Movies of 2009
Have we done movies yet? I saw two game-changing movies this year, District 9, and Avatar. District 9 was the better movie of the two because the story was really good, and the acting was excellent, but the computer generated effects were what really sold this movie for me. About 2 minutes after the alien creatures were introduced, I completely stopped noticing that they were CG. The integration of live and computer action was so seamless. And Eric pointed out that this movie deserves special mention because the previews didn't make you feel like a chump for paying to see the movie after almost every scene worthy of mention had been included.
Avatar was an amazing technical achievement but a really mediocre story and a waste of decent actors. I can't see how future action movies cannot immediately plan to incorporate the 3-D technology. I just don't see how the studios can expect to pack us into theaters to watch Tom Cruise shoot his way through 2 1/2 hours of action if those bullets aren't whizzing away over our heads.
I also liked, I Love You Man, Zombieland, The Damned United, The Hangover, Star Trek, Funny People, and You're Welcome, America.
I saw Up In The Air this year, and it left a deep impression on me. The previews made this up to be a rom-com with that handsome devil Clooney. Let me tell you my fellow LOB-ers, this is serious stuff and the laughs are few and ring hollow as a pair of cold downsizing experts wreak havoc through the country firing people. It was too demoralizing for me to watch people getting fired by video conferencing because I just bet that's actually in use. I will mention that the female lead Vera Farmiga is about as good an American actress as is working in movies today.
So, what did you lot think was worthy this year?
posted by gooner71 @ 11:48 AM
4 Comments:
Thanks for the posting, Gooner!
Movies are always difficult for me to assess at this time of the year because I always get the sense that the studios are holding back the Oscar favorites for the end of the year rush, so I'm almost sure that there are a few that I haven't seen yet that would make my 2009 list, including "Up in the Air," "A Serious Man" and possibly even "Nine."
My favorite film of the year was "Away We Go" - almost a note perfect relationship picture with John Krajinski from "The Office" and Maya Rudolph from SNL. However, if I'm being perfectly honest, the most fun I had in a theater this past year was seeing a packed, midnight screening of "The Hangover." It's that rare comedy that has big laughs from beginning to end.
Since I'm in the hinterlands, I have to rely on Netflix for some of the more interesting films, particularly foreign language and British films. I have been lucky to be able to "The Damned United" though while here in London and - despite it's obvious anti-Leeds bias - it gets the flavor of 1970s football absolutely right down to the sheepskin jackets and muddy communal baths.
Some others that I enjoyed this year: Jane Campion's biopic of John Keats "Bright Star;" Audrey Tatou's turn as Coco Chanel in "Coco Before Chanel;" the savage attack on the food industry - "Food Inc;" Spike Jonze's incredible adaptation of "Where the Wild Things Are," the nostalgic "Adventureland," Wes Anderson's quirky "The Fantastic Mr. Fox," and the American update of "State of Play."
I'd forgotten about Away We Go and Adventureland. Good shouts.
Have not seen too many films this year. Really liked Up. Pixar has not made a bad film yet. An Education had some good performances, as did Up in the Air. I was not overly impressed by 35 Shots of Rum, the latest by Claire Denis - the high brow critics seemed to love it though.
Maybe I'll see more than four current films in the cinema next year.
Nice one, Someone. I'll be checking "An Education" today with my mother. Review to come...
So, let's talk disappointments. I tend to put a lot of stock in auteur theory, so I'm always looking for certain filmmakers when I got to the movies. There are about four brackets of these:
1. Those I always love (e.g., John Sayles, Ken Loach, Mike Leigh, Alexander Payne, Nicole Holefcener, Spike Jonze)
2. Those I don't always love but seem important, so I see all their films (e.g., the Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson, Jane Campion, Richard Linklater)
3. Those I sometimes like but wait for reviews to decide whether I'll see it (e.g., Martin Scorcese, Errol Morris, Spike Lee, Cameron Crowe)
4. Those I don't rarely if ever bother with (e.g., Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Wachowski Bros)
The disappointing experiences then tend to bump these directors from one bracket down to another. For example, after Michael Moore's last two films - "Sicko" and "Capitalism: A Love Story," he's down from bracket 1 to bracket 2 in my estimation. I liked much of the material in "Capitalism" but his standing outside a building with a bullhorn schtick has grown tiresome.
Soderberg's tedious two-part Che biopic, throw-away bit of fluff "The Girlfriend Experience" and tone-deaf "The Informant!" have pushed him down from bracket 2 to bracket 3. He's putting out too much product IMHO.
Finally, "Inglorious Basterds" has pushed Quentin Tarantino from bracket 3 to bracket 4. I've been waiting for fifteen years for Tarantino to get out of his adolescent martial-arts, B-movie phase and get back to making interesting, script-driven projects. I'm done.
Anyone else have those disappointing experiences this year?
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