And here’s this year’s list of Oscar nominations. I look forward to this time each and every year, even if I’ve not seen all of the movies that were nominated.

Best Picture
• The Artist
• The Descendants
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
• The Help
• Hugo
• Midnight in Paris
• Moneyball
• The Tree of Life
• War Horse

Best Supporting Actor

• Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
• Jonah Hill, Moneyball
• Nick Nolte, Warrior
• Christopher Plummer, Beginners
• Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best Supporting Actress

• Berenice Bejo, The Artist
• Jessica Chastain, The Help
• Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
• Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
• Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best Actress

• Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
• Viola Davis, The Help
• Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
• Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best Actor

• Demian Bichir, A Better Life
• George Clooney, The Descendants
• Jean Dujardin, The Artist
• Gary Oldman, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
• Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Director

• Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
• Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
• Alexander Payne, The Descendants
• Martin Scorsese, Hugo
• Terrence Malick, Tree of Life

Best Adapted Screenplay

• The Descendants, Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
• Hugo, John Logan
• The Ides of March, George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
• Moneyball, Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin.
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bridget O’ Connor and Peter Straughan

Best Original Screenplay

• The Artist, Michael Hazanavicius
• Bridesmaids, Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig
• Margin Call, J.C. Chandor
• Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
• A Separation, Asghar Farhadi

Best Animated Feature

• A Cat in Paris
• Chico & Rita
• Kung Fu Panda 2
• Puss in Boots
• Rango

My Picks and Locks

So I’ve not seen too many of the films on this year’s list, which is surprisingly shocking even to me. I normally have seen most on the list, with a few exceptions [like last years winner "The King's Speech" I still haven't seen yet]. But that still doesn’t stop me from picking who I think will win.

• Best Supporting Actor – Christopher Plummer, Beginners
• Best Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer, The Help
• Best Actor – Brad Pitt, Moneyball
• Best Actress – Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
• Best Picture – The Artist

I’m pretty sure Christopher Plummer is a lock and so is Michelle Williams. But I’m holding off guessing at the other major categories at this time. Still very much want to see “War Horse” and “The Descendants”. “The Artist” for best picture is a easy pick since Hollywood loves to go retro with their mindset and it’s a throwback to the older days of filmmaking that they feel should be rewarded. My guess is this will spring up several clones of this style of movie in the next few years.

So until that night in February when all will be revealed, it’s anyone’s guess at this point.

To download the complete list in PDF format, click here.

What movies have you seen so far that have been nominated?

As most people that know me, they know that Cameron Crowe is one my favorite directors. I’ve made no apologies for Jerry Maguire being one of my favorite movies ever. So it should be no surprise that when Cameron Crowe comes out with a new movie, I will go see it.

My first viewing of We Bought A Zoo was on a sneak preview weekend. I went with my daughter, who loves movies as much as I do.

The general plot of the movie is Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is a widowed father of two who is looking for some changes in his life. He leaves his job and buys a place outside the city. This new place happens to also come with a run down zoo. With the help of Kelly (Scarlett Johansson) who is the zookeeper left in charge, they spend endless hours and money revitalizing the zoo, along the way working through the kinks of daily life, relationship ups and downs and a bit of organized drama.

The film is a breath of fresh air in this day of all things vampires and drunken fall-down comedies. Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson are well cast and they work very well on the screen together. This is a very different role for Scarlett, who normally plays the deceiving or underlying temptress. She is down to earth and very well received in this film.

For Matt Damon, he is versatile as ever and fits naturally into this role. The ability of Cameron Crowe to take a real life story and fit it into his brilliant way of displaying it on the big screen is nothing short of amazing. Yes, I am gushing, but I think he’s hit this one out of park here.

A special mention to Thomas Haden Church for bringing his comedic prowess to this film. His brother character is one that melds well into the various stages of the film. Patrick Fugit, who played the on-screen version of Cameron Crown in Almost Famous eleven years ago, has a role as one the zoo staff.

The adorable Maggie Elizabeth Jones plays Rosie, the youngest of the two Mee children and comes alive in all of the various scenes of the movie. And Elle Fanning, who is a teen at heart, find her smile into most of her screen time.

I highly recommend going to see this film in the theater. If you miss it there, it’s still worth a viewing on the smaller screen once it drops on home video.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The only thing that kept this movie from getting 5 stars was… well, I can’t think of anything that concrete even after two viewings.

