Best Films of 2009

[Vic Sage]

Here is the list of Oscar-eligible films released in 2009. What are your top 10?

[u:1agdyzro]features:[/u:1agdyzro]
ADAM
ADORATION
ADVENTURELAND
ADVENTURES OF POWER
ALIENS IN THE ATTIC
ALL ABOUT STEVE
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL
AMELIA
AMERICAN VIOLET
AMREEKA
ANGELS & DEMONS
ARMORED
AVATAR
AWAY WE GO
BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS
A BEAUTIFUL LIFE
BLACK DYNAMITE
THE BLIND SIDE
THE BLUE TOOTH VIRGIN
THE BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY
THE BOX
BRIDE WARS
BRONSON
BROTHERS
BRUNO
THE BURNING PLAIN
CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT
COLD SOULS
CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC
COUPLES RETREAT
THE COVE
CRANK HIGH VOLTAGE
CRAZY HEART
CROSSING OVER
THE DAMNED UNITED
DANCE FLICK
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS?
DISTRICT 9
DON'T FADE AWAY
DRAG ME TO HELL
DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION
DUPLICITY
EASY VIRTUE
EVERYBODY'S FINE
EXTRACT
FAME
FAST & FURIOUS
FIGHTING
THE FINAL DESTINATION
FIRED UP
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
THE FOURTH KIND
FRANKIE & ALICE
FREE STYLE
FRIDAY THE 13TH
FUNNY PEOPLE
G-FORCE
G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA
GAMER
GENTLEMEN BRONCOS
GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST
GOODBYE SOLO
THE GOODS: LIVE HARD * SELL HARD
THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD
THE HANGOVER
HANNAH MONTANA THE MOVIE
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALFBLOOD PRINCE
THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT
HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU
HOTEL FOR DOGS
THE HURT LOCKER
I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER
I LOVE YOU, MAN
THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS
IMAGINE THAT
IN THE LOOP
THE INFORMANT!
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
INK
INKHEART
THE INTERNATIONAL
THE INVENTION OF LYING
INVICTUS
IRENE IN TIME
IT'S COMPLICATED
JENNIFER'S BODY
JULIE & JULIA
KNOWING
LAND OF THE LOST
THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN
THE LIGHTKEEPERS
THE LIMITS OF CONTROL
LOOKING FOR PALLADIN
THE LOSS OF A TEARDROP DIAMOND
LOVE HAPPENS
THE LOVELY BONES
LYMELIFE
MANAGEMENT
ME AND ORSON WELLES
THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS
THE MERRY GENTLEMAN
THE MESSENGER
MISS MARCH
THE MISSING PERSON
MOON
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
MY LIFE IN RUINS
MY ONE AND ONLY
MY SISTER'S KEEPER
NEW IN TOWN
NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN
NINE
NINJA ASSASSIN
NOT EASILY BROKEN
NOTORIOUS
OBSERVE AND REPORT
OBSESSED
OCEAN OF PEARLS
OLD DOGS
ORPHAN
OY VEY! MY SON IS GAY!
THE PACK
PANDORUM
PAPER HEART
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
PAUL BLART MALL COP
A PERFECT GETAWAY
PETER AND VANDY
THE PINK PANTHER 2
PIRATE RADIO
POST GRAD
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE
THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE
THE PROPOSAL
PUBLIC ENEMIES
RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN
THE ROAD
SAW VI
A SERIOUS MAN
17 AGAIN
SHERLOCK HOLMES
SHORTS
SHRINK
A SINGLE MAN
THE SOLOIST
STAR TREK
STATE OF PLAY
THE STEPFATHER
STREETBALLERS
SUGAR
SUNSHINE CLEANING
SURROGATES
TAKEN
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3
TAKING WOODSTOCK
TERMINATOR SALVATION
THAT EVENING SUN
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
TRUCKER
12 ROUNDS
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON
TWO LOVERS
2012
TYLER PERRY'S I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF
TYLER PERRY'S MADEA GOES TO JAIL
THE UGLY TRUTH
THE UNBORN
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS
THE UNINVITED
(UNTITLED)
UP IN THE AIR
THE VICIOUS KIND
WATCHMEN
WHATEVER WORKS
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
WHIP IT
WHITEOUT
WORLD'S GREATEST DAD
XMEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
YEAR ONE
THE YOUNG VICTORIA
ZOMBIELAND

[u:1agdyzro]animation:[/u:1agdyzro]
ASTRO BOY (ani)
BATTLE FOR TERRA (ani)
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (ani)
CORALINE (ani)
DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (ani)
THE DOLPHIN STORY OF A DREAMER (ani)
FANTASTIC MR. FOX (ani)
ICE AGE DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (ani)
MARY AND MAX (ani)
THE MISSING LYNX (ANI)
MONSTERS VS ALIENS (ANI)
9 (ani)
PLANET 51 (ani)
PONYO (ani)
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (ani)
THE SECRET OF KELLS (ani)
TINKER BELL AND THE LOST TREASURE (ani)
A TOWN CALLED PANIC (ani)
UP (ani)

[u:1agdyzro]foreign[/u:1agdyzro]
ANTICHRIST (foreign)
BLOOD THE LAST VAMPIRE (for)
THE BOYS ARE BACK (for)
BRIGHT STAR (for)
BROKEN EMBRACES (for)
BROTHERS AT WAR (d0c)
CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA (for)
CHERI (for)
CHERRY BLOSSOMS (for)
COCO BEFORE CHANEL (for)
CREATION (for)
DAYTIME DRINKING (for)
DISGRACE (for)
THE ECLIPSE (for)
AN EDUCATION (for)
EVA (for)
FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING (for)
THE HEADLESS WOMAN (for)
HOME (for)
IL DIVO (for)
IRON CROSS (for)
IS ANYBODY THERE? (for)
JULIA (for)
THE LAST STATION (for)
LITTLE ASHES (for)
THE LITTLE TRAITOR (for)
LONDON RIVER (for)
LORNA'S SILENCE (for)
THE MAID (for)
THE MISFORTUNATES (FOR)
PARIS 36 (for)
PUNCTURED HOPE: A STORY ABOUT TROKOSI AND YOUNG GIRLS'SLAVERY IN TODAY'S WEST AFRICA (for)
RED CLIFF (for)
RUDO Y CURSI (for)
SERBIAN SCARS (for)
SERBIS (for)
SIMON & MALOU (for)
SIN NOMBRE (for)
SKIN (for)
THE SONG OF SPARROWS (for)
THE STONING OF SORAYA M. (for)
STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUNLI (for)
TETRO (for)
THIRST (for)
TOKYO SONATA (for)
THE WEDDING SONG (for)
THE WHITE RIBBON (for)
A WOMAN IN BERLIN (for)

[u:1agdyzro]documentaries:[/u:1agdyzro]
ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL (documentary)
THE BOYS: THE SHERMAN BROTHERS' STORY (doc)
BROTHERS AT WAR (d0c)
BY THE PEOPLE: THE ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA (doc)
CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (doc)
CRUDE (doc)
EVERY LITTLE STEP (doc)
FACING ALI (doc)
GOOD HAIR (doc)
IT MIGHT GET LOUD (doc)
JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE (doc)
MARY PICKFORD: THE MUSE OF THE MOVIES (doc)
MEMORYMAN (doc)
MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT (DOC)
MORE THAN A GAME (doc)
THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE (doc)
SOUL POWER (doc)
TYSON (doc)
VALENTINO THE LAST EMPEROR (doc)
WALT & EL GRUPO (doc)
X GAMES 3D: THE MOVIE (doc)
YES MADAM, SIR (doc)
YOUSSOU N'DOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE (doc)

[Vic Sage]

I haven't seen very much this year, but here's my top 10 of what little i've seen:

AVATAR
THE HANGOVER
I LOVE YOU, MAN
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
MONSTERS VS ALIENS (ANI)
STAR TREK
UP (ani)
WATCHMEN
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
XMEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE

here's an overall ranking of all the films i've seen this year:

