resurrectionsong

January 03, 2005

Macomber's List

You missed me, didn't you?

Well, today is the day that I come back to the cube farm and back to the blog. I have been freed from the bonds of the holidays, freed to be the cranky and pre-curmudgeonly self that I've had to keep secreted away during this ho-ho-ho and happiness-oriented time of year.

I feel so free.

To the point, however, Shawn Macomber has come up with his own year-end best of lists that I am happy to present to y'all here.

Best Movies

Bubba Ho-Tep
Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed
A great follow-up to 2002's instant classic.
Dawn of the Dead
The remake that exceeded all expectations.
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Band psychiatrist? Dave Mustaine pouring his lil' heart out? What a bunch of sissies!
Bill Hicks Live DVD
Collateral
Was actually really interesting.

Best Albums

Converge, You Fail Me
The most important metal band since Slayer continues to break ground.
Every Time I Die, Hot Damn!
Definitely the most engaging release of the year.
Retisonic, Return to Me
Ex-Bluetip chief continues the D.C. rock thing.
JESU, Heartache
Definitely not for everyone, but Godflesh's Justin Broadrick's comeback guitar record--two 20 minute epics--is a thing of dissonant beauty.

TV Shows

Tough Crowd, RIP
Gilmore Girls
Cold Case
Revitalized Headbanger's Ball
Center of the Universe (John Goodman)

Political Gaffes

Wesley Clark's entire campaign
Al Gore endorsing Dean
Edwards promising the crippled would walk again when Kerry was president
Bush's debate performances (yes, all of them), and, worse, his Meet the Press appearance where he couldn't come up with a rationale for Iraq, even if virtually everyone else in his Administration could have.
Teresa Heinz Kerry, Teresa Heinz Kerry, Teresa Heinz Kerry.
Better yet, what wasn't a political gaffe this year?

Books

George Washington's War, Bruce Chadwick
The best account I've read yet of the trials and tribulation of the Revolutionary War.
Love, Poverty, and War, Christopher Hitchens.
The War for Muslims Minds, Gilles Kepel
An honest assessment rather than a rant.
Peace Kills, P.J. O'Rourke

Don't forget to visit Shawn and see what he's up to; he seems to have a talend for making freepers and the Democratic Underground types angry in equal measure.

Posted by zombyboy at January 3, 2005 08:43 AM

Comments

Whoa I'm taking up a lot of room here! Now the real question is, Where is Mr. Zomby's list?

Posted by: Shawn Macomber at January 3, 2005 09:53 AM

Which is nice. It makes the page seem a lot less empty.

The Zomby list will be coming later today in bits and pieces. Unfortunately, I don't have time to read Hitchens' Love, Poverty, and War before making the list, or there might be two votes for him.

Posted by: zombyboy at January 3, 2005 10:23 AM

my own list differs from shawn's a bit:

Movies:
1. Shawn of the Dead
2. Napoleon Dynamite
3. Harry Potter 3

Albums:
Kid Dynamite - Cheap Shots Youth Anthems
posthumous cuts, covers, and live stuff - wicked awesome

Green Day - American Idiot
I don't care about the political message, but damn, the songs rock

Bright Eyes - 2 Eps

TV:
The O.C.

Posted by: Mike MacDonald at January 3, 2005 10:50 AM

Shawn of the Dead was quite possibly my favorite zombie movie of all time. Brilliant fun without ever giving up the spooky factor.

Green Day, on the other hand...

Posted by: zombyboy at January 3, 2005 10:59 AM

Hmmm, I am going to have to check out the The War for Muslims Minds. My daughter E is getting more and more interested in the world and I have been looking for good, solid literature to aid her developing worldview.

And thanks to Z, I have been enjoying Shawn's site for awhile now.

Posted by: Rae at January 3, 2005 11:21 AM

Rae,

Let me also recommend Ralph Peters' "Baghdad and Beyond" an enthusiastic and well-argued look at Muslim culture--both depressing and hopeful, and stressing the integral role women will play in turning this whole mess around.

Posted by: Shawn Macomber at January 3, 2005 11:38 AM

I was out of the pop culture loop for two years, so maybe this topped some lists during 02-03, but I place the BBC comedy tv show 'The Office' at the top of my list. I have watched both seasons numerous times and I never tire of it. Its relatively easy to find (I know Best Buy carries it). Go get it!

I also put Napoleon Dynamite on my top movie list with Mike M.

Can't wait to check out George Washington's War.

Posted by: Mikey S. at January 3, 2005 12:03 PM

Why did everyone love Napoleon Dynamite so much? Is it because you all saw yourselves in that dork? ;-)

The movie was well written, but I'll say it again - it was boring as hell. I liked Chronicles of Riddick better. Although, it needed nudity. And not Vin Diesel nudity, Thandie Newton nudity. Damn she fine. (As the brothers would say.)

My favorite movie this year was probably 61*. It's the only movie that I saw that I felt any emotion towards while watching. Everything else was blah.

Hector.

Posted by: Hector Vex at January 3, 2005 12:29 PM

Napolean Dynamite was funny because it told the story behind the life of the dork we all knew in high school. And made me at least wish I could go back and hang out with him.

Posted by: Rae at January 3, 2005 04:17 PM

And, thank you Shawn :D Admiring fan confession here: I especially enjoyed the piece about your convention experiences- made me wish you had taken a digi of yourself in jail with all your, ummmm, "mates." :D

Posted by: Rae at January 3, 2005 04:20 PM