Top 10 Films of 2009

[breadharrity]

I wished it would have ended with him at home some way too. I could have done without the slow motion shots seemed unnecessary also the psychiatrist  being too nice to the Iraqs was a little over the top.

Actually I thought the psychiatrist being nice was meant to be some comic relief, and one of the best moments of the film. About the ending, I think the way it ended was fine, but the real problem I had was how the third act sagged much more than the rest of the film.

[Joe Rogaine]

I wished it would have ended with him at home some way too. I could have done without the slow motion shots seemed unnecessary also the psychiatrist  being too nice to the Iraqs was a little over the top.

Actually I thought the psychiatrist being nice was meant to be some comic relief, and one of the best moments of the film. About the ending, I think the way it ended was fine, but the real problem I had was how the third act sagged much more than the rest of the film.

You didn't like the when he went and looked for the little boy? That was almost as tense as some of the bomb scenes.

[Chris L]

Whoops, I forgot about THE LIMITS OF CONTROL! I'm sure a lot of people thought it was a snooze, but I was quite taken with it. So taken with it, in fact, that I mistakenly omitted it from my Top Ten list.

I also liked Limits of Control. I wouldn't put it in my top 10, but the protagonist does win the "Best Dressed" award; possibly of the decade.  Best appreciated as a visual and sound exhibition, and of course Chris Doyle shot it so it looks impeccable.  Biggest groaner for me though was when Bill Murray's character turned out to be a neocon-type.  

[breadharrity]

You didn't like the when he went and looked for the little boy? That was almost as tense as some of the bomb scenes.

Agreed, but I didn't remember if that was part of the third act. Does anyone know if The Hurt Locker is already experiencing a critical backlash like Crash and Juno already. I only say this because it seemed like the reviews from the summer were all glowing knowing that people wouldn't be able to see it for a long time. Ebert's recent top of the decade list had it at #2 and the massive Metacritic score don't help people's high expectations to collapse when seeing it.

[Martin]

Preliminary Top Ten! (in alphabetical order)

35 rhums (Claire Denis)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold)
In the Loop (Armando Iannucci)
Moon (Duncan Jones)
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Hayao Miyazaki)
Two Lovers (James Gray)
Up (Pete Docter)
Das Weiße Band (Michael Haneke)
World's Greatest Dad (Bobcat Goldthwait)

Yet to see: A Serious Man, Antichrist, Big Fan, Bright Star, Politist, adj., Stingray Sam, The Road, Un prophète, Avatar, Sugar.

I have a feeling one, maybe two, of those unseen films will make the top ten.

[crumbum]

Preliminary Top Ten! (in alphabetical order)

35 rhums (Claire Denis)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold)
In the Loop (Armando Iannucci)
Moon (Duncan Jones)
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Hayao Miyazaki)
Two Lovers (James Gray)
Up (Pete Docter)
Das Weiße Band (Michael Haneke)
World's Greatest Dad (Bobcat Goldthwait)

Yet to see: A Serious Man, Antichrist, Big Fan, Bright Star, Politist, adj., Stingray Sam, The Road, Un prophète, Avatar, Sugar.

I have a feeling one, maybe two, of those unseen films will make the top ten.

Saw World's Greatest Dad last night -- it's really something. I came over to this thread to recommend it as top ten material but you beat me to the punch.

I've never seen anything quite like it before in terms of tone -- a demented world, a little like something out of a Todd Solondz movie, except the writer/director actually loves his characters and gives them some dignity and intelligence. It's sweet and sour in an original way.

I wonder how much body hair removal was needed to make Robin Williams' nude scene at the end palatable.

[masterofsparks]

I've never seen anything quite like it before in terms of tone -- a demented world, a little like something out of a Todd Solondz movie, except the writer/director actually loves his characters and gives them some dignity and intelligence. It's sweet and sour in an original way.

I really want to see World's Greatest Dad, but I must say your mentioning Todd Solondz gives me tremendous pause. Happiness is one of the few cinematic experiences in my life that actually made me wish physical harm on the filmmaker.

