Roger Ebert's Top Films of 2009

We're all entitled to our own opinions, and here are Roger Ebert's. He has 20 films on his Best of 2009 countdown, ten he calls "mainstream" films and ten that are "independent." Seven of Ebert's top ten mainstreamers are in the Oscar hunt in the major categories, and another one could wind up the Best Foreign Language Film winner. Makes me wonder why it's in the mainstream category, but whatever. So that leaves two movies that would be unexpected at best. And, curiously, both star Nic Cage. And, curiously, Ebert may have really overestimated them. Here are his top ten "mainstream" films of the year, in alphabetical order: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
Crazy Heart
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Knowing
Precious
A Serious Man
Up in the Air
The White Ribbon Ebert gives his "Special Jury Prize" to Avatar, justifying it only by saying "No, that doesn't mean it's the best film of the year. It means it won the Special Jury Prize." OK then. I'll leave it to the man himself to detail why he chose each of the films on this list, as well as his top ten in the independent category.