2012: The Best and Worst

Here's some thoughts, sneaked in right under the wire here.  2012 had a lot of good things, but my hopes for 2013 are even higher.

Best Movies (in no particular order):

The Hunger Games
I had high hopes for this one from the day I first heard they were adapting the book into a film, and I was not disappointed.  The casting was spot on, the big moments shone the way they were intended, and director Gary Ross took things one intriguing step further by using the film to force us to question our own beliefs and practices.  Hopefully Catching Fire can continue the trend of success in 2013.

Argo
This is probably the most well-crafted movie I saw this year, and I think that everyone else should see it, at the very least so they can reassure themselves that Ben Affleck deserves the acclaim he's currently receiving.

Silver Linings Playbook
This movie is heart-wrenching, painfully real, and hysterically funny all at the same time.  Both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence give performances that are just plain fantastic (believe me, I was surprised about the former too), and the story is one that is incredibly poignant and accessible.  If I had to pick a personal favorite among these, this movie is most likely it.

The Amazing Spider-Man
This movie surprised me-- I expected it to be pretty good, having Marc Webb, Emma Stone, and Andrew Garfield (among others) on board, but I didn't expect it to be SO good.  

The Dark Knight Rises
I believe I have already expressed my full thoughts (probably to some excess) on this one.  But yes, a tremendous ending to a remarkable trilogy of films.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Another book adaptation that far surpassed my expectations.  Not only did it adhere to the spirit of the novel in all its teen angst glory, the casting turned out to be brilliant.  All three of the lead actors were superb, and it definitely added to the realism of an occasionally melodramatic story.

Pitch Perfect
This is the best cheesy movie I've seen in ages.  Not only does it have Anna Kendrick (and believe me, that alone lends it quite a bit of cred), it also has some elements to it that seem to have been forgotten in the movie industry's recent efforts aimed at teenagers.  It offers the things that appealed to me initially about Glee, except you know, the music is far more impressive and the plot lines make sense; it also features a protagonist who defies a lot of the unofficial "rules" that make adolescent leading ladies so unbearable to watch lately.  Written by Kay Cannon of 30 Rock and SNL, Pitch Perfect doesn't underestimate its audience and has some truly laugh out loud moments as well as a few that will give you goosebumps.

*Note:  I haven't seen Zero Dark Thirty yet, as it hasn't been released in my city, but I'm giving it a preemptive honorary spot on this list based on how good I'm anticipating it will be.

Best TV Shows:

Parks and Recreation
Season 5 has been heavily focused on character development, which I think is what may be underwhelming some viewers when compared with Season 4 and its exciting build to Leslie's election.  But that's something that I love about this show, and something that if you love these characters, is the kind of payoff you've been waiting for.  Tom's maturing and starting his own business; Ann is realizing that it's okay to be alone and get to know yourself; Ben and Leslie are settling into a relationship largely free of its early dramatics; April and Andy are finding their paths; even Ron is embarking upon what just might be a healthy relationship.  The gang in Pawnee is growing up, and I can't wait to see what's next. 

Game of Thrones
The show's second season lived up to escalating expectations, with penultimate episode "Blackwater" making a lasting impression as one of the more recent achievements in dramatic television, outshining what many films have been able to do with more generous resources.  And season three only promises more epic-ness to come.

Happy Endings
The most hilarious show that almost no one is watching (and ABC is making little effort to air).  Give this one a chance, and if it doesn't make you laugh out loud at least once, well, there might be something wrong with you.


Best New Shows:

The Mindy Project (FOX)


Go On (NBC)


Best TV Episodes:

How I Met Your Mother, "The Last Page"
This had one of the better head-fakes in HIMYM's history, and especially made up for the streak of lackluster episodes which preceded it.  I won't spoil the twist for those who haven't seen it, but it's pretty legendary.

Parks and Recreation, "Halloween Surprise"
BEN AND LESLIE ARE GETTING MARRIED.  Also, some other stuff happened.

Grey's Anatomy, "Remember the Time"
RIP Mark Sloan-- I didn't even like you that much, but this episode proved that Grey's still knows how to tug at the strings (and induce ugly-crying to boot), even after all these years.

