My 14 Favorite Things of 2014: #7-1

With about a day-and-a-half left of 2014, I'm back with the second half of my Favorite Things list! Before we get to the final 7, let me start with a few Honorable Mentions. One thing about this list is that there are obviously more than 14 things that I loved this year, but they can't all fit. Here are a few that were very close to making the final countdown, but are too good to not at least mention:

How To Get Away With Murder: This show is deliciously over-the-top and knows it, but that's why I love it so. Add in main attraction Viola Davis (love her!) and standout supporting player Jack Falahee, and you've got what was definitely my favorite new show of the year.

Every Day: I already posted my love for this book, but it bears repeating: Go read this inventive and heartbreaking novel as soon as you can!

American Horror Story: We all know my love for this show knows no bounds, and since about 98% of this blog is dedicated to that love, I thought I'd give it the backseat treatment in order for some of my other Favorite Things to shine.

Into the Woods: I just saw this last night, but I can't get this delightful (and at times, dark) mish-mash of fairy tales out of my head. I needed another movie musical in my life, and this one hit all the right notes for me.

Now, into the actual list...

7. The Pinkprint, Nicki Minaj

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I've been a die-hard Nicki fan since she first arrived on the scene way back in 2010, so you can imagine the near-three year wait for her third album felt like 10 for me. Luckily (and expectedly), the wait was well worth it: Nicki has created a record that is parts brazen rap freestyles, confessional ballads that show she can sing just as well as she can rap, with a dash of pop that most in the mainstream associate her with. By now we've all heard "Anaconda"--admit it, you've probably seen the video, too--so I recommend exploring more of Ms. Minaj's artistry with standouts such as "Feeling Myself" (featuring Beyonce) and "The Night is Still Young."

6. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

(via Goodreads)

This was one of those books that took me by surprise: I hadn't heard of it until the week it'd been released, and once I heard the premise--a young girl writes letters to dead celebrities/important cultural figures to help cope with her own sister's death--I went straight to the bookstore and grabbed it. Any self-respecting fan of The Perks of Being a Wallflower will love this epistolary novel that tackles death, friendship, and love in such a uniquely beautiful way.

5. Gone Girl

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There's so much to love about this film that I'm unsure of where to begin. I could go on and on about the pitch-perfect performances, from the bone-chilling Rosamund Pike to the wickedly dry humor of Carrie Coon as Nick's (Ben Affleck) sister Go. I could talk about the outstanding direction by David Fincher, the impressive and faithful script by author Gillian Flynn, and the brilliant music (the music during the buildup to the shed scene!) for even longer. In a year of pretty-damn good book-to-film adaptations, Gone Girl was the best. Definitely my favorite movie of the year.

4. All Things Ariana Grande

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No matter what you think of her--"She sounds just like Mariah Carey!"; "I can't understand what she's saying!"; "Why does she always wear that damn ponytail?"--that didn't stop you from having one of her FOUR Top 10 hits on Repeat. With a bevy of live performances (at least she's singing live), a chart-topping second album (recommended tracks: all of them), and a close encounter with a Victoria's Secret model's angel wings, Ms. Grande ruled the year. I couldn't be happier she's getting the recognition she deserves, and can't wait to see her live (again!) come February. For more on her spectacular year, click here.

3. "BALENCIAGA!!

Okay, so I had to break my "no AHS rule" for this, because this scene happened way back in January and I'm still laughing/obsessing over it. Regardless of your overall feelings of Coven, you can't deny the laugh-out-loud absurd, #iconic, last words of Myrtle Snow.

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2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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Guys. GUYS. Never did I think a book about a college-age girl who writes fan-fiction could touch my heart so. But like I said when I first reviewed it, Fangirl became an instant new favorite of mine by time I reached page 20. Cath and her dilemma of leaving the past behind to embrace the scary future that includes college and growing up was fantastically explored, and her notions on school (she'd rather write than be in class) totally won me over. In fact, I'm pretty sure I said "this is so me" multiple times while reading it. I related to this story on such a personal level, and it is connections like the ones felt here that I love books so much in the first place: Something about opening up the pages and finding yourself within the words is a magic that's indescribable, and one that doesn't happen as often as I'd like. There is no doubt I'll be reading this book many times over, and I absolutely can't wait for Carry On in October. Seriously, do yourself a favor and start your year of reading on an excellent note (like I did) with this book.

