The Best Movies of 2009 – Fort Worth Weekly

I used to do this feature on a regular basis, looking back on my Top 10 list from 10 years earlier, but that temporarily ceased after I changed computers and neglected to back up my old files onto my new laptop. However, Todd Jorgenson (the president of the DFW Film Critics Association) recently relocated his list of movies released in 2009, so now I get to resume. I give him thanks for allowing me to revive this feature. You can give him thanks or blame as you wish. I didnt consult my top 10 list from 2009, but if you want to refer to it, click here.

1) Fantastic Mr. FoxWes Anderson and Roald Dahl turned out to be a perfect match in this animated fable. No one saw the movie at the time, but Anderson got his due soon afterwards. Noah Baumbach worked on this, too something to remember this Oscar season.

2) Il DivoI wish Paolo Sorrentino were more consistent, but he turned this story about institutional corruption in his countrys government under Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti into flashy, flamboyant Italian opera. Its my favorite of his films.

3) Jennifers BodyWhat I originally pointed out as a flaw in this dark, sexy teen flick has been a key to the films cult following in the years since. Was Amanda Seyfried ever better than in this movie?

4) AdventurelandGreg Mottola was at his best and Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, and Ryan Reynolds were all near theirs in this indelible coming-of-age story revolving around a hellish summer job at an amusement park.

5) An EducationCarey Mulligan broke through in Lone Scherfigs adaptation of Lynn Barbers memoir of being seduced by a 30-something man while she was a teenager. I saw great things in the lead actress future back then, and she hasnt disappointed.

6) UpThe Pixar film would make this list just on the strength of that crushing opening sequence. The rest of this animated adventure doesnt droop, either, as it tells the story of an old man and a young kid who take a most unexpected journey.

7) ZombielandComic takes on zombie movies have become more common, which dims our appreciation of this comedys originality when it came out. Even so, the interplay among the cast of past and future Oscar nominees is still something to savor.

8) The Hurt LockerTen years later, Kathryn Bigelow is still the only woman to win an Oscar for Best Director, and so it will remain for at least another year. She well deserved her trophy, too, for this masterpiece of slow-moving angst set in the Iraq war.

9) The MaidBefore there was Roma, there was this Chilean film that Sebastin Silva dedicated to the two domestic workers who helped raise him. His story of a maid (Catalina Saavedra) close to a breakdown ends with a calm state of grace.

10) PonyoThis underwater adventure is weird even by Hayao Miyazakis standards, which is probably why it didnt draw much attention when it came out. Its worth its standing in the anime world, thanks to Miyazakis visuals and Joe Hisaishis music.

11) Up in the AirJason Reitman is in his groove in this story of a corporate shark looking for a frictionless life in his air travel. My review back in 2009 turned out to be wrong about the future direction of Reitmans career, but theres a point to the slickness of his direction.

12) Summer HoursMy favorite Olivier Assayas film (non-Kristen Stewart division), this generational drama about the life of a French vacation home and its inhabitants is solid stuff.

13) Goodbye SoloI continue to hold out hope for Ramin Bahrani. The Iranian-American filmmaker made one of his best films with this drama about a Senegalese cab driver in North Carolina. Maybe he could revisit Solo and see whether hes driving an Uber or living his dream of being a flight attendant.

14) The Damned UnitedYes, this soccer film glossed over Brian Cloughs alcoholism and racism, but it remains a compelling sports drama about Cloughs failed stint as head coach of Leeds United. It was all downhill for first-time director Tom Hooper after this.

15) (500) Days of SummerJoseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are still an irresistible couple, and this is still a highly original romantic comedy whose non-linear timeline makes it a brilliant entry into the genre.

16) CoralineNeil Gaimans novel received a properly spooky animated film version courtesy of Henry Selick and Laika Animation in the studios early palmy days.

17) BandslamThis remains an underappreciated musical that goes beyond the familiar tropes of teen movies, thanks to writer-director Todd Graff. Whatever happened to Gaelan Connell?

18) Where the Wild Things AreJames Gandolfini gave one of his greatest performances in Spike Jonzes adaptation of Maurice Sendaks book. The director brought dazzling visuals to the movie without ignoring the heart of the beloved childrens book.

19) Inglourious BasterdsWhen I first watched this, I wondered how the Basterds would screw up their mission, because they couldnt kill Hitler. Then they killed Hitler, and I laughed and laughed. Quentin Tarantinos revenge fantasy is one where movies can actually kill the Nazi regime.

20) The Headless WomanThis isnt a horror film (as the title might imply), but Lucrecia Martels unsettling disquisition about a car accident and racism in her native Argentina. The cosseted protagonist descends into mental instability while her family connections shelter her from the consequences of possibly killing a child.

Honorable mention: Lynn Sheltons Humpday; Michael Hanekes The White Ribbon; Jody Hills Observe and Report; Corneliu Porumboius Police, Adjective; Tom Fords A Single Man; Robert Siegels Big Fan; Neill Blomkamps District 9; Pedro Almodvars Broken Embraces; Stephen Frears Chri; Anna Boden and Ryan Flecks Sugar.

While Im at it, lets look at documentaries, too. Compare the list I compiled 10 years ago to this one.

1) The Beaches of AgnsThis was supposed to be the last film of the late Agns Varda, but she turned out to have more films in her. Still, this look back on her life is a stunning opus.

2) The CoveDocumentaries always get extra points for effecting change in the world, and Louie Psihoyos graphic documentation of whale massacres caused international incidents and lowered attendance at SeaWorld.

3) Passing StrangeSpike Lee is a great documentarian, and one of his best films was this witnessing of the last performance of the Off Broadway musical, which deserves a better reputation.

4) Afghan StarA contestant on Afghanistans version of Pop Idol starts singing, and men watching her on TV say shes really good. Then she removes her hijab and starts dancing, and those same men say she should be killed. Havana Marking examines how fraught it is to dance and sing in a theocracy.

5) Anvil! The Story of AnvilOne of the seminal bands of heavy metal music find it hard going decades later, not only because of recurring trends but because of lead singer Steve Kudlows temper.

6) Of Time and the CityTerence Davies must be the only Liverpudlian who hates the Beatles. Still, the director of remarkable fiction films (The House of Mirth, Sunset Song) delivers a moving tribute to his hometown.

7) Good HairChris Rock and Jeff Stilson might have gone deeper on the political implications of African-American hairdos, but they still give an informative glimpse on the history of black peoples relationship with their hair.

8) Every Little StepAmong other things, this Broadway documentary about a production of A Chorus Line brings home just how emotionally draining it is to listen to 50 actors deliver the same teary monologue. Like the song says, Kiss today goodbye and point me toward tomorrow.

9) Youssou NDour: I Bring What I LoveThe legendary Senegalese musician is profiled by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (whod later go on to win an Oscar for Free Solo). His pleas for tolerance both within and on behalf of Islam make for inspiring viewing.

10) Act of GodJennifer Baichwals documentary interviewing people who have been struck by lightning occasionally comes near to the mystical experience that her subjects describe.

Honorable mention: Kenny Ortegas This Is It; Michael Moores Capitalism: A Love Story; Morgan Dews Must Read After My Death; Robert Kenners Food Inc.; Lee Chung-ryouls Old Partner; R.J. Cutlers The September Issue; Davis Guggenheims It Might Get Loud; Anders stergaards Burma VJ.

See original here:
The Best Movies of 2009 - Fort Worth Weekly

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero