15. FUBAR

If you've heard of this movie before, give yourself a pat on the back. To say it's obscure is like calling The Godfather "decent". It doesn't look like much either, which surely adds to the infrequency of it actually being watched. But therein lies its true beauty - the absolutely hidden gem, unpolished, ignored, and buried in racks of mediocrity.

I went into this movie with no expectations. Actually, you could probably say I had apprehensions. But FUBAR delivered from the start, and it now resides in the exclusive pantheon of films that traversed almost the entire spectrum of hate/love. We're talking from a negative-5 (when I saw the dvd case) to a solid 8. That's a 13-point swing.

The film is a documentary-style story centered around two headbanging Canadian friends who haven't amounted to much, but are still "just givin' er" every day. Terry Cahill and Dean 'the Deaner' Murdoch share with us their daily lives, offering insights on careers, dating, how to drink beer, and ultimately, delve into their philosophies on their own mortality. Most of the lines from the movie are hilarious by themselves; couple them with their situations and their settings and it makes for a brilliant 90 minutes (if you don't mind swearing, that is).

14. Bar Refaeli

Um... Put difficult to sentences into words. Use will just one:
Outrageous.

13. The Washington Independent

Rumor has it that there has been quite a bit of political controversy over the past year. Naturally, that also comes with an endless barrage of stories and opinions to keep us oh-so-well-informed. How noble, right? Um...

If you follow politics on the internets, my numbers* suggest you started at say, Fox News or MSNBC. Now, while Fox News has been absurd for the better part of a decade, MSNBC has been making significant strides in keeping pace. You likely got tired of the relentless diatribe and/or selective rhetoric, and moved on to the gentler leanings of CNN or [sigh...] USA Today. But if you're savvy, you might have kept searching for that elusive source of unbiased quality. The New Republic or the Huffington Post? (socialist propaganda!) The Drudge Report? (fascists! and nearly unreadable) Politico? (not bad actually... i mean, overrated!) Enter The Washington Independent.

Their own description says it best:

The Washington Independent is a fleet-footed webpaper of politics and policy. We are the ink-stained wretches of the digital era. We aim for snap-crackle-pop reporting in our articles and blog posts – all working together to tell a bigger story. We provide thought-provoking commentary from insightful experts. We write to record scenes from the passing show, to stir things up and to keep the bastards honest. We seek to explore and define our nation and the context for our times.

Founded by the Center for Independent Media, the site offers (so far) the most balanced articles and op-ed pieces I've seen published. The topics and writing are excellent, and the site is very easy to navigate. And just now entering it's second year, the best is yet to come.

*by 'numbers' I mean 'rash generalization'

12. iConcertCal

Pissed that you totally missed the Jonas Brothers show last week? Dying to know if there will be enough time between an upcoming Ray LaMontagne album and your sweetie's birthday to memorize every saccharine-coated line? Wondering why you're still reading this? Well, there's hope for you yet...

iConcertCal is a free, downloadable plug-in that works through iTunes. It shows a calendar of all upcoming performances of every artist in your iTunes library within any radius of your city. It even gives links to purchase tickets! Booyah!

Another, often overlooked feature is the album release notification. All upcoming albums by the artists in your library are shown on the calendar, and can be prompted to alert you when their songs are played.

Both of these features are great when you don't have the time or attention span to dig through the entertainment section of the paper for kick-ass music to catch. It's free, very helpful, and super easy to use. Enjoy the show.

11. Lamb

Ever wonder what Jesus was like growing up? Well, this probably isn't it. But it's a hilarious version as told by his lifelong best friend Biff. Yes, Biff (also the Hebrew word for 'a slap across the back of the head', allegedly). This story is Biff's gospel, and recounts the 25 years the inseparable pair spent together.

From a morality standpoint, Biff and Joshua (aka Jesus) have little in common. This works in Josh's favor, as he is able to learn about sin without actually committing any; Biff, on the other hand, is usually more than willing. It's through these vicarious experiences that Josh is able to relate to the underlying forces that drive sin and temptation. But despite the potentially heavy subject matter, the humor is sharp and keeps the story relatively light:

(on the topic of Kama Sutra)
Biff: "Josh are you sure it doesn't bother you talking about this stuff when you will never be allowed to do it?"
Josh: "No it's interesting. It doesn’t bother you when I talk about heaven does it?"
Biff: "Should it?"
Josh: "Look! A Seagull!"

The two spend most of their lives traveling the known world, seeking out each of the three wise men and their individual spiritual virtues, so that Josh can figure out not just how to be the messiah, but what to do with that responsibility. The combination of the Josh's sanctity and Biff's utter humanity offers a dialogue that creates a more complete picture of both the good and sinister sides of human nature.

A college friend recommended this book several years ago, and I'm now on copy #4 (I lend it out often - it doesn't always come back. C'est la vie...). I don't know anyone who has taken offense to the story or the portrayal of a funny, curious Jesus, but I suppose there's always a chance. Christopher Moore is absolutely a satirist, and though the text is littered with profanity and the occasional debauchery, there is no sense of blasphemy or real criticism of religion. Only a humorous, thought-provoking, and often touching story of two best friends with one great task.

10. Zoë Keating

Strings, strings, how I love the strings. Of all the classical instruments, the string section can pull me in every direction. And the king of the strings is none other than the glorious cello.

If you're like me, you've wondered what an orchestra would sound like if it were made up entirely of cello music. High and mid cello for the melody. Low cello for the underlying bass. You get the idea - a full symphonic range and harmony produced by the most beautiful instrument. This is where Zoë Keating rocks your world.

From her website:

Armed with just her cello and a small box of electronics, Zoë Keating is a one-woman orchestra. She records layer upon layer of cello, her feet dancing over an array of pedals to transform her solo performances into multipart works.

The result is a collection of songs that grow from a single line to a full wall of layered sound, with pieces flowing in and out, all wonderfully wrapped into packages both sweeping and haunting. Her music can be found on iTunes, and she was also the featured guest on a mini-episode of Radiolab, which offers a nice look at how her songs are built.

9. Planet Earth

I figured this would be too obvious to mention, but over the past month I've been amazed at the number of people who have yet to treat themselves to such an enthralling and beautiful series. Everyone needs to watch this, no question.

But if you need convincing, Planet Earth is an 11-part series produced by the BBC and the Discovery Channel. Filming all over the world in every major habitat took over five years, but the patience paid off in the scenes that were captured, some of which had never been seen before, let alone recorded. On high-definition cameras. For us to enjoy. You will constantly be amazed at not just the camerawork but also the incredible and bizarre scenes that take place in nature every day. It is constant combination of entertainment and education, whether it's interesting, beautiful, comical, or downright brutal.

I can't stress enough how great this series is, especially when watched on a proper-sized screen. I don't know anyone who has seen one episode and was not immediately hooked. It is truly a stunning view of the natural world.