I know that earlier in the week I said that there was a chance that I’d spew forth more of my unwanted opinions on the year’s best media but as I’m sitting here on a grey and cold Friday night, with snow lazily drifting down outside, I’ve decided I really just can’t be bothered.
I’m sure I could rifle through twelve months worth of memories and come up with a list of books and movies that I liked during the past year if I so desired but I just really dont’ want to. The movies that I truly liked, can be counted on two fingers and the books I liked couldn’t be counted on ten hands.
The only two movies that I truly and passionately enjoyed this past year were simple, well made and, for anyone that knows me well, obviously appealed to my very nature. While I’m certain I could find three more to fill in the other “top five” spots with relative ease, I just don’t really want to. That would spoil the joy of the other two now wouldn’t it.
Stardust will remain my favourite movie for the year, and for quite some time to come. A perfect fairy tale story filled with all the wonder and mystery that such stories should contain. It wasn’t a verbatim adaptation of the novel by any means and there were points where I sighed regrettably at the “hollywoodization” of the story, but regardless of the changes it still measured up well. I’ve recently watched the DVD and managed to see some of the extra footage with the ghosts and wished that a) there had been more included on the disc and b) that they had been given a little more screen time in the movie. Still, the whole thing makes me happy and that’s what matters in the end.
The only other movie that I really, really enjoyed this year was The Bourne Ultimatum. I loved how the story meshed almost seamlessly with it’s immediate predecessor, The Bourne Supremacy, and how the main character was still focused, engaging and viable after three movies. It was a hard task to accomplish but I believe Matt Damon managed to pull it off well. The shaky hand-held digital camera action was still there adding to the frenetic pace and intensity of the film that really never let’s up. The franchise has veered pretty far from Ludlum’s original novels but in the end I think that’s a good thing as the novels are somewhat dated in the modern world and this new take works much better than a story about Carlos The Jackal ever would. I believe that there is so much more to tell about the character. I’d love to see a fourth movie. Here’s hoping it becomes a reality.
As for books, I’ve really read too many this past year, and not all of them were published recently so I’m not even going to bother with even a list. It just wouldn’t do them all justice.
The only book that I wanted to read this year wasn’t released and until it is, I’m going to wait somewhat patiently and hope it will be soon™. (Ahem… Mr. Martin, Get a bloody move on already!) Until then, I shall remain tight-lipped on the subject.
On that note, good night for now and may the fleas of a thousand reindeer nest in your genitalia.