My Meaningless Best of 2010 Lists

I thought why not put together a little best of 2010 list to emcompass all my interests.


MOVIES
** These are only the films I've watched which were released this year. Many of which I have yet to see.

Best Horror Movie: [REC 2]

Since I haven't seen many horror movies which come out in the final few months of the year, this is my pick. The sequel picks up where the first one ends. Except the story is completely different. There's a huge supernatural element involved. And lots of shaky camerwork and darkness.

Best Comedy: Hot Tub Time Machine

A group of friends try to relive old glory and take a weekend getaway to old party place, where they end up going back in time to their one big weekend where it all changed. A funny movie with a great cast and a heart.

Best Drama: Winter's Bone

Beautifull shot in this modern noir tale set in the Ozarks has a teenage girl searching for her missing father, who has jumped bail. Seedy characters of tweekers, cops, and mountain folk make the task all the more difficult. A damn fine movie.

Best Sci-Fi: Splice

A sci-fi/horror hybred but still. Even with the few faults I have with the movie, it is still a great tale about the horrors what could go wrong when splicing DNA.

Best Documentary: Cropsey

A disturbing documentary which makes forces you to look at prejudging alleged criminals based on their pasts. It all centers around an abandoned mental institution and a bunch of missing kids.

Movie Which I Should've Hated But Loved: MacGruber

Yes, this movie is utterly stupid. I had no business laughing my ass off as much as I did. But in the end, it was one of the better "shut off your brain and laugh" movies I've watched in a long time.

TELEVISION
** Since many shows start in the fall and end in the spring, I've based my decisions on programs either aired during that specific time frame or shown in it's entirity during 2010. And my choices come from only the programs I tend to watch.

Best Horror TV: Supernatural, Season 5

Season 5 ended an incredible five year story arc as Sam and Dean Winchester try to stop Earth from being ripped apart by Satan and Angels. A more satisfying conclusion to a story there has not been.
(And them came season 6)

Best New Series: Boardwalk Empire
This new HBO drama is packed with the stuff which makes a great crime drama - great actors, great writing, and a great story of the power of Atlantic City during Prohibition. Also includes plenty of bloodshed, nudity, & cursing.
Honorable Mention: The Walking Dead


Best Animated Series: The Venture Bros. Season 4

The antics of The Venture family keep getting better every year. Throw in all the side plots with other unique villians, heroes, and secret organizations and it's a stew of awesomeness. A funnier and more messed up cartoon, you will not find.

Best Comedy Series: Parks and Recreation, Season 2

The show really come into its own during this season as it become much more of an ensemble piece. Pawnee has never had more potential and with the additions of Rob Lowe and the highly under rated actor Adam Scott, this can only get better.


Best Drama Series: Fringe, Season 2

There is so much happening in this season it makes your head explode. The characters are great. They suck you in and make you feel for them. I love the storylines. The whole season epic conclusion in the alternate world couldn't leave it more wide open for a potential amazing season 3.

Series Which Should Never Had Been Canceled: (tie) Party Down

Starz canceled the hilarious this and yet very touching show after only two seasons. Terrible idea. This show about an LA Catering company full of wanna be actors was great stuff.


Terriers
FX hung this one out to dry after poor ratings. Too bad because this series had more layers than an onion. At the end of it all the entire season clicked together.


Cant Believe I Waited So Long To Start Watching This Series: Breaking Bad

For no other reason than not having the time, I put off this show. Over my recent vacation I started the short seven episode season one. I was hooked by the end of episode two. A unique show which runs the gammit of emotions, I am going to get through the next two seasons before number four begins. Guaranteed.


BOOKS
** I tend not to read books the year they are released, so these are the best books to cross my path all year.

Graphic Novels: Walking Dead vol. 1-5

This new to me comic, I started just before the TV series started. And I am glad. It is bleak, depressing, horrific, and nihilistic at every turn. It's chalked full of pure human emotions. This is nothing short of brilliant.

Novel: Devil in the White City by Eric Larson

Nothing like a fact based book combining the fascinating details of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and America's first serial killer A.A. Holmes. What's even more amazing is how these two subjects overlap.

