Best Film
1 – Antichrist
A staggering work of art
2 – Love Exposure
Love Exposure may be twice as long as the average movie, but it's also twice as good
3 – Up
It is, quite simply, an astounding filmmaking achievement
4 – The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow takes control of this material and plays it out it in a masterly fashion
5 – The Class
There's hardly a single moment in The Class that doesn't feel completely authentic and organic
6 – A Christmas Tale
A Christmas Tale is bursting with ideas, incident and feeling
7 – Avatar
Avatar is a stunning film, and it deserves to be huge
8 – Wendy and Lucy
Everything about Wendy and Lucy feels natural and true
9 - The White Ribbon
Even by this filmmaker's intimidating standards, this is a stunningly well-made film
10 – Sugar
So superior to Boden and Fleck's previous effort, it's hard to believe that we're talking about the same filmmakers
Honourable Mentions
35 Shots of Rum
Bright Star
Fish Tank
Il Divo
In the Loop
Milk
Moon
Public Enemies
A Serious Man
Two Lovers
Worst Film
1 – The Spirit
The Spirit is empty of any logic, feeling or intelligence; it is visually and morally ugly
2 – The Reader
This is crass, manipulative bullshit
3 – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
This is, by any measure, rubbish
4 – Crank: High Voltage
A sequel few people really wanted, and nobody really needed
5 – The Taking of Pelham, 123
How bereft of imagination this boring, unpleasant film is
6 – Rage
A silly and self-indulgent cinematic experiment
7 – Observe and Report
Nothing more than an empty provocation
8 – Paper Heart
A horribly twee faux-documentary starring the irritating Charlyne Yi
9 – Hannah Takes the Stairs
Unremarkable and faintly tedious
10 – Watchmen
Watchmen is so concerned with matching the look and feel of the comic, it has no life of its own
Dishonourable Mentions
Bronson
Fuck
Helen
Just Another Love Story
Monsters v Aliens
Rachel Getting Married
Revolutionary Road
Sherlock Holmes
Tony Manero
Where the Wild Things Are
Best Director
James Cameron – Avatar
Lars von Trier – Antichrist
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
Pete Docter and Bob Peterson – Up
Arnaud Desplechin – A Christmas Tale
Best Actor
Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker
Sam Rockwell – Moon
Willem Dafoe – Antichrist
Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds
Peter Capaldi – In the Loop
Best Actress
Charlotte Gainsbourg – Antichrist
Hikari Mitsushima – Love Exposure
Michelle Williams – Wendy and Lucy
Kim Ok-bin – Thirst
Abbie Cornish – Bright Star
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender – Inglourious Basterds/Fish Tank
Anthony Mackie – The Hurt Locker
Paul Schneider – Bright Star
Stephen Lang – Avatar
Gérard Depardieu – Mesrine: Killer Instinct
Best Supporting Actress
Mélanie Laurent – Inglourious Basterds
Rosemarie Dewitt – Rachel Getting Married
Marion Cotillard – Public Enemies
Sakura Ando – Love Exposure
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Best Original Screenplay
In the Loop
Up
The Hurt Locker
Moon
Bright Star
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Class
Wendy and Lucy
Let the Right One In
The Damned United
Thirst
Best Cinematography
Antichrist
The White Ribbon
A Serious Man
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Best Editing
The Hurt Locker
Up
The White Ribbon
A Serious Man
Shirin
Best Original Score
Moon
Bright Star
Up
Broken Embraces
A Christmas Tale
Best Costume Design
Bright Star
Public Enemies
Milk
A Serious Man
Broken Embraces
Best Production Design
Avatar
A Serious Man
The White Ribbon
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Public Enemies
Best Cinema Experience of 2009
The Red Shoes in a stunning new restoration at the NFTAvatar in IMAX 3D
Antichrist at a raucous midnight preview screening
Barry Lyndon seen in a new print on the big screen for the first time
Love Exposure as the four hours absolutely flew by