The Ten Best Films of 2009 That I Saw | Tragic Comedy

10: Thirst - A priest must cope with having become a vampire. It's a psychological power struggle between two outcasts with their souls on the line. Slow but very methodical in its effect; every moment matters.

9: Gran Torino - Completely predictable, but still very powerful. An old man befriends a troubled teen and teaches him what it means to be a man when lives are on the line.

8: Up - Hilarious and exuberant. Another Pixar masterpiece. The emotional punch of the opening minutes, which rivals the death of Bambi's mother, gives the later adventures a critical gravity. Great fun for all ages.

7: Push - The only movie on this list that didn't get wide critical acclaim. Superhero deconstruction tales are commonplace these days (this isn't the only one on this list), but this one was smooth and very stylish, and it charms worked on me.

6: Coraline - As good as The Nightmare Before Christmas, with bizarre fantasy visions come to life with incredible attention to detail. Children should love this tale for many years to come. It should have been released at Halloween.

5: Star Trek - Abrams figured out how to make the old series fast, cool, and fun (really fun) again. This is terrific entertainment for fans and non-fans alike, and I can't wait to see more.

4: Watchmen - Like all fans of the novel, I have a few minor quibbles with Zack Snyder's interpretation. But he preserved 95% of the incredibly rich layering of themes in this post-modern superhero epic, and that makes for one outstanding tale.

3: Revolutionary Road - Kate Winslet is the best actress of her generation, and shows why once again in this stirring drama. Leonardo Di Caprio shows a husband consumed with fear and denial. Better than Todd Haynes's Far from Heaven.

2: Ponyo - Miyazaki deserves all of the praise he gets as a master animator and storyteller. Even this minor, post-"retirement" film is a treasure. Even the tiniest details are crafted with loving attention.

1: Nothing but the Truth - Rod Lurie fictionalizes the Valerie Plame scandal and crafts another riveting political drama in which a heroine won't sacrifice her principles no matter how much she pays for it. This is a bracing criticism of Americans who traded their values (and common decency) for perceived security during the Bush administration, and Kate Beckinsale plays the Christ figure who suffers for all of them. Very powerful and thought-provoking stuff.

The Full List

It ruled: Nothing But the Truth, Ponyo, Revolutionary Road, Watchmen, Star Trek, Coraline, Push, Up, Gran Torino, Thirst, Sunshine Cleaning, Adventureland, Angels & Demons.

It was ok: Sherlock Holmes, The Men Who Stare at Goats, The Time Traveler's Wife, The Soloist, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chocolate, Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach, Surrogates, Knowing, Chandni Chowk to China, Tales of the Black Freighter.

It sucked: Paper Heart, Fanboys, Under the Hood.

Six Replies to The Ten Best Films of 2009 That I Saw

Jackie Mason | January 2, 2010
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Amy Austin | January 2, 2010
Uhura... and that was indeed one of the best character developments. I hardly think the casting could have been any better.

Lori Lancaster | January 3, 2010
[hidden by author request]

Jackie Mason | January 21, 2010
[hidden by author request]

Scott Horowitz | November 11, 2010
I know this is late... but Fanboys was awesome!!!

Scott Hardie | November 12, 2010
I really wanted to like it. I was sympathetic to what it was trying to do. It just didn't pull it off for me. :-\

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