The Movies, Books, Theaters, Concerts, CDs Etc. I Saw/Read In 2010

Updated December 31, 2010

MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES

1. Have You Heard About The Morgans no stars
2. Young Victoria *** 1/2
3. Daybreakers **
4. The Book Of Eli **
5. The Messenger ***
6. Legion *
7. Crazy Heart ** 1/2
8. An Education ** 1/2
9. To Save A Life *
10. Dear John no stars
11. Valentine's Day no stars
12. Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief *
13. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) *** 1/2
14. Beaches Of Agnes *
15. Takedowns and Falls ** 1/2
16. The Cove ***
17. The Sun ** 1/2
18. Shutter Island * 1/2
19. Gomorrah *** 1/2
20. In A Dream *** 1/2
21. Adventureland ***
22. Somers Town *** 1/2
23. Drag Me To Hell ***
24. The Objective ** 1/2
25. Alice In Wonderland (2010) ** 1/2
26. Tulpan ***
27. Sin Nombre *** 1/2
28. Treeless Mountain *** 1/2
29. Lake Tahoe *** 1/2
30. Munyurangabo ** 1/2
31. The Crazies ***
32. Rudo Y Corsi ***
33. Green Zone **
34. Ghost Writer *
35. Diary Of A Wimpy Kid * 1/2
36. How To Train Your Dragon ** 1/2
37. Hot Tub Time Machine *
38. Make Way For Tomorrow (1937) ****
39. The Awful Truth (1937) *** 1/2
40. Crude ***
41. The Stars Look Down (1939) ****
42. Midnight (1939) ****
43. The Sea Wolf (1941) ***
44. Clash Of The Titans no stars
45. Kick-Ass ***
46. Pink Floyd The Wall (1982) **
47. Departures ***
48. Man With A Movie Camera (1929) with live score by Alloy Orchestra *** 1/2
49. I Capture The Castle (2003) ** 1/2
50. Vincent: A Life In Color **
51. Trucker ***
52. Barfly (1987) *** 1/2
53. Song Sung Blue 1/2 ***

At Cannes Film Festival (40 films)

54. Robin Hood **
55. Tournee/On Tour *
56. Benda Bilili! ***
57. The Housemaid *
58. Aurora * 1/2
59. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps * 1/2
60. Un Poison Violent ***
61. Another Year *** 1/2
62. You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger **
63. Somos Lo Que Hay/We Are What We Are ***
64. Belle Epine **
65. La Princesse De Montpensier **
66. Armadillo ** 1/2
67. Countdown To Zero ** 1/2
68. Inside Job *** 1/2
69. Kaboom ***
70. Biutiful ***
71. Tamara Drewe 1/2
72. I Wish I Knew by Jia Zhangke *** 1/2
73. Ha'meshotet/The Wanderer ***
74. Certified Copy **
75. Des Hommes Et Des Dieux ***
76. Schastye Moe/My Joy **
77. Blue Valentine *** 1/2
78. Carlos *** maybe *** 1/2
79. Stones In Exile ** 1/2
80. La Nostra Vita ***
81. Fair Game **
82. Poetry ** 1/2
83. Boxing Gym ** 1/2
84. Uncle Boonmee, Who Can Recall His Past Lives ** 1/2
85. Hors La Loi/Outside The Law ** 1/2
86. The Tree **
87. Szelid Teremtes: A Frankenstein Terv/Tender Son: A Frankenstein Tale * 1/2
88. La Casa Muda *
89. Burnt By the Sun 2: Eclipse *
90. Route Irish ** 1/2
91. HaHaHa **
92. Un Homme Qui Crie/A Screaming Man **
93. Outrage *

