"Not everyone has to like what you like!"
That's what my sister said to me some time ago when we were having a discussion about the movies of 2014. Now I know she didn't mean it as viciiously as that exclamation point made it seem, but it's a nice little straw-man that I can set up and then knock down anyway for the introduction section of this year's (t5!) My Year In Lists.
No, not everyone has to like what I like. I think the regular readers of the posts that sporadically appear in this blog know that when I post these lists, my intention is never to tell people what they
should like. I'm merely starting a discussion, as everyone does during dinner parties, or in a drinking session with buddies, or after going to see a concert, and that the freedom to disagree is part of the fun. It's more like I'm telling people what they
could like, since I aim to introduce new things for people to enjoy. There are people who visit this blog (and websites like these), see the exclusion of
their favorite things, get personally offended, and determine that these are invalid. There are also people who visit this blog, see that they don't recognize any of these entries, and conclude that they've wandered into a place where they don't belong. I say to those people to just listen or watch or experience the things that I promote. Favorites may lie among these lists and you wouldn't know it unless you try them.
When you subscribe to the mindset that everything is subjective, voicing opinions becomes so frustrating, doesn't it? As you arrange power rankings like these, you think to yourself that you're either fascistic because you're about to enforce your opinions on others, or loud because no one really cares anyway, or meaningless because everyone can have their own opinion regardless of what you say. The worst is when you think that this is meaningless, because when you start questioning the point of things while you're already vacillating between whether or not you should write something to fill up your already diminished spare time, that's just a prescription for procrastination.
I'll say this though: these lists aren't populated without thought. I actually try to consume everything "significant" that happened every year so that these lists have some sort of "accuracy". According to my Letterboxd, I watched 91 films of 2014. According to a spreadsheet I keep, I listened to 170 albums of 2014. I know I love bitching about not having any spare time, but you have ample if you multi-task. Usher is basically saying the same things I'm saying when he sings in "Good Kisser", "I done been around the world, I done kissed a lot of girls, so I'm guessin' that it's true...don't nobody kiss it like you". If you're questioning how "valid" these lists are, trust Usher and I when we say that our opinions are coming from highly analyzed perspectives.
Anyway, with that out of the way, let us do what we came here to do.
(t5!) My Years In Lists 2014: Everything Else! is up first and the same rules apply:
- This is a list of last year’s most blog and Twitter worthy triumphs that happened in the world of sports, film, TV, Internet, gaming, basically everything that can be ranked that isn't music related.
- They had to be happy events, so while Ebola, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, the Ukraine turmoil, Ferguson, and the untimely passing of Robin Williams were monumental events of 2014, they won't be included in this list.
- They had to happen in 2014. So even if I discovered something I love only last year, like the Filmspotting podcast, they won't be included in this list. For movies, I took their theatrical release date (not their festival release dates) to determine whether or not they were a 2014 event. So Snowpiercer, which was released in South Korea in August of 2013 won't be included in this list, even if it actually reached North America last year.
- I can't rank anything that I haven't experienced first hand. I've heard positive things said about hover boards, Rectify, Veep, Looking, Super Smash Bros., Mr. Turner, Listen Up Philip, and God Help The Girl,, but I haven't had time for them, so they won't be included in this list.
- Entries are copy-and-pasted from Wikipedia.
- Spoiler alert.
Start!
Pages: #50 - #41 | #40 - 31 | #30 - #21 | #20 - #11 | #10 - #01
#50: Marion Cotillard
She had her first leading role in an American movie in James Gray's The Immigrant, starring as the Polish immigrant Ewa Cybulska, opposite Joaquin Phoenix. For her performance in the film, Cotillard was widely acclaimed at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival in May, 2013. The Immigrant was released in U.S. in May 2014, exactly one year after its Cannes premiere, and was highly praised by American critics, especially Cotillard's performance.
In 2014, she starred in Dardenne brothers's Two Days, One Night and was nominated for a second Academy Award for Best Actress. In the film, Cotillard plays Sandra, a Belgian factory worker who has just one weekend to convince her workmates to give up their bonuses so that she can keep her job. The film premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and Cotillard's performance was unanimously praised by critics, earned a 15 minute standing ovation, and was named "the best performance of the festival".
"Jean-Dardenne and Luc Dardenne have birthed this overwhelming hour and a half overflowing with raw, human emotion. Marion Cotillard has taken on one of the most challenging roles of her career and has delivered a performance that is extremely rewarding."
-- Examiner
Trailer | Wikipedia | Examiner
#49: The Purge: Anarchy
The Purge: Anarchy is a 2014 American action-horror film directed and written by James DeMonaco. It is the sequel to the 2013 film The Purge and stars Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford, Kiele Sanchez, Zoë Soul, and Michael K. Williams, while Edwin Hodge reprises his role of Dwayne from the first movie. It was released worldwide on July 18, 2014.
"A fascinating concept taken to a logical and engaging new level in this superb sequel."
-- Cinema Sight
Trailer | Wikipedia | Cinema Sight
#48: Rick And Morty "Rick Potion #9"
"Rick Potion #9" is the sixth episode of Rick and Morty. It premiered on Adult Swim on January 27, 2014, was written by Justin Roiland, and was directed by Stephen Sandoval. In the episode, a love potion goes wrong, creating a virus that begins to infect the entire world population, making everyone fall in love with Morty. The episode has been well received, and was seen by about 1.7 million viewers when airing.
"It’s not too surprising considering this is a show involving Dan Harmon, but, Jesus Christ, does Rick and Morty swing for the rafters from week to week. My only worry right now is that it could be difficult to maintain this level of intensity for later seasons. As Rick says, “It’s not like we can do this every week anyways. We get three or four more of these, tops.”"
-- Joe Matar, Den Of Geek
Full Episode | Wikipedia | Den Of Geek!
#47: Game Of Thrones "The Lion And The Rose"
"The Lion and the Rose" is the second episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 32nd overall. The episode was written by George R. R. Martin, the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels of which the series is an adaptation, and directed by Alex Graves. It aired on April 13, 2014.
The episode focuses principally on the long-awaited royal wedding between Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer). Other storylines include House Bolton's quest to retake the North, and Bran's continued journey north of The Wall.
"Hahaha. So long, d***face!"
-- IGN
Promo | Wikipedia | IGN
#46: Richard Sherman
Richard Kevin Sherman (born March 30, 1988) is an American football cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for Stanford, both as a wide receiver and as a cornerback.
During the 2013 NFL playoffs, Sherman played a critical role in helping Seattle win Super Bowl XLVIII. During the last play of the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sherman was targeted by 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick in the end zone. As Seattle was only winning by six, conceding a touchdown would have been all but fatal to Seattle's hopes of advancing to the Super Bowl. Instead, Sherman successfully got in the way of the pass Kaepernick threw to Michael Crabtree, deflecting it to teammate Malcolm Smith for the game-saving interception. The play was later dubbed "the Immaculate Deflection" (as an homage to the Immaculate Reception), and would later be voted by Seahawks fans to be the most significant play in Seattle Seahawks history. In the aftermath of the play, Sherman ran over to Crabtree and offered a handshake. Crabtree responded by shoving Sherman in the facemask and then Sherman made a choke sign towards Kaepernick. Sherman was immediately penalized by the officials for unsportsmanlike conduct. Moments later, during a live post-game interview with Fox Sports' Erin Andrews, Sherman emotionally shouted, "Well, I'm the best corner in the game! When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that's the result you gonna get! Don't you ever talk about me!" He then looked into the camera and yelled, "Don't you open your mouth about the best, or y'know I'm gonna shut it for you real quick! L.O.B.!" When inquired by Andrews, Sherman said the former remark was directed at Crabtree; Andrews later stated that she knew Sherman was referring to Crabtree and asked the question to allow him to tell this to a largely oblivious TV audience.
Interview | Wikipedia | Grantland
#45: DeMarcus Cousins
DeMarcus Amir Cousins (born August 13, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at the University of Kentucky, where he was an All-American in 2010. He left Kentucky after one season, and was selected in the first round of the 2010 NBA draft with the fifth overall pick by Sacramento. In his first season with the Kings, Cousins was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He won a gold medal as a member of the United States national team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2014, and was honored as an NBA All-Star in 2015.
"Then the FIBA World Cup happened. And like so many NBA stars before him, the international basketball stage changed Cousins. And, more importantly, it changed how people think of him."
-- Grantland
Highlights | Wikipedia | Grantland
#44: Force Majeure
Force Majeure is a 2014 Swedish drama film directed by Ruben Östlund. It won the Best Film award at the 50th Guldbagge Awards.
"An intriguing relationship drama, one that is at times darkly funny, at others thought-provoking, but consistently piano-wire tense as it delivers an avalanche of emotion."
-- Mike Scott, NOLA.com
Trailer | Wikipedia | NOLA.com
#43: Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer.
Witherspoon shot a small role in Inherent Vice (2014), an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's novel, in Pasadena, California in summer 2013. Through her company Pacific Standard, Witherspoon served as a producer on the film adaptation of Gillian Flynn's novel Gone Girl, though she did not appear in the film. Indeed, Witherspoon and her producing partner "had little to do with the production of Gone Girl", leaving it to director David Fincher while focusing their efforts on another adaptation produced via Pacific Standard, that of Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild, which began production in fall 2013 on the same day as Gone Girl. Witherspoon starred in the project, portraying Strayed herself on her 1,000-mile (1,600 km) hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. Wild was released in December 2014 to critical acclaim; Michael Phillips of Chicago Tribune wrote in his review, "Witherspoon does the least acting of her career, and it works. Calmly yet restlessly, she brings to life Strayed's longings, her states of grief and desire and her wary optimism." Wild was promoted as Witherspoon's primary "comeback" vehicle following her previous career slump, and she earned her second Academy Award nomination for the role.
Wild Trailer | Wikipedia | Chicago Tribune
#42: Mad Men "The Runaways"
"The Runaways" is the fifth episode of the seventh season of the American television drama series Mad Men and the 83rd episode of the series overall.
