Top Five Movies of 2009.

As we get closer to Academy Award time I though it was just about time for me to whip out a list of my choices for the five best movies of the year. Personally I think this is a down year, and there isn't a single movie as good as last years Slumdog Millionaires or The Wrestler, but there were some decent flicks out there. I feel better though, that after I put my list together 4 of the 5 I chose were also nominated for best picture. That is probably the most the movies I though were good were also nominated for an Oscar.

5. District 9 - This movie made me feel like crap. It made me realize that humans aren't nice, and that I truly bought the way humanity reacted in this movie. It made the list because I have never encountered a movie that made me feel like such trash just for being a human.

4. Star Trek - I don't like Star Trek. I don't like any of the other movies, and I didn't like the show. But this movie was really great, really enjoyable, and made me excited to see if the reboot would live long and prosper.

3. Up - There isn't much to say about this movie, I think its Pixar's best effort, and that they have really created a masterpiece here. Cartoons aren't supposed to make adults cry damn it!!!!

2. Inglourious Basterds- In my opinion this is Tarantino's master work. Brilliant paced and of course it has amazing dialogue, written in about 17 languages. This movie should count as a foreign entry.

1. The Hurt Locker - This is the best film of the year, hands down I think. Incredibly tense, gritty, and believable. The type of war movie that I enjoy, because it delivers believable drama. Plus I think Jeremy Renner is exceptional. If I were going to recommend someone only watch one movie this year, it would probably be Inglourious Basterds, because it will probably remain somewhat iconic due to the director and actors, but I believe this movie is the most well crafted, well written, and well acted movie of the year.

Honorable Mentions: Up in the Air, An Education (yea I watched it, thanks Market Cinema)

Edge of Darkness Movie Review 5.79/10!

Mel Gibson graces us with his presence once again on the silver screen. What's it been, like ten years? Of course he has directed and been in the news, but this is his first screen appearance in quite some time. This is pretty vintage Mel Gibson. A role that he can play well falling out of bed after a hard night of drink at a Bar Mitzvah. It is his bread a butter, a revenge flick. A wise man once told me that almost all movies can be broke down into only three categories: Love stories, coming of age stories, and revenge stories. This man is for the most part right, and as far as crazy ass revenge goes, Mel Gibson has cried over more lost children and dead lovers than most Hollywood stars. He does what he always does in this movie. If you like him in that roll then you will like this movie, if you don't and that annoys you then this movie isn't for you. The story is interesting, although none of the characters are really fleshed out and it feels like you only get snapshots of each one. The story feels like there should be a lot there, and there is a reason for that. This was a six part BBC miniseries that was compressed into one not very long movie. So you get a skeleton outline of a story that was supposed to be much more complex and interesting, and instead is only mildly intriguing. Its a decent movie, worth passing a couple of hours with if you have nothing better to do, but I would recommend that you wait for netflix and watch it on a night when your snowed in.