2008/The Year In Film

Bushwood Board Of Directors (The Cream Of The Crop)
-Forgetting Sarah Marshall : Dracula’s Lament is catchier than it should be and as the reliable Paul Rudd sings, “the weather outside is weather...”

-The Dark Knight : a seamless continuation of what Nolan started with Batman Begins

-The Promotion : John C. Reilly adds another great performance to his impressive resume...as they say in Canada "cracking the cheese"...plus Jenna Fischer, Fred Armisen, Jason Bateman, Sean William Scott, Lili Taylor and Bobby Cannavale..."blapples"

-In Bruges : dark and funny

-Choke : more dark and funny, with a focus on identity...another strong Palahniuk adaptation, plus the excellent Sam Rockwell

Bushwood Members (I Like Their Style)
-Snow Angels : just dark, but another solid David Gordon Green film (All The Real Girls, George Washington, Undertow), with Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale giving strong performances

-The Visitor : Richard Jenkins makes everything better

-Hell Boy II : better than the first?

-Step Brothers : more room for activities...boats 'n' hoes...who wants fancy sauce?...the Catalina Wine Mixer...Lumberjack

-Zack And Miri Make A Porno : a film for the whole family...maybe not

-Pineapple Express : another from David Gordon Green as he tackles action/comedy

-Wall-E : so good it convinced me to watch an animated movie

-Role Models : what is Beyonce doing with that sugar?...Rudd is almost always a good sign for a movie

-Vicky Cristina Barcelona : steamy Spanish Woody (I apologize)

-Slumdog Millionaire : visually impressive fable

-Gran Torino : classic Clint to add to the catalog

Bushwood Staff (Solid Contributors)
-Burn After Reading : solid satire with one of Pitt's funniest performances

-Ghost Town : a fresh look at a common plot device

-The Hammer : see comment for Ghost Town, this time a comedic take on the Rocky story

-Be Kind, Rewind : not what I expected from the trailer, but a pleasant and at times impressive movie

-Semi-Pro : for the roulette scene alone

-Iron Man : not as good as Dark Knight but certainly better than the last Spiderman

-The Foot Fist Way : the full Danny McBride experience

-Hamlet 2 : struggled to match the genius that is the title

-Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist : decent Cera vehicle (plus, music from The National is used in the film)

Not Bushwood Material (Honorable Mention)
-Tropic Thunder : good but no Role Models or Step Brothers

-Cloverfield : a fresh look at the monster movie

-You Don’t Mess With The Zohan : typical mid-period Sandler (sorry again)

-Hancock : ambitious but flawed

-Kung Fu Panda : decent but no Wall-E

-Religulous : solid, but having seen Maher's show and standup this was familiar territory

-Appaloosa : Viggo is great in this western, Zellweger looks strange and it is not as strong as last year's 3:10 To Yuma or in the same league as the excellent Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford

Caddyshack II (Yes, That Bad)
-The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button : more like the curious case of the snooze button

-W : how about an alternate title of Z (as in you will catch up on your z's...zing?)...maybe just suffered from bad timing as some of the performances were strong

-Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Tour : not as funny as I hoped it would be

-Strange Wilderness : certainly no Grandma’s Boy

-Smart People : clichés abound and Sarah Jessica Parker - it had no chance

Membership Pending (Stuff I Have Yet To See But Plan To)
-Synecdoche, New York
-Baghead

