The Top 10 Everything of 2009

This prime Pixar achievement begins with the intertwined life and love stories of Carl and his wife Ellie, which span 70 years and are told in pantomime; there's no sweeter, more poignant 4½ minutes in movie history. Then director Pete Docter ties a bunch of helium-filled balloons to Carl's dead-end life, sending the crotchety old man and a feckless young interloper to South America for a lesson in what constitutes a life of adventure. Of the year's many CGI-animated features, from the imaginative (Monsters vs Aliens, 9, Astro Boy) to the just O.K. (Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs), none soared as high as Up.

See the latest geek culture stories at Techland.com.