Picks for 2009

My friend Brett and I used to make our “Best Of” lists every year and e-mail them to each other. This was always fun and would give us a chance to defend our individual choices, even though we inevitably would pick most of the same movies as our favorites. I haven’t made one in several years, but I would always keep a mental tally of my favorites from each year. It has always been hard for me to qualify each film with a specific number, so I’ll just name my favorite film from 2009 and the nine runners up in no particular order. I’ve also compiled a list of five others that just missed the list for one reason or another.

Since I’m just an amateur film critic and don’t get the chance to attend film festivals, advance screenings, etc., I haven’t had the chance to see every film this year that I’ve wanted to. A few that I still need to see are Invictus, The Road, Big Fan, Moon, An Education, and a few others. Sadly, I rarely get a chance to view many brand new foreign films or documentaries, as I live in an area that doesn’t get many of these in theaters. When I get a chance to see some of these, I may post another “best of” list with some more obscure titles.

This year had more great movies come from a varying degree of different genres than any year in recent memory. In addition, we saw a number of new or newer directors making their mark on the film world as well as a few established directors returning with some great films.

Inglourious Basterds – This is the best movie of 2009, period. Anyone that still doubts that Quentin Tarantino is the most talented writer/director of his generation should be silenced by this one. Tarantino has made a War World 2 movie to end all World War 2 movies. He has thrown the history book out the window (you would think that this would be a shock to a student of history such as myself, but no) and his film is all the better for it. He presents the Second World War not as it was, but as it should have been. Brad Pitt’s Aldo Raine and Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa are two of the most memorable characters in the movies this year, or any other. For those more astute filmgoers, Tarantino has given us much more than a genre film, he has made one of the best movies about movies in recent memory.

Up In the Air – The third film from Jason Reitman, after the wonderful Juno and Thank You for Smoking, this film is set in the corporate world after the recent economic meltdown. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a gun-for-hire who is brought in by large corporations to lay off dozens of employees at a time. His character lives in airports and hotel rooms and doesn’t have a real connection to any other human being, even though he deals with people all the time. The film features some heartbreaking scenes of non-actors who were laid off from their jobs in real life. This film is a startling indictment of the corporate culture and a great movie too.

District 9 – First time feature film director Neill Blomkamp has made the best science fiction film of 2009. Sorry James Cameron! The film is set in the slums of Johannesburg, South Africa where an alien ship has landed and the aliens, known as “Prawns” are forced to live in a refugee camp, called “District 9”. The film begins in a pseudo-documentary style and then turns into a getaway movie with some very impressive action scenes. Newcomer Sharlto Copley plays Wikus Van De Merwe, a character whose ignorance would be hilarious if it didn’t make him so incredibly dangerous.

Away We Go – Director Sam Mendes follows up the emotionally devastating Revolutionary Road with this heartwarming road trip film about a couple who truly love one another and belong together. The polar opposite of the couple featured in his previous film. John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph play Burt and Verona, an unmarried couple with a baby on the way. When Burt’s parents (Jeff Daniels and Catherine O’Hara) tell the couple that they are moving to Belgium, Burt and Verona decide to visit some other friends and family throughout the US and Canada to decide where they want to raise their baby. This film is funny in a way that feels natural as the laughs come from the characters themselves, not from artificially created situations. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jim Gaffigan, and Allison Janney all turn in wonderful supporting roles.

(500) Days of Summer – Marc Webb, another first-time feature director, brings us a painfully funny film about the relationship between the hopeless romantic, Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the cynical, Summer (Zooey Deschanel). This film really hits home for those of us who have had very strong feelings for someone that just doesn’t reciprocate. While on the surface, (500) Days of Summer may seem like another romantic comedy, it really defies expectations.

Coraline – With Coraline, Henry Selick finally makes good on the promise of his first two films, The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, after directing the dreadful Monkeybone. Working from a screenplay by Neil Gaiman (based on his book), Selick creates a beautiful film in stop-motion animation that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The storyline involves a young girl, Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning), who moves with her parents into a strange community populated with some very odd characters. Through a series of events which involves a miniature secret door, a talking cat, and an old doll that look exactly like her, Coraline enters an alternate universe that is controlled by the Other Mother (voiced by Teri Hatcher).

