Best of 2009- The Cinema

1. Inglourious Basterds- Directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, and Mélanie Laurent.

In the finale to my "Best of 2009" lists, Inglourious Basterds tops the chart as my favorite movie of the year. I loved everything this film had to offer- which, was a lot. The story follows multiple plot-lines throughout Nazi occupied France during World War II. The Inglourious Basterds are a small yet strong group of Jewish-American soldiers who have one goal, and one goal only: collect as many Nazi scalps as possible. The Basterds, led by 1st Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Pitt) reign terror on Nazi's, becoming legendary and putting fear into the Nazi soldiers. My favorite character in the movie- The Primary antagonist, Colonel Hans Landa. Portrayed by Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, "The Jew Hunter" is in the Secret Service of the Nazi Party- Incredibly charming and pure evil- What's not to love about that? I greatly enjoyed the Story and Direction of Inglourious Basterds- It's extremely interesting to watch, great character roles/development, witty/intelligent screen writing, with a hilarious overtone across the board. Inglourious Basterds has so many positive variables going for it, that it will be appreciated for many years to come.

Buy Inglourious Basterds here.


2. Avatar- Directed by James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver & Stephen Lang.

I’ll be totally honest, I delayed my list of “Best Movies of 2009” nearly a week, because I hadn’t seen Avatar yet. So you know- It totally lived up to, and surpassed my expectations. I made sure to see Avatar in 3D IMAX, because I knew the amount of technology and time that went into making this movie, only the biggest and best stage would truly portray this movie in it’s truest form. Avatar is the most impressive visual film I have ever seen. Over 15 years and hundreds of millions of dollars went into making this film, and you really appreciate the fact that they spent the money, and were patient enough for the technology to catch up to James Cameron’s vision. The story, almost literally takes us to the planet of Pandora, in the year 2154- Humans from earth are mining a precious mineral, while giving no regard to the Na’vi, the indigenous people of Pandora. The nearly 3 hour long epic follows Jake Sulley, who through an Avatar, becomes a human-Na’vi hybrid and begins to live among the indigenous people of Pandora. I can’t stress this- Go see this movie in theaters, preferably IMAX 3D, it was one of the most unique movie experiences I’ve ever had in my life.

Buy tickets for Avatar here.

3. Star Trek- Directed by J.J. Abrams

Starring: Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto

When I heard that J.J. Abrams was going to be working on a Star Trek film, I was immediately interested: Why? Because there was going to be a new Star Trek movie? No. It was because JJ Abrams had something to do with it. Everything he does is awesome- Star Trek was no exception. I don’t really feel a need to explain the plot and characters- Kirk, Spock, USS Enterprise, Romulans- Abrams tells the story in a way that pleased Trekkies, while also successfully entertaining casual fans (like myself). Released on May 8th, this is the 11th film in the Star Trek cannon- Grossing over $382 million dollars, Star Trek also received critical acclaim across the board. I profoundly remember walking out of the theater after watching Star Trek and thinking to myself “that totally exceeded my expectations in ways I didn’t even imagine.”

Buy Star Trek here.


Honorable Mentions:

(500) Days of Summer- Directed by Marc Webb

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Zooey Deschanel

The chemistry between Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel in (500) Days of Summer is so damn cute, that it almost makes you want to put on your indie pants and dance to Vampire Weekend, Spoon, or some other hip band like that. I loved this movie- A “Romantic Comedy” tells the story of a failed romance through nonlinear narrative- memories of one Tom Hansen and Summer Finn in a roller-coaster relationship spanning 500 days. This film had so many great emotions portrayed in it- hilarity, sorrow, the euphoria of “falling in love” and the wilt of a break-up. It also featured my favorite scene in any movie this year…

Buy (500) Days of Summer here.

Up- Directed by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson

Starring: Ed Asner, Jordon Nagai, and Christopher Plummer

Up is a Pixar movie. It’s funny how that’s all you need to say and people know it’s going to be good. There are a multitude of great variables that go into Up success it’s hard to choose which ones to highlight. The story, focuses on a elderly widowed man named Carl Fredricksen, and a zealous young scout named Russell, who take a wild adventure together to South America- transportation via balloons carrying Carl’s home. The journey of the two provides humor, suspense, adventure, and appreciation. Visually, Pixar delivers again on it’s perfect execution of computer animation- every wrinkle, grain of sand, and hair is accounted for- making you appreciate the attention to detail in each scene. Up is a great movie for all ages- Kids will love it, adults, well- you’ll probably tear up.

