(Photo by Sony Pictures Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection. DISTRICT 9.)
District 9 celebrates its 15th anniversary!
To put together our guide to the 100 best movies of 2009, we collected every Certified Fresh movie from the year and…what’s that? Huh, yep. Not a single superhero movie in sight. 2008 may have been the year the comic book barrier broke with Iron Man and The Dark Knight, but the machine would need another year to get oiled up and running, so 2009 represents that final moment before the industry was laid sieged by superheroes and cinematic universes.
Streaming wasn’t the full-bore threat to the business yet either, so mid-budget movies and comedies could still thrive in theaters, like Up in the Air, The Hangover, and Crazy Heart. You could even make a war thriller back then on a measly 15 million bucks like with The Hurt Locker, which would go on to win the Best Picture Oscar.
Fantasy, revitalized as the escapist genre of choice in the post-9/11 days starting with The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, was nearing a conclusion with The Half-Blood Prince. At the same time, science fiction pulled ahead with franchise starters Avatar and Star Trek, indie hits Moon and District 9, and its overall upcoming compatibility with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Elevated horror would have its initial blood bubbling with The House of the Devil, The Loved Ones, Thirst, and maybe even Drag Me to Hell.
And it was a great year for animation (The Secret of Kells, The Princess and the Frog, Golden Tomato-winning Up, and Fantastic Mr. Fox) and animated directors (Inglourious Basterds).
#1
Adjusted Score: 101814%
Critics Consensus: An enlightening and sobering documentary on Afghanistan’s very own X-Factor.
Starring:
#2
Adjusted Score: 101501%
Critics Consensus: Last Train Home is a haunting, vivid documentary exploring the human toll of China’s economic boom in intimate, unforgettable detail.
Starring:
#3
Adjusted Score: 110264%
Critics Consensus: An exciting, funny, and poignant adventure, Up offers an impeccably crafted story told with wit and arranged with depth, as well as yet another visual Pixar treat.
#4
Adjusted Score: 103215%
Critics Consensus: A touching, uplifting and inspirational rockumentary about an aging metal band, both hilarious and heart-warming in equal measure.
#5
Adjusted Score: 99591%
Critics Consensus: Successfully mixing the conventions of the teen and horror genres with a twist, Australian director Sean Byrne makes a striking directorial debut with The Loved Ones.
#6
Adjusted Score: 99054%
Critics Consensus: A uniquely sharp, well-acted prison drama, Cell 211 avoids exploitative thrills in favor of expertly ratcheted tension.
#7
Adjusted Score: 99082%
Critics Consensus: This multi-character drama balances intimate portrayals and broad political implications to paint a bracing and moving portrait of the Middle East conflict.
#8
Adjusted Score: 108151%
Critics Consensus: A well-acted, intensely shot, action filled war epic, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is thus far the best of the recent dramatizations of the Iraq War.
#9
Adjusted Score: 102414%
Critics Consensus: Featuring an impressive star turn by newcomer Tahar Rahim, A Prophet is a French gangster film filled with arresting, immediate details.
#10
Adjusted Score: 100404%
Critics Consensus: As fleshy as it is funny, Bong Joon-Ho’s Mother straddles family drama, horror and comedy with a deft grasp of tone and plenty of eerie visuals.
#11
Adjusted Score: 99935%
Critics Consensus: Though decidedly one-sided, The Cove is an impeccably crafted, suspenseful expose of the covert slaughter of dolphins in Japan.
#12
Adjusted Score: 96948%
Critics Consensus: Mary and Max is a lovingly crafted, startlingly inventive piece of animation whose technical craft is equaled by its emotional resonance.
#13
Adjusted Score: 96811%
Critics Consensus: Bringing a dose of humor and a fresh perspective to a very serious subject, No One Knows About Persian Cats is an exhilarating, quietly powerful tribute to the courage of Iran’s underground musicians.
