THE TOP 10 (or so) of 2009
By Ernest M. Whiteman III
Once again we gather to take a look at what I thought were the best things this past year. I can hear you know. How come you didn't do this last year. You should know how I roll by now. I can also hear it now in the sense that I will have left off your favorite movie. Deal.
MUSIC:
Honestly, I did not buy much music this year. I don’t listen to much radio nowadays and what music is out there barely appeals to me, much less gets me to listen. People like to hold on to favorites and lord it over everyone that they have not sold-out their youthful leanings, but really, it is silly to hang on to such things as it simply prevents growth. I simply like what I like and though it is not popular I simply enjoy listening to it and I leave people to theirs. (I hope) But, anyone can say that. I just do not buy new music is what I am saying. Since I have barely bought anything this past year, I have narrowed it down to the only new music I bought or received this year.
3. Danielle Ate the Sandwich: Things People Do – This year I became a fan of pretty women and their ukuleles. Fortunately, Danielle Ate the Sandwich is a good songwriter and great singer. Her cover of CCR’s “Fortunate Son” on YouTube is one of my absolute favorites, as is “Handsome Girl” off this album, which she sells through her MySpace, her website and iTunes. Based out of Colorado, there is no chance of seeing her play live anytime soon, though. I feel a little stingy about sharing this artist. But hey, anyone who can invent Talent Chee-to's is aces in my book.
2. Saint Mike: S.O.S. – St. Mike epitomizes Native Rap for me now as his tunes and rhymes are original and different, apart from today’s Native Rap scene, which just seems to be emulating what is currently popular with the Rap Genre in general. “Saint or Sinner” is absolutely one of my favorite rap songs ever. I know, I’m a solitary Geeky mess, but I’ve been known to like original things. Plus, there are ample opportunities to see him live. I just have to get there.
1. U2: No Line on the Horizon, one of their strongest albums. What I love best about U2 is their consistency in songwriting, in playing and the fact that they remain together after 30 years. The title track, “Unknown Caller”, “White as Snow” and the fantastic “Moment of Surrender” prove that U2 still has what it takes to make great music. Despite being lumbering dinosaurs. I will be taking my Boo to her first ever rock concert and the U2 360 tour is the one we are going to! Still my favorite album this year.
DVD’s
Again, limited to DVD’s I bought or received this year not necessarily what came out this year. I threw in one that was released this year but I have not bought it, yet.
6. Buena Vista Social Club – Another one of those instances where, when I bought it I had to ask why I had not gotten it earlier. I saw this twice when it first came out. Directed by one of my favorite directors Wim Wenders, this documentary follows the search for Cuban musicians and singers that were popular in pre-50’s Cuba, an amazing story with awesome music.
5. Terminator Salvation – I list this because it was a gift from my Char. It was one of the movies we saw together at the theater. I remember that we were trying to get to the theater to watch one of the latest animated things, when at the last second she changed her mind and wanted to watch this. She enjoyed it. Anything with a mythology she can make connections to works for her.
4. Seven Samurai (3-disc Criterion Edition) – Finally got this one as well. When I watched it again, it moved up to #4 on my Top Ten All-time Favorite Movie. This movie has everything in it. Ronin, bandits, swordplay, battle, a love story, social critique, and action. Kurosawa is a master. I highly recommend you getting this edition
3. Red Cliff: Special Edition (Blu Ray) – This is the very first Blu-Ray disc I have bought. Now, you will think it strange, laugh even, that I do not own a Blu-Ray player. But, this holds with tradition. I did not own a DVD player when I bought my first DVDs. I must have owned “The Business of Fancydancing” (The very first DVD I ever bought) and an import edition of Zhang Yimou’s “Hero” about six months before I was able to purchase a DVD player. So, this, besides being a fantastic movie, is sort of a thrown gauntlet to myself to start saving up to buy a Blu-Ray player.