Buy Up here.

Moon- Directed by Duncan Jones

Starring: Sam Rockwell

Moon is a science fiction thriller about isolation, dementia, and technology. The plot surrounds Sam Bell, an employee for a company that extracts “helium-3” from the Moon’s soil, for clean energy on earth. He has a 3 year contract on the Lunar station, and his only companion is “GERTY” a robotic assistant voiced by Kevin Spacey. Bell begins to hallucinate with only 2 weeks left on his contract before he can return home to his family... and that's where the story really begins. A real psychological thriller, I highly recommend it.

Pre-Order Moon here.

Dear District 9, Sorry I left you off my list- you were pretty good as well.

Best of 2009- Music- Albums.

1. Aaron Spiro- Elephant Song
Highlighted Tracks: Beautiful Morning, Lay Me Down, Buffalo Hunter, Lights Go Out, Apostles Creed, The Lords Prayer, Oh My Soul
I'm going to try and do this album justice with my review, but I have a feeling that it won't reach the 100% that Elephant Song deserves. This album, is the most beautiful, strongest, honest, genuine tribute to our Creator I've ever heard. The music, I can't even describe- It's perfect. Elephant Song opens up with one of the greatest songs I've ever heard- "Beautiful Morning"- I tried to describe it when I gave it the "Best Song of the Year" title, but I couldn't- you really just have to listen to it. The same really goes for the whole album. I suppose I'll just go through some of the highlighted tracks pointing out things that I like about them.

Beautiful Morning- Just listen to it.

Lay Me Down- Great guitar open, love the distorted pulse noise, drums come in- in perfect sync with the music. The lyrics are so honest; I find the problem with almost all christian music, is that it's so superficial and cheesy, it makes me want to rip my ears out. Spiro accounts struggle, pain, and suffering- even questioning: "has God forgotten, just how much it hurts?" - ultimately finding the comfort in God the father.

Buffalo Hunter- I more want to cover the musical aspect in this one rather than the lyrics. (Not taking anything away from the lyrical content.) This song has so many great layers; Vocals, drums, keys, winds, synths- All flow so well together. Love the multi track vocal work as well.

Lights Go Out- This song, is just incredible. Musically, the guitar is superb, the drums keep it moving, and the foundation is this eerily distorted piano, which fits perfectly with the song. Later on there is a theremin, guitar, and some percussion... which all builds up to a powerful chorus that will knock your socks off.

Apostles Creed- I just like the minor key vibe of this song. Lyrically- Who knew that putting the apostles creed could be put into something so enjoyable to listen to? I didn't. Now I know it's possible.

That's all I do for now. I was totally blown away by Elephant Song- Aaron Spiro is one of my favorite musical artists of all-time- And this album again solidifies those feelings. I continue to find new and interesting things in each song every time I listen to them. It is the perfect mix of acoustic/electronic sound I've heard in a long while- all while being accompanied by hauntingly beautiful lyrics.

I could not recommend this album any higher. Hands down, the best album of the year. Get it for yourself and get it for your friends.

Buy Elephant Song here.

2. Muse- The Resistance
Highlighted Tracks: Uprising, United States of Eurasia, I Belong to You, Exogenesis: Symphony


Dear Muse, my favorite band- Thank you for putting out such a radical album this year. The Resistance is the fifth studio album from the English rockers, and once again they deliver a power punch of complete rock awesomeness. The long awaited album was released on September 14th, to positive reviews, and impressive sales numbers around the globe. I've come to realize that everyone of Muse's albums sounds unique from each other- while all delivering an incredible music experience- The Resistance is no exception. Each track is individually great, and it all culminates to the final track "Exogenesis: Symphony." I was privileged enough to see Muse in concert (front row!) last week, and my brain is still recovering from the perfection of their craft.

Buy The Resistance here.

3. Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
Highlighted Tracks: My Girls, In The Flowers, Summertime Clothes, Brother Sport.

