Click here to read what The Daily's Dusty Somers considers the best movies of 2009

The rest of the L&A Staff has weighed in on what their personal favorite films of the year were.

Zombieland

Few critics evaluate films by my patented 'Quality of Bill Murray Cameo'-criterion, so Zombieland fell short of many (okay, most) year-end lists and certainly failed to challenge more serious films for glitzy award contention. And why wouldn't it? Debuting no-names in the lead role (Jesse Eisenberg) and director's chair (Ruben Fleischer) in the rarely-tread funny/horror genre isn't a formula for positive critical reception or a high-dollar grossing.

But somehow Fleischer finds just where to strike, shattering funny bones and nailing zombie gore with a single wallop. Woody Harrelson's Tallahassee is the film's premier specimen, bashing zombie skulls with banjos in his desperate post-apocalyptic quest for a Twinkie. Eisenberg does a first-rate Michael Cera impression as he struggles to overcome his own timidity and rigid survival rules to become a hero.

Quirky, endearing characters and clever action sequences (alligator skin-wearing NASCAR hick vs. zombie army at an amusement park, are you kidding me?) help to sew up what could have been a plot-less, goal-less coming-of-age venture. Toss in Bill Murray getting shotgunned in the chest and you've got one of the best comedies of the year.

Matt Carney is a professional writing senior.

The Hangover

There are some films that are plain unforgettable. Movies like “Superbad” or “Wedding Crashers” are forever stamped on our hearts and minds. These acts of genius may not be marked with countless awards or classified as superlative technological pioneers (such as the lovable Avatar).

But every once in a while the clouds part and a heavenly light comes shining down. The light of 2009 was “The Hangover.” This film intoxicates any audience member faster than Snoop Dogg’s gin and juice.

The film is centered on a bachelor party in Vegas that gets ridiculously out of hand, so much so that the party-goers actually loose the groom. To top off this lovely disaster, no one can remember the night before.

The unsung hero of the film is Zach Galifianakis, the portly, soon to be brother-in-law. He may have started the film as a lone wolf, but he ultimately wins the affection of not only his fellow boys, but the audience as well. If this film is a drink, he’s the gin that makes the night one to remember. Trust me, you’ll be telling your friends about this one.

Now, I know that many may question whether they should waste their valuable time on such nonsense. And I’ll admit that some may classify a few of the film’s moments as juvenile. The movie, however, also provides an ironic social commentary. Its okay to set back and laugh at ourselves a bit, this film helps our society do that.

But whether Martin Scorsese’s sarcasm or “Dazed and Confused” suits your sense of humor, “The Hangover” will bring it home.

In this day and age we all need some laughter and this film is just what the doctor ordered. Katy Perry should reconsider her lyrics because this is what you really get for waking up in Vegas.

Georgia Basore is a communication junior.

Avatar

Of all the excellent movies that premiered in 2009, I have to say, with slight embarrassment, that Avatar is my favorite.

I know all of you film aficionados are pitying me and my elementary taste, but don’t pass judgment just yet.

While Avatar is my pick, I’ll admit that it wasn’t the best movie this year. The plot lacked originality and poignancy, the acting was average, and the super-macho one-liners made me laugh out loud.

On the other hand, the special effects were fantastic. I saw the film twice and each time I was so enthralled with the world of Pandora that the two and a half hours felt like nothing. Time stood still. I left the theater wondering “why can’t this stuff be real?” which I often ask myself since I’m such a sucker for anything fantasy, science fiction, or that requires you to wear 3-D glasses.

So, with full knowledge of Avatar’s strengths and weaknesses, it is still my favorite movie this year. I may be contradicting myself, but I don’t care. I just loved it.

Rachel Landers is a public relations junior.

It’s Complicated

The first notable comedy of the year, It’s Complicated, starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin, brought a bit of relief to a long period of dramas.

Let’s be honest though, anything Streep appears in will always end up being as spectacular and memorable as any classic Mozart concerto. Though, in this case, having two comedy kings—Baldwin and Steve Martin—help to accent any scenes where Streep falters to deliver.

