GIO'S 10 BEST MOVIES OF 2009

STAR TREK

• I mean c'mon, this is what a reboot should be. I watched it twice in the theaters, twice on a plane and multiple times on DVD, it never gets old. Spock punches Kirk! Vulcan obliterated! The green-skinned girl! Surly Bones! Great space battles and more lens flares than you can shake a stick at! Well done JJ Abrams! This is popcorn entertainment at it's best.

DISTRICT 9

• Wow! Low budget sci-fi kicks ass with District 9, great story, great FX, and a great score by my buddy Clint Shorter, seriously, give it a listen!

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

• Tarantino rocks the WWII genre in this uber-entertaining look at the men who brought down Hitler. Very well done and very entertaining.

THE HANGOVER

• The Rain Man Blackjack scene is a killer, the wedding photos are a killer, the whole movie is killer. Best comedy of the year!

ZOMBIELAND

• The Bill Murray cameo alone makes this a watcher but the slick style, the opening credits and the constant referral to "the rules" make this a welcome addition to the Zombie Genre.

TAKEN

• Best Liam Neeson movie ever! I loved it, Michelle loved it, my parents loved it. That says a lot since we all like different types of movies but can all get behind a man who will do anything to find his daughter.

DRAG ME TO HELL

• Sam Raimi returns to low-budget horror with a bang. The only thing missing from this flick is a Bruce Campbell cameo!

UP

• Pixar does it again! Squirrel!!!

AVATAR

• Despite the unoriginal story, the animation & FX are absolutely astounding. The film is shockingly engaging and that makes you forget you've seen this story before in another form. It has to be seen in 3D and I will watch it again!

WATCHMEN

• Most people hated it and yes, it did have its issues but for me, Zak Snyder took the legendary, unfilmable comic book and made an entertaining and visual feast of a film. A little long & a little wordy but for this comic fan, it's a job well done!

WHAT I MISSED OR HAVEN'T SEEN YET DUE TO LIVING IN SINGAPORE:

• THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX, THE HURT LOCKER, ANVIL, UP IN THE AIR, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, THE INFORMANT, BRUNO, MOON, PRECIOUS, THE ROAD