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Review published by Boydesy on 4th March. 3 Comments.

Ben Barrett 02/12/2010

As we are into the second month of the new year it is now possible to reflect and give an honest assessment of film for the previous year. To me, 2009 was an interesting year for film, partially because it seemed a bit unbalanced as to what was available to all audiences. To the point, 2009 seemed to be strong in some genres while week in others. Family films were plentiful, while decent comedies and fantasy seemed to be sparse and lacking. Dramas were abundant, but not many noteworthy ones. Therefore I present my top pick for each genre, and perspectives for the '09 cinematic experience.

Action/Adventure:  Sherlock Holmes (December)

2009 was a poor year in the realm of action movies. The summer blockbusters fizzled with schlock movies such as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra. Now, I'll be the first to admit; sometimes I will go to the theater just to watch stuff explode for two hours, but adding a bit of substance to the fireworks is what really makes action films fun. Sherlock Holmes was fun; very, very fun. Despite mixed reviews and endless debate concerning the film's fidelity to Doyle's literature, this late-comer may have singlehandedly saved the year from being a complete wash in producing a decent big screen adventure.  

Director Guy Ritchie made smart use of his gang of very talented screenwriters as well as the amazing on-screen chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, to produce a excellent balance of humor, fisticuffs and yes, the occasional ka-boom. Downey relishes in his role as the incredibly deductive, yet incredibly manic Holmes, doing away with the more stuffy version of the character shown in previous adaptations. Law plays Watson well, showing frustrations at Holmes' lack of sensibilities. A great scene early in the movie displays this as Watson is entertaining a guest who happens to be his fiancé's father, while Holmes is in the adjacent room firing off his pistol in an attempt to invent a silencer. The two bicker like college roommates, yet have unflinching loyalty to each other. This is a formula that has been used, but Ritchie manages to avoid the standard 'cop-buddy' movie clichés. Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong give strong supporting performances and the visuals of the underbelly of Victorian London make this my pick. If you got sick of watching Michael Bay blow stuff up last summer, definitely give Sherlock Holmes a look when it arrives for home viewing.

Animated: Coraline (February)

If you have read my review of Coraline, you already know I loved it. However, it seems to me that quite a few people overlooked this gem of a film. Many movie-goers, anticipating the release of Pixar's blockbuster Up in May, missed this stop-motion masterpiece back in February. What Coraline brought to table that hasn't been seen in a very long time is the concept of the 'scary' fairy-tale. While rated PG, this was definitely not a feel good film with the sunshine, lolly-pops and goofy fun that is generally typical of most recent major animated features. It's the dark nature of this adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novella that makes the movie a truly captivating experience.

I believe that Henry Selick may be the best in the business when it comes to stop-motion animation. His works, which includes the 1993 hit musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, have never failed to be visually impressive. Coraline takes the art form to new levels as it took virtual army of artists, sculptors, and animators to bring this movie to life. Its beauty really does reflect the nearly five years of work that went into this film. It has the claim of being the first stop-motion film shot for 3-D as well. The effect is actually pleasing in Coraline as opposed to some other 3-D movies, as it's used subtly to give the appearance that you're constantly staring into a moving diorama. The cast is nicely rounded; Dakota Fanning is very effective voicing the lead character of Coraline Jones and Teri Hatcher is equally impressive as Coraline's mother and 'other mother'. The story plays nicely; a tale of a frustrated girl who gets a little more than she wished for. Coraline has been nominated for the Academy Award as best animated feature, vying for the title primarily with Up. Pixar's summer hit is heavily favored to win, but if this dark and charming film takes the prize instead, personally I'll be thrilled.

TIP: When watching this in 3-D at home (This goes for any 3-D movie), you're going to get the cheesy dual-color glasses. To make the effect actually look really good, watch it on a computer. The screen is flatter, has a high resolution, and you will be sitting much closer to it so there's hardly any space between you and the image.

Comedy: Zombieland (October)

Yes, Zombieland is a comedy in my book and one hell of a good one at that. Maybe I'm biased as zombie flicks have been a staple of my life experience in film but damn, this movie was just way too much fun. Ruben Fleischer, who has done a lot in the film industry but little in the director's chair, has created a zombie apocalypse yarn that simply entertains for its entire 88 minute running time. The absurdity of the characters and situations keep it going with hardly a dull moment. Even the imagery of the zombies themselves, somehow manages to be both grizzly and hilarious at the same time.

The trip though the zombified world is told through the narration of Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a shut-in who has survived the zombie pandemic by adhering to his set of simple rules, which are displayed in a very clever fashion throughout the course of the movie. What made this so incredibly funny to me, is that the rules are more or less common sense.

Rule #1: Cardio. "When the zombie outbreak first hit, the first to go, for obvious reasons... were the fatties."

Rule #2: Double tap. "In those moments where you're not quite sure if the undead are really dead, dead, don't get all stingy with your bullets. I mean, one more clean shot to the head, and this lady could have avoided becoming a human Happy Meal."

