Top 10 of 2009

A confession: I didn’t see every film in 2009. I feel bad about this. Particular-ally this list doesn’t include the likes of Werner Herzog’s second 2009 film My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? What have me done? Again I retreat these lists, but it is reassuring when Oscar bait fails: not that I hate Hollywood. I hate that films are financed to win awards and like when they don’t/won’t. These include recent disappointments including: Nine (an incoherent remake of a brilliant yet incoherent film, 8 1/2), A Single Man (great performance by Colin Firth, pretentiously directed in a way that made it look like an ad for designer clothing, hey it was directed by a fashion designer), The Lovely Bones (the mix of realism and fantasy didn’t work on the same emotional level as say Avatar), Invictus (a ruby film that sadly was pretty uninteresting) and Amelia (a paint by the numbers bio-pic).


So if I were handing out the 10 oscar nominations this year, I’d give a nom to this group - one of which doesn’t qualify because it never got a theatrical run, it may never get one (or more likely it’ll get picked up by IFC and given a token release at their theater and on cable). I know, I know, stop being hard on IFC, after all they are picking up a lot of obscure films you saw at festivals and enjoyed (IFC Center opens A Film With Me In It today, a quirky little Irish picture I saw at Toronto in 2008). I know, but I worry it’s cheapening the experience of seeing a new film by a world master, and also hindering the business model of more traditional distributers that seem dormant lately (I don’t recall seeing much of the Strand Releasing logo lately, for example).

As for the ten - here goes (in reverse, of coarse):

10.-Of Time and City (Terrance Davies) A personal essay film by Davies on growing up in Manchester, haunted by the past he super imposes stock footage over newly shot footage, using his voice over to tell his story of growing up Catholic and gay. A haunting, powerful, personal picture.

9.-Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (Warner Herzog) Along with Whip It, we have the most entertaining film of the year - Herzog and Nick Cage are firing on all cylinders, it goes over the top, then into outer space. A brilliant dark comedy on par with the likes of American Psycho.

8.-Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki) A children’s film directed towards younger children then most Miyazaki, lovely re-dubbed by Disney with the voice talents of Tina Fey. It’s a well imagined story meant to be seen on a big screen.

7.-The Messenger (Oren Moverman) Influenced by the Maysles Brothers Salesmen, Moverman has crafted a raw and emotional story about military life. Ben Foster comes back from the war and is assigned to the causality notification service with Woody Haroldson in a film that’s as humorous as it as painful.

6.-Beaches of Agnes (Agnes Varda) Another personal documentary, Varda reflects on her life and the filmmakers that meant so much to her (Chris Marker is played by an animated cat). A beatiful reflection on filmmaking and life.

5.-A Serious Man (Coen Brothers) The Coens have done it again: a personal journey of Larry Gopnik, a university professor on the verge of a midlife crisis sit early in the era of the Cold War. Darkly funny with a perfect ending.

4.-Vegas: Based on a True Story (Amir Naderi) Taking place barely in Vegas, this official selection from Tribeca (of all festivals!) by master filmmaker Amir Naderi who observes as a family unit destroys itself by destroying its home, in the shadow of the strip.

3.- Adventureland (Greg Mottola) Okay number 3 on my list for enjoyment factor: Mattola has taken us back in time and told us the story of real teenagers - rare but brilliant. It captures the joy of one of those Rush songs.

2.- Up (Peter Docker) Pixar does it again - the formula is simple: tell a good story. They’ve mastered technical, hell they invented computer animation, and as such they are 20-years ahead of what anyone else is doing. Up contains an opening montage that will go down as one of the best in film history, it’s at its core an adventure story, but so much more.

1 - Somerstown (Shane Meadows) A beatiful study of urban London, two boys become friends, gain a crush on a beatiful women and they get drunk after they think they’ve lost her. Why am I sucker for this movie? It’s beautifully shot and powerful, a strong and short film (its running time is just over an hour), but leaves a lasting impression, sure it’s a film where kids hang out (like Adventureland), but there’s something so optimistic in it, especially the film’s closing scenes which had me smiling. Shouldn’t cinema be about joy? (Not if you’re Lars Van Trier)


and....as for the runners-up - it pains me to say this but here goes:

11.-Inglorious Bastards
12.-(500) Days of Summer
13.-Everlasting Moments
14.-Crazy Heart
15.-Anvil: The Story of Anvil!
16.-Public Enemies
17.-Departures
18.-La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet
19.-In The Loop
20.-Avatar
21.-The Garden
22.-Katyn
23.-The Hurt Locker
24.-The Windmill Movie
25.-Broken Embraces
26.-Goodbye Solo
27.-Every Little Step
28.-An Education
29.-Carcasses
30.-Precious
31.-Whip It
32.-Severe Clear
33.-Bandslam
34.-Racing Dreams
35.-Sugar
36.-Treeless Mountain
37.-Bright Star
38.-Fish Tank
39.-The Garden
40.-Memorial Day
41-Watchmen
42.-The Talented Mr. Fox
43.-Carcasses
44.-Serpahane
45.-The Road
46.-The Class
47.-Antoine
48.-Hunger
49.-Coco Before Chanel
50.-Yoo Hoo Mrs. Goldberg

Wondering about the year’s worst? Glad you asked:

1.-The Forth Kind
2.-Obsessed
3.-Push
4.-Fast & Furious
5.-Monsters Vs. Aliens
6.-Sorority Row
7.-Adam
8.-Twilight: New Moon
9.-The Final Destination
10-I Love You, Beth Cooper
11.-Dance Flick
12.-Ninja Assassin
13.-Year One
14.-Revolutionary Road
15.-The Informers