R.I.P. Harold Ramis 1944-2014

   The entertainment world was saddened today as news broke of the passing of comedy legend Harold Ramis at age 69. The last four years of his life were spent battling autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis and his deteriorating health was unknown to his legions of fans. He may be best known for his role as brainy, bespectacled ghostbuster Egon Spengler, but educated film fans know that Ramis' contributions are so much greater than that. Yes, he was an integral part of that decade-defining 1984 classic, but Harold's true legacy was behind the camera as the director of "Caddyshack", "National Lampoon's Vacation", and "Groundhog Day". That's three of the most celebrated comedies of all time, folks. The praises of Bill Murray still get sung on a regular basis by critics and audiences alike and we have Ramis to thank for playing such a crucial role in his big screen development. Chevy Chase initially passed on Clark Griswold because he couldn't see himself as a square family man. Guess who talked him into doing it? Chase is forever indebted to Ramis for that signature role which he returned to on three more occasions. Harold happily resided in the shadow of his much more famous collaborators. Here's some more insight into the legacy of this comedic mastermind.

   Harold was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1944 and his parents were local shopkeepers. He honed his talent for writing at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri in the mid-'60s and his post-graduation jobs included substitute teaching and working with mental patients(he often joked that the latter was perfect preparation for a career in Hollywood). From there he went on to do freelance work for newspapers in his native Chicago which lead to a stint as the joke editor for Playboy magazine. Harold's heart was always in comedy and he took a huge step toward fulfilling his destiny when he hooked up with the now-legendary Second City improvisational group. In the early '70s, this rambunctious theater troupe featured a roster of talent that would soon became very well known(Murray, John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd, just to name a few) once they made their eventual trek to New York to take part in a little show called "Saturday Night Live". Harold declined an offer from SNL to remain with SCTV as a performer and head writer, a position he held from 1976-79. During this time, he co-wrote a screenplay with two writers from National Lampoon, where he had also moonlighted, and the end result was "National Lampoon's Animal House". This rowdy college comedy broke box office records and instantly enshrined it's breakout star John Belushi. It's no wonder Murray called Ramis to do some script doctoring on his first foray into feature films, "Meatballs". The commercial success of the camp counselor comedy led to his directorial debut in 1980 and the unofficial start of one of the most fruitful partnerships in modern cinema. Good luck finding someone that doesn't love "Caddyshack", and the duo quickly reunited for 1981's "Stripes" in which Ramis co-starred and co-wrote(Ivan Reitman directed).

   Ramis spent the early 1980s conceiving two of the decade's most beloved comedy film franchises. "National Lampoon's Vacation" started out as a John Hughes script that Harold turned into a career-making triumph for Chevy Chase, whose other vehicles were notoriously hit-and-miss. Ramis had no direct involvement in any of the sequels because of another project he soon became embroiled in with good pal Dan Aykroyd. They're joint fascination with the supernatural created a high concept screenplay that Reitman soon agreed to direct. Murray was invited to join the party after original proposed star John Belushi died of a drug overdose in 1982. To say that "Ghostbusters" was popular would be a huge understatement. This pop culture landmark gave birth to an unavoidable theme song and a long-running animated series and basically secured the immediate financial futures of everyone involved. All the principals returned for the inevitable sequel in 1989, and in the intervening years, Ramis had the foresight to turn down "Caddyshack II" despite studio pressure to take the reins of that ill-fated follow-up. Instead, he helmed "Club Paradise" with Robin Williams, and took an acting-only gig opposite Diane Keaton in "Baby Boom".

   The 'busters brought in the bucks, but the Murray-Ramis alliance reached it's artistic peak with the 1993 release of "Groundhog Day". This film's stature has grown immensely in the past twenty years thanks largely to the quieter moments that allowed Murray to begin a new chapter in his celebrated career(would "Lost In Translation" have happened without it?). Sadly, they never worked together again. His next major offering, the 1996 cloning comedy "Multiplicity" starring Michael Keaton, got a lukewarm reception. After appearing in a small role in "As Good As It Gets", Ramis worked some of his old magic with Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal. "Analyze This" became a surprise hit in 1999, and will go down as his last notable output as a movie director. The 2002 sequel is best forgotten, and subsequent efforts like "The Ice Harvest" and Year One" vanished without a trace. His cinematic career didn't exactly end on a high note, but a new generation was already paying their respects. Judd Apatow considered him the ideal choice to play Seth Rogen's father in "Knocked Up", and he was invited to direct Steve Carell in several episodes of "The Office". It would be his final showbiz assignment. Thanks for the laughs, Harold.

