List of the Month: January 2010

OK, so since I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions this year, I'm making one now... 6 and 1/2 weeks late. Oh well...

Every month now, I will be posting my top recommendations of things I have experienced that month, be it articles I've read, songs I've heard, films I've watched, restaurants I've been to etc. You won't necessarily get one of everything each month (although I imagine songs and films will feature pretty heavily), but you'll always get an insight into what I've been doing, which might help make this blog a little more upbeat, lest you all thought I was some sort of life-hating, cynical, miserable bastardly curmudgeon.

Song of the month:

Without a doubt, Comfortable, by John Mayer. Ever since I heard this song, I have not been able to stop listening to it. It is a masterclass in storytelling - simple images powerfully conveying the most heart-rending of emotions. The arrangement is also wonderful, and I can't help but wonder if this is about Jennifer Aniston (although not sure who that makes the new girl, which of John's ex's/currents is that biblical?). In the space of a few days, it leapt to the top of my favourite songs list, and even now, 300 listens later, it still has that same power.

Film of the month:

Hardly a novel opinion, but it has to be Avatar. Snuck in to the running right on the last day of January, saw it with my dad at the IMAX in Nashville, and boy, was it worth the wait. I really don't understand why everyone is slagging off the story - yes, the visuals are incredible (barring a few issues I have with forced perspective and depth of field which apply to all '3d' films), but the story and acting is no slouch. It might be a classic theme of the culture clash and the conversion of the outsider, but that doesn't mean it isn't brilliantly done.

Only two characters felt one dimensional (if you'll forgive the pun), and they were the two main bad guys, which is hardly a unique fault - convincing villains are perhaps the hardest part of writing any story, which is why we so often cling to the great ones (Iago, Saruman, Anakin/Vader, Palpatine, Kathryn Merteuil). But Avatar is a film that has a great deal of rewatchability - the depth of the world both visually and intellectually invites further assessment. The alien culture is hardly a rush-job, but rich, intricate, detailed, or so it appeared on first viewing.

My main gripe would probably be that there is one major missed opportunity in the film, which is the rousing speech right at the end. To my mind, the bar on rousing speeches has been set by Return of the King, with Aragorn's speech at the Black Gate, which makes me want to ride into battle every time I hear it. The Avatar speech just does not live up to this, nor does it get anywhere close. But it's past quickly enough that you can ignore it, and get back to the business of enjoying a thoroughly awesome film.

Well, that's all for the moment. But rest assured, there'll be plenty a'comin at the end of February. And I'll doubtless be amused/pissed off enough about something to blog before then ;-)