Six days into the year 2009, Animal Collective released their eighth studio album titled "Merriweather Post Pavilion." Released to critical acclaim, even in January many critics were calling it one of the albums of the year. I was sent a link to listen to Merriweather Post Pavilion earlier in the year by a friend, and it slowly grew to be one of my favorites- It's often a top choice of mine when I put on some music. Merriweather Post Pavilion has a great, unique, fun sound. Also, how can you not love an album that has an optical illusion for its cover?

Buy Merriweather Post Pavilion here.


4. Honorable Mentions:

Phoenix-
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Highlighted Tracks: 1901, Lisztomania.

This Grammy nominated album from the four french-men (not Arizonians) creates a nice blend of rock and electronic sound. They also sound great live too and their guitarist, Laurent Brancowitz, uses a Jim Dunlop .73mm guitar pick, I'd know- he gave it to me.

Buy Wolfgang Amadeus Phonenix here.



Bon Iver-
Blood Bank EP
Highlighted Tracks: All of them

So technically, this isn't really an album- but this extended play of 4 songs deserves a spot on the list. This is Bon Iver's follow up to the amazing album "For Emma, Forever Ago," which is also highly recommended. Justin Vernon delivers again with beautifully haunting music, that stirs the soul.

Buy Blood Bank here.

The Lonely Island-
Incredibad
Highlighted Tracks: I'm on a Boat, Boombox (ft. Julian Casablancas), We Like Sportz

This is the first album released from The Lonely Island- a trio consisting of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone. The 3 buddies released the comedy album on February 10th. Some of the songs were featured in Saturday Night Live "Digital Shorts" which always provide laughter, and push the envelope for the sake of comedy. It's hilarious and delivers musically as well.

Buy Incredibad here.



Brother Ali-
Us
Highlighted Tracks: Fresh Air, House Keys, Tight Rope, Breakin' Dawn, Round Here, Us

As I've previously noted, Brother Ali is not your stereotypical hip-hip art-ist. Us is great. It's cool, it's mellow, it's fresh, it's happening. Released on September 22nd, this 4th studio album from Brother Ali is jam packed full of good songs and good rhymes.

Buy Us here.

Best of 2009- Random- Special!

This is just a random grab bag- enjoy.

Sports- Seattle Sounders FC

Oh man, the Sounders were some sweet nectar, especially from the fail that was Seattle sports last year. In their inaugural season, Sounders FC went on to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, reach the MLS Cup Playoffs, and sold out home games all season long- putting soccer in Seattle on the world map.

Guilty Pleasure Song- Katy Perry, Hot n' Cold

My brain is saying, "Brian, this song is ridiculous," but my heart is dancing for joy. Lets just make the obvious statement here, Katy Perry is like the hot (but way more obnoxious) version of Zooey Deschanel. That doesn't really have anything to do with the song, but I've always wanted to say it on a public forum- I should note that I would take Deschanel over Perry any day. Usually I'd be in complete denial of liking a song like this, but I'm here, laying it out there- This song rocks. (PS, I know it was technically released in 2008, but I make the rules here.)

Best Music of 2008 Revisited- She & Him

Oh Zooey, I'm sorry to have implied any relation to Katy Perry above, because there is really no comparison. I caught the late train on She & Him's debut album "Volume One" which was released in March of 2008. Oh well, It's an awesome album with a great folksy, bluesy, indie sound. M. Ward (Him) provides his cool self, but Zooey Deschanel (She) drives this album with her beautifully cute voice. Volume 2 is due out in March, 2010 (Hooray!)

Guy Who I Hated- Glenn Beck
Masks himself as "conservative," while spreading irrational fear through propaganda, conspiracy theories, lies, and crying like a baby. That's all.

Favorite Thing to Pass the Time- Harry Potter Audio Books

My friend Beau was gracious enough to give me his ipod after I found myself with 2 broken units. Luckily for me, there was some good music on the ipod, as well as Harry Potter Audio Books. I rediscovered the magic of Hogwarts all over again- So far I've listened to book 6, and 3. Its fantastic, Jim Dale, the reader, generally does a fantastic job. I'm probably going to go buy book 7 to listen to soon.

Best of 2009- Television- New Shows.

Comedy: Community
NBC adds a second comedy that is worth watching to their Thursday Night line up. Community centers around a group of students at a Community College. Starring Joel McHale and Chevy Chase. With a strong support from Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, and Ken Jeong. This show has really grown into something of it's own, and is getting more hilarious as it goes.

