Movies:

1. True Grit
2. Rabbit Hole
3. Another Year
4. The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2011: Live Action
5. The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2011: Animated
6. The Illusionist
7. All About Eve
8. Cedar Rapids
9. Source Code
10. Scream 4
11. POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
12. Bridesmaids
13. Potiche
14. Meek’s Cutoff
15. Midnight in Paris
16. Super 8
17. X-Men: First Class
18. The Future
19. The Prestige
20. The Help
21. Griff the Invisible
22. The Debt
23. Weekend
24. The Skin I Live In
25. Martha Marcy May Marlene
26. Le Gamin au Velo
27. The Deep Blue Sea
28. The Descendants
29. Shame
30. Hugo
31. Young Adult

Books:

1. Voodoo Heart by Scott Snyder
2. The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan
3. The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter
4. Last Summer by Michael Thomas Ford
5. Galileo’s Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
6. Shopgirl by Steve Martin
7. The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa
8. This Is NPR: The First Forty Years by NPR
9. The Diary of a Dr Who Addict by Paul Magrs
10. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
11. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
12. Trouble on Triton: An Ambiguous Heterotopia by Samuel R. Delany
13. The Gaslight Dogs by Karin Lowachee
14. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
15. Going Bovine by Libba Bray
16. Twinkle Twinkle by Kaori Ekuni
17. D.C. Noir edited by George Pelecanos
18. Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & More by Ashley English
19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
20. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee
21. The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
22. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
23. Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy edited by Ellen Datlow
24. Bob the Book by David Pratt

Fiction Magazines, Chapbooks, and Zines:

1. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #23
2. Lightspeed Magazine, January 2011
3. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #24
4. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #26
5. Lightspeed Magazine, February 2011
6. Fantasy Magazine, March 2011
7. Fantasy Magazine, April 2011
8. Lightspeed Magazine, March 2011
9. Lightspeed Magazine, April 2011
10. Fantasy Magazine, May 2011
11. Lightspeed Magazine, May 2011
12. Fantasy Magazine, June 2011
13. Lightspeed Magazine, June 2011

Graphic Novels:

1. Tintin in America by Hergé
2. Kurozakuro Vol. 1 by Yoshinori Natsume
3. Twin Spica Vol. 5 by Kou Yaginuma
4. Cigars of the Pharaoh by Hergé
5. The Blue Lotus by Hergé
6. The Broken Ear by Hergé
7. Hikaru no Go Vol. 20 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
8. Hikaru no Go Vol. 21 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
9. Toys in the Basement by Stéphane Blanquet
10. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
11. Batman – The Annuals Vol. 1 by Various
12. The Complete Ouija Interviews by Sarah Becan
13. Justice League International Vol. 5 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Bart Sears
14. Bakuman Vol. 2 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
15. Bakuman Vol. 3 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
16. Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, Pat Broderick, and Larry Mahlstedt
17. Cross Game Vol. 1 by Mitsuru Adachi
18. Cross Game Vol. 2 by Mitsuru Adachi
19. Ivy by Sarah Oleksyk
20. Gaylord Phoenix by Edie Fake
21. A Friendly Game by Lindsay Hornsby
22. Shadoweyes Vol. 1 by Ross Campbell
23. Aria Vol. 6 by Kozue Amano
24. Yotsuba&! Vol. 9 by Kiyohiko Azuma
25. Prince Valiant Vol. 2: 1939-1940 by Harold Foster
26. Lewis and Clark by Nick Bertozzi
27. Tsubasa Vol. 23 by CLAMP
28. Tsubasa Vol. 24 by CLAMP
29. Tsubasa Vol. 25 by CLAMP
30. Tsubasa Vol. 26 by CLAMP
31. Tsubasa Vol. 27 by CLAMP
32. Tsubasa Vol. 28 by CLAMP
33. Twin Spica Vol. 6 by Kou Yaginuma
34. Scenes from an Impending Marriage by Adrian Tomine
35. Finder: Voice by Carla Speed McNeil
36. Hikaru no Go Vol. 22 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
37. Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder, Jock, and Francesco Francavilla
38. Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire by John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell
39. 7 Billion Needles Vol. 3 by Nobuaki Tadano
40. How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden
41. Brody’s Ghost Vol. 1 by Mark Crilley
42. Brody’s Ghost Vol. 2 by Mark Crilley
43. The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 11 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
44. Salt Water Taffy, vol. 4: Caldera’s Revenge! Part 1 by Matthew Loux
45. Love and Rockets: New Stories Vol. 3 by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez
46. Earl & Mooch: A Mutts Treasury by Patrick McDonnell
47. The Complete Peanuts 1963-1964 by Charles M. Schulz
48. It Was the War of the Trenches by Jacques Tardi
49. Bunny Drop Vol. 1 by Yumi Unita
50. Bunny Drop Vol. 2 by Yumi Unita
51. An Elegy for Amelia Johnson by Andrew Rostan, Dave Valeza, and Kate Kasenow
52. Tonoharu Part Two by Lars Martinson
53. I Will Bite You! and Other Stories by Joseph Lambert
54. Bunny Drop Vol. 3 by Yumi Unita
55. Daytripper by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon
56. Astro City: Shining Stars by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson
57. Hikaru no Go Vol. 23 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
58. Paying for It by Chester Brown
59. Torpedo Vol. 3 Enrique Sanchez Abuli and Jordi Bernet
60. Cross Game Vol. 3 by Mitsuru Adachi
61. Empire State: A Love Story by Jason Shiga
62. Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: Race to Death Valley by Floyd Gottfredson
63. Real Vol. 9 by Takehiko Inoue
64. Justice League International Vol. 6 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Adam Hughes, Bart Sears
65. La Quinta Camera: The Fifth Room by Natsume Ono
66. Cross Game Vol. 4 by Mitsuru Adachi
67. Twin Spica Vol. 7 by Kou Yaginuma
68. The Summit of the Gods Vol. 2 by Baku Yumemakura and Jiro Taniguchi
69. Bakuman Vol. 4 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
70. Wandering Son Vol. 1 by Shimura Takako
71. Wimbledon Green: The Greatest Comic Book Collector in the World by Seth
72. Americus by M.K. Reed and Jonathan Hill
73. Congress of the Animals by Jim Woodring
74. Cul de Sac Golden Treasury: A Keepsake Garland of Classics by Richard Thompson
75. Bake Sale by Sara Varon
76. Troop 142 by Mike Dawson
77. Stargazing Dog by Takashi Murakami
78. A Zoo In Winter by Jiro Taniguchi
79. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi
80. Holy Terror by Frank Miller
81. X 3-In-1 Vol. 1 by CLAMP
82. Any Empire by Nate Powell
83. Loserville Vol. 1: And Then You Might Explode by Alex Cox
84. Feynman by Jim Ottaviani and Leland Myrick
85. Who is Jake Ellis? Vol. 1 by Nathan Edmondson and Tonci Zonjic
86. Twin Spica Vol. 8 by Kou Yaginuma
87. The Walking Dead Book One by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charles Adlard
88. iZombie Vol. 2: uVampire by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred
89. Celluloid by Dave McKean
90. Twin Spica Vol. 9 by Kou Yaginuma
91. Prince Valiant Vol. 3: 1941-1942 by Hal Foster
92. Bubbles & Gondola by Renaud Dillies
93. Kobato Vol. 4 by CLAMP
94. Freddy Stories by Melissa Mendes
95. Tesoro by Natsume Ono
96. Twin Spica Vol. 10 by Kou Yaginuma
97. Picket Line by Breena Wiederhoeft
98. Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: Trapped on Treasure Island by Floyd Gottfredson
99. Yotsuba&! Vol. 10 by Kiyohiko Azuma
100. The Hidden by Richard Sala
101. Nina in “That Makes Me Mad!” by Hilary Knight
102. A Waste of Time by Rick Worley
103. Rust Vol. 1: Visitor in the Field by Royden Lepp
104. Criminal Vol. 6: Last of the Innocent by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
105. Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes by Carl Barks
106. The Punisher Vol. 1 by Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto
107. American Vampire Vol. 3 by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, Sean Murphy, and Danijel Zezelj
108. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
109. Wandering Son Book Two by Shimura Takako
110. Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths Vol. 1 by Brian Holguin, Barbara Randall Kesel, Alex Sheikman, and Lizzy John

ANIMATED SHORT:

Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage — The one that, were I a voter, I’d cast my ballot for. Someone’s sketch-journal coming to life and illustrating a trip to Madagascar, which switches styles effortlessly and looks amazing. I was almost disappointed they showed this one first because nothing else could live up to it. (It also helps that I am a big fan of travel writing.)

The Lost Thing — Based on Shaun Tan’s children’s book of the same name, it’s got the strongest “message” and the inventiveness of Tan’s illustrations is just amazing. Beautiful, beautiful work.

Day & Night — The one everyone’s seen thanks to it being at the front of Toy Story 3. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really good, one of Pixar’s best short animated features to date. The only reason why it’s not at the top has to do with the strength of the first two (especially Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage). If Day & Night wins, it’s not for a lack of talent and skill involved. I’ll still be pleased if any of these first three win, honestly.

