It's that time of year when film critics reflect on the year past and choose their favorites. Herem in no particular order, are my Ten Best Films of 2009:

1. AN EDUCATION. This intelligent (if occasionally dreamy) memoir-based coming of age story is perfectly directed by Lone Scherfig and features a breakout performance by newcomer Carey Mulligan, and fine supporting acting from Peter Saarsgard, Rosamund Pike, and Olivia Williams. 

2. FANTASTIC MR. FOX. Wes Anderson’s cool, clever, delightful puppet animation has a creative soundtrack and a lovable assortment of woodland creatures (voice talent includes George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Michael Gambon) that dance, meditate, steal, lie, argue, zone out, and glow. This is one of those rare animated films that kids and adults seem to love equally.

3. MOON. This stunning debut by Duncan Jones (son of pop music superstar and film actor David Bowie) stars an impressive Sam Rockwell (Zaphod Beeblebrox in HUITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY) as a lonely and increasingly-desperate astronaut stuck in a dead-end gig mining moon fuel.

4. O’HORTEN. Charming but never cute, Bent Hamer’s story of a Norwegian train conductor’s retirement chugs along with unexpected twists and turns, managing to be funny, tragic, moving and wise all at once.

5. BRIGHT STAR.  New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion films the love life and demise of John Keats, played with subtle intensity by Ben Whishaw (PERFUME), paired with an impressive Abbie Cornish as his lover Fanny. A feast for the eyes and the soul.

6. L’HEURE D’ETE (SUMMER HOURS). French director Olivier Assayas helms this story of three siblings who decide to sell the family’s country estate after the death of their mother, and revisits the nostalgic tone and universal themes of his earlier masterpiece L’eau Froid. With a fine cast including Juliette Binoche and Charles Berling.

7. IN THE LOOP. This sure-handed feature debut by Armando Iannucci is hilarious, sharp and vicious parody in the style of The Office, set in London and Washington, DC, with a uniformly wonderful cast including Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander and Gina McKee.

8. STAR TREK. A thrilling space adventure based on television's most famous science fiction series. From the slutty green-skinned girl to the doomed red-shirted officer, J. J. Abrams’ prequel abounds with delicious references to the original TV series, and the casting is truly inspired (Simon Pegg as Scotty? Winona Ryder as Spock's mother?)

9. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Well, well. Who knew our little Quentin had an epic in him? It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s damned fine, with some truly inspired visual and aural moments, and incredible performances by relative unknowns, including Christophe Waltz as a charming but bloodthirsty Nazi.

10. SIN NOMBRE. Cary Fukunaga’s compelling story of several Mexican families affected by the pervasive control of the drug cartels is brutal, shocking, beautifully-photographed, and hard to shake off)

And for those who want to know more of what I thought, here are some additional awards:

Best performances of 2009:

1. Carey Mulligan (AN EDUCATION)

2. Tom Hardy (BRONSON)

3. Christophe Waltz (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS)

4. Meryl Streep (JULIE & JULIA)

5. Sam Rockwell (MOON)

6. Michael Sheen (THE DAMNED UNITED)

Best Ensemble Cast:

IN THE LOOP

Highest Hopes, Biggest Disappointments:

1. ZOMBIELAND (I'd have liked to see more of a backstory on how the world became overrun with zombies, and a bit more at stake in the plot than a budding romance and a pilgrimage to an amusement park.)

2. MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (Some great performances by Jeff Bridges and George Clooney, and a fascinating set-up, but the ending was silly and unsatisfying.)

3. PONYO (Miyazaki normally delivers intricate themes and engaging stories with his jaw-dropping visuals; this was just juvenile and vague. I blame the Disney collaboration.)

Honorable Mentions:

A SERIOUS MAN; ADVENTURELAND; THE DAMNED UNITED; BRONSON; (500) DAYS OF SUMMER; THE ROAD

Best Documentaries:

FOOD, INC.; CRUDE; CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY

Best Directorial Debut: Duncan Jones (MOON)

Best Score: THE ROAD

Best Costumes: BRIGHT STAR; THE YOUNG VICTORIA

The (Apparently) Best Movie I Haven’t Seen Yet: THE HURT LOCKER