2009 IN REVIEW

With 2009 now completely under wraps, I am in the unenviable position of ranking the best and worst of the year in film. Over the course of this year, I have seen over one hundred and forty different movies, many of which I have thankfully long-since forgotten about.

I would have to admit, however, this has been a good year for films. I have seen actors really surprise me by pushing the envelope such as George Clooney in Up in the Air. Then there is the opposite end of the spectrum, where actors really scrape the bottom of the barrel as Hugh Jackman did in Wolverine.

As the multitude of award shows begin to hit the airwaves this next week, you will have the opportunity to see and hear information about films you both have seen and never heard of.

When the opportunity arises, check out some of these movies and see how they rate with you. I am anxious to see what 2010 cinema masterpieces have in store, but until then, here is my list, ranked in order, of The Best and Worst of 2009.

Best Pictures:

1. The Hurt Locker
2. Up in the Air
3. Star Trek
4. The Lovely Bones
5. Precious
6. Avatar
7. Inglourious Basterds
8. The Damned United
9. Up
10. Invictus

Best Actors:

1. George Clooney, Up in the Air
2. Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
3. Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
4. Morgan Freeman, Invictus
5. Viggo Mortenson, The Road

Best Actress:

1. Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
2. Carey Mulligan, An Education
3. Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
4. Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
5. Saoirise Ronan, The Lovely Bones

The Worst Films of 2009

1. Wolverine
2. Paul Blart: Mall Cop
3. Friday the 13th
4. The Watchmen
5. Public Enemies

Until next time, have fun at the movies and try not to eat too much popcorn!

DVD Reviews

A PERFECT GETAWAY: Blu-ray & DVD - Universal

This film has wonderful scenery, it is set on trails in Hawaii. The beginning of the film starts off great and we are then led to the plot, there is a killer in the area killing couples. Kinda spooky, kind of scary, however the plot twist could have been filmed better. I really don’t want to watch a 15 minute black and white montage so they can spell it all out for me. I also expected much more action and there was very little of it. This is definitely a green light for DVD viewing instead of the theater.

THE NEW YORK YANKEES 2009
WORLD SERIES COLLECTION - A&E

The most successful baseball franchise in history, the New York Yankees incredible successes can now be enjoyed on command in this massive DVD set from A&E! Packaged in a fantastic coffee table book, all 20 DVDs are included along with photos, hall of fame memorabilia, as well as over 50 hours of film highlights. This set encompasses over a century of America’s game material. Not for the faint of heart, this set is sure to make any baseball fan’s year - particularly if they are a Yankee Fan!

NEW YORK YANKEES 2009:
Season of Pride, Tradition & Glory - A&E

The New York Yankees are the epitome of perfection when it comes to aseball - just ask them! America’s Team for Baseball is without a doubt the Bombers from the Bronx and in this eight DVD box set, you relive every significant moment of unedited World Series game footage.

Also included are numerous celebratory moments from the locker room as well as interviews with players. This product has wonderful picture and sound clarity and is sure to please. From start to finish, this DVD is for the true Yankee fan they are sure to cherish forever!

ER: Season 12 - Warner

This is a groundbreaking show that will appeal to any fan of television drama! Look who’s checked in at County General: Dr. Victor Clemente arrives with a motor mouth, a load of talent, and a questionable past. Imposing, no-nonsense Eve Spellman takes charge (and almost takes over) as the new nurse manager. And hunky paramedic Tony Gates proves he’s more than a guy on the make. Season 12 also brings spiraling drama and suspense to the lives of ER veterans. Abby and Kovacs share unexpected news. Gallant comes home from Iraq to be with Neela. Pratt goes to Darfur to work with Carter. And burn victims, stabbing victims, gunshot victims, assault victims--young and old, male and female, grateful and combative--keep the ER on edge. And sometimes over the edge.

LORNA’S SILENCE - Sony

Life’s hard for the characters who populate the bleak landscape of writer-directors Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne’s Lorna’s Silence; for the most part, their existences are a dreary, quotidian struggle merely to survive. Lorna herself is a young Albanian who has paid a man in Liege, Belgium to marry her so she can obtain that country’s citizenship. Her husband, Claudy, is a pathetic, sniveling junkie whom she locks out of the bedroom at night. Then it gets worse. Fabio, the lowlife cab driver-criminal who arranged the marriage, wants to get rid of Claudy, so Lorna can then marry a Russian mobster who wants to be a Belgian as well. Yet as repellent as Claudy may be, Lorna can’t help but feel compassion, and sometimes even passion, for him; at the very least, she’d rather divorce him than go along with Fabio’s plan, which involves an “accidental” overdose. This is a gripping story that I am sure you will enjoy.

BLIND DATE - E1 Entertainment

I was able to attend a screening of this movie last year and enjoyed the way the film was shot and the actors delivery of the script. There is substance and depth to a film which is a pleasant diversion from other movies filled with noisy special effects. Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson were perfect for their parts. After a series of blind dates in order to reignite the sparks of their marriage, they wonder if there is any hope at all.

TAXI: The Final Season - Paramount

This sitcom followed the life of a group of cabbies in New York. The group, employees of the Sunshine Cab Company, was made up a motley crew including Bobby (Jeff Conaway), a frustrated actor, Tony (Tony Danza), a struggling boxer, Louie (Danny DeVito), the tyranical dispatcher, and Reverend Jim (Christopher Lloyd), a spacey ex-hippie.

The classic ensemble sitcom was hailed by critics and audiences alike after premiering on ABC Sept. 12, 1978. It’s a vehicle with heart, as well as humor, and won three straight Emmys as Outstanding Comedy Series. Taxi flat out rocked as a television show and each season was just as strong as the first!

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