Once I realized I couldn’t fit all the books, movies and TV shows I loved in 2011 into one post, I faced the dilemma of how to split it all up. These days it seems like all my favorite mediums are all smushed together. Books become movies, movies become TV shows, and TV shows become, well, I don’t know.
[Here’s what I do know: Much as I loved Napoleon Dynamite, the movie, I’m pretty sure I’ll take a pass on the TV version.]
Speaking of TV, 2011 was one strange year for me and my old non-flat-screen and VCR combo. I loved TV. I started a TV blog. I loved my TV blog. Then I didn’t. So I moved my TV blog. Then I shut down my TV blog. And, in the end, I found a new balance with my love of TV.
It turns out (shocker!) that television is not actually my favorite past-time or my passion (as several well-meaning, supportive friends claimed). It’s just . . . something I really like.
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, can we get back to chatting about TV like normal? Good. Here are my top TV thoughts from 2011:
- Some of my favorites are still my favorites:How I Met Your Mother, Castle and Chuck
- Some of my favorites are – dare I say it? – not holding my interest quite as much as they used to. I’m still watching, but the honeymoon might be over: Modern Family, Glee, Bones, So You Think You Can Dance and NCIS. [I know. Who AM I? WHAT is going on here?]
- I have so many conflicting feelings about The Office. I hated the episodes with Will Ferrell. I loved the episodes counting down Michael Scott’s farewell. And now that Andy Bernard is the big boss and the show just keeps going on, I have stopped watching it completely. Sadness.
- I’m looking forward to the return of 30 Rock and crossing my fingers for the return of Cougar Town and Community. You hear me, NBC?
- I am love, love, loving a few new shows from this fall: Once Upon a Time, New Girl, Up All Night and Hart of Dixie.
- I am not loving Suburgatory, though, much as I wanted to. And I really wanted to.
- And I cannot WAIT for Smash.
- Or the return of the barely spared and randomly renewed Breaking In.
- It was a ridiculous show, I admit, but I really enjoyed watching Franklin & Bash this summer. Really. Enjoyed it.
- I might be a late adopter, late to the game and late pretty much everywhere I go, but I’m glad I finally jumped on the Parks & Recreation bandwagon. Like I say every week, I could not love this show any more.
Well, would you look at that? A top 10 list, just like that. You know, I used to be a TV blogger . . .
Anyway, enough about TV. (For now. Of course. Duh.) Let’s talk about movies!
When Mark and I were looking for a movie to rent last weekend, we started talking about the movies we’ve watched lately. And we concluded that, at least in our house, this hasn’t been the best year for movies. That doesn’t mean I didn’t see some great movies. I did! (But, I also found myself with a babysitter, a date and no movie I really felt like watching more than once in the past 12 months. Wah-waaahh.)
Back to the good movies, though. Here are my favorites from the past year:
- Best romantic comedy (by far): Crazy Stupid Love
- Best action movies: Sherlock Holmes, The Adjustment Bureau, Source Code, Limitless
- Best legal/political movies: The Lincoln Lawyer, The Ides of March
- Best kids movies: Winnie the Pooh, The Muppets, What’s in the Bible?
- Best movies I should’ve seen a long time ago: Pride & Prejudice, Footloose
And, before you ask why it’s not on my list, here’s the list of movies I haven’t seen but want to because I hear it’s great: The Help, Bridesmaids, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, part two, Midnight in Paris, The Rise of the Planet of Apes, The Descendants, The Iron Lady and The King’s Speech.
What movies and TV shows did you watch in 2011? What did you love – or not love?
