My Movie and Stage Production Lists for 2015

In case you missed it on The Clubhouse Podcast, here are all of the films I saw this year and their rankings.  On the show, I only covered my top and bottom ten:

1     1 He Named Me Malala
2 The Hateful Eight
3  Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4 Paddington
5 Kingsman: The Secret Service
6 Batkid Begins
7 Inside Out
8 Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made
9 Bridge of Spies
10 The Peanuts Movie
11 Spectre
12 Avengers: Age of Ultron
13 Ex Machina
14 Spy
15 Ant-Man
16 Minions
17 Spotlight
18 A Walk in the Woods
19 Southpaw
20 The Martian
21 The Night Before
22 My All-American
23 The Woman in Gold
24 The Walk
25 Victor Frankenstein
26 Joy
27 Miss You Already
28 Little Boy
29 Paper Towns
30 Tomorrowland
31 Sleeping With Other People
32 Hotel Transylvania 2
33 Home
34 Beyond the Brick: A Lego Brickumentary
35 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
36 Goosebumps
37 Suffragette
38 Macbeth
39 The Transporter: Refueled
40 Dope
41 Predestination
42 Pixels
43 Aloha
44 Learning to Drive
45 Spare Parts
46 Monkey Kingdom
47 The End of the Tour
48 Seventh Son
49 The Last Witch Hunter
50 Ricki & The Flash
51 Lone Star Holy War
52 Hitman: Agent 47
53 Adult Beginners
54 Kidnapping Mr. Heineken
55 99 Homes
56 The Overnight
57 Bravetown
58 The D Train
59 No Escape
60 A Most Violent Year
61 Good Kill
62 Fantastic Four
63 The Gunman
64 Strange Magic
65 Poltergeist
66 Blackhat
67 The Boy Next Door
68 Mistress America
69 Clouds of Sils Maria

 And as a special bonus, here is my list ranking the stage performances I saw this year as well:

   1.       Motown

   2.       The Sound of Music

   3.       Peter Pan 360

   4.       Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage

   5.       Jersey Boys

   6.       A Christmas Carol

   7.       Moonshine: The Hee Haw Musical

   8.       Kinky Boots

   9.       Cavalia: Odysseo

   10.   The King & I

   11.   Newsies

   12.   Pippin

   13.   The Illusionists

   14.   Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

   15.   Clarkston

   16.   Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy

   17.   Bull

   18.   Annie

   19.   Matilda

Rob

Farewell To A Friend I Have Never Met

In the fall of 1991, I was a freshman in college at the University of South Florida.  I was starting to truly embrace my love of radio and broadcasting, and I was about to change my major to reflect it.  I loved the power that a microphone, mixing board, and music source had: they could change the mood in a room, help heal wounds, give hope to life as we know it, and even make us feel a little better about ourselves and each other.

One day, someone that lived in my dorm told me that they had a cassette (OK, kids: there used to be these things... nevermind... ask your parents) that I HAD to hear.  Coupling my love of radio with my obsession with stand-up comedy, I put the tape in my player, and over the next sixty minutes, my life would change forever.

It was called "With a Little Help from Our Friends," and it was done by something called "The Bob & Tom Show".  They were a morning radio show broadcast from Indianapolis, and I could not get enough of that tape.  I wore it out, got a second one from my friend, and lost it a couple of years later when I lent it to another friend.  The bits on that tape stayed with me over the years, from "18 Wheels on a Big Rig" by Heywood Banks (yes, Dallasites... that bit Kidd Kraddick used to play was the EXACT track from "The Bob & Tom Show"... you can hear Heywood actually say "OK, Mr. Smart Bob" on it) to the Love Brothers to "The Chicken Song," I could not stop laughing even after the billionth time listening.

After I lost that tape, I would go into a B&T void for many years until 1999.  I was in the music store in my local mall, and as was my custom, I would head straight for the comedy section to seek out the next big thing that no one was listening to.  Rummaging through the CD's, I found "Greatest Hits, Vol. 1" and it was like I had found something Indiana Jones would drop everything he was doing to go after.

From that day forward, I would hit every music store that I could find to forage through and find any B&T CD's that I could get my grubby little mitts on.  Over the years, I have amassed quite a bit, and even though I have a ways to go, I am proud of the collection that I have.  I have even gotten to go to Indiana a couple of times and gotten to listen to them live on the radio, which was a true treat for me, along with the television show they had on WGN America for a time, as well as a VIP Membership with their website so I can get the show each and every weekday in my iPod to listen in.

About a month ago, I woke up to read the news that at their Radio Hall of Fame induction, one half of the duo, Bob Kevoian, announced that he would be retiring at the end of 2015.  As heartbroken as I was to read the announcement, my heart was also warmed to know that he will be able to continue on with his wife travelling across the country in their Airstream and will be able to enjoy their twilight years together.  I have no doubt that the show will go on just like it has with the time Bob has taken off over the last few years (hindsight being what it its, they have been setting this up, but I guess I had blinders on), but today is a bitter sweet day for me to know that he has just finished up his last show with Tom, Kristi, and Chick and I patiently await for today's show (which is also their last show before their end-of-year break) to download.  (Also being the day that I get to see "The Force Awakens" just furthers the emotional roller-coaster of this day.  So, there is THAT.)

There are people in this world that we feel like are a part of our being.  They touch our lives in ways we never thought imaginable.  They are like family to us.  In this case, it is someone that I have never been in the same room with, never had a conversation with, and may never do so.  Bob: thank you for being part of an entity that has brought me more joy that I could have ever imagined for over half my life.  You have given all of us a debt that we will never be able to repay, and we are all totally OK with that.  Enjoy retirement, but don't be afraid to call in and say hey to the gang every once in a while.  It will be good to hear your voice and maybe even see some pictures of your exploits.

And one more thing: if you drop something on the floor, be careful getting back up if you are under a desk.  All the best to you and your family, sir.