Some of My Favorite Things

So it's the end of the year. I've been watching things like The Year with Katie Couric and looking at things like the 45 Most Powerful Images of 2011 on Buzzfeed. (Also on Buzzfeed the 30 Most Important Cats of 2011.) I got my Entertainment Weekly issue of the Best & Worst of 2011. Film critics everywhere are making their Top 10 lists. And some of my Seattle friends are making their Top 10 book lists. So I thought I would share some of my favorite things from this year.

Books
My book list features only two books published in 2011. It also features more nonfiction than usual.
Top Ten
Pictures at a Revolution: Five Books and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris
Comfort Me with Apples by Ruth Reichl
The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse
Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith
The Passage by Justin Cronin
Runners Up
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Currently Reading
By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham
The Tale of Telsharu by Valerie Mechling and Samuel Stubbs
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
Excited For
Habibi by Craig Thompson
Bossypants by Tina Fey

Movies
I actually did not see that many movies in the theater this year, so I do not have a full top ten list.
Favorites
Midnight in Paris directed by Woody Allen
This (somewhat thin) fable was thoroughly enchantement as Owen Wilson realizes that the l'age d'or of the 1920s was not all it was cracked up to be. This movie hit all my buttons: Woody, nostalgia, modern Paris, 1920s Paris including such luminaries as Hemingway, Dali, the Fitzgeralds, Stein, and more. It was the most fun I had at the movies this year.

Drive directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
This neo-noir thriller with a boss synth soundtrack was my favorite movie I saw this year (so far). It's destined for cult classic-ville. And I wanted to climb Ryan Gosling like a tree.
Notables
The Descendants directed by Alexander Payne
I didn't love it as much as I loved Sideways way back in 2004. It's still a very good (and Paynesque) movie. Clooney is great, as always, and Shailene Woodley is a revelation.

Beginners directed by Mike Mills
This is a lovely little jewel of a film, as a father (Christopher Plummer), recently out of the closet, and son (Ewan McGregor) look for love. The father embraces his new lifestyle while his straight son is more trepidatious in embracing a new love--Melanie Laurent, who is refreshing and wonderful in what could have been just another manic pixie dream girl role.

The Help directed by Tate Taylor
This movie, a huge hit, is not without its problems, nevertheless it's notable for all its wonderful actressing. Viola Davis surely deserves an Oscar nomination.

Bridesmaids directed by Paul Feig
This was another smash success starring women who were very, very funny and (dare I say it?) ballsy. Kristen Wiig is wonderful as the lovable, pathetic loser whose life is falling apart as her best friend is getting married. Melissa McCarthy steals the show in a batshit crazy performance.

Crazy, Stupid, Love directed by Ficarra and Requa
I love and will watch anything with Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell. Their plot lines were mostly great, however, I really didn't care for the son/babysitter plot line.
Excited For
Melancholia directed by Lars von Trier
Young Adult directed by Jason Reitman
Hugo directed by Martin Scorsese
Shame directed by Steve McQueen
The Artist directed by Michel Hazanavicius
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo directed by David Fincher
The Iron Lady (only for Her Streepness) directed by Phyllida Lloyd

Music
Favorite Albums
21 by Adele
What can I possibly say that hasn't been said? It's the number one record this year. Adele also has the number one single this year, "Rolling in the Deep;" number one video, Live at the Royal Albert Hall; and a boatload of Grammy nominations.

Ceremonials by Florence + the Machine
I've already discussed my love for this album. It's been playing on repeat in my car's CD player since it came out.
Excited For
Tori Amos
Tori released her twelfth solo studio album this year, Night of Hunters. I did not buy it because her last four albums have not been super great (especially the last two). However, this tour is apparently "amazeballs." I'm so upset that she's not coming to SLC this time. I did ask for the CD for Christmas. So I hope I get it and that I love it. What I really want for Christmas is Andreas Ottensamer, the impossibly hot Austrian clarinetist that accompanies her.
I love/hate him. You know, I used to play the clarinet, but I'm not the super hot, super talented one playing with Tori.


Television
Oh my god, I love TV. There were a lot of great shows this year. Here are five of my favorites:
Parks and Recreation on NBC
It's one of the best and funniest sitcoms on television and it has Amy Poehler, so you have to love it. I especially love the romance between Poehler and Adam Scott.

Downton Abbey on PBS
It's the most amazing Masterpiece period show EVER. The cast is superb, especially Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess Violet, and it's so elegantly plotted. I'm rewatching season one and SO excited for season two coming in January.

30 Rock on NBC
Tina Fey's brainchild is another awesome piece of comedy. The fifth season, which wrapped in the spring, had several standout episodes. I'm rewatching all five seasons to get ready for season six coming in January.

Revenge on ABC
It's this year's dishiest nighttime soap taking its cue from 80s titans like Dynasty and Dallas. It's a loose reworking of The Count of Monte Cristo. Watch it for Madeleine Stowe and its complex, episodic plotting.

Happy Endings on ABC
Ignore it's fairly horrible title. Happy Endings is about the lives, loves, and travails of six friends living in Chicago. Entertainment Weekly writes, "If you're not watching Happy Endings you're missing the sharpest, funniest, giddiest show about six friends since that other show about six friends." Not every episode is amahzing, but when it's on, it's on.

P.S. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
It's only came out in 1997, but I finally watched all seven seasons of this landmark television series this year. That was a helluva good time. Highly recommended.