12/20/2005: "Best and Worst of 2005"

Hi All,

Well, it’s that time of year when everyone assembles their Best Of/Worst of lists. Music, flicks, books, etc. So I figured, Hey, I’ve seen a lot of movies, read a lot of books, listened to music, etc. So here are some of my picks (but remember, I’m behind the times in a lot of things, so some of these are books and movies I’ve read or watched this year; they may not have come out this year).

BEST MOVIE:

CRASH. No contest here. Paul Haggis’s directorial debut, after writing the screenplay for MILLION DOLLAR BABY (last year’s best movie), was a brilliant film. Heartbreaking, intricate, a great cast including Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Terrence Howard (particularly outstanding), Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser (a small role, thankfully), and lots of other, “Hey, it’s that guy!” character actors like Peter Coyote. Also a great soundtrack. Limewire downloads: Bird York’s “Save Me” and Stereophonics “Maybe Tomorrow.”

DEAD ALIVE. One of Peter Jackson (KING KONG, LORD OF THE RINGS) earliest films. I’ve seen it before, but re-watched it this year. It holds up. Known as the goriest film ever made. And yet a surprisingly hilarious film. Plot, such as it is: a vile Sumatran Rat Monkey gets loose in a small New Zealand town. It bites the mother of the main character, and she slowly turns into a hideous bloated zombie. By the end, in the film’s ridiculous bloodbath finale, she’s 2 storeys tall, all sagging and maggot-eaten. Features the immortal line spoken by Father McGruder, the local Kung-Fu priest: “I kick ass for the LORD!” Check it out, if you’ve got the stomach.

WORST MOVIE:

THE FINAL STAR WARS. Saw this up at Banff. What a piece o’ shite. The whole Frankenstein’s monster thing at the end, when Darth Vader cries, “Noooooooo!” and all the test tubes and crap in the lab shatter. Oh, man, what an awful cash-grab that was. I think Ewoks have eaten George Lucas’s brain.

LUCAS, as his brain is being eaten by Wicket the Ewok: “Wicket, what are you doing? Wicket, please, not so rough! Wicket...oh god, Wicket! Oh lord in his merciful heavenly seat noooooooooooooooooo!”

BEST BOOKS:

HOUSE OF LEAVES, Mark Z. Danielewski. Discussed already. Check out a previous post for my opinion.

CUTTER AND BONE, Newton Thornburg. Grabbed this one because the Globe and Mail review of RUST AND BONE mentioned it. Brilliant book. Bone is one of the coolest characters ever written. Kind of makes you sad to be a writer, sometimes, when someone as good as Thornburg gets little recognition while others get so much.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP. What a great, messy, sprawling, beautiful novel. I’ve tried and failed at reading Irving before---both SON OF THE CIRCUS and HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE were abandoned---but this one is great. Dickensian. Sexually explicit, funnily enough, and pretty violent. Penile decapitation---go figure. Had me a little misty-eyed at the Minneapolis airport, where some cynical teens had a good laugh at my expense.

Honourable mentions:
MUSCLE, by SAM FUSSEL. “Punch me in the face!” Props to Samuel Pane for the rec.
ELBOW ROOM, by JAMES McPHERSON.

WORST BOOKS:

I never really think any book is particularly “bad.” Even books like THE DA VINCI CODE, which are often shunned in literary circles, I can see why they’re successful, and that Dan Brown is very talented, good at what he does. Being on the other side of the fence, seeing just how hard it is to get a book into print, the huge competition that exists, I’ve come to feel that most every book must be capturing something, or has some reason for being out there. That said, here are two I didn’t hugely care for:

BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA by Katherine Paterson. Read it for my kid’s book workshop. A classic, so nothing I say can tarnish it…which is sort of why I feel I can rag on it. Cloying, awful, hippie-style indulgence. Encourages readers to sympathise with the bohemian intelligentsia characters who drive around in little red sports cars, and against the hardworking rural folk. And what bugs me is that it’s quite slyly done, like propaganda---plus it’s aimed at kids, who probably don’t know they’re being spun. Tacks on a cheap death at the end; some tawdry waterworks regarding the nature of death and suffering. Sorry, I know it’s a classic, but it wasn’t doing it for me.

