John Michael Decker's Top Ten Films of 2012

John Michael Decker's Top Ten Films of 2012

It's time for my annual list of favorite movies from the past twelve months. I remind you all that I’m not a professional film critic – just a cinephile with some free time. I am a big geek and I expect that this article may be hyperbolic at times, but I’ve tried my best to keep a lid on it. As with anything, my opinions are subjective. Feel free to agree with me. Or disagree. Or name a movie that you think should have been on my list.

Exclusions

I have not seen Les Miserables, The Silver Linings Playbook, Moonrise Kingdom, Cloud Atlas, or The Life of Pi – all movies I’ve heard great things about – so if any of them were your favorites this year, then I'm sorry that they didn’t make my list.

Honorable Mentions

Before I get to the official list, I'd like to mention a few films that didn't quite make the cut this year. These flicks are fun and worth seeing, but there were at least ten other films I liked better.

Solomon Kane was technically released in Europe in 2009, but it only became available to American audiences this year. Solomon Kane is a pulp character created by Robert E. Howard (best known as the author of the Conan the Cimmerian adventures). To be honest, I prefer Howard’s Kane stories to his Conan tales. This movie is a pretty good origin story for Solomon Kane, the dour Puritan killing machine whose adventures take place in the Elizabethan era.

Dredd is the second movie adaptation of the popular British comic book series, Judge Dredd, which originally appeared in the magazine 2000 AD. The first was a lame Sylvester Stallone vehicle that came out in 1995; most fans of the comic book would be happy to forget that one. The 2012 version is a loyal adaptation of the source material starring Karl Urban as the stone-faced protagonist who upholds the law in the totalitarian Mega City One. 

 

The Amazing Spider-Man is a decent origin story of the popular Marvel comic book character directed by the talented Marc Webb. My major problem with this film is that Sam Raimi already made a fantastic Spidey origin movie in 2002, and as far as I’m concerned, it didn’t need to be rebooted. That being said, if I remove the Raimi movie from the equation and just look at this film for what it is, I have to admit that I enjoyed it a lot. Andrew Garfield is a great Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Rhys Ifans is excellent as Dr. Curt Connors, who is transformed into the tragic villain, the Lizard. I also enjoyed Emma Stone as Peter’s love interest Gwen Stacy. Now with this second telling of the origin out of the way, I hope I can look forward to some great web-swinging sequels that cover material not already done better by Sam Raimi.

21 Jump Street is a film adaptation of a television show that ran on the Fox network from 1987-1991. Both the television show and the movie are about youthful-looking undercover cops who pose as teenagers to thwart crime in high schools. The film stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as undercover protagonists Schmidt and Jenko. I didn’t like the television show, and I am generally not a big fan of Hill or Tatum as actors, so there was no reason on Earth that I should have enjoyed this at all, and yet… I did! I don’t know what kind of cosmic confluence of events occurred to make this as entertaining as it was, but this is a really fun comedy with solid performances and a script that is just self-aware enough to be funny and not annoying.

Argo is the latest film by Ben Affleck, who has turned out to be a pretty solid director. It takes place during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, when several Americans hid at the Canadian ambassador’s home in Iran. The CIA plan to rescue them entailed creating a fake science fiction movie, and going to Iran posing as a Canadian film crew. I love these lesser-known historical events that happened during my lifetime.

The Grey is advertised as an action film featuring Liam Neeson fighting wolves, but that’s not really what it is. It is a deep meditation on death, and more specifically the way men choose to die. There is a definite Jack London man-versus-nature vibe here that I enjoyed, and although it's not for everyone, I found this material compelling.

Django Unchained is not Quentin Tarantino’s strongest movie, but that being said, I feel even his weaker efforts are head-and-shoulders above most of the stuff I see at movie theaters. This one is a mash-up of spaghetti westerns and 70s-era blaxploitation films, starring Jamie Foxx as a slave-turned-gunfighter seeking revenge against the men who took his wife. Though wildly entertaining through most of the film, I found the tonal changes from comedy to brutality a little jarring at times.

Top 10 Films of 2012

Here are my spoiler-free reviews of the best movies of the past year:

#10: Wreck-It-Ralph

I love stories where the protagonist has to subvert the expectations that others place on him and choose to be something more. Wreck-It-Ralph certainly falls into this category. It's a Disney animated film about a video game villain who wants to prove to his peers that he is more than just a dumb wrecking machine. It's funny, exciting, and at times poignant, with terrific voice acting and Disney’s usual fabulous animation.

Interestingly enough, Wreck-It-Ralph is not a film that was produced by Disney’s all-digital Pixar animation branch, even though it seems like anthropomorphized video game characters would be something that is in Pixar’s wheelhouse. The Pixar movie that came out in 2012 was Brave, about a Scottish princess. Princess films are usually the kind of thing that Disney animation churns out. It tickles me that Disney and Pixar seem to have swapped their usual subject matter.

#9: Safety Not Guaranteed

This is a cool indie flick about three magazine employees who are assigned to investigate a man who has placed a classified ad seeking a companion to time-travel with. Aubrey Plaza plays Darius, the most cynical of the three reporters; and Mark Duplass plays Kenneth, who is either the genius who figured out time travel, or a dangerous lunatic. Darius and Kenneth are two outsider personalities who start to develop a very real connection, and the viewer is left question the validity of Kenneth’s claims right up until the end of the film.

In many ways this reminds me of the 2011 independent film Another Earth (#6 on last year's Top Ten list), in that the science fiction element is just a backdrop for a very compelling human story. Unlike Another Earth, this is a much lighter story with more humor and a lot less angst. I’m not always a fan of romantic comedies, but Safety Not Guaranteed has so much heart that I was won over.

#8: Jack Reacher

This Tom Cruise vehicle is an adaptation of the Lee Child novel, One Shot. I’ve been told that Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher is physically nothing like the character described in Child’s novel, but having never read the book, I have to judge the movie on its own merits. As a film, this is one well-written, action-packed thrill ride, and Tom Cruise is fantastic as the protagonist.

Like Caine in Kung Fu, Jack Reacher is a character whose modus operandi is pretty much to wander the earth and get into adventures. He lives off-grid and uses his training as both a soldier and an investigator to uphold what is right, caring very little for the letter of the law. Not only does this movie have some fantastic action set pieces but there is an interesting mystery at its core that kept me involved right up to the end. Cruise’s dialogue is especially sharp, and I love some of the verbal interplay in the film that proves that not only is Jack Reacher the toughest guy in the room, he's also the smartest.

