2009 - Year In Review

[Eric]

Time to look back at 2009 (before I post my "most anticipated flicks of 2010" thread).

Going with the same HIT/MISS format. Lots of flicks that unfortunately I wasn't able to see because (get this) having kids takes away from your movie watching time! Oh and that whole World of Warcraft bastard...

Anyway, here we go...

---------------------------

My Best Looking Movies:


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1c/WatchmenPosterFinal.jpg
March 6
Watchmen

I loved Watchmen, thought it was a very solid movie and had a lot going for it. However, it was looked at as a failure because it didn't make "Spider Man money". I'm saying this is a "HIT" because I think it was one of the more entertaining flicks of the year.

Budget: $130 million
Gross revenue: $185,248,060[2]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4e/Wolverinetheatricalposter_a.jpg
May 1
X-Men Origins: Wolverine

I wanted so badly to love this movie, because I've enjoyed the 3 X-Men flicks so much. However this was a meandering mess of ADD that George Lucas could've been proud of. Considered a "HIT" because it was one of the biggest movies of the year, made a ton of money and has spawned spinoffs already.

Budget: $150 million
Gross revenue: $373,062,569

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/29/Startrekposter.jpg

May 8
Star Trek

Big "HIT" here, probably the best movie of 2009. Outstanding on all levels, and an excellent reboot for the franchise.

Budget: $150 million
Gross revenue: $385,459,120

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/44/Angels_and_demons.jpg
May 15
Angels & Demons

Haven't even seen it yet, but it was one of the biggest & most profitable movies of 2009, so this is a "HIT".

Budget: $151 million
Gross revenue: $485,900,330

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/de/Bruno_poster.jpg

May 15
Brüno

Haven't seen it yet, but I've heard mixed reviews. It's a "HIT" because the movie almost made $100 million.

Budget: $42,000,000 (est.)
Gross revenue: $136,933,838

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Terminator-salvation-poster.jpg
May 22
Terminator Salvation

Finally saw this flick a couple weeks ago and while it wasn't bad, these movies are starting to become embarrassing. This is a "HIT" because the move made a ton of money and was one of the biggest flicks of '09.

Budget: $200 million
Gross revenue: $372,046,055

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/Up_Poster.JPG

May 29
Pixar's Up

Big "HIT" here, profited half a billion dollars and was an excellent movie.

Budget: $175,000,000[1]
Gross revenue: $683,004,164

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Land_of_the_Lost_poster.jpg

June 5
Land of the Lost

The first "MISS" in my best films group, I heard this movie wasn't that good, and it lost over $30 million.

Budget: $100 million
Gross revenue: $64,815,040

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cb/TF2SteelPoster.jpg
June 26
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Wow. This is a "HIT" because up until Avatar came along it was the biggest movie of 2009 but wow, the 2nd viewing revealed what a crapfest it is.

Budget: $200 million
Gross revenue: $834,969,807

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/PEPOSTERsm.jpg
July 1
Public Enemies

Haven't seen this one yet, but I'm excited to. Decent reviews, profited $100 million, "HIT".

Budget: $100 million
Gross revenue: $201,400,000

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dd/2012_Poster.jpg
July 10 (switched to November 11th)
2012

Got bounced to November, and apparently it paid off...wow I had no idea that it made this much money! I haven't seen it yet but I want to...hear it's pretty crazy. "HIT"

Budget: $200 million
Gross revenue: $759,301,075

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/Hp6teaserposter.jpg
July 17
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Another huge "HIT", made tons of money but after reading the books I was very disappointed that they left a lot out (especially at the end omg).

Budget: $250 million
Gross revenue: $934,959,401

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/26/PosterFunnyPeople.jpg
July 31
Funny People

2nd "MISS" of my "Best Films of 2009". Funny People had all the right stuff (Sandler, Apatow, cast, humor) but wasn't "40 Year Old Virgin" enough. I should've switched "I Love You, Man" and this one around...

Budget: $75 million
Gross revenue: $61 million

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bc/Gijoemovieposter.jpg
August 7
G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra


Sigh...now we come to this movie. I wanted to like this so bad...and I can't call it a "MISS" because it made tons of money and will spawn sequels. But it just should have been better. "HIT"

Budget: $170 million
Gross revenue: $301,060,793

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/Inglourious_Basterds_poster.jpg
August 21
Inglourious Basterds

ARGH. This is sitting at my house right now waiting for my wife & I to watch it. I can't wait! Big "HIT", made lots of money and got great reviews.