They're the type of things that the audience is usually mentally screaming to the on-screen characters in these sort of films. Early in the movie he meets up with Tallahassee (the characters go by the names of their hometowns so as to not get too attached), who is brilliantly played by Woody Harrelson. Tallahassee is a survivalist who's one mission in life seems to be finding the last box of Twinkies on Earth; needlessly putting himself and Columbus in danger in order to do so. Hearing Harrelson say lines like "Where are you, you spongy, yellow, delicious bastards?" after battling a store full of zombies was absolutely priceless. Rounding out the cast are two con-artists (Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) whom they meet along the way. There's even a celebrity cameo which, if you haven't seem the film, I won't ruin it for you. Like Harrelson in the above picture, Fleischer swung and hit a home run with Zombieland. Go and rent it; you'll have fun.

Drama: The Hurt Locker (March)

Okay, first off let me state that if you're really observant you might say to me "Ben you dolt, this was a 2008 film." While it is listed on the almighty IMDb as a 2008 release, it didn't reach the U.S. until March 17th 2009. It didn't get to the U.K. until June, and most other countries even later. So, I count this as an '09 release because that's when the majority of people were able to view it. So, with that out of the way:

Kathryn Bigalow's war drama is an extremely effective and in many ways, a very moving film. The story follows the day to day life of an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team as they anticipate the last month of their deployment in Iraq, and the prospects of surviving that month. EOD is basically the military's bomb squad, and it is an extremely hazardous job as they attempt to clear the Iraqi streets of roadside bombs. When Bravo Company's EOD loses it's team leader in a mission gone wrong they get a new leader, Staff Sgt. William James. Played to perfection by Jeremy Renner, he is a man who seems almost obsessed with his job. He is reckless, needlessly takes risks with his own life, eschews the bomb disposal robot in favor of just doing the job himself, and is considered a liability to those that he works with. Supporting Renner is Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty as the rest of James' EOD team, who are primarily concerned with remaining alive for the remainder of their tour.

The thing that I enjoyed the most about The Hurt Locker, was its lack of the usual preachy attitude that most current war films have. It's not pro-war, it's not anti-war; its just about the reality of war. It doesn't show the American soldiers in a good or bad light, it just shows them doing their jobs. Bigalow's dynamic and kinetic style only adds to the story's gravity. Now there are huge inconsistencies with the events in the story and actual military protocol. Having served myself I can vouch for that, so I wouldn't consider it an absolutely accurate portrayal of military actions (A single humvee wouldn't be roaming the desert alone, for instance.) However, protocol is not what this movie is about and although there are explosions in the streets, the real explosions are within the characters. To his teammates, surviving their missions is in the forefront of their minds but to William James, as quoted at the film's start, "War is a drug."

The Hurt Locker has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Kathryn Bigalow, and Best Actor for Jeremy Renner. Considering the depth of the acting and unique feel of the film, it certainly deserves the acclaim.

Horror: Drag Me To Hell (May)

If 2009 was a poor year for action movies, it was abysmal in the horror category. With nothing but sequels such as Final Destination 4 (in 3-D!) and Saw VI (They've made six of those things? Seriously?), and reboots such as Halloween II, an actual sequel of a reboot. Hollywood seemed completely unable to produce a decent scare this year, as "recycle, reuse, and rehash" seemed to be the general mantra. The single movie to break that mold was Drag Me to Hell, a clever original film directed by none other than Sam Raimi, the mind behind the beloved "Evil Dead" series. Fans were eagerly awaiting Raimi's return to the horror genre, and what he created did not disappoint. Taken from an original screenplay he co-wrote with brother Ivan Raimi, Drag Me to Hell is a thrill in the flavor that made his previous horror ventures so popular.

Telling people "no" can sometimes be a hard thing to do. Loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) finds this out the hard way when she turns down a mortgage extension on the house of an elderly Gypsy woman (Lorna Raver). This of course makes the woman less than pleased, so she puts a curse on Christine that will cause a demon to take her down to Hades in three days. This seems to be inline with the standard Gypsy M.O. Deny them a loan extention; you burn in Hell. Give their van a parking ticket; locusts swarm your house. Forget to bring enough chewing gum to class for everyone and your pancreas explodes the next day. It does seem a bit harsh but, in the movies, I guess that's just how they roll. From there on, this fright fest just continues to get better and better. Christine desperately tries to avoid this fate as the demon starts to take manifest in her life, while still trying to maintain her sanity with her skeptical boyfriend who is nicely played by Justin Long. This is what more horror films should strive to be like. This movie has 'jump moments', eerie and disturbing sequences, some genuine scares and a small amount of fun that throws back to Raimi's earlier works. The musical score is also noteworthy. All this is done with a PG-13 rating (The director's cut, however, would have received an 'R'.) and relatively little gore. Even if you usually don't watch horror films, I highly recommend you take a peek at this one as Drag Me to Hell truly is one hell of a ride.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Star Trek (May)

Okay, basically there wasn't anything major in the way of fantasy. The only major films out there was the mediocre Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and the nauseating Twilight Saga: New Moon. So lets just move on to sci-fi. If there was one genre where 2009 was incredibly strong, it would definitely be science fiction. While I'm picking Star Trek for the excitement and broad appeal, it was an extremely tough choice. 

