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I’ve often been asked throughout the latter part of 2009 why I should have the gall to consider it the best year of film product in a decade. It’s such a subjective circumstance that, of course, the only answer is, “I liked a lot of movies.” That’s not enough for most. Hard and fast evidence is necessary. A carefully outlined, persuasive argument is expected.
I just liked a lot of movies.
The year began slowly, as they tend to do. The first film I saw that cried for end-of-the-year remembrance was a modest baseball drama I caught at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in February. Then it was all the way into the summer before a blockbuster banged the first four-star gong, followed shortly by a happenstance viewing of an unconventional British biopic at the Los Angeles Film Festival and a catch-up viewing of one of the year’s Sundance hits.
Sprinkled throughout was top-tier animated product, a Comic-Con screening of one of the best sci-fi outings in years (and a homefront viewing of another first-time filmmaker’s fascinating foray into the genre), not to mention finally catching up with one of two exemplary war dramas that debuted in Toronto last fall.
Before long, the summer, with all its surprise delights, both substantial and appropriately frothy, began to wind down. The fall awards season picked up steam as Telluride fired the starting gun and, after that, it seemed every trip to a darkened theater brought some form of satisfaction. Even the entertainments seemed to satisfy completely.
How can one defend the position any more succinctly? I liked. A lot. Of movies. And I relish the opportunity now to pay tribute to the year’s best, some 30 titles, each of which could have been a top 10 finalist in any other year.
Filling out the field:
“THE BURNING PLAIN”
Guillermo Arriaga’s measured character study is perhaps the writer’s best work to date. Serving here as a first time director as well, Arriaga fends off derivation (though I’m sure many would disagree) and tells a fresh story.
“CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY”
Michael Moore’s latest documentary is much fairer than one might have anticipated, if still treading the expected stylistic territory. But this is what Moore does, and he does it well.
“A CHRISTMAS CAROL”
Robert Zemeckis’s third performance-capture foray takes a number of steps forward. Though the filmmaker seems to be bringing up the rear of a field WETA is revolutionizing, there is plenty of room for his less sincere vision.
“CRAZY HEART”
Scott Cooper’s two parts Merle Haggard, one part Thomas Cobb recipe served up the role of a lifetime for Jeff Bridges and the makings of a slow burn we don’t often see. T Bone Burnett and his music crew deserve major commendation as well.
“DISTRICT 9”
Neil Blomkamp’s alien saga, spun off of his own short film “Alive in Joburg,” was of a piece with something of a banner year in sci-fi cinema. Sharlto Copley’s lead performance is a star-making moment and a high water mark for the year in acting.
“FOOD, INC.”
Robert Kenner’s pull-back-the-veil study of a seemingly Machiavellian food industry might not be a seminal work, but it is a definitive one. Equally affecting and galvanizing, the film moves briskly and makes a compelling case from beginning to end.
“GOODBYE SOLO”
Ramin Bahrani’s third effort to date isn’t quite in league with “Chop Shop,” but it does represent a benchmark in thematic maturity for the director. Souleymane Sy Savane’s lead performance is one of the year’s absolute best portrayals.
“THE INFORMERS”
Gregor Jordan’s adaptation of a Bret Easton Ellis novel is surprisingly effective with its mishmash of tone and genre. Absurdist on one hand, oddly penetrating on the other, the film is a seductive study of youth wasted on the young.
“JULIE & JULIA”
Nora Ephron’s dual biopic comedy is a skillful navigation of two pre-existing works that maintains its balance throughout. Meryl Streep’s oft-praised turn as Julia Child perpetuates her level of consistency as of late.
“PARANORMAL ACTIVITY”
Oren Peli’s “found footage” thriller is the most arresting of its kind, a twisted take on what initially seems to be a haunted house yarn. Creative practical effects and effective sound editing sell the suspense perfectly.
“PUBLIC ENEMIES”
Michael Mann’s sleek-noir character study gives Johnny Depp a prime opportunity as legendary criminal John Dillinger, one the actor nailed even if he admits he didn’t quite have a handle on it. Co-star Marion Cotillard also shines in a strong female role.
“SHERLOCK HOLMES”
Guy Ritchie’s agile adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work serves up a surprisingly satisfying buffet of action, wit and even performance value. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law spark unmistakable chemistry throughout.
“UNDER OUR SKIN”
Andy Abrahams Wilson’s exposé on the worldwide epidemic of Lyme disease serves as both cautionary, informative cinema and indictment of a complicit health care industry. A cross-section of study cases makes for a compelling through-line.
“UP”
Pete Docter’s latest Pixar effort is a home run for mature animated storytelling. An outrageous sense of humor and compelling thematic ideas serve as the mortar for an imaginative, moving narrative that might be the studio’s funniest offering yet.
“ZOMBIELAND”
Ruben Fleischer’s genre installment takes zombie cinema to a new, exciting level. A creative screenplay and an overall non-traditional handling of the material makes for one of the more enjoyable movie experiences of the year.
Oh so close:
#15
“THE HURT LOCKER”
Kathryn Bigelow’s direction of a meticulously detailed, yet philosophically ponderous Mark Boal screenplay makes for an engrossing account of war. Jeremy Renner owns the screen with a thoroughly lived-in portrayal.
#14
“THE MESSENGER”
Oren Moverman’s account of casualty notification officers is raw and powerful, a cut above most depictions of the modern military conflict. The film’s ensemble is perhaps the year’s best, performing fascinating vignettes of a grief-stricken nation.
#13
“MOON”
Duncan Jones’s feature debut sports a tour de force performance from Sam Rockwell and a sci-fi narrative that is remarkably relevant. The film’s grasp of humanity amid futuristic notions makes for a premium payoff.
#12
“SUGAR”
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s “Half Nelson” follow-up is a step forward for the duo, a fascinating look at America as a foreign land through the eyes of a fresh-faced Dominican baseball recruit. Newcomer Algenis Perez Soto is a spectacular find.
#11
“STAR TREK”
J.J. Abrams’s reboot of the popular television series is more of a creative detour that mercifully spares decades of continuity and plants the seeds of further adventure. It’s also an engaging piece of popcorn entertainment.
The top 10:
#10
“THE LOVELY BONES”
Directed by Peter Jackson
Perhaps the most unfairly maligned film of the year turned out to be a martyr for uncompromising artistry and visionary storytelling. Director Peter Jackson adapted Alice Sebold’s “The Lovely Bones” as an exercise in the power of suggestion, testing the boundaries of what’s possible in the filmmaking medium. An arresting performance by Stanley Tucci and a delicate handling of the lead role by youngster Saoirse Ronan are accompanied by expert photography from lenser Andrew Lesnie and the most effective sound design of the year.
#9
“BRONSON”
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Every once in a while a completely unexpected cinematic experience comes along. This year, Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Bronson,” with its outrageous visual treatise on coveted celebrity featuring a blistering lead performance, was that film. Actor Tom Hardy owns both role and screen with a brilliant, committed portrayal, but Refn’s expressionistic vision makes for a fascinatingly creative portrait, an unsettling sort of reverence seeping through that ultimately becomes the chilling point. If there is a true champion of the 2009 indie circuit, this might be it.
#8
“MARY AND MAX”
Directed by Adam Elliot
In a banner year for animated feature filmmaking, perhaps the best of all time, a single effort stood head and shoulders above the rest of the field. With “Mary and Max,” writer/director Adam Elliot has crafted a bittersweet tale of friendship and empathy, refreshing in its non-traditional storytelling approach and featuring a pair of voice performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette that melt the heart and sell the narrative effortlessly. The claymation itself is gorgeous, making for a beautiful color palette.
#7
“AN EDUCATION”
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Author Nick Hornby’s work has been the stuff of movies for a number of filmmakers along the way, but he didn’t find screenwriting success himself until journalist Lynn Barber’s memoirs crossed his path. The result is “An Education,” a social and character study that also happens to be a love letter to the bliss of youth, and how precious it is. The material is handled immaculately by Danish Dogme95 vet Lone Scherfig. In the lead role, Carey Mulligan manages an authentic, head-spinning portrayal joined by one of the year’s finest ensembles.
#6
“PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE”
Directed by Lee Daniels
For those willing to consider Lee Daniels’s “Precious” on levels other than the literal, a rewarding, eclectic piece of cinema is in store. Spinning off of Sapphire’s “Push,” Daniels conveys heavy thematic notions with the swift agility of the avant-garde. He taps into a fierce rhythm, every shot and cut in service to something greater than the part. Most attention has been paid to Mo’Nique’s vile portrayal of a wounded soul revisiting her psychological despair on her daughter, but it’s Gabourey Sidibe’s feature debut that deserves the lion’s share of accolades.
#5
“AVATAR”
Directed by James Cameron
It is almost unbelievable that director James Cameron was able to deliver on the seemingly unsustainable hype leading up to the unveiling of “Avatar.” A decade in the making and sporting a significant price tag, the film is the very essence of ambition…and fulfilled promise. To say it is a milestone in cinema history would both understate the implications and overshadow the fact that it is a beautifully realized piece of metaphorical storytelling. The movie-going experience of a generation has once again been defined by a meticulous craftsman.
#4
“THE COVE”
Directed by Louie Psihoyos
Documentaries can be informative, inspiring calls to arms or delightful profiles of individuality. But the art of telling a non-fiction narrative effectively can be as challenging as spinning a yarn from whole cloth, if not more so. With “The Cove,” filmmaker Louie Psihoyos, along with a brave crew and tenacious activist Ric O’Barry, has crafted a landmark of the genre, a tense espionage saga with justice in its sights. The film is a definitive indictment of animal cruelty, yes, but it is also a thorough exposé of health concerns and corruption.
#3
“ANTICHRIST”
Directed by Lars Von Trier
All filmmakers reveal something of their souls when moving images are committed to film, but none seemed to utilize the medium to the point of catharsis in 2009 like Lars Von Trier. “Antichrist” is his psychotherapy writ large on a gorgeous canvas of despair and suffering, a metaphorical masterwork misunderstood and dismissed as sensationalist. This is what filmmaking can be at its purest artistic best, a profound expression of the power of self over trauma and the destructive capabilities of outside influence and perspective on that recuperation.
#2
“UP IN THE AIR”
Directed by Jason Reitman
Second-generation filmmaker Jason Reitman continued a stellar latter-decade start to his career in features with “Up in the Air,” a zeitgeist-engaging study of selfishness and connectivity. The film is at once a sophisticated character piece and a comedic star vehicle that works on Hollywood’s terms. In so many words, it is a miracle hybrid of art and commerce. But it is also a treatise on the steady decline of tangible human interaction, and as such, a socially relevant piece of cinema in entertainment’s clothing. It will define Reitman and his work forever.
#1
“A SERIOUS MAN”
Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
The best film of the year is perhaps one of the best films of the decade. The Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, made considerable waves two years ago with an Oscar-winning adaptation, but it is the more abstract, thematically refined original work “A Serious Man” that became the duo’s best film in 13 years. A fatalistic depiction wrapped in a Job story and smothered with Jewish theology, the film is also curiously universal and penetrating for its insistence on a world as perfectly ordered as it is maddeningly, punishingly random.
That wraps up the way I saw the year. For you, it may have been a weak 12 months. For others, maybe only slightly above average. For me, following what was undeniably (I think most would agree) one of the weaker years of the decade, it was refreshing to end things on such a glorious high note. I will remember it fondly.