And speaking of my second viewing, the movie held up just as well as the first time. Nothing new discovered, nothing new to criticize. Just another chance to experience this top-notch film.

And we are back to being just Netflix.

After a few months of wacky and idiotic decisions that have cost the online streaming/DVD rental by mail company a lot of value and almost a million subscribers, Netflix is back to being just Netflix.

Back a few weeks ago, Netflix announced they were spinning off their DVD rental service to a separate site called Qwikster. Whatever prompted this split [my guess is the studios and license owners had a small, but significant part in this], it wasn’t the most thought out of decisions. Two webs sites. Two logins. Who came up with this idea?

Other Missteps

It seems that this once “can’t do no wrong” company has made a lot of major changes to its business, that personally didn’t need to be made. I’ve already blogged about their price hikes and separation of DVD and streaming subscription plans. But this next misstep is one that’s confusing, to say the least.

There was a saved list at the bottom of the instant queue where movies that were not available could be added, and when they became available, would be added to your instant queue. Well, while this list is still available, it’s not being shown on the Netflix queue. To the average user, it’s gone and appears to be deleted. They did address the decision in an official blog post, but that doesn’t help the subscribers that used that list now that it’s effectively gone.

Turns out that if you do some digging, you will find a web site called Feed Fliks that can show you this list.

The question is: why would Netflix keep this data yet take away the ability to see it on their own site? Baffled is the nicest word I can use here. Fucking with your loyal users is the term I would equate this decision with. While they may have their reasons, it’s just a dumb decision.

So now that they have corrected some of their illogical decisions, can they return to the glory they once knew? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see if they can stabilize their business model – and hopefully without losing more subscribers in the process

The last time I blogged about Netflix, it was over a price increase. And once again, I blog about Netflix as they raise their prices.

On Tuesday, Netflix announced their new pricing and plan structures. Instead of continuing to offer a combo plan of both DVD rentals and Instant Watch streaming, they have separated the services into two plans – DVD only and streaming only. Here’s a summary of the new plans:

• Streaming only (unlimited views): $7.99
• 1 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $7.99
• 2 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $11.99
• 3 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $15.99
• 4 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $21.99
• 5 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $27.99
• 6 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $32.99
• 7 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $37.99
• 8 DVDs out at a time (unlimited rentals): $43.99

The above prices are billed to a credit card you have on file with Netflix once a month. You can combine streaming and DVD rental plans by simply adding $7.99 to each of the above plans.

Before The Increase

I am currently on the 1 DVD out at a time plus streaming plan for $9.99 a month plus local sales tax [I get billed $10.62 every month on my credit card] This was only $7.99 for the 1 DVD out plan, but then they combined the streaming with it, which was nice. But in hindsight, it got me used to getting more for less. And so here is where the outrage and rub down starts.

Netflix has done this before with the Blu-Ray… give you it for free for a while, get you hooked on it and used to it, then start charging for it. While this is a great way to promote a new service, it’s a terrible way to deal with the price increase. It’s almost a bait and switch, on a media viewing level. Get you in for the cheap stuff, then once you get it and enjoy it, raise the price on you. No different than many other businesses, but for Netflix, the darling of the tech and consumer world, they take it on the chin rather harshly.

Netflix gives the reason for this latest increase in plans as “Given the long life we think DVDs by mail will have, treating DVDs as a $2 add on to our unlimited streaming plan neither makes great financial sense nor satisfies people who just want DVDs” And I happen to agree. The extra $2 a month for unlimited DVD rentals was a killer deal, just not financially viable for the long term.

Like Coasters

The constant scene on our TV stand (this was when we had the 2 DVD plan)

Which brings me to my decision here. Do I continue the 1 DVD out plan with streaming and have my bill go up $6 a month? I see those red envelopes on my TV stand often – sometimes there for weeks at a time and it makes me think about how many DVDs do I watch. The last DVD, the movie Black Swan, sat on the stand for 3 weeks before I watched it last night. Meanwhile, I can watch a streaming movie or TV show on my laptop, Sony PS3 or iPad whenever.

Limited

Too limited for me

Ok, so if these price increases are too much, Netflix does still have too very limited plans for those who really don’t watch a lot of movies each month. As per the above graphic, they don’t give you much, but you also are not paying much, either. Neither of these plans interest me in the least, but to some they may be a great fit for the budget minded.

