I'm back with my Best of 2009!

I'm back! To all three of my followers, I must apologize for how long it's been since I posted. I hope to be posting more consistently from now on. So without further ado, here is my long-awaited Best of 2009, just in time for Oscar season. I'll start with my top movies of the year, and I'll be back very soon with the best of TV and more.

My Top Movies 10 of 2009

1. Avatar (10/10 or A+)
Avatar had possibly more hype than any movie in years, but I refused to buy into it. Before Avatar, 3-D was nothing more than a gimmick and I had a hard time believing that even the great James Cameron could bring it to a higher level. But despite my low expectations, I left this midnight showing completely blown away by the spectacle and the innovation. No, Avatar doesn't have the freshest story of the year or the most masterful acting, but as an overall package, there was no greater achievement in 2009.

2. (500) Days of Summer (10/10 or A+)
Another big surprise for me, (500) Days is not only the perfect blend of drama, humor, and romance, but for me captures life for my generation better than any film that's come before. Bittersweet and true to life, one of most memorable sequences illustrates the clash between our expectations and the way things actually play out. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zoey Deschanel have marvelous chemistry and Marc Webb directs his first feature with incredible creativity.

3. Star Trek (9/10 or A)
Who else but J.J. Abrams could revive Star Trek, make it "cool" again, and please the Trekkies? The new, young cast wisely makes the characters their own while still channeling the charisma and personality of the original stars. On top of being the best new entry to Gene Roddenberry's franchise in some time, Star Trek is just an all around great summer flick with stellar action, stunning special effects, and a smart story.

4. District 9 (9/10 or A)
The year of sci-fi continues with this low budget, genius social-commentary-meets-futuristic-adventure from Peter Jackson protege Neill Blomkamp. The film's faux-documentary style sets up this allegorical tale before throwing us into a thrilling quest that finds us rooting for the "wrong" side. Sharlto Copley is fantastic in his breakout starring role.

5. Up in the Air (9/10 or A)
Take a classic Hollywood tale and a star with the throwback charisma of Grant and Stewart and you've got a recipe for a true modern classic. Up in the Air manages to be relevant to the age we live in while appealing to timeless themes of family and companionship. George Clooney gives his finest performance yet as a corporate downsizer who feels more at home on the road than in his own apartment.

6. Inglourious Basterds (9/10 or A)
This bit of hyper-violent revisionist history from Quentin Tarantino just so happens to have the best direction of the year. From the very first moment, there is no better use of mis en scène. The big climax, in all it's fictional glory is quite cathartic, but the absurdity of it all brings the film down a bit.

7. Where the Wild Things Are (9/10 or A)
My initial viewing of Spike Jonze's inventive adaptation of this classic children's book left me a little befuddled. Chock it up to unexpected complexity. After further thought and review, I came to really appreciate what the film had (or didn't have) to say. Jonze isn't going for profound, but rather wonder. Not since The Neverending Story has a film so vividly captured the power of the imagination in all of us. Little Max Records seems poised for a great career.

8. Sherlock Holmes (9/10 or A)
When it comes to pure entertainment, Sherlock Holmes fires on all cylinders. Director Guy Ritchie and star Robert Downey, Jr. have successfully remolded the dusty Holmes franchise in the vein of Indiana Jones, to great effect. The plot is quick, the action stylish, and the characters complex. Jude Law gives one of the best supporting performances of the year as a dashing Dr. Watson.

9. A Single Man (8/10 or A-)
Who would have thought that a fashion designer could just decide he's a filmmaker and it not end in tragedy? Instead, the tragedy is how few have seen this quiet gem of a film. Colin Firth stars as a man mourning the loss of his true love and gives the lead male performance of the year. Tom Ford lends the production a visual flair and a lush beauty.

10. Moon (8/10 or A-)
Yet another spectacular science fiction specimen from 2009, Moon pays homage to a few classics of the genre while treading some new ground of it's own. Sam Rockwell plays a lone mine worker on the moon who faces a true crisis of identity in the solitude of space.


Runners-up:

11. The Hurt Locker (8/10 or A-)
12. Watchmen (8/10 or A-)
13. Away We Go (8/10 or A-)
14. State of Play (8/10 or A-)
15. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (8/10 or A-)
16. Brothers (8/10 or A-)
17. Adventureland (8/10 or A-)
18. Up (8/10 or A-)
19. I Love You, Man (8/10 or A-)
20. Precious (8/10 or B+)