The top 10 films of 2009:
1. “A Serious Man”
2. “Up in the Air”
3. “Antichrist”
4. “The Cove”
5. “Avatar”
6. “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
7. “An Education”
8. “Mary and Max”
9. “Bronson”
10. “The Lovely Bones”
(Note: This year-end wrap-up column is taking the place of the usual Monday Off the Carpet column. I’ll be updating the sidebar predictions later this afternoon. Be sure to check back Wednesday for my annual “if I had a ballot” post.)
What are your favorite films of 2009? Have your say in the comments section below!
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117 responses so far
1 12-14-2009 at 12:46 pm
Loyal said...
A very diverse 30, well done.
Can complain about some, can champion others, can point out those you missed.
It was a good year but more importantly, it was a great decade.
2 12-14-2009 at 12:49 pm
Adam Smith said...
I was very pleased to see your love for Antichrist and Mary & Max, both magnificent films. I’m frankly surprised that more critics haven’t gotten behind Mary & Max as their animated darling this year. However, since a good chunk of the accolades are going to Fantastic Mr. Fox (which may very well end up as my choice for the year’s best film, period), I can’t complain too much. I’ll be excited to see your personal ballot on Wednesday.
3 12-14-2009 at 12:51 pm
tintin said...
Up
Precious
Inglorious Basterds
District 9
An education
The hurt locker
Avatar??
The lovely bones??
Up in the air??
Invictus??
Nine??
4 12-14-2009 at 12:51 pm
Andrew said...
A Serious Man also tops my list of the best of 2009, followed by The Fantastic Mr Fox, The Hurt Locker, [500] Days of Summer and Avatar.
Hated your #3. Good list overall though.
5 12-14-2009 at 12:54 pm
Blake said...
Well done, sir. Even though I have yet to see 6 of the films on your top ten list, it will be hard for anything to top A Serious Man for me.
It is indeed the best film of the year.
6 12-14-2009 at 12:55 pm
red_wine said...
I can’t believe The Hurt Locker missed you top 10! Weren’t you all over the film in the beginning? I also expected a top 10 spot for Public Enemies and Star Trek.
The Lovely Bones is fighting a loosing battle with the critics. To be fair, the most frequently mentioned criticism is that it is very unlike the book.
But a good Top 10. I’ll be sure to check out Bronson. Are there no foreign language films that you liked much this year? Have you yet managed to see The White Ribbon and Police, Adjective?
7 12-14-2009 at 1:00 pm
Cameron said...
Of the films I’ve seen so far (excluding Avatar, Up in the Air and The Lovely Bones) these are my Top 10:
10. (500) Days of Summer
9. Antichrist
8. A Prophet
7. District 9
6. The Hurt Locker
5. The White Ribbon
4. Up
3. Inglourious Basterds
2. A Serious Man
1. Where the Wild Things Are
8 12-14-2009 at 1:02 pm
Andrew said...
I haven’t seen The Lovely Bones yet, but that argument that it is not like the book is rubbish because this is an adaptation to film, not a recreation of the book. Plus, critics always say that the book was better than the film, no matter who’s in it.
9 12-14-2009 at 1:05 pm
Anthony B. said...
1. A Serious Man
2. Where the Wild Things Are
3. Antichrist
4. Inglourious Basterds
5. Drag Me to Hell
6. The Hurt Locker
7. Moon
8. The Girlfriend Experience
9. The Hangover
10. The Informant!
10 12-14-2009 at 1:05 pm
Mike_M said...
Diverse list indeed, I don’t agree with most if it and in my mind you are missing some. Pissed it missed Bronson during its NYC run. Eagerly awaiting the DVD/Blu release.
11 12-14-2009 at 1:07 pm
Gar said...
Very much liked your colum, Kris. I also found this year to be a welcome reprieve from 2008, though I don’t think ’09 was nearly as rewarding as, say, 2007.
I caught up with “The Cove” last night, and I’m still reeling!
12 12-14-2009 at 1:10 pm
Joel said...
I missed two of these (“Mary and Max” and “The Cove,” which I would’ve replaced with “The Messenger” and “Star Trek”) but I think I predicted all of the others, albeit in a different order.
Liking your mention of “Zombieland,” Kris. Not normal bait for runners-up of a Top Ten list, but it’ll be one of my runners-up, as well.
I still have quite a few films to see before I can even think about making my top ten (which should be done by February, at the latest), but I can tell you that “Precious” will be nearly impossible to stop.
13 12-14-2009 at 1:11 pm
Joel said...
Make that “impossible to top.” lol. Takes on a different, but relatable, meaning.
14 12-14-2009 at 1:12 pm
Daniel said...
Love your list this year – especially since there was Bolt last year….
My Top Ten
1. Up
2. Lorna’s Silence
3. Thirst
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
5. Antichrist.
6. Inglourious Basterds
7. A Serious Man
8. Two Lovers
9. Goodbye Solo
10. Where the Wild Things Are
15 12-14-2009 at 1:15 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
red_wine: Police, Adjective is literally the one movie I didn’t get to in time. I’ll see it, of course, but as for foreign films, I didn’t think it was a great year on the whole. If A Prophet had a US release this year, it would certainly have been up there. And Haneke’s work never has been and, apparently, never will be for me. But like I said, I struggled with finding foreign films I liked this year. The closest to the list would have been Sin Nombre, and even that is a bit derivative.
16 12-14-2009 at 1:16 pm
Chad Hartigan said...
This may be the first year we have zero overlap in top 10 Kris. Nice list though.
17 12-14-2009 at 1:21 pm
Me. said...
I’m surprised “Avatar” isn’t your number one choice. I thought you said it was the best filmmaking experience of your life.
I LOVED “A Serious Man”! It is such a great film! It is currently in my top 5.