Comedy: Modern Family
I'll be honest, I've only seen like 5 episodes of Modern Family- But it is so funny. It's definitely got an Arrested Development feel to it (though, not as funny)- The show follows the lives of 3 families that are related- but all very different. Modern Family airs Wednesdays on ABC.

Biggest Disappointment: Flash Forward
Bleh, The first 3 episodes were gripping... the rest has been a slow painful walk; giving us bread crumbs to eat on the marathon walk of mediocrity.

Best of 2009- Movies- Scene

My favorite movie scene from 2009:

(500) Days of Summer- Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Best of 2009- Photos

These are a few of my favorite shots I've taken over the past year. Enjoy.

Best of 2009- Television.

1. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon- NBC, Weeknights 12:35am



Most people think that Jimmy Fallon does not have the best monologue, or that Jimmy Fallon is not the best interviewer- so why does Fallon have the best show of 2009. The answer is simple, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is the funnest show on TV. On March 2nd Late Night kicked off it's premiere episode- with shaky results. But even then, I saw potential. Besides my stint on staff at LBC, I'm pretty sure I've seen every episode of Late Night so far- and it has been incredible to watch the progress in just this short time. There are so many things to like about the show- first off- Jimmy loves his guests, he seems more excited than anyone else to be able to interview them, he also seems to really appreciate the audience members who come to the show. Secondly- The House band, The legendary Roots crew; The Roots are simply amazing- easily the best house band on TV. Third: Higgbones- Steve Higgins, is the shows announcer- Higgins is also a writer for the show, as well a writer for SNL, and is absolutely hilarious. Fourthly- Jimmy's spot on impressions (one example seen above), Fallon is a really talented entertainer and performer. One other thing that I find very captivating about the show, is how much fun they have with the randomosity of the bits- Dance Your Hat and Gloves Off, Slow Jam The News, Wheel of Carpet Samples, Hot Dog in a Hole, Rush Limbaugh Karaoke, Robert is Bothered, Beer Pong, Real Housewives of Late Night, The Rejoining of the Saved by the Bell Cast, Friday Thank You Cards, and of course.. Lick It For 10! So many great and fun things- when you watch the show, you can really tell the studio audience is having a great time. LNJF has so much incredible potential, I'm glad that I can be along for the ride. Check out Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, weeknights 12:35am on NBC. Also check out the LNJF blog.


2. Fringe- FOX, 9:00pm Thursdays



Oh boy do I love Fringe. This show has really grown to be one of the best series on TV. Fringe is a science fiction show that tells the tale of a part of the FBI called the "Fringe Division" which uses fringe science to investigate and solve a pattern of unexplained, extremely bizarre crimes all over the world. I love the mystery and craziness of this show- It's a sci-fi, and they aren't afraid of going out on the limb. The cast lead by Anna Torv, Josh Jackson, and John Noble create a dynamic, gripping- and hilarious mood which really carries the show. It also doesn't hurt that one of the shows creators is JJ Abrams (Alias, LOST, and the recent Star Trek film). Fringe has a ton of hidden story lines and mysteries that really make it worth watching each and every week. Check out Fringe on Thursdays at 9:00. Also check out Season 1. (is it me- or was that terribly written?- I think it was.)

3. LOST- ABC, The 5th Season


My favorite numbers are: 4 8 15 16 23 42. The 5th season of LOST once again delivered in the continuing saga of a group of plane crash survivors on a very peculiar island. A constant battle of answering questions while creating new, even bigger mysteries; it leaves you hanging and excited for each new episode. Once again, I'm not going to highlight any details on the season for those who have not seen it yet. If you're not caught up on LOST, the 5th season is now available. The highly anticipated 6th and final season of the series starts on February 2nd, 2010.

