Ben's Top Ten of 2009

It has been a busy, movie-filled holiday season for yours truly. At last estimate, I've watched about 30 films over the last month or so in an attempt to craft my list of the top 10 of '09. Some have been a little difficult to sit through (I'm looking at you, The Edge of Love), but it's been a really enjoyable experience overall. Like Robert, I haven't seen every movie I wanted to before I posted this list, but I think I've gotten a pretty good grasp of the best of the last year. So, without further ado...

Honorable mention: Avatar

Ok, almost no more ado. James Cameron and his visual effects team have crafted arguably the best overall moviegoing experience of the last decade (at least). The groundbreaking CG and motion-capture work are all put together into a final product that is easily one of the most visually stunning movies I have ever seen, and it is for these reasons I felt it should be included here. While the stock characters and predictable plot of "Avatar" kept it out of my top ten, it remains an achievement in visual filmmaking; there is no denying that the iconic director has created something special here that will impact F/X work for years to come.

10. The Hurt Locker

The former Mrs. James Cameron isn't too shabby a director herself. Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" is among the most honest war movies in recent memory, and is even more notable for its focus on character before action. The audience is given a thoughtful look inside the minds of those soldiers who put it all on the line in the most dangerous and extreme circumstances, the result being a realistic, highly memorable story of the lasting consequences of war and the physical and psychological scars it leaves.

9. Up in the Air

I wonder if "Up in the Air" would have resonated so strongly with audiences had it been released during any other economic climate. Nevertheless, with a seamless mix of humor and emotion, Reitman's film reflects the timeless necessity to establish connections with those around us, reminding us that these, and not our lifestyles or professions, are what make us human.

8. A Serious Man

I think my expectations for Ethan and Joel's newest movie were too high going in, and that's why "A Serious Man" isn't higher on my list. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed (as much as one can enjoy a film with so many depressing moments) this powerful examination of the antiquity of organized religion, the value (or perhaps lack thereof) of integrity, and the meaninglessness of our actions in the grand scheme. A dark comedy in every sense of the phrase, "A Serious Man" represents another solid entry in the Coen Brothers' filmography.

7. Moon

"Moon" is the rare sci-fi movie that uses special effects as a supplement to, rather than a distraction from, the development of character. Director Duncan Jones prompts his audience to consider questions of identity, purpose, and scientific ethics that are all made that much more potent and, in a sense, frightening, when placed against the stark, desolate backdrop of the moon base on which the entire film takes place. In addition, Sam Rockwell gives a career performance, proving that he has the chops to carry a movie all by himself (literally).

6. The Hangover

Easily the funniest movie of the year, not to mention the highest-earning R-rated comedy in history. There are some great laugh-out-loud moments to be found here: from the "lone wolf" blood brothers speech on the roof of a Vegas hotel to the riotous series of pictures that roll during the ending credits, "The Hangover" rarely lets up on the humor. Hell, even the soundtrack is great, something that all too often goes by the wayside when it comes to comedies.

5. Goodbye Solo

A very under the radar film, "Goodbye Solo" is a touching story of two men: one whose unwavering optimism does not permit him to give up on his life and his dreams, and one who has lived long enough to abandon that same positive outlook and is simply seeking to end life on his own terms. The journey their companionship takes towards mutual understanding is powerful to watch, and the message the film leaves you with as the credits roll is one you'll remember.

4. Up

Pixar has done it again. "Up" transcended its status as "animated movie" and gave us a funny, lighthearted, yet surprisingly powerful reminder to live life to the best of our abilities even when we think we've lost everything that mattered. I've been a big fan of Pixar since "Toy Story," and it's good to see they're still able to create touching stories and incredibly memorable characters.

3. Precious

Talk about a tough movie to watch (and I mean that in the best possible way). As horror after horror befalls the title character, we in the audience begin to marvel at her resiliency. Even the best of us would crumble if we had to endure half of what Precious experiences, yet she continually rises above. Featuring former UPN mainstay Mo'Nique in arguably the best performance by an actress this year (I'm as amazed to be writing that statement as you probably are to be reading it, but it's absolutely true), "Precious" is a heartbreaking yet inspirational film that shows us any tragedy can be overcome.

2. District 9

Neill Blomkamp's directorial debut was, for me, the surprise film of the year. "District 9" is a poignant, engaging sci-fi take on social class struggles and disenfranchisement had me riveted from beginning to end. Top-notch special effects combined with a compelling narrative make this one of the best 2009 had to offer. For my more in-depth review click here.

1. Inglourious Basterds

Wow. If one word could sum up my feelings about Tarantino's latest, that would be it. Wow. I just recently rewatched "Inglourious Basterds" in preparation for writing this list, and from the opening scene on the LaPadite dairy farm to the final shot of the film as we stare into the faces of Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine and B.J. Novak's PFC Utivich, I was mesmerized. The deftness with which Tarantino creates prolonged moments of tension brilliantly interwoven with humor and supremely clever dialogue is simply astounding.

And every other supplemental element of the film is just as well executed. The music cues - with the revamped, eerie take on "Fur Elise" that RG singled out being the most memorable - are absolutely spot on. The camera work in what are perhaps the two most pivotal scenes in the film - the opening at the LaPadite farm and the bar scene towards the middle of the narrative - provides the viewer with excruciatingly intense build-ups to what we know will be a memorable payoff in each instance. And all of this is to say nothing of the performances. While Brad Pitt is certainly the most recognizable face in the film, he is overshadowed by leaps and bounds by both Christoph Waltz, whose Nazi Colonel Hans Landa is as much despicably evil psychopath as he is charismatic connoisseur of languages and strudel, and Melanie Laurent, who plays Shosanna Dreyfus with a cold exterior that barely masks the anger and heartbreak the war has caused her (Laurent's scene with Waltz discussing the security of her theater as the latter eats the aforementioned strudel is, in my opinion, her standout moment in the film).

A triumph in all respects, "Inglourious Basterds" is a visceral revenge fantasy that satisfies its audience's need for violence and brilliant dialogue in a way that only a Quentin Tarantino film can.