Top 10 Movies of 2009
I haven't done one of these lists in awhile--actually I haven't even really done a solid movie review in awhile--so I thought I'd give it a whirl, since I saw a fairly decent amount of 2009 releases, almost entirely thanks to David for dragging my ass to the theater with him to enjoy all it's upsides and downsides of 2009. I'm being a little looser with my definition of 'movies I saw in 2009' than I was in previous years because I can't afford to see all these damn movies in theaters, so probably a quarter of them were viewed at home post-DVD-release, but hey, they're still 2009 movies, right?
10. The Hangover
The Hangover may not have been nearly as uproariously, ground-breakingly funny as frat boys have made it out to be, but neither was it as easily dismissed and unimpressive as anti-bandwagon snobs have vehemently declared it to be. It is one damn funny movie and a good time at the theater. It had a perfect time of release at the beginning of summer, and it definitely deserved to be there for months following, as it more than earned its 'sleeper hit' status. Of course, I could be biased, as I am desperately in love with Bradley Cooper. Been rooting for the guy since his "Alias" days back when he was always playing the best friend or the nice guy or the dude who always came in second in the hunt for the leading lady's affections (sometimes all three!), but it's been full-on love ever since his leading man days on the all-too-short-lived "Kitchen Confidential." I find it really interesting that people only seem to know him for playing assholes, as he is here in The Hangover, because to me he'll always be sweet Will Tippin first. I do not find it surprising that people are interested in him now, just satisfying because I knew he had the potential all along. While I like him better as the 'nice guy' I am immensely pleased that Brad can play asshole just as well because it proves he's got the range to pull it off.
I only bring all this up because I think Brad's impending super-stardom is entirely due to this film (with maybe a little credit to The Wedding Crashers) and it's causing people to instinctively dismiss him and the other actors from The Hangover but that should not happen! All the actors were great--Brad as the brash asshole and best friend, Zach Galifianakas (who, believe it or not, used to play a sweet, geeky coroner on "Tru Calling") is hilariously awkward and inappropriate and has given new reasons to laugh at the idea of a 'wolf pack', Ed Helms (who I currently love on "The Office") is goofy and neurotic and makes you wanna cheer for his sad sack self, and even Justin Bartha, the missing groom who doesn't appear much has his funny moments, though I would have preferred a bit more screentime for the actor whom I know best from the National Treasure series as the goofy comic relief. All in all, great cast, though like I said before, I may be biased, since it's obvious I loved all these guys before. I can see why they want to cash in on this unexpected boon by making a sequel, but I don't think it really requires one. I will definitely go see it when it gets made, though, if only for the hope of more missing camera pictures like the ones during the credits here, which really topped off the hilarity of the film quite nicely.
9. Inglorious Basterds
I admit, I haven't actually seen a great many Tarantino films, so I never really know what to expect from him, but I've rarely been disappointed. I would say that Inglorious Basterds was preceded by really misleading promotions but then, how do you accurately introduce a film like this one, really? Understandably it's not the easiest movie to dissect, like all of his films. The nice part about this is that it offers audiences the rarely-seen-these-days chance to be surprised in their viewing experience, instead of having the whole film spoiled by a two-minute trailer (I'm talking to you, rom-com movie trailers!).
I wasn't initially sold on this movie. It was a bit long and it's very difficult to see where it's going or what exactly the point is, especially when the movie spends a lengthy period of time on single, innocuous scenes that seemingly have little to do with the main plot, such as, for instance, the confrontation between the major villain and a minor character near the beginning of the film who is harboring a Jewish family beneath his floorboards, or a barroom scene involving German officers and a couple of our heroes. This all helps to illustrate what, exactly, was so misleading about the trailers that had people fuming: the so-called heroes of our film--the Basterds themselves--really aren't featured with any depth. In fact, they really only take up about a third of the screentime.
[Thar be spoilers ahead]
The film's many remaining minutes are nonetheless well-spent on two alternate plotlines. The three intertwining threads are as follows: 1) a young Jewish woman, the only escapee of the aforementioned massacre of a family some years before, is living in Nazi-occupied France under an alias during World War II and owns a theater. When a handsome, charming Nazi officer and war hero attempts to court her, she resists, but goes along with it when she learns that he could literally bring Hitler (and the officer who murdered her family) to her doorstep thanks to the premiere of a movie of which he is the star. She puts aside her horror and fears of being caught to orchestrate an elaborate but suicidal revenge plan; 2) the officer who killed her family, Col. Hans Landa, is on a mission to seek out all the Jews hiding in France during the German occupation but is mostly focused on two objectives: capturing the notorious Basterds who have been scalping all his soldiers and netting significant personal gain; and 3) the Basterds themselves, a group of Jewish-American soliders roaming the countryside of France collecting the scalps of Nazis and working out a plan of their own to hunt down Hitler and destroy him. And they really have the pluck and tenacity to get it done. It's amazing to think what would have happened if these guys really existed as depicted.
And that's why I came around to an overall acceptance of this movie, I think. I accepted it as it was: an elaborate and stylistic depiction of a "What If" scenario. What IF we got some WWII-era Jewish heroes who weren't struggling in death camps like we traditionally see in the movies but rather fighting back? What IF we had a sympathetic Nazi falling for a secretly-Jewish girl? What IF a coincidence like this had transpired in real life that led Hitler to the doorstep of those seeking revenge and fully capable of seizing it? But most importantly--and this one is good--what IF Hitler and half his officers were wiped out in a fiery blaze and hail of gunfire, fueled by intense hatred and sweet revenge, instead of just quietly taking his own life in a bunker somewhere below ground? I walked away from this theater feeling satisfied, not only because I'd seen a pretty stylish and smart movie (my sister complained that the aforementioned barroom scene was too long and boring but I think it may have been one of the best-crafted scenes in the movie) but for the movie's complete and utter disregard for history. They just didn't give a fuck. Tarantino set out to make a movie that was purely fiction, purely wish-fulfillment. It wasn't pretty, but it would have been so much better than what really happened. And isn't it nice to dream?
8. The Boat That Rocked
Marketed in the states as Pirate Radio (no doubt capitalizing on the Americans' love of pirates), I did not actually go to see this movie in theaters, because I watched it online first. What can I say? I was excited about this movie since I'd first heard of it, and when it was released internationally and nowhere in sight on the American radar, I sought it out. If I had known it was going to be released stateside a few weeks later, I might have waited, but it doesn't really matter.
The Boat That Rocked tells the story of a group of eclectic disc jockeys working on a pirate radio station literally stationed on a boat in the middle of the ocean off the coast of the UK in 1966. According to the movie, even though rock and roll was outlawed in the UK during the sixties, it was being listened to more than any other station. And who can blame them, really? The sixties were the time rock and roll flourished; it's practically unimaginable to miss this era of change. The story starts when Carl, a young man who is the godson of the ship's captain Quentin (played by the ever-wonderful Bill Nighy), joins the ship, called Radio Rock, in what is supposed to be a growth experience, and it certainly is, though maybe not in the way upstanding British citizens might have hoped. Though not explicitly stated, Carl hopes to accomplish two things: get the girl (who also happens to be Quentin's niece Marianne) and figure out if one of the ship's illustrious characters is indeed his father (uncomfortably the film suggests for a fair amount of time that this may be Quentin, but thankfully dodges the unspoken implication of incestual attraction).
One of the subplots involves the rivalry between returning disc jockey champ and "King of the Airwaves" Gavin, and the ship's only American, The Count (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman). This is an entertaining sidestory, and both characters are both likeable and incorrigible and eternally rockstars, but it doesn't take over the movie. One of my problems with the American release of this film is that they made Hoffman look like THE star, probably because he's the most recognizable to American audiences, and it's smart to bank on your big names. It's really more of an ensemble story though, and while Hoffman is prominent, he really shares the stage with at least three other characters, including the film's 'bad guy', Dormandy, a British politician who wants to shut down Radio Rock for good.
