Arriving a little late to this party, but...

This might be the greatest blog ever.

Enjoy.

P.S. - Seeing certain people finally reap what they've been sowing is cathartic.

An Apple A Day...

Happy Birthday, Mac.

5 Best Movies of 08

1) The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger's take on The Joker is absolutely incredible. Yes, he deserves an Oscar nod for it - I'm not saying a win, I'm just saying a nomination. It's pretty amazing that a "super-hero" movie is the strongest outing from Hollywood this year, but the script is so solid, it's set in a believable world, and the supporting cast is stellar. You can't help but get sucked in to The Joker's schemes and can't wait for him to be back on the screen. Add to that the introduction of Two-Face, and this is the most solid rogue's gallery in any Batman film. This film makes the loss of Ledger even harder to take, but stands as a lingering testiment to his talent.

2) Wall E
This is the best Pixar film ever made. Better than Toy Story. Better than Toy Story 2. Even better than Ratatouille. The titular character is one of only three characters on screen for about the first hour or so and I could've just watched them together the whole film. Granted, there was a not-to-subtle message about the Earth and the environment, but the rest of the story is great and the character animation is flawless. As a friend pointed out, it's really a shame that this film can't get a Best Picture nod (it has it's own catagory for Animated Feature) as it's much more enjoyable then The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

3) Iron Man
What a role for Robert Downey, Jr. to make a return with. Reportedly having to fight very hard to land the role, it's now hard to imagine any one else in it. With a sequel already announced, it's going to be exciting to see where director Jon Faverau decides to take the franchise as he and the leads are committed through a trilogy. (Don Cheadale is replacing Terrance Howard, but the rest of the cast remains in place) The effects were fantastic too. It's pretty amazing that two "super-hero" movies have cracked the top 5 in the same year.

4) Marley & Me
Every pet owner should see this movie - regardless if you're a dog person or not. Based off the best-selling book by John Grogan, the adaptation takes some liberties, but doesn't stray too far from the source material. The cast works as Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are a believable couple, plus the welcome addition of Alan Arkin as John's boss was a nice surprise. The multiple dogs playing Marley steal the show as the casting of them were perfectly done showing how the lab aged as the family grew and relocated. The story itself is really about a new family coming together and the dog is a nice device to accentuate it.

5) Religulous
To say Bill Maher is outspoken is like saying J-Lo has a ridiculous ego: it's an obvious fact thrown into our faces every week. (Maher via his TV show; J-Lo via US Weekly, InTouch, etc.) However, Maher tends to reel it in a bit - until the very end of the film - as he takes an honest ...and sometimes uncomfortable look at religion, but this film is also something that is well overdue. And while most people wouldn't tag Maher as the one they wanted to hear from on the issue, he's also one of the few to finally stand up and bring the issue of religion to life and does so in a comedic yet meaningful way. Everyone should see this film at least once as it's guaranteed to create a discussion.

Honorable Mention (tie): Wanted
I honestly had no clue who James McAvoy was until the credits rolled on this film. His earnest take on patsy-turned-hitman Wesley Gibson was very believable and I was pleased to hear that a sequel is reportedly in the works. (I'm also curious to see if the clever introduction of bending bullets makes it's way into every action film moving forward) Angelina Jolie is the cover girl for the film and does a good job as a femme fatale, but Morgan Freeman was the biggest casting surprise as the deceptive brains behind the whole operation. After reading the graphic novel it's based on, I was glad to see that they took the story in a more realistic way and I'm looking forward to where the franchise goes in the future.

Honorable Mention (tie): Hamlet 2
While not a box office success, I think anyone that has ever been in or appreciates theatre should see this hysterical film. It's done by the producers of South Park so expect the style of humor going in, but all the tolerant folk out there will love this absolute gem...and I defy you to get "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" out of your head after seeing it. Steve Coogan (also in Tropic Thunder) shines as a failing drama teacher who puts all his struggles into a musical that is a sequel to Hamlet - and the rest pretty much speaks for itself. Elisabeth Shue cameos as herself and I'm convinced the movie world is a better place with more Elisaberth Shue in it. I saw this in an unfortunately empty theater the night that I went, but I laughed until my sides hurt and was inspired when I walked out. You can't really ask for much more than that out of a theatrical experience.

5 Best TV Shows of 08

1) LOST

Whatever mojo the series lost with its much maligned second and third seasons, it certainly dug in and went back to what worked because this season was as compelling and intriguing as the first - when none of us knew what was going on or what a Dharma was. Perhaps it was the strike shortened season that caused the writers to hunker down and really give us meaty episodes, but whatever it was worked as a lot of the side stories were all cast away and secondary characters back stories were quickly established rather than drawn out over multiple episodes. Plus, the Oceanic 6 storyline was the best story on TV this year as everyone was guessing, theories abounded, and the element that made the show so great initially had finally returned. Anyone else already have their DVR's set for January 21st?