CHEMICAL PINK, by Katie Arnoldi. Female bodybuilding novel I grabbed for research on the novel (see how I had to put that rationalization in? Okay, so maybe I bought if because hulking muscle-bound she-bears turn me on---you got a problem with that?). Anyway, I don’t really dislike the novel, I just thought it was a bit sloppy. But it’s pretty kinky, it’s got this weird millionaire fetishist named Charles who wants to create a stable of ‘roided-out bodybuilding starlets, and you can read it in 3 hours. A true binge read. Film rights went to David Fincher; Chuck Palahniuk may help with the script. So again, it’s a success, nothing I say can really hurt it.

Honourable Mention:

James Frey, A MILLION LITTLE PIECES. The more I thought about it, this whole book struck me as one giant, movie-adaptation-waiting-to-happen lie. I have a tough time eliciting sympathy for a silver-spooner who ruined his life and gets to dry out at a top-shelf clinic on his folks' dime. The whole no-anaesthetic dental scene...I call bullshit. I call bullshit on the whole book, actually, and if Frey's got a problem with that we can pick a time to settle things. He comes off as a real tough shit (in his second book, which I got from a fellow at Penguin, he writes about assaulting a 300-pound prison inmate named Porterhouse with a cafeteria tray). I'm sure I'd give him no worry. Again, he's an Oprah darling, so this is all just pissing in the wind.

BEST MUSIC:

It’s been years since I bought a CD. My brother burns one for me occasionally, and I download stuff off Limewire. I’ve got an awful---AWFUL!---habit of listening to the same song over and over, glutting myself on it, until the very sound of it is like a rat-tail file dragged across my teeth. And then I’m like the person who wakes up next to their wife/husband of many years and says, sickened, “What the hell did I ever SEE in you? Hasta la Vista!” and never listen to it again. Often I hear a song in a movie or on a TV show or a commercial, even, and scurry off to the computer to find what it is and download it.

So here are some great songs that I now hate.

Anything by JACK’S MANNEQUIN. My brother turned me on to this band. The lead singer from SOMETHING CORPORATE’s side project. Poppy emo-rock. I love it. Try “Mixed Tape” or “

Death Cab for Cutie, “Transatlanticism.”
Death from Above 1979 “Black History Month.”
Warren Zevon, “Werewolves of London.” I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic’s/his hair was perfect.
David Usher, “Underground.” Old tune, but a good tune.
Fallout Boy, “Sugar We’re Going Down.”
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, “Redemption Song.”
Kasabian, “Club foot.” Heard the first few bars in a preview for SERENITY, had to download it.
John Hiatt, “Cry Love.” Heard this on one of those now-mandatory “music montages” they play at the end of TV dramas and even sitcoms. This was on ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Great tune.

OTHER BESTS and WORSTS:

BEST new BEER: (tie)
Sprecker Amber (Milwaukee beer)
Sam Adams (only because I used to hate it)

BEST new DEODORANT:
Axe. I think the ad campaign is sort of silly, but man, that’s a top-shelf deodorant.

WORST PET:
The teacup Chihuahua. What are these creatures good for? The Urkel of the animal world.

WORST NBA PLAYER:
Sam Cassell. And by “worst” I mean, more accurately, “butt ugliest.” The man looks like he just landed in a UFO from the planet Zarkon. Name me an ugliest person in all of pro sports. That’s right, you can’t.

Feel free to add your own best and worst of the year. I’d love to hear them.

On a happy side note: RUST AND BONE recently sold to Einaudi, an Italian press. So, uhhh, zuppa!

Wishing everyone a happy holidays, Craig

Replies: 15 Comments

on Monday, January 2nd, Craig said

Oh, wow.

My first, um, nutjob post. The class acts stumble out of the Internet muck, bringing their childish misspellings and bizarre behavior with them. I'm going to leave this post up, I suppose as an example of the strange crazed individuals who inhabit the Internet ether; of course any other posts like that will be deleted.

"Joe," I think your mother ought to take away your Internet privileges for at least a week. Teach you a lesson. By the sounds of it, you're either 12 years old, or 30 years old and still living in your ma's basement. Either way, the Internet is a privilege, young man, not a right.

