Wednesday marked the first day of July, and the midway point of the year. Typically I don't do this because I have usually seen so few movies up to this point, but this year I have seen enough in the first portion of the year that I feel confident enough make this list.
I have seen 16 movies since the beginning of the year, and I can say that either I'm seeing more bad movies deliberately, or 2009 is not measuring to even the lower standards of 2008. Still, there are 5 movies here I've selected that I feel were near excellent, and if you have not seen them yet, then they would be a great place to start catching up for this year. I trust there will, as always is the case, be plenty of excellent movies to come our way in the next 6 months, but for the time being, these are the 5 best films I have seen so far this year:
I have seen 16 movies since the beginning of the year, and I can say that either I'm seeing more bad movies deliberately, or 2009 is not measuring to even the lower standards of 2008. Still, there are 5 movies here I've selected that I feel were near excellent, and if you have not seen them yet, then they would be a great place to start catching up for this year. I trust there will, as always is the case, be plenty of excellent movies to come our way in the next 6 months, but for the time being, these are the 5 best films I have seen so far this year:
Food, Inc.
Dir. Robert Kenner
To call this the Super Size Me if 2009 is a bit of an unfair comparison; Morgan Spurlock's immensely entertaining foray into a McDiet was completely entertaining and also kind of scary, the first time we really realized fast food was more dangerous for us then we thought (shouldn't have taken that film, but it did). This focuses on the food industry in general, for the horrible treatment of livestock (cows are fed corn, chickens never see the light of day in their short 50 day life spans), farmers (they make less then $20,000 a year or something) and stuff that's put in our grocery stores. The film has an empowering message that we can change this if we just start buying local food. This movie won't be seen by the people that need to see it, though, which is the real crime: it should be getting a wider release.
Dir. Robert Kenner
To call this the Super Size Me if 2009 is a bit of an unfair comparison; Morgan Spurlock's immensely entertaining foray into a McDiet was completely entertaining and also kind of scary, the first time we really realized fast food was more dangerous for us then we thought (shouldn't have taken that film, but it did). This focuses on the food industry in general, for the horrible treatment of livestock (cows are fed corn, chickens never see the light of day in their short 50 day life spans), farmers (they make less then $20,000 a year or something) and stuff that's put in our grocery stores. The film has an empowering message that we can change this if we just start buying local food. This movie won't be seen by the people that need to see it, though, which is the real crime: it should be getting a wider release.
The Girlfriend Experience
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Who would've thought that a movie starring a porn star that was completely improvised could be such a compelling take on the current state of our economy? Soderbergh churns out more movies in a decade then any director in the 40s, be it an Oceans movie or a quiet experimental film. You gotta admire the guy (despite how much those last two Ocean movie's sucked). Sasha Grey isn't a wonder, but being a porn star definitely helps her bring an edge to her performance as a high class New York call girl. The movie is chopped up out of order, which can be difficult at times to keep track of, but it is an overall really engaging experience. You might not want to go, of course, if you do not want a constant reminder of the dire straits of our economy.
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Who would've thought that a movie starring a porn star that was completely improvised could be such a compelling take on the current state of our economy? Soderbergh churns out more movies in a decade then any director in the 40s, be it an Oceans movie or a quiet experimental film. You gotta admire the guy (despite how much those last two Ocean movie's sucked). Sasha Grey isn't a wonder, but being a porn star definitely helps her bring an edge to her performance as a high class New York call girl. The movie is chopped up out of order, which can be difficult at times to keep track of, but it is an overall really engaging experience. You might not want to go, of course, if you do not want a constant reminder of the dire straits of our economy.
Goodbye Solo
Dir. Ramin Bahrani
This is a fantastic little film, a gem of a picture that really grows on you as time passes by. The simple story a taxi driver, Solo, who gives a ride to an old dude, William, who will pay him a handsome sum to take him to a peak on a certain day. Solo doesn't understand the particular straits the man is in, and the movie is a touching portrait of one man's complete optimism faced with one man's desire for death. Bahrani also directed Chop Shop and Man Push Cart, both unseen by me though they are supposed to be fantastic as well. Bahrani is a director to keep your eye on as he continues to produce spectacular films that tell the simple, yet big, stories.
Dir. Ramin Bahrani
This is a fantastic little film, a gem of a picture that really grows on you as time passes by. The simple story a taxi driver, Solo, who gives a ride to an old dude, William, who will pay him a handsome sum to take him to a peak on a certain day. Solo doesn't understand the particular straits the man is in, and the movie is a touching portrait of one man's complete optimism faced with one man's desire for death. Bahrani also directed Chop Shop and Man Push Cart, both unseen by me though they are supposed to be fantastic as well. Bahrani is a director to keep your eye on as he continues to produce spectacular films that tell the simple, yet big, stories.
Tokyo Sonata
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
This is a simple film, elegant, beautiful, and one of the rare surprises I stumbled across this year. It tells the story of a family, the father who gets laid off, the stay at home mom, the older son who wants to go fight in Iraq (yes, you read that right), and the younger son who is a musical genius. The way the different stories play out is a fantastic look at family life, in Japan or not. The father carries the best story, hiding his lay-off from his family, and he meets a fellow unemployee who teaches him he various ways he deals with being laid-off. The movie's climax is a bit odd, as all the character go through some difficult events, but the final scene is breathtaking and will leave you in amazement through the entire credits.
Up
Dir. Pete Docter
Well, of course Pixar is on this list: they never go wrong! But Up truly is a fantastic little film, albeit imperfect, about an old geezer who ties 200,000 balloons to his house and sets off for South America with a 9-year-old Wilderness Explorer in tow. The movie features a fantastic five-minute sequence in which Carl Fredricksen's life is seen in mere snippets, and miscarriage, love, and death are all dealt with. Dug (voice of Bob Peterson), the talking dog, is one of the classic animated characters that will live on for generations to come, as is Kevin, the brightly colored bird. The movie's villain, however, is underdeveloped, but that's a minor complaint in an otherwise fantastic film that, after two viewings, was just as exhilarating, touching, and hilarious as it was the first time around.
The Other Ten (Movies I've Seen This Year):
Adventureland
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Coraline
The Hangover
Monsters vs. Aliens
Star Trek
State of Play
Terminator Salvation
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Watchmen
Dir. Pete Docter
Well, of course Pixar is on this list: they never go wrong! But Up truly is a fantastic little film, albeit imperfect, about an old geezer who ties 200,000 balloons to his house and sets off for South America with a 9-year-old Wilderness Explorer in tow. The movie features a fantastic five-minute sequence in which Carl Fredricksen's life is seen in mere snippets, and miscarriage, love, and death are all dealt with. Dug (voice of Bob Peterson), the talking dog, is one of the classic animated characters that will live on for generations to come, as is Kevin, the brightly colored bird. The movie's villain, however, is underdeveloped, but that's a minor complaint in an otherwise fantastic film that, after two viewings, was just as exhilarating, touching, and hilarious as it was the first time around.
The Other Ten (Movies I've Seen This Year):
Adventureland
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Coraline
The Hangover
Monsters vs. Aliens
Star Trek
State of Play
Terminator Salvation
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Watchmen
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