2) Mad Men
I finally started watching this show based on a friends' recommendation and what an amazing series to get caught up in. Reaching back to an era when smoking was the norm, women's roles were clearly defined, and decadence ruled. The world of Don Draper is a fascinating place to observe. The writing in the second season was so solid and the only frustration that crept in was having to wait another week to find out what would happen next. The acting and character development is astounding and the show is more than deserving of it's Emmy and Golden Globe nods.

3) 30 Rock
It's a little disconcerting that it took Tina Fey's dead-on portrayal of Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live to draw viewers over to the funniest show on television. Once people tuned in, they were hooked into the crazy world of Liz Lemon, but those viewers should've already been there as the first two seasons of this show are hysterical - and, not surprisingly, those seasons are now the most requested/downloaded comedy series online. I'm glad that they are now getting the respect they deserve as the Emmy wins yet low viewership had an eerie echo to another incredible show that suffered a similar fate, but was canceled well ahead of its time. (*ahem* Arrested Development *ahem*) Alec Baldwin shines, Tina Fey is the "Elaine May of our time," and Tracy Morgan just makes everything funnier.

4) Extras
While it didn't technically have a full season this year, the tail end of season 2 and the Extra Special Series Finale both aired this year - the latter of which is arguably Ricky Gervais best acting performance to date. Still the master of the awkward moment, Gervais actually took the series in a much more dramatic direction as we grew frustrated with Andy's ever-increasing ego, annoyed with yet sympathetic to Stephen Merchant's Darren Lamb, and our hearts broke for Ashley Jensen's Maggie as she came to grips with her place in show business and her steadfast friendship to Andy despite his treatment of her. The last 20 minutes of the finale are just amazing to watch.

5) The Office

While the writer's strike was unfortunate yet very warranted, it sure seemed to bring out the best in some of these shows. It was like the writers said, "Oh yeah?! Well, here's some awesome scripts right before we go on strike so that everyone will miss us." Which then begs the question - why aren't the rest of the episodes during the season as strong as the ones in the strike-shortened season of The Office? That's not to say that the writing is generally poor or anything like that, but all of a sudden the relationships all started to finally pay off (Jim & Pam, Michael & Jan, etc.), great characters started to shine (Andrew Bernard), and the oddities just grew more odd (Dwight Schrute). I hope that the writers can keep that momentum going - and that the creators of the show pull whatever strings necessary to bring Amy Ryan's Holly back into Michael's love life.

Honorable Mention: Flight of the Conchords

Our favorite kiwis made their debut on HBO this year and the world was finally introduced to the musical stylings of Bret and Jemaine. I was fortunate enough to have received a copy of their album, Folk The World, as well as purchase their audiobook on iTunes (that no one seemed to know about) a year or so ago and I was ecstatic to find out they were filming their own show. Initially branded as a folk version of Tenacious D, Bret & Jemaine proved themselves to be much more as their wit, humbleness, and approachability endeared them to everyone. With a best selling album and another season premiering in February, here's hoping 2009 will be an even better year for the breakout duo.

5 Best Videogames of 08

1) Fallout 3

Running hot off of past Game of the Year honoree Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Bethesda earned the rights to bring back the long dormant Fallout franchise and did not disappoint. Using the solid gameplay elements introduced in their previous titles alongside honoring the established mythology of the world of Fallout, but feeling free to take us in a whole new direction, the game more than met expectations of loyalists and new players alike. With immersive environements, a compelling story, and a unique take on combat (including reintroducing the VATS system), Fallout 3 hit on every level and won many Game of the Year awards - making Bethesda even hotter than it ever has been.

2) Metal Gear Solid 4
One main reason that this is not in the 3rd position is that, if creator Hideo Kojima is not misleading us, this is the final chapter in the Solid Snake era of MGS - a storyline that reaches all the way back to the original 8-bit Nintendo system. Many MGS titles that followed were Gane of the Year winners and fans clamored to find out where Snake was going next. While criticized that his products had become more movies than games, Kojima Productions more than answered that charge with a lengthy game that had it's beautifully rendered cinematic moments for sure, but also solid hours of gameplay to back it up. If this is truly Snake's final bow, then he's gone out in style.

3) Grand Theft Auto 4
You could playfully call GTA IV, 'caffine free.' That's because Rockstar Games has seemed to do away with the childishness of it's previous GTA title (Google "Hot Coffee" to see what I mean) and created a very dramatic story that some have even compared to The Departed. Inside jokes and puns are to be found for sure, but they're not as blantant or comical as in the past. Saddle that gritty story with a very believable rendering of Liberty City (a blatant recreation of New York City), tighter mechanics, and the best voice acting in any game ever and it's easy to see that pulling the reigns in a bit on their flagship title has Rockstar heading in the right direction again.

4) Rock Band 2
Harmonix took the music gaming business by storm the past two years and this year especially showed perrenial rival Guitar Hero who's boss. While not all the instrument upgrades were worth it (drums = good, guitar = not so much), the fact that at launch there were already over 300 songs available for the game is a feat unmatched. Add to that the option to port 98% of your favorite songs from the original Rock Band into the sequel and you've got an incredible set list just out of the box with nothing downloaded. Giving the Wii a run for its money as the best party game available, Harmonix also recently announced that they'll be bring a long awaited Beatles title in the next year or so - which only further cements them as the best music game in town.

5) Fable II
This was the game that Peter Molyneaux wanted to make with the original Fable as that game fell WAY short of it's lofty expectations. Does Fable II fall short as well? Yes, but not to the extreme of its predecessor. Mr. Molyneaux could sell ice to an eskimo with his genuine enthusiasm for what his Lionhead Studios produces and what they try to achieve, but they're also getting the unfortunate tag of not coming through on promises. The introduction of the dog sidekick was a novel one, but not as riveting as it was billed. However, the storyline is great, the gameplay and combat are so much easier to handle now, and the . I'm not knocking the game for what's there because what is there is solid, but what was promised to be there and fails to make an appearance is annoying and a dangerous pattern for Lionhead to fall into.

Honorable Mention: Gears of War 2
In what was truly the year of the sequel, GOW2 did not disappoint as it retook the title of best first person shooter. Advancing the storyline established in the first Gears, this story saw Marcus Fenix take the fight to the Locust in a very offensive minded strategy rather than the defend your turf mentality of the original. The cover aspect of the game continues to impress as it evolves and the new weapons and continued innovation of gameplay should make Gears a front runner in the future. Plus, you get to ride a brumak - how cool is that?

5 Pleasant Surprises in Entertainment 08

1) Official Announcement of an 'Arrested Development' Film
I'm what some parents would call a 'late bloomer' to this series as all of my friends that knew of this show kept telling me that I would love it. Finally discovering it on Hulu, I actually was angry at myself for not getting in to this show earlier & have since obtained the entire series on DVD thanks to Amazon. I've also turned many a friend onto it since then. A few months back, I was so excited to hear that a film version was formally going into pre-production despite a potential actor holding out (the consistently over-estimating his sense of worth, Michael Cera) and am overjoyed at seeing what the Bluth Family has been up to since last being seen on the Queen Mary.

2) The Triumphant Return of Robert Downey, Jr.
With Iron Man receiving film of the year mentions due to his take on Tony Stark and now a potential Oscar nomination to alongside his Golden Globe nomination for his role in Tropic Thunder, you could say that Robert Downey, Jr. has had himself a pretty good year. His well documented run-ins with the law and drug addiction while coming up through the Brat Pack days often trump any accolades that came along with his great performances (see Chaplin), but it appears that he's gotten his life back together and is now reaping the benefits of his natural talent.

3) Mystery Science Theater 3000 Celebrates 20th Anniversary
The "cowtown puppet show" that went on to enjoy a 10 year run over two networks and whose cult following is still growing celebrated it's 20th anniversary in style. A featured sold out event at ComicCon 2008 featured the entire cast - past and present - on a panel answering fan questions hosted by admitted MSTie Patton Oswalt. It was also announced that Shout! Factory would now release their shows on DVD (taking over a former partnership with Rhino) and to herald the event, there was a 20th Anniversay Collector's Edition featuring a maquette of Crow and four classic movies bundled together. In an afterlife that has spawned two off-shoots of the format (RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic), the show continues to receive the love it so richly deserves.

4) "Angels & Demons" Trailer
Being one of seven people in the U.S. that actually enjoyed the film adaptation of Dan Brown's bestseller The DaVinci Code, I was so excited to see an unexpected trailer for the follow up film, Angels & Demons. In my opinion, ithe story lends itself better to being a film and, in an artistic choice, Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment has made this a film sequel to DaVinci whereas in the novels, DaVinci comes second chronologically. Already causing concerns and outrage in the Catholic church over the films content and location shoots in both Rome and Vatican City, this much anticipated film should cause some waves in 2009.

