Top 10 Films Of 2009

Hey it's the end of the year. And 2009 has been a great year for films. OK A lot I want to see I have not seen yet but this will seem a bit redundant if I make this list in June. So of the films I have seen here is my Top films of 2009. But first:

The Worst Film of 2009: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Badly written, badly acted, badly directed piece of shit film is an insult. Bad comedy relief scenes really sets this film apart from other bad films. Just bad. Shame because the first film was so much fun. Not this one. Awful!

And now on with the countdown:

10. Watchmen
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Jackie Earl Haley, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

I must start by saying I'm a big fan of the original graphic novel by Alan Moore. And I thought this film was an acceptable adaptation of it. The movie is set in alternate 1985 were masked vigilantes are outlawed and the World is on the brink of Nuclear Armageddon. Meanwhile a former masked vigilante has been murdered and one disturbed vigilante wants to know why.

Even though this is my 10th favourite film of the year I personally recommend you read the graphic novel first. The movie is still great though despite the bad acting by several of the main cast and the out of place soundtrack (why is Nena's 99 Luft Balloons in this?). The film looks great and has great atmosphere. Although you may find the 'Blue Penis' a bit distracting in some scenes ;)

9. Star Trek
Directed by: JJ Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Simon Pegg and Leonard Nimoy.

Unlike the Watchmen above I have never been a fan of the Star Trek series. I did quite like the movie Star Trek II but that's about it. This reboot though was awesome. It looked great and has a good story. It does have some plotholes. But it's enjoyable and that's the main thing. Speaking of looking great...

8. Avatar
Directed by: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and CCH Pounder (what a name ;) )

Wow what a way to return to films after a 12 year absence. After Titanic James Cameron really wanted to make this film... But he thought Special FX technology of the late 90s was not up to par to his vision to come to life. So he waited for over a decade. And the result is most visually stunning movie ever made. OK you have to see it in 3D (real D, I mean) to get the most of it. OK the story is not entirely original and their is some clichés. And there is some boring spots but the great stuff really makes this film well great. The action scenes are fantastic and the 3D is not just some cheap gimmick. See it while it's still in the cinema.

7. The Hangover
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Heather Graham

We have seen some great comedies in 2009 and this is one of them. One of the surprise hits of the year. This film is very funny. Yeah don't want to say too much because of spoilers (even though the trailers for this film did a good job of spoiling some of this film). One of the decades great comedies.

6. District 9
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley

Peter Jackson's 'Them Lovely Bones' may have been disappointing at the box office but at least one film he produced this year made some money. This one to be exact. This Sci Fi film has a great original idea. Aliens invade a South African city but instead of attacking they are seeking asylum. Yes the aliens (or Prawns as they are called in the movie) are refugee's from another planet living in slums and eating cat food. See there is some original ideas out there. This film kind of came out of nowhere. I only became aware of it after seeing a trailer for it a month before it was released. Highly entertaining, a must watch.

5. Zombieland
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin and a surprising cameo by.... OK I won't spoil it ;) .

The United States answer to 'Shaun of the Dead' is surprisingly very good and funny. With some good horror elements. Has a great style and I was very impressed by this film.

Fun Fact: One of two films of 2009 starring Jesse Eisenberg with a film title with the word 'Land' at the end. The other being Adventureland. Which like Zombieland features a theme park but disappointingly no Zombies.... Well except for Kristen Stewart. :P

4. Gran Torino
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood a great actor and director. And he does both in this film. This is what Eastwood says is his final acting role. Yes he has retired from acting now but what a way to end.... As grumpy old man that would put Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau to shame. Be warned old Clint sings a song at the end :P

3. Up
Directed by: Pete Docter & Bob Peterson
Starring: Edward Asner, and Christopher Plummer

Pixar are the perfect film studio. They have never made a bad film. Up ranks along with The Incredibles, Wall-E and the Toy Story's as one of the really really good Pixar films. A funny and sometimes sad movie is really touching and shows why Pixar is the undisputed King of 3D animation.

2. The Wrestler
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachael Wood, Ernest 'The Cat' Miller and The Necro Butcher!

In the 90s marked the return of John Travolta after a poor time in the 80s. You could return the biggest return of the 2000s after a poor 90s was Mickey Rourke who made a glorious return with Sin City in 2005 and this film were he plays an aging washed up professional wrestler who has pissed away most of this earnings. Mickey Rourke is simply great in his role as Randy The Ram and truly deserved this Academy Award nomination. Marisa Tomei was good as well.... And we saw a lot her in this :D. Anyway a great film.

1. Inglourious Basterds
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Diane Kruger, and Eli Roth.

Best film of the year. Tarantino's take on World War II films is awesome. Almost everything about this film is great. The acting, the atmosphere, the set pieces and the direction. Christoph Waltz steals the show as the Jew Hunter. He is such an evil douche. Waltz should be nominated for best supporting actor come Oscar time. The movie has many great characters. It's is truly a Tarantino film and Tarantino at his best. His third best film in my opinion. Awesome, my clear favourite Movie of the Year.
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RI presents: 8 so-so to Great Christmas films

Well it's that time of year. Yep it's time to put up your tree, make some egg nog and watch sappy movie. It's Christmas. And what better way to spend an evening in December then.... reading a good book, playing an awesome videogame, watching a great Christmas special of your a TV series (This blog is not about that but here are some great recommendations anyway: The Office Christmas Special UK version, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - A Very Sunny Christmas, Extras The Specials, and several Christmas episodes of The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, Futurama, Venture Bros., American Dad and Robot Chicken)

Also I guess you could watch a Christmas movie. Now in October I did the Halloween movie list and that was easy. There are lots of great scary films. But Christmas films is a lot harder. I could only come up with 8 and one of them is technically an episode of a TV show. There is a lot of crap Christmas films out there (A lot of them starring Tim Allen). So I could only come up with 8. But 8 is enough (:P). And they are good ones. Or average ones lets say that. Each entry will include a link on where to purchase or in a couple of cases watch them in their entirety. OK enough Jibber Jabber lets get into the list:

8. HOME ALONE (1990)

Directed by: Chris Columbus

Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Candy, Cathrine O'Hara

Get the DVD: here

Damn I have not seen this film in well over a decade. This is one of those films I came up with when I was struggling to think of some titles. Yeah this film is alright. Quite comical. Gets a bit heart warming towards the end... I should point out this movie is about a kid that gets left at home when his family go holiday and some bumbling burglars try to rob his house on Christmas Eve but fail with humorous results. OK I'm done with this film. Moving on.....

IMDB Trivia um.. fact: There is a legend that Elvis Presley (who died in 1977) makes a cameo in this movie. Many of those who believe that Elvis is still alive maintain that, the heavily bearded man standing in the background of the scene where Mrs. MacCallister is shouting at the desk clerk (just before she meets John Candy) is Elvis.

7. Santa Claus Conquers The Martians (Mystery Science Theater 3000 Episode) (movie: 1964, MST3K: 1991)

Directed by: Nicholas Websters (movie), Jim Mallon (MST3K)

Starrinng: Movie: John Call, Leonard Hicks. MST3K: Joel Hodgeson, Trace Beaulieu, Kevin Murphy.

Watch it: here

Hooray for Sandy Claus! OK SCCTM is a terrible, terrible film from the 60's about a race of Martians who kidnap Santa Claus because the children of Mars are depressed and think that bringing Christmas to Mars might cheer them up a bit. The film is bad as said but it does have it's own charm. You can tell the people making it had fun. The Villain has some unintentionally funny lines.

Cut to 1991 on the Satellite of Love. Now if you not familiar with Mystery Science Theater 3000 I will let the link to this video explain (Explain Video). Well that saved some time ;).. Anyway this particular episode they have to watch SCCTM. And it's hilarious. As mentioned not really a movie. But I feel that it needs a place.

IMDB Fact: The movie ranks in the IMDB Bottom 100 films of all time list. At time I made this blog it was at: #77

6. Scrooged (1988)

Directed by: Richard Donner

Starring: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum.

Get the DVD: here

Another film I have not seen in a while. A modern and humorous (well for 1988 anyway) retelling of the Charles Dicken's 'A Christmas Carol'. Bill Murray plays a TV network executive with a cold heart and only interested in TV ratings and revenue. You know the story he is visited by a ghost of an old partner (more of a Zombie in this film) who tells him that three spirits are going to set him right before it's too late.

Well worth a watch because it's very funny. Bill Murray is great as always. And it features what I think is the coolest looking Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come ever:

IMDB Trivia Fact: The late comedian Sam Kinison was originally slated to play the part of Eliot Loudermilk. The part eventually went to Bobcat Goldthwait due to his friendship with Bill Murray.

5. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Directed by: Brian Henson

Starring: Michael Caine, Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, The Great Gonzo, Rizo the Rat, Fozzy Bear, etc.

Get the DVD: here

Another film based on the Dickens classic. You want to hear about perfect casting. It's in this film. Michael Caine was born to play Ebeneezer Scrooge. And he ended up playing him in the Muppet version. But that's not a bad thing.

In my opinion this movie is the most entertaining of any movie or TV special based on 'A Christmas Carol'. It's also one of the most faithful adaptations minus the Muppet alterations. And of course it has that charming Muppet humor will know and love. The Disney Channel (Yes it's a Disney film) should play this film every Christmas,

IMDB Trivia Fact: Michael Caine considers the role of Scrooge to be one of his most memorable (to him) roles.

