Films of the Year: 2009

Here are my Top 25 of films that have been released in the UK from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2009.

25. Kisses

Two of the films on this list feature juvenille relationships and this is the most traditional of the two. Set in and around Dublin this follows the journey of two children next door neighbours Kylie and Dylan both of whom have turbulent home lives and agree to run away together to find Dylan's brother. The film's central narrative is about them trying to find Dylan's brother who ran away from home and the difficulties they have in finding him. The film changes from black and white into full colour as Kylie and Dylan get to Dublin and changes back at the end after they return home. Dealing with themes of immigration, prostituion and homelessness, Kisses isn't an easy ride but the relationship between the two children is very sweet indeed and their chemistry is better than some of the big Hollywood romance pairings. At just over an hour it is a little short but then it may have outstayed its welcome if it had been any longer sweet-natured and gritty at the same time, Kisses is definitely one to check out if you haven't seen it yet.


24. Messrine: Killer Instict

One of the coolest films of the year, the first part of the Messrine double bill saw Vincent Cassell tackle the role of one France's most notorious criminals Jacques Messrine. This was reminiscent of old school crime films of the 1970s and 1980s such as Serpico and Scarface and even had a bit of Bonnie and Clyde in there for good measure. While Cassell's performances has to be one of the best of the year the supporting performances were good too notably from Ludvine Sagner and Gerard Deperdeu as Messrine's gangster contact. Tough to watch at times but always compelling Killer Instinct was superior to its sequel Public Enemy No. 1 which was still a cracker and both were better than this year's other disappointing crime biopic - Public Enemies.

23. Big River Man

This year's 'human interest' documentary was all about Martin Strel a Slovakian man who has made it his passion to swim. The big selling point of this film is that Strel isn't particularly athletic and is a heavy drinker. Strel is more a subject than an active part of this film as he is very monosyllabic and is often seen sitting down in his underwear watching T.V. when he's not swimming. His son is in awe of him and narrates the film while the only other main character is a slightly hickish admirer of Strel who thinks Strel is the last superhero. Strel is an extremely likeable character even though he does unlikeable things and oftern risks his own life just to swim while drinking whisky. A documentary is as only as good as its subject matter and Big River Man had a very good subject.

22. Broken Embraces

Penelope Cruz had a very good 2009, winning an Oscar for her role in Woody Allen's likeable but mediocre Vicky Cristina Barcelone but also reuniting with Pedro Almodovar the man who describes her as his 'muse' for this very good film about film-making. Mixtures of a revenge thriller with a farce and commentary about the film industry this is one of Almodovar's most commercial films yet while at the same time retaining his strong themes about sexuality and especially disability. As you would expect, Cruz dazzles in her role as a wannabe actress and trophy wife an old, rich man who begins an affair with a director. Lluis Homar is equally good as the egotistic director who is made blind by events that are narrated throughout the film. This being a film about film-makers there is also some good blurring off texts as we see the film-within-the-film Girls and Suitcases is shown in different ways throughout Broken Embraces and is just one of the treats of many of this little cracker of a movie.

21. Funny People

I have to say that if I was ranking the first half of Funny People it would be higher in the list but the film got bogged down in its second half. Saying that though this was Judd Apatow's most personal project to date and Adam Sandler's best since Punch-Drunk Love. A comedy about comedians wouldn't be everyone's thing but the first half of this film in which Sandler's comedy movie star finds out he's dying and hires Seth Rogen's junior stand-up to be his assistant. This was very funny and moving but its in the films second half in which Sandler pursues his old love that things get silly. The fact Apatow feels the need to cast his family again seems a little self-indulgent and even though Eric Bana pops up near the end and steals the show most of this felt forced. Apatow manages to reign it back to a satisfying conclusion but despite its faults this was still very funny, touching and original. Apatow just needs to learn to edit and his next film could be a comedy hit.

20. Fish Tank

Uncomprimisingly gritty and surprisingly heartfelt at the same time Andrea Arnold's second cinematic feature saw her hit the big time. Focusing on dis-satisfied teenager Mia and her aspirations to be a dancer this was a look at the dead-end lifestyle given to a lot of children in council estate Britain as Mia was destined to go to a special school and had a very dis-intereseted mother. Katie Jarvis was absolutely outstanding as Mia delivering a very real performance and great passion both in delivery and in the dance sequences. The film also succeded in its filming of a very bleak Britian with the block of flats where Mia lives being given an almost institution-like feel. While people are waxing lyrical about American female directors taking over the Brits can show that they can do it just as well.

