Now that this is done, 2009 is nearly done. As I've mentioned a few times, I don't put much stock in the order of this list, except in broad strokes, i.e. 1 is better than 20, 20 better than 40, and so on. I just love all these darned movies. Even - or should I say especially - the ones that were poorly received, or ignored, during their release.
There are a few exclusions that deserve mention:
The Wire [TV] - television work was deliberately excluded, although a few memorable and brilliant passages come to mind, in particular Joe Dante's "Homecoming" episode of the Masters of Horror anthology on Showtime, and two episodes from the fourth season of The Office: "Travelling Salesmen" and "The Return," which deserve mention as one unit since they aired consecutively and essentially comprise a two-parter, anyhow. (And, as a two-parter, is awesome in every conceivable way: direction, performances, character development, new spaces explored (Dwight at Staples), and emotional truth.) Above all else, however, is the 5-season, multilayered, always complex and riveting HBO series, The Wire. It would make the top ten, easily.
The Road (Hillcoat, 2009) - my encounter with John Hillcoat's brilliant arrival - if The Proposition was his calling card - occurred while this list was over half completed. It would be a strong contender for the top ten listees, but, alas, it's a little late to tear it down and rebuild it.
A Christmas Carol (Zemeckis, 2009) - same situation, although not with the same degree of force and enthusiasm as with The Road. If I rebuilt the list, it would go somewhere in the 40s or 50s. Wrote about it here.
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