Groundhog’s Day really confused me when I was a kid. When I was in 3rd grade, I asked my teacher Mrs. Gradoville what it meant if Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. She told me that it meant that we would have 6 full more weeks of winter. When I asked her what happens if he didn’t, she told me that it meant we would only have 6 more weeks of winter…yes, you read that right. I went through the next 15 years wondering what the big deal about this groundhog was if it didn’t make a bit of difference if he saw his shadow or not. In retrospect, I wonder if my teacher was ill-informed and believed what she was telling me or if she was just screwing with me since I was an obnoxious little know-it-all. Because, you know, that is what I do to my students.
ALMOST THE CREAM
20) Away We Go – Sure, it was a little uneven. But this movie nails the melancholy of being unsure about where one belongs while still hopeful of what life has around the corner.
19) I Love You, Man – Paul Rudd and Jason Segel have great chemistry… I would watch them in anything. A movie that was consistently funny throughout.
18) Coraline – Visually a stunning movie, with a dark, quirky story to match. I hope that one day I have kids who are cool enough to watch this movie.
17) The Fantastic Mr. Fox - I took awhile to get into it, but the movie became more and more fun with each scene. I’d be very curious to see if kids liked this movie, or if it was really only made for the hipster adults in the audience.
16) Sugar – An intriguing premise (what is it like for Dominican baseball players playing in minor league towns) from talented directors (Half-Nelson) that goes in directions I never would have anticipated.
15) Brothers – This movie surprised me more than any other that I saw this year. The trailer was awful…it was the kind that seemed to give away every important plot point. When I heard a couple of positive reviews, I figured that the trailer might have been deceiving. Well, it wasn’t…but the movie was so well-acted and so tense that it hardly mattered that you knew what was coming next. I was shocked how invested I became in these characters.
14) Humpday – If you don’t know the premise of this movie, I recommend renting it before you find out. For those of you who do know what it is about, you will be amazed at how grounded such an outrageous concept plays out. It is a talky movie without much action, but it stills leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering if they really are going to go there.
13) An Education – A charming, classy movie with some of the most vividly realized characters created this year. You’ll want to strangle the characters for some of the decisions they make, while at the same time completely understanding why they make them. The “villain” is much more seductive and nuanced than you would expect…the ambiguity makes the movie much more than just morality play.
12) Zombieland – This might be the most fun I had at a movie all year. Jesse Eisenberg (the rich man’s Michael Cera) is engaging and Woody Harrelson gives the first of two very different, but equally outstanding, performances this year. This film also has a fantastic cameo that I refuse to spoil. It is easy to overlook because it can be so silly, but there is always room for such a smart, stylish movie.
11) Avatar – Ahh, here we are. I can’t remember the last time that a movie has been this talked about, this fiercely debated. Certain critics become apoplectic whenever Avatar is even mentioned. Honestly, that is what I expected my reaction to be. Most of the criticisms are pretty accurate. Yes, the plot seems recycled. Yes, it can be simplistic and smug. Yes, it is too long by at least 30 minutes. Yet even with all of these enormous flaws, I was won over. Visually, this movie is simply monumental. It is so far ahead of its time that it is almost like watching a different medium. Sure, I’ll be a little annoyed if Avatar goes on to win the Best Picture Oscar…a movie that fails to tell a new story certainly doesn’t deserve it. Regardless, Avatar is certainly the movie that will always be associated with 2009. Too many critics forget that the primary goal of a movie is to be entertaining. There is no doubt that Avatar succeeds there.
What I'm Listening To: The Start of Something - Voxtrot, Killed Myself When I Was Young - AA Bondy, Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone? - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