The Year in Review- 2007

   It was the year the Coen bros. made a coin toss terrifying while Daniel Day-Lewis drank YOUR milkshake. Denzel was in Harlem, Pitt was in the West and Depp was in London. Fincher searched for a real killer, teen pregnancy was played for laughs and Bourne bested Bond. Here are the ten best films in order for 2007.

1. "No Country for Old Men"(2007)
Joel and Ethan Coen have collectively been one of the most unique voices in American cinema, dating all the way back to 1987's "Raising Arizona". The quirky duo's work has always existed just outside the mainstream, with "Fargo" and "The Big Lebowski" earning the most admirers. The Academy could no longer shun the brothers Coen after they delivered the scariest villain this side of Hannibal Lecter in this melancholy adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel. Javier Bardem's chilling turn as relentless, coin-tossing hired killer Anton Chigurh shook up critics and audiences alike, making the Best Supporting Actor Oscar a foregone conclusion. He tears through rural Texas in 1980 on the trail of Josh Brolin and stolen drug money with Tommy Lee Jones' solemn sheriff hot on his trail. Film noir, Western themes, shocking violence, existentialism. Sounds like Best Picture to me.

2. "There Will Be Blood"(2007)
The legend of Daniel Day Lewis had been growing slowly but surely since his 1989 Best Actor Oscar win for "My Left Foot". There were other great roles in the eighteen years that followed, as well as long periods of inactivity that seemed to make the heart grow fonder. So when he finally got back to work a full five years after "Gangs of New York", the orgasmic critical reaction could even be heard by people that don't pay attention to stuff like that. His crazed oil man Daniel Plainview in Paul Thomas Anderson's intimate epic is as commanding a performance as you'll see in the 2000s. The film works beautifully as both a character study and capitalist commentary, making DDL and PTA two of cinema's most appealing acronyms.

3. "American Gangster"(2007)
Denzel Washington is back in morally bankrupt territory with his smooth portrayal of Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas in Ridley Scott's riveting crime drama. It was only a matter of time before the brash Lucas was given the full Hollywood treatment. "Bumpy" Johnson's successor sidestepped the Italian Mafia in the early 1970s, and flooded NYC with pure heroin from Thailand and had family, friends, and a horde of cops on the payroll at the height of his improbable reign. Pitting two heavyweight actors against each other is usually a safe bet, so Scott brought in pal Russell Crowe to represent the forces of good as incorruptible narc Richie Roberts. With this much top talent on display, I knew well before the end credits that this flick had secured a spot on my DVD rack.

4. "Zodiac"(2007)
Director David Fincher used the infamous, unsolved Zodiac murders that gripped Northern California in the late '60s to further his growing rep as one of the most vital filmmakers of his generation. The man who made "Seven" and "Fight Club" maintains a high level of tension and interest over the course of two hours and 37 minutes with a story that has no real resolution- a rather remarkable feat. Fincher accomplishes this with James Vanderbilt's meticulous script and an able ensemble cast that includes Mark Ruffalo's lead detective David Toschi, Jake Gyllanhaal's young reporter obsessed with the case, and a pre-"Iron Man" Robert Downey Jr. on the comeback trail as his hard-living newspaper colleague.

5. "Into The Wild"(2007)
Sean Penn's acting credentials can never be called into question, but his three previous directing efforts("The Indian Runner", "The Crossing Guard", "The Pledge") all failed to leave a lasting impression. That wasn't the case with his fourth trip behind the camera, thanks to a magnetic Emile Hirsch and a story that proves truth is stranger than fiction. Christopher McCandless was a 1990 college graduate who rejected the trappings of the modern world to experience a solitary life in the wilderness. Two years later, starvation and harsh Alaskan weather brought a tragic end to a bizarre journey that was documented in his journal which became a best-seller. William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden play his perplexed parents.

6. "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"(2007)
Brad Pitt is undoubtedly one of the most famous film stars of the last twenty years. Sure, the highly photogenic females in his life are no small reason why, but I'm here to talk about something that doesn't get reported on nearly as much- his consistently solid presence on movie screens. A careful inspection of the heavyweight heartthrob's filmography reveals the kind of commitment to quality usually found in AFI tributes, and his unsung portrayal of mythical Old West outlaw Jesse James will definitely be discussed during his. Director Andrew Dominik had Pitt's full support in his quiet, contemplative vision of the 1880s(the two would reunite for 2012's similarly underappreciated "Killing Me Softly"), while Casey Affleck shines as the reviled Robert Ford.