Streaming Stays

To summarize and given my history and patterns, it’s pretty much been decided that I’m going to downsize my Netflix plan to just the $7.99 a month unlimited streaming. For new release DVDs, Redbox has been finding it’s way into my life. I get free rental codes once a month and at $1 a day, I find that I don’t let the DVD sit around for more than just a few hours before watching it. Netflix’s lack of late charges has made me a lazy DVD viewer. Redbox may retrain me to be more prompt. Plus, I could add the DVD rental to my account anytime if I wanted it for a month or two, not affecting my streaming plan.

I know Ren has chimed in on his thoughts on the Netflix price hikes. How about anyone else? How do you use Netflix? Or do you use Redbox? Or maybe you are still with *shudder* Blockbuster. Speak up, readers.

And with mere minutes to spare, here are my picks for the Oscars for 2011:

Actor in a Leading Role
* Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech”

Actor in a Supporting Role
* Christian Bale in “The Fighter”

Actress in a Leading Role
* Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”

Actress in a Supporting Role
* Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”

Animated Feature Film
* “Toy Story 3” Lee Unkrich

Art Direction
* “Inception”
Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat

Cinematography
* “Black Swan” Matthew Libatique

Costume Design
* “The King’s Speech” Jenny Beavan

Directing
* “The Social Network” David Fincher

Documentary (Feature)
* “Exit through the Gift Shop” Banksy and Jaimie D’Cruz

Documentary (Short Subject)
* “Killing in the Name” Nominees to be determined

Film Editing
* “Black Swan” Andrew Weisblum

Foreign Language Film
* “Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)” Algeria

Makeup
* “Barney’s Version” Adrien Morot

Music (Original Score)
* “The Social Network” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Music (Original Song)
* “I See the Light” from “Tangled” Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater

Best Picture
* “The King’s Speech” Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers

Short Film (Animated)
* “Day & Night” Teddy Newton

Short Film (Live Action)
* “The Confession” Tanel Toom

Sound Editing
* “True Grit” Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey

Sound Mixing
* “Inception” Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick

Visual Effects
* “Inception” Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
* “The Social Network” Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin

Writing (Original Screenplay)
* “The King’s Speech” Screenplay by David Seidler

I’ve not seen some of these films, but am going off my instincts and love of movies for my picks. We’ll have to see how well I did after tonight.

I normally will have a printed page showing all 24 categories, and mark off bingo-style all of the correctly-guessed picks [I got 18 out of 24 this year]. It’s something I look forward to each and every year.

During the Oscars, they show a memorial of those in the film and entertainment industry that passed on during the previous calendar year. While it’s a sad and somber moment, it’s a part of the show that I stop to remember those actors, actresses, directors, producers and screenwriters that gave us some incredible celluloid moments.

This year, they had a separate segment celebrating the work of director, screenwriter and producer John Hughes. Below is the video of that part of the Oscars.

If the video is not playing for you, click here to go directly to the story with the video.

John Hughes created some incredible movies during his career. The Breakfast Club was one of my all time favorites, so it was cool to see several of the actors that were a part of that movie [Where was Emilio Estevez?]. It was a nice tribute that deserved to be separate from the rest of the deceased.

Below is the entire video of the In Memoriam part of the Oscar event.

Who Was Missing?

Farrah as I remembered her in my teen years

I remembered her from the show “Maude”

If you watched the last video I posted above, you might have stopped to wonder why there were a few missing names from the list. Where was Farrah Fawcett? What about Bea Arthur? Ed McMahon? Well, Ed wasn’t in any movies (that I know of), but Farrah and Bea were in several roles over the course of their careers. To leave them out was just plain wrong. EPIC OSCAR FAIL!

Let’s see if next year’s event comes with an apology. I’m not holding my breath.

I kept this to nine movies. I could have added more, but I wanted to go into some detail of why I picked each movie.

Here is my list, in no particular order.

