The decade that was for me

It's hard to believe that we are entering a new decade. I really find it hard to believe that 10 years have already passed.

For me these past 10 years have been challenging to say the least. First of all, I changed careers at the beginning of decade deciding to become a journalist.

In 2001, my dad got into a serious car accident that he truly never recovered from fully. 9/11 happened.

I graduated from J-school and walked away with many lifetime friends. I returned home to help my younger brother take care of our father. In 2002 started working at the Bay and ended up there for almost 5 years in customer service and only for the past 5 did I finally land a job in journalism.

As a tech journalist, it allowed me to travel the world (well just Shanghai) and some of the United States that I normally wouldn't have. It was a great experience that I truly will never forgot.

Another great event that happened this decade was first my older brother getting married to a great woman and then the birth of their daughter in 2007. She is definitely the apple of my eye.

Of course, this decade I moved to Toronto and lived their for four years. Despite a rough seven months, I slowly embraced and loved my time in the center of the universe. I enjoyed my jaunts to TIFF and my road trips to Niagara-on-the-Lake and Stratford to see great plays.

I also moved back to Vancouver a couple of years ago. A decision I don't regret despite leaving all the great friends that I made in TO but seeing my niece do adorable things everytime I see her made my decision much easier to take.

Does are my life's highlights but this is a blog for pop culture so here I am to name my tops in music, books, stage, TV and film.

For me music in the 2000s starts and stops with The Swell Season and the three albums that introduced me to their music: Once, The Swell Seaon and Strict Joy.

My favourite books of the decade are:

• The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
• The Twilight Saga (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) by Stephenie Meyer.
  I have to say that this was my surprise of the decade as I didn't want to love this book series but I did fall for it hard last year.
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (although I discovered the Harry Potter series at the beginning of this decade). I love this book series above all as it got me to read again. I didn't fall in love with Harry Potter, I wouldn't have read all the books that I have read over the last 10 years.

My favourite stage plays of the decade:

• Bard on the Beach's 2002 Twelfth Night
• Mirvish's Sound of Music
• Mamma Mia
• Jane Eyre the musical
• The Music Man revival with Craig Bierko
• Hairspray
• Avenue Q

My favourite TV shows of the Decade:

• Jon and Kate plus 8: I love this show before it imploded on itself this year. What I love about this show (and I think what most people love this show) is the kids. They are adorable and when I first discovered this show, my niece was just born and these kids with their Asian looks (especially Alexis) gave me a glimpse into what my niece would be like when she reached the ages the Gosselin kids were during the show.
  

• Felicity. Sure the show started in 1998 but it ended in 2002 and if EW can select the Daily Show and The Sopranos (both shows started in the 1990s), why shouldn't I be allowed to pick Felicity. I related to this show as I was embarking on a new college career so it hit all the right notes at the right time. Plus I still would want Felicity to chose Ben over Noel. One of the things I remember was Season 3 premiered the night of 9/11 and it was a great respite from seeing all the horrors of the day.
  

• Gilmore Girls: Lauren Graham and Alexis Bleidel's mother/daughter relationship was why this show worked plus the mile-a-minute dialogue and numerous hilarious pop culture references and quirky characters especially Mrs. Kim.
  

• Battlestar Galactica: As a fan of the original cheesy 70s version, the re-imagining of BSG took it to a whole new level, in particular making it relevant to today's war environment. Plus it was neat that I knew Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) as my brothers were in the BC Boys Choir with him and those Centurions kicked some serious ass. The best moment of the show was when Galactica swooped in to rescue people off New Caprica.
  

• How I Met Your Mother: This show is hilarious. I love the Slap Bet episode where we are first introduced to Robin Sparkles, which I think is the funniest episode of the entire show.
  

• Veronica Mars: There was something very smart about this high school/mystery show. Kristen Bell was so great as Veronica with her witty remarks as she was doing her detective work made me love this show as well as the father/daughter relationship. Plus I love Tina Majorino as Mac.
  

