2009 - A LOOK BACK
It’s been 10 years since my generation’s golden year of cinema. How has the current wave of
films been since 1999? Well its had its ups and downs, but one thing is certain…the business
has not changed. Does it bother anyone else that (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) the
Worst Film of the Year is also The Highest Grossing Film of the Year? Money is still the driving
force behind Hollywood and for certain reasons, it should be. I say that because films that have
great filmmakers of our generation can easily combine all those ingredients and still make great
profitable films.
Awards season is always my favorite time of the year. While the rest of America is following the
traditional football season, I hit the cinemas. These are the films usually reserved for the Nov-Dec
release dates for awards consideration. Yes, that means they are the “good” films. While it is
extremely difficult to view all of the films that are “awards” material, I do my best to catch a lot of
them. These films are the ones I have not had the chance to see that could of possibly made my
Top 10 list:
- A Serious Man - The White Ribbon
- Antichrist - Invictus
- A Single Man - Crazy Heart
After many viewing hours and a long consideration period, I have chosen the 10
below as the Top 10 Films of 2009:
(10) THE MESSENGER
Those of you who have NEVER heard of this film, please raise your hand? Yea, that’s a lot of
hands. A film that pretty much flew right under the radar but was good enough to make an impact
during awards season. You ever thought your job sucked? Well step into the shoes of two U.S.
Army officers, portrayed brilliantly by Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson, whose line of work
requires them to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers. The conflict begins when
one of the officers finds himself drawn to a woman, to whom he has just delivered the news of her
husband's death.
(9) PRECIOUS
This was one of the most disturbing and brutally honest films of the year. Set in Harlem in 1987,
director Lee Daniels manages to give us an inside look into the story of Claireece “Precious”
Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would
want. She’s pregnant for the second time by her absent father and left with the hardships of
having to take care of her abusive mother (Mo’Nique). Precious is a hopeful film about the human
capacity to grow and overcome.
(8) AVATAR
I realized I was going to get a lot of backlash from the Avatar fan boys about not ranking this film
higher on the list. While I can debate for hours on how the film is a technical masterpiece, I can
also talk about its mediocre storytelling. This is the film that will be remembered years later.
Director James Cameron has once again proved that he is “The king of the world” by spending 12
years bringing the world of Pandora, in this sci-fi space epic, to the big screen. In the end it’s all
well worth the wait, as Avatar is a movie going EVENT and not just an average viewing. I can
overlook the fact that the story is just okay and unoriginal (Dances With Wolves in space?), but I
will give credit where it’s due and that’s simply: James Cameron = Genius.
(7) AN EDUCATION
Another film on the list that is pretty “underground” when it comes to the mainstream audience is
An Education. It is a beautiful film about young woman (Carey Mulligan) full of promise and intent
to study at Oxford. But meeting an older man (Peter Sarsgaard) leads her to believe that she can
learn things outside the classroom, casting doubt on her future plans. Based on a novel written by
Nick Hornby, this film is driven by pure talent. In my opinion, Carey Mulligan gave the best female
leading performance of the year. With a close battle with veteran actress, Meryl Streep (Julie &
Julia), it seems like the “Best Actress” race will be heating up.
(6) FANTASTIC MR. FOX
If you are a fan of director Wes Anderson’s style then you know this film was a huge treat.
Perhaps the funniest film I saw all year happens to also be the best in the animation category
(sorry “Up”)… It’s a breath of fresh air to finally see an animated film experiment with a different
kind of tone. I love everything that Pixar has to offer but Fantastic Mr. Fox is like an animated
indie film. Based on the classic children’s book written by Roald Dahl, this film adaptation is for
both children and adults alike. With great actors such as George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill
Murray lending their voices… it’s truly a lot of fun!
(5) BROKEN EMBRACES
Spanish director Pedro Almodovar and his muse Penelope Cruz = A cinematic match made in
heaven. It’s the perfect pairing of an auteur and his actress. Almodovar’s follow up to Volver, is a
great reminder that the director has not lost his style and tone. A mixture of drama, suspense,
and comedy is what Broken Embraces delivers brilliantly. Strong visuals and Almodovar’s
obvious love for cinema stand out as the reasons why Broken Embraces is the Best Foreign Film
of the Year.
(4) THE HURT LOCKER
Many films have been made about the Iraq war over the years. Many of those films have also
failed miserably in bringing the reality of what modern warfare is really like. Then comes The Hurt
Locker to bring us the best dramatization of the war in Iraq. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the film
brings groundbreaking realistic action and intimate human drama. The story centers on members
of the Army’s elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad. They battle insurgents and each
other as they seek out and disarm a wave of roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad, in order
to try and make the city a safer place for Iraqis and Americans alike. This was no doubt the most
intense film of the year. Kathryn Bigelow did a great job bringing the intensity of the characters
out of the screen and into the audience. She may just win the Oscar for Best Director, making
history as being the first female to win such honor.
(3) (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
Having worked on a lot of high profile music videos, director Marc Webb makes his feature film
debut with (500) Days of Summer. One might think that this would be just an average romantic
comedy. It’s really much more than that on so many levels. Within the first couple of minutes, the
narrator announces, “this is not a love story…” which clearly it isn’t. The screenplay is an honest
portrayal of a modern romance. It’s the Annie Hall of our generation. Actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt
and Zooey Deschanel shine as the doomed couple in this film. The audience can easily relate to
one of the characters no matter what their current romantic situation is like. The film’s non-linear
plot adds to the joy and/or torment of watching this beautiful “love story” unfold. After watching the
film numerous times, it hits me… it hits me hard. Whether it’s a good or bad thing is up to the
viewer.
(2) INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
It’s great to know that if I’d seen this movie and I had no previous knowledge about it, I would still
know it’s a Tarantino film. Not for one second does this film ever disappoint. As soon as the
vintage opening credits followed by the first frame, you’re immediately sucked in. Within 5
minutes you are treated to an incredible scene that is sure to be quoted for years to come. We
bounce back and fourth between chapters, are introduced to many characters, and are left to
piece it all together. I’ve seen many WWII films, but this literally takes all those rules and throws
it out the window. We are not following “Hollywood’s” standard WWII; this is Tarantino’s gig.
Christoph Waltz is sure to win a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this film. Not to
mention that I can always just sit and listen to Tarantino’s dialogue for days! Inglourious Basterds
makes it possible to actually enjoy a WWII film that would otherwise be taken too seriously.
(1) UP IN THE AIR
Film is a visual medium to tell a story. It’s very rare to see a film these days where almost every
visual frame supports the story. I knew Up in the Air would be good; I just didn’t expect it to be
brilliant. Director Jason Reitman weaves together a story about Ryan Bingham (George Clooney)
whose job it is to fire people from theirs. The anguish, hostility, and despair of his "clients" has left
him falsely compassionate, living out of a suitcase, and loving every second of it. When his boss
hires arrogant young Natalie (Anna Kendrick), she develops a new method of revolutionizing
Ryan’s job. Determined to show the naive girl the error of her logic, Ryan takes her on one of his
cross-country firing expeditions, but as she starts to realize the brutal realities of her profession,
he begins to see the downfalls to his way of life. The script is one of the tightest I’ve seen in
awhile as every little detail is accounted for. The wonderful performance of its ensemble also
helps generate the feeling one gets from watching this film. What also makes Up in the Air so
perfect is its timing. With the United States in a recession, the film feels genuine in the realities
Americans are facing during this hard time. If you really watch this film closely you will realize that
there is a lot of depth, thematically and emotionally. It leaves me with all sorts of feelings, which is
why it’s clearly The Best Film of the Year.
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