• Mulholland Dr. [2001]
  
  David Lynch is one of those filmmakers that is hard to wrap your hands around. His works are so diverse, that you can’t really tell if he has a style or not. I saw this film in the theater and it was so bizarre… so odd… so fucking out there, that I expected to hate it and never want to see it again. Instead, I wanted to watch it again. Maybe I missed something that I need to see if I can figure it out. And sure enough, after the 5th viewing of this movie, I started to connect the dots. Mind you, the lines between the dots are very wavy and squiggly, but they are connected at both ends. This story of an aspiring actress [Naomi Watts] and a confused and delusional woman [Laura Elena Harring] who intertwine their lives in finding answers to a curious situation should have been something of a pass. Instead, the way the movie is put together [the DVD has no chapters stops - it's intended to be watched from start to finish] has made it one of my favorites of the last ten years. Only Lynch’s Lost Highway tops this as my favorite from this quirky director.
• Sideways [2004]
  
  Ever since I sam him in “Private Parts”, I’ve been a fan of Paul Giamatti. He’s a great character actor and has done some incredible work over the year. His work in this movie proves that. This is the story of a wine connoisseur who, along with a friend [played very well by Thomas Haden Church], take a week long trip to vineyard country in California. Along the way, they meet a couple of women [Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen] who turn their world a bit sideways. There’s some very clever over the top scenes in the film, but the performances of the entire cast, both leading and supporting, is nothing short of stellar. You will laugh, cry and bust a gut with each and every viewing.
• Adaptation [2000]
  
  This is a movie that tells the story about making a movie while another movie is being made. The pure brilliance of this film is evident when you have two characters that are essentially the same. Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman [who is to date, the only fictional character nominated for an Oscar] are brothers. One is a screenwriter and the other is one that eventually becomes a screenwriter, both played by Nicolas Cage. Meryl Streep gives one of her best on-screen performances, as the two brothers lives mingle and unravel in their quest to get their works on the big screen. Spike Jonze made it on my list of creative directors to watch.
• Inglourious Basterds [2009]
  
  The most recent of Quentin Tarentino’s films, it’s the most different of his films. This was the top film on my Best of 2009 list of films. It’s a story about war. It’s a story about control. It’s a story that rewrote history in the most brutal, entertaining and hilarious way that only Tarantino could have. Add to this list the lead role by Brad Pitt and you have a movie that pleases every step of the way.
• Iron Man [2008]
  
  There were two films that competed for the top spot on my list in 2008 [which I never dedicated a blog post to]. One was The Dark Knight and the other was Iron Man. Both were adapted from the comic book characters, but it was Robert Downey Jr’s portrayal of Tony Stark that felt more real to me. His position in life that was made into a superhero was very well directed by Jon Favreau. His sputters and faults as a crime fighter while being a rich entrepreneur showed up well on the big screen. I am anticipating Iron Man 2, which comes out in May, to match or exceed my expectations.
• Ratatouille [2007]
  
  My reason for picking Ratatouille over the other Disney/Pixar films is how the story is told. [I've liked almost all of them, with the exception of Cars, which I own, but have yet to watch more than a few five minute segments of] There is something that touches me different than any other Disney/Pixar film that was released during the decade. It was the mix of real vs. underground worlds that made this film tops. The many moments of on screen character building, leading up to the food critic reflecting back in time, was the key element to this movie. The action and animation just cemented an already deep-seated love of this film.
• Almost Famous [2000]
  
  I saw this film in the theater on opening weekend. Three weeks previous, I had just been to New York City for the first time in my life. I started dating someone new after a serious breakup. I was in a good place, but still had some fragile sides to mend. Add to all that the fact that Cameron Crowe was not only one of favorite directors, but that I knew this story having researched his life. William Miller [played by Salt Lake City native Patrick Fugit], was the on-screen version of Cameron Crowe, who was one of the youngest writers for Rolling Stone. And even though my date may not have liked the movie, I did. It gave this budding writer something to shoot for in my love of writing and music [I'm still shooting]. The story that unfolded on the screen was to be viewed over and over in multiple theater showings, as well as on the smaller screen when the DVD was finally released. This film was in my Top Nine List of favorite movies.
• The Departed [2006]
  
  Since Raging Bull and Good Fellas, Martin Scorsese has made films I like. True, they are violent, but they are well directed. The Departed is no different, even though it’s a remake of a Hong Kong film. It brings the magic of Good Fellas and tells a very good mob story, with a cast that rivals other gangster films. Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson star in this twist and turns tale of revenge and deceit. It may not have Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta, but that doesn’t matter. It stands on it’s own quite well.
• Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 [2003/2004]
  
  Another Quentin Taratino movie on my best of decade list? Sure, I’m a bit biased, but when it comes to his films, they are unmatched in how they appeal to me. This is the true story of revenge, broken up into two films [it would be hard to have people sit through a single four-hour film] and flows ever so nicely though the characters like The Bride [Uma Thurman] and Bill [the late David Carradine], lovers and former assassins that are estranged. Since the events that took place at her wedding to another man, she has vowed to kill Bill. What follows are fights, more fights and lots and lots of blood, mostly distributed with a large dose of humor. This is an epic film and one that even critics have to admit will stand the test of time.

