Given the Pavlovian salivation over the wildly overrated Up In The Air sweeping the world at the moment, here's a list of films that will surely falter in its shadow at the awards dais yet will continue to appreciate over time. They may not all have trendy, zeitgeist-capturing themes but these ten titles all made 2009 a truly great year to visit cinemas.
Quentin Tarantino's homage to spaghetti westerns as seen through the lens of World War II is pure cinema genius. Sure, Brad Pitt's screen-time doesn't equal what the trailers promised, but there's so much more going on here than just his Basterds and their violent ways. Not only did Tarantino have the balls to use war as fantasy wish-fulfillment, but he delivered his ultimate tribute to cinema - that films can empower, inspire and inform, and in this case physically destroy The Third Reich! On top of this (much like good crème) rests Christoph Waltz's revelatory performance. It's a bingo!
2. Star Trek
Hollywood golden boy J.J. Abrams proved he had the alchemical gifts to revive the wheezing Star Trek franchise, delivering this exquisitely scripted reboot about the early days of Kirk and Spock. However, no amount of flashy effects and realistic lens flaring would have amounted to more than a pile of Horta poop without the insanely talented main cast. The whole thing somehow managed to invoke the spirit of the original series without ever resorting to outright imitation. A sheer blast of thought-provoking fun, it was the summer's anti-Transformers.
3. Anvil! The Story Of Anvil
A documentary that proves reality is far, far stranger than fiction, this story of forgotten Canadian thrash metal pioneers Anvil delivers laughs, tears and enough inspiration to make viewers jump out of their seats and scream "Yeah!" Some may only appreciate its "real life Spinal Tap" vibe and the cartoonish behavior of vocalist/guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow, but there's a poignant underlying message about old fashioned stick-to-itiveness and never giving up on the rock and roll dream.
4. Coraline
Stop motion animator Henry Selick's The Nightmare Before Christmas is now a modern American classic, and this gorgeous adaptation of Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel is sure to join its ranks. A quirky, dark tale of an alienated young girl working out her familial issues in a creepy alternate dimension, Coraline hits all of the right buttons and begs for multiple viewings. Sadly, it may be some time before the intricately layered 3D theatrical exhibition can be fully experienced again.
5. The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson's heart wrenching adaptation of the best-selling novel rankled critics and fans alike, despite the fact that it's a powerfully moving, emotionally devastating work of art. Slated for its computer generated fantasy sequences (which echo similar yet heavily praised moments in 1994's Heavenly Creatures) and a lack of sex and violence, this honest telling of a young girl abducted and murdered in 1970s Pennsylvania punches the solar plexus thanks to gripping performances from Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg and a creepy-eyed Stanley Tucci.
6. District 9
Apartheid commentary aside, this socially aware science fiction actioner from newcomer Neill Blomkamp rules because it takes a wholly unlikeable character and transforms him (physically and mentally) into someone and something that audiences can root for. The wimpy protagonist Wikus and his violent journey through alien slums in South Africa comes to life through spot-on writing and staggeringly realistic special effects.
7. Public Enemies
It's going to take some time for Michael Mann's simmering retelling of John Dillinger's brushes with the FBI to catch on. Having Johnny Depp's name on the marquee certainly helped publicize the film, but it also set up false promises. When ticket-buyers found a strangely digital looking tale of coolness, romance and subtlety over manic Captain Sparrow-isms and sustained Tommy Gun blasts, they quickly jumped ship. Still, this richly detailed crime onion gets better and deeper with every peeling.
8. UP
2009 was surely the year of the insanely effective opening montage sequence. From Watchmen to X-Men Origins: Wolverine to this whimsical Pixar fantasy, the art of telling stories without words seemed to have spread like wildfire. This hyper-nostalgic, surprisingly adult tale of crusty balloonist Carl Fredricksen and his begrudging association with the younger set (both human and animal) soared on charm and a smattering of Hayao Miyazaki-style oddness.
9. I Love You, Man
Slappa da bass, mon! While The Hangover gathered most of the "funniest film of the year" accolades, this bromance featuring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel was even funnier. It's a simple tale of Rudd's friendless real estate salesman looking to score a best man for his impending wedding, but its loose format (and the undeniable chemistry shared by its leading men) scores big time. Plus, it featured Rush and introduced "Joben" and "Totes McGotes" into cinema-goers' vocabularies.
10. Drag Me To Hell
This return to form from director Sam Raimi came out of nowhere, single-handedly reconnecting his severed ties to early exploitation fare like the Evil Dead trilogy. Alison Lohman and Justin Long are great in this powerhouse horror comedy about a mousy bank loan officer forced to deal with a gypsy curse. It features surprisingly complex characters and also manages to force some serious scares into daytime scenes. Welcome back, Sam!
Of course there were many more good to great features out there, from character-driven pieces (like The Hurt Locker, The Road and The Great Buck Howard) and historical epics (like Defiance and John Woo's Red Cliff) to deft romantic comedies such as The Proposal and Adventureland. Not to mention Nic Cage's gonzo performance in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Liam Neeson's violent turn in Taken and Seth Rogen's dark Travis Bickle-as-security-guard role in Observe and Report. Bravo, 2009!
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