My Top 10 of the year is still in development (I have yet to see “Avatar”, “A Prophet”, “The White Ribbon”, “Nine”, “Invictus” and “The Lovely Bones”)
18 12-14-2009 at 1:22 pm
Guy Lodge said...
This is the very best kind of list, one that not only assembles a bunch of random quality titles, but knits them into a kind of collective that reveals much of yourself in the process.
As such, it’s irrelevant which inclusions I applaud and which I take issue with — though there are several on both sides — because the whole makes so much sense coming from you. Great piece.
(OK, I’ll single out one title: I realize “Mary & Max” was a late-breaking inclusion for you, so I couldn’t be more thrilled that you’re on my team with that one. What a gem it is.)
19 12-14-2009 at 1:24 pm
Harry said...
seriously though, where did Bright Star go? No one but me seems to think its one of the very best films of the year.
But still, it’s a strong list especially with A Serious Man at number 1.
20 12-14-2009 at 1:25 pm
Guy Lodge said...
@Red Wine: When you refer to Kris being “all over” The Hurt Locker earlier in the year, you might be thinking of the four-star review that I wrote.
@Harry: Kris has never been keen on Bright Star. Again, I’ve been the film’s champion on this site.
21 12-14-2009 at 1:27 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Me.: I said it was the most amazing cinematic experience I’ve ever had, which it was, on a spectacle/visceral level, absolutely. But frankly, to me, that doesn’t mean it is as refined a piece of art as the other films higher on the list (but it does a lot of heavy lifting to get it high up in the top 10).
22 12-14-2009 at 1:33 pm
N8 said...
mostly good choices (“The Cove” would be my #1), but “Antichrist” sticks out like a sore thumb on this otherwise strong list. Couldn’t stand it.
23 12-14-2009 at 1:33 pm
red_wine said...
Oh no Guy, I know you wrote that review. Its just that Kris was one of the first people to predict Bigelow and generally seemed to like the film a lot.
24 12-14-2009 at 1:36 pm
alfie said...
So glad to see you giving The Lovely Bones a spot. It is such a great great film. I have seen it twice now and I am kind of stumped at some the criticisms it has faced. It is nowhere near as bad as some people are saying. I can see if you love the book you might not like the changes but for me a film is a film and a book is a book. I think the film has been treated incredibly unfairly but some of the over the top hate directed at it. I can understand not liking it or thinking it was average but is it not the “disaster” that some critics have claimed. Not even close.
25 12-14-2009 at 1:37 pm
Holden said...
Top ten films of 2009
10. Star Trek
9. Coraline
8. Inglorious Basterds
7. Avatar
6. A Serious Man
5. (500) Days of Summer
4. The Hurt Locker
3. Up
2. Up in the Air
1 Where the Wild Things Are
26 12-14-2009 at 1:37 pm
Cameron said...
Kris:
Visceral spectacles aside, what would you say the best film(s) you’ve seen is, based on story structure , character development, etc?
27 12-14-2009 at 1:40 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
red_wine: I DO like the film a lot. It’s just not in the top 10 films from what I consider to be a very strong year.
Cameron: I don’t know, I’m a boring sort. Citizen Kane, probably.
28 12-14-2009 at 1:45 pm
James D. said...
Where are the Basterds?
29 12-14-2009 at 1:48 pm
Billyboy said...
Nice list, Kris. Particularly the third and first spot.
When are we getting the top ten of the decade? Have I missed it?
30 12-14-2009 at 1:50 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Next week. If I finish it in time.
31 12-14-2009 at 1:50 pm
anne thompson said...
Nice job. Guess I’d better watch my Bronson and Burning Plain screeners. Got a copy of Mary and Max? As for Antichrist, yes, von Trier has great filmmaking chops. But what the hell is he trying to say? It makes no sense.
32 12-14-2009 at 1:57 pm
McGuff said...
I’m not ready to throw a list out there yet, with so much still to see. A Serious Man stands atop as the only A-grade I’ve awarded so far, and Moon and Star Trek are the only A-minus grades. But I agree with you that it’s been a good year — I can’t remember when I’ve given a B to such a high percentage of films that I’ve seen. Hopefully December finds me a few more A’s, though.
I’m with Guy, though. I think this list really does a nice job of capturing Kris Tapley, the audience member. It’s also, as usual, uncompromised. Good work.
33 12-14-2009 at 1:57 pm
Speaking English said...
Well there’s one thing we can absolutely, 100% agree on: “A Serious Man”. And I echo the statement that it’s one of the best films of the decade.
34 12-14-2009 at 2:06 pm
adam said...
Goodbye Solo? We haven’t had enough of old white men being “saved” by plucky foreigners yet? Jesus.
35 12-14-2009 at 2:08 pm
Danny King said...
I have to agree with Anne Thompson in terms of Von Trier’s message. I think the film is worth seeing for the great performances and the undeniable skill with which it is made, but the cloudiness of the director’s themes dampened the experience for me. I respected what I saw on the screen, but a big part of me still wonders why it was worth sitting through.
36 12-14-2009 at 2:12 pm
James D. said...
Adam: What are you talking about? The old man in Goodbye Solo wasn’t saved. It was a bit of a slap in the face to films that portray what you are condemning.
37 12-14-2009 at 2:14 pm
Sieben said...
I’d have to agree that it was an uncommonly good year, and I also agree with a lot of your choices – Bronson and Antichrist were pleasant surprises and A Serious Man at first even more so. A miracle movie, indeed.
38 12-14-2009 at 2:15 pm
Aaron said...
I have yet to understand all the love for A Serious Man. I would rather jab myself in the eyeball with a knife than sit through that again.
39 12-14-2009 at 2:15 pm
david said...
Kris..any thoughts on Red Cliff??
