2009 A Year in Film The Belgian comedy, "A Town Called Panic" was just one of several stellar animated features to be released on the year. Remembrances The decade closes on a high note. 2009 offered a lot of gems, which made it difficult to make a top 20 (It’s tough to squeeze 30+ favorite films into a list of 20). Box office wise, there was a lot of money to be made. I can’t find any mention of it being a record breaking year, but 7 of its films are among the top 50 moneymakers of all time, with the #1 moneymaker overall (Avatar)
It was a solid season for animation across the globe: The Secret of the Kells, Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, and A Town Called Panic, made my top 20. Coralline (based on a story by Neil Gaiman), the fun 3D flick, Monsters vs. Aliens and Miyazaki’s Ponyo were honorable mentions. Pixar offered the Oscar winning Up, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs became one of Torgo’s favorites and there was another Ice Age flick,
though I never cared for that popular franchise. Also the under whelming Astro Boy, from the finanically troubled Imagi studios (Producers of TMNT).
It’s was also a good year for the ladies 09 gave us great flicks about young women coming of age.
An Education and Fishtank were drawing from the same well (one upper class, one lower). 2 films –
The Exploding Girl and Flickan (the Girl)- didn’t offer a lot of story, and simply followed their female protagonists through a moment in their lives. I was also fond of two bios – Jane Campion’s
Bright Star (about the romance between Fanny Brawne and John Keats) and
Young Victoria (with Emily Blunt playing the famous Queen).
Amy Adams sparkled with 2 first-rate performances in Sunshine Cleaning and Julie and Julia. Each of the women she portrayed in these films had their unlikeable qualities - and there’s an honesty in this that I appreciate. While Amy can be delightfully effervescent, she is also able to convey something deeper and fuller. Yes, I enjoyed Meryl Streep’s joyous turn as Julia Child (she was spot on as the famous chef. Funny and likeable, with a bigger than life personality). But It was Amy’s touch of human frailty as Julie that equally impressed.
2009 saw the first Oscar awarded to a female director. Only 4 ladies have ever received Oscar nominations in this category: Italy’s Lina Wertmüller in 1976 for "Seven Beauties." - New Zealand's Jane Campion for the "Piano" in 1993. And Sofia Coppola (the first American) in 2003 for "Lost in Translation". While I felt that Kathryn Bigelow’s
Hurt Locker went on a tad too long and hashed over the same bits (a segment at the base, followed by tense scene where our lead does something reckless- is repeated over and over until it loses impact). Regardless, I think it worked more often than not – the film was bolstered by a strong finishing act and an electrifying performance from Jeremy Renner.
Bigelow’s ex, Director
James Cameron made his return in a huge way with the box office mega-smash,
Avatar. While some didn’t care for the gooey earthy spiritualism --- it was nevertheless, a visually sumptuous 3D film - Groundbreaking in its depth and clarity. Cameron had explored this imagery avenue previously with his 3D IMAX documentary about the Titanic. Which was also an amazing looking picture.
Additional Directors notes: The perpetually adolescent Quentin Tarantino offers up the
Inglourious Basterds. His fantasy on how Hitler should have been dealt with is met with mostly cheers. Sam Raimi made many fans happy with his return to horror with
Drag me to Hell.. 2 movies that caused much concern and debate among fanboys (and girls): JJ Abrahms updated
Star Trek and Zach Snyder dared to tackle the iconic
Watchmen. France’s Claude Charbrol directs his final film - the staid mystery,
Inspector Bellamy. Chabrol will pass away September 12th, 2010 at the age of 80.
Drew Barrymore charmed with her directorial debut,
Whip It. While David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones made his impressive feature film début with,
Moon Popular books: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, is adapted in Denmark, and Spike Jonze brings
Where the Wild Thing Are to live action. And 3 of the top 10 box office champs were based on novels. Harry Potter, a new Twilight and Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons.
Playing with toys: Transformers return and
G.I. Joe storms the big screens. Me, I liked the large sized Joes of my youth and would have preferred a movie where the characters had flocked hair and handy kung-fu grip.
Security! Mall cops were the focus in two films, with each going down a different path,
Paul Blart was lighthearted and dumb,
Observe and Report with Seth Rogan was a mean spirited black comedy. Bah - None of these clowns could hold a candle to that bushy browed gentleman in Hobgoblins.