Hell hath no fury like a Star Wars geek scorned.

All best, Craig.

on Monday, January 2nd, joe said

wow...I hit this page off of google....what a complete deuschbag u are....only a stupid frigging limey donkey like yourself would say the last star wars sucked....a cash grab? Did you hear that at a restaurant while you were washing the dishes? Bet you couldn't wait to run home an throw it in this gay blog...mentioning names no one has ever heard....Who the **** is Sam Roberts? Moron....asskisser...u probably watch soccer, too...fag sport

on Saturday, December 31st, Craig said

Dear Nancy and Erin,

I want to tread carefully around this, as, if most people believe Nancy's viewpoint, I might be seen as both a racist and a mysogynist...but I sort of dug the movie.

I mean, not totally. But, yeah, I pretty much thought it was all right. I don't think there's anyone in Hollywood except Spielberg who really knows how to put together an epic movie, in every sense of the word, than Peter Jackson. And of course, to make an epic you've sort of got to be a pretty arrogant fellow in the first place; but, as much as I love a quiet, sensitive movie every once in awhile, I do like a big, eye-popping spectacle, too.

A few points: I think the opening island scenes, with the natives, is not meant to be racist, although it is confusing: you see, there are black people AND white people whose bodies are painted black; a very strange tribe, to be sure. I mean, yes, the whole "crazed savage" stereotype is certainly indulged, but, if anything, I see them really as a plot device (they do their thing, then they disappear). They reminded me of the orcs from LOTR, for some reason; this might also be construed as racist, though I hope not. I only mean they reminded me because it seems a Jackson touch (a lazy one, actually); that whole part of the movie smacked of LOTR. And yes, I think it could've been handled differently, and better; and yes, I had the same initial reaction...but then I saw the tribes people were both black and white (though painted black, which I assume was because it was easier/more convincing than painting the black actors white) and I ended up seeing the tribe as not part of our world at all: not black, not white, but a totally different race who existed on an unknown island with dinosaurs and giant bugs and 25-feet gorillas; a fantasy creation, just like all the rest.

As for the sexualization of some of the scenes or creatures...well, I suppose you could read that worm scene (very gross indeed) into some guy getting eaten by a bunch of giant writhing penises...but I wasn't thinking that when I was watching. And I don't know Peter Jackson, but I'm not sure he was thinking this; but then again, what does it matter? You're the viewer, so I can see how you might view it that way. But there's some other movie where a guy gets eaten by a giant Venus Flytrap: this could be construed as a giant vagina eating him, but the movie was something along the lines of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA ("We really shook the pillars of Heaven, didn't we, Wang?" wink , so I'm not sure this was the intent. And I think, with a movie or spectacle like King Kong, those subtle sexual overtones are not really the point.

Another thing: I assume King Kong is a dude, but there is no time at which it's referred to or anatomically shown to be male. Or did people refer to it as "he"? I don't remember. I guess we all assume it's a male, because it's a love story, in a way; but really, if it's a dude, it's quite a maternal one. And like my brother said, "It's not like you can have its big CGI cock flapping all over the screen." Which is true.

Anyway, in the end, I liked it. I didn't notice, on first viewing, those things you mention; although now that you've said it, I can see how they might be true greivances. But it pretty much had me. It was big, it was showy, it was eye-popping, and when the two of them were sliding across the ice in Central Park...well, I felt that was an earned moment. Of course, I imagine you, Nancy, were gritting your teeth at that.

Great comments, though, and it's box office is not that great, so maybe there's a lot of negative word of mouth out there about it.

All best, Craig.

on Saturday, December 31st, erintigchelaar@yahoo.ca">Erin said

Hey Nancy:

Great to read this horrified review of KK. I haven't actually seen the movie but the rest of my family did, and are absoultely mystified at all the great media reviews - my mom thought it was the worst movie she had seen in five years. Even my younger brother, not known for his high filmic standards, was like: "I don't get it. Is it supposed to be campy? Why is no one laughing? It can't possibly be meant to be serious. I'm uncomfortable!" On the plus side, my father fell asleep half-way through and said it was the best nap he's had in a while.

on Wednesday, December 28th, Nancy said

Hey there,
I hope I'm not too late to join in this conversation but I have to cast my vote for worst movie of the year now, as I just saw it a couple days ago: KING KONG. I am so mystified by the critical and popular acclaim for this piece of garbage. I am stark raving furious that I spent a hard-earned gift certificate on such crap. Warning: Movie Spoiler Alert.

1. It's openly racist. At the end of the movie, black people come out dressed as apes and dance around while scratching their underarms. One might argue that this is meant to be ironic racism since it's part of Jack Black's character's Vaudevillian show, but that doesn't explain the fifteen minute sequence on the island where black "savages", in a bloodthirsty dance, gleefully stab the film crew through their hearts. This only occurs until, of course, the American ship captain and his crew mow them down with bullets and restore rightful order. Oh yes, and it's all weirdly justified through incessant references to Conrad's Heart of Darkness. I kid you not. Apparently, Peter Jackson has never heard the charges of racism levelled against that work.

2. All scenes in the movie are heavy handed, with every point reinforced three times. Do we need to know that Kong remembers the sign for "beautiful" that she once taught him? Okay, show him do it once, pan to Naomi Watts's face, show him do it twice, pan to Naomi Watts's face, show him do it three times, pan to Naomi Watts's face and then have her, because her character is obviously slower than every single audience member, slowly realize what's happening and utter the word, "Beautiful". You know, just in case you forgot or couldn't figure it out the first three times.

3. Naomi Watts's face. Now, I quite respect Naomi Watts. Matter of fact, she and Adrian Brody were the only factors that compelled me to overcome my obvious reticence at seeing what looked so ridiculously awful in previews. I thought she did a wonderful job in 21 Grams, We Don't Live Here Anymore, I Heart Huckabees...in short, I believe she can act. However, all we see here is her gaping mouth and a slightly worried grimace. Remember that bit about pan to Naomi Watts's face? While this occurs every three seconds throughout the second half of the movie and each time she wears the same expression. You want to know what I mean? Look at any poster for the movie--there she is, mouth agape, slightly wrinkled forehead denoting her worry and/or fear.

4. And while I'm on that note, what's with the weird sexualized images of her character, Ann Darrow? Now I must admit, I never saw the original version (did it also have velociraptors?), but I have to wonder why (perhaps a failed attempt at parodying B movies?) she's continuously depicted as limpid, mouth open, and in bondage. However, the weird sexualized images also lend to the movie what is perhaps the only scene worth seeing, one that induced guffaws in several people, a scene wherein giant worms that are clearly just uncircumcised penises (penii?) devour a man. I've heard of vulvodenia (sp?) but am currently unaware of its penile counterpart.

Whew. Just had to get that off my chest. Matter of fact, I think I'll post this to my blog too.

on Wednesday, December 28th, Craig said

Hey Ry,

Yeah, HoV; I wanted very much to dig it, seeing as Cronenburg's a canuck, plus I've loved a lot of his movies, plus he's an iconoclast who does his own thing...but I was a bit puzzled by the critical love of the film. It was pretty good, I thought; just not quite deserving of the praise that's been heaped on it. I guess I just thought the "twist" was going to be a bit more inspired or profound than it actually was. Again, I didn't dislike it as much as you did---but I did expect more, judging by the reviews. I hear it might do well at Oscar time, and I hope it does because Cronenburg's been too long marginalized or ignored by the establishment; I look at it sort of like Alister McLeod winning the IMPAC for NO GREAT MISCHIEF (a good, but not awesome novel): he's getting credit for a body of work, not HoV.

I read Vanderhaege's book this summer. Sort of slow to start, for me, but once it got going I dug the hell out of it.

I admit Charlie Villenueva is ugo...but he's ugo like Sam is ugo...they both could've stepped off the same mothership.

Best, Craig.

on Monday, December 26th, Tex said

Hey,

I agree with you on best movie; Crash was excellent.