7. "Ratatouille"(2007)
Leave it to Pixar to make a rat appealing. Disney's sensational animation studio consistently makes most live-action offerings look like rat burgers compared to the gourmet meals on their menu, and the robust rodent at the center of their summer '07 triumph is certainly no exception. Comedian Patton Oswald represents a rare break from the "Aladdin" school of superstar voice acting, a change you probably never even noticed. Shrek's heavily-hyped third outing(released one month sooner) was a turd, Remy came to our rescue and ran away with the Best Animated Feature Oscar to begin a Pixar streak in that category that would last four years.

8. "Juno"(2007)
You'd think that Hollywood would stop obsessing over would-be blockbusters for a minute and give more small-scale projects a chance to find an audience. There's ample evidence that it DOES happen every now and then. The cream rises to the top and there's no better recent example than Ellen Page's quick-witted pregnant teen Juno Temple making her way to the masses. Jason Reitman(son of Ivan) clearly has some of his old man's directorial prowess and seems to be headed for a distinguished career in big screen comedy. Ex-stripper Diablo Cody won the Academy Award for her first screenplay, adding to this flick's all-around surprising success.

9. "Michael Clayton"(2007)
George Clooney has no reason to look as glum as he does in this pic. The legendary lothario was firmly established as a silver screen staple a full decade after donning a Bat suit with nipples on it. That's all the more impressive considering he embarked on a precipitous path of serious-minded, Oscar-baiting("Ocean's" trilogy aside). His title character is a "fixer" for a prestigious NYC law firm at the center of a murderous conspiracy. Tom Wilkinson is his doomed colleague and Tilda Swinton's ruthless corporate lawyer earned her Best Supporting Actress honors. This was a classy debut for director Tony Gilroy, and my favorite scene may be that end credits cab ride. "Give me fifty dollars worth. Just drive".

10(tie). "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"(2007)
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton may be more in synch than any actor/director team in the history of the medium. Their near identical sensibilities means that neither ever has to talk the other into a project, and there's always a mutual trust in the end result. This bloody adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Tony award-winning horror musical fits nicely into the Depp-Burton wheelhouse. Johnny can't really sing. It doesn't matter. The public would've paid to watch him do just about anything in 2007, while Burton's beau Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen all do their part to assist the master of macabre.

10(tie). "The Bourne Ultimatum"(2007)
I'll admit that I was slow in embracing this series. Doug Liman's original was a relatively low-key affair, but director Paul Greengrass ramped up the action in two kinetic sequels with car/foot chases and fight scenes that were just too good to ignore. Jason Bourne is the Rambo of the '00s, and "Ultimatum" won the summer battle of the threequels- "Spider-Man 3", "Shrek the Third", and "POTC: At World's End" all made huge money but added little else to the legacies of their respective franchises. Bourne's legacy is forcing the Bond producers to get their shit together, and cementing Matt Damon as an early 21st century matinee idol.

Honorable Mentions- "The Astronaut Farmer"(2007) Billy Bob Thornton builds a rocket. "TMNT"(2007) The Turtles are animated in their fourth film adventure. "Disturbia"(2007) Shia LaBeouf livens up this formulaic thriller. "Death Proof"(2007) Quentin Tarantino pays homage to '70s grindhouse cinema. "Spider-Man 3"(2007) Yes, it could have been better, but this final Raimi-Maguire outing doesn't skimp on the action/FX front. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"(2007) This splashy threequel was far from the end for your favorite pirate Jack Sparrow. "2 Days in Paris"(2007) with Julie Delpy as writer, director, and star. "A Mighty Heart"(2007) Angelina Jolie is affecting as the wife of slain journalist David Pearl. "1408"(2007) John Cusack in a cursed hotel room. "La Vie En Rose"(2007) Meet Marion Cotillard in this Edith Piaf biopic. "Waitress"(2007) Keri Russell could've been a movie star.

"Knocked Up"(2007) Seth Rogen slams Katherine Heigl. "Live Free or Die Hard"(2007) John McClane is back. "Transformers"(2007) Michael Bay turns a 1980s cartoon into a multi-billion dollar behemoth. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"(2007) The death of Sirius Black! "Hairspray"(2007) A big cast drew summertime audiences to this fun adaptation of the Broadway musical. "The Simpsons Movie"(2007) Homer FINALLY hits the big screen. "Interview"(2007) Steve Buscemi(who also directs) and Sienna Miller impress in this indie talk-fest. "Sicko"(2007) Michael Moore vs. the U.S. healthcare system. "Superbad"(2007) Jonah Hill breaks out in the best teen comedy of the 2000s.

"Lions for Lambs"(2007) Liberal lecturing with Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. "The Game Plan"(2007) The Rock gets in his groove. "Gone Baby Gone"(2007) Ben Affleck changes perceptions in his directorial debut. "Eastern Promises"(2007) Viggo Mortensen is a Russian gangster in another cult David Cronenberg crime flick. "The Kingdom"(2007) Jamie Foxx joins the War on Terror. "Things We Lost in the Fire"(2007) Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro both shine in this indie tearjerker. "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"(2007) Cate Blanchett is a queen. "Lars and the Real Girl"(2007) Ryan Gosling gets himself a girlfriend. "Dan in Real Life"(2007) Steve Carell gets semi-serious. "3:10 to Yuma"(2007) Russell Crowe and Christian Bale team up for James Mangold's Western remake. "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead"(2007) Sidney Lumet's farewell features Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, and Marisa Tomei. "Margot at the Wedding"(2007) Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh bicker for Noah Baumbach.

"Beowulf"(2007) Bob Zemeckis gives us a naked Angelina Jolie(in CGI form). "Bee Movie"(2007) Jerry Seinfeld joins up with DreamWorks Animation. "Atonement"(2007) British Oscar bait with Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. "The Mist"(2007) Stephen King and Frank Darabont reunite. "I Am Legend"(2007) Will Smith flexes his leading man muscle in this post-apocalyptic adventure. "National Treasure: Book of Secrets"(2004) Nick Cage's last stand as a viable leading man. "Alvin and the Chipmunks"(2007) This animated trio was a holiday hit. "Enchanted"(2007) Amy Adams is more animated than any fairy tale princess. "Cassandra's Dream"(2007) Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell kill for Woody Allen. "Charlie Wilson's War"(2007) Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mike Nichols' final film. "The Bucket List"(2007) Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in Rob Reiner's geriatric buddy movie. "The Great Debaters"(2007) Denzel Washington directs the true story of Wiley College in 1935 Texas.

The Year in Review- 2008

   It was the year Heath Ledger's Joker jumped ahead of every other movie villain in history and Mickey Rourke jumped off the top rope. Sean Penn pinned Mick to the mat at the Oscars, Kate Winslet won big as an ex-Nazi cougar and a resurgent Robert Downey Jr.(or Tony Stark rather) laid the foundation for the MCU. Meryl Streep had doubt, Angelina Jolie wanted her son back and Pixar's silently sweet trash compactor captured our hearts. Here are the ten best films in order for 2008.

1. "The Dark Knight"(2008)
"Empire Strikes Back", Aliens", Terminator 2: Judgment Day". All sequels that unquestionably topped their predecessors, and Chris Nolan's phenomenal follow-up to "Batman Begins" joined that elite group almost immediately. What more needs to be said about the late Heath Ledger's towering portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime? It's one of those performances that becomes permanently engrained in the public consciousness, like Brando's Vito Corleone and Pacino's Tony Montana. The Best Supporting Actor Oscar seems insufficient. You almost feel sorry for the rest of the cast because they never had a chance of making a huge impression, but Maggie Gyllenhaal is a better actress than Katie Holmes and Aaron Eckhart gives us a proper rendition of Gotham's tragic DA Harvey 'Two Face' Dent. Christian Bale's Batman has no limits, and Nolan refused to stay within the limits of a comic book movie when he made an epic tale of crime and corruption with real world drama and an unexpected level of darkness. The result was a staggering $533 million domestic box office total, a mini uproar over it's absence from the Best Picture slate and a new benchmark for a burgeoning subgenre.

2. "The Wrestler"(2008)
The rise-and-fall-and rise-again of Mickey Rourke is a tale stranger than fiction. The brooding 1980s bad boy was granted leading man/heartthrob status, which he promptly rejected to try his hand at boxing(you read that right). His return to acting in the mid-'90s was met with snickers and lousy roles, and so began the long, improbable road back to respectability. His stunning transformation into Randy 'The Ram' Robinson was the ultimate vindication and the closest thing this cinematic era has to a "Raging Bull". Director Darren Aronofsky pulls back the curtain on the previously underexplored world of professional wrestling, a "fake sport" where the pain, personal sacrifice and shocking amount of drug-related casualties couldn't be more real. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood both added to the all-around heartbreak. The Academy really needs to get called out WWE-style for such an offensive error in judgment("Slumdog Millionaire?! Really??). This grueling drama is one of the finest films of the decade.

