Actually, 2010 was pretty all right. I celebrated three years of marriage to my beautiful wife by stuffing my face with fancy barbecue pork ribs; I watched my niece, Dakota, methodically punch a homemade birthday cake in the guts for ten straight minutes at her first birthday party; and I attended a wedding reception in a real-life aquarium with sharks and everything! There was a bunch of other crap too, but I'm too pumped for 2011 to start to remember any of it now. I will, though, because you asked for it maybe, count down some of my favorite things from the past year, starting with...
My Favorite Album(s) of 2010: (tie) The Brutalist Bricks by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists & Shut Up, Dude/Sit Down, Man by Das Racist
Highlights include: "Bottled in Cork"; "Where Was My Brain?"; "Even Heroes Have to Die"; "The Mighty Sparrow"; "Ativan Eyes"
Highlights include: "Who's That? Brooown!"; "Rainbow in the Dark"; "Shorty Said"; "hahahaha jk?"; "puerto rican cousins" "sit down, man"
Even more 2010 favorites: Crystal Castles II (Crystal Castles); Majesty Shredding (Superchunk); Astro Coast (Surfer Blood); Contra (Vampire Weekend); The Drums (The Drums)
My Favorite Film of 2010: Scott Pilgrim VS. The World
I'm waiting until Oscar time to reveal my Top 10 list, but only because I didn't really get a chance to catch that many new movies this year. I'm sorry. Please don't be sore at me.
Films that will more likely than not make my 2010 Top 10 list: Winter's Bone; Exit Through the Gift Shop; Toy Story 3; Fair Game
My Favorite New Television Program of 2010: Boardwalk Empire
Solid storytelling, engaging characters, and so many boobs.
Other new favorites: The Walking Dead
Old favorites still being all great and stuff: Gossip Girl; How I Met Your Mother; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; American Dad; Community; 30 Rock
My Favorite Video Game of 2010: Epic Mickey
I'm not really a "gamer," per se, so when I find a video game that captures my attention as spectacularly as Epic Mickey did this year, I take notice. Beautiful to look at and endlessly fun to play. And, best of all, it is actually beatable. It took me 18 hours. I'm sure that would be considered an "epic fail" in the hardcore gaming world. Buncha nerds.
My Favorite Food Discovery of 2010: Fried Chicken and Waffles
It seems so natural and obvious. I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. Now, I'll never let you go. Promise.
My Top Ten Favorite Podcasts of 2010
10. Who Charted? (Extremely new podcast--there have only been four episodes so far--from Earwolf, the podcasting network responsible for #2 on our list, so you know it's a quality pod.)
9. Red State of the Union (Kevin Smith speaks with the cast and crew of his forthcoming horror flick, Red State. A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how a movie gets made outside of the Hollywood system.)
8. Monster Talk (Cryptids, mythical beasts, ghosts, and other creatures that go bump in the night or whenever they damn well feel like it, discussed from a scientific/skeptical point of view.)
7. The Nerdist (Comedian/nerd, Chris Hardwick, talks to people he knows and likes about stuff that is interesting and nerdy.)
8. The Heidi and Frank Show (Funny people sitting around being funny. You've got to subscribe to get the whole experience, but it is totally worth it.)
6. Battleship Pretension (Film geeks talking about films. Funny and substantive.)
5. The Pod F. Tompkast (The official podcast of Paul F. Tompkins, so you know it's a quality pod.)
4. (tie) WTF with Marc Maron & Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! (Comedians talking comedy and Kevin Smith's childhood friends shooting the shit in a comic book shop, respectively.)
3. Doug Loves Movies (Doug Benson and his comedy friends talk about movies and whatever else. Home of the Leonard Maltin Game.)
2. Comedy Death Ray Radio (The finest comedy podcast available! Highlights this year have included Bill Cosby Bukowski; Brett Gelman's short story "iBrain; Bob Ducca; and anything uttered by Paul F. Tompkins)
1. The Best Show on WFMU (Maybe my favorite thing ever. Listen once and you're hooked.)
Assorted 2010 Favorites:
-Vacation in London
-American Dad Christmas episode
-Netflix Instant View on Wii
-My mom's enjoyment of Scott Pilgrim VS. The World
-Impending fatherhood
-ESPN's "C'mon, Man!" segments
Biggest 2010 Disappointment: The Carolina Panthers (I don't want to talk about it.)
Assorted 2010 Favorites:
-Vacation in London
-American Dad Christmas episode
-Netflix Instant View on Wii
-My mom's enjoyment of Scott Pilgrim VS. The World
-Impending fatherhood
-ESPN's "C'mon, Man!" segments
Biggest 2010 Disappointment: The Carolina Panthers (I don't want to talk about it.)