Up – Pixar films rarely disappoint and Up is no exception to this. Essentially, Up is an unlikely adventure story pairing septuagenarian, Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) and chubby boy scout, Russell. The prologue of the film shows Carl as a young boy and his obsession with explorer, Charles Muntz (Chrristopher Plummer). His passion for adventure is shared by his childhood friend, turned bride, Ellie. At the onset of the film, Ellie has died and left Carl all alone in their home, now surrounded by sprawling skyscrapers. What starts as a very sad tale, turns into an incredible adventure set in South America.

The Hurt Locker – Veteran director, Kathryn Bigelow has made the best film so far about the current Iraq war. The film does not have a political agenda, and is neither pro nor anti-war. The brilliance of The Hurt Locker is that it shows soldiers as just guys doing their job, albeit a very dangerous one. Jeremy Renner plays Sgt. William James in one of the year’s best performances as a man who is an adrenaline junkie and has found the perfect job to get his fix. James joins a team of soldiers whose job it is to diffuse bombs placed throughout Baghdad by terrorists. Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty play the other members of the team. The film features some of the most suspenseful scenes in any movie this year. Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, and Evangeline Lilly all play small, but crucial, supporting roles.

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire – This is not an easy film to watch, and I’m not sure I would attempt to do so again. It is the very powerful story of an abused, illiterate, overweight teenager growing up In Harlem in the mid-80’s. Precious is pregnant with her second child and is flunking out of school. Her days are occupied by daydreams of being a star on MTV and having a “light-skinned boyfriend”. Her mother is played by Mo’nique as a cruel, calculating monster in a performance that undoubtedly will be recognized by the Oscar voters. When Precious enrolls in an “alternative school” she starts to realize that she can make something of herself with the help of her teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton). First time actor, Gabby Sidibe plays Precious, a character that goes from victim to victor.

Drag Me to Hell – Sam Raimi returns to the horror genre with Drag Me Hell. This is probably the most fun you could have at the movies this year. Allison Lohman plays Christine Brown, a loan officer who is eager to get a promotion and in her haste, she denies an extension for a creepy old woman who in turn, puts a curse on her. After realizing that the curse is for real, Christine goes to extreme lengths to remove the curse. Justin Long plays her boyfriend who tries to help her, even though he doesn’t entirely buy in to the curse. This film has one of the best, most shocking endings of the year.

These five films just missed my top ten for one reason or another, but I enjoyed them all quite a bit.

Fantastic Mr. Fox – The other stop motion film to come out this year, Wes Anderson directs this film based on a book by Roald Dahl. The only problem with this one is that it was marketed as a kid’s movie, while adults will probably enjoy it much more. The voice talent includes George, Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Bill Murray. A very fun and wonderful film that could be enjoyed by more introspective and intelligent youngsters, as well as their parents.

Zombieland – Not quite as good as Edgar Wright’s Shawn of the Dead, it still is a lot of fun. The “rules” for surviving in a world filled with zombies that Jesse Eisenberg’s character comes up with are a highlight of the movie. This one also features the best cameo in any movie this year, but I won’t spoil it for you.

Observe and Report – A very dark comedy about a mentally disturbed mall cop played by Seth Rogen. Director Jody Hill describes his screenplay as a “comedic version of Taxi Driver”, and that isn’t too far off. The final chase scene ends in the year’s biggest laugh, in my opinion. Be forewarned, this covers some subject matter that no comedy has even touched before.

Where the Wild Things Are – Spike Jonze’s third film is an adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s wonderful children’s book. I’m pretty sure that I’m going to have to watch this again to fully “get it”. The film accurately portrays the isolation that comes with being a kid sometimes.

A Serious Man – The Coen Brothers present us with a tale of a Job-like character set in a Jewish community in the 1960’s. This is unlike any of the Coens other movies, and not quite like any movie I’ve seen before. This is another film that I feel will improve with each additional viewing. The cast is largely unknown, with a few exceptions.