although i slacked off a bit here during oscar season and still have to see several of what could be the best ones, i’m still standing behind this list as essential films to see if you haven’t.

it was no shaun of the dead, or it would have been almost number one. still, for every action-movie-loving male human, this is a must see. it skewers action movie conventions while being a great movie in its own way, instead of falling into the trap of parody. if nothing else, you have to watch the last half hour for the non-stop chain of references and laughs layered over a pretty fun and original action sequence of its own. now that i think about it, i don’t know why i haven’t gone out and bought this yet.

this was a last-year movie, but i checked ticket stubs; i didn’t catch it until almost the end of february. i’m so cutting edge, i know. but i don’t think i’ve seen a film this gut-wrenching possibly ever, and on that alone i have to give it a ton of credit. spectacular visuals and the ever-impressive clive owen never hurt either.

this one’s pretty recent so i’ve already explained my take on this to most people who care: it’s a great movie with a few flaws. not even flaws, really, almost just elements they could have included but didn’t. still, movies this sweet and clever don’t come along often so when they do i eat them up.

i originally liked this better than the other apatow flick on this list, because i think i related more to that life stage versus horny teenagers. but after rewatching it, i’m not sure this one will keep getting funnier with repetition. still, i can’t think of a single thing i didn’t like about this movie, from characters (his friends are priceless) to story to just generally high level of humor and heart.

this is the slot everyone will say should be filled with a certain other dark, quiet drama, but you know what, it’s not just my undying love for the coen bros (shup up with yer ladykillers, that doesn’t count). i thought it was tighter, more involving, with a creepier antagonist and a nice touch of dark humor. the ‘what the fuck?’ ending really did it for me and the epilogue scenes that followed were like a punch in the gut. may get glossed over during awards season but ultimately i found it much more satisfying and probably the best drama this year.

this is going to be one of the movies that keeps getting better and better the more times you see it. where you memorize entire scenes, down to the inflection of every word, and it never stops cracking you up. some pieces may be a little weak (*coughbillhadercough*), but michael cera and johah hill are both comic geniuses in opposite ways that play off each other gloriously and make this an instant classic.

was there ever any doubt? this was my favorite movie of the year as soon as i sat down in that seat — same as i can guarantee dark knight will win out next year — as long as it didn’t blow it with the greatest action movie character ever created. and save one scene that went a little silly over-the-top, which is at least good for a laugh, i think they hit this one out of the park. i left that theatre knowing i could easily watch this movie as many times as i’ve endlessly rewatched the first one. well, almost anyway. so for coming even close to one of my top 10 movies of all time, this is clearly the uncontested winner.

i didn’t do a full review because i saw it before it was out most places, and i was still ‘digesting’ it by sharing thoughts with all my friends who’d seen it. i won’t pretend there weren’t long stretches in that theatre where i wasn’t bored, but overall i won’t try to deny either that daniel day lewis was jaw-dropping, or that it wasn’t a quote-unquote “great film”. but i still feel it’s almost better in retrospect than it was sitting in that seat; a bit like ‘great literature’, in that it may be a bit plodding to get through, but you’re really glad you did for the fascinating ideas and characters it lets you reflect on after the fact. or, maybe i’ll see it again some day and decide it’s the best thing ever and i was just too tired that night, who knows?

• veronica mars
  jessica continues to imply i love this show so much because i have a crush on kristen bell, but i respond that i’d like it equally if it were called ‘victor mars’. it’s a mix of snappy detective fiction and high school drama with a great sense of humor; what’s not to adore?
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• dawn of the dead
  this has to be one of the most fun remakes ever. it’s action-packed, hilarious, and essentially crazy. plus: dead babies.
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• stranger than fiction
  so intriguing, even if i still feel like i’m missing some secret hidden profundities.
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• united 93
  when they say, ‘keeps you on the edge of your seat’, they’re usually shoveling shit, but this movie was intense. holy fuck.
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• jesus camp
  powerfully infuriating and depressing documentary. sort of gives new meaning to the term ‘zombie movie’…
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• street fight
  another doc which anyone frustrated with politics should definitely see.
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• munich
  i thought this would bore the crap out of me, but it was surprisingly moving while still having that thrilling element of planning and plotting ‘the big hit’ (or hits, as it were.
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• flight of the conchords
  funniest new show for sure. some of those songs were both pop brilliance and comic perfection; no easy feat.
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• 30 rock
  i’ll come out and say it proud: i think this show was funnier than the office this year. the different yet complementary styles of humor from tina fey, alec baldwin, and tracy jordan (all brilliant), are a hilarious triple threat. i mean, did anyone catch the, ‘you can’t have a lemon party without ol’ dick!’ line from liz lemon (tina fey)’s dad in the christmas episode? spectacular writing.
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• tell me you love me
  brutally honest and real, and the most thought-provoking relationship stories i think i’ve ever seen on television besides maybe all-time-fave six feet under.
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• chuck
  the most fun kinda-bad-but-totally lovable show that no one else i know watched but us. very enjoyable.
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• weeds and dexter
  catching up on both the first seasons on dvd and loving both. the former for wonderful dialogue around a fairly simple plot, the latter for godawful dialogue around a totally captivating character.
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