I haven't been updating this blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been blogging -- I have, in fact, posted 23 times this month at my other blog, which has a much larger readership than this one does. Plus, how often does a story like Jaymageddon (or, if you prefer, the Conepocalypse) come along? However, I realized that I never posted a favorite movies list, and even though I saw fewer movies last year (only 20!) than I have in many years, here is at least a token top 5.
1. "Up in the Air": For the way it captured the feeling of the Great Recession, and for failing to follow a predictable story arc. Plus, George Clooney and Vera Farmiga were perfect together. I'd love to see them team up again.
2. "Coraline": Hey, a 3D movie that didn't make me sick! A work of pure imagination and genius.
3. "Up": Mainly for the opening flashback sequence, which was one of the most sublime things I've ever seen.
4. "(500) Days of Summer": Every time a new romantic comedy opens, I hope it won't suck, but then inevitably I see a preview which features the heroine falling into a pit of manure or something like that, and I sigh and realize it's another movie to skip. So I'm grateful for films like this, that put a fresh new spin on old genres.
5. "The Fantastic Mr. Fox": It feels weird to have three animated movies on my list, but I guess that's where a lot of the best work is being done these days. Wes Anderson is back in my good graces.
If I don't keep up with movies, I am definitely out of it when it comes to modern music and What the Kids Today are Listening To, but I have been trying to catch up, thanks largely to indie hipster site Pitchfork.com's best of 2009 lists. Some of it is not to my taste -- who knew there was a genre called "dubstep"? -- but a bunch of it is great and makes me wish I wasn't so old & boring so I could go out and mix it up in the clubs. This song by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Zero," is fantastic, and the New York band shot their video in San Francisco! You will want to skip around town at night like Karen O.
OK, that is the most fun I've ever seen anybody have in the Transbay Terminal, with or without a shopping cart. Seriously, how many music videos do you think have been shot in the Transbay Terminal? Definitely your go-to glamor spot.
Right before that, is she walking through the Posey Tube? It's too narrow to be the Stockton Tunnel.
Please don't stop this blog. I love it. Your comments are always intelligent and well thought out. Haven't seen any of the movies on the list, but am thinking about Coraline. The only 3d movie I have seen is A Christmas Carol, which I thought was excellent. Just saw A Single Man. I hated it in spite of Colin Firth's wonderful performance.
OK, that is the most fun I've ever seen anybody have in the Transbay Terminal, with or without a shopping cart. Seriously, how many music videos do you think have been shot in the Transbay Terminal? Definitely your go-to glamor spot.
Right before that, is she walking through the Posey Tube? It's too narrow to be the Stockton Tunnel.