One Line Review's Top Ten Movies and Noteworthy Achievements 2009

TOP TEN (alphabetical):
Capitalism: A Love Story (d. Michael Moore)
District 9 (d. Neill Blomkamp)
The Hurt Locker (d. Kathryn Bigelow)
I Love You, Man (d. John Hamburg)
Inglourious Basterds (d. Quentin Tarantino)
Julie & Julia (d. Nora Ephron)
Nine (d. Rob Marshall)
Paranormal Activity (d. Oren Peli)
Up (d. Pete Docter, Bob Peterson)
World’s Greatest Dad (d. Bobcat Golthwait)



NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS:

Best Picture:
Inglourious Basterds
Best Actor:
Sharlto Copley in District 9
Best Actress:
Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia
Best Supporting Actor:
Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress:
Rosamund Pike in An Education
Best Director:
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds
Best Original Screenplay:
Bobcat Goldthwait for World’s Greatest Dad
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Nora Ephron for Julie & Julia

Honorable Mentions:
• Best Actor: Matt Damon (The Informant!), Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), Brad Pitt (Inglourious Basterds), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man), Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man), Robin Williams (World’s Greatest Dad).
• Best Actress: Katie Featherston (Paranormal Activity), Ellen Page (Whip It), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), Evan Rachel Wood (Whatever Works).
• Best Supporting Actor: Ed Begley, Jr. (Whatever Works), Christian McKay (Me and Orson Welles), Ryan Reynolds (Adventureland), Gene Simmons (Extract), Stanley Tucci (Julie & Julia).
• Best Supporting Actress: Marion Cotillard (Nine), Juliette Lewis (Whip It).
• Best Director: Pedro Almodovar (Broken Embraces), Orin Peli (Paranormal Activity).
• Best Original Screenplay: John Hamburg and Larry Levin (I Love You, Man), Orin Peli (Paranormal Activity), Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds).

2009 was not among the very best movie years, as with other "'9s": 1919, 1939, 1959, 1969, 1989, 1999 are all strong movie years. Still, it was an improvement over last year. I did discover that I had A LOT of performances to choose from for best acting (leading to an an unusual amount of honorable mentions). Of all my picks, I'd love to see Bobcat Goldthwait sneak into the Best Original Screenplay category for the Oscar (a crowded field this year). This is probably Quentin Tarantino's last best chance to win Best Director... but facing an historic win for Kathryn Bigelow, it seems mighty unlikely... he'll just have to settle with being in Orson Welles' company as solely a Best Co-screenwriter Oscar winner.

For my Feb 1st blog entry (the day before the Oscar nominations), I'll list my own Oscar ballot choices.