The month of February is commonly considered a dark period for movies. Nick mentioned that it is the graveyard for film. New releases are basically overshadowed by the award season.  In fact, Oscar nominated films get a distribution boost in February in order to milk the buzz they get from the nomination.

So, we know that you are not going to hit up the theaters for new releases. Instead, we know that you all are going to try to catch up on the Oscar movies that you didn’t get to see the first time around.  Get this, “An Education” went from 100 theaters before being nominated for the award, to over 700 after receiving the nod for Best Picture. However, Summit’s “The Hurt Locker” was sent to DVD, which went from being in theaters to being completely removed. Theaters will not show movies that get sent to DVD FYI. So, Summitt messed up.

As we are in the Oscar season, there is trophy talk everywhere. We have a year where 10 films got nominated and lots of movie hooplah to go through.  Since we know you all are trying to play Oscar catch up, we wanted to help you out.   Here are the 10 films nominated for Best Picture and our review for each one.

1. The Hurt Locker

2. Avatar

3. Up in the Air

4. Precious

5. Inglorious Basterds

6. The Blind Side

7. District 9

8. An Education

9. UP

10. A Serious Man

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Stranger Than Fiction ipod The 2009 Summer movie lineup has come and gone; a Summer loaded with big budget action sequels, wizards, robots, gay fashionistas, comic book spin-offs, and book-to-film adaptations.  With all the money and hype poured into many of these movies, we at TheMovieBanter realized that the best movies of the Summer were just the opposite.  Well, not completely the opposite. But in comparison to Transformers, Harry Potter, Terminator, Wolverine, and Angels & Demons, the best 2009 Summer movies took less money to make and were far better films.  These films succeeded on clever scripts, fresh plot lines, new faces, originality, and witty humor.  We might even see one of them be around come Oscar season, something rarely seen in Summer film world as most Academy Award contenders surface during the Christmas movie season.  Well, with Labor Day approaching and the end of Summer near, lets go through the top 5 movies of Summer 2009.

Honorable Mention – 500 Days of Summer, Inglorious Bastards, Funny People

5.  UP

UP was the best Pixar movie in a while and I would include it in the category of the best CGI films ever made along with Shrek, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Wall-E; not in any specific order.  CGI film creators rush to throw new films out month after month as emphasis gets put on luring kids to theaters instead of putting out intelligent products.  UP was not only intelligent, not only humorous, but lured adults as well as kids to theaters.  The pairing of a grumpy old man seeking adventure and an overweight, nerdy boyscout out to prove something to himself and his father, left many in tears and many in smiles.  UP took in well over $200 million at the box office (well-deserving) and makes our list at the 5th best movie of the Summer.

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4. District 9

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Neill Blomkamp’s participation on the Halo project got screwed up, so Peter Jackson handed him $25 million and said make me a movie.  Sometime later Blomkamp spit up a little film called District 9.   This film had some of the most original storytelling we have seen from the science-fiction genre in quite some time.  This film completely flipped the alien vs human plot as the story was told from the perspective of aliens.  What if humans were really the “bad guys” in an alien vs human story?  This film showed that.  I also loved the choice of the setting the film in Johannesburg, South Africa as opposed to cliche cities like NY, LA or Tokyo.  The setting added a fresh tone to the movie.  Additionally, the documentary style shooting made it as though we were watching a CNN special.  Blomkamp was really onto something in District 9, and a sequel is more than likely in his future.  We put it as the 4th best of the Summer.

3. The Hangover Scenes of a Sexual Nature

Can a film about a bachelor party in Vegas gone wrong, really make the Summer’s top movie list?  Well, you bet your ass it can.  Todd Phillips put together quite a group of guys to produce the Summer’s funniest movie by far.  The shenangans that went down in this movie had me non-stop laughing for 2 hours, and made me envious that these guys were simply in Vegas.  How many people left theaters dying to get to Vegas? And, how many people had new aspirations to make a legendary trip once they got there?  I’m sitting on my rooftop right now, on August 30th, and this film just recently left the box office 10, 12 weeks after it debuted on June 5th. As of right this moment The Hangover has made about $270 million in the US alone, only costing $35 million to make.  For you finance junkies, that’s a 770% return.  Brad Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha could not be casted more perfectly for their respective roles; especially Cooper and Galifianakis.  The lines from this movie will be uttered for years,

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and the wolfpack speech will be the next big fraternity pledge reenactment skit.  The Hangover is a must on the DVD purchase list and ranks as our 3rd best movie of the Summer.  Also, a sequel has already been been greenlit.

2.  Star Trek

A new Starship Enterprise and a fresh new crew brought back Star Trek to the theaters in May.  Chris Pine portrayed the character of Captain James T Kirk with a new bad-ass swagger that targeted a new generation of Trek fans.  This movie was not made for Trekkies, it was made for you and me.   With a cast also including Eric Bana, Zack Quinto and Karl Urban, Star Trek was interesting, original, funny, suspenseful, and just plain cool.  I also might add that the music was excellent.  The biggest addition to the franchise is no doubt JJ Abrams, creator of Lost.  Studio Execs made a brilliant decision in hiring him to get the franchise back on its feet.  Abrams just gets it, and there’s not much more to say than that.  Star Trek trumped all other big budget sequels this Summer.  It also seemed to me that Pine is being groomed to become the next big action star.  He carried the cocky swagger of Brad Pitt in Fight Club and likeable brainless heroism of Bruce Willis in Die Hard.  For the first time I could remember, my anti-science fiction friends were sprinting to theaters, and only had great things to say when it was over.  ‘Awesome’ is really the only word that comes to mind when describing this movie. While the world waits in anticipation for the sequel, Star Trek sits on our list as the 2nd best movie of the Summer.

