At first and judging from the trailers, I imagined Martin Scorsese’s latest piece of work to be a horror film. The master filmmaker (and yes we can still call him that despite none of his films lately being as ‘masterful’ as his earlier efforts) to take on horror? Bring… it… on! Sadly it’s more a mystery film with plenty of twists and turns than pure horror per se. That’s not necessarily a bad thing it’s just the plot isn’t overly original or as clever as I had hoped. Don’t get me wrong – there is much to enjoy with the film. Scorsese’s attention to detail is very good but the main issue I had with the film is Di Caprio. Whilst he’s better here than he has been in a while (although he was very good in The Departed), I still can’t buy him completely in this role. A better character actor probably would have given the role more complexity, more gravitas. In the end though, it’s still a worthy film to check out and well made. Scorsese purists might not love it as much as when De Niro was working with him, but it’s still one of his better recent films.

Up in the Air (2009)

Easily the best thing about Up in the Air is the cast – everyone is fantastic including George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. Clooney really is perfect for this role that doesn’t require him to move too far out of his comfort zone but that works for this excellent mixture of comedy and drama. Kudos must also go to director Jason Reitman who once again, presents a character that we don’t really connect with at first but makes them endearing by the end. For Clooney’s character, he fires people for a living and doesn’t have a wife or kids. He doesn’t want that nuclear lifestyle but instead excels at his job and has one night stands. The brilliance with Reitman as a writer and director is showing us what is inside a man like Clooney’s character. The ending is also pitch perfect. My only minor complaint with the film and it’s really picky would be the fact that Clooney never seems to fire a ‘beautiful’ person. I understand why we never see one get the chop (obviously to illustrate the authenticity of the act) but it still bugged me.

A Serious Man (2009)

The Coens’ never seen to disappoint for film fans. Even when they don’t hit their absolute peak, there’s still so much to enjoy. A Serious Man didn’t thrill me as much as it did others and I think that probably comes down to the fact that I know next to nothing about the Jewish religion. More specifically The Book of Job. However that didn’t stop me from enjoying the film immensely at times and the wonderful performance from Michael Shulbarg. Reading up on the film afterwards was a little more rewarding in terms of the trying to figure out the films plot. It’s layered well, complex at times and the ending will leave a few people scratching their heads as it is slightly open to interpretation. But I’ve always liked it when filmmakers don’t hand over everything. It could also arguably be one of the Coens more personal films but they are such eclectic filmmaker’s it’s hard to say. There is also a fantastic sense of humour throughout that is so beautifully orchestrated by the master filmmakers it’s hard not to admire. Perhaps not their best work but they have proven they can shift into such diverse playing fields yet again.

Rec (2007)

In terms of modern day horror, Rec is one of the finest examples of the documentary-style, hand-held filmmaking approach there is. This Spanish classic is the basis for the US remake Quarantine which whilst still quite good, doesn’t compare to this original film. Quarantine is essentially a shot-for-shot remake but this original version blows it out of the water with a better sense of realism and terror. Co-directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza create a film very much in the style of 28 Days Later crossed with Cloverfield. It’s tense, claustrophobic and probably David Stratton’s worst nightmare due to the camera work. The ending is one of the creepiest I’ve seen in a long time too so I HIGHLY RECOMMEND checking this one out if you haven’t seen Quarantine.

Rec 2 (2009)

Rec 2 begins right where the original film ends and from the get go, it’s slap bang back into the mayhem. Just like what James Cameron did with the Alien franchise, directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza expand on the mythology and this time deliver us some answers. Some people will balk at the explanation, given that the original film doesn’t provide any answers but I liked the rationale provided here. It fits, it’s damn creepy and provides a high level of horror film pleasure. Whereas most sequels fall flat, this one is just as good as the original. Sure it’s not a surprise like the first but there are set pieces here which are even better and there’s some clever moments throughout. It even sets things up for a third film which luckily for new fans like myself, is in the early stages.

Spoiler Warning: If you haven’t read the book or seen the trailer, you are best to avoid reading below.

Fans of the book will no doubt be disappointed with Peter Jackson’s interpretation of Alice Sebold critically-acclaimed 2002 The Lovely Bones. He modifies a number of elements, removes various plots and chooses to ignore any mention of rape and dismemberment with the victims. That said, do those things need to be explicitly portrayed on screen? I don’t think so. Also, any filmmaker that has to realize the afterlife is always going to fight an uphill battle. For the most part, The Lovely Bones is all over the place. It’s terribly uneven at times, with performances ranging from the very good (Saoirse Ronan as Suzie Salmon and Stanley Tucci as George Harvey) to the very mediocre (Mark Wahlberg). If you are expecting a drama handled with the care and execution of say Jackson’s earlier work Heavenly Creatures, you will be disappointed. Some of the scenes feel overly clumsy where as others feel rather profound. Jackson’s realization of the afterlife is probably as good as can be expected from the viewpoint of a 14 year old girl (something that many reviewers had issues with and I think Jackson did a pretty good job in relation to the character). In the end however, the film never finds a constant footing and you can’t help but feel let down. Brian Eno did the score though and it’s amazing.

Zombieland (2009)

I wished I saw this in 2009 because it would have ranked in my Top 10 of the year for sure. Zombieland revels in that perfect cocktail of extreme, zombie madness and comedy. Edgar Wright did it back in 2004 with Shaun of the Dead and now Ruben Fleischer has done it, albeit with a definite American twang. What makes this work so well is the chemistry of the four cast members: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin. They all seem to gel perfectly on screen. The script is also hilarious and kudos to first-time feature director Fleischer for knowing exactly what it takes to make a damn fun zombie movie. One minor quibble would be the scope as it feels quite restrained. I’m sure in the sequel they will open up the geography. And if zombies and comedy aren’t your thing (shame on you!) at least you can admire the excellent typography work in the film and the greatest cameo I have seen in a very long time (Don’t ruin the surprise if you don’t know who it is).

The Invention of Lying (2009)

The Invention of Lying suffers the same fate as The Lovely Bones: it’s all over the place. This is particularly unfortunate since Ricky Gervais co-wrote and co-directed this star vehicle. It’s no shock to anyone reading this that I’m a huge Gervais fan so it saddens the inner critic in me. The central premise of a man, who lives in a world where nobody can lie and one day discovers that he can, seems intriguing and has potential for comedy gold. However after a while, that premise wears thin. Gervais (a well-known atheist) certainly won’t make the religious crowds happy and you have to give him credit for portraying an alternative point of view about the world in a mainstream, Hollywood production. But leaving that aspect aside, the film goes from romantic-comedy, to drama, to deeper themes, back to comedy, etc… and as a whole, felt uneven. He rounded up a stellar comedy cast though including Jeffrey Tambor, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill and Jennifer Garner (who was actually very good). I’m looking forward to Cementry Junction which is written and directed by Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Merchant’s input will hopefully compliment Gervais’s style more.

Samson and Delilah (2009)

I watched this incredible Australia film after all the hype had died down. After it won the Golden Camera award at Cannes and the AFI for Best Film. I’m glad I did because any preconceived notions about the film were removed and I sat back, consuming all that was delivered. In a society where it’s incredibly difficult to define what exactly is ‘Australian’, Warwick Thornton’s Samson and Delilah is a film every Australian (and native) should see. It casts an eye over the Aboriginal youth community in modern Australia in such a frank and realistic fashion that there are no words needed to describe it. There are only a few words spoken in the film and that’s all that is essential. The performances from newcomers Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson as Samson and Delilah respectively, are phenomenal and achingly real. It saddens me when people tell me they didn’t like the film because it was “too slow” or “the characters weren’t likable”. Great films inspire reactions inside us, occasionally make us question the larger things in life and this is one of those films. In fact, I’d love to see this shown in every classroom across the country.

St Elmo’s Fire (1985)

Okay well this film is pretty bad BUT in terms of 80′s style, this is a classic. It’s a slightly older version of a teen John Hughes movie except it was a Joel Schumacher film. Schumacher was the go-to director for when the John Hughes generation reached their twenties. He wasn’t quite as successful with his scripts but there is something to admire about the comrade of the cast. Looking back on the film now, sure it’s aged and Rob Lowe still cracks me up making love with his saxophone but you can’t deny there’s a chemistry between the cast that works. Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Mare Winningham, Andie MacDowell and Rob Lowe. These were the Brat Pack and the biggest young cast back in the day and surely this was hugely influential for the creators of the TV series Friends. And yes believe it or not but they are making a TV series based on this film to capture the Friends market. Why am I not surprised? Side note: Emilio Estevez’s character Kirby probably should have been locked up at the end because I’m pretty sure that what he does constitutes ‘crazy stalker’ many, many, many times.

It’s been 12 years since we’ve had a James Cameron feature and with over $500 million spent on his return to Hollywood, does he maintain the crown of ‘King of the World?’ You bet he does! Cameron is back and delivers exactly what he always does – reinvents epic Hollywood filmmaking, gives the audience a huge sense of awe and gives us cliché after cliché of dialogue. But despite the screenplay being clumsy and at times laughable, he gives us a vision we’ve never seen on screen before. He borrows story elements from Dances with Wolves and even his own films such as Aliens sure but it’s his abilities as a filmmaker and knowing how to deliver to an audience that adrenaline rush that makes Avatar such an accomplishment. His use of 3D IS revolutionary from the little subtleties such as the leaves in the forest or the insanely realistic close-ups of the Na’vi. When you enter Pandora, you are there and the border between live-action and CGI is inching ever so close. Cameron has blended it so well, you never feel like you are watching CGI characters moving across screen. The human characters are typical Cameron fodder and using Sigourney is a nice touch. Worthington does a good enough job although he falls in and out of accent a fair bit. Stephen Lang plays the one dimensional Colonel as good as any army character in Cameron’s Aliens. However it’s the character of Neytiri, played by Zoe Saldana, that is so life-like and expressive. She steal the show and rightly so. Cameron again uses the uber strong female archetype to give us a truly great lead character. In the end though, Avatar misses the mark in terms of cinematic classic status due to the script and I just wish he’d fleshed out the characters a little more and given us a more compelling script. In terms of a business decision and selling a film to a wide audience, I know WHY he delivered the script the way he did but yeah. Enough of the review already – just go see it in 3D, preferably in IMAX and sit back and be swept away.

