Another perspective on the best movies of 2009 from contributing writer Josh Miller.

This is not an objective list; rather than choosing films that are the best films of the year because of simple filmmaking aesthetic, I chose the ten films that I had some sort of resonance with personally. This list could potentially be updated in the near-future, but this is a pretty accurate reflection as it is…..

1. The Road – This adaptation of the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel by Cormac McCarthy is a bleak look at a  father and son wandering around a post-apocalyptic world. Many films have covered this territory in the last few years, but The Road is the best of them and the best film of 2009. It’s a dark, gloomy film that portrays the animalistic nature of humans unflinchingly. It’s suspenseful, thought-provoking, and powerful.

2. Inglourious Basterds – Ten years in the making, Quentin Tarantino’s WWII epic went on to become his most successful film despite pushing 3-hours and being in 4 different languages. Essentially Tarantino’s love-letter to cinema, it’s a film that improves with each viewing, a celebration of cinema as an art form and a culmination of just about every film that’s influenced Tarantino. Christoph Waltz, who plays antagonist Colonel Hans Landa has created one of the most memorable villains of the last few years.

3. The Hurt Locker – While it may not be a realistic portrayal of the Iraq War, Kathryn Bigelow’s brilliant war movie is both a heart pounding suspense film and an emotionally resonant human drama. Bigelow deserves a win for Best Director and actor Jeremy Renner for Best Actor. This film is a true masterpiece; poetic, exciting, and memorable.

4. A Serious Man – Another masterpiece from the Coen Brothers, this one about a Jewish physics professor whose life is falling apart. With a cast of unknowns, this dark comedy shows the Coens at the top of their form; picturesque cinematography, memorable characters, and that unique brand of humor only the Coens can write. Don’t let it’s abrupt ending anger you; how else could it have ended?

5. Moon – David Bowie’s son Duncan Jones make his directorial debut with this low-budget science-fiction film that’s essentially a one-man show. Moon brings to mind films like 2001: A Space Odyssey in the way it realizes science-fiction is not about aliens and violence, but about human nature. Despite its miniscule budget, Jones’ film looks remarkable and Sam Rockwell carries the entire film in a very impressive performance.

6. Fantastic Mr. Fox – Wes Anderson’s stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s book is unlike anything you’ve seen. It has Anderson’s quirky sense of humor and elaborate, hypnotic animation that looks remarkably realistic. The voice-work is terrific and it’s an animated movie that will appeal to both adults and children.

7. Whatever Works – Woody Allen’s best film in several years, Whatever Works is criminally underrated. It’s Allen’s return to New York after making several films in Europe and it’s one of his funniest, most intelligent comedies. As usual, a great cast (lead by Larry David) breathes life into Allen’s characters and maybe Allen himself; cause the man’s back in fine form here.

8. An Education – An Education flew somewhat under the radar, but it’s a charming film with a star making performance from Carey Mulligan. The film takes place in 1960s England and details a relationship between a 16-year-old girl (Mulligan) and a much-older man (Peter Sarsgaard). Despite its setting, the film is very relevant to today’s times and should be essential viewing for younger girls who are partial to older men…Of course, realism aside…It’s a simple film, but one that held me in its grasp for an hour and a half.

9. Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire – Precious is the most overrated film of the year in terms of critical accolades, but this disturbing portrait of an overweight, African-American, pregnant teenage girl is a powerful film with some of the best performances of 2009. Mo’Nique, known mostly for comedy, gives the best supporting performance of the year by an actress as main character Precious’ abusive mother. No other actor has brought such raw, emotional intensity to a performance and for that reason alone; this is worth watching.

10. Antichrist – Danish director Lars Von Trier’s film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, where it created quite a stir. The film has still not found U.S. distribution, but can easily be seen by someone who’s creative and owns a computer. This film is one of the most hated films of the year, but when one disregards the violent, sexual nature of the film…It’s one of the most beautiful films of the year and one of the bravest. It’s very graphic and certainly not for everyone, but it’s a challenging piece of filmmaking that stays with you.

HONORABLE MENTION:

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – The late Heath Ledger was filming this Terry Gilliam fantasy when he tragically died. Gilliam re-cast Ledger’s role with three other actors (Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell) and finished the film which was finally released last year….. This is not a perfect film or even a great film, but it is magical in its own way and wonderful to look at. Gilliam certainly was creative working around Ledger’s death, yet one can’t help but wonder how the film would have turned out with Ledger playing the character from beginning to end. None-the-less, the film is a lovely tribute to the great actor Ledger was, as well as a charming fantasy film.

More Best of 2009: Tyler Wilson’s 20 Favorite Movies of the Year.