Top Ten Films of 2009

Here is my list of the best films I have seen this year. I have missed some critically acclaimed films (including Hurt Locker, Capitalism: A Love Story, An Education, Crazy Heart, Precious and Departures, among a host of others) and base this analysis on not only on artistic quality but the entertainment value of the work. So here it is . . .

1) The Soloist: A beautifully rendered story of how a friendship between a writer and a homeless musician helps both to grow. Robert Downey Jr. is exemplary and Jamie Fox continues to impress with the range of his acting skills.

2) The Invention of Lying: This film received little press or attention and was attacked vociferously by conservatives for its damning indictment of religion. The film does suffer from lack of imagination at times, envisions a dystopian world not fully explainable within the contours of the plot and ends on a formulaic note. But I believe Ricky Gervais again shine and along with Ghost Town (2008) has shown his ability to translate his skills to the big screen.

3) Inglourius Basterds: Quentin Tarantino continues to display his talent at writing gripping dialogue and creating scenes that capture the drama and nuances of human interaction. This is a Jewish wet dream that succeeds at all levels, even with Tarantino’s continuing penchant for excessive, gory violence.

4) Men Who Stare at Goats: George Clooney has had a busy year and this overlooked film by director Grant Heslov is a wonderfully sardonic satire on the military and new age absurdity. The movie is quirky and sometimes goes overboard, but has some of the funniest moments of the year and an underlying message that we should more seriously heed.

5) Watchmen: This adaption of what many consider one of the greatest graphic novels of all times (by Alan Moore) is inventive, visually stunning and provides a powerful critique of American hegemony within a sometimes convoluted plot. Definitely worth a view, even with a cheesy love story and some excessively graphic violence.

6) Drag Me to Hell: Raimi shines here in his usual mixture of gore and humor, here backed by wonderful work from the perky Alison Lohman and truly terrifying Lorna Raver (as Mrs. Ganash). The nod to the ethical conundrums of corporate America and corrupt world of commercial banking serve as a clever backdrop to a highly entertaining movie.

7) Sin Nombre: This extraordinary debut by Cary Fukunaga captures the perilous journey so many make to cross the border, intermingling human devastation and struggle with a beautifully rendered backdrop seen from atop a train traveling North toward freedom and escape.

8) A Serious Man: The latest from the Coen Brothers is a relatively muted morality tale of the struggles of a Jewish professor challenged by a series of ethical quandaries that threaten to tear his life apart. Michael Stuhlbarg does a wonderful turn as a modern-day Job, trying to do the right thing as a student attempts to bribe him, his wife starts sleeping with his best friend and the whole of his life unravels before him.

9) Avatar: Though at times cheesy in a relatively predictable and formulaic script, the film is a visual spectacle that moves the field of cinema forward (see below for full review).

10) 500 Days of Summer: This quirky romantic comedy succeeds even with clear shortcomings and failures. The indie characters are a bit too comfortable, a bit too materialistic and a bit too much like those hipsters that only play at bohemia. Yet the asynchronous narrative, the charming work of Zooey Deschanel and the nod to nerds like me that love obscure (and popular) cultural references, make it a satisfying venture.