I couldnt call myself the Pop Culture Badger if I wrote nothing but football entries, so here are a few lists from the various branches of pop culturedom highlighting the best as well as a few of the worst of what 2012 had to offer.
Top 5 Movies
1. Avengers-Probably the best "super-hero" movie ever made*(I consider both Dark Knight movies to be drama/thriller movies that happen to use the characters and world of superheroes, Its a big difference in my mind, and yes I'm a geek), Avengers was pure nerd heaven from start to finish. Big props given to Marvel and Disney for taking the time over the last few years to cultivate and develop the characters in their own movies and then seemlessly combine them into the final blockbuster product. It had action, humor, tension, and the few occasional shout outs to the Marvel Universe. And Joss Whedon directed it which cannot be understated in nerd circles.
*the "Best Super Hero Movie Ever Made" title has changed hands literally 20 times in the last ten years(which gives me an idea for a future blog post. stay tuned...)
2. Dark Knight Rises-Falling just behind Avengers, Dark Knight Rises, the final chapter in the "Christopher Nolan led/this is how you do serious super-hero films without segreting your core audience" trilogy of Batman films, sent the Caped Crusader off in style. Its meticulously crafted plot had fans guessing how it all would end and Nolan & Co. did not disappoint. In fairness, I liked Dark Knight better, but that was more due to Heath Ledger's Oscar winning performance as the Joker.
A few negatives about DKR, as small as they are, that I want to put out there anyway: Bane's voice was just an odd choice by Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway's Catwoman really provided nothing to the plot(suprising considering Hathaway is a proven A-list actress), and the movie clocked in at 165 minutes which is a little off putting for the non-diehard Batman fans. All things considered though, if it wasnt for the Avengers, Dark Knight Rises would easily have been the best movie this year. Thats how big of a gap the #1 & 2 movies built over the the other nominees.
3. Hunger Games
-A quality film whose box office numbers were driven through the roof by its rabid teen fanbase, Hunger Games did a strange thing for a movie based upon a hit book, it actually followed the plot of the book as closely as possible. What an idea! Post apocalyptic teens wage battle for their own survival in a future america,umm...yes please. The acting was spot on, the visual imagery was captivating(the costumes though, were a bit too wierd for my tastes, but they also were that way in the book, so I'll allow it), and of course my future ex-wife Jennifer Lawrence headlined the film.
I saw Hunger Games on its opening night and you wouldn't believe the number of people in costume; we're talking Lord of the Rings level wackiness, and its all warranted. They still have two more books to work with so expect another box office juggernaut with at least two more entries on the way. Like Harry Potter, once adult non-fans look past the suggested age range of the books, they will find clever storytelling with heart and the right amount of tension that can be enjoyed by anyone. And dont forget, Jennifer Lawrence...
She's only 22?! Deleting browser history now...
4. Skyfall-He's back! After an awful sophomore campaign with "Quantum of Solace", Daniel Craig's James Bond returned with ass-kicking avengeance. Javier Bardem's creepy turn as Raoul Silva, former MI-6 agent turned traitor, was memorable to say the least. The plot and action were fast paced, and helped fill in a few more blanks in Bond's mysterious past. The ending was surprising(in a good way) and definitely set the stage for more Bond goodness down the road.
On the flip side, the Adele song for the movie, titled "Skyfall"(big reach there) is annoying and grating and seemed to have been written in about three minutes on a napkin, and yet it is still one of the most downloaded I-Tunes' songs. I weep for society.
5. Cabin in the Woods
The other four films on this list were probably seen by the vast majority of society. This one? Not so much. Joss Whedon produced this horror film gem which pokes fun at the entire horror movie genre. Some of the deaths are gruesome(not a bad thing, but it could definitely hold some people back from watching) and there are too many laugh out loud moments to single out. The writing and dialogue are clever and ingenious which are rarities in the genre. Seriously, if you havent seen it yet, watch it, if only for the greatest moto-cross crash in history involving Thor himself, Chris Henmsworth.
Just missed the cut: 21 Jump Street, the Campaign, Haywire, Chronicle, Woman in Black
Worst movie: John Carter-Stopped watching it after 10 or 15 minutes on Xbox video. In other words, it was so bad I had no problem throwing the five dollar rental fee away and doing something else.
