Best films of 2009

Now that we have reached the end of the decade, many film scholars are beginning to ask questions beyond the typical, “What was the best movie of the year?” 

We want to know if the movies we are calling great will really always be great. For instance, will “The Hurt Locker” still be considered one of the greatest Iraq War films long after the campaign has ended?

More importantly, was 2009 a good year for movies? Anyone who saw “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” might disagree, but look at it this way: I once considered “Up” to be the best movie of the year, and it has nearly fallen off my list.

While it was tough to rank “No Country for Old Men” and “Juno”  or “The Dark Knight” and “WALL-E,” 2009 posed the challenge of taking equally great but very different films like “Avatar,”  “Precious” and “Up in the Air” and finding a place for them near the middle of my list no less. 

Films I adored like “Away We Go,” “Coraline” and “An Education” simply could not make the cut, and 2009 has proven to be a great year for animation and documentaries that were also excluded. 

But here are my 10, to the best of my ability, with the number one spot untouched since the midnight show on which I put it there. 

1. "Inglourious Basterds": Quentin Tarantino’s WWII saga is the most self-aware film he has ever made. Borrowing so many pages, techniques and details from his own films, 50’s B-movies and more, he seemingly winks at the camera with all that he loves, and yet his film is wholly original. “Inglourious Basterds” is the most invigorating, and most notably, entertaining feature of the year.

2. "(500) Days of Summer": The debut romantic comedy by Marc Webb is as charming, smart and knowledgeable about pop-culture and love as “High Fidelity” before it. Zooey Deschanel is perfectly lovable, and the Expected/Actual montage of the film is second to the now-iconic opening sequence from “Up" in terms of being the year's most memorable.

3. "The Hurt Locker": Kathryn Bigelow has made a film that is not just a powerful statement and observation of the Iraq War, but is also a study of human nature and a nail biting action movie that is better than any this year. While only making $13 million at the box office, “The Hurt Locker” is the lead critic favorite and a front-runner for Best Picture.

4. "A Serious Man": Only the Coen Brothers could imagine a situation in which the Book of Job would be funny. “A Serious Man” is one of their bleakest, funniest and most Jewish films to date, and it’s the sort of great follow-up film a director can make after making a masterpiece like “No Country.”

5. "A Single Man": Fashion designer Tom Ford gives “A Single Man” such a distinctive look in its chic '60s perfection. Mix in with that the best performance of Colin Firth’s career and a heartbreaking story by Chris Isherwood and you’ve got a classic.

6. "Avatar": “Avatar” is easily the most fun you’ll have at the movies all year. James Cameron reclaimed his throne as King of the World when he released his visual wonder of innovative 3D and facial capture technology that will likely revolutionize the way films are made. 

7. "Up in the Air": Jason Reitman’s third feature has quickly made him one of my favorite directors. “Up in the Air,” like “Juno” and “Thank You For Smoking,” is a film made for intelligent people who want to think and engage with cinema. The blissfully hilarious and tragic story of George Clooney’s Ryan Bingham has given me more to think about than any film this year. 

8. "Precious":The massive heartbreak and pain within “Precious” is difficult, but its touching emotions and its breathtaking performances by Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique are reaching out to all sorts of audiences. This is a film that cries out to be seen.

9. "Where the Wild Things Are": Spike Jonze’s wonderfully dark and faithful adaptations to one of the most beloved children's books of all time, “Where the Wild Things Are,” is a shocking, yet enchanting film with a glorious understanding for kids and the wild emotions within us all.

10. "Up": Yet another Pixar masterpiece, the silent montage covering Carl Frederickson’s life is filmmaking at its best. As for the rest, “Up” is fun, funny, colorful, original and adorable.

11th Place (alphabetical):

"Away We Go": “Away We Go” is a mature charmer by Sam Mendes and one of the most underrated films of the year.

"Coraline": Before “Avatar,” “Coraline” was the best 3D film ever made, and its stop motion animation is remarkable.

"Crazy Heart": Jeff Bridges is perfect as Bad Blake, a washed up country singer that is to “Crazy Heart” what Randy the Ram is to “The Wrestler.”

"An Education": Carey Mulligan is a rising star after giving such a commanding and charming performance in this lovely British film.

"Food, Inc.": Quite possibly the scariest film of the year, “Food, Inc.” will change the way you eat and won’t stop there.

"Goodbye Solo": The third film by independent filmmaker and rising presence Ramin Bahrani, “Goodbye Solo” is a touching character study with a charming connection between two unlikely actors.

"Moon": There was no better sci-fi this year than “Moon,” featuring an excellent duel performance by Sam Rockwell as he interacts with himself. This is a true psychological thrill ride. 

"Public Enemies": Another underrated gem was Michael Mann’s biopic on John Dillinger. Johnny Depp gives a fierce performance as the gangster and Mann’s Depression-era set pieces are fantastic.

"Sin Nombre": One of the better foreign films of the year was this thrilling Mexican film about illegal immigrants riding on top of trains to get to America.

"Tyson": Here is another of 2009’s great documentaries. James Toback allows us to sit on Mike Tyson’s couch as he tells his fascinating life story.