Rick Martin best of 2009

Rick Martin is a friend of mine from way the hell back. Some may remember hims from his VHS release of the Japanese cult TV favorite ULTRAMAN and the traveling he did in the Japanese Kaiju convention circuit. He also has written for the various Dayton newspapers and is in the process of putting together to proper details to re-open the local movie theater The Page Manor. It was with Rick that I started the now annual HORRORAMA movie marathon for charity.




Best and Worst Movies I’ve seen from 2009 By Rick Martin

Last year was an extremely lean year for movie watching on my part. My Mom’s health situation, lack of funds and starting a new company have sapped by movie watching time. The following is a list of my favorite and least favorite of the movies which I saw from 2009.

Best of 09 (in no particular order)

The Red Baron – a new German film about the famous World War I flying ace who scored 80 confirmed victories. I was at the United States premier of this amazing film and had the chance to interview the director and the producer. Unfortunately, this amazing anti-war film has yet to find a US distributor and the UK DVD is cut and improperly framed.


Ponyo – Miyazaki’s newest film and a masterpiece of animation. It should be up for an Oscar for Best Animated Film if Disney would allow it!


Watchmen – one of the most challenging superhero comics from the 1980s perfectly captured on film.


It’s Complicated – a nice little comedy about sex after 50. Steve Martin is brilliant in this.


Inglourious Basterds – Tarantino’s fantasy take on World War II while flawed is still a must see.


Zombieland – not as smart as Shaun of the Dead but a horror/comedy thrill ride.


Paranormal Activity – one of the most frightening films of the last few years and a triumph of low budget film making. At the screening I was at, a girl in back started bawling her eyes out in fear during the last five minutes.



Sukiyaki Western Django – Takashii Mike’s take on the Italian Western – my god, the humanity!


Where the Wild Things Are – one of my favorite children’s books come to life.


Avatar in 3D – not the most original story but one of the most amazing spectacle movies ever – for nearly three hours I felt that I was in the movie not just watching it on a screen.


Let the Right One In – a poetic vampire film from Scandinavia.





MY WORST FILM OF 2009


Star Trek – Perfectly cast with top flight actors and impressively directed but with a forgettable soundtrack, retarded script and an unnecessary need to set the film in an alternate universe. Star Trek it is not – Tard Trek is more like it!


And with that he was gone into the night...