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2009

(500) Days of Summer
Writers- Scott Neustatder and Michael H. Weber 
Director: Marc Webb 
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel and Chloe Moretz 

As the film says, "This is not a love story, this is a story about love" a great soundtrack, a Tarantino-esque structure and a relatable, realistic, un-Hollywoodized take on love. (500) Days of Summer is that rare thing, a romantic-comedy from a guy's perspective and one that is visually inventive, rejects cliche and is bearable. 
Adventureland 
Writer and Director: Greg Mottola 
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and Ryan Reynolds 

An eighties set and esque teen movie. Adventureland contains career best performances from Stewart and Reynolds, has a great soundtrack and makes me want to work at a theme park for a summer. Like (500) Days, Adventureland is not your typical modern 'teen movie' and has an undercurrent of poignancy, heart and intelligence missing from most of its current ilk. If (500) Days is one of my favourite, if not my favourite rom-com , Adventureland is one of my favourite, if not my favourite, teen movie. 
Avatar 
Writer and Director: James Cameron 
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver

Arguably the cinematic experience of the decade. Avatar is in my top fifty for its visual and financial achievement, as well as the fact that 3D or 2D, it is a film which demands a cinematic viewing. 
District 9
Writers: Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell 
Director: Neil Blomkamp 
Starring: Sharlto Copley, David James and Jason Cope

A film that if it weren't for Inglourious Basterds may have been in my top ten of the decade. It's the best film about apartheid, not about apartheid. A moving, tragic tale of transformation at its core, a politically based background and some stunning special effects on a low budget...District 9 is an example of thrilling, emotional, intelligent and inspirational science fiction. 
Drag Me To Hell 
Writers: Sam and Ivan Raimi 
Director: Sam Raimi 
Starring: Alison Lohman, Justin Long and Ruth Livier 

One of my most enjoyable cinematic experiences and an example of horror filmmaking at its fun and frightening best. 
Star Trek 
Writers: Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman 
Director: J.J. Abrams 
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy 

Not your father's Star Trek. This film pays respect to the original series whilst also rebooting it in a brave and inventive way. A superb score, visuals, cast and story makes this Star Trek, a thrilling, action packed, thrill ride. 
Up
Writers: Bob Petersen and Pete Docter 
Director: Pete Docter 
Starring: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer and Jordan Nagai 

One of three Pixar films in this top fifty, arguably the best movie studio of the decade and one of the best of all time. With Up as they have done with all of their films (Except perhaps Cars) they have made an animated film which deals with big life issues, in a way that can move, charm and thrill both young and old. This is genuinely one of those films were a four to an eighty-four old can sit together and enjoy it. It also has what is positively one of the best openings of the decade, a scene so magical that the rest of the film struggles to top it. While not their finest hour (Although their first Best Picture nomination, however that was more down to the expanded 10 film field than the film itself) Up is an example of why animated films need not be looked down at and why children's cinema can infact cover the darkest, as well as the lightest ground. 
Watchmen 
Writers: David Hayter and Alex Tse 
Director: Zack Snyder 
Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode and Malin Akerman 

One of the most underrated films of the decade and like The Dark Knight, one of the finest superhero movies ever made. Watchmen suffered from the fact that it was based on not just one of the most celebrated graphic novels of all time, but one of the most celebrated novels of all time. Watchmen, like Up, has a superb opening, which in years to come no best movie openings of all time list will be complete without. Jackie Earle Haley gives a great performance and while everybody seems to enjoy criticizing Zack Snyder, he shoots this film beautifully and his style never got in the way of the story's inherent substance. 
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