Stuart's Top Ten films of 2009
Haunting and original (a rarity for the genre), this is the story of a young boy who can't fit in finding friendship with the girl next door - who happens to be a vampire. Touching and terrifying.
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A bit of a no-brainer for me (Labyrinth is my favourite film of all time), Coraline knocks the socks off Henry Selick's earlier work, The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is also possibly the best of Neil Gaiman's work to appear onscreen.
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Just when you think Pixar can't do any better, they go and release a film like this. The first 20 minutes are easily the best thing committed to film in the last ten years.
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Not so much the return of Mickey Rourke like everyone said (he was great in Sin City), but proof that Darren Aronofsky is a brilliant and versatile filmmaker. I'm hoping it will prompt people to re-evaluate his previous work, The Fountain.
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Like all great sci-fi, District 9 questions what makes us human. The film astonishingly makes the transition from documentary realism to one of the best action films of the year.
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Though painful to watch, Mark Webb's film oozes style like it's got a deadly and contagious form of Indie Flu. Romantic comedy with an edge - something sadly lacking in the genre of late.
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So there's a lot of hype surrounding this film, and it basically comes down to whether you're the type of person to be scared by visible or inferred horror. If The Blair Witch Project left you unsettled then this will scare the pants off you. A brilliant piece of low-budget filmmaking.
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A beautiful film tackling a topic close to home for many and likely to become more relevant with our aging population. Michael Caine at the top of his game.
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Zombie Nazis. 'Nuff said.
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A great German film that actually presents teenaged girls with a story that is moralistic without being patronising, featuring strong yet flawed characters. If there was more of this and less Twilight then there might be some hope for the young women of the world.
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Read Mark's take on 2009 in his best and worst films of 2009 list.
What were your favourite films of 2009? Least favourite? Did something surprise you and win your heart in spite of expectations? Did another film disappoint you? Comments are welcome - and encouraged - below!
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