13. "We Can't Stop" spoof by Shane Dawson
I've been a huge fan of Shane Dawson and his videos for years now, but it had been a while since he'd let out a truly great video. I found myself coming back to to this hilarious and completely accurate spoof of Miley Cyrus's bombastic music video for her song "We Can't Stop" many times this year (including now, as I write this post). Shane captured everything that was disturbingly wrong with the original video and made it disturbingly right here, creating what I believe to be a digital classic. Disclaimer: The clip itself is pretty extreme and grossly inappropriate, so if crass and vulgar humor isn't your thing, I probably wouldn't watch!
12. Booktalk with Christine Riccio
It's no secret that I'm a huge book lover, so imagine my joy when I came across this gal's YouTube channel. Christine's very in-depth reviews of some of my favorite books and movies (don't watch the above video if you've haven't seen/read Catching Fire!) are totally relatable and most of the time accurate. Her larger-than-life personality may seem annoying and over-dramatic to some, but to me it's funny, impassioned, and authentic. With each video of hers I watch, I ask myself the same question: How are we not best friends?!?
11. Nicki Minaj on American Idol
Being a big Nicki fan long before her short-lived stint on Idol, I was definitely excited to see what one of my favorite artists would bring to the judging table. And for me, Nicki delivered. People can gripe all they want about Nicki not having enough "talent" to be a judge on singing competition show, place all the blame on her for the ongoing feud between her and Mariah Carey, but Ms. Minaj brought a fresh dose of life to a waning show. She didn't sugar-coat her critiques or dance around the idea that a contestant gave a bad performance; she told it like it was every week, good or bad, and I shake my head at anyone who dismisses her solely because of the way she looks or what genre of music she performs. Yes, Nicki did have some sass:
But there were also a decent amount of class most failed to recognize:
10. The Diviners by Libba Bray
Okay, so this book was technically published in 2012, but since I didn't read it until this year and this is my post, I'll do what I want!, I'm deeming it eligible for this list. Bray's 600-page series starter takes evil spirits, the occult, and teenage psychics and throws them all in the rich atmosphere of 1920s New York. It's the book I didn't know I wanted, a mammoth of a treat that was simply divine.
9. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Since I already wrote a review of this book in a previous post, I won't go too in-depth here. Just know that this is a subtle, sweet story of first love that will leave you both happy and longing for the days when life's problems were as simple as a first kiss.
8. The 2013 Oscars
I love films, and I especially love the award shows that honor the best of films. Sue me. I don't think it was until this year's Oscars, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed this yearly 3-hour broadcast in its entirety. From the surprise performances to the Trip Seen 'Round the World, I found myself grateful that I'd chosen to tune in real-time. It also helped that the films honored were some of the best I'd seen in quite some time, and while Argo definitely wasn't my Best Picture of the Year, the Academy got the acting honors right: I jumped for joy and sighed with relief when Anne Hathaway won for her career-best performance in Les Miserables, beamed as Jennifer Lawrence made her one-of-a-kind march for her trophy, and nodded my approval when that golden chameleon Daniel Day-Lewis won gold for Lincoln. It was a great show, and I can only hope this year's will continue that tradition.
7. The Great Gatsby, film AND soundtrack
Reception to this year's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic was understandably divided. Some proclaimed the actors too dull in their roles, or cringed when they heard that Jay-Z song playing during the speakeasy scene. But to me, this film and its accompanying soundtrack sat well with me. As someone who loathed the sweaty hot mess (literally) 1974 adaptation of the novel, I felt this update breathed new life into the story. The chaotic party scenes were over-the-top and overwhelming to watch, but I loved that it made me feel that way, like I was a guest at one of Gatsby's parties. And besides being a great use of anachronism, having the likes of Fergie and Jay-Z belt out jazz-infused numbers amongst the 1920s hedonism worked well to modernize a story that captures an idea of greed and class that is unfortunately apparent today. I'd give the soundtrack another listen--a highlight for me is Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful." Maybe even give the film another try if you didn't like it so much the first time. I know Tobey Maguire's delivery of Nick's inner monologue is annoying--one minute he gives off the sass of Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls; the next, he sounds like an old man on his death bed--but if you look past that, you'll find a great, less perspiring film to enjoy.
And that's it for now! Check back next week for the second half, and let me know if you agree/disagree with the list so far. And what were your favorite things of 2013? Least favorite? Let me know here or on Twitter, @DustinVann!
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