Promo | Wikipedia | Hollywood Reporter
#41: Selma
Selma is a 2014 American historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb and DuVernay. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, and Martin Luther King, Jr. of SCLC and John Lewis of SNCC. The film stars British actors David Oyelowo as King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon Johnson, Tim Roth as George Wallace, Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, and American rapper and actor Common as Bevel.
"A magnificent film, vital and alive, with the most profound sense of immediacy I think I've ever felt in a historical story."
-- Mary Ann Johanson, Flick Filosopher
Trailer | Wikipedia | Flick Filosopher
#40: Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol Sáez (born January 29, 1985) is a Spanish professional basketball player who currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted 48th overall in the 2007 NBA draft and went on to sign with the Grizzlies where he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2013. He is a two-time NBA All-Star. The 7'1" center is the younger brother of fellow NBA player Pau Gasol.
Highlights | Wikipedia
#39: X-Men: Days Of Future Past
X-Men: Days of Future Past is a 2014 superhero film based on the fictional X-Men characters that appear in Marvel Comics. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the seventh installment of the X-Men film series and acts as a sequel to both 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand and 2011's X-Men: First Class. The story, inspired by the 1981 Uncanny X-Men storyline "Days of Future Past" produced by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, focuses on two time periods and Wolverine going to 1973 to save the future of mankind. The film stars an ensemble cast, including Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Ian McKellen, and Patrick Stewart. Simon Kinberg wrote the screenplay from a story conceived by him, Matthew Vaughn, and Jane Goldman.
"The surprise isn't spectacular set pieces, first-rate CGI or quality performances from an all-star cast. It's the brains behind the brawn: Days of Future Past is a tirelessly creative chunk of blockbuster bravado."
-- Luke Buckmaster, Crikey
Trailer | Wikipedia | Crikey
#38: You're The Worst
You're the Worst is an American single-camera comedy series created by Stephen Falk for the FX Network. It is centered on Jimmy, a self-involved writer and Gretchen, a self-destructive Los Angeles PR executive. These two toxic personalities attempt a relationship. The series premiered on July 17, 2014.
"If you want to do more than merely tolerate a comedy -- in other words, if you want to fall in love with one -- try binging on FX's "You're the Worst," which debuted in July. The comedy's season finale is Sept. 18, and if it doesn't get a second season, there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth, not just from me, but from a whole range of critics who've developed a crush on the show over the last couple of months."
-- Maureen Ryan, Huffington Post
Trailer | Wikipedia | Huffington Post
#37: The Americans "Echo"
"Echo" is the thirteenth episode and the season finale of the second season of the American television drama series The Americans, and the 26th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on FX in the United States on May 21, 2014.
"But when you have a great season of television that also ends great? Well, that's pretty damn special, too."
-- Alan Sepinwall, Hitfix
Promo | Wikipedia | Hitfix
#36: Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler is a 2014 American neo-noir crime thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy in his directorial debut. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a thief who starts shooting footage of accidents and crimes in Los Angeles and selling it to news channels. It features Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton.
"A chilling, addictive piece of pulp fiction driven full throttle by Gyllenhaal's revelatory performance."
-- Patrick Cooper, Orlando Weekly
Trailer | Wikipedia | Orlando Weekly
#35: Transparent
Transparent is an American comedy-drama television series produced by Picrow for Amazon Studios that debuted on February 6, 2014. The series was created and directed by Jill Soloway. The story revolves around a Los Angeles family and their lives following the discovery that their father Mort (Jeffrey Tambor) is transgender. It was picked for a full season by Amazon Studios on March 12, 2014 which premiered in full on September 26, 2014. On October 9, 2014, Transparent was renewed for a second season, which will be released in 2015.
"Having instant access to the entire first season is a blessing for viewers prone to bingeing because the more you learn about Transparent’s Pfefferman clan, the more you want to know."
-- Lori Racki, Chicago Sun-Times
Trailer | Wikipedia | Chicago Sun-Times
#34: Godzilla
Godzilla is a 2014 American science fiction monster film directed by Gareth Edwards. It is a reboot of the Godzilla film franchise and retells the origins of Godzilla in contemporary times as a "terrifying force of nature". The film is set in the present day, fifteen years after the unearthing of two chrysalises in a mine in the Philippines. From the pods come two giant radiation-eating creatures, known as "MUTOs", which cause great damage in Japan, Hawaii and the western United States. Their awakening also stirs a much larger and more destructive, ancient alpha predator known as "Godzilla", whose existence has been kept secret by the U.S. government since 1954. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, and Bryan Cranston. The screenplay is credited to Max Borenstein but includes contributions from David Callaham, David S. Goyer, Drew Pearce, and Frank Darabont.
"Gareth Edwards' take on the classic monster franchise has much of what a great blockbuster should, and I wonder if it won't be a Jurassic Park for millennial teenagers."
-- Timothy Wainwright, Christianity Today
Trailer | Wikipedia | Christianity Today
#33: Broad City
Broad City is a comedy television series that debuted on Comedy Central in 2014, about two women in their twenties living in New York City. The series was created by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, who also star as the series leads, and was developed from their web series of the same name that was produced from 2009 to 2011. Amy Poehler is one of Broad City's executive producers, and had previously appeared in the webseries finale. The series premiered on January 22, 2014.
