Life is much more than entertainment and this list (and those like it) boil everything that happened, oftentimes, into a series of anecdotes about the things we do to spend our time. I'd argue that watching movies and reading, in the very least, are far from things I do for purely entertainment purposes. Even so, I got married, went to New York, moved to Cleveland, in 2011. None of those things will necessarily be reflected in anything I'm about to write.
...but then again, so much of life, I do believe, is in some way intimated, expressed, experienced via things like books and movies, at least in the way our, my, culture works today. So that's why I continue to do this, each and every year, despite how often I actually make a new blogpost. What I'm reading at a particular point in time influences how I experience and interpret the experiences I encounter while doing so. Likewise, the music we listen to inflects its own style upon the events taking place to it; that's why modern films have soundtracks. So with that in mind, realize, as you read this, that, more than anything, this is a list of the things that meant the most to me last year within their particular categories. It's not a necessary value judgment and most of these things didn't come out in 2011. In any event, enjoy the reading and feel free to count these as recommendations of some sort, within the context of whatever it is I say about the particular pieces.
Literature:
Book of the year: Every year, I generally say this is the "hardest decision." It's not an easy decision this year; see my list yesterday for evidence. But a short book with which I basically ended up at random, cut through the cloudy territory with its life-altering message, simple elegance, and generally entertaining style from cover to cover. For everyone everywhere, I wholeheartedly, from top to bottom, recommend and give my book-of-2011 honor(as if it matters, but whatever...) to Me, Myself, and Bob, by Phil Vischer. If you want to do anything in your life that's at all creative, out of the ordinary, or worthwhile, heed Mr. Vischer's advice. Do yourself a favor and read this book at the next available moment.
Runner-up: Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Author of the Year: One might think that the author of the year ought to go to the author of the book of the year. Though I could potentially argue that Vischer isn't exactly an author, what's more important is that this title goes more to the person as a writer than to the products he or she creates. Vischer created a life altering book, to be sure, but he's far from an author in any other means when it comes to books. He's a fine writer, but I read multiple books by other people and as storytellers go, he doesn't take the cake with his non-fiction. Anyway, I'm actually going in a direction I never thought I'd ever approach this year. Last year, I started reading the Dark Tower cycle, by Stephen King and while it's flawed, it's the most impressive series I've seen for adults, especially in the modern/post-modern era. Some books have sequels. Few of them are better than their predecessor. King created a new world (or many, depending...) and manages to make each novel better than the last. I like his style; it's entertaining and satiric; harsh and subtle; beautiful and inelegant, and so much more, all at once. So, for that reason, I can't go with anyone but Stephen King as my author of the year.
Runner-up: Marcel Proust
Motion Pictures:
Film of the Year: This isn't easy because I didn't watch nearly enough movies last year. I read more books than I saw films. I'm not even sure I liked most of them. Maybe it's just because it's the last one I saw and the first film I ever saw in blu-ray, but True Grit, by Joel and Ethan Coen is easily the best film I saw last year. I actually watched many academy award best pictures and nominees last year, but The Departed, though amazing, would have lost to True Grit were they the same year, A Serious Man though among my favorites just slightly less decentering than True Grit, and the Hurt Locker the most overrated film I've seen in years (it's good but if it weren't current-day American soldiers, it wouldn't have won. Granted, that makes it powerful and one could argue that that's the point. Even as such, True Grit just, for me, hits correctly on more aspects than The Hurt Locker and it's a more altogether impressive piece of art) Hugo, by the way, is excellent. It's odd though- people who love Melies want everyone to see it to give him his due, but if you actually love Melies, you'll also realize that it doesn't actually give him the due he deserves because, quite frankly, to make a movie praising a man for stop motion and editing technique innovation isn't going to sell. Scorsese is brilliant and he'd be my director of the year if I had that category, but, as always, he compromises for his audience at the wrong times. It's a much more impressive movie than book though, if that says anything. On the whole, it felt so conventional, which is sad, considering it's an homage to one of the most innovative men who ever lived. Sure, it's in 3D, but it's a bit gimicky (though seeing the Melies clips in 3d is brilliant) and provides an excuse for being carelessly shot most of the time. Okay, this wasn't suppose to be a review of Hugo or a simple elimination of the other films I watched from True Grit. True Grit is a masterpiece, top 4 or 5 for the Coens, and that on its own is enough for me to love it dearly for the rest of my life. (the top 3, in my exceptionally educated opinion, is: 1. No Country for Old Men, 2. The Big Lebowski, 3. Barton Fink) I'm also biased, and because this is my list, that's good enough.
Runner-Up: The Last Temptation of Christ, Martin Scorsese
Television program of the year: I watched more t.v. last year than I have perhaps ever watched. It's an easy thing to do when Alexandra gets home from work and we don't have long before bed because she has to work in the morning. For the early part of 2011, living in the cabin, I watched next to no television. After moving to Cleveland, it became a flood. Even so, for the most part, outside of sports, I don't really like most t.v. It's simple entertainment and adequate background noise to my reading. Even so, there was a show I had to see every episode of this year: The Next Food Network Star. Though the end of the show was a bit slow and disappointing, the first 5-10 episodes were the most I've ever enjoyed reality t.v.
Runner-Up: The Office
Music:
Song of the Year:
I feel like I'm compelled to pick what I'm about to pick here, but it wouldn't matter...there wasn't a moment this year that I was happier than the moment when Alexandra and I danced to What are you doing the Rest of Your Life, by Dusty Springfield at our wedding reception.
Runner-Up: I Want to be Well, Sufjan Stevens
Artist of the year
If this is a surprise to you, read a couple posts back: Kanye West. He's the greatest living artist still producing at his peak. Not just musically; I mean anyone, anywhere, in any medium. I don't know enough about classical music, architecture, or painting, but I do know Scorsese is past his peak (as are the Coens, whom I'd actually argue are the greatest living directors), and there are next to 0 up and coming directors doing anything as well as Kanye is right now. Rushdie has been past his peak for decades and Eggers, though brilliant, isn't, in my opinion, nearly as prolific or untouchable as Kanye. Kanye out-raps Jay-Z on most of Watch the Throne and he created the majority of the beats for it. He is, as far as I can tell, an auteur of auteurs when it comes to hip-hop.
Runner-Up: Sufjan Stevens
Album of the year:
This is actually harder than you may think. Of course I'm going with Watch the Throne, but Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons and Lungs by Florence and the Machine were absolutely worn out in my car's stereo this past year as well. Even so, near the end of the year, I checked something else out at the library, right before Harvest and well, it almost took first place. It's really more a fight for second place, and for that, I've got to defer to the next line.
Runner-Up: The Age of Adz, Sufjan Stevens
Sports:
Team of the Year: I've got to make up for last year. I went with the Reds for their playoff appearance and listed the Packers as the runner-up. They continued to make me look like a fool and went undefeated from that time til just three weeks ago, picking up a superbowl in the meantime. So, I've got to right the wrong, go with the Green Bay Packers, and wish them the absolute best in the playoffs- hoping for a repeat.
Runner-Up: The College of Wooster, Men's Basketball (for a first-ever national championship game appearance)
I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed reliving my year in print, screen, and sports!
-Zack
"And when you stand before the candles on a cake
Oh, let me be the one to hear the silent wish you make"
-Dusty Springfield
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