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Its official! 2009 has been the highest-grossing summer ever at the box office. A record-shattering $4.17 billion worth of movie tickets were sold. But Hollywood also showed quality this summer which made me ask the question is it Oscar season yet?

Heres my list of the Top 10 Best Movies of summer 2009, from 10 to the best of the best!

10. Bandslam I walked out of the screening for this film in a jubilant mood. Theres the fun ensemble cast featuring Vanessa Hudgens, Aly Michalka, Gaelan Connell, and Lisa Kudrow, and a charming story about a group of teens wanting to win the battle of the bands. Its the next best thing we have to a John Hughes movie.




9. The Hangover The highest-grossing R-rated comedy is also one of the funniest films this year! The film is like Citizen Kane for the raunch-fest genre. Similar to the much-beloved classic, The Hangover is about solving a puzzle before time runs out. Only this time, instead of Rosebud we get a baby, a tiger, and a broken tooth.




8. (500) Days of Summer Music video director Mark Webb surprises with this gem of a romantic comedy. What the movie does best is subvert the genre by twisting the clichés to come up with a clever and refreshingly honest movie. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are utterly charming.

7. Ponyo Master filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away) returns with a new animated film inspired by Hans Christian Andersens The Little Mermaid. The film is small and simple but the pleasures youll get are big and grand. Ponyo is one of the most imaginative films this year.




6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince The sixth and darkest installment of the franchise is also one of its finest. The film has a gripping narrative that makes us want to see the final two movies featuring our favorite teen wizard and his friends.

5. Inglourious Basterds Quentin Tarantino crafted a glorious movie made for cinema lovers. Its a revenge fantasy that culminated inside a movie theater. Nobody can do vengeance films like Tarantino, and I suspect the Academy will honor this movie with many nominations including a Best Supporting Actor nod for the amazing Christoph Waltz.

4. Star Trek I still can feel the excitement when I saw this movie for the first time. Director J.J. Abrams paid homage to the classic TV show while simultaneously paving the way for the franchises future. Its one of the very few movies that Im actually looking forward to seeing a sequel.

3. Up Can Pixar do no wrong? The latest addition in the Disney/Pixar cannon explores the subject of death and dying and ruminates on the values of life and living. Yes, heavy stuff for an animated action-adventure that is loved by both children and adults alike.
2. The Hurt Locker I cannot stop talking about this action-packed film about a bomb squad in Iraq. Director Kathryn Bigelow and scriptwriter Mark Boal created the best movie about Iraq war. Lead actor Jeremy Renner gives one of the years most memorable performances.

1. District 9 Producer Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings franchise) is the only A-list name youll see on the credits. Directed by Neil Blomkamp, District 9 is so un-Hollywood, the film is fresh, creepy, and oddly sentimental. Blomkamp made a message movie about apartheid that is deeply engrossing. It is definitely one of the best sci-fi movies in recent years. (less info)