The year of the “blah” produced some pretty good movies

I look back at last year’s list and conclude that 2009 was a good year for film.  I think directors wanted to leave the decade with a bang. So we had funny frat-boy films like The Hangover and spectacular productions like Avatar.  And don’t forget the little movie that surprised everyone—The Blind Side.  Sandra Bullock seems to be getting some attention for it.

My top 10 movies of 2009 are not the top films picked by critics.  Why waste my time when you can type in “Top Films of 2009” and get the same lists over and over again.  Instead, these are the movies I enjoyed.  These are the movies I remember.  They haunt me.

10

*Lightbulb—Director: James Ballsmeyer, Stars: Dallas Roberts and Jeremy Renner

I originally picked Julie and Julia as my number ten but quickly changed my mind when I remembered this film.

Lightbulb is a small film. Based on a true story, inventor Matt struggles to create the next best as-seen-on-tv product.  This underdog tale is understated, but powerful.  And the performances by Roberts and Renner are what put this film on my top ten list.

9

It’s Complicated—Director: Nancy Meyers, Stars: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin

Nancy Meyers can do no wrong.  She always surprises me. Shame on me for expecting a cheesy romance film!  Instead expect a funny, witty story that even men can enjoy.

Streep plays a divorced woman.  Baldwin plays her ex-husband who falls in love with her.

Sound simple? Yes, but hilarious and an interesting spin.

Hilarious!

8

Inglorious Basterds—Director Quentin Tarantiono, Stars: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Eli Roth

My man QT is a legend for a reason. When he gets an idea for a story you may call him crazy, but I call him genius.

Basterds is an anti-Nazi dream. What would have happened if a group of Jewish soldiers killed the top men in Hitler’s army (maybe including Hitler)?  We find out in this bloody spaghetti western.  The only downside is Brad Pitt. Nough said!

7

Star Trek—Director J.J. Abrams, Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Zaldana, Eric Bana, Simon Pegg and Lenard Nimoy

I’m not a fan of the series but I’ve always enjoyed the movies.  I’ve always enjoyed Abrams’ work.  He’s the master of giving us the substantive bang. 

This Star Trek takes us to the beginning of it all.  How Spock met and befriended Captain Kirk (before he was a captain); how Uhura landed on the Starship Enterprise; and where the phrase “beam me up Scotty” came from.  It’s exciting and refreshing.

Thank you Mr. Abrams!

6

District 9—Director: Neill Blomkamp, Starring: People you don’t know

It took me like 45 minutes to figure out what was going on.  I didn’t like the main character.  Mostly because he had a funny name.  Wikus Van De Merwe. But, whoa, as minute 46 came rollin’ around I began to see the genius of this film.

Wikus is a funny name, but the aliens he has to baby-sit are not funny.  In fact, they are damn scary!  The plot: a group of aliens land in Johannesburg, Africa, a really ugly place.  But the aliens and humans try to co-exist.  There is some political undertone but it’s done really well.

No big name actors. Produced by Peter Jackson.

5

Up in the Air—Director: Jason Reitman, Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman and J.K. Simmons

Ahhh, Jason Reitman. One of my favorite movies ever is Thank You for Smoking.  If I could be any director, it would be him.  He gets it.

Up in the Air is about a guy who lives up there for a living.  Up there, meaning the friendly skies.  A business man who spends most of his time collecting miles than living a real life.

It’s funny because Clooney is so good at playing the cynical guy that fires people. Scary how good he is.  But Clooney finally makes a movie good enough for me.

4

Avatar—Director: James Cameron, Stars: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Rodriguez and Giovanni Ribisi

We all knew it would be ridiculously CGed.  We knew it would be epic.

James Cameron is back and in 3D and in IMAX and in your Happy Meal.

Worthington plays Jake a paraplegic soldier who is given a chance to walk again by usurping an Avatar body. In return, Jake has to study the natives that live on the alien planet.  The bad guys are trying to mine a precious rock/mineral for a big evil corporation.

Zaldana plays a hot native (and my husband swears you can see her nipples).  Weaver is a cranky scientist.

This movie was great but I’m only putting it at the top because of the visual achievement.  The blatant attack at the U.S.military turned me off.  Okay, I get it J.C.; you hate the military and big evil corporations.  Though somehow I don’t think he hates 20^th Century Fox or Sony (the folks who created the badass cameras that allowed himto make the movie he dreamed of). 

**3

My Suicide—Director: David Lee Miller, Stars: Gabriel Sunday, David Carradine, Brook Nevin and Meriel Hemmingway

It’s so sad that this movie did not get the attention it deserved.  I wasn’t expecting any thing and I was blown away (no pun intended).  David Lee Miller deserves an Oscar for this masterpiece.

Gabriel Sunday is Archibald Williams a media obsessed teen who really can’t take it anymore.  There is too much going on in his head.  So he decides to make the ultimate video for a school project.  Yes, kiddies, he decides to document his suicide.

This movie is so edgy, raw, truthful, surprising…I can’t say enough about it. You think you know what’s going to happen? No, you will never guess. 

The actors are unreal. The story is intense and the best part is the editing.  I don’t know how they had the patience to edit this thing.  But if your goal in life is to be a film editor, this movie is a must see!

Also note one of David Carradine’s last performances.

 **2

Moon—Director: Duncan Jones, Stars: Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey

Sometimes a film-lover can get distracted with all the big blockbuster CG movies.  But once in a while a sci-fi thriller comes along that is story and character driven.  That movie in 2009 is Moon.

Sam Bell’s (Rockwell) job is to help harvest energy from the moon.  But not until he crashes his moon vehicle, he begins to understand the truth about the moon harvesting program.  This is a philosophical and psychological thriller.  Rockwell is at his best and Kevin Spacey’s voice is adorable.

And here’s a story for you. My photographer and I almost jumped out of a moving car in Austin to talk to Jones.  But we thought aboutit too hard and missed the opportunity. It’s probably a good thing we didn’t though.  He might have been scared of the two crazy American chicks. 

 *1

The Hurt Locker—Director: Katherine Bigelow, Stars: Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and Anthony Mackie

I called it at AFI.  I said Katherine Bigelow will get an Oscar for this one.  Just wait. She is already getting a lot of buzz.

Bigelow puts all other war movies to shame.  And this from a person who does not particularly like the genre. 

Renner plays Sgt. William James a man with a dangerous job.  He disarms bombs for the military.  He wears a special (heavy) suite like that’s any kind of protection.  He’s also an adrenaline junkie.

The beauty of this movie is that it’s not political.  You don’t get beat over the head with an agenda like most war movies.  Instead Bigelow is like a video journalist.  She tells you a story by documenting the lives of these soldiers.  There is no music.  There is no feel-good or fluff.  And the tension is thick.  I was sweating and really lost myself.  I cried.

Again, Renner’s performance is A-list caliber.  And he should be nominated as well. 

Bigelow deserves the attention, not because she’s an outstanding female director, but because she told the best story of the year.

 --Bigelow is US Critic's Top Director

**Screened at South By Southwest Film Festival, Austin

*Screened at AFI International Film Festival, Dallas