The A-Bomb

Week of May 24th, 2008

For this inaugural week, I’m going to go with my favorite (or at least current favorite) picks.

Movie: Magnolia

Still one of my favorite movies, this is such a beautiful film and I loved every minute of it. The actors were all phenomenal (including Tom Cruise whom I normally despise) and the story really moved me. The movie was written around an Aimee Mann lyric which is spoken by one of the characters as well, and the majority of the movie is done to Aimee Mann songs and it is really well done. I believe this movie is what initiated my secret man love for Paul Thomas Anderson and I am kicking myself for still not having seen There Will Be Blood.

Television Show: Six Feet Under

Such a beautiful and poignant series, I fell in love with this show after the first episode. The characters are some of the best I’ve ever seen, TV or otherwise, and the show is done so perfectly that it’s hard for me to even think of something wrong with it. And to top it all off, it has the most wonderfully perfect ending to a series I have ever seen and likely ever will see. I highly recommend watching this show; it honestly will change your life. It’s depressing, but at the same time really hopeful and I love it for that.

Music: The Decemberists

This was a tough one, the close second place artist will most likely be featured next week. I absolutely love these guys, and Colin Meloy’s voice is fantastic. I loved their first two albums (Castaways and Cutouts, Her Majesty) and while Picaresque was a notable dip for me, their next album, The Crane Wife, made up for that and more. It’s one of the most perfect albums I’ve ever listened to and probably my favorite album right now. I highly recommend giving these guys a chance.

Book: Lullaby

I started reading Chuck Palahniuk books like most teenage boys did after seeing the movie Fight Club. I actually didn’t read Fight Club first however, I read Choke (which is also being adapted into a movie soon) and highly enjoyed his way of writing. Lullaby was the next one I read and I absolutely loved it. It had a mix of science fiction and mystery, and the way he plays with the time lines and keeps you guessing is just brilliant. I am starting to enjoy reading more, and I am sure my favorite will change in time, but for now this one gets the top spot.

Video Game: Kings Quest VI

I honestly can’t think of a better game that has kept me that engrossed by the story as well as kept me entertained the whole time. I’ve always loved the King’s Quest series, as well as Sierra’s other classic games (notably the Quest for Glory series) but I think this one sticks out in my mind as the ‘best’ one. As Prince Alexander you have to find the love of your life and save her from an evil Vizier, all the while visiting strange isles with completely different looks and feels to them, and solve puzzles while journeying through various mythological allusions. Highly recommended, although it may be hard to find now, I know they re-released the entire series not too long ago however. Track it down if you like classic adventure games.

That’s it for now, stay tuned for next week!