Movies (Top 10) | Movies (11-30) | Albums (Top 10) | Albums (11-30) | Singles (Top 15) | TV Shows (Top 5)
Previous Lists: 2001 2002 2003 2004
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10: War of the Worlds |
I do have a special place in my heart for summer
blockbusters. I’m also a pretty big
Tom Cruise fan. As I mentioned in a
previous list, seeing him in Magnolia won me over for good. War of the World is big, intense, and fun…
everything it should be. Like Signs,
it presented the classic “aliens invade earth” theme from the point of view
of a man trying to protect his (dysfunctional) family. I bought it. There is nothing I don’t like about this
movie. It’s always tough to do justice
to a classic work, but I think Steven Spielberg and crew really hit the mark. |
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9: |
I went
into |
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8: Jarhead |
I had
three reasons to like this movie from the beginning: 1) I really dig Jake Gyllenhaal. (Donnie
Darko has become one of my favorite films over
the last few years.) 2) As I mentioned last year, Ray and Collateral
turned me on to Jamie Foxx, so I expected more greatness from him. 3) I
enjoyed Anthony Swofford’s book Jarhead when
I read it last year. With three
positive “strikes” going for this movie from the beginning, I am glad to say
that all three came together for a very cool film. War movies are always tricky, and it really
takes a special director to not stray into cliché. Jarhead isn’t preachy or overly dramatic, in fact, it is a pretty simple film. I like how it maintained it’s credibility
by staying true to the source material and keeping things personal, but not
mushy. |
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7: Serenity |
Firefly is easily one of the best television
shows of the last ten years. To me,
it’s a show that is easy to love and embrace as it blurs the traditional
lines between sci-fi, comedy and drama through deft writing and fantastic
characterization. That balance is what
makes it such a great series. I really
liked Serenity, but the reason I didn’t put it higher on my list was that
it seemed to have missed that perfect balance that the show had. It was much more serious in tone than the
series and that, by necessity, darkened some of the more fun aspects of the
show. All that being said, the movie
was great. It will probably grow on me
in time and I will probably learn to overlook some of the things I didn’t go
for originally. |
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6: Good Night and Good Luck |
This is
one of those movies that I really didn’t care too much about when I first saw
the trailer, but as the buzz began to circulate, I began to pay
attention. I’m really glad I did
because it is a great film, and one deserving of all the accolades (including
5 Oscar noms) it has received this year. When I think back on the film, I am amazed
by how short it seems! The dialogue is
so dense and the pacing so perfectly mapped, that the time passes incredibly
quickly. Everything in the film, from
the understated black-and-white film stock, to the inter-cutting of archival
news footage, to the genius acting of everyone in the film, made me want to
stand and applaud at the end. I like
George Clooney as an actor and it was nice to see him take a back seat and
let some of the other talented actors shine. |
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5: Walk the Line |
Maybe
I’m just a sucker for bio-pics. Oh well. I’ve loved Johnny Cash since I was
a kid and seeing him portrayed so flawlessly by Joaquin Phoenix just made me
smile. The intensity with which he
played the Man in Black made me believe that it was Cash himself. I can’t think of any moments in the film that
broke my suspension of disbelief. Some
people just seem born to play certain roles and such is the case with |
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4: Batman Begins |
It’s
great to see that Warner Brothers has finally figured out what Marvel has
seemingly abandoned in super hero flicks as of late: stick with what
works. Classic heroes like Batman and
Spiderman have been successful for decades because they tap into something primordial
inside of their fans and thusly have become a part of the fabric of |
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3: The Chronicles of Narnia: The
Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe |
Like Star
Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia made up a
large section of my formative mental and emotional patchwork as a child. Starting with Mrs. Morgan’s 4th
grade class, in which she read to us from Lion every day, on into
college where I studied The Chronicles and other C.S. Lewis works in a
class devoted to him, these books have always been a part of who I am. I was very nervous upon hearing that Disney
had won the rights to produce the films, and I waited with quiet anticipation
for the day on which I would see twenty-plus years of mental imagery hit the
big screen, as interpreted by someone else.