4. Bad Santa (2003)

Directed by: Terry Zwigoff

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Lauren Graham, Bernie Mac, John Ritter.

Get the DVD: here

Not all Christmas movies have to be friendly kiddie films. And this one of those Christmas films that proves that you can make a fun Christmas film aimed at an adult audience.

Thornton plays Willie an alcoholic, foul mouthed crook who come December dons a Santa suit to become a mall Santa Clause. Along with his Elf in crime on Christmas Eve they break into the mall's safe and steal the day's takings. And for the rest of the year they live off the profits from the crime.

During the coarse of the film Willie makes friends with a lonely and gullible child and decides to take advantage of him. See the kid does not have mother and his Dad is in prison so the kid just lives his senile grandmother in a big house. As you probably guess Willie grows fond of the kid and looks out for him.

A pretty good film. Probably my favorite Billy Bob Thornton performance.

IMDB Trivia Fact: Billy Bob Thornton admitted that he was genuinely intoxicated during the filming.

3. Miracle On 34th Street (1947)

Directed by: George Seaton

Starring: Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, Natalie Wood.

Get the DVD: here

Look an actual Christmas movie that is considered a true classic. Have I gone mad. Maybe I should be put on trail.

OK the story of this film Macy's the big New York store hires a man named Kris Kringle to be the store's Santa Clause. A man that believes and may or may not be the actual Santa Clause. Many people think he is crazy but the store is getting some good profit and publicity from the guy some no one really complains. Well one guys does and has Kringle sent to the nut house. The film climaxes in court were a young lawyer tries to prove that Kringle is in fact Santa.

This film is a classic for many reasons. It's charming, it's warm, it's inspiring and it's funny. Honestly for a film made in the late 40s I actually got quite a few laughs from it. I also like it also sort of has a anti commercialism of Christmas message in it. Kringle is in town because he thinks people are forgetting what Christmas is about. Anyway great film.

IMDB Trivia Fact: Despite the fact that the film is set during Christmas, studio head Darryl F. Zanuck insisted that it be released in May because he argued that more people went to the movies during the summer. So the studio began scrambling to promote it while keeping the fact that it was a Christmas movie a secret.

2. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

Directed by: Frank Capra

Starring: James Stewart, Donna Weed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers.

Watch It: here

Ever feel that you give so much and feel like your getting nothing in return? Well George Bailey did in this essential classic. Yes another true classic. A Wonderful film if you will...

Anyway George Bailey is guy with huge ambitions and the World at his feet. But he has to sacrifice those ambitions for the good of his family, friends and his home town of Bedford Falls. When things seemingly start to go wrong for him he decides maybe the World will better off without him. That's when a Galaxy and a Nebula (go with it) send down a Angel in training to try and convince Bailey not to do it and shows him a World if Bailey was never born.

The movie is in the public domain hence why you can watch it for free on the link above. I recommend if you have not seen it to click that link now and watch it. It will make you feel better about yourself. My only complaint is that the famous bell ringing scene at the end could of been a bit more subtle. Still a great film though.

IMDB Trivia Fact: Films made prior to this one used cornflakes painted white for the falling snow effect. Because the cornflakes were so loud, dialogue had to be dubbed in later. Frank Capra wanted to record the sound live, so a new snow effect was developed using foamite (a fire-fighting chemical) and soap and water. This mixture was then pumped at high pressure through a wind machine to create the silent, falling snow. 6000 gallons of the new snow were used in the film. The RKO Effects Department received a special award from the Motion Picture Academy for the development of the new film snow.

1. Christmas Vacation (1989)

Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik

Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Randy Quaid.

Get the DVD: Here

Christmas is a time for happiness, family and get together. It is also a time when things just f*** up royally. And in this film anything that f***s up does.

The Griswold family are having the traditional family Christmas and nothing ever seems to go right. From getting the Christmas tree to cooking the Christmas turkey everything just goes wrong. One of the only things that goes right is the Christmas Lights that Clark Griswold covers every inch of his house in. Things explode, things catch fire, animals are on the loose, arguments happen, rednecks move in.

Not a Christmas goes buy without a viewing of this film. I love it. I can't give it justice give it a viewing. BTW stay well away from the sequel 'Uncle Eddie's Vacation' it will destroy your soul.

IMDB Trivia Fact: According to Randy Quaid, many of cousin Eddie's characteristics (most notably the clicking of the tongue) were based off a guy that Quaid knew from when he grew up in Texas years ago who had similar traits.

So that is my list. I hope you enjoyed reading it and I hope you check out the films I mentioned. I will just leave you with a Christmas Card from Cousin Eddy:

(Pictures from I-Mockery.com)