"They know how to nail situations/characters, while snappy edits cull fluff, leaving only comic gold."
-- Diane Werts, Newsday
Teaser | Wikipedia | Newsday
#32: Flappy Bird
Flappy Bird is a 2013 mobile game, developed by Vietnam-based developer Nguyễn Hà Đông (Dong Nguyen) and published by .GEARS Studios, a small, independent game developer also based in Vietnam. The game is a side-scroller where the player controls a bird, attempting to fly between rows of green pipes without coming into contact with them. The developer created the game over several days, using a bird protagonist which he had designed for a cancelled game in 2012.
The game was released on May 24, 2013 but received a sudden rise in popularity in early 2014. It was criticized for its level of difficulty and alleged plagiarism in graphics and game mechanics, while other reviewers found it addictive. At the end of January 2014, it was the most downloaded free game in the iOS App Store. During this period, its developer claimed that Flappy Bird was earning $50,000 a day from in-app advertisements as well as sales.
"Can you hear that folks? Is it the beating wings of eternity? The steady rhythm of all existence? No. It's a one-eyed pixel fish with wings flapping its way through an endless slalom of Super Mario pipes."
-- Vince Ingenito, IGN
Wikipedia | IGN
#31: Blue Ruin
Blue Ruin is a 2013 American thriller film directed by Jeremy Saulnier. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Directors' Fortnight section on May 17, 2013, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize. Saulnier funded production on the film through a successful Kickstarter campaign, which MTV.com called "the perfect example of what crowdfunding can accomplish."
"Exponentially inspirational; Blue Ruin is a film that feels like intimate atomic fallout out from an event that radiates through the lives of two families. Filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier is irrevocably one to watch."
-- Blake Howard, 2UE That Movie Show
Trailer | Wikipedia | 2UE That Movie Show
#30: Nathan For You "Dumb Starbucks"
"Dumb Starbucks" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American television docu-reality comedy series Nathan for You, and the thirteenth overall episode of the series. Written by series co-creators Nathan Fielder and Michael Koman, as well as Dan Mintz, it aired on Comedy Central in the United States on July 29, 2014. In the series, Fielder plays an off-kilter version of himself, who tries to use his business background and life experiences to help struggling companies and people, offering them strategies that no traditional business consultant would dare to attempt.
In the episode, Fielder attempts to help a struggling coffee shop by renaming itself "Dumb Starbucks", a parody of the American coffee company and coffeehouse chain. While producing the episode, the actual "Dumb Starbucks" location provoked real international media coverage. This marks the second time Nathan for You has been taken seriously by mainstream media outlets. The location attracted dozens of visitors before it was allegedly shut down by the Los Angeles Health Department, an event incorporated into the episode, although the LACDHS has no records of Dumb Starbucks.[1] Spectators and media commentators questioned the stunt's authenticity, viewing it variously as performance art, a statement on consumerism, a viral marketing achievement or the work of street artist Banksy.
"'Dumb Starbucks' may not be the most logistically elaborate setup that Nathan For You has come up with, but it is the most conceptually elaborate. Over the course of the episode, Nathan borrows the auspices of one institution after another—law, art, commerce, mass media—to provide cover for a scheme that is just as dumb as it says on the label. There is no brilliant meaning at the heart of 'Dumb Starbucks' except for the meaning that bystanders bring to it. And that, paradoxically, is the brilliant meaning at the heart of “Dumb Starbucks.”"
-- John Teti, A.V. Club
Promo | Wikipedia | A.V. Club
#29: Orange Is The New Black "A Whole Other Hole"
"A Whole Other Hole" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American television show Orange Is The New Black.
Boo and Nicky engage in a contest to see who can sleep with the most women in jail. Vee offers to help Poussey sell her hooch to other inmates. Poussey declines. Red starts to grow plants in an old greenhouse as a cover to move contraband into the prison herself. Larry and Polly begin to bond more as Polly's husband is away on business. Lorna finds out that her love, Christopher, is marrying another woman. While driving Rosa to cancer treatments, Lorna breaks into Christopher's home, dons a wedding veil found there, and takes a relaxing bath, nearly getting caught when he comes home. Flashbacks show Lorna's past as a scam artist and reveal that Christopher was never her fiancé, but a man she stalked after a single date, leaving threatening messages and trying to put a bomb in the car of his actual girlfriend.
"Maybe I’m just a sucker for Lorna: throughout the first season, her accent and impending marriage to Christaphaaa made her a magnetic ancillary character (not to mention her relationship with Nicky). 'A Whole Other Hole', however, finds a whole new story for Lorna, as a jealous woman, obsessed with a dream man she thinks will be her Hollywood love story."
-- Randy Dankievitch, TV Over Mind
Wikipedia | TV Over Mind
#28: Nick Young And Iggy Azalea
Nicholas Aaron "Nick" Young (born June 1, 1985) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In November 2013, there were rumors that he was romantically involved with Australian rapper Iggy Azalea after they had contact on Twitter and the two were spotted out on a date in Los Angeles. It was later confirmed by Iggy Azalea herself that the two had been dating for around 8 months in a radio interview with Hot 97 in April 2014.