Worst movie: a tie between History of Violence and The Cave...but I'm inclined to lean toward HoV taking the award, as I actually was intrigued by its premise and expected it to provoke a thought or two. But man, horrible acting, horrible writing. The people responsible for this farce took a decent plot and doused it in vomit. The best thing about the movie...there were a few nice shots of high summer farm land. 'Tis all I can say. The Cave, well, going in I didn't expect much, and I didn't get much. But it did provide easy fodder for a long-winded, sarcastic review on my blog, so in a way, that's positive.

Best book...ummm...not published in 2005, but I read it this year: The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe. Cowboys and indians, woo hoo! Oh, and one other...Rust and F$%#in' Bone!

Worst...According to the Rolling Stones. A 15 pound coffee table book that does have a lot of good pictures, but I made the mistake of trying to plow through the text. Man, I love those guys, but they sure can be self-serving. It's also a real pain in the neck if you haven't read a more detailed biography (I haven't yet) because they hint at major events such as Keith getting busted for drugs, but never really say much about them. You end up getting the life story of how Charlie likes to work his drums and how many takes it took them to get Brown Sugar right, which might satisfy one of those music tech-heads (you know, the guys who read Guitar or Drummer magazine and love the gadgets but couldn't come up with an original song to save their lives) but the rest of us are left out in the cold, guessing at hints. Apparently Old Gods Nearly Dead is the best biography of the band (there are a few out there). At the very least, its title is far superior.

Best songs...new to me, if not the year...No Use in Cryin', Waiting On a Friend, and Mixed Emotions, all by The Stones.

Worst song...You're Beautiful by James Blunt. This was on constant rotation for awhile on the light rock station we have the alarm clock tuned to. I have no love for light rock---it's just that we sleep in a Cold War bunker through which no other frequency can penetrate. Anyway, James Blunt has a grating, pubescent British voice that just makes me want to jump out of bed and punch him through the radio. I swear his voice is a hybrid of Harry Potter and David Beckham. Not a good way to wake up in the morning.

Ugliest athlete...oh c'mon Craig, Sam Cassell is ugly, but there are some other nasty ones out there, like...

Mike Ricci
Charlie Villanueva
Mats Sundin
Brian McCabe
Thomas Kab...**** it, the entire Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

on Thursday, December 22nd, Craig said

Hey Joe,

Glad you're digging the book, and good to hear they're well displayed out there on The Rock.

No, I've never been to Newfoundland. My uncle's in the Navy, and he worked on the base at Gander, but I never managed to make it out while he was stationed there. I did read with both Lisa Moore and Michael Crummey at a writer's festival in TO; Michael Winter was there, too. I love Wayne Johnson's stuff, as well. God, a lot of great writers coming out of Newfoundland.

Thanks again for the kind words, all best, Craig.

on Thursday, December 22nd, imnotjoee@yahoo.ca">joe mtchell said

Hey Craig, Just writing to say hey. I picked up your book. 5 copies placed beautifully at the huge Chapters store, here in St. John's Newfoundland.

I love you writing style.

I can't remember were I heard about the book. I think it was the Ellis words, or the Palahniuk References. No odds.

I love your writing. Highlights so far are Friction, and The Rifleman.

Great book. Take it easy.

Ever been to Newfoundland?

on Thursday, December 22nd, Craig said

You know what I hated about REJECTS? It was the way Zombie encouraged us to identify with the Firefly family, and against the sheriff/lawmakers, etc. Now it's not that I have a problem with that (in fact, more often than not, I would side with the criminals, in a movie, anyway). And it was so hamfisted, you knew what was going to happen the moment the sheriff started spouting the old "I am the right hand of god" stuff, that he was getting it. And that whole scene where Bill Mosely encouraged his victims to pray to god, and then god did nothing, and he killed them. It was just pretty juvenile, I guess; like, a 20-year-old nihilist's understanding of the world. Yeah, there's no god, bad things happen to good people, etc. And then that whole montage at the end, the sick twisted Firefly clan romping through a sun-dappled field...beyond lame, really manipulative. How can I be expected to identify with people who are craven torturers and murderers, far worse than the sheriff or anyone else in the film? When the sheriff had them tied up and was givng them the boots, I wanted him to kill them all---but I knew he wouldn't, because Rob Zombie had already clearly staked them out as the "good guys." Then the big goof coming in at the end like a giant inbred Dues ex Machina to kill the sheriff...then the Butch Cassidy and Sundance kid ending (except I generally CARED about Butch and Sundance). Awful on so many levels. I generally agree with Ebert and Roeper, but on this one, no way. I liked the general sense of griminess to it, though: every car rusted out and coated in dust, every house small and cramped and dirty. It had a good "feel" But FREEBIRD playing as the Fireflies drove into the cops at the end? Did that work for you? Why? God, why? I was like, Good, fine, it's over, they're dead, who gives a ****. It wasn't Bonnie and Clyde, it was three inbred mass-murdering assholes who should've gotten it far worse, far earlier.

