My Favorite Entertainment from 2008
Now that 2008 has past (ok, I’ll admit 2008 is long gone at this point) I’ve returned to an ancient tradition: making a list of my favorite stuff from the past year. I’m a bit late, but if the Oscars can be this late, so can I.
Music
Fleet Foxes — Fleet Foxes and Sun Giant
Fleet Foxes deserve the hype. An advantage to writing a best of list so late is that you can check out others’ lists. Fleet Foxes show up on most everyone’s list this year, and it’s well deserved. Their musicianship and songwriting is far above anything else that’s been released this year.
I don’t really have much more to say—just check it out:
More picks: TV on the Radio, David Byrne and Brian Eno, Vampire Weekend, and Portishead.
TV
Mad Men
Alright. If you can’t love this show for its lurid—who’s having an affair with who—plot, then you should love it for the design. Mad Men’s set and fashion design are perfect. This show makes me want to wear a skinny tie, even though I don’t own a single decent tie (and rarely have the occasion to wear one anyhow). If you don’t care about design, e.g., the fact that Don Draper’s secretary uses the actual typewriter she (and of course in 1961 his secretary is a she) would have used in 1961, you should watch Mad Men because of its exploration of gender roles and relationships.
True Blood
I’ll admit it. This show makes me crazy for vampires. In True Blood’s world, vampires have come ‘out of the coffin’ b/c a Japanese corp has created a synthetic blood that vamps can feed off instead of sucking down human blood. Ostensibly, the vamps have ceased feeding from humans, but reality is, of course, that the vampires are still feeding off of humans and partying like it’s 1899. Vampire Bill Compton is mainstreaming, living with/among humans, and the show’s plot revolves around his difficulties integrating into Louisiana human society and his nascent relationship with Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress who can hear folks’ thoughts. It’s a good show for those who like a little fantasy with their romance, or those who read Twilight and haven’t had their fill of contemporary vampire folklore.
Movies
Sure, I could mention the 2008 flicks I enjoyed, say, The Dark Knight, WALL-E, and There Will Be Blood, but somehow these movies don’t seem pretentious enough to get a mention here* (with the exception of There Will Be Blood (which actually was released in 2007, but like the very last part so I’m counting it as a 2008 movie), where its pretensions actually seem to get in the way just a little bit). And hell, since I’m writing this so late, I could even throw out the name of a certain movie that won numerous Oscars despite it not actually being great. But, I’m not going to. I’m going to list my favorite movies I watched for the first time in 2008.
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) — Woody Allen
I’d never seen a Woody Allen flick until this year; I’m not sure why not—I just hadn’t. I’d heard The Purple Rose of Cairo is one of his best, so I gave it a shot and I’m glad I did. This film is all about the meta. There’s a film-within-a-film, aptly named The Purple Rose of Cairo, which Cecilia watches again and again, enough times that this film’s protagonist, Tom, walks right off the big screen to chase after Cecilia’s heart. Gil is the actor who plays Tom in the film-within-a-film Purple Rose and he shrewdly recognizes that Tom’s walking out of the screen will be bad for his career. Thus sets forth a love triangle, with Gil and Tom both chasing the married (albeit to a vulgar, crude man who she would be better off without) Cecilia. Naturally, this all makes more sense in pictures.
Here’s Tom walking off the screen and into Cecilia’s life:
Strangers on a Train (1951) and Marnie (1964) — Alfred Hitchcock
I know, you get it, I love Hitchcock’s movies; I saw Psycho in middle school, The Birds shortly afterwards and then watched many episodes of his TV show Alfred Hitchcock Presents… and I guess Hitchcock’s stuff seemed like the right mix of suspense and terror to me; I was too squeamish to enjoy out and out horror like all those Jason movies, so Hitchcock had to do for 14-year-old me.
These two selections from Hitchcock’s filmography represent the beginning and the end of his prime. They don’t quite cover his whole career, but, together, these movies contain all of his obsessions. Watch both of them and you’ll see why Hitchcock is one of the greatest directors ever.
* This is tongue in cheek. I can say, though, that as I get older and look back on everything of mine that’s out there, available to read, with my name on it, my perfectionist nature comes out and pushes me to self edit. There’s so much noise out there. It’s like I want every bit of my noise to be at least sort of worthwhile, so I want my movie picks to stand the test of time, but then how valuable is this list in the first place?
It's about time.
I agree with the music, though I haven't listened to Portishead. I'm waiting for NPR to stream the new Antony and the Johnsons. I've heard good things about it.
