2012 in Pop Culture Consumption
2012 Scrapbook
Movies
1. Lethal Weapon ★ ★.5
Mini-Review: First time I watched this movie from start to finish. Busey and Gibson had chronic cases of crazy eye. Felt deep shame at how hot I found the scene where Riggs killed that guy with his feet then unhooked himself. Wondered if Danny Glover hid in his trailer between takes or if he embraced the batshit craziness of his co-stars. Found self vaguely shipping Mortaugh/Riggs. Decided movie was too cheesy for this many thoughts.
2. Midnight in Paris ★ ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: Time-bendy Woody Allen is the best Woody Allen. Rachel McAdams could have been a little less mustache twirling awful, but otherwise lovely film. Especially Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein.
3. Attack the Block ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: Allow it. This movie was freaking brilliant. Moses? Amazing. Flawless. I want to watch it a billion times.
4. Captain America ★
Mini-Review: I can now definitively say it is not possible to die from boredom.
5. The Fallen Idol ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: This movie reminded me of Downton Abbey, only with an adorable little kid. I'm pretty sure the butler did it. Like 98%. I was still rotting for him though, but only because that little dude was breaking my heart. Really cool direction by Carol Reed too.
6. It Should Happen to You ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: Sweet little movie. Jack Lemmon was adorable as usual and the message (being famous for nothing is kind of ridiculous) was weirdly current, living in the era of YouTube and all.
Books
1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Mini-Review: This started off cool, but quickly became tedious and grating. Ye gods, I did not realize how low my tolerance for fanboy entitlement had gotten until I had to read about an avatar pining outside of a girl's virtual window with a boombox over his head. Or maybe Wade only talked about doing that, I don't know I had to blackout for reasons of self preservation. Ready Player One had some interesting things to say on the subject of online community and it had moments of maybe not greatness, but definitely, hey, that's nifty-ness. Ultimately, I wanted to throw Wade off a not-virtual cliff though so I'm giving this one one and a half thumbs down. That's a real rating, shut up.
2. The Faith of the Writer: Life, Art, Craft by Joyce Carol Oates
Mini-Review: I don't usually go for the writing as craft books because they make me feel weird about my own (lack of a) process, but there were some really insightful essays in this. Oates can turn a phrase, man. Then again I wouldn't expect anything less from someone who writes five books a week.
3. Beyond the Sealed World by Rena Vale
Mini-Review: Someone explain to me how a lady could be so bad at writing ladies? This book had some cool world-building, but it was super misogynistic. And racist. Oh 60s, sci-fi, you are a special snowflake of awfulness.
4. A Dance with Dragons by G.R.R. Martin
Mini-Review: 3K words still counts as mini, right?
Memorable TV
Seasons Watched:
1. American Horror Story (Completed s1)
2. Shameless (Completed s1)
3. Sherlock (Completed s2)
4. Parenthood (Completed s3)
5. Downton Abbey (Completed s2)
6. The Walking Dead (Completed s2)
7. Bob & Rose (Complete Series)
8. Happy Endings (Completed S2)
Best Episodes:
1. "Road Trip," Parenthood 3.12 aired: Jan. 3
2. "The Hound of Baskerville," Sherlock 2.02 Jan. 9
3. "Reichenbach Fall," Sherlock 2.03 Jan. 15 *Definite Top 10*
4. "Dance Like Nobody's Watching," 30 Rock 6.01 *Mostly memorable because of the weirdly moving musical montage*
5. "The Gunslinger," Justified 3.01 Jan. 18 *Desmond Harrington guest starred*
6. "One Moore Episode," Portlandia 2.02 Jan. 13
7. "Episode 4," Misfits 3.04
8. "Episode 7," Misfits 3.07 *Zombie cat + zombie cheerleaders = awesomeness*
9. "The Landlord," New Girl 1.12
10. "The Tuxedo Begins," 30 Rock 6.08
11. "The Butterfly Effect Effect," Happy Endings 2.15
12. "Thick as Mud," Justified 3.05 (Dewey!)
13. "18 Miles Out," The Walking Dead 2.10
14. "Pilot," Awake 1.01
15. "Johnny McKee," Alcatraz 1.07
16. "Remember Me, I'm the One Who Loves You," Parenthood 1x17 (Julia and Zoe, OMG + camping and Lauren Graham's face)
17. "Marbeley," The River 1.02 (Dolls. 'Nuff said.)
18. "Injured," New Girl 1.15
19. "Guy Walks Into a Bar," Justified 3.10
20. "Hat Trick," Once Upon A Time 1.17
21. "A Little Kiss," Mad Men 5.01
22. "My Lucky Day," The Killing 2.02
23. "Pillows and Blankets," Community 3.14
24. "Party of Six," Happy Endings
Songs That I Loved
"Ships in the Night" Matt Kearney
"Dark Paradise" Lana Del Rey
"The Enemy" Mumford & Sons
"Hollywood Forever Cemetery" Father John Misty
"Sail" AWOLNATION
"Maybe Not" Cat Power
Misc. Stuff That Was Cool
Is Game of Thrones Sexist? Part three is especially insightful.
