By Dalton Del Don
It’s that time of year again – RotoScoop’s year-end lists. I know you’ve all been impatiently awaiting 2009’s version after last year’s was such a hit. As always, feel free to let me know what I got right, what I missed and what I got wrong in the comments.
MOVIES
Here are the movies I have yet to see this year but want to: “A Serious Man,†“The Hurt Locker,†“Food, Inc,†“In The Loop,†“The Fantastic Mr. Fox,†“Moon,†“Precious,†“Whatever Works,†“An Education†and “Sin Nombre.â€
Other movies I watched that barely missed the list: “Public Enemies,†“District 9,†“500 Days of Summer,†“Star Trek,†“Adventureland,†“Observe and Report†and “Where The Wild Things Are.†The problem with movies is that unlike TV shows where I can get a feel over a full season, I usually change my mind with movies after repeat viewings (while also realizing later some I don’t even have any desire to see again), so not only will this list change once I finally watch all the movies I listed above, but it might also be different from the ones listed below based on further evidence. Just know I’m not sold on my top-10 for 2009, and like TV, it’s pretty crazy how comedy heavy it is.
10. Avatar – Yes, it borrows heavily from “Dances With Wolves†and “Pocahontas,†and yes, the story itself is lacking, but seeing this film in 3D (and at an IMAX, preferably) was truly an experience unlike any other. Normally I don’t like big budget movies like this, and I can’t imagine it translating onto Blu-ray at home, and maybe we’ll laugh at the technology 20 years from now, I suppose, but I can’t explain the palpable buzz in the theatre right when “Avatar†started, with everyone basically saying to each other, “holy shit this is cool.†And it was.
9. Humpday – The movie’s premise: what if two heterosexual friends made an art (porno) film of them having sex together? Sure, may not sound interesting to you homophobes out there, but this movie was creative and had me hooked. The husband and wife relationship was about as real as I’ve seen on film. Not well known, “Humpday†was far better than the silly title indicates.
8. Extract – Just because Mike Judge continues to fail at matching “Office Space’s†comedic genius doesn’t mean “Extract†should be dismissed, because this was one of the more underrated movies of the year. The cast is strong, with Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig and Ben Affleck like you’ve never seen him, but it’s Dustin Milligan who might have the funniest part. And seriously, how hot is Mila Kunis? Jesus.
7. Inglourious Basterds – I’m an unabashed Quentin Tarantino fan; “Pulp Fiction†is easily one of my 10 favorite movies of all-time, and I liked “Death Proof†far more than most others did. I wouldn’t exactly say he hit a home run with “Inglourious Basterds,†which probably dragged on a bit too long, but it was one of the better films of 2010 nevertheless. The opening scene was my favorite 20 minutes of any movie this year, hands down.
6. The Cove – Decidedly one-sided, this documentary was chilling regardless. In fact, the conclusion was so crazy, I questioned whether it was even real. When I got married in Hawaii in February, I really wanted to ride a dolphin, but the price was pretty steep, and I think I ended up just drinking instead. And while I still say it would have been an experience, I guess I also have to concede it would have been cruel after watching this movie, although better than the other alternative (slaughter). Watch this movie, and you’ll never think of SeaWorld the same. Those bastards.
5. Tyson – Yes, Mike Tyson appears in two of my top-five favorite movies this year (after all, I did name my boxer dog after him). Another documentary on the list, and this one is unflinching. Born with a prostitute for a mom and a pimp for a dad (literally a pimp, not a theoretical one like this guy), let’s just say Tyson didn’t have the easiest upbringing, and some of his behavior can well, at least be explained. James Toback does a great job of getting the champ to open up, and ultimately, it’s pretty clear Tyson is just a big kid unaware of the impact his actions and words actually have. And don’t forget, he gave by far the best speech in the history of sports, and there is no denying this. None.
4. Funny People – Judd Apatow’s latest film wasn’t as good as “The 40 Year Old Virgin,†and I can understand why some get turned off by his serious side, and the criticism about the final third of “Funny People†is valid, but this is still good stuff. I’m in the minority, but I actually like serious Adam Sandler, and I thought this was the best performance of his career, and the look at the underlying standup comedy scene was interesting. Good movie.