#14
Adjusted Score: 96501%
Critics Consensus: Alternately beautiful and heartrending, Samson and Delilah is terrifically acted and shot, and presents a complex portrait of what it means to be Australian.
#15
Adjusted Score: 108899%
Critics Consensus: Star Trek reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals, and will please traditional Trekkies and new fans alike.
#16
Adjusted Score: 100995%
Critics Consensus: In the Loop is an uncommonly funny political satire that blends Dr. Strangelove with Spinal Tap for the Iraq war era.
#17
Adjusted Score: 96796%
Critics Consensus: Funny, informative, and occasionally sad, Good Hair is a provocative look at the complex relationship between African Americans and their hair.
#18
Adjusted Score: 96126%
Critics Consensus: Good-natured and mirthful, Best Worst Movie is a sweet deconstruction of how a cinematic folly can become a triumph.
#19
Adjusted Score: 103121%
Critics Consensus: Fantastic Mr. Fox is a delightfully funny feast for the eyes with multi-generational appeal — and it shows Wes Anderson has a knack for animation.
#20
Adjusted Score: 100887%
Critics Consensus: Though the latter part of the film may not appeal to all, An Education is a charming coming-of-age tale powered by the strength of relative newcomer Carey Mulligan’s standout performance.
#21
Adjusted Score: 95349%
Critics Consensus: Catalina Saavedra’s devastating performance would be reason enough to see The Maid, but Sebastian Silva’s empathetic direction and finely tuned script only add to the movie’s pleasing heft.
#22
Adjusted Score: 95171%
Critics Consensus: It’ll be too disturbing — and meandering — for some, but Dogtooth is as disturbing and startlingly original as modern filmmaking gets.
#23
Adjusted Score: 103103%
Critics Consensus: Sam Raimi returns to top form with Drag Me to Hell, a frightening, hilarious, delightfully campy thrill ride.
#24
Adjusted Score: 101808%
Critics Consensus: Precious is a grim yet ultimately triumphant film about abuse and inner-city life, largely bolstered by exceptional performances from its cast.
#25
Adjusted Score: 97208%
Critics Consensus: Better than your average football pic, Damned United is carried by another star turn from Michael Sheen as Brian Clough.
#26
Adjusted Score: 93367%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#27
Adjusted Score: 93297%
Critics Consensus: While the web of corruption in this Italian political thriller can be hard for a non-native to follow, the visuals and the intrigue are compelling and thrilling in equal measure.
#28
Adjusted Score: 93144%
Critics Consensus: Like a perfect summer at the beach, Alamar bathes you in natural warmth as it explores the blossoming bond of a five-year-old and his dad.
#29
Adjusted Score: 96789%
Critics Consensus: Cannes Jury Prize-winner Fish Tank is gritty British realism at its very best, with flawless performances from newcomer Kate Jarvis, and Michael Fassbender.
#30
Adjusted Score: 94153%
Critics Consensus: Part political treatise, part melodrama, Marco Bellocchio’s Mussolini biopic forsakes historical details in favor of absorbing emotion — and provides a showcase for a stunning performance from Giovanna Mezzogiorno.
#31
Adjusted Score: 92055%
Critics Consensus: Riveting and bone-chillingly creepy, Cropsey manages to be one of the best documentaries and one of the best horror movies of the year.
#32
Adjusted Score: 91965%
Critics Consensus: As bewitchingly ambiguous as it is beautifully shot, Lourdes explores profound themes with subtlety and a deft comic touch — and a marvelous performance from its star, Sylvie Testud.
#33
Adjusted Score: 103024%
Critics Consensus: Technically brilliant and emotionally wrenching, District 9 has action, imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction classic.
#34
Adjusted Score: 101863%
Critics Consensus: Led by charismatic performances by its three leads, director Jason Reitman delivers a smart blend of humor and emotion with just enough edge for mainstream audiences.
#35
Adjusted Score: 98558%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a captivating performance from Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart transcends its overly familiar origins and finds new meaning in an old story.
