by Chris Ullrich, Dec 31 2009 // 2:00 PM

2009 was a great year for films in general, particularly if you’re a fan of the sci-fi genre. The year also saw the return of a beloved franchise to the big screen as well as the latest film by one of our best modern directors. And even with the current condition of the country and the economy, audiences still managed to fill theaters and the movies enjoyed record breaking successes that hopefully will continue on into the new year.
Even with all the great movies in 2009, there were also some not so great ones. Sadly, there will always be some real bombs, but that’s to be expected. Fortunately, there were also quite a few standouts that helped keep us entertained, enthralled and excited about going to the movies in 2009.
As usual with lists of this type, I need to disclaim and say this is my list of what I felt were the best films of 2009. Nobody can see everything and opinions vary. Your list may be different.
Differing opinions and the freedom to express them are one of the things that make this country great. There’s always something new and different to see and do and we all get to choose what’s best for us. What movies we watch and enjoy is no exception.
That said, here then is my list, in no particular order, of the films I feel were the best of 2009.
Inglourious Basterds — 2009 saw the return of director Quentin Tarantino and the release of this amazing film. Some might consider it overlong or self-indulgent, but it showcases Tarantino’s filmmmaking skills at their finest and serves as an example of one filmmaker’s singular vision and immense storytelling craft.
This film provides the audience with something they never got from real life: closure. To finally see the Nazis, and in particular Hitler, get the ending they deserve is a testament to the power of this film and to its creator.
Continue Reading →
Posted in: Action · Best of 2009 · Drama · Movies · Sci-Fi
Tagged: A Serious Man, A Single Man, Avatar, Best of 2009, District 9, Drag Me to Hell, Inglourious Basterds, James Cameron, John Hillcoat, Katherine Bigelow, Movies, Quentin Tarantino, Sam Raimi, Star Trek, the Coen brothers, the hangover, The Hurt Locker, The Road, Tom Ford, Up in the Air, Zombieland
8 comments
by Joe Gillis, Dec 30 2009 // 12:00 PM

With 2009 and the ‘aughts’ portion of the new millennium coming to a close, Chris and Matt decided to forgo the usual news and commentary for this special episode of The Flickcast and instead, focus on some of the great movies, tv, comics, games and all things geek that were the best of 2009. In addition, the boys also made some picks of one or two of the highlights of the entire ‘aughts’ decade.
Some of the topics discussed include Chris and Matt’s favorite movies of 2009 such as Star Trek, Inglourious Basterds, Zombieland and Drag Me to Hell as well as some of their favorite 2009 tv shows including Community, Cougar Town and continuing series such as Fringe and The Big Bang Theory. The boys also made some picks of their favorite comics and games of the year including Blackest Night, Old Man Logan, Modern Warfare 2 and Ultimate Alliance 2.
As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques or offers of sponsorship, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter and at Facebook, MySpace or via email.
Podcast: Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android |
Posted in: Best of 2009 · Comics · Games · Geek · Movies · Podcasts · TV · Video Games
Tagged: Avatar, Best of 2009, Blackest Night, Comics, Community, Cougar Town, Drag Me to Hell, Games, Geek, Inglourious Basterds, Modern Warfare 2, Movies, Old Man Logan, Podcast, Star Trek, TV, Ultimate Alliance 2
2 comments
by John Carle, Dec 24 2009 // 9:30 AM

In the first half of The Best Video Games of 2009, we saw Best Portable, Wii, Playstation 3 and XBox 360 Exclusive titles. Now things are ramping up on the way to the Game of the Year.
Best Music Game
Tie – The Beatles: Rock Band and DJ Hero
The Rock Band / Guitar Hero formula has been done to death at this point. Players play songs in a set list to unlock more music. Repeat as many times as needed until all songs have been unlocked. But it was 2009 that the music game genre took two big steps forward. As loved as Metallica is, their Guitar Hero installment couldn’t hold a candle to the weight of the legacy that the Beatles would bring with them in The Beatles: Rock Band. For the first time, there was a career spanning take on the legendary act with amazing and unique visuals attuned to the songs being played out.
With the addition of harmonies for the first time in any music game, The Beatles: Rock Band stepped up the feel of being in a full band to another level. Along with the unrivaled set list that only the Beatles could produce, the game has a shelf life that can outlast the pop-centric songs of current game releases.
A little over a month later, music gaming took another leap but this time into the unknown. Many people grow up hoping to become famous musicians at one point in their life but nowhere near as many look to become famous DJs. DJ Hero from Activision brought in masters of turntablism with the likes of the original hip-hop DJ Grand Master Flash to DJ Jazzy Jeff to electronica legends Daft Punk in the ultimate mashup collection.
Continue Reading →
Posted in: Activision · Best of 2009 · Flickcast Presents · Games · Microsoft · MTV · Nintendo · Playstation 3 · Sony · Video Games · Wii · Xbox 360
Tagged: Activision, Assassin's Creed II, Beatles, Beatles: Rock Band, Best Of, Best of 2009, Best Video Games of 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, DJ Hero, Games, Harmonix, Infinity Ward, Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, Valve, Video Games
3 comments
by John Carle, Dec 23 2009 // 1:00 PM

2009 was a huge year for gaming. With some games not living up to lofty expectations, others took the reins set before them and ran with them further than many expected. Batman: Arkham Asylum proved it was possible to make a great game based on Batman, though it took the video game industry over 25 years to figure out how to accomplish that.
Wolverine: Origins proved that games based off movies didn’t have to be bad and in the eyes of many surpassed the quality of the film that inspired it. Legends were reborn as the Beatles were featured in their own Rock Band game. Yes, it was a momentous year for gaming which leads us to proudly present these awards for the Best Video Games of 2009.
Best Playstation 3 Exclusive Game
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was easily one of the best early releases for the Playstation 3. But the problem is no one knew about it who didn’t have the system. A fantastic game, it fell victim to the lack of Playstation 3’s being in consumers’ homes. Knowing the gem they had their hands on, Sony made sure to give Uncharted 2: Among Thieves a spotlight at this year’s E3 along with a strong marketing push when it was released this year.
Continue Reading →
Posted in: Best of 2009 · Comics · DC · Flickcast Presents · Games · Microsoft · Nintendo · Playstation 3 · Sony · Video Games · Wii · XBLA · Xbox 360
Tagged: Batman, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Best of 2009, Best Video Games of 2009, Halo 3: ODST, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Playstation 3, Scribblenauts, The Flickcast Presents, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Video Games, Wii, Xbox 360
4 comments
by Sal Loria, Dec 21 2009 // 11:00 AM
With 2009 coming to a close, the challenge was to pick and rank the 10 best comics from the entire year. I’ve estimated reading approximately 1,500+ issues over that time frame, so obviously it wasn’t the easiest task to complete. Still, after much deliberation, these are my picks for the 10 best comics of 2009.
1. Jonah Hex #50
DC Comics
Writers: Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: Darwyn Cooke
Originally reviewed on December 3, 2009
Perfection. Defined as the highest degree of proficiency, skill or excellence, perfection is near impossible to achieve, especially when every comic ever printed is subjective in nature. You know, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and all that jazz. Still, when I thought about all the comics I’ve read this past year, this issue of Jonah Hex kept coming back to me. While not perfect (frankly, what is?), it’s pretty close.
A wonderful done-in-one tale following our “hero” as he diligently goes about his day job, in this specific case while hunting down 50 various bad guys who had it coming to them. A fine story on it’s own. Now add a dash of romance – or the bounty hunter’s version of it – to the mix, sprinkle in a little personal vengeance, and top it off with a jolting reminder of how cruel life can be, and you’re left with a portrait of a man who makes no excuses for who he is or what he does, life expectations be damned.
Continue Reading →
Posted in: Best of 2009 · Comics · Dark Horse Comics · DC · Flickcast Presents · Marvel · Pull List · Vertigo
Tagged: Adam Kubert, Amanda Conner, Andy Diggle, Batman, batman and robin, Batman R.I.P., batwoman, Ben Caldwell, Best of 2009, Bing Cansino, Blackest Night, Brendan Fletcher, Brian Azzarello, Brian Stelfreeze, Civil War, Crisis On Infinite Earths, Cully Hamner, Dan DiDio, Daredevil, Dark Reign, Dark Reign - The List: Daredevil, Dark Reign - The List: Punisher, Dark Reign: The List - Amazing Spider-Man, Darwyn Cooke, Dave Bullock, Dave Gibbons, David Lapham, Deadman, detective comics, Eddie Berganza, Eduardo Risso, Fábio Moon, Fantastic Four, Final Crisis, Geoff Johns, Green Lantern, greg rucka, Ivan Reis, JH Williams III, Jimmy Palmiotti, Joe Kubert, Joe Quinones, John Arcudi, John Romita Jr., Jonah Hex, José Luis García-López, Joss Whedon, Justin Gray, Kamandi, Karl Kerschl, Karl Moline, Kurt Busiek, Kyle Baker, Lee Bermejo, Madrox, Marco Santucci, Mark Millar, Marvel 1985, Messiah CompleX, Metal Men, Mike Allred, Neil Gaiman, Old Man Logan, Paul Pope, Peter David, Question, rick remender, Roberto De La Torre, Ryan Sook, Sean Galloway, Secret Invasion, Sgt. Rock, Siege, Steve McNiven, Sugarshock, Superman, Teen Titans, The Road Warrior, Thelma & Louise, Vinton Heuck, Walt Simonson, Wednesday Comics, X-Factor, Young Liars
No comments yet