Top 10 Movies of 2009
Alison MillerIssue date: 1/7/10 Section: Top 10s
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"District 9" isn't your typical sci-fi film. Filmed in a documentary-like format, the film is completely believable and is just another great example of how you don't need an enormous budget to make a quality film.
The film follows an alien race that is forced to live in concentration camps in South Africa and a government agent who becomes exposed to the alien's biotechnology.
9. Star Trek
With an entirely fresh cast, director J.J. Abrams managed to pull off a film that everyone can appreciate - Trekki fans and even those unaccustomed to the series.
The film starts from the beginning of the series and chronicles the early years of James T. Kirk and his fellow crew members aboard the USS Enterprise ship.
8. Inglourious Basterds
"Inglourious Basterds" is a classic Quentin Tarantino film.
Set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, the film is centered on a group of Jewish-American soldiers, known as "The Basterds" whose sole purpose is to brutally kill the Nazis.
This film has a great ensemble cast. Kudos also goes to Christopher Waltz for playing Colonel Hans Landa, the ruthless Jew killer.
7. A Single Man
In his directorial debut, fashion designer Tom Ford creates a beautiful film about grief.
Set in the 1960s, Colin Firth plays George, a gay college professor who is mourning the death of his lover and contemplating suicide.
"A Single Man" is truly well done for this first-time director, right down to the costumes, cinematography and acting.
6. An Education
This is definitely "An Education" of a different kind - one that doesn't involve teachers or textbooks, but is undeniably witty and unique.
The film follows 16-year-old Jenny (Carey Mulligan), a smart teen on her way to attend Oxford University. But, her school priorities are put aside after falling for a man twice her age (Peter Sarsgaard sporting a credible English accent).
Mulligan commands the screen in this fresh coming-of age tale, while Alfred Molina, as Jenny's father, and Emma Thompson, as the school's headmistress, carry out noteworthy supporting roles.
5. Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Set in a rough Harlem neighborhood in the late 1980s, "Precious" is an eye-opening film that shows the importance of education.
Newcomer Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe shines as 16-year-old-old Precious, an obese African American teen who is pregnant with her second child, both of which were fathered by her own dad.
Mo'Nique, known previously for her comedic work, plays the role of Precious' abusive mother. She does an outstanding job and completely transformed herself for this unsettling role.
Smaller supporting roles played by Paula Patton, Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz are also worth praising.
4. The Hurt Locker
"The Hurt Locker" is a powerful war drama that centers around an Army bomb squad on tour in Iraq. The opening quote of the film states, "War is a drug."
And for Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner), the lead bomb specialist, that statement rings true. Addicted to the adrenaline that the war offers him, he goes so far as to endanger himself as well as his fellow soldiers to complete the task of defusing a bomb.
Kathryn Bigelow does a brilliant job directing this film. She successfully avoids the politics, and instead focusing on what really matters: the soldiers and the day-to-day threats that occur in combat that often goes overlooked in the news.
3. Up in the Air
Director Jason Reitman has proved to be a force to be reckoned within the film industry.
First with his political satire, "Thank You for Smoking," and then the Academy Award nominated film, "Juno," Reitman seems to be fine tuning his talents, creating an even better and more personal film with "Up in the Air."
George Clooney plays the part of Ryan Bingham, a single bachelor who happily spends a majority of his life on an airplane, in an airport or sleeping in a hotel. His job is simple: people hire him to fire others.
But Ryan's job 'up in the air' becomes threatened when his boss (Jason Batemen) decides to ground all of his employees after a young college graduate, Natalie (Anna Kendrick), creates a huge money-saving program that allows employees to terminate people through video streams.
Clooney seems perfectly comfortable in his role, while Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick lend solid supporting performances.
Overall, "Up in the Air" has a great use of relevant subject matter, questioning the impact of technology on people's everyday lives while also hitting on the effects of our current economic crisis.
2. Up
A grumpy old man and a persistent Boy Scout may seem like an unlikely pair as central characters to any animated film, but for "Up," it is absolutely brilliant.
"Up" has a great storyline, great animation and great voices, making this my second favorite film of the year.
The film follows 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) and his accidental stowaway, Russell (Jordan Nagai), a young wilderness explorer, on their wild journey to South America aboard a flying house with thousands of balloons tied to it.
Highlights along their journey include the discovery of "Kevin," a gigantic exotic bird that loves to eat chocolate and a pack of talking dogs controlled by the evil Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer).
Ed Asner fits the role of Carl perfectly as a crotchety old man, and knowing that the filmmakers held casting calls across the country and interviewed about 450 kids before finding Jordan Nagai to play the part of Russell, makes Nagai's performance ever so sweeter.
"Up" is definitely the best film yet produced by the Disney-Pixar duo. (The same team is also recognized for producing "The Incredibles," "Wall-E," and the "Toy Story" series.)
Let's hope they keep them coming in 2010.
1. Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson's interpretation of Ronald Dahl's classic children's tale, "Fantastic Mr. Fox," is quite fantastic. Yeah, the kids will enjoy it. But, the adults are sure to appreciate watching this film a whole lot more than their younger counterparts.
The film follows a retired bird-snatching fox (George Clooney), now a writer and family man that can't seem to kick his old profession.
After all, he is only a wild animal.
With the help of his opossum friend Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), Mr. Fox devises a plan to do "one last job" on the three meanest farmers in the area: Boggis, Bunce and Bean.
Chaos ensues, as the farmers are understandably unhappy as the fox outwits them.
Meanwhile, Mr. Fox is dealing with problems of a more personal nature with his somewhat dysfunctional family. His son Ash (Jason Schwartzman) constantly seeks approval from his dad, and therefore, is always competing with his cousin Kristofferson (Eric Anderson), who happens to be a "natural" at just about everything.
The film certainly has star-power, in a good way, with Meryl Streep as the voice of Mrs. Fox, Bill Murray as Badger and Willem Dafoe as Rat.
As impressive as digital animation has become this year, Anderson proves you don't need a big budget to make a visually entertaining film.
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