Comments

*CONCERT LOG*

  • DATE/HEADLINER/OPENING ACT(S)/VENUE/LOCATION
  • 5.24.19: Chromatics/Desire/In Mirrors/Higher Ground/Burlington, VT
  • 4.13.18: Julien Baker/Tancred/Hangar Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 2.13.18: Jason Isbell/James McMurtry/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 7.16.17/Willie Nelson, MMJ, Sheryl Crow +/Lakeview Amphitheater/Syracuse, NY
  • 10.6.16/Jason Isbell/Josh Ritter/Landmark Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 8.24.16/Offerman+Mullally/Crouse Hinds Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 8.14.16/The Tragically Hip/Air Canada Center/Toronto, ON
  • 7.14.16/Milk Carton Kids/Colin Hay/Smith Opera House/Geneva, NY
  • 11.20.15/Guster/Darryl Rahn+Lost Souls/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.1.15/Carly Rae Jepsen/(St. Lucia)/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.23.15/WILCO/William Tyler/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 5.20.15/Brit Floyd/Crouse Hinds Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 5.1.15/Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.24.14/Tweedy/(Hospitality)/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 2.22.14/Band Of Horses/(Sera Cahoone)/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 10.29.13/Neko Case/Karen Elson/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.27.13/Okkervil River/Torres/The Haunt/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.13.13/Yo La Tengo/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 8.6.13/Explosions In The Sky/(Black Throat Wind)/Westcott Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 7.21.13/Americanarama Festival (Dylan/Wilco/MMJ)/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 6.14.13/Patterson Hood/(T. Hardy Morris)/The Haunt/Ithaca, NY
  • 5.16.13/The National/People Get Ready/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 4.18.13/Aimee Mann/Ted Leo/Club Helsinki/Hudson, NY
  • 10.6.12/Great Lake Swimmers/Snowblink/The Haunt/Ithaca, NY
  • 7.28.12/WILCO/Lee Ranaldo Band/Ommegang Brewery/Cooperstown, NY
  • 6.8.12/Lindsey Buckingham/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 3.22.12/Brit Floyd/Landmark Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 11.16.11/Drive-By Truckers/The Felice Brothers/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.9.11/Okkervil River/New Villager/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.3.11/Great Lake Swimmers/Kin Ship/Delilah's On Cayuga/Ithaca, NY
  • 5.21.11/Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit/Maria Taylor/The Haunt/Ithaca, NY
  • 5.6.11/The Walkmen/Wavves/Ithaca College/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.6.10/Roger Waters [The Wall/Live]/Madison Square Garden/New York, NY
  • 10.24.10/Louis CK/Todd Glass/Bailey Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 10.17.10/Phoenix/Jenny & Johnny/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.24.10/The National/Owen Pallett/Wellmont Theater/Montclair, NJ
  • 8.28.10/My Morning Jacket/The New Pornographers/CMAC/Canandaigua, NY
  • 8.25.10/Titus Andronicus/Free Energy/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 8.20.10/My Morning Jacket/Grace Potter & The Nocturnals/Champlain Valley Expo/Essex Junction, VT
  • 8.13.10->8.15.10/WILCO Solid Sound Festival/North Adams, MA
  • 8.5.10/The Gaslight Anthem/Frank Turner/William Elliott Whitmore/The Stone Pony (Summer Stage)/Asbury Park, NJ
  • 8.2.10/The Gaslight Anthem/Tim Barry/Chamberlain/House Of Blues/Boston, MA
  • 7.30.10->8.1.10/Newport Folk Festival/Newport, RI
  • 6.26.10/Great Lake Swimmers/Ian Coristine/Clayton Opera House/Clayton, NY
  • 6.5.10/The Midnight Ramble [Levon Helm Band/Drive-By Truckers]/Levon Helm Studios/Woodstock, NY
  • 5.18.10/Midlake/Jason Lytle/John Grant/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 5.9.10/Deer Tick/Caution Children/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 4.18.10/The Flaming Lips/Stardeath/White Dwarfs/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 4.3.10/WILCO/Wellmont Theater/Montclair, NJ
  • 2.17.10/John Prine/Sara Watkins/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.21.09/The Midnight Ramble [Levon Helm Band/Nitty Gritty Dirt Band/Eric Church]/Levon Helm Studios/Woodstock, NY