Jack Reacher is directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who also directed a film I really enjoyed called The Way of the Gun back in 2000. He is rumored to be directing the next Mission Impossible movie; this is good news because he and Cruise seem to have a rapport.

#7: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is also based on a book, the first in a bestselling trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. It deals with a dystopian future where a tyrannical government forces the poorest of its districts to sacrifice a boy and a girl once a year to compete in televised gladiatorial sports. Only one player will emerge alive, winning food and supplies for his or her respective district. Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful as Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist who learns that in order to win, not only must she count on her considerable survival and hunting skills, but she must also become a media darling.

This is a great adaptation of the book. It's powerful, well-cast, and well-directed; and includes some pretty heavy themes like the power of the media, class struggles, and sacrifice for a higher good. Although I missed Katniss’ internal monologue from the book, Jennifer Lawrence is a strong enough actress to show the emotional impact the story requires.

#6: Chronicle

Chronicle may be the best “found footage” movie ever made (or at least, it’s the best one I’ve ever seen). The story is told largely from the point of view of Andrew, played by Dane DeHaan, a troubled high school student who buys a camera to document his abusive home life. While attending a party, Andrew, his cousin Matt, and school jock Steve discover a mysterious underground cavern that grants them all telekinesis. At first the three boys revel in their newfound abilities and do a lot of the crazy stuff you might imagine high school kids would do if they could move things with their minds. But it’s not long before their bond of friendship is tested when the darker aspect of their power emerges.

I love this street-level approach to the superhero origin story. Director Josh Trank does a fantastic job of balancing both the action and the personal story, and this film contains one of the best superhero battle scenes I’ve ever seen. The screenplay by Max Landis, son of famous director John Landis, has a lot of heart and gives this film a Shakespearean level of tragedy.

#5: Lincoln

Lincoln deals with the 16^th president of the United States and his efforts to pass the 13^th constitutional amendment in 1865, which would officially abolish slavery. This may seem like a dull subject, but in the hands of the great director Steven Spielberg, this movie is anything but.

The greatest strength of this film is the quality of the performances, among the best of which are David Strathairn as Secretary of State William Seward, Tommy Lee Jones as Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, and Sally Field as First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. All of these performances are outstanding, but they pale in comparison to Daniel Day-Lewis’ portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, which can only be described as transcendent.

Watching this film I was able to think, “Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones are doing amazing work in this movie.” I was able to think that about most of the actors. Not Daniel Day-Lewis. Every moment he was on screen, I was watching President Lincoln. It was as if Mr. Day-Lewis was channeling the dead president. In a career of amazing performances, this may be his best – and that is saying something.

#4: Cabin in the Woods

This horror comedy produced by Joss Whedon, directed by Drew Goddard, and co-written by both men takes familiar scary movie tropes and turns them on their ear. Did you ever wonder why horny teenagers go to remote locations in horror movies and then behave in the most stupid, illogical, and cliched ways possible? Well this movie explains why, and does it with the kind of Joss Whedon sharp wit we’ve seen on his television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

I really can’t say much more about the plot without going into spoiler territory, but suffice to say, this is essential viewing for fans of '80s horror films. Hell, this is essential viewing for people who hate horror movies for all the reasons I’ve mentioned above. This is a truly fantastic time at the movies.

I also have to say that the last twenty minutes of this film are the most fun I’ve had at the movies since… Well, since the last twenty minutes of my number one film this year.

#3: The Dark Knight Rises

With The Dark Knight Rises, director Christopher Nolan’s epic Batman trilogy comes to a satisfying conclusion. It neatly ties up the hero's journey started by Bruce Wayne, played by Welsh actor Christian Bale, in 2005's Batman Begins and continued in 2008's The Dark Knight. While I don’t think The Dark Knight Rises is as strong a movie as The Dark Knight (largely due to Heath Ledger's iconic, show-stealing portrayal of The Joker), I do think that this is one of the strongest trilogy finales in cinematic history.

This movie begins eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, with Bruce Wayne having retired his costumed alter ego to live as a recluse. But it’s not long before the Machiavellian schemes of the villain Bane, played excellently by Tom Hardy, contrive to pull Bruce out of retirement and threaten to destroy everything he holds dear, not the least of which is his beloved Gotham City. The appearance of Selina Kyle, a wildcard and cat burglar played by the sexy Ann Hathaway, further complicates matters for Bruce.

Everything I’ve mentioned about the plot pretty much takes place in the first ten minutes of the film, and I’m afraid if I say much more I’ll get into spoilers. I will say that The Dark Knight Rises is an action-packed, psychologically dense, dark, character-driven tour-de-force, and I loved every frame of it.

#2: Skyfall

Skyfall is now my favorite James Bond film, and as a huge James Bond geek, I do not say that lightly. I have seen every James Bond movie and read all of the original Ian Fleming novels. Skyfall captures everything I love about this franchise. The action, the villains, the women, the cars, and the death traps are all here and are all outstanding. We get to see the return of a few characters who have always been a big part of the James Bond mythos but who have been absent from the last several films. But the best thing about Skyfall is Bond himself, portrayed effortlessly by Daniel Craig as a very physically and emotionally damaged man. When Craig plays Bond, we see that his debonair exterior is just a thin veneer masking a brutish thug who will do whatever it takes to accomplish his missions. We also get a fantastic peek into James Bond's past that gives us some clues as to why he became the man he is.

Skyfall is directed by Sam Mendes, who usually does character-driven films like American Beauty and Revolutionary Road. His deft touch for interpersonal drama benefits the movie, but he does not skimp on the action. Judi Dench has never been better as M, Bond’s hard-nosed boss; and Javier Bardem is deliciously creepy as Silva, the main villain of the story.

And now, my favorite movie of 2011...

#1: Marvel’s The Avengers

If anyone had any doubt that Marvel’s The Avengers was going to be my favorite movie this year, then they don’t know me very well. As both a movie and comic book fan, I came into this with very high expectations. The kind of expectations that are often dashed when a project gets too ambitious for its own good. The buildup to this film was epic, and it seemed as though it would be impossible to live up to the hype. Marvel Studios hinted that the Avengers movie was on its way at the very end of Iron Man in 2008, then continued to drop tantalizing breadcrumbs throughout The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), and Captain America: the First Avenger (2011), all the while building up a cohesive Marvel Movie Universe complete with characters who crossed over from film to film.

The very idea of a flick featuring Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, the Hulk, the Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Agent Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. – all characters capable of carrying their own films – seemed like it would collapse under its own weight. How could you make a film with all these huge personalities in it, load it with the kind of action that modern comic book fans would demand, and give each character their moment to shine without the story over-focusing on one hero? Who could take on the responsibility of pleasing both rabid fans and the studio that invested massive amounts of time and cash into this project?

Enter geek legend Joss Whedon. Third-generation television writer, producer of cult hits like Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and comic book writer of, amongst other things, Astonishing X-Men and Fray. He also had a hand in a little movie called Cabin in the Woods (#4 on this list). As director and co-writer of Marvel’s The Avengers, Joss Whedon managed to craft a film that balances character drama, explosive action, and even comedy and pathos, and leaves its audience drooling for more. I saw this in the theatre four times; once in IMAX 3D, once in RealD 3D, and twice in regular 2D, and after each viewing I left the theatre with a silly grin on my face, loving life and ready to fight an alien invasion.

Whether or not you’ve seen the films leading up to Marvel’s The Avengers, this is a truly amazing time at the movies, well worth paying full price and buying a tub of artery-clogging popcorn. It gets my highest recommendation.

Summary

I’ve had a lot on my plate, and putting together my annual Top Ten list this year was a difficult birth. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of my good friend Jem Matzan who once again edited this article for me, as well as offering words of encouragement when I thought writer's block was going to beat me. I may even pull out that short story I’ve had hidden in the bowels of my computer for years. Thanks, Jem!

I hope this list was an enjoyable read, even if you totally disagree with my taste in entertainment, and I hope to see you all at the movies.

John Michael Decker is an actor who loves movies, comic books, and wearing hats.

Copyright 2013 John Michael Decker. No reprints without written permission.

Interview with John Michael Decker (aka Damion Spector; Evil Sheriff)

Interview with John Michael Decker (aka Damion Spector; Evil Sheriff)

Here is an interview with Sterling Actor John Michael Decker !!! (2008)

1. Your name and Sterling Character (s) name. ~

John Michael Decker

1994 Nicodemus "Nick the Nose" Snipe; Gallant Beggar
1995, 1996, 2001 Thaddeus Pringle; Traveling Poet
1997 Severus Wackford; Executioner
1998-2000 Ignatius "Iggy" Weevil; Executioner
2002 Cuthbert Exelby; Pirate Cabin Boy
2003 "Dashing" Jack Scrimshaw; Pirate First Mate
2004 Roland Puddleton; Mud Beggar
2006-2008 Damion Spector; Evil Sheriff

plus I've played the Dottore in the Commedia from 1998-2004, 2006-2008

2. How did you first get into acting and what was your first job ? ~

In the forth grade I was in a play called; "Jack, Beanstalk, and Friends." I played W.C. Fieldson (the guy who sold Jack the beans). I was a shy kid, but I found that I could get accolades from my peers without having to be myself. After that I knew I was meant to be an actor.

My first professional job was for the Lake George Opera Co in 1984 or 85. I played a stage hand in their production of "Kiss Me Kate."

3. What is your approach to figuring out how to play a character ? ~

I use the Gary Izzo method (discussed in his book, "the Art of Play"). I try to figure out the characters main passion in life, then I figure out what the characters flaws are that might get in the way of that passion, then I figure out what virtues the character might have.

4. What is your favorite role so far? Least favorite and why ? ~

Favorite role in a play: E.K. Hornbeck from "Inherit the Wind." I liked the moral gray areas the character lived in. I liked how Hornbeck's function in the show was to push other character's buttons. My favorite interactive character role has been Damian Spector the evil sheriff I play at Sterling. It's just so much fun to play a character who is that evil but also extremely vulnerable.

Least favorite character: I honestly can't think of a character I didn't enjoy playing.

5. Who are your influences (both acting and non) ?

I've had three major mentors in my life.

1) Dr. H. Charles Kline (or "Doc" as we all called him), my college adviser and head of the SUNY Plattsburgh Theatre Department in the late 80s, early 90s. Besides teaching me some valuable theatre technique, Doc was a real father figure in my life at a time when I really needed one.

2) Rev. Jerry McKinny, who I worked for as a counselor and arts and crafts director at the Hebron Camp and Conference Center for five summers (Summer of 89 through the summer of 93). Jerry taught me the virtue of service to others for a higher cause.

3) Gary Izzo, my director at Sterling and zen interactive theatre master. Gary helped me to refine my talents (which were pretty raw when I met him), and turned me into a better performer. Gary also taught me the real value of escapism and play.

7. What inspires you to do what you do ? ~

I like being able to help people forget their problems, be it for a minute, an hour or a day. Art is so important, especially in uncertain times.

8. Funniest mishap behind-the-scenes or onstage ? ~

Working at the Great Escape Fun park and playing Beulah the stripping Buzzard (yes, you heard that right), I fell off the stage because I couldn't see out of the giant buzzard head I was wearing.

9. What do you enjoy most and least about theater/acting ? ~

Most: I love playing the part of the sacred clown. Being able to show the folly of man through the failings of my characters.

Least: I hate that acting pays so poorly. 

Thank you so much John for the interview !

Which superhero are you?

Your results:
You are Green Lantern

Green Lantern 90% Spider-Man 80% Superman 70% Batman 60% Supergirl 55% Hulk 55% Catwoman 55% The Flash 50% Robin 47% Iron Man 45% Wonder Woman 40%

Hot-headed. You have strong will power and a good imagination.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

John Michael Decker's Top Ten Films of 2011

It's time for my biased list of favorite films from the past twelve months. Even though attendance at movie theatres was down in 2011, it was actually a pretty good year at the movies. I found that I enjoyed far more films than I disliked. In fact, there were so many outstanding movies that it was harder than usual to narrow it down to the top ten.

Honorable Mentions

Before I get to the main event, I'll mention a few films that didn't quite make it into my top ten this year. These films are fun and worth seeing, but there were at least ten other films I liked better.

The critics may have maligned Green Lantern, but I think that this is a well-told superhero origin story with lots of action and great characters.

Thor is another cool comic book film that works largely because it focuses on the dysfunctional relationship between the God of Thunder (Thor) and his misunderstood step-brother (Loki).

Midnight in Paris is a fantastic Woody Allen movie with romance, comedy, and time travel. What more could you want? Allen has always been an expert at turning his backdrops into characters, and this movie certainly brings the "city of light" to life.

