· lists

Best of 2007, Part One of Four ~ Television

February 1, 2008 in entertainment, lists, television reviews | 11 comments

I know it’s getting well into 2008 at this point, but my 2007 somehow felt unfinished without a blogg-y recap of my “Best of 2007’s”.

So I’ve broken my “best of” up into four parts and it will all be released within the next week or so.

Part one is Best of 2007 – Television (let’s get the least impressive one out of the way first, right?).

This will be followed by Best Films of 2007 and then Best Books READ in 2007. Unfortunately I’d have trouble picking a top 10 books read in 2007 that were also released in 2007, so I’m just going to do my top 10 read in 2007, regardless of their release date. Best Albums of 2007, will be last, though certainly not least.

Anyway, onto television…

The 1979 Semi-Finalist’s Best Television of 2007:

10. Life

This is a pretty good show. It has let me down occasionally, but overall I like the fact that it has a storyline that solves itself within an hour (always more engaging and smarter than your average L&O episode) and also a larger story arch about the main character – Detective Crews, on his quest to discover who framed him and sent him to prison for 12 years. I think most of the actors are working at a really high level here and the character relationships are well developed. Detective Crews is one of the most interesting characters to come around in a long time. The quirkiness of the character would probably be annoying in the hands of a lesser actor, but it mostly works here. I hated the two-part episode that took Crews character quirks to a whole new level by making the entire episodes about that, but it seemed to be a one time slip up.

09. Extras

I’ve loved this show all along, even though uncomfortable comedy makes me, well, uncomfortable. I was sorry to see this show end, but I understand why they may have felt it had run its course. Additionally, the final series episode almost had me in tears it was so good. I can’t remember the last time I felt so rewarded by a finale. It was pitch perfect.

08. Top Chef

This is a show I would LOVE to hate, but I just can’t. It’s engaging and well edited and I always find I just can’t stop watching, like all reality television, but in a good way, like almost NO reality television. Padma has also proved to be an eminently watchable host, which I never would have guessed. I feel pressured to say something horribly cheesy like, “I refuse to pack up my knives and go, where this show is concerned!”. I’ll resist…oh wait, too late.

07. Damages

I talked about this show frequently while it was on this year, it was a great show and I’m delighted it got picked up. I can’t wait to see what the writers have in store for these characters. With the exception of Katie, these characters were incredibly well crafted, and the actors were absolute top of the line (again, with the notable exception of Katie). There was a blip around episode five or so where my interest waned (again, I blame Katie) but it picked right back up and delivered HUGE.

06. Project Runway

This show is AWESOME. No way around it. I never really thought I could say I love a reality show with no shame as I do with this show, but it is just brilliantly executed. And Heidi Klume has proved herself to be one hell of a smart supermodel. She’s likeable, funny, engaging, and comes off as pretty freaking intelligent. I love this show. My only complaint is that it takes so damn long to get it back on the air, unlike every other reality show on earth. But if I have to wait in order to have quality, then I’ll learn patience. In other words, “I’m in!” (sorry, could not resist cheesy quote this time either apparently). Also, Chris M. for president of the world!

05. Pushing Daises

The BEST new show of the year. Brilliant, creative, constantly engaging, and by far the most rich and beautiful set I’ve ever seen on television. There is just not a damn thing wrong with this show…and I’m not going to look for anything. If you’re not watching it, you are totally screwing up. Of course it, like everything, is on hiatus with the writer’s strike, but it was definitely performing prior to the strike, so hopefully it will be able to come back in full force when Hollywood returns to normal.

04. The Office

I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks, I love what they’ve done with Jim and Pam. I think the writer’s have pulled off a miracle here and done what has always been impossible on television – gotten the “it” couple together and kept it funny and engaging. I find it infinitely more interesting to be done with the cat and mouse of “will they or won’t they” and onto, “what in the hell are they going to get into now that we’ve broken down barriers”. Other characters have had a chance to shine as well, the Ryan transformation has been hilarious, as has Kelly’s. Dwight has been through hell and they’ve made me feel SO bad for him…and Angela…something I would never have thought possible.

03. Flight of the Conchords

I adore this freaking show. Every time I watch it it gets funnier. Every time I think I’m going to be sick of the quirky hilarious songs, I’m dead wrong. The show is totally brilliant and I absolutely cannot wait for next season. I love this show so much I actually bought the cd (it was cheap – like five bucks) and as expected IT was hilarious as well, almost as good as seeing Bret & Jemaine in living color inside my ears. That didn’t make sense, but if you watch this show you know what I’m talking about. As a sidenote, I totally feel like Bret & Jemainr are my friends, and I’m aware this makes me seem like a crazy stalker person…I don’t know what to do about that, but I feel like we’ve hung out before, and we got along famously, what can I say?

