!["Transformers 2" led the 2009 box office charge, the biggest year in film history.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/hash/1f/f6/1ff66cf60da9f08976ac7044bf9d8aab.jpg ""Transformers 2" led the 2009 box office charge, the biggest year in film history.")
'Avatar's' end of year rally propels it to number two spot by New Year's Day. 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' remains the year's global box office champ.
In a film year marred by pink slips, post-writers' strike repercussions, slashed budgets and other consequences of the current economy, that Hollywood is chuffed about earning its biggest box office year in history is a bit perverse. Still, as the industry, like most of the country, sorts out its fiscal future, audiences did prove yet again that in times of monetary adversity, it will dig deep to find a means of escape. And, if the recent Christmas holiday weekend attests, they sought to be transported in record numbers.
Many film bloggers decried the utter creative bankruptcy of 2009, a year that can only be described as a half-full/half-empty experience. With 2010 only days away, here is the Top 10 list of what audiences favored most at the box office by the close of 2009:
10. ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS -- Total Gross: $196,573,705
Animation was BIG in 2009 and adding a third dimension of fun helped the genre transcend its core family audience. In the case of "Ice Age 3," its strong reserve thanks to the DVD life of the franchise proved powerful. Especially when the staggering overseas returns were factored in at the end of its run, which gave Fox its highest grossing film of the year with a global total of $883.7 million. It was surpassed only by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" as the year's worldwide champ.
9. MONSTERS VS. ALIENS -- Total Gross: $198,351,526
Dreamworks Animation evolved further into a brand identity to rival Disney and Pixar with this crowd-pleaser. Despite some strong competition, "MVA" owned the spring season after its strong debut.
8. THE BLIND SIDE -- Total Gross: $200.9 million
The least flashy of 2009's films, it was good old-fashioned word of mouth that turned "The Blind Side" into one of the year's least expected hits. Sometimes, fantasy really isn't enough of an escape. People wanted to be inspired and the life of football star Michael Oher fit the bill. In terms of its Hollywood profile, the film's star, Sandra Bullock, regained plenty of A-list luster thanks to her one-two punch that included the summer rom-com hit, "The Proposal."
7. STAR TREK -- Total Gross: $257,730,019
Some Trekkers took offense to Paramount's "This ain't your father's 'Star Trek'" positioning of J.J. Abrams' brave take on the pop culture legend. Still, Abrams and team breathed thrilling new life into more than just a franchise. They brought out the geek in all of us to enjoy one of the most engaging sci-fi films in a long while.
6. THE HANGOVER -- Total Gross: $277,322,503
Every film year has a guilty pleasure, but "The Hangover" was something special in a year where big comedy names faltered with some high profile belly flops ("Land of the Lost," anyone?). Featuring a cast of fresh talent and a universal premise that will be copied for years to come, it became the highest grossing R-rated comedy ever. Industry pundits were surprised, but give said audience the truly funny, said audience will show up again and again.
5.. THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON -- Total Gross: $280,924,000
"Twilight"-mania was not just a media construct designed by the gossip and tabloid press. The saga penned by Stephenie Meyer is arguably the defining pop culture phenomenon of our time. Young women fueled the success of "New Moon," which took a big bite out of film history with a record-setting opening day of $72.7 million.
4. UP -- Total Gross: $293,004,164
Perhaps the best film of summer, Pixar proved again why they are an industry leader. With an emotionally authentic narrative spun through the most amazing visuals, "Up" is now the studio's second-best performing title, following "Finding Nemo." And "Up" went a long way in giving 3D plenty of cache as the format's highest grossing title to date.
3. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE -- Total Gross: $301,959,197
Now the top-grossing franchise in film history (surpassing the James Bond films), "Harry Potter 6" retained plenty of its magic, despite having its release date changed from Fall 2008 to Summer 2009. Not only was it the year's second best performer, audiences overseas made it the top grossing film worldwide to the tune of $929.4 million.
2. AVATAR -- Total Gross: $308.8 million and climbing.
Perhaps only a maverick storyteller like James Cameron could have predicted that a film about an alien race, featuring a digitally enhanced cast and landscape in 3D, could have touched off such a media -- then audience -- frenzy. But, this groundbreaking epic harnessed the best of all possible worlds to remind audiences why they love going to the movies in the first place.
1. TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN -- Total Gross: $402,111,870
Proving that fans don't read reviews, "Transformers 2" embraced its "bigger is bigger" agenda with the kind of bravado that can only come from "A Michael Bay Film." It is now number nine on the Top 10 highest grossing films of all time.
Meanwhile, honorable mention must go to "Paranormal Activity." In terms of production cost ratio to box office revenue, this grassroots phenomenon was the year's most remarkable moneymaker. Do the math. It has become part of its legend that it cost just $15,000 to make, only to gross over $107 million at the box office this fall. Paranormal activity, indeed.
How many of the year's top grossing films did you see? Offer your opinions below on what audiences did -- or should have -- championed with their hard-earned cash in 2009.
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