Movies · 2009
Pandora, Pixels, and Cinematic History
In 2009, cinema underwent a monumental shift as 3D technology revolutionized the box office while gritty storytelling captured top industry accolades. From record-breaking sci-fi epics to unforgettable animated masterpieces, moviegoers packed theaters for a truly transformative year of film.
- December 2009 | Dir. James Cameron
Avatar
James Cameron's groundbreaking 3D sci-fi epic immersed audiences in the lush alien world of Pandora and shattered global box office records.
- August 2009 | Dir. Quentin Tarantino
Inglourious Basterds
Quentin Tarantino rewrote World War II history with a thrilling vengeful cinema fantasy anchored by Christoph Waltz's unforgettable Oscar-winning turn.
- June 2009 | Dir. Kathryn Bigelow
The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow delivered a nail-biting, immersive look at an Iraq War bomb disposal unit, ultimately sweeping six Academy Awards including Best Picture.
- May 2009 | Dir. Pete Docter
Up
Pixar elevated animated storytelling to emotional heights with a soaring adventure about an elderly widower flying his house via thousands of balloons.
- August 2009 | Dir. Neill Blomkamp
District 9
Neill Blomkamp’s gritty sci-fi sleeper hit utilized documentary-style realism to deliver a biting allegorical thriller about xenophobia.
- June 2009 | Dir. Todd Phillips
The Hangover
This wildly unpredictable Las Vegas comedy starring Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis became a massive box office sensation and pop culture phenomenon.
- May 2009 | Dir. J.J. Abrams
Star Trek
J.J. Abrams successfully rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise with a high-octane alternate timeline origin story starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto.
- February 2009 | Dir. Henry Selick
Coraline
Henry Selick crafted a dark, whimsical stop-motion classic about a young girl discovering a sinister parallel world hidden inside her new home.
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