3. I Love You, Man – Few movies these days are actually original, especially comedies, but this one is definitely different, as it could be considered a romantic comedy yet it centers on two dudes. Paul Rudd and Jason Segel were perfect casts, and Jon Favreau was great as well. And Rashida Jones isn’t ugly. Definitely one of the smarter and better movies of 2009.
2. The Hangover – I enjoy being a contrarian as much as the next guy, but like often happens, “The Hangover†suffered severe backlash with its immense popularity, and while it’s not some classic like “Dumb and Dumber,†this was a damn funny movie that deserved its adulation. I saw Zach Galifianakis in standup in college about five years ago, so in a way, his rise to stardom has been annoying, because he was MY guy. Oh well, dude that funny, it was inevitable. And everyone reading this has better watched every “Between Two Ferns,†or you just aren’t living.
1. Bruno – Listen, this movie shows a bit more male genitalia than I’d prefer, but come on, it’s hilarious. I watched this with my wife, and afterward (and still does) proclaimed she didn’t like it at all, but every single time I turned and looked at her during it, she was going ape shit laughing, so go figure. It’s not as good as “Borat†or “Da Ali G Show,†but Sacha Baron Cohen hit yet another home run.
TELEVISION
Honorable Mention: Damages, The Office, Friday Night Lights, Lost, In Treatment, Community, The League, Californication, True Blood, Weeds, Hung, Big Love, United States of Tara, Flight of the Conchords, Scrubs, Celebrity Apprentice, Nurse Jackie, How I met Your Mother, Jersey Shore, Survivor.
As you can probably already tell, I watch way too much TV. DVR and HD are two of the five best inventions of my lifetime, what can I say. My one main neglection was “Breaking Bad,†which I promise to catch up on DVD soon enough. Now, onto my top-10:
10. Party Down/Modern Family – Yes, a lame copout with a tie, but I felt both deserved credit. “Party Down†is a little known comedy that airs on Starz, whereas “Modern Family†is on ABC and looked terrible based on its initial commercials (only strong reviews made me give it a chance). But both are extremely smart, and really, I wouldn’t blame anyone for ranking either as their favorite show of 2009. “Modern Family†shows there’s hope for comedies on non-cable/non-NBC channels, and “Party Down†boasts an extremely talented cast (Ken Marino from the fantastic “Wet Hot American Summer,†Adam Scott, who was great in “Tell Me You Love Me,†one of the best shows ever that was criminally cancelled after one season, and he was also my favorite character in “Step Brothers,†along with Jane Lynch and Lizzy Caplan) and should immediately go to the top of your Netflix queue.
9. Eastbound & Down – “Eastbound & Down†definitely goes for shock value too much at times, and it’s not for everyone, but it also made me laugh pretty consistently, and Stevie Janowski was hands down one of the best characters on TV this year. I was fairly shocked to see the show renewed and can’t wait to see what direction they take it after that ending.
8. 30 Rock – This show frustrated me in the past because it was good, not great, yet every review/award ceremony treated it as royalty. But sometimes you got to call a spade a spade, and “30 Rock†was very funny in 2009. Kenneth remained insufferable and Jenna underrated, but it’s pretty clear by now Tina Fey is one of the best comics alive.
7. Reno 911! – Of course, right when I discover this show (I obviously knew about it and saw the movie but didn’t start watching it on TV until this year) it’s cancelled. Like Comedy Central has so many better alternatives? I digress. Reno 911! absolutely kills me – go watch “Extradition to Thailand†and/or “We Don’t Want the Pope†for confirmation. And if you don’t agree, you’re dead to me. No other show could pull off a John Mark Karr joke so perfectly.
6. Parks and Recreation – It should surprise no one that the fantastic mind behind the now defunct FireJoeMorgan.com has helped make “Parks and Recreation†one of the best shows on television. And there’s zero coincidence “The Office†has declined sharply ever since he left to become head writer for P&R, and I don’t care if it’s a direct rip off of a show that’s also a direct rip off – good is good. And while I agree it improved in Season 2, I’m tired of all these “huge turnaround†proclamations. Go rewatch Season 1, Parks and Recs has ALWAYS been good.
