Films 2009 Review

[thischarmingman]

So what did it or didn't do it for you this year? I think it's generally been a good year for films. There seems to have been at least one film of real quality in the cinema at any one time, and plenty of little gems to discover.

Maybe after a couple of weeks nominating films, we can do a poll?

I think the two films I'm looking forward to are before January are Where the Wild Things Are, and Avatar. At this stage now I'd say the best films I've seen this year would be, in order:

Best Films:

Anvil! The Story of Anvil- One of the few films I've seen that will have you laughing and crying in the same scene. I can't possibly do it justice by writing here about it- if you haven't seen it, rent out this bittersweet comedy and discover Anvil.
An Education- Fine performances all around with newcomer Carey Mulligan the jewel in the crown. Funny, sweet, and sad, coming-of-age tale. Two scenes in particular, when Jenny comes back from her big night out and meets her Mum washing dishes in the kitchen, and another when her father tries to comfort her from behind her closed bedroom door will bring tears to your eyes.
Let The Right One In- In a year you could barely visit the cinema without being greeted by the latest vampire flick, LTROI stood out as a truly original piece of work, breathing new life into the genre. Unforgettable, with the creepy atmosphere throughout backed up by the creepy ending.
In the Loop- Just pure, anger-fueled comedy, with Peter Capaldi having the time of his life (and not showing it) delivering all the best lines: ""Climbing the mountain of conflict"? You sounded like a Nazi Julie Andrews!" Funniest film of the year.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- hit me at the right time personally- I found it a really thought-provoking film about memory, loss and love. Some people will say it was overly long, but I found if you just let yourself go with the story and forget your surroundings it was a moving fairy tale.
Creation- Didn't expect much, only knew Paul Bettany from Wimbledon, expected a dry, 'BBC-style' costume drama- instead, enjoyed not one but two excellent performances from Bettany in a film about family, loyalty and faith. This was engaging and, for a film ostensibly about the emergence of evolutionary theory, a very, very human film.
Last Chance Harvey- This film has Emma Thompson.

Honourable mentions: Doubt, Moon, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Orphan, Up, The Hurt Locker, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, District 9, Adventureland, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Biggest Disappointments:

The Reader: Reading books can redeem you, even from a Nazi past.
Revolutionary Road: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Bruno: Made me laugh a few times, but lacked the warmth and likeability of Borat
Funny People: It had the cast, but not the laughs or the direction

I'll go back and do best performance etc, if I get bored over the next few days!

[thischarmingman]

I may have mistaken this site for popcorn.ie.

[gustavo]

I really liked Changeling ,The White Ribbon , Paranormal Activity,District 9,Inglourious Basterds,Star Trek,The Hangover

[shakermaker1982]

I really liked Changeling ,The White Ribbon , Paranormal Activity,District 9,Inglourious Basterds,Star Trek,The Hangover

I want to see that! Is it as good as Hidden?

Was Changeling 2009? If so I'd include that in my list along with Let the Right One in. I enjoyed the Hangover but don't think it justified the hype.

Biggest disappointment for me was Terminator and Public Enemies.

[ATFC-1887]

district 9 is one of the worst films i have ever seen

[John83]

I'd agree it's been a good year, though a bit shy on good summer blockbusters.

My personal favourite was Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World. Half documentary of the human experience in Antarctica, half philosophical musing about man's relationship with nature and his drive to explore, totally (as one of my favourite critics put it) cross-eyed, badger-**** insane. Who but Herzog would have found that shot of the mad penguin, determinedly walking to its death? Who else would pause in the middle of everything to just let you listen to the unearthly call of sea-lions under the ice? Beautiful, fascinating and original.

Another contender is the Coens' latest, A Serious Man, which has their trademark combination of bleak, black humour, misanthropy and sprinkling of surrealism. A retelling of the biblical story of Job, I figured going in they'd do away with the happy ending, and wasn't disappointed. A unique style in cinema, they're rarely disappointing, and this is their most personal movie yet.

In terms of more mainstream stuff, Star Trek XI was rollicking good fun, though if they could slip a little science fiction in with the space opera next time, I'd be overjoyed. QT's latest, Inglourious Basterds, is, I believe, a contender for his best film. A great blend of tension, action and humour, it's a very impressive piece of storytelling, with an undercurrent of one if QT's favourite themes: revenge, and its cost. District 9 was a really pleasant surprise, one of those rare films which talks about racism without coming across as a public service announcement. It didn't hurt that it was good fun either.

It's always nice to have a decent outright science fiction movie, Moon did it for me too: a great performance from Sam Rockwell, and solid script. It does look a little cheap in places, but it's very good for its budget. It asks questions about identity and the nature of humanity, in the tradition of Blade Runner and Solaris. The lunar setting and the cinematography do wonders creating a sense of isolation.

Up was another charming Pixar hit, and if it didn't quite have the emotive impact of Wall-E's first, almost silent hour, it did have one of the year's best sequences in an early montage which establishes character and motivation with an elegance rarely seen on film (the other, the opening montage in Watchmen, unfortunately failed to set the tone in a slightly disappointing adaptation). One of a number of films this year which featured an elderly lead, it's the only one which really discusses age. Eastwood's Gran Torino does touch on the topic of regret, but mainly it's about race and one final play on his Dirty Harry / Man with no name image before he retires from acting. Harry Brown does the same vigilante pensioner thing, but while it's more skilfully shot and Caine is superb, it's let down a little by a weak ending.


Creation- Didn't expect much, only knew Paul Bettany from Wimbledon, expected a dry, 'BBC-style' costume drama- instead, enjoyed not one but two excellent performances from Bettany in a film about family, loyalty and faith. This was engaging and, for a film ostensibly about the emergence of evolutionary theory, a very, very human film.
Bettany is superb in Master and Commander as the ship's doctor, Stephen Maturin. I highly recommend it - Russell Crowe is great in it too, and it's directed by Weir, who's one of my favourite directors.

[bennocelt]

I'd agree it's been a good year, though a bit shy on good summer blockbusters.

My personal favourite was Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World. Half documentary of the human experience in Antarctica, half philosophical musing about man's relationship with nature and his drive to explore, totally (as one of my favourite critics put it) cross-eyed, badger-**** insane. Who but Herzog would have found that shot of the mad penguin, determinedly walking to its death? Who else would pause in the middle of everything to just let you listen to the unearthly call of sea-lions under the ice? Beautiful, fascinating and original.

Another contender is the Coens' latest, A Serious Man, which has their trademark combination of bleak, black humour, misanthropy and sprinkling of surrealism. A retelling of the biblical story of Job, I figured going in they'd do away with the happy ending, and wasn't disappointed. A unique style in cinema, they're rarely disappointing, and this is their most personal movie yet.
.

Thanks for that John, I going to go for them movies now so you better not be wrong:):p