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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2009

December 30, 2009 No Comments

So we’ve seen what the critics gave their shout outs to, but what about me? Following are my top ten-ish tv shows for 2009. Now these may not all be the ‘best’ shows on the air but they’re the ones that I look most forward to or finish with the most joy (or anticipation for the next episode).

So here goes:

Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – A motorcycle club with layers and layers of drama and plenty of violence, I can’t turn away and I can’t wait to tune in to see what Jax and the others will do next season.
Chuck (NBC) – A wonderful balance between the spy capers, the geeky humor, and of course the romance, I’m thrilled to see Chuck 2.0 next season.
Glee (Fox) – My favorite newcomer, although the first season was a bit uneven (we were all so over the wife) the humor, the mix of poignant moments, and yes, the songs, made me keep coming back.
Bones (Fox) – Still my favorite crime solving pair, will FBI Sealy Booth and Forensic Anthropologist Temperance Brennan ever get together?
The Good Wife (CBS) – Another new addition to the lineup, so far it’s a great balance between the case-of-the-week and Margulies struggling with her family and potentially corrupt cheater husband, there’s more politics afoot than we know.
The Mentalist (CBS) /Castle (ABC) – These two guys are worth tuning into no matter where they are but both are set up as great characters with fun casts and of course the case-of-the-week.
Dexter (Sho) – No season has been as good at the first but it doesn’t stop me from yelling at the tv when Dexter is doing something foolish, juggling job, family, friends, and being a serial killer is a tough balance.
Dollhouse (Fox) – Another uneven addition to the list but as the season has progressed we see what the show could have been with its corrupt organization and complex issues of identity, too bad there are only three more.
Modern Family (ABC)/Community (NBC) – So I still laugh at 30 Rock, The Office, HIMYM, Parks & Rec, but the shows I was most excited to watch were the new ones, MF takes us into the new form of funny families and Community just puts together some weirdos, I don’t know, I am amused.

Special shout outs for some of the cable fluff that I tended to watch first that even I’m not tempted to make the case that they’re ‘the best’: Drop Dead Diva (Life) – the dumbest premise made the cutest show, Leverage (TNT) – I love a good caper show, and this was good enough, Burn Notice (USA) – cheesy but Macgyver of this generation shouldn’t be skipped, and Greek (ABCFam) – fun plots and characters are all you need to keep you tuning in.

best, tv

critic’s picks – top tv of 2009

December 23, 2009 1 Comment

madmen We’re wrapping up the year and critics and award shows are singing the praises of the best of 2009. Following is a consolidation of what I’ve found on folk’s best lists.

Who said which? Initials included after titles and full names and links below. Am I missing some? Post them in comments and I’ll make updates. What do I think? Stay tuned for my year end tv post.

Battlestar Galactica (Syfy) – JP, MR, Wat, TG, AS
Better Off Ted (ABC) – TG, AS, CNN
The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – AFI, MR, Wat, SA, AS, CNN, AF
Big Love (HBO) – JP, AFI, TG, SA, AF
Bored to Death (HBO) – TG
Breaking Bad (AMC) – JP, MR, WG, TG, KT, SA, AS, AF
Chuck (NBC) – Wat, AS, AF
The Closer (TNT) – TVG, SAG
Community (NBC) – TG, AS
Cougar Town (ABC) – TVG
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – TG, WG, SAG, AS
Damages (FX) – TVG, SA
Dexter (Show) – WG, SAG, TG
Dollhouse (Fox) – Wat
Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – TG, SA, AS
Friday Night Lights (NBC) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, Wat, KT, AS, AF
Fringe (Fox) – KT, CNN
Glee (Fox) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, SAG, TG, KT, SA, CNN
The Good Wife (CBS) – SAG, KT, SA
Greek (ABCFam)- TVG
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – TG, SA, AF
Hung (HBO) – TG
In Treatment (HBO) – SA, AS
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) – TG
The League (FX) – TG
Lost (ABC) – JP, TVG, WG, Wat, TG, AS
Mad Men (AMC) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, Wat, SAG, TG, KT, SA, AS, AF
The Middle (ABC) – TVG
Modern Family (ABC) – JP, AFI, TVG, TG, MR, WG, Wat, SAG, KT, AS, CNN, AF
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (HBO) – AFI
Nurse Jackie (Show) – AFI, MR, Wat, TG, KT, AF
The Office (NBC) – JP, TG, WG, SAG, AS, AF
Parks and Recreation (NBC) – JP, TG, Wat, SA, AF
Party Down (Starz) – AFI, Wat, AS
Sons of Anarchy (FX) – JP, Wat, TG, KT, SA
Supernatural (CW) – Wat
30 For 30 (ESPN) – AS
30 Rock (NBC) – TVG, TG, WG, SAG, SA, AF
24 (Fox) – TVG
Torchwood: Children of Earth (BBCA) – MR, Wat, AS
True Blood (HBO) – AFI, MR, Wat, SAG, TG, KT, CNN, AF
Ugly Betty (ABC) – AF
United States of Tara (Show) – AS
Weeds (Show) – SA

AF – Ausiello Files, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Star-Ledger, AFI, CNN, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, KT – Ken Tucker for Entertainment Weekly, MR – Matt Roush for TV Guide Magazine, SA – Satellite Awards, SAG – Screen Actor’s Guild (best ensemble), TVG – TV Gal, TG – Tim Goodman for SF Chronicle Comedies, Dramas, Wat – The Watcher by Maureen Ryan, WG – Writer’s Guild

best, movies

my must-see movies of 2008

March 24, 2009 No Comments

Every year I do a top ten movie list and every year it causes me tons of anguish. Have I seen all of the top rated films? If I see just one more movie will it be one of the best? Am I really placing the movies in the order that I liked them most? Do I even remember that movie I saw last Feb? I could probably come up with ten variations on this list but what it comes down to is there is just a time to throw down and pick ten, and that time was a month ago, so here goes.

Slumdog Millionaire – This was just a great movie, the epic setting in India, the love story, and the method of telling the story of a dramatic past through the ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ answers was as entertaining as it was unbelievable.
Milk – The movie did a great job of capturing not only Milk, Sean Penn did an amazing job, but the characters and flavor of the time, it might have been even more impactful as a SF resident viewer during Prop 8.
The Dark Knight – I love Christian Bale and the whole new Christopher Nolan take on this franchise, and though I actually thought the last Batman was a better story, you can’t argue with the Heath Ledger Joker performance and Maggie Gyllenhaal was a refreshing change from Katie Holmes.
Frost/Nixon – I might have liked this movie so much because I walked in expecting not to, reenacting the time around the famous interviews it was a piece of history I wasn’t as familiar with and a captivating story of these two well played men at a momentous time in their lives.
The Wrestler – A rough look at the life of a has-been, and who better than Rourke to bring it to life, what’s painful, and therefore good, is seeing how it could go either way and seeing why it went the way it did.
Changeling – This Clint film tells the ‘based on a true story’ that is just crazy enough to be interesting, beautifully set in the 20s with an impressive performance by Jolie as we look for her missing son and see her stand her ground with the police.
Rachel Getting Married – Hathaway makes us feel incredibly uncomfortable as she returns from rehab for her sister’s wedding and we get a glimpse into the layers that can bring a family together and drive them apart.
Speed Racer – Ok so this movie isn’t for everyone, but I was a fan of the original series (which i retried and is admittedly unwatchable), but I thought the update captured the sentiment of the original and by taking the cartoon aspect to a special effects crazy it made it a fun film.
The Visitor – Jenkins’ character comes alive with the beat of the drum of illegal immigrants, whose lives he becomes enmeshed in, and watching the personal impact that the deportation can take on those around him was compelling.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day – I saw this movie early last year and just remember it being a delightful day to spend with McDormand and Adams, the romance, the period costumes, and the pursuit of true love just felt like an update to an old Hollywood film.

And for the record I haven’t seen everything, though I thought I did pretty well this year, and I’ve noted the critic’s picks that I’ve seen.

best, books

my best books of 2008 (and 2007)

January 12, 2009 No Comments

Well another year of not reading enough to really recommend much, so I decided to pull together some picks from the past two years. In alphabetical order:

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood – Telling the tale of the end of civilization in the not so distant future Atwood brings us along for the tale of how it all happened through perhaps the one surviving man.
JPod by Douglas Coupland – I don’t miss a Coupland (Microserfs and Generation X are still the faves) and dug his latest somewhat random, tied to current times tale of life in the cubicle zone with game developers.
Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn – A tough but engaging memoir as Flynn tries to beat the ‘like father like son’ curse of writing and drinking and homelessness.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen – This book was all the rage for a while for good reason, super readable and compelling story of the drama of life with the traveling circus.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro – From their days in boarding school to life as adults it’s intriguing to see how the unusually special students live their lives.
The Know it All by AJ Jacobs – I was amused and felt a little smarter as I followed the author on his real life quest to read the Britannica a to z relating it all to life, well his life.
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson – When this Will Smith movie came out my dad handed me a tattered copy of the book it was based on, and for a vampire/plague tale first told in 1954 it holds up quite well (much better than the movie).
The Good Life by Jay McInerney – I always find McInerney super readable (Bright Lights, Big City and Brightness Falls would be my favorites of his) and enjoyed this take on romance and family around ground zero after 9/11.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett – The hostages and captors create an unusual life in their standstill, impacted by one man’s love of music and a little bad timing.
On Beauty by Zadie Smith – Structurally based on Howards End this family drama filled with academics, race, adultery and all that good stuff is compelling from start to finish, my favorite of this author.

And of course there are the critics picks of books actually written in 2008.

best, tv

my top tv of 2008

January 8, 2009 3 Comments

As noted I’m a little torn about coming up with a top ten tv list whilst waiting for midseason to hit, but here goes. In alphabetical order:

Bones (Fox) – My favorite of the procedurals, Bones the forensic anthropologist and Booth the FBI guy are great characters with great chemistry and I like all the supporters and flavor added to each body-of-the-week mystery.
Breaking Bad (AMC) – Who knew the dad from Malcolm in the Middle could turn out like this, as he gets himself in terrible situations when he starts to manufacture meth with an unpredictable partner in crime, all to support his family when he’s diagnosed with cancer.
Chuck (NBC) – Action and camp combined and I’m not sure whether I like the geeks put into the spy world or the spies put into the geek world better, with an amusing and compelling supporting cast.
Dexter (Show) – The first season was still the best to date but I can’t turn away from Dexter and his murders and his code and the scary and comical and idiotic people around him, though I do sometimes yell at the tv.
Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – Not exactly television but this web based villain musical story (now available on dvd and through itunes) is a great piece by Joss Whedon (of Buffy, Angel, Firefly fame), all the main characters are fantastic but if I didn’t love Neil Patrick Harris before I do now.
Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – Hilarious songs tie together the silly stories of these two offbeat New Zealand musicians trying to make it in New York.
Gossip Girl (CW) – Campy soaps done right are just plain fun, and this one has over the top characters and situations going through plot twists faster than their spectacular outfits, Chuck’s ridiculous bowties and ascots alone would keep me tuned in.
Pushing Daisies (ABC) – This was good while it lasted with its fanciful production matching story and concept and design and cast to the wonderful mysteries solved by bringing folks back to life for just a minute, when it’s more than a minute let’s just say complications arose.
Saving Grace (TNT) – That Grace sure is crazy and it’s fun to watch her wrestle with doing the right thing by her police cases and doing the wrong thing in her personal life all while being pushed by her guardian angel, Touched by an Angel this show is not.
Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – I wince at least once an episode at some act of unbelievable violence as this motorcycle gang survives more trouble than seems possible, but the charismatic protagonist gives the show a little heart to go along with the drama.

A little shout out to some of the comedies that didn’t make the list this year but made me laugh enough just the same, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

And of course you can see what the critics are saying.

best, tv

top tv of 2008

December 31, 2008 1 Comment

I always think that doing a top ten tv is a tough at the end of the year because the tv season is still rolling into midseason shows, but here’s what critics and folks have got so far for 2008.

Architecture School – JP
Battlestar Gallactica – JP, TG
Big Bang Theory – MR
Boston Legal – DB, PGA
Breaking Bad – AFI, JP, TG
Brotherhood – SA
Californication – GG
The Colbert Report – SA
Chuck – JP
Cranford – PE, SA*
Curb Your Enthusiasm – PGA
Daily Show with Jon Stewart – DB
Damages – PGA
Dancing With the Stars – NYT
Dexter – GG, DB, MR, PGA, SA*, TG
Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – DB, JP, PE
Entourage – GG, PGA
Friday Night Lights – DB, MR
Fringe – NYT, PE
Generation Kill – MR, TG
Gossip Girl – NYT
House – GG
In Treatment – AFI, GG, NYT, PE, SA
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – SA
John Adams – AFI, MR, SA
The Last Enemy – SA
Life – AFI
Life on Mars – SA
Lost – AFI, JP, MR, PE, PGA, TG
Mad Men – AFI, DB, GG, JP, MR*, NYT, PGA, SA, TG*
Masterpiece – MR
Morning Joe – NYT
NCIS – NYT
The Office – AFI, GG, PGA
Olympics – MR
Primeval – SA
Pushing Daisies – DB, SA
Real Housewives of NYC – PE
Recount – AFI, NYT
Saturday Night Live – MR, PE
The Shield – AFI, DB, JP*, MR, PE, TG
60 Minutes – DB
Skins – SA
Sons of Anarchy – TG
State of the Union – SA*
Swingtown – PE
30 Rock – DB, GG, MR, NYT, PGA, SA, TG
True Blood – GG
Weeds – GG, PE, PGA
The Wire – AFI, JP, MR, NYT, TG

