There aren’t too many 2009 releases I enjoyed more than “Me and Orson Welles.”

The latest comedy from director Richard Linklater (the man behind “Dazed and Confused” and “School of Rock”) found its way into theaters late last year, but finally makes its debut in Bowling Green this weekend. I urge everyone to seek this small treasure out.

The movie tells the story of a teenager named Richard (Zac Efron) who dreams of the Broadway life – determined to break into theater.

Richard gets his chance when he is hired by a young Orson Welles (Christian McKay) to join his re-imagined production of “Julius Caesar” at his newly founded Mercury Theater in New York in 1937.

As the production eases closer to opening night, Richard gets more and more involved with the entire cast – including a young starlet named Sonja (Claire Danes) – who forever change his outlook on life and the theater.

I can’t begin to explain how entertained I was by “Me and Orson Welles.” This is one of the smartest films about live theater and the politics of production that I’ve ever seen. Fans of live theater will really appreciate the detail, and dinner theater actors will probably find at least one scene they can relate to.

The acting also is quite rich. Efron is surprisingly effective as the naive teenager – showing that perhaps he has a future beyond “High School Musical.” Danes is also good and Zoe Kazan is great in a small, but memorable role as a young girl with dreams as big as Richard’s.

But the true star is McKay, who gives one of the year’s best performances as the womanizing, evil genius Welles. “Citizen Kane” is one of my all-time favorite films, so I’ve had a deep admiration for Welles for a long time. McKay’s performance captures all the traits that made the director so dynamic, but this is more than just an impersonation. This is a complete performance, full of life and depth. I hope it is a performance that the Academy doesn’t overlook when Oscar nominations come out next month.

McKay is so good that his performance alone is enough to recommend “Me and Orson Welles.” Fortunately, the film is more than that, a well-thought-out and entertaining experience that is among the top half of 2009 releases.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is another small comedy, the delightfully off-beat British comedy “In the Loop” (B+).

This is a razor-sharp satire full of memorable characters who will bring a smile to even the most cynical film lovers.

“In the Loop” tells the story of a plot between the U.S. president and the British prime minister to start a war with a Middle Eastern country despite public outcry against it.

When the British secretary of state (Tom Hollander) accidentally leaks their intentions during a TV interview, the young politician is bombarded by representatives from both countries on both sides of the war who are eager to make him the public face of their cause.

Fans of TV’s “The Office” will enjoy this rapid-fire, ensemble comedy that really packs a lot of laughs. The cast is outstanding – from Hollander to Peter Capaldi as a foul-mouthed British communications manager, to James Gandolfini as a U.S. general, to the welcome return of “My Girl” star Anna Clumsky as a U.S. political aide against the war.

The film’s humor is very British, which may be off-putting to some, but anyone who enjoys sharp satire will be pleased with “In the Loop.”

“In the Loop” is unrated, but features plenty of adult language, and is now available on DVD.

– Sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton has already seen a pair of 2010 films that he actually liked. To find out what they are (hint – one is about vampires and the other one isn’t), visit his blog at mcompton.wordpress.com or his Twitter page at twitter.com/mcompton428. You can also e-mail him at mcompton@bgdailynews.com.