Films
14. Up (2009) Dir: Pete Docter
Emotionally harrowing, structurally implausible drama. The 2nd best Pixar film.
13. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Dir: Danny Boyle
The most "mutilationy" feelgood film of the year!!
12. Cloudy with a chance of meatballs, (2009), Dir: Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Superb Comedy-Fantasy.
11. The Fountain, (2006), Dir: Darren Aronofsky
Unintentional Comedy-Fantasy. I forgive this film its stupidity for the Jaw-dropping visuals and generally awesome bits e.g. a man turning into a flower bed.
Will YOU release spain from bondage?
10. Inglourious Basterds (2009) Dir: Quentin Tarrantino
The most exciting, boring film you’ll ever see. I can think of no other film that succeeds in making a few people having banal conversations in dimly lit rooms so nail-bitingly tense. When several characters start playing through an entire round of 20 questions in the middle of a suspensful life or death situation you’ll be like "OMG WTF!!!".
9. The Hidden Blade (2004) Dir: Yoji Yamada
Jidaigeki gets the Cranford treatment. It’s like someone introduced Akira Kurosawa to the word "quaint".
8. Say Anything… (1989) Dir: Cameron Crowe
Mature and surprisingly brilliant drama craftily disguised as some ‘fast times at ridgemont high’ bullshit.
7. A Scanner Darkly (2006) Dir: Richard Linklater
PKD’s all time greatest adaptation of probably his greatest novel. Superb mixture of cutting edge cinematography, tragedy, humour and big ideas.
6. Point Break (1991) Dir: Kathryn Bigelow
There is more to this film than the bits where Keanu Reeves dropkicks a terrier or jumps out of a plane without a parachute, but I’d be lying if i said it wasn’t the main appeal. The very best aspects of 90s action cheese combined with some surprisingly profound, epic moments.
5. Bend of the River (1952) Dir: Anthony Mann
Hardboiled Cowboy thriller.
4. Old Joy (2006) Dir: Kelly Reichardt
The most boring, boring film you’ll ever see. Seriously, why is this on this list? i don’t know what i was thinking.
Then again, sometimes you look back and realise the boring times were some of the best times. Jumping out of a plane without a parachute is awesome, but sometimes you just wanna go for a drive, listen to some Yo La Tengo and get creeped out by a sexually ambiguous, bearded songwriter, on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Oh well, at least he can piss like a powerful racehorse. He’ll always have that…
3. Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939) Dir: Frank Capra
Good old Idealism. Can anyone remember Idealism? Ah, whatever happened to Idealism…
2. The Lion in Winter (1968) Dir: Anthony Harvey
This film is far too clever for me to do it justice with mere, poxy words.
1. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993) Dir: Lasse Hallstrom
Maybe retards are just really easy to play or somehting but this is an incredible performance from the young Leonardo DiCaprio. One of the most artery-cloggingly brilliant, unfiltered, home-brewed slices of americana ever filmed.
Books
I hardly read anything this year but wanted to mention Blankets by Craig Thompson, a super-beautiful masterpiece of memoir and also joint title holder (alongside watchmen) for best graphic novel ever.
Albums
5. American beauty by The Grateful Dead (1970)
Soothing is the word… Cleansing perhaps, although, that word just makes me think of infected Vaginas… Boring is perhaps another appropriate word…
4. Anthem of the sun by The Grateful Dead (1968)
One long, Jammin head trip, with touches of everything from Miles Davis to Stockhausen.
I got this from the discarded section my local library for just a pound. A POUND! I PAID A POUND!
3. Welcome to Sky Valley by Kyuss (1994)
MEKKIN LUURRRVVVVEEEEEE TO YOOOOOOOWAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
If you’ve always thought Josh Homme was a pretty awesome dude who never really produced anything that brilliant, give this album a listen. It Rawks.
2. April by Sun Kil Moon (2008)
Not as consistent as Ghosts of the Great Highway but the songwriting is much stronger. A real underappreciated Gem of an album, far outshining anything by the likes of say Bonnie Prince Billy (who sings backing vox here).
1. Wowee Zowee by Pavement (1995)
The sound of one of the all time great bands at the height of their powers, being imaginative and having fun.
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