AFI – American Film Institute, DB – David Bianculli/NPR, GG – Golden Globes, JP – James Poniewozik/Time, MR – Matt Roush/TVGuide, PE – People Magazine, PGA – Producer’s Guild of America, SA – Satellite Awards, NYT – New York Times, TG – Tim Goodman at SF Chron

best, books

best books of 2008

December 30, 2008 4 Comments

I got a little lax this year and wasn’t bothered by some publications that couldn’t narrow their list down to a top ten, it’s always surprising how little agreement there is on top reads to start with. As usual I can’t chime in as I’m always too behind and too opposed to hardcover that I haven’t read any of these… (oh and these are fiction).

The Outlander by Gil Adamson – WA
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga – BG, ST
Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan – EW, MC
The Book of Dahlia by Elisa Albert – EW
The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam – AC, BG
When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson – BG, T
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery – MC, WA
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry – BG
Peace by Richard Bausch – ST
2666 by Roberto Bolaño – Am, NYT, T
The China Lover by Ian Buruma – ST
The Rain Before it Falls by Jonathan Coe – BG
Lost in Uttar Pradesh by Evan S. Connell – AC
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas – KGB
So Brave, Young and Handsome by Leif Enger – Am
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – T
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh – BG
I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass – KGB
Fall of Frost by Brain Hall – BG
The Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif – BG
The Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon – Am
The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher – Am
The Expeditions by Karl Iagnemma – ST
The Night Following by Morag Joss – BG
When We Were Romans by Matthew Kneale – BG
Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kishner – ST
World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler – AC
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri – KGB, MC, NYT
Lavinia by Ursula K LeGuin – AC
Disquiet by Julia Leigh – EW
The Girl of His Dreams by Donna Leon – BG
The House on Fortune Street by Margot Livesey – EW
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri – T
Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen – AC
The End of the World by Alistair McCartney – ST
Dangerous Laughter by Steven Millhauser – NYT, ST
A Mercy by Toni Morrison – NYT, WA
What Was Lost by Catherine O’Flynn – BG
Netherland by Joseph O’Neill – Am, MC, NYT
Personal Days by Ed Park – T
Cleaver by Tim Parks – ST
To Siberia by Per Petterson – BG
Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock – Am
Lush Life by Richard Price – Am, EW, T
Serena by Ron Rash – Am
What Happened to Anna K by Irina Reyn – EW
Home by Marilynne Robinson – Am
Cost by Roxana Robinson – WA
Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong – AC
Indignation by Philip Roth – MC
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows – T
Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw – EW
The Size of the World by Joan Silber – ST
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld – EW, KGB, T
Anathem by Neal Stephenson – T
Olive Kittenridge by Elizabeth Strout – EW
The Widows of Eastwick by John Updike – T
Lucky Billy by John Vernon – ST
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski – Am, EW

AC – Alan Cheuse/NPR, AM – Amazon, BG – Boston Globe, EW – Entertainment Weekly, KGB – Karen Grigsby Bates/NPR, MC – Maureen Corrigan/NPR, NYT – New York Times, ST – Seattle Times, T – Time, WA – Washington Post

best, movies

must-see movies of 2008

December 22, 2008 No Comments

Looking for something to see at the movies? We’re wrapping up the year and the critics and awards are happening so here’s what folks are saying is worth seeing. Winners or number ones are noted with an*. I’ll make some updates as new lists/awards are received. I shoot to do my own top ten list some time next year once I’ve actually seen some of these (movies seen to date are bolded).

