Tuesday, December 30, 2008

A Year in Review Part 1: Movies, Books and Music

It's no secret that I hated 2008. But, it wasn't all horrific. Just mostly.

But I was inspired by another blog I read to come up with a few top picks for the year, and while that forum features things written by professional entertainment writers, I'm going to go with things that entertained SJ, that may not have actually occurred in 2008, but are things that this late-bloomer happened to have caught in 2008.

Without further ado.

Top Movies 2008
3) Mamma Mia - Stop laughing at me. Seriously? I know it was cheese. I know people don't usually burst out into song (actually, I have been known to do this on rare occasions. Or not so rare. I may just do it sporadically throughout the day). The cheese factor made it, for me, the feel good movie of the year.
2) The Dark Knight - It was dark and scary, and much anticipated. I loved it. But not as much as I loved:
1) Iron Man - I'm not usually an action person. But I *Loved* this movie and Robert Downey Jr. in all his hot sarcasticness. I loved it like I love Russell Stover's Dark Chocolate assortment.

Top Albums 2008
How impossible is it for me to choose albums? Completely impossible. I'm not even sure if these came out in 2008, but they are my favorite newish albums that I just started listening to this year.
3) Promised Land by Dar Williams. Not my favorite album by her ("Mortal City" is), but I love her dearly and her fantastic lyrics and light airy voice. So. There.
2) With You by Natalie Walker. I just discovered her this year, and have been happily listening to her albums all year long. The title track on this album makes me happy to listen to.
1) Sorry. This is definitely not 2008. But. Nina Simone: Anthology. Rarely do I sit and listen to an entire album over and over again. This is one that I do.

Top Books read in 2008
These didn't come out in 2008. Sorry. I just read them this year.
3) The Wreckage by Michael Crummey. Sad and beautiful. Hard to find because he's from Newfoundland. But it's worth the Amazon pickup.
2) The Last Night At the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan. I picked up his books this year in an effort to find a local author that I could swap with my friend from Newfoundland. Ergo, I found O'Nan and read this on the train to and fro NYC. It's a quick read and a lovely read.
1) Ever year I read a classic that I missed. This year's choice, and coincidentally, my favorite book of the year: A Prayer for Owen Meany.

So I guess 2008 wasn't terribly bad, as far as entertainment goes. I'm sure there are many (ahem, Pat. Pat's anonymous commenter, KAT, j) that would disagree with me. And I'd love to hear your choices, as well.

What about you? Favorite book/movie/album?

12 comments:

SouthernBelle said...

Book: I can't remember a book title, but I discovered an author called Christina Bartolomeo, who I really like despite the fact that her books are not as trashy as my usual fare.

Movie: This year I loved Iron Man, Dark Knight and Tropic Thunder.

Album: I haven't bought any new music this year but I am still deep in my Dirty South hip-hop phase so I like Lil Wayne and Luda!

OMG, my word ver is bless. How adorable is that?!

SouthernBelle said...

PS, glad to hear from you SJ!

I thought you might have slipped into a frosting-induced diabetic coma.

; )

Pat Ferrucci said...

OK, so let's get the serious out of the way: If you liked "Last Night at the Lobster," check out O'Nan's newest, "Song For The Missing," which I may have liked more. Sadly, I think my favorite book of the year might have been something about the Teapot Dome Scandal. Good times.

I refuse to comment on your albums. All are good records, but also unworthy of their placement here, in a year that featured many a really great CD. Subjectivity be damned.

Lastly, I am happy there is someone else out there that liked "Iron Man" better than "The Dark Knight." I don't normally like comic-book movies, but both of these were really good. "Iron Man" was just better. Yep. I'm sticking with that.

-p

sj said...

i'm hanging my head a little bit.

first off, belle, i forgot to mention how much i dug your short story a while back. awesome. and i confess that i do have a love of great literature, and i have a lust for trashy vacation reading. and i have the song "krazy" by pitbull on my itunes. shh. don't tell. and i have been in a non-blogging coma. but i'm back now. entertain me ;)

pat - sharing my musical tastes with you is somewhat akin to showing the dentist a picture of my cupcakes. i mean that in the non-metaphorical sense. but in truth, you have introduced me to some awesome music, so i'm not a lost cause. i do love the lovely sparrows. and kanye's album is up there in my top 10 for the year, certainly. top 5 even. and i have been expanding my musical world to include your picks. see? i'm much more a book girl than a music girl, and obsess over lyrics more than i should.

maybe i should have just stuck with books...

SouthernBelle said...

welll, my wishing well game seems to be experiencing a resurgence in popularity if you're at a loose end!

; )

Sam_I_am said...

Hmmmmm.... Best movies. I don't really go to the movies all that often and I watch a lot of older movies from Netflix (by old I mean 2001) but we saw Hancock at the Drive it and it was good and we saw the one with the cooking mouse, whose name I can't think of and it was cute.

I listen to country, so I really like Darius Ruckers "Don't Think I Don't Think About It"

Books: Although they weren't published in 2008, I got hardcore addicted to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.

Happy New Year! Let's kick 2008 in the balls on the way out!

Dr Zibbs said...

I thought Hellboy was way better than the Dark Knight.

Tash said...

I can't say I saw a lot of the 2008 movies. I did die laughing at Run Fatboy Run, though.

As far as books go, they didn't come out in 2008, but I read Isaac Asimov's entire Foundation series cause it was the year to celebrate my inner sci-fi geek.

And my favorite album was "Jim" by Jamie Lidell.

Tash said...

Need to ammend movie pick. I pick Wall-E. Loved loved loved it.

SouthernBelle said...

OMG I still haven't seen Wall-E, and I know I must. I *think* it's on the Netflix queue, but I should check!

Andy - Instafather said...

I really need to do my own post on this, as there are people just dying to know (i.e. maybe my mom... eh, maybe just me).
This post reminded me, thanks for recommending Natalie Walker all those weeks ago- I liked that song ("You and Me," I think?)

sj said...

Tish- Wall-E. Excellent point. I forgot about that one. Also, I don't know that album, but I'm always taking up suggestions. I have to say, I should ammend mine to list Bury the Cynics in the top 5, and round it out with Kanye.

Zibbs- I didn't see it. I meant to. But just didnt' make it. I loved the first Hellboy, but like Pat, I don't usually like comic book movies. No desire to see the Spirit, etc. I bet I'll like it.

Sam - Amen, sister. Let's also hogtie it and towel whip it.

Andy- No One Else :) I think you'd really like "With You." P.S. You should check out Pat's blog. You guys remind me of each other in some ways. Like in the journalist with great taste in movies way. Or in the "Die Hard as holiday classic" kind of way.