The Best of 2013

(This post was originally published on Jan. 9, 2014)
 
It’s hard to believe, but 2013 is gone and, with the start of 2014, we’re into the teens and almost halfway through another decade. The following is a look back at some of my “favorite things” of the past year.

MOVIES

My favorite movie of the year, hands-down, was “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” This epic story of an African-American White House butler who serves eight presidents while witnessing the civil rights movement and other historic moments is based on a true story. And that profile of the late Eugene Allen, which originally appeared in the Washington Post on the eve of President Barack Obama’s first election, was written by Wil Haygood, who is a native of my hometown, Columbus, Ohio.

It was really cool getting to hear Wil share behind-the-scenes details and describe the movie’s success (it’s officially become a blockbuster, having broken $100 million at the box office and recently came out on DVD) at the Columbus Association of Black Journalist’s Gala at the Hilton Easton in November.

 

“The Butler” and its stellar cast, including Forrest Whittaker and Oprah Winfrey, were unfortunately overlooked by the Oscars and the Golden Globes. But the movie and cast have at least gotten well-deserved recognition with numerous NAACP Image Award nominations (http://www.naacpimageawards.net/).

Also on my "Best of 2013" list for movies is "12 Years a Slave," which was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and is considered a favorite to win. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong'o also received well-earned nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

 

While "12 Years a Slave" is definitely not "entertaining" in the traditional sense, it's probably the most realistic depiction of slavery to ever appear in a mainstream, theatrically-released film. And it does what movies are supposed to do - transports you to another time and place and immerses you in the story.

In the documentary category, the Oscar-nominated "20 Feet From Stardom" is definitely worth checking out.

 

"20 Feet" offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of successful background singers such as Lisa Fischer, who has backed such legends as Tina Turner, Luther Vandross and the Rolling Stones; Darlene Love (Sam Cooke, Elvis, Sonny and Cher) and Merry Clayton (the Rolling Stones) and why these phenomenally talented women never became solo stars. The doc also chronicles the story of up-and-comer Judith Hill, who has performed with Michael Jackson and other superstars and her struggle to establish herself as an artist in her own right.

MUSIC

"Next Exit," Columbus, Ohio-based duo Ingram Street's mixtape, is in my 2013 Top 10 list for music.

 

Brothers Woody and Minquel Ingram deliver a palatable blend of the old and the new on hip-hop-flavored R&B jams like “Internet Man,” which samples New Edition's classic “Mr. Telephone Man.” They also promote nostalgia for us Gen Xers and Yers on the self-titled “Ingram Street,” which samples the familiar theme to “Sesame Street.”

 
Look for Ingram Street to kick into high gear in 2014. You can watch the video for the smooth track "Don't Disturb This Groove" and learn more about Ingram Street on their page at Soultracks.com, a prestigious website for everything related to soul music: http://www.soultracks.com/first-look-ingram-street-dont-disturb-the-groove.

BOOKS

One of the best literary endeavors of 2013 is my friend Lin Rice’s short story “Off the Record,” which is featured in the new anthology “Best Ohio Short Stories.”

In this story, Lin skillfully keeps you turning the pages – or, moving your Kindle screen forward, which is the way I read it – by portraying a mysterious organization that tracks alien abductions. The main character is an out-of-work reporter who reluctantly agrees to do business with the organization and conduct interviews with people who claim to have had experiences with extraterrestrials.

Lin creates suspense, keeping you guessing as to whether this creepy organization is legitimate and how they draw this reporter in – sort of like a sci-fi version of the John Grisham novel “The Firm.”

One of the best aspects of the story is how Lin, a guy, portrays the female main character. Except for a few clarifying pronouns, the female character could be of either gender – which will encourage both male and female readers to identify with her.

“Off the Record” is definitely one of the literary highlights of 2013 - not that I’m biased, of course.