For a super freak-out check out Gaspar Noé's trippy look at the afterlife,
Enter the Void. The movie made the film fest circuit in 09. I foud it overlong, lingered on strobing shots more than it should have. And FYI , it's loaded with sexual imagry. But if your looking for a mind-f***, it fits the bill.
Cinematic titan of the year:George Clooney sure has come a long way from that bobble-headed fool who played Batman. In 09 he gave three amazing performances. The quick talking hatchet man in "Up In The Air" showed off his dramatic prowess, while his voice work in the "Fantastic Mr. Fox" allowed him to flex his comedic muscles. Providing a mix of both skills was his Zen master psychic in the fanciful "The Men Who Stare at Goats". All 3 were among my favorite flicks of the year.
2009 top moneymakers:#1 Avatar, #2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, #3 Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaurs, #4 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, #5 2012, #6 Up, #7 Twilight: New Moon, #8 Sherlock Holmes, #9 Angels and Demons, #10 The Hangover
Other noted releases: (for good or bad) Mother and Child, Bad Lieutenant, District 9, A Serious Man, Taken, Push, Knowing, 17 Again, Wolverine, Terminator Salvation, Public Enemies, The Informant, Invictus, The Road, Pineapple Express, Antichrist
Critically praised indie, arty, foreigny fare:White Matter, The Damned United, Altiplano, Everyone Else, White Ribbon, Dogtooth, The Father of my Children, Ajami, In the Loop, The Maid, Bronson, Ricky
Events:Oscar pushed the Best Picture nomanees to 10, a year too late for the Dark Knight. Hurt Locker wins for Best Picture and best director (Kathryn Bigelow). Best Actor/Actress was Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart) and Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side); Supporting wins went to Christopher Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) and Mo'Nique (Precious)
Those who passed: Brittany Murphy, Patrick Swayze, Edward Woodward, Robert Ginty, John Hughes, Karl Malden, David Carradine, Farrah Fawcett, Natasha Richardson, Ricardo Montalban
9/09 Zooey Deschanell marries Death Cab For Cutie front man, Ben Gibbard
I’ve read in a few movie blogs n’ forums that 2009 was a weak season. But I’m listing nearly 40 favorites, the most of any year in the decade. Something went right somewhere.
My Top 20 +1. The Secret of KellsA boy attempts to preserve and protect the wisdom found in a sacred book. Kells is the freshets, most exciting animated feature I’ve seen since Miyazaki produced the one/two punch of Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away --- The animation is 2 dimensional, stylized to look like the Gaelic art found in the actual book of Kells. The colors are beautiful; the details are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also incorporate Irish history and imagery (the snowflakes are Celtic symbols- visual allusions to St. Patrick vs. Crom are seen). The lush, magical scenes in the forest with Aisling the wolf-girl are my favorite moments both artistically and story-wise. Also: The voices don’t come from Hollywood and have that genuine Irish lilt.
If you’re an Irishman like me and cherish your Irish history and folklore this is a must see. And if you love animation for the sake of the animation alone… ditto
2. The Secret in Their EyesThis Argentinean production won the best foreign film Oscar. It opens with a man penning beautiful words about a woman. He gets frustrated, crumples up the paper and continues writing a description that is more stirring than the last. He crumples this up as well and then suddenly something terrible intrudes on his memory - and the juxtaposition of great beauty and great ugliness is jarring. It’s one of the most powerful opening sequences I’ve ever seen in a movie. The man -we soon discover- is a retired criminal investigator, haunted by an old case. In addition to the detective story, the film is also about love: Having regrets about it, being haunted by it, being consumed by it. This is a film that hits me where I live, because I enjoy mysteries and love stories, (not soap opera love stories but) mature ones that examine both the beauty and hurt that can encapsulate love.
3. An EducationThis features some of the most sparkling dialog I’ve ever heard and the performances are rich with depth and vibrancy. A callback to the British coming of age stories of the 60s (which I've always enjoyed), I was charmed by Jenny and felt her awakening and heartbreak to my core. This is a story that lingers long after it’s over. Superb cast includes Alfred Molina and Peter Sarsgaard - and while Sandra in the Blind Side was everyone’s darling, I feel Carey Mulligan should have won the Oscar. Oh, and great title sequence too.
