Having already mentioned what a huge year 2009 is for Let's Go To The Movies, formed in the February to be exact. That was therefore a massive year in terms of reviews for 2009 films, catching as many as I possibly could at the cinema and then reviewing them. Something I have grown to love over the past decade!
I don't feel as though this was really an outstanding decade in terms of films and/or performances but we certainly were given plenty of entertainment. The 3D film was pushed a lot and in a few different ways which is something that Avatar really was groundbreaking with, however after ten years maybe that film was more of a gimmick than actually an amazing film? I certainly think so.
I am going to have a look back at some of the films which have probably a lot of meaning still ten years on, but also the films that may mean something a little bit more and considered groundbreaking at the time!
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was to be the final time we would see Heath Ledger on film as he sadly died whilst still filming this one. It had to be changed in order for it to be finished and that saw Jude Law, Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp all step in for the changed story to play the same character.
(500) Days of Summer a very different type of romantic comedy and something that we could have done with a lot more of, pushing the boundaries in a different manner and really highlighting that this genre can be done in an engaging way and make you enjoy watching romances that feel more like real life.
District 9 is not a film I can honestly say that I enjoyed but I can appreciate that it was something a little bit different and the way it was filmed more on handheld devices appearing to be real footage in a none horror genre was something a little bit different.
Inglourious Basterds what else can we actually say about Tarantino? I am not entirely sure but I remember not fully appreciating him or this film. Maybe he is a director that grows on you over time and you eventually learn to realise just how different he manages to be?
Fame ok, I know everyone will be wondering just why this film is on the list? Well, you know that I adore musicals and not many were released in 2009 the only other was Nine and that was not very well received either. So I just had to mention these movie musicals as while not the best I still love seeing more of them.
Zombieland is actually a film I only caught up with last year (yes I am stupid at times) and throughly loved and enjoyed it. If only I had actually went to see it back in 2009 and I would have had this film in my life for a whole decade and not just a few months!
The Damned United, its not very often at all that we get a film about football. Or maybe that should be a very good film about football. Based on the book of the same name about Brian Clough and how everything did not work out very well when moving to Leeds United. An outstanding performance from Martin Sheen as Clough makes this a must see for any sport fans.
A Christmas Carol yes, another version. I am sure it must be the most remade film/story out there, for this one though Disney attempted to use some new and different CGI along with releasing it in 3D format. The graphics throughout made it visually stunning and another different way to watch the story we already know so well. With Jim Carey taking on a lot of the roles as well, it was certainly a good effort.
Crazy Heart I might be in the minority when it comes to this film considering I totally adored Jeff Bridges performance from start to finish. It is a slow burner of a film but I loved that to help with the character development. The country music was good as well, something that should probably be appreciated more than it actually is!
It's Complicated is firmly one of my favourite guilty pleasure style films and made me totally love Alec Baldwin. Acting alongside Meryl Streep and Steve Martin I have actually lost count of how many times I have watched this film over the past ten years. Feel free to totally judge me for that as I know it isn't a great film, but it is a very enjoyable one at that with some very amusing moments and good performances.
Avatar, well this was certainly seen as a groundbreaking film. Mainly for the 3D factor which I have to admit that I was rather blown away by for the cinema screening I went to, having so much hype surrounding that you must watch it in 3D. The world was certainly created for that and it was a breath talking cinematic experience. The issue though? You couldn't watch it that way again at home (well unless you upgraded your tv and player to 3D). Something I must point out is that I have never and will never be a fan of the 3D moment End though as good as scenes looked in this film, used more to enhance the world that having things jump out. But if you watch the film now it is rather boring to be brutally honest, the 3D gimmick certainly helped the box office (see below).
What did everyone flock to the cinema to see? Check out the highest grossing films, world-wide box office for those films. It was the year that Avatar set a new record for highest grossing film of all time which was only just beaten this year by End-Game so a record that stood for a whole decade!
Highest Grossing
1. Avatar - $2,749,064,328
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - $934,416,487
3. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - $886,686,817
4. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - $836,303,693
5. 2012 - $769,679,473
6. Up - $735,099,082
7. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - $709,711,008
8. Sherlock Holmes - $524,028,679
9. Angels and Demons - $485,930,816
10. The Hangover - $467,483,912
Check out all of my reviews and posts relating to the year of 2009 ( HERE). What are your favourite and/or most memorable films from 2009? Did you see the highest grossing films at the cinemas?
