season 7 recommendations

Recommendations from 2008

Tom - Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - TV series - Cancelled after 2 seasons, despite concerted fan effort to renew.

Chris - In Plain Sight - TV series - Underrated part of a strong slate of USA dramas in the late aughts.

Recommendations from 2007

Tom - The Simpsons Movie - animated feature film - Tom's pick because The Simpsons dominated pop culture at the time.

Chris - Boxer - album by The National - Chris' favorite album from one of his favorite bands.

Recommendations from 2006

Tom - The Road - novel by Cormac McCarthy - Pulitzer Prize winner and a "3 am novel" if there ever was one.

Chris - Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions - album by Avett Brothers - Chris' favorite Avett Brothers release. Listen to "Talk on Indolence" if you listen to nothing else.

Bret - Little Miss Sunshine - film directed by Valerie Faris - Great film starring Abigail Breslin, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin and Steve Carrell. Bret recommends the movie AND the soundtrack.

Recommendations from 2005

Tom - The Boondocks - animated series - based upon the comic strip created by Aaron McGruder. Poignant, insightful and bitingly funny look at race in 2000s America.

Chris - Wedding Crashers - film directed by David Dobkin - One of Chris' favorite comedies, starring Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Isla Fisher and Rachel McAdams.

Recommendations from 2003

Tom - The Station Agent - film - written and directed by Tom McCarthy and starring Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson and a hilarious Bobby Cannavale. Touching story of 3 disconnected people who become friends.

Chris - Yours, Mine, and Ours - album by The Pernice Brothers - Mojo magazine says "the balance between Joe's resigned words and uplifting melodies remains sublime"

Recommendations from 2004

Tom - Veronica Mars - TV show and film - engaging franchise includes a series beginning in 2004 and a 2014 film. Starring the incomparable Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars

Chris - Dodgeball - A True Underdog Story - classic ensemble comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Christine Taylor, but stolen by Ben Stiller as White Goodman, possibly the best villain in a comedy ever. "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"

Recommendations from 2002

Tom - Minority Report, directed by Steven Spielberg - according to Tom, and I agree with him, this is one of Tom Cruise's best and an outstanding, albeit very well-known, sci-fi thriller

Chris - Source Tags and Codes by ...And You WIll Know Us by the Trail of Dead - a little different than my usual choice of music, but this 2002 classic is a brilliant and complex album that is a challenging listen but one that is worth the effort

Recommendations from 2001

Tom - The Last Castle, directed by Rod Lurie - great action movie starring Robert Redford, James Gandolfini, and Mark Ruffalo. It's about rising up against an autocratic warden. Could we be less subtle?

Chris - Southern Rock Opera, classic double album by The Drive-By Truckers - the start of The Truckers turn to a more serious tone thematically, but still rocking with the best of 'em.