40 12-14-2009 at 2:17 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Uhhh…what James D. said.
41 12-14-2009 at 2:19 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
And Red Cliff was an absolute mess, I thought. Great costumes, though!
As for Antichrist, I think it has a lot to say about how we cope individually, and ultimately, how none of that even matters in the greater scope of a random world.
42 12-14-2009 at 2:32 pm
James D. said...
Figure I will offer something more substantive.
Of your list, I have only seen 12 (A Serious Man, Antichrist, Star Trek, Sugar, Moon, The Hurt Locker, Zombieland, Public Enemies, Julie & Julia, Goodbye Solo, Food, Inc., Capitalism: A Love Story). I will get to the rest, with the exception of a few I have no interest in. Of these 12, I have some varied reactions.
Hated: Antichrist.
Mediocre: Julie & Julia, Public Enemies, Food, Inc., Sugar.
Good: Zombieland, Capitalism: A Love Story, A Serious Man.
Top 10 worthy: The Hurt Locker, Moon, Star Trek, Goodbye Solo.
As for my own Top Ten, it will take some time, given my status as a a suburban moviegoer. However, nothing that is left appears able to move Inglourious Basterds from the top spot. If I had to guess, The Road, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, The Cove, and The White Ribbon will join my Top Ten (The Hangover is the only other one in that list).
As an aside, I wish you talked more about these films. I understand that many of them fall outside of the Oscar realm this site covers, but more film coverage of serious, but it would be nice.
43 12-14-2009 at 2:33 pm
Danny King said...
I guess I’m having trouble understanding the “random world” part. I don’t get the relevance at all.
Also had trouble interpreting the religious references. I think some of this might be Von Trier just playing with us, and that’s something I definitely respect, but to put a film like that in the year’s best, there has to be something more.
It’s one thing if a film (like A Serious Man) raises questions that you can think about afterward, but when Antichrist ended, I didn’t even know what questions I was supposed to be asking myself.
44 12-14-2009 at 2:33 pm
James D. said...
That last sentence is an abomination. It should say “…but more film coverage of serious work that falls outside the awards radar would be nice”.
45 12-14-2009 at 2:38 pm
Mike said...
Nice list Kris. Do you think you could do a top performances of the year list? I would like to see that.
46 12-14-2009 at 2:42 pm
Brent said...
It is with surprise and delight I see Mary and Max on this list.
The film is magical. Great choice, Kris. The whole list is excellent, but I had to single out that selection.
47 12-14-2009 at 2:45 pm
Cameron said...
This just in:
Awards Daily has the Indiana Film Critics Awards up.
If you liked Where the Wild Things Are, you’re in for a treat.
48 12-14-2009 at 2:54 pm
Alex said...
1. A Serious Man
2. The Hurt Locker
3. Bright Star
4. Antichrist
5. Mary and Max
6. Inglourious Basterds
7. Duplicity
8. Zombieland
9. Up
10. Up in the Air
I’m yet to see Nine, Invictus and Avatar (booked my IMAX ticket booya).
I’m glad to see we agree on A Serious Man.
49 12-14-2009 at 2:56 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Danny: I don’t know if you want me to defend the choice any further. You don’t have to see it my way. I’ve said my piece on the matter and have spoken up on it a few times this season. I’m not interested in changing your mind or anything.
On the point of religion, I frankly don’t think it says anything about it other than what it says about the general idea of coping, that no one (and nothing) has the power to get you through trauma like yourself. Which makes the “random world” aspect entirely relevant, actually. There is no order. You are your own shepherd.
But this is a film that, I think, is open to numerous interpretations. And it isn’t asking questions. I don’t think it has to ask questions, frankly. It’s an abstract example of expression from a singular voice.
50 12-14-2009 at 3:03 pm
Chad Hartigan said...
Thank God for filmmakers like Von Trier. Themes are cloudy? Great. Nothing is worse than sitting through a film that’s intent on selling me a clear cut theme.
51 12-14-2009 at 3:08 pm
David said...
Nice job, Kris. One of the most diverse and honest lists I’ve seen this year.
“A Serious Man” is my favorite of the year as well.
52 12-14-2009 at 3:12 pm
red_wine said...
Everyone thinks A Serious Man is a very great film. Thats why I feel surprised that it hasn’t won a single big prize up till now. Even in LA, it did not even feature as runner-up in any category. Maybe the NSFC will go for it.
53 12-14-2009 at 3:23 pm
Danny King said...
Kris: Not looking for you to change my mind, I just want to hear your opinion on the things that confused me in the film. I must’ve missed your previous posts on Antichrist, so I apologize if I’m making you repeat yourself. My desire for the questions I think stemmed from the fact that the film didn’t seem (to me) to provide any real answers about anything. I’m struggling to find the gravity of simply stating that people need to look within themselves to overcome trauma.
Chad: I’m not saying Von Trier has to write out his theme in letters on the screen, but I do think there should be enough present to actually draw some conclusions about what the guy is saying. I’d be curious to know what you took home from this film besides the fact that Von Trier is a gifted filmmaker and can get some great performances in the process.
54 12-14-2009 at 3:24 pm
Filmoholic said...
The Informers? Really?
This was one of the worst reviewed films at Sundance this year. It currently sits at a 14% tomatoemeter.
55 12-14-2009 at 3:30 pm
matt said...
you know you have sunken too far into school when, out of the top 10, you have only seen one… hot damn i need to catch up
56 12-14-2009 at 3:39 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Danny: Maybe it’s a personal thing. Speaking for myself, I totally see the gravity of that sort of a statement committed to visual storytelling art.
Filmoholic: I didn’t realize I needed to consult the Tomatometer before offering up a list of films I liked this year. I’ll keep that in mind for next year.
57 12-14-2009 at 3:43 pm
Filmoholic said...
Kris, that is not what I meant. I’m just implying that you are in the minority on this one. I really had no idea that someone actually liked The Informers. But what the hell, I’ll give it it a shot.
58 12-14-2009 at 3:53 pm
JoeD said...
“In the Loop,” anyone?
59 12-14-2009 at 4:01 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Oh, no implication necessary. I’m in the minority on plenty of films year in and year out.
60 12-14-2009 at 4:02 pm
Adam said...
Love the selections. I’m seeing Antichrist for the first time tomorrow, so I’ll know how I feel about its inclusion soon. (Or maybe not.)
No Inglourious Basterds, though? It was, for me, one of those trips to the cinema where you can hardly believe the movie is as aesthetically and intellectually on point as it is. It has flaws, for sure, but I tend to love flawed films the most. (For instance, There Will Be Blood is probably my favorite film of the decade.)
61 12-14-2009 at 4:10 pm
Jeremy said...
Kris, just wondering, did you ever get around to seeing “(500) Days of Summer” or “Harry Potter”? Both of those are on my current top 10, although my own list is far from finalized, as there are still a number of December movies that I need to see (Lovely Bones, Up in the Air, Avatar, Nine, etc.)
62 12-14-2009 at 4:16 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
I HATED 500 Days. I fell asleep in Harry Potter (I have no idea what’s going on in that series anymore). So yeah, I saw ‘em.
63 12-14-2009 at 4:18 pm
Me. said...
You hated 500 Days?
=(
I also really liked this new Harry Potter installment.
64 12-14-2009 at 4:18 pm
Jeremy said...
Well then. Fair enough.
65 12-14-2009 at 4:28 pm
Jeremy said...
Kris, thanks for singling out The Informers. Thought I was alone with that one. I found the whole thing a fascinating guilty pleasure and kind of loved every second of it. “Mishmash of tone and genre” is the perfect description. I can’t say for sure it’ll make my top 10 until I’ve seen everything, but it’s definitely up there.
66 12-14-2009 at 4:32 pm
Marshall1 said...
No Love for UP??
:(
67 12-14-2009 at 4:37 pm
Paul Outlaw said...
Great read–puts the year in an interesting perspective, even if I experienced it quite differently myself.
Love your choice for #1.
68 12-14-2009 at 4:42 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Up’s on there, in the also-rans.
69 12-14-2009 at 4:42 pm
Me. said...
Out of topic but I’m making my Golden Globe predictions and, are the following films considered as dramas or comedies:
Up in the Air
Inglourious Basterds
Where the Wild Things Are
A Serious Man
??
Thanks.
70 12-14-2009 at 4:56 pm
SHAAAARK said...
Up in the Air, Where the Wild Things Are, and Inglourious Basterds are probably Drama, and A Serious Man is bizarrely going as Comedy.
71 12-14-2009 at 5:01 pm
Chase K. said...
I can’t argue with your top two picks. Bravo.
72 12-14-2009 at 5:03 pm
P-Dawg said...
Yeah, well, you know, that’s just like your opinion, man.
Just kidding. Good list. Still need to see some of the movies on it but I can agree with most but probably in a different order. Won’t bother going into my list cause nobody really cares.
73 12-14-2009 at 5:09 pm
daveylow said...
I haven’t seen all the releases yet but so far the following will be on my 10 best list:
Bright Star
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Messenger
An Education
Possibles:
Summer Hours
Adventureland
Up in the Air
A Single Man
Star Trek
I want to have A Prophet on my 10 best list which I saw in Toronto but it wasn’t released this year!
Still need to see:
Avatar, Nine, The Lovely Bones, Invictus, Zombieland, The White Ribbon
Three films that won’t make my list because I don’t love them as much as everyone else:
The Hurt Locker
Up!
A Serious Man
I won’t be able to make my final 10 best list until the end of the year!
74 12-14-2009 at 5:12 pm
daveylow said...
I forgot to mention how much I loved The Beaches of Agnes. May make my top 10.
75 12-14-2009 at 5:21 pm
Bing147 said...
Currently my list looks something like…
1. Goodbye Solo (wish it had been higher here…)
2. Up
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. The Hurt Locker
5. Maria Larsson’s Everlasting Moments
6. Lorna’s Silence
7. The Princess and the Frog
8. Mary and Max
9. Food Inc
10. Tokyo Sonata
With honorable mentions to Seraphine, Where the Wild Things Are, State of Play, Star Trek and Zombieland
If Mesrine’s US release hadn’t gotten pulled last second, it’d have grabbed the 10th spot.
I still have a fair bit to see though to be fair.
But Kris, if you’re looking for good foreign films, any of Everlasting Moments, Lorna’s Silence, Tokyo Sonata, Seraphine, Tony Manero, Thirst… not a GREAT year for foreign film but there’s certainly been worse.
76 12-14-2009 at 5:35 pm
M said...
Seeing your list shows me I have a lot of movies that I haven’t seen, lol. I want to see TLB though.
Nice list.
77 12-14-2009 at 5:54 pm
j said...
Interesting since a lot of people have complained that this is a suck year to go to 10.
Docx3, Sci-fi critical//hit x2, Unseen critical hit, Animated x2…Mary & Max interesting. Director-acclaimed Locker at just 15, below acting-acclaimed Messenger.
So your T10 predictions: half in T7, no love for Invictus/Nine/Basterds.
78 12-14-2009 at 5:55 pm
JFK said...
Without putting them in order and without the inclusion of The Lovely Bones, Avatar or Invictus, which I haven’t seen:
The Hurt Locker
District 9
An Education
Fantastic Mr. Fox
A Single Man
Up in the Air
Star Trek
Disappointments (for good measure):
Nine
The Road
Brothers
79 12-14-2009 at 6:02 pm
daveylow said...