Source Code, the second film by Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie), is a trippy action thriller about a soldier who keeps waking up in the body of a stranger on a Chicago commuter train. Lots of twists and turns keep the audience guessing. This film has a great mix of action and interesting character development.

Super, is a film about a guy who decides to become a costumed vigilante after his wife leaves him for a drug dealer. Although he has the best intentions, he has absolutely no discernible skills other than an insane will to stop crime, and a lot of dumb luck. For a comedy, this movie delves into some incredibly dark territory, and you'll often end up feeling guilty for laughing at some of the material.

Bellflower is billed as an apocalyptic romance, and that's a pretty good description. The story is about Woodrow and Aiden, two friends who spend their free time building flame-throwers and muscle cars in the hopes that a global cataclysm will occur and thrust them into a post-apocalyptic world ala Mad Max. But when Woodrow falls for the unpredictable Milly, he experiences his own personal apocalypse.

Attack the Block is an awesome low-budget British sci-fi flick about a gang of south London punks protecting their neighborhood against an alien invasion. It's directed by Joe Cornish, who worked as a producer on Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and has a fantastic sense of kinetic energy. This film also features one of the most unique alien species I have seen on the big screen in years.

Speaking of fantastic kinetic energy, I would be remiss if I didn't mention The Adventures of Tintin, an animated film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson. The film is based on a popular European comic book and has a kind of young Indiana Jones vibe to it. It's a hell of a lot of fun and well worth your time.

I love The Muppets, which stars and was co-written by Jason Segal. Although it takes a little while for it to get going, watching Kermit, Gonzo, Piggy and the gang on the big screen is like welcoming back old friends. Hearing the Muppets sing "Rainbow Connection" again brought tears to my eyes.

Anyone who has a love for classic films should do themselves a favor and catch Martin Scorsese's Hugo. This starts out as an adventure/mystery about a scrappy orphan living in a train station in France, and morphs into a love letter to history's earliest movies and the pioneers who made them.

In any other year, many of the above films would have made my top ten, but this year there were just too many great movies to choose from.

Top 10 films of 2011

Here are my choices for the best of the past year, presented without spoilers:

#10: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

After the abysmal Tim Burton remake of Planet of the Apes in 2001, I didn't expect to ever see a decent "Apes" film again. That's why it comes as such as shock that Rise of the Planet of the Apes is as good as it is.

At its core, Rise is the heartbreaking story of a scientist who, with the best of intentions, sets in motion the events that will bring down the human race. Andy Sirkis' truly brilliant motion capture work as Caesar the ape is the heart and soul of the film. This is science fiction as I love it, with fantastic action sequences, a lot of humanity, and big moral and ethical conundrums.

#9: Captain America: the First Avenger

This is a good old-fashioned superhero flick set in the early days of World War II. Unlike many of the grim and gritty anti-heroes we tend to see a lot of, Cap has always been about fighting for the little guy. In the film, Cap's alter ego, Steve Rogers, makes it clear that he doesn't relish the thought of killing Nazis, he just doesn't like bullies.

I like that Steve Rogers isn't an over-muscled Adonis through the first half of the movie; instead, he starts as a scrawny 98-pound weakling who just wants to do the right thing. When he finally gets his super abilities, he retains the humility of a little guy from Brooklyn who's been bullied all his life. Chris Evans makes a fantastic Captain America/Steve Rogers and Hugo Weaving is an excellent foil to the hero as the evil Nazi super criminal, The Red Skull.

Director Joe Johnston, who also helmed another great period superhero film, The Rocketeer, had the right sensibilities to bring these characters and this time period to life.

#8: Drive

Drive reminds me of a modern-day Clint Eastwood "spaghetti western." Like Eastwood's iconic "Man with No Name," the protagonist in this film (played by Ryan Gosling) is a taciturn loner with a mysterious past who is only referred to as "the Driver."

The Driver is a Hollywood stunt man who leads a double life as a wheel man for local criminals. When the Driver gets involved with the wrong criminal (played brilliantly by Albert Brooks) and a beautiful woman from his apartment complex (played by Carey Mulligan), his solitary and ordered life starts to spin out of control.

I like how stripped-down this movie is. I enjoy the growing sense of menace as the main character is drawn into situations that it doesn't look like he can get out of. I especially like the stellar ensemble cast including Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston, and Oscar Isaac.

#7: Warrior

Warrior is a lot like the original Rocky film, only with two protagonists. Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy play Brendan and Tommy Conlon, two brothers who are involved in the brutal sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Although at the start of the film the brothers have become estranged, the one thing they do have in common is a hatred for their abusive, ex-alcoholic father, Paddy (in a heartbreaking performance by the great Nick Nolte).

For different reasons, both brothers enter an MMA tournament with the highest-ever purse in the history of the sport. Both are underdogs and not expected to make in through, but end up on a collision course which forces them not only to face each other in the ring, but the personal issues they have from their horribly dysfunctional family.

Both brothers' stories are equally compelling, and by the end of the film, knowing that only one can win the tournament, as an audience member I didn't know which brother to root for.

#6: Another Earth

Another Earth is a quiet little indie sci-fi film where the science fiction is largely the backdrop for the human drama. When a duplicate planet Earth appears in the sky, events are set in motion that cause the lives of a student and a composer to intersect both tragically and beautifully.

I like how the themes of grief, guilt and redemption are played out in this movie, with the second planet Earth constantly hovering in the background, reminding us of other possibilities on other worlds. Brit Marling, the star and co-writer of this film, is a talent to watch. William Mapother (perhaps best known as Ethan Rom from the popular television series Lost) also gives a powerful, gut-wrenching performance. It is the chemistry between these two actors that holds this picture together.

#5: X-Men: First Class

X-Men: First Class is my second-favorite "X-Men" film after the excellent X2: X-Men United. It is not a perfect movie, but what really makes me forget the film's shortcomings are the incredible performances of James McAvoy as young professor Charles Xavier, and Michael Fassbender as young Erik Lehnsherr (AKA Magneto). As any comic book fan knows, Xavier and Magneto are destined to become enemies, but the story of how these two men met and became friends has never been told on the big screen.

I love that this movie is set in the swinging 60s, with the Cuban missile crisis playing out in the background. The earliest X-Men comics were written during this era, so it struck me as appropriate. I also enjoy seeing young Xavier as a womanizing intellectual hipster, and young Magneto as an obsessed Nazi-hunter.

