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:
Or as deliciously blunt as Pam:
12. Taylor Swift, 1989
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
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.
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
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