Best of 2009

Written by Dan Hudak |

It’s been quite a year at the movies: Transformers returned, Harry Potter got one step closer to Voldemort, and “Twilight” fans fought over Edward and Jacob. Through it all roughly 500 movies were released in 2009, and here are the ten best.

10. Up
The best animated movie of the year made us cry with the heartbreaking montage early in the film, made us laugh thanks to Dug the dog—“squirrel!”—and in the end was a heartwarming reminder that we’re never too old to learn something new. Kudos to Disney/Pixar for working its magic yet again. Available on DVD.

9. The Road
This grim, post-apocalyptic drama was tough to watch, but also powerful in its ability to depict human nature at its most primitive. Special credit to Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee, who play the father and son, for truthful, heartfelt performances as their characters struggle to survive. In theaters now.

8. Adventureland
There are a select few movies that are so well written, so nicely performed and so endearingly honest that they grab your heart and never let go. This was such a movie. Set in Pennsylvania in the 1980s, the story of young love was a pleasant reminder of crappy summer jobs, endless summer nights and memories that will last a lifetime. Seeing this made me feel young again. Available on DVD.

7. An Education
Set in early ‘60s London, this import is about an unlikely relationship between Jenny (Carey Mulligan), a precocious 16 year-old girl, and a middle-aged man named David (Peter Sarsgaard). Curiously, the relationship is never creepy: Jenny always knows exactly what’s going on and is in complete control, and David is as gentlemanly as a man in his situation can be. Great acting and great drama that easily could have veered off track, but never does. In theaters now.

6. The Hangover
Movies often show men doing stupid things, but only rarely is this male debauchery as outrageously funny as it is here. It came as no surprise when star Bradley Cooper told me in an interview that guys have been telling him their bachelor party was just like the one in the movie, which prompted the same response from both of us: For one thing, there’s just no way. But for your sake, we certainly hope it was! Available on DVD.

5. A Serious Man
It may not be as flashy or violent as some of the Coen Bros. other films, but this is easily one of their best. Set in 1967, it’s about a physics professor with a myriad of personal problems, including his wife leaving him for another man. Through it all he rarely fights back, and in the end, well, let’s just say the ending sums up all of the Coen Bros.’ work perfectly. In theaters now.

4. The Hurt Locker
Director Kathryn Bigelow’s film is the best war movie in a long time. The story about an Army bomb squad unit grabbed our attention from the very beginning and never let go. A great performance from star Jeremy Renner should earn him an Oscar nomination. Available on DVD Jan. 12th.

3. Star Trek
It’s difficult to reinvent a known and established franchise, but director J.J. Abrams kept fan boys happy with a movie that had great drama, action and visual effects. And the casting of Leonard Nimoy was more than a gimmick: It served as the perfect bridge from the original “Trek” series to the present. Available on DVD.

2. (500) Days Of Summer
This movie is funny, charming, heartbreaking and heartwarming, and all in a good way. We learn early on that it’s not a love story, but it is a story about how irrational and crazy love can be. Brilliantly written and very nicely performed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, who play the young lovers. Available on DVD.

1. Up In The Air
Writer/director Jason Reitman’s film stars George Clooney as a man who travels the country and fires people for a living. The performances are Oscar worthy, the writing is sharp and smart, and the story is timely and relevant. But more than that, it’s also a humorous, poignant story that’ll win you over without you even realizing it. And just when you think it’s going to end a certain way, think again. In theaters now.

Honorable mention: “Avatar,” “A Single Man,” “Away We Go,” “Sin Nombre,” “The Messenger” and “Precious.”