Defining any year in cinema is a difficult task.  And if one’s personal taste is involved, it can be downright impossible.  I’ve rediscovered this truth looking at my 10 favorite films from 2009.  It’s  a diverse collection of ignored and the celebrated films, notable for their range of parental figures, immoral enforcers, fringe dwellers, educational institutions and questions so difficult to answer that they often remain unsolved.  My 2009 favorites, I hope you will discover them as well.

1.    Observe and Report – While Kevin James’ light mall cop movie was a surprise hit in January, a few months later Jody Hill’s irreverent comedy with Seth Rogen as a disturbed mall security guard was only noticed only for its notorious date-rape joke.  But, for me this was a truly unique work.  It aimed to create a new film experience and I walked out of the theater with that incredibly rare feeling that I had actually seen something I’ve never seen before.  An absurd take on Taxi Driver-like delusional hero redemption, it’s outrageous, satiric, funny, makes brilliant use of music on the soundtrack and gleefully breaks all kinds of rules of cinematic technique and storytelling. 
2.    A Serious Man – Trippy yet dramatic, snarky yet sincere, A Serious Man may be my favorite Coen Brothers film.  They brilliantly build the narrative tension around a story of faith and karma, wonderfully open to both atheistic and spiritual interpretations.
3.    Sugar – When telling an American story, baseball makes the perfect backdrop.  This American tale is a subtle meditation on the migratory pattern of a Domican baseball prospect discovering the promised land’s hard truths. 
4.    The Hurt Locker – I wish it didn’t start with a quote that sums up what the film so perfectly captures.  Still, Kathryn Bigelow’s film about war’s corruption of the human soul is a powerful statement and an incredible artistic and technical achievement, anchored by Jeremy Renner’s outstanding performance.
5.    Up – A cinematic journey that is as imaginative as it is heartfelt, this animated Pixar offering is thoroughly delightful.  One early sequence that depicts Carl and Ellie’s life together is the year’s most memorable, reminiscent of Buster Keaton with its warm comedic touch and aesthetic mastery.
6.    Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire – A film that simply does not get a disinterested reaction, Precious pushes all kinds of buttons, yet it’s ultimately a heartfelt tale of inspiration.  Director Lee Daniels’ stylized mayhem was finally applied with perfection.
7.    World’s Greatest Dad – Death’s false honor is explored in Bobcat Goldthwait’s black comedy.  Robin Williams stars as a failed writer father who exploits tragedy to turn his life around.
8.    An Education – A tacked-on ending enraged me, but otherwise Lone Scherfig’s film is smart, endearing and offers no easy answers. 
9.    Antichrist – While the violence, abuse in all forms and talking foxes got all the attention, Lars von Trier’s attack on the senses feels like the Dutch filmmaker’s most personal work.  Where will he go with these demons now exorcised?
10.    Bad Lieutenant – Port of Call: New Orleans – It may be a weak 10th-slot choice, but this B-movie curiosity piece is full of hammy acting, story dead-ends and bizarre moments. Its lack of quality is somehow also its substance