EDIT: I changed my list to a Top 13, and rearranged some movies.

Okay, for those people out there who are complaining that this year was disappointing: Shut up! What?! Did you only watch five movies this year? Yeah, we had some crappy movies this year, but that's every year! Oh, I'm sorry nothing lived up to The Dark Knight. If you people only realized how many great movies came out this year if you didn't put all your energy into hating Transformers or Twilight. Oh well. Your loss.

For the rest of you out there, can we agree that it was a pretty good year? In fact, I would say that it was a great year for Science-Fiction and Animation (especially Animation!) Okay, we had a couple of stinkers in these categories, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer awesomeness of everything else. Alright, enough of this intro crap, let's get to the list of my Top 10 favorite movies of the year.

First off, let's give some nods to movies that haven't made my list, but I believe they deserve mentioning:

Shane Acker's 9

First off, THIS WASN'T MADE BY TIM BURTON, GOD DAMMIT! I mean, his name was on the poster, but if people actually READ the poster, you would know that he didn't direct this film. It was directed by the same guy who made the original short that was the inspiration for this movie, Shane Acker. This is his first time up at bat directing a big-budget hollywood movie, and as far as mine concerned, he did a pretty good job. I really admire the atmosphere, and the fact that it doesn't shy away from the bleakness of the film. If there's any problems with the movie, it's that the characters are pretty two-dimensional. While they're fun to watch as they kick ass, and try to stop the evil machines, nothing makes them more special outside of their characterizations. I understand why they did that, but at the same time, it doesn't really work, especially for a post-apocalyptic film like this. Nonetheless, I would really recommend this movie to anyone who likes animated or post-apocalyptic films (or both.)

Fantastic Mr. Fox

To be honest, I walked into this movie with full skepticism. Not only because of Carlyle's comments on how Henry Selick's stlye is too perfect, and he prefers the old choppy style of stop-motion (which really pissed me off! (Big Henry Selick fan here)) Also, The Spill Crew's review was one of the only few positive reviews that I've heard or read about the movie at the time. However, after the movie was over, I was pretty darn surprised. This movie is very well made, and the stop-motion looked a lot better than it did in the trailer. It was beautifully shot, and the comedy works very well. Not to mention that this is probably my first time seeing a Wes Anderson movie. If there's any problems with the film, it's that a lot of the side characters are pretty one-dimensional. On the bright side, at least most of them are funny. Also, I didn't care for the main character that much. Also, I think the way they ended the movie was lame. Other than that, it's a very good family movie, and it's a shame that it tanked at the box office.

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

I would be lying if I didn't say that I didn't care for this adaption the first time I saw it. I appreciated it for the cinematography, the special effects, and the acting, but as far as story goes, it was really lacking. I know that the book itself didn't have a lot of plot, but still. However, upon rewatching it, I rethought my previous opinion. While this movie is not stand alone at all(which is its' weakest point), it's still a really faithful adaption of the 6th chapter in the Harry Potter saga.

Alright, not that we're done with that, let's get to the Top 13 list, shall we?

13: Star Trek

Man, I remember when the first theatrical trailer for this movie came out, and how everyone was dreading it. Even myself while I didn't even watch the show all that much could tell that this was not the series geeks adored. However, all that dread went away after the first weekend of the release. This was the prequels should have been as far as being not only entertaining, but also being suspenseful. Because of the way the director changed the reality of the franchise, I didn't know whether or not someone would die or anything. This is honestly the best way to reboot a series while still being respectful to the original fans, and bringing in new fans as well. However, one minor problem: Time travel. That plot device has been overdone to the point where it's annoying. However, the director figured out a way to make it work to the point where we accept it. So, yeah.

12: James Cameron's Avatar

I don't want to talk about this movie a whole lot because most of the positive reviews have pretty echoed it. This is some of the best CG I've ever seen. Every bit of detail is excellent, and the lice-action actors blended well with the environment. The battles are also very impressive. This is honestly THE blockbuster of this decade. This is the 'Star Wars' of the noughty era. Granted, the story and dialogue is not great, but it's not terrible either. So, yeah.Alright, next movie...*runs off*

11: (500) Days Of Summer

Oh crap! Another Romantic Comedy! I think I'm about to hu-... Wait. It's actually a good movie?

Not only is 500 Days Of Summer is a good Rom-Com, but a great one at that. I walked into this movie with high expectations based off the amount of praise this movie was getting, and it didn't disappoint. While not really original(what is, really?), it's very refreshing to see something like this, and actually make money. My only problems is that the soundtrack is not really memorable, and the main female actor is kind of boring. However, her acting worked for the character she was playing, so that's not a big problem. Again, I was very entertained by the movie, and I highly recommend this movie to people, especially to those who love Romantic Comedies.

10: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs

Wow! Talk about a film that came out of nowhere, and not only did it kick ass, but it was also one of the funniest movies of the year. The team working on this should really pat themselves on the back, because talk about pure effort. The comedy and the creative ideas they have with food really stand out here. I can't wait to get this on DVD, and watch it again with the family.

9: Up In The Air

While I haven't seen Thank You For Smoking, I did see Juno. After really liking Juno, I was ready to see what other film this director can dish out. Lo and behold, as Jason Reitman comes out with what might be my favorite movie of his. I really enjoyed just about everything in this movie. Granted, it's a bit slow in some parts, it's still a great movie. I don't have a whole lot to say except go see it if you haven't already.