AVATAR
THE HANGOVER
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
*
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
STAR TREK
UP (ani)
WATCHMEN
*
I LOVE YOU, MAN
MONSTERS VS ALIENS (ANI)
XMEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
---------------------------
CORALINE (ani)
TERMINATOR SALVATION
ASTRO BOY (ani)
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (ani)
*
ALIENS IN THE ATTIC
EVERYBODY'S FINE
G-FORCE
G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA
IMAGINE THAT
INKHEART
THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN
PAUL BLART MALL COP
THE PINK PANTHER 2
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS
ICE AGE DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (ani)
PLANET 51 (ani)

Edited January 5, 2010 by Guest

[TransMonk]

I've only seen 18 of these movies:

ADVENTURELAND
ANGELS & DEMONS
BRUNO
EXTRACT
FRIDAY THE 13TH
THE HANGOVER
I LOVE YOU, MAN
THE INFORMANT!
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
OBSERVE AND REPORT
PAPER HEART
PAUL BLART MALL COP
STAR TREK
SUNSHINE CLEANING
XMEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
YEAR ONE
UP (ani)
ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL (documentary)

Bruno, The Informant!, Inglorious Basterds, Up and Anvil! were the only ones I didn't think were pretty crappy.

[Vic Sage]

of the remaining list of films, here some others that have gotten some buzz:

AWAY WE GO
BROTHERS
CRAZY HEART
DISTRICT 9
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALFBLOOD PRINCE
THE HURT LOCKER
THE INTERNATIONAL
INVICTUS
IT'S COMPLICATED
JULIE & JULIA
ME AND ORSON WELLES
THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS
NINE
NOTORIOUS
OBSERVE AND REPORT
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE
PUBLIC ENEMIES
THE ROAD
A SERIOUS MAN
A SINGLE MAN
SUGAR
SUNSHINE CLEANING
UP IN THE AIR
WHIP IT
THE YOUNG VICTORIA

[u:2zbg4pxc]animation:[/u:2zbg4pxc]
DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (ani)
FANTASTIC MR. FOX (ani)
9 (ani)
PONYO (ani)
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (ani)

[u:2zbg4pxc]documentaries:[/u:2zbg4pxc]
ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL (documentary)
CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (doc)
GOOD HAIR (doc)
MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT (DOC)
THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE (doc)
TYSON (doc)

Edited January 5, 2010 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

ADVENTURELAND
UP
THE SOLOIST
I LOVE YOU, MAN

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

ADVENTURELAND
AN EDUCATION
ANVIL!
AVATAR
BRUNO
CORALINE
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
STAR TREK
SUGAR
UP

(NOTE: Haven't seen THE HURT LOCKER, THE INFORMANT!, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, or PONYO... and want to, lots.)

Edited January 5, 2010 by Guest

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

14 movies! That's pretty good for me in one year. Here's how I'd rank 'em:

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (ani)
ADVENTURELAND
*
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
SUGAR
UP (ani)
I LOVE YOU, MAN
ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL
*
OBSERVE AND REPORT
THE HANGOVER
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
*
FUNNY PEOPLE
EXTRACT
MONSTERS VS ALIENS
*
ICE AGE DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS

[Guest themetfairy]

The only film I truly loved this year was (500) Days of Summer.

I did like Away We Go, but I recognize that it's not a great film.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I only saw four of them, and the only two I liked started with the word "Up."

UP (ani)
UP IN THE AIR
2012
CORALINE (ani)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

2012? Really?

The preview made it look vaguely intriguing... but I was a little lukewarm on it. LWBetterHalfer doesn't do so well with apocalypse-y movies, and since she's 1.5 votes these days, we passed.

What's to recommend it?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Not much. Special effects, dumb story.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Ah, wait. Just got your post... my reading comprehension's funky between cups of coffee.

