It’s customary to begin any list of the best of anything with a disclaimer explaining how it isn’t really a list of the best, about how it’s just a work of opinion, that the author might have missed something and that everyone is entitled to make up their own mind about what the best of anything is made up of. For my list of the top ten films of 2009, the disclaimer comes in three parts.
First off I want to mention that some films released in 2009 in North America don’t hit screens down under until early 2010. Because of this, I will be republishing a more definitive list of the year’s best sometime in March of next year after all the stragglers have caught up. Of the films yet to be released, there are six that I anticipate will present a challenge the current top ten. They are: Up in the Air (January 7th), Fantastic Mr. Fox (January 7th), In the Loop (January 21st), The Road (January 28th), Precious (February 4th) and finally, after the longest of waits, The Hurt Locker (February 25th). I might also give outside chances to Invictus (January 21st). Of course only time will tell.
Secondly, I want to give a shoutout to some of the movies that just missed out on making the list. All in all there were nineteen films that I would have considered candidates for a place in the top ten; all nineteen of which I hope to re-watch before I compile the Best of 2009 Mach 2 list. In case you’re interested, my 19 to 11 films of 2009 currently sit like this:
19. District 9 dir. Sharlto Copley
18. Observe and Report dir. Jody Hill
17. Der Baader Meinhof Komplex dir. Uli Edel
16. The Brothers Bloom dir. Rian Johnson
15. Balibo dir. Robert Connelly
14. Sherlock Holmes dir. Guy Ritchie
13. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince dir. David Yates
12. Avatar dir. James Cameron
11. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs dir. Phil Lord & Chris Miller
Finally (and I swear this is the last thing), I would like to just say a little about how this top ten list is structured. Basically you can break it down into four sections. The first section consists of numbers ten, nine and eight. These are obviously movies I’ve loved, but in all honesty I wouldn’t be devastated if they were gone come the new list. It’s at pick number seven that things really get tough; from here on in these are truly my favourite movies of 2009. Seven, six and five are all terrific movies, but interestingly I didn’t find it that hard to pick an order for them.
At number four however there is another big leap in quality; two, three and four are stunning films, and unlike seven, six and five, there was a lot of trepidation and even some last minute rearranging of the order. Finally we reach number one. And this is truly the number one. Like The Dark Knight in 2008 (although this year’s pick is nothing like that film) my number one film of 2009 is so far and above my favourite film of the year that it makes my number two film of the year look like number twenty six…whatever that is.
If you know me, then you almost certainly know which film more than any other this year I absolutely adored. But if you don’t know me, then you’re probably getting sick of reading about how I made the list and probably just want to get on with it. So without further ado, here are my top ten films of 2009.
10. (500) Days of Summer
dir. Mark Webb
“You should know up front; this is not a love story.”
What could have been irritating overly quirky hipster porn was instead the sweetest and most ingenious romantic comedy of the year. The reason (500) Days of Summer works so well is because of the way that time is structured. We jump back and forth from the very first moments of boy meets girl to the heartbreaking dying days of the relationship between hopeless romantic Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and just looking for a fun time Summer (Zooey Deschanel). The script from Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber and the direction from first time filmmaker Marc Webb breathes new life into this, the stalest of genres; this film is wonderfully inventive, featuring musical numbers, fantasy sequences and some of the most genuine and heartfelt dialogue you will have the pleasure of hearing all year. And despite not being a love story, (500) Days of Summer will have you believing in the power and potential of love.
9. The Box
dir. Richard Kelly
"Somebody pushing your buttons?"
It wouldn’t be a really good list unless it had at least one movie on it that no one else will agree deserves to be there; at least I’m getting it out of the way early. And I fully admit, this mind bending science fiction thriller, written and directed by Richard Kelly, the man behind the equally weird Donnie Darko and Southland Tales, has its problems. It’s dense, confusing, and at times laughably ridiculous. And yet despite this, the disquieting atmosphere that Kelly brilliantly creates makes The Box, I believe, one of the best movies of the year. The indecipherable riddle of a plot is as fascinating as it is confounding, and what’s more, Kelly is a master of visual composition. The way he frames his shots, the use of strange imagery, alongside the eerie music and strong performances had me in a constant state of captivated unease. The Box is a masterpiece of uncertainty, and the most satisfyingly unsatisfying movie I have seen in a long time.
8. Samson & Delilah
dir. Warwick Thornton
“True love”
Over the years, movies have caused in me all kinds of emotion, from joy to anger to sadness to despair. However Samson & Delilah, the feature film debut of director Warwick Thornton, is the first film I can ever remember making me feel ashamed. A bleak story about two Aboriginal teens who leave their remote settlement and travel down to Alice Springs, Samson & Delilah is a devastating reminder of the appalling living conditions of many indigenous Australians around this country. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the sound design is incredible and in key moments distressingly effective and the two central performances are absolutely sensational. There are scenes in this film so powerful and confronting that I was left feeling ill; for a film with almost no dialogue, Samson & Delilah speaks volumes.
7. Drag Me to Hell
dir. Sam Raimi
“I desire the SOUL of Christine Brown. We will FEAST upon it while she festers in the grave!”
A stupendous, gratuitous, over the top horror comedy tour de force, Drag Me to Hell is hands down the most brilliantly excessive movie of the year. Sam Raimi, the man behind the Evil Dead trilogy proves that there is a science to being gross; over the course of this film he bombards his heroine with a seemingly never ending supply of blood, bile, mucus, maggots and internal organs before finally having her flounder around in an open grave during a thunder storm, a scene for which she might have well have been topless. Drag Me to Hell is also at times a legitimately frightening horror film, but first and foremost it is a brilliantly campy comedy, filled with his signature B-movie style; slow tilts, dutch angles, cheesy special effects and even a talking goat. This is Raimi at his finest.
6. The Cove
dir. Louie Psihoyos
“We tried to do this story legally”
Presented by the Oceanic Preservation Society, this film has a very specific agenda; to highlight the atrocities that take place during the annual dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan and to convince an audience of the evils of dolphin exploitation by any means necessary. This is a very one sided film and I cannot speak to its accuracy truthfulness or even to the full nature of its agenda. What I can speak to is how effective it is. The Cove is a brilliant motion picture; centered predominately on a group of activists who are attempting to get video footage of the killings, the film plays like the tensest of thrillers only with real life stakes, and the brilliant score and use of night vision and thermal cameras further enhances the sensation of genuine peril. And when we finally see the footage itself, it is more gut wrenching than you can possibly imagine. Emotionally devastating, incredible thrilling and undeniably convincing, The Cove will stick with you long after it finishes, and will no doubt provoke many conversations about both the issue it highlights and the means that it uses to do so.
5. Watchmen
dir. Zack Snyder
“We're society's only protection”
Unnecessarily violent, strangely convoluted, with a bizarre soundtrack and performances that range from fantastic to…considerably less than fantastic, Zack Snyder’s film is never the less the absolutely best adaptation of Alan Moore critically acclaimed graphic novel that we were ever going to get, slavishly loyal and visually spectacular. I fully admit my bias here; I love the comic book and could not wait to see the film, and Snyder almost fully delivered the Watchmen I wanted to see (and this from someone who flat out hated 300). And while Malin Akerman left something to be desired as Silk Spectre, the rest of the cast performed admirably, capturing the graphic novels rich characters with consummate skill. Even the alterations that were made to the ending got my seal of approval, and by the time this movie was finished I was chocked full of geek joy. Unfortunately then that annoying My Chemical Romance song started playing over the closing credits…oh well. Even so, I would best describe this film as one of the most flawed masterpieces you will ever see, and a wonderful companion to one of the best stories written in the last hundred years.
4. Mary and Max
dir. Adam Elliot
“You are my best friend. You are my only friend.”
A superb mix of sweet drama and the most twisted of black comedies, Adam Elliot’s feature length debut is a thematic sequel of sorts to his previous short films, most notably the Academy Award winning Harvey Krumpet, and is without a doubt my favourite Australian film of 2009. The quirky Claymation goes perfectly with the offbeat story about a lonely Melbourne girl, voiced sensationally by Bethany Whitmore and then Toni Collette, who becomes pen pals with middle aged Asperger’s sufferer from New York, voiced by the always incredible Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Rounding out the cast is Eric Bana as Mary’s neighbour Damian and Barry Humphries delivering the often hilarious narration with perfect deadpan tones. Mary and Max is clearly a labour of love and you will marvel at the details you can find in the gorgeous hand crafted animation. And despite Elliot’s sometimes cynical sense of humour that lends itself to some very morbid plot turns, this movie is ultimately a heartwarming tale about the indescribable power of friendship.
3. Inglourious Basterds
dir. Quentin Tarantino
“Au revoir, Shosanna!”