I have Everlasting Moments on my DVR. I must watch it.
Was Goodbye Solo released in the US this year? I saw it last year in Toronto. I get confused because it was nominated last year at the Spirit Awards.
80 12-14-2009 at 6:43 pm
Glenn said...
I wasn’t aware you were so big on “Antichrist”. Such an interesting top 15. Can’t say I agree with them all – “A Serious Man” didn’t hit me on any deep level whatsoever and “Star Trek” was mostly a big fat bore – but the titles I have seen that you list are all various levels of good. Love the inclusion of “Mary and Max”, although to say 2009 is the best year for animation ever is a bit silly since animated titles have only been coming out in such frequency for the past decade.
I just hope “The Messanger” and “Sugar” get released here in Australia within the next six months. If they don’t I’ll probably forget about them and never see them, which would be a shame.
81 12-14-2009 at 6:57 pm
PJ said...
Excellent list Kris, and beautifully reasoned.
82 12-14-2009 at 7:04 pm
W.J. said...
Great seeing A Serious Man on top and Sugar high, as well. There are still many films I have yet to see (#2 thru 10, in fact). Hopefully, lots more good stuff to take in.
For now, here’s my ten:
1. A Serious Man
2. Hunger
3. Silent Light
4. The Hurt Locker
5. In the Loop
6. Thirst
7. Sugar
8. The Messenger
9. Three Monkeys
10. District 9
83 12-14-2009 at 7:12 pm
Me. said...
1. Micmacs
2. Where the Wild Things Are
3. Bright Star
4. A Serious Man
5. Baaria
6. Broken Embraces
7. Creation
8. (500) Days of Summer
9. The Hurt Locker
10. Inglourious Basterds
That’s my list so far although some rankings could change and I have yet to see Avatar, White Ribbon, A Prophet, Invictus, Nine and Lovely Bones.
I didn’t care for Precious or Up in the Air.
84 12-14-2009 at 7:14 pm
Me. said...
Also, Mary & Max looks really good. I need to check that.
85 12-14-2009 at 7:25 pm
Joel said...
I was about to say Me is crazy, but no. lol.
I just don’t get the hate for “Precious” around these parts, but oh well.
86 12-14-2009 at 7:42 pm
Me. said...
I do not get the love for Precious AT ALL. While the performances by Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique were indeed impressive, the film is NOT. The whole point is about how Precious overcomes all of the depressive obsticles in her life but director Lee Daniels overdid the whole drama (rape, verbal and physical abuse etc). In the end, the images with Precious being raped, or the images with her mother throwing her a television, or the images with her mother telling her that she SPOILERS has hiv were the ones that stayed with me.
Meanwhile, a geniune, refreshing, incredibly original and overall extraordinary film called “Micmacs” (Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s latest achievement) struggles to find a distributor in the United States. It makes no sense.
87 12-14-2009 at 7:45 pm
Bing147 said...
Davey, ya, Goodbye Solo is this year in the US. One of the best of the decade for me, Bahrani gets better with every film for me, and I loved his first one!
Also, do get to Everlasting Moments, beautiful film and I can’t imagine anyone seeing it and not nominating Heiskanen.
88 12-14-2009 at 9:15 pm
Matthew Starr said...
Hmm Kris no love for The Hangover or The White Ribbon?
I thought The Messenger would have been higher for you.
And I must not be on the same page as everyone on Bronson and Antichrist. Did not like those at all. Although I was very fond of the lead performances in them.
89 12-14-2009 at 9:25 pm
Alex said...
Back to Harry Potter….I’m making the prediction here that the next one will be nominated for Best Picture.
This is the first one that isn’t set at Hogwarts and is apparently a verite style action film in the vein of Greengrass. David Yates is normally a very good director.
90 12-14-2009 at 9:33 pm
Chad Hartigan said...
And how many verite style action films in the vein of Greengrass have Best Picture nominations? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t being set at Hogwarts that kept all the other Harry Potter films off the list. Keep dreaming Alex.
91 12-14-2009 at 9:43 pm
anne thompson said...
sequels don’t happen at oscars unless first one was nominated.
92 12-14-2009 at 9:45 pm
Grant said...
I’m glad to see “Bronson” at No. 9. It is definitely one of the most under-appreciated films of 2009.
93 12-14-2009 at 9:56 pm
Matthew Starr said...
Well Anne The Dark Knight is a sequel and that almost got in with only five nominees.
That being said I thought the Harry Potter series took a step back with Half Blood Prince.
94 12-14-2009 at 10:18 pm
Jeremy said...
Up until a few years ago, I was similarly convinced/hopeful that the Academy would reward the Harry Potter series with a Best Picture nomination for the seventh movie (somewhat similar to “Return of the King” finally winning for LOTR, only if you replace “winning” with “being nominated”). But then Warner decided to split the seventh book into two movies, and I think AMPAS will be hesitant to nominate an incomplete film for Best Picture. Shame.
95 12-15-2009 at 12:43 am
red_wine said...
Harry Potter movies aren’t nominated simply because they are not worth nominating. I found Half Blood, which received so much praise, to be an extremely second rate movie. And inspite of the good reviews, who is actually gonna put it in their Top 10 of the year? No one.
96 12-15-2009 at 12:51 am
lovespike said...
My favorite films of the year would be in no part. order:
Where the Wild Things Are
Precious
Sugar
Up in the Air
Black Dynamite
American Violet
The Informant!
The Princess and the Frog
Good Hair
Tyson
American Son-Came out last year but just recently saw it and thought ir was great.
97 12-15-2009 at 1:11 am
Guy Lodge said...
@Me: I’m sure I’ve told you this before, but “Micmacs” isn’t struggling to find a U.S. distributor! Sony Pictures Classics acquired it before its Toronto premiere and it’ll be released in 2010.
