The Black Swan may be my favorite film of the year. Themes of pressure, perfectionism, claustrophobia, and the horror and madness that come along with the distortion that occurs when all three are applied to the brain at the same time are explored here in a fabulous performance by Natalie Portman along with Mila Kunis. And Winona Ryder's Beth is scary as hell!

Here's the trailer:

The Social Network. I had no interest in seeing it, but once I did, I can admittedly agree with the critics that despite its potentially yawn-inducing Facebook-saga topic, it is one of the most compelling films of the year. It moves at a frenetic, breakneck pace, just as the events of the film must have felt to its main characters, who in the space of months go from nerdy Harvard students to (nerdy) millionaires entrenched in legal action and beyond.

The dialogue is snappy and well written by Aaron Sorkin, who has a little cameo in the film as well, and I must congratulate director David Fincher for creating a film that easily held my attention throughout the two hours, and not just because I was gaping at the flawlessly created Winklevoss twins, actually played by one actor and a lot of digital trickery.

Even if you are not a fan of Facebook or overly self-important Harvard-types, this film is gripping as a real-life based character study alone and definitely worth checking out.

Time for outside-work fun and general pop culture absorption was extra low this year, but what I loved in 2010, I loved hard. These are the things that made my heart sing over the past twelve months.

Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me



Is there any point in writing about any other album than Joanna's? This triple album is clearly the work of the bright star of young music makers today. The difference between her and everyone else on the playing field? Nothing about her work is derivative: not her sound, not her writing and certainly not her voice. Album of the year, for sure...probably would even call it album of the past few years! It's that good.

"Soft As Chalk"



Mountain Man - Made the Harbor



Old timey yet thoroughly modern.

It has been revealed today by Aretha Franklin's family that the fabulous Queen of Soul has cancer. They have not specified what type, but this certainly must be what was behind her recent surgery and canceled tour dates. Hurry back to health, Miss Aretha! 

Here she is back in 1968 performing "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)":

Indie perennials Sebadoh and Quasi have announced that they will be touring together this February and they are kicking it off in San Francisco! Dates follow:

February 2011
08 -- San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10 -- Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
11 -- Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater
12 -- Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
14 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
15 -- Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
16 -- Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
17 -- Norman, OK @ Opolis
18 -- Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
19 -- Austin, TX @ Emo's
21 -- Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress
22 -- Tempe, AZ @ Rhythm Room
23 -- San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
24 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
25 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex