Top 10 Films of 2009

So I have finally come to my top 10 films of 2009. As before, these relate to films released in South Africa during 2009 and may include some that had a 2008 release elsewhere. And they are:

10. Knowing
Review not available.
8/10

9. Adam
Review not available.
8/10

8. Genova
Review not available.
8/10

7. Depatures
Review not available.
8/10

6. Drag me to Hell
Full Review
Drag Me to Hell is one of the most enjoyable horror films of recent times. It has an interesting, supernatural storyline with interesting characters; reasonably good acting, though it could have been stronger; and intriguing cinematographic design, even if a little overused. There is even well formulated social commentary which really adds wonders in allowing the film to appeal on an intellectual level. Raimi’s grip on horror makes for a great deal of suspense and the added humour only makes the film all the more devious. All this is achieved with a minimal level of objectionable content, making the film less conformist to the horror genre as it stands and showcases Raimi at what he does best. Though the shining achievement of Drag Me to Hell is that it does what a horror should: not just simply gross out the audience but rather aim to scare and entertain them.
8/10

5. Valkyrie
Full Review
Valkyrie can be considered Tom Cruise's return to cinema, and thankfully the end result is a positive one. He is backed up by a decent storyline and a superb selection of actors. Sure the film could have used with some better pacing, more depth and subtlety; and the lack of German accents do possibly ruin the experience if you allow it to do so, but these problems do not hurt the film in any serious manner. Valkyrie might lack the literary impact to allow it to be phenomenal, but that does not stop it being watchable and exciting.
8/10

4. Coraline
Review not available.
8/10

3. An Education
Full Review
There is a charming simplicity to An Education which allows the narrative to unfold without any hindrance. The acting is great, the direction is just as good, and the story has some important messages to impart to audiences. Though as a coming-of-age story, An Education steers clear of trying to have an impact with its core themes, and ultimately suffers for convenience.
8/10

2. District 9
Full Review
District 9 is being heralded as one of the best science fiction films to ever be showcased and its not difficult to understand why: it has a mature and exciting narrative, even if unclear at times, which brings about enough material to further the created universe in many directions. With a brilliant example of acting by Sharlto Copley, fascinating cinematography from Neill Blomkamp, high quality CGI, and engaging violence, District 9 is one of the most exciting films of recent years with only a few hitches. And as for this year, it easily relegates other recent blockbusters to the levels of mediocrity they deserve.
9/10

1.Still Walking
Review not available.
9/10

What were your Top 10 films of last year?

Top 10 Disappointments of 2009

My first post of 2010 comes a little late due to some misfortune with internet, being busy and a little lazy at times. Regardless, here is my top 10 Disappointments of 2009. This list contains all films which either saw a commercial or film festival release in 2009 in South Africa. So some films may originate from 2008 due to their late release here and some films could seem clearly missing cause I never got to see them all. So here we go:

10. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Review Not Available.
5/10

9. Transporter 3
Review Not Available.
5/10

8. New Moon
Full review
While somewhat enjoyable, New Moon lacks identity and this is solely based on the fact that it does little to enhance the Twilight formula. Richer mythology is added; the quality of acting has increased in the overall cast; and the special effects have undergone a needed retuning. But like Edward so blandly points about himself, the film lacks a soul. The brewing romance between Bella and Edward is lifeless with a general lack of development throughout all the characters. Likewise, the narrative never really seems to head in any viable direction and it is up to the lesser characters to get the film's blood pumping.
5/10

7. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Review Not Available.
5/10

6. Passengers
Review Not Available.
5/10

5. The Haunting in Connecticut
Review Not Available.
5/10

4. Chandni Chowk to China
Full review
Simply put, Chandni Chowk to China is a disappointing film especially when its taken into consideration that it was delayed from its original release in October/ November last year. It is difficult to tell if any additions were made because nothing really gels well for the film as a whole. The acting is passable, with the Chinese actors being the highlight; the story is decent but is overshadowed by a mere subplot; and the music selection is shocking. That said the film has some of the best action sequences in a Bollywood film with the martial arts being fun to watch and the film is comedic throughout. However it should be advised that one's enjoyment of the film depends merely on their temperament for stupidity.
5/10

3. The Countess
Full review
The Countess is a surprisingly average film with a good sense of technical techniques being weighed down by some weak showcases of acting and a confused directional narrative. The beginning attempts to setup the film as a mystery thriller, something to get audiences debating the accuracy of events, but ultimately the film is so conclusive with what it wants audiences to believe that the film gets muddled up in its own creative process. It is an interesting movie with an exciting subject at its helm, but it is nonetheless a flawed film that just never gets going
5/10

2. Transformers: Rise of the Fallen
Review Not Available

4/10

1. Obsessed
Review Not Available

4/10

What were your disappointing films of last year?