End Of Cannes Coverage

94. Four Lions *** maybe *** 1/2
95. Splice ** 1/2
96. The Karate Kid (2010) **
97. Toy Story 3 *** 1/2
98. Knight And Day **
99. Cyrus ** 1/2
100. Restrepo **
101. T-Men (1947) ** 1/2
102. Raw Deal (1948) ***
103. Twilight: Eclipse * 1/2
104. The Last Airbender zero stars
105. Mademoiselle Chambon ***
106. Exit Through The Gift Shop *** 1/2 (assuming it's true)
107. Winter's Bone *** 1/2
108. Willie Nelson's 4th Of July Celebration (1979) **
109. The Agony And The Ecstasy Of Phil Spector **
110. Anton Chekhov's The Duel ***/
111. South Of The Border **
112. Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work
113. Winnebago Man **
114. The Sorcerer's Apprentice *
115. Umarete wa mita keredo (I Was Born, But...) (1932) ***
116. The Kids Are All Right **
117. Despicable Me * 1/2
118. Racing Dreams ***
119. Armored Car Robbery (1950) ** 1/2
120. Inception *** 1/2 \
121. Salt **
122. Birdemic: Shock And Terror * or do I mean ****?123. Get Low **
124. Catfish ** 1/2
125. Most Valuable Players * 1/2
126. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World *** 1/2 \
127. The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers *** 1/2
128. Piranha 3-D ** (but brilliant still photography in press kit)
129. Repo Men **
130. Nightfall (1957) ** 1/2
131. Escape From New York (1981) * 1/2
132. Flipped *
133. The American **
134. The Tillman Story *** /

At Toronto Film Fest (41 films and 10+ shorts)

135. Conviction **
136. FUBAR II *
137. The Legend Of Beaver Dam (short) ***
138. Black Swan ** 1/2
139. Jack Goes Boating **
140. The Illusionist *** 1/2
141. Never Let Me Go **
142. It's Kind Of A Funny Story **
143. Let Me In **
144. Machete Maidens Unleashed! ***
145. Blessed Events ** 1/2
146. Beginners ** 1/2
147. Brighton Rock **
148. The Sleeping Beauty ** 1/2
149. What's Wrong With Virginia *
150. Amigo **
151. Potiche ***
152. Stake Land **
153. Submarine ** 1/2
154. Three **
155. Blame *
156. Monsters ** 1/2
157. Rabbit Hole ** 1/2
158. Client 9: The Rise and Fall Of Elliot Spitzer ***
159. Lapland Odyssey ***
160. John Carpenter's The Ward * 1/2
161. Aftershock * 1/2
162. The Town **
163. Super ** 1/2
164. 13 Assassins **
165. The Bang Bang Club **
166. 127 Hours ** 1/2
167. The Way **
168. Attenberg *** 1/2
169. Neds **
170. The Butcher, The Chef and The Swordsman ** 1/2
171. Cave Of Forgotten Dreams *** (but *** 1/2 for the experience)
172. Fire Of Conscience ** 1/2
173. White Irish Drinkers ***
174. Casino Jack **
175. Meek's Cutoff *** 1/2
176. The King's Speech ***
177. Guy Maddin installation at Lightbox ****

end of Toronto

178. Buried * 1/2
179. Robinson In Ruins (NY Film Fest) ***
180. Easy A ***
181. The Social Network ***
182. Get Him To The Greek *
183. Leaves Of Grass **
184. Jackass 3D *** (one for each D)
185. Hereafter **
186. The Pacific (HBO miniseries) ***/
187. Made In Dagenham **
188. Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talking About Him)? ***
189. Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time *
190. Tangled ***
191. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 **
192. Lennonyc **
193. The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story ** 1/2
194. Boys Life 7 shorts * 1/2
195. The Band Wagon (1953) ***
196. The Fighter **
197. Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga'Hoole **
198. Tokyo Story (1953) ***
199. Alamar *** 1/2
200. The Oath ***
201. True Grit ** 1/2



BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

1. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel ***
2. Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel ***
3. Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann *** 1/2
4. King by Ho Che Anderson *** 1/2
5. Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel ** 1/2
6. Wolf Hall By Hilary Mantel ****
7. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome ***
8. Stitches by David Small *** 1/2
9. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte ***
10. Big Machine by Victor LaValle ***
11. Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner **
12. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin ****
13. Riders Of The Purple Sage by Zane Grey ** 1/2
14. The Spyglass Tree by Albert Murray ***
15. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall *** 1/2
16. The Big Show by Pierre Closterman *** 1/2
17. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell ***
18. Patient: The True Story Of A Rare Illness by Ben Watt ***
19. Castles Of Steel by Robert Massie ****
20. Lost Books Of The Odyssey by Zachary Mason *** 1/2
21. Goodbye To All That by Robert Graves ****
22. Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin ** 1/2
23. The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill -- Visions Of Glory 1874-1932 by William Manchester ****
24. Old Man's War by John Scalzi ** 1/2
25. Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson **
26. The Big Short by Michael Lewis ***
27. Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker ***
28. A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 by Alistair Horne *** 1/2
29. The Princess Of Cleves by Madame DeLafayette *** 1/2
30. Tamara Drewe by Posy Simmonds **
31. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy in Pevear/Volokhonsky translation ****
32. Mr. Majeika by Humphrey Carpenter * 1/2
33. The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington by Jennet Conant ** 1/2
34. Cue For Treason by Geoffrey Trease ***
35. Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle ** 1/2
36. Toby And The Secrets Of The Tree by Timothee de Fombelle **
37. Midnight Plus One by Gavin Lyall ***
38. The Good Man Jesus & The Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman ** 1/2
39. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill ***
40. The Silver Hearted by David McConnell * 1/2
41. Easy Way Out by Stephen McCauley ***
42. The Man Of The House by Stephen McCauley *** 1/2
43. Alternatives To Sex by Stephen McCauley **
44. Insignificant Others by Stephen McCauley ** 1/245. Kara Kush by Idries Shah *** 1/2
46. Game Six by Mark Frost ***
47. Hero by Perry Moore ***
48. Ride With The Devil aka Woe To Live On by Daniel Woodrell *** 1/2
49. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood ****
50. The Trumpeter Of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly **
51. The Living Constitution by David A. Strauss ***
52. Nightmare in Pink by John D. MacDonald (Travis McGee #2) ** 1/2
53. Cosmos Coyote and William The Nice by Jim Heynen *
54. Resolution by Robert B. Parker *** 1/2
55. Brimstone by Robert B. Parker ***
56. The Duke Of Deception by Geoffrey Wolfe ***
57. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith ***
58. The Unknown Shore by Patrick O'Brian *** 1/2
59. The Last Temptation by Nikos Kazantzakis *** 1/2
60. Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture by Kathryn Lasky *1/2
61. Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Journey by Kathryn Lasky **
62. Guardians of Ga'Hoole: Rescue by Kathryn Lasky * 1/2
63. Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase For Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson *** 1/2
64. The Last Lincoln Conspirator by Andrew Jampoler * 1/2
65. Tongue of Serpents by Naomi Novik ***
66. Submarine by Joe Dunthorne Oliver ***
67. Showtime by Larry Stempel **
68. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins *** 1/2
69. George VI by Sarah Bradford ***
70. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro ** 1/2
71. Prince of Thieves aka The Town by Chuck Hogan ***
72. Brighton Rock by Graham Greene ***
73. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen *** 1/2
74. The Princess Bride by William Goldman *** 1/2
75. The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes ****
76. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman ***
77. Tongue of Serpents by Naomi Novik ***
78. The Fran Lebowitz Reader *** 1/2
79. Beyond The Western Sea Book 1 by Avi ***
80. Beyond The Western Sea Book 2 by Avi *** 1/2
81. Borrowed Finery by Paula Fox *** 1/2
82. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte ***
83. A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh ** 1/2
84. Blue-Eyed Devil by Robert B. Parker ***
85. Enter A Murderer by Ngaio Marsh ** 1/2
86. Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong ** 1/2
87. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein ****
88. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein ****


THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS

1. As You Like It (at BAM with Stephen Dillane) ** 1/2
2. The Orphans' Home Cycle three night 9 part epic *** 1/2
3. My Trip Down The Pink Carpet **
4. Peter Pan via National Theatre of Scotland (in London) ** 1/2
5. The Crucible open-air production in Regent's Park, London **
6. Mrs. Warren's Profession with Felicity Kendall in London **
7. Love The Sinner play by Drew Pautz at the National in London **
8. London Assurance revival w Simon Russell Beale & Fiona Shaw at National in London ***
9. A Thousand Stars Explode In The Sky in London ** 1/2
10. Antony Gormley: Breathing Room III at White Cube in London art exhibit ****
11. Museum Of London new galleries ***
12. Paradise Found new musical at Chocolate Factory London *
13. Women Beware Women at National in London ** 1/2
14. Peter Sallett at Joe's Pub ***
15. The Grand Manner by AR Gurney with Bobby Steggert at Lincoln Center **
16. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson at Public ** but Benjamin Walker *** 1/2
17. Fences rock-solid revival of solid August Wilson ***
18. Our Town with Helen Hunt as Stage Manager ***
19. Come Fly Away **
20. With Glee ** 1/2
21. FringeFest: The Twentieth Century Way by Tom Jacobson *** 1/2
22. FringeFest: A Separate Peace adapted and performed by Brian Foyster ** 1/2
23. FringeFest Rites Of Privacy written and performed by David Rhodes ** 1/2
24. FringeFest: The Hurricane Katrina Comedy Festival *** 1/2
25. Another American: Asking and Telling **
26. Nighttime Traffic (New York Musical Theater Festival/NYMF) **
27. The Tenth Floor (NYMF) **
28. Without You (Anthony Rapp at NYMF) *** 1/2
29. Tess: The Musical (NYMF) **
30. Show Choir! (NYMF) **
31. Blood Ties (NYMF) ***
32. POPArt (NYMF) *
33. Frog Kiss (NYMF) *** 1/2
34. Fellowship! (NYMF) **
35. Trav'lin' (NYMF) ***/
36. The Great Unknown (NYMF) ** 1/2
37. Our Country (NYMF) *
38. Fingers and Toes (NYMF) ** 1/2
39. Shine! A Horatio Alger Musical (NYMF) ** 1/2
40. Lombardi **
41. La Bete (revival w Mark Rylance, David Hyde Pierce & Joanna Lumley) ** 1/2
42. Richard Thompson and band at Town Hall ***
43. Driving Miss Daisy (w Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones) **
44. Gatz (The Great Gatsby) ***/45. Wings (revival w Jan Maxwell) **
46. Boris Godunov at the Met ** 1/2
47. The Scottsboro Boys *** 1/2
48. Jon Stewart's Rally For Sanity *** (for the experience as a whole)
49. The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway ***
50. Angels In America revival at Signature ***
51. The Merchant Of Venice with Al Pacino and Lily Rabe on Broadway *** 1/2
52. Elf The Musical on Broadway *
53. Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Tour ***
54. The Great Game: Afghanistan ***
55. Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown * 1/2
56. Middletown at the Vineyard by Will Eno ***/
57. Devil Boys From Beyond * 1/2
58. Mistakes Were Made with Michael Shannon ** 1/2 (strictly for Shannon)
59. A Free Man Of Color with Jeffrey Wright and Mos ** 1/2
60. Elling with Denis O'Hare and Brendan Fraser **
61. Craig Ferguson standup in Nashville ***
62. Puccini's La Fianciulla del West at the Met w Deborah Voight ** 1/2


CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS (Only the Cds I've listened to thoroughly and with a strong emphasis on the ones I like, so don't think I love everything I listen to -- I just don't bother really listening to the ones I don't like more than once and don't think it's fair to rate on a cursory listen)