02. 30 Rock

Wow. I am an idiot. I wasn’t watching 30 Rock religiously last year. Biggest mistake of my life (and there have been lots – trust me), and there is just no way to go back in time and correct this horrendous error in my judgement. This show just rocks (no pun). When you can’t decide who stole all the scenes…because everyone had awesome lines delivered awesomely and they all stole all the scenes then you know you’re watching some freaking brilliance. I have to go with Alec Baldwin as the “regular” scene stealer, but Tracy Morgan has really given him a run for his money this season, and Jane Krakowski is no slouch either. And what is up with Tina Fey being some kind of multi-tasking mastermind that can create a show, star in it, write it, and produce it…AND it actually be awesome. That’s some kind of jedi mind shit. I’ll leave you with the immortal words of Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donagy, “I like you. You have the boldness of a much younger woman”.

01. Big Love

Greatest show on television, without a doubt. I never in a bagillion (yes I’m using bagillion instead of bazillion…I’ve really never been a fan of bazillion) years would I have thought my favorite television show would be about Mormon Polygamists living in Utah, but it freaking is. I also never would have thought a show about this would be the most feminist centered, female focused show on television, but it freaking is. Love it, waiting with bated breath until it’s back. It is totally worth getting HBO just to watch this show alone…plus then you can watch Flight of the Conchords too…it’s really win win…

Honorable Mentions: The Last One Standing (Discovery Channel) and Studio 60 (this is easily technically in the top 5 of 2007 for me, but since it’s dead with no chance for renewal, I didn’t want to waste a spot on it).

Wanted to watch, it just didn’t happen, but I still intend to watch and expect I’ll love: Mad Men

Worst Show of 2007: Bionic Woman- by miles and miles!

Kelly’s Top 100 Movies…Numbers 1 – 25

December 31, 2007 in entertainment, lists, movie reviews, movies | 5 comments

Here it is, what you’ve all been waiting for…the top 25 movies of Kelly’s Top 100 Movies Of All Time!

If you want to see numbers 26 – 100, check out here, here, and here. And if you must know why I even bothered with this list in the first place, read more here.

But first, let me give you some movies I LOVE that came so close to the top 100 but just didn’t quite make the cut. It was painful to leave them behind (and this is harder than it looks, I swear). I honestly feel like watching all 100, plus the ones I’m about to list all over again, to see if my list is really accurate, because it really seems to depend on my mood…

Anyway, here are some movies that fell just short: Personal Velocity (2002); EXistenZ (1999); You Can Count On Me (2000); 12 Monkeys (1995); Magnolia (1999); Sunshine (2007); Little Children (2006); Kicking And Screaming (1995); Far From Heaven (2002); Good Night And Good Luck (2005); The Motorcycle Diaries (2004); Ratcatcher (1999); Imitation Of Life (1959); Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939); Stranger Than Fiction (2006); Leaving Las Vegas (1995); Lovely And Amazing (2001); and Kids (1995). It was brutal eliminating these…maybe under further review they’ll be readmitted next year…

In the meantime, here are the top 25:

025. Strictly Ballroom (1992)

024. Gosford Park (2001)

023. Being John Malkovich (1999)

022. The Unbearable Lightness Of Being (1988 )

021. The Graduate (1967)

020. Half Nelson (2006)

019. Lost In Translation (2003)

018. The Ice Storm (1997)

017. Unbreakable (2000)

016. Zodiac (2007)

015. 8 1/2 (1963)

014. Fight Club (1999)

013. Buffalo 66 (1998 )

012. Dangerous Liasons (1988 )

011. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

010. Manhattan (1979)

009. Stealing Beauty (1996)

008. Cool Hand Luke (1967)

007. City of God (2002)

006. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

005. The Squid And The Whale (2005)

004. 28 Days Later (2002)

003. Sense & Sensibility (1995)

002. Run Lola Run (1998 )

001. Annie Hall (1977)

Kelly’s Top 100 Movies…Numbers 76 – 100

December 11, 2007 in entertainment, lists, movies | 12 comments

So back when I was reading about AFI’s Top 100 Movies Of All Time, I suggested I might do my own countdown. I figure the time to do it is now, in the four weeks before the end of 2007, so I’ll be counting down from 100 every Monday for the next four weeks, making my top 25 posting on Monday, December 31st.

As always, I not only welcome, but revel in getting comments, but please, especially if you’re new to this blog, let’s not rant at me at what horrible taste I have in movies. I think anyone’s list of movies is pretty debatable and subject to criticism as people have very different tastes, I am no different. And really, what the differences would be between my list and a “respectable” AFI list is what interested me in the idea in the first place.

I tried to be really honest…I knew when putting down Citizen Kane, that the higher it goes, the more respect I might get for my list, but the reality is that while it’s a great film, it doesn’t speak too powerfully to me specifically. It was especially difficult to weigh movies with the same criteria from different categories (e.g. drama, comedy, horror), you’ll notice that there are few comedies on here…that’s not because I don’t love a great comedy, but I think it is because it is exceedingly difficult to make a timeless five star comedy.

