Archive for December, 2009
December 31, 2009
I had a tough time with the order of the top three. At any given moment, any of them could be number one. Again, I emphasize that these are in the order of my favorite albums of the year not the best.
15. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
14. Tanya Morgan – Brooklynati
13. Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
12. The Swell Season – Strict Joy
11. St. Vincent – Actor
10. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx PT II
9. The Gossip – Music for Men
8. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
7. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
6. The Temper Trap – Conditions
5. Me’Shell Ndegéocello – Devil’s Halo
4. Tegan and Sara – Sainthood
3. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
1. Metric – Fantasies
Posted in Lists, Music | Tagged 2009, Actor, Animal Collective, Bitte Orca, Brooklynati, Conditions, Devil's Halo, Dirty Projectors, Fantasies, Grizzly Bear, It's Blitz!, Jay-Z, Me'Shell Ndegéocello, Merriweather Post Pavillion, Metric, Music, Music for Men, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx PT II, Phoenix, Raekwon, Sainthood, St. Vincent, Strict Joy, Tanya Morgan, Tegan and Sara, The Blueprint 3, The Gossip, The Swell Season, The Temper Trap, Veckatimest, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs | Leave a Comment »
December 29, 2009
This was a mindless, fun summer blockbuster version of a Sherlock Holmes tale and while I was entertained, something about it rubbed me the wrong way. I still haven’t put my finger on it. I enjoyed Robert Downey Jr.’s performance but then again, I can’t recall ever being disappointed with a RDJ performance since Johnny Be Good. The banter between Jude Law (Watson) and RDJ was the best part of the movie. I think I just didn’t like the interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. If they wanted to update Holmes, how come Watson remained close to the stuffy original version. I was neither here nor there about Rachel McAdams. I’m just glad she was an American in the movie. One American-doing-a-British accent was enough.
Except for the slow-motion breakdown of Sherlock using his deductive skills in fights (which were great), Guy Ritchie didn’t use any of his usual tricks and if I didn’t know in advance he directed it, I would have been surprised to find out. I think that is also part of my disappointment. I wanted a Guy Ritchie version of Sherlock Holmes not a Sherlock Holmes blockbuster directed by Ritchie. Given that this movie was set in the 1890s, I was surprised how NOT gritty it was.
One more thing, I pray to God the rumors of Brad Pitt as Moriarty in the sequel are NOT true. Please let him be played by a British actor. Maybe Jared Harris or Jason Isaacs instead.
Posted in Movie Reviews, Movies | Tagged Brad Pitt, Guy Ritchie, Jared Harris, Jason Isaacs, Jude Law, Movie Reviews, Movies, Rachel McAdams, Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes | 2 Comments »
December 29, 2009
It’s that time of year. Here are my 15 favorite television shows of 2009. Please don’t confuse “favorite” with “best”
15. Party Down
14. 24
13. Glee
12. Modern Family
11. Curb Your Enthusiasm
10. Breaking Bad
9. Damages
8. Burn Notice
7. Torchwood: Children of Earth
6. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
5. Battlestar Galactica
4. Friday Night Lights
3. Sons of Anarchy
2. Lost
1. Mad Men
Posted in 24, Lists, Lost, Television | Tagged 2009, 24, Battlestar Galactica, Breaking Bad, Burn Notice, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Damages, Friday Night Lights, Glee, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Lost, Mad Men, Modern Family, Sons of Anarchy, Television, The Big Bang Theory, Torchwood: Children of Earth | Leave a Comment »
December 27, 2009
This movie by far has the most creative use of cursing and verbal threats I have ever been privy to witness. It was hilarious from start to finish…well, if you love politcal black comedies and seeing people yelled at and insulted to the point of tears (which I do on both counts)
For me it was strange just having rewatched Torchwood: Children of Earth where Peter Capaldi played the tragic middleman John Frobisher. Here, as Malcolm Tucker, it was a complete 180. He was a complete monster. I need to download The Thick of It immediately.
And when did Anna Chlumsky get cute?
Posted in Movie Reviews, Movies | Tagged Anna Chlumsky, In The Loop, Movie Reviews, Movies, Peter Capaldi, The Thick of It | Leave a Comment »
December 25, 2009
I was reluctant to see this movie. Disney making an animated film with African-American characters and instead of it happening naturally, they made a big deal out it. I came in prepared to be offended in some way, shape or form. Fortunately, I wasn’t. I actually enjoyed it alot. As much as I love Pixar movies, there’s something about Disney animated films that they will never capture. I think it’s the fluidity of the animation.
The only thing in the movie I didn’t like was the accent they gave Prince Naveen. It was all over the place. I thought I’d get used to it but it just got more and more annoying. A horrible choice on their part.
Posted in Movie Reviews, Movies | Tagged Movie Reviews, Movies, The Princess and The Frog | 2 Comments »
December 23, 2009
Here is the third and final mixtape of some of my favorite songs of 2009. I hope you’ve enjoyed them and hope there is more great music in 2010.
