It seems like 2009 got a bad rap. On the night of December 31st, Twitter was filled to the brim with tweets to the tune of “2009 sucks, and 2010 will be great”. Not to say that I don’t think 2010 will be great, but it’s important to recognize the good parts of 2009. It was a year for newcomers. Budding directors such as Tom Ford and Marc Webb made their way on to the directorial scene. For others, it was a year for continuation of good things. Directors the Coen Brothers, Pixar Animation Studios, Hayao Miyazakiand Quentin Tarantino delivered various portions of brilliance, as per what we as cinema junkies have come to expect. This isn’t even mentioning the wonderful performances from actors and actresses alike. 2009 was a fantastic year, at least for me and the millions of others that were treated to the films below. Let’s see if 2010 can beat it.
10. A Single Man
9. UP
Pixar strikes againin their newest adventure UP. This film was especially evolutionary for Pixar in that the step towards the perfect balance of family film and dealings in mature and deep themes is becoming more and more evident with each film. UP deals in themes of death, loss and most importantly, learning to live with your own life and not the life you expected and hoped for yourself to have. Though the main character is late in his years, the film is accessible to peoples of all ages and backgrounds. UP is a wonderful film that only makes me love Pixar more
8. The Brothers Bloom
Who doesn’t like conmen? Brothers Bloom. follows the quest of the Brothers Bloom for the perfect con. The all star cast of Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody and Rachel Wiesz deliver scene after scene of excitement, love, adventure and deceit. Brothers Bloom will make you want to laugh, cry and steal shit all at the same time.
7. The Informant!
In this laugh out loud comedy, Matt Damon delivers his best comedic performance as Mark Whitacre, the bumbling idiot who you love to love. A comedy that moves at light speed, The Informant! is a wonderfully composed movie, highlighting it’s all star cast. The Informant left me crying and sore (from laughter).
6. A Serious Man
In their pièce de résistance, the Coen’s have brought us A Serious Man, a quite litterally perfect film. The Coen’s have always had a knack for the emmersion of culture in their films, but this takes cake. While this is their strongest film in the area of cultural influence, it is also their most universal. Sporting one of the best finales in modern cinema, A Serious Man earns the Coen Brothers a place a top the pantheon of great American directors
5. Ponyo
Miyazaki continues to amaze and inspire in his latest work. In an homage to the Hans Christian Andersen and Disney classic, A Little Mermaid, Hayao Miyazaki brings us another tale of adventure, love and magic. Ponyo could be Miyazaki’s most visually stunning film yet. Miyazaki continues to be the leader in the anime film and refuses to be ignored.
4. Up In the Air
Jason Reitman tells the story of Ryan Bingham, a corperate downsizer who lives in the sky (figuratively). Brilliant performances are given from Vera Farmiga, newcomer Anna Kendrick, and especially George Clooney. Giving one of his best performances ever, Clooney portrays cool and corprate better than most. Up In the Air is a thought provoking and genuinely enjoyable film.
3. (500) Days of Summer
Director Marc Webb has created a new genre of film in what is only his fifth feature length film. “The Dick Flick” (the chick flick for guys) will hopefully gain steam in the coming years as it offers a new and refreshing persective on the typical romance. Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are perfect opposite eachother making (500) Days one of the most enjoyable films of the year
2. Inglorious Basterds
Quentin Tarantino is one of my favorite directors. He really does nothing wrong. In his latest and most self-indulgent film (in the best ways) Tarantino delivers his magnum opus. Inglorious Basterds is classic Tarantino and mind numbingly awesome.
1. Star Trek
What can you say about a girl named Star Trek? In what is (in this humble blogger’s opinion) the best movie of the year, man and master JJ Abrahms reimagines one of the most beloved franchises of all time. Star Trek is the most fun I’ve had in the theater all year. I am officially a Trekie. Live long and prosper.
