Following my top and bottom movies of 2009, this is my most pleasantly surprising movies of 2009.
- Rachel Getting Married #9 in my 2009 rankings. I only went to see this movie because there was nothing else to see. Held together by a monumental performance by Anne Hathaway that I still believe should have won the best picture Oscar.
- Adventureland #25 in my 2009 rankings: Really poorly marketed pushing the “from the makers of Superbad” angle too far this is actually more subtle movie with realistic emotional vulnerability characters. It also has a great performance from Kristen Stewart that will make you forget Bella Swan.
- The White Ribbon #11in my 2009 rankings: Michael Haneke’s Hidden (2005) was a widely praised film, although thoughtful and well made it was a bit slow tedious and a little esoteric. Then comes The White Ribbon, a two and a half hour black and white movie essay that may or may not explain the origin of Nazism. It is a trully brilliant film that only just missed out on my top ten.
- The Hangover #41 in my 2009 rankings: I don’t go to see a huge number of outright comedies. I just don’t find the American Pie or Austin Powers films funny. Therefore it comes as no surprise that I was in no rush to see The Hangover. Although dumb The Hangover is actually funny and works really well.
- G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra #88 in my 2009 rankings: Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a good movie but it isn’t as bad as I expected. The trailer made me think it would be the worst film ever made. It was far from that and avoided my top ten worst movies of the year.
- Star Trek #18 in my 2009 rankings: Since the first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture thirty years ago they only managed to make three good movies (from ten attempts). I was worried the so called reboot would be a cheesy prequel, its actually really good!
- Zombieland #10 in my 2009 rankings. I went to see Pandorum (that only made #87 on my list when I finally got to see it) a combination of traffic and a queue at the cinema meant the movie had started before I got to the ticket office. I went for Zombieland that was previewing a couple of days before it’s release. As well as being a great movie seeing it early meant I hadn’t had the plot/cameo spoiled.
- Surveillance #71 in my 2009 rankings: Fifteen years after her first movie, the appalling Boxing Helena, Jennifer Lynch made her second film. A nasty little film that lots of people will be repulsed by, it is actually quite good!
- Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist #16 in my 2009 rankings. A bit like Rachel Getting Married I went to see this because there was nothing else worth seeing. A teenage romantic comedy isn’t the most appealing movie to me, but this teenage romantic comedy really struck a chord with me.
- The Time Travellers Wife #54 in my 2009 rankings. If ever a movie had chick flick written all over it this is it. To add to that it is a bit of a mess of a film, it is however held together by great performances from Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams making it inexplicably likeable.
I want to see Time Travelers Wife! If only for Eric Bana. He is becoming one of my favorites. Subtle yet brilliant, like Viggo.
Nick and Norah was MEH for me, along with G.I. Joe, but I hearted Zombieland and Star Trek.
Absolutely loved The Time Traveler’s Wife even though it has some really significant structural flaws. Had a little dust in my eyes at the end there… lol
It’s official: I’m the only person in the world not impressed by ADVENTURELAND.
I haven’t seen it Hatter, and carry no desire to either.
I didnot enjoy it as much as most people either
See! It’s underwhelming and forgettable.
Of course, I am just assuming.
I think there may be an unfair bias here. Heather, would I be correct in saying once Dr Lector had finished with Miss Swank you would happily let him start on Kristen Stewart’s organs for dessert?