11 Good Things: My Favorite Books and Movies For The Year

In no particular order.

Nothing To Envy
There are few books like this written today: concise, well-researched, plainly yet effectively written, and free of hyperbole. This book is a very personal account of six lives in the failed state of North Korea. The level of deprivation and humiliation these people endure is heartbreaking. The book reads more like an outstanding piece of social anthropology than it does cut and dried journalism. The author is to be commended for her ability to get inside both the hearts and minds of the people she has interviewed.

I think that Nothing To Envy is a landmark book, a study of a culture and political system gone horribly wrong, that will be read for decades. As the author notes, North Korea is the last of its kind, a state with an entrenched despotic, supposedly Marxist, leader who denies not only basic freedoms but also the basic provisions necessary to maintain any quality of life. Reading this book in the comfort of my own well heated home, I felt both pity for those that live in North Korea and anger for the inability of the rest of the world to do anything while North Korea's citizens starve to death. The impact of this book is both emotional and intellectual. I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned about the social welfare of people and the role that government plays in people's lives.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
This is a finely told and absorbing tale about scientific research and the real lives that can be impacted by that research in unexpected ways. There are really two major stories here. One is a straightforward science story about how Henrietta Lacks' cancer cells have been a prominent part of biological research for over 50 years. The other is how the Lacks family, in particular Henrietta's sole surviving daughter, have been pushed, pulled and torn by that research. It's the human drama of the Lacks family that makes this book special.

The language is simple and this book is very accessible. It could be read by middle school children as well as adults. The author spent many years collecting the data and organizing this book. The hard work and careful thought shows throughout. The book is seamless.

In terms of rating this book, the only aspect that I thought detracted from the story was the author's too common presence in the narrative. Sometimes that presence was necessary and enhancing, but there are sections here and there, particularly toward the end of the book, when the author's personal interactions pulled me away from the story of the Lacks family. That's a minor quibble, though.

Finishing The Hat
I'm a lyricist so this is more than just a book for me. It's is an essential text. Right now, I have a library copy, but it's clear that I'm going to have to buy my own. It's all there, lyrics from 28 years worth of writing in one volume. No this isn't poetry as Sondheim makes clear. But if you want to know the essentials behind world-class lyric writing, careful reading of these lyrics will prove rewarding. I know almost all of the tidbits included with the lyrics, but if you're just a casual fan of musicals, you probably don't know them and many are amusing. The asides and basic lessons about writing in the margins are probably best for a general audience.

Sondheim comes across as a generous priss in his writings in the margins and by that I mean he's not at all afraid to show the good and bad of his personality. He is as smart, reflective and analytical as he is talented. If you are in the business of music or musical theater this is a must buy. If you love musicals it will be a fun if kind of geeky read. If you like to understand the minds of engaging eccentrics practicing their craft, you'll find this book amusing even if you ignore the lyrics. Finishing the Hat is not designed as a beach or casual read. All in all, I'd say this book is best for careful readers who like musical theater.

Super Sad True Love Story
My review copy of this book had been sitting on my night stand for about a month. Part of me just didn't even want to look at this thing. I'd always found Shteyngart to be an agonizing read because with every paragraph you could sense the unfulfilled potential. He was a writer smug and satisfied to go for the cheap joke, more comfortable to amuse than enlighten. I would read his books and get angry at the misuse of talent.

This book, however, is different. It presents a fully realized world that while ostensibly is about the future, is really about the aliterate and hyper-"mediazed" world of today. It's also funny as hell. At times, Shteyngart does get too clever for his own good (this book could have used some better editing), but you can forgive that, because the writing is, overall, splendid. The only bad thing I can really say about this book is that it has the stupidest title I've encountered in quite some time.

Shteyngart uses an epistolary format to paint a romance between a Korean valley girl and his alter-ego, a balding uber-kvetchy-shzlubby-mensch, that is as believable as it is hilarious. There are some set scenes - when the charming couple meet both sets of parents - that are raucously funny and trenchant. It's Jane Austen meets Thomas Pynchon meets Gorky. Whatever it is, this book is wholly original.

