Favorites of 2004

[jokabofe]

OK, since the new year is just about here, I thought now would be as good a time as any to go over some Favorites from the previous 12 months. Leaving out the toy and collectible categories, since they can go in their respective sections here at the site, this is the list I came up with. Feel free to add categories as you see fit.

Favorite Movie You Saw in 2004
I would have to say my favorite "new" movie of the year has to be Shaun of the Dead. I laughed the entire way through it. Loved every old school horror film homage as well. A close - very, very close - second place would have to be Hero. Awesome movie.

Favorite DVD Release of 2004
While the winner of this category would seem to be a no-brainer at this particular site, I'm going to go against the grain (and I'm sure I won't be alone) and say that the LOTR:ROTK EE DVD was the best release of the year. It puts the Star Wars Trilogy box set to shame with the amount of extras it includes. This is what the Trilogy box set should have been.

Favorite CD of 2004
I'm gonna have to say that Kanye West's "College Dropout" gets my vote as best CD of the year. Although, if Jay-Z & DJ Dangermouse's Grey Album was a legit disc, and not a bootleg, it would have gotten the nod instead.

Best New Book of 2004
Being a huge Stephen King fan, I'm gonna have to say that "The Dark Tower: The Dark Tower, Part 7" was my favorite book of the year. I know that plenty of King fans absolutely hated the way he ended the saga, I thought it was okay. Not great, and could have been better, but okay. The simple fact that he finished the saga and released this book was more than enough for me to vote it #1.

Best Book You Read in 2004
Not neccesarily a new book, but a book you read for the first time this year. I would say that "The Ring" by Koji Suzuki would be it for me. Yeah, we all saw The Ring movie(s), and I liked both the original Japanese and the American remake, but this book is just so much better, going deeper into the Sadako storyline and explaining how she was able to do some of the stuff that happens. Great read.

Favorite "Trend" of 2004
Keeping with The Ring theme for a minute, I think the trend of Japanese and other Asian Cinema making a bigger impact on American audiences in 2004 was a great thing. Some of the best movies I saw this year were made overseas. I hope that trend continues.

There were more categories before, but we had a little forum downtime, and I lost my original post, and can't remember all the ones I had before 

[Ben]

Favorite Movie of 2004-
Three way tie of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Big Fish (these flicks didn't open till 2004 here, so nyah!) and Garden State.

Favorite DVD release-
Star Wars Trilogy, no doubt. It was about goddamn time.

Favorite Album-
Tie between Wilco- A Ghost is Born and The Cure's self-titled release this year. Runner-up would be Sonic Youth- Sonic Nurse and Velvet Revlover's album which name escapes me at the moment.

Favorite Comic of 2004- The Punisher MAX
Violence, gore, swearing, blood, adult themes, and blood. Great, great comic, which really fits the Punisher well. Though I admit Garth Ennis is a deranged individual.

Best new Book of 2004-
Leaving it blank, since my reading has stuck with stuff I haven't read yet.

Best Book Read in 2004-
On the Road by Jack Kerouac. Couldn't believe it had taken me 23 years to get around to reading this book.