Budget: $70 million
Gross revenue: $319,131,050

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b0/Avatar-Teaser-Poster.jpg

December 18
Avatar

I don't think I can be called "The Movie Guy" anymore because I haven't seen this! Can't believe it... waiting on finding time with the wife to see it...too damn busy.

#2 most grossing film of all time, has profited over a BILLION dollars...and everyone that has seen it is amazed. I cannot wait. Huge "HIT".

Budget: $237,000,000
Gross revenue: $1,341,694,147

My Worst Looking Movies:


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Jonas_Brothers_The_3D_Concert_Experience_%28poster %29.jpg
February 27
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience

"It currently ranks as the worst of the year at IMDB and is one of the lowest rated films. But because the film is categorised as documentary, the film cannot enter the bottom 100 IMDB films" I think that classifes this as a "HIT" (meaning it was one of the worst films of 2009)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3c/Dragonballposternewty5-1.jpg
April 8
Dragonball Evolution


"On Rotten Tomatoes it scored an 13%" and "It was nominated for a 2009 Spike TV Scream Award for "Best Comic Book Movie" made $57,497,699 but as a whole it is considered a bad movie so I'm calling this a "HIT".

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/be/Hannah-montana-movie-poster.jpg
April 10
Hannah Montana: The Movie


I can't in good conscience call this one of the "worst" movies of 2009 because it did everything to hit it's target audience. Critics couldn't destroy it because it wasn't all THAT bad, and it made a ton of money. While I wouldn't put this in the best movies category, it can't be called one of the worst. "MISS"

Budget: $35 million
Gross revenue: $155,525,718

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/50/Gforceposter2.jpg/200px-Gforceposter2.jpg
July 24
G-Force


I just can't believe that this movie didn't fail miserably. I can't say it was one of the worst even though it is generally considered "bad". Plus (and this is just blasphemy) it made like 200 million dollars! "MISS"

Budget: $82.5 Million
Gross revenue: $281,220,252

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d8/Chipmunks2squeakuel.jpg
December 25
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel


I still haven't learned my lesson with these "worst" movies...and I certainly should know better now that I have kids. This movie is probably garbage, got terrible reviews, and yet finds a way to make $200 million. "MISS"

Budget: $70 million
Gross revenue: $283,696,751

My Movies that could surprise:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Paul_blart_mall_cop_film.jpg
January 16
Paul Blart: Mall Cop


Still haven't seen it but I've heard it was pretty funny. Made tons of money, so it's definitely a "HIT" in this "could surprise" category.

Budget: $70 million
Gross revenue: $283,696,751

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/Fanboys_ver2.jpg
February 6
Fanboys

Ouch. Big "MISS" here...

Budget: $8 Million
Gross revenue: $942,401

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dd/I_love_you%2C_Man.jpg
March 20
I Love You, Man

Very much a surprise of 2009, made $91,411,693, and I thought it was a great movie. "HIT"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/76/Monsters-vs-aliens-poster.jpg
March 27
Monsters vs. Aliens

Big "HIT" here, should've put this on my "Best of 2009" list. Dreamworks animation has been pretty solid lately. I've heard the movie isn't THAT great, but if it makes this much money, it's a "HIT".

Budget: $175 million
Gross revenue: $383,466,116

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/Fast_and_Furious_Poster.jpg
April 3
Fast & Furious

Gigantic surprise here, $300+ million...I guess going back to the original cast did the trick. Mixed reviews, but tons of money so "HIT".

Budget: $85 million
Gross revenue: $407,085,500

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/Year_one.jpg
June 19
Year One

Not sure if I can call this a hit because it didn't surprise in 2009. It barely made it's money back and I've heard it's just okay. "MISS"

Budget: $60 million
Gross revenue: $60,236,431

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/District_nine_ver2.jpg
August 14
District 9

Wow, this movie was the definition of a "surprise hit". I have District 9 sitting at home waiting for me... I'm so excited! "HIT"

Budget: $30 million
Gross revenue: $204,570,836

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/9posterfinal.jpg
September 9
9

I'm still very excited to see this one, but it's gotten mixed reviews and has barely made any money so I can't call it a surprise hit of 2009! "MISS"

