Our Favorite Films + Albums + Television Shows From the First Half of 2012

So here’s the thing: for the first time since I got my first job in 1996, I’ve hardly been able to keep up with the albums and films that interest me. Not because I no longer care, but because: (1) Due to technological advancements such as HD video and home recordings, there’s more of everything than ever before in 2012; and (2) I have less money in 2012 for such things than ever before. The good times are killing me, a working writer living in a time when everyone writes for free.

And so I’ve had to be incredibly selective all year long. Same situation as last year, but more intense. Also, last year I spent a few months doing the torrent/download thing – which I will never ever do again. And so, below, you have two different kinds of lists. You have the lists of things that I’ve purchased, absorbed and adored; and you have the lists of things that I hope to eventually purchase, absorb and adore. I ranked the Wants in order of how much I plan/hope to enjoy them. Here’s to hoping that the second half of 2012 sees a little more spare change in my pocket and thus, certainly, much more inspired days and nights.

Favorite Film of 2012 (So Far): Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom - I’m fairly certain that Benh Zeitlin’s Beats of the Southern Wild will go down as my favorite film released during the first half of 2012, but I’ve not yet seen it. Call it a hunch based on the trailer, stills and, well, my gigantic, trusty gut. As it stands, Moonrise Kingdom is my by-far favorite film of 2012 after six months. Some boneheads will tell you that “Wes Anderson is back,” but I will tell you that Wes Anderson never left. And probably never will. Sure, Godard started to lose it long ago and Woody has had some rough years, but I get the feeling that Anderson, like many of the greats (Hitchcock, Scorsese, Kubrick, Malick), will probably never make an all-out bad film. He’s a master, and the visually brilliant, daring, fun and sweet Moonrise Kingdom is his latest masterpiece. There will probably be other movies this year that I will like more (PT Anderson’s The Master, for sure, and maybe the new QT flick), but probably none that I will revisit as often. That’s what Wes brings to the table – playback value.

The Rest of the Best

2. Take This Waltz (Sarah Polley)
3. Prometheus (Ridley Scott)
4. Chronicle (Josh Trank)
5. The Hunger Games (Gary Ross)
6. The Avengers (Joss Whedon)
7. The Innkeepers (Ti West)
8. Dark Shadows (Tim Burton)
9. 21 Jump Street (Phil Lord and Chris Miller)
10. Jeff, Who Lives at Home (Duplass Brothers)
11. Wanderlust (David Wain)
12. Haywire (Steven Soderbergh)
13. The Cabin in the Woods (Drew Goddard)
14. John Carter (Andrew Stanton)
15. Friends with Kids (Jennifer Westfeldt)

Five Least Favorite Films from the First Half of 2012

1. The Grey (Joe Carnahan)
2. The Vow (Michael Sucsy)
3. Contraband (Baltasar Kormakur)
4. American Reunion (Jon Hurwitz)
5. The Amazing Spider-Man (Marc Webb)

Twenty Films I’ve Not Yet Seen (But Would Like to)

1. Beasts of the Southern Wild (Benh Zeitlin)
2. The Dark Knight Rises (Christopher Nolan)
3. Damsels in Distress (Whit Stillman)
4. Easy Money (James Signorelli)
5. Armour (Michael Haneke)
6. This is 40 (Judd Apatow)
7. Bernie (Richard Linklater)
8. The Diary of Preston Plummer (Sean Ackerman)
9. The Deep Blue Sea (Terence Davies)
10. Natural Selection (Robbie Pickering)
11. Safe House (Daniel Espinosa)
12. Safe (Boaz Yakin)
13. Bully (Lee Hirsch)
14. The Secret World of Arrietty (Hiromasa Yonebayashi)
15. Being Flynn (Paul Weitz)
16. Paul Williams Still Alive (Stephen Kessler)
17. Safety Not Guaranteed (Colin Trevorrow)
18. A Cat in Paris (Jean-Loup Felicioli)
19. Magic Mike (Richard Linklater)
20. Dark Horse (Todd Solondz)