- “Nothing to Worry About” by Peter Bjorn and John (Living Thing)
- “My Girls” by Animal Collective (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
- “I Was Once A Loyal Lover” by Death Cab For Cutie (The Open Door EP)
- “Winter Hill” by Doves (Kingdom of Rust)
- “Heavy Cross” by The Gossip (Music for Men)
- “Black Heart Inertia” by Incubus (Monuments And Melodies)
- “Clean Break” by Jenny Owen Youngs (Transmitter Failure)
- “Games For Days” by Julian Plenti (Is… Skyscraper)
- “Time Lapse Lifeline” by Maria Taylor (LadyLuck)
- “Relator” by Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson (Break Up)
- “The Verb” by The Swell Season (Strict Joy)
- “Stadium Love” by Metric (Fantasies)
- “Lisztomania” by Phoenix (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix)
- “Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap (Conditions)
- “Someday” by Tegan and Sara (Sainthood)
Posted in Mixtape For No One, Music | Tagged Animal Collective, Death Cab For Cutie, Doves, Incubus, Jenny Owen Youngs, Julian Plenti, Maria Taylor, Metric, Music, Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson, Peter Bjorn and John, Phoenix, Tegan and Sara, The Gossip, The Swell Season, The Temper Trap | Leave a Comment »
December 22, 2009
I got so wrapped up in my Best of 2009 mixtapes I forgot to do this.
The Power Rankings: (may contain mild spoilers)
10. The Mentalist (Episode: “Throwing Fire”) – I didn’t care much for Jane’s “origin” because it didn’t relate to the main case like the last times we revisited Jane’s past.
9. How I Met Your Mother (Episode: “Last Cigarette Ever”) – More or less a throwaway episode except for Older Ted’s explanation at the end when everyone really quits smoking. It’s like they are holding serve until episode 100.
8. Friday Night Lights (Episode: “In The Bag”) – I find it hard to believe that Matt would leave Dillion and not call Julie in all that time. That said, it did lead to some great acting from Aimee Teegarden.
Read the rest of this entry ?
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Aimee Teegarden, Better Off Ted, Christine Baranski, Dexter, Dollhouse, Elisha Dushku, Friday Night Lights, How I Met Your Mother, Julie Benz, Misfits, Television, The Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist, The Venture Bros. | Leave a Comment »
December 21, 2009
Here are some more of my favorite tracks this year. Part II is intentionally mellow. I’m depressed or anything. Tomorrow will be more upbeat. 
- “Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear (Veckatimest)
- “Daniel” by Bat For Lashes (Two Suns)
- “Stillness Is The Move” by Dirty Projectors (Bitte Orca)
- “Chasing Pirates” by Norah Jones (The Fall)
- “Carol Brown” by Flight Of The Conchords (I Told You I Was Freaky)
- “Heartbreak Warfare” by John Mayer (Battle Studies)
- “Human of the Year” by Regina Spektor (Far)
- “New Ways Of Living” by Lavender Diamond (Score! 20 Years Of Merge Records: The Covers!)
- “Off I Go” by Greg Laswell
- “Oliver” by Gemma Hayes (Oliver)
- “The Party” by St. Vincent (Actor)
- “The Chain” by Ingrid Michaelson (Everybody)
- “Hideaway” by Karen O and the Kids (Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack)
- “The Hazards of Love 4″ by The Decemberists (The Hazards of Love)
Posted in Mixtape For No One, Music | Tagged Bat For Lashes, Dirty Projectors, Flight of the Conchords, Gemma Hayes, Greg Laswell, Grizzly Bear, Ingrid Michaelson, John Mayer, Karen O and the Kids, Lavender Diamond, Music, Norah Jones, Regina Spektor, St. Vincent, The Decemberists | 2 Comments »
December 20, 2009
I’m going to revive the Mixtape For No One to showcase some of my favorite songs of 2009. These are the hip-hop/R&B tracks.
- “Never Forget You” by Noisettes (Wild Young Hearts)
- “The Power That Kisses Hold” by Eric Roberson (Music Fan First)
- “Cold” by Maxwell (BLACKsummersnight)
- “Fortune” by Little Dragon (Machine Dreams)
- “Successful” (Featuring Trey Songz And Lil’ Wayne) by Drake (So Far Gone)
- “Lola” by Me’Shell Ndegéocello (Devil’s Halo)
- “Kinda Like A Big Deal” (feat. Kanye West) by Clipse (Til The Casket Drops)
- “Casa Bey” by Mos Def (The Ecstatic)
- “House Of Flying Daggers” (feat. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface & Method Man) by Raekwon (Only Built 4 Cuban Linx PT II)
- “Maybach Music 2″ (feat. T-Pain, Lil Wayne & Kanye West) by Rick Ross (Deeper Than Rap)
- “Errbody Scream” (Featuring Keith Murray) by Method Man & Redman (Blackout! 2)
- “Tour Stories” by Souls Of Mischief (Montezuma’s Revenge)
- “So Damn Down” by Tanya Morgan (Brooklynati)
- “Thank You” by Jay-Z (The Blueprint 3)
Posted in Mixtape For No One, Music | Tagged Clipse, Eric Roberson, Jay-Z, Little Dragon, Maxwell, Me'Shell Ndegéocello, Method Man & Redman, Mos Def, Music, Noisettes, Raekwon, Rick Ross, Souls Of Mischief, Tanya Morgan | 1 Comment »