I definitely have my problems with this film; to me it represents Tarantino at his most self indulgent, and the final few of the movie infuriate the hell out of me. Never the less, Inglourious Basterds is a fantastic film, and one that only improves with repeat viewings. Scenes of brilliantly constructed tension are weaved around signature pulpy B-movie tributes, just as the two storylines, one following a group of American soldiers behind enemy lines and the other a young Jewish woman hiding out in Paris, weave around each other before coming together in the films climactic final showdown. And although it has been said many times before, German actor Christoph Waltz gives one of the best performances of the decade as the charming Col. Hans Landa, a character who makes every scene he is in an instant classic. From the glorious opening chapter which stretches on and on with an ever-growing sense of unease, it became clear that Landa will be remembered as one of the greatest villains in film history, and one of the best characters Tarantino has ever written. Inglorious Basterds is a tribute to one man’s love for cinema and so for anyone who feels the same way, the film is an absolute must see.
2. A Serious Man dir. Joel & Ethan Coen
“Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you”
A tragic comedy based on the biblical story of Job, A Serious Man is the most thorough and controlled film the Coen’s have ever made, and may very well challenge Fargo as my favourite in their entire body of work. The totally decimation of every aspect of Larry Gobnick’s personal life; familial, marital, professional and of course spiritual, is so devastating that we should for weep for the man and yet Joel & Ethan’s script is so perfect, their direction so ingenious, that we cannot help but laugh. On top of that, this film offers of the best performances of the entire year from unknown actor Michael Stuhlberg, a man who embodies the constant confusion and frustration of the central character with hilarious despair, as well a brilliant array of quirky minor characters, meticulous production design and a really terrific score from Carter Burwell. Of course we also get all the frustrations that come with a Coen brother’s movie; the inaccessible story, scenes that seem to go nowhere and an ending that…well, let’s just say it doesn’t exactly wrap things up. Despite this, as the end credits rolled after my third theatrical viewing of A Serious Man, I couldn’t help but smile wryly; the fact of the matter is these frustrations only serve the film, itself another slice of cinematic brilliant from the two most talented directors working today.
1. Up
dir. Pete Docter
“Sometimes, it's the boring stuff I remember the most.”
What can I say about Up? It’s probably not as clever a film as A Serious Man, the animation perhaps not as memorable as in Mary & Max, and I’m sure that I will revisit Inglorious Basterds and Watchmen far more than I do this one. But on pure emotional resonance and wonderfully crafted storytelling, Pixar’s latest is without question my favourite film of 2009. This movie is beautiful to look at, incredibly touching, amusing, adventurous and endlessly fun to watch. I’ve gushed about the film in reviews, podcasts and even to random people I meet in the street. Someone asked me recently when the last time I’d cried was; as you would expect I made the usual macho show of acting like I never cry, and then pretended to have to search deep into the recesses of my memory to recall so distant an event. But of course I knew that the answer was during this films incredible opening act, featuring that wonderfully poignant montage that somehow manages to communicate a lifetime of love without the use of a single word. One for the ages, Up is a truly breathtaking film.
19. District 9 dir. Sharlto Copley
18. Observe and Report dir. Jody Hill
17. Der Baader Meinhof Komplex dir. Uli Edel
16. The Brothers Bloom dir. Rian Johnson
15. Balibo dir. Robert Connelly
14. Sherlock Holmes dir. Guy Ritchie
13. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince dir. David Yates
12. Avatar dir. James Cameron
11. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs dir. Phil Lord & Chris Miller
Finally (and I swear this is the last thing), I would like to just say a little about how this top ten list is structured. Basically you can break it down into four sections. The first section consists of numbers ten, nine and eight. These are obviously movies I’ve loved, but in all honesty I wouldn’t be devastated if they were gone come the new list. It’s at pick number seven that things really get tough; from here on in these are truly my favourite movies of 2009. Seven, six and five are all terrific movies, but interestingly I didn’t find it that hard to pick an order for them.At number four however there is another big leap in quality; two, three and four are stunning films, and unlike seven, six and five, there was a lot of trepidation and even some last minute rearranging of the order. Finally we reach number one. And this is truly the number one. Like The Dark Knight in 2008 (although this year’s pick is nothing like that film) my number one film of 2009 is so far and above my favourite film of the year that it makes my number two film of the year look like number twenty six…whatever that is.
If you know me, then you almost certainly know which film more than any other this year I absolutely adored. But if you don’t know me, then you’re probably getting sick of reading about how I made the list and probably just want to get on with it. So without further ado, here are my top ten films of 2009.10. (500) Days of Summer
dir. Mark Webb
“You should know up front; this is not a love story.”
