Business Is Good -- 2009 Television & Movies

Wow, what a year for movies. From comedy to animation to special effects adventure, 2009 has offered awesome entertainment at the cinema. I do not remember the last year I saw more hits than misses at the box office. Not to be left out, television has hit some homeruns this past year as well with new dramas and comedies that finally helped the medium rise above the reality-TV rut. As a television and film teacher, it’s nice to see the industry I am sharing with my students offer such great examples right now. Below are some of my favorite new film and television experiences from this past year.

Movies

Avatar – This film reminded me of why I fell in love with the movies. It was like the first time I saw Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and my childhood favorite, Back to the Future. Yes, the plot and the dialogue are mediocre at times, but the movie is a visual masterpiece and validated the return of 3-D. I cannot wait to revisit the alternate world created in this film.

Where the Wild Things Are -- Weird, whimsical, warm, wild, and wonderful is how I would describe this movie based on Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's book. Director Spike Jonze had to fight the studio to make the movie the way it turned out. I am glad he did. I hope there’s a “making of the movie” section on the DVD.

Precious -- The Academy Awards should shower this movie with Oscars. A heart-wrenching drama about a teenage mother. Some scenes are extremely difficult to watch, but it's a compelling story for sure. Supporting actress, comedian Monique, as Precious' abusive mother gives a career-changing performance.

Up – Ed Asner, the voice behind the grandfather-type character Carl Fredricksen in this movie, always holds a special place in my television memories as Lou Grant the boss on the Mary Tyler Moore show. Asner’s voice work and the masters at Pixar combine to create a heart-warming, humorous, and holy-cow visual adventure. The snapshot slideshow of Fredricksen’s marriage is inspiring.

The Hangover – One of my favorite guilty pleasure/dumb comedies is Dude Where’s My Car, where the two main characters lose their car and their memories of the night before because they were so stoned. Take that movie, give it a major upgrade in writing and acting, set it in Las Vegas, add a funny cameo by Mike Tyson, and you have this hilarious movie about an out-of-control bachelor party of sorts. I have seen it twice, and it does not disappoint.

(500) Days of Summer – Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel star as Tom and Summer in this quirky romantic comedy. It is basically a film about a relationship where the two people disagree on whether there is “the one” person out there for each of us. And, Tom believes Summer is “the one” for him. The story is told out of chronological order, and I especially like the part shown in split-screen format where you see what Tom dreams would happen on one side and the actual events on the other side.

Star Trek – I was never a big fan of the original series, though my brother was so I saw many an episode. I enjoyed a few of the original movies, but that’s about it. So, it’s a pretty big deal that this new entry in the Star Trek franchise makes my short list. Plain and simple – it was a cool space flick. The only thing missing for me was a cameo from William Shatner (Denny Crain to my fellow Boston Legal fans out there).

Away We Go – At this point, I think I would pay to see John Krasinski read the phone book. He deserves a special shout out for his part in the TV event of the fall, Jim and Pam’s Wedding on The Office and its YouTube wedding re-creation. In this film, Krasinski and Maya Rudolph play an unmarried couple, expecting their first child, and trying to pick the right place to live and raise the baby. They visit various family and friends to help find the perfect place. The chemistry of Krasinki and Rudolph and the supporting characters in this film are top notch.

Television

Flash Forward – The premise of this show “had me at Hello.” An unknown event causes nearly everyone on the planet to lose consciousness for 137 seconds, during which people see what appear to be visions of their lives six months in the future. The characters’ struggles dealing with their possible future along with the mystery of the blackout create compelling television. Some really good film actors have made the jump to TV for this show.

Glee – Honestly, this is one of those shows that is like a traffic wreck for me. I initially checked it out for curiosity. I just had to look – a show set in a high school, focusing on the glee club, produced by the creative team who brought us the wicked Nip/Tuck? It’s dark comedy meets High School Musical meets 80’s rock iTunes hits. Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester the cheerleading coach may be one of my favorite “bad guy” characters on television in a long time.

Community – I love Joel McHale on The Soup, and I loved Chevy Chase on Saturday Night Live and in the Vacation movies. That’s why I watched this show at first, and honestly, the first few episodes left me unsatisfied. But, the characters and the writing have improved, and now it’s like watching the gang at Cheers back in the day when Thursday nights were must-see-TV on NBC. The network is getting close again with The Office, Community, and the improving Parks and Recreation.

The League – A favorite with my guy friends – it’s crass, on cable (where it needs to be), and extremely comical. The lead characters are in a fantasy football league, have been friends since high school, and are now trying to adapt to the trappings of adulthood. I do not really understand why, but for some reason I always love the pothead guy in this type of show (James Franco in Pineapple Express is another example), and the character Taco does not disappoint at any turn.

Modern Family – If you have not watched this show yet, go to abc.com, and watch episodes as soon as you possibly can. Shot documentary style (like The Office), the half-hour comedy revives the genre of the family sitcom. The father, Phil, who thinks he’s extremely hip has some of the best moments of the show. Ed O’Neill almost revives his Married…with Children character Al Bundy from years ago, but this time his character Jay has real heart, a hot young wife, and a really funny Columbian stepson. This show should be on your must-see list.

At my school, my students have produced some pretty cool video/film productions as well in 2009. This fall, my after-school Cinema students created short films about a zombie, teen suicide, a female God, and an experimental short about a graffiti artist. Never thought I would approve those topics, but the films show creativity and quality that give me hope for the years to come. Hopefully, one of their films will be on your favorites list one day.