Horror Novel: The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan

A horrifying new take on vampires and a precise procedural drama based on the plague caused by the vamps makes this unique and entertaining read.
Runner Up: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter



MUSIC
Favorite albums released in 2010: I enjoyed all five these albums and listend to each a great deal.
The Black Keys Brothers


Eminem Recovery


Deftones Diamond Eyes


Jimmy Eat World Invented


Kings of Leon Come Around Sundown




WRESTLING
Best Event Attended: Ring of Honor's Final Battle 2010
I only attended about a half dozen live events this year. The fewest in a many years. This event sucked me in for the opening bell and had me clinching the guardrail the entire night. It's been awhile since I've been sucked into a show as hard as I was that night in Manhattan.

Favorite Matched Watched: Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker, Wrestlemania 26

The match of year? Probably. Two icons battled in a rematch of 2009 on the "biggest wrestling stage there is". It was an epic battle which put an end to the great HBK's career.



EVERYTHING ELSE
Biggest Disappointment: Indianapolis Colts losing the Superbowl.

Coolest New Place Traveled: San Diego
I didn't travel to many new places this year, for work or personally. San Diego barely beat out Key West.

Most Awesome Food I Never Ate Before: Pho
This Vietnamese noodle delight is heaven. So glad this cuisine has come to my hometown. Eat it now. Eat it often. Delicious!

Favorite Beer of the 2010: Aventinus
This is the year which I really got into craft brews. I've been leaning that way the last couple of years, but in 2010 I tried countless flavors from microbreweries all across the US. This is one I keep coming back to again and again. Old Rasputin and Dark Horse Perkulator Coffe Dopplebock are both a close second.

Horror Movies Watched & Books Read (Dec 2010)

MOVIES

Burning Bright (2010) **1/2
Better than I expected from a tiger hunting a girl down in a house movie.

# The Walking Dead, Season 1 (2010) ****1/2
Even with a few minor characters who ride the line of stereotype, this was a spectacular 6 episode debut for the series. It follows the comic fairly close and the additions dont take away from the orginal arc. And this is by far the gorest show on TV. I cant believe the network let some of this go. Thank you AMC.

Doghouse (2009) ***
A group of guys help their friend get over a divorce by taking a holiday to a small town. They dont know is that a virus has turned all the woman into mutated beasts with a thirst for man blood. A tongue in cheek British export, as all of director Jake West's movies are.

Splice (2010) ****

Two scientists create a new life form by splicing different animal & human DNA. This is an intense film as the scientists take on the roll of parents to this hybrid creature, which is constantly undergoing changes. A plausible storyline makes this all the more frightening.

Razorback (1984) **1/2
This Aussie import about a giant size wild hog is filled with all the usual B movie stuff. Some call it a classic. I call it merely alright.

#Millennium, Season 3 (1999) ****

The final season of this epic, short lived series has Frank Black returning to the FBI and raising his daughter after the betrayal by the Millennium group. He still finds his way into several strange cases.

Zombie High (1987) **
A misleading title, not really zombies here but a group of people who live forever by the means of black magic. I couldn't get into it.

The Vampire's Assistant (2009) **1/2
A teen agrees to become a vampire's apprentice in order to save his best friend from dying. Better than I had expected with a solid cast.

Night of the Demons (2010) **
Pointless remake. You betcha! Hardly worth the time.

I Drink Your Blood (1970) *
Terrible "cult classic" about a group of satanists who contract rabies and attack a small town. Horror movie or public service announcement...you be the judge.

Ahhh! Zombies aka Wasted Away (2009) **1/2
A group of friends are turned into zombies but dont realize they are zombies. A decent take on the ever popular zom-com flicks.

Coffin Rock (2009) **1/2
The Aussie version of Fatal Attraction with a disturbed young man stalking a married woman with whom he had an one night stand with. Above average tension and couple of twisted scenes in this highly familiar narrative.

Paranormal Entity (2010) **1/2
Not too bad for a blatant rip off of Paranormal Activity. The main drawback is the lack of compassion for the characters, except maybe the sister. But the mother and brother/cameramen grind my nerves with stupidity.

Behind the Wall (2007) *
A young woman returns to the home where her mother was murdered, only to find a ghost who likes to kill. Boring and more boring.

Demoniacs (1974) **1/2
An early one from director Jean Rollin. After being raped, beaten, and left for dead by pirates; the two girls come back as supernatural beings and want revenge.

One Dark Night (1983) **
An early 80's movies filled with bad acting and special effects. In order to pass a sorority's initiation, a pledge must spend the night in a haunted mausoleum. It just happens to be home to a psychic vampire.

