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Category Archives: Best Of
The Best Film Performances of 2024
Ensemble in a DramaSing SingWhile Colman Domingo and Clarence Macklin have rightly gotten the praise for standing out in this ensemble, the whole cast – most of whom are formerly incarcerated amateurs – are astonishing and authentic. If it weren’t … Continue reading
The Best and Worst Movies of 2024
Let’s start with the most obvious thing about this list: Only one is from a traditional Hollywood studio. That’s how bad the product got in 2024, with most big-name directors’ projects punted to 2025 or later. The best films once … Continue reading
The Best TV Performances of 2024
ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES Only Murders in the BuildingThe show more than doubled its main cast. Not only did producers bring in Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy and Eva Longoria as actors playing our trio in a movie about the … Continue reading
Posted in Awards, Best Of, Television
Tagged abbott elementary, agency, amazon, boys, curb your enthusiasm, english teacher, evil, girls5eva, hbo, hulu, monsieur spade, netflix, only murders in the building, paramount, prime, showtime, true detective
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The Best TV Shows of 2024, Part 2
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL Anthony Jeselnik: Bones and All (Netflix)There was essentially no difference between this special and the show I saw at the Majestic Theatre in 2023. But it didn’t matter. This was another strong hour from the most unapologetically … Continue reading
Posted in Best Of, Television
Tagged amazon, anthony jeselnik, boys, curb your enthusiasm, hbo, jeopardy, monsieur spade, netflix, prime, showtime, woman in the wall
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The Best Shows of 2024, Part 1
For the first time in more than a decade, I didn’t watch enough TV to do a full top 10, plus favorite comedy specials and honorable mentions. Due to some changing life circumstances, there just wasn’t enough time to keep … Continue reading
Posted in Best Of, Television
Tagged abbott elementary, amazon, batman, bear, disney, english teacher, evil, girls5eva, hacks, hbo, hulu, max, netflix, only murders in the building, paramount, prime, true detective, what we do in the shadows, x-men
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The List: Top 10 ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Episodes
This anniversary may be hard to believe, but Schitt’s Creek premiered 10 years ago this week. This Canadian production aired in the U.S. on the mostly ignored cable channel Pop (which you may remember as the TV Guide Network). Slowly … Continue reading
The Best Songs of 2024
Below are my top 50 songs of the year. Check out the Spotify playlist here. James Bay – “Easy Distraction” Beyoncé – “16 CARRIAGES” Bullion feat. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Rare” Cage the Elephant – “Out Loud” Ethel Cain – “Punish” … Continue reading
Posted in Best Of, Music
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The Anniversary Albums Project: Best of 2024
New music has lost a lot of hold on me over the last few years. And six years ago I decided that instead of trying to keep up with it all, I’d look back at music history and listen to … Continue reading
Posted in Best Of, Music
Tagged arcade fire, big star, hans zimmer, interstellar, prince, purple rain
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20 After 20: 2003
20. Whale Rider (dir. Niki Caro)A movie for families that’s not for little kids. This used to be a regular occurrence, but good luck finding one these days. A beautiful celebration of Maori culture – and a sharp critique of … Continue reading
Posted in Best Of, Film, Reviews
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The List: Top 10 ‘Parks and Recreation’ Episodes
Parks and Recreation premiered 15 years ago this week. While those first six episodes never quite achieved liftoff, the show improved drastically in Season 2, hitting its stride in an abbreviated third season. The show embraced serialization with Leslie’s challenging … Continue reading