Just google "John Carter awful" and read some of the reviews to get a better feel to the level of putridness that John Carter dumped upon movie goers. Right out of the gates, John Carter was filleted by virtually every movie reviewer and for good reason. If you paid to see this in the theaters and you are not related to one of the actors, I am speechless.
Top 5 Albums
...I bought this year and are evidence that my music tastes are nearly 8 years behind everyone else's
1. Breaking Benjamin-Shallow Bay-Best of album from one of the most unheralded rock bands of the last ten years. Of course they broke up, guaranteeing I'll probably never get to see them live.
2. Linkin Park-Living Things-Linkin Parks latest album re-established themselves as the kings of the "rap-rock" genre(a designation that I hate). The first single "Burn it down" could easily have been a song off "Hybrid Theory"(one of the greatest debut albums of the last 20 years). The rest of the album fluxuates between all of the different styles they have attempted over the years, and for the most part they succeed. A worthy pick up for any fan of the rock genre, it still is on the Billboard top ten rock albums even though it was released IN JUNE.
3. Maroon 5
-Ahhh...the "skeleton" in my musical closet, Maroon 5, continues to pump out funk driven, love rock that makes the ladies go crazy. Believe me. If your single and a guy, go out and buy all the Maroon 5 records, listen to them, and go to the next Maroon 5 concert you can. The girl to guy ratio is at least 5 to 1, and most of them are drop dead gorgeous. Their latest album, "Overexposed", drives them further from their more "hard rock" earlier days, but it's still an enjoyable, beat driven album. Touches of disco and mo-town are worked seamlessly into their repetoire and show that the band can change their stripes while still being successful. Of course having Adam Levine taking his shirt off every three seconds helps drive album sales for certain demographics, but I can look past that if they keep up their brand of music.
4. Disturbed-Indestructible-You dont get more "metal" then these guys. I mean...look at that album cover! You could ask any metal fan what would make the perfect cover and they would say "Give me a Grim Reaper character and some flames". Disturbed replied, "Here you go!".
Album cover withstanding, the album produced two of the greatest metal songs(also two of the most fun songs to play on "Rock Band". Seriously. I bet I've played both at least 40 plus times and they still get me fired up.) in recent memory and Indestructible is one of the best work-out albums I've ever heard. Disturbed continues to plug away and produce hard-driving metal that apologizes to no one.
5. Rise Against-Appeal to Reason- Much like Disturbed's "Indestructible", RA's "Appeal to Reason" came out several years ago, but I didnt pick it up until this year. Shame on me I say. The Chicago based band has established themselves as the heir apparent to "Rage Against the Machine" with their socially conscious rock which they use to highlight everything from the Irag War, the economy, and politics in general. This album throws out several unforgettable tracks that are catchy, timeless, and invigorating. Once again, their songs are a blast to play on Rock Band; making each and everyone a worthwhile download.
Top 3 concerts I attended
(In other words, I have an obsession with 311)
1. 311 day in Vegas-The more I think about it, the two nighter show the boys from Omaha threw out may be the best concert I have ever attended; it was that fantastic.
2. 311 at Summerfest-Perfect band, perfect weather, perfect set list, perfect company for the show.
3. Rise Against at Eagles Ballroom-Awesome show with tons of energy, it felt weird to see a band where I didnt know all the lyrics to their songs(last non-311 show before Rise Against? Maroon 5 @ Summerfest in 2011. Last one before that? I dont even remember). I didnt even dare to go into the mosh pit for the show as I'm getting too old for it and I would have been trampled to death by giant 16/17 year olds. Seriously, in twenty years we'll see the first 8 foot tall elementary school basketball player.
Top 10 books
Proving some people still read things beyond twitter and facebook updates
*I've linked each book to their accompanying sales page at Boswell Books(the last independent book store left in Milwaukee, Plus my girlfriend works there) in case you're interested in purchasing any of them which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
1. Growing Up Dead in Texas by Stephen Graham Jones-If Quentin Tarantino and Cormac McCarthy joined forces to write a journalistic expose on a mysterious fire in a small Texas town and the reverberating effects on the surrounding community, this would be the book they would make. The writing is compelling, engrossing, and pure in its intent.