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Just like Cameron, you have to give director Spike Jonze credit for realizing his vision on the big screen and no-one else’s. Sure Jonze based his on the classic Maurice Sendak book, but he has made this his own and given us perhaps the best cinematic representation of the book one could hope for. The Wild Things themselves are wonderfully realized, an excellent blend of Jim Henson’s creature shop design and CGI. He also cast Max Records as Max who could have easily slipped into cheese and emotional manipulation but never falters. My main problem with the film and perhaps the book is there isn’t much that happens. Max is crying for attention within his family, sets sail to the magical world of Where the Wild Things Are and essentially plays with them for the rest of the movie until he has to go back home. There isn’t really a huge range of cinematic ‘moments’ that take place. I’m not sure if really young kids will have the patience with this one either. It probably runs 20 or so minutes long. However, despite the film outstaying its welcome ever so slightly, Jonze gives us perhaps one of the best cinematic representations of what is it to be a lonely child. The isolation, the anger you feel when you want to connect with the world but people think you’re being silly or stupid. Oh and the soundtrack by Karen O and the Kids works fine but compared to the trailers with Arcade Fire, it never gave me goosebumps.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

There is no film this year that has kept me on edge as much as Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker. Easily her best film (she gave us Point Break and Near Dark by the way), her examination of an American bomb squad unit in Iraq is so gripping, you will find it very hard to look away despite biting all of your finger nails down to the very nub. There are a few notable actors appearing in the film including Guy Pierce, Ralph Fiennes and David Morse but they only turn in extended cameos really. The real stars are the central three bomb squad members – Jeremy Renner as the fearless bomb disposal leader, and Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty offering cover. Watching this reminded me of HBO’s Generation Kill, another excellent piece of work on the effects of the Iraq war on soldiers. However The Hurt Locker doesn’t offer any political messages. It’s just two hours of raw nerve filmmaking at its very best. There is a side plot in the film which feels a little unnecessary but this is still one of the best war films made this decade.

Extract (2009)

It’s easy to embrace Mike Judge comedies since he gave us the now classic Office Space and the under-appreciated Idiocracy. Extract isn’t the return to Office Space form as much as I had hoped but it’s still one of the better comedies of the year. Jason Bateman again plays the straight man, Mila Kunis his object of desire (although she is rather underused), Kristen Wiig is his wife (playing it straighter than normal) and J.K Simmons as his business partner. That cast alone and Mike Judge would assume hilarity from beginning to end but it doesn’t quite get there. The biggest surprise is Ben Affleck as the mellow bartender friend of Bateman’s. He’s actually very funny and probably shares the funniest scenes in the movie. The film also reminded me of Burn After Reading in a sense but isn’t as successful or clever as a whole. As with all Judge films though, this may improve with age and probably become a cult favourite with Judge fans.

Halloween II (2009)

Oh man. Well, if you want to know the worst film of the year or in fact of all time, then look no further than Rob Zombie’s uber disaster Halloween II. This is a complete train wreck of a film that Zombie wrote and directed himself. I wasn’t a fan at all of his ‘reimagining’ of Carpenter’s original classic but compared to his, that 2007 film looks like a modern masterpiece. This time, Zombie wanted to separate from the existing universe completely and he does succeed in that. However, why not make a completely separate film rather than using the Halloween name? I would hope Zombie didn’t want to make this film at all and as a result, decided to just make a complete pile of dog turd to piss off the producers so he would never have to make another Halloween film again. I mean, the film doesn’t have the signature music theme at all, Michael’s white trash (ugh!) mum turns up as a ghostly figure with a white horse (seriously wtf) informing him to kill everyone and if you thought the dialogue for Avatar was terrible, then just watch five minutes of this and re-assess your thoughts. Scout Taylor-Compton is truly awful, Michael walks around like a hobo for the entire film and there isn’t one single, likeable character to be found anywhere. Zombie gives us the worst of all Halloween films (and that is saying A LOT!). I know this franchise will never die but please producers, let Zombie go and hire someone who at least loses the hillbilly, Manson hard-on styling’s of Zombie’s work and give us a protagonist who is likeable and keep Michael a mystery!