[Vic Sage]

WGA nominations for best screenplay in 2009 (awards given on 2/20):

original screenplay:
1) Avatar
2) 500 days of summer
3) The Hangover
4) The Hurt Locker
5) A Serious Man

adapted screenplay:
1) Crazy Heart
2) Julie & Julia
3) Precious
4) Star Trek
5) Up in the Air

[Guest sharpie]

I saw only nine of them. I guess that number will rise via video. In order

IN THE LOOP
A SERIOUS MAN
ADVENTURELAND
BRIGHT STAR
SUGAR
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER*
ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL
JULIE AND JULIA
HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU*

*saw on airplanes. I could have seen INKHEART on a plane which would've gotten me to 10. It would almost certainly have been #10.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

WGA nominations for best screenplay in 2009 (awards given on 2/20): original screenplay: 1) Avatar 2) 500 days of summer 3) The Hangover 4) The Hurt Locker 5) A Serious Man

For SCREENPLAY? I dug the movie, and I think that's f*cked.

[Centerfield]

sharpie wrote: I saw only nine of them. I guess that number will rise via video. In order IN THE LOOP A SERIOUS MAN ADVENTURELAND BRIGHT STAR SUGAR (500) DAYS OF SUMMER* ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL JULIE AND JULIA HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU* *saw on airplanes. I could have seen INKHEART on a plane which would've gotten me to 10. It would almost certainly have been #10.

I think showing "He's Just Not That Into You" on an airplane could be one of the few things in life that would make me try skydiving.

[Guest themetfairy]

The Hurt Locker is now available on DVD and on On Demand, fyi.

[Vic Sage]

GG noms

* = winners

BEST DRAMA
* Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire
Up In The Air

BEST COMEDY/MUSICAL:
(500) Days Of Summer
* The Hangover
It's Complicated
Julie & Julia
Nine

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess And The Frog
* Up

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM:
Baaria (Italy)
Broken Embraces (Spain)
The Maid (Chile)
A Prophet (France)
* The White Ribbon (Germany)

BEST SCREENPLAY:
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
It's Complicated
* Up In The Air

Edited January 15, 2010 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Only caught part of the GG awards show so my opinion here is incomplete - but based on what I saw it's a tie between Anna Paquin and Olivia Wilde for best display of the golden globes.

[Centerfield]

I'm going to need to see some pictures Sir.

[Frayed Knot]

[Edgy MD]

Her feet look like tootsie rolls.

[Fman99]

Somebody push those things together!

I'll do it.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy DC wrote: Her feet look like tootsie rolls.

Feet?

[Edgy MD]

Feet, baby. They can be beautiful thingies, too.

[Frayed Knot]

It's just the old 'I just hadn't realized she feet' joke.


Back in my sophmore year my roommate had a poster of a jungle scene where the sweat-tinged girl was all but busting out of the khaki shorts and unbuttoned shirt she was wearing while straddling atop a full-sized tiger. One of the girls from the dorm walks in and notices - as only a female would - that the girl and the tiger had the same color eyes.
"Eyes?" I said, thinking my joke was pretty funny until Stevie dead-panned, "Tiger?"

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

My list for now:

Where the Wild Things Are
Tyson
Up
The Hurt Locker
District 9
A Serious Man
Inglorious Basterds
Big Fan
Away We Go
Funny People

My queue of 2009 films I haven't seen, but have high hopes for: Drag Me to Hell, the Informant!, Moon, the Road, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Broken Embraces, The White Ribbon and Anvil!.

Oh, and Skills Like This probably isn't eligible, since I think it was officially released in 2007, but it made its New York debut this year and would replace Funny People on my list.

[ashie62]

And the Oscar for Best Movie goes to "Crazy Heart" Don't worry Clooney you beat Bridges for best actor

[Vic Sage]

Producer's Guild awards given yesterday:

Best Picture - THE HURT LOCKER
Other Nominees for theatrical motion pictures:
AVATAR
DISTRICT 9
AN EDUCATION
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
INVICTUS
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
STAR TREK
UP
UP IN THE AIR

Best animated feature - UP
other nominees for animated feature:
9
CORALINE
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

Best documentary - The COVE
Other nominees for Documentary feature:
BURMA VJ
SERGIO
SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION

[ashie62]

I'm fine with "Hurt Locker" loved it

Inglorious basterds 2 1/2 stars..Indulgent..Pitt miscast, and Hugo Stiglitz? geez Quentin