Review of the Year: Part 2 (The Good)

I’ve been a bit sidetracked with regards to my favourites of the year but as we finally settle into 2010 I have had plenty of time to contemplate the last year and look back fondly.

Here are my top movies of 2009. Unfortunately I'm yet to see some of the more prominent movies of the year, so the likes of Revolutionary Road and Slumdog Millionaire have gone unseen. In no particular order they are:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,
Moon,
Star Trek,
The Wrestler,
District 9,
Martyrs,
Up,
Gran Torino,
Paranormal Activity,

And the best is:

Let The Right One In.:

A truly touching, almost non-horror horror movie prominently featuring vampires. Equal parts horror, art house and coming of age tale, the core relationship between its two leads (bullied Oskar and vampire Eli) is compelling and terrifying. What is interesting is the obvious interpretations the film instigates. To some, Eli is merely wishing to connect with someone, another troubled soul, the two begin to depend on one another. There are also those (myself included) that see Eli as a manipulative monster, coaxing Oskar as a new replacement for her inept keeper, praying on his vulnerability.

Whilst vampires are hot property right now thanks to the likes of True Blood and Twilight, it’s good to see that the sub-genre isn’t only for the tweens or Robert Pattinson stalkers out there and that it can be handled with dexterity and competence for an educated adult audience.

Let The Right One In is a masterpiece and I will quite happily include it on my best of the decade list also. Easily the best film of 2009. And it aint American.

Ones that didn’t quite make the grade:

Frost/Nixon, State of Play, Drag Me To Hell, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Inglorious Basterds, Public Enemies, The Hurt Locker, Where the Wild Things Are.