While I just mentioned how reboots were hurting the horror genre, they are not always a bad thing. As shown in spectacular fashion in The Dark Knight in 2008, if a new take on an old franchise is unique enough, you might just end up with something truly great. As with Christopher Nolan and "Batman", I believe that J.J. Abrams has successfully accomplished the same thing with the Star Trek franchise which had become incredibly tired and used up. He accomplished this using and incredibly fresh and dynamic cast, fantastic visual effects that changed the appearance of the "Trek" universe without overly compromising the source material. While I'm sure there are plenty of hard core Trekkies out there who might have gotten a little butt-hurt about the 'alternate timeline' aspect of this film, I find that Abrams played it out as not the biggest issue of the plot, and was able to utilize it as a way to get the fresh reboot that the Star Trek franchise desperately needed.

There are so many things that made this film great, and extremely satisfying to watch. The first and foremost development is that this movie was actually quite exciting to watch as opposed to previous editions. It portrays space as a genuinely dangerous place to work and live in, especially through some truly remarkable cinematography and sound editing in the opening sequence. Another aspect would be the character dynamic in the fact that the crew are not all best chums from day one. In fact, Kirk and Spock attempt to beat the living hell out of each other in the course of the story. Finally, to my great scientific nerdy delight, space is no longer a 2-D ocean. In most of the other movies, the ships shoot at each other like two battleships afloat on the seas. Abrams and crew seem to finally grasp that space is a true three dimensional environment. The weapons are able to fire at all angles and are positioned on the ship in a far more logical arrangement. A scene where the Enterprise inverts itself it a dive in order to avoid debris was equally satisfying in this regard. The plot had a few flaws, but by playing up the action and cast interaction, finally there's a Star Trek film that can appeal to its fan base as well as newcomers alike. Also, high-schoolers can safely watch this and not have to worry about still getting a date for prom.

Best Overall Film: Inglorious Basterds (August)

Quentin Tarantino's latest project might have had one of the most misleading trailers of all time. By the look of it, one might easily conclude that the entire premise on the film revolved around a group of guys wandering around France during World War II mercilessly bushwhacking Nazi soldiers into a bloody pulp. While there are relatively short scenes of this, it certainly isn't the main focus of the film. Instead what audience was treated to, was a brilliantly narrated film of two stories, each with fantastic character development. There is violence, as this is a Tarantino movie after all, but the dialogue and plot lines overshadow this by a mile. The bloodshed manages to be comfortably woven into the incredibly well scripted characterizations. This is easily Tarantino's best film since Pulp Fiction (1992), and probably his best film to date.

What made Inglorious Basterds work so well, was not the action sequences but more of the build up to them. Tarantino wasn't afraid to make this a dialogue heavy movie, and while that would usually impede a film that touts action sequences, he instead opted for the talking portions to build up the suspense to the action. The conversations take place at a leisurely pace, and aren't rushed at all. This creates a build in tension between the characters that rises to almost extreme levels before the shooting starts. And this works. It works and it keeps working all the up to the end. The violence is classic Tarantino, being almost comical in nature. That being said it takes place it short bursts and doesn't hold up or impede the narrative.

This film also made good use of a talented cast of both American and European actors. Alongside Brad Pitt and his group of "Basterds", are a talented French and German cast, including Diane Kruger, Til Schweiger and Mélanie Laurent. About half the movie is spoken in either French or German, but for some reason this doesn't detract from the enjoyment at all for an English speaking audience. The most notable performance has to have come from Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, who portrays the antagonistic Nazi S.S. Colonel, Hans Landa. He is not your typical sadistic Nazi bad guy, and while he certainly is sadistic, he is so in such a charming and almost giddy manner, that I couldn't help but loving every minute he was on-screen. This, laid on top of hillbilly Lt. Aldo Raine (Pitt) and the Basterd's own brutal methods of retribution against the Germans, makes the movie so fun to watch that you almost feel guilty about it. Combined with the other plot-line; the plight of a young Jewish woman (Laurent) who, after witnessing the slaughter of her family at the hands of Col. Landa, has her own plan for revenge. The two stories collide at the premiere of a Nazi propaganda film in Paris. Inglorious Basterds is a well executed, smartly written, brilliantly cast film, that takes place in an alternate reality version of World War II, that only someone like Quentin Tarantino could pull off.

Inglourious Basterds has also been nominated for a slew of Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz. If Waltz doesn't win it'll practically be a crime and, whether or not the Academy thinks so, Inglorious Basterds is my pick for the best film of 2009.

So there you have it. Think I missed something? Think I'm totally wrong? Think I'm just plain nuts in my selections? Let me know below, and here's to hoping the rest of 2010 is a great year.

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