9.) HALLOWEEN 2 – Yes, that’s right. Everyone hates this film with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, but I love it more than words can say. Why? Because every complaint starts with “well the ORIGIONAL….” And that’s where they get it all wrong. Rob Zombie is a genius at the fucked up. A master at the macabre and tasteless. This is the first and only time he’s been given a real budget and complete control over a film, and he went balls to the wall. He held nothing back. The second you stop trying to compare it to a sequel that it was never intended to have anything to do with; the sooner you can realize what it really is. An unrelenting, unapologetic, no holds barred assault on the senses the likes of which have not been seen since the snuff films of the 70’s
8.) ORPHAN – The most messed up, sick, twisted thriller to come out of a mainstream studio in ages. This film has no heart or soul and revels in its poor taste. I’d have walked out if it wasn’t so damn effective and expertly made. The French director of this is a genius in his own right, hitting the mood and pacing just right. And the ending……wow.
7.) WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE – Bizarre and wierd, but also touching and beautiful. This frustrating “kids movie” kind of has to grow on you. But after sitting with it for a while, I found it an astonishing display of childhood emotions, and how they can form a little person into the adult they ultimately become.
6.) DRAG ME TO HELL – hands down the most fun at the theater this year. I laughed harder in this than I did in THE HANGOVER, and I jumped out of my seat more than MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D!
5.) AVATAR – The plot is paper thin but effective. All right, so there’s the one and ONLY complaint anyone could possibly make about this masterpiece. The visual effects are so revolutionary, so mind numbingly awesome, you’ll never look at another movie again without comparing it to this. Also of note is the acting from the amazing cast, who all deliver amidst this cacophony of spectacle so well you actually care about them, and not just marvel at them.
4.) DISTRICT 9 – This movie cost 30 million dollars. TRANSFORMERS 2 cost 250 million. Wow Michael bay, you need to go back to school. This film was so rife with drama and tension you won’t believe how invested you were in the film till it’s over. The visual effects are SEEMLESS and though not as frequently used as AVATAR, are just as good. And the action, my god. It’ll blow your socks off. This guy wanted to make the HALO movie, but the studio didn’t want to risk using a first time director. So he made this instead and made the studio his bitch cause it made a TON of mula. And deservedly so.
3.) STAR TREK – j.j. Abrams is the new Spielberg. This film is the epidomy of epic. It’s got drama, romance, action, humor, all in good measure and all with relatable and charismatic leads. I can not wait to join this group again on further adventures.
2.) INGLORIOUS BASTERDS – Quinted Tarentino finally found the perfect balance between with wordy dialogue and his sudden stabs of violence. His grind house segment was WAY too talky and not enough grindhousey, but here he makes up his own historical(ly inaccurate) account of hillers last days. Just pure violent fun.
1.) UP – It kind of bothers me that there is now a “best animated film” category at the Oscars now. It means true masterpieces such as this can’t be nominated for “best picture” which this surely does. Much like the INCREDIBLES, you forget you’re even watching a cartoon and feel so much for the characters and their mission that you’re honest to god MOVED at the end. I came out of this film with a better understanding of loss and forgiveness and love. It’s all good in the end though, the brilliance of this film doesn’t need a measly little award to justify it.
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