5. Sons of Anarchy – Not watching a single episode of Season 1, I jumped right into Season 2 this year at the behest of my wife, and my life was better because of it. Taking place in a fictional town located about 20 miles from where I actually live (and using a fictional biker gang based on one my wife’s uncle was actually in), SoA was easily one of the best shows on television in 2009, and few people know about it. To wit, the show has yet to receive the five requisite votes to even compile a user rating on IMDB! Adam Arkin and Henry Rollins were ridiculously good as white supremacist villains (and rapists), but there’s more to this show than just entertainment based on a biker gang – lots of subtly good writing. Plus, Maggie Siff is not unattractive.
4. Dexter – The cheesy voiceover remains, and yes, the premise is a bit implausible. But this is a show that has done the impossible – gotten better with each season despite the fact the writers painted themselves in a corner (in other words, the exact opposite of what “Lost†has done). I’ve always liked John Lithgow, mainly for the awesomely campy movies “Cliffhanger†and “Raising Cain,†but this is his best work yet, in a way carrying Season 4. And the ending of the season finale was one of the five biggest shockers of any TV show I’ve ever seen.
3. Mad Men – I have nothing more to say about this brilliant show at this point. Top-notch writing, acting, everything. There’s simply nothing like it on television, and while all the praise created some backlash, ultimately, it remained terrific.
2. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – I didn’t start watching this show until Season 4 last year, and while I liked it, I became hooked with the superior Season 5 this year. While I shy away from crazy action movies, I clearly have no problem with over-the-top comedies. And none are more so than this one. But make no mistake, it’s also smart and consistently produced laugh out loud moments. If you haven’t watched, I’d specifically recommend episodes “The Waitress is Getting Married†and “The Gang Reignites the Rivalry†from this past season. Plus, how cool is it that Fred Savage directs almost every episode? And Danny DeVito is clinically insane (both on and off the show).
1. Curb Your Enthusiasm – Was there ever any doubt? Season 7, which featured the Seinfeld cast reuniting, didn’t disappoint. Always on the brink of going too far over-the-top but never falling completely off the ledge, Larry David really outdid himself. My two favorite episodes of the season were “Denise Handicapped†and “The Black Swan.†You know the old question, if you had three people to go to dinner with, who would they be? Mine would be Larry David and no one else. The man is pure genius. While “The League†(which I did like) has a guy named Derrick Williams getting drafted in the fifth round (of an eight team league!) and Sinorice Moss in the sixth round, “Curb Your Enthusiasm†offered a discussion about how “statistically speaking, Derek Jeter has been the worst defensive shortstop in baseball.†I’ll now leave you with Marty Funkhouser telling a joke to Jerry Seinfeld right after meeting him.
MUSIC
5. Bat For Lashes: “Two Suns†– ‘Two Suns†was written and recorded around the world, from Big Sur and the Joshua Tree desert in California to the rolling Welsh countryside and the city sprawls of New York and London. It features one person (Natasha Khan), and while this isn’t the typical music I lean toward, there’s no doubting the quality (and for some reason, my music list this year is female heavy).
Listen to: Daniel, Glass, Peace Of Mind, Pearl’s Dream, Travelling Woman, Sleep Alone, Moon And Moon, Good Love, Siren Song
4. Fever Ray: “Fever Ray†– Like “Bat For Lashes,†“Fever Ray†is composed of a single female, and I’m not going to lie, this isn’t for everyone. That said, I think she’s pretty much brilliant. Others will know her from her past group, “The Knife.â€
Listen to: Seven, If I Had A Heart, When I Grow Up, Triangle Walks, Concrete Walls
3. The xx: “The xx†– “The xx†consists of four 20-year-olds from South London whose songs are mostly about sex, and it’s a little off-putting when you find out she isn’t cute and he looks like one of the bigger douchebags ever. That said, the lyrics are beyond their years in age, and I can’t remember a debut album being so good. Literally, the sky’s the limit here. Really, really good stuff.
Listen to: Crystalised, Infinity, Heart Skipped A Beat, Islands, Intro, VCR, Basic Space
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: “It’s Blitz!†– Although I had obviously heard of them previously, I basically discovered their entire catalog this year, and while I was tempted to list them No. 1 on this list, that might have had a lot to do with going to one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. I love me some Karen O.
