As my father before me, and now my younger brother, I have compiled here a list of the things I enjoyed this year. A few things to get out of the way – these are not things that came out this year, they are things I experienced within it (and truth be told, with my memory its possible some 2022 items sneaked in here). The rankings aren’t set in stone, and if you don’t like something I’ve written here… sorry?
Anyway. Here’s the media I consumed this year. Voraciously.
Movies:
As I chose this ordering I found, unexpectedly, that I had things to say on each. So I’ve put a little micro-review after each, but don’t be expecting the same for the other categories, yah hear?
- It’s A Wonderful Life
- … what can I say. I wept. This film is old, it didn’t do anything fancy or sudden or technically impressive. But over it’s old-school, long run-time, it worked its magic on me. Bedford Falls feels as real as my own hometown (albeit a far better place to live), and George as known to me as if I lived out the film’s opening with him in real-time instead of half and hour. Sure it’s sentimental, maybe even twee at points, but there’s something in this movie that’s good for the soul.
- About Time
- A beautiful film about life, goodness, and… well, time. Gleeson and McAdams are both brilliant, and this one also made me tear up.
- Your Name
- My room-mate Eddie got me to see a few modern anime’s this year. The way Shinkai weaves together the supernatural and the everyday, both in the story and the animation itself, was really charming, and as with the rest of the top-three, this made me cry.
- The Red Shoes
- I think this could’ve been higher if I hadn’t slept like crap the entire week before I went to see it. Indeed, that I can remember it so well when the rest of that day felt like a fever-dream definitely points to this being a great. I walked away assuming it must’ve been made in the 60’s, maybe late 50’s, but no – 1948. Wowza.
- Rushmore
- Had I really researched this one, and learned it centred on the romantic rivalry between a 16-year-old boy and 40-something man over the former’s teacher, I may have chosen not to watch it. But despite this premise, it’s a good un’. Just trust me.
- Dishonourable mention: Asteroid City
- The first time I saw this I was thoroughly underwhelmed, but felt that there was something in this movie, some layer that I’d seen a glimpse of, that held the real point inside it. So I went again, and oh my word I loathe it. I peeled back the layers of meta-narrative, pastel-colouring and Anderson’s patented whimsy to find… nothing. A cynical, empty husk of a movie.
TV Shows
I didn’t really watch much TV at all this year, but here are some I did enjoy:
- Twin Peaks
- Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Clone High
Music (Albums)
Lots of good music this year, if I don’t say so myself. How the heck can you rank them though? I like different music for different moods. Oh what the heck, here’s all of them.
- In Rainbows – Radiohead
- OK Computer – Radiohead (sorry)
- Plastic Beach – Gorillaz
- Souvlaki – Slowdive
- High Violet – The National
- Krystal – Matt Maltese
- Beast Epic – Iron & Wine
- Hawaii: Part II – Miracle Musical
- The Girl, the Cat and the Tree – LAUSSE THE CAT
- Hail To The Thief – Radiohead (I can quit anytime I want)
[Coming next week: Caleb’s Top Track (because screw Wrapped it doesn’t know anything), and Caleb’s Top Books (for my intellectual readership)]