Five Favorites from '09

With the year winding down, Crimespree Cinema's Jeremy Lynch has invited authors, reviewers, and bloggers to offer five favorites of '09 from film, television, or DVD:

FILM

Star Trek - As a Trekkie (Well, someone who just watched Star Trek: TOS, TNG, DS9, Enterprise, and the movies. Okay, a Trekkie.), I went into JJ Abrams's franchise reboot with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained in a way I haven't been for years. The actors called to mind iconic characters without becoming caricatures. I'm truly hopeful for the future.

Up - A touching, ultimately optimistic movie for young and old. The casting and interplay between Ed Asner and Jordan Nagai are right on. Up succeeded for me where Wall-E fell short.


TV

Castle - As a loyal Browncoat, I'd probably watch any member of the Serenity crew in anything. Castle was a bit too light for my taste when it premiered in March. Luckily it performed well enough to go into a second season in September, and it feels as if the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic has been perfected. The show is hitting its mark as a lighter procedural.

White Collar - USA Network's latest character-driven series brings together a master thief and an equally adept, dogged FBI agent. The writing has met that challenge. New York shows in a uniquely bright, yet authentic light. I haven't even mentioned the actors yet, the individually and collectively great Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Tiffani Thiessen, Sharif Atkins, and Natalie Morales.


DVD

The Middleman: The Complete Series - A masterful mix of rapid-fire pop culture homage and completely original banter between classic square-jawed hero The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) and modern sarcastic Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales).