2009 Top 10 Lists

In 2009 I watched 283 films, falling short of the usual goal of an average of one per day.  The following three lists use the same pattern I invented back in 2007.  Again, the idea is to identify the best titles watched both in terms of older movies screened privately and those seen in a theatre.

The first list is a straightforward top ten of the best films experienced in 2009 irregardless of their vintage.  The second corresponds to what one might publish in a newspaper or magazine, being drawn from movies seen in theatrical distribution during the year even if a significant portion of these were made in 2008.  The third list is made up solely of 2009 titles that were released here in this calendar year.

Best Films Watched in 2009:

 1. A Matter of Life and Death (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, UK, 1946)
 2. Le plaisir (Max Ophuls, France, 1952)
 3. Pickpocket (Robert Bresson, France, 1959)
 4. Olympia (Leni Riefenstahl, Germany, 1938)
 5. The Cranes Are Flying (Mikhail Kalatozov, USSR, 1957)
 6. Forbidden Games (Rene Clement, France, 1952)
 7. Young Mr Lincoln (John Ford, USA, 1939)
 8. The River (Jean Renoir, France/India, 1951)
 9. Kaos (Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, Italy, 1984)
10. Underground (Emir Kusturica, Yugoslavia, 1995)

Best Films Watched in Theatrical Release in 2009:

 1. Disgrace (Steve Jacobs, Australia/South Africa, 2008)
 2. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Terry Gilliam, UK, 2009)
 3. The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, USA, 2008)
 4. Up (Peter Docter & Bob Peterson, USA, 2009)
 5. Moon (Duncan Jones, UK, 2009)
 6. The Reader (Stephen Daldry, USA/Germany, 2008)
 7. Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood, USA, 2008)
 8. Vicky Christina Barcelona (Woody Allen, USA, 2008)
 9. District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, USA/New Zealand, 2009)
10. Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 2008)

Best 2009 Films Watched in 2009:

 1. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Terry Gilliam, UK, 2009)
 2. Up (Peter Docter & Bob Peterson, USA, 2009)
 3. Moon (Duncan Jones, UK, 2009)
 4. District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, USA/New Zealand, 2009)
 5. Avatar (James Cameron, USA, 2009)
 6. (500) Days of Summer (Marc Webb, USA, 2009)
 7. An Education (Lone Scherfig, UK, 2009)
 8. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, USA, 2009)
 9. Star Trek (JJ Abrams, USA, 2009)
10. Capitalism: A Love Story (Michael Moore, USA, 2009)