• here is where I'll
put some of the best albums/films I've listened to/seen on a month by month
basis
• I'll try to keep
the list short. click on the links for my reviews.
2008
MARCH
Film:
Sunrise:
A Song of Two Humans (1927)
- stunningly impressive silent film. great performances, great direction,
pulls it off completely.
In
Bruges (2008)
FEBRUARY
Film:
Man
Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
- definitive western. interesting how the good guy is named ransom and
the bad guy is named liberty.
Music:
Dengue Fever - Venus
On Earth (2008)
- not an amazing album, but it mixes cambodian rhythms and vocals with
surf and rock and jazzy instrumentations for a fun album overall.
JANUARY
Film:
4
Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (2007)
- great picture about a woman and her roommate who seek out an illegal
abortion
Funny
Games (1997)
Music:
Magnetic Fields -
Distortion
(2007)
2007
DECEMBER
Film:
Paths
Of Glory (1957)
Juno
(2007)
Music:
One.Be.Lo -
R.E.B.I.R.T.H.
(2007)
V.A. - Darjeeling
Limited Soundtrack (2007)
Eddie Vedder - Into
The Wild Soundtrack (2007)
NOVEMBER
Film:
Michael
Clayton (2007)
- good suspenseful and well-executed film.
Lions
For Lambs (2007)
- smart film about the state of domestic/foreign affairs in today's america.
OCTOBER
Film:
Last
Laugh (1924)
- murnau masterpiece. thoughtful, sympathetic, great performance.
Hombre
(1967)
- great paul newman film
SEPTEMBER
Film:
I
Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang (1932)
- great and under-rated early noir
North
By Northwest (1959)
- one of hitchcock's most enjoyable and methodically-paced films.
Stardust
(2007)
- great comic/fantasy film in the vein of princess bride. a classic.
Hunchback
Of Notre Dame (1939)
Music:
Animal Collective -
Strawberry
Jam (2007)
Animal Collective -
Feels
(2005)
AUGUST
Film:
Black
Snake Moan (2006)
Corporation
(2003)
- great documentary about the role and history of the corporation.
Invasion
(2007)
Lord
Of War (2005)
JULY
Film:
Karate
Kid (1984)
This
Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)
JUNE
Film:
Knocked
Up (2006)
- great comedy, for fans of 40 year-old virgin, there's something about
mary and pot humor
Hud
(1963)
- from the director of norma rae and hombre. well-shot and acted, worth
checking out if you don't mind a slightly slow film by today's standards.
Music:
Various Artists -
Ghost
Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (Soundtrack)
- enjoyable even for people who don't generally like hip-hop
MAY
Film:
Rear
Window (1954)
- voyeurism, impotence, and a hot blonde - classic hitchcock.
Borat
(2006)
- an examination of american culture which happens to be extremely funny
Music:
Animal Collective -
Sung
Tongs
- reminds me of the beatles, and i haven't said that since i heard oasis
and their shameless copycat routine
APRIL
Film:
Breaking
Away (1979)
- great coming of age film, basically a must-see
MARCH
Film:
Imitation
Of
Life (1959)
- sirk does it again
FEBRUARY
Film:
Unfaithfully
Yours (1948)
- for fans of smart writing, preston sturges and classical music.
Find
Me Guilty (2006)
- for fans of my cousin vinny, movies based on true stories and comedies
with some well-done drama
Half
Nelson (2006)
- watch it for two very good performances and interesting character dynamics
Genesis
(2004)
- peaceful film for fans of march of the penguins, microcosmos, life on
earth, baraka, winged migration, etc.
Music:
JANUARY
Film:
Jesus
Camp (2006)
Godfather
(1972)
Godfather
Part II (1974)
Lord
Of War (2005)
Rocky
II (1979)
- watch this one if you liked any of the others in the series. this is
the best of the six.
Music:
Emanon
- Waiting Room (2005) - there are at least three solid tracks on this
one that are worth checking out: pseudo, the world don't sing,
and it seems.
2006
DECEMBER
Film:
Road
Warrior (1981)
Chinatown
(1974)
Out
Of Time (2003)
Music:
Borat Soundtrack
(2006) - yeah it's got a couple joke songs and clips from the film that
might get old after repeated listenings (though that hasn't happened yet...),
but the majority of the soundtrack is quality music from eastern europe.
the cd has some added video content which is quite funny.
Mamadou Diabate - Behmanka
(2004)
NOVEMBER
Film:
Stranger
Than Fiction (2006)
Fountain
(2006)
Octopussy
(1983)
Mr.
Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
Borat
(2006)
Pusher
(1996)
Music:
Orbital - In-Sides
(1996)
OCTOBER
Film:
Departed
(2006)
Lucky
Number Slevin (2006)
SEPTEMBER
Film:
Aviator
(2005)
AUGUST
Film:
Little
Miss Sunshine (2006)
JULY
Film:
Benchwarmers
(2006)
Music:
Boards of Canada -
Geogaddi
(2002)
APRIL
Film:
United
93 (2006)
Cool
Hand Luke (1967)
Music:
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
- Deltron 3030 (2000)
MARCH
Film:
Block
Party (2005)
Cache
(2005)
Summer
Camp (2006)
Enron:
The Smartest Guys In The Room (2005)
Celebration
(1997)
Music:
Ali Farka Toure - Red
& Green (2005)
FEBRUARY
Film:
Walk
The Line (2005)
Music:
Outkast - Aquemini
(1998)
JANUARY
Film:
Squid
And The Whale (2005)
Munich
(2005)
2005
DECEMBER
Film:
Pi
(1998)
Enemy
Mine (1985)
Music:
Binary Star - Masters
Of The Universe (2000)
NOVEMBER
Film:
Jarhead
(2005)
Music:
System of a Down -
Mezmerize
(2005)
Amadou and Mariam -
Dimanche
a Bamako (2005)
Blackalicious - Craft
(2005)
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary
Machine (2005)
OCTOBER
Film:
North
Country (2005)
Il
Mostro (1994)
Saboteur
(1942)
Oldboy
(2003)
Music:
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary
Machine (2005) - better than i anticipated. though not produced entirely
by jon brion, it definitely feels like it has his fingerprint. the orchestration
and production are quite good and her vocals compliment it well. a pleasant
surprise.
SEPTEMBER
Film:
Breaking
Away (1979)
Norma
Rae (1979
Dirty
Dozen (1967)
Music:
Amadou and Mariam -
Dimanche
a Bamako (2005) -- fucking great world music. check out salif keita,
tinariwen or ali farka toure if you dig this. proves once again that mali
is producing the best music from the continent.
AUGUST
Film:
Pappillion
(1973)
Narrow
Margin (1952)
Steve McQueen Boxset
Music:
Autechre - Incunabula
(1993)
One Be Lo - s.o.n.o.g.r.a.m.
(2005) -- fucking brilliant hip-hop.
Amadou and Mariam -
dimanche
a bamako (2005) -- fucking great world music. check out salif keita,
tinariwen or ali farka toure if you dig this. proves once again that mali
is producing the best music from the continent.
JULY
Film:
Z
Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004)
Cincinnati
Kid (1965)
War
Of The Worlds (2005)
Music
Is The Weapon (1982)
Island
(2005)
JUNE
Film:
Hoop
Dreams (1994)
Big
Lebowski (1998)
Tarnation
(2003)
I
Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang (1932)
Music:
Edan - Beauty And
The Beat (2005)
MAY
Film:
Fargo
(1996)
Music:
B12 - Time Tourists
Nic Armstrong And The
Thieves - Greatest White Liar (2005)
APRIL
Film:
Thieves'
Highway (1949)
Born
Rich (2003) documentary
Night
And The City (1950)
Music:
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien/Dan
The Automator - Deltron
3030 -- the first half of this album is just brilliant. he mixes
up long tracks and shorter interludes quite well to complete the futuristic
mood of the piece. this album is every bit as good as most of dr. octagon's
"Dr. Octagonecologyst," and comparable in sound and feel.
MARCH
Film:
A
Red Bear (2002)
Always
A Bridesmaid (2000)
Hostage
(2005)
Destry
Rides Again (1939)
Music:
Mylab - Mylab
(2004)
FEBRUARY
Film:
Midnight
Cowboy (1969)
Graduate
(1967)
Bend
of the River (1952)
Million
Dollar Baby (2004)
Music:
Soundtrack - Pieces
of April (2003) -- not one song cracks four minutes and that's a good
thing because each song leaves you wanting more. it's probably the most
un-manly music i have, but it's quite good. the film is also good and uses
the music entirely as diegetic music, save for one song. it's interesting
because the film doesn't call attention to the music at all, rather it
allows the music to stay understated and seep into you subconsciously.
JANUARY
Film:
Capricorn
One (1978)
My
Architect: A Son's Journey (2003)
Far
Country (1954)
Music:
Out Hud - S.T.R.E.E.T.
