Best of the 2000 Decade

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MOVIES

Terry's choices

1. The Mothman Prophecies - THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES has become one of my all-time favorite films. Every time I watch it, and I can watch it over and over, it gets better. There is so much to MOTHMAN that you are only scratching the surface the first time you view it.

2. The Mist - As I was watching THE MIST in the theater, I had the same feeling about the movie that I felt when I saw John Carpenter’s THE THING in the theater in 1982.  I was watching a film that was focused on the people within the film (the characters), while  still having spectacular special FX, nerve wrecking suspense and scary at the same time.  



3. The Descent - Neal Marshall's film is a powerhouse of terror featuring a stellar cast of actresses, amazing cinematography, dark ambient score and most importantly it's scary.

4. Avatar - Nobody makes movies like James Cameron.  This is the first movie I've ever seen that I felt the director could show anything he wanted and it would look real.  I never noticed special effects of any kind because everything was so flawlessly put together that everything flowed together in this pinnacle of creativity.

5. The Devil's Backbone - THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE is a masterpiece and deserves to be rolled out on the red carpet. Overshadowed by Guillermo Del Toro’s other large-scale films like BLADE 2, PAN'S LABYRINTH and HELLBOY, this is the best film he’s ever made.

6. Jeepers Creepers - I loved this movie. It is very well made by someone who is obliviously a horror movie fan. Victor Salva's choices are mature and stylistically impressive. The first 30 minutes are as intense as any film I've ever seen.

7. Zodiac - Fincher subverted his visual approach, though this is no less visually brilliant, and taken a subdued approach to material that would be clichéd in any the hands of almost any other filmmaker.  It takes balls to make a serial killer film that does not have a shootout or car chase or even scary soundtrack music during the kill scenes.

8. Session 9 - Featuring one of the most memorable locations ever filmed, Brad Anderson's film is aimed to make you think of all the possibilities this haunting film presents.  Unforgettable.

9. Collateral - Michael Mann does an amazing job of telling this story using mostly digital cameras to capture Los Angeles like never seen before.  Tom Cruise is a megaton of acting power as the sleek, slick executioner.  The way the club scene is directed still blows my mind.

10. The Exorcism of Emily Rose - The reason why this film is so effective is the superb acting, subtle direction and focus on the human elements within this supernatural setting. It’s all done with a sensitive touch and grasp for the more subdued meanings. 

BEST CDs:

Terry's choices

1. tomandandy Score for THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES - I've honestly listened to this score at least  a thousand times since it was released.  It is the score I listened to while writing ANOMALY.  It's a industry changing, emotional rollercoaster of composition that gives me the powerful feeling I got while watching MOTHMAN the first time inside the movie theater.  One of the best EVER.

2. Benedictum: Seasons of Tradegy - The voluptuous force of Veronica Freeman leads this metal juggernaut in kicking out twelve unforgettable tracks that will rock you to the bone.  Pete Wells provides the insanely cool, ripping guitars and the band does the rest.  Heavy Metal does not get any better than this.




3. Hammock: Raising Your Voice...Trying To Stop An Echo - Is hauntingly beautiful music that is unlike anything else out there.  The grooves are dark, yet positive.  The rhythm is slow, purposeful, wide open and will conjure deep emotions that will have you feeling absolutely wonderful.

4. James LaBrie: Elements of Persusion - Explosive guitar playing from Marco Sflogli ignites the awesome sound captured in Dream Theater's lead vocalist's third solo album.  Every song is amazing and the album runs the gamut from soft heartfelt songs to absolute killer rocking tunes.  

5. Evergrey: In Search of the Truth - A brilliantly conceived concept album about alien abduction that never once ever mentions those words.  Creative, progressive, HEAVY and melodic. Thom Englund's voice tells the story of what one man endures after continually being taken by beings from another world.  An awesome CD that will grab you completely.

6. Buckethead: Electric Tears - This is a tour de force in mood and atmosphere.

7. Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos - A stellar album that rates with Scenes From A Memory as the two finest recordings band has done to date.

8. Evergrey: Monday Morning Apocalypse - Comes right at you, takes a hold of you by force and wins over your heart. How many albums do that?

9. Steelheart: Good 2B Alive - Ladies and gentlemen, we've got an honest to goodness masterwork on our hands with this brilliant super-charged CD.  Miljenko Matijevic has unleashed his complete creativity through inspired vocals, exceptional song-writing and he is even responsible for most of the guitar playing on Good 2B Alive.

10. Symphony X: Paradise Lost - Michael Romeo's riffs will crush you.  Russell Allen's voice and the songwriting on this album propels it easily onto this list of the top-ten albums of the decade.  Very catchy, melodic and heavy.  Everything I want with this type of music.

BEST BOOKS:

Michael Mann - The photos and information Michael Mann supplies amazed me.   More important was hearing Mr. Mann's philosophical approach to directing and how he tackled each of his films.  You'll be very surprised on discovering his reasons for making each of his films because I know I was.

Lab 257 - I live on Long Island. It’s pretty darn frightening to know that sitting probably fifty to sixty miles northeast of my home is a small little island, called Plum Island, a place that could potentially cripple and destroy our entire country. How could such a small place do that? Plum Island is the home of two Animal Disease Centers that house some of the most dangerous germs known to man or animal.

The Winston Effect – The Art and History of Stan Winston Studio - I didn’t realize Winston’s importance to the make-up profession.  He is described as the leader in getting onscreen credit for make-up artists and instrumental in pushing for the Academy Award for the make-up category.  Seeing his work over the years, it’s not surprising that he ended up winning a few of them.

12 Days of Terror - Fernicola tells this story, setting up the reader with amazing details that will give you a clear picture of what the world was like back in 1916. He does this by inserting quotes from the people he interviewed and telling you what was happening in a straightforward manner. He also tries to tell the story in somewhat of a chronological order, even jumping back and fourth between the multiple real people, who were doing things simultaneously.

It Lives Again! Horror Movies in the New Millennium - I've never seen a book that covered the current crop of horror films going back over the last decade with such thoroughness and timeliness.  Just open up the book to the inner cover to see the awesome layout that features posters alphabetically of almost every horror film released over the past ten years, spread over the front and back flaps.

HAUNTED PALACE: Danvers Asylum as Art and History - I’ve never witnessed a place as haunting and beautiful as Danvers State Hospital. In 2006, the gigantic architectural marvel was reduced to ruble to accommodate condominiums. This is a real tragedy to me and countless others who have been emotional moved by this building. HAUNTED PALACE: Danvers Asylum as Art and History is one of the few ways you can still visit what no longer exists.