2. Wings of Desire: Criterion (Blu Ray) – One of my fondest wishes is that Criterion, known for packaging great extras with great films, take on one of my favorite all-time movies. They did that with “Seven Samurai”, “The Killer” and others. But when Criterion broke out into Blu-Ray, one noticeably missing entry, which had not been in their standard format catalog, was suddenly one of the first they package as a Blu-Ray. “Wings of Desire” did not change my life, no movie should do that, but it introduced to me a flavor beyond what I was taking in on the Rez. Plus, the idea of an angel whom becomes human for love, falling to grace rather than from it summarized for me my own thoughts on falling in love. A great film now at the absolute best clarity possible. I will own this.
1. Red Cliff II – What more can I say about this remarkable comeback from the great John Woo that I have not already said in my review?
BOOKS:
I only read three new books of all the books I’ve bought. Mostly, Scholastic’s “Bone” reprints for my Charlotte. Which gets fifth place on the principle that my Boo loves, loves, LOVES the series.
5. Bone – Jeff Smith. My Boo and my Little Sister’s Favorite, ‘nuff said.
4. War Dances – Sherman Alexie’s return to adult fiction is surprisingly non-Native in voice. While some stories are about Natives, read it and you will see what I mean.
3. Mastering the Art of War – Zhuge Liang & Liu Ji, just reading the words of one of my new heroes, Zhuge Liang is something special to me that I cannot describe.
2. Book of the Five Rings – Mayamoto Mushashi, I related the story of why I bought this and the dead mosquito within. Still, its straightforwardness is absolutely insightful. Made me see things a bit more clear. I recommend it highly, even if we are all not 12th Century Samurai.
1. Three Kingdoms – Luo Guanzhong, no surprises here. I simply started reading it again. Every time I open it up, how can I not be taken in by these fantastic stories of war, of battle, of personal sacrifice and honor, of villainous schemes, of betrayal and deceit, of marshal valor and marshal law, and at the center of it all a tale of brotherhood that bonds three men to death at each other’s side. No, no surprises here that when I would pick it up again, its story serves a reminder that it will forever be my most favorite book of all.
MOVIES:
Again, I will limit it to first-time viewings, mostly in the theater.
10. Monsters vs. Aliems/Rifftrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space (TIE) A cheat, I know but these are based on theater-going experience. MvA was awesome in that afterward, Char and I talked the movie the whole way home. Rifftrax Live was another awesome experience as Bonnie and I went and laughed our heads off. We enjoyed it so much that we went to an encore presentation a couple of months later.
9. Up – If this isn’t on your Top 10 of 2009 list, then something is wrong with you.
8. Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince – Nice to see the story and tone progressing. And to see Rickman getting his chance to shine.
7. Star Trek – I loved what JJ Abrams did with this reboot. Sure, it’s not to everybody’s liking but it attracted an audience beyond the normal (hah) Star Trek fan. Even my Bonnie liked it. She loved how they changed things up with the destruction of a major planet but also of how Spock has a love life! When I said, he is half-human. She replied, yeah, the bottom half! Ha! If it attracts my Bonnie to enjoy it, then it is a good movie.
6. Coraline – another smart animated film. I love how there are more sophisticated shows for children coming along. I hope it continues.
5. NINE (Dir. Rob Marshall) – I dug the holy heck out of this. Sure, there are scantily-clad ladies shaking their dinners at the camera, but at the core of it is a story of a man, a film director whom cannot conjure his next film because of all the women in his life. At the end he realizes that art is a truly shallow pursuit in the context of living a good life and being true to the love of your life. The very last sequence had me grinning like a fool. The last shot had me applauding before the credits rolled. Daniel Day-Lewis can do anything.
4. District 9 – one of the smartest, original sci-fi actioners to come along in a long time.
3. It Might Get Loud – I am teaching myself how to play the guitar because of this documentary. People do not realize the tough background that U2 comes from, the times they lived in as children, what they saw. Seeing Jimmy Page step out of his black limo in his shades and carrying his guitar was just so cool…
1. (TIE) Red Cliff (U.S. Release) – This Magonlia Pictures release garners a tie for first place on this list because it edited out great portions of the two Asian releases. This, long with:
1. The Hurt Locker – The two best war movies this past year and Kathryn Bigalow could teach Tarantino some lessons in high tension. (Yeah, I said that.)
I know, I know, what about this movie, what about that movie. It was great. How could you not like it? You’re a filmmaker! What about my favorite of all of historical cinema, the reason Thomas Edison invent this sh*t, “Inglorious Basterds”!?!?!
Well, I have a very peculiar taste and way of determining what makes a good movie to me. If you read WoS regular last month and seen the Redshade update you will understand what makes a good movie for me. In my humble opinion, people want movies like “Watchmen” and “Basterds” to succeed and be heralded mainly because it justifies their own tastes. Whether they are playing up the Indie, art house, non-conformist tip, or are vigorous defenders of the Geeky Popcorn Aesthetic, they want validation. Me? I could care less if what I like is art house or popcorn. I enjoy movies, and if they inspire me in that way where I want to go out and make movies, I can dig it. Besides, we all know that taste is the enemy of art.
And we all have our tastes in movies.
Make sure you look up my Best of the Decade in Movies. Maybe I will do a screening of my Top Ten of the Last Ten Years. Let me know.
Until next year.
MOVIES TWENTY-TEN
Wait, why not stick around a bit longer. To change things up, I think I'll post upcoming 2010 movies that I am looking forward to and are on my "Must See" List. All right with you? Good. Let's go...
1) Inception – Christopher Nolan (July 16): Nolan is probably the best director working the Hollywood system right now. His "Memento", "Batman Begins", "The Prestige" and "The Dark Knight" have made me a believer in his talent. I am so looking forward to this after seeing the twisty-turny, floaty hallway fight. I am there.
2) The Warlords – Peter Chan (April 2): I've been on a Chinese history kick that's now lasting well into a third year. This was released in late 2008 and only now is getting a US release. Another grand war epic about three oath brothers. Plus, Jet Li doing the dramatic acting he has always wanted to do. Team him with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro and you've got me and womendom there.
3) Mulan aka Hua Mulan – Jingle Ma (released November 26 in Asia, awaits US distribution): Another adaptation of the folk-tale about a young woman whom disguises herself as a man to fight in the Wei army in her father's stead. In the story she was in the army for 12 years, rising to the rank of general, before revealing her identity to her soldiers upon returning home. This stars Zhao Wei, whom I am crushing on after "Red Cliff". A solid actioner it looks like.
4) Tron Legacy – Joseph Kosinski (December 17): If you were a geeky kid in the 80's, this is something you have to be excited for. Or else turn in your Starship Enterprise ID badge!
5) The Expendables – Sylvester Stallone (August 13): Stallone, Jet Li, Doplh Lundgren, Jason Statham, with appearances by both Arnold Schwartzenegger and Bruce Willis. No official tralers yet, but with this much muscle behind it, it cannot go wrong.
6) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – David Yates (November 19): First part of two in one of the finest literary finales. I cannot wait to see what they were able to cram into these films from teh crazy-ass ending the book series had.
7) Machete – Robert Rodriguez (April 16): Based on a fake trailer and because fanboys demand it. You know how good a movie is when fanboys get what they want. Look at Inglorious Basterds and Watchmen and the Star Wars Prequels (Yeah, I went there.). But, I'm a Rodriguez Fan. I'm looking forward to it. Hey, it is what it is...
8) Predators – Nimrod Antel (July 7): Produced by Rodriguez and directed by a guy named Nimrod. What's not to love? Supposed to be what "AlienS" was to "Alien". Cool.
9) The American – Anton Corbijn (September 1): George Clooney plays a hitman on the obligatory final job. I am happy to see Clooney play an aged hitman. As I hope to play one soon myself. (Told you, we both have the same problem.)
10) Kick Ass – Matthew Vaughn (April 16): The teaser trailer got me fired up. But, you know it's just wrong. But a fun wrong. Like cold pizza and Oreos.
Maybes:
Edge of Darkness – Martin Campbell (January 22): We'll see.
Iron Man 2 – Jon Favreau (May 7): Still cannot get over the glaring contradiction of the hero.
Robin Hood – Ridley Scott (May 14): Scott and Crowe (forgot his name for a second) have never steered me wrong. Have they?
Anyways, write me up and tell me what I got wrong and what you are looking forward to. Until next year.
Ernest M. Whiteman III
