I love end of the year lists. People show their favorite movies, songs, books, hot dogs, high fives, whatever floats the boats.
Movies
I'd love to someday be a part of a larger discussion on film in general, but in the meantime I'll just write this blog post. There's a lot I didn't get to go see, but here's some of the best.
Favorite movie that I can't describe to anyone: Upstream Color
This movie is bizarre. This movie is really bizarre. It's hard to try and describe to somebody, because it is really bizarre. It is also really beautiful, and moving. The sound design is incredible. This movie is a slow moving dance that is worth watching.
More proof that Matthew McConaughey is a great actor: Mud
I have a secret weakness for films set in the south. I also have a pretty heavy distaste for anything Reece Witherspoon puts her spoony fingers on. This movie solidifies the former, and pokes a hole in the latter.
Reminder that real life is hard: Before Midnight
Prior to this year I hadn't seen either of the movies in this trilogy(Before Sunrise or Before Sunset) by Richard Linklater. Interested in Before Midnight, I decided to get the first 2 on Netflix before watching this. So watching these 3 movies over the period of months means I've gone through 18 years of this couples relationship. It was a very surreal experience. I did, however, think this series has done a good job of portraying a realistic idea of love.
Fastest way to get into an argument with somebody about science: Gravity
This movie also wins best use of 3d in a movie. Again, I'm usually one to avoid most anything that Sandra Bullock is a part of, but this movie was a visual feast. There was great tension built by a fantastically realistic space setting.
Best trailer for a movie I loved: Kings of Summer
I had heard very little about this film, but this trailer attracted me greatly. I noticed a theme this year of coming-of-age movies with a running theme of fatherhood. This movie was one of many to show how fathers affect their sons.
Honorable Mention: Way Way Back, Wadjda, 12 Years a Slave, Place Beyond the Pines, Pacific Rim
Music
My vinyl collection grew immensely this year, but most of these were old jazz or rock albums. Not that I have a decent setup to actually listen to them, but I do have the records ready. Outside of that I've been using the Google Play All Access service to listen to music on my techo-devices.
Favorite repeat listen album: Orb Weaver by The Parson Red Heads
Guiltiest pleasure: Tennis Court by Lorde
Best album to listen to during the summer: An Awesome Wave by Alt-J
Favorite album for listening to any time: Tales of Us by Goldfrapp
Favorite album I found on another's top 10 list that I wish I had heard all year: Pushin' Against A Stone by Valerie June
TV
So Breaking Bad blew away everybody's expectations. What a tremendous ending to a show. I've oft lamented that modern TV shows will stay on air until it has passed it's peak. This means the last season or two(looking at you Dexter) is pretty bad. Breaking Bad ended on a high note, and it was pure beauty. With that said, I've since been looking for ways to fill that TV void in my heart. So in recent months I've been giving a bunch of shows a shot.
Goodwife(CBS, Free on Amazon Prime, currently in 5th season) – I used to really not like law/political dramas at all but this is the one of a couple this year that I've really started to like.
House of Cards(Netflix Original, season 2 airs Feb 14th) – This is another political drama I found myself surprisingly drawn in to. Holy smokes does this show have great plot twists. Kevin Spacey I can't wait for season 2.
Sleepy Hollow(Fox, currently in first season) - So I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of genre shows air this year on television(Not that they're all good though). I really hope the popularity of Game of Thrones on HBO will cause a bunch of other networks to consider making genre shows, and we'll get out of the crime procedural rut that I'm seeing a lot of. Another of which was…
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D(ABC, currently in first season) – I had hopes for this show, but the episodes started going downhill very quickly.
Almost Human(Fox, currently in first season) – Another genre show that I'm keeping my eye on, but so far I've really been enjoying.
Books
I didn't read many new releases this year, but I will do some series recommendations.
If you liked Game of Thrones you'd like:Kingkiller Chronicle – The first two books of this series are really quite great. The world building is phenomenal; the magic system is quite clever. I'm looking forward to the third book almost as much as Game of Thrones. I would love for a television network to pick this up.
If you like graphic novels you might like: Y, the Last Man – A very strange series about every male mammal on earth drops dead except 1 human man.
If you love 80's nostalgia you'd like: Ready Player One – This book drips with references to the 80's in every way. I'm a big fan of virtual reality, and this book builds a wonderful VR game simulation.
Other
Best movie that wasn't a movie: Last of Us – This game was a perfect combination of story, and gameplay. There's no point where you feel like you're just playing a sequence just for the sake of playing a sequence, but every part adds to the story without feeling repetitive.
Best board game that wasn't a board game: Fiasco – This game relies a lot on having a good group to play with, but when you get rolling it is a lot of fun.
These are the breaks 