It feels premature to do a "Best of" film list for the year--I haven't seen nearly enough. Instead I've decided to highlight what film and other media taught me in 2009.
There's still plenty of evidence vampires don't sparkle. Let the Right One In, both the novel and Swedish language film, should be enjoyed before the Hollywood-ized, surely Twilight-inspired version drops next year. Vampire priests have more to struggle with than their eternal souls according to the fabulous Korean film, Thirst. And, of course, there's the chilling, sexy, and surprisingly sweet and funny HBO series "True Blood."
Forgiveness is possible. For example, Aldo Raine (Inglorious Basterds) has made me forgive Brad Pitt for Benjamin Button.
At least Sarah Palin isn't pandering. No matter what I may think of her politics or her folksy ideology, I have to hand it to the former VP candidate--what you see is what you get: a gun-totin', moose-huntin', ultra-conservative Alaskan mama. Now she may be a little delusional (as people who have combed through the "facts" in her book claim) and have so bought into her own self-importance that she believes simply existing is the same as doing something, but at least she isn't Glenn Beck, who became a hard-core GOP shill right around the time Fox News offered him a job. Beck's crocodile tears and sycophantic rants will continue as long as the checks keep rolling in. Mama Palin? She'll be with us until the "liberal" media stop following her every move and convincing her of just how gosh darn important she is.
Oprah means well. She just has a hard time telling the difference between real science and snake oil hyperbole.
All it takes it a rousing rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'" and I'll watch your show every week. "Glee." The best new show of the season.
When you wish upon a star, your dreams CAN come true. Disney, a return to hand-drawn animation, The Princess and the Frog. Enough said.
There are talking heads on both sides of the fence. I love Keith Olbermann, but he is, in many ways, the liberal equivalent of his arch nemesis Bill O'Reilley.
The exception is Rachel Maddow. I was going to bundle this in with the one above, but it deserves it's own listing. Unlike her counterparts (and sadly network news), she talks about actual news and isn't afraid to engage in real debate and discussion with people who are far removed from her personal ideology.
There's still good serial TV out there--you just need to know where to look. "Mad Men", "Burn Notice", "True Blood", "LOST", "Fringe", "Castle", "Chuck", and "The #1 Ladies Detective Agency" just to name a few. And then there's "House", which came back strong after a few lackluster seasons.
There are still artists who won't compromise. If there weren't we wouldn't have films like Where the Wild Things Are. Thank you, Spike Jonze.
Animated films can be just as honest and moving as live action. I actually already knew this one, but I think some previous unbelievers shook off their disdain with Up.
Sometimes it's possible to have too much of a good thing. The first "exclusive look" at Avatar was fun, but then it felt like every show, every day had something "new and exciting." Then there was the episode of "Bones" created to basically sell the film. The most disappointing part about this ostentatious marketing/advertising campaign was it felt like they were selling a Michael Bay film; not a movie Cameron put his heart, soul, and a decade of his life into creating. And with that....
When people call something a "game changer" it usually isn't. A true "game changer" is something that usually can't be readily identified--it sneaks up on an audience, an industry and changes how we feel, think or do things, not because it sets out to do that, but because it's so good it can't be ignored. Cameron has a game changer--it's called Titanic. Love it or hate it, it can't be denied what he did was revolutionary: mixing real life events (including minute details) with a fictionalized story, stunning special effects and elaborate set design. Titanic had a at-the-time unheard-of budget, but became the most financially-successful movie of all time (again, at the time) by managing to cross-over audience demographics in a way no other movie really had. Oh, and then it won a roomful of Academy Awards including for Best Picture and Best Director. And that is why any studio would put up with Cameron spending 10+ years on the production of Avatar, which, while undeniably stunning, probably isn't going to change anything about movie making. Of course, only time will tell.
Happy New Year!
