If anything the best thing about Avatar was its marketing. I'd love to have the same people who marketed the movie on my team if I were a filmmaker.

Other than that Up is the best hands down IMO. Simply for being able to address the 'dealing with death' theme spot on, through visuals and music, puts it up there. And they somehow retained the family friendliness and all-ages appeal despite the nature of some of the themes they addressed.

Someone also mentioned District 9, that's a close second on my list. Loved the documentary style of the first half, I'd never seen that before; if anyone can recommend to me any other movies that use such a style please do. From what I understand they also did the sound differently than other movies, made it so it sounded more realistic (volume of what people said was consistent with their distance from the camera) -- props on that point.

Unfortunately I haven't seen Inglourious or Blind Side, have to do that soon.

Haven't seen any of the movies mentioned, actually haven't gone to the movie theater in a while. It's kind of expensive for drinks, popcorn, etc. =/ But from what I can think of, the only movies I remember getting last year were Alien versus Predator, Elizabeth and another movie I can't remember the name of. I haven't seen any of them, hope to, though.

And, speaking of Let The Flames Begin, I haven't been able to read that lately, hate to say it. I've been really eager to, though, but school has been getting in the way of that. >_<

~

The last movie I saw in theaters was either Avatar or Ponyo--I really only see about three or so movies a year. Tickets themselves is expensive by themselves. I smuggle food and drink in, lol.

Also don't worry about it--it's going rather slow anyway. Only up to Chapter 2 atm.

I don't know if this has been brought up in the comments because I don't have time to read them, and no matter, but I feel compelled to note that Avatar was a rotten clunker of a movie. The story was so trite and banal that after seeing the opening ten minutes I had predicted every single scene that was to come in the film - as I sat watching I literally was counting each scene and plot point off, no exaggeration. Furthermore, the themes were insipid and ham-handedly delivered and the acting was regrettable (and also ham-handed).

 

It was without a doubt the worst film I saw in 2009. Its only redeeming quality was that the CGI environment was pretty to look at - but so are many other films. I'd rather watch a good movie that looks good than a horrible movie that looks good. Avatar was a horrible movie.

Well everybody is entitled to their own opinion of course, but all the hating on something trivial like a movie is not gonna change the fact that I had a fun 2 hours and in the end that's what it comes down to.

And taste isn't really something you can argue about and win.

Avatar: "Oooh, pretty colors..." And that's about all I have to say.

Inglorious: Ew at some points, but the the actor who played the Jew Hunter did a good job.

Star Trek: All right, though the differences between the movie and the tv series confused me.

Up: Aww... this is a good move with really great score. To respond to the flying dogs making it "lose"... if that were the case, the whole plot of the movie would be down the hole; I don't think that balloons could rip a house from its foundations, let alone lift it.