1. My Trip to Florida

My adventure to the Sunshine State this past summer had a post of its own, though that mostly connected with my trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and re-reading Prisoner of Azkaban. That life highlight aside, my trip to Florida was one to remember for many reasons. I got to see and spend quality time with family I hadn't seen in years. I was reunited with one of my best friends from high school, whom I hadn't seen for just as long. I swam in the ocean for the first time. But perhaps the biggest thing: I did it on my own. This was my first-ever trip I planned and embarked on without my immediate family. And yes, I did get help finding a decently-priced plane ticket and was fortunate enough to have an inexpensive place to stay (thanks a million, Uncle Brian and and Aunt Melissa!), I felt a sense of independence that was at times scary but mostly exhilirating. As someone who wants more than anything to leave Kansas behind post-graduation and move onto to bigger things, this trip was an important first step in asserting that functioning on my own is something I'm capable of. The fact that this trip was able to happen, and that I had such an amazing time while I was on it, was the highlight of my year and the first of many cross-country adventures I hope to have in the future.

There you have it: My Favorite Things! Feel free to share yours with me. Happy New Year, everyone!!

--Dustin
@DustinVann

My 14 Favorite Things of 2014: #14-8

It's that time of year again: My 2nd annual Favorite Things list, where I count my favorite moments in pop culture, social media, or interesting events in my own life that made this a year to remember. Let's get right into the first half of my list, starting with...

14. This Vine

http://vinesnow.com/post/64797497505/lmao-holy-sht-best-vines-on-tumblr-vinesnow-com

I can't for the life of me figure out how to embed the Vine into this post, but trust me, it's totally worth it to follow the above link!

13. Finally watching True Blood

Now I know this show has seriously gone off the rails in its last two or three seasons, but my binge-watch of Seasons 1-4 this past summer was the slick thrill ride I needed to get me through the Kansas heat. I'd read most of the book series which the show is based on before watching the series, though that series, much like the show, suffered a similar fate of over-staying its welcome. Despite the absurd twists and turns I know the show takes (I also spoiled the ending for myself, but can you blame me?), I do plan on finishing the series. Eventually. For now, though, I remain an avid fan of the show and its wild cast of characters. I don't think I've ever watched a show with two characters as fabulous as Lafayette:

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Or as deliciously blunt as Pam:

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12. Taylor Swift, 1989

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Say what you want about Taylor Swift, but there's no denying that homegirl puts out damn good albums. Her fourth release was and wasn't an exception; while it wasn't my favorite album of hers (that would go to Speak Now), T. Swifty took bold, creative risks with her first official pop album that proved to be a success. I'd suggest shaking off "Shake It Off" and cranking up the volume on current hit single "Blank Space," "Bad Blood" (which better be a single), and "How You Get the Girl."

11. The Fault in Our Stars

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It's a beautiful thing, when an amazing book is made into an equally amazing film. It's also a shame that this book-to-movie magic doesn't happen as often as it should. But this adaptation follows John Green's heartbreaking and beautiful novel to a T, with (mostly) grounded performances by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort. They illuminate the screen when they're on it together, even in the film's most heart-wrenching sequences. I went in with lukewarm expectations and emerged from the theater not misty-eyed, but with a heavy heart that nearly tugged me back into my seat for a second viewing.

10. Panic by Lauren Oliver

As I do with all the books I read, I posted a review on this one when I first read it over the summer. But like all good books, Oliver's intense Hunger Games-esque standalone hooked me as a reader of her future work. The realistic, inventive "tasks" our protagonists Heather and Dodge have to endure in order to get the $50,000 prize brought me into the story and made me feel the metaphorical stakes they faced. This is a nice and quick read I'd reserve for the summer (the novel takes place over the summer, so it's the perfect season to dive in), and make sure it's one of the first on your list. You won't regret it.

9. Alfred Hitchcock Binge

Okay, so Hitchcock isn't exactly "2014". But as we saw from last year's list, my "Favorite Things" don't exactly have to be produced within the calendar year. But technically, my newfound obsession with the Master of Suspense did come to light this year. It started with me and my sister finally sitting down to watch Psycho the last day of spring semester finals, continued into the summer with a rainy-night viewing of Rear Window and Dial M for Murder (which I watched twice in two days), culminating in Halloween showing of The Birds. I think the fact that I remember such small details surrounding the viewing of these films speaks volumes to the genius that is the Hitchcock film. His films truly are a master class in suspense, his collection the epitome of a "slow-burn", and the attention to detail in the stories left me breathless each time. I still have many more of his films to view--Vertigo and North by Northwest are next on my list--but I have a feeling I'll be viewing all of them more than once.

