Taking a look at the year 2009, picking my 10 favorite movies from that
year in random order.
Zombieland
After zombies take over the world, a young man stays alive by meticulously following a number of self-described rules. For example, he always puts on his seatbelts, watches oyt for toilets and never plays the hero. When he meets a couple of other survivors, they decide to hang out together. Witty, ironic zombie film, worthwhile mainly because of well-written characters. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, for example, are fun as incisive sisters, Woody Harrelson is fantastic as a macho zombie defender.
(500) Days of Summer
Tom, trained as an architect, has a dull job writing texts for greeting cards, but his existence is brightened considerably by Summer, a girl from the office. The story of their relationship is not told chronologically, but in flashbacks and forwards. In this way, details in the film are given different meanings each time. A remarkable and original way to tell a story of ‘boy meets girl’. Good screenplay, excellent direction and particularly fine lead actors.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
When titular hero Mr. Fox learns Mrs. Fox is pregnant he must promise her to stop stealing. He keeps this promise for a while, but after a few years the wild beast in him resurfaces. Mr. Fox crawls out of his hole, goes to live above the ground in a hollow tree and pays nightly visits to the storehouse of the mean farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Fine stop-motion animated film from director Wes Anderson, who transformed Roald Dahl’s children’s book into a dryly comic ode to whimsy. Also perfect for adults of course. Favorite Anderson film.
Up
The young Carl Fredericksen wants to be an adventurer, just like his idol Charles Muntz. He meets the like-minded Ellie, they courtship, marry, and solemnly promise each other to go to Latin American Paradise Falls someday. It is not until the age of 78 that Carl, now a widower, ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away. he is joined by a tenacious little boy scout. Wonderful, wityy, poetic animated film for young and old. The first few minutes in particular are brilliant (and if you don’t cry, you are not human).
Where the Wild Things Are
After an argument with his mother, nine-year-old Max runs away, climbs unto a sailboat and, after traveling across the ocean, ends up in a land populated by meter-high monsters. Film adaptation by director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Dave Eggers, of the famous children’s book by the same name, written by Maurice Sendak. The film is not made for a young audience, it is too subtle and melancholic for that, the emotions of adults and children are too strong. Well-played, sublimely designed, moving and compelling.
Inglourious Basterds
A group of touch Jewish-American soldier tries to kill as many Nazis as possible during WWII in occupied France. A cinema owner tries to make the best of it under the occupation. And a German officer hunts down Jews. Director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino intertwined their stories into a clever scenario, which served as the basis for this powerful war film. The agonizing tension in “Inglourious Basterds” is interspersed with dark humor. Razor-sharp dialogues. Christoph Waltz is the star of the film as SS man Hans Landa.
Avatar
Private Jake is in a wheelchair. But then he gets an offer: he can serve as the driver of an avatar on the planet Pandora, his brain in his sleeping body then in control of a body grown from genetically engineered cells that looks, walks, runs and jumps just like the Na’vi that inhabit the planet. James Cameron’s groundbreaking use of 3D turned this otherwise average adventure film into and eye-opening and exhilarating spectacle. And the film shows again how mankind ruins everything that is beautiful.
Sherlock Holmes
Did Sit Arthur Conan Doyle base his penmanship in the late nineteenth century on himself, on Jesus, or simply on a fellow physician? Whatever the case, in the hands of director Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes became a cynical, anti-social, alcohol loving man with an unexpectedly refines sense of fighting and shooting techniques. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law play the duo Holmes and Watson with frivolous ease, touring filthy London in search of a criminal magician resurrected from the grave.
The Blind Side
True story: wealthy Leigh Anne Tuohy takes in a homeless, underprivileged young black man. This Michael Oher makes sure that Leigh Anne’s perfect but somewhat sterile family becomes a lot cozier. Moreover he actually grows into a promising American football player. It’s kind of a sweet feel-good film, but I love it.