It may be the case that this book will not resonate with everyone. In fact, it may be the case that this book will only resonate with bookish children of Eastern European immigrants. It is loaded with the irony-infused dyspepsia intrinsic to Eastern European culture that I know from experience isn't to most American's taste. But for someone like me, this book was a wonderful ride.

Winter's Bone
Dark and gritty, Winter's Bone takes you to a bleak and emotionally intricate world, the hardscrabble life of the Ozarks. A teen-age girl, already burdened with the job of taking care of her younger siblings and her sick mother on a subsistence farm, is placed in dire straits by the irresponsible and dangerous acts of her father. The girl's journey is the stuff of Greek tragedy. Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes give fine, nuanced and entirely believable performances in a movie that is riveting, the most powerful I've seen in years. I walked out of the theater emotionally stunned, as did my wife. The story is simple and the budget for this movie obviously was small, but Winter's Bone slowly takes you in and never lets go. I'm sure not many will see this film. It's subtle, somber and not at all designed for the mass-market. But if you like serious well-made films that are far from the standard stuff of Hollywood, you'll find Winter's Bone to be an unforgettable tale, exquisitely told.

Toy Story 3
An old fashioned yarn that somehow miraculously borrows from movies like Stalag 17 (which Chicken Run also did) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in a way that's both fun and suitable for kids over six or seven (I think the little ones might be scared to death), Toy Story 3 had my wife crying over the pull at your heartstrings ending. That's right, a grown woman was crying during a kids movie, she was so emotionally involved with the characters. The Toy Story series, which sank a bit with Toy Story 2, ends on a high note with the third installment. Here the characters have to come to terms with their purpose: should they be loyal to their grown owner Andy or should they be used for enjoyment by someone young who loves toys. Along their journey, both emotional and real, there are chase scenes galore, pathos and humor. The quality of the animation is absolutely superb. We saw the movie in 3D - which was well done - but 2D would be just as good because the story and emotional lives of these little toys carries the day.

Beaufort
Take Hurt Locker (and the director of Hurt Locker undoubtedly saw and borrowed from Beaufort), add sharper dialogue, remove some cliches, maintain realism and you get this. Beaufort is a gritty, realistic look at modern war, which often is mired in ambiguity and pointlessness. There's an old Israeli movie about the 1948 War of Independence, Hill 24 Doesn't Answer, and in some ways Beaufort is an updating of that one. Here a group of very young men is stuck on a hill, symbolically an ancient fortress, being bombarded every day by Hezbollah. Their presence serves no purpose, they know it serves no purpose, and yet they must "soldier" on. Their interactions are emotionally both difficult to watch and captivating. You won't find a more intelligent war movie out there.


The White Ribbon
Normally, I don’t like long dark subtitled movies, but this one is very well crafted. It reminded me of a cleaner version of Werner Herzog movies of 30 or so years ago. The pacing is deliberately slow and the film is in black and white, but somehow I found myself interested the whole way through. A bleak town in early 20th century German has dark secrets. Will they be uncovered? The language is sharp and the cinematography is alluring and occasionally intentionally repelling. The is a very quiet and compelling film with memorable performances by some child actors. If you like long, art house films, youll probably like this one. If you want some happy Hollywood blockbuster, you’ll likely hate this film.

Zombieland
This is the best zombie film I've seen in a few years. Then again, it's the only zombie film I've seen in a few years. OK, enough joking. This is really a comedy, not really a scary film at all. And it's a very funny comedy. It uses three classic film story-lines - a dystopic end of the world adventure, a buddy travel adventure, and a zombies invasion - and melds them into one in a fairly seamless way. The acting is solid. The zombies are as funny as anything. From the first scene on, this film is on the right track, and many of the jokes are laugh out loud funny. I'd say that this is a slightly better version of another zombie comedy (not a big genre I know), Shaun of the Dead.