Top 10 Films of 2008

I have decided to run through my top 10 films of last year which were released in South Africa. This is important as some films that have already debuted in America in 2007 and only saw a release in South Africa this year and, ironically enough, some films have shown in South Africa will not be released in America until later this year. Many excellent films I have missed out on seeing this year and with that in mind my top 10:

10. The Unseeable
Review not available.
8/10

9. The Mourning Forest
Review not available.
8/10

8. Fashion
Review not available.
8/10

7. Dostana
Full Review
Dostana is a film which wants to break away from the norm but ultimately cannot, and as such the latter arc of the story is a slight disappointment. The story turns into a typical romance after it promised such a unique premise, and the second half lacks the overall strength of the first. Nonetheless, Dostana is a brilliant film which infectious humour and sex appeal, though lacks the ability to truly target its core message.
8/10

6. Iron Man
Full Review
Iron man is a wonderful example of a good comic book-to-film creation. While lacking the same maturity of Batman Begins, Iron Man proves to be the best Marvel film available, ousting out the likes of the original Spider-man and X-men 2. And this is because the film doesn't attempt to dumb itself down to appeal to a greater audience, or focus itself on too many elements: it keeps things relatively simple. Instead Iron Man tells the story of Tony stark, a man callous about the world in general, transforming into a man who respects not only himself, but those around him. With very good acting, a well structured story, Iron Man’s only problems are a few inconsistencies and its inability to support a dual personality approach. It's no Batman Begins, but then again, it doesn't need to be.
8/10

5. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Review not available.
8/10

4. Taken
Full Review
As perhaps gathered, the film is not exactly realistic though it is the sort of film which could and deserves to be so if it wishes to rank among the best of cinema. This aside, Taken is a thoroughly enjoyable film with intense action, marred by a few inconsistencies and lack of foresight into the film's overall image.
8/10

3. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Full Review
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a cinematic wonder which easily deserves a watch from any avid moviegoer. While there are a few niggles, none of which truly affects the overall quality unless you allow it to do so, the film is laden with reasonable acting and story-telling at it's very best with director Mark Herman cementing this with a conclusion so filled with brilliance that it is difficult to think of anything of late that quite matches it. In fact there are few films of late which can even match the cinematic wonder that is The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
9/10

2. The Dark Knight
Full Review
Regardless of whether you you believe Spiderman, Batman Begins or the recent Iron Man to be the benchmark of superhero movies, there is no denying that The Dark Knight excels in the genre. It is an excellent example of good directing, acting and story advancement, but what makes The Dark Knight a superb superhero movie is not that it is able to recreate its comic book form so aptly, but that it makes a great cinematic piece. Whether you are a fan of superhero films or not, The Dark Knight deserves attention not only for building upon the success of Batman Begins, but for shattering the preconceptions of superheros in cinema. Does The Dark Knight surpass its former incarnation? For better or worse, both are on equal terms.
9/10

1.There Will be Blood
Full Review
There Will Be Blood is, in short, masterly conceived. Be it the story, acting, music, cinematography, or multi-layered depth of the film in general, every department excels to the point where the film is virtually flawless. It does, however, suffer a little from the lesser casts presence, and the selection of music feels, on the rare occasion, inappropriate. Nonetheless these two elements do not spoil what is easily not only one of the best films ever created, but one of the rare few that will never be forgotten.
10/10

What were your Top 10 films of last year?

Top 10 Disappointments of 2008

For my first post of 2009: my top 10 Disappointments of 2008. As I do not have time to see every film, this list might appear a little off, but these only count what I have seen. It should be noted that these are not necessarily films which had hype but failed to live up to expectations. The disappointment factor here is that they did not make for good cinema.Last I apologize for the lack of reviews available in this list: as a varsity student I have little chance to write reviews for every film I see.

10. Gardens of the Night
Review Not Available.
5/10

9. Bachna ae Haseeno
Review Not Available.
5/10

8. Mehbooba
Review Not Available.
5/10

7. Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Review Not Available.
5/10

6. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Review Not Available.
5/10

5. God Tussi Great Ho
Review Not Available.
5/10

4. Max Payne
Full Review
From bad editing to lack of character development to an action film with little action: one can only wonder how a video game which could so easily be translated to the cinema medium went so wrong. And while it is an adaptation, the film bares little resemblance to the source material's complexity, even nullifying the staple slow motion scenes which was popularized in the Matrix trilogy. Still it is possible that an uncut release can be seen on DVD, and could possibly fill in the many problems of the theatrical run. Nevertheless, Max Payne is not entirely devoid of entertainment, with the actors at least trying to portray their respective characters and some fun action sequences, of the little there was. The post-credit scene hints at a sequel, which should include a new director, and hopefully the sequel will make up for the mishaps of this.
5/10

3. The Eye
Review Not Available
5/10

2. Love Story 2050
Full Review
I will admit that Bollywood films are not exactly my cup of tea, but I have enjoyed, to some degree, all of which I have seen, especially loving the recent Sakar Raj. But Love Story 2050 is such a mismatch, that it's impossible to even understand how the film ended up so badly. The acting is not good, though sympathy must be given to both Chopra and Baweja because they didn't have a decent script to work with, and the production design was clearly not well thought through. Love Story 2050 has so much potential to be a worthy attempt at standing toe-to-toe with Hollywood, but doesn't even begin to scratch at this potential. Instead of the futuristic sci-fi flick which was supposed to hit cinemas, what has shown its place is a Bollywood film that will have even Indians embarrassed, and that is saying a lot.
5/10

1. Yuvvraaj
Full Review
Yuvvraaj is an important film coming in the final months of the year and it has some big stars to back up the film's much anticipated release. Coming close after the release of Fashion and Dostana, Yuvvraaj had a lot to stand up against, sadly nothing comes together to create a cohesive product. There are major flaws in every aspect of the film, be it the story, the characters, the acting, the general direction: every important component is compromised in some way. Though it has good moments: there are some nice set pieces, Anil Kapoor is stunning to watch and the finale, coupled with a generally good musical score, is excellent. Sadly none of these save the film from being a complete disappointment.
4/10

What were your disappointing films of last year?