• Survivor: It is the grand-daddy of all reality shows and at first I didn't want to watch it but I slowly got sucked-in to the challenges and even the strategy that I still watch the show even after 19 seasons. I can't wait for Season 20: Heroes Vs. Villains
  

• The Amazing Race: My favourite reality show of all time. What I love about this show was not just the challenges but the globe-trotting nature of the show. I got see places in the world I probaly would never think of seeing but because of this I want to go to there like Dubai, Estonia, Tunisia, Egypt, and I could go on and on
  

• Everwood: This show, what I can I say...I still miss this show and really wish it was still on and simply it was because of the introduction of one character as to why I love this show. It is Sarah Drew's Hannah Rogers. When she came on, we all were led to believe that she was meant to be an obstacle between Ephram and Amy but no she was actually crushing on the typical dumb jock, Bright. Instead of making it unrequited, Everwood did something that I love and that was to bring them together as a couple. Plus I love Tom Amandes as Dr. Abbott and Canadian Merrilyn Gann who play Mayor Abbott not because she's Canadian but she was also in the same film as my Dad (Chung Chuck).
  

• Jane Eyre (2007): The BBC did something extraordinary this decade and it gave me my one true love, the one version of Jane Eyre that is the one. The one version that gave me everything I wanted in a version which is a great soundtrack, excellent location and powerful, passionate chemistry between Jane (Ruth Wilson) and Rochester (Toby Stephens).

My favourite movies of the decade:

• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: As a fan of the Star Wars saga, I was thankful that George Lucas' ended the prequel trilogy on a high note with awesome battle scenes and lightsabre duels. Too bad about the corny dialogue.
  

• The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: There was something magical about this adaptation of CS Lewis' fantasy series plus two words: Those Beavers.
  

• Dear Frankie: This was a moving story of a single mother who hires a stranger to act as her deaf son's father to protect him from the truth. This movie also made me fall in love with Gerard Butler -it's too bad that he hasn't done anything as good since.
  

• Enchanted: Amy Adams makes this movie work. If you didn't believe in her performance as this Disney Princess who finds her self in today's NYC then this movie fails but her chemistry with Patrick Dempsey and her singing the Oscar-nominated That's How You Know makes this movie a favorite.
  

• Wallace and Gromit and the Case of the Were Rabbit: I love W&G, especially Gromit and this movie was just another wonderful wacky adventure of theirs.
  

• The Incredibles: When this Pixar movie about a family of superheroes came out on DVD, I watched it like 4 times. It was a innovative take on the Super Hero genre and who can forget Edna Mode.
  

• The Bourne Trilogy: Matt Damon, Matt Damon, Matt Damon kicking some serious ass with things like a magazine and a towel. What's not to like.
  

• Ratatouille: There is something cute about a rat that loves to cook and the way Brad Bird paints Paris is just breathtaking.
  

• The Harry Potter film series: I love them because they are based on a book series that I love. Here is the order that I love the film series so far: Half-Blood Prince, Goblet of Fire (it made the right cuts and got all the good bits in and plus Robert Pattinson is in it), Prisoner of Azkaban (except for that very last shot), Philosopher Stone, Chamber of Secrets and Order of the Phoenix (hated the cuts but the movie was awesome in IMAX).
  

• Once: I love this movie and the music. There is something absolutely simple and raw and honest in John Carey's film about an Irish Busker and a Czech flower seller who makes beautiful music together very winning.

So those are my tops of the decade. What are your favourites of the 2000s?

My 2009

2009 was definitely an up and down year for me.

In February, I got laid off a job that I loved because of the economy. So that was a low point. I was definitely in a funk for a while but a highlight came when I got a new job in April, a job that I enjoy very much.

Not necessarily a negative but a change was my father moved from a private facility to a public one so it is more of an adjustment in new surroundings.

Highlights of course is continuing to see my niece grow up. She is awesome, speaking so much and I think she is a genius.

I also really had a great time at my friend, Tiffany's, wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and Tiffany married a really great guy.

During my time in Toronto, I also saw The Sound of Music there and it was a fab theatrical production.

Another big highlight was my time volunteering for Bard on the Beach. Not only was everyone so much fun to work with but also the four productions were excellent, in particular Comedy of Errors and All's Well that Ends Well.