3. "Milk"(2008)
Sean Penn picked up his second Best Actor Oscar in five years(the first was for "Mystic River") to earn his place among the indisputable greats of his profession in Gus Van Sant's superior biopic. Many will insist that the gold statue belonged to Rourke that year and they're not wrong, but Penn's commitment to quality gave him the awards season edge and that's not wrong either. He completely disappeared into the role of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. His theatrical campaigns in San Francisco throughout the 1970s and assassination at the hands of socially conservative political rival Dan White(Josh Brolin) were more than enough to make Milk a martyr and a trailblazing icon in the gay community.

4. "Iron Man"(2008) Mickey Rourke wasn't actually the biggest comeback story of 2008. Marvel Studios took a significant risk when they rested their immediate cinematic future on the shoulders of an aging bad-boy actor more famous for multiple drug arrests than anything he'd done onscreen. But Robert Downey Jr.s talents were never in doubt, as evidenced by the easy charm, humor, and likeability he brought to wealthy industrialist playboy Tony Stark. His first appearance in the red-and-gold IM suit is an all-time great superhero intro. Gwyneth Paltrow is a good match as his assistant/love interest Pepper Potts, and a bald Jeff Bridges(spoiler alert!) makes the most of his villainous weapons manufacturer. Many forget that "Elf" director Jon Favreau's franchise-starter was an underdog movie in the year of "The Dark Knight". This film's $319 million domestic box office is the reason Disney bought the rights to approximately 5,000 Marvel characters. Nothing's been the same since.

5. "Frost/Nixon"(2008)
As you can see, 2008 was a banner year for male acting, as Frank Langella also turned in a career-best performance as our disgraced 37th President in this absorbing account of his famed 1977 televised interviews with English journalist David Frost(Michael Sheen). This decorated 70 year old stage veteran has quietly been confined to supporting roles as far as his film career is concerned, so his Best Actor nod was a gratifying acknowledgment of a largely unsung talent. Ron Howard has mostly(and disappointingly) been in the Dan Brown business since his '01 Oscar triumph, making "F/N" a most welcome return to the kind of meaty material that once made him one of the industry's most dependable directors.

6. "The Reader"(2008)
Alright, enough about the men. Is Kate Winslet the best actress of her generation? "Heavenly Creatures" was the start of a wonderful career, which culminated in this Best Actress win out of seven total nominations. An unconventional younger man/older woman love story in post-WWII Germany belies a tragic, hidden past in this classy adaptation of David Hare's 1995 novel. Hannah Schmitz was one of the 8,000 guards at Auschwitz, and David Kross is impressive as her teen lover who learns the truth during a 1966 trial for war crimes. Can Ralph Fiennes reconcile his feelings for his former flame in his anguished adulthood? This intimate period drama is partially presented in flashback by Broadway director Stephen Daldry, with as much sensitivity and skill as he brought to "The Hours".

7. "Doubt"(2008)
Is Meryl Streep the greatest actress OF ALL TIME? With all due respect to Katherine Hepburn, eighteen Academy Award nominations to date(starting with 1978's "The Deer Hunter") don't lie. According to my math, that's thirty years of overall excellence. However, Streep isn't the sole standout in this sobering indictment of the Catholic Church circa 1964. Amy Adams ascends the ranks and Voila Davis deepens the roster as well. Finally, Philip Seymour Hoffman may not have been missed in that Brooklyn parrish, but there's NO doubt his classy, idiosynchratic presence will be missed on movie screens going forward. R.I.P.

8. "WALL-E"(2008)
Where would the world of animation be without John Lasseter and Steve Jobs? Still in the hand-drawn dark ages, I suspect(sorry, Simba). Needless to say, the Disney/Pixar tandem was on a MAJOR roll, taking the medium to artistic heights year after year that few filmmakers(including their aggressive DreamWorks rivals) could match. Virtually no dialogue for the first half? No A-list voices?? Writer-director Andrew Stanton's critique on consumerism, corporatism, and environmental perils on planet Earth really does look and feel 800 years removed from "Pinocchio" and "Snow White". Many notable critics weren't satisfied with the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, declaring "WALL-E" THE best film of 2008. They weren't far off.

9. "Changeling"(2008)
Leave it to Clint Eastwood to toss aside nearly ten years of tabloid omnipresence and remind the masses why they fell in love with Angelina Jolie in the first place. Honestly, I wouldn't have been bothered by Brad Pitt's tattooed girlfriend triumphing in the '08 Best Actress race, but few would argue that Kate wasn't overdue. Angelina shines as Christine Collins, a Los Angeles mother abhorred by the handling of her nine year old son's abduction in 1928. The ensuing 'Wineville Chicken Coop Murders' received national attention, exposed an ineffectual police department and deserved a director of Clint's caliber during his sensational septuagenarian years(we were treated to "Gran Torino" a mere two months later). This is another polished piece of work from a tireless, truth-seeking screen titan.

10. "Vicki Christina Barcelona"(2008)
That workaholic wordsmith Woody Allen took Scarlett Johansson to Barcelona for their third and (to date) final collaboration(Marvel pays quite a bit better). Javier Bardem was right at home in Woody's world, as a smooth Spaniard that sets out to seduce two young vacationing American women. This talky love triangle doesn't sit well with his emotionally unstable ex-wife, played in scene-stealing form by Best Supporting Actress winner Penelope Cruz.  We also have "VCB" to thank for Rebecca Hall- this leggy, loquacious brunette is my pick for the year's breakout star.

Honorable Mentions- "Rambo"(2008) Sylvester Stallone's bandanna-wearing bad-ass brings some old-school carnage to Burma. "Definitely, Maybe"(2008) This Ryan Reynolds romcom was a step in the right direction. "Cloverfield"(2008) This monster movie put Matt Reeves on the map. "In Bruges"(2008) Martin McDonagh enters the conversation. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"(2008) Jason Segel gets over Kristen Bell with Mila Kunis. "Jolene"(2008) Jessica Chastain impresses in her indie debut. "Kung Fu Panda"(2008) DreamWorks and Jack Black start up an animated franchise. "The Incredible Hulk"(2008) Edward Norton turns green. "Sex and the City"(2008) Sarah Jessica Parker's TV troupe hits the big screen. "The X-Files: I Want to Believe"(2008) Mulder and Scully get a sequel. "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"(2008) Ron Perlman and Guillermo del Toro get a sequel. "Recount"(2008) Al Gore got screwed. "Bigger, Stronger, Faster"(2008) Is it still cheating if everyone takes steroids?

"Step Brothers"(2008) Boats 'n' hoes. "Hancock"(2008) Will Smith creates his own superhero. "Mamma Mia!"(2008) Meryl Streep made this musical a summer smash. "Tropic Thunder"(2008) Ben Stiller and his buddies go to war. "Burn After Reading"(2008) The Coen bros bolster their comic caper with a big cast. "What Just Happened"(2008) Robert De Niro reunites with Barry Levinson for this showbiz parody. "Hunger"(2008) Michael Fassbender fasts in his prison cell. "Body of Lies"(2008) Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe hunt terrorists for Ridley Scott. "Rachel Getting Married"(2008) Anne Hathaway was nominated for this Jonathan Demme comedy. "W"(2008) Oliver Stone was right at home in this indictment of our 43rd President. "Quantum of Solace"(2008) Daniel Craig's second Bond is still dealing with demanding detractors. "Twilight"(2008) Rob Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart spark a tween phenomenon. "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa"(2008) Ben Stiller and Chris Rock get a DreamWorks sequel. "Revolutionary Road"(2008) Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet weren't as happy as hoardes of "Titanic" fans had hoped.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"(2008) Brad Pitt ages backwards for David Fincher. "Yes Man"(2008) Jim Carrey can't say 'no'. "Gran Torino"(2008) A cantankerous Clint Eastwood befriends a Hmong teen. "Seven Pounds"(2008) Will Smith's mystery man is out to change the lives of seven people. "Last Chance Harvey"(2008) Dustin Hoffman grapples with old age and regret. "Slumdog Millionaire"(2008) Danny Boyle's divisive Best Picture winner(briefly) turned our attention to Bollywood. "Valkyrie"(2008) Tom Cruise is a good Nazi in this fact-based historical drama. "Marley & Me"(2008) Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston buy a cute dog in this family-friendly holiday hit.

The Year in Review- 2009

   It was the year Kathryn Bigelow blew up, while James 'King of the World' Cameron ended his self-imposed exile in stunning fashion. Tarantino tackled WWII, Clooney and Pixar went further 'UP' and Bridges and Bullock both added 'Oscar winner' to their resumes. Eastwood and Freeman freed South Africa, Depp did Dillinger and Star Trek came back. Here are the ten best films in order for 2009.

1. "The Hurt Locker"(2009)
Kathryn Bigelow made history as the first female to be awarded the Best Director Oscar for the best movie to deal with the Iraq War(so far). She fills each frame with explosive tension in this intimate tale of a trio of U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit(simply put, the bomb squad). Jeremy Renner landed his breakout role as the livewire leader of the group, a gung-ho maverick drawn to the thrill of battle and disconnected from sedate civilian life, while Anthony Mackie made us take similar notice as his calmer comrade. "Locker" may be the lowest-grossing Best Picture winner of all time due to real-life war withdrawal, but film is forever, and this one has already secured a spot in the pristine pantheon of crackling combat flicks.