1. David Gray - Draw The Line ** 1/2
2. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit ** 1/2
3. Pink Martini -- Splendor In The Grass **
4. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug ** 1/2
5. Bebel Gilberto -- All In One **
6. Cass McCombs -- Catacombs ** 1/2
7. Curtis Stigers -- Lost In Dreams ** 1/2
8. Tom Rush - What I Know ***
9. Raekwon -- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 ***/
10. Ella Fitzgerald -- Twelve Nights In Hollywood ****
11. Alicia Keys -- The Element Of Freedom *** 1/2
12. Loudon Wainwright -- High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project *** 1/2
13. Tinariwen -- Imidiwan: Companions *** 1/2
14. Eminem -- Relapse ** 1/2/
15. Laura Veirs -- July Flame ***
16. Vampire Weekend -- Contra ** 1/2
17. Patty Griffin -- Downtown Church ***/
18. Spoon -- Transference ** 1/2
19. Carrie Newcomer -- Before And After ***
20. Magnetic Fields -- Realism ***
21. Shelby Lynne -- Tears, Lies & Alibis ** 1/2
22. Butch Walker -- I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart ** 1/2
23. Duncan Sheik -- Whisper House *** 1/2
24. Meaghan Smith -- The Cricket's Orchestra ***
25. Girls -- Album *** 1/2
26. The XX -- The XX *** 1/2
27. The Low Anthem -- Oh My God, Charlie Darwin *** 1/2
28. Johnny Cash - American VI ***
29. Peter Wolf -- Midnight Souvenirs ****
30. Tracey Thorn -- Love And Its Opposite *** 1/2
31. Eli "Paperboy" Reed -- Come And Get It **
32. Paul Weller -- Wild Wood (1993) *** 1/2
33. Richard Thompson -- Dream Attic **
34. John Mellencamp -- No Better Than This ***
35. Merle Haggard -- I Am What I Am ** 1/2
36. Sufjan Stevens -- All Delighted People EP ****
37. Liza Minnelli -- Confessions ** 1/2
38. Josh Ritter -- So Runs The World Away ** 1/2 (Song "The Curse" ****)
39. Marina And The Diamonds -- Family Jewels ***
40. Lyle Lovett -- Natural Forces **
41. Nellie McKay -- Home Sweet Mobile Home ** 1/2
42. Paul Weller -- Wake Up The Nation **
43. Josiah Leming -- Come On Kid ***
44. Frank Sinatra -- Sing & Dance With Frank Sinatra *** 1/2
45. Burning Spear -- Garvey's Ghost *** 1/2
46. Frank Sinatra -- Dedicated To You **
47. Frank Sinatra -- Frankly Sentimental ** 1/2
48. Frank Sinatra -- Songs by Sinatra **
49. Frank Sinatra -- The Voice (Columbia LP) ***
50. The Drums -- The Drums ***
51. The Jackson 5: Live At The Forum **
52. Rufus Wainwright -- Milwaukee At Last! ***
53. Sade -- Soldier Of Love ***/
54. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings -- I Learned The Hard Way *** 1/2
55. The Swell Season - Strict Joy ** 1/2
56. Trombone Shorty -- backatown **
57. Willie Nelson -- Country Artist ***
58. Mumford & Sons -- Sigh No More *** 1/2
59. Eminem -- Recovery *** 1/2
60. Elton John & Leon Russell -- The Union ***
61. Arcade Fire -- The Suburbs *** 1/2
62. Bruce Springsteen -- The Promise ***
63. Bruce Springsteen -- Darkness On The Edge Of Town *** 1/2
64. Aaron Neville -- I Know I've Been Changed ***
65. Sufjan Stevens -- The Age Of Adz ** 1/2
66. Peter Salett -- Addicted To Distraction ** 1/2
67. Neil Young -- Le Noise ***/
68. John Lennon & Yoko Ono -- Double Fantasy ****
69. John Lennon & Yoko Ono -- Double Fantasy Stripped Down *** (but pointless)
70. Kings Go Forth -- The Outsiders Are Back **
71. Antony & The Johnsons -- The Crying Light ***
72. Laurie Anderson -- Homeland ***
73. Dead Weather -- Sea Of Cowards ** 1/2
74. Bing Crosby -- Sings The Great American Songbook ***
75. The Black Keys -- Brothers ***
