bride Wars
Whiteout

There are a ton I still need to see obviously.

[mrbasehart]

And the two worst films of 2009, of the ones I have seen:
Bride Wars

Mark Kermode said that if he saw 10 films worse than Bride Wars this year, he'd quit film criticism for good.  There were 5. 

[MontyServo]

And the two worst films of 2009, of the ones I have seen:
Bride Wars

Mark Kermode said that if he saw 10 films worse than Bride Wars this year, he'd quit film criticism for good.  There were 5. 

The main problem with Bride Wars that I had was that it could have been a really funny dark comedy, and given the leads, it should have been much better.  I'm still certain that this film cost Anne Hathaway a ton of Best Actress Oscar votes.

[mrbasehart]

Shoot.  I forgot that Let the Right One In came out early this year here.  That would've been in my top ten.

[Relaxing Dragon]

Shoot.  I forgot that Let the Right One In came out early this year here.  That would've been in my top ten.

Good call. I wonder if it still has a chance for the Best Foreign Picture Oscar this year, since I heard there was some confusion as to the release year around award season last year.

The Boat that Rocked or Pirate Radio whatever it's called

Nice, someone else who really liked that movie

[Edward J Grug III]

This thread didn't exist when I posted mine:

http://forum.rifftrax.com/index.php/topic,16594.0.html

[Minnesota]

This thread didn't exist when I posted mine:

http://forum.rifftrax.com/index.php/topic,16594.0.html

That is all types of awesome.