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Blog content presented as-is. The majority of these posts are at mininum five years old. I may also start posting here again more frequently. Or I may not. Since 2011, Tumblr has gotten more of my blogging attention. You should try me over there instead.

Top 13 in Television 2005

TV is an interesting medium these days. 2005 will probably go down in history as the first year that time-shifted television truly broke out. Sure, Tivo had its first cultural moment with Janet’s Super Bowl fiasco in 2004, but with Tivo, the ubiquitous “on demand” cable offerings and now iTunes, TV is starting to go beyond the old days of “appointment viewing.” All rules are being thrown out the window, and the same can be said for this list. What follows is not really a Top 13, but a series of 13 lists. Some are short, some are long. All are essential viewing. Put down the remote and enjoy.

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December 21, 2005

Best of

Top 13 Concerts of 2005

In a year which I saw nearly 3 times as many live music performances (31) as movies in the theater (11), this was a tough list to put together. Much like my movie list though (which will probably show up sometime mid-2006), this list features a swell of repeat viewings. I managed to see many of my favorite acts multiple times this year, and my list will reflect that. My list also reflects not only the performers and performance, but the extraneous details of the show. When you get down to it, going to a live show you always want to see something spontaneous, original and unique. The list reflects that as well. So with the exposition out of the way, here we go with another list of the Top 13/Best of 2005.

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December 17, 2005

Best of

Top 13 Albums of 2005

I have a blog, therefore I am required by law to publish my annual best-of list for the year in music. Rest assured I will follow some, but not all, of the rules of year-end lists. Also, please note that while I hate commercial radio and much of what is played on it, I am no indie yuppie or music snob. I like what I like, from the mainstream to the obscure, and my list reflects that. So here we go, counting down from 13 to 1.

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December 15, 2005

Best of

The Island

The first movie directed by Michael Bay (Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys) I ever saw willingly, The Island drew me in on the merits of its two stars, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. As it turns out, I should’ve stuck to my instincts—and Bay should be shipped off to the “Island” for this waste of star power, millions of dollars, and theater space.

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December 15, 2005

Pop Culture

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

I watched this the other night, just a couple of weeks after I saw (and panned) the gaudy remake with Johnny Depp. Strangely, the original, while warmer and filled with less artifice, made me appreciate the new one more than I had upon first viewing. Wonka loses points for deviating often from the original story, but gains a lot from the performances of the two young girls, Denise Nickerson (Violet) and Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca), and Gene Wilder as the titular candy icon.

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December 13, 2005

Pop Culture

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