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Troy's
Pop Culture 101: 2001 Year-End Review
It
was an odd year, to be sure. After a rather strange ending
to 2000, which saw our country's presidential race determined
among much debate and unheard of process, we segued into what
seemed to be a fairly uneventful year. Of course, by year's
end we'd seen tragedy, heroism, and the flames of war. As
2001 closed, it was awash in uncertainty against a backdrop
of continued battle and escalating tensions. If we have one
hope for 2002, it should be that it's politically boring.
That
said, it's our job here to talk about the fun stuff. While
some may believe that such a task loses its relevance in the
face of bad times, I say that it's such stuff that gives people
a release. To that end, here's my picks.
FILM
Entertainers
of the Year/Movie of the Year: Peter Jackson and cast/Lord
of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings: After months and
months of waiting, trailers, internet rumors, and wild speculation,
what we were left with was one spectacularly entertaining
film, simultaneously crafted with love and intelligence and
shot through a filter of high-octane excitement and artistic
commitment. It's obvious to even the most rank amateur that
LOTR:FOTR is a champion achievement. Eschewing traditional
environs by shooting in New Zealand, and shafting the titans
of Lucasfilm for his own special effects, Peter Jackson boldly
stepped into the maelstrom to bring his fierce vision of Tolkien's
epic to marvelous life. Perhaps the most significant effect
of the film is that it not only won over its ready-made audience,
but dazzled the critics (thus far, it earned Best Film nods
from Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, and has garnered
four Golden Globe nominations).
For
this reviewer, every note of the film was pitch-perfect. The
acting was uniformly excellent, as each member of the cast
brought that simplest of things: conviction. When Christopher
Lee is being an evil bastard, you believe him. When Sean Astin
breaks your heart as he vigorously and tearfully reiterates
his promise to stay by Frodo's side, you believe him. And
when Ian McKellan stands astride the Bridge of Khaza-Dum and
commands of the Balrog, "You shall not pass!", you damn sure
believe him. This is a movie of moments, woven into a symphonic
tapestry by a director that made has made alternately fun
(Bad Taste, Dead Alive) and intelligent (Heavenly Creatures)
film in the past, now working at the height of his power.
It's breathtaking, monumental, and above all, entertaining.
Best
Actor: Guy Pearce for "Memento": Where was I? Oh yes.
No performance really required as much technical work and
attention to detail as Guy Pearce's driven short-term-amnesiac
in "Memento". Managing to be funny, sympathetic, and at times,
frightening, Pearce's turn is the one that sticks with me
the most (that didn't involve rings and hobbits).
Best
Actress: Naomi Watts for "Mulholland Drive": You've probably
seen Naomi Watts before, and forgotten her. You won't anymore.
David Lynch's assured direction of this film-noir mind-bender
brought out the best in this Australian star. Whether conveying
wide-eyed innocence, sexual power in the midst of a film audition,
or dead-souled heartbreak, Watts covered all the bases throughout
the narrative's many twists and turns.
Best
Director: Toss-Up: While the smart money seems to be riding
on Ron Howard for "A Beautiful Mind", I care not for the smart
money. The two best-directed films this year were easily "LOTR:FOTR"
and "Mulholland Drive". Although it's possible that the academy
will award Jackson (they like epics), this could finally be
Lynch's year. As for myself, I'm torn. I can think of any
number of directors that would have failed to match Jackson's
organizational and massive achievement; however, Lynch's film
is purely a director's film. Though I lean toward Lynch, I
declare this particular race, for myself, too close to call.
Worst
Movie: Two films that I really, really didn't like this
year were "America's Sweethearts" and "Moulin Rogue". "AS"
was too smirky and self-satisfied, and "MR" hit too much like
the fever-dream of Jack from "Will & Grace". I especially
disliked "MRs" bastardization of popular songs. You probably
could have used Kurt Cobain's spinning corpse as a turbine
to power the whole of Seattle if he'd heard a bunch of fat
men in tuxedos singing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to the Tammy
Faye Bakker make-up clients simultaneously gyrating to "Lady
Marmalade". I just hated it.
TELEVISION
Best
New Show: Alias: If you aren't watching this, then you're
sorely missing out. Jennifer Garner plays Sidney Bristow,
a girl recruited in college to work for the spy organization
SD6. A few years pass, and Sid finds out that she's really
been working for the bad guys. She hooks up with the CIA to
be a double-agent, and learns that the CIA already has a man
on the inside: her estranged father. The action pyrotechnics
and dysfunctional family fireworks keep this thing hopping
plot-wise, while the propulsive techo score and the gorgeous
Garner's many disguises keep you riveted. It's high-concept,
wonderfully executed by creator and writer J.J. Abrams, and
every show is a cliff-hanger. In my opinion, it's a classic
aborning.
