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For the first time since I've been reviewing movies, the spring and summer movie seasons were just as strong -- if not stronger -- than the fall and winter which are supposedly when Hollywood finds most of its yearly awards contenders.

Because of this, half the films on my top 10 list are already on home video, with one more headed for DVD mid-January. Whether or not the Academy Awards will buck its unfortunate habit of snubbing most films released before August remains to be seen.

In the meantime, here are my picks.

(Note that some of the more notable films I did not get a chance to screen before deadline including "Avatar," "Nine," "An Education," "Sherlock Holmes" and "The White Ribbon.")

1. "Up in the Air" (Paramount) -- Like 1969's "Easy Rider," this film is a cinematic portrait of the time it was made. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a professional hatchet man national corporations hire to lay off their employees for them. The only way this corporate grim reaper can survive the havoc of his job is to make a philosophy out of avoiding personal entanglements -- or "baggage." But the mileage he accrues by the end of the film is starting to take its toll. Bookended with testimonials from real people who lost their jobs, if 40 years from now one wants to know what 2009 was like, all they'll need to do is watch this film.

2. "The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment) -- The very definition of a close second, "The Hurt Locker" might be the first movie about the United States' current wars in the Middle East to present an American soldier as a genuine hero. Ducking the politics behind the conflict altogether, screenwriter Mark Boal gives us U.S. Army Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner), a soldier who must serve his country by disarming IEDs. James might suffer from a severe case of risk addiction, but regardless of what you might think about the war, his courage and nobility under fire are above reproach. On DVD and Blu Ray Jan. 12.

3. "Goodbye Solo" (Roadside Attractions) -- Set in Winston-Salem, filmmaker Ramin Bahrani shares a part of his home region with the world that outsiders probably never knew existed -- namely our burgeoning population of immigrants and refugees. Depressed and suicidal, the American-born William (Red West) is a man alone. Meanwhile, his West African cab driver Solo (Souleymane Sy Savane) radiates with the connections he shares with a community of expatriates who chase modest dreams while doing menial labor. Complications arise between William and Solo, but it was refreshing to see in a movie set in the South that race and nationality weren't among them. Available on DVD.

4. "Observe and Report" (Warner Bros.) -- Because it was a movie about a mall security guard, this film got lost in the "Paul Blart" shuffle. A shame because writer-director -- and UNC School of the Arts filmmaking grad -- Jody Hill has transformed himself into the reigning master of dark comedies. I dare anyone to watch the hilariously bent finale of this film and not erupt with laughter. It's impossible. Available on DVD and Blu Ray.

5. "Anvil: The Story of Anvil" (VH1 Classic) -- Mocking a duo of has-been heavy metal rockers from the '80s would have been easy game for any documentarian, but it's clear that director Sacha Gervasi holds the sometimes goofy members of Anvil in high esteem. More than just a real life "Spinal Tap," "Anvil" is a hilarious love letter to anyone who's made sacrifices to pursue their dreams long after they probably should have given up. Available on DVD and Blu Ray.

6. "Treeless Mountain" (Oscilloscope Pictures) -- There was not a more touching story this year than "Treeless Mountain," which follows two young sisters from South Korea (Hee-yeon Kim and Song-hee Kim) as they navigate the scattered shards of their broken family. After a harrowing stint with their drunken auntie, they eventually find solace at their grandparents' house in the country. But as industrialization creeps along the borders, director So Yong Kim shows that even this joy might be temporary. Available on DVD.

7. "Star Trek" (Paramount) -- A remake and a sequel rolled into one, this time-twisting space opera was the king of the summer's popcorn munchers. Available on DVD and Blu Ray.

8. "The Messenger" (Oscilloscope Pictures) -- Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson play two U.S. soldiers who must inform the families of slain troops of their loved one's death while fighting in the Middle East. Hopefully, this film will turn into a breakthrough for Foster, who has been one of the most underappreciated -- and thus underutilized -- talented actors in Hollywood for quite some time.

9. "Bronson" (Magnolia Pictures) -- Just as the gritty, foreign crime dramas "Romper Stomper" and "Chopper" introduced us to future leading actors Russell Crowe and Eric Bana, "Bronson" does the same for UK native Tom Hardy. A 90-minute character study based on England's most famous and incorrigible inmate Michael Gordon Peterson (a.k.a. Charles Bronson), Hardy's riveting and frequently unclothed performance transforms what could have been an exercise in soulless filmed violence into genuine art.

10. "World's Greatest Dad" (Magnolia Pictures) -- In the same year that Robin Williams' career sunk to new lows with "Old Dogs," the same actor rises to the occasion with this dark comedy that's his first good movie since "One Hour Photo." Available on DVD and Blu Ray.

Honorable Mentions: Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds" was a thrilling revision of WWII history; women could drag men to much worse films than "Julie & Julia"; "(500) Days of Summer" was a lot of fun and another great RiverRun International Film Festival premiere; and from this year's considerable animation lineup, "Up" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" were above the pack.

Contact Joe Scott at movieshowjoe@gmail.com.