Top 10 Films of the Decade Pt. 4: Action and Horror

Today brings an interesting list. There were so many "action" films that qualify for other categories that I was hard pressed to find 10 for this list, so I decided to mix it in with Horror movies, a genre I like but think was lacking this decade, and I made an amalgam list. This is a pretty fair representation of the thrilling, exciting and scary films of the 2000s:


10) Night Watch (2004)



Timur Bekmambetov's adaptation of the brilliant Night Watch series of books is a huge, bombastic peice of film art that came out of Russia like a bat out of hell. Watching this movie, with it's interactive subtitles and crazy visuals, is a new way to experience films on the big screen. Timur has shown his visual abilities earlier in the lists, but this was his first film that most Americans had seen and thankfully enough people saw it to justify bringing him to Hollywood and make films in my native language... yeah I am selfish like that.


9) National Treasure (2004)



I am a Nicholas Cage fan, I don't understand the people that hate on the man. He is such a watchable character and this was one of his biggest main stream hits of the decade. National Treasure had all the elements that were lacking in the recent Indiana Jones sequel and the brilliant conceit that the American landmarks ad historical places hold secrets to grand treasure was executed to perfection. The supporting cast also help make this a fun film going experience as any chance to watch Harvey Kitel and Sean Bean is worthwhile.


8) Shaun of the Dead (2004)



Edgar Wright made the first ever Zom-Rom-Com (Zombie Romantic Comedy) and as odd as that sounds it was brilliant. It has a British cast that boasted Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Bill Nighy before they were every day names in America and writing that is just as much of a skewering of Zombie movies as it was of Romantic Comedies. This was a film so plain awesome that it has joined the list of films that if I were to pass it on TV, I am personally obligated to watch finish it, and I would love it every time.


7) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)



The first Pirates of the Caribbean movie hit out of left field. I worked at a movie theater/restaurant when this film came out and every night for it's first 7 days I was either working the movie or watching the movie. It was just infectious. Great action, great writing, great locals and a career defining performance by one of the greatest actors of our generation. This film had all of the swashbuckling fun that had been missing in film for a long time. Plus it was the first time cinema goers got a look at Zoe Saldana, whom I predicted big things for at the time.


6) Pan's Labyrinth (2006)



Sometimes film goes beyond simple storytelling and moves into a world of high art. Pan's Labyrinth is the highest artistic achievement of the decade. Simple, complex, lyrical, sad, sweet, scary, inspirational and profound, these are all words that define this film and you could probably keep going on. This film was a big upset winner at the Oscars in 2007 and reaffirmed my respect for the Academy after a few years of poor choices. If you haven't seen this movie, please do, you will thank me shortly after it ends.


5) The Departed (2006)



The biggest stretch in my Action/Horror films list. Martin Scorsese's most recent gangster film represents the triumphant return of the greatest gangster film director returning to top form. It is no surprise that Marty finally won his Oscar for this layered tale of double crossing and rats. Boston allows for an interesting new backdrop for a director that usually sticks to New York, and the all star cast, that doesn't include De Niro, Pesci or Sorvino, are all great in their roles. The stand outs in this film are Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg, both f whole disappear in roles they clearly loved to play.


4) Grindhouse (2007)



Probably the best film (films?) destroyed by the worst release/marketing in the history of cinema. Why on earth do you release a dark and gritty double feature with so much horror and death on Easter weekend! It was a supermely stupid move, as was marketing the film as a double feature but not mandating putting both films on the marquee. If people had the choice to see both films for one price, or just one or the other for one price then I think you would have seen many more people interested in checking out at least a portion of this work. As it stands both films are going to live on separately, but in my mind, Grindhouse was one of the better film going experiences of the decade.


3) American Psycho (2000)



Christian Bale's star making role as a Huey Lewis loving serial killer is the kind special connection of character and actor that comes so rarely. He was born to play this part and thank dickens he was ready and available when they were making the film. The 80s back drop was perfect for the tone of the story and, beyond Bale, the cast is really great in this film. This film has some of the best kills I have ever seen on screen, and Bale really shows the other slashers in cinema how to kill a prostitute with a chainsaw. 10 out of 10 for style!