If we're thinking of the same movie then I agree that it's not great. I still liked it a lot, though. And you know how I know it's not great? Because everyone I've talked to liked it. I'm way too pretentious to like what everyone else likes.
I had the same response when I watched my first Woody Allen movie (Annie Hall in my case): "Why haven't I seen this before? It's genius!" There are enough people who don't like Woody's movies that I can comfortably enjoy them.
I need to catch up with you on Hitchcock films. I've seen few.
The saddest thing about me publishing this so late is that I've had this thing practically done since 1 January, but I thought I'd extend it, add literature picks too. And well, it didn't go anywhere and it sat there, almost finished, for a long time. See also *.
Ahem.
Third is a chill album. I'd definitely recommend giving it a listen. Here's the video for "The Rip".
So I'm thinking of Slumdog which you're probably right--it can't be great b/c everyone else seems to like it. But even without that, I can't get past its overly optimistic (and unrealistic in the extreme) ending. Call me a cynic, I don't know.
Annie Hall has been added to the to watch queue.
What did you like this year in television curt? (or are digging now?)
I didn't think Slumdog was that great either. There, I said it.
Sophia: Yes! Welcome to the crowd!
I think my favorite part about Slumdog was the accents/dialect. I'm glad they mostly used actors with Indian accents... I'm hoping more Americans start to realize that they (meaning all Americans) do actually have an accent!
My problem with Slumdog was how it glamorized poverty. I kept thinking, "Those orphans are so cool and spunky. I wish I were like them." No, I don't.
30 Rock is the best show on TV. I finally started watching Arrested Development last year. It's the best show that was on TV. I enjoyed the first season of Mad Men (but not enough to start watching the second season). I liked Breaking Bad and am ready for season 2. And I can't believe the Boulder idiot won Top Chef. A travesty.
Good point about glamorizing poverty. Looks fun to camp out and the landfill... except wait, that would be terrible.
I've seen a total of one 30 Rock episode and loved it. I've got to watch more of it. Mad Men is slow... like I said, I mostly appreciate its set/costume design.
I'm not qualified to say what the best thing on TV is (I don't even own a TV and I have no idea what you are talking about re Top Chef) but Season 5 of Lost is not disappointing so far---quite the opposite actually. It may be the first mystery show where the revealing the secrets bit is just as interesting as the rolling out the secrets (if you've ever watched Twin Peaks (which is brilliant btw), this is why the second season was so weak compared to the first).
So I'm going to give a laugh at my expense. I randomly bought portishead 3rd (because of the rad cover design) a few months ago on lp. I listened to the first four songs and didn't get it. It was too dreary and sounded nothing like the portishead I had listened to years ago. But I didn't really think about it and threw it on my shelf. After watching that video you posted I realize the record was printed as a 45. So I just switched the belt from 33 to 45 and am relistening. The only other record I own that's a 45 is radiohead's Hail to the Thief, but of course in that case I immediately knew something was wrong.
Jeff: that'll teach ya for being highbrow and rocking the vinyl!
Anyhow, glad my website could help you realize that Third is a damn good album. My recommendation: listen to it while driving in the rain (though that isn't exactly easy to do in the near desert of Wyoming).
Do you recognize that your google search rating has fallen drastically? Yo Yo you need to get to posting more regularly my love ;) Maybe after this weekend's Star Trek you'll have something to post.
I love Mad Men too, its production design is outstanding. Woody Allen films are definitely a coming of age rite, in my opinion. Watch Annie Hall and Manhattan, but neither one is very much like Purple Rose... Robert Altman's The Player and the Coen Brothers' Barton Fink both explore early Hollywood in similar ways. Both films are very aware of their conventions, if that makes sense. And Slumdog was overrated. I wanted there to be zombies.
Oh yeah, and Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York was one of the best films I saw last year. Its a great Po-Mo tragedy, although a little too intellectual at times. And Kaufman was in person to present it. He was kind of a jerk. Haha.
Courtney: yes, I really want to see Synecdoche. I guess now that it's out on dvd I have no excuse, so I'm going to watch it soon. I'm a fan of Kaufman, I just wish he wasn't the only person turning out original scripts.
So I've seen Annie Hall now and loved it. Guess I'm finally coming of age, seeing Woody Allen movies and all. I'll make Manhatten my next Woody Allen movie since you know what's up. And Barton Fink and The Player and basically everything you recommend.
On the Woody Allen note- I really think you should go for another goodie, Love and Death.
Especially if you've ever tried to conquer "Russian epic novels".
And for 2008 records, Sam Amidon or samamidon's All Is Well is very beautiful, too.