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December 25, 2007

 Best of the Best-Ofs, 2007

Michael Blowhard writes:

Dear Blowhards --

Here are my nominees for the Best of the "Best Of" Lists of 2007.

* Publishingdude John Williams runs through his 2007 movie faves.

* Yahmdallah sums up the high points of a very busy culture-consuming year here.

* WhiskyPrajer puts together his dream mix tape.

* Alex Billington reviews "the best 19 movies you didn't see in 2007."

Semi-related: Back here, I gabbed a bit about what I look for from a best-of list.

Best,

Michael

posted by Michael at December 25, 2007




Comments

Thanks for the link. And I liked your gabbing about top-10 lists. In fact, I might go through 2008 with that trio of lists in mind and post them at the end of next year. Among other things, it will be a good test of whether I'm the kind of egomaniac, as you describe, who thinks his favorites and "the best" are synonymous. I have an inkling...

Posted by: JMW on December 25, 2007 12:17 PM

I've lost interest in the movies. Years ago, I just had to see every highly publicized film. I work, to some extent in video, too. Perhaps, it is working in video that has made me lose interest in the movies.

The phony manipulation of the emotions that is what movies do used to fascinate me. Now, it repels me. Constructing an imaginery world for the sake of argument (which is really what novels do, too) now seems like lunacy to me. It just doesn't work for me any more.

Add to this, the overwhelming hip/liberal worldview of the movies... and I've just dropped out of the game.

I've regressed, it seems, to watching movies for the reasons my parents did... diversion and entertainment. And, from what I see on TV and on DVD, few movies can even deliver on that.

Where did I go wrong?

Dylan, by the way, has become a sort of McDonald's franchise. Do you know how many kids in the suburbs are named Dylan? It's amazing, isn't it, how we can turn anything inside out with fame and fortune and make it just another brand.

Posted by: Shouting Thomas on December 25, 2007 3:49 PM

The Year-End Mega(Approval) Matrix
Our deliberately oversimplified guide to the year in culture.

http://nymag.com/arts/cultureawards/2007/41807/

Posted by: Scott on December 25, 2007 4:26 PM

There's no accounting for people's tastes, which is what makes reading these 10 best lists so interesting, even when yoju violently disagree.

As I did with Alex Billington on his assessment of Grindhouse. He says: "(t)he best experience I've had at the movies my entire life." I thought: a semi-interesting genre gone putrid.

Fenster

Posted by: Fenster Moop on December 27, 2007 9:18 AM

It just goes to show that chacun à son goût, or some similar platitude. I disliked every one of Yamdallah's music choices, and can't say a lot more for his movie choices. But you obviously disagree, Michael, so there you are.

The best new movies I saw in 2007 were Sicko and The Lives of Others. The Lives of Others was bleaker and more German than I usually like, but it was very well done.

Posted by: john on December 30, 2007 1:33 PM

Fimoculous, as always, has the mother of all "best of" list aggregates.

Posted by: JV on December 31, 2007 1:46 PM


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