Movies seen in 2009

It is interesting to get a global view of 2009, the more so because I started this blog in August 2009. Here is my ranking of the movies I have seen during year 2009:

Outstanding (4/4)

- Avatar (2009) from James Cameron

Very good (3/4)

- Away we go (2009) from Sam Mendès

- Casino Royale (2006) from Martin Campbell

- Le Coeur des hommes (2003) from Marc Esposito

- Le Coeur des hommes 2 (2007) from Marc Esposito

- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2009) from David Fincher

- Divorce Italian Style (Divorzio all'Italiana) (1962) from Pietro Germi

- The French Kissers (Les Beaux gosses) (2009) from Riad Sattouf

- Gran Torino (2009) from Clint Eastwood

- The Hangover (2009) from Todd Phillips

 - Le Hérisson (2009) from Mona Achache

- Inglorious basterds (2009) from Quentin Tarantino
- Je l'aimais (2009) from Zabou Breitman

- Pot Luck (L'Auberge espagnole) (2002) from Cédric Klapisch

- Quantum of Solace (2008) from Marc Forster

- Russian Dolls (Les Poupées russes) (2005) from Cédric Klapisch

- Star Trek (2009) from J.J. Abrams

- Up (2009) from Pete Docter 

- Whatever works (2009) from Woody Allen

Good (2/4)

- Coco before Chanel (Coco avant Chanel) (2009) from Anne Fontaine

 - The Good, the Bad and the Weird (Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom) (2008) from Kim Jee-Woon

- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) from David Yates

- Micmacs (Micmacs à tire-larigot) (2009) from Jean-Pierre Jeunet

- OSS 117: Lost in Rio (OSS 117 - Rio ne répond plus) (2009) from Michel Hazanavicius

- Public ennemies (2009) from Michael Mann

- Tetro (2009) from Francis Ford Coppola

- Transformers (1997) from Michael Bay

- Le Vilain (2009) from Albert Dupontel

- Volver (2006) from Pedro Almodovar 

Average (1/4)

- Bancs publics (2009) from Bruno Podalydès

- Slumdog Millionaire (2009) from Danny Boyle

- Tellement proches (2009) from Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache

  

The elegant universe

The preface reminds us that the two important theories which constitute the pillars of modern physics, quantum mechanics and relativity, were born almost at the same time, at the beginning of the 20th century. However, explains Brian Greene, physicist and author of this book, these two theories, which deal with the infinitely small and the infinitely large, are not compatible. The aim of this assay, published in 1999, is to present the string theory, which may allow to merge and reconcile all theories of physics. The beginning of the book is rather easy to read, all the more because Wallace et Gromit or everyday life objects are called to rescue to explain the concepts in a pedagogic way. Unfortunately, I abandoned around page 250 (out of 602) because the concepts were becoming more and more complex and their applications less and less obvious..

My mark: -1/4 (not finished)
 

Avatar

The last film directed by James Cameron, Avatar, released in December 2009, is his eighth full length fiction and the first since Titanic in 1997. It mixes real characters and computer-generated images but the latter are of such a high quality that it is impossible to discriminate them from "reality". The film was shot in 3D; you should therefore verify that your cinema is properly equipped (Screenrush and cinemas are fortunately starting to be display this piece of information). Avatar is really wonderful and, contrary to what certain critics have written or said, it is not only a technical prowess; is it also a very nice story. The characters are endearing and there is a feature that, as far as I know, was not highlighted: "motion capture" does not only allow the movements of the Na'vi to be fully credible but it also gives them extraordinary expressive faces. The casting includes Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and Giovanni Ribisi. See it as soon as you can!

My mark: 4/4 (outstanding)
The mark of A: 4/4