2009 Movie Wrap-Up

I saw 16 different movies this year (though we saw “Up”, “Star Trek”, and “Harry Potter 6” more than once. When money is tight and you have a family of 5, you tend to be more selective with the movies you see in the theaters (and some you see in the $1 theater). Therefore, I pretty much only went to movies that I was reasonably certain would be worth seeing. In fact, the only movie that was really not worth the $ was “Angels and Demons.” Below, I’ve listed all the movies I saw in 2009, ranked from Best to Worst (or “Best” to “Mediocre”), along with some of my thoughts on the movies themselves.

Star Trek: I’m not a “Star Trek” fan, and always preferred the mythology and fantasy edge that “Star Wars” embraced. But this newest “Star Trek” was the perfect summer movie—fast-paced, funny, and action-packed. It lovingly referenced the original series (even down to the 60’s sound effects) but gave it a great update for the post-“Star Wars” generation. Amanda, who was very much against seeing this movie, has now fallen in love with it, and watched it 3 days in a row after we got it for Christmas (and has WANTED to watch it every day since). HIGHLIGHTS: The Kobiashi Maru simulation; Kirk getting sick, thanks to Bones (“I feel like I’m leaking”); also, the [SPOILER ALERT] last-minute appearance of the Enterprise at the climax of the film.

Up: This is now my 2nd favorite PIXAR film, (“Finding Nemo” is my #1). I’ve found that the PIXAR movies I like best are the ones that I can connect to emotionally, and that take the time to “savor moments.” I like the more traditional, classic Disney approach, where visual humor and an emotional response outweigh the Dreamworks-style, rapid-fire jokes and pop-culture references. Who would’ve thought that a movie about an old man and a cub scout flying to South America in a house could’ve turned into something so entertaining? It’s clear that the filmmakers were focused on telling a unique, interesting story filled with well-developed characters. I think my brother doesn’t like it because the giant female bird is named “Kevin.” HIGHLIGHTS: The liftoff of the house—pure joy; also, The shot of Carl pulling his house, silhouetted against the sunrise.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: The Harry Potter movies are family favorites, and while I think I still like #5 the best so far, this one is near the top of my list. It’s definitely the funniest of the movies so far, including Slughorn, Harry taking a dose of “liquid luck,” and the hilarious portrayal of Lavender Brown. It was also very creepy, with the scene in the cave and the general feeling of dread through much of the movie. Can’t wait til this fall, when Harry Potter 7: Part 1 comes to theaters. HIGHLIGHT: The aforementioned “Liquid Luck” scene, not to mention the pincers: “click-click”.

Coraline: OK, stop-motion animation filmed in 3-D is COMPLETELY AWESOME. It lets you notice every detail of the little figurines created for the movie. I thought the movie was much better than the book, expanding and giving depth to situations and characters that were described in very bland terms in the book. Amanda didn’t like the movie (she really seems to hate movies like “Spirited Away” and “Alice in Wonderland” where characters go to a fantasy world and a lot of random things happen and by some convenient coincidences, things turn out all right…I thought that’s what life WAS!) The kids think it’s too creepy (especially the lady with the giant chest), but I thought it was amazing (maybe I liked it more because, as an animator, I understood the amount of work it took to put it all together). HIGHLIGHTS: When Coraline walks beyond the edges of the Other Mother’s world; also, the crawl up the other mother’s web.

Where the Wild Things Are: In Hollywood, movies based on children’s books tend to be in the Dreamworks mold I mentioned earlier: wacky, hip, pop-culture-reference-laden crap (see Jim Carrey’s “The Grinch”). I was very worried that that’s how this movie would be, until I saw the initial trailer. It hinted at a more basic movie, focusing on the emotional journey of Max. That’s what the movie ended up being, and I loved it (similar to my feelings on “Up.”) It was a movie that made you remember what it was like to be a kid, for better or worse. I was conflicted about whether or not my kids would like it, be bored by it, or be unprepared for the emotional weight the film carried. Some reviews said it was “too dark and scary” for kids, which I think is ridiculous (though my kids watch the Harry Potter films and think “Gremlins” is a good choice for a Christmas movie, so perhaps they're the exception). HIGHLIGHT: The dirt-clod war.

Avatar: OK, I’m not quite sure why this movie has made 700 million dollars in less than 2 weeks. I mean, it was really entertaining, and the 3-D was cool (though I hear IMAX 3-D is even better). But the story is pretty plain (not BAD, just nothing special) and despite some significant advances in special effects/animation, it’s not as big of a leap as, say, the dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park.” Still, it was well-crafted, and it was interesting to see an entire world crafted by James Cameron. Most of his other films have been fairly grounded in reality, with elements of “newness,” such as the aliens in “The Abyss”. HIGHLIGHT: the journey through the bioluminescent forest at nighttime).

9: Speaking of unique visions, “9” was all about one person’s vision of a unique world. Though the look of the characters and settings was obviously inspired by Tim Burton and the Brothers Quay (and the mutant toys in “Toy Story”), the movie definitely looked different than any movie you’ve ever seen. However, if you thought the story of “Avatar” was bland, you’ll think the plot of 9 was like tasting a spoonful of flour (that’s the best thing I could think of to be “really bland.”) It suffered a lot from being a feature film expanded from a short film, and there was a lot of plot and drama that felt contrived. HIGHLIGHT: The weird baby-doll-headed snake monster.

Princess and the Frog: I’m glad 2-D animation is back, hopefully to stay, but it came back with a whimper rather than a roar. This is not the “Little Mermaid”-type triumph that will rejuvenate the medium, but it was a pleasant, predictable entry into the Disney canon. Randy Newman’s music all sounds the same. Louis the Alligator was by far the most interesting character in the movie. HIGHLIGHTS: The dark spirits attacking in shadow; also, the characterizations of Louis and Charlotte (“I’m sweatin’ like a sinner in church!”).

Monsters vs. Aliens: It was fun to watch, especially in IMAX 3-D, but the story was entirely forgettable. Like I said, Dreamworks just doesn’t do it for me—too much wackiness. However, there were some funny moments and some interesting visuals. Maddy loved Bob the blob. HIGHLIGHT: Hmm…Maybe when the President is playing the keyboard.

Transformers 2: Any time the Transformers were onscreen fighting, it was awesome. Any time Megan Fox was onscreen, talking in her squeaky baby talk, I wanted to kill myself. Sorry, Megan, you’re a squirrel-voiced tramp, and I’d rather see Megatron duke it out with Optimus Prime. HIGHLIGHT: The battle in the forest.

Valkyrie: This actually came out in 2008, but I was so busy working on the Watchmen Motion Comics that Amanda and I didn’t get to see this ‘til it was at the $1 movie. A solid, entertaining movie, but it’s pretty low on the list because it doesn’t really have a re-watchability factor that a lot of the others have. HIGHLIGHT: The briefcase in the bunker meeting (doesn’t sound very interesting, but it is quite tense).

Watchmen: Speaking of Watchmen, the live-action movie version was, all humility aside, NOT as good as the motion comics (but it was a couple hours shorter). It was also much more graphic than the graphic novel. HIGHLIGHTS: The flashback/transformation to Dr. Manhattan (which I helped animate in the Motion Comics version); also, pretty much any time Silk Spectre II is in costume…

A Christmas Carol: I think I reviewed this on an earlier blog entry. Some good things, like the portrayal of the “Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come,” but too scary for kids, and too wacky in parts (WHY did you have to shrink Scrooge and create a climactic “chase scene”—just stupid.) HIGHLIGHT: The appearance of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

District 9: Like “9,” this was a short film expanded to a feature. This was an interesting concept, but it was too vulgar and at times too over-the-top for me to recommend. Lots of film sites have put this near the top of their lists for the year, but as you can see, this is near the bottom, in my opinion. HIGHLIGHT: Hmmm…can’t think of one…

Night at the Museum 2: The first one was entertaining, but this one was very “blah.” Amy Adams’s portrayal of Amelia Earhart was the only redeeming quality about the film—she brought energy and spunk to an otherwise drab movie. HIGHLIGHT: Amy Adams.

Angels and Demons: “Da Vinci Code” was a supposedly terrible movie that was actually enjoyable, mostly because of Ian McKellan’s character. This movie was terrible, boring, and utterly forgettable (and at times laughable). They focused on giving us heart-pounding music during actionless action scenes, as if we could be fooled. And when Ewan MacGregor took flight and parachuted back down, the movie lost all credibility in my eyes. HIGHLIGHT: The movie ending, so I could go home.

So there you go—feel free to agree or disagree with me—everyone’s got their own tastes in movies.