Apropos of List-Making: 2006 in Pop Culture

Posted on December 31, 2006 @ 10:40 am

It wouldn’t be the end of the year without a little list-making, right? Here are some of my favorite — and less-than-favorite — bits of pop culture from 2006.

My Top Ten Movies of 2006

Rocky Balboa — A Rocky sequel in 2006 sounded like a disaster in the making, but Rocky Balboa turned out far better than I ever expected.
 
V for Vendetta — Two reasons I liked this movie so much: 1) V was hella cool, and 2) it reminded m me once again that Natalie Portman can actually act after suffering through her wooden performances in the Star Wars prequels.
 
Little Miss Sunshine — Adorable, but not in that sickening way.

Clerks II — Where has Rosario Dawson been all of Kevin Smith’s life? She’s the first female lead Smith has ever cast that can actually deliver his rapid-fire dialogue and have it sound the least bit natural.

Jackass Number Two — Raising blunt testicular trauma to an art.

Mission: Impossible III — The best episode of Alias ever, only without Jennifer Garner crying every fifteen minutes about how hard it is to be a spy. I hated the first two Missions: Impossible, but bringing J. J. Abrams on board was enough to help me overlook the Tom Cruise factor.

Casino Royale — As much as I liked Pierce Brosnan as 007, his Bond flicks somehow managed to be at once outlandishly over-the-top, yet completely interchangeable. Casting Daniel Craig and rethinking Casino Royale as a more subtle character study helped create the best Bond film in years.

The Last Kiss — Is it so wrong that I have a tiny man-crush on Zach Braff? If so, I don’t wanna be right!

The Prestige — This film goes down as my pick for the best movie trailer of 2006. It’s also my choice for this year’s best film about Victorian-era magicians. Suck it, The Illusionist!

An Inconvenient Truth — As an educator, I someday hope to achieve Al Gore’s level of proficiency with PowerPoint.

 

My Five Most Disappointing Movies of 2006

Superman Returns — I think what annoyed me most about this movie was that it featured absolutely the worst incarnation of Lois Lane ever, including Teri Hatcher’s on Lois and Clark. Oh, and don’t even get me started on Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey’s awful caricature of Oscar-winner Gene Hackman’s awful caricature of Lex Luthor.
 
For Your Consideration — What if you brought in a troupe of remarkably talented actors, set up cameras, told them to improvise a comedy, and nothing funny happened? I’ll give you a hint: the answer is For Your Consideration.

Lady in the Water — Was the shocking twist this time around that the move was supposed to suck? Well-played, M. Night. *slow clap*

Marie Antoinette — Such a pretty trailer, but after fifteen minutes of this interminable period piece, I was rooting for the guillotine.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest — I loved the first installment, but it felt like all the novelty had worn off Captain Jack and company this time around. Then again, it set every box office record on the planet, so what do I know?
 

My Favorite Music of 2006

The Life Pursuit (Belle & Sebastian) — Sometime this year, Belle & Sebastian went from being just some band I liked to being my favorite group recording music today. This album had a lot to do with that.
 
Begin to Hope (Regina Spektor) — A truly unique voice and beautiful songwriting. Just watch the video for “Fidelity” and tell me you’re not totally enamored with Regina Spektor’s music.

“O Valencia!” (The Decemberists) — There’s something about single and its grandiose tale of star-crossed lovers and pistols at dawn that I just can’t help but like.

“Sexy Back” (Justin Timberlake) — Okay, this is me officially admitting that I’m a fan of Justin Timberlake’s solo work. There, I said it. Are you happy now?

Pretty Little Head (Nellie McKay) — Such a weird little album, but I can’t stop listening.
 

My Top Five Embarrassing Downloads of 2006

“Fergalicious” (Fergie) — Um…I was trying to download a Sufjan Stevens song and accidentally clicked wrong in the iTunes store?
 
“Love Me or Hate Me (Remix)” (Lady Sovereign & Missy Elliott) — Er…I really like Missy Elliott?

“Snakes on a Plane (Bring It!)” (Cobra Starship) — Uh…it was totally ironic, you know? Woo! Snakes on a Plane! Remember how fun that was?

“I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” (Scissor Sisters) — Ah…my cat jumped on my keyboard, and the next thing I knew, this song had downloaded?

“Wind It Up” (Gwen Stefani) — Okay, okay…I just have bad taste in music sometimes.
 

My Top Six Television Shows of 2006

Battlestar Galactica — Calling it the best science fiction show on television doesn’t do BSG justice. It’s one of the best shows on television, period. If you’re not watching because of the corny title, do yourself a favor and check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

Lost — Feels like it’s losing a little steam this season, but I’m hoping things will pick up after the mid-season hiatus.

24 — I’m late to the party with 24. I only started watching a couple of months ago, and I’ve shot through all five seasons on DVD in short order. Jack Bauer for president!

The Colbert Report — Stephen Colbert remains the patron saint of Apropos of Something. Who would have thought he could beat Jon Stewart at his own game?

Heroes — To everyone who said that Heroes was practically made for me: you were right. I’m finally up-to-date on the series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Personally, I’m hoping for bright-colored spandex costumes.

Scrubs — Did I mention I have a man-crush on Zach Braff earlier? Actually, maybe I should stop mentioning that.
 

Top Five Reality Shows I Deny Watching

Real World/Road Rules Challenge — I mean, I’m almost 30 years old. Why would I watch this crap?

Miami Ink — I’m probably the last person on the planet who would ever get a tattoo, so it’s not like I’d waste my time watching a reality show about tattooing.

What Not to Wear — I got into academics because it was a business where I could dress like an idiot and people would just assume I was “eccentric.” No way I’m watching TLC’s fashion makeover show. Oh, and the same thing goes for Project Runway, too.

Deal or No Deal — It’s like the game show for people who find The Price is Right too difficult to follow, and I’m not a shallow enough person to watch just to root against the contestants who yell, “I KNOW THE MILLION IS IN MY CASE, HOWIE! NO DEAL! WOOOOO!!!”

Viva La Bam — Oh, crap. I already picked Jackass Number Two as one of my favorite movies of the year. You’re not buying this, are you? God, I’m so ashamed.

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