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WHAT? What happened to you & NCIS? That is mega sadness to me. :( I don’t care what happens to that show, I’ll keep on watching. Chuck has gotten a little so-so more and more lately, but still, I don’t care, forever a total fan here. :) I love New Girl (most of the time) & A Gifted Man (slated for cancellation if it hasn’t been already, sad!). Otherwise the good ol’ favs are still there, and I’m forever indebted to you for introducing me to How I Met Your Mother!! :)
I feel the same way about TV that some people think I make too big of a deal of it and it’s like an idol or something to me, but really truly I don’t think it is. It’s enjoyable, something hubster & I like to do together, and a fun pasttime but not something that our life completely revolves around or anything.
It wasn’t a huge movie year for us either, but not too shabby. We didn’t get to the theatre nearly as much as we’d hoped. I can’t even remember all of what we’ve seen this year or not seen of what we wanted to, but from your list here are my thoughts:
I was surprised at how hilarious Crazy Stupid Love was and yet also sweet and meaningful. Liked it! Def agree on the action movies list! You MUST see The Help and The King’s Speech, if you watch nothing else on that list, watch those two, for reals. Bridesmaids is hilarious but it’s also really, really crude (surprisingly so) so just watch it being aware it’s unexpectedly super perverse. Use your discernment, but I think it was worth watching for the hilarity and because that other junk doesn’t affect me. But Help and TKS are magnificient in so many ways, true movie-making at its finest.
Thanks for the good recap! :)
I know, right? Poor NCIS. I’m still watching every week, just not as in love. That’s too bad about A Gifted Man. I’d heard it was pretty good! And yes, ma’am, seeing The Help and The King’s Speech are HIGH on my to-watch list, I promise! :)
I hate to say this but I’ve barely watched Chuck since it moved to Friday nights. It’s the last season so I know I need to catch up. But I never remember that it’s on! I broke up with Glee this season and I don’t miss it at all. My favorite shows: Psych, Parks & Rec, Once Upon a Time (LOVE!!!), Parenthood, Revenge, NCIS, and The New Girl. I sporadically watch The Office and Hart of Dixie and I can’t wait for 30 Rock to return.
What? No Chuck?! Actually, NBC (or whoever owns it) has made it pretty darned difficult to watch Chuck by putting it on Friday nights and then not making it available online. I think there are only 5 episodes left. And while I will love each and every one, I’ll be okay when it’s over. It’s been a great show, but I think I’m ready to say goodbye. Although I will probably put the DVDs on my Christmas list. :)
Since you read AND watch movies, I suggest that you read The Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, The Paris Wife (about Hemingway’s wife who appears a lot in Movable Feast), and THEN watch Midnight in Paris (the best movie I’ve seen in years). This triumvirate will increase your enjoyment of all three. I want to go back and start the three again, but I’ve got two other Paris books on my nightstand: Paris was Ours, a collection of essays by writers about Paris, and the new David McCullough book, The Greater Journey. Happy reading!
Okay, I am totally doing this! Thank you for the suggestion! (I’ve heard that The Paris Wife is great, so I’m happy to sandwich in between a classic and a movie I want to see!)
You still need to get on the Pan Am bandwagon – it has gotten so much better with the last episodes. I think I might of enjoyed bridesmaids if it weren’t for the rating and the insane amount of bad language (asked someone who saw it, I don’t know first hand ;) ). I watched Letters To Juliet today and really loved it.
I really liked Letters to Juliet, too! Pan Am, though…I think it might be too late for me. Maybe I’ll catch it in reruns or online this summer, though!
My husband and I both LOVE Once Upon a Time. I am keeping up with Pan Am but am lukewarm on it. i watch it mainly because I want to be a flight attendant (stewardess!) in the 1960’s.
My other can’t miss is Ringer…watch it once and you will be hooked! I do like Suburgatory but mainly because I have been a fan of Jeremy Sisto since he was in “Clueless.” (Tai, WHY would I date Tai??!!)
Oh, I remember you mentioned wanting to watch Pan Am. I have to say, I watched the first episode but wasn’t really intrigued. I did watch Ringer for several weeks but let it go after a while, too. (And I love Clueless. So this comment totally made me laugh!)