2) Drag Me To Hell (2009)



Sam Raimi spent most of the decade with the web-slinger, and one of those films already made my top 10 comic book films list, but the best thing he made in the last 10 years is Drag Me To Hell. An all together scary, funny, thrilling and exhilarating piece of work that doesn't want to be anything more then a great Sam Raimi flick and succeeds with panache. My favorite film of 2009, my favorite score of 2009 and one of the better cinema going experiences in the decade, putting it this high is a no brainer.


1) Kill Bill Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (2003/2004)



Kill Bill might very well be Quinton Tarintino's masterpiece. It is huge and sprawling, the narrative is so massive that it needs to be split into chapters and even into 2 films, but Tarintino juggles it all with such care and grace. There are revenge films and then there is Kill Bill, it transcends the sub-genre and becomes work that is more like a comfy quilt then a movie. It is sown together out of pieces of other films, other genres, even animation,but the end result is a warm experience that makes you want to keep watching it forever. Tarintno might have made more popular films, but this is his best.

Top 10 Films of the Decade Pt. 3: Comic Book Films

This is a list I decided to add because of all other genres, the Comic Book film defines the decade. I also made the decision early on to focus on the films that are instantly recognizable as comic films, so there will be no Ghost World, American Splendor or Road to Perdition, films that have comic book roots and are very good, but unless you knew better, you would never know they came from the comic page. So lets begin true believers, excelsior!:

10) Hellboy 2 (2008)



I begin with a very interesting example of a Superhero sequel that is further away from the source material then the original, but it is a better film because of it. Guillermo del Toro and, Hellboy creator, Mike Mignola worked together to come up with a Hellboy film that plays to the strengths of both Del Toro and Hellboy himself. Not adapting anything specific Del Toro was able to play in the world of Fairy Tales as a back drop for Hellboy and as a result he made a film as poetic and lyrical as it was exciting and action packed.


9) Sky High (2005)



Yep, I am fully aware of the fact that Sky High is not based on any specific comic per say, but in spirit and in execution this is the closest we will ever get to a New Mutants style X-Men film. Set in a world where heroes exist and don't develop their powers until around puberty and when they do get their abilities they are sent to a super hero training school. What makes Sky High truly great is that it fuses all the comic elements with cinematic elements from all the best high school movies of the 80's. This odd mix makes a potent mix of excitement and fun. Plus Kurt Russell as a superhero, what more can you want!


8) Wanted (2008)



This film couldn't be any further away from the source material. The original story sees Wesley in a world in which super villains have won, all heroes are dead and he is the son of the greatest villain ever. None of that is in the movie, and I am pretty sure no one really cares. Wanted is a visual splendor, Timur Bekmambetov, Russian director of Night Watch and Day Watch, has a knack for visual flourish. Beyond the look of the film, it is an action marvel. The gun play is outlandish, but it looks so cool. The acting is pretty solid too, this is just all around a fun flick.


7) Spider-Man 2 (2004)



The Sam Raimi Spider-Man franchise just died a very public death, but that doesn't take away from the pinnacle it reached with Spider-Man 2. One of the most well balanced, visually clean looking action films every made. With out the hassle of an origin story Sam Raimi gets to have an entire 2 hour film dedicated to all of the fun elements of the first film. The casting of Alfred Molina as Dr. Octopus is a great example of using an actor against the look of the comic book and his ability overshadowing any superficial differences. I do still hate Kirstin Dunst as Mary Jane which is probably why this is not higher on the list.


6) The Dark Knight (2008)



This movie was a phenomenon, it was a monster at the box office and deservedly so. Christopher Nolan made a dark, and very real drama out of a man in a Bat Suit and was able to get amazing performances out of Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart. I don't personally believe this is the ultimate version of the Batman character, but any minimal flaw that can be found in the film is vastly overshadowed by a film that simply works in nearly every way. This is another example of a movie that is a better film then it is an adaptation, and that is alright when the end result is this good.