All best, Craig.

on Thursday, December 22nd, Brett said

Dude, I loved DEVIL'S REJECTS! I thought it was far superior to HOUSE OF 1,000 CORPSES, which I felt was decent, but pretty rock video-esque. Even Ebert & Roeper gave REJECTS two thumbs up! What's your problem, chimpy!? ;-)

And yeah, Shane did bring out Morrow's GODHEAD trilogy. It was originally published in the early to mid-'90s, I believe, by Harcourt (curse them!).

on Thursday, December 22nd, Craig said

Hey John,

Hey, I have zero problems with you and Katia shopping together; in fact, I think it is pretty great news. And I did that you guys fanned out R & B so it looks more prevalent.

Yeah, I did some research on that caste widow stuff. Sati. Awful. Will have to check out WATER.

Oh, yeah, that HIVES song. I like it again. I have been off it for a few years now, so it has been rejuvenated.

Brett,

KIARO is PULSE, right. I have got to check out AUDITION, too, which I hear is wicked. Love the Japanese horror. Also need to check out BATTLE ROYALE. I have read all your listed books except the Morrow. I think Shane at Delirium published that one a year back.

That is a very eclectic music list. Diablo Red, for anyone who is not in the know, is Bretts own band. They play quite a bit in and around TO.

Ian,

I have not read EIL. I should. It gets hammered by some, adored by others. I think that is right about as it should be, for most every book. I liked NATASHA, but yes, I think it may have suffered from high expectations. Plus it was such a very THIN book; 160 pages or something. I got a hardcover copy at the library.

Have not read much poetry, so I cannot say much on that front. Looking forward to collections by David Hickey and JLo, though. And you, Ian, when you are ready to rock and roll with one.

On the Bad Moives front: Saw THE DEVILS REJECTS and DUECE BIGELOW: EUROPEAN GIGOLO recently. Both must be added to the worst of list. Although, to be fair, I laughed pretty hard at some of the DUECE bits, but those were mostly cheap jokes, trying to figure out what sexual positions or acts might constitute the PORTUGUESE BREAKFAST, the CHILI RAINBOW, or the CINCINATTI BOWTIE. And I liked HOUSE OF 1,000 CORPSES, but I just could not identify with Rob Zombie of making the bad guys good guys in this one; it was pretty hamfisted, really.

All best, Craig.

on Thursday, December 22nd, Ian LeTourneau said

Everything is Illuminated was an excellent book--I just finished it a few weeks ago. The voice was perfectly done. You should persist, John. Have you read it Craig? The best book i read this year was Ian McEwan's Saturday. Amazing. Next best was Louis de Bernieres' Birds Without Wings. and then Arthur and George by Julian Barnes. Kathy Page's Alphabet (lost to Gilmour for GG) was the best Canadian book i read by far. Of course, I thought Rust and Bone was way up there too. And although it wasn't published this year, i just finished Raymond Carver's selected and new stories, Where I'm Calling From. Oh and i quite liked Lisa Moore's Alligator. I thought it should have won the giller.

Biggest dissapointment (due probably to the over hype): David Bezmozgis's Natasha and other stories.

Best poetry would have to be Charles Simic's Selected (some superb poems in this book). Nothing else published this year really stood out for me. I liked some older ones and new dicoveries i made better than most contemporary stuff. Henri Cole was one find and I read Robert Lowell's Collected (published last year i think). Although Starnino's and Leckie's from Gaspereau were two of my faves, now taht i think about it.