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Movies
1. Lethal Weapon ★ ★.5
Mini-Review: First time I watched this movie from start to finish. Busey and Gibson had chronic cases of crazy eye. Felt deep shame at how hot I found the scene where Riggs killed that guy with his feet then unhooked himself. Wondered if Danny Glover hid in his trailer between takes or if he embraced the batshit craziness of his co-stars. Found self vaguely shipping Mortaugh/Riggs. Decided movie was too cheesy for this many thoughts.
2. Midnight in Paris ★ ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: Time-bendy Woody Allen is the best Woody Allen. Rachel McAdams could have been a little less mustache twirling awful, but otherwise lovely film. Especially Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein.
3. Attack the Block ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: Allow it. This movie was freaking brilliant. Moses? Amazing. Flawless. I want to watch it a billion times.
4. Captain America ★
Mini-Review: I can now definitively say it is not possible to die from boredom.
5. The Fallen Idol ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: This movie reminded me of Downton Abbey, only with an adorable little kid. I'm pretty sure the butler did it. Like 98%. I was still rotting for him though, but only because that little dude was breaking my heart. Really cool direction by Carol Reed too.
6. It Should Happen to You ★ ★ ★
Mini-Review: Sweet little movie. Jack Lemmon was adorable as usual and the message (being famous for nothing is kind of ridiculous) was weirdly current, living in the era of YouTube and all.
Books
1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Mini-Review: This started off cool, but quickly became tedious and grating. Ye gods, I did not realize how low my tolerance for fanboy entitlement had gotten until I had to read about an avatar pining outside of a girl's virtual window with a boombox over his head. Or maybe Wade only talked about doing that, I don't know I had to blackout for reasons of self preservation. Ready Player One had some interesting things to say on the subject of online community and it had moments of maybe not greatness, but definitely, hey, that's nifty-ness. Ultimately, I wanted to throw Wade off a not-virtual cliff though so I'm giving this one one and a half thumbs down. That's a real rating, shut up.
2. The Faith of the Writer: Life, Art, Craft by Joyce Carol Oates
Mini-Review: I don't usually go for the writing as craft books because they make me feel weird about my own (lack of a) process, but there were some really insightful essays in this. Oates can turn a phrase, man. Then again I wouldn't expect anything less from someone who writes five books a week.
3. Beyond the Sealed World by Rena Vale
Mini-Review: Someone explain to me how a lady could be so bad at writing ladies? This book had some cool world-building, but it was super misogynistic. And racist. Oh 60s, sci-fi, you are a special snowflake of awfulness.
4. A Dance with Dragons by G.R.R. Martin
Mini-Review: 3K words still counts as mini, right?
Memorable TV
Seasons Watched:
1. American Horror Story (Completed s1)
2. Shameless (Completed s1)
3. Sherlock (Completed s2)
4. Parenthood (Completed s3)
5. Downton Abbey (Completed s2)
6. The Walking Dead (Completed s2)
7. Bob & Rose (Complete Series)
8. Happy Endings (Completed S2)
Best Episodes:
1. "Road Trip," Parenthood 3.12 aired: Jan. 3
2. "The Hound of Baskerville," Sherlock 2.02 Jan. 9
3. "Reichenbach Fall," Sherlock 2.03 Jan. 15 *Definite Top 10*
4. "Dance Like Nobody's Watching," 30 Rock 6.01 *Mostly memorable because of the weirdly moving musical montage*
5. "The Gunslinger," Justified 3.01 Jan. 18 *Desmond Harrington guest starred*
6. "One Moore Episode," Portlandia 2.02 Jan. 13
7. "Episode 4," Misfits 3.04
8. "Episode 7," Misfits 3.07 *Zombie cat + zombie cheerleaders = awesomeness*
9. "The Landlord," New Girl 1.12
10. "The Tuxedo Begins," 30 Rock 6.08
11. "The Butterfly Effect Effect," Happy Endings 2.15
12. "Thick as Mud," Justified 3.05 (Dewey!)
13. "18 Miles Out," The Walking Dead 2.10
14. "Pilot," Awake 1.01
15. "Johnny McKee," Alcatraz 1.07
16. "Remember Me, I'm the One Who Loves You," Parenthood 1x17 (Julia and Zoe, OMG + camping and Lauren Graham's face)
17. "Marbeley," The River 1.02 (Dolls. 'Nuff said.)
18. "Injured," New Girl 1.15
19. "Guy Walks Into a Bar," Justified 3.10
20. "Hat Trick," Once Upon A Time 1.17
21. "A Little Kiss," Mad Men 5.01
22. "My Lucky Day," The Killing 2.02
23. "Pillows and Blankets," Community 3.14
24. "Party of Six," Happy Endings
Songs That I Loved
"Ships in the Night" Matt Kearney
"Dark Paradise" Lana Del Rey
"The Enemy" Mumford & Sons
"Hollywood Forever Cemetery" Father John Misty
"Sail" AWOLNATION
"Maybe Not" Cat Power
Misc. Stuff That Was Cool
Is Game of Thrones Sexist? Part three is especially insightful.
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