Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Top 10 of 2009

Starting at number 10 here are the best films of the year:

10. An Education by Lone Scherfig: a swift, beautiful period romantic drama that is carried with deft talent by the wonderful Carey Mulligan.

9. Avatar by James Cameron: a landmark achievement in filmmaking in terms of breathless visual wonder.

8.(500) Days of Summer by Marc Webb: a clever story of love and loss with witty dialogue and delightful performances from the leads Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

7. Away We Go by Sam Mendes: a sweet and intelligent look at love and the lengths to which it can grow between two people. Maya Rudolph and John Krasinksi carry the weight with ease.

6. District 9 by Neill Blomkamp: an original film with a striking visual style and a story that cuts to the heart about a man and his journey to redemption amidst alien apartheid.

5. Up by Pete Docter: Once again Pixar comes through with a tale of age and innocence that hits hard and still lifts you into the clouds with typical pixar glee. The first 15 minutes are some of the best on film this year.

4. A Serious Man by The Coen Brothers: a very personal tale from the brothers turns out to be their best work yet as it retells the story of Job using a pitch perfect Michael Stuhlbarg as the man in the midst of suffering.

3. A Single Man by Tom Ford: a heart wrenching story of lost love that delights in strong performances and visual splendor, a great year end film to see.

2. Inglorious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino: A truly unique film that delights in all the whimsy of storytelling while recreating the World War II drama into something pulpy and vastly entertaining.

1. Where the Wild Things Are by Spike Jonze: A soft, delicate, and yet raucous, wild film about the pains of growing up, told in a way only Spike Jonze could visualize. The best film of the year and one of the best of the decade.