Top 20 Films of 2009

Been a bit absent on here last couple of weeks but have now returned with the run down of the top 20 films of 2009. The list of the top 10 will remain at the bottom of the blog but here is the full list (plus a few runners-up with reasoning).

It should be noted that this is as of today (Dec 29) and some of these have only been seen the once. It is naturally easy to favour those seen multiple times so perhaps the fight in my head over number 1 vs 2 and Coraline vs Ponyo might change in time. But for now this is the list. Only qualifying factor to get in the list is i had to see a finished version in the cinema for the first time in 2009. (Special mention: although i have seen a finished version of Shutter Island i have not included it here and am saving it for next year's list - competition permitting - as it doesn't officially screen until Berlin).

1. Up In The Air - I have gone back and forth on my number 1 (vs number 2) for a few days but Jason Reitman's bittersweet comedy just nabs it. Clooney has never never been better as an instantly relatable and appealing guy in a assholes' job. This film could have been mishandled in so many ways but Reitman nails the tone, Vera Farmiga is the sexiest love interest in film for years, Anna Kendrick manages to match George beat-for-beat (no mean feat for this sort of role) as a character you should loathe but can't help but love. It should leave you bummed out but instead fills you with a warm glow. Brilliantly done. The film of the year.

2. The conundrum over number 1 was caused by Kathryn Bigelow's superb Middle East-conflict bomb-disposal movie The Hurt Locker. You can't get much more different a movie from Up In The Air so comparison is hard and i'll admit Hurt Locker has the disadvantage of only having been seen the once and some months ago. Nonetheless the visceral impact of Bigelow's triumphant return (her best work hands down) remains with you long after seeing it. Jeremy Renner gives a superb performance as the cock-sure lead and gets sterling support from Anthony Mackie. The tension is palpable and it is an astonishing achievement, let alone for a film that cost just $11m to make. The best war film of the current/recent conflict without doubt and one of the best of the past 3 decades.

3. Avatar - It could all have gone hideously wrong, but then this is James Cameron, hasn't he earnt our trust after fantastic, imaginative spectacular after fantastic imaginative spectacular. And they don't come more imaginative and spectacular than Avatar. Certainly it has some cheesy dialogue, stock characters and blatant lifts from other films (the plot is essentially Dances With Blue Aliens! and a lot of moments makes you think of Cameron's own Aliens and The Abyss) but the majesty of the world he has created here is extraordinary. It's not just the visuals and the 3D (which are astonishing and totally immersive - i've seen it twice so far and was as wowed the second time) it the fully realised world. Cameron fills every frame with the most minute details and has thought through every detail of Pandora. I don't remember when a blockbuster's environment was so perfectly thought out. Of course this does highlight the issue that the plot could have been better thought out but it almost seems greedy to ask for more when Avatar offers so much. And the effects? Holy cow. Zoe Saldana's character in particular demonstrates just how impressive this is, every emotion, every thought behind the eyes registers. That achievement alone makes Avatar deserving of a good ranking in year best lists but it's also damn entertaining fun.

4. Coraline - it's been a hell of a year for animation. The very enjoyable Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Fantastic Mr Fox and Ice Age 3 all failed to make my top 20 and three did. Best of the bunch though was Coraline. Finally giving director Henry Selick the chance of truly shine, out from under the name of Tim Burton (who, due to marketing misrepresentation, most people still think directed The Nightmare Before Christmas) this was a wonderful dark treat not afraid to scare the bejesus out of kids (and more than a few adults). Genuinely creepy, always imaginative Coraline was the must-see animation of the year (and it wasn't even Pixar!)

5. Ponyo - close behind though was another stunning film from Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki, Ponyo. Close to rivalling My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away amongst Miyazaki's best films (who knows on repeated viewings perhaps it may even surpass). Miyazaki's ability to think in the scatterlogical way of a child, letting his imagination run away with him and the movie is what so delights in these movies and Ponyo does exactly that. You can't sit and analyse the story of a fish who becomes a girl (initially with chicken feet!) and befriends the young boy she was previous the pet of. Or why adults are happy to instantly accept the young girl was formerly the fish. In an American film there would have to be nay-saying adults not believing their "head in the clouds" children but this is Miyazaki's world and he understands not only is there nothing wrong with imagination it is actually a beautiful thing. And therefore so is this movie. A glorious escape into a world of imagination too rarely seen.

6. An Education - a good year for British films was headed by this wonderful little period piece from Danish director Lone Scherfig. You know you're in good movie hands when Nick Hornby's involved (heck, they managed to make good films starring both Hugh Grant and Colin Firth out of Hornby novels!) Here he adapts Lynn Barber's memoirs into a well judged screenplay of wit and pathos, innocence and intelligence. And he's matched moment-for-moment by a flawless cast. Carey Mulligan's takes her first lead with assurance making Jenny both wise and naive, self-assured and nervous, smart and short-sighted. She is expertly led astray by Peter Sarsgard who, with flawless English accent, treads the fine line between sleazy predator and charming rogue with aplomb (no doubt Hornby and Scherfig's hanlding of his character also was a major factor here). Then there's Alfred Molina's heartbreakingly old-fashioned and well-intentioned father. Plus a plethora of other fine support. A delight.

7. Crazy Heart - While this boasts probably the best performance of the year in Jeff Bridges' superbly realised, and completely believable washed-up Country & Western singer "Bad" Blake, it is also much more. It is a charming, funny and poignant drama. It sees a career-best performance from the always solid Maggie Gyllenhaal and strong support in small roles from Robert Duvall and Colin Farrell. It has just about the best soundtrack of a movie this decade. The cinematography is stunning. There is so much that's great about Crazy Heart but it all comes back to that first thing - Bridges. Bridges is an actor who is always great. Whether playing a corpse in Tideland, a president in The Contender, a machievelian villain in Iron Man or perfectly emboding cool and slovenliness as The Dude he is always a joy to watch, but he has truly never given a better performance than here. As far away from The Dude as he could be but every bit as convincing this should be the film to net him a long overdue Oscar. Here's hoping.

8. Let The Right One In (Lat Den Ratte Komma In) - In a time when vampire movies are everywhere (it isn't the only one in this list) this Swedish movie was more daring than any, more entertaining than any, more unnerving than any and more well thought through than any of modern times. Offering solutions for oft quoted and rarely explored vampire lores while creating a compelling narrative and an underlying potentially controversial edge this truly was filmmaking at its best. See it before the Americans ruin it with the unnecessary (and in production) remake.

9. Up - Who'd have thought a beautiful, hilarious, exciting new film from animation powerhouse Pixar, than had me crying first with sadness, then laughter than triumphant joy, would only rank at 9 on my top films of the year (and third in animation - which shows just how good a year it's been!). Despite this Pixar's latest was a perfect blend of everything they do best. The adventure story, particularly the all-action finale, was genuinely exciting. Dug the Dog was hilarious, with a brilliantly thought out way to justify the all-too-common-in-animation talked animal. The leads were perhaps Pixar's most overtly cartoony and yet believably human (except, ironically, WALL-E!). The the use of the depth of 3D to reflect the feelings of the characters and mood of the piece was ingenious. Another Pixar masterpiece.

10. A Prophet (Un Prophete) - A powerful prison drama, almost as compelling as The Hurt Locker in many ways, featuring an excellent lead performance. My review on the blog goes into all the whys and wherefores but Jacques Audiard's film should not be missed.

11. Mesrine: Killer Instinct - Another excellent French crime piece, but this is much more of a thriller. Vincent Cassel has never been better than here as the real-life criminal, while Gerard Depardieu reminds us just how good he can be with a memorable supporting role as a crime boss. Swift and exciting it was followed by the nearly as good, but slightly more langorous and dramatic Mesrine: Public Enemy Number 1.

12. Moon - An incredible debut from Bowie Jr (Duncan Jones), made all the more remarkable for a $5m budget that bought faultless effects (albeit with an old-school feel) and a career-best performance from the always reliable Sam Rockwell. It also boasts one of the smartest scripts of the year. A genre piece Britain can be proud of for once. I can't wait to see what Jones does next.