2. Two Graves by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
-By far my favorite authors working today, Preston and Child delivered their finest novel in the "Pendergast" series in years. As with all their novels, they weave science, crime, and the supernatural seamlessly. The book is addicting, the characters feel real, and the twist and turns(Preston/Child mainstays) are used to perfection. Within the Pendergast universe, "Two Graves" has added more to the backstory and laid the groundwork forfuture titles than any of their novels since "Brimstone".
3. Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
I admit, I was totally late to the party on these three books. I had read "Hunger Games" before the film came out, but didnt read the next two, "Catching Fire" & "Mockingjay" until being inspired by the film. Two days later, I had devoured the other two books and was absolutely captivated. Each book stood on its own and had a feel all their own(Kind of like the original three Star Wars films except no Ewoks). Suzanne Collins leaves no stone unturned and actually finalizes the trilogy instead of leaving it open ended for future tales and monetary gains. Collins answers all questions readers may have had throughout the series and the fact their is a definitive ending makes reading the series that much more enjoyable. All three are quick reads and there is not a single wasted sentence. Few books, let alone whole series can say that.
4. BZRK by Michael Grant A rousing, futuristic thriller from proven Young Adult author Michael Grant, BZRK weaves a tale of nanotechnology, rebellion, and a fight for the greater good. It's just an enjoyable Sci-Fi tale that's as intelligent as it is original.
5. Ex-Pats by Chris Pavone A cloak & dagger thriller that spins the Espionage genre on its head, Pavone's debut novel follows a retired CIA agent who reluctantly retires and moves to Luxembourg becoming a stay at home mom in the process. As her former life appears to catch up with her, she begins to wonder if she will ever be able to break her old habits and profession. A great novel that is even more amazing considering its Pavone's first published work. The ending is impossible to guess and is continuously revealed until the very last sentence.
6. In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson-Erik Larson, author of one of Pop Culture Badger's favorite non fiction books ever "Devil in the White City", returns with his true to life story of the american ambassador to Germany in the years between WWI and WII who foresaw the rise of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, i.e. Nazi's, and the awful, world bending effects they would have on the international stage.
Even the most diehard WWII buffs will be fascinated by the cast of historical figures that William Dodd, the ambassador, crossed paths and mingled with over his several years in Berlin. Dodd repeatedly attempted to warn his counterparts in the US about the evil on the horizon, and well...we all know how well that turned out. Much like "Devil in the White City", the level of research that Larson must have undertaken in order to write the book is mindblowing, and the results are worth the read in every way.
7. Bushville Wins by John Klima- An enjoyable non-fiction look at the 1957 Milwaukee Braves magical season that any fan of baseball will devour, "Bushville Wins" is a re-telling of one of the original underdog sports stories chronicling the Braves' move from Boston to "lowly" Milwaukee and their eventual dethroning of the mighty New York Yankees. Some of the behind the scenes stories of the players' interactions between each other as well as the adoring public is captivating and enlightening.
8. The Third Gate by Lincoln Child Oh Lincoln Child, you've done it again. This time, he weaves a story of lost tombs, ghost kings, deadly curses, and action, action, action! Like a modern Indiana Jones heavy on science, myth, and speculation, Child's book is the classic "stay up way to late to read just a few more chapters" novel. I'm still aghast that none of his books have been made into a movie as his tense twists and cliffhangers are tailor made for the screen.("Relic" was made into a movie starring Tom Sizemore(HUGE red flag there), but thanks to Hollywood's "tweaking" of the plot it was absolutely ruined and corrupted. Although, I was one of the 5 people in the world who paid to see it in the theaters. It was literally the first movie I saw where I was the only one in the theater.)
9. Grantland vol. 2 & 3-Collecting the finest next gen sports writing being produced today, the "Grantland volumes" cover everything in the world of sports as well as occasionally delving into other pop culture streams. The list of A-list authors who've contributed to it include Malcolm Gladwell, Wisconsin native Chad Harbach(whose novel "Art of Fielding" was bar-none the best book I read in 2011. His entry in Grantland chronicles the Brewers 2010 NLCS game 5 loss to the Cardinals and the historical build-up to the moment. Its obviously one of my favorite entries in the books), Don Delillo, Chuck Klosterman, and,of course, Bill Simmons(by far the biggest inspiration of this blog.) These are must reads for the intelligent sports fan.
