10 Movies That Made My 2009

In 2008, I talked about my favorite movies of the year. It's only apt that I continue in that vein this year and talk about the 10 movies that were my favorites of 2009. The following movies are ranked based on multiple factors like how much I enjoyed the movie and how good I thought the movie was.

Also, it's important to bear in mind that I'm making this list without having seen many movies that would make this list if I had seen them. If that even makes sense. For example, I have yet to see Up, Avatar, A Serious Man, Crazy Heart, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call- New Orleans, Precious, Up In The Air and (500) Days Of Summer. I will eventually watch those movies but until then, shall we get started on the movies I did watch last year? Let's go!

The following content contains spoilers.

#10. The Hangover

The Hangover has definitely got to be the comedy of the year. It may be a little bit stupid but it’s amazingly funny as hell thanks to a good plot and a great cast. If you have not seen this, you have to see it.

 

#9. Star Trek

What made Star Trek such a good movie was the fact that it not only was a film for the Trekkies but also for the general public. Also, I thought the performances by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto were top notch. Has this movie turned me into a Star Trek fan? No it has not. But it definitely makes me anxious to catch the next J.J. Abrams directed Star Trek. Check out my Star Trek review right here.

 

#8. Knowing

This film might not be on many people’s lists, but it’s on mine because I was too blind to see the twist at the end of the movie. In the end it really took my by surprised and gave me all the more reason to love this movie. This may not be a very good movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you want to check out my full review of this film, click here.

 

#7. Moon

2009 was a year for sci-fi lovers with movies like Star Trek, Avatar and District 9. Another sci-fi gem to come out of 2009 was Moon. This is a one man show and is carried on the shoulders of Sam Rockwell and his incredible performance. I really believe he deserves an Oscar nomination. Seriously, check this film out.

 

#6. Adventureland

Adventureland is really sweet and funny in parts. But the best thing about the movie is how it hit home with me and how it has the ability to connect with you on so many different levels. Unfortunately, Kristen Stewart’s performance was no where up to par with the rest of the cast, especially Jesse Eisenberg’s and Martin Starr’s. But that doesn’t take much away from an excellent movie.

 

#5. District 9

What Neill Blomkamp did with District 9 blew minds, mine included. The visual and sound effects in the movie were just incredible considering the budget for the film. Not only do the visuals hit you really hard but the story is so compelling it drags you in emotionally and you start to really feel for the main character Wikus van der Merwe along with the Prawns. Check out my review of District 9 here.

 

#4. The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker was, without a doubt, the most intense and riveting film I saw in 2009. Everything, right down to the nerves and danger, felt so real. Ultimately, in a war movie, that’s what you want. And The Hurt Locker definitely delivers in that regard. Also, great performance by Jeremy Renner. Check out my short review of the movie here.

 

#3. Watchmen

I’m not a comic book fan so I had never heard of Watchmen before the movie. So I had no expectations coming into the movie. I absolutely adored the movie and am glad I watched the movie without having read the graphic novel. If I had read the novel first, I would not have enjoyed and appreciated the movie for how good it was. I was also glad the movie was rated R because it would not have worked any other way. All in all, Watchmen had an awesome gritty and compelling look to it. I got so much satisfaction from watching it. Check out my review of the movie here.

 

#2. Zombieland

Producing so many laughs and also delivering satisfying zombie gore and violence makes Zombieland one hell of a zombie movie. That aside, the performances from Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and Woody Harrelson only made this movie better. The cameo by Bill Murray was amazing. 2009 could have very well been Jesse Eisenberg’s break out year with his success with the two ‘land’ movies and landing the role of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. At the end of the day, Zombieland proved to be the most enjoyable and entertaining movie of 2009.

 

#1. Inglourious Basterds

I simply adored Inglourious Basterds. Everything about it was right. The opening sequence to the movie is just about the best opening to any movie out there. And I loved how the film had few action scenes but had plenty of controlled, intense one-on-one conversations scenes. Brad Pitt did an excellent job, as usual, but not as excellent as Christoph Waltz who made such a believable and epic villain in the film. This film, I think, is Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece and will last for a long time.

 

Special Mentions

The following are a few movies I liked but could not find space for in my top 10.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The 6th installment to the franchise was arguably the best of all 6 so far and one of the best movies of 2009. Tom Felton gives a stand out performance and the plot of the 6th book really gets transformed well for the silver screen. Read my review here.