What movie would have been my 10th favorite film of the decade?

• The Bourne Series [2002/2004/2007]
  
  Matt Damon as an action hero? Really? Are you serious?. Well, someone was willing to take a chance on him and it proved to be successful. In the starring role as Jason Bourne, a rogue CIA operative, Matt Damon is amazing as he carries out the title role of the Robert Ludlum series of best selling books. The three movies tell an entertaining and believable story that left me entertained after each viewing in the theater. They equally stand up on Blu-ray/DVD where the action scenes jump out at you every step of the way.

I had someone read my Top Movies of 2009 post and asked why I had the movie 2012 on the list, but not Avatar. Let me see if I can offer a decent explanation.

I saw both films on their opening weekends and can say that I enjoyed both movies. Both obviously used the latest in technology to make the special effects and characters come alive on the big screen.

Roland Emmerich has a history of making high end productions that involve aliens [Independence Day], water and ice havoc [The Day After Tomorrow] and now Mayan prophecy.

James Cameron is no stranger to large productions and top-grossing box office films. Titanic holds the worldwide record for the film that made the most money. And I really liked the first two Terminator movies a lot.

Both directors have their own similar patterns for making movies, taking some standard plot structures that are shared in most of their movies. Every filmmaker does this to a certain degree. It’s their mark or their style.

But the main reason for me that kept Avatar off my top list was due to how unoriginal the story of Avatar was. If I were to have based it solely on special effects, Avatar would have been included. The realism of the characters were so well drawn out. But no new or compelling plot left me feeling let down a bit.

*WARNING SPOILER ALERT*

For me, Avatar was Titanic told on another planet with different characters. People dying due to the greed of others. A person gets a chance at a new life. The bad guys are after something with great monetary value, with no regard or concern to a large group of people. Nothing really all that original in the overall plot structure.

*END SPOILER ALERT*

It took me a year to see Titanic because there was so much hype over the movie. Once I saw it, I enjoyed it, but to me, it wasn’t anything grand or incredible. I enjoyed the story, but it was really a take it or leave it. I have not seen the film again since.

Avatar has those same elements. A great feat of special effects, but the lack of an original story will most likely have me with only a single theatrical viewing of this movie.

2012 Better?

So what did 2012 have that made it good enough to be included on my list?

It had a really good mix of special effects combined with a plot that was not only entertaining, but exciting and original.

So wait a minute here… I know what you are thinking.. “That story and plot has been told over and over before in other movies” and “the cheesy lines and cliches didn’t bother you?”. Yes, those elements are there in this movie, but there was something completely different about the approach taken. It was based on a real story/legend without being overly political or shoving some sort of agenda into your head. It made the few cheesy lines [including the final line of the movie being overly cheesy] not seem all that bad, as the plot tied itself up at the end, leaving no noticeable loose ends or questions of what happened to any of the characters.

There was an element of difference and excitement for me with the movie. John Cusack in the lead role actually worked well. He wasn’t an over the top Will Smith trying to coin the next popular action movie phrase. He wasn’t some gung-ho Dwayne Johnson trying to show he’s strong enough to save the world. Just a published author, separated from his wife, a couple of kids, trying to escape pending doom and destruction. I would enjoy seeing 2012 again to see if my experiences are the same. And I suppose I should be fair and give Avatar another viewing. But I personally don’t think I would change my stance or feelings.

Agree or Disagree

So am I off my rocker? Off in left field? Spot on? Tell me what you are thinking.

I love movies, about as much as I love music [it's a even draw, with some exceptions] but unlike music, I am more critical of the list of movies that are at the top.

So with that, here’s the list, in order of good, better and best of the year, with a section at the end of the post of the movies that I wanted to like, and the list of movies I want to see that I haven’t yet.