What could have been irritating overly quirky hipster porn was instead the sweetest and most ingenious romantic comedy of the year. The reason (500) Days of Summer works so well is because of the way that time is structured. We jump back and forth from the very first moments of boy meets girl to the heartbreaking dying days of the relationship between hopeless romantic Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and just looking for a fun time Summer (Zooey Deschanel). The script from Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber and the direction from first time filmmaker Marc Webb breathes new life into this, the stalest of genres; this film is wonderfully inventive, featuring musical numbers, fantasy sequences and some of the most genuine and heartfelt dialogue you will have the pleasure of hearing all year. And despite not being a love story, (500) Days of Summer will have you believing in the power and potential of love.
9. The Boxdir. Richard Kelly
"Somebody pushing your buttons?"
It wouldn’t be a really good list unless it had at least one movie on it that no one else will agree deserves to be there; at least I’m getting it out of the way early. And I fully admit, this mind bending science fiction thriller, written and directed by Richard Kelly, the man behind the equally weird Donnie Darko and Southland Tales, has its problems. It’s dense, confusing, and at times laughably ridiculous. And yet despite this, the disquieting atmosphere that Kelly brilliantly creates makes The Box, I believe, one of the best movies of the year. The indecipherable riddle of a plot is as fascinating as it is confounding, and what’s more, Kelly is a master of visual composition. The way he frames his shots, the use of strange imagery, alongside the eerie music and strong performances had me in a constant state of captivated unease. The Box is a masterpiece of uncertainty, and the most satisfyingly unsatisfying movie I have seen in a long time.
8. Samson & Delilahdir. Warwick Thornton
“True love”
Over the years, movies have caused in me all kinds of emotion, from joy to anger to sadness to despair. However Samson & Delilah, the feature film debut of director Warwick Thornton, is the first film I can ever remember making me feel ashamed. A bleak story about two Aboriginal teens who leave their remote settlement and travel down to Alice Springs, Samson & Delilah is a devastating reminder of the appalling living conditions of many indigenous Australians around this country. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the sound design is incredible and in key moments distressingly effective and the two central performances are absolutely sensational. There are scenes in this film so powerful and confronting that I was left feeling ill; for a film with almost no dialogue, Samson & Delilah speaks volumes.
7. Drag Me to Helldir. Sam Raimi
“I desire the SOUL of Christine Brown. We will FEAST upon it while she festers in the grave!”
A stupendous, gratuitous, over the top horror comedy tour de force, Drag Me to Hell is hands down the most brilliantly excessive movie of the year. Sam Raimi, the man behind the Evil Dead trilogy proves that there is a science to being gross; over the course of this film he bombards his heroine with a seemingly never ending supply of blood, bile, mucus, maggots and internal organs before finally having her flounder around in an open grave during a thunder storm, a scene for which she might have well have been topless. Drag Me to Hell is also at times a legitimately frightening horror film, but first and foremost it is a brilliantly campy comedy, filled with his signature B-movie style; slow tilts, dutch angles, cheesy special effects and even a talking goat. This is Raimi at his finest.
6. The Covedir. Louie Psihoyos
“We tried to do this story legally”
Presented by the Oceanic Preservation Society, this film has a very specific agenda; to highlight the atrocities that take place during the annual dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan and to convince an audience of the evils of dolphin exploitation by any means necessary. This is a very one sided film and I cannot speak to its accuracy truthfulness or even to the full nature of its agenda. What I can speak to is how effective it is. The Cove is a brilliant motion picture; centered predominately on a group of activists who are attempting to get video footage of the killings, the film plays like the tensest of thrillers only with real life stakes, and the brilliant score and use of night vision and thermal cameras further enhances the sensation of genuine peril. And when we finally see the footage itself, it is more gut wrenching than you can possibly imagine. Emotionally devastating, incredible thrilling and undeniably convincing, The Cove will stick with you long after it finishes, and will no doubt provoke many conversations about both the issue it highlights and the means that it uses to do so.
5. Watchmendir. Zack Snyder
“We're society's only protection”
Unnecessarily violent, strangely convoluted, with a bizarre soundtrack and performances that range from fantastic to…considerably less than fantastic, Zack Snyder’s film is never the less the absolutely best adaptation of Alan Moore critically acclaimed graphic novel that we were ever going to get, slavishly loyal and visually spectacular. I fully admit my bias here; I love the comic book and could not wait to see the film, and Snyder almost fully delivered the Watchmen I wanted to see (and this from someone who flat out hated 300). And while Malin Akerman left something to be desired as Silk Spectre, the rest of the cast performed admirably, capturing the graphic novels rich characters with consummate skill. Even the alterations that were made to the ending got my seal of approval, and by the time this movie was finished I was chocked full of geek joy. Unfortunately then that annoying My Chemical Romance song started playing over the closing credits…oh well. Even so, I would best describe this film as one of the most flawed masterpieces you will ever see, and a wonderful companion to one of the best stories written in the last hundred years.
