Black Tree

It’s Christmas Eve morning, which feels warm and fuzzy. Cos it’s all out in front of you. Anticipation of an event is often better than the event itself.

I thought I’d list and do my own review about some of the things I’ve liked this year, some I’ve not and some things I’m looking forward to next year in the world of entertainment. It’s my review of 2008.

Elbow - Mercury Award winning great album

My favourite albums of 2008

Elbow - Seldom seen kid
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever ago
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Glasvegas - Glasvegas
Laura Marling - Alas I cannot swim
Marth Wainwright - I know you’re married but I’ve got feelings too (also best title and sleeve art
Camille - Music hole
Ben Folds - Way to normal
Kings of Leon - Only by the night
Metallica - Death Magnetic

There’s so much great music around at the moment and I must thank Word Magazine and their monthly free CD for helping to further expand my musical tastes. The only problem is I just can’t afford the time and money to dedicate my life to new music the way I’d like. I do occasionally download torrents but can’t help but feel a bit strange about doing it. Mixed emotions about getting free music (cool), screwing over records companies (maybe cool?) and ripping off musicians (not cool). The music industry seems to be at a threshold of change. So far it seems like it’s a good thing but the worry is that the large companies will push fewer artists and most won’t have the chances to do big budget projects. The music’s all out there but you just have to look for it more than ever now. Touring is king again. That all suits me fine.

Film & TV

We come for Batman ... we stay for The Joker

My favourite films have been Dark Knight, No Country For Old Men and Bond. I’ve just realised I’ve really not seen that many films released this year. Though I am really looking forward to seeing Slumdog Millionaire, Control, In Bruges, Persepolis, Gomorrah, Of time And The City in the near future which I think are all 2008 movies.

TV wise, Lost has been a true drug, in the say that it’s completely addictive and sometimes amazing, often frustrating and totally perplexing but never missable. Other box-sets (or torrents) have been the continuation of 24 which becomes ever more ridiculous but always watchable and not good for getting suitable hours sleep (”shall we just watch one more?”). The main thing in the box set genre I’m looking forward too and sadly have yet to experience is The Wire. Although can it really live up to the hype now. Anyone who is a regular reader of Word Magazine will know that The Wire is mentioned on every other page (and it’s a music magazine!). A good one for those Winter nights methinks.

With what I consider normal TV-wise (terrestrial, the beeb, old auntie), it’s all about comedy for me. Last night Rab C Nesbitt absolutely blew me away. I totally hadn’t realised 20 years ago (or whenever it was) how much of a great actor and what a truly great character this bloke was. Other than that, Rick Spleen, Magda, Michael and the rest of the Lead Balloon cast have given me pain but so much pleasure (and that’s the idea). Magda and Rick’s (Jack Dee) exchanges of mild racism and pure misery have me crying with happiness. Old favourites like Have I Got News For You and QI continue to be great, I’ve enjoyed Live at the Apollo more than what it replaced when Mr Ross got told to go away for a few months and think about what he’d done (no doubt on a paradise island). Mock the Week has introduced and re-introduced us all to an amazing bunch and continued hilarity greater than the sum of their own parts. I’d say this is probably the greatest TV and has launch about a dozen popular stand up tours and DVDs.

Lead Balloon - What a show

Most TV is terrible and I consciously try to stay away from it most of the time with the worst certainly being X Factor (culminating in the sacrelidge of Hallejlulah), Big Brother, continued programmes about houses despite the credit crunch, Gok Wan and other shows about fat and/or weak people unable to take any kind of responsibility for their own lives and a million other pieces of crap I try to avoid.

One thing that has been amazing over recent weeks was Louis Theroux’s trips with the police/security firms on the beat in Philadelphia and Johannesburg. A real insight into the horror of every day lives in these ghettos and the endless spirals of deprivation that you can’t ever see an escape from. Shocking and brilliant.

Sport

The clear sporting highlights have been the Olympics. Though, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get passionate and ‘into’ it. I mean … it’s ok. I still watched it. Just kept flicking the channels and looking forward to the start of the football season or the England vs South Africa one dayers. Oh … and there was Lewis too. That was great. What an exciting finish. It’s cool that in Formula 1, we’ve no clue what next year will bring and who’s gonna win … maybe not as technically great but so much better than the Schumacher years.

For me the sports I follow most are football and cricket. In football, I’m a Leeds fan so this year has been terrible (again). Getting knocked out in the div 1 playoff final and now having just lost the last 5 games and had our manager sacked. It’s not looking good. The Champions League is always great to watch in the final stages and in 2009 I’m sure we’re going to get better competition from the Spanish, Italians and Germans than in the last few years when it’s been battle of the top 4 and ultimately between Man U and Chelsea in both the Premier League and in Europe, two clubs which are so difficult to love (for a Leeds fan anyway). I’m routing for Liverpool this season but can’t see them holding on unless they get Torres back quickly and ideally someone else other than Stevie G to share the goals.

The most interesting thing in the cricket year has been what’s happening to the ‘not so long ago’ unbeatable Australia. They’re going through a really tough period having lost Langer, Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Martin and now Hayden could be on his way out. Ponting’s got a really tough job on his hands and the world are rubbing their hands together. The test defeat to India and now the first home test loss to South Africa, who chased down 414 runs to win in the final innings in Perth, it’s all becoming exciting with the Ashes looming and the hope of a more competitive cricket world. However, there’s so much talk of this and Australia have so far only lost one series and on the Subcontinent. Michael Clark, Symonds, Katich, Hussey and Ponting particularly are all great batsmen and Stuart Clarke and Brett Lee still great bowlers, it’s mainly the spinners they’ve got issue with now.

Ishant Sharma and Yuvraj Singh

India have been the most exciting team of the year. New boys Yuvraj and Ishant Sharma along with the most exciting opener in the game in Sehwag, have made the loss of Gangooly and Kumble acceptable so far. They will find it difficult to replace Sachin, VVS and Dravid when they go though. India’s one day cricket against England was amazingly positive and a bit embarrassing for us and their test victory against Australia fantastic with the too young Ishant taking man of the series.

England’s year has been typically up and down with average test and poor one day displays against New Zealand followed by test defeat and crazy selections against South Africa before an amazing one day series victory against the Proteas as Pietersen takes over the captaincy from the tearful Vaughan. England were destroyed in the one day series against India with Yuvraj and Sehwag playing with a positivity unknown to English style and ability. England have played well in the recent test series despite the Mumbai atrocities interrupting plans but India are riding the crest of a wave and their positive attitude and batting was the difference in the first test.

2009 is a year difficult to predict but I’m going to anyway. An England test win in the West Indies and one day defeat. India to retain the 20/20 world cup held in England and (sorry) England test defeat in the Ashes and one dayers. Australia just aren’t that bad and England can be good and can be horrible but need everything to go for them to have any chance in my view.

Golf has given me a few spectator highlights for 2008. Despite Europe’s loss, Sky’s coverage and the great golf at the Ryder Cup was fantastic viewing and Harrington’s Open Win was brilliant although the summer weather was not. It’s been a nice year without Tiger, especially for Harrington.

Padraig Harrington - 2 Majors eh!

Other sports will go like this … more misery in Rugby Union for England, Wales to win 6 nations, Man U to win the league, Man U for league cup and Chelsea for FA Cup. Fabio Copello to remain great for the meantime. Tiger for the Open (predictable) and who else but Nadal for everything in Tennis?

That’s enough. Merry Christmas to everyone.