Books and Movies
It's 2007, can you believe it's a new year already, blah blah blah. Let's get to the important stuff.
A year ago, I happened across a number of people who had, two years ago, resolved to count the number of books they read in the coming year (2005). Some had even set themselves a goal (20 books, 85 books, whatever) and were now (then) celebrating achieving said goal or lamenting falling short. I had never encountered such behavior before and didn't quite know what to make of it, but just for the sheer, unadulterated hell of it decided to keep track of how many books I read in 2006, and, why not, movies as well.
Somewhere along the way I started giving them ratings as well, in typical report card style. Here, then, is the complete list. The following value judgments are absolute, permanent, and not open for debate. I will, however, justify my opinions at the slightest provocation.
Books:
1 - A Million Little Pieces, James Frey: A
2 - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Douglas Adams: B+
3 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Mark Haddon: A+
4 - The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul, Douglas Adams: B+
5 - Bel Canto, Ann Patchett: B-
6 - Before Their Time, Daniel Taylor/Ron Hoekstra: A-
7 - The World According to Garp, John Irving: B+
8 - For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway: A+
9 - The Robber Bride, Margaret Atwood: B
10 - JPod, Douglas Coupland: B
11 - Bodily Harm, Margaret Atwood: B+
12 - The World Is Flat, Thomas Friedman: A
13 - Hey Nostradomus!, Douglas Coupland: A
14 - The Myth of the Perfect Mother, Carla Barnhill: B+
15 - Tishomingo Blues, Elmore Leonard: C+
16 - Moral Disorder, Margaret Atwood: B-
Movies:
1 - The Chronicles of Narnia: C
2 - Kill Bill vol. 1: C+
3 - Meet the Fockers: B-
4 - Robots: C
5 - What the Bleep Do We Know?: B
6 - March of the Penguins: B
7 - Mona Lisa Smile: D
8 - Chasing Amy: B-
9 - The Ladykillers: C+
10 - The Pink Panther: B+
11 - Bridges of Madison County: B-
12 - The Rabbit-Proof Fence: A
13 - Wedding Crashers: C+
14 - The Incredibles: A
15 - Runaway Jury: B-
16 - V for Vendetta: A+
17 - Shrek 2 (again): A
18 - Real Genius: B+
19 - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie: A-
20 - Troy: B
21 - Enigma: A
22 - A Very Long Engagement: A
23 - The Straight Story: B
24 - Capote: B+
25 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: A-
26 - The 40-Year Old Virgin: B+
27 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: B+
28 - Howl's Moving Castle: A+
29 - Brokeback Mountain: A-
30 - A Praire Home Companion Movie
Fans of the show: B
Never heard of it: C+
31 - Team America World Police: B
32 - Hustle & Flow: B+
33 - A History of Violence: A
34 - Cinderella Man: B+
35 - Superman Returns: B+
36 - The Sweet Hereafter (again): A+
37 - Good Night and Good Luck: B+
38 - Everything Is Illuminated: A
39 - Mrs. Brown: C+
40 - The Last Samurai: A
41 - The Animatrix: B
42 - Laws of Attraction: C
43 - The Terminal: B
44 - I Heart Huckabee's: A
45 - War of the Worlds: B-
46 - Ice Age 2: The Meltdown: C+
47 - Old School: B
48 - Pollock: B-
49 - Ladies In Lavendar: C+
50 - Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle: B+
51 - Kill Bill vol. 2: A-
52 - Kate & Leopold: B-
53 - School for Scoundrels: C-
54 - The Benchwarmers: C
55 - Jackass the Movie: God help me, B-
56 - Munich: B+
57 - Thank You For Smoking: A-
58 - Breasts: a Documentary: C+
59 - 84 Charing Cross Road: B-
60 - Hollow Man: D+
61 - The Usual Suspects (again): A+
62 - The Talented Mr. Ripley (again): A
63 - Ripley's Game: B
64 - Borat: B-
65 - Lumumba: B-
66 - The Producers: B
67 - The Departed: A
posted by Josh Fuller @ 4:36 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Hello Fuller Family -
Happy New Year! It's been a long time since I've seen you, but I wanted to quickly say hi and let you know that I like you :) Here's what's up in my life:
1. I moved back to St. Paul and now work at Prevent Child Abuse MN.
2. I got a haircut.
3. I got engaged. That was pretty neat.
I'm wishing a happy and healthy new year for you all, and hopefully more A-rated movies for Josh (only a C for Narnia? Sigh).
-Brittany Thurber
PS: Michelle has very cute hair in the Christmas pictures, and my gosh, Alicia is tall!
Josh, I am in agreement with many of your book choices and ratings, but I am disheartened at your film list and subsequent ratings. I have too many discrepancies to even begin with!
Indeed, there is no accounting for taste.
That said, I will mention that I have a tendency to admire good filmmaking over good storytelling...in other words I'm a sucker for creative directing and acting rather than for a good yarn. Thus a movie like The Talented Mr. Ripley, which is brilliantly shot and acted, but in which every single character is completely unlikable, is rated higher on my list than on most. Also, unlike the Academy I am not biased toward drama. If a goofball comedy (such as Harold and Kumar) is executed with as much skill and originality as an ambitious epic (such as Munich), they will receive the same rating.
I should also mention that that was the original Pink Panther, not the Steve Martin version. Blech.
I am not going to fight your B+, but only because you also gave one to John Irving.
Thanks to your blog I actually counted my books this year as well. I planned on only 12 as I thought with 2 kids and finding the time I would have a hard enough time but some how I was able to read 20. So thanks for the idea. This year I set my goal to 24, and hope to complete it. I doubt I will rate them though, if they are anything lower than a C I probably won't finish it anyway!
Post a Comment
<< Home