Now is the time for me to list my favourites of 2009.

Favourite Concert: The Swell Season, hands down.
Favourite Album: Strict Joy by the Swell Season, Glee Vol 1 and Vol 2 and All I ever Wanted by Kelly Clarkson

Top movies of 2009:

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. Up
3. Up in the Air
4. An Education
5. The Young Victoria
6. (500) Days of Summer
7. Star Trek

My favourite new TV show of 2009: Glee

Things I am looking forward to in 2010:

• The new Bard on the Beach season especially Much Ado About Nothing
• Going to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida
• Seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I in November
• Seeing Eclipse in July
• The Winter Olympics in Vancouver
• The ParaOlympics in Vancouver
• Continue to see my niece grow up

What are you highlights of 2009 and what are you looking forward to in 2010

Up in the Air is very relatable

Sure, Jason Reitman's brilliant Up in the Air comes at a time where we are still somewhat in an economic downturn and people are still being laid off but for me, when I watched this movie, I felt that this was also a movie about me.

Like George Clooney's Ryan Bingham, I used to travel a lot for my job but I didn't travel as much as Ryan does but I traveled enough to become an expert at airports just like Ryan (although since the Christmas Day plane incident, I don't think the way Ryan travels would work today). I have been in those executive lounges etc... The only thing I haven't done was sit in business class.

Ryan travels a lot for his job because his company's clients hire people like him to do the dirty of work of firing people.

One of the brilliant things that Reitman has done is in those scenes where Clooney is laying these people off, most are played by real people who recently lost their jobs. This is the second part of the movie where I think it is about me. I have been laid off twice and most recently as early as this year because of the economy. When I was first laid off, I definitely had a lot of anger but I didn't say it to the people that let me go's face and I think this was their opportunity to do so. I think Reitman just turned the camera on and just told these people to say what they wanted to say when they were first laid off. It felt real and you could see that it was probably cathartic for them to do.

During one of his travels, Ryan meets Alex (Vera Farmiga) in one of these executive lounges. They instantly connect via their shared frequent flyer lifestyle and start comparing their loyalty cards. Soon they embark on a casual relationship.

Back at work, Ryan is about to lose the road warrior life that he loves (but at the same time has made him a solitary figure and estranged from his family) because of an up and comer at his company called Natalie (Anna Kendrick) who wants to start firing people via video conference calls.

Before he does get grounded and to teach Natalie the ropes, he takes her along so she can see what he does in person.

One of the scenes that I particularly related to was when Natalie and Ryan meet up with Alex in Miami they crash the party for the tech conference held at the hotel. What I relate to as a tech journalist is I've been to many of these and I can attest that they can be that fun!

Clooney is perfect as Ryan. You can see that he loves this lifestyle but at the same time you feel that he does yearn for a more settled life especially when he goes to his sister's wedding (Melanie Lynskey). Farmiga is also winning as Ryan's love interest. She is playful and sexy when interacting with Clooney.

Kendrick is also great. Mostly known as Jessica Stanley from the Twilight series, Kendrick shows great range as an actress as you see the emotional toil it takes on someone who fires people for a living but at the same time she shows great comedic timing in her scenes with Clooney.

As I was watching this movie, I felt that I connected to the story on a personal level and the movie does capture the emotions of losing one's job right on the head. While a great movie, I do hope that most people don't know what it feels like to lose their job but the sad thing is, I don't think that will happen.

Downey Jr. and Law make Sherlock Holmes watchable

Sherlock Holmes is unlike any Guy Ritchie film (well I really shouldn't say that as I haven't seen any other of his films) but I say this because, first of it is a period piece yet it is still filled with frenetic action sequences that I believe is a Ritchie film signature.

Anyways, thanks to a friend, I got to see an advance screening of Sherlock Holmes and after some pre-film hiccups, the film started with Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) saving a young woman from a Satanic ritual performed by the villanous Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong).

The team of Holmes and Watson successfully capture Blackwood who was also responsible for the murders of five other women and he is sentenced to hang, which he does but someone he rises from the dead to continue on his evil plans.

