The Best of 2005
Hey there everybody! It's been a long damn time since I've updated this thing. Well, rest assured it will be happening a lot more often now.
Before I go into my best of 2005, I just wanted to say Bonjour to my old bud Brittany who just left for France for the next semester. Have fun and be careful out there...
And with that, onto the best of music and movies in 2005 (in no particular order).
Movies
1. Walk the Line - My favorite movie this year for many reasons, most of them personal, as I grew up with the story of Johnny Cash and the redemption he finds through June Carter. Reese Witherspoon finally earned some respect from me playing June, and was sexy as hell in doing so. And what can I say about Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny that hasn't already been said? He was a killer as the Man in Black,as he did walk the line between the darkness in light in Cash, and did all his own singing and playing to boot.
2. Sin City - Probably the most innovative, and the most fun movie that I saw this year. Usually movies with a bunch of stars in it doesn't work; this one does. Mickey Rourke steals the show as Marv in a nifty little comeback.
3. A History of Violence - A movie that reinvigorated what a thriller could be; this one will screw in your head. Viggo Mortenson shakes of the Lord of the Rings bullcrap with a stellar performance, but William Hurt steals the show as the mob boss hunting him. David Cronenberg could've easily overdone this one, but underplays it to a powerful effect.
4. Cinderella Man - In a perfect world, many more people would have went to see this flick, about the Broward Bulldog, Jim Braddock. If it wasn't for Russel Crowe hitting a guy in the face with a telephone, I think more people would have. It's a great story of a man fighting from underneath, which is unbelievably true.
5. Corpse Bride - It's no secret I'm a animation nut, and I think this was the perfect blend of story, music, and gorgeous animation. Stop-motion animation is a dying art, but thank God folks like Tim Burton and his crew are keeping it alive. And who knew Johnny Depp was even good when you could only hear his voice through a puppet?
Music
Reissue of the Year
"At Carnegie Hall" - John Coltrane with the Thelonious Monk Quartet: In a word, awesome. This Thanksgiving 1957 concert was just recently found in an old canister in some vault, and good thing it was. This is a document of the only time these two music legends ever shared the same stage, and this concert shows how they influenced one another in everything each of them did musically from that moment on.
1. "The Warriors Code" - Dropkick Murphys: My boys from Beantown return with a vengeance, as they stand up to fight with Irish-tinged ravers like "Your Spirit's Alive" and the title track, and mourn for friend Sgt. Andrew Farrar, Jr, who was killed in action in Iraq, on "Last Letter Home" and "The Green Fields of France."
2. "Get Behind Me Satan" - The White Stripes: The baddest two-person blues band on the planet returned to kick your ass in '05, and did so immediately with the first single, "Blue Orchid". Add songs like "The Denial Twist", "Instinct Blues", and "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)", Jack and Meg notch their second straight classic in a row.
3. "Demon Days" - Gorillaz: The best cartoon band ever (Take that, Josie and the Pussycats! HAHAHA) releases a hell of a rap/rock/techno/dance/everything record, thanks in part to the mastermind behind last year's "Grey Album", Dangermouse. Smart move giving De La Soul their comeback opportunity, as it helped make "Feel Good Inc." the catchiest song of this year, except for...
4."Late Registration" - Kanye West: Except for "Gold Digger" that is, which even I, The Ex-Critic Music Snob, couldn't resist. That's because this album was excellent from top to bottom, and proves Kanye is every bit as good as he brags he is.
5. "Guero" - Beck: Beck's through moping, and thank God for it. He's back to ass-kicking "Odelay" form on this disc. "E-Pro" and "Hell Yes" were two of the standouts here.
Well, those are picks for the past year. Feel free to agree or to disagree...there just my opinions. It's not my fault they're right!
Before I go into my best of 2005, I just wanted to say Bonjour to my old bud Brittany who just left for France for the next semester. Have fun and be careful out there...
And with that, onto the best of music and movies in 2005 (in no particular order).
Movies
1. Walk the Line - My favorite movie this year for many reasons, most of them personal, as I grew up with the story of Johnny Cash and the redemption he finds through June Carter. Reese Witherspoon finally earned some respect from me playing June, and was sexy as hell in doing so. And what can I say about Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny that hasn't already been said? He was a killer as the Man in Black,as he did walk the line between the darkness in light in Cash, and did all his own singing and playing to boot.
2. Sin City - Probably the most innovative, and the most fun movie that I saw this year. Usually movies with a bunch of stars in it doesn't work; this one does. Mickey Rourke steals the show as Marv in a nifty little comeback.
3. A History of Violence - A movie that reinvigorated what a thriller could be; this one will screw in your head. Viggo Mortenson shakes of the Lord of the Rings bullcrap with a stellar performance, but William Hurt steals the show as the mob boss hunting him. David Cronenberg could've easily overdone this one, but underplays it to a powerful effect.
4. Cinderella Man - In a perfect world, many more people would have went to see this flick, about the Broward Bulldog, Jim Braddock. If it wasn't for Russel Crowe hitting a guy in the face with a telephone, I think more people would have. It's a great story of a man fighting from underneath, which is unbelievably true.
5. Corpse Bride - It's no secret I'm a animation nut, and I think this was the perfect blend of story, music, and gorgeous animation. Stop-motion animation is a dying art, but thank God folks like Tim Burton and his crew are keeping it alive. And who knew Johnny Depp was even good when you could only hear his voice through a puppet?
Music
Reissue of the Year
"At Carnegie Hall" - John Coltrane with the Thelonious Monk Quartet: In a word, awesome. This Thanksgiving 1957 concert was just recently found in an old canister in some vault, and good thing it was. This is a document of the only time these two music legends ever shared the same stage, and this concert shows how they influenced one another in everything each of them did musically from that moment on.
1. "The Warriors Code" - Dropkick Murphys: My boys from Beantown return with a vengeance, as they stand up to fight with Irish-tinged ravers like "Your Spirit's Alive" and the title track, and mourn for friend Sgt. Andrew Farrar, Jr, who was killed in action in Iraq, on "Last Letter Home" and "The Green Fields of France."
2. "Get Behind Me Satan" - The White Stripes: The baddest two-person blues band on the planet returned to kick your ass in '05, and did so immediately with the first single, "Blue Orchid". Add songs like "The Denial Twist", "Instinct Blues", and "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)", Jack and Meg notch their second straight classic in a row.
3. "Demon Days" - Gorillaz: The best cartoon band ever (Take that, Josie and the Pussycats! HAHAHA) releases a hell of a rap/rock/techno/dance/everything record, thanks in part to the mastermind behind last year's "Grey Album", Dangermouse. Smart move giving De La Soul their comeback opportunity, as it helped make "Feel Good Inc." the catchiest song of this year, except for...
4."Late Registration" - Kanye West: Except for "Gold Digger" that is, which even I, The Ex-Critic Music Snob, couldn't resist. That's because this album was excellent from top to bottom, and proves Kanye is every bit as good as he brags he is.
5. "Guero" - Beck: Beck's through moping, and thank God for it. He's back to ass-kicking "Odelay" form on this disc. "E-Pro" and "Hell Yes" were two of the standouts here.
Well, those are picks for the past year. Feel free to agree or to disagree...there just my opinions. It's not my fault they're right!