D.A.D. (2002) -- some of the same guys who are in !!! (chk chk chk),
overall this album is probably better than the !!! album (louden up now).
Jim Gaffigan - Doing
My Time (Comedy) -- this guy is hilarious. i was first introduced to
his work in 2001 while melanie and i were on the trip and i was blown away
by his routine. he does a lot of the same material here, but i have a bad
memory and it's all so funny that listening to it over and over isn't a
problem. check this guy out, you will like him... guaranteed.
Fugazi - Instrument
(1999) -- great (mostly) instrumental album.
2004
DECEMBER
Film:
Tin
Star (1957)
Kanto
Wanderer (1963)
Night
Of The Hunter (1955)
Girlhood
(2003)
A
Christmas Story (1983)
NOVEMBER
Film:
Stage
Fright (1950)
Dial
M For Murder (1954)
Last
Seduction (1994)
Saw
(2004)
Koyaanisqatsi
(1983)
Fahrenheit
9/11 (2004)
Music:
Taraf De Haidouks -
Band
Of Gypsies (2001)
Talib Kweli - Beautiful
Struggle (2004)
Eminem - Encore
(2004)
OCTOBER
Film:
Lost
Weekend (1945)
Die
Hard (1988)
Alien
(1979)
Deadline
(2004)
Big
One (1997)
Shaun
Of The Dead (2004)
Music:
Set
Fire To Flames - Telegraphs
In Negative/Mouths Trapped In Static (2004)
Four
Tet - Dialogue
(1999)
SEPTEMBER
Film:
Friday
The 13th (1980)
Slacker
(1991)
Raising
Arizona (1987)
My
Life As A Dog (1985)
This
Gun For Hire (1942)
Producers
(1968)
Open
Water (2004)
Music:
Rokia
Traore - Bowmboi
(2004) i'm hardly a world music expert, but in my experience the music
coming out of mali is as good as anything else on the continent, and this
is one more example of that. definitely worth a spin if you're at all interested
in world music.
Orbital
- Blue
Album (2004) not their best effort, but a step up from 'the altogether'
and the first song on the album is very good. not a bad way to bow out
at all. just pretend track seven doesn't exist.
Orb
- Bicycles
And Tricycles (2004)
AUGUST
Film:
Songs
From The Second Floor (2000)
Predator
(1987)
Collateral
(2004)
Evil
Dead (1981)
Music:
David
Byrne - Grown
Backwards (2004)
JULY
Film:
To
Have And Have Not (1944)
Good,
The Bad, And The Ugly (1966)
Boogie
Nights (1997)
My
Dinner With Andre (1981)
Double
Indemnity (1944) if you want to know what film-noir is watch this
or gun crazy, they're great and indicative of the genre.
Gun
Crazy (1949)
City
Of God (2002)
A
Tree Grows In Brooklyn (1945)
Corporation
(2003)
Music:
Danger Mouse and Jemini
- Ghetto Pop Life (2004)
Soundtrack - The
Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966)
echobrain - glean
(2004) Has shades of alice in chains, soundgarden, stp, post-rock, etc.
it's worth checking out.
JUNE
Film:
Fahrenheit
9/11 (2004)
Fog
Of War (2003)
Crimson
Gold (2003)
Ferris
Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Miracle
(2004)
Stray
Dog (1949)
Music:
Beastie Boys - To
The Five Boroughs (2004)
Non-Prophets - Hope
(2003)
Team Shadetek - Burnerism
(2004) similar to autechre's LP5 in a lot of ways. it's on warp and it's
only 5 or 6 bucks so it's pretty recommendable for the price.
MAY
Film:
Stone
Reader (2002)
Cobb
(1994)
Das
Experiment (2001)
Thesis
(1996)
American
Movie: The Making Of Northwestern (1999)
Rififi
(1955)
Music:
Magnetic Fields - I
(2004)
Black Keys - The
Big Come Up (2002)
Jello Biafra - Spoken
Word Album #6 - Become The Media (3 CDs) (2000)
APRIL
Film:
Uncovered:
The Whole Truth About The Iraq War (2003)
Eternal
Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
Graduate
(1967)
Battle
Of Algiers (1965)
Grave
Of The Fireflies (1988)
Music:
David Cross - It’s
Not Funny (2004)
MARCH
Film:
Seventh
Seal (1957)
Vanishing
Point (1971)
Invasion
of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Taste
Of Cherry (1997)
Hearts
And Minds (1974)