'Cine'cism

I never consider a year complete until the Oscars  in March. More than ever, 2009 was a year to live in the moment.

It brought us films that were controversial, historical, disastrous and timeless. For me, the most invigorating debates surrounded the polarizing qualities of “Where the Wild Things Are,” the entertaining, purposeless thrills of “Inglourious Basterds” and the comic bleakness of “A Serious Man.”

I look at 2009 as a year that gave us instant classics like “The Hurt Locker,” the defining film of the Iraq War, and “Up in the Air,” a modern Frank Capra-esque masterpiece. 

It has been a year for women, with leading ladies paving the way. Carey Mulligan (“An Education”) and Gabourey Sidibe (“Precious”) both made names for themselves with their lovely performances that will no doubt lead to bright futures. Veterans like Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock both struck box office gold this year with “Julie & Julia” and “The Blind Side.” Jane Campion, Nora Ephron, Nancy Meyers and Kathryn Bigelow were likewise directorial presences, and Bigelow even has a shot at being the first woman to win Best Director.

As for new directors, Drew Barrymore’s “Whip It” was a lost cause, but she is certainly a woman with connections. After the intriguing “District 9,” I look forward to seeing where Neill Blomkamp can go without the help of Peter Jackson. And the work of Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart”), Lee Daniels (“Precious”), Tom Ford (“A Single Man”) and Cary Fukunaga (“Sin Nombre”) could all be recognized this Oscar season. 

And what of the men? Jeff Bridges, George Clooney and Colin Firth all gave the best performances of their careers. Matt Damon was excellent twice with “Invictus”and the persona-changing “The Informant!” And be sure to remember Jeremy Renner (“Hurt Locker”), Michael Stuhlbarg (“A Serious Man”) and especially Christoph Waltz (“Inglourious Basterds”).

I also saw spectacles in 2009. I wasn’t a fan of “2012,”  “Watchmen,” “Nine,” and most of all “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” but they were worth looking at. For me, “Harry Potter 6” and “District 9” were saved by their visuals, which certainly enhanced “Wild Things.” But no one could forget “Avatar,” which might redefine the way movies are made.

It was also a year for kids. Pixar was not the only one to release a great film this year. In addition to “Up,” 2009 saw “Wild Things,” “Ponyo,” “Coraline” and “A Christmas Carol.” Each is a wonder in animation and magic.

Most of all, this was the year of the 21st century. Technology meant bigger and smaller movies in the marketplace; blockbusters could be made and independents distributed. The Netflix catalogue of instant movies has grown exponentially.

We’ve crossed a certain threshold in cinema this year. So many industry changes and controversies will alter the way people make and watch movies because of the events of the last few months. Thank goodness it doesn’t end until March.