Listen to: Hysteric, Zero, Heads Will Roll, Runaway, Dull Life, Shame and Fortune, Skeletons, Dragon Queen
1. Broken Bells: “Broken Bells†– I’m cheating here since this album won’t officially be released until March 2010, but for me, it’s my favorite album of 2009, and I don’t want to wait another year to reveal it. It’s a two person group, featuring Danger Mouse and James Mercer from “The Shins.†Unfortunately, because it’s yet to be released, I can’t link to any of the songs, but I’ll still let you know my favorites nevertheless. Normally I don’t let lyrics influence me too much, but there’s some deep stuff here, and more importantly, it’s damn catchy. If you don’t like “Broken Bells,†you probably think Amanda Knox got a fair trial, like Jay Leno, believed Balloon Boy wasn’t an obvious hoax, think Greg Oden has a small one, think “Denise” from the Taco Bell commercials is ugly, was surprised by Tiger Woods’ infidelity, think John Travolta is straight and can relate to this guy.
Listen to: The Ghost Inside, The High Road, Trap Doors, The Mall and the Misery, Citizen, Float
That wasn’t the only music I liked this year, so here are some select tracks I also particularly enjoyed from 2009: “So Far From Your Weapon†by The Dead Weather, “Things Fall Apart†by Built to Spill, “Stillness Is The Move†by The Dirty Projectors, “Dirt Room” by Blue October, “Catch and Release†by Silversun Pickups, “Gold Guns Girls,” “Help I’m Alive,” “Satellite Mind,” and “Collect Call” by Metric, “Wait It Out” and “Bad Body Double” by Imogen Heap, “Psychic City†by Yacht, “Blood Bank” by Bon Iver, “Sunlight” by tUnE-yArDs, “Here to Fall” by Yo La Tengo, “Seasun” by Delorean, “What Would I Want? Sky” by Animal Collective, and “Quiet Little Voices” by We Were Promised Jetpacks.
WORST
As in years past, this section combines the bad with the overrated, as I tried to avoid movies that will obviously be awful. Here is a much shorter compilation of things I didn’t enjoy from 2009:
“Up in The Air†– Here’s the thing, this is NOT a bad movie. But it’s been winning a bunch of awards, which is a joke and a sign that humanity is headed in the wrong direction. I will admit one thing: the fact there was a girl in the theatre when I saw it who laughed outrageously during any and every even half-assed joke made it worse (which isn’t the movie’s fault), although to be honest, it made the whole experience more enjoyable (Clooney fell into the water! What a laugh riot!). My friend Robby and I commonly looked at each other during the film and rolled our eyes – to put it simply, I’m dumbfounded at people who LOVED this movie. The dialogue was clunky and some scenes were truly laughable (Clooney conveniently talking Kenny Powers back into getting married, Clooney giving a backpack speech when he was undergoing a life-affirming change himself that was so predictable I felt embarrassed for the movie), although I will say I liked the “twist.†And while I ranked “Juno†pretty high last year, I actually regretted that later on when I realized it wasn’t very rewatchable, and I didn’t like “Thank You For Smoking,†so it’s safe to say I’m not a huge Jason Reitman fan. But what do I know? I thought Will Leitch had the best review I read.
Joe Buck Live – Actually, this placement is unfair, as his episode with Artie Lange was one of my favorites from 2009. Watching one of the biggest sacks get eviscerated on live television was easily one of my favorite moments of 2009. In fact, if not for the subsequent episodes in which Buck made sure no controversy ensued, this new show would have made my top-10 list. As Michael Irvin states at the end, “It’s refreshing to see white-on-white crime.â€
Paranormal Activity – Watch “Open Water†instead. I loved how the city’s demon exorcist was out of town during their whole ordeal. And the ending, ugh. Don’t get me wrong, this movie made me jump and had me on the edge of my seat at times, but it could have been so much better.
And now, instead of ending on a negative note, I wanted to leave you with a few of my favorite YouTube clips. Enjoy:
Great tackle by a high school football player.
Charles Manson may very well not be sane.
Someone arrest this man before it’s too late.
Joaquin Phoenix in the best late night interview of our generation.
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