Let’s Pollute! — A fun parody of informational films from earlier days with a strong, in-your-face environmental message. I suspect that’s going to actively turn some people off though (there’s no subtlety at all involved).

The Gruffalo — My least favorite, it’s not bad but it’s a very literal adaptation of a children’s book, and it overstays its welcome at 29 minutes. The repetition of events and phrases that works well in reading a kid’s book gets tiring in this adaptation. It’s nicely animated and the actors they got for the voices are all strong, but toward the end I began actively wishing it was over.

LIVE-ACTION SHORT:

The Confession — Once again, the best one was the first one aired. Great child actors, emotionally brutal, and even though you see some parts totally coming a mile away it still grabs you and squeezes hard. Really happy this one was nominated.

God of Love — This one was, however, the most enjoyable one to watch. Loved the entire cast, the sensibility, the music, everything about it. It’s very light and fluffy unlike The Confession, and this is one I’d want to watch again. Just great, and I want to see more from this filmmaker.

Wish 143 — It’s good (and it’s got the best basic concept, with a teenager with cancer getting a facsimile of the Make-a-Wish foundation asking what he wants, and he says to lose his virginity), and it earned its nomination, but… this is a short film that felt like it was trying to cram an entire movie into its shorter length. Emotionally it’s all over the place. I’d actually quite like to see this one remade into a full-length film; it’s got more than enough material to do so. (Added bonus: Margaret Slitheen appearance!)

Na Wewe — Is it wrong to say that this short film needed a minute or two trimmed off of it? I can see why it got nominated, because it’s an extremely tense story set during the Hutu/Tutsi conflicts in Burundi. But the cycle goes one too many times, I think, and part of the resolution ultimately relies on an extremely lame pun. This is one that I liked less the more I thought about it, and while it still ended up in 4th place in my book, the amount in which it was in fourth place slid down a great deal.

The Crush — It’s not a bad idea, but the child actor who plays the lead is really poor. As the entire short film hangs on him (he’s in all but maybe two scenes?) he drags this one to the bottom. The other aspects (the writing, the directing) are good, and when it was all said and done I had a smile on my face, but I think this film is lucky that everything else was strong because that kid needed to be recast and badly.

But my favorite trailer in recent days? It’s got to be the one for the Coen Brothers film A Serious Man. You not only get a vague idea about the film’s plot, but more importantly, they’ve turned the way they edited those shots into a film in its own right. When this trailer came out I must have watched it 30, 40, maybe 50 times. Seriously, it’s fantastic how it all builds.

Now if you don’t mind, I need to watch it again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FYtprwg1As

Movies:

1. Avatar
2. Invictus
3. Alice in Wonderland
4. Greenberg
5. How to Train Your Dragon
6. Iron Man 2
7. Please Give
8. The City of Your Final Destination
9. Micmacs
10. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
11. Winter’s Bone
12. Toy Story 3
13. Despicable Me
14. Inception
15. The Kids Are All Right
16. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
17. Salt
18. Christmas in Connecticut
19. A Letter to Three Women
20. Easy A
21. Heartbreaker
22. Never Let Me Go
23. Waiting For “Superman”
24. The Social Network
25. Red
26. Fair Game
27. Certified Copy
28. Tangled
29. Black Swan
30. The King’s Speech
31. Somewhere

Books:

1. Havemercy by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
3. Hapworth 16, 1924 by J.D. Salinger
4. Aye, and Gomorrah: And Other Stories by Samuel R. Delany
5. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
6. Blackout by Connie Willis
7. Ash by Malinda Lo
8. Twelve Stories by Paul Magrs
9. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
10. The City & The City by China Miéville
11. Stealing Fire by Jo Graham
12. Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison
13. Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category ed. by Dave Eggers
14. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
15. Second Line by Poppy Z. Brite
16. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa
17. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff
18. Soulless by Gail Carriger
19. Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson
20. Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart
21. All Clear by Connie Willis

Fiction Magazines, Chapbooks, and Zines:

1. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #25

Graphic Novels:

1. Real Vol. 6 by Takehiko Inoue
2. Bokurano: Ours Vol. 1 by Mohiro Kitoh
3. All My Darling Daughters by Fumi Yoshinaga
4. Biomega Vol. 1 by Tsutomu Nihei
5. Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 2 by Svetlana Chmakova
6. Refresh, Refresh by James Ponsoldt, Benjamin Percy, Danica Novgorodoff
7. Yotsuba&! Vol. 7 by Kiyohiko Azuma
8. Smile by Raina Telgemeier
9. Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Woods by Jeff Lemire
10. Tsubasa Vol. 21 by CLAMP
11. Tsubasa Vol. 22 by CLAMP
12. xxxHolic Vol. 14 by CLAMP
13. Aria Vol. 5 by Kozue Amano
14. One Piece: East Blue 1-2-3 by Eiichiro Oda
15. Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 23: Bridge of Tears by Stan Sakai
16. Zig and Wikki: Something Ate My Homework by Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler
17. The Return of King Doug by Greg Erb, Jason Oremland, and Hunter Clark
18. The Splendid Magic of Penny Arcade: The 11 1/2 Anniversary Edition by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik
19. 20th Century Boys Vol. 6 by Naoki Urasawa
20. Grendel: Behold The Devil by Matt Wagner
21. Missile Mouse Vol. 1: The Star Crusher by Jake Parker
22. Spell Checkers Vol. 1 by Jamie S. Rich, Joelle Jones, and Nicolas Hitore de
23. Tekkon Kinkreet: Black & White by Taiyo Matsumoto
24. Ristorante Paradiso by Natsume Ono
25. Crogan’s March by Chris Schweizer
26. Bronx Kill by Peter Milligan and James Romberger
27. 20th Century Boys Vol. 7 by Naoki Urasawa
28. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 7 by Naoki Urasawa
29. Real Vol. 7 by Takehiko Inoue
30. Yotsuba&! Vol. 8 by Kiyohiko Azuma
31. Oishinbo A La Carte: Izakaya – Pub Food by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
32. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks and Ibraim Roberson
33. A Home for Mr. Easter by Brooke A. Allen
34. Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Don Heck
35. The Stuff of Legend Vol. 1: The Dark by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith
36. Real Vol. 8 by Takehiko Inoue
37. Wilson by Daniel Clowes
38. Hellboy Vol. 9: The Wild Hunt by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo
39. Twin Spica Vol. 1 by Kou Yaginuma
40. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 8 by Naoki Urasawa
41. Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol. 5 by Motoro Mase
42. RASL Vol. 2: The Fire Of St. George by Jeff Smith
43. Black Blizzard by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
44. Hikaru no Go Vol. 17 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
45. Hikaru no Go Vol. 18 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
46. Hikaru no Go Vol. 19 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
47. xxxHolic Vol. 15 by CLAMP
48. Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson
49. Afterschool Charisma Vol. 1 by Kumiko Suekane
50. John Constantine, Hellblazer: Hooked by Peter Milligan, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Landini, and Simon Bisley
51. Prime Baby by Gene Luen Yang
52. Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
53. Moomin Book Four: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip by Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson
54. Octopus Pie: There Are No Stars in Brooklyn by Meredith Gran
55. Suicide Squad: From the Ashes by John Ostrander and Javier Pina
56. Children of the Sea Vol. 3 by Daisuke Igarashi
57. Foiled by Jane Yolen and Mike Cavallaro
58. Bakuman Vol. 1 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
59. Kobato Vol. 1 by CLAMP
60. Kobato Vol. 2 by CLAMP
61. Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour by Bryan Lee O’Malley
62. Secret Six: Depths by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott
63. Rabbi Harvey Vs. the Wisdom Kid by Steve Sheinkin
64. Jellaby: Monster in the City by Kean Soo
65. Twin Spica Vol. 2 by Kou Yaginuma
66. Moomin Book Five: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip by Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson
67. Moving Pictures by Kathryn Immonen and Stuart Immonen
68. Sandman Mystery Theatre Vol. 8: The Blackhawk and the Return of the Scarlet Ghost by Matt Wagner, Steven T. Seagle, Guy Davis, and Matthew Smith
69. House of Five Leaves Vol. 1 by Natsume Ono
70. The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier
71. The Unwritten Vol. 2: Inside Man by Mike Carey and Peter Gross
72. Hellboy Vol. 10: The Crooked Man and Others by Mike Mignola, Joshua Dysart, and Richard Corben
73. Villains United by Gail Simone and Dale Eaglesham
74. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower, and Skottie Young
75. American Vampire Vol. 1 by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, and Rafael Albuquerque
76. Whirlwind Wonderland by Rina Ayuyang
77. Pang, the Wandering Shaolin Monk Vol. 1: Refuge of the Heart by Ben Costa
78. Drinking at the Movies by Julia Wertz
79. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 2 by Fumi Yoshinaga
80. Wonton Soup Vol. 1 by James Stokoe
81. Twin Spica Vol. 3 by Kou Yaginuma
82. Bokurano: Ours Vol. 2 by Mohiro Kitoh
83. Nancy Vol. 1: The John Stanley Library by John Stanley and Dan Gormley
84. The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 9 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
85. The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 10 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
86. Slam Dunk Vol. 12 by Takehiko Inoue
87. 7 Billion Needles Vol. 1 by Nobuaki Tadano
88. Louis – Night Salad by Metaphrog
89. The Sisters’ Luck by Shari Chankhamma
90. Koko Be Good by Jen Wang
91. Secret Six: Six Degrees of Devastation by Gail Simone and Brad Walker
92. Johnny Wander Vol. 1: Don’t Burn the House Down by Ananth Panagariya and Yuko Ota
93. Korea As Viewed by 12 Creators by Various
94. Secret Six: Danse Macabre by Gail Simone, John Ostrander, J. Calafiore
95. A Drunken Dream and Other Stories by Moto Hagio
96. Make Me a Woman by Vanessa Davis
97. Kobato Vol. 3 by CLAMP
98. Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol. 2 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
99. Showcase Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3 by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan
100. AX Vol. 1: A Collection of Alternative Manga by Various
101. Twin Spica Vol. 4 by Kou Yaginuma
102. Saturn Apartments Vol. 2 by Hisae Iwaoka
103. Genkaku Picasso Vol. 1 by Furuya Usamaru
104. Children of the Sea Vol. 4 by Daisuke Igarashi
105. The Summit of the Gods Vol. 1 by Baku Yumemakura and Jiro Tanaguchi
106. Dungeon Monstres Vol. 3: Heartbreaker by Joann Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, Carlos Nine, and Patrice Killoffer
107. Dungeon Zenith Vol. 3: Back in Style by Joann Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, and Christian Boulet
108. Fogtown by Andersen Gabrych and Brad Rader
109. Justice League International Vol. 1 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire
110. X’ed Out by Charles Burns
111. xxxHOLiC Vol. 16 by CLAMP
112. The Sixth Gun Vol. 1 by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt
113. Emitown: A Sketch Diary by Emi Lenox
114. Grand Guignol Orchestra Vol. 1 by Kaori Yuki
115. Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
116. 7 Billion Needles Vol. 2 by Nobuaki Tadano
117. Justice League International Vol. 2 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire
118. Elmer by Gerry Alanguilan
119. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 3 by Fumi Yoshinaga
120. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 4 by Fumi Yoshinaga
121. The Return of the Dapper Men by Jim McCann and Janet Lee
122. Justice League International Vol. 3  by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire
123. Justice League International Vol. 4  by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Ty Templeton
124. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 5 by Fumi Yoshinaga

Worst Open House Ever?

Probably not. But Charlie and I did look at some open houses over the weekend (not that we’re buying in the near future, but to get an idea of right now what is available in our suspected price range) and there was one house that stood out in particular for being unwelcoming. First, when we got there, the front door was locked. As we were standing right next to the front window (with the realtor slumped on a couch), he saw us trying to open the door and hopped up and opened the door. “I don’t know how that happened,” he said. Because of course the door locked its own deadbolt.

But then, we stepped in and were greeted with an overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. As we gasped for air, then realtor dealt the final blow. “When I got here for the open house I found out that one of the contractors working on the house is not feeling well and he’s lying down in the master bedroom, so I’m going to have to ask that you not go in there.”

“We’ll just come back,” Charlie said, as he and I scrambled towards the door. Which of course, meant, never. Talk about three strikes and you’re out…

Small Press Expo 2010 A Success

This year’s Small Press Expo (a show I first attended in 1995, first volunteered for in 1997, and have helped run in some capacity since 1998) was a huge success, hurrah! It was also my last year as the grand poobah of the Ignatz Awards, so having that off my shoulders (more or less) was also a big relief. I finished up my wine sketchbook, which I started back in 2001. I am determined to buckle down and scan the rest and start posting those sketches here… soon… honest.

Autumn = Soup Weather

I love making soup in colder weather, both on the stove and in my crock pot. I also finally decided to give Soupergirl a try, a local chef who sells her homemade soups that you order in advance. I’m going to keep making my own soup, of course, but I’m dying to see how hers taste too. Especially since hers is a zucchini pear soup, something that sounds strange at first and then intriguing, and more importantly I’d never have thought to try it on my own.

Upcoming Documentary I Can’t Wait To See

Waiting for “Superman” is opening this weekend in the DC area, David Guggenheim’s new documentary on the public school system in the United States and its decline over recent years. Part of the focus is on the DC school system and DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself. For the record, while I don’t think she was perfect (and made some mistakes along the way), I do think that Rhee was one of the best things to happen to DC public schools in the past few years.

