People get all funked out & squirrely when you ask 'em to name their "Top Movies" because well what are you asking that dude?

Are you asking their favourite movies, movies which could include, say, The Stuff and Dirty Dancing which if named in public could bring down derision and scorn and laughter on that dude's head? Are you asking the dude to name the movie that dude thinks is the best movie, objectively the most impressive movie? Then dude starts thinkin christ what is this cat doing to me here, what I'm supposed to say uh ok Citizen Kane and Persona by Ingmar Bergman. Kill me please.

My favourite movies aren't the best movies because I am a deeply stupid person, as impressed by spandex lightning as I am by a well-wrought, haunting portrayal of grief. I don't care. There are great movies, perfect movies, that I think are boring as hell and will never watch again. There are movies I love, that I will never recommend because they are terrible and poorly made. The movies I think are great are the movies that best straddle that weird squirrely divide. Here they are, for year 2009, starting with #10, the movie that just squeaked in:

10. Observe and Report (dir. Jody Hill)

The oddest choice by an on-the-come rising star since Emilio Estevez went from The Outsiders to Repo Man, Observe and Report features the criminally likeable Seth Rogan as Ronnie, a repugnant rapist, a bad lieutenant of the mall beat. It garnered some controversy by people that chose to interpret the film as an endorsement of the disturbed Ronnie’s actions rather than a laugh-till-you-choke dark-as-coffee slapstick take on Travis Bickle as security guard. Anna Faris and Ray Liotta are both great, as is the rest of the cast. Bitter, twisted, brave and funny as hell.

9. Adventureland (dir. Greg Mottola)

Criminally underseen and poorly-served by a marketing campaign that sold it as a light-hearted follow-up to Mottola’s Superbad rather than a surprisingly intelligent look at growing up smart and underemployed in the ‘80s. Jessie Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are part of a great ensemble cast that put together a charming vintage love story, snarky but uncynical. Reviewed at the time at:
www.thesubstream.com/video-review-adventureland.html

8. A Single Man (dir. Tom Ford)

Fashion genius Ford’s self-financed adaptation of the landmark ‘60s gay-lib novel of the same name features the incredibly handsome Colin Firth moping around his incredibly well-designed and appointed Santa Monica home. The production design team responsible for Mad Men and a stand-out performance from Firth help transform the film into something special, a beautiful hour-and-a-half-long cologne ad with heart, wit and soul.Full text Review can be seen at:
www.thesubstream.com/article-review-a-single-man.html

7. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (dir. Werner Herzog)

It's too soon and probably too goofy to say that Herzog has found in Nic Cage his post-Kinski man-muse, but boy does the pairing seem like a natural fit in the director’s odd-concept non-remake non-sequel to Abel Ferrara’s original Bad Lieutenant. Cage outdoes Keitel in sheer loopy madness in a role that only he could play.Full text review at:
www.thesubstream.com/article-review-bad-lieutenant-port-of-call-new-orleans.html

6. The Hangover (dir. Todd Phillips)

Todd Phillips’ wigged-out McGuffin adventure through the back alleys of Vegas features Zack Galifianakis in all his weird, bearded glory and enough who-done-what mystery to hoist the film’s collection of gags up past funny-movie territory into great-movie territory. The funniest movie of the year, by far. Here's a full review:
www.thesubstream.com/video-review-hangover.html

It's been a weird year for movies, is what this list tells me. Check my next blog for my top 5!