Adieu 2009

So, just as I and others did for 2008 and 2007, here's my review of 2009.

Best film I saw at the cinema in 2009:
Inglourious Basterds
(honorable mentions: Up, Slumdog Millionaire, (500) Days Of Summer, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)

Looking back on 2009, I found that only one or two films really stuck out in my mind as candidates for the best film I'd seen. However, thinking a little harder revealed several gems. Up came very close to beating Inglourious Basterds, being as it is a tour de force of animation and one of the most emotional pieces of cinema I've watched for a long while, but I just couldn't deny Tarantino's near-perfect war epic that is quite literally unlike any film I've ever seen before. Inglourious Basterds is probably as close as Tarantino has come to matching the cinematic heights reached in Pulp Fiction, and deserves to go down as a masterpiece.


Best film I saw (for the first time) on DVD in 2009:
The Wrestler
(honorable mentions: I'm Not There, Son Of Rambow)

Three brilliant films in their own ways, and a difficult choice because of this. But The Wrestler clinches it for being an ace film and solidifying Mickey Rourke in my mind as a truly awesome actor.


Best TV show that I saw for the first time in 2009:
N/A

Not that I haven't watched any TV this year. It just hasn't featured as prominently in other years, and a lot of the stuff I've watched is stuff that I've continued to watch, rather than started watching, in 2009.


Best TV show that I continued to watch in 2009:
Lost

Lost has benefited this year from two things: heading towards its conclusion (the final season begins at the beginning of February this year), and not trying to cater to people who haven't watched all the previous seasons. Even the way season 4 was written seemed at least in part to be to allow new viewers to join the story. Season 5 forewent such exotericism plunging deep into Lost's complexities, and as a viewer from the start of season 1, to my mind it was all the better for it.


Best singles of 2009:
Bonkers - Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden
Warrior's Dance - The Prodigy
End Credits - Chase & Status (featuring Plan B)


Most annoying songs of 2009:
Bulletproof - La Roux
Bodies - Robbie Williams


Best albums of 2009:
Invaders Must Die - The Prodigy
Drop - Mistabishi
Join The Q - The Qemists


Best live show I saw in 2009:
Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story On Stage

Kind of wins by default, as it was actually the only live show I went to see of any sort in 2009. But it's still worth a mention as, even though it's not entirely my kind of thing, there was no denying the high production values and performances of all those involved. I went with the intention of keeping an open and non-cynical mind, and I actually had an enjoyable time seeing Dirty Dancing, so that's why it's there.


Best game I first played in 2009:
The Settlers Of Catan


Most time wasted this year:
Being a teacher

Okay, I guess it's more of a career than time wasted, but it's amazing how more and more of your life gets taken over by the fact that you're a teacher the longer you do it. So no chance for websites to take up my time any more.