My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2009

Published by Jeff Leins on: December 31st, 2009

Here’s my top 10 favorite films of 2009.  Take a look and post your top 10 below.

10.  Away We Go – Sam Mendes’ tender-hearted comedy follows a comfortable couple deciding where they should start a family together.  John Krasinski (”The Office”) and a sweet Maya Rudolph (”Saturday Night Live”) are surprisingly, exceptionally good, delivering punchlines with ease but settling into a natural rhythm in their complementing roles.  Their trip around the continent takes them in quirky or depressing directions that serve as lessons for the kinds of parents they want to be together.  I identified with a rootless mindset in a telecommunication world and the desire to shirk traditional marital agreements for an arrangement that feels right for them alone.  (my Away We Go review)

9.  An Education – A coming of age tale about a girl torn between her logical goals and the glamorous affection of an older man.  Carey Mulligan is the year’s best actress in a three-dimensional stand out performance among a crop of solid actors.  It’s a stylish film with enough turns and emotional value to transcend an otherwise overused message.  I got lost in the adventures Jenny goes on as she escapes the mundane future her parents planned for her.  (No review)

8.  The Hurt Locker – The best narrative about the continuing war in Iraq is one of the best films 2009 had to offer.  The suspenseful disarmament of roadside explosives gives way to a character-driven story about a team of bomb technicians trying to stay alive in the harsh desert, war-torn atmosphere.  Director Kathyrn Bigelow deserves recognition for relatively unknown casting choices (especially Jeremy Renner), daring on-location shoots, and gritty storytelling.  (my Hurt Locker review)

7.  State of Play – Kevin McDonald’s adaptation of the BBC miniseries was mostly overlooked when it debuted in theaters in April.  Perhaps its older audience was uninterested in a movie with Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe, and Rachel McAdams, but all three were top notch performers playing well-written characters.  The plot explores a political scandal (always timely) and its press coverage, juxtaposing the tenets of a seasoned traditional reporter with the new media savvy of an Internet blogger.  Maybe I’m selfishly swayed by the intrigue of the growing digital divide, but I felt it was an intelligent drama that deftly captured the debate raging in journalism today.  Plus it’s hard to not identify with a general disdain for local broadcast news.  (my State of Play review)

6.  District 9 – I had the opportunity to see this movie (the first of many times) at a Q&A screening with breakout star Sharlto Copley and filmmaker Neill Blomkamp.  They talked for over an hour about the process of brainstorming every detail of the plot, creature design, and amazing special effects.  Not that I’m bragging, just that I appreciate this great instant science-fiction classic even more having their insight into the story’s allegorical meaning, how a small budget appeared massive, and how these two knocked it out of the park on their first time at bat.  It’s success is attributed to its true originality.  (my District 9 review)

5.  Where the Wild Things Are – This isn’t so much as a kids movie as it is a film for adults to feel like kids again.  Spike Jonze’s visuals, 9-foot men in suits and CGI-rendered expressions, and the melodies of an innocent soundtrack by Karen O. mesh for a touching experience.  Little newcomer Max Records is great and embodies the fury of childlike rage and the whimsy of a make-believe adventure.  It’s a moody movie, but one that had me reflecting on fond childhood memories.  (my Where the Wild Things Are review)

4.  (500) Days of Summer – This offbeat romantic comedy is a creative example that the genre needn’t follow the same familiar formula.  It’s non-linear plot bounces between crushing heartache, nervous exchanges, comfortable intimacy, and deep depression, the various stages we’ve all felt when enduring cruel love.  The chemistry between the quirky Zooey Deschanel and the smitten Joseph Gordon-Levitt is contagious and proof that they’re two promising actors capable of generation-topping greatness.  The film is charming, passionate, imaginative, and probably the most fun I had at the movies this year. (my (500) Days of Summer review)

3.  Up – Of the 20 animated movies release this year, Pixar’s latest masterpiece is in a brilliant league of its own.  The storytelling is exceptional and the animation is nearly flawless, a wild adventure of laughs, loss, and talking dogs that delighted audiences of all ages.  The first 15 minutes, especially the beautiful montage of precious moments shared by the aging couple, establish a personal, emotional motivation for the 78-year-old Carl that carries throughout the film.  Plus it’s great if for no other reason than an excuse to use the word septuagenarian.  (my Up review)

2.  Avatar – After 12 years of preparation, James Cameron’s vision was finally realized on screen this month in a dazzling spectacle of breathtaking visuals and a showcase for groundbreaking technology.  From the detailed creation of indigenous animal and plant life found only on the world of Pandora to new 3D techniques, the movie is an immersive experience worth repeated visits.  Subtexts of imperialism or military intolerance and comparisons to other works can be debated until you’re as blue as the Na’vi, but the layers of interpretation only deepened my respect for what Cameron accomplished.  (my Avatar review)

1.  Up in the Air – Director Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno) has outdone even himself in a moving character piece about isolation and the importance of relationships, told through the relatable concept of air travel.  Ryan Bingham (played to perfection by George Clooney) makes a living delivering packaged false hope to newly laid-off employees, a zeitgeist-capturing element, or lecturing others to embrace a simple, pared down life.  He delights in the artificial sentiments of airline attendants and car rental clerks until he truly connects with someone and he re-evaluates the efficient routine to which he’s grown accustomed.  Who you are isn’t defined by your status (membership, financial or otherwise).  It’s relationships that challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone, experience life, and achieve your goals.  Reitman’s film is brilliantly written and assembled, but the message meant the most to me.  (No review, yet)