Jessica's Top Ten Movies of 2009!!!

yes, folks, it's finally time. With one week to Oscar Day, here come the Top Tens!

Jessica's Top Ten Movies of 2009

1) The Cove
The Cove grabbed my top spot early and was never even approached. A truly phenomenal movie- gripping, shocking, emotional, stressful... it really just blew me away like no other movie this year. It also had my favorite description: "A cross between the Bourne Identity and Flipper."



2) A Single Man
Astonishingly good performance from Colin Firth (I would give him the Oscar), and a surprisingly strong directorial debut from Tom Ford. This movie really stuck with me- I couldn't stop thinking about it for days afterward.

3) (Tie) The Hurt Locker & Inglourious Basterds
Two great movies that I just loved, and share the high stress and intensity of The Cove. The Hurt Locker features phenomenal directing from Kathryn Bigelow (PLEASE let her be the first woman to ever win Best Director at the Oscars), as well as great performances from Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie. Added bonus, one of my favorites, Ralph Fiennes, may just have had a few minutes in his busy schedule to stop by. Inglourious Basterds had me on the edge of my seat every time Christophe Waltz was onscreen. Great performances all around, Tarantino's always fascinating and unique story-telling, plus, who doesn't love a good nazi revenge fantasy?

4) Avatar (IMAX 3D)
Yes, James Cameron annoys the crap out me. Yes, I don't want this movie to win Best Picture, and yes, there is some of that great old white people come in and lead the native people who couldn't do it by themselves storyline. But holy crap if it wasn't one of the best experiences I had at the movies this year, especially at the IMAX. Weaknesses in screenplay, but visually stunning, hugely entertaining, and Zoe Saldana is good enough in my book to have warranted a Best Actress nomination.

5) I Love You, Man
The funniest movie of the year, hands down. I just want to hang out with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. Redefined the bromance.

6) Pray the Devil Back to Hell
Absolutely incredible story. One of the most powerful movies of the year. If you don't know the amazing story about what the women of Liberia did during their country's civil war, you REALLY need to see this (you need to see it even if you do).

7) An Education
Beautiful, entertaining, great performances, and the coming out of Carey Mulligan, who could not be cuter or more charming.

8) Sin Nombre
Amazing movie that no one is talking about. Realistic and subtle. Edgar Flores is fantastic.

9) Star Trek
Now THAT is how you make an entertaining blockbuster movie. I have never been a Star Trek person (growing up firmly in the Star Wars camp), but this movie completely grabbed me. Soooooooo entertaining. Perfectly cast. Great time at the theater.

10) Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
I don't even have the words for this movie. The most emotionally affecting movie I've seen in a long time. Hugely personal story for the filmmaker, and draws you in to the incredible drama. Be prepared for a good cry.

If only it was a top 15:
Up, Zombieland, The Damned United, The Messenger, District 9

Honorable Mentions:
(500) Days of Summer, Adam, Adventureland, Away We Go, The Blind Side, Bright Star, Capitalism: A Love Story, Coraline, Crazy Heart, Every Little Step, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Gomorrah, Good Hair, Goodbye Solo, The Hangover, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, Herb and Dorothy, In the Loop, Julie and Julia, The Last Station, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, The Princess and the Frog, The Proposal, Sherlock Holmes, Signs, State of Play, Taken, This American Life Live!, This Is It, Valentino: The Last Emperor, The Young Victoria

The reason there are so many movies above: 78 eligible films seen

Awards, etc.

Performances of the Year: Colin Firth, A Single Man and Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best onscreen chemistry: Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes. Beat any romantic couple this year. Who knew Law could not only hold his own against RDJ, but actually play off him and make them both better?

Dude who had a really good year: Woody Harrelson. Loved every minute of him (impressively spanning genres) in Zombieland, 2012, and The Messenger (although he shared the amazingness in that one with Ben Foster)

Movie that Can Suck It: Up in the Air. To be fair, I didn't hate this movie when I saw it. But I certainly didn't like it. And I'm offended that it is even in the conversation as one of the best movies of the year. Yes, it's timely, but what was the point? What was it trying to say? What the hell is wrong with your characters and their supposed "development"? But mostly I'm offended that anyone would ever call this movie a "delightful new romantic comedy." None of those words describes that movie (for a movie it does describe see: (500) Days of Summer).

Best Movie Based on a Book I Love: Where the Wild Things Are (even if it wasn't as great as I wanted it to be)

Worst Movie Based on a Book I Love: The Lovely Bones. Hands down the worst movie I saw this year. I mean, by far. And I saw the Transformers sequel. There is just no way to fully describe how terrible this movie is. Tucci is great, but it doesn't even matter because of how much of a mess the rest of the movie is. Peter Jackson, you let me down.

Best movie with the number "9" in it: Two of my biggest disappoints of the year were "9" and "Nine", both of which should have been amazing. So this award goes easily to "District 9"

The Mr. Creepers Award for being "That Creepy Guy": Mark Strong, showing his creepy off in Sherlock Holmes and The Young Victoria

Most Important Lesson Learned From a Movie: Don't let your 17-year-old daughter go on a completely reasonable sounding trip to Paris with her friends because she will be kidnapped, forced to become addicted to drugs, and sold into high level prostitution. It's true, I learned it from Taken.

Best Thing About the Awards Show Season So Far: (tie) Ricky Gervais and the cast of Glee, specifically Lea Michelle's outfits. Let's just hope Oscar noticed and invites both.

Worst Thing About Awards Show Season So Far: This

Best Thing About the Movies This Year: As always, watching them with nanc, kt, and frozen junior mints! and, of course, blogging for you fine people! Thanks for reading!