As some guy who just now is getting around to seeing foreign classics and calling smaller critics heroes, I figured 2010 is best remembered for a lot of self discovery in the arts and entertainment (but no A&E... neither of which that channel represents).
So, I decided to look back over the year and find things that I just am now becoming a fan of. Stuff that's been around for years and at some point in the 2010 year tuned in to and fell in love. These aren't necessarily amazing, most are standard content for people like me.
However, let's get started with the 20 things from past years that I enjoyed discovering this year.
1. Party Down (2009)
Starz doesn't have a lot of programming, but the winner by a mile is Party Down, the TV show that my Nerd's Eye View co-star Matthew turned me on to during it's second season. It was indeed hilarious and it was nice to see Martin Starr doing stuff again. The cameos were amazing, and the fact the show lost the great Jane Lynch to the lame (in comparison) Glee was one of the biggest losses. And, there was Lizzy Caplan... oh how I love her. Sadly, the show was canceled under new management and I remember that day Starr reposted stuff on Twitter trying to start a campaign to bring the show back. Sadly, nothing came of it... but now, most Starz original programmings are shit.
2. Lost in the Funhouse by Bill Zehme (1999)
Those who know me know that I am a big fan of bizarre characters. Somehow, after seeing Man on the Moon, wearing out the DVDs with his Saturday Night Live appearances, and following an "Andy Kaufman" on Twitter that was supposed to make a comeback, I decided to finally read an autobiography in hopes to understand why I found him so curious. There's no real interview with Kaufman, but what Zehme does is rather fantastic research. While it never answers why he did it, the reasons of his patterns made sense and I loved it. While I daresay his latter years were a turnoff, this biography makes me appreciate Kaufman more and wonder why more people are not into these bizarre stunts.
3. The Invisible Man (1933)
I cannot figure out why I watched it, but it was a bookend to a marathon of Videodrome and the Wrestler. I had no idea what the movie would be about, but I took a risk and boy did it pay off. The effects, regardless of decade, amazed me. The story was superbly mixed with some wry comedy. Seeing the invisible man take off his bandages was one of the highlights of my TV watching experiences this year. It made me fall in love with director James Whale (who also did Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein) and started me on a long journey exploring the classic monster movies. Few (outside of Whales and Dracula) really compared.
4. /Filmcast (2005)
One of the biggest phenomenons I caught on to (a little late) was the movie critique podcasts. The most notable, and possibly the start of these is the /Film's /Filmcast, which airs weekly and reviews movies in depth. I kind of envy it in a sense because I wish I could hold a conversation at that length and still be interesting. Some of my Nerd's Eye View edits that I speak of are in ways to make me more fluent like hosts David Chen or Adam Quigly. I may not think the show deserves to run as long as it does (2 hours normally?), but when you got awesome guests like Edgar Wright on, I don't care if it goes for 3. Also, it introduced me to my in-depth reason for disliking critic Armond White, whose college degree doesn't really qualify him to love Transformers 2 but hate Toy Story 3 as one long commercial. Since, I have enjoyed their other show /Film After Dark and their opinions in general. I also have began to check out Collider's Running Dialogue and AV Club's AV Talk. I'm sure I'll continue to fit them in every week if just for entertainment value.
5. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
It's hard to believe, but before Howl's Moving Castle, I cannot recall seeing a foreign animated feature. I was aware of Spirited Away, but never sat down and watched anything foreign. Then, my friend Jimena recommended this movie and that changed. The art was easily ahead of whatever we were doing. The hand drawn feel and abstract metaphorical creatures were jaw droppingly cool. There hasn't been much animation that made me feel proud of children's movies, but discovering Miyazaki's work restored so much faith and if anything made me realize I need to see more foreign animation. I haven't seen much other Miyazaki works, though I promise you, I will be seeing a lot more next year. However, I also recommend the other ones I checked out (and dubiously amazing): Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.
6. Children's Hospital (2008)
It can be argued that this is from this year, but before it aired on Cartoon Network, it was a viral sensation created during the writer's strike. While the second season was a questionable decline, the first season that aired on the network was wall-to-wall hilarity of parody on medical dramas. It made me respect Rob Corddry and gave me a new word: beginding. When I worked late on Sundays, Children's Hospital was the highlight of my night, providing much needed laughs and escapism from the work day (also, putting that on next to the Boondocks was genius). I probably will stick with the show, unless Showtime and HBO bring back some awesome programming that interferes.
7. David Boring by Daniel Clowes (2000)
My knowledge on graphic novels was pushed forward momentously this year. Besides getting a stack of random (and some unread) comics from Comic Con Anaheim, I learned quite a bit about lesser known but more interesting characters like Mad Man and Emily the Strange. Also, it was the year I watched American Splendor, a renegade film that is so inspirational, I'd like to call Harvey Pekar my hero (all I need is to read some of his work). However, none seemed more revolutionary for me than discovering Daniel Clowes. I had read Ghost World and found it to be solid, but it wasn't until Andrew lent me David Boring that I really began to like Clowes. I plan to read more of his stuff in the following year and discover more literature outside of the world of Batman.
8. Ben Stiller Show (1992)
Earlier this year, I had a bold binge of buying random TV DVDs off of Amazon. Some weren't even worth the money (Upright Citizen's Brigade was okay... for three episodes). However, it was this show from the early 90's that I loved the most from the binge. The satirical approach to MTV and sketch shows is still a fascinating concept and the way it's presented has a very Saturday Night Live-meets-MTV approach that it blows my mind that it could be so funny. Also, with numerous amazing guests, this short lived show deserved more time. It also made me check out Ben Stiller's excellent Reality Bites and co-writer David Cross' other excellent work on Mr. Show, the most twisted and fun live sketch show I've ever seen. I loved this show, and if anything, made me think Janeane Garofalo and Andy Dick were funny, but were lost to their own demises.
9. Apocalypse Now (1979)
I may not consider this film to be at all amazing, or my favorite war movie, but dammit, there was something about it that left an impression on me. For me, it was a game changer in the way I watched movies. For starters, I was really amazed by the cinematography, the long outplayed scenes, the narration, and also the production (I do plan to watch that making of documentary next year). I really began to respect Francis Ford Coppola for this one. However, it was the start of my appreciation for cinema that was close to three hours. From here, I went on to watch other epics such as the Deer Hunter and Boogie Nights. However, the slow, rewarding play of this movie is to thank for my appreciation of those. Because of this, I plan to watch a marathon of all three Godfather movies one day soon.
10. Patton Oswalt: No Reason to Complain (2004)
It was a slow year for discovering comedians this year. I really enjoyed Louis C.K., but didn't understand Sam Kinison's appeal. Yet somehow, after revisiting Ratatouille and loving it, I checked out some Patton Oswalt stand up on Netflix. Somehow, I feel really bad for just now discovering him. My initial reaction was to call him a pop culture-ranting version of George Carlin. I found No Reason to Complain to be quite brilliant and one of the few times I can consider saying it was a laugh a minute. Sadly, I haven't explored much other material by him, but his appearances on Bored to Death and United States of Tara made me notice and respect him more. Also, it gave me a reason to check out the funny Big Fan, which also featured Steve Corrigan, another name I felt I had underrated since last seeing him on Grounded for Life.
11. Big Bang Theory (2007)
This is borderline discovery. I had seen it a few times in the past and thought it was the stupidest show ever. However, when I forced myself to watch all of season one, I fell in love with it by episode five. Since, I have been wildly interested in their story lines. As I've stated, I'm notably a Jim Parsons fan, as I feel somehow I accidentally began talking like him in order to emphasize jokes better. I am almost caught up with every episode (finishing season three this week) and can proudly say that the show this is the show that had to work the hardest to win my approval and after putting up quite a fight, I will submit with honor (though I still say hell no to $#*! My Dad Says... will never be funny). Cannot wait to add this to my Thursday night list along with Community and Parks and Recreation.
12. Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)
Along with Miyazaki movies, I fell in love with Japanese horror. While I cannot say that what I was exposed to was supposed to be the greatest, I immediately loved it's lack of pretentiousness. From Ju-on: The Grudge and Ringu, I enjoyed the lighting and the more subtle and quiet approach to the scares that the American remakes fucked up. The stories were more solid and I was intrigued, even during the boring scenes. However, of the few I have seen, Audition is probably the most bizarre and interesting of them all. The torture scene at the end makes me cringe and wonder if renting director Takashi Miike's Ichi the Killer is really a good idea. Also, I really recommend the Host. Looking forward to getting into the better foreign horror in the next year.
13. SModcast (2007)
True, I had read Shootin' the Shit last year, but again, podcasts are a phenomenon I am just now catching on to. I find it weird that I just now discovered the one by a guy I've called hero for four years now. I checked out a few here and there, but didn't become serious until September and began checking out the other shows on the same network. They weren't always intriguing, but like /Filmcast, I was wanting to find things to apply to my own style to better myself (though Kevin Smith bettering himself is less likely to happen). I notably enjoyed Jay and Silent Bob Get Old. However, my favorite has become Red State of the Union, which is the most professional I've heard Smith since An Evening with Kevin Smith 1. I love hearing what he basically calls "Film school for cheap" as he brings in people from his movie Red State and delves into how a movie is made. I got to say, I am not a guy who will stand by Smith through everything (his opinions on critics are asinine, especially when he bashes the movie three months later), nor will I admit all of his material is funny (recent episodes of SModcast prove this for me), but I will stick by for those moments when it feels zen worthy.
14. Trainspotting (1996)
This was also the year I began to wonder what I was missing in life. One thing was notably Danny Boyle. Put this with 28 Days Later and 127 Hours and you just added Boyle to one of my favorite directors. However, this one created something oddly lovable out of a culture I am not wildly invested in... drugs. The scenes were iconic. Opening with "Lust for Life" and a narration I felt Fight Club aped, was pure brilliance. It was fun, even when Ewan McGregor was tripping balls. It's weird because I saw Requiem for a Dream weeks before this and it was quite a transition from depressing refrigerator attacks to head-spinning babies. I'll admit Darren Aronofsky is an excellent director, but when it comes to movies about drugs, I choose Trainspotting, a film that has quickly become one of my favorites.
15. Spaced (1999)
It was arguably the first show where I felt my geek flag fly. I noticed subtle references to Evil Dead II and the A-Team. It isn't the greatest show, but with the addition of guest commentaries, this was one of the best DVD sets I had watched. Also, it made me really fall in love with director Edgar Wright's style. It was very subversive and fun. It also was the start of my discovery into other British sitcoms, including the very excellent Edgar Wright directed Asylum. Other stuff I checked out was the In-Betweeners, Look Around You, and Skins. Some were met with mixed results, but Wright's brief comedy about platonic roommates is still one of the most fun experiences with a show I had discovering this year.
16. Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn (2002)
I personally questioned where my life had been before Matthew had lent me these series of comics. The dialogue was pop-culture ridden and the characters were rather solid, notably Yorrick, whose journey to discover what killed all of the men one of the most intriguing stories I read this year. Sure, it dragged in places, but hearing Yorrick go on about his girlfriend and singing corny pop songs only made me love it more. I really recommend you check it out. I cannot praise it enough.
17. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
When I heard Johnny Knoxville praising Buster Keaton on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, I figured it was just because of the prat falls. I had seen the General a year ago, and I appreciated it, but I wasn't in love with it. Same for College. Then, I saw this movie, which just blew me away frame-for-frame. Wasn't the most complex story, but every single routine was so well executed and Keaton was laughing at danger so much, it met one of the rare times I really couldn't take my eyes off of it. The final fifteen minutes are some of the best I have ever seen. I wish I could shake Keaton's hand, if just to figure out how he managed to live as long as he did. Also, other great early comedy I have discovered included a ton of Charlie Chaplin, such as and Modern Times, the Kid, and City Lights as well as Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein. I'm sure I will be finding more awesome missed gems in the year to come.
