With the Golden Globes upon us, the first big award show of the season has arrived. And, we must admit we’re not only excited to see who wins, but to watch the ever-entertaining Ricky Gervais. Whoever wins, however, will lay claim as the newly ordained potential Oscar favorites, and the Globes are to be followed by the various Guild awards for actors, directors, writers, producers and the rest, along with critics weighing in with their best-of-the-best lists. What you may not hear much about, though, are the inspirational favorites of the year. For our second-year running (check out last year’s list), Tonic brings you the Best ‘Good’ Movies of 2009 — our list of the year’s nine flicks that opened our eyes to the possibility of change, taught us something about ourselves, or simply made us feel good.
Avatar: The movie of the year by many accounts, tells the story of an ex-Marine sent to the alien planet of Pandora, and after becoming an Avatar (inhabiting an alien body), he must reconcile his former world and the new world he’s been sent to spy on.
Why It’s Good: Looking past the stunning and revolutionary visuals (not that you should, because they’re outstanding), this movie is really about tolerance and respect for the natural world and cultures other than our own.
The Blind Side: This adaptation of the well-known Michael Lewis nonfiction book is about Michael Oher, an African-American teenager from the wrong side of the tracks who is taken in by the Touhys, an upper middle-class white family led by Sandra Bullock, and defies all odds by becoming an All-American college football player.
Why It’s Good: It’s a genuinely inspiring picture that speaks to the ability to positively impact someone else’s life by bringing them into yours. And, through examining the sacrifices that come with it, the film highlights potentially how worthwhile opening one’s home and heart can be.
Earth: The first in a series of nature films from Disneynature (Disney’s new banner), this documentary follows a year in the life of some of the planet’s most interesting creatures, with a particular focus on three different animal families: polar bears, elephants and humpback whales.
Why It’s Good: I must admit to not having gotten around to seeing this movie, which was too bad, since Disney planted a tree for every person who saw the film in its opening week (2.7 million in all). Beyond that impressive contribution, the film focuses its energy on demonstrating the spectacular complexity of the Earth and its inhabitants. A sentiment we couldn’t agree with more.
(500) Days of Summer: This favorite among independent film lovers, takes an out-of-sequence look at the journey of a relationship between Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel’s characters, demonstrating that not every romantic comedy needs to be tied up in a nice little bow.
Why It’s Good: Along with having the faith in itself as an atypical romance (in the vein of Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind), it also shows us that we can find reward in the broken relationships of our lives, simply by having experienced them and survived to find love again.
Invictus: A fascinating look into how Nelson Mandela managed to bring the racially divided country of South Africa together with the help of its national rugby team’s unexpected pursuit of the World Cup.
Why It’s Good: If the story wasn’t based on true events, you might have a hard time believing it. The film richly demonstrates the power of believing that you can make a difference — against even the stiffest of odds — and the value of admitting when you need help and knowing where to find it. Bringing together a racially divided country, even if for just a few hours, is pretty inspirational stuff, too, wouldn’t you say?
Precious: This adaptation of the novel Push is about a teenage girl named Precious struggling to find hope in one hopeless situation after another.
Why It’s Good: Despite having to endure abusive mother, cope with a second child on the way, and believing that no one could ever love her, Precious manages to rise above her situation by finding strength in the unlikeliest of places — herself. While few of us will ever face those kinds of odds, we can all use the reminder of our own worth.
Up in the Air: This award show darling follows George Clooney’s layoff specialist character as he travels around the country, in pursuit of frequent flyer miles while convincing his traveling partner of the joys of working on the road. What he discovers, though, is what his life has actually become.
Why It’s Good: It’s a slice of life film that perfectly captures this moment in American culture. And by seeing the truth in the life that Clooney’s character leads, we can’t help but appreciate the people we love: the friends and family who help bring depth and meaning to our lives.
Up: It’s difficult to have a list of the best “good” films of the year without including a Pixar film. Up is about a man in his late 70s who finally decides to pursue the adventure he’s been meaning to for his entire life. But thanks to the help of thousands of balloons, he never has to leave the house.
Why It’s Good: Along with poignantly capturing a relationship in mere minutes without the use of any dialogue, this beautifully crafted animated film demonstrates to us that it’s never too late to go after what we want in life — no matter what sort of excuses we conjure up. And it does so with that Pixar magic that continues to dazzle us time and again.
Where the Wild Things Are: This Spike Jonze-helmed film brings to life Maurice Sendak’s classic about a little boy who runs away to a distant land where he becomes king, and discovers the double-edged sword that comes with being in command.
Why It’s Good: It not only brings to vivid, surreal life the much-loved childhood book, but it also reminds adults what being a child is truly like — the wild imagination, the wonderment and, yes, the confusion — qualities we can all stand to remember.
What are your picks? Let us know what movies inspired you last year.
Golden Globe photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik, via Flickr; Avatar photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox/WETA; Earth courtesy Wikimedia Commons; George Clooney courtesy of Nicolas Genin, via Wikimedia Commons; Invictus and Where the Wild Things Are photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures