The Best Films of 2009

It's hard for me to classify 2009. I've only been alive for 23 years and am still yet to see many of the great classic films. Throughout this whole year, as I watched and wrote about all of the movies on this blog, I could only take away from them the knowledge I brought into them. I can't always compare this movie to that or that movie to this, so it's hard for me to say how well 2009 stacks up compared to other movie years. That's where I turn to Roger Ebert. Recently, on his Twitter account, he said that 2009 ranks right up there with 1939 and 1976 as particularly memorable. That's saying a lot and I'm inclined to agree. Putting this top ten list together was brutal because so many excellent movies were released that I simply couldn't fit on here. I've compiled it, rearranged movies and switched some in and out and I am just now comfortable with my choices. This isn't the end all, be all "best of" list on the Internet (and I implore you to seek out others as well), but for better or worse, these are the best films of 2009.

10. Up (read my review here)—I thought long and hard about this number 10 spot. There were so many films deserving of it that I couldn't choose just one. For a while, my list began with Precious, then I switched it to Inglourious Basterds, then District 9, and most recently I even considered Sherlock Holmes, but none of those made me feel the unadulterated joy and sadness that Up did. While Precious was certainly a hard hitting drama and put me through a whirlwind of emotions, I came out depressed, but Up made me simultaneously cry like a little baby and smile like I had just seen an angel. It tapped into every emotion it possibly could and delivered one of the most breathtaking experiences at the cinema I've had all year. Hell, just the opening montage alone that goes through Carl's entire life from childhood to marriage to the death of his wife is reason enough to place it on this list. I've seen plenty of beautiful things at the movies throughout the course of my life, but I've never seen anything more beautiful than that. Up is more than just an opening montage, however. It's full of life and feeling and love and passion. It's imaginative and vividly detailed with computer animation unrivaled in the animation world. This is the tenth film from the geniuses over at Pixar and it's their tenth success. While this isn't their best film (Wall-E and Finding Nemo are far better), Up fits comfortably in their filmography and rightfully deserves a spot on this list.

9. The Hangover (read my review here)—Every good "best of the year" list needs a good comedy. If I'm being honest with myself, there were better movies to come out this year (like the ones mentioned alongside Up), but there's nothing more fulfilling than going to the movies and laughing your face off, so I like to give credit where credit is due. This year saw some great comedies—I Love You, Man, Adventureland, The Invention of Lying, Bruno, Zombieland and of course, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li—but none were as funny as The Hangover. The film featured an excellent cast of Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper and the hilarious Zach Galifianakis and their chemistry together was what made this movie. I usually feel like most sequels to comedies are unnecessary, but this was one of the first times I absolutely demanded one because the trio are simply superb together. Although The Hangover isn't as unique as The Invention of Lying and isn't as shocking as Bruno, the care put into its creation is far better. Todd Phillips, director of frat boy favorites Road Trip and Old School puts his own style on the proceedings and crafts an authentic feeling out of an outlandish situation. It's over the top and it may not have the heart that Adventureland did, but you'll be gasping for breath from laughing so hard. The Hangover is that funny.

8. Up in the Air (read my review here)—I originally intended to put Michael Moore's wonderful new documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story in this spot because much like how I feel every good "best of" list needs a comedy, I also feel like it needs a good documentary, but despite my affection for what Moore was saying in his movie, Up in the Air needs recognition and I refuse to take any of the other films off my list. Sorry Mike! Seemingly coming out of nowhere, I saw Up in the Air about a month before its release, having never seen a trailer and no idea what it was about. All I knew was that it starred the always reliable George Clooney and was being directed by Jason Reitman, who also helmed Thank You for Smoking and the wonderful Juno. Just like those two films, Up in the Air is a subtle picture with jokes that aren't always laugh out loud funny, but remain amusing nonetheless. Also like those two films, this one holds deeper meaning and finds the extraordinary in the mundane. It's simply amazing to see how deep human emotion can go and Clooney's character pushes his to the fullest. He's a loner, an individual who by the end of the movie realizes that he's flown all over the world, but has never truly been anywhere because he's been traveling alone. There's also a social commentary in Up in the Air about corporate downsizing that cements its relevancy in today's society. Some are claiming this to be the best movie of the year, including the National Board of Review and WAFCA (Washington Area Film Critics Association). It's not, hence the eight spot, but it's a delight nonetheless and a wonderful cinematic achievement.