18. Infomania (2007)
Forget the Daily Show with Jon Stewart or the Colbert Report, I went to Infomania for my satirical news. True, they aren't as political or as drawing as the others, but I love the cast. For starters, my involvement with the journalism department at school make me appreciate this lo-fi show that makes fun of news stories (without being too insulting). I love the community effort and the fact everyone has their own segments makes me feel that this could be what C-Scope could've been like with a more dedicated cast. I most notably enjoy the Viral Video Film School and Rotten Tomatoes Show segments featuring Brett Erlich, probably one of the few people I have come to admire from the past year. He is probably also one of my favorite critics as he's funny and truthful, even if we don't agree on the same movies all the time. Also, I enjoy Sergio Cili's Music Interventions, which I recommend you watch on youtube after this. I just hope that the show comes back quickly after it's recent finale. I need my laughs for the week.
19. Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley (2004)
I feel stupid for just now discovering this. Just saying, it is probably now one of my favorite series ever, and the dialogue is practically what I try to emulate (not so much emulating the gags, though). I loved close to every page and the characters have managed to work their way into my heart. I hope O'Malley can continue to make brilliant material now that the series is done. What he has made it truly inspirational and I plan to read them in entirety way too many times to count. I also discovered Kick-Ass by Mark Millar, which is also awesome, but Scott Pilgrim will be my favorite for the time being. Also, I really enjoyed O'Malley's first effort, Lost at Sea, which I am inspired to try and make into a short for some reason.
20. Cinematical
Since starting up with Nerd's Eye View, I began to fall in love with movie websites other than Imdb. Somehow, this site was one of the first I latched on to. The news wasn't as fresh as /Film, nor did they have the great interviews of Collider, but the overall aesthetic was impressive for me. The writers were interesting on Twitter. The columns were also impressive, as they managed to inspire me to explore movies and look at them through new perspectives. I have to be honest, I mostly love Cinematical for the columns that expose me to brilliant hidden gems. My only complaint is since the merger with Moviefone, the site hasn't been nearly as impressive (even with more content), but I'll say that I love it nonetheless and look forward to see what changes they bring next year.
So, I decided to look back over the year and find things that I just am now becoming a fan of. Stuff that's been around for years and at some point in the 2010 year tuned in to and fell in love. These aren't necessarily amazing, most are standard content for people like me.
However, let's get started with the 20 things from past years that I enjoyed discovering this year.
1. Party Down (2009)
Starz doesn't have a lot of programming, but the winner by a mile is Party Down, the TV show that my Nerd's Eye View co-star Matthew turned me on to during it's second season. It was indeed hilarious and it was nice to see Martin Starr doing stuff again. The cameos were amazing, and the fact the show lost the great Jane Lynch to the lame (in comparison) Glee was one of the biggest losses. And, there was Lizzy Caplan... oh how I love her. Sadly, the show was canceled under new management and I remember that day Starr reposted stuff on Twitter trying to start a campaign to bring the show back. Sadly, nothing came of it... but now, most Starz original programmings are shit.
2. Lost in the Funhouse by Bill Zehme (1999)
Those who know me know that I am a big fan of bizarre characters. Somehow, after seeing Man on the Moon, wearing out the DVDs with his Saturday Night Live appearances, and following an "Andy Kaufman" on Twitter that was supposed to make a comeback, I decided to finally read an autobiography in hopes to understand why I found him so curious. There's no real interview with Kaufman, but what Zehme does is rather fantastic research. While it never answers why he did it, the reasons of his patterns made sense and I loved it. While I daresay his latter years were a turnoff, this biography makes me appreciate Kaufman more and wonder why more people are not into these bizarre stunts.
3. The Invisible Man (1933)
I cannot figure out why I watched it, but it was a bookend to a marathon of Videodrome and the Wrestler. I had no idea what the movie would be about, but I took a risk and boy did it pay off. The effects, regardless of decade, amazed me. The story was superbly mixed with some wry comedy. Seeing the invisible man take off his bandages was one of the highlights of my TV watching experiences this year. It made me fall in love with director James Whale (who also did Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein) and started me on a long journey exploring the classic monster movies. Few (outside of Whales and Dracula) really compared.
