A look back at 2006

Everyone else is doing lists so what the hell. A few things that I loved about 2006, and some that I didn't.

Things we liked...

1. The Paria Canyon. My goodness. I had never done anything like this before 5 days, 4 nights of backpacking in the beautiful Paria Canyon. 3 other guys. Great conversation. Great dinners, scenery that pictures don't do justice to. All in all it was just phenomenal. I hope to get back this summer.

2. The growth of the Indianapolis International Film Festival. This gets bigger and better every year and work looks like it's already begun in earnest for 2007. Even though I can't stand those Maysles brothers films I am already arranging to take off about a week round the time of the festival in 2007 and seeing as much as I can of the other films. For that matter, lets throw The Midwest Music Summit here as well. That was a whirlwind few nights and will be hard to top in 2007.

3. Finally getting a Netflix subscription. Truthfully I think that the state of video rental places can be summed up in what transpired this halloween. My roomate walked across the street, unable to find Halloween he asked at the counter if they carry it. "Not, the first one," said the clerk. Um, fair enough. Howbout, the Shining. "We have the made for tv version, but not Kubrick." Fantastic. In a city with no film revival theater, Netflix is a must. But please, let's also support the fine people at Mass Ave Video something I admittedly need to do more often.

4. The World Cup at Radio Radio. Just awesome. Magnificent. Fun as could be. Well until the actual games brought nothing but misery. Tufty and Roni were magnificent hosts, and the crowds were fantastic. Credit also to Brugge in Broad Ripple for doing their part as well.

5. Key Cinemas. That not as far out of the way as you may think little theater brought the best movie to come to American shores this year, Jean-Pierre Melville's 1969 release Army of Shadows to Indy. The theater continues to bring films that aren't even hitting our other arts theater up in Castleton since they sometimes show Davinci Code on two screens.

Other films that made 2006 happy L'Enfant, Cache A Scanner Darkly, United 93, and the unfairly maligned Marie Antoinette and The Fountain. The last two of course were overly ambitious, and flawed but fantastic films nonetheless. L'Enfant merely showed that the Dardenne brothers are the best and most consistent filmakers in the world right now. And, Cache's success has allowed Michael Haneke to apparently remake one of his earlier films, Funny Games, with new big name actors, which is puzzling.

6.Formula 1 staying in Indianapolis for at least 1 more year.

7. Finally, The Red Key Tavern and Luxor. The Red Key, just because. And Luxor, because it's some of the best food and nicest people in this city. Fantastic.

Things we didn't like in 2006.

1. Fracturing my damn knee cap in December. Just when I am getting in shape. Running longer and better than I have in years. Playing indoor soccer, weekly. Having designs on running the mini in my head, I fracture my kneecap and am on crutches for 6 weeks.
Bogus.

2. The World Cup as an event. Croatia and the USA go out on the same day in awful uninspiring fashion. Zidanne headbuts in the final. Italy wins the whole damn thing. Then the USA follows up their showing with a 6 month courtship of Jurgen Klinsman for coach only to fail and get Bob Bradley in instead. What the hell. For that matter, the Columbus Crew was even more disappointing than usual.

3. 38th Street construction. It's never gonna end.

4. Since the good always outweighs the bad, we will leave it at that.