The "V" word: Looking for Virtue in the Films of 2009

In a world filled with movies like "The Ugly Truth," "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," or the torturous "All About Steve," a conscientious moviegoer can despair of finding anything good, true, or beautiful at the cinema. We've sifted through the good (The Blind Side), the bad (Madea Goes to Jail) and the ugly (2012) to bring you the films of 2009 that were both excellent and edifying. We've broken it down into four categories: The struggle against evil, helping others, marriage and family, and issues of character. There's some cross-over of course, but y'all can figure that out yourselves.

The Struggle Against Evil

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Best Quote:

Megatron: Is the future of our race not worth a single life?

Optimus Prime: You'll never stop at one. I'll take you all on.

The Story: Ginormous robots (the Autobots) fight alongside humans to save the earth from other, nasty, hugemongous robots (the Decepticons).

Why we love it: Who knew a film that had so many explosions and a distractingly attractive costar (Megan Fox) would have so much to say about self-sacrifice? But be aware that there are sexual situations and iffy language. Also, critics hated this film, but the public loved it to the tune of $400 million.

Invictus

Best Quote:

Mazibuko: No one wants to root for the Springboks, a team they have hated all their lives.

Mandela: In this case, the people are wrong.

The Story: Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) takes the reins of a troubled and deeply divided nation with a history of brutal racism. He rejects revenge and embraces forgiveness, uniting the country by means of the Springboks rugby team.

Why we love it: When a leader refuses revenge and punishment and leads by example, that's something we can get on board with.

Helping Others:

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Best Quote: Some folks has a lot of things around them that shines for other peoples. I think that maybe some of them was in tunnels. And in that tunnel, the only light they had, was inside of them. And then long after they escape that tunnel, they still be shining for everybody else.

The Story: Uneducated, obese, and pregnant for the second time at 16, Precious seems destined for failure and misery. There's more to the story, both bad and good. She's a victim of abuse, and she's got more determination in her quiet person than any ten of the rest of us.

Why we love it:  This is a brutal and explicit movie, painful to watch, but the horror just makes Precious more amazing. She knows there's something better to life, even if she's never experienced it, and is determined to achieve it for herself and her children.

The Blind Side

Best Quote:

Beth: You're changing that boy's life

Leigh Anne: No. He's changing mine.

The Story: A rich, white woman sees a large black teen shivering in the cold. Instead of passing on by, she can't stand that he doesn't have a warm place to sleep. A simple act of compassion turns into an expansion of family and a chance for a child who might have fallen by the wayside.

Why we love it: Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) is brassy, determined, forceful, fashionable, and completely revolutionary. She is not about to let this child be let down by the system, by his biological family, by schooling, or by herself. Plus, it's a true story.

Marriage and Family:

Up

Best Quote

Dug the Dog: "My master made me this collar. He is a good and smart master and he made me this collar so that I may speak. SQUIRREL!!!"

The Story: A widower fulfills a promise to his dearly departed wife to visit mystical waterfalls in South America, although by unorthodox methods. He ties thousands of balloons to his house and floats there. Along the way, he finds a new connection with a stowaway boy scout, a goofy but loyal dog, and a giant bird named Kevin.

Why we love it: The nearly wordless montage of Carl and Annie's long marriage is the most moving 5 minutes of 2009 film. The movie is spot on, funny and moving. Plus, Carl learns to honor the lost love of his life, but embrace those who are still with him.

The Young Victoria

Best Quote:  I will not have my role usurped! I wear the crown! And if there are mistakes they will be my mistakes, and no one else will make them! No one, not even you!

The Story: A teenage queen finds the love of her life and her perfect helper to achieve her destiny, despite political machinations of those around her and her own fear of being controlled and diminished by marriage.

Why we love it:  Love that lasts, transforms, and makes one stronger and better than one is alone.

The Road

Best Quote:
The Man: You have to keep carrying the fire.
The Boy: What fire? 
The Man: The fire inside you.
 

The Story: A father ushers his precious son through a bleak post apocalyptic world of violence, starvation, and cold. And then it gets worse.

Why we love it:  Extreme fatherhood. Teaching a child to give when it hurts, to keep going when the road is hard, and to fight bad men. Knowing when to shield him and when to toughen him up.

Character:

Hannah Montana: The Movie

Best Quote: Life's a climb... but the view is great.

The Story:  A small town girl makes it big in Hollywood, but will she lose herself in the process?

 Why we love it: I know, I know, it's Hannah Montana. Go ahead and gag. But this movie has a lot to say about celebrity culture and keeping one's values in the face of Hollywood influence. If you have a young girl in your life, this is worth discussing.

A Serious Man

Best Quote:

Larry Gopnick: I don't want it to just go away! I want an answer! 
Rabbi Nachtner: The answer? Sure! We all want the answer! But Hashem doesn't owe us the answer, Larry. Hashem doesn't owe us anything. The obligation runs the other way.
Larry Gopnick: Why does he make us feel the questions if he's not gonna give us any answers?
Rabbi Nachter: He hasn't told me.

The Story: In this Coen brothers tribute to their 60s Jewish upbringing, Larry is a mensch, a good and serious man, who is afflicted, literally, with the trials of Job. As with Job, friends and religious figures give him empty advice that boils down to "Curse God and die." But to his credit, he keeps looking for God and for an answer.

Why we love it:  Steadfastness in the time of trial, even overwhelming trial. Be aware that there is a lot of drug use and some sexual situations in this film. In addition, it raises more questions than it answers.

A Christmas Carol

Best Quote: If I could have my way, every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!

The Story:  The film faithfully follows Dickens original story about a man shown the error of his ways by three ghosts visiting on Christmas Eve.

Why we love it:  This a classic story of a bad man redeemed into seeing the error of his ways. Scrooge learns to be generous, kind, and selfless after years of miserly greed. If it's not too late for old Ebenezer, maybe it's not too late for us. This animated film was released, for reasons that doubtless seemed good to the studio, on November 6. A too-early Christmas film didn't appeal to the public and it quietly went away.  But the classic story, well told, is always full of virtue.