Top 10 Dissapointments of 2007

First was my top 10 Film of 2007, and now the disappointments of the year. The same variables as before count, so if something dire is missing, be sure to shout out about it. Also it must be noted that these aren't necessarily films which had hype but failed to live up to expectations. The disappointment factor here is that they did not make for good cinema.
And with that, here are my disappointing 10:

10. Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider comes across as something deserving of more violence, something akin to Blade. The acting is not particularly bad, but an inconsistent beginning arc, pointless romance, and extremely short fight scenes, don't help make a good film out of a cool premise.

9. Night at the Museum
Review not available.

8. Flicka
Review not available.

7. Mr Bean's Holiday
Mr Bean's holiday never reaches it potential, but there are some shining moments worthy of the original television series. While wholesome clean fun, the sentimental flavour of the story only goes to numb its overall performance.
6/10

6. Pirates of the Caribbean; At World's End
What started with smooth sailing, and a bumpy voyage, ultimately ends on a satisfyingly note, but it's not the film many would have hoped for. The magic of the original is mostly not present, the characters lack the depth they had captured from the previous installments, and the humour and action is not of an exceptionally high standard. Still, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is entertaining, with some gorgeous scenery and choreography, likable characters, and a fulfilling fantasy story :never has the world of pirates from long ago felt so real and fresh.
6/10

5. Gracie
Review not available.

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Order of the Phoenix is both a better and worse film in the series thus far. The world of magic is easily becoming more realistic and not some light-hearted affair at creating a simple fairy tale feel, and the film itself feels more mature. But acting, cinematography and, most importantly, the story, fail to deliver. This latest incarnation of the popular book series, is moving in the right direction and it's obvious that we can expect great things from the films to come, but then again, what is expected is never always delivered, and the order of the Phoenix is a prime example. It's not a particularly bad film, but it falls short of expectations.
6/10

3. Spider-man 3
With a mess of a storyline, odd placed scenes and dialogue, underdevelopment of villain characters, and a general lack of energy, Spider-Man 3 becomes the very thing it was toted never to be: an utterly horrid film experience. And any positive elements are so far and few, that they themselves cannot effectively be of any help. Spider-Man 3 attempts to be two films, but only proves to be half the potential of one.
5/10

2. The Return
Review not available.

1. Premonition
Review not available.

What were your disappointing films of last year?

Top 10 Films of 2007

With my first post of 2008, I have decided to run through my top 10 films of last year which were released in South Africa - this is important as some films that have already debuted in America in 2007, will not be released until 2008 here. It should be noted that i have not seen every film, and so would have missed out on some classics, either due to time (I am still a student at Varsity), or because I felt some films contained material that was not too my liking (such as extreme gore for instance). As well, I have not written a review for every film I did see.
So from the films I did get around to seeing, here are my top 10:

10. The Pursuit of Happyness
Review not available.

9. The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum is a rare breed of action thriller films: it's constantly action packed, always story driven, never without intrigue, and a very fun watch with a coolness factor that surpasses even the likes of Steve McQueen himself. It's sad to have to say that its ultimateness has to be barred by a constant shaking camera, but even with that, the final Bourne film is easily one of the best in cinema today.
9/10

8. Curse of the Golden Flower
As an instant classic, Curse of the Golden Flower continues where the amazingly beautiful Hero and House of Flying Daggers left off, and moves into it's own direction. The only concern with the film is it's monotonous music, but that doesn't stop it being a dazzling film with amazing acting, a solid story, lush cinematography and awesome, if a little weak, action sequences.
9/10

7. The Queen
Review not available.

6. The Host
Review not available.

5. The Presitge
Review not available.

4. Sunshine
Sunshine illuminates itself into the best that cinema has to offer. Every aspect is well conceived in its execution, but it is not without its faults. These however, never distract from what is ultimately an entertaining and thought provoking experience.
9/10

3. The Fountain
Review not available.

2. The Lives of Others
Review not available.

1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
While Robert Ford’s bullet was effective in hitting its intended target, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, sadly, misses by a few inches. The story is engaging, if a little inaccurate and a little too much to digest in regards to the films length; the acting is of a sublime quality; the music is well placed and fits the films overall mood nicely, and the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking in its simplicity, but becomes overused. If you can survive till the films conclusion, and honestly if you cannot then it is a real shame, you will have watched one of the best films to grace 2007. The name of Jesse James still lives on, but now in a far more grand state.
9/10

What were your Top 10 films of last year?