7. The Brothers Bloom (read my review here)—Perhaps the most underappreciated movie on this list, The Brothers Bloom received mediocre reviews, resting at only 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, and made very little money at the box office (not even $5 million worldwide). For the life of me I cannot figure out why. It has everything you could want; laughs, emotion, great performances, wonderful direction, a witty script and a story that twists and turns every which way without cheating you or becoming too confusing. The Brothers Bloom takes every facet of good filmmaking and combines them nearly flawlessly. Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo play the two brothers, conmen who have gained riches through the years due to their elaborate cons. Their latest scheme is to con Penelope, played by the effervescent Rachel Weisz, but Brody starts to fall in love with her, putting a kink in their plans. This seemingly simple story is carried out with aplomb and goes in directions you won't ever see coming. At one point, it seems like the film is wrapping up, which would have been fine because everything up to that point was wonderful, but it goes the extra mile and lengthens the story, including even more twists and cons, to the point where the film starts to con you. As I said in my review, when most movies do this, they get off track and lose themselves, but this one keeps you with it and now that I think about it, I can't see it ending any other way. Too many people passed by this one. Don't make the same mistake.

6. Star Trek (read my review here)—What a disappointing summer it was for big budget action blockbusters. X-Men Origins: Wolverine failed to live up to the standards the previous X-Men trilogy had set (yes, I liked the third one too), as was the case with Terminator Salvation. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra was similarly a waste of time, offering nothing in the way of competent filmmaking, though none of those matched the putrid stench of the horrid Michael Bay travesty, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a film that very easily made my worst of the year list (click here to read it). The only one that had any merit at all was Star Trek and it wasn't just a good action flick; it was a great one. It's not on this list because it was the only one done competently. It's on this list because it truly deserves it. From the look of the film to the acting to the brilliant use of Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in the original series and whom the filmmakers fit perfectly into the story instead of placing him in as a distracting cameo, this is an amazing production. What Star Trek does so flawlessly is bridge that gap between fans and non-fans. I brought my father to the screening for this movie and we couldn't be more opposite. He loves the franchise and I hate it, but we both sat there like little children in awe of what we were seeing. If you want pulse pounding excitement along with character development and an excellent storyline, you want to see Star Trek.

5. The Road (read my review here)—Here's another criminally underappreciated film on the list, making very little money due to its extremely limited release. While this isn't as underrated as The Brothers Bloom, it still didn't get the recognition it deserved. The Road is haunting and bleak, yet beautiful. It's depressing, but surprisingly optimistic. It's a film that will make you realize how fragile our lives really are. The Earth has been around for billions of years (sorry Mike Huckabee, you're wrong) and most of us live for less than a hundred. Our time on this planet is very short and if nothing else, The Road teaches us to value that time and acts as a warning that if we don't shape up, things are going to take a turn for the worse. It's a movie that looks incredibly simple on the surface. The story revolves around a father and son in a post-apocalyptic landscape venturing south in hopes of finding a better place to live, but that simplification would be missing the point. There are many themes present in this movie and it explores the dichotomy of life and death, explaining that in certain situations, the line between the two can blur. Some people don't like these types of movies due to their depressing nature, but I love them because they are usually the ones that have the most to say. Bad things do happen. Our existence isn't all butterflies and sunshine and The Road knows it.

