10. “A Single Man”
An incredibly elegant and moving look at emotional devastation via loss, former Gucci fashion designer Tom Ford‘s debut feature-film resembles the work of a filmmaker midway through a consistent career, not the work of a newb just out of the starting gate. And Colin Firth — an actor who never quite fully impressed previously — is outstanding as a dead man walking; a teacher reeling from the death of his male lover. It’s a splendidly crafted, immaculately detailed film that thankfully doesn’t trade style over substance and soul.
9. “Anvil! The Story Of Anvil”
Yeah, Sacha Gervasi‘s metalhead documentary about loveably lunkheaded Canadian metal heads Anvil was included in our best of 2008 list, but technically came out this year. The doc is so good and affecting that even if you loathe metal and are intolerant of loser schlubs, I daresay you will still love this winning, touching and funny documentary to death. It’s a tribute to brotherhood and the well-worn resilience required in the face of massive adversity in order to keep chasing your dreams.
8. “A Serious Man”
An inscrutable treasure from the Coen Brothers. If you thought the ending of “No Country For Old Men” was puzzling but breathtaking, then the awe-inspiring conclusion of this suburban, comedic drama about universal punishment will leave your jaw on the floor. Michael Stuhlburg puts in a breakthrough performance as the loyal husband and devout Jewish father trying to be a good man, but is still punished by the universe at every turn. The film also features one of the most puzzling prologues of any film this year. It’s the Coen Brothers’ modern-day “Barton Fink,” an odd but wonderful puzzle that likely will be studied for ages.
7. “Bright Star”
Jane Campion returns to her element — the romance period piece — with stunning results. Abbie Cornish has always been good, but here she’s commanding and outstanding — she carries this lovely film (the cinematography, music and general aesthetics are exquisitely crafted). However, its greatest strength is its delicate carefulness, as if you can feel porcelain fingers move and eyelashes flutter. Campion conveys the butterflies flush of emotion in your stomach and the crestfallen rush of heartache devastatingly.
6. “The Hurt Locker”
Kathryn Bigelow‘s ‘Hurt Locker’ is a kind of reverse action film. While heart-pounding detonations go off and shots are fired, this film, set during the conflict in Iraq, is actually more powerful for the action that doesn’t happen. Defusing bombs is the name of the game for enlisted adrenaline junkies who get off on handling live wires — damn if there has been an “action film” this tense, riveting and intelligent in years. Bigelow excels in setting pulses racing when seemingly nothing is happening. Case in point? Jeremy Renner‘s paralysis in a grocery store, overwhelmed by the choice of cereals in the real world, is one of the most breathtaking scenes in the film. Living with a job where every day might be his last, he’ll never be the same.
Not even an honorable for Up In the Air?!?!??!?!???!?!!!!????
So, y\’all not gonna move forward from here up through 2013 (at least, I guess)? As far as I\’m concerned, keep going! It\’s interesting to see how consensuses over which movies are the best of the year evolve as time passes. But, I guess the cut-off point would probably be difficult to determine if you went ahead into the 2010s. How much time ought to pass before a reassessment of that particular year in film is at all warranted? A good question. But I did re-watch "Che" as a result of this series, and I thank you so much for that at the very least. In about twenty years, that movie (those movies) had better be uttered in the same breath along with "The Battle of Algiers" and "Battleship Potemkin" when people talk about great films about revolution!
What a disgrace of a list! It\’s okay if one likes indie movies with shaky cameras and realistic and minimalistic plots, but this list is pretentious and laughable. IndieWire seems to have a rule for the writers to not to include any entertainment or mainstream films to their lists, no matter how good they\’d be. And it\’s top 20, for Pete\’s sake!!! I\’d never consider leaving out Up, Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air, Avatar or District 9 etc. God dammit, even The Hangover is better than plenty of your choices!!! Thanks, you just made my day worse, and now I\’m angry.
I agree with the top three and think that these films have only grown in stature since 2009 (particularly Still Walking). But it is curious to omit The White Ribbon and City of Life and Death, two films that have been consistently mentioned as two of the best films of the decade.
I know this list was made in 2009 but I think these films were pretty widely regarded even back then (both films made my top ten list in 2009).
" look like you guys are just being pretentious in the selection process intentionally."
No us. Me, please read the intro. Also I reviewed Inglorious Basterds at Cannes in 2008 and I did not like it. Not trying to be controversial, just didn\’t care for it.
It\’s one thing to not include Inglorious Basterds on the list, but to not mention it in the honorable mentions is beyond pretentious.
Brilliant year for movies. I loved almost everything on this list. The top 3 are great films. And with this list it reminded me of excellent films that I forgot about: Bright Star, Still Walking, Tokyo Sonata, Goodbye Solo. Honestly, this overall year may have been better than \’07. Also, I believe this may have been the first year I became invested in this site.
Listen, I love Jarmusch but The Limits of Control will NEVER have its due in the same way as Dead Man. It is the epitome of style over substance, even if the style is rather breathtaking at times.
"Antichrist" (if the second half was as good as the first, it would have been top 5"? what do you mean? are you talking about antichrist or nymphomaniac?
Excuse me?! Where the hell is \’Enter the Void\’??? Not even as an honorable mention! This is rubbish.
You lost me at the Limits of Control. And quickly brought me back with the terribly underseen Bright Star.
It\’s nice the list gives attention to some lesser known films but it is a bit pretentious.
I think Pixar\’s Up also deserves to be mentioned.
Fine list but not even an honorable mention for INGLORIOUS BASTERDS kind\’ve makes it look like you guys are just being pretentious in the selection process intentionally.
1. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino)
2. White Ribbon (Michael Haneke)
3. Broken Embraces (Pedro Almodovar)
4. Serious Man (Coen Bros)
5. Avatar (James Cameron)
6. Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
7. Up in the Air (Jason Reitman)
8. District 9 (Neill Blomkamp)
9. I am Love (Luca Guadagnino)
10. Mother (Bong Joon Ho)
Oh, yeah – and \’Adventureland\’ too, which is, in my opinion, one of the best movies about youth from the past several years.
What!? You\’ve got 20 spots and don\’t include either \’Inglourious Basterds\’ or \’The White Ribbon\’? That\’s nuts. Those were, respectively, my numbers 2 and 3 behind \’A Serious Man.\’ And I think they both certainly belong on the list over \’A Single Man\’ or \’The Headless Woman.\’
Coraline