Best of 2020

My Best of 2020

Movies

• Just Mercy- When our legal system works correctly, it is justice at its finest.  But when the system is wrong, the results can be horrific.
• JoJo Rabbitt- I saw the previews to this movie and I thought for sure that I would hate it.  Who wants to see a comedy about WWII. But I was wrong.  This was a powerful movie.
• Toc Toc- A Spanish comedy about people with ODC.  I watched this early in the March quarantine
• Flannery- a documentary about Flannery O'Conor.  I read her works when I was in high school, fifty years ago.  I thought her writing was strange. I read Everything That Rises Must Converge. Now I have to go back and read some more of her writings.  She was a woman ahead of her times.
• Good Trouble- a documentary about Congressman John Lewis.  I met Congressman Lewis about five years ago. He was a man of great courage.

Plays-  I didn't get to any live plays because of the virus.  But I did watch this play on Amazon and loved, loved, loved it. 

What The Constitution Means to Me

Books

• The Opposite of Loneliness- Marina Keegan- this young woman was an outstanding writer.  What a shame to think that all of her potential is gone because of her fatal car accident.
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• Bream Gives Me The Hiccups- Jesse Eisenberg- this book is hilarious.  The author rates restaurants on a scale of 1 to 2000.
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• How to Be An Antiracist- Ibram Kendi- I read this book after George Floyd was murdered.  And the book is intense.  Every system we have is filled with opportunity to keep black people down.
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• The M Train- Patti Smith- this is the 3rd book of hers that I've read. She tells stories about her interesting life without any pretense.
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• Man on the Mountain Top- Susan Trott- this is a quirky book that is an easy read but it easily sucks you in to reading more about the main character. Top

Podcast

The Country Doctor- Snap Judgement- May 21, 2020- A Muslim doctor moves to a rural town and has to confront the prejudices that come with this small community.
The Keepers- Kitchen Sisters- March 10- Stories of activist archivists, rogue librarians, curators, collectors and historians.
Boulder v Hill- This American Life- December 20
Nina- - June 6- a story about Nina Simon, one of my favorite singers.

Haenyeo- Snap Judgment- April 9- a story about the last generation of the Korean mermaids.

Songs

• Turn Tables- Janelle Monae -I stumbled upon this song.  I don't know this artist. But this song and the video spoke to me.  We need to turn the tables in this country and we need to step up and include everyone at the table.
• Let Me Be A Woman to You-  Lana Della Ray- I like this artist.
• Murder Most Foul- Bob Dylan- I can't decide if this song is genius or psychosis. It is 16 minutes long and some of the lyrics move me to tears.  And other lyrics just seem like an obsessive recitation of random words. I would've to know how Dylan reached the conclusion that the song was finished.
• Exile- Taylor Swift and Bon Iver- I never listen to Taylor Swift but I like Bon Iver's voice.  They really seem to compliment each other in this song.
• O Come O Come Emmanuel- Naomi Rainer & Nate Moore- this is an old song but a new rendition.  I typically do not like Christmas music but I think these two singers take this tradition song to a new level. Rejoice!