Well, 2024 happened. We lived and we learned- there were some hard lessons along the way yet I strive to stay positive. On the home front the news is good. The theater company I help Jaime run, Sonoma Arts Live, had another successful season and my radio show ALL KINDSA GIRLS remains a Saturday night staple on KSVY. Best of all, 2025 is starting with a wedding and by this time next year we'll be grandparents! Like every year, my 2024 was full of great movies, TV shows, records, books and live performances. So now, in a tradition that dates back to 1999 (this is my 25th year!) I humbly submit my 2024 Top 5 Lists:
TOP 5 MOVIES:
Ghostlight (theater community)
Anora (American Dreamers)
A Real Pain (cousin commitment)
Kneecap (Scannán spraíúil!)
The Substance (acid gaze)
TOP 5-ish STREAMING/DVD MOVIES
Perfect Days / The Taste of Things / Nowhere Special (a job worth doing...)
The Royal Hotel / How To Have Sex / Bird (save our daughters)
The Civil Dead / Snack Shack (brothers in arms)
The Innocent / Hit Man (thriller/comedy or comedy/thriller?)
Eileen / The Teacher's Lounge (in for a penny...)
TOP 5 CLASSIC THURSDAY MOVIES
You Can't Take It With You (Caprafection)
Born To Kill (noir nastiness)
Christmas In July (consummate Sturges)
Detective Story (secrets revealed)
Act of Violence (war at home)
TOP 5 WORKOUT ROCUMENTARIES
Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents (such commitment!)
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World (Link lives!)
Freak Scene: The Story of Dinosaur Jr. (feel the pain)
Joy Division (atrocity exhibition)
TOP 5 ALBUMS
Yum Yums- Poppin' Up Again (Norwegian necessity)
Billy Tibbals- Nightlife Stories (glamtastic!)
Redd Kross- Redd Kross (rock & roll party tonight)
Valley Lodge- Shadows In Paradise (New York Rockers)
The Reflectors- Going Out of Fashion (Power Pop Purveyors)
TOP 5 TV SHOWS
Jury Duty (we need more like Ronald)
Disclaimer (dig two graves)
We Are Lady Parts Season 2 (faith, friendship, rock & roll)
Nobody Wants This (yet, we do)
TOP 5 BOOKS
The Bee Sting- Paul Murray (family trauma)
A Rage In Harlem- Chester Himes (meet Digger & Ed)
Stone Arabia- Dana Spiotta (sister/curator)
The Criminal- Jim Thompson (cold-blooded)
The Nickel Boys- Colson Whitehead (bully "school")
TOP 5 LIVE PERFORMANCES
Stereophonic 8/17/24 NYC (went their own way)
Big Star Quintet 10/5/24 SF (o, my soul)
The dB's 11/14/24 SF (we were happy there)
Redd Kross 11/24/24 SF (huge wonder)
Kimberly Akimbo 11/26/24 SF (great adventure)
Check out the ALL KINDSA GIRLS feeds on Twitter (I disavow the name change) or Bluesky if you'd like to know what I'm watching, listening to and reading during the year. Please send your 2024 favorites as well. I'm always looking for quality
viewing, listening and reading material- you may see your
picks on next year's lists.
Wishing you all the best in 2025!
