My year end list normally exceeds ten and I try to not to limit it to such an arbitrary number. Unfortunately, 2009 made it a little too easy on me this year. There are a few films that might take that final spot given my mood but I feel that this year I can be satisfied with a top ten because there just wasn't that much to choose from.
So here they are, in alphabetical order:
500 Days of Summer - Marc Webb
At first this film seems like something that is engineered for the cynical hipsters of my generation, but it turns out to be quite an original and heartfelt film, a romantic comedy for those of us who hate romantic comedies. I enjoyed the film when I first saw it but it has been my conversations about the film afterwards that have made me appreciate it. I find it fascinating how the different sexes view the story. Males generally side with Tom and they understand exactly what it's like to be put through the wringer like that and turn around and blame the girl for his misery. Women seem to think that Summer did nothing wrong and
was honest with Tom from the beginning about not wanting a relationship. The movie was so effective in this regard that it had me hating Zooey Deschanel (my number #1 celebrity crush) for what she did to Tom until it was explained to me later by members of the opposite sex that she hadn't actually done anything to him. It's more about what we do to ourselves and I think that's what makes this film so relatable. There is one sequence that I think is brilliant and it's one that I don't think I've ever seen in a film before: the expectations vs. reality split screen. You know you've played out that "expectations" film in your mind a million times only to be crushed by harsh reality. So I admire director Marc Webb for not sugar-coating this story but also for turning in one of the more honest relationship comedy/dramas I have seen in a long time.
was honest with Tom from the beginning about not wanting a relationship. The movie was so effective in this regard that it had me hating Zooey Deschanel (my number #1 celebrity crush) for what she did to Tom until it was explained to me later by members of the opposite sex that she hadn't actually done anything to him. It's more about what we do to ourselves and I think that's what makes this film so relatable. There is one sequence that I think is brilliant and it's one that I don't think I've ever seen in a film before: the expectations vs. reality split screen. You know you've played out that "expectations" film in your mind a million times only to be crushed by harsh reality. So I admire director Marc Webb for not sugar-coating this story but also for turning in one of the more honest relationship comedy/dramas I have seen in a long time.The Brothers Bloom - Riann Johnson
I can't remember the last time my opinion of a film has been so at odds with the major critics. Yes, this flim is overly cute, contrived, whimsical and clever but I really liked the audacity with which Riann Johnson pulls this a
ll off. It's like he decided to try to outdo Wes Anderson and just went way over the top with it. There's nothing about Johnson's previous film "Brick" that suggested he could make a film like "The Brothers Bloom" but here it is and it's a hell of a fun ride. I've never really paid much attention to Rachel Weisz before but it's impossible not to fall in love with her in this picture. Untimately this film just goes around in circles and doesn't really end up anywhere surprising but the the trip is so entertaining. Given all the valid criticisms that I have read from other reviewers I feel like I should know better than to like this film but I do anyway.
ll off. It's like he decided to try to outdo Wes Anderson and just went way over the top with it. There's nothing about Johnson's previous film "Brick" that suggested he could make a film like "The Brothers Bloom" but here it is and it's a hell of a fun ride. I've never really paid much attention to Rachel Weisz before but it's impossible not to fall in love with her in this picture. Untimately this film just goes around in circles and doesn't really end up anywhere surprising but the the trip is so entertaining. Given all the valid criticisms that I have read from other reviewers I feel like I should know better than to like this film but I do anyway.Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson
I was very pleased that Wes Anderson was able to finally break out of his comfort zone without sacrificing what essentially makes his films so unique. And I think that creating a visual in minature world is a natural progression for Anderson's meticulous style. Almost every scene of this thing is worthy of studying in freeze frame for the sheer cleverness and artistry of it. I've already written at length about this one in a previous review, but I will say that in a year where there were many unique animated films this one takes the top spot.
Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino
This was the only film of 2009 that I liked enough to see three times. Please see my in-depth write up coming soon.
This was the only film of 2009 that I liked enough to see three times. Please see my in-depth write up coming soon.
