For weeks, I’ve been listening to pundits ramble on and on about how 2009 was a disappointing year in the world of cinema. They say that Hollywood has become nothing but a vapid wasteland where vision and originality are tossed aside in favor of obtuse jesting and six-pack abs (“Twilight” anyone?). That 90-minute romantic comedies with little romance and even less comedy will continue to earn green lights due to their low risk and broad fan base.
I, for one, don’t believe a word of those naïve musings, because every year offers its fair share of exquisite entertainment for those willing to extend beyond their commercial surroundings. This may involve a bit of concentrated taste alteration on your part but, trust me, your efforts will never go for naught.
Contrary to popular belief, the film industry is not on life support.
Having said that, 2009 struck me as a year of transition, both politically and culturally. As a country, we’re on the heels of the Bush Administration and on the cusp of Obama Country. As a society, we’re still dealing with bailouts and a war that, in my mind, is still without an end or a clearly defined enemy. We’re a civilization in limbo, a so-called evil empire on the brink of annihilation with no one to blame but ourselves and the cookie-cutter politicians we elected.
I’m a firm believer in the notion that cinema reflects the landscape in which it's produced so, with that key element in mind, I present to you my picks for the 10 best films of 2009.
1. “A Serious Man” - In their finest work since “Fargo,” Joel and Ethan Coen tap into their Jewish heritage to give us a “Book of Job” for the hippie generation (It takes place in 1967) and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love every misanthropic minute of it. Larry Gopnik is one of the great screen characters of the decade and watching him try to reassemble the fragments of his quiet suburban life amid a sea of negative omens is black comedy at its most poignant level, so I urge you to seek it out as a reminder that your own situation could be much worse.
2. “Up in the Air” - I left the theatre following Jason Reitman’s beautifully devastating tale of detachment and isolation feeling as if he was speaking directly to me. All of the glib observation and cynical wise-cracking exemplified by George Clooney’s suave protagonist touched me on a level I seldom experience at the movies. On the surface, it’s about a charismatic loner who makes his living firing people for bosses who are too spineless to do it themselves, but further examination reveals a Sturges-esque riff on what it really means to be connected in today’s technologically-obsessed climate and Clooney has never been more at ease with himself on screen. Plus, with Anna Kendrick and the gorgeous Vera Farmiga around to light things up like a 1940s screen siren, how could you go wrong?
3. “The Hurt Locker” - Thank you Kathryn Bigelow, thank you for finally crafting an Iraq War film that isn’t laden with politics and faux sentimentality. Forget the heavy-handed drama of “In the Valley of Elah.“ Forget the fledgling babble of “Lions for Lambs.” This is a riveting, tightly wound balls-to-the-wall action flick that challenges your heart to a rat race and never lets up. What we’re presented with here is a group of soldiers who live, breathe, eat and sleep the “war is a drug” philosophy to the point that any time spent out of the desert is a missed opportunity. Jeremy Renner is electric as a swaggering bomb squad leader and Bigelow’s knack for suspense ensures that you’ll think twice before getting up for any free refills.
4. “Summer Hours” - When a 75-year-old woman dies, her estranged children are left to sort through the house-full of priceless artifacts she leaves behind and a heartrending meditation on the importance of family ties soon ensues. It’s sad to think that a woman’s entire life can be summed up by the amount of museum-worthy relics she accumulated, but that’s the harsh reality these characters are forced to deal with. Each item sold or donated is like a piece of their mother being cast off to someone who knows nothing of the significance or sorrow behind it which, to me, makes the narrative that much more unsettling.
5. “Anvil: The Story of Anvil” - In 1984, Canadian speed-metal group Anvil was on the fast track to stardom until a series of really unfortunate events derailed their chances at greatness. Director Sacha Gervasi captures their journey into obscurity with inscrutable honesty and, with a set-up that’s equal parts funny, sad and inspiring, you may just find yourself cheering by the film’s end.
6. “District 9” - Nothing could’ve prepared me for the raw agitation of Neill Blomkamp’s brilliant socio-political alien saga and I stand by my opinion that it’s the best sci-fi flick since 1999’s “The Matrix.” The combination of the steady-cam grittiness and Sharlto Copley’s frantic embodiment of a government goon turned antihero is as dynamic as it gets.
7. “An Education” - Carey Mulligan delivers one of the best performances of the year as a British schoolgirl yearning for a life outside the rigid confines of academia and evokes Audrey Hepburn in more ways than one. Her scenes opposite Alfred Molina crackle with the type of acerbic familial strife that reminds you why Nick Hornby is such a masterful wizard with words.
8. “The Messenger” - Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster (both incredible) star as a pair of casualty notification officers charged with the impossible task of informing loved ones that a soldier has died in action. They use their emotionally vacant approach to the job as a way to avoid confronting their own battle scars, which often manifest themselves with haunting consequences. We knew Harrelson could go for broke, but the extremes to which Foster is willing to go remain the real revelation here.
9. “Inglourious Basterds” - On one hand, Quentin Tarantino’s bloody historical revision is a Jewish revenge tale that dives into its material with irreverent glee. On the other, it’s a glorious, dialogue-driven love letter to the history of cinema that gets better with each salacious slip of the tongue. Can you go wrong either way?
10. “Antichrist” - You have to hand it to Lars von Trier for committing himself so soundly to material that most people would consider morally repugnant. He turns an ordinary weekend camping retreat into a frightening house of horrors with Charlotte Gainsbourg acting as master of mutilation ceremonies and the cinematography from Anthony Dod Mantle is as luscious as any I’ve ever seen. I challenge anyone to come up with a more chilling line than “Chaos Reigns.”
What about “Avatar?” - Despite its thinly-veiled political message and lack of sufficient plot, I found James Cameron’s latest brain child to be one of the most aesthetically arresting forms of participant observation I’ve ever experienced on screen. I’m afraid the film simply collapses under the weight of its amazing first hour and never fully recovers.
Other honorable mentions: “Paranormal Activity,” “Drag Me to Hell,” “Precious,” “This is It,” “Star Trek,” “Adventureland,” “The Hangover,” “Tyson,” “I Love You, Man,” “Coraline,” and “Gomorra.”
Worst - “Watchmen,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Angels and Demons,” and “Terminator: Salvation”
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