 

Drag Me To Hell

Drag Me To Hell was not only scary and terrifying but also quite good fun. The sense of humor meshed in with the terror did great for the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a fun movie. Check out my review here.

 

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity was probably the success story of the last year, if not the decade. It was so simplistic, yet genuinely scary. A well made movie considering it was made for only $11,000.

 

Let The Right One In

OK so this movie might not have been made or released in 2009 but I saw it in 2009, so sue me. I was so impressed with this Swedish movie about 12-year old kids, one of which is a vampire. If you’re looking for brilliant child acting, Let The Right One In is the movie for you. This movie takes you on an emotional ride among other things and I implore you to get your hands on this movie before Hollywood remakes it and releases Let Me In this year.

So that’s that. I hope all of you had a great 2009 and here’s to hoping 2010 will be even better, both in the movie world and otherwise.

Happy New Year!

District 9 Review

[This review is spoiler-free, I hope. I tried my best]

With a movie that has it all- aliens, humans, robots, alien-human hybrids in robots, where does one begin to describe how epic it all was. Wait, I just did describe it. District 9 was simply EPIC.

District 9 is set in the city of Johannesburg, South Africafilthy, corrupted and crime-ridden so a mass eviction of the aliens have to be carried out by an organization that call themselves Multi-National United. where aliens are kept in a quarantined area called District 9 and aren’t allowed to return home by the South African government. The conditions of District 9 are getting too

I’ll start off by saying that Neill Blomkamp really pulled off the faux-documentary style incredibly well and made it feel like I was watching a factual documentary. Attention to detail is the key to this. Tiny details just like in a scene where the camera pans, making the image become unfocused then it getting back to being focused again was amazing to see. Stuff of that sort is scattered all over the film. In the opening couple of minutes I felt that although this fictional documentary method was very cool, it would not hold up for the length of the movie. Blomkamp very intelligently switches in and out of this style, interchanging with a regular narrative movie style.

Being a different kind of movie and all, unique cinematography is required and that is what cinematographer Trent Opaloch delivers. The camera work is brilliant, meshing gorgeous colors together and integrating them with little nuances like the focusing I mentioned earlier as well as lens flares a few times. Moving at a constant fast pace, there is little to no time to take a breather from all the action and intensity. I would say the the movie has a similar pace as that of Crank, but unlike Crank, there is actually a purpose to everything in District 9.

Two big A+ have got to go out to Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell for coming up with one of the most unique, creative and original screenplays of the year. Brilliant, it is, but not flawless. I must say in the last quarter of the film, the plot falters a tiny little bit. It’s like by the end of the movie, the writers ran out of ideas and resulting in a massive gunfight that just goes nowhere. Having said that, the gunfight scenes are amazing, awesome and spectacular. So the lack of creativity at the end of the movie does little to distract the viewer from having a blast. And at the end of the day, the movie as a whole is completely inventive.

Two other things that really work in the film are the character of Wikus van de Merwe and the performance of the man who plays that character, Sharlto Copley. At the beginning of the film, Wikus van de Merwe is the last man you would ever want being the hero of a film. Along the course of the District 9, the character faces adversities that completely changes him and by the end of the film, the entire theater will be behind him, cheering him on in full support. Wikus van de Merwe is basically a hero’s hero. The story of this character is definitely an endearing one and it could not have been acted out more ingeniously than by relatively unknown South African producer/director/actor Sharlto Copley. If it were up to me, I’d give him the Best Actor Oscar right now. Unfortunately, Copley is not surrounded by actors of the same caliber. The rest of the actors in the film are so mediocre in their performances it is a little distracting. Having to watch an incredible debut performance by Copley then having such crappy supporting performances is painful.

Any effect, be it CG or sound, is very well done given the movie was on a relatively low budget of just $30 million (as opposed to Transformers 2 which was $200 million). Obviously the effects for District 9 would not be as good as that of Transformers 2, but I’d say it came close. I will admit that this film has a ton of blood sprays and spatters and at times, the they seemed a little too cheesy but it felt intended so it was all good.

I was a little taken aback in the middle of the film when I realized how un-Hollywood it was. Although the set up and effects were all very Hollywood driven, it just didn’t feel Hollywood at all. And I commend the makers of the film for that. The movie is a great piece of work that just sucks you in whole. You probably won’t see a film that will entrance you more and keep your eyes fixed on the screen more than District 9 this year. This film is simply a spectacle to watch and I definitely had my mind blown as I saw so many things that I’ve never seen before. I truly think this is the movie to watch this year and is the best movie of 2009, so far. Now, all we have to do is wait. For Avatar.

I give District 9 a 9 out of 10 Popcorns.

Opening This Week: Aliens in District 9 and Kamchanod

This week is all about the supernatural as we have two alien movies and one ghost flick to preview. Let's get started, shall we?


Aliens in the Attic (2009)
Starring: Ashley Tisdale, Carter Jenkins, Austin Robert Butler
Director: John Schultz
USA release: July 31
Msia release: August 13
USA gross: $16,314,371
Worldwide gross: $16,801,814
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Family, Adventure
Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes
Rated in USA: PG for action violence, some suggestive humor and language
Rated in Msia: PG-13
IMDb User Rating: 4.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 29%

A group of teenagers end up in a vacation house in Maine, and realize that they must defend against the threat of aliens making their way from the upper floor to the ground floor. [Cinema Online]

Three reasons I'm not going to watch this movie:
1. Ashley Tisdale in a non-HSM movie.
2. Aliens that look like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
3. IMDb User Rating and Rotten Tomatoes score.

Enough said. Children would probably like it though.




District 9 (2009)
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Producer: Peter Jackson
USA release: August 14
Msia release: August 13
Genre: Action, Faux-Documentary, Sci-Fi
Runtime: 1 Hour 51 Minutes
Rated in USA: R for bloody violence and pervasive language
Rated in Msia: 18SG

Set in South Africa, this movie is a Cloverfield-type Sci-Fi flick about an extraterrestrial race that is forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth and suddenly finds a friend in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology. Alien spacecrafts are seen hovering over many locations, interrupting daily human lives and raising concerns from the residents of the area. [Cinema Online]

This film is simply the most anticipated non-blockbuster of the year and one of the most anticipated Sci-Fi films this year, up there along with Avatar. After the special early screening of the movie at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, there were amazing reactions pouring onto the Web from movie critics and geeks alike. So I'm going to go into the movie with very high expectations, which might not be that good of a thing, but I'm willing to risk it this time. If you're a big Sci-Fi fan or even a fan of movies with lots of twists, I feel this is the movie for you. I can't wait to see it. Click here for a detailed post on District 9.




The Screen At Kamchanod (????)
Starring: Namo Tongkumnerd, Pakkaramai Potranan
Director: Songsak Molkothong
Country: Thailand
Language: Thai
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
Rated in Msia: 18PL

Based on a supposed true story that took place in 1987, an outdoor film screening was booked at the Kamchanod forest reserve. The projection crew rolled the film but there was no audience, until near the end when some ghosts came out of nowhere. A young doctor, Yuth, wants to find out the mystery behind this screening. With his wife, nurse Om, journalist friends Ji and Phann and neighbourbood street guy Roj, the doctor tracks down the film and arranges a screening. Soon after, all the members of the group start seeing dead people.

I've always liked Thai horror flicks but the last one I saw, Coming Soon, I didn't think was too good. Unfortunately, The Screen sounds very similar to Coming Soon. This is definitely not a film for kids.

Source: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo, Cinema Online

District 9 Compilation Post

I have done a couple of posts on District 9 already but since Nuffnang are giving out passes to a special screening, I thought I’d blog about it one more time, including as much promotional and informational material for the movie as possible. If you want to see my past posts on District 9, click here.

Before I talk about anything else, watch this teaser trailer. If you haven’t got a clue what District 9 is about, this will blow your mind to the back of the room.

Now that your mind is probably blown, I can tell you guys what District 9 is about. The plot is simple. The movie is set in Johannesburg, South Africa, where aliens landed some many years ago. Unlike aliens in other movies, these aliens want to go home in peace. However, the South African government are preventing them from returning home. Instead, the aliens are held captive on Earth. They are quarantined and kept separated from humans in an area called District 9.

Let’s check out some of it’s posters and banners for their viral advertising campaign.

Since District 9 is shot with a fictional-documentary feel to it, the movie’s marketing department tried to replicate this feeling in the real world by putting up billboards and banners on the streets in the States to make it seem as if aliens really were living on Earth.

