Dec 282012
Let’s do this.
- Best movie I saw: Lincoln–Finally, an epic movie about the American legislative process! Spielberg’s analysis of the nation’s most celebrated president as a calculating power broker stands apart from other biopics because it retains a sharp focus on one of Lincoln’s signature achievements: the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery. It’s tempting to descend into hagiography with this kind of subject matter, but Tony Kushner’s script mostly resists those impulses and instead gives us a Lincoln who can be equally charming, brooding, and resolute. The acting is superb all around, but Tommy Lee Jones deserves an Oscar for his portrayal of a powerful and acerbic abolitionist senator.
- Best book I read: Redshirts by John Scalzi–This novel opens as a parody of every pulpy science fiction television show you’ve ever seen, but it gradually becomes something much more thoughtful and, for lack of a better word, meta. It’s an examination of the nature of storytelling and how it shapes both reality and our imaginations. Scalzi’s experiences in writing for television inform this book and gives the reader a peek into the pleasures and frustrations of the creative process. It’s also a deeply funny book that is grounded in an abiding love for the genre.
- Best album I heard: Bloom by Beach House–When this album was released, I tweeted that it sounded like the soundtrack to an unproduced Cameron Crowe movie. Crowe agreed with me, so I must be on to something. Beach House has a knack for simple opening riffs that quickly explode into walls of sound. A lot of dream pop albums tread into monotony after the second or third track, but Bloom never gets boring. I’m expecting great things to come from this band in albums to come.
- Best TV show I watched: Game of Thrones–This year offered another embarrassment of riches on the small screen, but Game of Thrones managed to present a second season that outdid its first in terms of scope, tension, and sheer fun. Things are going to hell in Westeros and, across the sea, an exiled princess is grooming her young dragons for war. The show balances multiple storylines without skimping on material or becoming self-indulgent. Peter Dinklage is even more assured as the scheming Tyrion, but Maisie Williams is astonishing as Arya. She imbues her character with traumatized maturity that few other actors her age could convey. She is a talent to watch in the coming years.