Moon
Astronaut Sam Bell, after three years of soloing in the lunar helium extraction, finally sees homeward travel and family reunification approaching. Despite mild delusions, he seems to be crossing the finish line in health. Until he has an accident and wakes up in sickbay. Talking flight computer GERTY appeases the incident, but Sam knows: something is not right here. Ingenious screenplay by Nathan Parker and debutant director Duncan Jones makes for a disturbing, disorienting viewing experience in more ways than one. Sam Rockwell is terrific, and Kevin Spacey souffles GERTY
After zombies take over the world, a young man stays alive by meticulously following a number of self-described rules. For example, he always puts on his seatbelts, watches oyt for toilets and never plays the hero. When he meets a couple of other survivors, they decide to hang out together. Witty, ironic zombie film, worthwhile mainly because of well-written characters. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, for example, are fun as incisive sisters, Woody Harrelson is fantastic as a macho zombie defender.
Tom, trained as an architect, has a dull job writing texts for greeting cards, but his existence is brightened considerably by Summer, a girl from the office. The story of their relationship is not told chronologically, but in flashbacks and forwards. In this way, details in the film are given different meanings each time. A remarkable and original way to tell a story of ‘boy meets girl’. Good screenplay, excellent direction and particularly fine lead actors.
When titular hero Mr. Fox learns Mrs. Fox is pregnant he must promise her to stop stealing. He keeps this promise for a while, but after a few years the wild beast in him resurfaces. Mr. Fox crawls out of his hole, goes to live above the ground in a hollow tree and pays nightly visits to the storehouse of the mean farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Fine stop-motion animated film from director Wes Anderson, who transformed Roald Dahl’s children’s book into a dryly comic ode to whimsy. Also perfect for adults of course. Favorite Anderson film.
The young Carl Fredericksen wants to be an adventurer, just like his idol Charles Muntz. He meets the like-minded Ellie, they courtship, marry, and solemnly promise each other to go to Latin American Paradise Falls someday. It is not until the age of 78 that Carl, now a widower, ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away. he is joined by a tenacious little boy scout. Wonderful, wityy, poetic animated film for young and old. The first few minutes in particular are brilliant (and if you don’t cry, you are not human).
After an argument with his mother, nine-year-old Max runs away, climbs unto a sailboat and, after traveling across the ocean, ends up in a land populated by meter-high monsters. Film adaptation by director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Dave Eggers, of the famous children’s book by the same name, written by Maurice Sendak. The film is not made for a young audience, it is too subtle and melancholic for that, the emotions of adults and children are too strong. Well-played, sublimely designed, moving and compelling.
A group of touch Jewish-American soldier tries to kill as many Nazis as possible during WWII in occupied France. A cinema owner tries to make the best of it under the occupation. And a German officer hunts down Jews. Director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino intertwined their stories into a clever scenario, which served as the basis for this powerful war film. The agonizing tension in “Inglourious Basterds” is interspersed with dark humor. Razor-sharp dialogues. Christoph Waltz is the star of the film as SS man Hans Landa.
Private Jake is in a wheelchair. But then he gets an offer: he can serve as the driver of an avatar on the planet Pandora, his brain in his sleeping body then in control of a body grown from genetically engineered cells that looks, walks, runs and jumps just like the Na’vi that inhabit the planet. James Cameron’s groundbreaking use of 3D turned this otherwise average adventure film into and eye-opening and exhilarating spectacle. And the film shows again how mankind ruins everything that is beautiful.
Did Sit Arthur Conan Doyle base his penmanship in the late nineteenth century on himself, on Jesus, or simply on a fellow physician? Whatever the case, in the hands of director Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes became a cynical, anti-social, alcohol loving man with an unexpectedly refines sense of fighting and shooting techniques. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law play the duo Holmes and Watson with frivolous ease, touring filthy London in search of a criminal magician resurrected from the grave.
True story: wealthy Leigh Anne Tuohy takes in a homeless, underprivileged young black man. This Michael Oher makes sure that Leigh Anne’s perfect but somewhat sterile family becomes a lot cozier. Moreover he actually grows into a promising American football player. It’s kind of a sweet feel-good film, but I love it.
Astronaut Sam Bell, after three years of soloing in the lunar helium extraction, finally sees homeward travel and family reunification approaching. Despite mild delusions, he seems to be crossing the finish line in health. Until he has an accident and wakes up in sickbay. Talking flight computer GERTY appeases the incident, but Sam knows: something is not right here. Ingenious screenplay by Nathan Parker and debutant director Duncan Jones makes for a disturbing, disorienting viewing experience in more ways than one. Sam Rockwell is terrific, and Kevin Spacey souffles GERTY
