Honorable Mention 1: Drag Me To Hell
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Alison Lohman, Justin Long
Drag Me To Hell is a quirky, campy horror film that a lot of people didn't like. Most of the complaints focused on the sheer silliness of the plot, which boasted such horror gems as flying false teeth, talking goats and old vomiting gypsies. I found Sam Raimi's mixture of gore, comedy, and horror to be a very refreshing change of pace to a film genre that has been circling the drain since the 1980s.
Best Moment: The aforementioned talking goat scene.
Honorable Mention 2: Coraline
Director: Henry Selick
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman, Keith David
From the guy who brought us The Nightmare Before Christmas, this film was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Coraline's escapist tale of another world filled with button-eyed people and dead children managed to stand out in a year loaded with amazing animated films (you'll see). It also happens to be one of (if not) the most beautiful animated films I've ever seen.
Best Moment: The first time Coraline travels to the other world.
Honorable Mention 3: Goodbye Solo
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Starring: Souleymane Sy Savane, Red West
This criminally underseen film was one of my early favorites of the year. It was obviously surpassed, but that doesn't take away from the sheer emotional beauty this film exhibits. Touching on subjects such as loneliness, poverty, suicide, generosity, and altruism, I dare you to watch this film and not feel something.
Best Moment: When William meets Solo's family.
Honorable Mention 4: Just Another Love Story
Director: Ole Bornedal
Starring: Anders Berthelsen, Rebecka Hemse
The first of the foreign films to appear on this list and also very likely the least seen. Contrary to the title's assertion, this is far from a predictable romance. One of the most tension-filled films I saw in 2009, the story will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who exactly you're supposed to be rooting for.
Best Moment: When the real boyfriend finally shows up.
Honorable Mention 5: Paranormal Activity
Director: Oren Peli
Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat
You can probably tell at this point that I don't enjoy your typical horror film fodder. You're right. Just like Drag Me To Hell, I know a lot of people who found the horror in this film to be either boring or not even scary, but I was hooked from the very beginning. Whereas DMTH is a very funny and unrealistic horror film, Paranormal Activity is a very realistic and matter-of-fact horror film, focusing on character development and tension-filled silence instead of gore and loud, shrill noises.
Best Moment: When Katie stands over Mark for three hours. You know what I mean.
Honorable Mention 6: A Serious Man
Director: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind
A story centered firmly on faith. The protagonist, Larry, stars as a modern-day, less dramatic Job who watches his family, his job, and his faith spin out of control. The Coen brothers bring their genuinely unique talents to the film, turning what could have been (with the content shown) an extremely depressing film into a very dry comedy, and a good one at that.
Best Moment: When Larry visits his neighbor Mrs. Samsky.
Honorable Mention 7: Sin Nombre
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Starring: Paulina Gaitan, Edgar Flores
The second foreign film of the list and maybe the most socially relevant. The plot manages to focus on both of the major issues facing Mexico and its border with the United States: illegal immigration and the Mexican gang violence epidemic. It also squeezes in a teenage love story and a touching sub-plot about a father trying to do what is best for his family.
Best Moment: The shootout after they get off of the train.
Honorable Mention 8: Star Trek
Director: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto
Preface: I am not a Star Trek fan at all, so any "inconsistencies" that there are between this and the show mean nothing to me. That's one of the best parts about this film: you don't need to know anything about Star Trek to understand what's going on and appreciate the story. It plays like an old school sci-fi flick because that's what it is, but the gorgeous CGI and entertaining storyline make this easily the best blockbuster film of 2009.
Best Moment: When Spock meets Spock.
Honorable Mention 9: Taken
Director: Pierre Morel
Starring: Liam Neeson
James Bond on crack. An over-the-top thriller about a man whose daughter is abducted by a group of slave traders, Taken is easy to dismiss for its reliance on action movie cliches; for example, every bullet Liam Neeson's character shoots hits the target, but the bad guys shoot clip after clip at him and miss every time. However I found the film to be extremely entertaining with some very good chase and shootout scenes. If you're looking for a pure, brainless action movie where you can turn your brain off and just enjoy yourself for a couple of hours, you'll have a great time with Taken.
Best Moment: The construction site chase scene.
Honorable Mention 10: Up
Director: Pete Docter
Starring: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer
Up is made by Pixar. Do you really need to know anything else to believe me when I say it's amazing? Though not my favorite Pixar film, it still has a cute, inventive story, likeable characters, and beautiful computer animation.
Best Moment: The opening scene with Carl's wife. This may be my favorite scene of the entire year.
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