#36
Adjusted Score: 97754%
Critics Consensus: Boosted by Sam Rockwell’s intense performance, Moon is a compelling work of science-fiction, and a promising debut from director Duncan Jones.
#37
Adjusted Score: 96236%
Critics Consensus: A dark but timely subject is handled deftly by writer/directer Owen Moverman and superbly acted by Woody Harrleson and Ben Foster.
#38
Adjusted Score: 93958%
Critics Consensus: A powerful and personal account of war on the front line, writer-director Samuel Maoz takes the viewer inside an Israeli tank to deliver an exhausting, original film.
#39
Adjusted Score: 92752%
Critics Consensus: Beautifully drawn and refreshingly calm, The Secret of Kells hearkens back to animation’s golden age with an enchanting tale inspired by Irish mythology.
#40
Adjusted Score: 91764%
Critics Consensus: Though it doesn’t quite answer all of the questions it raises, Winnebago Man is nevertheless a fascinating, hilarious, and surprisingly poignant look at a geniunely colorful internet celebrity.
#41
Adjusted Score: 91635%
Critics Consensus: A tragedy gracefully lifted by tender empathy and moments of joy, Father of My Children is a quiet triumph for writer-director Mia Hansen-Love.
#42
Adjusted Score: 103050%
Critics Consensus: A classic Tarantino genre-blending thrill ride, Inglourious Basterds is violent, unrestrained, and thoroughly entertaining.
#43
Adjusted Score: 99523%
Critics Consensus: Wickedly funny and featuring plenty of gore, Zombieland is proof that the zombie subgenre is far from dead.
#44
Adjusted Score: 97960%
Critics Consensus: Blending dark humor with profoundly personal themes, the Coen brothers deliver what might be their most mature — if not their best — film to date.
#45
Adjusted Score: 94252%
Critics Consensus: Unpredictable and rich with symbolism, this Argentinian murder mystery lives up to its Oscar with an engrossing plot, Juan Jose Campanella’s assured direction, and mesmerizing performances from its cast.
#46
Adjusted Score: 96691%
Critics Consensus: Full of humor and nostalgia, Adventureland is a sweet, insightful coming-of-age comedy that will resonate with teens and adults alike.
#47
Adjusted Score: 92355%
Critics Consensus: Part harrowing immigration tale, part gangster story, this debut by writer/director Cary Fukunaga is sensitive, insightful and deeply authentic.
#48
Adjusted Score: 90233%
Critics Consensus: Aimed at adults and animated with zest, Chico & Rita is a romantic delight packed with cultural detail and flavor.
#49
Adjusted Score: 90216%
Critics Consensus: A dramedy that’s got a taste for the tragic as well as the poignantly comic, Amreeka adds a new sweetness to the hope and distress of the immigrant experience.
#50
Adjusted Score: 88876%
Critics Consensus: Alle Anderen (Everyone Else) taps into the unpredictable energy between two couples to throw finely detailed – and richly rewarding – sparks of emotional truth.
#51
Adjusted Score: 89171%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#52
Adjusted Score: 93843%
Critics Consensus: Though the costumes are beautiful and the art direction impeccable, what stands out most from this debut by fashion designer Tom Ford is the leading performance by Colin Firth.
#53
Adjusted Score: 93531%
Critics Consensus: While made from overly familiar ingredients, Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut has enough charm, energy, and good-natured humor to transcend its many cliches.
#54
Adjusted Score: 91968%
Critics Consensus: Befitting its unorthodox origins, this Bad Lieutenant benefits from Werner Herzog’s typically fearless direction and a delightfully unhinged Nicolas Cage in the title role.
#55
Adjusted Score: 89243%
Critics Consensus: Isabelle Huppert is an immoveable object surrounded by unstoppable forces in White Material, an incendiary character study and political thriller that showcases director Claire Denis’ expertise in ratcheting tension.
#56
Adjusted Score: 88481%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#57
Adjusted Score: 87184%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#58
Adjusted Score: 94407%
Critics Consensus: A clever, offbeat romantic comedy, 500 Days of Summer is refreshingly honest and utterly charming.
#59
Adjusted Score: 93022%
Critics Consensus: The warmth of traditional Disney animation makes this occasionally lightweight fairy-tale update a lively and captivating confection for the holidays.
#60
Adjusted Score: 92604%
Critics Consensus: Its graphic violence and sprawling length will prove too much for some viewers to take, but Noomi Rapace’s gripping performance makes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo an unforgettable viewing experience.
#61
Adjusted Score: 90654%
Critics Consensus: The White Ribbon effectively utilizes tension and a bleak atmosphere to deliver a thought-provoking examination of nascent fascism.
#62
Adjusted Score: 90386%
Critics Consensus: Quirky humor, plucky characters and solid slapstick make this family comedy a frenetically tasty time at the movies.
#63
Adjusted Score: 88511%
Critics Consensus: Though its underlying themes are familiar, House of the Devil effectively sheds the loud and gory cliches of contemporary horror to deliver a tense, slowly building throwback to the fright flicks of decades past.
#64
Adjusted Score: 87975%
Critics Consensus: Featuring Patton Oswalt’s sympathetic portrayal, Big Fan humorously and effectively captures the dark and lonely world of a sports fanatic.
#65
Adjusted Score: 86764%
Critics Consensus: Deeply esoteric and unapologetically one-sided, The Art of the Steal proves a documentary doesn’t have to make an objective argument as long as it argues well.
Starring:
#66
Adjusted Score: 95550%
Critics Consensus: Dark, thrilling, and occasionally quite funny, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is also visually stunning and emotionally satisfying.
#67
Adjusted Score: 92647%
Critics Consensus: A taut, well-acted political thriller, State of Play overcomes some unsubtle plot twists with an intelligent script and swift direction.
#68
Adjusted Score: 89520%
Critics Consensus: Subtle to a fault, this perfectly cast ensemble drama is lifted by typically sharp performances from Robert Duvall and Bill Murray.
#69
Adjusted Score: 87511%
Critics Consensus: Ken Loach’s latest is an uplifting, entertaining and amusing socio-drama featuring a match-winning performance from Eric Cantona.
#70
Adjusted Score: 91245%
Critics Consensus: I Love You, Man makes the most of its simple premise due to the heartfelt and hilarious performances of Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.
#71
Adjusted Score: 89994%
Critics Consensus: Jane Campion’s direction is as refined as her screenplay, and she gets the most out of her cast — especially Abbie Cornish — in this understated period drama.
#72
Adjusted Score: 87087%
Critics Consensus: This doc about the making of Vogue’s biggest issue and its frosty editor-in-chief is fascinating eye candy and light-on-its-feet fun.
#73
Adjusted Score: 86690%
Critics Consensus: Raymond De Felitta combines warmth, humanity, and a natural sense of humor, and is abetted by Andy Garcia and an excellent ensemble cast.
#74
Adjusted Score: 84859%
Critics Consensus: A loving and meticulous send-up of 1970s blaxsploitation movies, Black Dynamite is funny enough for the frat house and clever enough for film buffs.
#75
Adjusted Score: 83872%
Critics Consensus: Collapse can’t prove its subject’s theories, but it poses too many terrifyingly sobering questions to turn away from or ignore.
#76
Adjusted Score: 88011%
Critics Consensus: Pedro Almodovar’s fourth film with Penélope Cruz isn’t his finest work, but he brings his signature visual brilliance to this noirish tale, and the cast turns in some first-class performances.
#77
Adjusted Score: 83993%
Critics Consensus: Rich in atmosphere and cunningly told, The Double Hour is a pleasurable puzzle that will keep audiences guessing throughout.
