Rest of the Best of Last Year

Now I wasn't going to do this, but as a holdover from my old Myspace blog, here's the list of my favorite films and shows from last year that I've been badgered about posting (not that anyone had to twist my arm too hard about sorting and ranking more entertainment. I'm OCD that way.) Let me just emphasize that for my "worst of"s, I'm only ranking stuff I've actually seen. So if you're surprised I didn't rank "Meet the Spartans" or some shit like that as worst, know that the only way I would've seen it to begin with is if you tied me down, Clockwork Orange style. Not to worry, though. I saw enough awful stuff to give a fairly informed decision on such matters. The opposite is also true, as no, I still haven't seen The Shield, and have only started Season One of The Wire, aka Bow Down and Worship It Or Else, as it seems I'm supposed to call it, so no bitching as to why that stuff isn't on here. Oh, and I threw in actual music, of course, this still being a music blog and all:


-BEST FILMS OF 2008-

01. The Reader

Not only the best, but the most devastating film of the year, by a mile. Kate Winslet's never been better (which, obviously, is no casual praise), and the rest of the cast is spectacular in their own right. It takes work to dissect this film, and the conclusions the viewer might come to after all their effort aren't necessarily cathartic ones. But they ring darkly true, and in a year of strangely over-praised fluff (three Oscar favorites leap to mind, one of which I mention below), "true" counts for a lot. Make no mistake: this is not a film for everyone: it's emotionally brutal, politically incorrect, and sexually graphic, but everything serves a purpose, and nothing is cheap. It's a shame (though not really a surprise) that it's baffled so many critics, but take my word for it: this is one for the ages.


02. The Wrestler

Yes, I am a huge pro wrestling mark, but that only factors in a small bit to my ranking. Darren Aronofsky gives some of the best, most subtle direction I've ever seen, putting you into the minds of his characters in ways that aren't obvious until the film's over, and actors Mickey Rourke & Marisa Tomei hold up their end of the bargain every bit as well as you've heard.


Bruce Springsteen - "The Wrestler"


03. The Dark Knight

Maybe you saw this one.

04. Wall-E

Either Pixar collectively made a deal with the devil, or that studio is the biggest collision of the stars seen in our lifetime.


05. Revolutionary Road

I wouldn't have originally ranked this here, but strangely, it's stuck with me more than anything else I can remember seeing last year. Maybe "stuck with" is the wrong term; "festered" might be more like it, as this is one of the bleakest, most nihilistic things I've ever seen. The casting of Winslet, Dicaprio and Kathy Bates is flat-out brilliant: in addition to their acting chops, the baggage all three carry with them fills in all the early gaps in storytelling, and the implication that this is where that epic romance would have wound up is wonderfully fucked up. Much like Winslet's other film, this is one that critics seemed to miss entirely: it's hardly the ham-fisted condemnation of marriage or suburban America that folks have claimed. Mendes already did that with his first film. This is a tragedy about choices, and about action (or the lack thereof), and features the most explosive acting of '08, not just from its leads, but from a flawless supporting cast, particularly Michael Shannon, who makes the most of a very fun role....

06. Slumdog Millionare

A modern day Dickensian epic that has no agenda to push, but just makes you feel good. And sometimes, after watching stuff like nearly everything mentioned above, that can be enough.

A.R. Rahman feat M.I.A. - "O Saya"


07. Happy-Go-Lucky

Mike Lee's lightest film is also one of the director's most rewarding, and Sally Hawkins' performance will bring a smile to even the most jaded filmgoer. Like Slumdog, it's one to watch when your day needs a good cheering up.

08. Let the Right One In

This is a horror film in a very literal sense. Like last year's The Signal, this is one that disturbs you on a subconscious level, until the big scares finally bring the panic out of you. It also features some of the most impressive kid acting ever. Even if it's all in Swedish.

09. In Bruges

The insanely talented Martin McDonough makes a seamless transition from stage to film in his screenwriting debut. Colin Farrell's never been better, and the film is as funny as it is dark.

10. Milk

Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about the star and the director of this film, so for me to put it this up here means A LOT. This is a film that breaks a lot of biopic cliches, and teaches you something without ever being preachy. And Josh Brolin continues to prove why he's fucking awesome.

(Honorable Mention: Cloverfield, Pineapple Express, Mister Foe, and with just a smidge of guilt.....Step Up 2 The Streets. Trust me.....see it in the right context, and you'll have the best time ever).