4. Ponyo (read my review here)—I'm a self proclaimed animation junkie. I've always been one to adore the magic that shines through in the art form. Animation has no limitations. You can allow your imagination to run wild when crafting an animated movie and animation master Hayao Miyazaki seems to be the only person outside of the folks at Pixar and Dreamworks who knows it. Miyazaki is widely regarded as the best person working in animation and his talent shines through in his latest effort, Ponyo, a magical visual wonder that rivals anything Pixar has ever done. Although this isn't quite as good as Miyazaki's Spirited Away, which is hands down the best animated movie I've ever seen, it's so close to perfect I'd be shocked to hear anybody say they have any real major qualms with it. Much like this year's The Princess and the Frog (which you can read my review of right here), Ponyo is a throwback to old school 2D animation and it is exquisite. We've all become so watered down by computer animated movies that this forgotten art form almost seems like a delicacy, but this movie uses it to its fullest effect. On top of all of this, there's a strong sense of humanity in the film because the story is centered around young love between the two children with their connection being the only thing that can save the world from a collision with the moon. It sounds odd, and it is, but it's carried out with such efficiency that I guarantee you'll fall in love with it.

3. Where the Wild Things Are (read my review here)—As part of my duties on BDK's Movie Show over at 106.7 WJFK HD2, I put together my five favorite movies of the decade, films that I think define this generation. It's a difficult task and it took some thought, but one I knew I wanted to put on there was Where the Wild Things Are. Now, you may be asking, "If it's in your top five of the decade, why is it only at number three for the year?" It's a valid question, so allow me to explain. Although I believe the two upcoming movies are better, I don't think that 10 years from now we will look back on them and remember them for how special they were. Their relevancy will fade and their meaning will lose impact, but Where the Wild Things Are will not. In 10 years, I'll still be watching this, appreciating its beauty, feeling sadness from its heartfelt story and discovering new themes and meanings, of which there are many. This is a movie that shows childhood realistically. Too many people think of children as young, naïve, innocent creatures that have no real emotion, which is entirely untrue. Where the Wild Things Are taps into their true nature, showing their happiness as well as their feelings of rage, pain and loneliness. It's an intellectually challenging movie and is now one of my favorites. Director Spike Jonze created his masterpiece in Where the Wild Things Are.

2. The Hurt Locker (read my review here)—Movies set around the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan haven't done too well at the box office. Although I can only speculate, I think it is because most audiences, regardless of their political affiliation, don't want to be preached to. They don't want to hear that war is bad and that we shouldn't be fighting. They go to the movies to escape, not to be reminded of the violence that erupts daily and the dead that result from it. However, The Hurt Locker isn't one of those movies. It doesn't preach an anti-war message. In fact, it's completely non-partisan. What it does is examine the effect war has on the soldiers who fight it, a cause anybody can get behind regardless of whether you lean to the left or the right. Although you could easily classify it as an action film, The Hurt Locker is not fun to watch. This action film is visceral, violent and realistic, placing you in the battlefield with the soldiers and showing you the atrocities of war close-up. As I noted in my review, the opening to this movie was, and still is, the most intense and riveting scene I've seen since the coin flip scene in No Country for Old Men. The film is a tad too long and could have been trimmed a bit, but if that's my only complaint, you can get a good idea of the film's overall quality. The Hurt Locker is the best Iraq war themed movie to ever be released and no matter whether you're for the war or against it, you need to see this film.

1. 500 Days of Summer (read my review here)—When I walked out of The Hurt Locker, I thought to myself, "This is the best movie of the year. It's going to be tough for any movie to knock this one down from the number one spot." Then one week later I saw 500 Days of Summer and displaced those thoughts immediately. The film stars the charismatic Joseph Gordon-Levitt and absolutely adorable Zooey Deschanel as Tom and Summer, respectively, and it chronicles the 500 days that Summer is in Tom's life. It's a roller coaster of emotion and we go through the good times with Tom as well as the bad, but the reason this works so well is because we aren't watching it from an outsider's perspective as we do in other romance movies. We are seeing it through the eyes of Tom and come to feel as he does. The world looks so much brighter when their relationship is going well and bleak when things go bad. There are few romantic comedies that can stand the test of time (or even be considered good in the moment), but 500 Days of Summer is one of them and should go down alongside When Harry Met Sally as one of the best ever. Who would have thought that in a year with so many terrific films that a romantic comedy would be in the number one spot? I certainly didn't, but 500 Days of Summer truly deserves it.