Hitchcock's films also feature a catalog of actors from Hollywood's revered Golden Age, and I have him to thank for introducing me to the elegant and sassy Grace Kelly, whose feet I would bow to even if she weren't technically a princess.

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Such sass. Such...grace.

8. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Unnecessarily long-winded title aside, The Hunger Games has always proven to be one of the more faithful book-to-movie adaptations, and despite the fact that there was NO NEED to split the final book into two films, I found that the filmmakers made the extra time they had with Mockingjay work. As always, J.Law gave a hauntingly good performance, perfectly balancing Katniss's resistance to being a symbol of rebellion with her worsening PTSD. Other highlights of the film included Josh Hutcherson's terrifying descent into madness as a hijacked Peeta; Julianne Moore's pitch-perfect coldness as President Coin melded well with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman's stoic portrayal of Plutarch Heavensbee. I also loved that Effie Trinket was utilized more in the movie than she was in the book, and the scene in which we saw Boggs and the other soldiers rescue Peeta was tense in a Zero Dark Thirty type of way. The film predictably ended on a cliffhanger (again, did we need two films?), and yet I'm eagerly anticipating next November's Part 2.

And speaking of unnecessary...did we really need a dance-club remix of "The Hanging Tree?" Seriously, I hear it all the time at work, and it's weird.

And speaking of unnecessary cliffhangers...here concludes Part 1 of my list! Part 2 should be up this time next week or sooner, so come back for more 2014 good stuff and find out what made my Number 1 spot this year. Until then, happy holidays!

--Dustin
@DustinVann

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW Review -- "Orphans" (SPOILERS)

WARNING: This post contains spoilers of this week's FREAK SHOW AND AHS: ASYLUM!!

If there's anything AHS has excelled at this year, it's crafting absolutely devastating back-stories for its characters.

First we got Ethel and her road-side show birth of Jimmy. Then there was Twisty's futile quest for love and acceptance in society. Then we got the chain-sawing of Elsa's legs by snuff filmmakers. And this week, we got to Pepper.

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Oh, Pepper. The beloved pinhead who made AHS history by being the first character featured in more than one season of the show had an hour (mostly) devoted to her introduction into the freak show and her inevitable, wrongful placement at Briarcliff (the asylum in AHS: Asylum).

The hour began with the unexpected death of Salty, another pinhead in the freak show that we later learned was also Pepper's soulmate. As Pepper grieved, Elsa revealed (and we saw via flashbacks) how she first came across Pepper in an orphanage. This was around the same time Elsa was gathering recruits for her own freak show, and she proudly claimed Pepper as her first "monster."

The sequence of Elsa "adopting" Pepper and fulfilling her favorite monster's wishes--when she wanted a baby, she found Ma Petite; when she wanted a husband, she found her Salty--was incredibly touching, and really redeemed Elsa as a character for me. Despite all the horrible things she's done this season, I truly felt the love she had for Pepper. And Jessica Lange and Naomi Grossman (the marvelous actress who plays Pepper) have a great mother-daughter chemistry that radiates off the screen.

And then, just as I'd felt Elsa had redeemed herself, she goes off and does another horrible thing.

With her supposed departure to Hollywood on the horizon, Elsa needs to put her affairs in Jupiter in order. And by affairs, I mean dumping Pepper--her favorite monster, a woman who is GRIEVING the loss of her "baby" and "husband" and lives in a world where she's always abandoned--off into the care of her sister. Her sister, who also happens to be the same woman who abandoned her in the orphanage all those years ago.

...What?!?!

Seriously, what was Elsa thinking? Knowing Pepper's issues with abandonment, why wouldn't she just allow Pepper to stay with the other freaks, who are more her family than the sister who cast her aside because she was different? Elsa's idea of what family means is truly warped, but then again, she's warped when it comes to a lot of things. Right, Edward?

So Elsa leaves Pepper in the care of her sister, a heartbreaking scene that capitalizes on the excellence that is Queen Jessica Lange and shows the depth of emotion Naomi Grossman can tap into as an actress.

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"Here, my darling, is a kiss from me to you. And if you get lonely, you hold onto your cheek, and I'll be there."

So. Many. Feels.

