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You know what? This was actually a pretty dang great year for nerdy movies. Zombies, Vulcans, bespectacled young ladies who know how to rollerskate? All there! Because I know you’re not at all<\/em> sick of these end-of-the-year lists yet, here’s a rundown of my favorite films of 2009. This isn’t a “here are the undisputed best movies!” list. Or a “here are the ones that will win a bunch of awards!” list. Just my ten personal favorites, in no particular order.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Drag Me to Hell<\/em><\/strong>: A master returning to his pulpy horror roots (but with a budget!), a nightmare-inducing old lady, and a protagonist who you actually want to make it out alive. I’m usually kind of “whatever” when film nerds get all ranty about people flocking to Transformers: Even More With The Transforming!<\/em> over “quality” fare, but the fact that a shitload of people did<\/em> flock to the latest Bayian disaster over a movie so well-crafted and purely entertaining…well, that’s pretty gross.<\/p>\n Coraline<\/em><\/strong>: Both worlds awesome young Coraline inhabits are amazingly well-realized and Teri Hatcher makes for the scariest fucking mom this side of Mo’nique. Gaiman-y goodness all around.<\/p>\n Paper Heart<\/em><\/strong>: In a world where almost everything is drenched with at least one layer of smirky irony, the earnestness at the core of this gentle mocku\/documentary is just so…welcome. I will cop to adoring perma-disheveled Charlyne Yi in just about everything she does, but this sent me even further into the love camp. And it features one of my favorite unconventional — yet somehow, perfectly conventional<\/em> — romcom endings of all time.<\/p>\n Big Fan<\/em><\/strong>: Some of us (ahem) might relate to the more obsessive parts of this dark, fandomcentric journey a little too much. Patton Oswalt — in his first dramatic role — is simply amazing, committed to his sports freak character body and soul. And every time you think you know what’s about to happen next, the movie sends you spinning in a totally different direction.<\/p>\n Star Trek<\/em><\/strong>: Fun and funny, deft and heartbreaking: cinematic proof that big, loud blockbusters don’t have to be crap. I went on a weird family cruise a few months ago, and one of the channels on the cabin TV played this on a loop. I always seemed to turn it on at the exact point when Uhura is arguing for her spot on the Enterprise<\/em>, and…oh my God, you guys, I was worried every time<\/em>! What if Uhura doesn’t get on the freakin’ Enterprise<\/em>?! (Speaking of Uhura, my one big complaint about the movie still stands<\/a>, but I’m hopeful they’ll fix it in the next one. And not “Nurse Chapel” fix it. “Original Number One or Saavik” fix it.)<\/p>\n District 9<\/em><\/strong>: I feel like I can’t really say anything clever that hasn’t been said already. Would it disturb you if I told you I met Sharlto “Wikus” Copley in person and now think he’s, um, pretty hot? I so didn’t care about that A-Team movie before, but now I guess I have to go on opening day.<\/p>\n Zombieland<\/em><\/strong>: I loved every inch of this, but special mention must be made of kick-ass Emma Stone, who runs around killing zombies and mouthing off and wearing awesome boots. If the studios could only figure out how to channel this sort of thing into an all-out female-centric superhero movie, well…I’d be pretty fucking ecstatic.<\/p>\n Up in the Air<\/em><\/strong>: Thoughtful and perfectly-calibrated, this incisive look at loss and the art of connection and disconnection is also exquisitely cast. A lot of movies this year felt like unholy mash-ups of too many ideas; Up in the Air<\/em> manages the neat trick of incorporating multiple elements and themes with grace and focus. Also, Jason Reitman always has the best opening credits.<\/p>\n Whip It<\/em><\/strong>: I suppose “Ellen Page doing awesome shit” would be enough to get this in here no matter what — just imagine Kitty Pryde (or the scary ball-slicer from Hard Candy<\/em>!) joining roller derby. But beyond that element, Whip It<\/em> also makes a surprisingly precise cut to the heart of kid-parent relationship mindfields. I basically bawled through the whole thing.<\/p>\n Up<\/em><\/strong>: Speaking of crying…did anyone<\/em> manage to remain dry-eyed throughout the first 20 minutes? Yeah, you in the back — guy raising his hand, all proud of himself? Fuck you. You have no soul.<\/p>\n And now…a few other Completely Random Awards.<\/p>\n Best Bromantic Comedy: I Love You, Man<\/em><\/strong> The Judy Greer Award: Anna Kendrick<\/strong>
\nHey, you people showering kudos on The Hangover<\/em>? Give ’em to this movie instead. It’s consistently funny, actually has something to say about the different kinds of bonds we form with people, and doesn’t reduce its women to 1) shrews or 2) one-dimensional strippers with platinum-plated hearts.<\/p>\n
\nIn other words: the “I wish this movie was really about you” award. I am always wanting the cameras to follow acid-tongued best friend Judy Greer whenever she pops up to dispense advice to Katherine Heigl\/Jennifer Aniston\/Jennifer Lopez. Now I’m all, “Camera? Cut away from Bella\/Edward\/Even George Clooney and get to Anna<\/em>.”<\/p>\n