5) J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" Trailer Debuts
I am not a Trekkie, by any stretch of the the imagination. I enjoyed Wrath of Kahn and even liked First Contact, but I've never invested myself in the Trek mythos nor ever really cared to. However, I must say I am very intrigued following viewing the first theatrical trailer of J.J. Abrams update of the franchise. It's looking to usher in a whole new breed of Trekkies (or "Trekkers," as some die hards refer to themselves as) while still paying an homage to the established fan base. With a very public mud slinging spectacle of William Shatner's frustration not being included in the flim where some of the original cast is (Leonard Nimoy supposedly cameos as an older Spock), the franchise definitely has the attention of the public - here's hoping J.J. delivers with a more solid effort than on Cloverfield.

Honorable Mention: EA Announces Release of The Sims 3
The greatest selling PC franchise of all time returns in 2009 with the third iteration of The Sims series. Every Sims game generates multiple spin-off titles and extra chapters, but when the series itself is overhauled and the next one is released, there's often so much more than just graphical upgrades as new gameplay elements, themes, and concepts are introduced. Here's to many upcoming hours lost in the wonderful world of The Sims.

5 Underwhelming Happenings in Entertainment 08

1) Cloverfield

As Pete wisely mentioned over a year ago in reference to this film: "Save your money." Proof that not everything J.J. Abrams touches turns to gold, this is a prime example of not living up to the hype. With an amazing marketing campaign and solid concept to create a, "Godzilla movie for the U.S.," as well as the unique decision to film everything in first-person, the overall execution just wasn't there. Inconsistent acting and strange editing made it seem like the filmmakers were trying too hard to cram easter eggs and secret messages for fans to hunt for in the Blu-ray/DVD release rather than actually focusing on telling a compelling story for theater goers. Here's hoping the recently announced sequel gets it right.

2) NBC's Horrible Mismanagment of Scrubs

With a built-in audience & loyal fan base, NBC never really got behind nor advertised, the "final" season of 'Srcubs,' so naturally viewership numbers began to drop. But their decision to not only cancel the show, but then air the final few episodes out of order bringing zero closure to the show amidst the writer's strike showed a severe lack of loyalty and disrespect to a series that was in it's 8th season. Now comfortably resting in it's new home on ABC (for one season, at least), not to mention receiving prime advertising slots, the best revenge would be viewer numbers that shows NBC what a horrible mistake they made.

3) Kath & Kim
How is this show still on the air? Seriously? When your secondary characters are stronger and more endearing than your two leads (here's looking at you, John Michael Higgins), you've made a horrible mistake. Sandwiching it between your two strongest shows will naturally generate misleading numbers, but the nano-second it moves to another slot, it's dead. Not every U.S. remake of a BBC show is going the be gold (for every "The Office," there's about 10 "Couplings") & Molly Shannon deserves a much better vehicle than this.

4) Lack of Solid Titles for the Wii
Wii Fit. That's it. That's the only game in a whole year that is worth playing on the Nintendo Wii, with maybe a small nod to No More Heroes. The hottest gaming system out (and still in high demand) is losing steam at an alarming rate - especially when the most popular game in the system is still the one that shipped with it - Wii Sports. With an announced sequel to Wii Sports (entitled Wii Sports Resort) to come at some point in 2009, here's hoping that it will lead a charge of acutal good titles for the system.

5) Pending Lawsuit by FOX to Hold the Release of "Watchmen"
One of the most anticipated graphic novel to movie release of all time is now in danger of being delayed for an undetermined amount of time. FOX apparently still owns distribution rights to the franchise despite Warner Bros. owning rights to actually make the film. There's an excellent overview laid out by the Los Angeles times here that goes into much more detail about it than I will here, but needless to say, it would be a travesty for this film not to hit the big screen in 2009. (and as a friend pointed out, the original date was to be 03.06.09 - all marker points on a watch or clock)
UPDATE: Looks like everything has been settled as of January 15, 2008.

Honorable Mention: The PlayStation Beta Release of Home
Talk about not living up to the hype. The much-anticipated release of the social networking "game" from PlayStation that was to fuse The Sims style gameplay with the online power of the PS3 roared onto the platform with a meek whimper. With areas only accessed by secret codes, a theater that looped an annoying trailer for Twilight (which is the exact movie to appeal to the the male 16-35 demographic that owns the system), bland and severly limited furniture to place around your cyber-apartment, and weak animations for your avatars, Home has a LONG way to go if the PS3 hopes to make a dent in the dominating online presence of the Xbox360.

List time!

End of the year means time for more lists!

I've toned down quite a bit from last year and am only posting Top 5's rather than Top 10's. As always, I'm pulling from my frame of reference on these as I didn't see every movie out there or play every game, etc.

Enjoy.