TOP TEN FAVES FROM 2009

1) UP

Pixar made me cry again and this time it involved balloons and boy-scouts. You’re freaking me out, Pixar! A+

2) UP IN THE AIR

George Clooney and his big, white teeth are delightful in this angst-ridden man’s search for the meaning of life. A

3) INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (sic)

Possibly Tarantino’s best film to date. Killing Nazis has never been so fun (except when actually killing Nazis). A-

4) WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Childhood books and hipster directors DO mix! A-

5) STAR TREK

Beam me up, J.J. Never did I think I could find Spock so sexy in this perfectly paced, funny re-boot. B+

6) COCO BEFORE CHANEL

This French bio-pic of the woman behind the little, black dress is as charming as Coco’s style. B+

7) 500 DAYS OF SUMMER

It’s fun to see a relationship crumble when it’s not your relationship. Zoe Deschanel is far better in this than she is in those commercials about cotton (because let’s face it, she’s no Aaron Neville). B+

8) ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL

Ah, the plight of a Canadian metal band. Actually quite touching and surely the best documentary of the year. B+ (Update: I saw some of the Anvil dudes at the Critics Choice Awards later that year and they were extremely upset they didn't win for best doc. I tried to tell one of them he was robbed and he threw the show program up in the air and stormed off. Who does he think is he? Lars Ulrich?)

9) BROKEN EMBRACES

Penelope Cruz, once again, serves as Pedro Almodovar’s muse in this funny dramady set in Spain. B+

10) THE YOUNG VICTORIA

What can I say? I’m a sucker for English royalty period-pieces. The only way this could have been better is if Ricky Gervais played Prince Albert. B+