Best Movies of 2009

I actually think I went to the movies this year more than I have in the last six or seven years. Much like my television picks, I missed out on most of the big budget releases. Almost the entire summer blockbuster season when unnoticed by me, I haven't gotten off my butt to see Avatar (came close though), and as usual I missed out on Pixar's latest inevitable award winner. Overall, people seem to note that 2009 was a pretty lousy year for movies and I can agree with that. The summer blockbuster period was littered with just awful and lazy 80s cartoon adaptions and sequels and the roughly seven or eight movies I actually went out to see ranged from pretty good to just plain boring. I had some difficultly picking five movies that I really like and like the television picks, there is one movie on this list I haven't talked about yet.

Best Movies of 2009

5. Zombieland

Horror is not my genre of choice, but Zombieland succeeded in entertaining me mostly because it focused more on the comedy and relationships between our heroes than on the onslaught of the undead. The surprise celebrity cameo may be one of my favorite sequences of the year and the finale at an amusement park is probably the most purely inventive scene I've seen in a action-related context. Despite my aversion to almost anything horror related, I wouldn't mind seeing the creators continue the story of four strangers looking out for one another.

4. I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Tyler Perry seems to have figured out that if he is going to do a drama/comedy film, the two genre elements must bounce off one another naturally instead of randomly switching off at any given moment. That was the problem with "Madea Goes To Jail", but "I Can Do Bad" fixes this and is all the stronger for it. The movie doesn't do anything groundbreaking, it's just well paced and has solid cast work.

3. Star Trek

I haven't talked about this film mainly because I saw it before I started posting my opinions of things on this site. This movie was my first proper exposure to the Star Trek franchise and though it didn't make me want to rush and watch any of the various series, it was still an enjoyable science fiction outing. The movie managed to do a lot to make both series fans and newbies happy, and I think it succeeded in most areas. Zachary Quinto makes a memorable Spock, even if I still see him as the villain from Heroes and Simon Pegg as Scotty pretty much made the movie for me. The movie is well set up for further cinematic outings and I'll be waiting in line if it comes.

2. Precious

This is the type of drama that Tyler Perry should aspire to create. Precious is a truly emotional and dark movie and it never really gets much lighter, just deciding to end things when there is some small hope present. I said it before but the real strength of the movie is it's cast. Mo'Nique made an unbelievable transformation from a decent no-nonsense comedic actress to a extreme villainous force to be reckoned with and Gabourey Sidibe perfectly captured crushed innocence and lost potential for the title character. This is just a great movie.

1. The Hangover

I love comedy films and The Hangover can stand up with the classics of the genre. It is without a doubt one of the funniest film I've seen in a while. The combination of Helms, Cooper and Gilifanakis is a combo that shouldn't work, but works flawlessly. I said it before and I'll say it again, if you’re looking for a good, fun movie, look no further.

Precious (Review)

I was actually shocked to learn after seeing this film that Tyler Perry was "involved" in its production since this movie is rough five times greater and more ambitious than his own outings, although I guess that has to do more with Oprah's "involvement" than anything else. Based on the novel "Push", Precious tells the ridiculously depressing story of Precious Jones. She's 16, morbidly obese and illiterate. She lives in Harlem with her abusive mother and to top it all off, she's pregnant for the second time by her AIDS infected father. She gets kicked out of public school and is transferred to an alternative school. There, a teacher named Blu Rain brings her up to speed on getting a GED and Precious decides to make a better life for herself in spite of almost everyone trying to keep her down.

Though the plot sounds like it could be a parody of after school specials, its execution is anything but. Unlike most stories with plots this depressing, the movie doesn't try to be uplifting, though it at least ends with some ray of hope. Instead, the film gives us an uncensored glimpse into the awful life of a decent little girl who's experienced more trauma and heartache then most people do in their whole lives. The real strength of this movie lays in its cast, particularly Mo'Nique as Precious's mother Mary. Mo'Nique usually plays comedic roles in rather bland comedies but here she is true a powerhouse turning Mary into a monster. She is the epitome of human cruelty, though she has her bizarre reasons for her actions and she is a delight to watch. Singer Mariah Carey is stripped of the excessive make-up that she's infamous for and appears nearly unrecognizable as the social worker assigned to Precious' case. Gabourey Sidibe makes her debut as Precious and turns in an outstanding performance, seemingly tapping into preconscious feelings to make Precious come alive. Nothing could've prepared me for the dark nature and pure entertainment of this movie. It's easily one of the best films of the year.

Songs I Like - Vol 7: "Obsessed" (Mariah Carey)

This is the first single from Mariah Carey's new album: Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. I didn't care too much for this song the first time I heard it, but I've grown to love it.

Mariah Carey - Obsessed Lyrics

So Oh Oh So Ohhh
Will the real MC please step to the mic?
MC- You need an MC, place to be
MC the MC

All up in the blogs
Say we met at the bar
When I don’t even know who you are
Say we up in your house
Sayin’ I’m up in your car
But you in LA but I’m out at Jermaine’s

I’m up in the A- you’re so so lame
and no on here even mentions your name
It must be the weed, it must be the E
cuz you be poppin, hood, you get it poppin’

Ooh boy why you so obsessed with me?
Boy I want to know… lyin’ that you’re sexin me
when everybody knows it’s clear that you’re upset with me
Ohh finally found a girl that you couldn’t impress
Last man on the earth… still couldn’t get this

You’re delusional, you’re delusional
Boy you’re losing your mind
It’s confusin yo, you’re confused you know
Why you wasting your time?
Got you all fired up with your Napoleon complex
See right through you like you’re bathin’ in windex
[Obsessed lyrics on http://lyricsmusicvideo.blogspot.com ]

Ooh Ohh Ohh boy why you so obsessed with me?
And all the ladies sing, all the girls sing
Soo Oohhhh Soo Oohh Obsessed

You on your job, you hittin’ hard
Ain’t gon feed you, gon’ let you starve
Graspin’ for air I’m ?
You out of breath, hope you ain’t waitin
Tellin’ the world how much you miss me
But we never were so why you trippin’
You a mom and pop, I’m a corporation
I’m the press conference, you a conversation

Ooh boy why you so obsessed with me?
Boy I want to know… lyin’ that you’re sexin me
when everybody knows it’s clear that you’re upset with me
Ohh finally found a girl that you couldn’t impress
Last man on the earth… still couldn’t get this

You’re delusional, you’re delusional
Boy you’re losing your mind
It’s confusin yo, you’re confused you know
Why you wasting your time?
Got you all fired up with your Napoleon complex
See right through you like you’re bathin’ in windex

Ooh Ohh Ohh boy why you so obsessed with me?
And all the ladies sing, all the girls sing
Soo Oohhhh Soo Oohh Obsessed