"But Iggy and Swaggy don’t play by the rules. They are more in love than ever! They were recently photographed in Los Angeles enjoying 'what appeared to be a touchy-feely, frolicsome afternoon.' They were goofing around at a moving supplies store. Just days later Young announced that they had purchased a house together. He told Dujour, 'We fight over the TV remote because she watches TLC and the Weather Channel all night.' He also makes Iggy sound like an exceedingly normal person: 'She wakes up early every morning to take care of her dogs, and she cooks for me.' I wonder what Iggy’s specialty is. She seems like a short-order wizard — scrambled eggs, grilled cheese, etc."
-- Juliet Litman, Grantland
TMZ | Questions From A Hat| Grantland
#27: Hannibal "Mizumono"
"Mizumono" is the thirteenth and finale episode of the second season of the American television show Hannibal.
Jack devises a plan to apprehend Hannibal, while Hannibal prepares for his departure. Will makes his decision, and it results in devastating consequences.
"Hannibal ended its fantastic second season with a thrilling, exciting and audacious series of events. There were an astounding number of 'What?!' moments that occurred in 'Mizumono', most of which would have been enough on their own, and stacked up like this, were unbelievably intense."
-- Eric Goldman, IGN
Promo | Wikipedia | IGN
#26: Louie "Into The Woods"
"Into The Woods" is the eleventh and twelfth episodes of the fourth season of the American television show Louie.
Louie catches [his daughter] Lilly smoking marijuana. In flashbacks, a thirteen-year-old Louie and his friends discover marijuana.
"To write the bad things that happen to us out of our life stories—to try to forget about pain and heartbreak and loss—is to pretend that we are only half ourselves, and to hope that our children have perfect lives and never make mistakes, as all parents inevitably will, is to hope that our children never become human."
-- Todd VanDerWerff, A.V. Club
Wikipedia | A.V. Club
#25: The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a 2014 comedy film written and directed by Wes Anderson and inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig. It stars Ralph Fiennes as a concierge who teams up with one of his employees (Tony Revolori) to prove his innocence after he is framed for murder.
"Ralph Fiennes holds civilization together with little more than his impeccable manners and mustache in Wes Anderson's absurdist dollhouse of a tragicomedy."
-- Chris Barsanti, Pop Matters
Trailer | Wikipedia | Pop Matters
#24: 2048
2048 is a single-player puzzle game created in March 2014 by 19-year-old Italian web developer Gabriele Cirulli, in which the objective is to slide numbered tiles on a grid to combine them and create a tile with the number 2048. It can be regarded as a type of sliding block puzzle, and is very similar to the Threes! app released a month earlier.
"2048 isn’t particularly challenging, and doesn’t require zen-like levels of skill and concentration to defeat it. It is one of those games like Nokia’s “Snake” from the late 90s, Game Boy Tetris, and Lumines, that I can see myself dipping into regularly, a simple, casual handheld experience that doesn’t ask too much of me, and can easily while away half an hour waiting for a bus."
-- Sean Smith, God Is A Geek
Buzzfeed | Wikipedia | God Is A Geek
#23: Edge Of Tomorrow
Edge of Tomorrow (also marketed with the tagline Live Die Repeat) is a 2014 American military science fiction thriller film starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. Doug Liman directed the film based on a screenplay adapted from the 2004 Japanese light novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. The film takes place in a future where Earth is invaded by an alien race. Major William Cage (Cruise), a public relations officer inexperienced in combat, is forced by his superiors to join a landing operation against the aliens. Though Cage is killed in combat, he finds himself in a time loop that sends him back to the day preceding the battle every time he dies. Cage teams up with Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt) to improve his fighting skills through the repeated days, seeking a way to defeat the extraterrestrial invaders.
"I've always said it: if only there could be an epic sci-fi version of Groundhog Day. OK, I never said that, but I'm glad there is one: it's called 'Edge of Tomorrow.'"
-- David Blaustein, ABC News Radio
Trailer | Wikipedia | ABC News Radio
#22: Shameless "Iron City"
"Iron City" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the American television show Shamless.
An accident lands Fiona in county jail. Frank gets some sobering news.
"'Iron City,' for possibly the first time in Shameless history, deals with the immediate aftermath of the previous episode, often to devastating effect. By no accident, it’s also likely the best hour of television the show has ever produced, and when Emmy campaign season comes circling back, its voting body shouldn’t be surprised if they end up watching it more than once. It’s submission-worthy for damn near the show’s entire cast. "
-- Joshua Alston, A.V. Club
Promo | Wikipedia | A.V. Club
#21: New Girl "Background Check"
"Background Check" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the American television show New Girl.
As a part of his police academy processing, Winston must undergo a background check, as well as having the apartment searched by his superior Dorado (Cleo King). However, Jess reveals to the guys that she has an illegal drug in her possession.
"The key to pulling off this type of TV is a bit like sleight of hand, creating the necessary misdirections to keep the audience’s mind on the action and not on the fact that the front door is suddenly inoperable. With Winston’s chance of being a cop at stake, everything matters just a little bit more—even the fake kiss between Schmidt and Cece."