The Columbia Triathlon went well (full report here), despite some horrific thunderstorms the night before that had me on about three hours sleep, and rain that only stopped right before I got into the water, resulting in slick roads. The hills were much harder than I’d imagined, and I did better on the cycling and worse on the running than I’d thought. (Swimming I came in a matter of seconds after my projected finish time.)

I’d signed up for the DC Triathlon as well, which was today, but I ended up not running it. I thought it would be fun; a much flatter course, going through places I knew, and a promise of some great crowd support. But soon after Columbia, I came down with… well, that’s still up in the air to be honest. I wish I knew. All I know for certain was it meant I was feeling run down and tired for about three weeks. We’re not talking about, “I could use a nap” but rather “I feel like I’m going to collapse.” I tried to run one day and actually felt light-headed and dizzy. Maybe some sort of cold bug? (It never did give me other classic cold symptoms, though.) A strange lack of iron? Too much Super Mario Galaxy 2? Whatever it was, though, it killed the DC Tri for me. I had little running, one spinning class (and no actual cycling), and until two days ago no swimming under my belt, post-Columbia. Add in a high of 95 degrees today and it just seemed like the stupidest thing possible. I’m regretting not being able to run the race, but am also convinced and glad that I made the right decision to cancel my plans.

I’m also at this point unsure on if running the Toronto Half Marathon will actually happen or not. I might have to find a local race to tackle instead, which is going to mean doing some research in the next month or two to figure out what’s even an option. I know the Baltimore Half Marathon exists, if you don’t mind hills. But surely there are some other choices available. We’ll see.

On the bright side, it did mean that last night instead of going to bed at 8pm, I instead went to the movies with Charlie and we saw Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work. Joan Rivers is one of those women who until about five years ago I really knew nothing about. Sure, I knew she was a comedian, I knew she hosted red carpet events, but that was about it. But as I’d started to learn a bit about her stand-up and her general trailblazing nature, I’ve found her to be much more than the joke she was usually written off as by the public. Well, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work shows all that and more. She’s one of those people who just can’t stop working; it’s actually a little exhausting at times to watch her schedule unfold! The documentary is also rather sad in places, much more than I’d have expected. Really good, try and catch it if you can.

Then again, the last few movies I’ve seen have all been excellent. The City of Your Final Destination (a Merchant Ivory film that’s been done for a while but is just now getting released in the States) was absorbing, and Micmacs (the new Jean-Pierre Jeunet film) was sweet and funny and unpredictable. Still dying to see Toy Story 3, soon. Finally, good movies!

Other than that, a boring life. Which is better than a drama-filled life, right?

(P.S. It’s awesome, go see it.)

I’m also slightly amused that a big deal was made about how shifting the number of Best Picture nominations from five to ten would result in more populist movies to make the ballot this year, with the example as the clear lock for a nomination being Star Trek. Oops. So much for trying to predict the future, huh?

Anyway, with the understanding that plans to see those two movies are already in the works… any recommendations on what to see? (Votes for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will be ignored.) Food Inc. and Coraline are the only other ones that immediately leaping to mind so far.

BEST PICTURE
The Blind Side
District 9

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
Morgan Freeman (Invictus)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Matt Damon (Invictus)
Woody Harrelson (The Messenger)
Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)
Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
Helen Mirren (The Last Station)
Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Penelope Cruz (Nine)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart)

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Coraline
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells

ART DIRECTION
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The White Ribbon

COSTUME DESIGN
Bright Star
Coco before Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria

DIRECTING
(seen all)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Burma VJ
The Cove
Food, Inc.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Which Way Home

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Music by Prudence
Rabbit a la Berlin

FILM EDITING
District 9

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Ajami
El Secreto de Sus Ojos
The Milk of Sorrow
Un Prophete
The White Ribbon

MAKEUP
Il Divo
The Young Victoria

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Sherlock Holmes

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Almost There (The Princess and the Frog)
Down in New Orleans (The Princess and the Frog)
Loin de Paname (Paris 36)
Take It All (Nine)
The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
French Roast
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)
Logorama
A Matter of Loaf and Death

SHORT FILM LIVE ACTION
The Door
Instead of Abracadabra
Kavi
Miracle Fish
The New Tenants

SOUND EDITING
(seen all)

SOUND MIXING
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

VISUAL EFFECTS
District 9

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell (District 9)
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche (In the Loop)

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman (The Messenger)

I ended up tying 2007′s movie tally with 20 films, and amusingly enough that was also the number of novels I read. As for graphic novels… well, let’s just say the final tally was a wee bit higher.

Movies:

1. The Women (the 1939 version)
2. Frost/Nixon
3. Watchmen
4. Every Little Step
5. Star Trek
6. Little Ashes
7. Away We Go
8. Up
9. Public Enemies
10. The Hurt Locker
11. (500) Days of Summer
12. Paris
13. Inglorious Basterds
14. An Education
15. Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire
16. A Room With a View
17. A Serious Man
18. Fantastic Mr. Fox
19. Up in the Air
20. A Single Man

Books:

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
2. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
3. Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale
4. All Seated On The Ground by Connie Willis
5. Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
6. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
7. Sea, Swallow Me and Other Stories by Craig Laurance Gidney
8. The Cabinet of Light by Daniel O’Mahony
9. The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
10. Shell Shock by Simon A. Forward
11. Farthing by Jo Walton
12. The Baum Plan for Financial Independence and Other Stories by John Kessel
13. Listening Is an Act of Love edited by Dave Isay
14. A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
15. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
16. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
17. Psycho by Robert Bloch
18. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
19. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
20. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Graphic Novels:

1. Dororo Vol. 3 by Osamu Tezuka
2. Solanin by Inio Asano
3. Oishinbo A La Carte: Japanese Cuisine by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
4. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 1 by Naoki Ursasawa
5. Tsubasa Vol. 19 by CLAMP
6. Dead, She Said by Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson
7. MPD Psycho Vol. 3 by Eiji Otsuka and Sho-u Tajima
8. Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 7 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
9. Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together by Bryan Lee O’Malley
10. Scott Pilgrim Vol. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe by Bryan Lee O’Malley
11. My Mommy is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill by Jean Regnaud and Émile Bravo
12. Call of the Wild by Patrick McDonnell
13. Miss Don’t Touch Me by Hubert & Kerascoet
14. I Saw You…: Comics Inspired by Real Life Missed Connections edited by Julia Wertz
15. Why I Killed Peter by Alfred & Olivier Ka
16. Tsubasa Vol. 20 by CLAMP
17. DMZ Vol. 6: Blood in the Game by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli
18. Phoenix Vol. 8: Civil War, Part Two by Osamu Tezuka
19. Blade of the Immortal Vol. 20: Demon’s Lair by Hiroaki Samura
20. Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Vol. 1 by Koji Kumeta
21. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Century: 1910 by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
22. The Complete Peanuts Vol. 6: 1961-1962 by Charles M. Schulz
23. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
24. Batman: Year One Hundred by Paul Pope
25. Hulk Visionaries: Peter David Vol. 1 by Peter David and Todd McFarlane
26. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 2 by Naoki Ursasawa
27. In the Flesh by Koren Shadmi
28. First Time by Sybiline and various artists
29. Oishinbo A La Carte: Sake by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
30. A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
31. Sandman Mystery Theatre Vol. 7: The Mist & the Phantom of the Fair by Matt Wagner, Steven T. Seagle, and Guy Davis
32. French Milk by Lucy Knisley
33. 20th Century Boys Vol. 1 by Naoki Urasawa
34. A Distant Neighborhood Vol. 1 by Jiro Taniguchi
35. The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
36. Wolverine: Prodigal Son Vol. 1 by Antony Johnson and Wilson Tortosa
37. Superman Chronicles Vol. 1 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
38. Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
39. Bourbon Island 1730 by Appollo and Lewis Trondheim
40. Batman Chronicles Vol. 2 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane
41. Real Vol. 3 by Takehiko Inoue
42. Real Vol. 4 by Takehiko Inoue
43. Fairy Tail Vol. 5 by Hiro Mashima
44. Chicken With Plums by Marjane Satrapi
45. Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip Book Three by Tove Jansson
46. Nana Vol. 14 by Ai Yazawa
47. You Have Killed Me by Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones
48. Hikaru No Go Vol. 13 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
49. Hikaru No Go Vol. 14 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
50. The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel
51. Hellblazer: Scab by Peter Milligan, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Stefano Landini
52. Showcase Presents: The Doom Patrol Vol. 1 by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney, Bruno Premiani, and Bob Brown
53. The Best of Simon and Kirby by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
