Top 49 movies of the last five years, part 5

Okay, we’re in the home stretch. If you missed the first 40, you can click on the top 49 movies link. The final nine movies of the last five years:

6/22/09
Up. Though its short title causes confusion when writing notes on a message board (I saw Up! You saw what up? No UP! University of Portland? NO the MOVIE UP! What movie? Arrrrrgh!) this is one of the best movies I saw in 2009–animated or not. And 2009 was a good year for watching good movies. 13 of my list were viewed that year. The montage scene will set the montage standard for years to come. Perfect.

7/2/09
Away We Go. I loved this so much I saw it three times in the theater, which, given my cheap-er-I-mean-frugal nature, is saying something. I enjoyed the humor, the main male lead reminded me of someone I live with and also: Melanie Lynskey, fabulous as usual. In fact, this movie was packed with great scenes and actors.

7/20/09
Across the Universe. A story based on Beatles songs? It could have gone so wrong. Instead, it went so right I immediately watched everything by the director (except Titus–I only made it halfway through that movie–the images were visually striking, but way too disturbing.) Incredibly fun and gripping and yes, pretty. Have you not seen it? Get going!

7/30/09
Moon. A brilliant movie and one that had me reserving every movie with Sam Rockwell in it the library carries. Puzzling, suspenseful and intellectually horrifying, you best be watching this movie. Also, Kevin Spacey works well as a disembodied voice of a computer. Perhaps he should just do that for awhile.

10/10/09
500 Days of Summer. A romantic comedy that boys will actively like and not grumble through. Funny and very well done.

10/31/09
Carrie. This movie is on this list because I thought I would hate it. I don’t like scary movies, I’m not a Sissy Spacek fan and I’d read the book. But from the first scene, the cinematography was beautiful, something I wasn’t expecting. Some of the acting is bad, but the movie itself is very nice to look at. Well done.

11/15/09
Whip It. What I am looking for from Hollywood: Spunky protagonist wants something (not a boy) and does what she can to get it, confronting funny and moral dilemmas along the way. Is this so much to ask? Apparently so, as I rarely see movies like this. Excellent viewing for teenage girls and there should be about four more a year like it.

12/5/09
The Informant! Funny. Great voice overs and (yes!) Melanie Lynskey. The fact it is based on a true story makes it even better.

12/27/09
Lars and the Real Girl. Every cast member is fabulous in this movie which you might, like me, not watch because of uncomfortable feelings about the subject matter, but which you should just get over it and press play. Delightful!

So ends our list.
The stats:
2005–4 top movies
2006–6 top movies
2007–8 top movies
2008–18 top movies
2009–13 top movies