Best of 2009

[Work in progress - moved to here on Simple Pleasures part 4]

Film:
1. Inglourious Basterds - because it reignited my excitement with cinema

2. The Hangover - because it afforded me a fine evening of laughter with the Enfants Terribles
3. A Serious Man - for the uncompromising ending and beautiful cinematography by my former boss Roger Deakins
4. An Education - for a supercharismatic central performance
5. Nowhere Boy - for fine performances all round

Actor:
1. Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) - couldn't take my eyes off him

2. Christian McKay (Me & Orson Welles) - a close second, not an easy persona to capture
3. Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy)
4. Andy Serkis (Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll)
5. Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man)
6. Adam Sandler (Funny People) - got papped with him leaving BAFTA
7. John Travolta (The Taking of Pelham 123)

Actress:
1. Carey Mulligan (An Education) - old school screen charisma

2. Anne-Marie Duff (Nowhere Boy) - did a great, feisty Q&A at The Phoenix, East Finchley
3. Emma Thompson (Last Chance Harvey)

Supporting Actor:
1. Brad Pitt (Inglourious Basterds) - captured the humour whilst retaining the character's intrigue

2. Alfred Molina (An Education) - also a close second, helped pull off the ending with a pivotal moving scene
3. Ed Helms (The Hangover)
4. Thomas Sangster (Nowhere Boy) - huge charisma
5. Peter Capaldi (In the Loop)
6. Fred Melamed (A Serious Man)

Supporting Actress:

1. Kristin Scott Thomas (Nowhere Boy)

2. Claire Danes (Me & Orson Welles)
3. Rosamund Pike (An Education)


Director:
1. Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds) - gets it on the strength of the opening scene alone

2. The Coen Brothers (A Serious Man)
3. Todd Phillips (The Hangover)
4. Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)
5. Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino)

Script:
1. The Hangover

2. A Serious Man
3. Up in the Air


TV:
Gavin & Stacey

LP:
Sea Sew - Lisa Hannigan

The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago


Single:
1. Glass - Bat for Lashes

2. Say Hey - Michael Franti & Spearhead

Gig:
1. Hothouse Flowers - Community Hall, Baltimore, West Cork

2.
Bat for Lashes - The Roundhouse
Christy Moore - Festival Hall
Lisa Hannigan - Festival Hall

3.
Blur - Hyde Park (The Enfants Terribles' first gig)
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Empire Shepherd's Bush
David Gray - The Roundhouse

Book:
The Great Lover - Jill Dawson

Art exhibition:
Anish Kapoor - Royal Academy

Play:
August: Osage County (NT)
Prick Up Your Ears (The Comedy)

Sports event:
1. Ireland winning the 6 Nations

2. Spurs 9-1 victory over Wigan

Website:
Posterous

Saddest loss:
John Martyn