76. Bob Dylan -- Bootleg Volume 9: The Witmark Demos ***
77. Brendan James -- Brendan James ***/
78. Dale Watson -- Carryin' On ***
79. Bryan Adams -- Bare Bones ** 1/2
80. Annie Lennox -- A Christmas Cornucopia ** 1/2
81. Dierks Bentley -- Up On the Ridge ***
82. Dinah Washington -- The Fabulous Miss D! The Keynote, Decca and Mercury Singles 1943-1953 ** 1/2
83. Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate -- Ali and Toumani ****
84. Brian Eno -- Small Craft On A Milk Sea ***
85. Brian Wilson -- Reimagining Gershwin ** 1/2
86. Various Artists -- Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records ** 1/2
87. Ry Cooder and The Chieftains -- San Patricio ***
88. The Gaslight Anthem -- American Slang *** (disappointing, expected a classic)
89. James -- The Night Before/The Morning After ** 1/2
90. John Mellencamp -- On The Rural Route 7609 *** /
91. Josh Rouse -- El Turista ** 1/2
92. Lee Dewyze -- Live It Up * 1/2
93. Midlake -- The Courage Of Others *** 1/2
94. Sting -- Symphonicities ***
95. Various Artists -- Afrocubism *** 1/2
96. Best Coast -- Crazy For You *** 1/2
97. Buddy Guy -- Living Proof ****
98. Drake -- Thank Me Later ** 1/2
99. Jamey Johnson -- The Guitar Song ***/
100. Preservation Hall Jazz Band -- Preservation: An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall *** 1/2
101. Gorillaz -- Plastic Beach *** 1/2
102. The Tallest Man On Earth -- The Wild Hunt *** 1/2
103. Beach House -- Teenage Dream ***/
104. My Chemical Romance -- Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys *** 1/2
105. Big Boi -- Sir Luscious Leftfoot...The Son Of Chico Dusty ** 1/2
106. Jason Aldean -- My Kind Of Party ** 1/2
107. The Spanish Harlem Orchestra -- Viva La Tradicion ***
108. Erykah Badu -- New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh ***/
109. Herbie Hancock -- The Imagine Project **
110. Ryan Bingham -- Roadhouse Sun **
111. Doug Paisley -- Constant Companion **
112. Hole -- Nobody's Daughter *** 1/2
113. Janelle Monae -- The ArchAndroid *** 1/2
114. Jackson Browne & David Lindley -- Love Is Strange ***
115. Cassandra Wilson -- Silver Pony ***
116. Jamie Cullum -- Pursuit ** 1/2
117. Scissor Sisters -- Night Work ** 1/2
118. Elizabeth and the Catapult *** 1/2
119. Elizabeth Mitchell -- Sunny Day ***/
120. Foxes In Fiction ***
121. Andrew Belle -- The Ladder **
122. Angel Band -- Bless My Sole **
123. Anthony D'Amato -- Down Wires **
124. The Puppini Sisters -- Christmas With The Puppini Sisters **
125. Carolina Chocolate Drops -- Genuine Negro Jigs *** 1/2
126. Cyrus Chesnut -- Journeys *** 1/2
127. Hilary Kole -- You Are There **
128. Hey Rosetta! - Into Your Lungs ** 1/2
129. Bill Charlap -- Double Portrait ** 1/2
130. Burton Cummings -- Above The Ground ** 1/2
131. Dee Dee Bridgewater -- Eleanora Fagan (1917-1959 To Billie With Love From Dee Dee) ** 1/2
132. Dot Dot Dot -- II **
133. Eden Brent -- Ain't Got No Troubles ** 1/2
134. Edward Rogers -- Sparkle Lane **
135. Ernie Halter -- Franklin & Vermont **
136. The Floacist -- Floetic Soul **
137. James Blunt -- Some Kind Of Trouble **
138. Justin Townes Earle -- Harlem River Blues ** 1/2
139. Kanye West -- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy *** 1/2
140. Keith Jarrett & Charlie Haden -- Jasmine *** 1/2
141. Kenny Chesney -- Hemingway's Whiskey ** 1/2
142. Lucy Woodward -- Hooked **
143. Merle Haggard -- I Am What I Am ***
144. Abigail Washburn -- City Of Refuge ** 1/2


