Hero Inc.

Another year is down and I’m just a little bit older.  With 2009 here and now, we take a quick look back across the board on the year that was 2008.

Music

I picked up several great CDs over the course of the year, but there has to be one that is a cut above the rest.  When I opened up Amarok to see which albums were listed for this year, I quickly and easily knew the answer.

Winner		Feed The Animals by Girl Talk This CD is a mix of everything you have heard and nothing you have ever heard. I’ve tried the other Girl Talk albums, but this one is where Girl Talk really found the right formula. The songs move from one to the next as a seamless transition. The album takes you back across your life as you pick out all of the songs used to make the mix. I’m personally a fan of “Hands In The Air” and “Play Your Part (Pt. 1)”.
Honorable Mention		Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings by Counting Crows Let me start by saying James is going to kill me for giving this Honorable Mention. I guess I better now shy away from Bama jokes. Anyway, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings is easiest to describe as an infusion of “August and Everything After” and “Recovering The Satellites”. Not really sure why I would review this item again, but “When I Dream of Michelangelo” and “Come Around” still top my list for great songs on this album. The more I have heard “Come Around” on the radio the more it has become a CC mainstay for me.

Movies

2008 was the year of hype and that usually leads to disappointment, but it seems that for once the hype was for real and we were all happy to fork over our 10+ dollars.

Winner		The Dark Knight TDK led the reviews for the year (both critic and consumer). The hype was a fear factor in my eyes but this movie went above and beyond so many other “comic book” movies that it stands as simply a great movie. I’m not sure I can say much more for Batman and the Clown Prince of Gotham.
Honorable Mention		Hellboy II and Iron Man The poster may be of Hellboy II but that is simply because I don’t believe it received as much praise as Iron Man did. Hellboy II was much better than the first despite any rumors you might have heard. Iron Man was great as well even if it included Gwyneth. Hellboy II may be ending its franchise (or it looks that way) but Iron Man is only the beginning (Iron Man 2 and Avengers already in the works). However, like I said before, TDK raised the bar significantly.

Television
Heroes. 30 Rock. ER (The final season). Fringe. The Simpsons.

There were many great episodes but I’m not certain if there were any great seasons. I’ve fallen behind on my Heroes watching but it did seem to pick up as I watched more. I will still state that Heroes is not a great show but a good show. I enjoy its theme (everyday people with powers), but I know it can only have a great episode here and there.

The Simpsons has had an amazing run, but I know that it needs to come to an end.  The family has performed every action and every job known to man.  It is starting to hit the moment where it is trying to tell the same story again in a different way (with bad results).  I have a new idea though that I believe everyone can enjoy.  The Simpsons should end after this season, but become a new generation’s Charlie Brown.  Only produce the Halloween special yearly.  It is the highest rated episode and usually the best one regardless of the season.

Sports
My sports story of the year is another no shocker. Anyone who has seen me over the last few months knows that I live, eat and breath my Atlanta Falcons. The playoffs are here and I’m already pumped. My pro team is playing with passion and as a team. Not only are we a great story but an even better team. When this season is over I’ll have nothing to do until the NFL Draft returns. I mean, no other sport is worth my time after football.