5) Iron Man (2008)



From, probably, the best comic film of 2008 to the most important. Iron Man open the door to the most important next step in comic book film-making, the concept of a shared universe. The proverbial pebble that started an avalanche, a small end credits cameo of Sam Jackson is going to usher in a new age of comic book films. Aside from the importance of the film, it is damn fun too. Who ever green lit the concept of bringing Downey Jr. back as an action film headliner is a certifiable genius, and the rest of the cast is excellent as well. This film delivered everything it promised and more, can't wait for the sequel!


4) The Incredibles (2004)



Another of the "not exactly a comic book film but it's here anyways" picks, The Incredibles is the perfect Fantastic Four film even if it isn't the Fantastic Four. The family dynamic is at the core of this very good film and it is clear that the first family of Marvel Comics is the inspiration. Brad Bird and the team at Pixar crafted a film that payed homage to more then just comic books, but to James Bond and his earlier days. This was one of the more impressive Pixar films of the decade because it was the first to use human beings are the principle stars of the movie, which was the last hurdle they needed to clear before claiming their crown as the very best animation studio in the world... needless to say they cleared it with flying colors.


3) Sin City (2005)



The style of Frank Miller is probably the most cinematic on paper I have ever seen, so it comes as no surprise that Robert Rodriquez's panel for panel adaptation plays so well. The grim and gritty super-noir stories that intertwine form a piece of cinema that has to be seen on the biggest screen possible. It is kinetic, it is vibrant, it is everything from the comic and it is simply great. It was a smart move by Rodriquez to bring on Frank Miller to co-direct, just as much for keeping it close to the source material as it was for actually getting Miller on board with the project. Miller has a bad history with Hollywood, and it took massive convincing on Rodriquez's part to get Miller to even allow the film to be made. Thankfully it did get made.


2) Watchmen (2009)



There is a lot that can be said about Zack Snyder's opus, more then this little paragraph can hold, so I will simply break down one of the elements that works so well, the casting. Every one is beyond perfect, even the oft maligned Malin Ackerman is perfect for her role as Silk Spectre 2. The stand out of the perfect cast is Jackie Earl Haley as Rorschach, what perfect timing and fateful that he had a come back right around the time this movie was getting off the ground because the world is a better place for him being in this movie. Lofty words but I will stand by them.

1) X-Men 2 (2003)



The fourth sequel on my list of Comic Book movies, and this will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. I am an X-Fan, to the core, and this is probably a biased opinion but X-Men 2 is the perfect comic book film. It has action, it has heart, it has smart writing that perfectly captures the allegorical nature of the X-Men. It has the best quality of actors and a Director who hadn't yet sullied his name by leaving the franchise in the dust to ruin another. In fact the only flaw that I can muster for this movie is the horrible subtitle X2: X-Men United that thankfully no one uses anymore. This was the peak of comic films of the decade, and my favorite comic film ever.

Top 10 Films of the Decade Pt. 2: Comedies

My best of the decade lists continue with the best 10 Comedies of the decade. This might have been one of the tougher lists to put together as there were so many terrific comedies in the last 10 years. I tried my best to not include like kinds, so you wont see 5 Judd Apatow related movies and 3 Kevin Smith's, and I didn't manage to find room for any of the Will Farrell comedies, even if Anchorman was pretty fantastic. That said, I think the next 10 films is a great representation of what made me laugh over the last 10 years:

10) King of Kong (2007)



Interestingly enough this is not the only documentary on this list. King of Kong tells the remarkably engaging tale of one mans fight against all odds to secure the Donkey Kong record. This epic tale of butt numbing video gamery also has a villain in the scheming, vengeful and painfully awkward Billy Mitchell. This well made doc about an absurd topic just had to squeak onto my list for best comedies of the decade.


9) Black Dynamite (2009)



"CreamCorn you jive mutha!" This film came out of left field and left an instant impact on my mind. Micheal Jai White clearly gets it and thankfully he lets every one else in on the joke. From the absurdity of the beginning to the down right insanity of the end, after 3 recent viewings I still find new things to bust a gut at in this fabulously funny flick.


8) Hamlet 2 (2008)



If 1999 ushered in the new gold standard of comedy musical numbers (South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut) this brilliant 2008 film made a serious case of it's own. The biggest laughs come in the musical numbers"Rock Me Sexy Jesus" and "Raped In The Face," but the film offers a consistent laugh factor, mostly because of Steve Coogan, one in a long line of British funny men who made a big impact in the 2000's.


7) Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)



Judd Apatow's influence on this decade in comedy is as clear as it is huge. He has been the face of a whole new revolution in cinematic comedy, and I will get to his directing work shortly, but of all the films that bear his stamp, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the best. A film that came out of nowhere it made a star out of Jason Segel, who up to this point was just another face in the Apatow crowd. Add in the lush and beautiful Hawaiian locals and the stupidly gorgeous Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis you have a great comedy that is nice to look at too.


6) O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)



It would be a poor comedy list if it didn't include a Cohen Bros. film, and of all their lighter works this decade O Brother is their best. With the basic structure of Homer's The Odyssey and one of the better assembled casts the Cohen's have worked with, this film's journey from Chain Gang to damn bursting is a romp that is every bit as smooth as Clooney's Dapper Daned Hair.


5) Bad Santa (2003)



Billy Bob Thorton made himself a comedy heavyweight with this dirty, raunchy and just plain hilarious Santa heist film. Taking no prisoners, this movie takes every turn for the dark and dirty and just when you think they couldn't go any further, they step it up a notch. Great characters and a smart plot help make this more then just a funny film, it elevates to near classic stand point.


4) The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)



As I said earlier Judd Apatow was all over the place this decade in comedies and this is the defacto starting point. This film introduced the mainstream movie audience to a world of comedy that nearly all film comedies have emulated or been a part of ever since. Immediately quotable, terrifyingly relatable, simultaneously sweet and clever, this film, and many subsequent Apatow related films, juggled the whole gamut of emotions and presented them to us in the very best of packages.


3) Clerks 2 (2006)



The clear pinnacle of the View Askew-niverse, Kevin Smith finally made a truly great film. I have always loved his movies, and I even gave serious thought to putting both Zack and Miri and Jay and Silent Bob Strike on this list. Then I thought back on what this film represented and if I was only going to place one Kevin Smith film on the list it had to be this one. Both Smith and his characters are growing and the natural way these people interacted and lived their lives fully fleshed out the set of characters we meet more then a decade earlier. Despite all the sentiment and character work, the film is funny as hell. And as far as swan songs go, Kevin Smith sent his universe out on top.


2) Best In Show (2000)



Christopher Guest was a big part of what made Spinal Tap so hilarious, and then he proved he had comedy chops with Waiting For Guffman, and of all the mockumentaries he has worked on since, none has been as note perfect as Best In Show. Building a stable of actors who keep playing roles in all of his films, Best In Show represented the prefect balance of the wacky and the witty.


1) The Aristocrats (2005)



It surprised me as I built this list, but my top comedies of the decade list begins and ends with documentaries. The very essence of comedy is explored by Penn Jillete and company in this deconstruction of one of the oldest and mailable jokes in the book. Boasting a ridiculous amount talented funny men telling their version of the joke it just builds and builds to the point where I literately was in pain walking out of the movie theater. The reason I put this at number 1 was more then just the side splitting hilarity, but the deep dissecting of what makes a joke funny really makes this film the most interesting gut buster of the 2000s.

Top 10 Films of the Decade Pt. 1: Dramas

The 2000s are now over and I wanted to take a leisurely stroll down memory lane, and that of course means lists! And boy howdy do I have a lot of them planned, 8 to be exact. I will begin with the one genre that I had to cheat the most on. While all of these films are drama's in the loosest of senses, there are a few that might be considered comedies by some, but bear in mind that my Comedy list was too full and the Drama cateory was one of the weaker for the decade. So without further ado:


10) Almost Famous (2000)



Cameron Crowe started out the decade with this semi-autobiographical film so I think it is fitting that I start the list with it. With great music, great writing, great acting and just an altogether watchable experience Almost Famous was one of the first films I owned on DVD and one of the most watched since. Kate Hudson is great as the leader of the Band Aids, but this was one of the first films to direct my attention to Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk and Zooey Deschanel so for that alone I am eternally grateful.


9) The Aviator (2004)



This was a movie that I liked at the time, but it wasn't until repeated viewings on DVD that I discovered just how much. One of the longer films on this list, but the world that Scorsese has recreated is simply remarkable. The life of Howard Hughes is a very interesting tale and the life that Leonardo DiCaprio breathes into the role is some of his best work to date. The real show stealer, however, is Cate Blanchette as Katherine Hepburn. Wow does she nail that role and cement herself as an acting icon of her generation.


8) Remember the Titans (2000)



One of the few sports movies to make my list and one of the very best ones. This movie came out right at the time when I was in school playing football so their are obvious reasons why I like this film, but it made my list because it is also a really griping civil rights tale. This isn't among the very best of film making achievements, but it is a film that plays so very well and has stood the test of time nearly 10 years later.


7) Gone Baby Gone (2007)



Ben Affleck's feature directing debut is among the hardest films I have ever watched. I generally shy away from debbie downer films, to me they are often gloomy for gloomy's sake and otherwise just not fun. Gone Baby Gone isn't much different, but Casey Affleck's character has so much depth that when he has to make the difficult choice at the end you sympathize with his lose - lose scenario and can't help but be moved in one of the most downer endings I have ever seen.

6) Garden State (2004)



One of my favorite movies of the decade, this film hit me like a ton of bricks in 2004. Just a perfect film that stuck very close to home for me. Zach Braff constructed a film that is quirky, unique (at the time it was) and just plain fun all the while dealing with serious personal emotional issues that young people tend to go through in a directionless life. A great cast and a brilliant soundtrack also help make this film one of the more memorable cinematic experiences of my life.

5) The Dreamers (2003)



Probably my favorite Bernardo Bertolucci film, and one of the biggest surprises of the year for me when it came out. The incestuous nature of the film was shocking to me at the time (I was 17 when I first saw it) but deeper reflection on the film in my "what do I want to do with my life" phase really opened my eyes to the cineophile radical 60s message the movie was telling and I was enthralled. This is a film with many messages and truly needs to be dissected in multiple viewings for full affect.


4) The Beach (2000)



Yep Danny Boyle's The Beach, kinda surprising to see it here huh? Well when I was looking through the films of the decade I kept coming back to how many times I have seen this film. When it came out I loved it, then never thought about it. One day I picked the VHS and found myslef watching it ALL the time, it was my favorite "homework" watching film for a couple years, and even to this day I find myself putting on this film once every 6 months or so. Danny Boyle is the master of tone, putting on this movie is almost like a chemical experience, I just instantly get relaxed and enthralled.


3) Slumdog Millionaire (2008)



Back to back Danny Boyle films, I tried to be more even but I cannot ignore the film that was my favorite of last year and represented one of my favorite movie theater experiences EVER. This tale of love and loss has so much tragedy that its odd to say but this film is one of the most uplifting and inspirational films ever made. There is something just so genuine about Jamal's quest to regain his lost love through the game Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and like the very best fairy tales fate is the deciding factor and they get their happily ever after.


2) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)



Im kind of surprised that I let a Wes Anderson film so high on one of my lists, but there is just no denying that his style over substance approach becomes near masterpiece when he has some amazing substance to go with it. Probably belongs on the Comedy List, but I think it fits well with the films on the list, and easily one of the most re watchable films of the decade, a factor I am discovering is very important to my over all opinion of a film over the course of a decade.


1) Requiem for a Dream (2000)



And now to contradict everything I just said about re watch-ability. This is a film I might never want to watch again, and one that took me a long time to revisit it after the first time I saw it. A dark, harrowing tale that has stuck with me even to this day. When you talk about a milestone movie moment, watching this movie for the first time is something I will never ever forget and something that I might not ever wish on another human being... and I mean that in the best possible way.

Coming Soon!!

Just a note, this week I will be putting up a new top 10 list every day. These lists will spell out my top 10 movies of the decade in several genres and will culminate in a massive 60 film total best of the decade list.

As a preview I will let you guys know what Genres to look forward to, and when.

Monday:
Top 10 Comedy Films
Top 10 Drama Films

Tuesday:
Top 10 Comic Book Films

Wednesday:
Top 10 Animated Films
Top 10 Action and Horror Films

Thursday:
Top 10 Sci Fi and Fantasy Films

Friday:
Top 10 Guilty Pleasures
Top 10 Films of the Decade (with the other 50 listed aswell)

Hope you enjoy!

Review: Daybreakers

The general rule of thumb for long delayed films is that they suck. That is why studios sit on them, that is why they get dumped in a month like January to die a quick theatrical death. Every now and then, however, there is an exception to that rule. The original Boondock Saints languished for a while before if found its audience on DVD. Equilibrium never even had a chance after months of sitting on a shelf and a marketing campaign that clearly didn't "get" the movie it was selling, and Midnight Meat Train didn't even get the courtesy of a theatrical run, it went right to art houses and dollar theaters. The first new movie weekend of 2010 brings us another long on the shelf genre film making one last gasp for air before you find it in the WalMart 3 for 10 dollar bin. Daybreakers, which was shot 2 years ago, finally its the screens, is it as bad as it was treated or do we have a new genre film worth loving?

Short answer, Daybreakers is much better then it got treated. That said, I understand the reluctance of the studio to release this in the prime Vampire month of October. The film has a very cheap feel to it, not the kind of cheap that you would see on the SyFy channel, but the effects and most of the locations look like they were done on a tight budget. I give credit to the directors, The Speirig Brothers, for trying to mask the minimal budget with a stylistic tone and feel to the locations, but most of the burning effects are just down right horrible. The film might have been much better had they simply "assumed" the vamps were burning alive, instead of trying to show us. The over all design of the near-future world does get a few things very right though, and the vampire suburbs are a good example of well made budget design.

Enough with clear problems with he film, I said it was much better then it was treated, and I do mean that. The acting is uniformly great with Ethan Hawke doing a good job of lending the lead Vampire Ed the kind of emotional internal struggle between the monster he has become, and the humanity he is trying to salvage. Sam Niel is great as the scheming head of the worlds largest blood bank and when the film allows him to be more then just a one note villain he rises to the challenge bringing depth to a character that could very easily have been a flat caricature. The true star if the piece, however, is by far William Defoe who seems to have so much fun in his role as a leader of a band of humans. He is every bit as gritty and gruff as you want, and Dafoe's supreme ability to toss out one liners makes him a favorite that I would love to see again in the future.

Overall I did enjoy the film, and fully recommend it to anyone who has a passing interest in films set in the future staring Vampires that are about to make the human race extinct. The technical quality might be lacking but the acting is superb and story presents a few interesting takes on Vampires, which in and of itself is an accomplishment in this True Blood and Twilight world.

3 and a half "Im the Guy with the Crossbow"s out of 5

Top 10 Films of the Year... as seen by me

Well, now that it is 2010, it is time for me to tell you all what the best films of the year have been. There are several films I have not seen that could easily make this list, so bear that in mind as you read through the 10 best films of the year... as seen by me.

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10) Star Trek:



J.J. Abrams reboot of Star Trek defied all odds. It was a reboot/prequel/sequel with a cast semi-known actors playing roles made iconic by the most ravenous fan base on this side of the Atlantic. Yet some how Abrams has the perfect mix of loyalty to the source material, and eye for a great story. I haven't had this much fun aboard a federation ship since First Contact and the promise of a new Star Trek franchise over the next few years has me all excited about trek all over again.

9) Up In The Air:



With Juno, Jason Reitman was overshadowed by the presence of Diablo Cody, the defacto face of the behind the scenes making of that film. I had a feeling Mr. Reitman had a more important impact then he was given credit for, and now in the wake of his follow up that feeling has been proven true. Up In The Air is an expert mix of drama, comedy and tragedy with performances that funnel the tone of the film into a real roller coaster of emotions for the audience. Clooney is great, which is to be expected, but the real stand out is Anna Kendrick who is brilliant as a young, seemingly perfect, new whiz kid who we learn is just as deeply flawed as the rest of the characters in the film.

8) Avatar:



Nothing more needs to be said about the visual splendor that is the world of Pandora. James Cameron can create a world just about as good as anyone who has ever tried and Avatar might just be his crowning achievement technically. However, it was the story that cemented its place on the list. Yes it is very reminiscent of other stories, but its the way that Cameron is telling this timeless tale that makes it so gripping. I have seen it twice since it came out, and both times this near 3 hour behemoth flew by as if it were half as long. The story might not be the most original, but it has never been told better.