Although not all of the characters in this movie are very well drawn out, I have to give honorable mention to the performances of Jennifer Lawrence as the young Mystique, and Nicholas Hoult as the young Hank McCoy. Seeing the different characters interact and work together at the beginning of the movie, and then being forced to pick different sides of the mutant conflict at the end is a big part of the drama.

#4: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

The "Mission Impossible" film franchise is unlike most others; instead of the quality of the movies getting worse as more sequels are released, it gets better. No one is more surprised than I am that this movie is so high on my top ten list this year, but it was really that good. Perhaps the increasing quality is due to the fact that every MI movie has a different director. In this case it's Brad Bird, who until now has only directed animated films (such as The Iron Giant and The Incredibles). Bird is fantastic with action, and this movie has, hands down, some of the best action set pieces that I've seen in the last few years. I know it's cliché, but I can literally say that I spent most of the movie on the edge of my seat.

Another departure from the earlier Mission Impossible films is that this one focuses more on the whole IMF team, not just Tom Cruise's character, Ethan Hunt. Sure, this is still a Tom Cruise movie, but for the first time, his supporting players (portrayed by Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, and Jeremy Renner) play a major part in both story and action.

Most of the movies on my top ten list this year are rather deep. They delve into characters, ideas, and themes in a way that elevates them above typical action films. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is not deep; it's just a hell of a lot of fun and an epic popcorn movie.

#3: Rango

Rango may be the most unique western I've ever seen. This animated feature, directed by Gore Verbinski, tells the story of a chameleon who, through a series bizarre circumstances, exaggerations, and downright lies, becomes the sheriff of the water-deprived town of Dirt.

Not only does this movie understand the heart of the west, but it has a real trippy vibe that just makes it unique. Rango (voiced by Johnny Depp) is an incredible "hero on a journey" character, and is surrounded by other iconic personalities like Rattlesnake Jake, the classic western villain who lives by his own code. The character designs are the most original I've seen since Toy Story. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that Rango is on par with Pixar's finest computer-generated films.

#2: Hanna

Hanna reminds me of Luc Besson's The Professional, in that it is a perfect fusion of foreign art film and American action thriller. The movie opens with the title character, Hanna (played by Irish actress Saoirse Ronan) living with her CIA-trained father (Eric Bana) in the wilds of Finland. Her isolated life is forced to change when dangerous forces come looking for her, led by a ruthless intelligence agent (played by Cate Blanchett).

On the one hand, this is a pretty straightforward action picture with the heroine traveling through Europe avoiding bad guys; but on the other, this is a modern-day Brothers Grimm fairy tale with Hanna as the lost princess, her father as the huntsman and Blanchett as the wicked witch.

The action sequences are poetically filmed and never slow down, the metaphors are drawn well, and the characters are multi-layered and continuously fascinating.

And now, my favorite movie of 2011...

#1: Super 8

Super 8, directed by JJ Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, is a throwback to some beloved classic films like Stand By Me, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Perhaps "throwback" is the wrong word, because this movie is its own unique entity, paying homage to these films without copying them.

Super 8 takes place in a small Ohio town in 1979, where a group of 13- to 14-year-old kids are filming a zombie movie with a super 8 camera. During a night of filming, the children witness a catastrophic train crash, and accidentally record something alien escaping from wreckage. The science fiction part of this story is exciting and well-told, but it is really just the backdrop to the real human story of these kids and their families.

It's not easy to find actors this young who are good, but all of the kids that were cast in Super 8 are terrific, especially Joel Courtney as the sensitive Joe Lamb; and Elle Fanning as Alice, the girl he is interested in.

Perhaps one of the reasons I feel so connected with this film was because in 1979 I was a 13-year-old kid running around with my friends in a small town in upstate NY. We were always working on some kind of wacky artistic project and getting into crazy adventures (although we never encountered an alien as far as I know). It's this sense of nostalgia, coupled with great storytelling and compelling characters that makes Super 8 my favorite movie of last year.

Summary

And there you have it -- my top picks for last year at the movies. Feel free to get in touch and tell me what you think, or tell me about a great film I may have left off the list. Once again I would like to thank Jem Matzan for his stalwart friendship and excellent editing skills.

John Michael Decker is an actor who loves to go to the movies. This list is just his way of showing appreciation for all the entertainment he's enjoyed over the past year.

Copyright 2012 John Michael Decker. No reprints without written permission.

A Father's Letter to Santa

This is a beautiful note that was hand delivered to Santa at Macy's this year. I think it is a good reminder of what this day is really about.

Happy holidays to all and to all a good night.

-JMD

A FATHER’S LETTER TO SANTA

Macy’s Herald Square, NYC

12-19-2011

Dear Santa,

You are a form of wonder and magic in our world and I am so grateful you exist! This year I would like to share some of the things I’m grateful for. May my list continue to evolve and grow more in 2012!

2011 Gratitude List

Ð My gorgeous and devoted wife! She does so much to keep our lives flowing beautifully. Bless her heart for keeping our home so sweet and neat. So grateful she’s willing to satisfy all my most primal intimate desires! May our partnership continue to evolve in delightful and unexpected ways.

Ð My dynamite son Jasper! He reflects the best and worst of my own nature every day. From him I’m learning how to go with the flow, turn away from anger and turn instead towards compassion and love.

Ð My cats – they hold for us our anxiety and fear to lessen our load in life. And they cuddle so nicely.

Ð My beautiful home and amazing landlords! Even months when our rent is late, we are supported gracefully at home.

Ð My job! I never have to be on mass transit in rush hour – so grateful for that. And for having created an opportunity to share what I love with others and get paid for it. So blessed.

Ð My friends! I have great company in my life.

Ð I’m also grateful for all of the ways I’ve been DIS-SATISFIED this year. More than ever, I’ve turned that distress into an opportunity to grow. I’ve had lots of support to plant new seeds for an even more generative life in 2012. May those seeds grow into a beautiful garden.

I have a whole lot more stuff I’m grateful for, too. But if there’s anything you can bring down the chimney this year it’s more of the same, let me live a life with endless potential for growth and beauty.

Merry Christmas Santa!

Love,

Eric

Lance Proton vs. the L.O.S.T.

Hey everyone! Our new comedy/science fiction CD, Lance Proton vs. the L.O.S.T. is now available for download. If you love old Flash Gordon serials and are a fan of zany Monty Python type humor, than you will love this. I encourage you to head on over to CD baby and check it out! You also might want to download our first CD, Lance Proton and the Space Battalion of Justice!