-- Erik Adams, A.V. Club
Promo | Wikipedia | A.V. Club
#20: Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988) is an American professional basketball player with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) and weighing 240 pounds (109 kg), he has played the small forward and power forward positions for the Thunder, formerly the Seattle SuperSonics.
In January of the 2013–14 season, while teammate Russell Westbrook was still sidelined, Durant averaged 35.9 points per game while scoring 30 or more points in 12 straight games, including a career-high 54 points against the Golden State Warriors. Durant finished the season with final averages of 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He was the NBA scoring leader for the fourth time in his career and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 59-23 record and the second seed in the western conference. For his efforts, Durant was named the league's Most Valuable Player for the first time in his career. In the first round of the playoffs, the Thunder fell behind 3–2 to the Grizzlies following a series of inconsistent performances from Durant, prompting The Oklahoman to dub him "Mr. Unreliable". He responded by scoring 36 points in a Game 6 victory. Oklahoma City eventually eliminated Memphis and the Los Angeles Clippers before losing to the eventual champion Spurs in the conference finals in six games.
"I’m pretty sure that’s what’s happening right now. He’s been amazing the last few years, but now he’s hitting that next level we’ve been wondering about. Russell Westbrook’s hurt, Durant’s better than ever, and the combination of those two things means we get to watch him go scorched earth pretty much every night."
-- Andrew Sharp, Grantland
MVP Speech | Wikipedia | Grantland
#19: Steve Kerr's Golden State Warriors
On May 14, 2014, Kerr reached an agreement to become the head coach for the Golden State Warriors. Kerr coached in the 2014 Summer League for the Warriors. On December 10, 2014 Kerr became the first NBA rookie head coach to win 21 of his first 23 games. Kerr was named the head coach of the Western Conference team for the 2015 NBA All-Star Game after Golden State had the best record in the conference.
"Golden State is the best team in basketball right now. The Warriors have the top-ranked defense in the league, and it’s not close. They have a top-10 offense, an MVP candidate in Steph Curry, a budding superstar in Klay Thompson, and arguably the deepest rotation in one of the deepest conferences ever. They move the ball better than anyone in the league, and move just as well off the ball on defense. It all looks effortless."
-- Andrew Sharp, Grantland
BBall Breakdown | Wikipedia | Grantland
#18: Birdman
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a 2014 American black comedy-drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. It stars Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone, and Naomi Watts. Keaton plays a faded Hollywood actor famous for his superhero role struggling to mount a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver story.
"Filmed like a play but choreographed like a dance, Birdman is cinematic ballet."
-- Tom Glasson, Concrete Playground
Trailer | Wikipedia | Concrete Playground
#17: Game Of Thrones "The Mountain And The Viper"
"The Mountain and the Viper" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 38th overall. The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Alex Graves. It aired on June 1, 2014.
"First, while the undercard had some duds, it also offered plenty of terrific entertainment in its own right, particularly whenever one of the Stark sisters was involved. And second? The fight was really worth the wait."
-- Alan Sepinwall, Hitfix
Promo | Wikipedia | Hitfix
#16: The Leftovers
The Leftovers is an American television drama series created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta airing on HBO. It is based on Perrotta's novel of the same name. The pilot was written by Lindelof and Perrotta, and directed by Peter Berg. The series stars Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Ann Dowd and Carrie Coon. It premiered on HBO on June 29, 2014.
The Leftovers takes place three years after a global event in which many people disappeared, known as the "Sudden Departure", which caused the unexplainable disappearance of 140 million people, 2% of the world's population. The story focuses primarily on the Garvey family and their acquaintances in the fictional town of Mapleton, New York. Kevin Garvey is the Chief of Police. His wife, Laurie, has joined a cult called the "Guilty Remnant". Their son, Tommy, has left home for college while their daughter, Jill, is acting out.
"Yes, The Leftovers is baffling... There is a beauty about it too, though. Plus promise - that if you put the effort in you will be rewarded, with a drama that is more about people after a catastrophic event, than the event."
-- Sam Wollaston, Guardian
Trailer | Trailer | Guardian
#15: Boyhood
Boyhood is a 2014 American coming-of-age drama film, written and directed by Richard Linklater, and starring Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater, and Ethan Hawke. The film was shot intermittently over the course of a 12-year period, from 2002 to 2014, and depicts the adolescence of a young boy in Texas growing up with divorced parents.
"This is not only a great film, but an important landmark in how great films can be made."
-- David Keyes, Cinemaphile
Trailer | Trailer | Cinemaphile
#14: Shmoney Dance
"Hot Nigga" (sometimes stylized as "Hot N*gga", edited for radio as "Hot Boy") is the debut single by American hip hop recording artist Bobby Shmurda. "Hot Nigga" was released for digital download on July 25, 2014 by Epic Records and GS9. The song includes production from Jahlil Beats, which was originally used by fellow American rapper Lloyd Banks for his 2012 song, "Jackpot". The music video contains a choreography that was later named the "Shmoney dance". The song and the video became popular in 2014 among Vine users, which lead to the "Shmoney dance" meme.
"The dance seems to have gathered momentum in part because of its versatility, with fans pointing out that you can do its moves to just about anything. See, for example, the mashup with D’Angelo’s 'Lady.'"