Throughout the film, we have Watson trying to leave Holmes so he can settle down with Mary Morstan (a sickly looking Kelly Reilly) but someone, like the Godfather, he thinks he's out but Holmes always lures him back in.

A distraction to Holmes as he tries to thwart Blackwood is Rachel McAdams' Irene Adler, an American who was hired by a mysterious man to manipulate Holmes to get something he is after that I won't spoil here.

I haven't read any of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but I think that the screenwriters have done a servicable job in presenting us with a good mystery but wish that it wasn't so stereotypical. Blackwood is such a stock villain, someone who wants to rule the world. Also, I think I never felt that any of the characters were in danger of the traps that Blackwood set-up for our intrepid duo.

Downey Jr did a servicable Holmes presenting us with his classic characteristics, his keen sense of observation, his use of logic, him playing the violin and his drug-use but I somehow felt that Downey Jr. was slightly miscast as this iconic character. Don't get me wrong, Downey Jr. did an okay British accent but someone I think an actual British actor should have played the part like maybe Kenneth Branagh or even Colin Firth.

As well, I felt that McAdams was very wooden as Adler. She didn't imbede the character with any spunk or was the femme fatale that the character is supposed to have.

Also, Ritchie paints his Victorian London with shades of grey and the entire movie looks bleak and depressing.

The one thing I did enjoy was Jude Law as Watson. He is the best looking Watson ever and he doesn't portray him as the bumbling baffoon that Nigel Bruce did in the 1930s Sherlock Holmes film were Holmes was played famously by Basil Rathbone nor was old as Edward Hardwicke's Watson in Jeremy Brett's (the most reverred Holmes) BBC Sherlock Holmes.

When Law and Downey Jr. are on screen together, their bromance showed real comraderie that I found enjoyable.

Laughs abound in It's Complicated

Nancy Meyers's latest film It's Complicated is filled with a plethora of wonderful comedic performances from its top stars like Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin to supporting players like John Krasinski that it left some people in the audience with tears.

It's Complicated doesn't open until Christmas Day but I was lucky enough to see advance screening tonight thanks to answering a tweet from Duthie's Books.

The movie is about Jane (Meryl Streep), a mother of three grown children and owner of this fabulous bakery in Santa Barbara, California. She also has this complex relationship with her ex-husband Jake (Alec Baldwin) who is now married to the woman (Lake Bell) that he cheated Jane with.

Their relationship gets even more complicated when Jane, her two daughters (Caitlin Fitzgerald and Zoe Kazan) and her eldest daughter's fiancee (John Krasinski) all head to NYC for son Luke's (Hunter Parrish) graduation with Jake coming too but not with his wife.

After a few glasses of wine over dinner alone, Jane and Jake find themselves having an affair.

More complications come in the form of Adam (Steve Martin), Jane's sensitive architect that is helping her build her dream kitchen. Adam is smitten with Jane but is also getting over a divorce that left him heartbroken but he still pursues Jane.

The affair of Jane and Jake and all the complications that result from it forms the basis of all the laughs and strangely enough, it was enough to sustain an almost two hour film.

Streep and Baldwin have some great chemistry together both romantic and comedic and that makes the film enjoyable.

And Martin plays sort of against type as isn't that wild and crazy guy except in one scene that involves some reefer. It is sort of weird seeing him pull back in being sensitive and romantic but it works in this movie but not so much in Shopgirl (yes I know that he wrote the book and screenplay but he just didn't work in that film).

Krasinski also holds his own against Streep and Baldwin. His comedic skills were razor sharp.

Another thing that I liked about this film was the strong presence of cooking and baking. It was funny that when Jane talked about her time as a pastry chef in Paris, I couldn't help of think of Streep's role earlier this year as Julia Child and how food was a supporting player in that film too.

I really loved the scenes of her cooking and her bakery looks so cool that it could only exist in movies. That scene where Streep makes Chocolat Croissants with Marting was deliciously romantic.

It's Complicated is a comedy for adults thanks to sharp writing from Meyers.