-WORST FILMS OF 2008 THAT I ACTUALLY SAW-

1. The Spirit

Don't get me wrong: as awful as this is, I had the best time ever heckling it with my friends. But none of the fun I had (or the extreme, very-wrong hotness of the young Eva Mendes stand-in) can hide one simple fact: this film is an epic trainwreck. It would be impossible to give you the full scope of its awfulness, but it might help to describe the film's peak (or rather, its crater): in one scene, a villainous Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johannson,dressed in full-on SS regalia, swastikas and all, taunt the title hero, then liquify a small kitten in front of a giant headshot of Hitler. To my memory, there is no explanation for any of this, as the topics discussed in the scene are entirely removed from anything happening onscreen. It's all done for shock value. That about sums up the entire film.

2. The Happening

Exactly one Nazi kitten-killing scene away from being every bit as awful as The Spirit. Though the lion tamer scene comes mighty close. In true Tommy Wiseau fashion, M. Night came out after the film opened and tried to retroactively label his effort "a black comedy", but the truth of the matter is, it's just fucking awful. Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't hilarious.

3. Mamma Mia!

Yes, I got dragged to this, but to say I had no free will would be to lie. Thus, I only have myself to blame for the 2 hours that I'll never get back, or the fact that I slid at least ten points closer to "gay" on the Kinsey scale because of this. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just not why I generally go to the movies.

4. The X Files: I Want to Believe

The production values are about on par with the TV show, and the plot feels ripped from a bad spec script. What a waste.


5. Gran Torino

I won't go so far as to call Eastwood the director a hack, but to say I don't care for much of his recent work (the brilliant Letters From Iwo Jima removed) is an understatement. While Changeling offended me far less than some of the others, he bottomed out with Gran Torino, a shallow and hilariously misguided attempt at sentimental race lessons. The supporting characters are all vintage Eastwood: the one-dimensionally spoiled granddaughter, the one-dimensionally evil gangbangers, and the one-dimensionally saintly preist all spring to mind. But what makes this one special is the atrocious acting by all involved (save Eastwood himself and John Carroll Lynch), and the script, which manages to make a racist film out of anti-racist themes (and yes, I'm fully aware that all of Eastwood's "gook" and "slopehead" remarks are supposed to be TOTALLY ironic by the end, man), and turns Eastwood's character into a parody of himself. How this is topping several critics' "Best of" lists, I have no idea. Clearly I (and my friends......and the entire laughing theatre we saw this with) saw a different film than those critics did. But then again, I could say the inverse for The Reader and Revolutionary Road. I guess I was just living in bizarro world last year.




-BEST TV OF 2008-

01. Mad Men (AMC)

Another year, and still the best thing on television. There's no hyberbole I can throw out that you haven't already heard, so just watch it and enjoy.


02. Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi)

Against all odds, the writers are delivering on the very ambitious promises they made when the show first began. Over the course of four seasons, it's only gotten meatier, scarier and more challenging, climaxing in the best "What the Fuck" moment seen on television in a very long time when it aired its mid-season finale. Half a season to go, it seems certain that the creative powers that be have at least one more surprise to knock us out with. The bar's been set high....

03. Summer Heights High (HBO)

The best creative (if not commercial) move HBO made all year was importing Chris Lilley's outstanding Australian comedy, where he plays three roles that populate the title school: Mr. G, a vain and tragically delusional drama instructor, Jonah, a trouble-making, 13 year old Pacific Islander, and Ja'mie, a spoiled, 16 year old private school transfer. The characters never interact, and despite their bold design, they're all fully realized human beings. It helps that the supporting cast is as flawless as Lilley, interacting with him as realistically as they would any other actor. The result is a show that stands apart from a host of similar mockumentaries by playing everything as straight as possible. There's no winking here, and the show is all the better for it. It's hilarious, but also completely real, and if there's any justice, Lilley will get the chance to make a host of shows just like it in the future, hopefully to a much bigger audience.

04. 30 Rock (NBC)

One show that's finally finding the audience it's always deserved is right here, and the "Carrie Fisher/Alec Baldwin goes to therapy with Tracy" episode is the funniest thing that's aired since Arrested Development.


05. Gossip Girl (CW)

Yes, this show is fucking ridiculous, but even in its plot holes and ludicrous twists, it is enjoyable. Well, not just enjoyable, but a blast to watch. The various story threads are woven in impressive fashion, and the acting (minus the questionable non-talents of Chace Crawford and Taylor Momsen) is surprisingly solid. In particular, the anti-romace of Blair (Leighton Meester) and Chuck (Ed Westwick) helped elevate what could be a run-of-the-mill teen soap into a modern day Les Liasons Dangereuses, and New York has never looked better on television. Once you accept that the show is ludicrous, you can start enjoying the hell out of its storytelling. It also doesn't hurt that by featuring the likes of LCD Soundsystem, The Deadly Syndrome and even classic Love and Rockets (they actually ended an episode with "No New Tale to Tell"), the show's made itself the best music showcase on television.

06. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX)

The best season yet of FX's "Seinfeld on crack", Kaitlin Olsen really shined this year in the role of Sweet Dee, and might just be the funniest woman on television. Evidence that supports this argument: Martina Martinez and Dee's sad attempt to recreate Sex and the City. Once you see these moments, you might be forced to agree.

Electric Dream Machine - "Day Man" (Bungeebot Remix)



07. The Soup (E!)

Still the only talking head show that matters....

08. The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)


....except for this one.


09. The Whitest Kids U'Know (IFC)

I have fond memories of watching these guys live every week at Pianos, back when I lived in New York, and it's great to see that all the wit and energy that went into their act survived the transition to TV. Their first season on the Fuse network (which featured reworkings of much of their old material like "Scarin' Babies!" and "The New Thing") was fine, but once IFC stole them away and let them perform their new sketches completely uncensored, the gloves came off. The guys' third season begins January 27th, and you can get ready for it right HERE.
If you've been mourning the death of underground sketch comedy, this is the show calling your name.

The Whitest Kids U'Know - "Dinosaur Rap"



10. Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Of course, if you're perfectly fine with mainstream sketch comedy, 2008 was probably a good year for you, as SNL returned to relevance and, for the most part, returned to quality in a big way. Despite that soap-boxy "Bitch is the New Black" shit she pulled back when she was hosting, Tina Fey became the show's MVP with the best (and seemingly most effective-check the drop in Palin's approval ratings the week SNL premiered) political skewering since Will Ferrel as Bush, but the rest of the show has actually been pretty awesome too. Here's hoping this isn't a passing trend, but the beginning of another golden era for Studio 8H.

(Honorable Mention: "Lost", "Pushing Daisies", "Fringe", "South Park" and "Generation Kill")

-WORST TV OF 2008 THAT I ACTUALLY SAW -

01. Momma's Boys (NBC)

Where to start with this shit? The casting of three white (and clearly white-loving), age 25 and under guys versus a bunch of mostly late-20s to early-30s multicultural women clearly set up for humiliation? The inclusion of a Jewish mother actually named Esther who chooses Matzo ball soup as her favorite dish, and unironically uses the words "mensch", "kerflempt" and "meshugana", with no concern about looking like a creation of Anti-Semetic propoganda? Or, better yet, the inclusion of an actively racist mother who looks down on girls with "big booties"? For once, I'm at a loss. Congrats, producer Ryan Seacrest. If this is your secret plot to kill reality tv once and for all by scraping the barrel clean, then I commend you. If not, you deserve a grim fate indeed.

02. Celebrity Rehab (VH1)

Dr. Drew deserves the same fate.

03. Family Guy (Fox)

I was never on this show's bandwagon to begin with, but it coaxed me into liking it when it first came back from the dead, exploding with a rapid fire assault of barely connected-yet still engaging jokes. These days, it's coasting on mean-spirited, scatological fumes again, and characters merely exist to recite lazy, desperate-to-be-edgy nuggets ("Polio in the 50s was like AIDS is today, except people with polio get into heaven" exclaims Peter in a moment sure to generate rousing water-fountain talk Monday during recess), or to take shits and talk about it. A lot. Meanwhile, creater Seth McFarlane becomes the richest man in television with a new deal, and gets hailed by magazines as one of the "Most Intelligent People in Entertainment". Fair enough. I won't deny that Family Guy has its audience. But of course, so does The Hills and The O'Reily Factor.

04. Californication (Showtime)

The amount of people who said this show was right up my alley was staggering, so I finally tore through the whole first season on DVR, and while I found myself not hating it by the end, the second season has heightened everything I do hate about the show, while destroying any and all charm it had garnered by the end of season one. I hate the fact that this is what most people think of when they think of LA (trust me, this show is about as realistic to LA as Ugly Betty is to NY). I hate that there isn't a single likable adult on the show, and I hate that David Duchovy and the show's writers force us to watch their sad fantasies, masquerading as "edgy" entertainment. Most of all, despite plotlines that include rampant sex, cocaine use and porno filming, I hate how dull it all ends up being.


05. Manswers (Spike TV)

Really? THIS is what it's all come to? We may be done as a species after all. In all honesty, this is by far the worst show listed on here, but thankfully, it has yet to reach a wide audience, so the damage it's caused is fairly limited, at least in comparison to the others. So far.....