54. Parker: The Hunter by Richard Stark and Darwyn Cooke
55. 20th Century Boys Vol. 2 by Naoki Urasawa
56. Phoenix, Vol. 10: Sun, Part One by Osamu Tezuka
57. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 3 by Naoki Urasawa
58. Mijeong by Byun Byung-jun
59. Detroit Metal City Vol. 1 by Kiminori Wakasugi
60. Yokai Doctor Vol. 1 by Yuki Sato
61. Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith
62. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry
63. Oishinbo A La Carte: Ramen and Gyoza by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
64. Vagabond Vol. 28 by Takehiko Inoue
65. Children of the Sea Vol. 1 by Daisuke Igarashi
66. Popeye Vol. 1 by E.C. Segar
67. The Photographer: Into War-Torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders by Emmanuel Guibert
68. Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938 by Hal Foster
69. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 by Jack Kirby
70. Nana Vol. 15 by Ai Yazawa
71. Hikaru no Go Vol. 15 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
72. 20th Century Boys Vol. 3 by Naoki Urasawa
73. Real Vol. 5 by Takehiko Inoue
74. Black Jack Vol. 2 by Osamu Tezuka
75. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 4 by Naoki Urasawa
76. Barefoot Gen Vol. 1 by Keiji Nakazawa
77. Ôoku: The Inner Chamber Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga
78. 20th Century Boys Vol. 4 by Naoki Urasawa
79. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee Vol. 1 by Hiroyuki Asada
80. The Big Kahn by Neil Kleid and Nicholas Cinquegrani
81. Hikaru no Go Vol. 16 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
82. Little Nothings Vol. 2: The Prisoner Syndrome by Lewis Trondheim
83. Nana Vol. 16 by Ai Yazawa
84. Awakening Vol. 1 by Nick Tapalansky and Alex Eckman-Lawn
85. Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 2 by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez
86. The Punisher Vol. 10: Valley Forge, Valley Forge by Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov
87. Yotsuba&! Vol. 6 by Kiyohiko Azuma
88. Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 8 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
89. Japan As Viewed By 17 Creators by Various creators
90. ACME Novelty Library Vol. 19 by Chris Ware
91. Neptune by Aron Nels Steinke
92. Festering Romance by Renee Lott
93. What a Wonderful World! Vol. 1 by Inio Asano
94. X-Men: Misfits Vol. 1 by Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, and Anzu
95. West Coast Blues by Jean-Patrick Manchette and Jacques Tardi
96. Far Arden by Kevin Cannon
97. Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson Vol. 1 by Walter Simonson
98. Monsters by Ken Dahl
99. What a Wonderful World! Vol. 2 by Inio Asano
100. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 5 by Naoki Urasawa
101. Showcase Presents: Eclipso by Bob Haney, Lee Elias, Alex Toth, and Jack Sparling
102. Driven By Lemons by Joshua Cotter
103. Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol. 1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
104. Dark Entries by Ian Rankin and Werther Dell’Edera
105. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 6 by Naoki Ursasawa
106. Dungeon, The Early Years Vol. 2: Innocence Lost by Lewis Trondheim, Joann Sfar, and Christophe Blain
107. Year of Loving Dangerously by Ted Rall and Pablo Callejo
108. Oishinbo A La Carte: The Joy of Rice by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
109. Incognito by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
110. Beanworld Book 3: Remember Here When You Are There! by Larry Marder
111. Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture Vol. 1 by Ishikawa Masayuki
112. Luna Park by Kevin Baker and Danijel Zezelj
113. Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
114. Children of the Sea Vol. 2 by Daisuke Igarashi
115. not simple by Natsume Ono
116. Filthy Rich by Brian Azzarello and Victor Santos
117. Bloom County: The Complete Library Vol. 1 by Berkeley Breathed
118. Years of the Elephant by Willy Linthout
119. Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 1 by Svetlana Chmakova
120. The Punisher MAX: From First to Last by Garth Ennis, Richard Corben, Lewis Larosa, John Severin
121. 20th Century Boys Vol. 5 by Naoki Urasawa
122. A Distant Neighborhood Vol. 2 by Jiro Taniguchi
123. xxxHolic Vol. 13 by CLAMP

1. Charlie Wilson’s War (1/11)
2. Persepolis (1/25)
3. 27 Dresses (2/02)
4. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (3/08)
5. Run, Fat Boy, Run (03/30)
6. Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge (04/18)
7. Baby Mama (04/26)
8. Jellyfish (05/21)
9. Iron Man (05/25)
10. Sex and the City (06/07)
11. WALL-E (07/13)
12. The Dark Knight (7/26)
13. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (8/23)
14. Frozen River (8/30)

…and then I forgot to keep this listing up to date. But here are some other movies, in no particular order, that (upon retrospect) I did also see in 2008:

15. The Quantum of Solace
16. Slumdog Millionaire
17. Milk
18. Rachel Getting Married

There might have been more!