No, that's not a typo. My Top 10 of 2009 is incognito because I still must see some must-see movies. Here's my Top 5 movies from this year that I still have to watch.
1. Cold Souls - Whitney caught this at Sundance last year and loved it. Paul Giamatti is the bomb-diggity. In this movie, he plays his bomb-diggity self as he discovers a company that will allow him to remove his soul in order to act better. I'd always assumed that actors of that caliber (Giamatti, Bridges, Brando, Morita) had already sold their souls to the devil. How else can you explain the inexplicable quality of Sideways? The DVD for Souls doesn't come out for a couple more weeks so my Top 10 list might have to wait until then. Or not.
2. Moon - Not only did Whitney get to see this at Sundance but she got quoted on the motherfreakin' trailer! "A rare gem of the sci-fi genre" was her out-of-context ticket to fame. It's been months and months since she first told me how great this was and what's worse is that the DVD is sitting by our TV right now...and I still haven't watched it. I keep telling myself "this week," "okay, this week," "I'll definitely make time next week." And now, it's gotten to the point where I have to bear my sins onto the world and admit that I still haven't seen Sam Rockwell deliver two or three of the year's most unsung performances.
3. Black Dynamite - I don't see what I wouldn't like about Black Dynamite. It's a throwback to one America's most interesting film movements. It's got sex, drugs, and kung-fu. It's got $5,000 cars and $100 suits. Afros, honkies, and a guarantee to "put my ass in traction." I don't know what that means but I'm pretty sure I want it to happen to me. And if the advertised "Cinemaphonic Quadrovision" isn't available on the DVD, I'm going to have to plan a road trip to the nation's closest Cinemaphone Quadrovision-enabled megaplex.
4. Ponyo - I don't think Ponyo's going to make the list. Don't get me wrong, I respect the hell out of Hayao Miyazaki but my current list has Anvil: The Story of Anvil holding the Number Ten spot. I just don't see Japan's magic goldfish story knocking that great doc off the list. As far as the other movies mentioned here, we'll see. Cold Souls looks off the hook. Moon seems pretty fly itself. And Black Dynamite has made some guarantees regarding my ass. Anvil's chances are looking pretty slim but it probably won't be Ponyo that knocks it off. But I still really want to see this and based off of the director's other work, I shan't be disappointed.
5. The Fantastic Mr. Fox - Have you all seen the "Wes Anderson's Spider-Man" video?" Everything it parodies is exactly what I want to see in this movie. I know it's just like his other stuff. That's what I'll be paying for. Stop-motion animation, a Roald Dahl adaptation, and every Anderson cliche money can buy. I want the hip soundtrack, the dry humor, the all-star cast. If these are all there, then this is all I want.
1. Cold Souls - Whitney caught this at Sundance last year and loved it. Paul Giamatti is the bomb-diggity. In this movie, he plays his bomb-diggity self as he discovers a company that will allow him to remove his soul in order to act better. I'd always assumed that actors of that caliber (Giamatti, Bridges, Brando, Morita) had already sold their souls to the devil. How else can you explain the inexplicable quality of Sideways? The DVD for Souls doesn't come out for a couple more weeks so my Top 10 list might have to wait until then. Or not.
2. Moon - Not only did Whitney get to see this at Sundance but she got quoted on the motherfreakin' trailer! "A rare gem of the sci-fi genre" was her out-of-context ticket to fame. It's been months and months since she first told me how great this was and what's worse is that the DVD is sitting by our TV right now...and I still haven't watched it. I keep telling myself "this week," "okay, this week," "I'll definitely make time next week." And now, it's gotten to the point where I have to bear my sins onto the world and admit that I still haven't seen Sam Rockwell deliver two or three of the year's most unsung performances.
3. Black Dynamite - I don't see what I wouldn't like about Black Dynamite. It's a throwback to one America's most interesting film movements. It's got sex, drugs, and kung-fu. It's got $5,000 cars and $100 suits. Afros, honkies, and a guarantee to "put my ass in traction." I don't know what that means but I'm pretty sure I want it to happen to me. And if the advertised "Cinemaphonic Quadrovision" isn't available on the DVD, I'm going to have to plan a road trip to the nation's closest Cinemaphone Quadrovision-enabled megaplex.
4. Ponyo - I don't think Ponyo's going to make the list. Don't get me wrong, I respect the hell out of Hayao Miyazaki but my current list has Anvil: The Story of Anvil holding the Number Ten spot. I just don't see Japan's magic goldfish story knocking that great doc off the list. As far as the other movies mentioned here, we'll see. Cold Souls looks off the hook. Moon seems pretty fly itself. And Black Dynamite has made some guarantees regarding my ass. Anvil's chances are looking pretty slim but it probably won't be Ponyo that knocks it off. But I still really want to see this and based off of the director's other work, I shan't be disappointed.
5. The Fantastic Mr. Fox - Have you all seen the "Wes Anderson's Spider-Man" video?" Everything it parodies is exactly what I want to see in this movie. I know it's just like his other stuff. That's what I'll be paying for. Stop-motion animation, a Roald Dahl adaptation, and every Anderson cliche money can buy. I want the hip soundtrack, the dry humor, the all-star cast. If these are all there, then this is all I want.
What are YOUR TOP 5 STILL HAVEN'T SEEN IT movies of 2009?
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6 comments:
1) The Hurt Locker. I rented it, started watching it at two in the morning. Loved what I saw. Fell asleep. Luke took it back to redbox.
2) Where the Wild Things Are. Half the people I know loved it. The other half thought it was 'meh.' I'd imagine I'll be in the former.
3) The Serious Man. Drew's so goo-goo ga-ga, I have to check it out. And plus, it's the Coen brothers...
4) Precious. The book was too much for me. I think this medium will be easier for me to digest without feeling 'icky' for a couple days.
5) Broken Embraces. I just like his style, man.
Great Top 5. I think I have some presents for you.
"Where The Wild Things Are" and "Broken Embraces" for me too, plus "Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans", "Antichrist" and "Enter The Void". And several dozen more (I'd put "Bronson" in there, but I'll probably be rectifying that tonight).
I still haven't caught up with the other years of this past deceade.
"Black Dynamite" is all kinds of fun. It was the most fun I had at the theatre last year. If you can, gather friends to watch it. If you don't love it, I don't know you anymore...
"Moon" is pretty damn terrific as well and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" hit my Top Ten of the year. So good viewing ahead for you...
Cold Souls wasn't very good, imo. I haven't seen Ponyo, but the rest of the flicks on your list were all ones that I enjoyed...
Oh, and Black Dynamite might just edge out A Serious Man and Inglorious Basterds as my favorites of 2009, though I'm a huge blaxploitation mark, so my opinion probably shouldn't count as much.
1. Precious
2. Anti-Christ
3. Taken
4. Coraline
5. Gomorrah
6. Sin Nombre
7. Rudo y Cursi
8. Humpday
9. Ponyo
10.Big Fan
There are more, but I'm already cheating by going to 10.
Black Dynamite and The Fantastic Mr Fox are on my list too! (the former is currently sitting on my desk actually, begging my ass to watch it.) I also have to catch Bright Star and A Single Man.
Ponyo is extremely cute, but I don't think it would unseat Anvil.
I know Cold Souls looks pretty amazing, but don't get your expectations too high. It's not a bad movie by any means, but doesn't really hold up to its interesting premise. Giamatti is excellent, of course.
And watch Moon! Go, go, go!
Wow that Wes Anderson Spider-Man parody was spot-on! I haven't seen Fantastic Mr. Fox, but I personally can't wait to check it out when it comes out on blu-ray.
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