Although 2009 was not an enjoyable year as far as music releases are concerned, one could not say the same for the films we watched in the dark rooms. The last year of the zeros has been really enjoyable for cinema fans!The mixgrill editors have voted as the top film of the year the last - according to himself - film by τ79-year old Clint Eastwood in which he impersonates a capricious, racist veteran of the Korea war. The performance of the great actor in Gran Torino is one of the best in his long career.
In the second place we find the touching story of "The Reader". The love story between the colt 15-year old Michael Berg and the mature 40-year old Hanna Schmitz who used to be a guard in Auschwitz. Among the film's virtues, the impressive Kate Winslet and its powerful end.
Next is the oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle, the story of the poor, uneducated buffet boy Jamal who almost triumphs in the Indian version of the popular tv show "Who wants to be a millionaire?". In parallel to that, the film shows us around Bombay of the present and of the past, through the complicated and miserable life of the hero. In the fourth place, there is the narration of the last 8 years of the life of the first openly manifeted gay activist, elected at a public post, Harvey Milk. His struggle to ensure human rights for the gay community in the 70s with Gus Van Sant as a director managing to successfully present the atmosphere of that decade and Sean Penn, leading and winning even the toughest audiences.
Next is the inspired adaptation of the cinema novel published in 1920 that tells the story of the unusual life of Benjamin Button starting in 1918 and reaching 21st century, directed by David Fincher. The leading performances by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett are really overwhelming.
In places 6 to 10 in the list of this year's top films for mixgrill next is the return of Michael Haneke with the different from his previous creations, The White Ribbon telling the story of a Bavaria village just before WWI, "Broken Embraces" by the great Pedro Almodόvar with the explosive Penelope Cruz, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" from Sweden, the emotional Fish Tank and finally Waltz with Bashir.The Top 15 follows:
1. Gran Torino
2. The reader
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. Milk
5. The curious case of Benjamin Button
6. Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon)
7. Los Abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces)
8. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
9. Fish Tank
10. Waltz with Bashir
11. Inglourious Basterds
12. Three monkeys
13. Akadimia Platonos
14. Soul Kitchen
15. Up
1. Gran Torino
2. The reader
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. Milk
5. The curious case of Benjamin Button
6. Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon)
7. Los Abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces)
8. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
9. Fish Tank
10. Waltz with Bashir
11. Inglourious Basterds
12. Three monkeys
13. Akadimia Platonos
14. Soul Kitchen
15. Up
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