7) District 9:



While I personally don't think this film is quite as original as every one else makes it out to be, mostly because I have seen Alien Nation, you cannot deny this movie is amazing. From the psudeo documentary style of the early portions of the film, to the exciting, almost buddy action film finale, this is clearly a film made by a film fan, for film fans. The technical prowess is astounding and if it weren't for the Avatar factor, this would be the film everyone is talking about as the new gold standard in digital film effects.

6) Up:



Disney Pixar has done it again... That might be the 5th time I have said that, and it seems I might never stop. Pixar's track record is flawless, and this year Up extended their winning streak. No film in 2009 has as much emotion in it's entire run time then Up flaunts in the first 10 minutes. This is a deep and smart film that quite literately has something for everybody. The characters are top notch, the animation is as quality as you can get and the ending is the prefect kind of happy, which makes for a thrilling cinema experience.

5) Inglorious Bastereds:



Quinton Tarintino is very good at making films he wants to watch. The good news is that those films are also films that I want to watch. This was one of the worst marketed films of the year, but once I realized it was structured like the Kill Bill films I knew I was in for a fun ride. From the very polite way every one was killing each other, to the beyond tense scenes in the Bar and movie theatre this film captured an aspect of WW 2 from the perspective of caricature that leads to an ending that differs from historical accuracy. But who cares, it was a wild and fun ride.

4) Black Dynamite:



There was no more quotable, funny, or down right awesome film this year. A blaxplotation film that straddled the line between campy parody and kick ass flick with expert precision. I personally don't know how many people in the world would enjoy this film as much as I did, but when Black Dynamite has to travel to Kung Fu Island and battle the fiendish Dr. Wu and his Kung Fu treachery every one should be hooked into this fun romp through a by gone era in a by gone genre.

3) Coraline:



This is a film best watched in the dark, the mood, tone and overall feel of this film is so perfect for a dark evening viewing I almost think it should be mandatory. Henry Selick, the director of Nightmare Before Christmas, fashioned a world so complex and gorgeous that you will be enthralled like never before. The stop motion animated genre has been a niche type of film-making for the better part of the last 2 decades, but Coraline represents the pinnacle, the top of the mountain. The perfect blend of style and story, Niel Gaiman's world could have never been better realized then with Selick's master craftsmanship. Even the ancillary elements of the film are great, the Voice acting is tops and the score is amongst my favorites of the year. Coraline is the kind of film that can be enjoyed as often has you have the time to sit and watch it.

2) Watchmen:



There has been no more unappreciated film this year then Watchmen. Zack Snyder did the impossible, he made the greatest graphic novel work on the big screen, and dare I say improved the story in the process. This film is a detailed, complex, and deep look at a world in which super heroes exist. He plays the film strait and unwavering which allows you to believe the struggles of men in tights, the seismic shift when someone actually develops real powers and the corruption that lies in his wake. This film has too much going on to give any sort of synopsis here, but suffice to say no film in which men and women wear superhero outfits has even been so incredibly thought provoking. I knew this film would be right up my alley when it came out, 9 months later my mind still likes to swim in the cinematic world created by Snyder and Alan Moore. Watchmen is superb!

1) Drag Me To Hell:



I said it at the time and still believe it to this day. Drag Me To Hell is a perfect film. No it is not the greatest film ever made, but it is not trying to be. Sam Raimi wanted to go back to the low budget, shock horror world that he trail blazed in the 80s. He perfectly melds the horror of Evil Dead, the humor of Evil Dead 2 and the scale is small and grand all at the same time, something he almost got perfect in Army of Darkness. All of his thrills were earned and chill educing, all the humor is so well laid out that you are never given full release from the horror, just moments of venting. This is a master work from a filmmaker that seemed disinterested with this type of film making for the last decade. This film also boasts my favorite score of the year, classic Christopher Young, and a great performance by underrated actress Allison Lohman. If I had to find a flaw in this film it is simply the lack of Bruce Campbell, a Sam Raimi staple, but that is hardly a fair argument for a film that gets everything else so very very right.