I sat with a huge smile plastered on my face as I watched my favorite
parts of the book rendered in glorious color!
Much of the film honestly felt like what I had envisioned for so many
years. Many have made the obvious
comparisons between Narnia and the Lord
of the Rings series, but the strongest comparison that I can make is that
the producers had genuine respect for the material. This comes across vividly in every aspect
of the film from the flawless casting, to the faithful interpretation of the
text. Bring on Prince Caspian! |
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2: |
This is
the first time in 5 years that a drama has made it into my top two. Maybe I’m just getting old, who knows. Regardless, I cannot say enough good things
about this film. It will deservedly
win Best Picture this year, and probably most of the other 7 categories for
which it is nominated. Most know |
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1: Star Wars: Episode |
Even
though I liked Star Wars: Episode II, I left it out of my lists the
year it came out because I saw it as more of an “event” than an actual
film. I’m happy to say that I can put
this movie at the top of my list this year as a movie |
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11) |
12) Crash |
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13) Saw
II |
14) March
of the Penguins |
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15) King
Kong |
16) Unleashed
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17) |
18) Thumbsucker |
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19) Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang |
20) The
Jacket |
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21) Murderball |
24) |
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25) |
26) Wedding
Crashers |
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27) The Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy |
28) Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire |
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29) |
30) White
Noise |
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10) Kanye
West – “Late Registration” |
Sadly,
this is the only “real” hip-hop record to crack my Top Ten this year. West has made a name for himself over the
last few years by selling records, winning grammys,
and mouthing off about President Bush and honestly I couldn’t care less. None of those things factor into my
enjoyment of this record. It stands
alone as a fantastic sophomore release and I love listening to it more and
more every time I do. Though he has
moved away from some of his “signature” production tricks, he has come up
with some seriously sick and infectious beats and samples over which to
flow. He’s angry in turn,
and melancholy at times but always spot on.
West knows how to write songs that move feet and dollars and he has
earned his place among the hip-hop legends.
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9) Sigur Ros – “Takk” |
When I
call this album “good music to sleep to” understand that I am by no means
insulting it. Music, when it is
strong, has the power to affect us at all three levels of being: mind, body,
and spirit. “Takk”
often puts me to sleep, not because it is boring, but because it takes me to
a calm and comforting place. I don’t
know a single word on the record, mainly because the lyrics are sung in
Finnish (right?), but also because the words are just a part of the hypnotic
tapestry of the music. I’ve been told
that this album is more “commercial” and “accessible” than their previous
albums (which were sung, apparently in an “alien” language) but I can’t find
anything remotely mainstream about it.
The songs are improvisational, quirky, melodic, and engaging, but they
don’t have hooks in the conventional sense.
You will never ever hear Sigur Ros on Top 40 Radio and God bless them for that. |
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8) Gorillaz – “Demon Days” |
One
might argue (wrongly) that the first Gorillaz
record succeeded because of the “schtick” of being
ostensibly created by cartoon characters.
I haven’t heard anyone saying that about “Demon Days”. The album is considered a “concept album”
in that it has some sort of cohesiveness involving the impending apocalypse
or somesuch, but I can’t seem to wrap my head
around all that… I just really dig the music.
It’s dark, complex, fun and oh so cheeky! Each cut feels about ten layers deep but the
depth doesn’t drown the songs in noise.
