My Top 10 for 2009

This is my top 10 for 2009. Keep in mind, I did not see all the movies that were released in 2009. So if I left The Final Destination: 3D off the list, don’t get mad; I can only rank movies that I have actually seen. So, without further ado . . .

10. Star Trek
Was it a Star Trek movie? No, not really. But it was an awful lot of fun, and it breathed new life into a dead franchise. Chris Pine (after a lot of complaining by staunch and irrelevant Trekkies) turned out to do a pretty decent job as Kirk, and Zachary Quinto seemed like he was born to play Spock. For me, Star Trek was the only palatable summer blockbuster last year. Compared to stinkers like Wolverine, Transformers, and GI Joe, that may not be saying much, but it is a sign that the studios haven’t completely lost touch with what makes good cinema.


9. Sunshine Cleaning
Just so you know, this is not a sequel to Little Miss Sunshine. This was a quiet little inde film featuring Amy Adam’s first lead performance, and she does very well as the former high-school cheerleader who never did anything with her life. When she finally decides to get some self-respect and start a new business, cleaning up crime scenes seems doesn’t seem like the most likely of professions. But with the help of her sister, played brilliantly by Emily Blunt, she comes to feel the real value of family, and she finds that she is a much stronger person that she ever thought she could be. This is fantastic inde fimmaking that would be hard to sell to a major studio, but it works all the better because of it. This movie is wonderfully heartfelt and emotionally engaging. Amid all the blood and body fluids, there is a beautiful message about believing in yourself and truly coming to understand who you really are.


8. Inglorious Basterds
Quentin Tarantino’s WWII movie took me by surprise. Although Tarantino’s films are all pretty solid, I’ve found it hard to get really worked up about any of his films since Pulp Fiction (Although Kill Bill vol.2 was pretty good). However, Tarantino’s foray into the war movie genre kept me riveted. I never knew what to expect around each bend in the script and felt myself engrossed in Tranatino’s signature intimate dialogues that seem to wander far from the action of the story but then wind back on themselves in a way that makes them seem like they were relevant the whole time. Sure, it wasn’t historically accurate, and Eli Roth’s performance was not believable at all, but two fantastic performances by Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz elevate some of the movie’s pitfalls to high art.


7. Where the Wild Things Are
I know there was a lot of head-scratching on the part of long-time fans of the book when this movie was released, and there are rumors that the studio wanted to can the entire movie altogether, but I feel that this was one of the most important films of the year. For me, this movie was an impressionistic voyage into the conflicting and oft-times uncontrollable emotions of a child. For some, it was a story of a little boy who actually got a on a boat, sailed to an island, and hung out with a pack of monsters who seemed to be at each other’s throats a lot. For others, it was a rough and raw voyage into Max’s psyche where we were able to see Max’s conflicting emotions interact in physical ways. I found beauty in Max’s conflicted self and the chaos of the wild things (not to mention the fantastic world created by Spike Jonze and the special effects team). And in the end, Max’s smile says it all—things may not be perfect, but he’s come to better understand himself. And I think he’ll be OK.


6. The Hurt Locker
I have to admit, the shaky cam got me a little sick at times, but The Hurt Locker was as good a war movie as any I’ve ever seen. But unlike many of the recent Iraq War movies, director Katheryn Bigelow doesn’t sink to politicizing the war. Instead, she gives us a raw character study of the soldiers who are fighting, the danger they face, and the effect that the stress of their adrenaline-filled lives has on them, their relationships, and their life back at home. But more than the excellent script and the superb directing, Jeremy Renner’s performance as Sgt. William James, the tortured explosives expert, is a real stand out. You may not agree with him, but by the end of the film, you come to understand that he is making the only decision he can make.


5. Up In the Air
I don’t really know what to say about this movie except, great writing, great directing, and great performances from George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and (especially) Anna Kendrick. This movie was smart, artistic, funny, and emotionally engaging throughout—a rare combination in today’s studio madness over remakes and flashy blockbusters. It’s not very often that a big studio film like this can make me excited to go to the movies, but it did just that. Amid all the explosions and action figures, maybe Hollywood still has a heart.


4. District 9
Some estimates put the cost of James Cameron’s Avatar at close to $500 million. District 9 cost only $30 million to make, and proves that you don’t have to put your entire studio up as collateral to make a visually and emotionally engaging and exciting sci-fi film. As much as I was blown away by the world of Pandora, Neill Blomkamp’s insect-like aliens seemed more “real” to me. And the story of the hapless Wirkus Van De Merwe, who—at first—seems kind of annoying, becomes a supremely empathetic character who you root for, even though you know he is still mostly self-interested. It’s a beautiful and exciting piece of filmmaking by people who know the power of sci-fi to question current social, historical, and political practices and use it well.


3. Zombieland
OK, so I’m a sucker for a good zombie flick. But this is more than just another zombie movie; it’s fun, funny, and completely, deadpaningly self-aware. It’s the kind of movie that you walk out of with a smile on your face, simply because you just had a really good time. I found myself sad to leave Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock behind as I walked out the theater, and I desperately wanted more. And—really—isn’t that what we all want from a movie? Throw in some zombie and it just makes it all that much better.


2. Moon
Three reasons why Moon was one of my favorite movies of the year: Sam Rockwell, Sam Rockwell, and Sam Rockwell (oh yeah, and the script, cinematography, set design, and directing didn’t hurt either). The afore-mentioned actor carries the entire film quite literally. He is, in fact, the only live actor in the entire movie. But more than Sam Rockwell’s awesome performance, Moon is a great throwback to the classic sci-fi films of the 70s, like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Solaris. It uses the sci-fi genre to explore what it means to be human. It’s not flashy. There are no big explosions of action set-pieces, just solid moviemaking at its best. And unlike a vapid summer blockbuster, Moon stays with you, makes you think, and is not easily forgotten. See it.


1. (500) Days of Summer
Again, this movie represents everything I love about the movies. Call it a postmodern romantic comedy. Sure it’s a story of boy meets girl, but that’s where all the usual romantic comedy clichés stop. What I loved about this movie is the fact I had no idea what to expect from one moment to the next and loved every minute of it. Although we’re told at the very beginning that “this is not a love story,” we still root for Tom and think, “Maybe, just maybe, he’s going to walk off into the sunset with Summer anyway.” Well, there is a happy ending. It’s not the ending you might expect, but it still leaves you rooting for Tom and believing in the magic of love. At this point it is probably needless to say that the writing and directing were great and that Joseph-Gordon Leavitt’s performance as Tom is fantastic. And Zooey Deschanel may just be playing Zooey Deshanel, but that doesn’t bother me a bit. All that, plus french new wave, animation, YouTube-style testimonials, a kicking soundtrack, and the best musical dance sequence this year make this movie my number one for 2009.