2. "Avatar"(2009)
There's a lot of stubborn movie buffs that just refuse to give it up for James Cameron. I'm not afraid to call the man a trail-blazing genius with an almost unparalleled track record when it comes to big-budget 'event' film-making. After a 12 year absence from cinema, the bearded braggadocios unleashed the most hyped film project in history not called "Star Wars". Revolutionary, game-changing 3-D technology was a common boast heard by the "Titanic" director. An 'unoriginal' story(there's only about six movie plots, people) didn't diminish an unforgettable, fully immersive viewing experience for a guy rarely impressed by pyrotechnics(take that, "Transformers"). As I write this, "Avatar" is the highest-grossing movie of all time. Cameron broke his OWN box office records, and recently announced three more trips to Pandora that are guaranteed to keep the global motion picture industry thriving.

3. "Inglorious Basterds"(2009)
Quentin Tarantino quickly rebounded from his least successful offering(2007's "Grindhouse") to reestablish his ballistic brand of genre-defying death and destruction in his most complete and satisfying work since "Pulp Fiction". Brad Pitt leads the Basterds, a bloodthirsty band of Nazi-hunting Jewish-American soldiers during WWII. It should be noted that QT has made as many stars as he's resurrected, and Christoph Waltz walked away with this fictional revenge fantasy(and the Best Supporting Actor Oscar) as the scene-stealing SS officer Hans Landa. I think this just might be Quentin's third masterpiece.

4. "Up in the Air"(2009)
Jason Reitman justified all that post-"Juno" buzz to join a select bunch of brand-name filmmakers in this sharp snapshot of the economic uncertainties that plagued the populace at the tail end of the 2000s. George Clooney is even charming when he's terminating the employment of working-class people, and most of us are glad he brought Anna Kendrick along to rip the heart out of the heartland. Reitman may be the only guy that got something out of the Great Recession, and his savage seriocomedy manages it's latent likability with help from Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride and J.K. Simmons.

5. "Up"(2009)
Pixar's titanic track record over the course of nearly two decades makes me want to have kids. That's quite a compliment. There doesn't seem to be any story or protagonist they can't sell to thankful throngs of supporters, as evidenced by Ed Asner's elderly widower and his thousands of helium balloons. Summertime viewers were moved to tears by his 'married life' montage that preceded his flight to the wilds of South America with an accidental Asian Boy Scout sidekick. Pixar predictably picked up their third straight Best Animated Feature Oscar, and there was simply no letting the air out of this awesome animated powerhouse as we hurled toward the 2010s("Toy Story 3" was 'up' next).

6. "Crazy Heart"(2009)
Jeff Bridges has long been one of the industry's most underrated actors. A Best Actor Oscar win won't allow us to fume about his lack of formal recognition anymore, but I'm still glad he won it for the wounded sensitivity he brought to aging country music star 'Bad' Blake. This hard-living legend finds redemption in the form of Maggie Gyllenhaal's sweet single mom. Old habits die hard, though. "Heart" hits all the right notes thanks to director Scott Cooper, and makes a nice companion piece with 1989's "The Fabulous Baker Boys" for those members of the Bridges brigade looking to drop 'The Dude' for awhile.

7. "The Blind Side"(2009)
Barack Obama was ALMOST as popular as Sandra Bullock at the beginning of his first term. We backed cinema's sexiest bus-driving girl next door for fifteen frequently turbulent years("Two If by Sea"?, "Speed 2"??, "ALL ABOUT STEVE"???) before she reached her critical and commercial zenith as Memphis matriarch Leigh Anne Tuohy in this fact-based, feel good drama. Gentle giant Michael Oher owes his NFL career to this Southern saint and her down-home hubby(Tim McGraw). A brassy Bullock's all-time high approval rating resulted in the Best Actress Oscar, and a knockout victory over the similarly rousing, previously unbeatable "Rocky" saga for the title of top-earning sports movie.

8. "Invictus"(2009)
Clint Eastwood is the best director of the decade(there, I said it). He got the last good performance out of Morgan Freeman, as if the double Oscar winner needed another classy distinction. This dynamic duo clearly works well together("Unforgiven", "Million Dollar Baby"), and Freeman is spot-on as South African President Nelson Mandela. The anti-apartheid revolutionary seeks to unite his divided country through the 1995 Rugby World Cup and it's tough team captain Francois Pienaar(an equally game Matt Damon). Is it just me, or is rugby more exciting and fast-paced than that overhyped Sunday spectacle known as American football? Another job well done, Clint.