From start to finish, I was in a never-ending chuckle. Granted I stay chuckled most of the time, my experience might not be the best indicator of a good comedic performance.

All in all, even though the film doesn’t offer a completely new and creative way to approach the trials of divorce and new love, it has those certain elements that make it unique.

Of course, those elements include most of the dialogue like Streep’s line, “I’m a bit of a slut” and the banter during her and Martin’s marijuana buzz.

Like me, anyone who can relate to characters experiencing new and awkward moments in life, will enjoy the movie.

Bryan Dugan is a journalism sophomore.

I Love You, Man

Sure, it doesn't originally read as the most original story at first, but switching the romance for a bromance transforms a rather flat idea into something fun to explore.

You rarely get a chance to look at the formation of friendships beyond coming-of-age tales featuring talking animals, and the awkwardness that arises is wonderfully authentic and hilarious.

But the concept plays second fiddle to the undeniable chemistry between the leads Paul Rudd and Jason Segal.

Segal is great with his fresh voice and man-child persona, always asking questions and openly blunt.

The star is Rudd however. He embodies the essence of awkwardness in his fumbling voicemails and terrible attempts at nicknames. From "slappin' da' bass" to constantly failing man-dates, it's embarrassment after embarrassment for Rudd, but the incidents feel like they could happen, less like a script.

For a mid-budget, scripted comedy, "I Love You Man" does a good job of crafting authentic relationships with tons of laughs along the way.

Joshua Boydston is a psychology sophomore.

"Up" image provided.

Up

Eight-year-olds across the country nod their heads in agreement when I say that “Up” is my favorite movie of the year.

Disney — Pixar surprised me with a story that had me laughing until I cried and then crying until my date to the movie politely asked me to “keep it down.”

Approximately 3.5 minutes into the animated film I had already drenched my 3D glasses in tears.

Maybe I love this movie so much because it incorporates three things I adore: dogs, chubby little boys and bitter old men. I never really considered myself much of an animation connoisseur, but there was something different about “Up.” It didn’t try to shove anything down your throat.

It was so easy to let yourself become a part of a world in which thousands of balloons really can lift a house in its entirety. The message of the film wasn’t “follow your dreams,” or “miracles can happen,” rather it discussed the real difficulties and benefits of simply letting go. Sure, “Avatar” had better 3D effects and “Inglorious Basterds” had more plot twists, but after a long year of holding on to unnecessary things, I was ready to let go and love “Up.”

Caitlin Turner is a letters junior.

Drag Me to Hell/Jennifer's Body

I am sorry to report that, when thinking back on the film fodder of 2009, it is mostly shades of dull grayness that flash through my eyes. Sure, we were given big titles such as “UP,” “Star Trek,” and “The Hangover,” but these didn’t really prove to be any more special than blockbusters of previous years. More disappointing than this, though, was that audiences were asked to suffer through refuse such as “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” and “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” (I am now waiting for someone to pen the book “Film Titles with Colons: The Quintessential Recipe for Boredom.”)

Although my glass sounds half full when it comes to the films of 2009, I cannot deny that said glass also held a few appetizing floaters. Because I believe these films will be overlooked by my peers, I feel the need to tip my hat to Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell,” as well as Karyn Kusama’s “Jennifer’s Body.”

Whether or not we are willing to admit it, it is generally a fact that no one knows how to put out a genuinely scary movie anymore. Luckily for us, though, the mostly unknown Kusama embraces this fact, just as Raimi has been doing for decades with films such as “The Evil Dead” and “Army of Darkness.”

That said, I must praise both “Drag Me to Hell” and “Jennifer’s Body” for daring to be purposefully ridiculous amid a sea of more forgettable titles. Theirs is a humor that even the most hardened of film fans are sure to appreciate, and I personally enjoy two hours of toothless, slobbering gypsies or possessed dead girls any day.

Lunden England is a film and video studies senior.

Inglourious Basterds

My favorite film of 2009 was Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.

First, the opening scene. It was at least 20 minutes of almost exclusively dialogue: niceties between strangers, questions and answers, and finally a revelation of truth. Tarantino is, to me, the coolest guy in Hollywood and one of the most talented. He’s also one of the few filmmakers who can keep an audience on the edges of their seats for 20 minutes of pure dialogue, and has the audacity to do it. I loved this movie because it was inventive and risky. Not many writer/directors would want to take on an alternate history of World War II with a plot centered around the plans to assassinate Hitler. But it was executed beautifully, with rich characters as well as funny one-dimensional ones (like Brad Pitt’s Aldo Raine), a fresh and intelligent script, and an innovative plot. The acting was fantastic, most notably from Christoph Waltz as SS Colonel Hans Landa aka “The Jew Hunter.” Inglourious Basterds was exciting, funny, and full of little Tarantino-esque details like dialogue peppered with obscure pop culture and history references, or a short close-up on a strudel as cream is plopped on it.

The violence may be shocking to some, but mostly it borders on comical because of its absurdity. And who would want to deny Brad Pitt his scalps? I think it will go down as one of Tarantino’s best, as well as one of the best films of 2009.

Annika Larson is a professional writing sophomore.

The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Yes, James Cameron’s ex-wife) offers a look into the Iraq War, chronicling the story of a man with probably one of the most dangerous jobs in the military, the leader of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit.

SSgt. Williams James (Jeremy Renner) takes the job, following the death of the man who previously held it. While Renner’s character defuses bombs, he is quite a loose cannon himself. His hunger for danger is shown throughout the film, even after his duty has ended. Renner's performance is spot on, and performances by Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty are also very good.

The characters are exposed to some of the realities of war we wouldn't like think about, including the loss of friends, suicide bombers, and strong psychological issues. These often-violent realities make one question the United States military as a whole, as if there weren’t plenty of questions already.

The film is perhaps one of the most raw and violent depictions of war since Black Hawk Down (2001), and has even drawn comparisons to the four time Oscar winning Vietnam War classic Platoon (1986).

The heart wrenching film received three Golden Globe nominations (Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), although it was not awarded any. Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director were awarded to none other than Bigelow’s ex-husband Cameron, and wrongfully if you’d ask me. I also expect the film to get some Oscar nods this year, most likely for Best Picture and Best Director, and hopefully it won’t fall behind Avatar again.

Ryan Querbach is a journalism sophomore.

He's Just Not That Into You

In case you haven’t realized, the dating rules are so much simpler than society has been telling us since the inception of the telephone. Apparently.

Simply, if he’s not calling, he’s just not that into you (the same applies to women, of course). If he’s not sleeping with you, he’s just not that into you. And if he’s not marrying you, he’s just not that into you.

Seems pretty basic, right? Wrong—there’s enough gray here to fog up from Norman to Bangkok. And that’s on a good day.

Enough to make a self-help book and a film, “He’s Just Not That Into You,” probably one of the smarter, if not smartest, attempt at the modern romantic comedy in quite some time.

“Into You” attempted to bring to life many of the common dating hazards, through various stages of the relationship-building: meeting the right person, getting a date, succeeding on said date, building a relationship, getting married and finally, staying married. All of that crammed into the 1-1/2 hour rom-com sounds exhausting, but the script’s fresh tone makes the storytelling so compelling.

While I really doubt the dating world is chalk-full of gorgeous creatures such as Jennifer Aniston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Connelly and Scarlett Johannson all happening to be co-workers and/or friends, such suspension of disbelief is necessary for the film’s cleverness to get across.

Goodwin’s Gigi is the epitome of the dating neuroses as the every-woman who asks herself, “Is he going to call? He’s going to call. Maybe I should call? He’s showing all of these ‘signs,’ so he has to be interested.”

Despite her romantic pitfalls, the Gigi’s adorableness makes us cheer, not jeer, for her success, countered by Justin Long’s Alex’s opposing, not-so-positive outlook that is the movie’s mantra. Needless to say, they end up together after becoming each other's “exception to the rule.”

The clever one-liners (based on spliced, faux-interview clips), intentionally awkward, mundane scenes and the so-called “That’s so true!” moments make “He’s Just Not That Into You” a memorable addition to the rom-com lexicon that’s worthy of enjoyable repeat views.

Alex Ewald is a University College freshman.