Non-fiction: Ken McGoogan's latest had promise but i had to bring it back to library after only 20 pages or so. I just finished (although again it was published a few years ago) Witold Rybczynski's One Good Turn: A Natural Hsitory of The screwdriver and the screw. Fascinating book although you wouldn't guess. Gwynne Dyer's War. and Robert Lowell's Collected Letters (published in June) was fascinating. (I admit i became slightly obsessed with the guy's poems and life--i have a bio in the cue upcoming).
Biggest disappointment: Harold Bloom's Where Shall Wisdom Be Found. Fascinating stuff but the guy's a bit of a windbag. If Hamlet and Falstaff were real, Bloom would be a stalker.

Music: Haven't bought much that's actually new. Highlights are Diana Krall's new Xmas CD, which will get filed away soon til next December. The only other new CD i got was The HOt Fives and Seven's Box Set. Doesn't really count as "new" but glad to have it.

Movies: March of the Penguins was by far my favourite. and i'd have to agree with Craig on the Star Wars movie. (In the voice of comic book guy on the simpsons: Worse movie ever...)

on Wednesday, December 21st, Brett said

BEST MOVIE:

DEAD ALIVE is tough to beat for best film. One of the most hilarious/disgusting things ever trapped in celluloid. Brilliant.

EVIL DEAD II: Another hilarious gorefest that remains unmatched for what it set out to accomplish.

CEMETERY MAN: Rupert Everett is awesome in this. If you haven't seen it yet, bro, seriously check it out. It's in the same vein (but slightly more "artsy" wink as the above two films.

KAIRO: Creepiest fucking horror film of all time. Seek it out. Wes Craven is doing a North American remake, which I'm seriously not looking forward to. Ugh.

WORST MOVIE(s):

All three new STAR WARS films suck serious ass and should be wiped from film history. Period.

BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE: Steve Martin should be ashamed of himself. This was painful to watch. Racism with no consequences for the characters--supposed to be funny, but just comes off as backward and lame.

BEST BOOKS:

RUST AND BONE by Patrick Lestewka ;-)

TOWING JEHOVAH by James Morrow

HOUSE OF LEAVES by Mark Danielewski

FIGHT CLUB and SURVIVOR by Chuck Palahniuk

HHGG by Douglas Adams (my fave books of all time)

WORST BOOKS:

THE DA VINCI CODE: Sure, it's an easy target, but it's an easy target for a reason: IT SUCKS SWEATY BALLSACKS. It's the only book I've ever stopped reading. Got to page 104 and was about to stab my eyes out at how appallingly written it was.

BEST MUSIC:

Meshuggah, Slayer, Harry Connick, Jr., Bjork, Lamb of God, The Diablo Red. ;-)

on Wednesday, December 21st, jlo said

Craig,

RUST AND BONE was on the "nouveautés" table, right at the front entrance of Indigo in Montréal, just in time for Christmas! Katia spread the copies out over the other books so it would look like there were three stacks of your book instead of just one. Yes, I was Christmas shopping with my ex-wife...so what?

Best movie I saw this year: Water. It was very difficult to deal with, and looked good. About Indian widows and the caste system. I also enjoyed Starsky and Hutch. Snoop Dogg is the best.

Best book I read: RUST AND BONE, obviously. Actually, there was one I liked better: "In the name of identity" by Amin Maalouf, but it is not a novel so much as a memoir. I read "The Wind-up-bird Chroncile" by Haruki Murakami. That was good, too. I'm looking forward to reading "Clothar the Frank" by Jack Whyte. I like that Arthurian stuff...

Best song: I am kind of like you in that I listen to the same song over and over. "It's Over" by Andrew Cash (who I'm going to see at the Horseshoe Friday night) is the latest.

I also met Sam Roberts' brother. Apparently the new album has been recorded--he finished the mastering on Saturday.

I think you used to love that Hives song: "Hate to say I told you so." Do you hate it now?

Worst...I don't really hate stuff. Oh, actually, I tried to read "everything is illuminated" by Jonathon Safron Foer and I couldn't get past 30 pages. I never quit on a book, but I quit on this one.