Canadian Press’ Top Ten

As follows (in alpha order):

“An Education” – Newcomer Carey Mulligan sparkles in this smart, stylish tale of a London schoolgirl seduced by a mysterious older man (Peter Sarsgaard). Danish director Lone Scherfig, working from a screenplay by novelist Nick Hornby, paints an intoxicating portrait of London on the cusp of the swinging ’60s. The vivid backdrop offers up a perfect metaphor for Mulligan’s effervescent Jenny, who is strangled by the expectations of her post-war parents and bursting to embrace a bright and exotic future she yearns for but doesn’t quite know how to attain.

“Avatar” – Once again, James Cameron delivers on a bold vision that pushes special effects – and his budget – to unprecedented levels. “Avatar,” which reportedly cost anywhere between US$200 million to US$500 million, depending on which report you believe, makes effective use of the latest in 3D technology without dumbing the film down with gimmickry. In the isolation of a 30-second TV commercial, Cameron’s blue-skinned, 10-foot-tall tailed creatures of planet Pandora, called the Na’vi, look a little ridiculous. But on the big screen, Cameron beautifully paints an otherworldly landscape where viewers can imagine such fantastical creatures exist – for those able to suspend all disbelief at the theatre, that is. Cameron not only convinces viewers to believe in the Na’vi, he also urges the audience to root for them, even at the expense of the human race in the film’s inevitable final battle scene. With credits as director, producer, writer, and editor on “Avatar,” Cameron could be looking at Oscar consideration, and maybe a “I’m the king of Pandora!” acceptance speech.

“Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” – One of the most delightfully outlandish films of the year returns big-budget action star Nicolas Cage to his offbeat, comic roots in this surreal and ludicrous crime story, set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Producers insisted it share the name of the dark Harvey Keitel film “Bad Lieutenant,” but director Werner Herzog says he was in no way inspired by that 1992 morality tale. Indeed, the drug-addled, gambling-addicted cop in this film has none of the moral disquietude that plagues his New York counterpart. Here, all mayhem is infused with a giddy haze as Cage’s Lt. Terence McDonagh spirals out of control while investigating a brutal multiple homicide and hallucinating about languid iguanas. Still, there’s a perverse vicarious thrill to be had as a strung-out McDonagh explodes at a pharmacy while waiting for a prescription and berates a rich old woman for squandering her children’s inheritance on nursing care.

“Bright Star” – Like the poetry of its protagonist, John Keats, this Jane Campion-directed story is a sensuous treat. Keats and fashion student Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) are falling in love, to be sure, but Campion – who also penned the screenplay – doesn’t hit us over the head with it. Give in to the film’s subtleties and you’ll find yourself enraptured with their suggestive glances across the room, forbidden touches of the hand and connections through the bedroom wall they share. The world around them is equally enchanting: Breathtaking landscapes outside and playful touches inside, like the gorgeous scene in which butterflies dance in the air in Fanny’s room. Such beauty is shattered when Keats dies and Fanny lets out a haunting scream.

“The Hurt Locker” – Director Kathryn Bigelow illustrates a penetrating, unvarnished look at the painstaking efforts that go into discovering and defusing bombs in Iraq, and the psychological effects on the explosives teams. In what feels more like a documentary than a scripted film, the dusty desert scenes are often played out in real time and with striking veracity. Mark Boal, who based the story on his time embedded as a journalist in Iraq, offers up a candid screenplay free of trite soundbites. Often the intensity and suspense is carried not by music, sound effects or dialogue, but by each brave breath taken by maverick team leader Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner) in his bombsuit. As James becomes addicted to the rush of the job, he becomes his biggest threat.

“I Killed My Mother” – This debut film from Quebec phenom Xavier Dolan took Cannes by storm when it debuted earlier this year, taking three prizes for its searing portrayal of mother-son conflict. Drawn from Dolan’s own experiences, the semi-autobiographical tale is all the more remarkable because its writer, director, producer and star was just 19 when the film was made. The story centres on 16-year-old Hubert Minel and the explosive fury that erupts from his intense relationship with single mom, Chantale. From the opening scenes it’s clear that the slightest perceived misstep from Chantale – the way she talks, the way she eats – can set off an explosive clash with her petulant son. At times hilarious, poignant, painful and always raw, the film excels in its portrayal of familial bickering and adolescent turmoil. “I Killed My Mother” is Canada’s Oscar submission for best foreign-language film. Parts of English Canada will finally see what the fuss is about when it gets a limited release Feb. 5.

“Polytechnique” – A dreamlike melancholy pervades this black-and-white account of the murderous rampage at Ecole Polytechnique on Dec. 6, 1989. There’s little dialogue, a stark realism and an impassive tone to disturbing re-enactments that manage to shock but not sensationalize. Director Denis Villeneuve says he embarked on the project to explore the attack from the perspective of male students who found themselves helpless to stop the killing spree. It was based on interviews filmmakers conducted with survivors and is chock-full of harrowing details including a frantic scene in which bewildered students dive under desks and behind barriers as a stone-faced gunman fires at any female in sight. The film was simultaneously shot in both official languages to produce both French and English versions, but got limited exposure in English Canada. It was released on DVD in September.

“The Trotsky” – Jay Baruchel puts in a star-making turn as a 17-year-old Montreal firebrand who believes he’s the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky. It’s a premise that could have easily spiralled into quirky-indie-film purgatory, but the gimmicky logline doesn’t do this inventive, hilarious and uplifting comedy justice. With Baruchel’s Leon, director Jacob Tierney pays tribute to that brief window in life when one is absolutely unwavering in one’s convictions: Leon rallies the students at his public high school to form a union, doggedly pursues an older woman and butts heads with every authority figure in his life, all in the service of his sure-footed political convictions. Shot and set unmistakably in Montreal, where Baruchel and Tierney were raised, the film is due for a spring release after screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It also received some love at the “other TIFF,” the Tokyo International Film Festival, where it won the audience prize.

“Up” – And now, for Pixar’s next trick, a film about a widowed, geriatric grump who fastens balloons to his house so he can float away to South America will become a massive international hit, grossing more than $680 million worldwide. A year after the animated studio issued the oddball smash “WALL-E,” it followed with this film about Carl (voiced by Ed Asner), a prickly, isolated 78-year-old who decides to make good on a promise he made to his late wife to travel to South America, unwittingly dragging a portly, sweet-natured boy scout along for the ride. A stunning, wordless montage of Carl’s life with his partner, Ellie, opens the film and mashes the audience’s heartstrings like Pete Townshend whirling around on a Gibson SG. That tragic opening ultimately gives way to a more conventional animated adventure, but the buoyant “Up” never loses its emotional hold on the viewer with its hopeful tale of the infinite possibilities lying just around – or above – the corner.

“Up in the Air” – If you haven’t yet made it out to the theatre to see this one, consider yourself lucky – one of the year’s richest, most satisfying cinematic experiences awaits you. “Juno” director Jason Reitman has come of age with this funny, melancholic, bittersweet look at frequent flyer Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a hatchet man who eschews lasting relationships in favour of life on the go. It’s Clooney at his disarming, vulnerable best, with formidable support from Vera Farmiga (“The Departed”) and Anna Kendrick (“Twilight”). For the firing scenes, Reitman enlisted the help of real-life laid-off employees. That master stroke is one of many reasons “Up in the Air” feels exquisitely of the moment and seems a slam dunk to clean up come Oscar time.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: “Adventureland,” “Two Lovers,” “A Single Man,” “Inglourious Basterds.”