The Top 10 Movies I Saw In 2009 have been revealed. What about the movies which almost made Jabcat’s Top 10? Funny you should ask. Here they are, The 15 Next Best Movies I Saw in 2009:
High Honorable Mention
Duplicity (Julia Roberts and Clive Owen as corporate spies in a smart romantic caper film)
9 (Intelligent and visually arresting animated fare about manufactured survivors of a post-apocalyptic world who have been implanted with the spark of human life)
Sherlock Holmes (thrilling ride with Robert Downey, Jr./Jude Law as Holmes/Watson) See Jabcat’s review of Sherlock Holmes.
Julie & Julia (Meryl Streep and Amy Adams cook, learn, love, years apart, one inspired by the other)
Honorable Mention
The Brothers Bloom (Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo are con men brothers in this quirky flick, with Rachel Weisz as their mark)
Last Chance Harvey (late blooming love for Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson) [Limited release December 2008. Went wide January 2009, when I saw it.]
An Education (Carey Mulligan arrives in this almost great film) See Jabcat’s review of An Education.
Taken (Liam Neeson kicks butt in this taut, tense thriller about a man determined to find his abducted daughter)
Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood stars/directs as a widower who gets to know his neighbors, good and bad, in a changing neighborhood) [Limited release December 2008. Went wide January 2009, when I saw it.]
I Love You Man (funniest film of the year with Paul Rudd getting tips on letting loose from Jason Segel)
Fast & Furious (Vin Diesel/Paul Walker return and breathe life back into this car racing/fast living franchise)
District 9 (breathtaking pace to this tale of aliens living among us, segregated in their own slum)
The Blind Side (Sandra Bullock as a rich southern woman with a strong will and good heart) See Jabcat’s review of The Blind Side.
2012 (the end of the world is nigh, board the giant boats!)
And finally . . .
All About Steve (I know what you’re thinking. All About Steve? Most everybody loathed it. In a year when Sandra Bullock shined in The Blind Side (see above) and led The Proposal to commercial success, this film of hers fell through the cracks. But I thought it was funny and heartwarming, and greatly admired the way Bullock’s character, Mary, walked a fine line between crazy and sane, likeable and annoying, without ever losing me. In the end I bought in.)
