'Best of' decade lists subject to change minute-by-minute

For some – me specifically – it’s fun reading end-of-the-year “best of” lists. I like reading other people’s opinions about what they consider to be the best albums, books, DVDs, films and television shows of the year. Often, I find good suggestions of things I should check out that I may have initially missed, and sometimes I discover reasons for reexamining something I may have dismissed earlier.
Years ending with a nine, like this one, are even better because many of these lists compilers spoil us with “best of” the decade lists. As I write this, I’m anxiously waiting for Rolling Stone to send me its latest issue with such a list, as I have my notebook and pen ready to make notes for things I need to check out.
While I wait, I’ve decided I’m going to make my own list, which I know will be outdated as soon as I write it. My opinion can change not just day-to-day, but sometimes minute-to-minute, depending on my mood.
Example: “The Dark Knight” was my favorite film in 2008, and while I still love it, I’ve literally been scared to watch it again since my initial viewing in the movie theater. I’m afraid that perfect viewing will be tarnished on subsequent viewings in which I discover flaws. As a result, I’m more apt to say “Iron Man,” which has a ton of flaws, was the best film of the year because I’ve watched it what feels like 16,000 times with my 4-year-old son who completely cherishes it as his favorite film.
So, at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7, my “best of” the decade list is this:
Best albums: This is probably the easiest category for me, as I simply compiled a list of my favorite artists and then listed the albums they made this decade. This list includes Bruce Springsteen, U2, Pearl Jam, Guns N’ Roses and Bob Dylan, and some of the best albums these five artists made this decade are Springsteen’s “The Rising,” U2’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” Pearl Jam’s “Backspacer” and Dylan’s “Modern Times.”
From this list, U2’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” stands out as my favorite, mainly because of its resonance following 9-11, despite being recorded before the event. Songs like “Beautiful Day” and “New York” took on new meaning, which the best art could and should do to reflect the times.
I’ll also give a shout out to Wilco’s “Yankee Foxtrot Hotel” for albums by artists not on my top-five list. Wilco’s record label dumped the band when it received this album, forcing the band to put it online for its fans. Guess what? The fans loved it and the guys in Wilco didn’t have to worry about how they were going to put food on the table for their families anymore.
Best books: Since I can only put something on this list from the books I have read, which is miniscule compared to the list of books from this decade I still want to read, my list of the top three books includes “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, a bleak page-turner, and “Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota” by Chuck Klosterman. This humorous memoir shows life can be fun in North Dakota, too.
My list is topped by Stevens Point author Patrick Rothfuss’ “The Name of the Wind,” a fantasy novel that pushes J.K. Rowlings’ “Harry Potter” series off my list. I don’t normally read this type of novel – “Harry Potter” was an exception for me because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about – but I read this one because of the local connection, and it was worth every bit of my time. It’ll be worth every bit of your time, too. Give it a try, if you haven’t already.
Best DVDs: Hands down, the director’s cuts of the three films in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy beat everything and anything that stands in their paths. Quite a bit longer than the theatrical versions, these DVDs are enhanced by their extended playing times, unlike most director cuts. These are the definitive versions all fans should own.
Best films: And speaking of “The Lord of the Rings,” the final film in the trilogy, “Return of the King,” as well as the first film, “The Fellowship of the Ring,” tower above all. It’s funny, because these films came out around the same time as the “Star Wars” prequels came out, and while I eagerly awaited their releases, “The Lord of the Rings,” quietly at first, became everything I was hoping “Star Wars” would be: dramatic, action-packed, loaded with great story-telling and full of mind-blowing special effects.
Honorable mentions go to “Matrix,” the coolest film of the decade, and “High Fidelity,” a film that shows all of the highs and lows of relationships between males and females in a funny and believable way.
Best television shows: This is the hardest list to compile because this decade was truly a golden age for television. And with mankind’s advances in technology, people can stay tuned to any television show that comes out, unlike previous decades where shows had to be either watched live or taped on a not-completely reliable VCR.
Any of these shows could be at the top of my list on any given day: “The Office,” “Battlestar Galatica,” “Lost,” “Friday Night Lights,” “The Wire,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Sopranos,” “Mad Men,” “Dexter” and my one guilty pleasure I’m not afraid to say, “Smallville.”
I’m finishing this column at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, and I already want to make some changes. But I know when I proof this on Wednesday, Dec. 9, I may want to change my mind again. So I’ll leave it. It’ll be my personal “best of” the decade list for Tuesday through Wednesday, Dec. 8-9 (subject to change at author’s discretion).