What changed your life in 2004?

dhoyt — Sat, 08 Jan 2005 19:38:10 -0800

Now that 2004 is over, what things did you discover during the year—books, movies, art, philosophies, spiritual discoveries, travel opportunities, software, gadgets, products—which improved your life?

Best-of Chatfilter: books, music, and movies

adrober — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 20:52:36 -0800

I find that I never really relate to year-end "best-of" lists because much of the best movies, music, and books I encounter during the year are older works that I hadn't discovered before. So what are the Top 10 Best Things that you discovered in 2003, that weren't made in 2003? To get the ball rolling (and to avoid writing my 20-page law school paper) here's mine (in no particular order):

1. David Byrne's "Rei Momo" (CD). I just bought this yesterday and this has to be one of my favorite first-listens ever. I think the first song "Independence Day" and the 8th song "Don't Want To Be Part of Your World" are absolutely brilliant.

2. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "Love In The Time Of Cholera" (Book). It always seemed uninviting and daunting on the shelf and when I finally forced myself to read it I was completely seduced by its humor and beauty. A truly wonderful book.

3. Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious" (movie). So I signed up for Netflix this year and began renting movies that I felt I should see at some point in my life. This one I popped in rather grudgingly and how blown-away I was by the end. This movie fizzles and pops with tension, romance, and clever dialogue. The ending on the staircase is seared forever on to my memory.

4. They Might Be Giants "Lincoln" (CD). I discovered this in Amoeba music out in LA. It quickly became my favorite TMBG album. Particular favorites: "Mr. Me," "Purple Toupee" and "Where Your Eyes Don't Go."

5. The Collected Plays of Joe Orton / "Prick Up Your Ears" by John Lahr (Books). I have always enjoyed New Yorker theater critic John Lahr, and I picked up his biography of Joe Orton without really knowing who Joe Orton was. So I also bought a collection of Joe Orton plays and read each play along with the biography. The result was a newfound favorite playwright: Joe Orton's comedy was lightyears ahead of its time. "What The Butler Saw" and "Loot" are both racier, funnier and scarier than anything you might find on TV today.

6. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Barefoot Contessa Parties! (Cookbooks). I have been cooking for two and half years now, and without a doubt these cookbooks contain the most delectable, easy-to-do, totally worthwhile recipes ever. Granted, a typical cupcake contains 80 sticks of butter, but they are so worth it. Mmmm.

7. Burt Bacharach's Box Set (CDs). So on a strange whim, I bought the Burt Bacharach box set. The woman at the register eyed me suspiciously. "Swinger?" her eyes seemed to ask. "Ya, baby," my pelvis answered. But, seriously, these three discs contain an insane amount of great material. Aside from the songs I already knew, I am now constantly singing "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" as well as "Promises, Promises, "Make It Easy On Yourself," "Made In Paris."

8. "The Velveteen Father" by Jesse Green (Book). I discovered Jesse Green when I read a profile he wrote in The New York Times Magazine Section. I so enjoyed his writing that I typed his name on Amazon and came up with this book. This is one of the funniest, sharpest and most profound books on parenting you'll ever want to read. That it involves gay parenting is almost besides the point. I really loved this book and highly recommend it.

9. (tie) "La Strada" by Frederico Fellini and "Sunset Blvd." by Billy Wilder (Movies). Saw the first one at a Fellini festival in LA and really enjoyed it. Saw the second one from Netflix and was totally in awe of it. Neither one was so great as to warrant a single slot, but together they make the list.

10. Patti LuPone. Yes yes, I know, she's a person. And yes, yes, I know, that's a very gay way to end the list. But, God help me, she's my new guiltiest of guilty pleasures. I love her live CD "Live On Broadway" as well as her new (uh oh! Its new!) CD "Matters of the Heart." But the point is, I "discovered" her for the first time this year and now my heart belongs to Patti.

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What changed your life in 2004?

Best-of Chatfilter: books, music, and movies