1) The Hurt Locker (August)Not only the best film on the Iraq war to date, but one of the greatest war movies ever made. This testosterone fuelled account of Bravo Company’s bomb disposal unit is excruciatingly tense from start to finish. Politically interesting and authentically filmed with digital hand held cameras, Bigelow has well and truly flown the flag for female directors the world over.
2) Let The Right One In (April)
This enchanting yet unnerving coming-of-age vampire story, set in the snow laden town of Blackeberg, Sweden, is rich in its poetically minimal direction.
3) The White Ribbon (November)
The deranged psyche of Michael Haneke is unveiled to us yet again, but this time suppressed and abused village dwelling children are at the centre of strange events. Most interestingly though, the tone of the film is so downbeat that we find ourselves most on edge every time a character expresses the slightest hint of happiness.
4) Up (October)
It may not have been as experimental as last year’s Wall-E but this sweet tale about an old man’s floating house has the most emotionally provoking opening ten minute sequence to a film ever conceived. Once again Pixar push the boundaries of the children’s film format to great success.
5) Anvil! The Story Of Anvil (February)
The real life Spinal Tap has been found. With one last chance to make it to the big time after 40 years of barely scraping a living in the far reaches of Canada, you really find yourself willing the band to succeed. The sheer pathetic organisation of their European tour twinned with such colourful characters has to be seen to be believed.
6) The Wrestler (January)
A career defining performance for Mickey Rourke, he should have won the Oscar!
7) Moon (July)
An homage to the Sci-fi films of the 1960s and 1970s based on substantial ideas about the human condition rather than flashy special effects. Duncan Jones (or Zowie Bowie) has made a stunning debut and having shaken off the burden of his father’s legacy he will no doubt develop into a fine filmmaker indeed.
8) Fish Tank (September)
Andrea Arnold’s second feature, since her debut Red Road, won this year’s Jury Prize at Cannes and rightly so. Newcomer Katie Jarvis gives a fine performance as a lower class angst ridden teenager and plays off the ever brilliant Michael Fassbender with ease.
9) A Serious Man (December)
The Coens have quite simply done it again! As Larry Gopnik’s life falls apart, his deadpan attitude is tested to the limit in this fantastic black comedy. Think 'the dude' from The Big Lebowski trying to live in an American 1960s surburbia.
10) District 9 (September)
The complex allegory for the racial politics and immigration issues in South Africa is an extremely enjoyable romp.
Runners Up: Mesrine (both parts), Gran Torino, Public Enemies, Martyrs, In The Loop
