Another year has come and gone. One thing I like to do is look back at the things I’ve discovered over the past twelve months. Here are some of my favorites.
The Legend Of Seven Monks
Sonny Chiba and Yasuaki Kurata, ’nuff said. Just the fact that you have two legends of martial arts films together for the first and only time ever makes this movie worth watching. Even at their advanced age they look just as sharp and crisp as they did in their prime. It was a great mixture of fantasy, special effects and action that will keep you engaged. Granted the so-called seven monks were pretty useless to the story, but I say still give it a shot.
V The Mini-Series
I’m referring to the 1980s mini-series, not the new one which I haven’t seen yet. I somehow managed to miss this the first time around when I was a kid, but thanks to DVD I finally get what the big deal is. The special effects were a little cheesy, yet they manage to create a compelling story. What would you do if aliens managed, bit by bit, to take over? Would you join the resistance or would you toe the line hoping to get favors? Look for a young Robert Englund at his geeky best.
Human Centipede
I have not seen it and I probably never will. I find the whole idea unsettling.
Haruki Murakami
As one of my favorite authors he manages to both delight and piss me off. He manages to write some of the most engaging stories that never seem to go anywhere; they just end. I recently read Norwegian Wood, which is considered to be one of his best. I was moved and found it to be a beautiful story that just ends with no real conclusion. He has a nasty habit of doing that. I just received my copy of 1Q84 in the mail, but I’m wary about reading it since it’s too long to read with no real pay off.
X-Men Anime
Anything that starts off on a down note has to be good in my book. I can’t recall many series in the past that begin with the good guys losing. Since it is anime, obviously the visuals are stunning and the action top notch. Of course we have the emo Cyclops again and for some reason all new versions of Beast insist on looking more like a big blue teddy bear. I can’t help but think that this is how X3 should have been.
What did you discover this year?