Updated December 31, 2010.

ComicCon NYC 2010 Coverage For LA Times Blog Hero Complex

Love comix? Check out my rundown of last weekend's ComicCon NYC 2010 (my first!) for the fun LA Times blog The Hero Complex. Next year I am definitely getting over my shyness and pulling out the Captain America outfit hidden in my closet! And a P.S. to my editor Geoff Boucher's rundown of the Top 10 sidekicks. I loved the fan suggestion of Dr. Maturin from the Patrick O'Brian novels and obviously Robin the Boy Wonder is #1, not second. You're just trying to curry favor with the Wookies.

Toronto Film Fest Coverage

Come here for all my links for coverage of Toronto.

Toronto Film Fest Preview for HuffPo

TIFF Days 1 and 2: Midnight Madness

TIFF Day 3: Strikes, Snafus and Sexploitation!

TIFF Day 4: Old Men, Young Girls, Graham Greene and Amigos

TIFF Day 5: Ozon Saves A Dour Day

TIFF Day 6: Hello, Lapland!

TIFF Days 7 and 8: Boston, Beliefs, and The Bang Bang Club

TIFF: Days 9, 10 and 11: The Irish, The Scots And Werner Herzog

Aliens, Monsters and Killers Welcome -- Meet The Mind Behind Midnight Madness for the LA Times blog Hero Complex.

Xavier Dolan -- The Best Director You've Barely Heard About for AOl's blog Queersighted

TIFF Preview Feature for AOL's blog Queersighted

My Sister Libet Wins A Race In Aruba

Listen to the interview and you'll find out the race began at 6 am. Six in the morning. I think one of us is adopted.

Twin Peaks, Hatchet II and More!

I assume if you're reading this blog that you've subscribed to me on Twitter or friended me on Facebook. Those will automatically let you know when I've got a new article, seen a movie, read a book, etc. without you having to bother to come here and check. But for those of you kicking it old school, here are links to my first two articles in the Los Angeles Times. I owe a big thanks to my old college friend Geoff Boucher for the opportunity on both of these -- he's been a star at the LA Times for quite a few years now.

The first is on the 20th anniversary of Twin Peaks.

The second is on the horror film Hatchet II and its battles with the MPAA.

Finally, here are my two most recent DVD columns for Huffington Post: one pegged to Steve Carell and the other leading off with A Prophet, one of the best films of the year.

Cannes Film Festival 2010 Coverage

Did I mention I was at the Cannes Film Festival? Must have slipped my mind while I was wandering the Riviera.

Here's a link to my Cannes roundup at Huffington Post if you interested. It includes a list and rating for all the movies I saw, plus highlights, awards and links to all my daily coverage.

Best CDs of 2009

I've just put up my best CDs of 2009 on Huffington Post. Read, listen and enjoy!

Star Trek Deserves An Oscar Nod For Best Picture!

See my latest Huffington Post DVD column.

Popsurfing Radio Show Playlist: Drinking (1-1-10)

Here's my playlist from not just my first radio show of 2010 but anyone's first radio show of 2010, since I started on the dot at midnight. My theme? Drinking. Enjoy.

Dinah Washington “Drinking Again” from Drinking Again

Andrews Sisters “Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel)” from Greatest Hits -- 60th Anniversary Collection

Richard Thompson “Drinking Wine Spo Dee O Dee” from 1000 Years Of Popular Music

Smiley Maxedon “Give Me a Red Hot Mama and an Ice Cold Beer” from Hillibilly Boogie!

The Ramones “Somebody Put Something In My Drink” from Hey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology

The Little Willies “I Gotta Get Drunk” from The Little Willies

Fountains Of Wayne “Mexican Wine” from Welcome Interstate Managers

Andy Reynolds & His 101 Ranch Boys “Beer Bottle Mama” from Hillbilly Boogie!

Duke Ellington “Beer Garden” from Anatomy of a Murder (Music From the Motion Picture)

Brad Paisley “Alcohol” from Time Well Wasted

James Luther Dickinson “Wine” from Dixie Fried

Tom Paxton “Bottle of Wine” from Best Of Tom Paxton: I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound

Jimmy James & The Vagabonds “Red Red Wine” from Bubblegum Soul

Loretta Lynn “Don't Come Home A'Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)” from Honky Tonk Girl - The Loretta Lynn Collection

Van Morrison “Moonshine Whiskey” from tupelo honey

Watermelon Slim & the Workers “Drinking & Driving” from The Wheel Man

Ladysmith Black Mambazo “Fak' Ibhande (Don't Drink and Drive)” from Raise Your Spirit Higher

John Lee Hooker “One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer” from Chess Blues 1960-1967

Chris Young “Drinkin' Me Lonely” from Chris Young
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Billie Holiday “Gimme A Pigfoot ( And A Bottle of Beer)” from The Complete Decca Recordings

