It was such a mediocre multiplex year, it's almost as if the gods were punishing the Academy for expanding their best picture category from five to 10.
Frankly, it would be hard to come up with the usual five movies to recommend without reservation. But 10? Here goes...
1. Up In The Air
Jason Reitman scores again. This tale of the ultimate frequent flyer (George Clooney), whose job it is to fire people on behalf of cowardly bosses, is perfectly in-sync with the times.
2. The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow's magnum opus captures the daily dread and monotony of a U.S. bomb-deactivator in Iraq, and the paranoia of knowing every face looking at you could hide murderous intent. This is what occupation means.
3. The Road
This elegiac little fable, of a father and son trying to keep their humanity in a post-apocalyptic world gone cannibal, stuck with us for weeks.
4. Star Trek
Seriously, did anybody who ever has read me before think I was going to leave this out? J.J. Abrams brought an outsider's fresh approach to this "prequel" about young Kirk, Spock, McCoy and company in Starfleet, and gave it enough fireworks for any newbie.
5. Up
The first 10 minutes are undeniably art. The rest is a pretty fun and funny CGI adventure kidflick that adults can enjoy too.
6. Anvil - The Story Of Anvil
The real-life feel-good story of the year. Sacha Gervasi's where-are-they-now doc on his fave metal band, now reduced to playing tiny bars in Toronto, wrought an unbelievably happy ending for some fiftysomething headbangers.
7. The Cove
Many features use the "gimmick" of looking like documentaries. Here's a doc on the slaughter of dolphins in Japan that uses high production values and high-tech gizmos to make itself look like Mission: Impossible. A nail-biting must-see.
8. In The Loop
The best movie you probably haven't seen, this combination of Yes, Minister and The Office -- set amid the course of Britain joining the U.S. in Iraq -- is trenchant, acidic, hilarious, profane and rings distressingly true.
9. The Hangover
Crude, inventive, filled with manic energy, this bachelor-weekend-gone-wrong flick is the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time. For good reason.
10. Avatar
It's the event of the season, whether you like it or not (to me it was like a half-billion dollar remake of Ferngully). But Jim Cameron promised spectacle and I give him that. A lot of movies are going to look like this, so get your glimpse of the future early.