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Drum roll please……

1. The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker is the most intelligent, raw, suspenseful and gritty war film ever made about the war in Iraq.  Starring small time actor Jeremy Renner, up-and-coming actor Anthony Mackie (we know him as Poppa Doc from 8 Mile),  and  Brian Geraghty, the Hurt Locker shows life inside Iraq from the perspective of a three person bomb-squad division.  More than just a war film about bloody battles, The Hurt Locker shows a more personal side to war.  We as viewers become more concerned about the well-being of the characters, than anticipating the next gun fight.   The film focuses on the psychological impact of war and each individual’s reasons for fighting.  We see some are there because they have no choice and eagerly await their release while some are there because the thrill of war gets them high.  Mackie’s performance is also Oscar worthy.

Much like Saving Private Ryan, The Hurt Locker makes you feel like you are right on the front line.  However, this time you don’t know who is good and who is bad.  In fighting an enemy you cannot physically see, this film shows frustrated soldiers, chaotic battle plans, lack of order, and overall uncertainty to who is trustworthy; a movie that truly keeps you at the edge of your seat.  This film clearly depicts Iraq as hell on Earth, and sends a message that there really is little or no successful game plan to winning.  The Hurt Locker is not only the best movie of the Summer but the best movie of the year so far.  With the recent increase to 10 Best Picture nominations, The Hurt Locker will unquestionably be nominated for movie of the year.  I will not say it should win, as we have 4 months of movies left to see this year, but The Hurt Locker will be a contender come Oscar time.

There you have it. The Top 5 Movies of the Summer.  What are your thoughts? We want to hear them.

Also, stay tuned for tomorrow for the top 5 worst movies of the Summer

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on Sunday shot late movie ticket sales way up for The Hangover.  This however gave UP a premature victory.  Preliminary results had UP narrowly defeating The Hangover $44 million to $43.1 million  . However, on Monday, final results

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were corrected to reflect the late Sunday surge by The Hangover.

Ladies an gentleman, we have a HUGE upset

I am completely stunned. Buzz of this movie really has taken on a life of its own. See below for the final numbers of the weekend.

1. The Hangover = $45 Million

2. UP = $44.1 Million

3. Land of the Lost = $18.8 Million

“UP

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” is the new Pixar film starring the voices of Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer and Jordan Nagai.  I think it really had both the adult and child element that make these movies great. A little slow at certain times but overall a very good movie.  I really enjoyed this especially since I caught it in 3d.  And yes I was that nerd today at the movies going to see “UP” in 3d at 12:01 am; YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.

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A quick shout out to my girls The Bailins,

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who came to see it with me.

Here is a quick premise of the film

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The Land That Time Forgot – a disgruntled old man, Carl, desperately seeks the adventure that he was never able to take in his life.  Stuck with his new friend Russell, a chubby child boy scout, the pair travel to South America to visit places Carl always dreamed of.

Here’s why it is a hit

- Both Russel and Carl need each other to solve their problems.  There are several touching scenes were we see them really spill the beans on what is bothering them.  And because they both know it, the things they do are endearing and absolutely hilarious.  The first 10 minutes of the movie is a montage of Carl and his wife living their lives together.  We really feel the joy that Carl feels as well as the anguish when his wife passes away.  Between talking dogs, a little fat kid trying to be a hero, and a old man who needs to lighten up, this movie is extremely entertaining; both funny and heart warming – sad and silly.

Come on, who doesn’t love fat kids.  Also, check it out in 3d and watch my video review below

“UP” Video Review

Click here to view the embedded video.

Extras – you also get to see the official release of the Toy Story 3 teaser trailer

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The early reviews for the new Pixar film “UP

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” are in and they are good.  In fact, “UP” became the first ever film to open up the Cannes film festival.  Like we mentioned earlier in our May Preview post, UP definitely appears to have the potential to be great.  And this is just from checking out the trailer.  Hopefully Pixar is able to recreate the charm that made “The Incredibles

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” a great movie.   Anyways, the news from many sources say that the movie lives up to the hype.

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‘, a popular British newspaper says “the quality of writing, its delicious sound design, and the emotional punch it packs all make this one of Pixar’s finest achievements to date.” Check out this link for the complete review.

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says, “This is a wonderful film…. It tells a story...The characters are as believable as any characters can be who spend much of their time floating above the rain forests of Venezuela. They have tempers, problems, and obsessions. They are cute and goofy, but they aren’t cute in the treacly way of little cartoon animals.” Check out this link for his complete review.

I said to go see this movie in my May Post.  I will stick to that game plan and definitely see this movie.

Are you going to see it?

Click here to view the embedded video.