High School Girl Rika: Zombie Killer (2008) **1/2
Japanese extreme splatter fills this zom-com where the title says it all.

Jacqueline Hyde (2005) *1/2
A horror erotic take on Jekyll & Hyde starring the lovely Gabrielle Hall. Really not worth watching.

Steel Trap (2007) **
A group of people get caught in a cat and mouse game with a killer after a party. I hated the characters and the reason why the killer is taking them out is rather stupid. It does have some style.

Kill Theory (2009) *
A group of kids are getting taken out by a killer. Horrible characters and a stupid plot.

Flesh & Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror () ****

A fine documentary on the British movie studio which produced many classic horror films over the years.

964 Pinocchio (1991) **
A bizarre film indeed. A cyborg sex slave is thrown out on the streets because he cant keep an erection. He befriends a whack job homeless chick and tries out run the Corporation who is out to assassination the malfunctioning cyborg. Not for everyone, but unique.

Shiver of the Vampires (1971) **
All the staples of director Jean Rollin: lots of blood, nude babes, and vampires. Not his best effort but not the worst either.

The Vampire Lovers (1970) ***
A Hammer Studios retelling of the classic tale Camilla starring the lovely Ingrid Pitt. Very fun stuff.

# Dexter, Season 5 (2010) ***1/2
I think this season might have slipped a bit. Part of the character seems to be going through the same paces as the previous two seasons, in regards to relationships with other serial killers. And while I enjoyed the storyline involving the serial killers, some of the execution lacked. Seeing Dexter cope as a now single father was interesting. Maybe this will be a lesser season as they rebound and amp up for season 6.

S&Man (2006) ***1/2
Part documentary and part faux documentary, this is a very unique movie. It examines underground extreme horror movies, which border on snuff films, and searches out the answer as to why people make and watch this types of horror movies. One of the interviews is with a film maker who's might just be the real thing.

2LDK (2003) ****

Two actress are sharing an apartment. They are the final choices to play a leading part in a major film. Over the course of one night, as they each wait for the producer's decisions, the two women torment each other with psychological games with turn violent. I highly enjoyed this unique movie.

Shock-o-rama (2005) *1/2
A bunch shorts from wrapped together in an attempt to make a semi-cohesive story, from director Brett Piper. The low budget horror comedy features his usual players Misty Mundae and Julian Welles. Not nearly as good as some of his other efforts.

Methodic (2007) *
2/3 of this movie comes off like a cheap Halloween rip off. A child kills his parents and get thrown in a mental institution. He escapes and goes after his sister. Then they throw in the "he's possessed by a demon" card. Skip it.

Cthulhu (2007) **
A man returns home for his mother's funeral to find the entire town is hiding a secret. It had potential, but doesn't pull it together.





BOOKS

The Howling by Gary Brandner ***
This is one case where I found the movie far superior to the novel. That doesn't mean the novel is bad, but I found myself more annoyed with the main character than sympathetic to here plight. The plot revolves around a woman who gets raped and decides to move out of the city to recoup and come to grips with what happened. Unfortunately the town has a werewolf problem.

By the Sword by F. Paul Wilson

The Repairman Jack saga is nearing its end with this ??? installment. This time Jack is hired to find a stolen sword and of course nothing anymore is coincidence.

Roadtrippin for Final Battle

Over the last couple of years my road trips to watch wrestling, more specifically Ring of Honor, have dwindled. There are various reasons as to why, which I wont get into at the moment. So far this year I've been to Phoenix for Wrestlemania weekend and to Chicago in October. So with the big Final Battle weekend approaching I decided it was beyond time to head out to the East Coast and hang with buddies to watch grown men grapple each other.

A buddy from Michigan, let's call him Beatty, and myself decided to hop in the car and drive. We met up at our usual spot, some outlet malls by toll road. I've never had a problem leaving my vehicle here, even though I am always leery about it and nervous it will be towed when I returned.

We headed out on Thursday because of weather and wanted to get at least one decent night sleep on this trip, especially since I'd been battle a cold all week. We got a later start than we wanted and traveled until 2am, putting us about two hours outside of Boston. We had some slight hotel reservation issues. Beatty flipped out and then all was well. It was a sight to witness.

We contact our friend Paul, who live in Boston and graciously offered to but us up for the night as we come near. Change of plans. Instead of going to his house we are to go meet him and some other people we know, Jay and Tristen who flew in from Chicago, at a beer bar called The Lower Depths located near Fenway Park. This is not a problem for me. I do enjoy craft beers. After a delicious Mad Elf and S'muttanator we head over to another place called Boston Beer Works (), a local place who makes their own brews. I had a nice pumpkin ale complete with a sugar & cinnamon rim. The last stop before the wrestling show was Harpoon Brewery. This is the oldest brewery in Boston. We arrived just in time for the hour long tasting. I sampled about six different things which I never had before. The IPA, a hard cider, Raspberry Hefeweizen, Chocolate Stout, Oak Aged Dunkel, UFO White, and my favorite of the tasting Leviathan Barleywine. We took a growler of that one to go.

It was time to rendezvous at Paul's house. Our other friend from Boston, Larry, was going to meet us at the show. From various reasons we got a late start. The venue was actually about 30 minutes outside of Boston in Plymouth, MA. We got there about halfway through the first match. The venue was great. I really liked it. The card, not so much. I couldn't get into anything until the last match. Partly because of buffoons yelling out stupid ass comments trying to get themselves over. Nothing ruins a wrestling show quicker. The main event was great. American Wolves vs Kings of Wrestling. It was every bit as good as I expected.

We got to Paul's and sat around drinking barleywine and chatting until around 2:30am. It was time to get a few hours sleep before heading out in the morning.

We got up, around, and left for Manhattan by 11am. The easiest drive I've ever had into NYC. We got to our hotel, which was located right beside Ground Zero. None of us had never seen it before, so we strolled over. With all the construction being done the impact was slightly less emotional then I thought it would be. Still hard to imagine two giant towers being there ten years ago. We through our bags into the room and caught a subway over to the New Yorker Bar to meet "The H" for our tickets and pre-show drinks & eats. Everything there was great as usual. We slide over to the Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom in time to say hello to many familiar faces and people before the bell.

Final Battle was amazing. It's been a long time since I was that emotionally invested into a show. It started out hot with a tag match pitting The All Night Express against Kyle O'Rielly & Adam Cole and kept it up to the dual main events. The RoH title match was spectacular. Champion Roderick Strong outlasted Davey Richards in an epic battle. Even though I really wanted Davey win, it was still a damn great match. The final match was a Fight Without Honor, a no holds barred "unsanctioned" match to settle a year long feud between former friends and tag champions Kevin Steen and El Generico. If Generico lost, he lost his mask while Steen put his career on the line. I have witnessed many matches in my day, but this was one of the most brutal and sickest I've seen. It was an instant classic.

The after party was at Irish Times Pub. After filling my belly with tasty shepherd's pie and many, many beers (Yuengling, Brooklyn Lager, & Sam Adams Winter Lager) it was time to say goodbye to those remaining and head back to the hotel. It was late. We crashed for a few hours.

In the morning we said later to the Boston guys, and started the drive home. A pretty uneventful drive home which was made easier by the ability of my iPhone to pick up most of the Colts vs Jags game. After a 12 hour drive, I found myself home once again.

A fun and great trip.

One thing of note. All these friends I spoke about are people I have met through watching Ring of Honor over the last 7 years. You go to enough shows, see the same faces, have a person to bring fans together like "The H", you are bound to build bonds.

Horror Movies Watched & Books Read (Nov 2010)

MOVIES

# Destination Truth Season 4, part 1 (2010) ***
I have to drop this season down a notch as there seems to be a lighter note to the series. It often shows the "lighter" f their travels and adventures. However, I do not watch the show for to see such antics. I want strange monsters, exotic locales, and, unexplainable things...which the show continues to do.

Red: Werewolf Hunter (2010) **1/2
A family of werewolf hunters are in for a rough time when a truce is broken with the local clan and the werewolves realize they can change at will. A SyFy movie with a decent, yet predictable, story and their usual low rate CGI effects. But hey, I've seen a lot of worse movies.

Nightmares in Red, White, & Blue (2010) ****

While there really isn't new ground covered for hard core horror fans, this is a well made documentary which hits all the right points.

Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) ***
Dr. Frankenstein's second attempt at creating life once again doesn't go as planned. Will he ever learn? Another solid entry from Hammer Studios

Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) ***
Dr. Frankenstein creates a female monster hoping its gender will bring upon reason. Again, a solid entry to Frankenstein lore from Hammer.

Suck (2010) ***1/2

A horror-comedy-rock and roll hybrid movie which has a band start gaining fame after their hottie bass player turned into a vampire. Hijinx, mayhem, and gore follows. Great cameos by Henry Rollins, Alice Cooper, & Iggy Pop.

After.Life (2010) **
Solid acting from Liam Neison and an oft naked Christina Ricci cant save this movie about a mortician who helps the recently deceased make the transition to death or his just a common serial killer. I'm usually alright with not having answers if the plot is good enough. This one wasn't.

Tales of Terror from Tokyo (2004) *1/2
Several shorts bound together, all dealing with supernatural elements. I watched this because many top Japanese directors had segments. Too bad the entire movie was boring.

The Norliss Tapes (1973) **1/2
A made for TV movie from the early 70's that has to do with a writing trying to debunk supernatural phenomenon, only to be proven wrong by the discovery of a vampire. A decent movie for it's era (and for being produced for television) but the years have not treated it kindly.

Frozen (2010) ***

Friends get stuck on ski lift. Friends battle the elements and each other. While I have a couple of small gripes with the movie, it is none the less a movie worth watching as it plays of the basic terror of isolation and survival.

Tony (2010) **
A sociopath goes about his days killing people in London. The concept seems over done at this point and I couldn't get into the flick.

And Soon the Darkness Comes (1970) ***
Two female friends go bicycling across France. One goes missing and the other is determined to find what happened to her. Not exactly what I expected. Nice suspenseful movie.

Road Kill (2009) **
A supernatural semi stalks it's latest victims of young people on a trip through the Australian outback. The movie is as ridiculous as it sounds.

Grimm Love (2008) **1/2
For a thesis paper, graduate student researches a famous case of cannibalism. Told in flashbacks between the eater and the giver with the present day. A difficult and uneven movie, yet interesting to watch.

Pontypool (2008) ***1/2

A tale with an interesting premise. Certain words in the English language become a host to a virus which causes people flip out. A small town radio crew reports on the chaos as the terror crashes in around them. A fine film with plenty of tension and smarts.

Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) *1/2
Another unnecessary remake which flat, cardboard characters and basically zero reason for me to like the movie.

Siren aka Erotic Ghost (2006) **
A siren comes from the sea and feeds on the greed of a group of bank robbers. Not much to this one except the stunning Sola Aoi as the siren.

Jonah Hex (2010) *1/2
Another interesting comic book character gets the Hollywood treatment which turns out unspectacular. Another waste of good actors.

30 Days of Night: Dark Days (2010) **1/2
A strong first half is severely weakened by the rest of the movie as cardboard characters who are suppose to be expert hunters do dumb things to get themselves killed.

In Dreams (1999) **
A strong cast delivers horrible acting in the movie about a psychic who mind seems to be connected to a serial killer. The same killer who took her daughter. I found this flick to be very badly done.

Big Tits Dragon (2010) **1/2
I do enjoy low budget, Japanese splatterfest flicks. This one has a group of dancers discovering the book of the dead and opening up a portal to Hell, letting the dead walk. Campy fun. Just dont take it too seriously.





BOOKS
Animals by Craig Spector & John Skipp ***1/2
A crazy chick, who is a werewolf, recruits a guy to protect her from her equally crazy, werewolf boyfriend. It doesn't work out. The guy now must deal with his inner wolf and his new girlfriend, until the crazy girl returns once again. Not a typical wolf tale with loads of sex and gore.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer by Seth Graham-Smith

A revisionist history which has the great emancipator living a secret life as a vampire. A fantastic piece of work which adds a supernatural element to US history.

The Goon: Heaps of Ruination (vol. 3) by Eric Powell ****
The Goon continues with great stories of a horror-comedy nature. This group has the debut El Hombre de Largato which ends up in a Godzilla vs King Kong like battle, a Hellboy crossover story, and a cool of vampires.

Criminal Macabre by Steve Niles ****1/2

The first book in the Cal MacDonald stories which deals with ex-cop & drunk Cal trying to figure out why all the vamps, wolfs, and zombies are working together. A very unique, horror-noir tale. I will continue this series.

The Lost by Jack Ketchum
Ketchum is never one to hold back on making the reader uncomfortable. This tale is about a sociopath in small town Maine during the early 70's is no excpetion.