#78
Adjusted Score: 83452%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#79
Adjusted Score: 95097%
Critics Consensus: It might be more impressive on a technical level than as a piece of storytelling, but Avatar reaffirms James Cameron’s singular gift for imaginative, absorbing filmmaking.
#80
Adjusted Score: 88261%
Critics Consensus: While it may not be the definitive concert film (or the insightful backstage look) some will hope for, Michael Jackson’s This Is It packs more than enough entertainment value to live up to its ambitious title.
#81
Adjusted Score: 86118%
Critics Consensus: It stumbles into melodrama, but I Am Love backs up its flamboyance with tremendous visual style and a marvelous central performance from Tilda Swinton.
#82
Adjusted Score: 85315%
Critics Consensus: The stylish Thirst packs plenty of bloody thrills to satisfy fans of both vampire films and director Chan Wook Park.
#83
Adjusted Score: 84466%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#84
Adjusted Score: 83573%
Critics Consensus: Oceans adds another visually stunning chapter to the Disney Nature library.
#85
Adjusted Score: 83305%
Critics Consensus: A Town Called Panic is a raucous, endlessly creative animated romp with a quirky, adult sense of humor.
#86
Adjusted Score: 89273%
Critics Consensus: A charismatic turn by star Matt Damon and a consistently ironic tone boost this quietly funny satire about a corporate whistle-blower.
#87
Adjusted Score: 85655%
Critics Consensus: Don’t expect any musical insights, but this look at John Lennon’s early life benefits from its restrained, low-key approach and some fine acting from Aaron Johnson.
#88
Adjusted Score: 82617%
Critics Consensus: Though potentially too slowly paced for some, Cairo Time lingers long after the closing credits, largely due to a wonderful performance by Patricia Clarkson.
#89
Adjusted Score: 88764%
Critics Consensus: With a clever script and hilarious interplay among the cast, The Hangover nails just the right tone of raunchy humor, and the non-stop laughs overshadow any flaw.
#90
Adjusted Score: 84119%
Critics Consensus: Observant and insightful, this indie comedy takes a different tack on the “bromance” but still makes a point without sermonizing.
#91
Adjusted Score: 83851%
Critics Consensus: Though it occasionally veers into unnecessary melodrama, Mother and Child benefits from a stellar cast and writer-director Rodrigo Garcia’s finely detailed, bravely unsentimental script.
#92
Adjusted Score: 79697%
Critics Consensus: Triangle sails into some strange waters, but this intelligent, well-acted horror outing anchors its idiosyncrasies in a satisfyingly scary story.
#93
Adjusted Score: 81466%
Critics Consensus: Built around a singularly unpleasant main character, Solitary Man needed a flawless central performance to succeed — and Michael Douglas delivers.
#94
Adjusted Score: 78831%
Critics Consensus: Claudia Llosa’s deliberate pace and abstract storytelling may frustrate some viewers, but there’s no denying the visual pleasures soaking in The Milk of Sorrow.
#95
Adjusted Score: 86093%
Critics Consensus: Boosted by Meryl Streep’s charismatic performance as Julia Child, Julie and Julia is a light, but fairly entertaining culinary comedy.
#96
Adjusted Score: 77742%
Critics Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and unsettling, Heartless marks a mostly satisfying return to genre thrills for writer-director Philip Ridley.
#97
Adjusted Score: 85942%
Critics Consensus: Delivered with typically stately precision by director Clint Eastwood, Invictus may not be rousing enough for some viewers, but Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman inhabit their real-life characters with admirable conviction.
#98
Adjusted Score: 82057%
Critics Consensus: Emily Blunt shines as Victoria in this romantic but plodding royal portrait.
#99
Adjusted Score: 78752%
Critics Consensus: An intriguingly unusual ghost story, Conor McPherson’s Eclipse blends supernatural suspense with romance to create a satisfying, character-driven whole.
#100
Adjusted Score: 77008%
Critics Consensus: Oliver Hirschbiegel’s dramatic take on “The Troubles” is an actor’s showcase — and Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt are more than up to the challenge.