Last but not least, there are many great films that I have yet to see in this life (there are currently 413 movies in my netflix queue if that tells you anything) so if something is glaringly missing, it may just be that it’s brilliant and I have yet to get to it.

Okay, without further ado…

100. Clerks (1994)

099. Go (2001)

098. Children Of Men (2006)

097. The Believer (2001)

096. Adaptation (2002)

095. Lord Of The Rings I: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

094. Imaginary Heroes (2004)

093. American History X (1998 )

092. Kill Bill Volume I (2003)

091. Friends With Money (2006)

090. Broken Flowers (2005)

089. The Anniversary Party (2001)

088. The Lord Of The Rings III: The Return Of The King (2003)

087. The Basketball Diaries (1995)

086. Casualties Of War (1989)

085. Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (1958 )

084. Chinatown (1974)

083. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

082. The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

081. 12 Angry Men (1957)

080. I Heart Huckabees (2004)

079. Trainspotting (1996)

078. Syriana (2005)

077. The 400 Blows (1959)

076. Rushmore (1998 )

Okay, there it is…first installment…hope it doesn’t horrify too much. Tune in next Monday for numbers 50 -75.

#27 Comic of the Day

November 30, 2007 in anna paquin, ass, breasts, comic of the day, comics, jennifer love hewitt, kim kardashian, lists, winona ryder | 8 comments

My first attempt at drawing anyone other than myself or Adam for this comic…not so successful. But there are big boobs, and even naked ones, so hopefully nobody is complaining. I shouldn’t be complaining about Adam’s list either…first of all Anna Paquin is a totally respectable person to have on your “List”, Winona Ryder and Jennifer Love Hewitt…less respectable, but still better than Lindsey Lohan, who was also on his list years ago (pre-weight loss and craziness). I guess the end result is that the other half of a couple will never find their partner’s “list” palatable…for many reasons. I know he doesn’t think very highly of mine (despite the fact that it rocks).

If you want to read another somewhat involved, but I think well worth the time, post about the idea of “The List”, check out one of my first blog postings ever, here.

short fiction rejection #5

November 13, 2007 in lists, mcsweeney's, short fiction rejections, short fiction submissions, writing | 1 comment

When it rains, it pours. I just got a rejection today, not really for short fiction but rather for a “list” that I submitted to McSweeney’s for their McSweeney’s Internet Tendency Lists. I got a nice little email from them, but it was a rejection all the same. Why is it rejections come in little painful groups? It’s like the rejection people see you exposed and vulnerable from a previous recent rejection and think, “oh, now’s a good time to let her know…STRIKE NOW!” It’s so frustrating. So debilitating. And I am barely in the infant stages of rejection…*sigh*

The official count, revised from yesterday to reflect this submission that I forgot about: 1 for 6

webcomics…

September 13, 2007 in comic of the week, comics, lists | Permalink

i got this great link from Pop Candy for the “top 8 webcomics”…it’s a pretty good list.

http://www.cracked.com/index.php?name=News&sid=2376

guaranteed i’ll never be on this list (assuming i even ever actually post an actual webcomic. next week it’s gonna happen…i swear…does anyone believe me? no…i guess not). anyway, some of this stuff is hilarious, even when the art is terrible, which is a great reminder that the art does not have to be brilliant for the writing and art to work together to bring something brilliant to the masses.

for my money the best is Creased Comics

by the genius that brought you George Washington and Babycakes…hilarious off the wall stuff.

there’s some pretty great stuff there, but for straight humor factor Penny Arcade, Over-Compensating, and The Perry Bible Fellowship have my vote. thanks to Pop Candy for the article link.

below are a couple brilliant Creased Comics.

AFI’s top 100…

September 11, 2007 in lists, movie reviews, movies | 6 comments

i caught the tail end of AFI’s top 100 movies last night on Bravo. i have no idea if this was a first run or repeat, i expect it’s a repeat but i’m feeling too lazy today to find out. regardless i found their choices to be pretty good overall. as usual i felt strongly that some stuff was misplaced…even if it belonged in the top 100, it didn’t belong above or below such and such, which is i suppose how we all feel about lists.

it did make me think about my own lists though (fyi – i love lists – i suppose it makes me feel in control in a world of utter chaos). anyway, i think i’ll try to do a Kelly’s Top 100 sometime soon. i suspect that’s a much more difficult task than it sounds, but i’m going to give it a go. so keep an eye out, i’m sure my list will be much more controversial than AFI’s…for example Citizen Kane (AFI’s #1), will be on my list but certainly not at #1 and you know what else will be on my list? The Faculty. that’s right, i love that freaking movie…and this is MY list! Bwahahahahahahaahaha!

Here’s a link to an article about the AFI Top 100, which includes the full list, in case you’re as behind as i am…enjoy!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/320663_afi21.html

this article also has the 1998 top 100 list as a pretty nice comparison. it’s fascinating to see the stuff that has really jumped up or down on the list.

a still from The Faculty…tell me it doesn’t look awesome…c’mon!!!!!!!

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