  • 11.11.09/Lyle Lovett & His Large Band/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.23.09/Sufjan Stevens/Cryptacize/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.6.09/The Positive Jam [The Hold Steady/The Felice Brothers/Deer Tick/The Rural Alberta Advantage]/Stewart Park/Ithaca, NY
  • 8.25.09/Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 7.27.09/Coldplay/Elbow & Kitty, Daisy and Lewis/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 7.26.09/The Tragically Hip/The Green/Shelburne, VT
  • 7.25.09/Frightened Rabbit/The Antlers/Iron Horse/Northampton, MA
  • 7.11.09/WILCO/Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band/LeLacheur Park/Lowell, MA
  • 7.10.09/WILCO/Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band/Frawley Stadium/Wilmington, DE
  • 6.14.09/The Hold Steady/Right On Dynamite/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 5.9.09/The Gaslight Anthem/Pela & Good Old War/The Stone Pony/Asbury Park, NJ
  • 5.8.09/The Tragically Hip/Nokia Theater/NYC
  • 4.25.09/The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/Caution Children/Risley Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 4.20.09/Neko Case/Crooked Fingers/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 4.18.09/Flight Of The Conchords/Kristen Schaal/Tower Theater/Philadelphia, PA
  • 4.11.09/Rhett Miller/Jennifer O'Connor/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 3.28.09/Jeff Tweedy/Pete Seeger & Classroom 12/Beacon High Auditorium/Beacon, NY
  • 3.10.09/AC Newman/Dent May/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 2.5.09/Cowboy Junkies/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 12.6.08/WILCO/Jennifer O'Connor/Auditorium Theater/Rochester, NY
  • 11.9.08/Decemberists/Walkmen/Loch Lomond/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 10.4.08/Andrew Bird/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.28.08/Bill Maher/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.26.08/Ryan Adams & The Cardinals/Landmark Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 9.12.08/A.A. Bondy/Castaways/Ithaca, NY
  • 8.21.08/My Morning Jacket/The Black Keys/Red Rocks/Denver, CO
  • 8.16.08/My Morning Jacket/Lousiville Leopard Percussionists/Waterfront Park/Louisville, KY
  • 8.12.08/WILCO/Andrew Bird/Tanglewood/Lenox, MA
  • 8.7.08/The New Pornographers/Grizzly Bear/Calvin Theater/Northampton, MA
  • 8.6.08/Radiohead/Grizzly Bear/Parc Jean Drapeau/Montreal, QC
  • 7.15.08/Stone Temple Pilots/Secret Machines/ CMAC/Canandaigua, NY
  • 7.5.08/Rush/None/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 5.3.08/The National/None/Messiah College/Grantham, PA
  • 4.13.08/The New Pornographers/Okkervil River/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 2.24.08/Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt/None/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 2.16.08/The National/Doveman/Hamilton/Clinton, NY
  • 1.26.08/Neko Case/Eric Bachmann/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.11.07/Broken Social Scene/Yo La Tengo/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.2.07/The Tragically Hip/Joel Plaskett/Auditorium Theater/Rochester, NY
  • 11.1.07/The Tragically Hip/Joel Plaskett/Landmark Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 10.26.07/Stephen Colbert/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 10.20.07/The Mammals/None/Edwards Opera House/Edwards, NY
  • 10.7.07/The National/Doveman/Le National/Montreal, QC
  • 9.20.07/ZZ Top/None/Turning Stone/Verona, NY
  • 8.25.07/The National/White Rabbits/Arts Quad (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 7.12.07/Roger Waters/None/Six Flags PAC/Darien Lake, NY
  • 6.29.07/WILCO/Low/The Green/Shelburne, VT
  • 6.24.07/WILCO/Low/Pines Theater/Northampton, MA
  • 5.11.07/The Tragically Hip/Wintersleep/House Of Blues/Chicago, Il
  • 5.4.07/Leo Kottke/None/Ithaca HS/Ithaca, NY
  • 3.21.07/The Hold Steady/Ra Ra Riot/Syracuse U/Syracuse, NY
  • 11.6.06/Secret Machines/Magic Hour/Syracuse U/Syracuse, NY
  • 10.14.06/Drive-By Truckers/The Drams/House Of Blues/Cleveland, OH
  • 10.6.06/Secret Machines/None/Higher Ground/Burlington, VT
  • 9.17.06/The Strokes/Calm To Chaos/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.1.06/Flaming Lips/Sonic Youth & Ween & Magic Numbers/NYS Fair/Syracuse, NY
  • 8.9.06/Guster/Ray Lamontagne & Rogue Wave/High Falls/Rochester, NY
  • 7.30.06/Black Crowes/Drive-By Truckers & Robert Randolph/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 7.16.06/WILCO/Autumn Defense/Pines Theater/Northampton, MA
  • 7.10.06/Pete Yorn/None/Water Street Music Hall/Rochester, NY
  • 5.12.06/Pearl Jam/My Morning Jacket/Pepsi Arena/Albany, NY
  • 4.9.06/Death Cab For Cutie/Franz Ferdinand/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.12.05/Jeff Tweedy/Glenn Kotche/Messiah College/Grantham, PA
  • 11.8.05/Guster/Matt Pond PA/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 9.1.05/Coldplay/Rilo Kiley/Six Flags PAC/Darien Lake, NY
  • 8.13.05/Def Leppard/The Tea Party/Corel Center/Ottawa, ON
  • 8.3.05/Kings Of Leon/Shout Out Louds & Helio Sequence/Kool Haus/Toronto, ON
  • 7.22.05/Ray Lamontagne/Rachel Yamagata/La Zona Rosa/Austin, TX
  • 7.13.05/Bruce Springsteen/None/Corel Center/Ottawa, ON
  • 6.28.05/WILCO/My Morning Jacket/Metropolis/Montreal, QC
  • 3.25.05/Lewis Black/Stephen Lynch & John Bowman/Clarkson/Potsdam, NY
  • 3.4.05/Jon Stewart/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 2.21.05/WILCO/Detholtz/Ovens Auditorium/Charlotte, NC
  • 2.19.05/WILCO/Head Of Femur/House Of Blues/Myrtle Beach, SC
  • 2.11.05/The Walkmen/Chin Up Chin Up/Appel Commons (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.20.04/The Mammals/The Hillbettys/A. Taylor Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 11.13.04/Arcade Fire/Hidden Cameras/Noyes (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 10.29.04/Bruce Cockburn/None/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 10.19.04/The Tragically Hip/Sam Roberts/Auditorium Theater/Rochester, NY
  • 10.8.04/WILCO/Unknown/Skidmore/Saratoga, NY
  • 9.4.04/Secret Machines/We Are The Arm/Noyes (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 8.6.04/WILCO/Cerberus Shoal/State Theater/Portland, ME
  • 7.23.04/The Tragically Hip/Idle Sons/Six Flags PAC/Darien Lake, NY
  • 4.17.04/The Mammals/Unknown/Wells/Aurora, NY
  • 3.14.04/Guster/Rufus Wainwright/Barton Hall (Cornell)/Ithaca, NY
  • 10.16.03/Steven Wright/None/State Theater/Ithaca, NY
  • 7.12.03/Pearl Jam/Sleater Kinney/Hershey Park/Hershey, PA
  • 7.4.03/Neil Young/Lucinda Williams/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 6.21.03/Guster/Unknown/Water Street Music Hall/Rochester, NY
  • 5.2.03/Pearl Jam/Sparta/HSBC Arena/Buffalo, NY
  • 11.9.02/Bob Dylan/None/Coach USA Center/Elmira, NY
  • 10.24.02/TOOL/Meshuggah/Broome County Arena/Binghamton, NY
  • 9.1.02/The Tragically Hip/Unkown/Six Flags PAC/Darien Lake, NY
  • 7.28.02/The Tragically Hip/Unknown/Somerville Theater/Boston, MA
  • 7.27.02/The Tragically Hip/Unknown/Somerville Theater/Boston, MA
  • 7.26.02/The Tragically Hip/Unknown/Somerville Theater/Boston, MA
  • 5.4.02/Guster/Rustic Overtones/SUNY Cortland/Cortland, NY
  • 8.27.01/Pearl Jam/Sonic Youth/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 6.2.01/U2/PJ Harvey/Pepsi Arena/Albany, NY
  • 4.23.01/Guster/Joe, Marc's Brother/Auditorium Theater/Rochester, NY
  • 10.3.00/The Tragically Hip/None/Landmark Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 10.2.00/The Tragically Hip/None/Auditorium Theater/Rochester, NY
  • 8.14.00/Counting Crows/Live/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 8.5.00/The Tragically Hip/Guster/Alpine Stage/Bolton Valley, VT
  • 4.29.00/Smashing Pumpkins/None/Tsongas Arena/Lowell, MA
  • 8.24.99/R.E.M./WILCO/Molson Amphitheater/Toronto, ON
  • 12.5.98/The Tragically Hip/Cracker/Orpheum Theater/Boston, MA
  • 10.10.98/The Tragically Hip/The Watchmen/Landmark Theater/Syracuse, NY
  • 10.8.98/The Tragically Hip/The Watchmen/Dome Arena/Rochester, NY
  • 8.29.98/The Tragically Hip/Hayden/Sugarbush Mtn./Warren, VT
  • 7.26.98/Dave Matthews Band/Agents Of Good Root/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 5.29.98/Kenny Wayne Shepherd/House Band/House Of Blues/Myrtle Beach, SC
  • 4.5.98/Sarah McLachlan/Lisa Loeb/War Memorial/Rochester, NY
  • 10.26.97/U2/Third Eye Blind/SkyDome/Toronto, ON
  • 10.20.97/Adam Sandler/Unknown/SUNY Potsdam/Potsdam, NY
  • 6.6.97/Dave Matthews Band/Bela Fleck/SPAC/Saratoga, NY
  • 10.15.96/Dave Matthews Band/Boxing Ghandis/War Memorial/Syracuse, NY
  • 5.22.96/The Tragically Hip/Unknown/Newbar/Raleigh, NC
  • 10.30.95/George Carlin/Unknown/SUNY Potsdam/Potsdam, NY
  • 5.6.95/Van Halen/Collective Soul/The Forum/Montreal, QC
  • 3.15.95/Live/Sponge/SUNY Potsdam/Potsdam, NY
  • 7.5.94/Pink Floyd/None/CNE Stadium/Toronto, ON
  • 7.4.93/Lynyrd Skynyrd/Unknown/Fort Drum/Watertown, NY