Moon - Duncan Jones
The best science fiction is about ideas. The kind of thing that you can get across in a fifteen page short story and let go of. While Avatar may appear to b
e the pinnacle of sci-fi, it's really just fantasy in space. Moon, on the other hand, owes more to those one-off stories by Azimov, Clarke, Bradbury and Ellison. The kind that take a scientific idea and spin it into something existential and challenging. It's a pity that there aren't more of these idea-driven films made. This one edges out the similarly cerebral "District 9" simply because it refuses to regress into a sci-fi action spectacle. Sam Rockwell carries the whole film himself in dual roles. It's this kind of bold decision that makes Moon so fascinating. Director Duncan Jones holds our attention for 97 minutes with one actor and an idea. Not many other filmmakers would even attempt that.
e the pinnacle of sci-fi, it's really just fantasy in space. Moon, on the other hand, owes more to those one-off stories by Azimov, Clarke, Bradbury and Ellison. The kind that take a scientific idea and spin it into something existential and challenging. It's a pity that there aren't more of these idea-driven films made. This one edges out the similarly cerebral "District 9" simply because it refuses to regress into a sci-fi action spectacle. Sam Rockwell carries the whole film himself in dual roles. It's this kind of bold decision that makes Moon so fascinating. Director Duncan Jones holds our attention for 97 minutes with one actor and an idea. Not many other filmmakers would even attempt that. The Road - John Hillcoat
If there was anything bleaker than The Coen Brothers' "A Serious Man" it would have to be "The Road" based on Cormac McCarthy's novel, who the Coen's mined for Oscar gold a couple years ago with No Country For Old Men. Any faults this film may have are also faults of the novel because this is probably the most faithful adaptation of I book I have ever seen. I have longer review of this film from earlier in the year. Suffice it to say, neither the novel nor the film pull any punches.
A Serious Man - The Coen Brothers
Why do bad things happen to good people? This Coen Brothers film doesn't set out to answer that question, only to make you ask it. I knew going into this movie that it was a retelling of the Book of Job but after some research I can't tell you the point of the Book of Job. In fact there are quite a few biblical stories with confusing morals. In trying to make sense of story I felt just as lost as Larry Gopnik, our title character. Larry eventually turns to the church to help him solve his increasingly dire problems
and after a series of visits to unhelpful rabbis he's just about at the end of his rope. The poor guy never gets a break. I will admit that I was puzzled by the ending even though I'm the type who likes an ambiguous ending over a nice tidy package. But the Coens create such a likable character in Larry that you want to see him succeed even while denying you the opportunity. In the end I take from this what I already knew: life is unfair. Sometimes you have to crawl through a river of shit and suffering to reach a those few beautiful moments that make life worth living. I guess it depends on your own outlook whether Larry will survive long enough to reach his next life-affirming moment. This is a challenging film from the Coen Brothers but at this point in their career I would expect nothing less.
and after a series of visits to unhelpful rabbis he's just about at the end of his rope. The poor guy never gets a break. I will admit that I was puzzled by the ending even though I'm the type who likes an ambiguous ending over a nice tidy package. But the Coens create such a likable character in Larry that you want to see him succeed even while denying you the opportunity. In the end I take from this what I already knew: life is unfair. Sometimes you have to crawl through a river of shit and suffering to reach a those few beautiful moments that make life worth living. I guess it depends on your own outlook whether Larry will survive long enough to reach his next life-affirming moment. This is a challenging film from the Coen Brothers but at this point in their career I would expect nothing less.Summer Hours - Olivier Assayas
Given that French filmmaker Olivier Assayas' last three films dealt with the corporate takeover of a pornography company, a rock star trying to kick a drug habit and a high-priced call girl who gets caught up in an international black market, you really wouldn't think he was capable of making a film like Summer Hours. The plot is simple; the wealthy art-collecting matriarch of a scattered family passes away and they are left to divide up her belongings. This setup allows Assayas to explore the nature of family as well as the commodification of art. Most of the film consists of the family discussing what to do with their mother's belongings. The actors, including Jeremie Renier and Juliette Binoche, are all so natural that it's not hard to believe you are witnessing a true family conflict. And while this conflict leads to some intense scenes there is such a simple beauty to the way Assayas photographs the summer home where most of the action takes place. There is nothing deliberately shocking here, as in his previous films which often have the effect of being off-putting. This one draws you in unlike anything he has done in the past. After years of what you could consider "ugly" films, Assayas has given us something truly beautiful.
Two Lovers - James Gray
While Joaquin Phoenix was having his much talked about performance art freakout on The Late Show with David Letterman, the movie he was supposedly there to promote quietly got swept under the rug. The plot is fairly simple - Leonard, a charismatic but directionless young man meets two available women and must decide which one to choose. Phoenix is so natural and 
likable in this role that we have no trouble relating to him. We know that he is troubled because he half-heartedly attempts suicide in the first minutes of the film. We also know that these two women, who are on such opposite ends of the spectrum, will eventually knock him off the precarious balance that he maintains throughout the film. One of the women, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, seems to always be in crisis but it's not hard to believe that Leonard will fall for her simply because of the male trait that causes us to want to be strong protectors. On the other hand, the woman played by Vinessa Shaw is warm and caring and motherly, which is also appealing. It may be a little too simplistic to assume that these are the only roles that women play in man's life, but they sure are strong archetypes. We know that Leonard will have to eventually choose his own role or die trying. It's fascinating trying to watch Pheonix maintain a balance between the two. I do hope that he tires of his alternate persona soon and returns to acting because he is one of the best.
likable in this role that we have no trouble relating to him. We know that he is troubled because he half-heartedly attempts suicide in the first minutes of the film. We also know that these two women, who are on such opposite ends of the spectrum, will eventually knock him off the precarious balance that he maintains throughout the film. One of the women, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, seems to always be in crisis but it's not hard to believe that Leonard will fall for her simply because of the male trait that causes us to want to be strong protectors. On the other hand, the woman played by Vinessa Shaw is warm and caring and motherly, which is also appealing. It may be a little too simplistic to assume that these are the only roles that women play in man's life, but they sure are strong archetypes. We know that Leonard will have to eventually choose his own role or die trying. It's fascinating trying to watch Pheonix maintain a balance between the two. I do hope that he tires of his alternate persona soon and returns to acting because he is one of the best.You, The Living - Roy Andersson
This was my most pleasant surprise of 2009. It was orignally released in Sweden in 2007 but only had its US premiere in one New York theatre in 2009. It's debatable whether or not this belongs on this year's list but since American audiences won't be able to watch it on DVD until January of 2010, I thought it was appropriate to include here. It's not often that a film challenges the way you watch a movie. I suppose some people might consi
der You the Living to be excruciatingly slow and boring but this is a film that rewards patience and focus. The film is comprised of 50 short vignettes, some of which relate to the others, although most stand alone. The camera is always stationary, so that each scene takes on the features of a living painting rather than a film. What I found fascinating was that the subject in the frame on which you think you should be focusing is not always where the true action is happening. It's like how you can stare at painting for a long time and become fascinated by a small detail rather than the overall composition. Almost every character in this film is dealing with some problem, be it real or existential. Many of them address the audience directly pleading that no one understands them, although the director slyly knows that we all feel just as lost. Much like "A Serious Man" there is no answer to these peoples' problems but sometimes it just feels good to know that someone else has the same problems. This film is "absurd" in both senses of the word - the Camus sense and the Monty Python sense. One of my favorite cinematic scenes of the year involves a man preparing to do the "tablecloth trick" even though we already know he is going to fail. I never would have thought you could create such a suspenseful scene in a couple minutes and with a camera that never moves. But this is a film that defies a lot of what I thought I knew about cinema.
der You the Living to be excruciatingly slow and boring but this is a film that rewards patience and focus. The film is comprised of 50 short vignettes, some of which relate to the others, although most stand alone. The camera is always stationary, so that each scene takes on the features of a living painting rather than a film. What I found fascinating was that the subject in the frame on which you think you should be focusing is not always where the true action is happening. It's like how you can stare at painting for a long time and become fascinated by a small detail rather than the overall composition. Almost every character in this film is dealing with some problem, be it real or existential. Many of them address the audience directly pleading that no one understands them, although the director slyly knows that we all feel just as lost. Much like "A Serious Man" there is no answer to these peoples' problems but sometimes it just feels good to know that someone else has the same problems. This film is "absurd" in both senses of the word - the Camus sense and the Monty Python sense. One of my favorite cinematic scenes of the year involves a man preparing to do the "tablecloth trick" even though we already know he is going to fail. I never would have thought you could create such a suspenseful scene in a couple minutes and with a camera that never moves. But this is a film that defies a lot of what I thought I knew about cinema.Honorable mention goes to: Star Trek, Up, District 9, Paranormal Activity, Where the Wild Things Are, Funny People, The Hurt Locker, Coraline, The Informant, An Education
I agree- Summer did nothing wrong...I am like Summer too many times! ;) Good soundtrack too! I loved Fantastic Mr. Fox!
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