2009 in Film - A Retrospective

[JacksonArcher]

Moon was just phenonemal. I've rarely seen a film so embraced by fans and critics. I really hope it nabs a Best Picture nom, but I'm not holding my breath.

Snowball, hell, and so on.

I've seen people seriously air Star Trek, District 9, and the as-of-yet unreleased Avatar, but that's basically it. Too sci-fi for a token indie nom and too indie for a token sci-fi nom, Moon probably fallen through the cracks and landed in the uncomfortable position of cult classic.

Let's see how Duncan Jones's subsequent films do. Or are; I hope they live up the promise of this spectacular feature.

Well, that and apparently Sony Classics, the company that distributed Moon here in the States, has not been campaigning the film for awards consideration, which is frustrating to me because if any science-fiction film deserves merit this year above all else (without having seen Avatar, of course) that film is Moon.

Alas, the film is likely to win some minor awards, and probably some notice for director Duncan Jones. I hope it achieves more, but like I said I'm not getting my hopes up. It's just kind of depressing.

Also, on the topic of Jones' career, he was slated to make Mute his next project, supposedly a science-fiction film set in Berlin, but now he's made Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal his next directorial project. It is interesting to note that Jones did not write Source Code, unlike Moon. It's being described as a "Bourne-esque thriller", so I'm intrigued.

 

[Kegg]

I saw about that. I hope Source Code turns out to be:

1) Brilliant
2) Successful
3) Encourages more people to watch Moon.

Truthfully I was looking forward to Mute, though. Sci-fi, Berlin, it sort of had win written all over it (fascinating city, Berlin, and so very German, which is lovely).

 

[JacksonArcher]

I also hope Source Code turns out well. I've heard good things about the script. Also, a correction of my last post: I said that Jones had written Moon but that is false. He devised the story, and I believe polished the script, but it was mostly written by a lad named Nathan Parker. I just wanted to clarify that.

 

[Bad Bishop]

The "Shhhh! Don't Tell Anyone You Saw That Movie!" Award

Give it to He's Just Not That Into You.

I confess to the world that I paid to see this in theater. Forgive me for wanting to see Jennifer Connelly, Jennifer Aniston and Scarlett Johansson in the same film.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Best Supporting A-List Actor Award

This award goes to Christian Bale for 2009's PUBLIC ENEMIES, where he was billed behind Johnny Depp. In previous years, Bale was in 3:10 TO YUMA (billed behind Russell Crowe) and THE PRESTIGE (billed behind Hugh Jackman). Maybe someday, in a movie where he's not playing Batman, Bale will get top billing over other big stars.

He was the top billed actor in Terminator Salvation, but I'd understand if you missed that.

Terminator Salvation didn't have any major stars besides Bale (and I'm not counting Arnold's digitized appearance in the film).

In '87 he was billed before John Malcovich, Joe Pantoliano, Ben Stiller, Miranda Richardson, and Nigel Havers in Empire of the Sun.

If I recall correctly, the bigger name actors (led by Malkovich) were billed first, with Bale getting an "introducing" credit in that film.

Besides, I take it everyone's forgotten about American Psycho then?

 

[Harvey]

American Psycho has slowly been getting the attention it deserves, but it was pretty buried when it was released, no?

 

[JacksonArcher]

American Psycho has slowly been getting the attention it deserves, but it was pretty buried when it was released, no?

It was pretty controversial when it was released. I remember hearing a lot of negative reviews, and Roger Ebert at the time seemed to be one of the only critics who actually got the film. Also, I think the only 'big-name' in that cast is Willem Dafoe. The rest was pretty unknown.

 

[od0_ital]

Reese Witherspoon played Bale's fiance, ya know...

 

[JacksonArcher]

Reese Witherspoon played Bale's fiance, ya know...

American Pyscho is ten years old. Give a man a break.

 

[Cicero]

Good
Star Trek

Great fun, but not particularly good
Transfomers: Revenge of the Fallen

My favorite movie I saw for the first time this year (but which wasn't new) was Manhattan Melodrama. I also really enjoyed Double Wedding, Gran Torino, Love Crazy, and (particularly) They Died With Their Boots On.

10. The Hurt Locker - Bomb technicians are cool. I know I wouldn't have the guts to do what they do.

I couldn't get past the military errors the movie made. While it was otherwise intelligently written, its poor grasp of the realities of military life - and the consequences of actions within it - made the whole story seem somewhat ludicrous.

 

[Harvey]

The principal character's total insubordination struck me as a little silly, but the sheer tension that the film generated let me ignore it. It wasn't trying to be Generation Kill, although that was also quite good.

 

[Kegg]

I couldn't get past the military errors the movie made. While it was otherwise intelligently written, its poor grasp of the realities of military life - and the consequences of actions within it - made the whole story seem somewhat ludicrous.

Well, I did feel the film is very predictable in places.

Spoiler: Hurt Locker

So, the counselor goes for his first ever mission with the rest of the troops. Why doesn't he just buy a grave while he's at it? It wasn't a matter of if, but how at that point.

And I knew in the first scene something would go wrong and the commander would die, because that's how you set these things up.

So I liked it a lot, but it's not my favourite film of the year. The strongest point really was the characterisation of the reckless bomb guy -

Spoiler: Well, sort of a spoiler

when they said at the start that 'war is a drug', I hadn't expected them to mean war is an adrenaline rush that makes people feel alive.

 

[Starbreaker]

I just saw Land of the Lost and Knowing.

Knowing gets my award for coolest ending that was better than the entire movie.
Land of the Lost is the worst movie of the year.