9. "Precious"(2009)
Alright, enough of all this uplift. You think your life sucks? Meet Gabourey Sidibe's obese, illiterate Harlem teen. Her dark, impoverished existence isn't easy to digest, but where is it written that every movie has to be a dopey dopamine rush? Spike Lee must have been envious of director Lee Daniels' lucid delivery of her authentically bleak surroundings, right down to Mariah Carey's dowdy social worker. Mo'Nique mauled the competition for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar as Precious' monstrous mother, one of two wins this super indie scored out of six nominations(the other was for Best Adapted Screenplay).

10(tie). "Star Trek"(2009)
James T. Kirk, one of the most storied heroes in all of fiction, gets a facelift in this visually-arresting, action-packed prequel that you didn't have to be an aging Trekkie to appreciate. The 43 year old franchise was at it's absolute lowest point, before a crowd-pleasing genius named J.J. Abrams captained the Starship Enterprise, making this "Trek" faster and more fun than it ever was with William Shatner(with all due respect). Chris Pine impressively leads a youthful cast that includes Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, and Anton Yelchin. Winona Ryder and the late, great Leonard Nimoy make welcome appearances as well.

10(tie). "Public Enemies"(2009)
It's fitting that we wrap up this retrospective on the first decade of the 21st Century with it's biggest marquee name. They say that this superhero-soaked, franchise-friendly era rendered the traditional 'movie star' obsolete. Try telling that to Captain Jack. Johnny Depp should've drawn a bigger crowd as infamous 1930s gangster John Dillinger, whose Depression era exploits inspired the formation of the FBI(maybe we couldn't recognize him without his eyeliner). Christian Bale is the straight-arrow agent hot on his trail and Marion Cotillard is his 'blackbird' Billy Frechette in another exemplary effort from "Heat" helmsman Michael Mann.

Honorable Mentions- "Taken"(2009) Liam Neeson launches un unlikely action icon. "Notorious"(2009) The rise of rap legend Biggie Smalls. "Duplicity"(2009) Julia Roberts overcomes plot complexities with Clive Owen. "Watchmen"(2009) This cult '80s comic book earned Zack Snyder's dark vision the attention of DC. "The Proposal"(2009) Big year for Sandra Bullock. "Tyson"(2009) This doc takes an unflinching look at the controversial former heavyweight champ. "Antichrist"(2009) That Lars Von Trier is a real bummer. "Drag Me to Hell"(2009) Sam Raimi returns to his roots. "Adventureland"(2009) Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart in a carnival coming-of-age story.

"Terminator Salvation"(2009) Christian Bale vs. Skynet. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"(2009) Hugh Jackman claws around for the fourth time. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian"(2009) Ben Stiller and company are back. "Angels & Demons"(2009) More religious mysteries with Tom Hanks and Ron Howard. "The Hangover"(2009) Bradley Cooper headlines '09s hottest comedy. "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs"(2009) The third and most financially-successful film in the Blue Sky animated franchise. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"(2009) J.K. Rowling gets richer. "Moon"(2009) Sam Rockwell in space. "Orphan"(2009) A new horror icon is born. "Funny People"(2009) Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen do respectable work for Judd Apatow.

"Julie & Julia"(2009) Meryl Streep inspires Amy Adams as celebrated chef Julia Child. "Whip It"(2009) Ellen Page plays roller derby in Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. "Brothers"(2009) Tobey Maguire flips the fuck out. "Amelia"(2009) Hillary Swank was out for a third Oscar as the tragic aviation pioneer(she wasn't even nominated). "Zombieland"(2009) Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg wage war with the undead. "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"(2009) Sony Pictures Animation makes $125 million in the U.S. "Michael Jackson's This Is It"(2009) The King of Pop takes his final bow. "Fantastic Mr. Fox"(2009) is voiced by George Clooney in Wes Anderson's stop-motion animation. "2012"(2009) Roland Emmerich's 157-minute natural disaster movie is his second-biggest hit. "Everybody's Fine"(2009) Robert De Niro does his version of "About Schmidt". "The Lovely Bones"(2009) Peter Jackson puts his hobbits on hold. "A Christmas Carol"(2009) Bob Zemeckis mo-caps Jim Carrey and retells another classic holiday tale. "A Single Man"(2009) Colin Firth was nominated for Tom Ford's directorial debut. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon"(2009) Edward or Jacob? "It's Complicated"(2009) Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, and Alec Baldwin in a Nancy Meyers love triangle. "Sherlock Holmes"(2009) The legendary London sleuth gets the blockbuster treatment from Robert Downey Jr. and Guy Ritchie.