When you think of a hit blockbuster movie, you probably think of summer. That’s when all the good ones come out, and that’s when people go to see them, But on 9-9-09, one of the best films I’ve seen this year made its debut in theaters. The film 9 certainly goes down as one of the most artful and riveting animated movies I have ever seen. Normally, I’d use a five star system to judge films. But this time I think I’ll amend that - I’ll use a 9 star system. I’m giving 9 a 9 out of 9.

The film takes place in an unknown post-apocalyptic city. All that is known is that man’s machines have rebelled and destroyed all life on earth, all thanks to the plans of an evil dictator (voiced by Tom Kane), whose ambitious ventures in the realms of artificial intelligence caused the downfall of humanity. The dictator was eventually killed by his own creations, but one of his scientists, played by Alan Oppenheimer, fixes the malfunction that led the original machines astray, and created nine doll like creatures that have been referred to by producer Tim Burton as “stitchpunks.” They are named according to the order in which they were created.

The film stars Elijah Wood as 9, the youngest of the stitchpunks. I’ve never been a big fan of that actor, but he outdoes himself with the voicing for this movie. After awakening in the lab, 9 is rescued by the old inventor 2, played by Martin Landau. Unfortunately, 2 is kidnapped by the Cat beast, the first enemy seen in the film. At the refuge, he meets the other remaining stitchpunks, and they soon set out to rescue 2 among others who were kidnapped. The leader, 1, adds a certain amount of resistance which helps set the plot into action. Their adventure sets off a chain of events that produces many more enemies, including the Winged Beast and the Seamstress, and creates a journey for the little ragdolls that truly keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

Well, Tim Burton’s the producer, so what did you expect? It’s dark. Deliciously dark. Most animated movies are aimed toward a younger audience. This definitely doesn’t fit the stereotype. Do not take your little brother to see this. One of the first shots in the film is of 9 waking to find his creator dead on the floor, his graying corpse with thinning hair. Soon after, he opens the door of an abandoned car on the street, revealing two eerily thin corpses in the driver and passenger seat, and some of the main characters do die in very creepy ways. Don’t go expecting to see something like A Bug’s Life. You won’t. What you’ll see is something eerie, straight out of uncanny valley, with a little hint of perfectly timed dark humor, and an ending that will keep you thinking for days.

Despite the fact that there are only nine characters that actually interact with each other, and two of them, 3 and 4, never even talk, the film still manages to provide true character drama, and even hints at romantic feelings between 9 and 7, played by Jennifer Connley.

See this movie. I can’t stress this enough. It is one of the best I’ve seen this year, and is destined become a classic.