For the first time in a long time, I had trouble compiling my Top 15 list this year. There were so many good to great movies, that there are quite a few that fell by the wayside that I wish I could have made the list. I really was surprised by just how much I enjoyed, some I thought wouldn't be nearly as good as they were, and others that met my expectations of being great. This year my list ranges from quite a few indie gems to a few bigger blockbusters from throughout the year. I think we've finally seen the end of much of the material that was from the 2008 writer's strike, because the movies this year were just much stronger and better written than many from the past two years. This year, we see some of the usual suspects on the list, like Marvel Studios, and Martin Scorsese have made the list, with some twists along the way. Some, like the return to form of Woody Allen, an indie noir film starring Ryan Gosling as the world's quietest anti-hero, and an unexpected directional turn from Kevin Smith. This year was a lot of fun for me, and I can't wait to see what you guys think and look forward to hearing you're favorites of the year.
Runner Ups: The Adjustment Bureau, Fast Five, Thor, Fright Night, Kung Fu Panda 2, Source Code, X-Men: First Class, Paul, Rango, The Lincoln Lawyer
15) Attack the Block
A mix of sci-fi fun, british humor, and a set on unlikely heroes made "Attack the Block' one of the must see movies of the year.
14) Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Bigger, more fun, and with a more exciting villain than the first film 'A Game of Shadows' knows exactly what the audience wants, and gives it to them in spades. Downey, Jr. and Law have great onscreen chemistry and really make the movie work.
13) Moneyball
One of the best sports movies in recent memory, Brad Pitt plays A's general manager Billy Beane who tried to change the way baseball was played forever. With a great script written by Aaron Sorkin, it's hard to go wrong with this movie.
12) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Parts 1 & 2)
A fitting finale to one of the greatest movie series of all time. Splitting it into two films really let the story breath and really let us enjoy the last story in full. I'm going to miss the movies and the characters, but I'm glad it ended on a high note.
11) 50/50
This movie surprised me but how good it really was. It's very emotional, has a lot of heart, and Joseph Gordon Levitt knocks it out of the park as a young man trying to deal with cance. Seth Rogen is good as well, breaking out of his sterotypical role a little bit. He and Gordon Levitt have great chemistry and really made the movie shine.
10) Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A movie I didn't expect to love as much as I did. The 'Planet of the Apes' reboot was much better than it ever deserved to be, and has become one of my favorite sci-fi films in recent years. Andy Serkis gives an outstanding performance as Ceasar, the main character of the movie. He's so good, even with no dialogue, that Fox is pushing for him to get a best supporting actor nomination in the upcoming Academy Awards. Even if you aren't a fan of the series, check this movie out. It really is incredible.
9) Hugo
Martin Scorsese's love for film is what makes this movie so special. With a brilliant cast and a heartwarming story, Scorsese's first jump into family film is nothing short of wonderful. The marketing for this movie was all wrong, because they didn't know how to market it. If you love film, you'll love this movie.
8) Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
I did not expect to love this movie as much as I did. It had been five years since the last film, and it felt like three was very final. But when you get Brad Bird, famous for working at Pixar and making Ratatouille and the Incredibles, you're definitely in for a great ride. Pair him with J.J. Abrams, and you've got a great win on your hands. This is easily the best movie in the series, and I never expected it to turn out this way. The scenes filmed in IMAX really made the movie come alive, and became one of the be theater experiences I've had in quite some time. Tom Cruise still proves to be one of the world's best leading men in action films, and a strong supporting cast really helps make this movie great.
7) Red State
An unexpected turn from comedy director Kevin Smith, 'Red State' is about as bleak and dark as movies come. An action/suspense/horror film in the vein of Religious horror thrillers of the 70's, this is unlike anything he's ever made. With a shockingly strong cast, and a great screenplay by Smith, this is him at his finest. Really. Going back to his indie roots, Smith has found new life in himself and his work, and it shows here. John Goodman, Michael Parks, and Melissa Leo give academy award worth performances. This movie punchedm e in the gut the first time I saw. For those who have written off Smith, don't. See this movie.
6) The Adventures of TinTin
Now this is how you make an adventure movie! TinTin was one of my favorite books/comic series growing up, and I wasn't sure a movie, even done by the film masters of Spielberg and Jackson, could be pulled off. But I left the theater very, very happy and very, very excited. 'The Adventures of TinTin' is about as fun, exciting, and funny as they come. Spielberg is having so much fun here, you can see the 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' version of himself bleeding through into the movie. And for once, motion capture is used to the best of it's abilities for a fully animated film. This is just a wonderful movie.
5) The Muppets
Ok, anyone who didn't love this movie has no heart and soul. At all. This is easily one of the funniest, sweetest, and most sincere movies ever made. I loved it. The soundtrack is amazing, and every song is catchy. Jason Segal really showed his love for the Muppets, and he brought them back in a big and wonderful way. This may be my favorite Muppet movie to date. It's just amazing.
4) Drive
Here's a movie I had no inkling about before it came out. Never even saw a trailer for it. But word of mouth got me to check this out and I'm glad I did. This is a noire moive at it's finest, with an excellent acting job by Ron Gosling, a killer soundtrack, and some of the most intense action I've ever seen. But this isn't an action movie, like many think. This is a slow burn movie. It really only kicks in about half way through the second act. And the payoff is worth the wait.
3) Captain America: The First Avenger
This is Marvel studios' best film to date. Joe Johnston crafted an excellent movie out one of Marvel's most beloved characters. Chris Evans is exceptional as Steve Rogers and really embodied the character. He gives Downey, Jr's. Tony Stark a run for his money. The supporting cast is excellent, the action is fun, but the real heart of the movie lies in the characters and their relationships. That's what made me love this movie. The final moments and the last line of the movie says it all for me. I can't wait to see Evans next year in The Avengers.
2) Midnight in Paris
Woody Allen absolutley knocked this movie out the park. it's just a sweet, fun, and ultimately beautiful little story about a writer in Paris with writer's block. Every night at midnight, he goes out into the city, and something magical happens. It really changes him as a person, and gives him new life. I don't want to say more, because it's better to experience it as blind as possible. But it really is a great film
1) Super 8
No one has ever given a better tribute to Spielberg and his Amblin movies until now. J.J. Abrams got one of the best cast of young kids I've seen in quite some time, with Kyle Chandler and so many great actors in supporting roles, in a movie that is part Goonies, Close Encounters, and ET. Movies don't come better than this. The train wreck sequence alone is worth the price of admission, and the ending is beautiful. The best movie of the year, easily.
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