4. Up In The AirGeorge Clooney is a guy without ties, who flies across the States just to fire people. Funny and moving - it too was a film that stayed with me. It’s one that will mean different things to different people, but like how critic Jonathan Romney summed it:
"Up In The Air is as eloquent about today's executive culture as The Apartment was about that of 1960. It is a brutal, desolate film – but also a superb existential rom-com, and the most entertaining lesson in contemporary socio-economics that you could hope for." As with other Jason Reitman flicks, the title sequence is great (didn’t I just say that about the last film?)
5. Two LoversThis popped up briefly in theaters in Feb, faded away before I could catch it, and didn’t seem to make much of a splash with viewers (I’ve never heard it discussed in forums I’ve frequented). Director James Gray presents a smart, well-written movie about a depressed guy named Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) who becomes involved with 2 women. Gwyneth Paltrow is great as a screwed up gal who has Leonard twisted in knots. But it’s Phoenix, with those dark haunted eyes -and who does squirrelly so well, that’s absolutely spot on.
6. The Girlfriend ExperienceBeing a fan of Stephen Soderbergh’s experimental films can be like being on an island, or part of an idiosyncratic small club. What seems to exasperate certain folks, delights me. The Underneath? Critically drubbed… I loved it. Same deal with the Good German, and the GFE, which really polarized critics.
The story concerns the life of an escort. But GFE has no linear plot. It’s like a documentary - it zips back and forth, future to past and back again. Its lead actress (former porn star Sasha Grey) is rather non-expressive and only briefly opens up and shows her real self, but that’s exactly what she supposed to be – it adds to the mystery of who she is and why she does what she does (something she might not fully understand herself). It has no true ending, it has this side plot about the economy, it leaves plot threads unresolved… it’s the kind of movie I should be so frustrated with that I hate it – and yet I was completely mesmerized by it all. Held in thrall, I was never bored, never actually frustrated by the pacing or jagged narrative.
7. Fantastic Mr. FoxQuirky Wes Anderson meets Roald Dahl? What a match made in heaven. Mr. Fox takes on 3 farmers and all curse breaks out. Arguably Anderson’s funniest film, and the voice work from George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Bill Murray, is stellar. Co-written with Noah Baumbach (Greenberg). It seems the only time I like Noah is when he works with Wes (see “The Life Aquatic”).
8: Star Trek J.J. Abrams successfully injects much needed “zing” into the sagging franchise and updates the series in a way that is refreshing, but doesn’t trample on history. The story here is nerve-racking, emotional, funny - and the characters as colorful as the originals. Zachary Quinto is about as good a Spock as you could hope for, and Karl Urban is a delight as Bones. But everyone is wonderful, right down to the tortured villain played by Eric (Hulk) Bana.
9. Sin NombreA young woman trying to reach the border to enter into America crosses paths with a Mexican gang member on the run. The story, both subtle and nail biting, paints an absorbing portrait of gang culture. Though I felt the figure of the father was slighted a bit, I understand the need to focus on our main characters – who are two fully realized figures that give the picture its humanity. This powerful film from Cary Fukunaga (making his feature length debut) can be grim but is also touching and hopeful.
10. (500) Days of SummerA romantic comedy, but not in the traditional sense, as the couple here don’t have a happy ever after. The film is wise, funny and heartbreaking as it shifts back and forth through moments in the relationship. Marc Webb’s direction is clever without coming off showoffy; he uses split screens and fantasy elements to capture his characters -primarily Tom’s- state of mind. Losing someone you love is a killer and the film illustrates that well, but at the end it also promises a season after summer.
11. Whip ItEllen Page in another delightful small film. Drew Barrymore directs this one and while it’s not very original and completely predicable, there’s so much charm and spirit that I don’t give a damn and loved it anyway. Page plays a gal who doesn’t really know what she wants or where she fits in this world… until she dons skates and joins the Roller Derby.
12. Broken EmbracesThe great Pedro Almodóvar strikes again. Embraces is a movie that radiates with a deep abiding love for film, it is a thread that runs throughout its story of heartbreak and secrets. The premise: A director falls for an actress who is involved with a jealous, and spiteful, older man. The movie bears the distinct markings of an Almodóvar feature (brightly colored, striking cinematography). But this time Pedro evokes the spirit of Hitchcock. The music, mood and camera work -especially during the telling of the mystery- reminds me of Hitch.
Scores of critics consider this lesser Almodóvar, but I don't agree. The sharing of the secret at the end was a bit limp. But other than that, the film is another thought provoking and artistic gem from the director.