If you’re thinking you’re falling behind the movie scene because you have no idea who the actors are or who’s directing, no to worry because they are relatively unknown names. The movie is directed by South African native, Neill Blomkamp. He is the guy who was supposed to helm the Halo movie that has yet to become anything yet. People were speculative of Blomkamp and his abilities, seeing as he’s never directed a feature length movie before. So to prove himself worthy of directing the Halo movie, he’s directed District 9. The only big name in this movie is, of course, Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Neill Blomkamp is supposedly Peter Jackson’s good friend and apprentice. Peter Jackson is producing this movie in support of his friend.

District 9 is actually based on a short film that was written and directed by Neill Blomkamp. Check the short film out for yourself below. It’s called Alive in Joburg.

So far, what we have seen from District 9 in their trailers and viral marketing schemes, this seems to be the most intriguing movie of the year, for me. With that been said, trailers really suck you in and may portray a movie to be much better than it really is. So we’ll just have to wait and see. Below is the 2nd as latest trailer for the movie where more is explained with some action scenes.

I am so excited for this movie, words cannot even explain. Here are some cool links that are associated with the movie.

Official websites: District9Movie.com, D-9.com

Fictional websites: MNU, MNU Spread Lies

Twitter accounts: @D9Movie, @MultiNationalU, @MNU_Lies

District 9 opens in theaters August 13 but Nuffnang are giving out passes to catch it a day earlier. So click here for more deets.

Follow me on Twitter at @mikecampton

Full Trailer for District 9 is Awesome!

My mind was already blown after seeing the teaser trailer for Neill Blomkamp's debut project, District 9. Now, the full trailer for District 9 has been released and it is covered in awesome sauce! I've embedded it below so check it out.

The movie uses a fictional documentary style and revolves around the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Aliens have come to our planet and our now residing in a quarantined area of Jo'burg. Against the aliens' wishes, they aren't allowed to return home by the South African government. The aliens are forced to live on Earth but are not allowed to mix with humans.

If you have not seen the teaser trailer, I strongly advise you watch it before watching the trailer below. In this trailer, the motives for keeping the aliens here are a little clearer and there are more action scenes. Check it out for yourself. Enjoy!



Produced my Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, District 9 is set for release August 14 in the US. We in Malaysia will get it a day earlier.

Teaser Poster And More On District 9

Yesterday, I was going crazy after watching the teaser trailer for District 9. You can watch the trailer here or below. So today, Sony Pictures premiered this poster on Yahoo Movies!. The teaser poster is the first one for the movie and it has a picture of a shooting range target with an alien on it, with the tagline ‘You Are Not Welcome Here’.

This trailer is an alternative teaser where the face of the alien is not censored and there are subtitles so you can make out what the alien is saying.

Now that you’ve seen the trailer, at least I hope you have, here are some details on this movie that has stayed pretty low-profile up until now. District 9 is based on a short movie called Alive In Joburg by Neill Blomkamp. The short film Alive In Joburg is about aliens crash landing in Johannesburg, South Africa and are forced to be refugees and live in terrible conditions by the government. The interesting thing about the movie is the way its shot- very handycam-like and its fake documentary style. In the movie we see the aliens with their faces censored and their ship in the sky over Johannesburg. In the District 9 trailer, we see that the government has somewhat ‘impounded’ the alien ship and prevented the alien from returning home. You can see the short film Alive In Joburg below, at the end of this post.

So who is Neill Blomkamp? He’s a South African born effects artist who was backed to be the director of the Halo project, which eventually died. He has never director a feature-length movie before which caused a lot of discertainty about him taking the reigns to the Halo movie. But for a long time, he’s been strongly backed by Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson, who is producing District 9. So in short, District 9 is the first big project of an unknown effects artist, whom Peter Jackson is a big fan of.

If the movie is anything like the trailer, or even Alive In Joburg, we’ll all be in for a real treat. District 9 hits theaters here and in the States August August 14.

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District 9 Teaser Trailer

I can't stop watching this trailer. Just like I said in my Tweet earlier, this teaser caught me off guard and it will most of you too, if you don't already know what this movie is about. I'd love to talk about the movie some more but I'll do it some other time so that the trailer won't be spoiled for you guys. Remember to watch in fullscreen.

Best. Teaser. Ever.

[If viewing from a reader, click here to watch video.]