Then, those of us who have watched Asylum know what happens to Pepper from there. Her sister, played with delusional malice by Mare Winningham, finally has the child she always wanted--but never wanted to take care of. Pepper cares for the baby, lovingly so, but even this isn't enough for her small-minded sister and her even smaller-minded husband: Both sick of Pepper and their baby, they hatch a plan to "kill two birds with one stone," a plan that involves murdering their own child and framing poor Pepper for the crime. Pepper once again loses someone she loves, and is thrown into Briarcliff, where she meets...Sister Mary Eunice!

Sister Mary Eunice is by far one of my most favorite characters in the AHS universe, so I've been waiting for her return ever since it was announced. And as brief as her reappearance was, she (and the amazingly awesome actress who plays her, Lily Rabe) did not disappoint. I loved that we got to see the sweet, kind Sister Mary Eunice.

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You know, before she was possessed by the devil and all that.

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Okay, then, whatever you say...

Seeing pre-possession Sister Mary Eunice was a great treat for all us die-hard AHS fans, and having Pepper's story come full circle was heartbreakingly satisfying. I was a bit wary of the idea of every season having some sort of connection with the others, but if the writers can pull it off as beautifully as they did here, then I'm up for more connections to be made in subsequent seasons.

We also got this surprising tidbit in the last image of the episode:

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So Elsa did make it to Hollywood? But how, if Stanley is the fake he says he is? I'm intrigued, and it's the perfect tease to keep us wondering until the show returns for its last three episodes starting January 7.

Other thoughts on this week's episode:

*Desiree Dupree continues to be the goddess of fierce. Her face-off with Esmerelda at the carousal was fantastic.

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Angela Bassett plays Desiree with such flair. I love it, and am so glad we've gotten to see more of her as FREAK SHOW has progressed.

*Jimmy apparently sold his lobster hand to Stanley in order to pay for "a good lawyer." Do we think he actually went through with it? I mean, we see the hands on display at the creepy freak museum, but could there be a chance that there's another Lobster Boy out there that we don't know about?

*Anyone else think it was funny/messed up that Elsa was able to buy off Ma Petite from that prince by giving him cases of Dr. Pepper? It made me think of the whole Benadryl gag from Coven last year. You know the one.

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*No Dandy this week, which oddly, I was fine with. I'm still impatiently waiting for him to do something other than shouting "I am the law!" over and over again.

*Can we bask in the beauty that is Elsa Mars circa 1930s-1940s?

Love her hair. Hate her.

*Was anyone else just waiting for Sister Jude to pop up during the Briarcliff sequence? I probably would've cried tears of joy if I'd seen Jessica Lange back in that habit.

*I'm obviously a bit obsessed with Asylum, if you couldn't tell.

That about sums it up for this week. We're nearing the end of the FREAK SHOW, everyone. Any theories on how it'll end? We got a little taste of what to expect in the new year, most notably Neil Patrick Harris' introduction as the new owner of the freak show. The preview made his character seem pretty dark and disturbing, so I hope he lives up to the hype! Any thoughts on what NPH will bring to Elsa's Cabinet of Curiosities?

Thanks for reading, and come back in 2015 for new AHS-related posts!

--Dustin
@DustinVann

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW Review -- "Blood Bath" (SPOILERS)

Ryan Murphy and Co. weren't playing--this episode of AHS was a "blood bath" in every sense of the phrase.

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AHS, why you so literal?!?

Let's get right to the eye-popping moment that started it all:

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Too soon?

Ethel Darling. Ethel Freakin' Darling met her end, and at the hands of BFF Elsa, no less! In a clash of acting titans that involved heavily accented monologues, a gunshot to the prosthetic leg, and, as seen above, a well-aimed knife to the eyeball, both Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates gave it their Oscar-winners all before the first commercial break. Their confrontation was epic, badass, and heartbreaking to watch; knife-throwing and gun-slinging aside, we were witnessing the end of a friendship that seemed ultimately one-sided. All her life Elsa has starved for the spotlight, and her methodical, careless dispatching of Ethel (which continues in a bizarre yet slightly humorous sequence where Elsa and Stanley stage Ethel's death as a suicide) in order to keep her dark secrets quiet and pursue her dreams of stardom shows that she is the biggest freak living under the candy-striped tent.

And poor Kathy Bates. Can't a girl keep her head?

