A caveat. I am not an avid moviegoer. Give me a film noir on TCM, and I’m happy.
With that out of the way, here is a representative sample of Best of 2009 movie lists (or ‘film’, for the academicians) that I enjoyed reading.
The movie that clearly resonated most with critics (not necessarily as the best) was Avatar. Some hail it as the next step in the moviegoing experience from a technical standpoint, while others were far less engaged in the story. Regardless, critics felt compelled to discuss it at length. FWIW, my kids loved it, but they go the movies almost every week. Also, FWIW, Avatar is precisely the sort of movie that I have absolutely no desire to see. Even on the inevitable amped-up DVD edition.
Enough from this curmudgeon. Let’s see what people who go to the movies for a living have to say:
Paste’s Best of Movies was the first interesting list that I read this year. Its 25 choices feature a real diversity of film.
I have no idea what Tiny Mix Tapes are/is, but their (its?) lists are invariably intriguing.
The NYTimes critics weigh in. Stephen Holden, A. O. Scott, and Manohla Dargis.
Ms. Dargis sums up perfectly why I don’t go to the movies anymore:
The problem isn’t blockbusters per se or certain kinds of genre movies or inflated budgets…(m)ovies have always been segmented among different audiences, but the disparity between the work that earns most of the critical love at release — and awards — time and much of what fills the multiplex on a weekly basis seems greater than ever. Paramount sells the audience “G. I. Joe” and sells Oscar voters (and critics) “Up in the Air.”
Roger Ebert has two lists: A mainstream list and an indy list. Best of all, true cinephiles will want to read the long thread of responses. Ebert attracts the most passionate and well-informed moviegoers/critic-wannabes around.
Finally, the Village Voice’s Poll of Polls on 2009’s Best. Esteemed reviewers from throughout the country. Interactive and user-friendly. Consensus Movie of the Year? The Hurt Locker directed by Kathryn Bigelow. A strong consensus at that.
Tomorrow, I bring you the best of television, something with which I am much more familiar.