As I’ve nothing better to do and 2008 has now definitely finished, I thought I’d provide you with my list of my favourite things from the year just gone. Happy New Year, by the way.
Film
I thought Wall-E was surprisingly deep for a kids film and was also technically flawless. But There Will Be Blood blew me away.
1. There Will Be Blood
2. Wall-E
3. Jar City
3. The Dark Knight
5. No Country For Old Men
TV
Absolutely no contest for the top slot, while Top Gear remains the most entertaining programme on television even when watching a repeat for the seventh time on Dave.
1. The Wire*
2. Top Gear
3. Wallander
4. The Apprentice
5. House of Saddam
*NB I’ve only watched a couple of episodes from Season 5 so far so if you’re leaving a comment, please NO SPOILERS!
Music
I don’t think it was a vintage year but perhaps I’m just turning into an old fart. Hercules and Love Affair was the only album that genuinely excited me but the rest of these are all pretty good.
1. Hercules and Love Affair – Hercules and Love Affair
2. Hot Chip – Made in the Dark
3. Duffy – Rockferry
4. Beck – Modern Guilt
5. Fujiya & Miyagi – Lightbulbs
Miscellaneous
1. The discovery of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö and their Martin Beck books
2. The use of the word “ASBO” as a noun. eg “Dave, you asbo!”
3. Pro-Evolution Soccer on Wii
4. Peanut Butter & Co’s “Crunch Time” peanut butter
5. The Barclaycard advert where the guy slides down a massive water chute
The Conversation {5 comments}
Agree with There Will Be Blood but it wouldn’t be my number one. Enjoyed No Country but the book is much better.
Dark Knight was also superb.
I’ve got all of the Wallander’s skyplus-ed but haven’t got around to watching them. Were they as good as the books?
As to the music, I really must be an old fart because I’ve only heard of three of them. (I have Rockferry does that mean I’ve still got a toe dipped in the fountain of youth?)
It’s difficult to compare Wallander on TV to the books but I thought they captured the feel of the books very well. As to Duffy I fear the answer is no, since my mum also likes this album.
I also completely forgot about Lead Balloon in my TV selections, which would probably come in at number three and would thus knock House of Saddam out of the hit list.
Have to say I find Lead Balloon to be Curb without the laughs. Duffy is most certainly not indicative of any kind of youthful remains I’m afraid. Try Band of Horses, the new Radiohead, British Sea Power and Glasvegas for more good stuff though.
I thought No Country and Dark Knight were superb, though I haven’t seen Blood yet.
As for the Wire – I couldn’t believe the bit where Young Blood and his corner boy posse crossed Mayor Drive-By and Detective Hardboiled descended into a nightmarish world of self-deception and alcoholism. Ahem.
I didn’t include Radiohead because I’ve been listening to In Rainbows since autumn 2007, although the CD version came out in 2008 (I think). However, I fucking hate Glasvegas.
Bah – back to your Duffy, espresso machines and Sunday Times supplements.
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