4. 30 Rock- NBC, 9:30pm Thursdays



30 Rock is simply the best comedy on TV today. Great writing- check, hilarious cast- check. As well as a solid story line, outstanding acting, and an all around good time; this critically acclaimed comedy is a weekly must see- even if it's a repeat. "Critically Acclaimed" is a phrase tossed around like a beach ball these days- but 30 Rock lives up to the claim- Including three Emmy Awards- for all three seasons it has been on the air. This past year we saw the end of season 3 and the beginning of season 4- and they have yet to disappoint. I usually try to watch each episode two times, just so I can catch all the great things 30 Rock has to offer. I'm just curious how the Corporate mix-up will end up with GE, NBC, Comcast and the Sheinhardt Wig Company. Catch 30 Rock, Thursday nights at 9:30 on NBC.
(PS: The Office is lame)

5. SportsNation- ESPN 2, 1pm Weekdays.



So ESPN get's a lot of bad rap for... well, being ESPN. And I usually have to agree with the criticism (east coast bias, over-saturation of football, Chris Berman...). The thing is, ESPN is really the best all-sports network there is, so it's what I usually watch. In the Summer, while I was up at LBC- ESPN launched a show called SportsNation. The premise of the show- Daily Sports news is talked about for an hour... with a twist. About 60% of the content is generated by the viewers. Using online polls, twitter, online videos, and other various media outlets; SportsNation provides a daily dose of sports and pop-culture. The hosts are probably my favorite part of the show- The hilarious cynic- Colin Cowherd and the beautiful and charming- Michelle Beadle. The two are hilarious together, and really keep the mood of the show up, and thus, the show is fun and entertaining to watch. Unfortunately, shows like this- usually don't seem to last long- I hope this one bucks the trend. Check out SportsNation- Every weekday at 1pm on ESPN2.

Best of 2009- Music- Songs.

1. Beautiful Morning- Aaron Spiro

No question. The first time I heard this song, I had to stop it in the middle, and restart it, just to make sure it was really happening. I don't really even know how to describe it- I don't think I can.

Just buy the whole album here. Seriously.

(Photo from Aaron Spiro Facebook.)

2.Exogenesis: Symphony- Muse

I spent some time debating on which song from the new Muse album "The Resistance" to put in this spot. Exogenesis: Symphony came out as the winner. This 3 part saga, spanning just about 13 minutes is a beautiful piece composing of an orchestra, piano, guitar, and the sweet vocals of Matthew Bellamy. There is a lot of story to Exogenesis- so I'll let you check it out here: Link.
I like this piece because it is eerily beautiful and majestically powerful. Solid beginning, middle, and end. Plus- it really caps off an incredible album.


Part One: Overture

Part Two: Cross Pollination

Part Three: Redemption


3. Fresh Air- Brother Ali

Cool, Funky, Fresh. This song packs it all. Brother Ali from Minneapolis is not your stereotypical hip-hop artist- He's Islamic, Albino, and Blind- Not really fitting in any stereotype, which is one of the reasons why he was inspired to create his music in the first place. This is the 5th track off his critically acclaimed album "Us" which debuted #56 on the Billboard 200. Reason why I like it? What really do I need to say- It's cool, it's funky, it's fresh. "Fresh Air" is honestly the main reason that bought the entire album, which is pretty rockin' too. I had a pretty sweet moment involving this song- I was walking in the student parking lot, and I heard someone start their car up, and immediately this song was pumping from their sound system- I just looked over and gave them a big grin. Also- He mentions Conan in the song- Check it out.

(Warning: Song has Some Profanity)


4. I'm On A Boat- The Lonely Island & T-Pain

In February of 2009, "I'm on a Boat" was featured as a Digital Short on Saturday Night Live. From there "I'm on a Boat" has been a common place phrase in social circles and used on various pop culture mediums. Meant to be a parody of the cliches seen in most rap music videos, it actually became a hit song, peaking at #56 on the Billboard Hot 100, and receiving nearly 40 million views on YouTube. The reason why I like it: It's absolutely hilarious, fun to listen to, and very quotable. I don't think I'll ever be able to hear the phrase "on a boat" again, without singing the lines in my head.

Uncensored Version: Here. (Profanity)
Live Version with The Roots: Here.

"Clean" Version:


5. Empire State of Mind- Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

Didn't expect that one to start the festivities did ya? Empire State of Mind ranks number 5 on the Best Singles of 2009. Featuring hip-hop titan, Jay-Z and the powerhouse vocals of Alicia Keys, Empire State of Mind is a song that I just can't turn off. I first heard the song when the two performed it live before game two of the World Series in New York, and have been enjoying it since. I enjoy the cadence of the verses, as rapped by Jay-Z, and the anthem feel of the chorus sung by Keys. The song hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 18th, and as of today (12/1) it is still topping the chart.