Monday, December 22, 2008

The Best and Worst Stuff of 2008

The year is quickly drawing to a close so without further ado, here is Floating Robot's List of the Best and Worst Stuff of 2008!

The Best:

Movie: It's a tie! Between a gay dude and a robot!

Milk- Social relevance? Check. Great acting? Check. James Franco looking mega foxy? Check! Throw a little controversy into the mix and we've got one hell of a movie on our hands.

WALL·E- When you combine a lonely robot trying to save the world, songs from a Broadway musical, and stunning animation, you are sure to win my heart.

Song: Collapsing At Your Doorstep- Air France


Listening to this song is like being inside a fantasy world. Kind of like a dream, isn't it? No... better.

Marketing Campaign: Coraline

Ok so I'm a little biased because I've been working on the campaign, but this shit is pretty awesome. In case you haven't heard, Focus Features is releasing Coraline in 2009. The film is an adaptation of a book by Neil Gaiman, written for the screen and directed by Henry Selick of Nightmare Before Christmas fame and is the first stop-motion animation film to be shot in 3D. Anyways, 50 bloggers who are enthusiasts of Neil Gaiman and/or stop motion received really cool, personalized boxes in the mail with all sorts of Coraline goodies. You can see a list and pictures of all the boxes here.

Reality Show: Project Runway This was probably the last good season of my all-time favorite reality show, if not the last season ever. While it started off slow, things turned around when three very talented ladies landed spots in the finale show at Bryant Park. When Leanne won, it was the icing on the cake. I love you Leanne! Will you please marry me?

Scripted TV Show: True Blood So I watched every episode of this show on demand in 3 days. Am I crazy? Obviously. But is this show crazy good? You'd better believe it.

Book: I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley This funny collection of essays was recommended to me by my mom because it was written by a girl who seemed a lot like me. Sloane Crosley's debut novel is painfully hilarious, witty and at times like watching a train wreck. Very charming in a Larry David-esque way and right up my alley.

Celebrity Gossip Providers: Sarah Palin Ok, it wouldn't have been so funny if this bitch was our VP, but now that she's not I can say "Thanks for the good times Sarah P!" From her knocked up daughter, to gotcha journalism, to the the flute playing to the turkey grinding interview, the fun just never stops. Plus, I wrote about visiting her mansion and a lot of people seemed to notice, so that was nice too.

The Worst:

Movie: Smart People I went to see this movie with my mom and brother when we all met up in Seattle. It was our idea of quality family time because the Robin family is... you know.. full of smart people. *cough* Anyway, as we were sitting in the theater watching Ellen Page and Dennis Quaid's shiteous, pseudo-intellectual performances, my brother threw his head in his hands and began moaning. "I can't stand another second of this! I have to walk out!" he whined. I forced him to stay in the theater and endure the rest of miserable movie which was riddled with unlikable characters and Sarah Jessica Parker's horse face. I know- I'm just as bad as Hitler.

Song: When I Grow Up- The Pussycat Dolls

I don't even have the appropriate words to express just how much this song has widdled away at my sanity this year. Watch the video if you must, but be forewarned- it may cause severe brain damage.

Marketing Campaign: Pizza Hut

As my old boss Ian Schafer mentioned, this "grass roots" marketing campaign for Pizza Hut which features two assholes belittling mom and pop pizza shops is rage-endusing. Not really a good strategy for making people like your brand.

Reality Show: The Real Housewives- Atlanta

After watching The Real Housewives of New York City, I had some hope for this new season. But watching these Atlanta ladies was more depressing and embarrassing than interesting. I mean, Nene was fun and stuff, but when cast members pretend to have cancer in order to get sympathy, I have to turn the channel.

Scripted TV Show: Life On Mars

Galen keeps trying to force me to get into this show, but every time I watch it I'm overwhelmed by the terrible writing. The dialogue is atrocious and the storylines are boring. I'd get into more detail but I would sicken myself with disgust. Sorry G, I still love you!

Book: My Dad, John McCain by Meghan McCain

If you didn't read this god awful book, don't worry. The Huffington Post breaks the whole thing down for you here. Meghan explains why her dad would make a good president by highlighting how he became a war hero and how he met her mother, but she skipped over the parts where he abandons his first wife and assists in cheating a bunch of people out of their life savings.

Celebrity Gossip Providers: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt

As I'm typing this, I'm tuning in to The Hills, watching Heidi's mom cry about her fake marriage to the despicable, flesh-color mustachioed Spencer. They are terrible human beings, but I am even more terrible for wasting a half hour every week listening to their made up family drama and watching Heidi "work" at her pretend job. I can't help it though- it's so fascinating to watch people whose every action is a calculated publicity stunt.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am honored to be part of both the best and worst stuff of 2008.
Mom

Anonymous said...

Okay, I found this blog through my google alerts, and I find the comment from your mom to be so adorable.

And yes, at first I enjoyed the drama of Atlanta housewives, but then..I just began to get depressed at all the drama. I was so over it, but am forced to write about it for my job. Alas!

Anonymous said...

I find it a little disturbing that so man of the campaigns you worked on are in the "Best Of." I mean, I'm not calling your integrity into question but something here is fishy.

I mean, it's not like I would ever stick Manswers on mine.

OH NO. The Masked Blogger just compromised his identity.