13. Star Trek - speaking of genre JJ Abrams' fantastically fun and exciting reboot of the tired Star Trek franchise was the triumph of the summer blockbuster season. Instantly wiping away memories of its over-serious predecessors this delivered a hugely emjoyable piece of escapism. From Chris Pine's cock-sure Kirk, to Zachary Quinto's astute Spock, to Simon Pegg's hilariously Glaswegian Scotty, Zoe Saldana's smoking hot Uhura and Karl Urban's scarily exact recreation od DeForest Kelley's Bones, the cast took over the iconic roles with ease. And the pacing and action was masterful from JJ. A script overly reliant on coincidence and a weak villain let it down a little but this was a promise of great things to follow as much as a fun ride shot-in-the-arm to a seemingly lifeless franchise.

14. Looking For Eric - Ken Loach's best film. Surprisingly whimsical and fun for Loach, yet with the expected trials and tribulations of a put-upon everyman at its centre this was the film that kick started a banner year for British film.

15. A Single Man - yet another career best, this time from Colin Firth, in a lyrical, touching film from fashion-designer Tom Ford. A few moments feel too designed (like we're in a commercial) but the film gets better and better as it moves along and ultimately leaves you with a sense of true beauty. Julianne Moore is magnificent in support as the boozy has-been Charley and Nicholas Hoult marks himself out as a potentially major player on the UK circuit as a student who may be a siren or simply getting in over his head. A major achievement for a debut film.

16. (500) Days Of Summer - how you could go wrong with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel (two of the most talented, charmed and likeable young actors working today) is a question this wonderful anti-rom-com thankfully doesn't have to answer. A tight funny and completely truthful (if marginally exacted for fun) script is matched by both leads giving their best. JGL has never been as likeable and Deschanel triumphs as a cold-hearted character you should hate but can't help but love. A final, too-perfect zinger may through the tone slightly but you don't begrudge this comedy a gag after a breezy lesson in how to make a rom-com well.

17. District 9 - Neill Blomkamp's apartheid-allegory turned sci-fi actionner boasted fantastic effects (for $30m, although Blomkamp does have an effects background), a smart script and dynamic action sequences. Plus a lot of laughs. Yet another great genre pic for 2009.

18. Thirst - the other great vampire flick of 2009 Korea's Park Chan-wook. More a tale of addiction, moral dilemma, conflicts of faith, greed and jealousy this fable about a priest who volunteers to risk his life as a guinea-pig for curing an infectious disease only to become an unholy creature of the night who must feed on blood to keep the disease away it uses the parallel of vampirism and human sexuality in a new and clever way. Park's best since Oldboy.

19. Inglourious Basterds - Tarantino's best since Jackie Brown saw a creepy, unnerving, and at times hilarious performance from Christoph Waltz as the highlight of an incredibly entertaining film. I don't understand the Golden Globes placing of it in their Drama category as this was one of the funniest films of the year in my book. Brad Pitt and co's masquerading as Italian filmmakers complete with Southern American accents was the greatest single moment, but from Diane Kruger to Michael Fassbender to the stunning Melanie Laurent everyone was firing on all cylinders. Scenes like the opening farmhouse scene and the underground bar-room stand out as vintage QT but the whole film, while silly, was effortlessly entertaining. Welcome back QT, we've missed you.

20. Zombieland - And speaking of incredibly entertaining, i expected to hate this film - yet another zombie film, that was surely just going to be an American Shaun of the Dead. But this was a very funny romp along with four actors giving their all while boasting the best cameo (and cameo one-liner) in years. I don't remember the last time Woody Harrelson had top billing in a theatrically released film but he was so much fun to watch here i hope it (combined with what i understand is a brilliant performance in The Messanger - which i haven't seen yet) puts him back on top.

Runners-up - 7 films I can't believe didn't make the grade, but it's been a pretty good year:

State Of Play

Drag Me To Hell

Gran Torino

A Serious Man

Precious

Frozen River

Synecdoche, New York