In The Loop
Everyone talks at a mile a minute in this movie, which has more dialogue than I've probably seen in any flick made in the last 40 years. Much of what they say is hilarious. No there isn't much of a plot in this movie; it's about a bunch of political maneuvering related to a war more than vaguely like the US/UK-Iraq conflict. But I didn't really care because the dialogue was so snappy and fun. It reminded me a lot of A Fish Called Wanda that way. If you want a well plotted story heavy on a lot of "action," ignore this movie. But if you like silly, witty, banter heavy British comedies - from the Lavender Hill Mob on up - this movie will be a lot of fun.

Please Give
One of the more thoughtful movies I've seen this year with also some of the most terse and sharp dialogue. Nicole Holofcener is on the literate side of movie making. Characters and motivation matter to her much more than visuals. In many ways, I would describe her as a female and American version of Mike Leigh. It's not a style that will suit every movie goer, but it works for me. The ensemble cast works together well. I wouldn’t say that any of the performances stand out save for one, that of the cranky and unintentionally funny grandmother. But everyone holds their own and there are some difficult roles here to carry convincingly. Perhaps more than most Holofcenter movies, this one has more than a trifle of a story. Theres a real arc to the plot. Please Give is a satisfying, quiet, true to life film about relationships in urban America today.

The New John Henry

I "wrote" this in honor of Ken Jennings going up against a computer on Jeopardy this coming February.  You can substitute Ken's name for John Henry in the song if that's your thing.  Perfect for your next stint on the chain gang.

The New John Henry

John Henry he knew trivia,

He could whistle, he could sing

He went on to Jeopardy one fine day

Just to hear that Daily Double ring, Lord, Lord

Just to hear that Daily Double ring.

Just to hear that Daily Double, Lord, Lord

Just to hear that Daily Double ring.

When John Henry was a little baby,

Typin’ on his daddy's PC

He went on to Google to find some facts

Said trivia will be the death of me, Lord, Lord

Said trivia will be the death of me

Said trivia will be the death of me, Lord, Lord

Said trivia will be death of me

Well John Henry's fam'ly needed money,

Said he didn't have a pot to pee

If you wait 'til the red sun goes down

I'll get it from Alex on Jeopardy, Lord, Lord

I'll get it from Alex on Jeopardy

I'll get it from Alex on Jeopardy, Lord, Lord

I'll get it from Alex on Jeopardy

Well John Henry went to Mr. Alex

Said Mr. Alex, what can you do

I can answer back, I can talk a little smack

I can ask a question or two, Lord, Lord

I can ask a question or two

I can ask a question or two, Lord, Lord

I can ask a question or two

Well Mr. Alex said to John Henry,

Gonna bring me a computer 'round

Gonna bring me a computer out on the show

Gonna whup your ass up and down, Lord, Lord

Whup your ass up and down

Well John Henry said to Mr. Alex,

Oh a man ain't nothin' but a man

'Fore I'd let your computer beat me down,

I'd die with my clicker in my hand, Lord, Lord

Die with my clicker in my hand

Well John Henry said to Mr. Alex,

Looka yonder what I see,

Wi-Fi done choke, computer done broke,

And it can't answer trivia like me, Lord, Lord

Can't answer trivia like me

Oh no, it can't answer trivia like me, no no

Can't answer trivia like me

Well John Henry flew into Burbank,

His clicker was strikin' fire

He clicked so hard he broke his poor heart

And he laid down his clicker and he died, Lord, Lord

Laid down his clicker and he died

He laid down his clicker and he died, Great God

Laid down his clicker and he died

Oh they took John Henry to the White House

And they buried him in the sand

Everyone came by, broke down and cried

Says there lies a trivia answerin’ man, Lord, Lord

There lies a trivia answerin’ man

Says there lies a trivia answerin’ man, Lord, Lord

There lies a trivia answerin’ man

Well Mr. Alex says to John Henry

I believe this show's cavin' in

John Henry said to Mr. Alex,

'Tain't nothin' but ratings sweep season

'Tain't nothin' but ratings sweep season

The man that invented the computer,

Thought he was mighty fine,

John Henry made his fifteen answers,

The computer only made nine,

The computer only made nine

I'm busy

I'll be back in January. Have a wonderful holiday season!