Favorite Album of 2012 (So Far): Guided by Voices’ Let’s Go Eat the Factory - This GBV reunion album was the first record I bought this year, it having been released at the beginning of January. It’s also the disc I’ve put on the player most often over the last six months. GBV recently played the best show I’ve attended in years, headlining this year’s CBGB Fest in Central Park. At that show they played over half of this great new record – whether the dusty old fans in the crowd wanted it or not. For Factory GBV helmsman Robert Pollard reunited the classic crew and recorded in living rooms and garages. Lo-fi classics, just like the GBV of old. We get quite a few great tracks from the Spiral Stairs / Mike Mills / George Harrison of the group, Tobin Sprout, and, of course, more great Pollard moments than we can count. The songs are short and rough-cut and catchy and weird and beautiful. The record plays through quick and rough, full of big hooks and bigger ideas. There’s a whole lot of spirit on this disc, as well as a lot of variety and spunk. And, as displayed at the above mentioned CBGB show, the band is clearly quite proud of this collection. And they should be. GBV have already released a second excellent studio record this year, titled Class Clown Spots a UFO, and have a third disc coming in November called The Bears for Lunch. Also, Pollard released a damn solid solo disc recently called Mouseman Cloud. Sure, the band was at their absolute best back when they released Propeller, Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes. But, with two great band records and a solid solo effort already in the tank, I have to call 2012 The Year of Pollard. The guy is on a winning streak, for sure. I hate being the guy who loves the old guys doing what they do best when a bunch of young kids are doing interesting stuff … but damn, these songs are just so good. The ridiculously huge number of memorable moments on Let’s Go Eat the Factory outshine the competition thus far in 2012. Old Man Pollard is, once again, the songwriter to beat.

The Rest of the Best

2. Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action at a Distance
3. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel is Wiser
4. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die
5. Dr. John – Locked Down
6. Beach House – Bloom
7. Guided by Voices – Class Clown Spots a UFO
8. Lee Miles – American Music
9. Jack White – Blunderbuss
10. Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse
11. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
12. Norah Jones – Little Broken Hearts
13. Silver Jews – Early Times
14. Action Bronson – Blue Chips
15. Mount Eerie – Clear Moon
16. Sigur Ros – Valtari
17. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
18. King Tuff – King Tuff
19. White Fence – Family Perfume Vol. 1 + 2
20. Yann Tiersen – Skyline
21. Ty Segall and White Fence – Hair
22. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
23. Father John Misty (J. Tillman) – Fear Fun
24. Lower Dens – Nootropics
25. The Shins – Port of Morrow
26. Dr. Dog – Be the Void
27. Perfume Genius – Put Your Back N 2 It
28. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
29. Nude Beach – II
30. M. Ward – A Wasteland Companion

Twenty Albums I’ve Not Yet Heard (But Would Like to)

1. John K. Samson – Provincial
2. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
3. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
4. Todd Snider – Agnostic Hymns + Stoner Fables
5. John Talbot – Fin
6. Hospitality – Hospitality
7. The Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania
8. Delta Spirit – Delta Spirit
9. Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
10. The Men – Open Your Heart
11. Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
12. Imperial Teen – Feel the Sound
13. Chuck Prophet – Temple Beautiful
14. Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Going to Change the Way …
15. The Magnetic Fields – Love a the Bottom of the Sea
16. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
17. Tennis – Young and Old
18. Xiu Xiu – Always
19. Tindersticks – The Something Rain
20. White Rabbits – Milk Famous

Ten Favorite Television Shows from the First Half of 2012

1. Mad Men
2. Southland
3. Workaholics
4. Parks and Recreation
5. New Girl
6. The Newsroom
7. Girls
8. Community
9. Masterchef
10. Portlandia

Coming Soon: Wilfred; Louie; Breaking Bad; Treme
Haven’t Seen But Will: The Killing; Luck; Veep; House of Lies; Game of Thrones

Also Check out:
Ze Catalist’s Favorite Films of 2011
Ze Catalist’s Favorite Albums of 2011

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