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheProtonPlayers

John Michael Decker reviews "Those Across the River," an exciting new horror novel.

Those Across the River Review

By

John Michael Decker

The year is 1935. Frank Nichols, a former history professor from Chicago, has moved to the quaint little town of Whitbrow, Georgia with his paramour Eudora. Frank’s intention is to write a book chronicling the history of his ancestor, an infamous Civil War general. But Whitbrow is a town with many dark secrets. Secrets which threaten to erode not only Frank and Eudora’s newfound happiness, but their belief in a rational world as well. There is something evil dwelling in the old Savoyard Plantation across the river. It is something ancient with a connection to Frank that he can scarcely imagine. It has a long memory… and it is patient.

Thus begins Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman. The best horror novel I have read in years. I say this not because Chris Buehlman is a dear friend of mine. I say it honestly because it really is just that good. Although this book won’t be released until September of this year, I have been lucky enough to receive an advanced copy. To say that Those Across the River is a page-turner is putting it mildly. I’ve been busy and yet I still burned through this novel in three days.

Christopher Buehlman excels at pacing and he is a confident enough storyteller so that he really takes his time setting up his scenes. He is a master of language and this book effortlessly transported me to another time. Another place. I felt all of the pressures of surviving in the Great Depression. I could smell the sweat of the characters as they were traipsing through the dark woods. I could hear all the sounds of the humid August night in Georgia. The tension was slowly ratcheted up, and the more I read, I found myself being filled with a deepening sense of dread. I was fully invested in the characters so when the truly horrific stuff happened it was well earned by the author.

Now there are a lot of people who are going to read this and compare Chris Buehlaman to Stephen King or Dean Koontz. I would dispute this claim. Don’t get me wrong… the material in this book is similar to things that have been covered by other horror authors. And I am a big fan of King and Koontz. But to me, reading a novel by someone like Stephen King is like eating at McDonalds. It’s good, it’s fast, and it’s usually pretty satisfying. But reading a Christopher Buehlman novel is like dining on filet mignon with an interesting red wine and classical music playing in the background. This is literary, historical, horror and I really think that Buehlman’s unique writer’s voice puts him in a category all his own. I can easily see this book being translated into a movie. I can see Chris attaining real fame with this work. So if you want to get in on the ground floor of something really special, I highly recommend that you pre-order a copy of Those Across the River today.

Copyright 2011 John Michael Decker. No reprints without written permission.

http://www.amazon.com/Those-Across-River-Christopher-Buehlman/dp/0441020674

John Michael Decker's Top Ten Films of 2010

It's time for my biased list of favorite films from the past year. Although the quality of mainstream films wasn't as disappointing as 2009, this still wasn't a great year to go to the movies, and often I'd find myself let down when I stopped by the theatre. Still, just when I thought I'd lost my faith in modern cinema, I would be treated to something cool or unique enough to remind me why I spend so much time and money there.

Honorable Mentions

Before I get to the main event, I'll mention a few films that didn't quite make it into my top ten this year. These films are fun and worth seeing, but there were at least ten other films I liked better.

Machete is a hell of a lot of fun, and great showcase for the amazing Danny Trejo. Trejo has been a staple in Hollywood for almost 30 years, but this is his first leading role. At 66 years old, the brick-faced actor looks like he could kick Stallone, Van Damme, and Schwarzenegger's asses without breaking a sweat.

Although I'm not a big fan of the new 3-D craze in Hollywood (most of the time the 3-D conversion process is awful and you would be better off seeing the less expensive, less murky, 2-D version of the film), I have to admit that Piranha 3-D is a hoot! This is an unapologetic film that knows and embraces its shlockly Piranha roots. It is a B movie in every sense of the word -- the screen is filled with the three Bs: Boobs, Blood, and Beasts. If you are looking for Oscar-caliber performances and a gripping plot, avoid this movie like the plague. If, however, you want to kill an afternoon with a bunch of friends and laugh your butts off at idiots getting munched by swarms of prehistoric killer fish, then it doesn't get much better than Piranha 3-D.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the latest film by Edgar Wright (the awesome director who brought us Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) is also tremendous fun. Although I didn't enjoy Pilgrim as much as Wright's previous two movies, this tale of a Canadian slacker who must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in a universe run by video game rules is very solid and offers lots of big laughs. At times Scott Pilgrim was too hip for its own good, but overall it is a really enjoyable film.

Top 10 films of 2010

And now for my official list of 2010's best ten movies. In case you haven't seen them, I will do my best to say what I liked about them without spoilers.

#10: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

This low-budget Finnish film was undoubtedly my most unique movie-going experience of the year. Rare Exports is a horror/comedy in which a group of miners near the Korvatunturi mountain discover an ancient being frozen in black ice -- a being known the world over as Santa Claus. But this isn't the jolly old elf who appears in Coke commercials, and the local villagers soon learn that this discovery should have been left well enough alone.

Rare Exports isn't a perfect film. There are pacing issues, and there is a scene that should be at the end of the movie that just isn't there (if you see it, you'll understand). But sitting in the theatre, I was constantly surprised and delighted and truly didn't know what was going to happen next. As a man who has donned the white beard and the big red suit, I found this movie to be especially engaging.

"He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake." When you think about it, that's really creepy!

#9: Kick Ass

Kick Ass is a film based on the comic book of the same name that asks the question: What if a normal high school kid decided to put on a costume and fight crime? As you might imagine, the protagonist, Dave Lizewski, gets the crap beat out of him. A lot. But he also becomes an Internet sensation, pisses off the mob, and inspires a number of copycat vigilantes, most of whom are not mentally stable.

This movie is completely twisted and wrong in the best possible sense. It embraces its over-the-top violence and eye-for-an-eye sense of justice, and still manages to throw in a dash of pathos amidst the hilarious high-energy action.

#8: Centurion

Centurion is a historical action movie written and directed by Neil Marshall. It takes place in 117 AD and deals with a Roman garrison's attempt to wipe out the Picts inhabiting the Scottish Highlands. Although the Romans have superior numbers and weapons, they can't compete with the Picts' guerrilla tactics. When the Ninth Legion is sent to eradicate the Picts once and for all, things go horribly wrong and a small band of Roman soldiers must flee for their lives across hostile terrain.

