Two lists down, two to go. So, last year in film: it was OK. It started on a sour note with Monuments Men and ended on a bizarre one with The Interview, but there was plenty to smile about. I liked that more movies opted into online distribution, as it still seems like there are a bunch of great indie movies that never make it into theaters anywhere around me. So yeah, let me remind you that this is not a list of the best movies of the year, but simply my favorites of the ones I saw. And I didn’t see a whole lot! I wish there was a guide somewhere that told you what movies are going to be on most critics’ end of the year lists, it sure would make SIFF easier. As it stands, there’s still plenty of 2014 to be mopped up for me, but my immediate focus will be on movies from John and Colin’s lists that I haven’t seen such as The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Calvary, Still Alice, Listen Up Philip, and Under The Skin. And then maybe some of the Oscar bait? I don’t know.
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Last year felt like the beginning of a new era in TV. The shows I loved in college have mostly ended or gotten uninteresting, and in many ways the television landscape has changed. NBC is popular again, even though they abandoned their Thursday comedy block. Netflix shows started getting second and third seasons, proving that their model definitely works. Marvel found a way to extend its cinematic universe onto the small screen and it actually works (sometimes). What a weird, wondrous time. Let’s look at the shows that I liked best.

Despite watching probably too many TV shows, there are a few I wish I could have caught up with. One of those is New Girl, which I finally gave into watching over the holiday and am rapidly catching up with on Netflix. I also saw some of The Comeback and it seems great. I know I should watch Transparent, and I will, but I haven’t yet. And then there’s Broad City, which I’m not sure how to watch at this point, but I will find a way. Yeah, those are the main ones… I’ve seen promos for The Affair after Homeland and I just don’t think I’d be into it. I don’t think I want to watch profoundly depressing TV, it’s why I never caught up with The Leftovers either.
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This is brutal. Almost exactly a year ago, in my post about my favorite albums of 2013, I joked I would never come back and edit the list. Now I’m kind of tempted. The last year was a big one for me, I mean I graduated (again), got a real job, bought my first car, and moved to Seattle all in about a six month span. I also spent less time working on the blog, as I got comfortable being the podcast host guy and felt less compelled to work on my post count. That, coupled with the fact that I no longer had bus rides to school during which I could listen to music, meant I took music a lot less seriously this year. So when I sat down to write my list, I realized I had four albums I really loved (mostly from the first half of the year when I was still in school) and about 20 that I thought definitely deserved a spot on my list below them.

I don’t know if that means it was a great year or an OK one, I should have paid more attention, I guess. But here are some albums that very narrowly missed my list: High Life, the Brian Eno and Karl Hyde collaboration, which has some awesome 9 minute songs on it. The latest Gaslight Anthem album, Get Hurt, which is a pretty great return to form for them. Salad Days by Mac DeMarco, which I hope will make John’s list at least. Warpaint’s self-titled album, which you should listen to right now. And a few albums that I think might have made my list if I listened to them more: The Moon Rang Like a Bell by Hundred Waters, Rave Tapes by Mogwai, Blue Planet Eyes by Preatures, and Sea When Absent by A Sunny Day in Glasgow.
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