“Feelgood, Inc.” is my favorite song on the
record and my favorite song of the year.
|
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7) My Morning Jacket –
"Z" |
I
bought “Z” the end of the year so it hasn’t had as much time to grow on me as
some of the others on my list but I’ve listened to it probably ten times in
the last two weeks. It is a very
“comfortable” record. It makes me feel
calm and happy. The instrumentation
and overall vibe of the music remind me of The Who one minute and The Flaming
Lips the next. In fact, the singer Jim
James’ voice sounds like someone took Lips’singer
Wayne Coyne’s voice and pulled a 6 Million Dollar Man on it, making it
stronger, louder, and broader and adding an ethereal quality to it. His voice is so dynamic that the lyrics
almost become irrelevant as the voice becomes an instrument in and of
itself. Nowhere is this more
beautifully showcased than on the song “Wordless Chorus.” The aptly titled track floods through
headphones and speakers with gorgeously layered “Ahhhhhh”s. |
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6) |
Ok, now
I CAN understand why some people would hate THIS record! This guy is just plain odd. If you took Barry Manilow,
Marilyn Manson, Tiny Tim, and Hedwig from Hedwig and the Angry Inch,
got them wasted on Rumplementz and quaaludes, and gave them three days to come up with a
record… they might come up with an album something like this one. It’s eclectic but not too quirky. It’s smooth, mellow, emotional, beautiful,
soothing and thoroughly depressing.
The instrumentation is lounge-meets -broadway
while |
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5) Death Cab for Cutie
– “Plans” |
I
really don’t see how anyone could not like this band and particularly this
album. It’s no secret that I am a
sucker for good lyrics and that I cannot STAND clichés in music. You’ll find tons of the former and none of the
later on “Plans.” Yes, the songs are
almost all about Ben Gibbert’s relationships and
whatnot, but what the songs lack in subject diversity, they make up for in
imagery and creativity. There is no
“everything I want, everything I need” crap on this record, instead you will
find witty lyricism like: “Sorrow
drips into your heart through a pinhole…Just like a faucet that leaks and
there is comfort in the sound…But while you debate half empty or half full…It
slowly rises, your love is gonna drown” The songs
themselves are very straightforward rock tunes but they are interesting enough
to carry the lyrics, melody and beat all the way through to the end. |
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4) Neil Diamond – “12
Songs” |
For the
record, I have ALWAYS loved Neil Diamond.
Now, do I believe that his best work was in the seventies? Absolutely.
However, you will find his best work SINCE the seventies on “12
Songs”. I don’t know if it was Neil’s
idea to just sit down and make an album with minimal instrumentation (usually
an acoustic guitar and little else) but whoever came up with the idea is a
genius. I can’t think of anything
about this record that I don’t like.
Neil is a classy cat who knows that at age 65, his “glory days” are
behind him but he doesn’t let that bring him down one bit. The songs on this record are honest without
being harsh and melancholy without being sad.
“Hell Yeah” is Neil’s “My Way” saying, in a way only Neil can, that looking back on the ups and downs of his life,
he can truly say it was worth it. My
boy Stone pointed out the coolness of one of the best lines on the album: “If
you’re captain of a shipwreck, I’ll be first mate to your shame.” That one line sums up what every one of us
wishes someone would say to us, in word and deed. Rock on Neil. |
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3) M.I.A. – “Arular” |
I’m not
a huge fan of dance music in general.
To me the repetitive beats, samples, and mediocre lyrics tend to wear
thin very quickly. So what do I love
so much about M.I.A.’s debut that leads me to put
it in my top 3? For starters…
charm. It’s just a charming
album. Obviously, I don’t know the Sri
Lanka-born M.I.A. personally, but I wish I did! Her lyricism, wit, and style just hit me in
a place that makes me smile every time I hear this record. I just listened to the whole album an hour
ago and just hearing it put me in a better mood. From what I understand, M.I.A. wrote the
whole thing on a little Casio keyboard in her bedroom. The girl throws out lines such as “You wanna go, you wanna win the
war? Like P.L.O. I don’t surrender!”
and I believe her. Maybe that
home-grown simplicity and guts are what I like so much. It feels genuine. |
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2) Doves – “Some
Cities” |
Doves
captivated me in 2002 with “The Last Broadcast.” Looking back, I think I should have put it
at #1 above Audioslave’s self-titled record, a
record which I don’t listen to nearly as much as I do “Broadcast.”. In the future will I look back and wonder
why I didn’t rank “Some Cities” number 1?