The movie's plot isn't what's really important though; it's an amalgate of used plot devices, some cliches, and quirky characters. It's not a revolutionary movie, but it's a movie about a revolution, and it sure was a lot of fun to watch. Don't watch it expecting to have your view of movies changed forever. It's simply a cool story with fun characters and fantastic music. And if you're into rock and roll (particularly of the generation depicted) then it's a 'can't miss' for sure.
My biggest problem with the American release is that they changed the name. For the life of me I can't figure out what is wrong with "The Boat That Rocked." It fit the movie perfectly for offering up a triple meaning: Radio Rock literally rocked for its championing of rock music, it metaphorically rocked people's views of popular music and their definitions of decency and censorship, and then of course there's the double entendre meaning of a rocking boat that can't be ignored. It was the perfect title and they were stupid for changing it, but I guess that just goes to show that even from English to English some things can get lost in translation.
7. Zombieland
I don't really think there is much that needs to be said about Zombieland; it is what it is. It's a zombie movie, it's not horror, but it has horrific elements (you really can't escape any zombie movie without some decent shotgun blasts to the head), it's not purely drama, but there are some serious elements (Woody Harrelson's character takes a dramatic turn that the movie thankfully doesn't linger on too long but does give you a new perspective), and it's not purely parody, like Shaun of the Dead, but it's still super fun.
The movie starts some time after the zombie apocalypse, and it narrated by the Michael Cera-esque main character, played by Jesse Eisenberg. He meets another survivor, played by Woody Harrelson, who insists they go by aliases based on where they are from: Jesse is Columbus, and Woody is Tallahassee. Columbus has a set of rules he obsessively follows in order to survive, and these rules often serve as bookends to the movie that really add to the style. Columbus and Tallahassee are repeatedly tricked and dogged by two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, before eventually deciding to team up and work together. Everyone has trust issues, but none more so than the sisters. They were starting to get a little unsympathetic with all their backstabbing and my opinion of them is improved by film's end, but it's obvious that Woody Harrelson is the treasure in this movie, and I'm glad they didn't go with the downer ending I thought they might go with for his character.
Despite being a movie about the end of the world, and featuring only five living characters (one of which is randomly played by Bill Murray... playing himself...), it actually has a pretty happy ending, and as I understand it, there's going to be a sequel, which is fine by me. I don't think this movie was so good that it's untouchable, so if they want to make another one and it stays in the spirit of the first, I think it could be a whole lot of fun. I definitely look forward to hearing more of Columbus' rules, in any case. I think they were one of the things that really set this movie apart from others in the genre; everyone watches zombie films and says 'Now, come on! Why would anyone do that? It's so stupid. If I were him, I would totally survive the zombie apocalypse!' so it's really nice to see a geek character like us depicted on screen doing all the things that we insist we would do if put in that situation. It's pure fanwank and wish fulfillment, but it's unique and offers up a great chance for comedy.
6. Sherlock Holmes
Slipping in at the end of the year (but not the end of my list!) is Guy Ritchie's adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, which I didn't actually see until two weeks into the new year, but we're still counting it, just like we're counting this entire list posted more than a month after the year ended...
I am a huge fan of Guy Ritchie for his frenetic, stylistic gangster movies, the best of which are known for their convoluted, intertwining plots and multitude of characters that number so high, it's often hard to keep track of them all. Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and more recently Rocknrolla are what I consider his best work, and I had a hard time seeing how a Sherlock Holmes story would fit into this array, but I was very pleasantly surprised.
Indeed, Sherlock Holmes is not like Ritchie's other films. It shares a few things--cool characters with snappy dialogue, action, and an incurable style, but even that's unlike his previous style. Sherlock is stylish in the art and the setting and the delivery, where the others are previously known for being stylish in attitude and plot reveal. There are few surprises plotwise in Sherlock Holmes; in fact, the villain everyone expected to be all powerful in occult matters was in fact orchestrating a charade, but if the audience was intended to be surprised by that part, I think Ritchie failed. However, like Holmes, I don't think we were ever meant to believe the ominous Lord Blackwood was ever in possession of supernatural powers, because it's just not logical, and Holmes is nothing if not utterly logical.
Another thing utterly Ritchie-esque was the delightful bromance between Holmes and Watson, which was entirely too much fun to watch. I didn't know quite what to expect from this film, since it was so unlike Ritchie's other work, so I have to admit I was a little worried for a minute there in the middle of the film when it seemed for a moment that an explosion killed Watson. When it was happening, all I could think was "Oh my God, did Ritchie really change the game THAT drastically?!" but I was extremely glad to see he had not, because it would not have been the same without the good doctor at his friend's side.
Another thing I liked was the character consistency for Robert Downey Jr. It seems like this is the umpteenth character RDJ has played in this vein. In my opinion, he has this uncanny knack for playing characters who are snarky and clever, maybe even brilliant, yet vulnerable and ultimately good, despite so many antiheroic qualities. They fall in love with plucky gals whose middle names are 'Trouble' and they have stronger male foils and partners they lean on when they inevitably get themselves in trouble. Over and over again, RDJ nails this role, and you may think I'm getting bored picking all these out, but really I am loving that he can play to his acting strengths yet play such vastly different characters. Because really, Sherlock Holmes is so not Tony Stark is so not Harry Lockhart.
This movie was brilliantly set up for a sequel that further explores the Holmes canon, particularly his rivalry with Moriarty, and I hope we get one within three years. I'm sure we will, and I'm excited to see whom they will cast, but it won't mean a thing unless RDJ and Jude Law are both back. As long as those two are secure, they can make a dozen movies for all I care. In my opinion, they nailed it, and Ritchie may have a new path ahead of him rebooting a franchise... just as long as he works on the Rocknrolla sequel in his offtime. :)
5. District 9
When I go to the movies and thoroughly enjoy myself I may find myself walking out of the theater saying "I really loved the dialogue! It was so funny!" or "What a great inspirational/existential/sweet/thought-provoking ending!" or "The characters were so great. I love them all!" It isn't often that I come out with the foremost thought: "Wow, what an awesome PLOT," but that's what I thought immediately after seeing District 9. I think this is because almost everything has been done before in some way or another, and District 9 really doesn't escape from that, per se, but there's something about the way they did it that makes it wholly unique.
I know I loved the plot because I relayed almost the entire thing to my friend a couple weeks after seeing it, without really intending to. I think that proves at the very least that it was memorable, because the plot is fairly complicated. Some 20 years ago, an enormous spaceship settles over Johannesburg, South Africa and the inhabitants, large, human-sized crustacean-like creatures un-affectionately dubbed 'prawns' by men, are discovered inside some weeks later, half-starved and in need of rescue. They are taken down to land and placed in a settlement and interrogated. There is a language barrier, as the aliens' language consists primarily of clicking noises, but it seems that the two decades of cohabitation has overcome this, as both species are able to understand the others' language. The aliens are unable to get home and nobody knows what to do with them, so they are ushered into their settlements, segregated from men, and practically forgotten about. The latest attempt to corral the aliens is called District 9 (presumably there were 8 districts before this that didn't work out), but the plot begins when District 9 must be moved again, a process which no one relishes, but especially the prawns, considering there are now more of them than ever being forced into a smaller district because the South Africans just don't want to deal with them anymore.
There are definite lessons to be learned and connections to be drawn between the situation in District 9 and the apartheid, but even without the glaring metaphor, it's an enjoyable movie. What's impressive is that it was done on such a small budget and featured entirely unknown actors, yet was so successful it almost instantly spawned talk of a sequel. And I am crossing my fingers for one, without a doubt. They left it totally open and make you hunger for more. After the movie ends you really want to know what happened to the heroes and if the situation is resolved and what will happen when District 10 opens (nothing good can come of it, for sure).
