Best of 2024 — Podcasts

  My top picks from podcasts I discovered last year. As always, they may be old, but my listening was brand new in 2024. In no particular order. Links are in the podcast name.

Scott's Self Indulgent Movie Podcast

Join Scott as he goes through the wonderful world of movies including lists, old favorites, scene analysis, and tropes.

It is thanks to Scott that I discovered Lower Deaks and The Lost City. His episodes are only about 10 minutes long and I enjoy them a great deal even if I might not try even a fraction of the movies he covers.

Nicholas Nickleby

This is actually Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's narration of the Dickens novel but it was released in podcast format at Audible. He's the narrator of the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovich and I have long loved listening to him read. This makes Nicholas Nickleby come alive in a way that makes you love Dickens even more. 

The Rest is History

"First and foremost, because I think people are bored with history being told in a hand-wringing, pious, judgmental and moralistic way – they want it brought to life by people who are genuine enthusiasts and love the past."

— Dominic Sandbrook answering the question What's the secret of its success? in a 2024 interview with The Daily Telegraph.[8]

That's absolutely right. Having loved Tom Holland's book Dominion (see the Best of 2024 Reading list) I was intrigued by discovering this podcast. Could it be as fair and also as entertaining as I found that book? The answer is yes. I'm now addicted.

Sing the Hours

Sing the Hours is a twice-daily podcast, bringing sung Lauds and Vespers from the Liturgy of the Hours to the Catholic faithful around the world.

Beautifully done. It somehow manages to sound both timeless and contemporary. I listen to at least part of one every day. 

Sunday School: A Pillar Bible Study

Each episode is about an hour long and goes over the upcoming readings for Sunday. It is hosted by Scott Powell with two regulars, including one of the regular Pillar editors. It's a good overview and sometimes digs into things that I might not think of — like any good Bible study.

Best of 2024 — TV

 Here are my top picks from our year of TV viewing. Our television viewing was not extensive but we discovered some that were pure gold. In no particular order.

I began my "Best of" lists way back in 2008. To see them, check the label cloud in the sidebar under "Best of ..." 

 

 

2024 BEST TV

Peter Gunn

The coolest of the cool, Peter Gunn is a detective modeled on Cary Grant. He's smooth, sophisticated and doesn't like to use violence to solve his cases. We watched these with my 90-year-old mother and were surprised at how noir-ish these were. I grew up with the soundtrack by Henry Mancini and was pleased to find that John Williams was the piano player for the studio band. 

Read more about it on Wikipedia. Then try it!

Pokerface

We really love procedural murder mysteries and this one is really entertaining. It is a creative, superfun throwback to TV the way it used to be.

(My review here.) 

The Fiery Priest

A really fun K-drama action thriller about Father Kim, a priest with big anger management issues. They get the Catholicism right while delivering an engaging drama and murder mystery.

(My review here.)

Killing It

Florida security guard Craig Foster's and Aussie Uber driver Jillian enter the Florida Python Challenge (which we discovered is a real thing) to win $20,000 seed money for a farm. Craig is a good guy who is often faced with choosing the lesser of two evils. Jillian is the moral compass of the show. She always knows the right thing to do and will push for it even if if hurts personally.

(My review here)

Star Trek: Lower Decks

An animated comedy that focuses on the missions and adventures of the "lower deckers." By episode 4 we were hooked. Part of the fun is the references to other Star Trek shows that the lower decks gang toss around. Part of it is the friendship between the lower decks gang. And, finally, part is the wackiness and humor.

(My review here.)

The Crowned Clown

This series came about because of the extraordinary popularity of the movie Masquerade which is in the Best of 2024 Movies list. Partway through The Crowned Clown takes a different path than the movie because they have the time to explore more ideas. It's also gorgeous as well as interesting.

(My review here.)

Best of 2024 — Movies

 Here are my top picks from our year of viewing. It's a long list but to be fair we watched  around 130 movies last year.   I think it is partially because we came across so many unexpected gems in our Oscars watching series. Favorites are listed in the order we encountered them.

As always, the movies may be old, but my viewing was brand new in 2024. In no particular order.

I began my "Best of" lists way back in 2008. To see them, check the label cloud in the sidebar under "Best of ..."

2024 BEST MOVIES

Maanaadu

This is a really great time-loop thriller with fantastic action scenes and an unexpected twist that ratchets up the suspense and action.

(My review here.)

A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

The final movie in our 1937 Oscar winner/nominees viewing. It is considered the best cinematic telling of that story and it blew us away. Ronald Colman was simply amazing and I will now watch him in anything.

(My review here.)

Masquerade

I always enjoy a noble impersonation story, especially The Prince and the Pauper and The Prisoner of Zenda. This is the best I've ever seen. We know all the common twists and turns but this movie keeps you in suspense even as you fall in love with the imposter more in every scene.

(My review here.)

Alienoid I

This movie's got a lot of genres goin' on. In 14th century Korea there's a magical-mystical-quest for a holy blade. And in 2022 it's got a Terminator vibe of sorts with sf-thriller-alien invasion action. They intersect through time travel and it works. In a hold-onto-your-seat, immerse yourself in the story, crazy way. I hear part II is just as good, if not better.

(My review here.)