13. The WatchmenA stunning adaptation of the classic comic book - Snyder's take, while it stumbles with its narrative (improved upon in the director’s cut), is a thematic and technical marvel. It doesn't follow the book verbatim (and some of that is an improvement, as with ditching the finish with the squid) but the socio-political slant, and the dissecting of comic book archetypes remains. As do the strong cast of characters. The guy who steals every scene he’s in is Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
As for the controversy (for some fans, Watchmen was un-filmable) - there isn’t one in my mind. A comic book can do things a movie can’t, but the printed page has its own limits. I like that we can hear the quoted music, see the shifting designs on Rorschach’s mask and the powerful combination of sight and sound when Dr. Manhattan’ enters the Vietnam war.
14. Adam“Hugh Dancy's elegant performance as a man with Asperger's Syndrome elevates Adam, an offbeat but touching romantic comedy.” (RT summary) - The film does a good job of showing how it is to live with Aspergers, it also shows Adam’s growth as he dares to venture out of his safety zone. Rose Byrne is a joy, playing someone compassionate and understanding, but with her own breaking point.
Note: While I understand why it was cut, there is one brilliantly spot on moment that is found in the deleated scenes. It’s after a disasterous time at a party and Adam cries out to his girlfriend about how NTs can seemingly read minds, if you rent the film, check out that scene. It sums up what it is like to be an aspie in a nutshell. 15: ZombielandThis is everything I was told “Shaun of the Dead” was (and wasn’t) and more. It’s wickedly funny, action packed with characters I couldn’t help but root for. Bill Murray’s cameo alone is worth the price of admission. I’m not a zombie movie guy, but this was irresistible messy fun.
16: The Messenger Ben Foster plays an Iraq war vet who is reassigned to casualty notification. Woody Harrelson is the man who trains him for the job. The film features strong performances and a poignant humanistic script. Harrelson seems kind of a callused dickweed, but underneath is a lot of insecurity and neediness. While Foster seems to be doing all he can to bottle up his own anger and hurt. He soon rejects Harrelson’s cold approach to the job and finds himself drawn to a grieving widow (Samantha Morton). Great character piece.
17: Mother When her mentally challenged son is accused of murder, a mother sets out to find the real culprit. It's from South Korea’s Joon-ho Bong (The Host) so you know it isn't going to be conventional. And at times that screwiness was a distraction. But once it settled in I found myself absorbed by the mystery.
18. Flickan (The Girl)This is one of those slow brewing Swedish art house films (with nice cinematography from the guy who did "Let the Right One In") and is about a 9-year-old girl, left home alone. There's not much story, it's an observational, character-based film. It captures the minds eye of a child’s world convincingly (the adults come off self absorbed and absurd). Young Bianca Engström is a find. She gives a sincere, understated performance.
19: Fish TankAt first I was put off by the pissed off teenager who stands at the heart of the film. I feared I was going to waste hours watching a one-dimensional jerk, do jerky things. Thankfully the story offers up more layers than that. Our protagonist is a disaffected teen who is trying to get a grip on life and only finds escape in dancing. Her mother’s an ass, that doesn’t help. But mom is dating a cool guy… or so it seems. Michael Fassbender is at his best - charismatic, easy to like, but he’s got his gray areas. And Katie Jarvis –who had never acted before- gives an uncompromisingly real performance in the lead role. Note: Criterion acquired the rights to Fish Tank, and issued a new release this summer. That’s the version to watch if you can find it.
20. A Town Called PanicBased on a Belgian TV series about a township of toys and their whacked, surreal adventures, ATCP is a riot of joy and the funniest thing I’ve seen with subtitles (for some reason I don’t find the show as funny in English. There’s something hilarious in those French accents). The movie centers on 3 roommates: Horse, Cowboy and Indian, The Cowboy toy in particular cracked me up because he doesn’t speak with a traditional western drawl – rather he talks as if he’s in a constant panic - high pitched and frantic. The movie goes all the way to 11, and after a while I admit to getting worn out. But it’s a good kind of worn out.
And – The Men Who Stare at Goats, A Prophet, Sunshine Cleaning, Timer, The Exploding Girl, Moon, Young Victoria, Bright Star, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Julie and Julia, Ponyo, Monsters vs. Aliens, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Avatar, Hurt Locker, Coraline, Last Train Home, September Issue, Air Doll