As the motion picture industry begins its second 100 years, we take stock of the good and the bad. Escapist fare like musicals ('Chicago') may be a rare occurrence these days, while weightier films ('Bowling for Columbine,' 'Children of Men,' 'City of God') reflecting these uncertain times, proliferate.

Perhaps the best example of the wondrous evolution of film is the array of excellent animated movies ('Up,' 'Shrek,' 'Finding Nemo' and 'The Incredibles') on display in this first decade of the new millennium. 'Toons have blossomed full flower and attract hordes of moviegoers into theaters.

But whatever your taste in film -- from action movies and comedies to documentaries and indies -- here's looking forward to the long march of a new century filled with glorious flicks.

Though it hasn't exactly torn up the box office, Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq-set war drama 'The Hurt Locker' has become a juggernaut so far at end-of-the-year critics polls -- with the latest accolades coming from the the New York Film Critics Circle, which tapped the film as its pick for best film of the year. The group also hailed Bigelow as the year's best director.

This comes on top of the film winning top critics' prizes in Los Angeles and Boston; and Bigelow winning director honors from L.A., Boston, the New York Film Critics Online and the Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association over the weekend.

This is definitely one of the most daunting "end-of-year" lists to come up with in the world of entertainment.

It's not that these are bad movies -- in fact, most of them are actually pretty great, and at least somewhat deserving of most of the critical and/or commercial praise they received throughout the year. But there's just something about these films that makes them not quite deserving of all those kudos -- something that, if we watched the movie a second time, might become even more apparent and make us realize that the film in question might not be all that. Yes, still pretty good ... but perhaps it didn't quite deserve all of that fuss.

And, of course, there are always a couple that are actually truly awful and somehow tricked everyone into thinking they were great.

And, with that, here are this writer's picks for Top 10 Most Overrated Movies of 2009 ...

The critics have spoken.

As 2009 winds down, the country's film critics -- always fond of labeling the best and worst in the world of movies -- have gathered together to cast their votes for the top films, actors, actresses, writers, cinematographers and musicians of the year.

This year, as the votes have come in from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Online and the The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association, a pattern has emerged: Kathryn Bigelow's 'The Hurt Locker,' a harrowing film about an elite Army bomb squad in Iraq, took the top honors from the Boston and Los Angeles critics, while the director herself nabbed best director nods from Boston, L.A., NYFCO (who choose 'Avatar' as the best film) and Washington (who picked 'Up in the Air' as best film).

Is 'The Hurt Locker' heading for an upset of Oscar favorites 'Precious' and 'Up in the Air'? The action drama about an Iraq War bomb squad suddenly looks like an awards season front-runner, thanks to votes of confidence from the Boston and Los Angeles film critics groups.

The Boston Society of Film Critics gave the movie an especially strong endorsement in Sunday's announcement of the BSFC's annual film awards, with 'Hurt Locker' taking home five prizes (the most the BSFC has ever given to a single movie), including Best Picture.

Got $700 burning a hole in your pocket this holiday season? Yeah, we don't either.

If we did, though, we would be seriously tempted by Taschen's gorgeous new limited-edition book, 'Stanley Kubrick: The Film That Never Was,' a history of Kubrick's never-made movie 'Napoleon.'

New Walt Disney chief Rich Ross has continued his revisionist streak by nixing another project.

The Hollywood Reporter brings news that, hot on the heels of canceling what would've been a major tentpole release, 'Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,' Ross has now put the kibosh on 'Wedding Banned,' a comedy that was set to star Robin Williams, Diane Keaton and Anna Faris. The production company, Mandeville Films, is now free to shop the project around town.