Top Ten

Roger Ebert's ten favorites of 2009 follow. Love him or hate him is the most prolific film critic in the world, and the his opinion and knowledge of the film medium counts. Rather than a traditional list he has divided it up, sharing the love:

TOP TEN MAINSTREAM FILMS:

• Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
• Crazy Heart
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Knowing
• Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
• A Serious Man
• Up in the Air
• The White Ribbon

Special Jury Prize: Avatar

TOP TEN INDEPENDENT FILM:

• Departures
• Disgrace
• Everlasting Moments
• Goodbye Solo
• Julia
• Silent Night
• Sin Nombre
• Skin
• Trucker
• You, The Living