Released at the end of January 2009, this little film was an unexpected surprise. Liam Neeson as a father out to save his daughter and exact revenge on her kidnappers turned out to be more entertaining and worthwhile than one would have expected. Not original in concept by any means, but well acted, well paced and well directed. The first film of 2009 worth looking at.

I like Tom Tykwer as a director, so I went into "The International" already positively biased. However, I have to say that he turned in a good thriller, though the story is not original. The acting, the filming and directing are all well done. Just look at the scene in the Guggenheim museum. Pure movie magic.

Though I do not consider myself a trekkie, I have always liked the original Star Trek cast both in television and film. The previews for this re-boot looked tantalizing enough. I was pleasantly surprised by how well done this was. If you have watched this in the theater in IMAX, and then watched it again on blu-ray, you know this is a superb action/sci-fi film.

I have been a long time admirer of Sam Raimi's films, though not entirely a fan full of worship and devotion. This film returned to his earlier style in films such as his Evil Dead trilogy. The audio effects on this film are out of this world. The directing and story were good, but not great. Eccentric, bizarre, and entertaining, this film made it onto my list.

Sam Mendes pulled a fast one here reverting to an indie style after making several mainstream films that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is an unusual film in that a young couple traverses the continent looking for a place to live their lives, only to find that perhaps they were better off where they were to begin with. Well acted and directed, this was an unexpected sleeper.

This first film from David Bowie's son was an odd, original indie film dealing with existence and time. Sam Rockwell does a great job here. The film was good, but I think there is room for improvement for this new director, but he is definitely one to watch for in the future.

I do not believe this film should have won Best Picture for 2009. Was it good? Yes. Was it entertaining? Yes. However, the second half of the film begins to lose momentum, detracting from the overall impact for me. Good, not great. With 10 films up for Best Picture last year, I think Inglourious Basterds should have won instead. But that's just me, isn't it?

This horror/thriller was panned and forgotten last year. However, I watch tons of horror films, and most of them are terrible, but this one stood out. Not an original premise, but it keeps you guessing and entertained. The little girl who plays the orphan was exceptionally well cast.

Released in 2006, but not to dvd until 2009, this Hungarian film had to be one of the most original and truly grotesque and bizarre films of 2009. This gets my stamp of approval for the best warped film of 2009. If you don't mind vulgarity and truly disturbing material, then you should like this gem.

Watching three great rock and roll guitarists from three different generations of rock get together and talk about music and their own compositions may not sound interesting to some, but for me it was excellent. Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White proved entertaining as well as informative. If you appreciate rock and roll as much as I do, see this documentary!

Of all the animated films of 2009, this one got short shrift. I found it to be very entertaining and decidedly dark in a good way. On blu-ray this film is a sight to behold. Original and entertaining this is not Pixar, but something more daring.

The Coen brothers are one of my all time favorite directors. They have had their share of duds, but I felt this film was right up there with their screwball best. I love their sense of humor and absurd cinematic sequences. The castrated ineffectiveness of the main character's life is palpable here.

This is one of those rare child abuse films that deals with its subject matter in a blunt, blistering manner. The lead, portrayed by a newcomer, is one of the few instances where this works to the film's favor. Monique deservedly won supporting actress here--just watch the sequence in the social worker's office towards the end of the film.

This indie was good for its two lead performances by Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson as military servicemen who have to inform family about the death of their soldier family member. Some sequences are blistering in their performances. However, the film does not tie itself together very well in the end which takes away some of its impact.

I love good films about post-apocalyptic scenarios of our world burned out. This film was completely shafted by The Weinsteins and critics. It really is a good film, maybe not great, but a sturdy film about a man and his son surviving after there's nothing left to keep surviving for. Haunting, devastating, and ugly, this film shows humanity in a not-so-pleasing, yet realistic, light.

This film was panned by critics, but I found Peter Jackson's directing solid along with the cinematography. Stanley Tucci was spot on as the creepy serial killer and deservedly garnered an Oscar nomination. Not everything is perfect here, but I felt the film achieved what it set out to.

I have always campaigned for Jeff Bridges to win Best Actor and his time finally arrived here. The film is good, not great, but Bridges' performance was spot on as an alcoholic country star trying to turn his life around. Just watch the sequence at the mall when he fails to take care of Gyllenhaal's son. He played that so well.

I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of Haneke's work, having seen his last three films. This film was much the same. Good, not great, but memorable for the eerie performances from the children actors. A film open to interpretation, but rather slow.

An engaging, if unoriginal, film about a young man going down the wrong road. Part prison drama, part drug/thug drama. Good, not great.