Maybe. In 2002 I put Coldplay’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head” at #13 saying
“Doves do it better…” This year, however, the two bands have separated
themselves in my mind and the initial comparisons no longer hold up. All that being said, this is a glorious,
complex, layered album. The
instrumentation is diverse and makes each of the songs feel like a
finely-crafted piece of art. Why not
number 1? In order to be my top record
for the year, I have to like EVERY song on the record and unfortunately,
Doves lose me on a few cuts, thus keeping them from the top slot. |
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1) Coldplay
– “X&Y” |
Like
U2, Coldplay take a lot of heat for being “too mainstream”. Once
again, however, I don’t give a damn.
“X&Y” is the most solid pop-rock record of the year. It doesn’t try to be anything more than
that, and for that I applaud it. The
songs are simple, sing-able, and much more personal than those on any of the
previous Coldplay records. Chris Martin has proven himself (again) to
be a talented singer and songwriter.
That having been said, choosing this album as my number one was a hard
decision for me. Doves have such a
place in my heart, but the songs on “X&Y” are just so freakin
catchy. At this point in my
life, “catchy” means more than it ever has.
My elitism about music is beginning to take a back seat to my actual
taste in music. This year I have a
taste for melody, simplicity, and yes, catchy-ness. I’ve been a fan of Coldplay
for years and these guys have given me no reason to change my opinion of
them. They are one of the most
important bands around and they have proven so with three solid albums in a
row. They’re gonna
be here for a while. Get used to it
hipsters. |
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11) Wilco
– “Kicking Television: Live in |
12) M83
– “Before the Dawn Heals Us” |
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13) Buck 65 – “This
Right Here is Buck 65” |
14) Audioslave – “Out of Exile” |
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15) Sun
Kil Moon – “Tiny Cities” |
16) Moby
– “Hotel” |
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17) Aqueduct
– “I Sold Gold” |
18) Kaiser
Chiefs – “Employment” |
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19) Bright Eyes –
“Digital Ash in a Digital Urn” |
20) Bright
Eyes – “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning” |
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21) Franz
Ferdinand – “You Could Have it So Much Better” |
22) The
New Pornographers – “Twin Cinema” |
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23) Oasis – “Don’t
Believe the Truth” |
24) Eisley – “Room Noises” |
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25) Bloc
Party – “Silent Alarm” |
26) Badly
Drawn Boy – “One Plus One is One” |
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27) Eels – “Blinking
Lights and Other Revelations” |
28) Kasabian – “Self-Titled” |
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29) Deadman
– “Our Eternal Ghosts” |
30) Quasimoto – “The Further Adventures of Lord Quas” |
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1) “Feelgood, Inc.” – Gorillaz |
2) “Speed of Sound” - Coldplay |
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3) “Tiny
Cities” – Sun Kil Moon |
4) “My
Name is Love” – Rob Dickinson |
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5) “Golddigger” – Kanye West |
6) “For
Today I am a Bouy” – |
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7) “Off
the Record” – My Morning Jacket |
8) “Like
Eating Glass” – Bloc Party |
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9) “I
Predict a Riot” – Kaiser Chiefs |
10) “Growing
up with GNR” – Aqueduct |
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11) “Doesn’t
Remind Me” – Audioslave |
12) “Wicked
and Weird” – Buck 65 |
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13) “The Fallen” – Franz Ferdinand |
14) “Another
Traveling Song” – Bright Eyes |
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15) “Some
Cities” – Doves |
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1) 6
Feet Under |
2) Lost |
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3) The
Office |
4) Battlestar Galactica |
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5) My Name is Earl |
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