[Omar]

I've never seen anything quite like it before in terms of tone -- a demented world, a little like something out of a Todd Solondz movie, except the writer/director actually loves his characters and gives them some dignity and intelligence. It's sweet and sour in an original way.

I really want to see World's Greatest Dad, but I must say your mentioning Todd Solondz gives me tremendous pause. Happiness is one of the few cinematic experiences in my life that actually made me wish physical harm on the filmmaker.

I think crumbum's comment about what makes Bobcat a different filmmaker than Solondz is quite crucial in this case.  (Note: I'm not a Solondz hater.)  I would say that WGD is only Solondzesque in the sense that it traffics in the darker realms of comedy.  I hope Bobcat continues to evolve -- WGD is about 10,000 times better than Sleeping Dogs Lie due to things like retaining the services of a good cinematographer and people who know how to act.  He also managed to get a superb performance from Robin Williams.  I recommend his DVD commentary, which he does while on pain pills following a surgical procedure.

Bobcat has said that his next film will be based on the album Schoolboys in Disgrace by the rock group The Kinks.  

[crumbum]

I've never seen anything quite like it before in terms of tone -- a demented world, a little like something out of a Todd Solondz movie, except the writer/director actually loves his characters and gives them some dignity and intelligence. It's sweet and sour in an original way.

I really want to see World's Greatest Dad, but I must say your mentioning Todd Solondz gives me tremendous pause. Happiness is one of the few cinematic experiences in my life that actually made me wish physical harm on the filmmaker.

I think crumbum's comment about what makes Bobcat a different filmmaker than Solondz is quite crucial in this case.  (Note: I'm not a Solondz hater.)  I would say that WGD is only Solondzesque in the sense that it traffics in the darker realms of comedy.  I hope Bobcat continues to evolve -- WGD is about 10,000 times better than Sleeping Dogs Lie due to things like retaining the services of a good cinematographer and people who know how to act.  He also managed to get a superb performance from Robin Williams.  I recommend his DVD commentary, which he does while on pain pills following a surgical procedure.

Bobcat has said that his next film will be based on the album Schoolboys in Disgrace by the rock group The Kinks.  

Thanks Omar, that is indeed what I intended by the comment. I'm not much of a Solondz fan (I liked his last couple of movies only to the degree that I found the formal experimentation interesting) and the difference in the two filmmakers' temperaments is absolutely crucial to me.

[Matt]

Bobcat has said that his next film will be based on the album Schoolboys in Disgrace by the rock group The Kinks.  

Please tell me this is just a forerunner for the Preservation movie.

"And he plowed up the fields, and cut down the trees...for property speculationnnnnnnnnnn!"

[Pat K]

Speaking of Solondz, I just saw Welcome To The Dollhouse for the first time this weekend, and much to my surprise I actually liked it.

My girlfriend watched it with me - she had seen only Dollhouse, while I've seen every Solondz BUT Dollhouse. She was curious as to why I was so turned off by the rest of his work, since Dollhouse is so good and all. I summed it up by telling her that if Solondz made Dollhouse in 2010, Dawn Weiner really would have bashed her sister's face in with that hammer while she slept.

[JustNicole]

Speaking of Solondz, I just saw Welcome To The Dollhouse for the first time this weekend, and much to my surprise I actually liked it.

My girlfriend watched it with me - she had seen only Dollhouse, while I've seen every Solondz BUT Dollhouse. She was curious as to why I was so turned off by the rest of his work, since Dollhouse is so good and all. I summed it up by telling her that if Solondz made Dollhouse in 2010, Dawn Weiner really would have bashed her sister's face in with that hammer while she slept.

I really love Welcome to the Dollhouse. Let's get some fish sticks and Hawaiian punch and have a party! (I love when her sister says, "We're having a party!" No one ever gets it when I say it, though)

[jbissell]

Still have a whole bunch of '09 films to see, but 35 Rhums just shot to my #1 spot.