Film critics and fan choices for best films of 2009 vastly different

While the Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards consider the best films of the year, LA film critics revealed their selections to be presented at the 35th annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association awards ceremony on January 16, 2010.

Meanwhile, moviegoers also weighed in on their favorites through a poll conducted by Blockbuster, Inc., the leading video rental retailer in the US. The choices reveal dramatically different lists, as well as some surprising similarities.

For Best Picture of the Year, the LA Film Critics chose The Hurt Locker, an Iraq war drama starring Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes. The association also acknowledges a runner-up for Best Picture; Up In The Air, starring George Clooney, took second place.

With Blockbuster's November poll, 4,000 movie fans voted for the 2009 film they thought stood out to best represent the decade. The film topping the list is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the recent installment of J.K. Rowling's series. The runner up is Star Trek.

Other movies fans voted on for the top 10 in 2009 mostly reflect the box office more than critical acclaim: District 9, Coraline, Where the Wild Things Are, The Hangover, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, X-Men Origins Wolverine, Michael Jackson's This is It and Up.

This doesn't include recent and upcoming films not released prior to the tally. Asked what films not yet seen might be included in the list, the following were suggested: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, with runner-up Avatar.

The LA Film Critics also voted on the following categories:

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Runner-up: Michael Haneke, The White Ribbon

Best Actress: Yolande Moreau, Séraphine
Runner-up: Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Runner-up: Colin Firth, A Single Man

Best Animation: Fantastic Mr. Fox
Runner-up: Up

Best Foreign Language Film: Summer Hours
Runner-up: The White Ribbon

Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, Precious
Runner-up: Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air

Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Runner-up: Peter Capaldi, In the Loop

Documentary/Non-Fiction Film: (tie) The Beaches of Agnès and The Cove

www.lafca.net/

www.blockbuster.com/timecapsule

RC