98 12-15-2009 at 1:58 am
the other mike said...
sorry but i cant take this list seriously. I remember when Goodbye Solo came out Kris said it wasnt all that, now he is saying its one of the years best.
Then he said Avatar is the greatest thing that ever happened to him and its only number 5.
And the film that tops his list isnt going to win an Oscar?? And this happens pretty much every year. I think we have a minature Armond White on our hands.
99 12-15-2009 at 2:20 am
Guy Lodge said...
The Other Mike: I think you’re confusing my views with Kris’s when it comes to “Goodbye Solo.” I reviewed the film out of the London fest last year and wasn’t that keen on it — when it came out in the U.S. in the spring I wrote a follow-up article saying much the same thing. Kris hasn’t written much about the film on the site.
He addressed your second point in comment #21.
Your third point makes no sense whatsoever. Why on earth should Kris’s choices have to line up with the Academy’s? I think we can all agree that the Oscars aren’t some holy arbiter of artistic value.
100 12-15-2009 at 7:02 am
Kate said...
Oh man, I really want to do my top 10, but I just KNOW Avatar is going to be in it, so I want to wait… but, leaving a spot for it my top 10 are:
10. (spot for Avatar)
9. Sherlock Holmes
8. Up
7. Paper Heart
6. Black Dynamite
5. Precious
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
3. (500) Days of Summer
2. Inglourious Basterds
1. Up in the Air
Though I haven’t seen Moon, A Serious Man, or The Hurt Locker, which I have a feeling all might make it on to this list…
But Lovely Bones? Really? That’s, to me, one of the worst films of the year. It was a mess and in no way a martyr in a year when a film like Inglourious Basterds is heralded as one of the bests.
101 12-15-2009 at 8:13 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
the other mike: Not that it should be dignified with a response because it makes NO SENSE, but…ah forget it, Guy summed it up.
102 12-15-2009 at 12:56 pm
Alfie said...
And I am with Kris about 500 days what an awful awful piece of phoney hipster nonsense. Absolutely dreadful
103 12-15-2009 at 2:35 pm
Me. said...
@Me: I’m sure I’ve told you this before, but “Micmacs” isn’t struggling to find a U.S. distributor! Sony Pictures Classics acquired it before its Toronto premiere and it’ll be released in 2010.
Oh really? I’m sorry if you posted this before, but these are GREAT NEWS. Maybe it can become a contender for 2010, can’t it? The Hurt Locker got released at TIFF in 2008 after all.
104 12-15-2009 at 3:19 pm
Mohsin said...
I love that Bronson and Mary & Max make your Top 10 (also Precious)
you hated 500 Days, I hated Anti Christo
anyway excellent post as always!
105 12-16-2009 at 12:21 pm
Tom Smothers said...
I’m afraid you have to be a huge Coen fan or Jewish to really appreciate A Serious Man and even then, it still fails to resonate. A very bad call for best film. Way overrated.
106 12-16-2009 at 12:39 pm
anne thompson said...
A Serious Man is close to being best Coens ever, and I am a shiksa, even if I did grow up in NYC and go to the Bronx High School of Science.
107 12-16-2009 at 12:51 pm
James D. said...
What is the best Coens, Ann? Please say Lebowski.
108 12-16-2009 at 12:56 pm
Kristopher Tapley said...
Tom: I actually wouldn’t consider myself a huge Coen fan, and I’m not Jewish. So…
As for it being a “bad call,” it’s my call. You don’t have to agree.
109 12-16-2009 at 2:02 pm
Michael said...
I love most of the films in your list, and the ones I haven’t seen, I only want to see more now. I am obsessed with Bret Easton Ellis and I enjoyed The Informers, I just wish it had not been so overly edited (apparently over 40 minutes of footage was cut that was in BEE’s original script and I have a feeling a lot of it would have helped the film be more dynamic as the book was.) Overall though, it is nice to see a list that differs from the standard best of lists and all of the boring critics choices that come about all over the place.
110 12-16-2009 at 3:42 pm
anne thompson said...
No Country for Old Men, then Fargo, Raising Arizona…
111 12-16-2009 at 3:44 pm
Guy Lodge said...
I would put “A Serious Man” right behind “No Country for Old Men.”
112 12-16-2009 at 3:49 pm
Chad Hartigan said...
The Big Lebowski is acres ahead of any other Coen Brothers film. A Serious Man wouldn’t even be in their top 10 in my opinion.
113 12-16-2009 at 4:22 pm
Jim T said...
I actually saw The Big Lebowski two days ago for the first time. I thought it was boring. Not terrible but I was thinking “This might have been good the year it was released but now…”
114 1-24-2010 at 1:39 am
tony rock said...
Yay for Lovely Bones. Not great, and certainly flawed, but severely underrated in nearly every aspect. Yes, the tone is uneven. Yes, it’s not what people expected (which I assume is a dark, Oscar-bait domestic drama about grief). But it is masterful filmmaking. The last 20 mins alone adds a couple notches. The combination of music and editing is dynamite.
115 5-26-2010 at 12:23 pm
MovieMan said...
Top ten films of 2009:
1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Must Read After My Death
3. Where the Wild Things Are
4. Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
5. Away We Go
6. Up in the Air
7. Drag Me to Hell
8. The Informers
9. Lifelines
10. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Bottom ten films of 2009:
1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2. Duplicity
3. Next Day Air
4. G-Force
5. Dragonball: Evolution
6. I Love You, Man
7. Invictus
8. All About Steve
9. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
10. Bride Wars
Best Actor: Colin Firth, A Single Man
Best Actress: Maya Rudolph, Away We Go
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Most Overrated Film of 2009: The Hangover
Most Underrated Film of 2009: The Informers