4. Mary and Maxdir. Adam Elliot
“You are my best friend. You are my only friend.”
A superb mix of sweet drama and the most twisted of black comedies, Adam Elliot’s feature length debut is a thematic sequel of sorts to his previous short films, most notably the Academy Award winning Harvey Krumpet, and is without a doubt my favourite Australian film of 2009. The quirky Claymation goes perfectly with the offbeat story about a lonely Melbourne girl, voiced sensationally by Bethany Whitmore and then Toni Collette, who becomes pen pals with middle aged Asperger’s sufferer from New York, voiced by the always incredible Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Rounding out the cast is Eric Bana as Mary’s neighbour Damian and Barry Humphries delivering the often hilarious narration with perfect deadpan tones. Mary and Max is clearly a labour of love and you will marvel at the details you can find in the gorgeous hand crafted animation. And despite Elliot’s sometimes cynical sense of humour that lends itself to some very morbid plot turns, this movie is ultimately a heartwarming tale about the indescribable power of friendship.
3. Inglourious Basterdsdir. Quentin Tarantino
“Au revoir, Shosanna!”
I definitely have my problems with this film; to me it represents Tarantino at his most self indulgent, and the final few of the movie infuriate the hell out of me. Never the less, Inglourious Basterds is a fantastic film, and one that only improves with repeat viewings. Scenes of brilliantly constructed tension are weaved around signature pulpy B-movie tributes, just as the two storylines, one following a group of American soldiers behind enemy lines and the other a young Jewish woman hiding out in Paris, weave around each other before coming together in the films climactic final showdown. And although it has been said many times before, German actor Christoph Waltz gives one of the best performances of the decade as the charming Col. Hans Landa, a character who makes every scene he is in an instant classic. From the glorious opening chapter which stretches on and on with an ever-growing sense of unease, it became clear that Landa will be remembered as one of the greatest villains in film history, and one of the best characters Tarantino has ever written. Inglorious Basterds is a tribute to one man’s love for cinema and so for anyone who feels the same way, the film is an absolute must see.
2. A Serious Man dir. Joel & Ethan Coen“Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you”
A tragic comedy based on the biblical story of Job, A Serious Man is the most thorough and controlled film the Coen’s have ever made, and may very well challenge Fargo as my favourite in their entire body of work. The totally decimation of every aspect of Larry Gobnick’s personal life; familial, marital, professional and of course spiritual, is so devastating that we should for weep for the man and yet Joel & Ethan’s script is so perfect, their direction so ingenious, that we cannot help but laugh. On top of that, this film offers of the best performances of the entire year from unknown actor Michael Stuhlberg, a man who embodies the constant confusion and frustration of the central character with hilarious despair, as well a brilliant array of quirky minor characters, meticulous production design and a really terrific score from Carter Burwell. Of course we also get all the frustrations that come with a Coen brother’s movie; the inaccessible story, scenes that seem to go nowhere and an ending that…well, let’s just say it doesn’t exactly wrap things up. Despite this, as the end credits rolled after my third theatrical viewing of A Serious Man, I couldn’t help but smile wryly; the fact of the matter is these frustrations only serve the film, itself another slice of cinematic brilliant from the two most talented directors working today.
1. Updir. Pete Docter
“Sometimes, it's the boring stuff I remember the most.”
What can I say about Up? It’s probably not as clever a film as A Serious Man, the animation perhaps not as memorable as in Mary & Max, and I’m sure that I will revisit Inglorious Basterds and Watchmen far more than I do this one. But on pure emotional resonance and wonderfully crafted storytelling, Pixar’s latest is without question my favourite film of 2009. This movie is beautiful to look at, incredibly touching, amusing, adventurous and endlessly fun to watch. I’ve gushed about the film in reviews, podcasts and even to random people I meet in the street. Someone asked me recently when the last time I’d cried was; as you would expect I made the usual macho show of acting like I never cry, and then pretended to have to search deep into the recesses of my memory to recall so distant an event. But of course I knew that the answer was during this films incredible opening act, featuring that wonderfully poignant montage that somehow manages to communicate a lifetime of love without the use of a single word. One for the ages, Up is a truly breathtaking film.