Alexandra – MD
Appaloosa – PE
Ballast – ISA
The Bank Job – SK
Burn After Reading – EO, GG, NBR, OG
Cadillac Records – AOS, DE
Changeling – AL, CCA, NBR
Choke – SA
A Christmas Tale – SH
The Class – DE, OG
Cloverfield – EO
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – AFI, CCA, GG, NBR, PE, RC
The Dark Knight – AFI, CCA, EO*, LS, MD, NBR, OG, PE, RS, SK*
Death Race – SK
Defiance – NBR
Doubt – CCA, DE, RS
The Edge of Heaven – AL, AOS, OG, SH
Encounters of the End of the World – MD, RC
Flight of the Red Balloon – MD
Forgetting Sarah Marshall – EO
4 months, 3 weeks, & 2 days – AL, RC, SH
Frost/Nixon – AFI, CCA, GG, NBR, RS, SA
Frozen River – AFI, ISA, SA, SH
Funny Games – SK
Gomorra – LS
Gran Torino – AFI, NBR, PE
Happy Go Lucky – AOS, DE, GG, LS, MD, PE, SA*, SH
In Bruges – GG, SA
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – EO
Iron Man – AFI, AL, EO, RC
I’ve Loved You So Long – AL
Kit Kittredge: American Girl – DE
Lakeview Terrace – SK
The Last Mistress – SH
Mamma Mia – GG, OG
Man on Wire – AOS, LS, RS
Milk – AFI, AOS, CCA, LS, NBR, NYFC*, OG, PE, RC, RS*, SA, SH
My Winnipeg – RC
Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist – SA
The Orphanage – AL
Paranoid Park – MD
Quantum of Solace – AL
Rachel Getting Married – AOS, DE*, ISA, OG, RS
The Reader – CCA, GG, SA
Redbelt – SK
Revolutionary Road – GG, RS, SA
The Ruins – SK
The Secret of the Grain – AOS
Sex and the City – EO
Shotgun Stories – DE
Silent Light – AOS, MD
Slumdog Millionaire – BFC*, CCA, DC*, GG, NBR*, PE, RC, RS, SA*, SK
Speed Racer – RC
Still Life – MD
Synecdoche, New York – MD, RC
Taxi to the Dark Side – DE
Tell No One – OG, SH
Tropic Thunder – EO, LS, SA, SK
Trouble the Water – DE, LS
Vicky Christina Barcelona – EO, GG, PE, SA
The Visitor – PE, RS, SH
Wall-e – AFI, AL, AOS, BFC*, CCA, DE, EO, LS*, NBR, OG, PE, RC*, RS, SH, SK
Waltz With Bashir – DE, LS, NSFC*
Wendy and Lucy – AFI, AOS, ISA, LS, MD
We Own the Night – AL
The Wrestler – AFI, AL, CCA, ISA, NBR, OG*

AFI – American Film Institute, AL – Anthony Lane/New Yorker, AOS – AO Scott/NYT, BFC – Boston Society of Film Critics, CCA – Critic’s Choice Awards, DC – DC Area Film Critics, DE – David Edelstein/NPR, EO – eonline, GG – Golden Globes, ISA – Independent Spirit Awards, LS – Lisa Schwarzbaum/EW, MD – Manohla Dargis/NYT, NBR – National Board of Review, NSFC – National Society of Film Critics, NYFC – New York Film Critics Circle, OG – Owen Gleiberman/EW, PE – People Magazine, RC – Richard Corliss/Time, RS – Rolling Stone, SA – Satellite Awards, SH – Stephen Holden/NYT, SK – Stephen King/EW

best, tv

top 5, or so, tv

July 16, 2008 4 Comments

My posting a top 5 movies list caused a little bit of wonderment about my top 5 all time tv shows… The thought of picking 5 was a little daunting, but Entertainment Weekly recently did a special episode on “The New Classics” which listed some modern faves in all the mediums so it got me thinking about this again. And then I stopped because I just couldn’t do it.

Once I realized I just couldn’t do it, I did it, but instead of top 5 what I’ve done is cheated just a little:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – This show brought together both the fun cheesiness of a teen show with real intelligence and drama all wrapped up with monsters, delightful verbal quips, a strong lead, and an excellent supporting cast, but creator Joss Whedon kept things up in making spinoff show Angel a great show unto itself, and in short lived Firefly he gave us great characters in a space western creating yet another intriguing version of reality, these three might each be in a real top 5.
Gilmore Girls/Veronica Mars – If Joss and Buffy get number one then I’ll share this second spot with my other favorite sassy gals, these two shows differ in tone but bring me more of the gals with humor and heart, the Gilmores add a crazy quirky supporting cast to its family drama whilst Veronica gets herself into crazy criminal messes while helping out PI dad or working on her own.
Beverly Hills, 90210 – Now I was a little torn on including any shows that I didn’t dig the whole of them but 90210 tops the category of the soapy shows that are delightful until they’ve done it all, and then they just can’t help but keep going, anything after Brenda left for me is a disappointment but when this show was paired with Melrose Place it was the best night on tv, and along those lines I also dug The OC when it mixed super fast unfolding of crazy drama with its self aware humor.
Sopranos – This show gets the nod for the cable invasion of quality dramas followed closely by Six Feet Under, having support to push things from content to characters to the way the stories unfolded it drew people in, though I’m really just still catching up on those that others tout including things like The Wire and Battlestar Gallactica.
MacGyver – If you’re still with me this is where I might lose you but this is the tops in what I’m considering the nostalgic category, I just love macgyver and his ability to get out any situation, other shows that I remember with a grin are Wild Wild West, Kung Fu, and the original Star Trek.