What is most interesting to me is the turn the main character took. Wikus Van de Merwe is a sort of nerdy tool in charge of the move, but inside District 9's walls he becomes infected with an alien substance and begins to turn into one of them, something which seems unusual even to the prawns. In Wikus' first scenes, he is fairly ignorant to the point of buffoonery. Though he seems to understand the alien language, he chooses not to use it until it is useful to him. This is an interesting choice because it really separates the aliens from humanity and shows us how indifferent we are to them, to the point of treating them like inferior beings. It takes Wikus actually becoming one of them for him to realize they are not just savages. It may seem from my description like he hasn't earned our sympathy but what he does through is really so harrowing that you can't help but feel sorry for him and start to root for him by story's end, when he finally starts doing the right thing. I only hope we get to see more of Wikus in the inevitable sequel. Judging by the his demise in this film, the question is a valid one. At least we'll see more of Sharlto Copley when he takes over the role of Murdock in the A-Team film later this year!
4. Star Trek
My exposure to all things Star Trek was very limited prior to seeing this movie. I have only seen a few episodes of the original series, and even less of subsequent series. I knew enough to know the basic plot and most of the characters (and that was, in part, due to a particularly dorky Futurama episode that featured them all), but even if I hadn't known a single thing, I think I would have liked this reboot.
Star Trek jump started the summer movie season and I don't think I could have asked for a better one. It was undoubtedly the best 'summer movie' of the year. Everybody did a great job on the acting front, and it'll be weird seeing Chris Pine (known to me prior to this as one of the creepy Tremor brothers in Smokin' Aces and that dude in a couple bad romantic comedies I've had the misfortune of seeing) blow the hell up and move up a whole letter on the alphabetical list of acting cred, but I think he deserves it. It was also weird to see Zachary Quinto (known primarily to me as Sylar from Heroes) really get his name out there, but I think he deserves it too.
I think Star Trek may be one of the most successful franchise reboots in history, assuming they keep this momentum going for a few more movies. This movie wanted to reel in its old fanbase while incorporating a whole new one with its younger cast. I am precisely the latter of these targets. Despite my geek tendencies, Star Trek is something that has always gone over my head and I've been blissfully ignorant of it; prior to the movie I was only aware of the biggest joke origins, enough to get the inside jokes in the new movie and expect a few they were missing. It may not have had the full desired effect, as I don't have any intentions of sitting down anytime soon and watching reruns of the original series, but I do feel fully invested in the new movies, so they hooked me there. Overall, it was just a really good movie, for anyone, and despite some of the more obsessed fans' disapproval of some plot points, it left an overall good taste in peoples' mouths, just enough to set the stage for the second film.
3. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs
Even though it's not first on this list, I think Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs may be my favorite of the movies I saw in 2009, for the escapist fun alone. No, it's not the best movie in the world, but it's so funny and charming that I could watch it over and over again without getting bored. As it is, I saw it three times in theaters, and made everyone I know watch it too. I saw it first with David, and we were the only two people in the theater, which was both a shame, because it's fun to see other peoples' reactions, and pretty awesome, because it allowed us to laugh as hysterically as we wanted without feeling embarrassed. And laugh hysterically I did, every time. It's definitely one of those movies you can find something new to love every time you watch it, particularly because there are so many tiny sight gags to catch that it is impossible to get them all the first time.
Cloudy is the story of young Flint Lockwood, a failed inventor and a hot mess of a human being who just wants to invent something to make people's lives better. He lives with his gruff, laconic dad (his much-more-encouraging mother died when he was young) on a tiny island called Swallow Falls "located underneath the A in 'Atlantic Ocean'." Swallow Falls was a booming industrial town in the old days primarily as a result of the sardine market, but being so isolated, people were forced to eat nothing but sardines all their lives, which was fine until "everyone realized that sardines were super gross." (!) Flint, in an effort to overcome this drawback, decides to invent a machine that will turn water into food, and he fails at first, causing a scene in town, destroying their one chance to return to former glory, and worst of all, disappointing his father, who only wants Flint to join the family business of selling sardines. However, Flint's machine really does work and a miracle occurs when it starts raining cheeseburgers.
Flint is a huge success and the fame-hungry mayor exploits Flint's machine--and Flint, starving for fatherly affection which the mayor readily though falsely provides--so that the town can piggyback on this success. Flint makes it rain food every day, three times a day, for the weeks leading up to the town's grand re-opening. Meanwhile, the town is landing on everyone's radar thanks to the fabulous reports by plucky intern Sam Sparks, who is hoping this will be her big break as well. Everything seems to be going well until the machine gets overloaded and the food begins to mutate into huge proportions, eventually threatening not only the town of Swallow Falls (renamed Chew and Swallow) but potentially the whole world. Flint must overcome his father issues and his even bigger confidence issues to put a stop to his out-of-control machine and save the world.
There is so much here to like, it's hard to figure out where to begin.
First there is the character of Flint, who is such an unusual hero. Flint's father even states it at the end of the movie--Flint's an original. On a basic level, it may not seem so, as he carries the attributes of the typical underdog, but it's more than that. Flint is so awkward and yet so adorable and eager to please that it's almost heartbreaking at times. What I liked is that he wasn't a complete wallflower. Though everyone disapproved of his disastrous inventions (including a TV that walked and eventually ran away, spray-on shoes that never came off, and rat-bird hybrids that multiplied and escaped), it never discouraged him from following his dreams. When he decided he liked Sam, he actually bit the bullet and asked her out on a date. He wasn't afraid to tell her he loved her best as her nerdy self, not the ditzy persona she projected. And throughout this all his only friend was a moronic monkey with a thought translator, also invented by Flint. Flint's demeanor was so awkward at times I started to wonder if he was perhaps the first autistic cartoon hero we'd ever had. I'm still trying to figure that out.
Then there is Sam Sparks. As I just mentioned, Sam had a habit of hiding her true nerd attributes--like her looks, her smarts, and her obsession with weather patterns--because in her line of business, it just wasn't welcome. Like Flint, I noticed whenever Sam said something smart then covered it quickly with a dumbed down observation, and it upset me just the same. I loved that this kids movie had the guts to call her out on it and even more to have Sam's co-anchor blatantly point out that frumpiness was not acceptable on national television. I think it should be inspiring that Sam transformed back into her nerd look but made it look so cool. It sent a great message to kids about being proud of who they are, while haevily implying that not everyone would accept them still.
I loved all the little sight gags and throwaway lines this movie had, like the running gags involving Flint's past inventions (my favorite was a scene where the walking TV broke into a store and looted a person during a riot), the news ticker on the CNN-type news station, and of course Steve the talking monkey. During my first viewing, my favorite scene was a totally random ice cream/snowball fight scene that literally had me falling out of my chair in fits of laughter, but on second viewing what definitely stood out was a scene where Flint asks his technophobe dad to e-mail him a file attachment necessary to save the world and Mr. Lockwood just can't seem to figure that damn computer out, reminding me of so many times teaching my dad how to use e-mail.
The only thing I think this movie could have done differently was to incorporate the glaring larger messages about the dangers of obesity, excess, and waste. If crafted perfectly this movie could have had a really impressive ulterior motive about enviromental and health issues that we desperately need to hear, but Cloudy shied away from it. I am not completely disappointed, because part of me kind of likes that it didn't go there, as it would have given the movie a stigma by people who don't want to be lectured when taking their kids to the movies. Cloudy's touch was light and it's effect could be impactful, but it's really up to you and what you took away from it. Part of me really likes that it stayed lighthearted and fun instead of being heavy-handed, so it's not a complete loss.
Personally, I don't see how they could ever make a sequel to this, and I'm torn on the issue. On the one hand, I want more! So much more! The writing, the dialogue, the characters, I loved them all. But I don't want them to ruin this I wouldn't want them to re-hash the same plot, so if they ever made a sequel it would have to be about something completely new, which would take them even further from the book, but as I understand, it was pretty distinct from the book to begin with, so it wouldn't really make a difference. If there is a Cloudy sequel, it would have to be pretty imaginitive to work.
2. Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
Oh God how long I waited for this movie to come out... I didn't see Boondock Saints when it was released but rather a couple years later, probably in 2002, so I only had to wait 7 years for this movie to come out but what a long 7 years it was! Boondock Saints has long secured its place as one of my top 3 movies of all time, so it was with a mixture of trepidation, skepticism, and excitement that I approached the idea of a sequel. On the one hand, everyone was slated to be back, or at least the four that mattered most to be: the 3 MacManus men and writer/director/creator Troy Duffy. I never understood why everyone hated Troy Duffy and I didn't care to watch that documentary totally devoted to why he sucks, because I'd rather not cast that type of shadow on a favorite of mine. I don't care about the politics of Hollywood and I don't care why anyone thinks BDS was a terrible movie. I think it was amazing in every aspect and I was willing to approach the sequel with an open mind.
I really needed it during the first half hour of the film, which was decidedly slow, almost to the point of being incredibly disappointing. They didn't just jump into the action like the first did, though the film did start with a hit. This one was by an imposter, framing the MacManus brothers for the murder of a priest, a good man they would never have touched. But there was nothing they could do about it, as the brothers and good old da had retired to Ireland living a quiet life in the rural west, disconnected for nigh on 8 years. When they learn about the frame up they immediately take action, leaving Ireland and their father for Boston to clear their names. On the way they meet a new sidekick, Romeo, a scrappy Mexican guy also hailing from Boston and reluctantly allow him to come along, still sore from the memory of Rocko and their guilt at his death all those years ago. A lot of time is taken to set up this and the alternate plotline of the priest's murder, investigated by our favorite trio of idiot cops, Dolly, Duffy and Greenly, aided by the sharp, smart and sexy Special Agent Eunice Bloom, a protege of the apparently late Agent Smecker.
The film only starts to pick up when the boys are back in town and making their first big hit on a group of cocaine manufacturers that are connected to the murder of the priest. It's here, in the boys' pre-hit jitters and light-hearted dialogue while heading into an incredibly heavy situation that the spirit of the first movie really shines through. Though their names haven't been spoken aloud yet, and are not, in fact, spoken until nearly 2/3 of the way through the film, it's clear that Connor and Murphy are back!
[SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE REST OF THE REVIEW]
The plot continues to unravel, as it is worked out that the man responsible for calling out the hit on the priest is Concezio Yakavetta, the son of the mobster they killed at the end of the first movie, still sore about the indignities they served his father 8 years ago. The real person orchestrating events, though, is a hidden figure that is not revealed until the film's final half hour, but in the meantime, Connor and Murphy have quite a bit of fun killing mob guys left and right trying to weed out the truth. Meanwhile, they are hunted by Eunice and her 3 nervous cohorts who are trying to keep their naughty deeds 8 years prior a secret, unaware that Eunice knows all there is to know and is not in fact who she seems to be. I was really pleased to see Dolly, Duffy and Greenly back and a little smarter than before, but still lovably dim for the most part. They got more to do here, especially Greenly, who sadly became the film's most unexpected and shocking casualty. There is another significant one, but I'm willing to best most fans saw the death of their father (whose name we are told is Noah) coming long before the climax wherein it takes place.
The movie did a FANTASTIC job of reintroducing inside jokes from the first--too many to count, really. This is definitely a movie that knows where it's coming from and where it's going, but its method of story-telling is that it takes a lax, roundabout way to get there. Connor and Murphy have a purpose, one they believe is truly noble, but the film does a great job of showing that they're just guys as well, out to have fun while fulfilling that purpose. I really have a hard time finding too many things to hate about this movie; the dialogue is hilarious and has spawned dozens of new catchy lines (my favorite: "Fuck you I know shit!" or "You look like you mighta seen one up close."), the references to the first are classy and subtle (the revisit to the gunrunner from the first film was nice, and Greenly's CD player investigation techniques lifted from Smecker were good fun), the plot, though convoluted and twisty, held together fairly well and was not easy to guess at the start, and the cinemetography was superb. Shootout scenes have a tendency to be hectic and chaotic but Duffy turns that chaos practically into a piece of art. To be honest, it's not surprising that I liked this movie... because it is exactly the same as the first movie. I guess that some people would hate that but I'm not one of them. I think after a ten-year wait, Duffy's best option was to recreate his themes and ideas from the first and not get too experiemental, because fans can be protective and overly-critical, sometimes moreso than non-fans, and you're treading on thin ice messing with a formula that works. So here, again, we have intro-hit-flashback-plot forward-hit-flashback-plot forward, etc... same story, different year.
And you know what else I loved? The fact that he set it up brilliantly for a third movie. I think the biggest victory to emerge from this movie is that I actually WANT a third movie, and not in another goddamn ten years. I want one in two at most, and I want it to pick up right where we left off. Sean and Norman are getting too old for this shit, so it's got to be done sooner rather than later, not to mention it ends on a cliffhanger. It's kinda funny that Duffy set up such an immediate cliffhanger, considering this movie was barely made itself and had a slow-starting release. There's no chance in hell a third movie is gonna get the greenlight just like that, so Duffy's got balls for ending his film the way he did.
All in all, I think Duffy was very successful at continuing the story begun a decade ago... but really, who is surprised? The man had ten years and nothing else to work on. I mean, why not, really?
1. Up
In Pixar's latest brilliant install, we have a fairly simple story: Carl Fredericksen, an 80-something senior living along in his storybook house since the death of his wife some years before, is about to be sent to a nursing home when it seems he has become senile. To escape this fate, Carl, a former balloon salesman, attaches thousands of colorful balloons to his house and takes off, house and all, on an adventure to a land called Paradise Falls, a cliffside paradise in South America he always talked about visiting with his wife when she was alive. A neighborhood boyscout Russell accidentally tags along and Carl must deal with the annoying child while searching for his beloved Falls by foot. On the way, they meet some characters--more bad than good--and redefine their individual destinations.
Words can't describe how utterly beautiful and heartbreaking the first twenty minutes of this film are. This isn't the first Pixar film that has made me cry: Toy Story and it's sequel have some moments worth shedding a tear over, and Wall-E had such heart that it was difficult not to find yourself engaged by the end, but none of these affected me like Up did. I was flat out bawling for the first twenty minutes of that movie--the awkward kind of crying where you know everyone else in the theater is crying right along with you for the same reasons but no one wants to meet anyone else's gaze because they all know it? That kind... Watching the heartbreaking journey of Carl and Ellie from their first meeting, to their courtship and marriage, to their long life together interrupted every now and then for life's little emergencies that deplete their savings over and over again. In these times, I'm sure anyone can relate to the disappointment one may feel breaking into those savings you thought for sure this time was going to go towards something you desperately wanted. The theme of needs vs. wants was very central to this movie. Carl wanted to explore and have grand adventures, but what he needed (and what he finally realized he had all along) was a happy life shared with someone he loved. The end of this movie, where Carl opens Ellie's old Adventure Scrapbook, believing its pages to be blank but finding Ellie had filled it with memories of their life together, is a perfect recall to the first segment of the film and ties the whole thing up in a nice bow. Sanguine and genuine, this moment teaches Carl that it is the little things you must cherish, which will lead to one big adventure, maybe not in the way you imagined, but maybe a little better.
My other favorite part of this movie is, predictably, Doug the dog, an eager-to-please, genial but dumb Golden Retriever who can 'talk' thanks to a thought communicator. There are only a handful of shows and movies which I have felt totally nailed dogs, and this is one. Doug is so much like my Golden Retriever Dizzy that it's uncanny. He easily nabs the best lines in the film. Who would have thought that after all the crazy worlds Pixar has visited (toys, monsters, bugs, cars, fish, rodents) that when they finally got around to doing a normal pet, it would still be so unique and memorable?
Up is 2009's most notable Not-To-Be-Missed. It's good for any age, 8 or 80, it's sweet and sincere, silly and imaginative, equally devastating and touching, simply hilarious, and chock full of feel-good messages about life and appreciation of the little things. How do they keep doing it? Seriously. Spot on, Pixar.
(Honorable Mentions: The Watchmen, This Is It, The Princess and the Frog, Avatar)
If I get off my lazy kick, maybe I'll post the bottom picks this week too.
10. The Hangover
The Hangover may not have been nearly as uproariously, ground-breakingly funny as frat boys have made it out to be, but neither was it as easily dismissed and unimpressive as anti-bandwagon snobs have vehemently declared it to be. It is one damn funny movie and a good time at the theater. It had a perfect time of release at the beginning of summer, and it definitely deserved to be there for months following, as it more than earned its 'sleeper hit' status. Of course, I could be biased, as I am desperately in love with Bradley Cooper. Been rooting for the guy since his "Alias" days back when he was always playing the best friend or the nice guy or the dude who always came in second in the hunt for the leading lady's affections (sometimes all three!), but it's been full-on love ever since his leading man days on the all-too-short-lived "Kitchen Confidential." I find it really interesting that people only seem to know him for playing assholes, as he is here in The Hangover, because to me he'll always be sweet Will Tippin first. I do not find it surprising that people are interested in him now, just satisfying because I knew he had the potential all along. While I like him better as the 'nice guy' I am immensely pleased that Brad can play asshole just as well because it proves he's got the range to pull it off.
I only bring all this up because I think Brad's impending super-stardom is entirely due to this film (with maybe a little credit to The Wedding Crashers) and it's causing people to instinctively dismiss him and the other actors from The Hangover but that should not happen! All the actors were great--Brad as the brash asshole and best friend, Zach Galifianakas (who, believe it or not, used to play a sweet, geeky coroner on "Tru Calling") is hilariously awkward and inappropriate and has given new reasons to laugh at the idea of a 'wolf pack', Ed Helms (who I currently love on "The Office") is goofy and neurotic and makes you wanna cheer for his sad sack self, and even Justin Bartha, the missing groom who doesn't appear much has his funny moments, though I would have preferred a bit more screentime for the actor whom I know best from the National Treasure series as the goofy comic relief. All in all, great cast, though like I said before, I may be biased, since it's obvious I loved all these guys before. I can see why they want to cash in on this unexpected boon by making a sequel, but I don't think it really requires one. I will definitely go see it when it gets made, though, if only for the hope of more missing camera pictures like the ones during the credits here, which really topped off the hilarity of the film quite nicely.
9. Inglorious Basterds
I admit, I haven't actually seen a great many Tarantino films, so I never really know what to expect from him, but I've rarely been disappointed. I would say that Inglorious Basterds was preceded by really misleading promotions but then, how do you accurately introduce a film like this one, really? Understandably it's not the easiest movie to dissect, like all of his films. The nice part about this is that it offers audiences the rarely-seen-these-days chance to be surprised in their viewing experience, instead of having the whole film spoiled by a two-minute trailer (I'm talking to you, rom-com movie trailers!).
I wasn't initially sold on this movie. It was a bit long and it's very difficult to see where it's going or what exactly the point is, especially when the movie spends a lengthy period of time on single, innocuous scenes that seemingly have little to do with the main plot, such as, for instance, the confrontation between the major villain and a minor character near the beginning of the film who is harboring a Jewish family beneath his floorboards, or a barroom scene involving German officers and a couple of our heroes. This all helps to illustrate what, exactly, was so misleading about the trailers that had people fuming: the so-called heroes of our film--the Basterds themselves--really aren't featured with any depth. In fact, they really only take up about a third of the screentime.
[Thar be spoilers ahead]
The film's many remaining minutes are nonetheless well-spent on two alternate plotlines. The three intertwining threads are as follows: 1) a young Jewish woman, the only escapee of the aforementioned massacre of a family some years before, is living in Nazi-occupied France under an alias during World War II and owns a theater. When a handsome, charming Nazi officer and war hero attempts to court her, she resists, but goes along with it when she learns that he could literally bring Hitler (and the officer who murdered her family) to her doorstep thanks to the premiere of a movie of which he is the star. She puts aside her horror and fears of being caught to orchestrate an elaborate but suicidal revenge plan; 2) the officer who killed her family, Col. Hans Landa, is on a mission to seek out all the Jews hiding in France during the German occupation but is mostly focused on two objectives: capturing the notorious Basterds who have been scalping all his soldiers and netting significant personal gain; and 3) the Basterds themselves, a group of Jewish-American soliders roaming the countryside of France collecting the scalps of Nazis and working out a plan of their own to hunt down Hitler and destroy him. And they really have the pluck and tenacity to get it done. It's amazing to think what would have happened if these guys really existed as depicted.
And that's why I came around to an overall acceptance of this movie, I think. I accepted it as it was: an elaborate and stylistic depiction of a "What If" scenario. What IF we got some WWII-era Jewish heroes who weren't struggling in death camps like we traditionally see in the movies but rather fighting back? What IF we had a sympathetic Nazi falling for a secretly-Jewish girl? What IF a coincidence like this had transpired in real life that led Hitler to the doorstep of those seeking revenge and fully capable of seizing it? But most importantly--and this one is good--what IF Hitler and half his officers were wiped out in a fiery blaze and hail of gunfire, fueled by intense hatred and sweet revenge, instead of just quietly taking his own life in a bunker somewhere below ground? I walked away from this theater feeling satisfied, not only because I'd seen a pretty stylish and smart movie (my sister complained that the aforementioned barroom scene was too long and boring but I think it may have been one of the best-crafted scenes in the movie) but for the movie's complete and utter disregard for history. They just didn't give a fuck. Tarantino set out to make a movie that was purely fiction, purely wish-fulfillment. It wasn't pretty, but it would have been so much better than what really happened. And isn't it nice to dream?
8. The Boat That Rocked
Marketed in the states as Pirate Radio (no doubt capitalizing on the Americans' love of pirates), I did not actually go to see this movie in theaters, because I watched it online first. What can I say? I was excited about this movie since I'd first heard of it, and when it was released internationally and nowhere in sight on the American radar, I sought it out. If I had known it was going to be released stateside a few weeks later, I might have waited, but it doesn't really matter.
The Boat That Rocked tells the story of a group of eclectic disc jockeys working on a pirate radio station literally stationed on a boat in the middle of the ocean off the coast of the UK in 1966. According to the movie, even though rock and roll was outlawed in the UK during the sixties, it was being listened to more than any other station. And who can blame them, really? The sixties were the time rock and roll flourished; it's practically unimaginable to miss this era of change. The story starts when Carl, a young man who is the godson of the ship's captain Quentin (played by the ever-wonderful Bill Nighy), joins the ship, called Radio Rock, in what is supposed to be a growth experience, and it certainly is, though maybe not in the way upstanding British citizens might have hoped. Though not explicitly stated, Carl hopes to accomplish two things: get the girl (who also happens to be Quentin's niece Marianne) and figure out if one of the ship's illustrious characters is indeed his father (uncomfortably the film suggests for a fair amount of time that this may be Quentin, but thankfully dodges the unspoken implication of incestual attraction).
One of the subplots involves the rivalry between returning disc jockey champ and "King of the Airwaves" Gavin, and the ship's only American, The Count (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman). This is an entertaining sidestory, and both characters are both likeable and incorrigible and eternally rockstars, but it doesn't take over the movie. One of my problems with the American release of this film is that they made Hoffman look like THE star, probably because he's the most recognizable to American audiences, and it's smart to bank on your big names. It's really more of an ensemble story though, and while Hoffman is prominent, he really shares the stage with at least three other characters, including the film's 'bad guy', Dormandy, a British politician who wants to shut down Radio Rock for good.
The movie's plot isn't what's really important though; it's an amalgate of used plot devices, some cliches, and quirky characters. It's not a revolutionary movie, but it's a movie about a revolution, and it sure was a lot of fun to watch. Don't watch it expecting to have your view of movies changed forever. It's simply a cool story with fun characters and fantastic music. And if you're into rock and roll (particularly of the generation depicted) then it's a 'can't miss' for sure.
My biggest problem with the American release is that they changed the name. For the life of me I can't figure out what is wrong with "The Boat That Rocked." It fit the movie perfectly for offering up a triple meaning: Radio Rock literally rocked for its championing of rock music, it metaphorically rocked people's views of popular music and their definitions of decency and censorship, and then of course there's the double entendre meaning of a rocking boat that can't be ignored. It was the perfect title and they were stupid for changing it, but I guess that just goes to show that even from English to English some things can get lost in translation.
7. Zombieland
I don't really think there is much that needs to be said about Zombieland; it is what it is. It's a zombie movie, it's not horror, but it has horrific elements (you really can't escape any zombie movie without some decent shotgun blasts to the head), it's not purely drama, but there are some serious elements (Woody Harrelson's character takes a dramatic turn that the movie thankfully doesn't linger on too long but does give you a new perspective), and it's not purely parody, like Shaun of the Dead, but it's still super fun.
The movie starts some time after the zombie apocalypse, and it narrated by the Michael Cera-esque main character, played by Jesse Eisenberg. He meets another survivor, played by Woody Harrelson, who insists they go by aliases based on where they are from: Jesse is Columbus, and Woody is Tallahassee. Columbus has a set of rules he obsessively follows in order to survive, and these rules often serve as bookends to the movie that really add to the style. Columbus and Tallahassee are repeatedly tricked and dogged by two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, before eventually deciding to team up and work together. Everyone has trust issues, but none more so than the sisters. They were starting to get a little unsympathetic with all their backstabbing and my opinion of them is improved by film's end, but it's obvious that Woody Harrelson is the treasure in this movie, and I'm glad they didn't go with the downer ending I thought they might go with for his character.
Despite being a movie about the end of the world, and featuring only five living characters (one of which is randomly played by Bill Murray... playing himself...), it actually has a pretty happy ending, and as I understand it, there's going to be a sequel, which is fine by me. I don't think this movie was so good that it's untouchable, so if they want to make another one and it stays in the spirit of the first, I think it could be a whole lot of fun. I definitely look forward to hearing more of Columbus' rules, in any case. I think they were one of the things that really set this movie apart from others in the genre; everyone watches zombie films and says 'Now, come on! Why would anyone do that? It's so stupid. If I were him, I would totally survive the zombie apocalypse!' so it's really nice to see a geek character like us depicted on screen doing all the things that we insist we would do if put in that situation. It's pure fanwank and wish fulfillment, but it's unique and offers up a great chance for comedy.
6. Sherlock Holmes
Slipping in at the end of the year (but not the end of my list!) is Guy Ritchie's adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, which I didn't actually see until two weeks into the new year, but we're still counting it, just like we're counting this entire list posted more than a month after the year ended...
I am a huge fan of Guy Ritchie for his frenetic, stylistic gangster movies, the best of which are known for their convoluted, intertwining plots and multitude of characters that number so high, it's often hard to keep track of them all. Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and more recently Rocknrolla are what I consider his best work, and I had a hard time seeing how a Sherlock Holmes story would fit into this array, but I was very pleasantly surprised.
Indeed, Sherlock Holmes is not like Ritchie's other films. It shares a few things--cool characters with snappy dialogue, action, and an incurable style, but even that's unlike his previous style. Sherlock is stylish in the art and the setting and the delivery, where the others are previously known for being stylish in attitude and plot reveal. There are few surprises plotwise in Sherlock Holmes; in fact, the villain everyone expected to be all powerful in occult matters was in fact orchestrating a charade, but if the audience was intended to be surprised by that part, I think Ritchie failed. However, like Holmes, I don't think we were ever meant to believe the ominous Lord Blackwood was ever in possession of supernatural powers, because it's just not logical, and Holmes is nothing if not utterly logical.
Another thing utterly Ritchie-esque was the delightful bromance between Holmes and Watson, which was entirely too much fun to watch. I didn't know quite what to expect from this film, since it was so unlike Ritchie's other work, so I have to admit I was a little worried for a minute there in the middle of the film when it seemed for a moment that an explosion killed Watson. When it was happening, all I could think was "Oh my God, did Ritchie really change the game THAT drastically?!" but I was extremely glad to see he had not, because it would not have been the same without the good doctor at his friend's side.
Another thing I liked was the character consistency for Robert Downey Jr. It seems like this is the umpteenth character RDJ has played in this vein. In my opinion, he has this uncanny knack for playing characters who are snarky and clever, maybe even brilliant, yet vulnerable and ultimately good, despite so many antiheroic qualities. They fall in love with plucky gals whose middle names are 'Trouble' and they have stronger male foils and partners they lean on when they inevitably get themselves in trouble. Over and over again, RDJ nails this role, and you may think I'm getting bored picking all these out, but really I am loving that he can play to his acting strengths yet play such vastly different characters. Because really, Sherlock Holmes is so not Tony Stark is so not Harry Lockhart.
This movie was brilliantly set up for a sequel that further explores the Holmes canon, particularly his rivalry with Moriarty, and I hope we get one within three years. I'm sure we will, and I'm excited to see whom they will cast, but it won't mean a thing unless RDJ and Jude Law are both back. As long as those two are secure, they can make a dozen movies for all I care. In my opinion, they nailed it, and Ritchie may have a new path ahead of him rebooting a franchise... just as long as he works on the Rocknrolla sequel in his offtime. :)
5. District 9
When I go to the movies and thoroughly enjoy myself I may find myself walking out of the theater saying "I really loved the dialogue! It was so funny!" or "What a great inspirational/existential/sweet/thought-provoking ending!" or "The characters were so great. I love them all!" It isn't often that I come out with the foremost thought: "Wow, what an awesome PLOT," but that's what I thought immediately after seeing District 9. I think this is because almost everything has been done before in some way or another, and District 9 really doesn't escape from that, per se, but there's something about the way they did it that makes it wholly unique.
I know I loved the plot because I relayed almost the entire thing to my friend a couple weeks after seeing it, without really intending to. I think that proves at the very least that it was memorable, because the plot is fairly complicated. Some 20 years ago, an enormous spaceship settles over Johannesburg, South Africa and the inhabitants, large, human-sized crustacean-like creatures un-affectionately dubbed 'prawns' by men, are discovered inside some weeks later, half-starved and in need of rescue. They are taken down to land and placed in a settlement and interrogated. There is a language barrier, as the aliens' language consists primarily of clicking noises, but it seems that the two decades of cohabitation has overcome this, as both species are able to understand the others' language. The aliens are unable to get home and nobody knows what to do with them, so they are ushered into their settlements, segregated from men, and practically forgotten about. The latest attempt to corral the aliens is called District 9 (presumably there were 8 districts before this that didn't work out), but the plot begins when District 9 must be moved again, a process which no one relishes, but especially the prawns, considering there are now more of them than ever being forced into a smaller district because the South Africans just don't want to deal with them anymore.
There are definite lessons to be learned and connections to be drawn between the situation in District 9 and the apartheid, but even without the glaring metaphor, it's an enjoyable movie. What's impressive is that it was done on such a small budget and featured entirely unknown actors, yet was so successful it almost instantly spawned talk of a sequel. And I am crossing my fingers for one, without a doubt. They left it totally open and make you hunger for more. After the movie ends you really want to know what happened to the heroes and if the situation is resolved and what will happen when District 10 opens (nothing good can come of it, for sure).
What is most interesting to me is the turn the main character took. Wikus Van de Merwe is a sort of nerdy tool in charge of the move, but inside District 9's walls he becomes infected with an alien substance and begins to turn into one of them, something which seems unusual even to the prawns. In Wikus' first scenes, he is fairly ignorant to the point of buffoonery. Though he seems to understand the alien language, he chooses not to use it until it is useful to him. This is an interesting choice because it really separates the aliens from humanity and shows us how indifferent we are to them, to the point of treating them like inferior beings. It takes Wikus actually becoming one of them for him to realize they are not just savages. It may seem from my description like he hasn't earned our sympathy but what he does through is really so harrowing that you can't help but feel sorry for him and start to root for him by story's end, when he finally starts doing the right thing. I only hope we get to see more of Wikus in the inevitable sequel. Judging by the his demise in this film, the question is a valid one. At least we'll see more of Sharlto Copley when he takes over the role of Murdock in the A-Team film later this year!
4. Star Trek
My exposure to all things Star Trek was very limited prior to seeing this movie. I have only seen a few episodes of the original series, and even less of subsequent series. I knew enough to know the basic plot and most of the characters (and that was, in part, due to a particularly dorky Futurama episode that featured them all), but even if I hadn't known a single thing, I think I would have liked this reboot.
Star Trek jump started the summer movie season and I don't think I could have asked for a better one. It was undoubtedly the best 'summer movie' of the year. Everybody did a great job on the acting front, and it'll be weird seeing Chris Pine (known to me prior to this as one of the creepy Tremor brothers in Smokin' Aces and that dude in a couple bad romantic comedies I've had the misfortune of seeing) blow the hell up and move up a whole letter on the alphabetical list of acting cred, but I think he deserves it. It was also weird to see Zachary Quinto (known primarily to me as Sylar from Heroes) really get his name out there, but I think he deserves it too.
I think Star Trek may be one of the most successful franchise reboots in history, assuming they keep this momentum going for a few more movies. This movie wanted to reel in its old fanbase while incorporating a whole new one with its younger cast. I am precisely the latter of these targets. Despite my geek tendencies, Star Trek is something that has always gone over my head and I've been blissfully ignorant of it; prior to the movie I was only aware of the biggest joke origins, enough to get the inside jokes in the new movie and expect a few they were missing. It may not have had the full desired effect, as I don't have any intentions of sitting down anytime soon and watching reruns of the original series, but I do feel fully invested in the new movies, so they hooked me there. Overall, it was just a really good movie, for anyone, and despite some of the more obsessed fans' disapproval of some plot points, it left an overall good taste in peoples' mouths, just enough to set the stage for the second film.
3. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs
Even though it's not first on this list, I think Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs may be my favorite of the movies I saw in 2009, for the escapist fun alone. No, it's not the best movie in the world, but it's so funny and charming that I could watch it over and over again without getting bored. As it is, I saw it three times in theaters, and made everyone I know watch it too. I saw it first with David, and we were the only two people in the theater, which was both a shame, because it's fun to see other peoples' reactions, and pretty awesome, because it allowed us to laugh as hysterically as we wanted without feeling embarrassed. And laugh hysterically I did, every time. It's definitely one of those movies you can find something new to love every time you watch it, particularly because there are so many tiny sight gags to catch that it is impossible to get them all the first time.
Cloudy is the story of young Flint Lockwood, a failed inventor and a hot mess of a human being who just wants to invent something to make people's lives better. He lives with his gruff, laconic dad (his much-more-encouraging mother died when he was young) on a tiny island called Swallow Falls "located underneath the A in 'Atlantic Ocean'." Swallow Falls was a booming industrial town in the old days primarily as a result of the sardine market, but being so isolated, people were forced to eat nothing but sardines all their lives, which was fine until "everyone realized that sardines were super gross." (!) Flint, in an effort to overcome this drawback, decides to invent a machine that will turn water into food, and he fails at first, causing a scene in town, destroying their one chance to return to former glory, and worst of all, disappointing his father, who only wants Flint to join the family business of selling sardines. However, Flint's machine really does work and a miracle occurs when it starts raining cheeseburgers.
Flint is a huge success and the fame-hungry mayor exploits Flint's machine--and Flint, starving for fatherly affection which the mayor readily though falsely provides--so that the town can piggyback on this success. Flint makes it rain food every day, three times a day, for the weeks leading up to the town's grand re-opening. Meanwhile, the town is landing on everyone's radar thanks to the fabulous reports by plucky intern Sam Sparks, who is hoping this will be her big break as well. Everything seems to be going well until the machine gets overloaded and the food begins to mutate into huge proportions, eventually threatening not only the town of Swallow Falls (renamed Chew and Swallow) but potentially the whole world. Flint must overcome his father issues and his even bigger confidence issues to put a stop to his out-of-control machine and save the world.
There is so much here to like, it's hard to figure out where to begin.
First there is the character of Flint, who is such an unusual hero. Flint's father even states it at the end of the movie--Flint's an original. On a basic level, it may not seem so, as he carries the attributes of the typical underdog, but it's more than that. Flint is so awkward and yet so adorable and eager to please that it's almost heartbreaking at times. What I liked is that he wasn't a complete wallflower. Though everyone disapproved of his disastrous inventions (including a TV that walked and eventually ran away, spray-on shoes that never came off, and rat-bird hybrids that multiplied and escaped), it never discouraged him from following his dreams. When he decided he liked Sam, he actually bit the bullet and asked her out on a date. He wasn't afraid to tell her he loved her best as her nerdy self, not the ditzy persona she projected. And throughout this all his only friend was a moronic monkey with a thought translator, also invented by Flint. Flint's demeanor was so awkward at times I started to wonder if he was perhaps the first autistic cartoon hero we'd ever had. I'm still trying to figure that out.
Then there is Sam Sparks. As I just mentioned, Sam had a habit of hiding her true nerd attributes--like her looks, her smarts, and her obsession with weather patterns--because in her line of business, it just wasn't welcome. Like Flint, I noticed whenever Sam said something smart then covered it quickly with a dumbed down observation, and it upset me just the same. I loved that this kids movie had the guts to call her out on it and even more to have Sam's co-anchor blatantly point out that frumpiness was not acceptable on national television. I think it should be inspiring that Sam transformed back into her nerd look but made it look so cool. It sent a great message to kids about being proud of who they are, while haevily implying that not everyone would accept them still.
I loved all the little sight gags and throwaway lines this movie had, like the running gags involving Flint's past inventions (my favorite was a scene where the walking TV broke into a store and looted a person during a riot), the news ticker on the CNN-type news station, and of course Steve the talking monkey. During my first viewing, my favorite scene was a totally random ice cream/snowball fight scene that literally had me falling out of my chair in fits of laughter, but on second viewing what definitely stood out was a scene where Flint asks his technophobe dad to e-mail him a file attachment necessary to save the world and Mr. Lockwood just can't seem to figure that damn computer out, reminding me of so many times teaching my dad how to use e-mail.
The only thing I think this movie could have done differently was to incorporate the glaring larger messages about the dangers of obesity, excess, and waste. If crafted perfectly this movie could have had a really impressive ulterior motive about enviromental and health issues that we desperately need to hear, but Cloudy shied away from it. I am not completely disappointed, because part of me kind of likes that it didn't go there, as it would have given the movie a stigma by people who don't want to be lectured when taking their kids to the movies. Cloudy's touch was light and it's effect could be impactful, but it's really up to you and what you took away from it. Part of me really likes that it stayed lighthearted and fun instead of being heavy-handed, so it's not a complete loss.
Personally, I don't see how they could ever make a sequel to this, and I'm torn on the issue. On the one hand, I want more! So much more! The writing, the dialogue, the characters, I loved them all. But I don't want them to ruin this I wouldn't want them to re-hash the same plot, so if they ever made a sequel it would have to be about something completely new, which would take them even further from the book, but as I understand, it was pretty distinct from the book to begin with, so it wouldn't really make a difference. If there is a Cloudy sequel, it would have to be pretty imaginitive to work.
2. Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
Oh God how long I waited for this movie to come out... I didn't see Boondock Saints when it was released but rather a couple years later, probably in 2002, so I only had to wait 7 years for this movie to come out but what a long 7 years it was! Boondock Saints has long secured its place as one of my top 3 movies of all time, so it was with a mixture of trepidation, skepticism, and excitement that I approached the idea of a sequel. On the one hand, everyone was slated to be back, or at least the four that mattered most to be: the 3 MacManus men and writer/director/creator Troy Duffy. I never understood why everyone hated Troy Duffy and I didn't care to watch that documentary totally devoted to why he sucks, because I'd rather not cast that type of shadow on a favorite of mine. I don't care about the politics of Hollywood and I don't care why anyone thinks BDS was a terrible movie. I think it was amazing in every aspect and I was willing to approach the sequel with an open mind.
I really needed it during the first half hour of the film, which was decidedly slow, almost to the point of being incredibly disappointing. They didn't just jump into the action like the first did, though the film did start with a hit. This one was by an imposter, framing the MacManus brothers for the murder of a priest, a good man they would never have touched. But there was nothing they could do about it, as the brothers and good old da had retired to Ireland living a quiet life in the rural west, disconnected for nigh on 8 years. When they learn about the frame up they immediately take action, leaving Ireland and their father for Boston to clear their names. On the way they meet a new sidekick, Romeo, a scrappy Mexican guy also hailing from Boston and reluctantly allow him to come along, still sore from the memory of Rocko and their guilt at his death all those years ago. A lot of time is taken to set up this and the alternate plotline of the priest's murder, investigated by our favorite trio of idiot cops, Dolly, Duffy and Greenly, aided by the sharp, smart and sexy Special Agent Eunice Bloom, a protege of the apparently late Agent Smecker.
The film only starts to pick up when the boys are back in town and making their first big hit on a group of cocaine manufacturers that are connected to the murder of the priest. It's here, in the boys' pre-hit jitters and light-hearted dialogue while heading into an incredibly heavy situation that the spirit of the first movie really shines through. Though their names haven't been spoken aloud yet, and are not, in fact, spoken until nearly 2/3 of the way through the film, it's clear that Connor and Murphy are back!
[SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE REST OF THE REVIEW]
The plot continues to unravel, as it is worked out that the man responsible for calling out the hit on the priest is Concezio Yakavetta, the son of the mobster they killed at the end of the first movie, still sore about the indignities they served his father 8 years ago. The real person orchestrating events, though, is a hidden figure that is not revealed until the film's final half hour, but in the meantime, Connor and Murphy have quite a bit of fun killing mob guys left and right trying to weed out the truth. Meanwhile, they are hunted by Eunice and her 3 nervous cohorts who are trying to keep their naughty deeds 8 years prior a secret, unaware that Eunice knows all there is to know and is not in fact who she seems to be. I was really pleased to see Dolly, Duffy and Greenly back and a little smarter than before, but still lovably dim for the most part. They got more to do here, especially Greenly, who sadly became the film's most unexpected and shocking casualty. There is another significant one, but I'm willing to best most fans saw the death of their father (whose name we are told is Noah) coming long before the climax wherein it takes place.
The movie did a FANTASTIC job of reintroducing inside jokes from the first--too many to count, really. This is definitely a movie that knows where it's coming from and where it's going, but its method of story-telling is that it takes a lax, roundabout way to get there. Connor and Murphy have a purpose, one they believe is truly noble, but the film does a great job of showing that they're just guys as well, out to have fun while fulfilling that purpose. I really have a hard time finding too many things to hate about this movie; the dialogue is hilarious and has spawned dozens of new catchy lines (my favorite: "Fuck you I know shit!" or "You look like you mighta seen one up close."), the references to the first are classy and subtle (the revisit to the gunrunner from the first film was nice, and Greenly's CD player investigation techniques lifted from Smecker were good fun), the plot, though convoluted and twisty, held together fairly well and was not easy to guess at the start, and the cinemetography was superb. Shootout scenes have a tendency to be hectic and chaotic but Duffy turns that chaos practically into a piece of art. To be honest, it's not surprising that I liked this movie... because it is exactly the same as the first movie. I guess that some people would hate that but I'm not one of them. I think after a ten-year wait, Duffy's best option was to recreate his themes and ideas from the first and not get too experiemental, because fans can be protective and overly-critical, sometimes moreso than non-fans, and you're treading on thin ice messing with a formula that works. So here, again, we have intro-hit-flashback-plot forward-hit-flashback-plot forward, etc... same story, different year.
And you know what else I loved? The fact that he set it up brilliantly for a third movie. I think the biggest victory to emerge from this movie is that I actually WANT a third movie, and not in another goddamn ten years. I want one in two at most, and I want it to pick up right where we left off. Sean and Norman are getting too old for this shit, so it's got to be done sooner rather than later, not to mention it ends on a cliffhanger. It's kinda funny that Duffy set up such an immediate cliffhanger, considering this movie was barely made itself and had a slow-starting release. There's no chance in hell a third movie is gonna get the greenlight just like that, so Duffy's got balls for ending his film the way he did.
All in all, I think Duffy was very successful at continuing the story begun a decade ago... but really, who is surprised? The man had ten years and nothing else to work on. I mean, why not, really?
1. Up
In Pixar's latest brilliant install, we have a fairly simple story: Carl Fredericksen, an 80-something senior living along in his storybook house since the death of his wife some years before, is about to be sent to a nursing home when it seems he has become senile. To escape this fate, Carl, a former balloon salesman, attaches thousands of colorful balloons to his house and takes off, house and all, on an adventure to a land called Paradise Falls, a cliffside paradise in South America he always talked about visiting with his wife when she was alive. A neighborhood boyscout Russell accidentally tags along and Carl must deal with the annoying child while searching for his beloved Falls by foot. On the way, they meet some characters--more bad than good--and redefine their individual destinations.
Words can't describe how utterly beautiful and heartbreaking the first twenty minutes of this film are. This isn't the first Pixar film that has made me cry: Toy Story and it's sequel have some moments worth shedding a tear over, and Wall-E had such heart that it was difficult not to find yourself engaged by the end, but none of these affected me like Up did. I was flat out bawling for the first twenty minutes of that movie--the awkward kind of crying where you know everyone else in the theater is crying right along with you for the same reasons but no one wants to meet anyone else's gaze because they all know it? That kind... Watching the heartbreaking journey of Carl and Ellie from their first meeting, to their courtship and marriage, to their long life together interrupted every now and then for life's little emergencies that deplete their savings over and over again. In these times, I'm sure anyone can relate to the disappointment one may feel breaking into those savings you thought for sure this time was going to go towards something you desperately wanted. The theme of needs vs. wants was very central to this movie. Carl wanted to explore and have grand adventures, but what he needed (and what he finally realized he had all along) was a happy life shared with someone he loved. The end of this movie, where Carl opens Ellie's old Adventure Scrapbook, believing its pages to be blank but finding Ellie had filled it with memories of their life together, is a perfect recall to the first segment of the film and ties the whole thing up in a nice bow. Sanguine and genuine, this moment teaches Carl that it is the little things you must cherish, which will lead to one big adventure, maybe not in the way you imagined, but maybe a little better.
My other favorite part of this movie is, predictably, Doug the dog, an eager-to-please, genial but dumb Golden Retriever who can 'talk' thanks to a thought communicator. There are only a handful of shows and movies which I have felt totally nailed dogs, and this is one. Doug is so much like my Golden Retriever Dizzy that it's uncanny. He easily nabs the best lines in the film. Who would have thought that after all the crazy worlds Pixar has visited (toys, monsters, bugs, cars, fish, rodents) that when they finally got around to doing a normal pet, it would still be so unique and memorable?
Up is 2009's most notable Not-To-Be-Missed. It's good for any age, 8 or 80, it's sweet and sincere, silly and imaginative, equally devastating and touching, simply hilarious, and chock full of feel-good messages about life and appreciation of the little things. How do they keep doing it? Seriously. Spot on, Pixar.
(Honorable Mentions: The Watchmen, This Is It, The Princess and the Frog, Avatar)
If I get off my lazy kick, maybe I'll post the bottom picks this week too.