-- Dee Lockett, Slate
Bobby Shmurda - Hot Nigga | Celebrities Doing the Shmoney Dance | Wikipedia | Slate
#13: Interstellar
Interstellar is a 2014 epic science fiction film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine. The film features a crew of astronauts who travel through a wormhole in search of a new home for humanity. Brothers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan wrote the screenplay, merging a script Jonathan developed in 2007 with Christopher's ideas. Christopher Nolan produced the film with his wife, Emma Thomas, and Lynda Obst. Theoretical physicist Kip Thorne, whose work inspired the film, acted as scientific consultant and executive producer.
"Interstellar is a grand gesture in every way. And yet, it's Nolan's most humane film to date."
-- Dominick Mayer, Consequence Of Sound
Trailer | Wikipedia | Consequence Of Sound
#12: Review
Review is an American mockumentary comedy series starring Andy Daly as professional critic Forrest MacNeil, who provides reviews of real-life experiences. The series was created by Daly, and is an adaptation of the Australian television series Review with Myles Barlow. It premiered March 6, 2014, on U.S. cable television network Comedy Central.
"If Review had only introduced the phrase, “Being a racist: half a star” to the pop-culture lexicon, that would’ve been enough to lock down its place as one of 2014’s best."
-- A.V. Club
Eating 15 Pancakes | Wikipedia
#11: Adam Silver
Adam Silver (born April 25, 1962) is an American lawyer and the commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He has held this post since February 1, 2014.
On April 29, 2014, Silver banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling from the NBA for life in response to racist comments made by Sterling, during a private conversation with Sterling's girlfriend. Additionally, he fined Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum allowed under the NBA Constitution, and urged owners to vote to expel Sterling from ownership of the Clippers.
"This wasn’t a gray-area case. It wasn’t an ethical quandary, but Silver answered the call on Tuesday more swiftly and strongly than most anticipated, especially since the league has passed on other chances to address Sterling’s known racism. He became the hard-liner, banning Sterling for life and announcing that he will invoke a clause in the NBA’s constitution that allows the league and its owners to force the sale of a team."
-- Zach Lowe, Grantland
Press Conference | Wikipedia | Grantland
#10: Whiplash
Whiplash is a 2014 American drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle based on his experiences in the Princeton High School Studio Band. The film stars Miles Teller as a student jazz drummer who seeks the respect of a fearsome teacher played by J. K. Simmons. It also stars Paul Reiser and Melissa Benoist.
"Whiplash delivers a dark and dazzling jive into the hidden world of competitive playing. This is what happens when the kids from Fame meet the drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket."
-- Brian Henry Martin, UTV
Trailer | Wikipedia | UTV
#09: LeBron James "I'm Coming Home"
LeBron Raymone James (/ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
On June 25, 2015, James opted out of his contract with the Heat, officially becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1. On July 11, he revealed via a first-person essay in Sports Illustrated that he intended to rejoin the Cavaliers.[156] In contrast to The Decision, his announcement to return to Cleveland was well received. On July 12, he signed a two year contract with the team worth $42.1 million with an option to become a free agent again in 2015. A month after James' signing, the Cavaliers acquired Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves, forming a new star trio along with Kyrie Irving.
"When LeBron talks about 'home' he's talking about something much deeper than just Akron or his mansion in Bath Township or Northeast Ohio. He's talking about a feeling he dreamed of as a kid, a feeling he had before 2010. He knows there are kids growing up like he did who won't become iconic athletes, who will need to find home another way. And he feels a strong obligation to help them get there, even if it just means being a positive role model. In the letter he mentions he could do good in Miami, too, but that his impact in Northeast Ohio is stronger because he's a native son."
-- Tom Ziller, SB Nation
"I'm Coming Home" | Wikipedia | SB Nation
#08: True Detective
True Detective is an American crime drama television series created and written by author Nic Pizzolatto. The series is broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States, and premiered on January 12, 2014. The first season, consisting of eight episodes, starred Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Potts, and Tory Kittles. A second season is scheduled to premiere in mid-2015.
"True Detective runs slow and steady without ever seeming to drag. Even minor characters get room to breathe, and seem independently alive; the briefest scenes seem to imply life beyond the frame.... The dance [Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson] do together here is work of a very high order, and all the reason you need to watch."
-- Robert Lloyd, LA Times
Trailer | Wikipedia | LA Times
#07: Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry (born March 25, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Raptors started the 2013–14 season with a 6-12 record, until Gay, the team's leading scorer, was traded to the Sacramento Kings. Following the trade, Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan approached Lowry and the two decided to take ownership of the team, knowing they could both be traded if the team's management decided to rebuild rather than compete for a playoff spot. Lowry's name was linked to several teams, most frequently the New York Knicks, in trade rumours, but the Knicks were reportedly unwilling to send a first round pick to Toronto in exchange for Lowry. The post-Gay Raptors quickly emerged as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and many cited Lowry's strong play and leadership as a significant factor in their success. The team finished the season with a franchise-best 48-34 record, third in the Eastern Conference and first in the Atlantic Division for the second time in franchise history. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2007, but lost in the first round to the Brooklyn Nets after Lowry's potential game-winning shot was blocked by Paul Pierce in Game 7. Despite a disappointing end to the season, Lowry averaged career-best 17.9 points, 7.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds during the regular season and 21.1 points, 4.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds during the playoffs.
