Top Ten... Movies of 2009

	#10 - Up Pixar does it again! I really enjoyed this movie. The montage towards the beginning of the film was very touching, and stuck with me for quite a while. A lot this movie seemed to me like it could have been made by Hayao Miyazaki. It has the same sensibilities. I'm just glad to see that an animated movie where many of the main characters are old men was able to be as successful as it was.
	#9 - The Brothers Bloom This is director Rian Johnson's follow-up to Brick, a film I just adored. It's almost as good. Johnson has a unique voice, and this wonderful cast was up to the task of making that voice heard. At various points in this film you will think you have everything figured out. Trust me, you don't.
	#8 - Zombieland This is the first of two movies titled "_____land" and starring Jesse Eisenberg to make this list. Just thinking about this movie makes me want a Twinkie... and I don't even like Twinkies! Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson & Emma Stone all shine in the debut film from director Ruben Fleischer. This film features what might be my favorite cameo ever. I see on IMDB that ther
	#7 - I Love You, Man Featuring my two favorite comedic actors, I Love You, Man is an absolute joy. I connected with it on many levels, not the least of which is that I could certainly use Jason Segel (or Paul Rudd for that matter) as a best friend. Rashida Jones is also excellent as Rudd's better half.
	#6 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince What a shock, a Harry Potter movie makes the list! David Yates second entry into the Potter franchise is MUCH better than his first. For the most part he gets the tone of the book. Like all of Yates Potter films though, there is one glaring mistake. How could he leave out the climactic battle scene? According to this movie, (*spoiler*) the death eaters broke into Hogwarts just to break some stuff in the great hall? Please!
	#5 - Adventureland Kristen Stewart has a personality? Who knew? Seriously though, Adventureland captures a lot of what it feels like to be a teenager without a plan.
	#4 - Star Trek I've never cared for anything Star Trek, so I'm not sure if it's a point in this film's favor that I love this movie. Does that mean they didn't capture the essence and tone of the series? Or does it mean they did so in a way that was actually entertaining? I don't know, and I don't care. This movie is entertaining and exciting from start to finish. I'm just glad Chris Pine didn't do a William Shatner impersonation as Captain James T. Kirk.
	#3 - Avatar Just as it did with James Cameron's previous blockbuster, it has become fashionable to trash this movie. I refuse to do that. The dialogue may be a bit stilted, and some of the performances might be a bit ham-fisted, but I don't care. This movie was a spectacle. I saw it twice in theaters, which is rare, and couldn't take my eyes of the screen either time. This is how 3D should be done. Nothing flies at your face. Instead it pulls you into the movie. Now they just need to release the 3D Blu-Ray!
	#2 - Up in the Air For me this is George Clooney's best performance. I am probably not the best person to judge this movie (or maybe I'm better than most), as my life is spent in airports and hotels just like Clooney's character in this film. For the most part, director Jason Reitman gets the life of a business traveler right. I mean, women like Vera Farmiga are always impressed by my different hotel and rental car club cards.
	#1 - (500) Days of Summer Not only is this my favorite movie of 2009, it is one of my favorite movies, period. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are ridiculously good in this anti-rom-com from first time director Marc Webb. Every single scene in this movie works. I especially love the expectations vs. reality scene. Apparently I'm not the only person impressed with Webb's direction. You might have heard of his next movie. It's a little flick called "The Amazing Spider-Man".