19. 500 Days of Summer

Some people found this unbearably smug and others found in delightful I think I fell somewhere in the middle. This film was very clever in its approach of relationships blurirng the lines between happiness and misery. As we see Joseph Gorden-Levitt falling in love with the Zoey Deschanel's titular Summer and then be dumped by her in the space of five minutes. The skipping between days was a nice little neat narrative device and there were some nice stylistic touches as well as cracking soundtrack (although did they have to use The Temper Trap twice?) The film was held together by Levitt who finally shed the image of the little kid from 3rd from the Sun giving us a rounded performance as a normal guy in love like a kind of less neurotic Woody Allen.

18. Gran Torino

This is said to be Clint Eastwood's final feature which is just as well as he seems to be struggling to speak. But that's doing him a disservice as he plays almost Dirty Harry the senior years as a man who despises everyone but eventually gains respect for his Korean neighbours. Eastwood proves he still has it as we see a man whose prejudices are challenged as his emotional barriers break down and he forms a new family. Although the direction may not be as tight as on his previous three features this seems to be a much more personal project. Although one question Clint, Did you really have to sing at the end?

17. Thirst

First of two vampire films but that's not hard in the year we had the second Twillight movie: New Moon, Cirque de Freak: The Vampire's Assistant and Lesbian Vampire Killers. However this Korean effort form the director of Old Boy stands out for me for its impeccable cinematography as well as its themes about religion, lust and violence. Kang-ho Song is brilliant as the priest who gets a blood transfusino and turns into a vampire corrupting an unhappy girl in his plight. The film is sexy and shocking with some really brutal scenes and a heartbreaking conclusion. Not for the squeamish but this is a vampire film without any of the prentesion.

16. Anvil: The Story of Anvil

Almost like a real Spinal Tap this focused on the true story of the band Anvil, who were the fore-runners of the whole metal scene precedding Motorhead, Metalicca and others but this proves that what is really needed is timing. We follow Anvil as they try and get their fanbase back in a poorly organised tour around Europe and then recording a new album. At its heart is a film about friendship and hope, if the end of the film doesn't bring a tear to your eye then what's wrong with you?

15.Zombieland

Hands down the best straight comedy of the year. Twinkies, a gun-toting Woody Harrelson and Bill Fucking Murray this had it all. Jesse Eseinberg brings his nervous charm to a role that requires him to be the fall guy to Harrelson's fast talking zombie destroyer. But like with all good comedies it has a big heart behind the big laughs and it makes you question what being in a family means. The only criticism I have is it was way too short I could've at least done with fiftenn more minutes of laughs.

14. Goodbye Solo

A film about the trouble that immigrants have finding work that doesn't involve driving taxis actually turns into a lovely film about friendship. The friendship here is between African cab driver Solo and long in the tooth Westerner William. This film isn't a big deal but it warms the heart without be particularly patronising and features two stunning lead performances.

13. Coraline

For fans of Nightmare Before Christmas everywhere as its director Henry Sellick adapts Neil Gaiman's gothic classic in all its stop-motion glory. Funny and scary in equal measure this was made for the cinema as it is visually stunning in an eerie way it is also has an excellent voice cast in among others Ian McShane, Teri Hatcher and French and Saunders.

12. In the Loop

The Thick of It comes to the big screen with the same amount of laughs but more Peter Capaldi swearing. Although it struggles for a feature-length story it still has the same magic that made the TV show such as success. Malcolm Tucker really suits the big screen and it helped that Capaldi had a brilliant foil in Tom Hollander. It was nice to see James Gandolfini doing farce as well as an American general.

11.Star Trek

JJ Abrams was always going to completely change the Star Trek format thankfully it was for the better. The young cast all boil down elements of the original characters and make them their own with Zachary Quinto's Spock a particular highlight. Although it falls down towards the middle there's enough action and decent storytelling for this to be the blockbuster hit of the year.

10. Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire actually managed to be an Oscar-winner that deserved it as it wasn't a traditional Oscar film neither was it 'the feelgood film of the year'. This story was so well told and the slums of Mumbai so-well shot that it was hard to put it this low on the list but it has lost some of its originality a year after its realease. Still this is still going to be touted as a modern classic and earned Danny Boyle a well deserved Best Director statuette.

9.An Education

A story of pre-Beatlemania slighty-stuffy Britain, this is alledgelly based on real-life events and shows the rebellion of a young girl who has been leading the same path for all her life and gives into the temptation of an older man and a new life. Nick Hornby's script is very witty but is also heartfelt at the right moments and there is a great support performance from Alfred Molina. But this was 24 year old Carey Mulligan's show as Jenny she captivates and holds the viewer's attention from beginning to end hopefully the Oscar buzz will pay-off because this performance deserves to be recognised.

8. Up

Up's first ten minutes are some of the best in cinema history as we follow the life of o man from childhood to old age in the space of a couple of minutes. Although there is still high quality in the film it becomes a standard Pixar film when the old man is forced to bond with boy scout Russell. Witty and heartbreaking and focusing on themes of love, loss and second chances this wasn't as good as Wall-E but still brilliant.

7. A Serious Man

The Coen Brothers are nothing if not versetile. After the thrilling No Country for Old Men and the broad comedy of Burn After Reading we get Jewish surburbia in the 1970s. Its a testament to the Coens that they can make the story of a very average middle aged man engaging and it was also very brave of them to have their first ten minutes completely in Yiddish. The non-starry cast is ably lead by Michael Stuhlberg who displays a cavalcade of emotions as the put upon Larry Gopnick. The real star of this though was the stylised nature of the small-close knit houses brilliantly filmed as ever by Roger Deakins. This is the best study of suburbia since American Beauty and this was a lot funnier as wlel.

6. Moon

This was the year of the sci-fi film as there was something for everyone and that was no more evident than in Moon. David Bowie's son Duncan Jones' first feature showcases one of the best male performances from Sam Rockwell as he plays Sam an astronaut sent on a mission that has taken too long. The film deals with themes of family, identity and isolation and also has a nice voice performance by Kevin Spacey as the ship's robot. For those who are fans of 2001, Silent Running and Logan's Run, Bowie Jr.'s film is for you.

5. Adventureland

This year's Superbad which isn't surpising as its by the same director. But Greg Mottola's third feature sees him grow up a little bit more as the original (not the new) Michael Cera, Jesse Eissenberg plays a high school graduate forced to work in an amusement park in the 1980s. While retaining some of the Superbad humour this is more heartfelt and clever and features some great supporting performances from Twilight's Kristen Stewart, Knocked Up's Martin Starr and shockingly Ryan Reynolds as the handyman who refuses to grow up. Not playing on the nostalgia element too much this was a funny and charming sleeper hit.

4. The Hurt Locker

We've had a lot of films about the Iraq war - Rendition, Redacted, Lions for Lambs but none of these felt like they captured the essence of the war. Thankfully Katherine Bigelow returned with a great story about the soldiers fighting the fight and whether war is addictive or not. The film was shot in a very realistic shaky style focusing on a bomb-disposal squad the tension duirng the bomb defusing scenes were incredibly tense. Casting three non-familiar faces in the leads was a stroke of genius and in this day and age this certainly strikes a chord and makes you think about what's going on in the rest of the world.

3. District 9

A film where South African soldiers fight giant prawn martians doesn't really sound that appealing but with its themes of unjust war and hints to the Arpetheid, District 9 gave us something special. Shot as a mock-documentary to start off with this later became a character piece focusing on a hapless company man forced to turn against his own and work with the aliens. Although not on the scale of say Star Trek or Avatar, District 9's action sequences still work within the confines of the story and Sharlto Copley became an unlikely star in the lead role. Just really enjoyable and engaging District 9 was a decent sci-fi yarn with something to say.

2. Let the Right One In

Juvenille romance meets the vampire craze in this Swedish masterpiece as we explore the life of 12 year old Oscar a boy who is bullied at school and ignored at home. He meets Ellie who he falls in love with but then finds out she's a vampire the story between these two kids is so sweet the vampire story almsot becomes superfulous. There are some cracking scenes most notably the swimming pool finale and both of the young actors are so natural they make the film seem even more realistic. It's a shame that the Americans can't leave well alone and have to adapt good European cinema because most audiences can't be bothered with the subtitles.

1. The Wrestler

One of the first films I watched this year and it stuck with me throughout. Mickey Rourke was completely robbed off his Oscar as Randy 'The Ram' Robinson was the part he was born to play. Completely authentic throughout Robinson was a performer who had his heydays in the 1980s and was constantly trying to recapture the wrestling magic he once had. Rourke was totally captivating as he tried to rebuild his relationship with his daughter and struggle to keep doing the one thing he knew how to do - wrestle. Rourke also had impeccable chemistry with Marissa Tomei as the stripper with a heart as well as with Evan Rachel Wood who played his daughter. The wrestling sequences looked great on screen especially the garbage brawl against the Necro Butcher. Well-structured and compelling from beginning to end, this film never once dips and tells a great story that rings a bell as there are so many ex-wrestlers who have to live this life. Lets just hope that Rourke can build on this and start his career again.

Okay I now its very belated but soon the film blog will look back at the noughties and the top 100 films of the previous decade.