It seems like I've been admitting to making mistakes a lot lately. And here I go again ...
I probably got my Top-10 list for 2009 wrong the first time.
That list, which ran in the paper Jan. 1, featured three animated movies tied for the No. 1 spot: "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The Princess and the Frog" and "Up."
I'd still put those three at the top of the list, but now believe I should have had four best films there instead.
The one I'd add to the list is Hayao Miyazaki's animated fantasy "Ponyo."
The movie was recently released on DVD (Disney, $29.99). Having gotten the opportunity to watch it again, I've become even more convinced of this eccentric film's charms.
Japanese animator/filmmaker's very peculiar take on mermaid fairy tales is laugh-out-loud funny and features spectacular animation — most of which look like watercolor paintings.
Even the English language dubbing is well-done. (It was supervised by Pixar chief John Lasseter and features the voices of Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, Tina Fey, Matt Damon and Liam Neeson.)
IF THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE ... If you really pressured me to pick one out of those four animated features as being best, I'd probably have to say my favorite, currently, is "Fantastic Mr. Fox." It's hilarious and, well, it's downright fantastic.
(You can judge for yourself, though ... it's available on DVD, listing at $29.98.)
Also, this is not the first time I've had animated films at the top of my best-of list. In 1999, "The Iron Giant," "Princess Mononoke" and "Toy Story 2" all tied for No. 1.
BILL'S BIG 'BREAK'? Apparently, even Summit Entertainment officials are beginning to realize that the "Twilight" movie adaptations need a better breed of filmmaker.
I say that because they've been courting a variety of Oscar-winning and award-nominated directors — at least one of whom is to make "Breaking Dawn," the fourth in author Stephenie Meyer's best-selling "Twilight" book series, into a movie.
That list includes Sofia Coppola ("Lost in Translation"), Stephen Daldry ("The Hours"), Gus Van Sant ("Milk") and M. Night Shyamalan.
However, trade publication reports are saying that Bill Condon ("Chicago") is the favorite to direct the seemingly unadaptable novel.
And what's more, they're talking about splitting "Breaking Dawn" into two movies, like what is being done with the last Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
Unfortunately, Melissa Rosenberg is back as screenwriter, which means these next two "Twilight" features could be the same dry, nearly humorless snores that the first two films have been.
(I still think this material needs the touch of someone like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator Joss Whedon.)
e-mail: jeff@desnews.com