4. /Filmcast (2005)
One of the biggest phenomenons I caught on to (a little late) was the movie critique podcasts. The most notable, and possibly the start of these is the /Film's /Filmcast, which airs weekly and reviews movies in depth. I kind of envy it in a sense because I wish I could hold a conversation at that length and still be interesting. Some of my Nerd's Eye View edits that I speak of are in ways to make me more fluent like hosts David Chen or Adam Quigly. I may not think the show deserves to run as long as it does (2 hours normally?), but when you got awesome guests like Edgar Wright on, I don't care if it goes for 3. Also, it introduced me to my in-depth reason for disliking critic Armond White, whose college degree doesn't really qualify him to love Transformers 2 but hate Toy Story 3 as one long commercial. Since, I have enjoyed their other show /Film After Dark and their opinions in general. I also have began to check out Collider's Running Dialogue and AV Club's AV Talk. I'm sure I'll continue to fit them in every week if just for entertainment value.
5. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
It's hard to believe, but before Howl's Moving Castle, I cannot recall seeing a foreign animated feature. I was aware of Spirited Away, but never sat down and watched anything foreign. Then, my friend Jimena recommended this movie and that changed. The art was easily ahead of whatever we were doing. The hand drawn feel and abstract metaphorical creatures were jaw droppingly cool. There hasn't been much animation that made me feel proud of children's movies, but discovering Miyazaki's work restored so much faith and if anything made me realize I need to see more foreign animation. I haven't seen much other Miyazaki works, though I promise you, I will be seeing a lot more next year. However, I also recommend the other ones I checked out (and dubiously amazing): Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.
6. Children's Hospital (2008)
It can be argued that this is from this year, but before it aired on Cartoon Network, it was a viral sensation created during the writer's strike. While the second season was a questionable decline, the first season that aired on the network was wall-to-wall hilarity of parody on medical dramas. It made me respect Rob Corddry and gave me a new word: beginding. When I worked late on Sundays, Children's Hospital was the highlight of my night, providing much needed laughs and escapism from the work day (also, putting that on next to the Boondocks was genius). I probably will stick with the show, unless Showtime and HBO bring back some awesome programming that interferes.
7. David Boring by Daniel Clowes (2000)
My knowledge on graphic novels was pushed forward momentously this year. Besides getting a stack of random (and some unread) comics from Comic Con Anaheim, I learned quite a bit about lesser known but more interesting characters like Mad Man and Emily the Strange. Also, it was the year I watched American Splendor, a renegade film that is so inspirational, I'd like to call Harvey Pekar my hero (all I need is to read some of his work). However, none seemed more revolutionary for me than discovering Daniel Clowes. I had read Ghost World and found it to be solid, but it wasn't until Andrew lent me David Boring that I really began to like Clowes. I plan to read more of his stuff in the following year and discover more literature outside of the world of Batman.
8. Ben Stiller Show (1992)
Earlier this year, I had a bold binge of buying random TV DVDs off of Amazon. Some weren't even worth the money (Upright Citizen's Brigade was okay... for three episodes). However, it was this show from the early 90's that I loved the most from the binge. The satirical approach to MTV and sketch shows is still a fascinating concept and the way it's presented has a very Saturday Night Live-meets-MTV approach that it blows my mind that it could be so funny. Also, with numerous amazing guests, this short lived show deserved more time. It also made me check out Ben Stiller's excellent Reality Bites and co-writer David Cross' other excellent work on Mr. Show, the most twisted and fun live sketch show I've ever seen. I loved this show, and if anything, made me think Janeane Garofalo and Andy Dick were funny, but were lost to their own demises.
9. Apocalypse Now (1979)
I may not consider this film to be at all amazing, or my favorite war movie, but dammit, there was something about it that left an impression on me. For me, it was a game changer in the way I watched movies. For starters, I was really amazed by the cinematography, the long outplayed scenes, the narration, and also the production (I do plan to watch that making of documentary next year). I really began to respect Francis Ford Coppola for this one. However, it was the start of my appreciation for cinema that was close to three hours. From here, I went on to watch other epics such as the Deer Hunter and Boogie Nights. However, the slow, rewarding play of this movie is to thank for my appreciation of those. Because of this, I plan to watch a marathon of all three Godfather movies one day soon.
10. Patton Oswalt: No Reason to Complain (2004)
It was a slow year for discovering comedians this year. I really enjoyed Louis C.K., but didn't understand Sam Kinison's appeal. Yet somehow, after revisiting Ratatouille and loving it, I checked out some Patton Oswalt stand up on Netflix. Somehow, I feel really bad for just now discovering him. My initial reaction was to call him a pop culture-ranting version of George Carlin. I found No Reason to Complain to be quite brilliant and one of the few times I can consider saying it was a laugh a minute. Sadly, I haven't explored much other material by him, but his appearances on Bored to Death and United States of Tara made me notice and respect him more. Also, it gave me a reason to check out the funny Big Fan, which also featured Steve Corrigan, another name I felt I had underrated since last seeing him on Grounded for Life.
11. Big Bang Theory (2007)
This is borderline discovery. I had seen it a few times in the past and thought it was the stupidest show ever. However, when I forced myself to watch all of season one, I fell in love with it by episode five. Since, I have been wildly interested in their story lines. As I've stated, I'm notably a Jim Parsons fan, as I feel somehow I accidentally began talking like him in order to emphasize jokes better. I am almost caught up with every episode (finishing season three this week) and can proudly say that the show this is the show that had to work the hardest to win my approval and after putting up quite a fight, I will submit with honor (though I still say hell no to $#*! My Dad Says... will never be funny). Cannot wait to add this to my Thursday night list along with Community and Parks and Recreation.
12. Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)
Along with Miyazaki movies, I fell in love with Japanese horror. While I cannot say that what I was exposed to was supposed to be the greatest, I immediately loved it's lack of pretentiousness. From Ju-on: The Grudge and Ringu, I enjoyed the lighting and the more subtle and quiet approach to the scares that the American remakes fucked up. The stories were more solid and I was intrigued, even during the boring scenes. However, of the few I have seen, Audition is probably the most bizarre and interesting of them all. The torture scene at the end makes me cringe and wonder if renting director Takashi Miike's Ichi the Killer is really a good idea. Also, I really recommend the Host. Looking forward to getting into the better foreign horror in the next year.
13. SModcast (2007)
True, I had read Shootin' the Shit last year, but again, podcasts are a phenomenon I am just now catching on to. I find it weird that I just now discovered the one by a guy I've called hero for four years now. I checked out a few here and there, but didn't become serious until September and began checking out the other shows on the same network. They weren't always intriguing, but like /Filmcast, I was wanting to find things to apply to my own style to better myself (though Kevin Smith bettering himself is less likely to happen). I notably enjoyed Jay and Silent Bob Get Old. However, my favorite has become Red State of the Union, which is the most professional I've heard Smith since An Evening with Kevin Smith 1. I love hearing what he basically calls "Film school for cheap" as he brings in people from his movie Red State and delves into how a movie is made. I got to say, I am not a guy who will stand by Smith through everything (his opinions on critics are asinine, especially when he bashes the movie three months later), nor will I admit all of his material is funny (recent episodes of SModcast prove this for me), but I will stick by for those moments when it feels zen worthy.
14. Trainspotting (1996)
This was also the year I began to wonder what I was missing in life. One thing was notably Danny Boyle. Put this with 28 Days Later and 127 Hours and you just added Boyle to one of my favorite directors. However, this one created something oddly lovable out of a culture I am not wildly invested in... drugs. The scenes were iconic. Opening with "Lust for Life" and a narration I felt Fight Club aped, was pure brilliance. It was fun, even when Ewan McGregor was tripping balls. It's weird because I saw Requiem for a Dream weeks before this and it was quite a transition from depressing refrigerator attacks to head-spinning babies. I'll admit Darren Aronofsky is an excellent director, but when it comes to movies about drugs, I choose Trainspotting, a film that has quickly become one of my favorites.
15. Spaced (1999)
It was arguably the first show where I felt my geek flag fly. I noticed subtle references to Evil Dead II and the A-Team. It isn't the greatest show, but with the addition of guest commentaries, this was one of the best DVD sets I had watched. Also, it made me really fall in love with director Edgar Wright's style. It was very subversive and fun. It also was the start of my discovery into other British sitcoms, including the very excellent Edgar Wright directed Asylum. Other stuff I checked out was the In-Betweeners, Look Around You, and Skins. Some were met with mixed results, but Wright's brief comedy about platonic roommates is still one of the most fun experiences with a show I had discovering this year.
16. Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn (2002)
I personally questioned where my life had been before Matthew had lent me these series of comics. The dialogue was pop-culture ridden and the characters were rather solid, notably Yorrick, whose journey to discover what killed all of the men one of the most intriguing stories I read this year. Sure, it dragged in places, but hearing Yorrick go on about his girlfriend and singing corny pop songs only made me love it more. I really recommend you check it out. I cannot praise it enough.
17. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
When I heard Johnny Knoxville praising Buster Keaton on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, I figured it was just because of the prat falls. I had seen the General a year ago, and I appreciated it, but I wasn't in love with it. Same for College. Then, I saw this movie, which just blew me away frame-for-frame. Wasn't the most complex story, but every single routine was so well executed and Keaton was laughing at danger so much, it met one of the rare times I really couldn't take my eyes off of it. The final fifteen minutes are some of the best I have ever seen. I wish I could shake Keaton's hand, if just to figure out how he managed to live as long as he did. Also, other great early comedy I have discovered included a ton of Charlie Chaplin, such as and Modern Times, the Kid, and City Lights as well as Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein. I'm sure I will be finding more awesome missed gems in the year to come.
18. Infomania (2007)
Forget the Daily Show with Jon Stewart or the Colbert Report, I went to Infomania for my satirical news. True, they aren't as political or as drawing as the others, but I love the cast. For starters, my involvement with the journalism department at school make me appreciate this lo-fi show that makes fun of news stories (without being too insulting). I love the community effort and the fact everyone has their own segments makes me feel that this could be what C-Scope could've been like with a more dedicated cast. I most notably enjoy the Viral Video Film School and Rotten Tomatoes Show segments featuring Brett Erlich, probably one of the few people I have come to admire from the past year. He is probably also one of my favorite critics as he's funny and truthful, even if we don't agree on the same movies all the time. Also, I enjoy Sergio Cili's Music Interventions, which I recommend you watch on youtube after this. I just hope that the show comes back quickly after it's recent finale. I need my laughs for the week.
19. Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley (2004)
I feel stupid for just now discovering this. Just saying, it is probably now one of my favorite series ever, and the dialogue is practically what I try to emulate (not so much emulating the gags, though). I loved close to every page and the characters have managed to work their way into my heart. I hope O'Malley can continue to make brilliant material now that the series is done. What he has made it truly inspirational and I plan to read them in entirety way too many times to count. I also discovered Kick-Ass by Mark Millar, which is also awesome, but Scott Pilgrim will be my favorite for the time being. Also, I really enjoyed O'Malley's first effort, Lost at Sea, which I am inspired to try and make into a short for some reason.
20. Cinematical
Since starting up with Nerd's Eye View, I began to fall in love with movie websites other than Imdb. Somehow, this site was one of the first I latched on to. The news wasn't as fresh as /Film, nor did they have the great interviews of Collider, but the overall aesthetic was impressive for me. The writers were interesting on Twitter. The columns were also impressive, as they managed to inspire me to explore movies and look at them through new perspectives. I have to be honest, I mostly love Cinematical for the columns that expose me to brilliant hidden gems. My only complaint is since the merger with Moviefone, the site hasn't been nearly as impressive (even with more content), but I'll say that I love it nonetheless and look forward to see what changes they bring next year.
Comments
Post a Comment