Though the year saw some failed attempts of studios trying to create summer tentpole movies, that was largely due to the 2007-2008 writer’s strike. Despite that, 2009 is seen as one of the better years for cinema in the 21st century.
There are so many movies from the year that can now be considered classics despite all of the industry setbacks at the time. Between Quentin Tarantino’s self-proclaimed masterpiece, yet another emotional Pixar movie, and one of the most heart-stopping war films ever made, 2009 is full of modern cinema classics that need to be seen.
The Blind Side – Stream On Max Go
It’s clear that The Blind Side was a huge hit when it was first released, as it overperformed at the box office, making over $300 million worldwide, and Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Leigh Tuohy. And even with all of those accolades, the movie’s reverence can’t be overstated.
The film is essentially a sports movie, but just as much attention is spent on real-life NFL player Michael Oher and his relationship with his adoptive parents. With it having more depth than most other movies in the sports genre, The Blind Side has become a classic that other sports movies aspire to.
Taken – Stream On Hulu
Though Taken has a low Rotten Tomatoes score, as critics hated it upon release, general audiences love it, and they still do to this day. Taken is considered a classic because, in the 12 years since its release, it has taken on many roles both as an inspiration for other movies and as a master class on staying safe in Europe.
Taken is the movie that a lot of fathers might show to their teenage children if they want to go traveling. But on top of that, it’s one of the greatest action movies of the 2000s and it turned Liam Neeson into an action star at the wise age of 57.
District 9 – Stream On Starz
Though some think that writer-director Neil Blomkamp is a one-hit-wonder, as he hasn’t directed a critically acclaimed or audience-loved movie since, District 9 is still considered by many to be one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. The movie made more out of its $30 million budget than most $100 million budget films did at the time, as its technical effects were on another level.
Fans have been asking for a sequel ever since the movie’s release, and it seems like Blomkamp is finally listening. District 9 has always been a great standalone story, and for a long time Blomkamp thought the same, saying that there “never seemed to be a good reason to make a sequel.” However, District 10 has now gone into development, and the filmmaker has promised it’ll be in the same vein as the original.
The Hurt Locker – Stream On Peacock
This war film is one of the most unnerving movies ever made, as it sees an explosive disposal team deal with the psychological toll of combat. Between the heart-stopping act of handling the explosives and the stressful downtime the unit has, few other war movies can give audiences sweaty palms as The Hurt Locker does.
The movie made history, as it was the first female-directed film to win Best Picture and Best Director at the Academy Awards. That prestige award win was deserved, as the movie is just as hard-hitting and relevant today as it was 12 years ago, especially given recent events.
Watchmen – Stream On HBO Max
It’s true that Watchmen barely escaped development hell, especially since, for the longest time, the comic book was considered unfilmable. However, director Zack Snyder created a visually stimulating and narratively gripping adaptation of the comic book, proving Terry Gilliam wrong.
Not only was Watchmen arguably the first-ever superhero movie that could be considered a real epic and true to the source material, but it perfectly captured Zack Snyder’s film style without being too grey or style-over-substance. The movie also concisely told a narrative surrounding multiple superheroes without any of them needing their own solo movie first. And in that respect, Snyder was the perfect choice to direct The Justice league.
Jennifer’s Body – Stream On Hulu
When it was first released, Jennifer’s Body either subverted expectations or was completely mismarketed. The studio marketed the movie to young boys who were fans of Megan Fox, but it’s is actually a revenge flick that follows Jennifer getting vengeance on her male attackers.
The movie underperformed at the box office when it was first released in 2009, but it has since become a cult hit. It was also critically panned upon release, but critics have done a 180 on the movie too, as it has become a “forgotten feminist classic.” And as Jennifer is bisexual, it has become most loved by the LGBTQ+ community.
Precious – Rent On Apple TV
The heartbreaking Precious sees the titular character enroll in a school to get an education that will help her turn her life around. As Precious is down on her luck, poorly treated, and illiterate, it’s one of the most dramatic and emotional movies of the 21st century, as she suffers abuse and lives in poverty.
The portrayal of Precious is completely unflinching, as it’ll make even the most stoic viewers shed a tear for the character. The movie might not be exciting or entertaining in a way that a lot of classics are, and it might not have the rewatchability factor, but the 2009 movie should be watched by everybody at least once.
Up – Stream On Disney+
In the mid-2000s, Pixar was on a roll with thought-provoking and mature kids’ movies such as Ratatouille and WALL-E, but the animated studio ended the decade with a bang with Up. The animated movie follows Carl and Russell taking on uncharted territory in a floating house attached to helium balloons.
The movie’s premise sounds nonsensical, but as Pixar is known for its heartfelt narratives, Up takes it even further by having entire audiences in tears within the first 10 minutes. The movie’s legacy will continue in a TV series format too, as Up is getting a Disney+ spin-off in the future.
Avatar – Stream On Disney+
It didn’t take long for Avatar to become the highest-grossing movie of all time, a record that the film held for 10 years until Avengers: Endgame dethroned it in 2019.
However, the movie wasn’t just an event in time, as it was recently re-released and became the highest-grossing movie of all time all over again. It’s a testament to how much of a classic Avatar really is. The CGI in the film might not hold up against more modern movies, but its high concept action working as a metaphor for the way humankind treats Earth is both exciting and timeless.
Inglourious Basterds – Rent On Vudu
If you think about it, Inglourious Basterds broke the Tarantino mold in a lot of ways. It was the first of many period dramas the director would make, and it was the first time that the director would rewrite history too. The movie sees the titular team of Nazi hunters conspire to kill Adolf Hitler.
Just as Tarantino introduced non-linear storytelling to Hollywood with Pulp Fiction, the director wasn’t afraid to make a blockbuster movie featuring so many different languages, as the bulk of the movie features subtitles. The payoff was spectacular, as it’s full of Tarantino’s most developed characters, and it introduced the world to Christoph Waltz.