Must See Movies of 2009

When I started my movie review blog in February of 2009 I had many doubts. I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to keep up with it, my rating system was untested, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to continue to find my own voice when there are so many other critics out there. But after 172 articles with a month still to go, I have to say that my movie review blog has been a big success. It even opened a door allowing me to write for a professional web site. I’m very contented with my rookie year.

As I look over the 164 movies I saw in 2009, only 13 got my rating of Must See. My criteria for a must see movie is one that is so technically proficient that it deserves a look or a film that is culturally relevant; something that every one should see for its message, or one that everyone will be talking about. If you missed this particular film you would be left out of a lot of conversations. I think that it’s interesting that only 13 films made my list.

Looking back at my must see films I was pleased at the variety. There is something for everyone there. But even if your taste in movies is limited please give these wonderful films a chance. Most can be rented on DVD and some will enjoy re-releases during Oscar season. Each film deserves your attention.

Better Late Than Never

Sometimes a movie is nominated for an Academy Award and the general public has never had a chance to see it. This most frequently happens with documentaries and foreign films. When Departures won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film last year, I was kind of shocked. Up until that time everyone was talking about The Class and Waltzing With Bashir. But after seeing Departures, I could not agree more. What a wonderful film. It was sensitive, lovely, funny, heart warming and most of all moving. I was deeply affected by this film and will carry its images with me forever. This movie definitely deserved its Oscar.

The other film that was highly touted during awards season was Russia’s 12. This film was a re-imagining of the movie 12 Angry Men. Not only was this film artfully made, it was also socially relevant. Russia is going through a lot of changes politically and being empowered as an individual is one of them. For 12 men to be able to put aside all their prejudices, their economic and educational differences, and determine the fate of one disadvantaged youth was very exciting for me. It also opened my eyes to what is happening in Russia. Great film, heartening message, tremendous social relevance, this is one film worth watching.

Regenerating a Franchise

This year boasted two films that regenerated old franchises. One was Star Trek. The vultures were circling ready to pounce on this film, but the strange thing was, most people liked it. The casting was inspired, the story was solid and most of all it was fun. It was not a perfect film, but it so exceeded expectations that everyone raved about it, there has even been talks of Oscar possibilities. If this franchise does continue you want to get in on it from the beginning. But even if you’re not a Star Trek fan you’ll still enjoy this film. It is above all an adventure and it captures the spark and imagination of the original.

The other franchise that received a makeover was Terminator. Terminator Salvation starred Christian Bale as John Connor. This film had a much more difficult job trying to bridge the gap between all previous films and a fledgling television show. Although it wasn’t as popular as Star Trek, I feel that it did an admirable job. The subject matter was bleak and depressing and Arnold was left out, but it’s still a very good film. I believe this film will be better appreciated with distance. It was a victim of bad press and timing, but those who give it a second look will be rewarded with a solid film.

New Cinematic Frontiers

With all the entertainment options out there today, Hollywood is constantly trying to one –up itself to draw the public out of their homes and into the theaters. But there were two films this year that not only used the latest emerging technology of performance capture, but they told good stories as well. In Avatar, James Cameron gave us a film that was a mixture of live action and computer-generated animation. In A Christmas Carol, Robert Zemeckis gave us a faithful retelling of the Dickens classic, but with the use of performance capture he was not bound by the limitations of standard photography. If he could imagine it, he could create it. Both men used performance capture techniques, breaking new ground on what is possible. They told interesting stories in interesting new ways, and paved the way for those who follow. This is just the beginning.

Socially Relevant and Moving

Film does have the power to change. By giving us a fresh perspective or by taking us to new worlds, we have the opportunity to see things through someone else’s eyes. When you combine insight with artistic filmmaking the combination can be quite powerful. Early in the year, a friend and I went to see a film called The Stoning of Soraya M. This film showed us the repressed lives of women living in the Middle East and how one woman was falsely accused by her lying husband and stoned to death by the male community. We were so outraged by the end of this film that I pitied the poor man who had the unfortunate coincidence of looking very much like the husband in the movie. Leaving the theater he was given multiple dirty looks and scornful glares. The film is based on a true incident and everyone should be made aware. Until women receive equal rights and consideration under the law world wide, there is still a lot of work to do.

Another powerful film was the love story, A Single Man. Set in the sixties; this was the story of a gay man morning the accidental death of his long tine partner. This was before Harvey Milk, Gay Pride, AIDS, and terms like coming out of the closet. It is a beautiful sensitive film, wonderfully directed with a phenomenal performance by Colin Firth. It is a love story first and anyone who has ever loved will be able to relate to the characters loss and emotions. Visually, this movie is so striking that I marveled at the beauty of it. Everyone should see this film.

Breath Of Fresh Air

There are some films that are so enjoyable that you find yourself grinning throughout the entire movie. For me this year, those movies were I Love You, Man and 500 Days of Summer. 500 Days of Summer was new, creative, fresh and totally original. The story is as old as time; boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, but what made this story so unique was the way that the story was told. With spontaneous musical numbers, alternative realities and sharp dialogue, this film was a joy. What a wonderfully well written film.

I Love You, Man was one of the most satisfying romantic comedies of the year. Even though it was a “bromance”, a term coined to describe best buddy films, it was laugh out loud funny while still appealing to women. All the ladies fell in love with Paul Rudd and found Jason Segal pretty cute too. The supporting cast was hysterical and it was nice to see Paul Rudd out in front for a change. He proved that he can be a leading man as well as an invaluable supporting player. What a funny, funny adorable film.

The Power Of Love

There were two movies this year that really demonstrated the power of love. One was Pixar’s Up, the story of a man who loved his wife so much that he tied balloons to his house in order to fly to South America to fulfill her lifelong dream For an animated film, this movie had a lot of heart. It was also very romantic. This feature was focused more on story than merchandising rights which was a refreshing change for animation. It was a very touching film and a beautiful artistic achievement. Up is one of Pixar’s best.

Another film, which had a strong impact, was the movie The Blind Side. Sandra Bullock shines in this true-life tale about a southern family that takes in a disadvantaged teenager when they discover that he is homeless. This teenager just happened to be of high school age, black, several hundred pounds, and barely literate. But through love, nurturing, a professional tutor and some good coaching, this young man graduates, goes on to college and becomes a professional football player. I loved Sandra Bullock in this film and wish her all the best come awards times. It is one of the best family films of the year.

Best Of Year

For my money, the film that had it all this year was Up In The Air. George Clooney was born to play this role and it fits him to perfection. The entire cast is phenomenal, the script is well written, the story delivers a poignant message, while still remaining funny. It also has some great one-liners. Jason Reitman directs the film brilliantly and I believe that this movie will become a cinematic marker representing this time and era. What a perfect film to end the decade. Now go start renting!