Runner-Up:
Smallville: The reinterpretation of the Superman legend
has been huge fun, from Tom Welling's I'm-channeling-Christopher-Reeve
Clark Kent, to Michael Rosenbaum's excellent Lex Luthor, to
Remy Zero's "Save Me" as the main theme, it's all good. It's
the second-best reason to watch TV on Tuesdays.
The
Best Are Still The Best: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Sopranos,
and Sex & The City: Forget oft-awarded ER, which continues
to flounder. "The West Wing" is good, but often a bit too
pedantic. That leaves us with these three perennials, each
one a gem. While "The Sopranos" wasn't as huge as it could
have been, the fantastic cat-and-mouse season opener and the
episode which found Chris and Paulie stuck in the cold were
amazing. I can't wait for new episodes. As for "Buffy", our
heroine came back to life in harsh fashion, carrying the knowledge
that her own friends actually denied her from her eternal
reward; it all hit an apex in the surprisingly effective musical
episode, with words and music by Buffy's main man, Joss Whedon.
And of course, The Sex Girls. I can't think of any show that's
as consistently funny. It finally picked up an Emmy for best
comedy this year; it's always nice to see an awards show get
on board.
Best
Animated Series: Justice League (Cartoon Network): In
a word, "Wow".
Worst:
Friends: While it doesn't outright suck, the show just
continues to plummet in my estimation. The characters have
become caricatures of their former selves, and almost every
plotline seems thudding to me. Other critics have praised
the Rachel-baby storyline, but I found it to be just another
gimmick to hang the season on (like Chandler and Monica's
wedding before it). For me, it's become a chore to watch,
and that's not something that you should associate with a
comedy.
COMICS
For
this, I'm going to do some lists.
10
Best Comics (in no particular order)
1.
JSA (DC): I anticipate this one more than any other. A
consistently solid super-hero book, written with love for
the source material and delivered with huge entertainment
value. Plus, still the best last pages.
2.
The Flash (DC): Hmmm, JSA co-writer Geoff Johns writes
this. Is there a pattern? Frankly, this is just good, solid
super-hero stuff. Great fun.
3.
American Century (DC/Vertigo): This tale of Harry Kraft,
drifting through the '50s in South America, Hollywood, and
other environs, getting into trouble and sticking it to the
bad guys, will be regarded eventually as a classic of the
form. Issue #9 was one of the best tributes to James M. Cain
I've ever read (it's also my Issue of the Year).
4.
Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel): Appearance number one
on my list by Brian Michael Bendis, the supremely talented
writer. His examination of a teen Peter Parker and his trials
and travails as a young hero are perfectly rendered. Couple
that with the fantastic art of Mark Bagley, and you've got
yourself a solid choice for audiences of all ages.
5.
Powers (Image): Bendis again, this time with his pair
of police detectives investigating murder on the super-hero
scene. Biting, funny, and sharp, it's a rare book that could
suck in non-comics fans quite readily.
6.
100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo): Comics have quite the crime
renaissance going right now, and Brian Azzarello and Eduardo
Risso are a large piece of that. You may have no idea where
the hell they're going, but it's all about the ride.
7.
Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President (Viz):
Kaiji Kawaguchi's rumination on the American political process
should be required reading. Covering every stage of a campaign
with the command of a seasoned politico, Kawaguchi makes even
a routine TV debate into a mini-epic of suspense. Plus, it
also perfectly encapsulated the differences between Democrats
and Republicans in two-simple pages. I've never seem anything
else that's come close.
8.
Sojourn (CrossGen): CrossGen's fantasy quest title
came out in exactly the right year, and it's got everything
a title of this type needs: stunning art by Greg Land, a driving
narrative by Ron Marz, a beautiful heroine, a monstrous villain,
mysterious allies, and a great dog.
9.
Pantheon (Lone Star Press): A wonderfully executed
series about the final days of a super-hero team, this is
champion stuff. All of Lone Star's titles are good, but this
is the capper.
10.
JLA (DC): Despite uneven art for a number of reasons,
Mark Waid's stories continued to shine through. This would
have made the list simply for the two best lines of comic
dialogue this year: "He has a dog." "With heat vision."
Best
Tradepaperbacks: These are the best collections issued
this year, in no particular order.
Box
Office Poison by Alex Robinson (Top Shelf): This work
is so funny and so insightful regarding 90s people in their
20s that it almost seems like memories as opposed to a reading
experience. Smart, engaging, and despite its whopping 602-page
length, over far too soon.
A
Complete Lowlife by Ed Brubaker (Top Shelf): Sort of the
evil twin to BOP, Lowlife indulges in the darker side of the
directionless. It has moments of outright humor, head-scratching
decisions, and touching candor. Not to be missed.
Planetary:
The Fourth Man (DC/Wildstorm): Though the hardcover has
been out for a while, the softcover is fresh (and cheaper).
There's very little in the super-hero genre that is as good
as this ongoing tribute to the power of creativity by Warren
Ellis and John Cassaday. Would only that the regular issues
came out faster.
The
CrossGen Trades (CrossGen): Produced with such eye-popping
color and so many little extras as to be dubbed "TPB DVDs",
these care-lavished volumes introduce readers into the entirety
of the CrossGen universe. Each book contains seven issues,
and any reader is sure to find at least one to latch onto.
At this writing, the first volumes of Mystic, Scion, Sigil,
Meridian and The First are all available, with more first
and second volumes to follow in 2002.
Biggest
Hype: DK2: While I enjoyed the first part of Miller
and Varley's follow-up to the immortal "Dark Knight Returns",
the pre-release hype was almost deafening. This book won't
change (or "save") comics, but it's a good story. And that's
something that's always needed.
Please
Shut Up Award: To Marvel honchos Joe Quesada and Bill
Jemas. While Joey Q has made some stellar moves on the creative
front by acquiring solid talent and dispensing some good ideas,
he and Jemas regularly go into traction with their self-congratulations.
They can never just have and present a good idea; they must
go to the internet and fan press to snipe at their competitors.
Even worse, they've bagged on departing creative teams or
snidely dumped on Marvel's own history (Quesada, in an article
about "The Ultimates", ragged on the 80s title "West Coast
Avengers", which actually outsold any single regular title
Marvel is doing now).
The
That-Would-Be-Stupid Award: To continuing word that The
Authority, one of the best comics ever, may be dumped for
either a) post 9-11 knee-jerk reactionism, b) the fact that
two of the main characters are essentially gay versions of
Superman and Batman, or c) complete editorial short-sightedness
and jealousy. Whatever the reasons, canning The Authority
would be like subverting the Bill of Rights just to maybe
catch one of two potential . . . oh wait, we're doing that?
Moving on . . .
ACTION FIGURES
Best
Toy Line: Mobile Suit Gundam (Bandai): Gundam takes this
based on variety of product available, some truly stunning
sculpting, aggressive attention to detail, and a willingness
to provide depth from their universe without choking you on
the insignificant (*cough* Star Wars *cough*). Among their
best work this year were the Kampfer and the GP-02 from "Gundam
0083: Stardust Memory". The figures are well-made, eminently
playable for kids, and happily displayable for adults.
Best
Toy Line, Runners-Up: Dragonball Z (Irwin) and Lord of the
Rings (Toy Biz): Irwin pumped up the volume to Kamehameha
blast levels this year with an increased emphasis on detail
and a renewed commitment to just making cool versions of the
Z Fighters. The summer batch that featured Goku, Vegeta and
Piccolo was a classic, while the late fall arrival of Cell
w/Cell Jr. was a Christmas gift to fans.
On
the Rings front, Toy Biz went all out, nailing the likenesses
of the actors and throwing in some stunning extras. The 10"
electronic sound-and-motion Cave Troll might be my favorite
overall toy this year.
MUSIC
While
we have plenty of writers to pontificate on music elsewhere
on the site, I thought I'd just throw in my few cents.
Music You Should Have Listened to This Year: That list
would include The Strokes, Remy Zero, The Faint, Tenacious
D, Los Straitjackets, The Derailers, and Idlewild. Music To
Listen To in the New Year: The Shivers. Check them out at
www.theshiversmusic.com,
and download their stuff at www.mp3.com/the_shivers.
SPORTS
I
Still Can't Stand Jordan Award: Recently, Jordan passed
another player on the all-time scoring list. This is bullshit.
If you officially retire ONCE, they should restart your stats
upon your return. Jordan has retired TWICE. True, he can still
play, but his egregious egoism continues to deny young players
the spotlight.
Picking
Up the Pace Award: Jermaine O'Neal is coming alive for
The Pacers. He's perhaps my Most Improved from last year.
Tirade
of the Year: Of course, that goes to Jim Mora, for his
public shots on Peyton Manning's repeated interceptions. A
lot of people griped, but it's not like Mora was wrong.
Disappointment
of the Year: The Colts performance. This is truly an instance
where injuries killed the team. They could have survived the
loss of Edgerrin James, what with the blossoming of Find of
the Year Dominic Rhoads, but all of the other players that
went down devastated them. This seriously wasn't the staff's
fault.
Whining
of the Year: I will never, ever, give a shit about the
Bowl System or the National Championship system. Ever. It's
pointless. Besides, how many college football fans actually
went to the schools that they cheer for? 20%? 25%? Lunacy.
The
Just You Wait Award: To Texas Tech. Bob Knight hasn't
really started to show his ass yet, but he's already walked
out of one press conference after a hard question. Calm down,
Knight. And make sure you review those practice tapes; you
never know what you'll see there.
NEWS AND NEWSMAKERS
The
Bad with the Good Award (tie): George W. Bush and Rudy
Giuliani truly acquitted themselves incredibly well in the
face of national crisis. However, it is incumbent upon Americans
to remember that our basic rights should remain secure. To
that end, any action that men take in wartime should be balanced
again their actions in peacetime. Censorship of the variety
practiced by both the mayor (New York art exhibits) and the
president (various items, including governmental criticism)
should not stand, especially in the face of the enemy that
we continue to confront. For that matter, the ends don't always
justify the means; if we sacrifice certain freedoms on mere
assumptions, then how can we honestly bear the standard of
the greatest nation? I will forever respect how these men
handled the days that followed 9-11; it's what they do on
the level of domestic everyday life that will shape our continued
perceptions.
The
True Heroes Award: Obviously, to the men and women who
risked their lives in New York and Washington, and to the
passengers that saw no other recourse but to fight and die
in the name of freedom. Among all the analysis, that is the
thing that is most often overlooked. In fact, it's the single
thing that should never be forgotten.
The
Don't Forget Award: I've seen smug and self-satisfied
news people saying how 9-11 knocked the "unimportant" Chandra
Levy story off the front pages. While I agree that some news
outlets played up the salacious details far too much, there
is nothing "unimportant" about a missing woman and the possible
role that an elected official played in her disappearance.
We shouldn't blindly condemn a man without the full range
of facts (some of which are fairly damning), but we also shouldn't
blindly let a man go about his life if he has potential keys
to a mystery. Whether he's guilty of anything or not, he's
a dick for lying to her parents. And that's the truth.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
2001
was an odd year for us all. National upheaval and tragedy
played against a background of an uncertain nation, yet people
must live their lives. We should not let the spirit of volunteerism
that exploded in September die; people should be encouraged
to remain charitable and amenable to service. They should
be willing to give blood or clothes or food when the need
arises, and even when it doesn't.
This
was a strange year for me personally. It was punctuated by
periods of fierce activity and long lulls. It had some dramatic
highs and some fairly serious lows.
I
think I learned more about what being a "real friend" means
than I ever wanted to this year. What truly constitutes a
friendship? I think that it must be more than simply hanging
out with a person because of a common interest. There must
be give and take, and a willingness to accept certain truths.
I've
been called a man that only wants a friend that I can get
something out of. I've mainly been tagged with that because
I run this website, and I expect a certain work ethic if people
want their name on it. I'm reminded of the "Little Red Hen";
the hen makes the bread, and none of the other animals help,
but they all want to eat it, then are pissed when she won't
give them any. I went to friends first, because I thought
they would bring the effort needed. In many cases, I've been
right. However, the fact remains that I don't need tangible
work out of someone in order for them to be my friend. I also
don't need "blind followers". I like having people on the
site and in my life with their own opinions; it's when someone
is blind about their own stubbornness or oblivious to what
is better for the group that I get upset.
What
I do need out of someone is honesty, both to me and to their
own self. And that's what this has to do with you, readers.
Friends SHOULD place expectations on each other. You SHOULD
want something out of your friends. You should want them to
be honest, and steadfast, and up-front. And that shouldn't
be something that you have to ask or beg for, and honesty
about your own behavior should never be something that you
slap away with personal affront.
What
then, is a friend? My guess would be: A friend is someone
who will give you what they have, but especially when you
DON'T ask for it. Maybe what they give is effort, or a hand,
or an ear. It's when they start to tell you what YOU aren't
doing for THEM that you should worry.
That
said, thanks again to Shawn and Russ, and Birdsong and Neil,
and Joe and Kyle, and Li and Gareth, and Oseye and Brian,
and Tim and Matt, and all of the other disparate personalities
that make this site work. They are friends, and they work
on the site, and they are friends to common purpose.
Readers,
that purpose is you. We hope you continue to read us, and
enjoy. Thank you.
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