Jimmy Buffett “A Lot to Drink About” from Buffett Hotel

Jimmy Witherspoon “Drinking Beer” from The Bluesville Years Volume 12

Ray Charles “Blues Hangover” from Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings

Jerry Lee Lewis “It Was The Whiskey Talkin' (Not Me)” from Young Blood

Supersuckers “Hungover Together” from Must've Been High

Los Lobos “Whiskey Trail” from Kiko

Oasis “Cigarettes & Alcohol” from Definitely Maybe

Dean Martin “Hey Brother, Pour the Wine” from That's Amore: The Best Of Dean Martin

Ron Sexsmith “Dandelion Wine” from Retriever

7 Worlds Collide “Red Wine Bottle” from The Sun Came Out

Abe McNeil “Drink Drink Drink” from The George Mitchell Collection Vol. 15

Robert Johnson “Drunken Hearted Man” from The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson

Maria McKee “Drinkin' In My Sunday Dress” from Maria McKee

Eddie Pennington & Warner Williams “Hey Bartender, There's a Big Bug in My Beer” from Down Home! Saturday Night

Dwight Yoakam “This Drinkin' Will Kill Me” from dwightyoakamacoustic.net

Katrina & The Waves “Red Wine & Whiskey” from Waves

Loudon Wainwright III “The Drinking Song” from Recovery

The Thrills “Ain't Got the Money to Pay for This Drink” from The Best Of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour

Jon Brion “Punch-Drunk Melody” from Punch-Drunk Love

Goran Bregovic “Streets are drunk” from Alkohol

Johnny Cash “The Kneeling Drunkard's Plea” from Love, God, Murder

The Magnetic Fields “Too Drunk to Dream” from Distortion

Beck “Beercan” from Mellow Gold

Norma Waterson “God Loves a Drunk” from Norma Waterson

The Replacements “Beer for Breakfast” from all for nothing, nothing for all

Andre Previn “Bread and Wine” from The Subterraneans

Eartha Kitt “Lilac Wine” from Eartha-Quake

Christine Kittrell “Sittin' Here Drinkin"” from Night Train To Nashville

Randy Newman “Marie” from Good Old Boys

North South East WEFT Playlist 12-31-2009

Here's the playlist for the music I spun during my guest hosting of North South east WEFT. I highlighted what I considered some of the best world music CDs of the decade.

Manu Chao “Rumba de Barcelona” from Radio Bemba Sound System

Amadou & Mariam “Senegal Fast Food” from Dimanche A' Bamako

The Sahara All Stars of Jos “Take Your Soul” from nigeria disco funk special

Ali Farka Touré “Gambari Didi” from Savane

Vieux Farka Toure “Slow Jam” from Fondo

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba “Musow -- For Our Women” from I Speak Fula

Tinariwen “Chabiba” from Imidiwan: Companions

Tabu Ley Rochereau “Keyla” from Tabu Ley Rochereau: The Voice Of Lightness Congo Classics 1961-1977

Les Ambassadeurs Internationales “Bolola Sanou” from Golden Afrique Vol. 1

Los Mirlos “Sonido Amazonico” from The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru

Puerto Plata “Baracoa” from Mujer de Cabaret

Juanes “No Creo en el Jamás” from La Vida... Es un Ratico

Leo Fadaka & The Heroes “Blak Sound” from Nigeria Special : Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6 [Disc 2]

Ivo Díaz “Pedazo de Acordeón / A Bit of Accordion” from ¡Ayombe! The Heart of Colombia's Música Vallenata

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba “Bassekou” from Segu Blue

Fruko y Sus Tesos “Salsa Na ma” from Colombia! The Golden Age Of Disco Fuentes

Sergio & Odair Assad “Chora Coração” from Jardim Abandonado

Rahim Alhaj & Souhail Kaspar “Taqsim Maqam Saba” from When the Soul Is Settled: Music of Iraq

Groupe Oyiwane “Tagot” from The Rough Guide to the Music of the Sahara

Fanfare Ciocarlia “Alili” from Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies

Andy Palacio and The Garifuna Collective “Watina” from Watina

Chocolate Caliente “Mi guajira-Inspiracion” from Son Cubano NYC

Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate “Debe” from In the Heart of the Moon