8. 2012
   
   Sure, it’s a “blow up everything in sight” movie. And it’s based on an end of the world destruction plot. But for me, it worked very well. Not too many cheesy lines and visuals to endure through in this Roland Emmerich film. Plus, with John Cusack as the lead actor, it made it that much more enjoyable.
7. Michael Jackson’s This Is It
   
   One of the biggest shocks to the entertainment world this year was the death of The King Of Pop. Not only was he revered as one of the best musicians of our time, he was planning a come back set of concerts that would have been his final bow. But those were not to have happened. This is the footage of rehearsals leading up to the canceled dates. Viewing this footage showed everyone that Michael still had it.
6. The Soloist
   
   I’m a sucker for a feel good story. Robert Downey Jr. plays a journalist who decides to write a story on a homeless cello player, who is brilliantly played by Jamie Foxx. This movie had all the right elements that made me glad I didn’t let this one go unwatched.
5. We Live in Public
   
   We all know at least some of the stories of how the pioneers of the Internet and Web changed how we communicate today. What most of us don’t know is the back story and how these entrepreneurs carry out their personal lives. This is the story of Josh Harris, one of the early founders of online video production. Ondi Timoner directs this documentary in a way that makes you wish you had experienced just a glimpse of the over-the-top antics of Josh’s life.
4. Where The Wild Things Are
   
   I loved this book as a kid. But to make a 90 minute movie out of it? Impossible. Enter Spike Jonze, who takes this story and makes it odd, unique, entertaining and real. Seeing how life really is through a child’s visit to an imaginary world brought both smiles and tears to my face.
3. Star Trek
   
   How do you reboot a franchise that started out great, fizzled a bit, regained it’s greatness, only to fizzle out?. You tell the prequel story. This is what Star Trek did. It came forward and told how the original members of the Starship Enterprise got to be in their positions. J.J. Abrams is a genius, in my book.
2. Up
   
   I envy the storytellers at Pixar. They have all the freedom in the world to come up with an original story that everyone will enjoy. This one of a retired man who wants to journey to a remote part of South America, taking his physical house with him, was nothing short of amazing. The characters, including a talking dog and an energetic scout, come alive as we laugh, cry and cheer at what we see unfold on the screen.
1. Inglourious Basterds
   
   Quentin Tarantino. Love him or hate him. That’s pretty much it with most people and his movies. But this latest film of his took his movie making style to a new level. The story within a story. The movie within the movie. The rewriting of war history to make you sit in your seat in awe of both the acting – Christoph Waltz was incredible – and the dialogue – Brad Pitt’s southern drawl trying to be Italian. Without question, This ended up being my favorite movie of 2009.

What Should Have Been

There are some movies that I really have high hopes for, which then start to unravel once I’m actually viewing them. These are but a few that I liked parts of, but overall thought they needed more [or less in some cases].

• The Men Who Stare at Goats
  
  The story had promise. It worked well in book format. And the actors were great, including a lead role by George Clooney. I even enjoyed the inside joke for Ewen McGregor [has to do with his role in the Star Wars movies]. But overall, there were weak moments in the film that left me wondering why I didn’t save this movie for a DVD viewing at home.
• Brüno
  
  I laughed my ass off in Borat. It was original, it was funny, it was offensive. And I am glad I saw it in the theater. Which is why I was really looking forward to seeing Brüno. I missed it in the theater [it's first run was pretty short], so I waited to get it on DVD. I sat down to watch it and couldn’t wait for it to be over. The gags were too drawn out and I rarely found myself laughing enough. Only the ending was worth me leaving the movie in the DVD player.
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  
  Let me explain this one. The movie was well done. It really was. And it told a good story [I haven't read this book yet, so this is going completely from the movie]. But it was a looooong movie. So long that I didn’t fully appreciate the movie until I watched it on DVD/Blu-ray and was able to concentrate better. Not sure if it could have been made shorter, but for me, that would have helped.

Still Need To See

I try to see a lot of movies each year, but there are some that I never get around to seeing in the theater and on video. This is a few of the must-see movies that I want to view.

• Up In The Air
  
  George Clooney never ceases to amaze me. His string of movies that he’s been in is long. Very few of them have been duds [see above]. This is one I need to see in the theater before it leaves. The critics are raving about this being the best work he’s done. I need to see what all the rave is about for myself.
• Zombieland
  
  A cheesy plot and a screen filled with the undead. I like a good zombie movie and this one, with Woody Harrelson, escaped me this year. Going to have to wait for early 2010 to see it on DVD/Blu-ray.
• The Hurt Locker
  
  I like a good documentary, but too many that are based on war can be difficult to watch. But I’ve heard good about this movie and plan to watch it here soon. It’s gotten high marks from film buffs of all types. That’s good enough for me.
• The Hangover
  
  I’m probably the last person to have not seen this movie yet. It’s on DVD now and my Netflix list says “very long wait” so if I’m going to see this, I need to find someone that owns it so I can borrow it for a night.

How Does My List Compare

And there you have my best of movies list for 2009, including some that didn’t quite work and some I still need to see. What was your best movie of the year? Any changes you see in my list you’d like to make?

As with listing my favorite albums, there have been so many movies that I like that have been made, trying to narrow them down to just nine is extremely difficult, but I’ll give it my best shot.

9. True Romance [1993]
   
   If you’ve never seen this movie, and you like Tarantino movies, then rent it, buy it, borrow it – get a copy. It stars Christian Slater as Clarence, a Sonny Chiba fan trying to enjoy a movie marathon, when Alabama (Patricia Arquette) walks in and garners his attention. Before long, Clarence has involved himself into a mix of drugs, hookers, a restless pimp and a Hollywood crowd that change his life. The cast is stellar and full of stars like Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken and Gary Oldman. I actually like this Quentin Tarantino story better than the one he did for “Pulp Fiction,” [I felt Pulp Fiction was better directed - see below]. One viewing and you’ll may add this to your list of favorites, too.

 

8. Good Will Hunting [1997]
   
   A genius-level janitor working at MIT finds time to solve math problems in his “spare time.” As the clues unravel his identity, Will Hunting (Matt Damon) gets befriended by one of the psych professors (Robin Williams) who tries to delve deep into what drives this kid to be both intelligent and awkward. First-time Oscar winners Ben Affleck and Matt Damon knocked this Gus Van Sant-directed film out of the park. It was an instant favorite and has one of my favorite ending lines of dialogue in any film – “That son of a bitch, he stole my line”

 

7. Almost Famous [2000]
   
   Cameron Crowe is one of my favorite directors [as you will find out later in the list]. The story is based on Crowe’s rise up through the ranks as the youngest writer for Rolling Stone magazine and his life on the road with Rock N’ Roll. Kate Hudson as Penny Lane helps make this story come to life as a kid who wants to write gets his wish. The starring cast is incredible (Jason Lee, Frances McDormand, Billy Crudup, Philip Seymour Hoffman) and makes this movie shine that much more. It won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and if you’ve seen it, you will know why.

 

6. Rear Window [1954]
   
   Alfred Hitchcock latched onto James Stewart and held on to him. This movie has suspense on so many different levels, it puts any slasher and gore film to shame. The story of L.B. Jefferies, who breaks his leg, uses a pair of binoculars and a window to the apartment complex he lived in, paints a picture of thrill, intrigue, curiosity and murder. To film pretty much the entire movie from one room and one location, and have it turn out as a masterpiece of cinema, speaks volumes about Mr. Hitchcock’s genius. Special nods to Raymond Burr and Grace Kelly for their supporting roles.

 

5. Say Anything [1989]
   
   John Cuscak is one of my favorite actors, and not just because I look like him [no really, check out this photo from Say Anything] but because he’s just so versatile. This 1989 movie directed by Cameron Crowe [I'm not done yet...] is one of the greatest high school romantic comedies made. Cuscak stars as Lloyd Dobbler, a love-stricken teen with an interest in not only the girl of his dreams (played by Ione Skye), but in kickboxing (“sport of the future”) and making an impact in society. It’s not a chick flick, but it is a movie that tells a love story in a different light. It worked for me.

 

4. Back To The Future [1985]
   
   Most people think this trilogy of movies was directed by Steven Spielberg [they were directed by Robert Zemeckis], but it was Spielberg’s money that helped kick this story out of the gate. Starring Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly [yes, people did call me "McFly" soon after the movie made it big], a teen who knew a scientist that created a time machine. With a rushed situation early in the morning, Marty ends up in the time machine [disguised as a DeLorean] and going back in time instead of Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). And although some people may think this story isn’t all that, it scores big points for me. So much of a fan that I am of these movies, I try to watch the first movie on October 25, which is the day that Marty went back in time to 1955. Yeah, that’s geeky, but no apologies.