Critics were not kind to this film, which is essentially a 97-minute chase scene, but I really enjoyed it. The characters are engaging, the battle scenes are exciting, and the cinematography is beautiful.

#7: Splice

Splice is an original reinterpretation the old Frankenstein story. The theme that man should not play god with the creation of life is an old one, but I've never seen it so well executed as it is in this film.

Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley play ultra-hip genetic engineers who splice human DNA together with several different animals, creating a beautiful but unstable chimera which they name Dren. Initially they do this in the name of science, but soon they come to look upon themselves as parents to their creation. It isn't long before the unpredictable nature of the creature, combined with the dysfunctional issues of the scientists, creates a deadly situation.

#6: Harry Brown

Harry Brown features a tour de force performance by Michael Caine as the title character. Caine's compelling and raw performance as a retired marine who is pushed to the edge by local gangs elevates this film beyond the level of a Death Wish clone and turns it into a true classic.

Harry's transformation from a sad and lonely octogenarian into a calculated killing machine who can barely contain his rage is astonishing to behold. In the hands of a lesser actor this could have been a train wreck, but Michael Caine pulls it off. I was mesmerized by his character, and if Caine isn't at least nominated for an Oscar for this movie, then truly the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is blind.

#5: Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky is a director known for movies that focus on obsession, and Black Swan is no different. Natalie Portman plays Nina Sayers, a timid ballet dancer who wins the lead role in Swan Lake. Although she is perfectly suited to portray the White Swan, her ridged dancing style isn't right for the evil Black Swan the piece also requires her to play. The majority of the movie is Portman's character driving herself to the edge of madness in an attempt to give the perfect performance.

I know next to nothing about ballet, so it was fascinating for me to watch a film exploring backstage life in a world I will never be a part of. Natalie Portman is fantastic as the tragically obsessed Nina, and co-star Mila Kunis is also excellent as Lily, Nina's dark twin in the ballet company.

#4: The Social Network

When you combine the writing talents of Aaron Sorkin and the directing skills of David Fincher, you know you are in for a treat. The Social Network focuses on Mark Zuckerberg, the socially awkward yet intellectually brilliant man who created Facebook while he was still a student at Harvard. Although Zuckerberg becomes the youngest billionaire in history, he faces both legal and emotional challenges from all sides.

What is fascinating about this film to me is being able to watch Zuckerberg's rise and fall, which essentially occur at the same time. Like so many of us, Zuckerberg really was his own worst enemy.

#3: True Grit

Joel and Ethan Coen are directors known for movies with crazy plot twists that come out of left field, so it is really cool to see them make a straightforward western. The Coen brothers' take on True Grit is as "gritty" as one might expect. They excel at dialogue, and it's as good as it's ever been in this film.

This movie is about three very diverse characters thrown together on a quest to find Tom Chaney, a criminal who killed a young girl's father. Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross, a 14 year-old girl raised with a harsh western eye-for-an-eye mentality. Jeff Bridges plays Rooster Cogburn, the ornery one-eyed U.S. Marshall that Mattie hires to hunt down her father's killer. Cogburn's chief qualification is his reputation of being the meanest lawman in the state. Matt Damon rounds out the cast as LaBoeuf, an arrogant Texas Ranger who has been on Chaney's trail for a while and doesn't want to share his quarry with any partners. This is the best western I've seen since Tombstone, largely due to the incredibly interesting interplay among the three main characters.

#2: Toy Story 3

It's rare to see a trilogy of movies that all are excellent, but with Toy Story 3, Pixar manages to do just that. This film beautifully closes the story of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and friends in a way that is exciting, satisfying and truly touching.

As Andy, the owner of the toys, gets ready for college, Woody, Buzz, and the gang have to face the possibility of becoming obsolete. What use is a toy when there is nobody to play with them?

And now, my favorite movie of 2010...

#1: Inception

I love movies that explore the concept of blurred reality -- what is real and what is illusion -- so it should come as no surprise to anybody who knows me that this was my favorite film of the year. Director Christopher Nolan spent nearly nine years developing the script for this movie, and it shows. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, a man who specializes in stealing ideas from people's dreams, but early in the film he is presented with a unique challenge: Could he implant an idea in a person's mind through his dreams? We never learn exactly how this is accomplished; we just accept that in the reality of this film, the technology exists to invade another person's slumbering mind. The movie is very clear about the rules that allow this to happen, and so as an audience member it is easy to just go with it.

Although the special effects are amazing in Inception, it doesn't rely on them too heavily. This is a film about ideas, not CGI. I don't want to say too much about the plot because this is a film that can easily be spoiled, and it is well worth it to watch the movie with a fresh perspective, descending into the layers of the dreaming subconscious along with the characters. I love films where you are never sure whether the characters are experiencing something real or just an illusion, and if it is an illusion and the characters believe it is real, then doesn't that make it real?

Suffice it to say, the acting is solid, the story and direction are superb, and this move is well worth repeated viewings.

Summary

And there you have it -- my top picks for last year at the movies. Feel free to get in touch and argue, or tell me about a great film I may have left off the list. Special thanks Jem Matzan for his friendship and for acting as the editor of this article once again.

John Michael Decker is an actor who has been playing an evil sheriff in the summer and jolly old St. Nick in the winter. It's good to find balance in life.

Copyright 2011 John Michael Decker. No reprints without written permission.

John Michael Decker's Top Ten Films of 2009

John Michael Decker’s Top Ten Films of 2009

It's time once again for my biased list of favorite films from the past year. It was difficult to put the list together this time, largely because it was such a disappointing year at the box office. More often than not, I’d end up walking away from the movie theatre feeling let down.

Films NOT on the list

Before, I get to the list, I’ll mention a few films that didn’t make the cut. I suspect that people will ask why these few in particular didn’t they make it into my top ten, so I’ll explain.

Avatar isn’t on the list because although the special effects were remarkable, I just didn’t find the story all that original. Moon didn’t make it because I didn’t get the chance to see it, although I’ve heard that it’s great. I was completely underwhelmed by Sherlock Holmes. I have to give props to Where the Wild Things Are for some gutsy artistic choices, but ultimately I thought it was a depressing mess that completely missed the point of my favorite children’s book.

Top 10 films of 2009

And now for the official list of 2009 films that I can gladly recommend. In case you haven’t seen them yet, I will do my best to say why I liked these movies without giving away any major spoilers.