And because great television is not in the hour format alone I’ve done another group of half hour shows for that extra comedic value:

Friends/Seinfeld – Not sure these need much explanation and they’re never not on in syndication, Seinfeld made you laugh whether original or stupid or unlikable in the show about nothing, whilst the friends grew into characters that made you wonder from week to week who you liked the most, you don’t need a really good premise to have good funny just good writing and good characters and they made the perfect comedy block.
MASH – I catch this in reruns now and again and am still impressed by their ability to create such different moods and tell such different stories that still ring true today, whether dramatic or silly it was great even with all the versions of the cast.
Mary Tyler Moore – I have to admit I saw an Oprah reunion of this recently and just remember how much we all loved Mary, if not because of, despite what a great gal she was, also in the nostalgic category I’d throw Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, and Soap.
Sex and the City – I really don’t know that it was the no holds barred sex talk on this show that made it what it was, this was a side of chicks and dating and of course new york that was as unrealistic as it was realistic but these potentially cookie cutter stereotypes became real people and still made us laugh as they dealt with issue after romantic issue with a heavy dose of fashion.
And in my later nostalgic category I’ll add the family gems, different sensibilities but funny nonetheless: Cosby, Roseanne, and Family Ties.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something that was dear to me throughout the years, besides Sesame Street which just didn’t seem appropriate on this list, and I might make this list a little differently each time I did it. Since I’m not including any current television I may have to update this in a few years anyhow. Other good lists include Time’s 100 Best TV Shows and Pop Matters The Best of TV on DVD.

best, movies

top 5 movies

April 29, 2008 9 Comments

Some friends and I were talking about favorite movies and Citizen Kane came up as someone’s favorite. And although I can certainly appreciate what the film did for its time I had to admit that I found it unwatchable (insert gasp here) and would never put it in my favorite pile.

Turns out although some folks consider favorite movies to be great films, most put their favorites as movies they just would watch again and again. Maybe because they’re great for what they are, maybe because of where you were at when you watched them first, and honestly often because they’re light enough to pop in on any occasion. This brought about the arduous plan of coming up with a top 5.

So here goes (as always I should caveat that this list could vary any time I made it):

Gidget – I am often without the ability to name a favorite anything, it’s just too great a commitment to one thing and I feel like I am far to complex to have anything sum up my tastes, but… for movies I can honestly say that this is the one, it’s got whimsy, nostalgia, surfing, female empowerment, cute outfits and good old fashioned romance.
Buckaroo Banzai – I’m a fan of the sort of comic book film and this one, bringing a bit of sci fi and camp, was a delight and I am sad there was just the one, but I’ll always be a Blue Blaze Irregular at heart. Other comic flicks I enjoy include Batman Begins, Blade and Josie and the Pussycats.
Breakfast Club – Ah the 80’s and the brat pack and all that crap, I have to say of the teen flicks this one still holds water, though I have to admit that my Nicholas Cage crush began with Valley Girl, and of course who could resist Heathers.
Clueless – This is sort of what I consider the post-80’s 80’s movie, and there’s obviously something about the youngsters that can pull off the drama with a bit of timeliness and fun. Also in the fun category Cruel Intentions and Bring it On.
13 Going on 30 – Who can resist a romantic comedy done right? It’s a pity they so rarely are but this film is delightful and brings it all together from start to finish.

And yes they’re all a bit fluffy, so with a quick stab at some of the movies that I recall enjoying immensely but wouldn’t necessarily make my top five (not comprehensive by any means and in alphabetical order):

American History X, Amores Perros, Being John Malkovich, City of God, Election, Freeway, Memento, Pan’s Labyrinth, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Riding Giants, The Wizard of Oz, Young Frankenstein

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