The blockbusters of 2009

MANILA, Philippines - Happy New Year to all! Time passes by so fast; another year is about to begin. But just before that, here’s a review of the most-loved movies of 2009. In general, the year has brought a number of sequels that viewers seem to prefer and enjoy. Animations and other movies for kids were an instant hit, as always. Sci-fi and action films were not that many unlike the previous years. There were some romantic movies but most of them got just a fair amount of viewers’ attention. In spite of the great effort of movie makers, horror films were a bit weak this year.

Here is a list of the blockbusters of 2009 (in no particular order):

New Moon. After the phenomenal success of Twilight last 2008, it was already expected that a sequel is soon to come. New Moon is the continuation to the love story of a human and a vampire. As the story gets deeper, more and more characters are getting involved between Bella and Edward’s love story. Will another sequel follow in 2010?

Up. From the director of Monsters, Inc., the movie was a success as well. Up is an adventure movie about an old man who pursues his dream of reaching a mysterious place in South America. Together with an eight-year-old boy, they embark on a journey where unexpected events and strange beings are about to face them.

2012. This year ender film really got viewers into thinking if what happened in the movie could also happen in real life — that’s almost two years from now. Unlike previous apocalyptic films, this one got special effects that are truly must-see.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The Autobots and the Decepticons came back for another action-packed battle. Just like the first film, it also became a blockbuster. The Transformers never fail to amaze audience — both young and old.

Terminator: Salvation. Just when people thought that the Terminator saga was finished, another Terminator movie came out. This time John Connor is on the job to protect human race from the deadly terminators. More battle scenes and new machines were seen in the movie. 

G.I. Joe. Fans of the military-themed comic-turned-cartoon were truly surprised and delighted that their childhood favorite had finally become a movie. The movie was a success because the fans missed it so much. It is said that a sequel is soon to follow; will it be a hit as well?

Avatar. Humans have always wondered if there are any other living things outside their planet. The movie is about the adventure of a man to an unknown planet called Pandora. This is a futuristic film that was creatively made with amazing computer special effects.  

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Once again, the movie that brought life to artifacts and other museum displays hit the theatres. After its success on 2006, people just love seeing history come alive. Will a part three follow soon? 

Pink Panther 2. Funny and wacky Inspector Clouseau came back this year for yet another case which he successfully solved. It’s just so funny that his being clumsy never actually hurt him, but it did cause a lot of accidents for those who got in his way.  

Amelia. The movie tells about the story of Amelia Earhart, the brave and adventurous young pilot who attempted to fly around the world but mysteriously got lost. Out of curiosity, viewers flocked in movie theatres to get to know Amelia and her mysterious disappearance.   

Angels and Demons. In the movie, Dr. Robert Langdon was called, once again, to handle another case involving the most important members of the Vatican. This time Dr. Langdon has more symbols to decipher as the case gets complicated. 

A Christmas Carol. No matter how many times the film has been remade, viewers just love it. The timeless classic came back for the Christmas of 2009. It looked differently from the original version, but the meaning and warmth of the story remained. 

Dragon Ball: Evolution. The Japanese manga series, well-loved by kids, hit the theaters big time this year. The story evolves around the adventures of 18-year-old Goku as he searches for the remaining dragon balls. This is an action-packed movie with various martial art moves and amazing powers.

Monsters VS Aliens. As expected, animations are almost always a hit. This movie made monsters heroes as they try to save the world from the aliens. Maybe next time they will try to make aliens as good guys — just to be fair.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The movie dealt mainly on Wolverine’s story, although there were some side stories about other mutants. Overall, it was effective enough for people to find answers to their questions about the origins of X-Men, especially Wolverine.

Hannah Montana: The Movie. The hit TV series for teenagers finally made its way to movie theaters. Hannah Montana (a.k.a Miley Stewart) is a teenager who’s living a double identity life. She’s a regular student by day and a famous singer by night. Fans surely enjoyed seeing their favorite TV series on screen.    

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. The gang came back this 2009 for another adventure. They all went on a trip to the land of dinosaurs to rescue Sid, who had been kidnapped by a T-rex. More fun, more adventure and more computer animation effects were seen in the movie. 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. After a long wait of almost two years, the sixth film to the Harry Potter series finally came out. Fans were, as always, excited to see Harry and the gang again. Their adventures and tasks just keep on getting harder and harder as the series continues.  

My Sister’s Keeper. The movie brought tears to its viewers. It is about two sisters; one is sickly, while the other one is bound to keep her alive. What if the one keeping the other sister alive suddenly feels hesitant to do her part?

The Time Traveler’s Wife. The novel-turned-movie got a pretty good reception from viewers. The story is about a man who naturally has the uncontrollable ability to travel through time. He starts to feel it as a curse when it becomes a hindrance to his love life.

Astro Boy. The well-loved character from Japan has made its way to becoming a movie this year. The story followed the original plot which is about the adventures of a robot created by a scientist in memory of his son who died. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A unique love story that left viewers really curious about Benjamin Button’s case. It’s a very touching movie that brought tears to most viewers. Imagine a person physically becoming younger and younger, while mentally he is becoming older and older. How does one cope with this?

He’s Just Not That Into You. The book that taught women about accepting the fact — that a guy could be just not that into them — finally hit movie theaters this year. It’s a kind of movie that could change a person’s point of view, especially women.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. This is the third Underworld film. It is a prequel; dwelling into the history of the feud between the Lycans and the vampires. It was a real treat for Underworld fans.

Planet 51. Another animation just before the year ends; Planet 51 is a movie about an astronaut landing on a planet that regards human explorers as bad guys. The astronaut seeks the help of a teenager from Planet 51. Fans of animation surely loved this one.