Up In The Air – This is one of the best movies that I saw in 2009. The story follows George Clooney, whose job is to go into companies and fire people (doing the thing that the management should be able to do but can’t). We follow his life on the road, and how he loves his existence. His home is the airport, as that seems to be where he spends the most time, and he is close to reaching a very important milestone. Along the way, he takes a young colleague under his wing, and also finds love with another woman. Clooney is absolutely terrific, and Jason Reitman continues to be an interesting filmmaker to watch, as this is one of the best films of the year. A must own DVD.
Precious – This film has received an incredible amount of support since its debut at Sundance. It follows the life of a teenage girl who is emotionally and physically beaten by her mother. She is morbidly obese, uneducated, and pregnant with her second child. She ends up finding solitude, and slowly begins to turn her life around. It’s a very gritty and depressing film from what I hear, and some scenes are not easy to watch. The actors and director have received excellent notices for their work, and have the support of Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. This is another must own DVD.
Old Dogs – What can I say about this film except that it should have been released ten years ago when the stars were in their prime. The film follows John Travolta and Robin Williams as two best friends. One of them is left with kids, and has no idea to raise them, so the two of them get into crazy shenanigans. This was a big bomb in the fall at the box office, and if you care what the critics have to say, then you should avoid this film at all costs.
Planet 51 – This animated feature follows an astronaut, voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who lands on a planet filled with aliens. The aliens are completely civilized, and a role reversal takes place, as they want to capture the astronaut to study him, much like we would want to study an alien on Earth. The astronaut goes on an adventure to escape Planet 51, with the help of some supportive aliens. Critics and audiences avoided this one in theatres.
Capitalism – A Love Story – Michael Moore is back, and is going after the corporate giants on Wall Street. Upset by the financial crisis and how unprepared the people who could make a difference were when it happened, Moore goes out to embarrass the people that let this happen. It shows how the rich got richer, and the poor got poorer, and give the little people something to cheer about as Michael Moore sticks up for the little guy. It got good reviews, and Moore documentaries are entertaining, so this should be worth checking out.
Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day – The cult hit gets a sequel with the original director and cast. This time the MacManus brothers return to Boston, as they find out that a priest they respected has been killed by the mob. Worse yet, the boys have been framed as the ones who committed the murder. Violence and mayhem ensue. I’ve never seen the original, so I can’t say that I’m a fan of the series, but it definitely has a loyal following.
TV ON DVD
Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season – This season picks up with Walt and Jesse completing a deal with Tuco, and finding out the Tuco is more unbalanced then they would like. It’s definitely a grittier take on the life of a drug dealer, and the humour is very dark. This show is not for everyone, but is highly acclaimed.
Walker: Texas Ranger – The Seventh Season – Nobody messes with Chuck Norris, as he continues to fight with bad guys, and serve up justice. A guilty pleasure to some, but this series actually helped out many people, as Academy Award winner Paul Haggis is a creator of the show.
Until Next Tuesday