 

3. Pulp Fiction [1994]
   
   The first time I saw this movie, it struck me as something completely different. I had already seen “Reservoir Dogs” and liked “True Romance” [see above] and thought that Quentin Tarantino was making a huge impact into making movies. But it was the story of Vincent and Jules and the endless stream of clever dialogue that made this movie one of my all-time favorites to watch. It not only reinvigorated John Travolta’s career, but it propelled Tarantino’s movie style of comedic violence and blaxploitation into the mainstream, winning him and co-writer Roger Avary Oscars for Best Original Screenplay. Love him or hate him, you have to admit Tarantino is one talented filmmaker.

 

2. The Apartment [1960]
   
   Billy Wilder and a great cast made this Oscar willing movie a hit with me. C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) has always had an eye for Fran Kubelik (Shirley McClaine). He’s married mind you, and is trying to show he’s got the goods at work. Drama ensues and Miss Kubelik finds herself at Mr. Baxter’s apartment. Covering up and trying to reduce the attention, C.C. finds ways to make it look like everything is normal. But in the end, this romantic story shows that love can be quirky. This was Billy Wilder’s last great film, which also cast Fred MacMurry and Ray Walston in supporting roles.

 

1. Jerry Maguire [1996]
   
   I can see some of your jaws dropping as you end up here, wondering why a film like Jerry Maguire is my all-time favorite movie. And to some of you, jaws drop even further when you know that I’m not that fond of the current incarnations of both Tom Cruise and Renée Zellweger. But as you read above at some of my top films, you’ll see that I’m a romantic at heart and given the right flow and chemistry, a romantic comedy with a twist is something that works for me, multiple times. Again, Cameron Crowe’s story about a sports agent who finds love and a conscience seals the deal for me. Sure, this movie is loaded with cliché’s and famous movie phrases (“Show Me The Money!”, “You had me at hello”), but the way it’s put together and told, it’s just a masterful piece of filmmaking history.

 
More Movies To Love

Ok, so now you’ve digested the list, placed your jaws back into place and want to tell me how good (or bad) my list is. Comment away. Tell me your favorite movie. State your case to me about why I need to add and/or remove any off the above list. I’ll try to compile the rest of the list (the top #10 through #25 films) soon so you can see that I do have more of diversity than comedic violence and romantic comedies.

On October 8, 2008, Netflix sent out an announcement to subscribers that they will be charging an extra $1 per month for Blu-Ray rentals. Here’s the announcement:

“Thanks for a being a loyal customer. Now we want another $1 per month.”
 

Upon reading this, I thought, “Ok, it’s time to quit!” I mean, Netflix offers Blu-Ray delivery as a free option earlier in 2008 [with no extra cost to mail the disc], then ends up charging us Blu-Ray owners an extra fee each month later in the year. Get me hooked, then tack on an extra buck. I don’t think so. Where’s that cancel button?

Okay, so maybe I’m making a big deal out this. I’ve been with Netflix since November 1999. That’s almost 10 years. Plus, thinking about the actual dollar amount, that extra $1 per month (plus taxes) isn’t really that much, at least when compared to the extra fees that my cell phone company [Sprint] finds a way to add to my cell phone bill every few months. On top of that, it’s not a requirement, as I can remove the Blu-Ray option from my account [shaving off that $1 fee in the process], leaving normal DVD mail delivery and Instant Watch, which at the time were only viewable under Windows. [which I don't like, since I am a Mac user and rarely run Windows for personal tasks]

Instant Change

Instantly Mac – it’s about time

But then came another email on December 3, 2008. This time with good news. Instant Watch is now on the Mac. It’s using Microsoft’s Silverlight technology [similar to Flash], which is actually not that bad and has a very small footprint. Movies are pretty decent in quality and on a decent broadband connection, I only get one or two buffering segments. And I’m watching a movie per week, which is progress for me.

Stick It Out

So while I almost pulled the plug on my Netflix account, I’ve decided I’m going to keep it around for a bit longer. I like getting Blu-Ray discs, plus now having the option to watch movies instantly on my Mac fits my distraction habits. All that’s left now for Netflix to do is offer Instant Watch over my PlayStation 3. One can hope it will happen sooner than later in an effort to keep this Netflix subscriber happier for the long haul.