Budget: $30,000,000
Gross revenue: $41,859,395

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/Whiteout_poster.jpg
September 11
Whiteout

I remember putting this on the list thinking "there is no way this movie is going to be any good." And according to the reviews, it isn't. "MISS"

Budget: $35 million
Gross revenue: $12,201,122

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3c/TheInformant2009MP.jpg
September 18
The Informant

I've heard that this is a good movie, but it didn't really blow the doors off the theaters. "MISS"

Budget: $22 million
Gross revenue: $35,424,826

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fd/Surrogates2009MP.jpg
September 25
The Surrogates

Ouch. Looked good, but then people started seeing the trailers for "Avatar" and were like WTF why should i see this ripoff instead? (I know it was a comic, but still). This is kinda like the "Deep Impact" effect...remember that? Armageddon was coming out so a competing studio made a similar meteor movie to be released 3 months before the big meteor movie just to steal some of it's money. Anyway, this movie lost money and apparently was just okay. "MISS"

Budget: $80 million
Gross revenue: $60,556,354

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/Wherethewildthingsare.jpg
October 16
Where the Wild Things Are

This is a tough one. I've heard that the movie is very original and entertaining, but it's lost money and has gotten mixed reviews. I thought this one was going to be a huge surprise hit ($200+ million) but it wasn't. "MISS"

Budget: $100 million
Gross revenue: $75,623,126

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8d/ChistmasCarol2009-Poster.jpg
November 6
A Christmas Carol

I don't know how this movie made money. With a budget of almost $200 million, it still found a way to make $100+ million. I haven't seen it yet, so I'm sure it could be good but it didn't really look all that impressive to me. "HIT"

Budget: $175–200 million
Gross revenue: $318,536,788

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Sherlock_holmes_ver5.jpg
November 20
Sherlock Holmes

Wow, I've heard it's a helluva movie, sequels already in production and made a ton of money. Yeah, a surprise hit of 2009. "HIT!"

Budget: $90 million
Gross revenue: $296,453,093

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/The_Road_movie_poster.jpg
The Road

Has received favorable reviews, and I've heard it's quite good but it's definitely a miss because it lost money and apparently nobody went out and saw it! "MISS"

Budget: $20 million
Gross revenue: $7,108,432

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So far the scoreboard is as follows:

Best movies of 2009: 14/16
Worst movies of 2009: 2/5
Surprise movies of 2009: 7/15
For a total of: 23/36, 64%

[Eric]

Unfortunately, there's one section missing:

Movies of 2009 that I didn't even mention

(Chronologically)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/Taken-poster-0.jpg
Jan 30
Taken

Loved this movie when I finally saw it, and like Mecho said "it's like you were playing the movie as a video game." As a father of daughters, I can tell you that the way he responded was what I would consider an appropriate response. He was ruthless.

Budget: $25,000,000
Gross revenue: $226,830,568

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/36/Coraline_poster.jpg
Feb 6
Coraline

Critics loved it and it made $60 million.

Budget: $60 million
Gross revenue: $120,154,106

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6e/Legend_of_chun_li.jpg
Feb 27
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li

Oh how could I have left this off my "Worst of 2009" list!?!? An epic $40 million failure!

Budget: $50 million
Gross revenue: $12 million

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Knowingposter08.jpg
March 20
Knowing

How in the...Nic Cage had a hit this year?!?!?

Budget: $50 million
Gross revenue: $183,260,464

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bb/Adventurelandposter.jpg
April 3
Adventureland

Should've been on my "Surprises of 2009" list...didn't make a ton of money but the critics loved it. Hear it's actually pretty good too!

Budget: $9,500,000
Gross revenue: $16,044,025

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/Night_at_the_Museum_2_poster.jpg
May 22
Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian

I haven't seen either of these movies yet, but they made a ton of money so they should've been on one of my lists...

Budget: $150 million
Gross revenue: $414,669,007

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/Hangoverposter09.jpg
June 5
The Hangover

I'm very surprised that I didn't at least put this one on my "surprises" list. It's now the highest grossing R rated comedy ever, and it was friggin hilarious.

Budget: $35 million
Gross revenue: $459,422,869

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b1/The_Taking_of_Pelham_123.jpg
June 12
The Taking Of Pelham 123

I probably would've put this on my "worst films of 2009" and been totally wrong because not only did it make good money, but I heard it's actually pretty entertaining.

Budget: $100,000,000
Gross revenue: $150,024,824

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6c/HLposterUSA2.jpg
June 26
The Hurt Locker

I remember reading about this one and was like "Nah, too indie, too obscure of a war topic" and it turns out that this was probably the best film film of 2009.

Budget: $11 million
Gross revenue: $16,107,592

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/Ice_age_dawn_of_the_dinosaurs_theatrical_poster.jp g
July 1
Ice Age - Dawn Of The Dinosaurs

Again, I should've at least mentioned this in the best of 2009, since the franchise continually makes ridiculous money. $800 million dollars profit???? Jesus...

Budget: $90 million
Gross revenue: $887,066,842

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d1/Cloudy_with_a_chance_of_meatballs_theataposter.jpg
September 18
Cloudy With a Chance Of Meatballs

Yet another kids movie that should've been mentioned...another $100 million money maker.

Budget: $100 million
Gross revenue: $208,206,096

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a3/Zombieland-poster.jpg
October 2
Zombieland

Had I known about this one I would've definitely thrown it on the Surprises of 2009 list...

Budget: $23.6 million
Gross revenue: $93,246,518

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7d/Couples_retreat.jpg
October 9
Couples Retreat

Even though I heard it was terrible, Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau (directing and acting), Kristen Bell, etc, I still would've thrown this on the surprises list.

Budget: $60,000,000
Gross revenue: $155,626,118

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Michael_Jackson%27s_This_Is_It_Poster.JPG
October 28
This Is It

Now I'm good, but I never could have predicted that Michael Jackson would die in 2009. So that catapulted this movie into huge profit land and I would've mentioned it...

Budget: $60,000,000
Gross revenue: $252,432,248

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4e/Boondock_2_poster.JPG
October 30
Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

You know me, even though I've tapered off my gushing love of BDS, I would've still given the sequel a mention had I known it was actually coming out this year!

Budget: $8,000,000
Gross revenue: $10,082,650

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Blind_side_poster.jpg
November 20
The Blind Side

I generally don't mention chick flicks on these lists, but this one has football, and was such a successful movie that it deserves some sort of mention.

Budget: $29 million
Gross revenue: $219,197,000

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6a/Newmoonposter.JPG
November 20
Twilight Saga - New Moon

Another one that I can't believe was left off my list. Even though I'm not a fan (yet, I'm sure...going to start reading them eventually), I would've thrown this on the "Best of 2009" list just from the sheer profitability standpoint. Half a billion+...jesus.

Budget: $50,000,000
Gross revenue: $694,427,470

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So there you go. Quite a year in review for 2009. Post if you think I missed anything!

FYI, there were plenty of chick flicks & horror flicks that made a lot of money, but honestly there isn't that much of a difference between any of them. Plus this forum is generally a bunch of us guys so I doubt we all care how well "The Proposal" did. As far as horror flicks, there's a pretty specific market for horror fans, so Luke if you're interested in making a "2009 Horror films review" go crazy because to me they're all the same. Although I did hear that there were a couple decent ones this year...

Anyway, watch for my "Most Anticipated Movies of 2010" thread coming soon!

[Chadwick]

Of the 2009 movies i have seen here are my top 5:

Star trek

District 9

Taken

Up

Inglorious Basterds

[Cake]

Watched the hurt locker last night, aweful movie. It starts out, has some sort of direction but then makes you feel as though it just goes in a circle and then ends really obscurely. Black Hawk Down RAAAAAAPES this movie.

[Jomama]

Adventureland is a plotless borefest...

[Kyrillian]

Adventureland was just OK. I would never watch it again. The movie might have been better than OK but I couldn't stop focusing on Jesse Eisenberg channeling his best Michael Cera impersonation.

Also it saddens me that Where the Wild Things Are wasn't a hit. That was a huge creative leap from Spike Jonze and he nailed it. Unfortunately it wasn't a rock em sock em action explosion movie or a comedy with 50% fart jokes 50% chick flick so it didn't make 300 bajillion dollars.

[Jomama]

Adventureland was just OK.

I question your standards :D


It was an abomination...

[Kyrillian]

The more I think about it the more I think saying it was OK was giving it too much credit lol.