John Martz

My Best of 2003

It’s that time of year when we all become inundated with “Best Of” lists.  So what’s one more batch in this sea of yearly favourites?  Here are my selections of 2003’s finest moments (in no particular order other than that in which they were remembered):

MUSIC

1. My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves
2. M. Ward - Transfigurations of Vincent
3. Junior Senior - D-D-Don’tStop the Beat
4. Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun
5. The Hidden Cameras - Smell of Our Own
6. The Flaming Lips - Fight Test (EP)
7. Blur - Think Tank
8. Cat Power - You Are Free
9. Frank Black - Show Me Your Tears
10. The Kills - Keep On Your Mean Side

MOVIES

1. The Return of the King
2. American Splendor
3. Lost in Translation
4. Kill Bill, Vol. 1
5. Finding Nemo
6. Pirates of the Caribbean
7. Big Fish
8. Spellbound
9. 28 Days Later...
10. Lost in La Mancha

NOVELS & SHORT STORIES
It’s more difficult to keep up-to-date with the world of books than with other forms of media, so these represent the best books I read this year, not necessarily those that were published in 2003.

1. Chip Kidd - The Cheese Monkeys
2. Dan Rhodes - Timoleon Vieta Come Home
3. Katherine Dunn - Geek Love
4. Michael Chabon - Wonder Boys
5. Craig Thompson - Blankets
6. J.M. Coetzee - Disgrace
7. Michael Ondaatje - In the Skin of a Lion
8. Glen Gold - Carter Beats the Devil
9. Ethan Coen - Gates of Eden
10. Ian McEwan - Atonement

OTHER BOOKS

1. Jessica Helfand - Reinventing the Wheel
2. Alex Ross and Chip Kidd - Mythology
3. Tony Millionaire - Maakies
4. Chris Ware - Acme Novelty Datebook
5. Mel Gooding - ABZ
6. Chris Ware - Quimby the Mouse
7. Dave Cooper - Overbite
8. George Herriman - Fantagraphics Krazy Kat reprints
9. Dave Cooper - Completely Pip & Norton
10. Chester Brown - I Never Liked You

Happy New Year, everyone!