10.Shadows over Baker Street-Smashing the world of Sherlock Holmes with HP Lovecraft's Chthulu mythos, "Shadows over Baker Street" is a heavenly mashup of detective novel and horror fiction spread out over several short stories, which surprisingly works flawlessly. The standout story is penned by renowned novelist Neil Gaiman, whose story alone is worth the purchase. Fans of Holmes or horror will revel in the printed page awesomeness bound in this book.
Top 3 Video Games
1. Dishonored-Victorian era steampunk setting? Check. Master Assassin bent on revenge? Check. Awesome storyline that changes and fluctuates with each choice you make? Check. The ability to hilariously send swarms of carniverous rats after your enemies? Double Check! Add it all up and you get the best game of the year.
2. X-COM Enemy Unknown-Defending Earth from an impending alien invasion has never been more fun or more tense. Xcom's turn based game play forces every player to turn into a master stategist or face the permanent consequences. Characters you build up and grow attached to can die if you mess up ONCE(One of the reasons I stopped naming them after myself or my friends). The difficulty level is much higher than most games being produced today which only adds to the suspenseful narrative. Great graphics, great gameplay, borderline insane difficulty at times...great game period.
3. Witcher 2-If you took the fantasy world of "Skyrim", the choice effecting gameplay of the "Mass Effect" series, and the difficulty/frustration/"pull your hair out, how do I keep dying" of XCom you'd get "Witcher 2". It's addicting at times, blood boiling aggravating at others while always staying original in scope and story. Its the only game on this list I haven't beaten in one way shape or form, which only adds to my need to go back for another go-around. Did I mention the nudity and NC-17 level violence?
Top 5 TV shows
1. Game of Thrones-Without a doubt the best "new" show of the last three years, "Game of Thrones" continues to build its fanbase through engrossing storytelling, flawed characters, sharp dialogue, the perfect amount of twists, as well as addicting plotlines. The acting is unbelieveable, the visual effects and setting are stunning, AND it got even better during the second season. There are few shows where I count down the days until the next episode, let alone watch during its original runtime(thanks to DVR, this IS a rarity for most nowadays). Even though it is "fantasy" show, even the most ardent haters of the genre are quickly swept up in the "GoT" addiction.
2. Parks & Recreation-Following the trials and tribulations of the Pawnee Parks department and its workers, "Parks & Rec" holds the title of funniest show on television, and in my mind its not even close. The show's writers have imbued the characters with levels of imperfections and shortcomings that only solidify their connection to the audience. There are at least 5 laugh out loud moments each episode, and if you've watched the entire run you know the show is still hitting its stride. There's heart and humanity in spades and all of it feels genuine. Unlike "the Office" which jumped the shark years ago, "Parks & Rec" is only getting better and is now the TV comedy all others should be compared to.
3. Homeland-This ranking is more based on the 1st season than on the 2nd which is suffering the classic "sophmore slump" of great television. Concentrating on the first season, "Homeland"s sweep of the award shows was absolutely warranted. The relationship between Claire Dane's and Damian Lewis' characters was one of the most intriguing in recent memory. Their constant mental game of cat and mouse that left audiences guessing until the very last episode was as mentally exhausting to the viewer as it was to them. The show's ability to keep audiences wondering as to what was really going on was unbelieveable. Hopefully in the future, "Homeland" will return to its thought provoking roots, mind bending writing, and enigmatic characters and enthrall audiences like I know they can.
4. Grimm- I guarantee "Grimm" is the only show on this list that the vast majority of people have never heard of, let alone even watched. It's their loss. A detective/procedural crime drama in which folktale characters and monsters are real, "Grimm" follows detective Nick Burkhardt who descends from the mythical monster hunters of the show's title. There's enough humor and humanity to make "Grimm" addicting and absorbing on a weekly basis. Do yourself a favor and rent the first season. If you're like me you will not be disappointed.
5. Bob's Burgers-The most consistently funny primetime cartoon since "Family Guy"s prime, "Bob's Burgers" story of a restaurant owner and his crazy family's life in an unnamed seaside town is irreverent and original(unlike "American Dad" which copied "Family Guy" which copied "the Simpsons" which copied "the Flinstones). There is not one standout from the cast of main and supporting characters thanks to the writers and animators ability to flesh out each one and allow them to stand on their own merit. Much like "Parks & Rec", "Bob's Burgers" continues to get better.
No comments:
Post a Comment