It’s BRWC’s 10th birthday! A fine time to cast our minds back and look on the film world of 2009 with the jaded cynicism of 2018.

Granted, box office success is not representative of artistic merit, but a quick glance at the top grossing films of 2009 and 2018 (so far) suggests that nothing much has changed: Disney animations; book adaptations; action/adventure sequels and reboots. However, the big studios have had their foundations shaken and are not necessarily as sturdy as they once were. Netflix, which in 2009 had not yet expanded outside the US market is now a behemoth striking fear into the hearts of studio execs. It is the latest iteration of the “Home taping is killing music” argument.

A decade on and adaptations of novels have been superseded by adaptations of comics, although the comic book revolution was well underway back then (X-Men Origins: Wolverine; Watchmen; etc).

Mercifully 2009 saw some directors swim against the tide, taking creative risks that not only paid off, but have stood the test of time.

Moon

Duncan Jones’ debut feature puts Sam Rockwell to the test as Sam Bell, a solitary helium-3 mining operator on the far side of the Moon. A tribute to classics such as Silent Running (1972) and Alien (1979), echoes of Moon would subsequently appear in The Martian (2015) and Passengers (2016).

Moon

Where the Wild Things Are

Spike Jonze tackles Maurice Sendak’s beloved Where The Wild Things Are, by way of Dave Eggers’ novel The Wild Things (co written with Jonze). The choice to use animatronic creatures, bucking the trend for full CGI, provides the film with heart and beautiful textures. Karen O’s soundtrack is the icing on the cake.

Where the Wild Things Are

A couple of other films strike me as pertinent today, though they may have passed under the radar for many people in 2009. As far as life in 2018 goes, these two are pretty topical: