The joy of list-making continues today as I'm running down who I thought gave the best performances of the year plus what I thought were the best quotes and kills of 2009. Please keep in mind that regarding the performances, I haven't seen a few key films that could have very well changed the winners and runners-up: Crazy Heart (Best Actor), The Last Station and Bright Star (Best Actress), and a few others. If you think there was someone who clearly should've won or been nominated, shout out in the comments section and I'll let you know whether I saw the film or not.
With this disclaimer out of the way, I present to you my picks for the best performers, directors, quotes, and kills of 2009. Hit the jump to check them all out.
BEST ACTOR: Colin Firth as "George Falconer" in A Single Man
Runners-Up:
Sharlto Copley as "Wikus Van De Merwe" in District 9
Tom Hardy as "Charles Bronson" in Bronson
Max Records as "Max" in Where the Wild Things Are
Sam Rockwell as "Sam Bell" in Moon
BEST ACTRESS: Meryl Streep as "Julia Child" in Julie & Julia
Runners-Up:
Ellen Page as "Bliss Cavendar" in Whip It
Michelle Pfeiffer as "Lea de Lonval" in Chéri
Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe as "Clareece 'Precious' Jones" in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
Rachel Weisz as "Penelope" in The Brothers Bloom
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz as "Col. Hans Landa" in Inglourious Basterds
Runners-Up:
Peter Capaldi as "Malcolm Tucker" in In the Loop
Zach Galifianakis as "Alan" in The Hangover
Jackie Earle Haley as "Rorschach/Walter Kovacs" in Watchmen
Daryl Sabara as "Kyle" in World's Greatest Dad
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mo'Nique as "Mary" in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
Runners-Up:
Anna Kendrick as "Natalie Keener" in Up in the Air
Rinko Kikuchi as "Bang Bang" in The Brothers Bloom
Mélanie Laurent as "Shosanna Dreyfus" in Inglourious Basterds
Helen Mirren as "Cameron Lynne" in State of Play
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE: Zach Galifianakis as "Alan" in The Hangover
(Awarded to the actor or actress whose career will most likely have a positive and dramatic change based on their performance in a film released this year)
Runners-Up:
Sharlto Copley as "Wikus Van De Merwe" in District 9
Mo'Nique as "Mary" in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
A VERY GOOD YEAR: Stephen Lang for his performances in Avatar, The Men Who Stare at Goats, and Public Enemies
(Awarded to an actor or actress who had three or more excellent performances in films released this year)
Runners-Up:
Woody Harrelson for his performances in 2012, The Messenger, and Zombieland
Melanie Lynskey for her performances in Away We Go, The Informant!, and Up in the Air
BEST DIRECTOR: Spike Jonze - Where the Wild Things Are
Runners-Up:
Neill Blomkamp - District 9
Tom Ford - A Single Man
Rian Johnson - The Brothers Bloom
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
BEST QUOTE: "Fuckity-bye!" - Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi), In The Loop
Runners-Up:
"That's a bingo! Is that how you say it? 'That's a bingo?'" Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), Inglourious Basterds
"Why would I blow up the Chick-Fil-A? That shit is delicious!" Saddamn (Aziz Ansari), Observe and Report
"I was hiding under your porch because I love you." Dug (Bob Peterson), Up
"That's my new favorite camel." Stephen Bloom (Mark Ruffalo), The Brothers Bloom
BEST KILL: The Fall of Abe Lincoln - The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
Runners-Up:
Prawn Weapons Will Blow You Away - District 9
Hitler Can't Face His Enemies - Inglourious Basterds
This Microwave Has a "Dillahunt" Setting - The Last House on the Left
I'll have the Ribs - Watchmen
(Nothing will best my top kill of this year--I still laugh till I cry ever time I watch it--but keep in mind I don't see a lot of horror movies so if you think there was a better kill than these five, just say so in the comments section. Just be sure to put a spoiler warning on it)
Tomorrow will be the last year-end list. It has to be (you know, with the year ending and all).
Sunday: Top 10 Films of 2009
Monday: Worst 5 Films of 2009
Tuesday: Top 10 Trailers of 2009
Wednesday: Top Performers, Directors, Quotes, and Kills of 2009
Thursday: Top 20 Films of the 2000s