Ryan's Top Ten Movies Of 2009

Decided to leech an idea off Chris and post my own Tops for 2009 list.

Making this list was (and is) difficult. Compared to previous years, I didn’t get out to the theatre as often as I would have liked to, so I’ve missed out on seeing some movies I was interested in. Still, I think this list is mostly complete, and I think mostly complete will do.

EDIT: Sorry for the previous posting of this list. Still haven't quite figured out how to get the pictures right on here.

10. Saw VI

Saw is a franchise that, in theory, should have ended after the third film (Jigsaw died, after all). The sound of cash registers going “ka-ching!”, though, made sure that it would continue. I had hope for the first post-Jigsaw Saw film (Saw IV), but I came away from it disappointed. I vowed not to see Saw V when it came out, and only saw it after it had been on DVD for a while (it too was a disappointment). So when Saw VI was announced, I pretty much turned in my Saw fan-card and said farewell to the series. There was no way that Saw VI was going to be any good in my mind, so it might as well be dead at this point. Saw VI came and left the theatres, and last month arrived on DVD. Seeing as how some people were praising it a bit more than the last two, I decided to give it a fair chance. I came away from it not exactly convinced that it was the end-all/be-all of Saw films, but that it was quite an improvement over the previous two films. The dramatic moments that made Saw and Saw III my favorites of the series were brought back for the most part in Saw VI, and the end of the film actually made me look forward to Saw VII a bit. Whether Saw VII continues the upward rise that Saw VI put into motion, or descends to the levels of disappointment that Saws IV and V presented, remains to be seen, but Saw VI shows that, yes, you can get some more life (and even some enjoyment) out of this franchise.

9. The Invention Of Lying

Ricky Gervais has been on and off my radar ever since The Office (that’s the UK one, not the American, yet still quite funny, one.). I loved that show, and I loved Extras, but taking roles in stuff like Night At The Museum and Ghost Town had kind of put me off to his comedic charms. With that in mind, I cautiously approached The Invention Of Lying, hoping to be entertained, but prepared for disappointment. Thankfully it delivered the goods. Not as laugh out loud funny as Zombieland (I’ll get to that in a little bit) or even Inglourious Basterds, but still one of the best comedies of 2009, and sadly a bit underappreciated. Oh well, at least Gervais is back on my radar.


8. Public Enemies

John Dillinger has been a local legend in my neck of the woods ever since his infamous crime spree in the 1930’s (there’s even a restaurant called Dillinger’s created from a bank he robbed nearby), so when I read about a Dillinger movie being made with Michael Mann as director and Johnny Depp AS Dillinger, I knew I had to see it. Public Enemies was 2009’s Zodiac: a story that you thought would be told one way, but was told another way. I know some people were disappointed in the film because they expected more gangster action, but I love how character driven the film turned out to be. There’s plenty of bang-bang, shoot-‘em-up action, but there’s also a lot of personal moments and true drama within the film, and that’s what sold me on it in the end. It also had one of the best ensemble casts of the year (in a year that was filled to the brim with them), and I’m such a sucker for ensembles. Like The Invention Of Lying, though, this one seems to have come and gone without a lot of praise, and that’s truly a shame.


7. The Last House On The Left

I was never a fan of Wes Craven’s low-budget shocker The Last House On The Left. It had its moments, of course, but as a whole, it just never came together. With the recent onslaught of seemingly pointless horror movie remakes, I felt like a remake of Last House might actually be justified. I really liked Alexandre Aja’s remake of Craven’s also not-that-good film The Hills Have Eyes, and I was hopeful that the Last House remake would follow suit. While I never got the chance to see it in the theatre, I made sure to see it the day it came out on DVD. Aside from one scene at the tail end of the film, I thought it was damn near perfect for a horror remake. Beautiful cinematography, great acting, and an amazing score by John Murphy (whom I can’t praise enough) all came together to make the film work in a way that the original film never did. This Last House is one of the few remakes that I would say is better than the original, and in a world where dreck like Prom Night gets remade as even worse dreck, the Last House remake is a breath of fresh air.


6. Star Trek

I must confess: I’m not a Trekkie. I enjoyed Star Trek: The Wrath Of Khan, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is actually a pretty good show, but other than that, Star Trek is not my thing. My friends, on the other hand, are complete Trekkies, so of course I was going to be dragged to see J.J. Abrams’ reboot of Star Trek. Color me surprised, because I LOVED this new Star Trek. As a non-fan, I was happy to see that there was a lot for me to enjoy. I had seen previous Star Trek films, and they always seemed to get bogged down in technical details that only true fans of Trek would get. Not the case with this film. There are technical details, but they are thankfully counter-balanced with some fresh material and viewpoints. In terms of how true it is to what came before, I really can’t say, but in terms of how entertained I was by the film, I can safely say it was Grade A fun. Bring on Trek 2!


5. Halloween II

WARNING: LONG REVIEW

Here’s another confession for you: I’m not that much of a fan of the original Halloween II. Sure, as a kid I really liked it, but as I got older, I saw that it wasn’t the great sequel to the monumental original that a lot of people claimed it was. It’s an okay film, but far from my favorite sequel. Since I’m in the film confessional booth, I’ll make another confession: I liked Rob Zombie’s remake of Halloween. Not more than the original, of course, but it was nice to see someone taking Halloween somewhat seriously for the first time in a while. People tend to complain that the film “demystifies” Michael Myers, but I don’t feel that way. It’s Rob Zombie’s Michael Myers, not John Carpenter’s Michael Myers, so I felt like he should be able to present the character in his way and not be tied down to what Carpenter and the directors that followed him did. Besides, we’re talking about a character that, at one time, was controlled by a cult. Can you really say that what Zombie did is as bad as that? Since this is my review, I will answer my own question: no, I can’t.

Considering all the hoopla that surrounded the making of, release, and discussion of the remake, I was somewhat surprised that Zombie finally agreed to do the sequel. I was even more surprised when said sequel turned out to be a great follow up to the remake. While people have gone crazy complaining about how far removed Zombie’s Halloween films are from the original series, I’ve embraced it. Let’s face it, horror fans are hard to please. You give them more of the same, they complain that you haven’t tried to do something more original. You give them something more original, they complain that it’s too far from what was done before. Finding the middle ground is, for me, a fruitless effort, so I’ve learned to stop worrying about the comparisons and accept these films as their own entities.

So, with all that said and done, what about Halloween II? Well, I loved it. Zombie takes his story about Michael Myers, Laurie Strode, Dr. Loomis, and the other survivors to the next logical point. Frankly, this is something that a lot of horror sequels don’t do. In the Friday the 13th series for example (which Halloween II has been unfairly compared to in my opinion), it seems that there are no long-lasting effects of Jason’s murderous rampages. Yeah, you’ll have Tommy Jarvis return in two more films, but even that seems to be tossed away once he’s gone. Halloween II doesn’t do this. It shows the lasting damage that Michael Myers has brought to Haddonfield, and more importantly, to the people who lived through it. Yes, Laurie is bipolar, Michael has visions (which are not of ghosts, as some people have said), and Loomis is an arrogant sell-out, but considering what they went through and their personalities and histories, this really doesn’t surprise me. They (as well as Annie and Leigh Brackett) are damaged people, and people like that do change drastically. For me, this is one thing that sets Zombie’s Halloween II apart from a lot of the other Halloween sequels.

But it’s not just that that makes Halloween II so good. Zombie and Co. create a potent atmosphere of dread that has been missing from the franchise for a while (yes, even from Zombie’s first Halloween film). The Fall/Halloween feel is right up front, a fortunate side-effect of moving production from sunny Southern California to the more Midwest-like areas of Georgia (and from hiring Crank 2 DP Brandon Trost). Tyler Bates also delivers a fantastically moody score that stands on its own without having to rely on Carpenter’s famous themes, and Zombie creates moments that are truly impressive when you consider that this is the tenth film in a thirty-two year old franchise.

In the end, Halloween II isn’t going to be the classic that the original Halloween is, but it never really sets out to do that, either. I feel like this is a film that will find its audience someday, and will also be a bit more appreciated as time goes on.

(I’ve probably taken up more room with this review than needed, but I feel like, as with Public Enemies and The Invention Of Lying, this is a film that has either been pushed aside or generally disliked, so I felt a need to give it some praise.)


4. Trick ‘R Treat

Ah, Trick ‘R Treat. The film that was supposed to come out in theatres in 2006 instead got pushed from release date to release date before mercifully (or perhaps unmercifully) being thrown out Direct-To-DVD in the fall of 2009. It’s just not fair if you ask me. Unlike most of the DTV shit that permeates store shelves, this was actually a class film, and would have played very well theatrically…if only it were given the chance. After being pummeled by horror films that were all about the gory money shots, it was nice to see a horror film that was just about FUN, and not about making you sick. Trick ‘R Treat is basically what happens when George A. Romero’s Creepshow gets together with Halloween laced goodness, and is mixed in with some comic book know-how. There’s plenty of blood, but plenty of laughs as well. As much as I enjoy the darker side of horror, the lighter side has to have a chance to show itself too, and Trick ‘R Treat is a very good example of this. Four great stories, an amazing combination of lighting and score, and like a lot of films in 2009, quite the ensemble cast (including child actors that could actually ACT), Trick ‘R Treat is another great film to add to the “must watch on Halloween” list. If only I got to see it on the big screen…


3. Zombieland

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Zombieland. Some had said it was America’s answer to Shaun Of The Dead, which filled me with some doubt. I love Shaun Of The Dead, and having what could have been an Americanized version of that wasn’t exactly exciting to me. Thankfully both films stand on their own as prime zombedies. In a way, Zombieland reminded me more of the original Dawn Of The Dead than Shaun Of The Dead. The characters became so focused on stuff that wasn’t really important that they lose sight of, what one character calls, “the little things”. In that way, I think Zombieland has something that a lot of comedies are missing: heart. Yes, it’s a comedy, and as such it’s REALLY funny, but there’s also a nice undercurrent of genuine feeling and emotion to it. Comedy, in my opinion, is always a lot more effective when you have some true-to-life bits to chew on, and Zombieland serves it up right. Just remember to double-tap when you’re finished chowing down...


2. District 9

Science fiction is a genre that I have a love-hate relationship with. When it’s good, it’s REALLY good, but when it’s bad, it’s almost soul-crushing. So when District 9 started gaining hype, I hoped that it would succeed, but prepared for failure. Even Peter Jackson as producer and mentor on the film couldn’t stop me from preparing for a letdown. When I finally saw District 9, I was completely blown away. Here was a fairly original take on the typical aliens vs. humans story, but not only was it fairly original, but it actually WORKED. I was completely sold on the idea, and completely sucked into the world that was District 9. It’s amazing how Hollywood can create complete trash like the Transformers movies, yet a guy with thirty million dollars (a drop in the bucket compared to the two-hundred million it took to bring Transformers to the screen) can create something not only more entertaining, but a lot more believable too. Guess we need more stories about refugee aliens and less stories about cars that turn into robots…


1. Inglourious Basterds

Tarantino, how I love thee. You’ve never let me down. Not once. I’ve loved your most appreciated films (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs), the ones that people just liked (Kill Bill), and even the ones that people aren’t so crazy about (Jackie Brown, Death Proof). So what are you going to do now? You’ve conquered pretty much all kinds of films, so what’s left to do? What? A World War II movie? Oh this I HAVE to see.

And see I did. From the opening conversation that left me white-knuckled to the swastika slicing ending, I was glued to the screen, eating up every morsel of goodness that Tarantino and Co were sending my way. Having grown up watching films about World War II that started and ended the same way, it was amazing to see a film about the war where you DIDN’T know where it was going to go. Yeah, it’s all fiction, but holy hell is it great! Tarantino shows just how good a filmmaker he can be with this film. Instead of just peppering the film with pop culture and film references (a part of his films that I like, but most seem to hate), he actually makes USE of film in the story (the entire second half revolves around the movie-within-the movie “Nation’s Pride”). And how does Tarantino and Co. kill off a bunch of Nazis? By putting them in a burning theatre as their Jewish killer laughs at them while being projected from a film onto the rising smoke. Subtle? No. Fucking satisfying? Hell yes! That’s the kind of payoff you just don’t see in most movies. The last line in the film (“I think this might be my masterpiece”.) is not only a really great line, but completely true. Tarantino has finally made his masterpiece, and it’s a damn fine one. Viva La Tarantino!