At the time that I'm typing the first few words of the post, a number one doesn't really jump out at me. I'm sure once I further break down my spreadsheet which has all 126 movies I've seen this year, one will rise above all others, but at this point - nothing. This speaks to the overall strength of movies this year, I think. There are probably 5 to 10 movies (some not on my top 10) that will stand the test of time for one reason or another. There are great movies from first time directors such as Neil Blomkamp and Duncan Jones as well as great movies from Old Pros such as Mr. Tarantino and the brothers Coen. Like I said, strong year.
While I may update this list in three months with movies I've missed, as of now, I figure I have a strong enough database of movies released in 2009 by January 1 201o to exclude all 2008 movies I may have seen this year. Rest assured that both Che and Hunger would've found their way near the top of my list were I to include them, but I'm not. It is also a shame that I haven't seen movies like The Last Station, Crazy Heart, and Broken Embraces but them's the brakes...I only have so much time. Like I said, I will try to update the list in 3 months when more oscar contenders have been released but this should more than suffice for now.
Without further ado:
10. 500 Days of Summer (Marc Webb) - I've been a fan of Joseph Gordon Levitt for a while now. When you can share a screen with John Lithgow and not be completely overshadowed you have a presence. From there, I liked 10 things I hate about you, Mysterious Skin, Brick, The Lookout, and now 500 Days of Summer. I probably missed one, but you get the idea. I've long been a fan of romantic comedies but I'd probably also be the first person to admit that they usually are almost completely without depth. I like happy endings, sue me (keep in mind that happy endings are all relative). 500 days of summer is the first movie in a long time to realistically show a breakup. It recognizes that breakups almost always exist in shades of grey and very rarely have a hero and a villain. Also it was funny.
9. A Single Man (Tom Ford) - Strangely enough, another movie about Breakup. Colin Firth has recently lost his partner of 16 years in a tragic car accident and is struggling to move on with his life. Colin Firth really nails this one. He plays the type of subtle performance that always gets nominated but rarely gets recognized with the actual trophy. He exudes loneliness and depression and understands that acting isn't all about delivering dialogue. Tom Ford does a spectacular job for a first time director delivering a beautiful looking movie. The pace he chose worked well for the story and subject matter. Also, a little bit funny.
8. Bright Star (Jane Campion) - This is the story of the relationship between Fanny Brawne and John Keats. Without thinking, the assumption is always that one of the key figures of the romantic movement would of course get the girl. What one forgets is that artists are not always appreciated in their time and Campion certainly illustrates this. The movie's aesthetic suits Keats' poems as it is beautifully shot. The believability of the relationship grows over time much like the relationship grows, which is interesting and in the end very satisfying. If you like romantic period pieces, look no further.
7. Avatar (James Cameron) - The story in Avatar is simple and not particularly deep, but not necessarily bad. The characters are likeable and all have definite character arcs and are far from one dimensional (one might say three dimensional even - heh). The story is simple enough that it allows you to take in what's on screen, which is totally unlike anything I've seen before. It is a stunningly beautiful movie and will undoubtedly change the way we make movies. Watching the end result in real time when filming CGI shots is huge. In the end, watching what is on screen was so enthralling for me that it had me forgetting any issues I may have had with dialogue and to a lesser extent story. It is also a rare movie that NEEDS to be seen on screen to get the full experience. Download it if you want, it's a waste of your time (and fuck you).
6. District 9 (Neil Blomkamp) - It's a movie about Apartheid and Aliens, what more can you ask for (except maybe no Apartheid to begin with). Wikus van de Merwe, an MNU field operative is doing his best to help with the relocation of the 'prawns' to their new district 10 as district 9 has become somewhat of a slum. Without spoilers, something happens that causes Wikus to see things with a much different perspective. It does a wonderful job of character development with both Wikus and the aliens.
5. An Education (Lone Scherfig) - An Education is about Jenny, a rather clever teenager who is finishing out high school and is on her way to Oxford in the fall. She currently feels her world is far too small for her and wants to really live life in Paris. On the street one day she meets a man named David whom she thinks can take her there. Carey Mulligan stars as Jenny with Peter Sarsgaard staring as David, her older lover. Watching Jenny move from a girl who thinks she has it all figured out to a girl who realizes that she still has a long way to go is a terrific journey. The movie also stars Emma Thompson, Olivia Williams and Alfred Molina who all turn in great performances.
4. Moon (Duncan Jones) - Sam Rockwell plays a man working on the moon for a company trying to extract Helium -3 from the soil. During a routine trip on the rover he finds himself waking up in the infirmary. Hilarity ensues. Well, not really. Without spoiling the film, the rest of the film finds Sam Rockwell trying to escape from the moon as Sam learns more and more about what is really happening up there. Rockwell does a lot of terrific work in this film. It is a testament to the filmmakers that you would never guess the movie was made for 5 million. If you can find it, watch it.
3. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino) - Basterds is about a group of jewish allied soldiers who go on the hunt for Nazis. It has been called a revenge fantasy but I'm not really sure that's true. Although what happens to the jews may seem cathartic, all of the actions the Basterds take have definite consequences. Tarantino does a great job of fleshing out scenes in Inglourious Basterds and he does a terrific job of building tension in them. The characters are terrific, the story is tight, the movie is technically well made, and the performances are all top notch with a huge shout out going to Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa.
2. A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen) - Michael Stuhlbarg stars as Larry Goptik, a jewish man going through a rough patch in his life. His wife has left him, his kid is in trouble, his health is failing him, and someone is trying to stop him from getting tenure at the university he teaches at. The movie is based on the question 'why do bad things happen to good people'. It is funny, touching, and devastating all at the same time. Why do bad things happen? What are these bad things? Who is Fyvush Finkel? Watch and find out.
1. Up in the Air (Jason Reitman). The movie stars George Clooney as Ryan, a jet setting hatchet man who moonlights as an aspiring Self Help Guru. His main goal in life is to accumulate 10 million frequent flyer miles and is very close to doing so until a young university grad comes and gums the works up. Her plan is to fire people over the internet effectively grounding Ryan. First, however, Ryan is told by his boss to teach this sweet young thing a thing or two about the business so she can better implement her plan. The movie tries to explore the importance of the relationships in your life and sends Ryan on a voyage of self discovery in doing so. It doesn't provide any answers but does a wonderful job of giving you an assload of further questions to ask of yourself. Only great movies pull that off.
HM:
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
The Damned United
Fifty Dead Men Walking
The Road
Up
Closing notes: The year was stronger than I had ever thought. It was very tough leaving out Precious and The Hurt Locker from any mention whatsoever. It had to be done though...see those movies too by the way.