Polite Society

Really enjoyable, with a fresh, fun feel that made me think of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The Man Who Feels No Pain. With a touch of a Get Out vibe.

(My review here.)

Oppenheimer

I thought this was going to be a really boring movie about a lot of stuff I didn't care about. I couldn't have been more wrong. Now I understand how a 3-hour long movie about talking scientists and politicians could make so much money, break so many records, and win so many awards. 

The Good Earth (1938)

The last of the 1938 Oscar winner/nominees movies we watched and the one we'd have given the award to. This is the sort of movie that doesn't usually appeal to me - long dramatic sagas of families struggling to survive, especially since I'd read the book long ago and hadn't liked it much. This sold it though. By the end I was loving it.

(My review here.)

Laapataa Ladies

(Lost Ladies)

When two identically dressed brides, with requisite scarves covering their faces are grabbed by the wrong groom at different train stations, how will they be restored to their rightful places? Especially when neither can remember the name of their groom's hometown?

(My review here.)

Furiosa

This could be Gulliver's Travels, the Odyssey or Iliad. The characters are archetypal, the societies encountered each tell us something of basic humanity, the themes are simple but powerful, and the adventure keeps pulling us along.

(My review here.)

The Fall Guy

The Lost City

These are two movies whose only goal is to entertain. There have been precious few of those lately from Hollywood so we were thrilled to find them. Each is silly in its own way, but each one is fun in just the right way.

(The Fall Guy review here.)

(The Lost City review here.)

Maaveeran

The story of a coward who is forced to be a brave warrior fighting a prominent corrupt real estate mogul/politician. The device that prompts his eventual change is imaginative and I enjoyed the way that he continually bleated, "Sorry, sir!" while knocking out villains. It was a fun super-hero origin story and I hope there is a sequel.

Godzilla Minus One

It manages to combine the monster movie action thrills of a Hollywood-style movie with the introspection of the first Japanese Godzilla movie. The result is simply fantastic, something that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

(My review here.)

Freaks (1932)

I've always been afraid to watch this but when I overcame my fears I discovered an amazing movie with a sympathetic depiction of the true humanity and community that the freaks share behind the scenes.

(My review here.)

Hansan: Rising Dragon

The prequel to The Admiral which was on last year's list. A classic underdog movie where very few ships are trying to hold off an overwhelming Japanese invasion. Based on the true naval battle which most of us have never heard of.

(My review here.)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

A complete surprise. I've always had the impression that this is a namby pamby, sappy story. Au contraire. It is simply lovely and not to be missed. We watched it for our 1940 Oscar winner/ nominees viewing.

(My review here.)

Best of 2024 — Reading

  My top picks from the over 130 books I read last year.

You may find old books here but if they're on this list, then they were new to me! In no particular order.

Note: I've been doing this since 2008 — check the label cloud in the sidebar for "Best of" to see other lists.

2024 BEST BOOKS

Dominion:
The Making of the Western Mind

by Tom Holland

As Tom Holland says, "What today we term "the West" is less Christianity's heir than its continuation." One of the most even-handed approaches to Christianity I've ever seen. Utterly fair and a great read.

(Full review here.)

Team of Rivals

by Doris Goodwin Kearns

Abraham Lincoln was already at the top of my admired people list. However, I found a lot in this book that gave me a fuller picture of the man himself. Most of what I learned was simply admirable.

(My review here.)

Linnets & Valerians

by Elizabeth Goudge

My brief take is that in many ways it makes me think of E. Nesbit's tales such as The Magic City, The House of Arden, and The Treasure Seekers. Like those, this book takes recognizable fantasy beats and weaves an entirely new and enchanting pattern.

(My review here.)

The Power and the Glory

by Graham Greene

Strongly recommended by my daughter Rose and I can see why. It is quite grim and depressing for 3/4 of the book. Then it takes off like a firecracker and puts everything together in a way that blows your mind by the end of the book. Simply magnificent.

We Solve Murders

by Richard Osman

It has all the qualities that makes  the Thursday Murder Club series so much fun while being completely different. Super entertaining.

Scum of the Earth

by Alexander C. Kane

This book looks at alien invasion from the point of the collaborators, the turncoats who wholeheartedly cooperate with the subjugation of the human race to a life of fear and misery. Echoes of 1984 abound but there are opportunities for redemption that transcend doublethink.

(My full review.)

Lord of a Shattered Land

by Howard Andrew Jones

Sword-and-sorcery in a world based on the Carthaginians and the Romans, raised to a high level of storytelilng. With many monsters that Lovecraft would approve of.

(My full review.)

How the Church Has Changed the World, I-IV

by Anthony Esolen

Esolen ranges across time and around the world to show us the many ways that the love of Christ has been expressed by the Church through history — in art, song, customs, and people. Each book has 24 essays and they make wonderful daily reading.

(My full review.)

Teresa of Avila: God Alone Suffices

by Jean Jacques Antier

I wanted a big book about a big saint including historical context. This book filled the bill. I really felt immersed in Teresa's life. It was very inspirational as well as being informative.

(My full review.)  

Above Suspicion

by Helen MacInnes

This is both an exciting spy story and an interesting look at the pre-war Germany. This book was written as the Nazis increased power and published in 1941. It seems surprisingly true to life.

(My full review.)