8: Princess And The Frog

With this and Bolt, it's safe to say that Disney is back, as far as Animation goes. After the mediocre Home And The Range, Disney stopped doing 2-D animation, and did nothing but CG animation from there on. Chicken Little was their first in line (and is one of the worst Disney animated movies.) Then came Meet The Robinsons, which I liked, but was way too hopped-up and weird (even for me.) I was starting to give up on these guys until Bolt came around, and it kicked all kinds of ass! However, was Disney able to come out with another great animated movie again? Yes they were this one. I just LOVE this movie! The songs, the animation, the characters, and the setting were all great. If there's one problem I have, it's that it's kind of predictable. However, with Disney's signature charm, they were able to entertain throughout the entire movie without boring me.

7: Up

This is really odd for me. Usually Pixar films are high on my Top 10 list(with the exception of Cars.) However, with so many great movies that came out this year, something had to be dropped down. Nonetheless, this is a very beautiful film, and it's my 3rd favorite Pixar film. My only true problem with the film is that after the first half, the movie became predictable. That's not to say that it became bad, it's just that I expected more surprises considering what we saw from the first half of the film. Other than that, this is definitely another Pixar masterpiece, and I hope that Toy Story 3 is another one.

6: Inglourious Basterds

What a odd title! Quentin, I know you weren't doing a remake of the original movie of the same movie, but would kill you to come up with a better title? Especially for a movie where 'The Basterds" don't even appear in half of the movie? Seriously! Besides false advertising, this movie kicked major ass! Granted, I wasn't crazy about the movie the first time I saw it, but after multiple viewings, I have to say that Tarantino has done it again. I know not everyone is crazy over this movie, and it doesn't take itself seriously, but that's the fun part about it. Also, this movie has one of the best villians of the past decade, in my opinion.

5: Where The Wild Things Are

I was anticipating this movie since the moment I heard about it. However, I walked with kind of low expectations only because I saw The Spill Crew's review of it before I saw the movie. Well, not only was the film amazing, but the Spill Crew is WRONG!!! I honestly got weepy-eyed at scenes. Heck, when the title showed up, and it played the soundtrack, I was getting weepy. The soundtrack is THAT good. This has to be one of my favorite movie soundtracks of all time. Also, I have to say that this movie has the smartest CG I've seen in a long time. For me, just about everything in this movie works. It does everything it wants to do, by not talking down to children, and not only being a great children's movie, but also being a great movie about childhood.

4: District 9

It's good to see some smart Sci-Fi again! Not only is this an original take on this type of story, but it's also smart in its' CG department. While Avatar was visually amazing, this movie didn't need a whole lot of CG to tell a story. Not to mention that this movie's story is awesome! The best thing about it is that the main character is an asshole who hates the aliens, but something happens to him where he must ask for their help when the government is out to get him. The action is very well done, and it all happens for a reason. None of it feels unnecessary, and it works well. Granted, this movie does get gruesome (especially toward the third act), but that's nothing to complain about. I hope to see more movies like this in the future.

3: The Hurt Locker

With a few other films on this list, I didn't like this movie the first time I saw it. However, upon rewatching it on DVD, I realized just how amazing it is. The best thing about it is that it's not pushing any serious message. It's just showing you the reality of three guys in a bomb squad, and showing how they react in these intense situations. Speaking of which, this movie has some of the best suspense and action I've seen this decade. The acting and writing is superb, and it never gets boring. To those people who always wanted a movie based off of the video game Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare, this is basically it.

2: Coraline

To tell you the truth, I didn't care for this movie the first time I saw it. Maybe because I had my expectations too high or something, but I was honestly bored the first time I saw it. However, upon rewatching it, I thought to myself, "what movie did I see the first time?" This movie is amazing! From the likable characters to the astonishing visuals, this movie delivers something for everyone. I know this might be an odd choice to have to this movie so high on my list, but remember. This is MY list. The order on how this list is made might change in the future, but for now, I hold this movie dear to my heart. I can't decide whether or not I like this movie more than Nightmare Before Christmas or not.

And now, the number 1 film of the year is:

*drum roll*

And...

*3*

*2*

*1*

Let's jam!

1: Watchmen

If you thought me placing Coraline as my number 2 pick on this list, you'll definitely loose your lid here. This is probably the number 1 movie this year to polarize both the general audience and the critics. Some say it was great. Some say it was awful. For me, the theatrical cut of this movie is awful. I felt that the scenes didn't feel connected. It felt like it was just the panels of the original book put to motion without any of the emotion. Also, the pacing was off. However, upon watching the Director's Cut and the Ultimate Cut of the movie, I have changed my opinion. The director's cut is great, but the Ultimate Cut is just phenomenal. Honestly, I don't see why they even bother with a Director's cut. This is a very faithful adaption of the original source material, and nearly everything works. I thought that the acting was really good. The cinematography and the visuals are amazing. I thought they told the story very faithfully even though they took out of the side-stories. Luckily, they kept the meat and potatoes of the graphic novel, and made a great film. This is one of the best movies of the decade, and it's the best superhero movie ever made(next to The Dark Knight.)