#10: Paranormal Activity

This is a low-budget film based on a simple premise that was executed beautifully. The story centers on a twenty-something yuppie couple, Katie and Micah, who have been troubled by strange noises late at night. Katie feels that some entity has been haunting her since she was a little girl. In an effort to figure out what’s going on, her skeptical boyfriend Micah decides to videotape the room while they sleep. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say that things get stranger and more intense as the story progresses. Although this movie was similar in style to The Blair Witch Project, I thought Paranormal Activity was much scarier.

#9: Zombieland

I love zombies and am very grateful that they have become popular in the American zeitgeist again. This is a really fun horror/comedy about a world overrun by the walking dead, and the four very different living people who band together to try to survive in it. Again, this movie has a simple premise, but was a lot of fun to watch, and amidst all of the laughs and the horror there was even some pathos thrown in. Woody Harrelson stars as Tallahassee, a man who seems to have been born to kick undead ass, but Bill Murray nearly steals the show with a brief cameo.

#8: Drag Me To Hell

After the disappointing Spider-Man 3, director Sam Raimi is back in fine form with this throwback to his earlier B-movie work, especially Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness. This movie was advertised as a horror film, but like Zombieland, it was really a horror/comedy, and a hilarious one at that. What I liked best about this movie was the fact that so many of the characters were utterly unlikeable, so when horrible things start happening to them, you really enjoy it. There is a relentless energy to Sam Raimi films, and very little subtlety, but damn if they don’t make for some incredible escapism. If any lesson can be taken away from this film, it’s that you don’t mess with angry, old, half-blind, Gypsy hags.

#7: Watchmen

Watchmen is based on the graphic novel of the same name, written by Alan Moore with art by Dave Gibbons. In writing Watchmen, one of Moore’s intentions was to showcase the comic book format by demonstrating exactly how the union of words and pictures could tell a story in a unique way that no other medium could. The graphic novel is a dense, multi-layered story that delves into the psychological aspects of the “superhero.” It was a brilliant, groundbreaking work when it came out in the mid 1980s, but it was never meant to be made into a motion picture.

That being said, director Zack Snyder did about as good a job as anyone could in translating the graphic novel into a film. As a fan of the comic book version of Watchmen, I really enjoyed this movie. Snyder manages to capture perfectly on camera the distinct visual world that Dave Gibbons created in the book. With one or two exceptions, the casting was excellent. However, even the 162-minute running time isn’t enough to capture all of the subtle nuances of the book.

#6: The Road

The Road is an extremely powerful film set in a bleak dystopian future. Viggo Mortensen gives an outstanding performance as a man whose love for his son allows him to endure horrific conditions in an effort to hold onto his and his son’s humanity. This is not an easy film to watch; the material, based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, is extraordinarily dark, but I found the journey more than worthwhile.

#5: Up

Up is another Pixar masterpiece. The story, about an old man and a young boy on the adventure of a lifetime, is at times hilarious, touching, and ultimately uplifting. Up breaks new ground with its digital 3-D effects, but unlike other movies I’ve seen this year, it has more going for it than just pretty pictures. The characters are outstanding, the story is original, and the voice talent was perfectly cast. This movie is a wonderful reminder that it’s never too late to go out and find adventure in the world. Of all the films on my list this year, Up has the broadest entertainment appeal for the widest audience.

#4: The Hurt Locker

At its heart, The Hurt Locker is about men who intentionally put themselves in dangerous situations. Jeremy Renner plays Sgt. William James, an action junkie put in charge of an elite squad of bomb disposal operatives in Iraq. Director Kathryn Bigelow did an amazing job of creating suspense in the many bomb disarmament scenes. The character conflicts were both interesting and realistic, especially the dynamic between the unpredictable Sgt. James and the more cautious, by-the-book Sgt. Sanborn played by Anthony Mackie. I went into this movie knowing nothing about it and left pleasantly surprised.

#3: Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino crafts an incredibly entertaining World War II flick filled with memorable characters and his usual sharp dialogue. The basic premise of the story is that a young Jewish woman named Shosanna plots revenge against the Nazis for murdering her family. At the same time, an elite squad of Jewish, American, Nazi-killing soldiers nicknamed “the Basterds,” try to take out all the bigwigs in the Third Reich in a single strike. The two revenge plots collide at a tiny movie theatre in France. Brad Pitt plays Lt. Aldo Raine, the leader of “the Basterds,” but the best performance is by Christoph Waltz, who portrays the charmingly evil Colonel Hans Landa.

#2: Star Trek

I’ve always been a huge Star Trek fan, but I have to admit, after five television series and ten films set in the Star Trek universe, I was pretty much over it. The concept was tired and I thought that I’d rather see the whole franchise fade into obscurity than have to face another bad Trek film.

And then producer/director J.J. Abrams did the impossible: He managed to create a Star Trek movie that not only reinvigorated the franchise, but wiped away 40 years of bloated continuity, brought action and excitement back to the Star Trek universe, and reminded me of everything I loved about the original series in the first place. Recasting the original characters with younger actors was a risky move on Abrams’ part, but the performers managed to capture the spirit of their iconic characters without just imitating the original actors.

And now, my favorite movie of 2009...

#1: District 9

So Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, was all set to produce Halo, a movie based on the video game of the same name. As often happens in Hollywood, the project fell apart, so Jackson offered a virtually unknown South African director $30 million bucks to make whatever film he wanted to. The result was District 9.

District 9, directed by Neill Blomkamp and starring Sharlto Copley, is a fairly low-budget picture by today’s standards. At the start of the film it looks as though we are going to be watching a mockumentary about stranded aliens contained in a detention center in South Africa, but the movie quickly picks up the pace and we are treated to an action-packed sci-fi thrill ride with some amazing set pieces and excellent social commentary. The aliens in the movie are interesting and multi-layered. The protagonist, Wikus VanDeMerwe, is an unlikable jerk at the start of the film, but by the end he has gone through an incredible transformation (just watch the movie and you’ll know that I mean that on all kinds of levels). Lately people have been touting Avatar as the film that has reinvented sci-fi for the 21^st century, but don’t listen to them -- District 9 is truly the film that accomplishes this.

Summary

And there you have it -- my top picks for the year in cinema. Feel free to get in touch and argue, or tell me about a great film I may have left off the list. Thanks again to Jem Matzan for acting as the editor of this article.

John Michael Decker is a struggling actor who has been trying to get back into the writing groove. He sincerely hopes that 2010 will be a less disappointing year at the box office.

Copyright 2010 John Michael Decker. No reprints without written permission.