2009 in Review

1. The Hurt Locker, A, non-stop tension and excitement
2. Up, A, rich characters, good story, a little manipulative
3. Inglorious Basterds, A-, great cast of characters as Tarantino shines
4. Avatar, A-, fun and exciting in 3-D despite flat characters
5. State of Play, A-, fun, fast-paced newspaper investigation
6. The Hangover, A-, bachelor party in Vegas with good writing
7. I Love You, Man, B+, chick flick for men saved by two strong leads
8. Star Trek, B+, brainy sci-fi series gets mindless makeover
9. District 9, B+, Gory, violent, but thought-provoking sci-fi piece
10. Up in the Air, B+, Clooney brings charm to this character study
11. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, B+, solid movie, but feels more like an episode
12. The Blind Side, B+, formulaic feel-good movie still fun to watch
13. The Invention of Lying, B+, Gervais is great but concept doesn't quite gel
14. Adventureland, B, a decent look at growing up in the early 80's
15. Where the Wild Things Are, B-, moody child meets moody monsters and ???
16. Night at the Museum 2, B, bloated cast in a movie more fun than funny
17. Duplicity, B-, corporate espionage, not as fun as real espionage