"That’s when the Raptors began to turn their season around, and eventually supplanted favorites like the Knicks and Nets to win the Atlantic Division. Lowry played brilliantly and established himself as one of the best point guards in the Eastern Conference. Many felt he would be named to the All-Star team. 'Hands down, there wasn’t a better point guard in the Eastern Conference than Kyle, who led [his] team to win their division and third in the East, and it was on Kyle’s shoulders,' Casey said. 'There’s no excuse for him not being on [the All-Star team].'"
-- Jonathan Abrams, Grantland
Highlights | Wikipedia | Grantland
#06: Guardians Of The Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2014 American science fiction superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the tenth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film was directed by James Gunn, who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman, and features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio del Toro. In Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are fleeing after stealing a powerful artifact.
"What more could a kid -- or a grown-up who's seen too many overly serious superhero movies -- ask for?"
-- Samantha Miller, People Magazine
Trailer | Wikipedia | People Magazine
#05: Under The Skin
Under the Skin is a 2013 science fiction thriller art film directed by Jonathan Glazer, and written by Glazer and Walter Campbell as a loose adaptation of Michel Faber's 2000 novel of the same name. The film stars Scarlett Johansson as an alien seductress who preys on men in Scotland. Under the Skin was released in the UK on 14 March 2014 and the US on 4 April, and received largely positive reviews; it was named one of the best films of 2014 by over 100 publications.
"With a soundtrack of grinding frequencies and uneasy point-of-view camera shots, the everyday becomes otherworldly."
-- Craig Mathieson, The Age
Trailer | Wikipedia | The Age
#04: San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Spurs would go on to win the 2014 NBA Championship, 4 games to 1. The Spurs blew out Miami in all of their wins, each of them by 15 or more points. Kawhi Leonard was named NBA Finals MVP for his big game performance and is the third youngest to win it, behind Magic Johnson and teammate Duncan.
"And, finally, this particular team feels like the culmination of the Pop-Duncan era, 17 years in the making. They’ve seen Jordan retire twice, seen the 3-point line and hand-check rules changed, seen the Malice at the Palace, Iverson, and two lockouts, and bridged the gap from Kobe to LeBron. And now, implausibly, with their greatest team ever, they won their fifth NBA title. And I really think they could do it again next year."
-- netw3rk, Grantland
Mini Movie | Wikipedia | Grantland
#03: Fargo
Fargo is an American dark comedy–crime drama television series created and written by Noah Hawley. The show is inspired by the 1996 film of the same name written and directed by the Coen brothers, who serve as executive producers on the series. It premiered on April 15, 2014, on FX. Future seasons will follow an anthology format with each season being set in a different era along with a different story, cast and set of characters.
"A perfectly mixed cocktail equally parts menacing and suspenseful, washed down with surprising notes of hilarious satire and pulpy violence, FX’s version of Fargo is most certainly not a pale imitation of the gruesome dark comedy."
-- Kevin Fallon, The Daily Beast
Trailer | Wikipedia | The Daily Beast
#02: Gone Girl
Gone Girl is a 2014 American psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher and adapted by Gillian Flynn from her 2012 novel of the same name. It stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, and Carrie Coon.
Set in the Midwestern United States, the story begins as a mystery about a man whose wife has gone missing and the events after.
"It's a pitch-black satire of modern marriage and one of the most unsettling films of the year."
-- Genevieve Valentine, Philadelphia Weekly
Trailer | Wikipedia | Philadelphia Weekly
#01: Serial
Serial is a podcast exploring a nonfiction story over multiple episodes. First released in October 2014, it is a spinoff of the radio program This American Life.
Season 1 is an investigation into the 1999 Murder of Hae Min Lee (Hangul: 이해민), an 18-year-old student at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore, Maryland. She was last seen about 3 p.m. on January 13, 1999. Her corpse was discovered on February 9 in Leakin Park and identified two days later. The case was immediately treated as a homicide. Lee's ex-boyfriend, Adnan Masud Syed was arrested on February 28 at 6 a.m. and charged with first-degree murder, which led to "some closure and some peace" for Lee's family. A memorial service for Lee was held on March 11 at Woodlawn High School. Syed's first trial ended in a mistrial, but after a six-week second trial, Syed was found guilty of Lee's murder on February 25, 2000 and given a life sentence, despite pleading his innocence. Syed did not speak in front of the jury.
"Are you listening to Serial yet? You have to start listening to Serial. Please. It’s a podcast from the makers of This American Life, it’s been going since October, there are seven episodes to catch up on (start from the beginning, listen in order) and… I’m obsessed. I need you all to start listening so that we can form some kind of Serial support group."
-- Miranda Sawyer, The Guardian
Episode 1 | Wikipedia | The Guardian
Pages: #50 - #41 | #40 - 31 | #30 - #21 | #20 - #11 | #10 - #01
Comments