The Top Ten Films of 2009

To be honest a list of the worst films of the year would have been easier – not that there haven’t been some excellent films released this year, it’s just that I feel like I’ve seen an awful lot of disappointing and downright unpleasant ones this year (Benjamin Button and Gamer are probably the worst offenders for me). It should be noted that owing to circumstances I haven’t gotten around to seeing some supposedly fantastic films released this year (the biggest omission on my part being The White Ribbon, which I’m hoping I’ll manage to catch soon), so feel free to let me know what other great titles I’ve missed in the comments section below.

1. Up

At this point in time it seems that the films Pixar release are somewhat taken for granted – each new release is expected to be excellent and they generally are, however Up really was something quite special even by their standards. Starting out with a tear-jerking prologue before moving effortlessly into a charming, witty and agenuinely exciting adventure story is no mean feat. Plus Dug is one of the greatest (and most adorable) characters in film in recent years.

2. Milk

I actually managed to catch this at the end of last year, but as it only got released in the UK in 2009, and because it’s so good I went to see it again, I figured it was worth including in this list. Having never been a fan of Sean Penn, Gus Van Sant, biopics or even gay-cinema (generally it tends to fall into preachiness or campness), the film surprised me by managing to be playful and humorous as well as ultimately incredibly moving.

3. Let The Right One In

Certainly the most tense time I spent in the cinema this year, both a beautifully handled love story and a genuinely quite upsetting horror film – particularly in covering Oskar’s school-life, which made this possibly the most savage account of childhood since Welcome To The Dollhouse

4. Moon

Although the plot was fairly predictable – in fact most of it was covered in the trailer – Moon was one of the most thought provoking sci-fi films in years. The film’s somewhat old-fashioned focus on ideas rather than action was well suited by retro effects and another great performance from Sam Rockwell.

5. Coraline

Another kid’s film released this year that was probably enjoyed more by adults (certainly many of the children in the screening I went to found it distressing) and, like Let The Right One In, another supernaturally themed account of childhood loneliness. Coraline was beautifully designed, witty and thrillingly creepy, and it made a pleasant change from the norm to have a major animated film based around a female lead.

6. In The Loop

Before agreeing to see this I wasn’t a fan of The Thick Of It, as I found it clever but not particularly funny, so I would argue that this is a rare case of a film being better than the TV series it was spun-off from (although I have since come to enjoy the series, but not as much as the film). In addition to the usual creative insults and profanities was perhaps the most intelligent treatment of the Iraq war in film yet made.

7. An Education

I’ve already reviewed this film for the site, which covered the film’s strengths in a lot more detail. So I’ll just say that it was a superbly acted, funny, tragic and ultimately uplifting take on the coming of age film.

8. Sunshine Cleaning

I can’t help but think this film was unfairly overlooked on release earlier on this year – coming out with little fanfare in the Summer months and being compared in most reviews to Little Miss Sunshine (as in addition to the similar titles, both were set in Albuquerque, shared a star in Alan Arkin and the same producers). The film’s mix of strong female characters, warmth and a macabre sense of humour really were quite irresistible.

9. Star Trek

One of the most entertaining summer blockbusters in years, possibly the best since the second Spider-Man film, Star Trek might have swapped the original series’ serious tone for thrills (something I was very happy about, speaking as a non-fan), but did realise that in order to create an entertaining action film strong characters and a good script are just as important as special effects.

10. Antichrist

I’ll need to give this another viewing when it comes out on DVD, on which it could easily move up the list (or even down) as I come to understand it more fully. All I can say about it now is that it’s an intelligent, intriguing and good-looking bit of cinema, created in interesting circumstances, which deserved better than to be discussed solely in terms of its violent content (which there wasn’t even that much of).

So now over to you, feel free to comment on my terrible/brilliant/predictable taste and talk about any films you loved (or hated) this year in the space below.