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Like most other fans watching, I was not expecting Ethel's demise to come so soon, and especially not by murder. We learned in "Edward Mordrake Part 1" that Ethel was terminally ill, which lead me to believe she'd get a weep-fest sendoff near the end of the season. But her earlier-than-expected death really ups the ante, brings the conflict of Elsa's "fight" against the freaks to a higher simmer that's bound to boil over once the truth comes out. Because the truth has to come out, right? How long are Jimmy and the other freaks going to believe that Ethel tied a chain bound to a tree around her neck, went down on the gas, and drove until she decapitated herself?

As for my feelings toward Elsa...well, all I've got to say is:

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And now, turning the corner to the other big, unexpected death of the night...

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This one really made my jaw drop. How could Ryan Murphy kill off two acting queens in one night?!? But alas, he did the unthinkable, killing off wannabe-dame Gloria Mott, played to the dismal end with fabulous quirk by Dame Frances Conroy. Her killer? None other than the "love of her life," her son Dandy.

I've mentioned before how I find the relationship between Gloria and Dandy to be so disturbingly fascinating. The woman clearly knows her son is a psychopath, has witnessed him kill and helped him bury a body or two, and yet continues to live on as if nothing is wrong. Spoiled in the very worst sense of the word. This week, we learned what may be the cause of Dandy's homicidal tendencies and Gloria's blind eye when it comes to the subject--that is, if you believe Dandy's version of the truth. Turns out, Gloria was so desperate to maintain her lavish lifestyle that she married a wealthy second cousin, a case of inbreeding that Dandy is certain has made him the way he is. Gloria insists that she loves Dandy, "even the madness," and she would die if anything happened to him, to which Dandy replied with a simple "OK" before ending her life. Which brings us again to the lovely image at the start of this post.

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So. Literal.

I'm sad to see Gloria (and Frances) go so soon, but much like Ethel, her death serves as not only a shocking blow but to up the stakes even more for the show. Dandy is officially untethered, free to engage in murderous mayhem without worrying about his over-bearing mother (not that her idea of "over-bearing" helped much). With Regina (Gabourey Sidibe) in town determined to find her missing mother and his supposed love for Dot, Dandy has a few loose ends he needs to tie up. I'll miss the Gloria-Dandy dynamic, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Dandy does once he emerges from that bathtub.

Elsewhere at the freak show, my dreams of more Desiree Dupree fully blossomed when Angela Bassett was finally give the tools--namely some tar and feathers--to become the full-fledged power diva she was meant to become this season. The death of her friend Ethel enraged Desiree, ignited some serious girl-power in her as she banded together with Amazon Eve, Legless Suzy, and Penny, candy-striper turned Lizard Girl, to take down Penny's cruel father for horribly disfiguring her in the previous episode. The ladies broke into his house, snatched him up, and subjected him to a new kind of torture, freak-style. Penny nearly got the justice she deserved but had a change of heart about killing Dear Old Dad (way to go, Emma Roberts). Nevertheless, I loved that Desiree and the girls took a stand against their oppressors, and more Desiree/Angela is a prayer answered by the AHS gods.

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WORK.

Other quick quips...

* Evan Peters' acting during Ethel's funeral was raw and incredible. I was seriously getting Tate-like feels during that scene. Jimmy Darling is definitely Peters' best AHS character since Murder House.

* Where were Bette and Dot? Ethel mentioned she had hidden them away from Elsa, but they kind of fell off the tent after that. Will anyone find them? Well, someone must, given they were in the preview for next week. Right?

* The Roosevelt exchange between Gloria and Dandy was perfect. "How dare you mention that name in this house." LOL.

* Was the brief scene about how Elsa got her legs necessary? Maybe the fact that it featured a cameo by The Axeman, a.k.a Worst Subplot of Coven contributed to some of my distaste for this scene, but I felt it unnecessarily interrupted the momentum of Elsa and Ethel's showdown. But hey, at least it was brief, and here's hoping we don't see anymore of Axeman this season. (Literally knocks on wood).

But really, this episode was probably my favorite of FREAK SHOW so far. Ryan Murphy took some bold, creative risks with "Blood Bath", especially being so literal with that title. And also, the writer in me kind of geeks out when a show's creator writes an episode, so I was bound to gush over this installment even if it was bad.

What about you? How long do you think it'll take before the freaks figure out what really happened to Ethel? How much further can Dandy's freak flag fly? Will Bette and Dot ever be found? Feel free to let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!

--Dustin
@DustinVann