New Girl, "Injured"
This was the episode that really brought me around on this show, because the showrunners seemed to have finally figured out the magic and potential of the ensemble rather than simply relying on the quirky cuteness of Zooey Deschanel ad infinitum.  Season 2 has continued that trend, and I think good things can be expected.

Favorite People*:

Jennifer Lawrence
We can disregard House at the End of the Street as a fluke and just continue drooling over how talented Ms. Lawrence is, right?  That's what I've been doing, anyway.  Not only did she emerge in popular media playing one of the most badass characters out there at the moment, but she also gave one of the best performances I've seen in years in Silver Linings Playbook, which will probably earn her a second Academy Award nomination (it's a crime if it doesn't).  Oh, and she's only 22 years old, so no need to feel bad about your own accomplishments or anything.

The Obamas
Yeah, Barack may not have gotten everything done that he wanted to do (fortunately he's got another 4 years to make it up to us), but Michelle and the girls more than made up for it by being their usual fabulous selves and providing America with more sorely-needed lady role models.

Jon Stewart
Nobody handles the increasingly dismal, frustrating, and sometimes terrifying developments in the news quite like Jon Stewart.  He's been perfecting his on-air persona for years, but it's the moments when his genuine concern for this floundering nation that truly set him apart.

Amy Poehler (always)
Do I even have to explain this one anymore?  She's hosting the Golden Globes on January 13th; watch that and maybe you'll begin to understand a fraction of what there is to love about this fabulous lady.

Maisie Williams
Well, I'm probably biased because she plays my absolute favorite character on Game of Thrones, but this girl is adorable, and pretty darn talented to boot.  Arya gets some even meatier stuff to work with during A Storm of Swords, so I for one am psyched to see what Williams will get to do come Season 3.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Dude was everywhere in 2012, and it looks like that's a trend that will be continuing in the new year.  No complaints here, especially if another team-up with Chris Nolan (and I'm not saying it HAS to be Batman related, but that'd be pretty cool...) is on the horizon.

The IKEA Monkey
Not a person, I know, but have you seen this little guy?  If there's anything I love more than animals dressed as humans (and fashionable humans at that) and shopping for affordable furniture, I do not know what it is.

Biggest Disappointments:

The Casual Vacancy

The Apocalypse

The 2012 Emmy Awards (the award recipients, not the broadcast itself, though that wasn't great either)

People I'm Sick of Hearing About:

Taylor Swift

One Direction/Justin Bieber/any of their female counterparts

Donald Trump

Tom Cruise

Just...no.


Biggest (Positive) Surprises:

Positive Female Role Models (in media especially)
Katniss Everdeen.  Arya Stark.  Princess Merida.  Michelle Obama.  Gabby Douglas.  Hilary Clinton.  The list could go on, but suffice it to say that ladies rocked in 2012, and I'm fairly certain there's no end in sight.

The Rise of Folk 
I actually read a magazine article recently that reference the door that had been opened for bands like the Lumineers and Of Monsters and Men in the "post-Mumford" era.  If that's not an indicator of where the trends are headed, I don't know what is.

Saturday Night Live (without all-stars Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg)
Here's the little secret about this season of SNL that no one's talking about:  it's actually been pretty great, all things considered.  The old favorites are delivering their usual brilliance, and new faces like Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong have me persuaded that things in Studio 8H are not as bleak as previously anticipated.

Reading List Round-Up 2012: Books 19-25

 March's books wound up having two prevailing themes:  non-fiction (specifically non-fiction about comedy, which isn't as hilarious as you'd assume), and books I probably should have read a long time ago (and which I might have appreciated more back then). 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-- Shooting Script with Interviews
This reminded me of exactly why I love this movie so much.  I am something of a nerd when it comes to reading scripts for films I love (okay, a huge nerd), and this was no exception.  What's interesting is that the shooting script has a lot of pretentious moments (yes, more than in the final film), especially when it comes to dialog, with a lot of it sounding like things no one would actually say to each other, and in reading this it becomes clear just how much Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet brought to their roles in the delivery of the words on the page.  Credit also goes, I'm sure, to those responsible for those last-round edits that made the final product into the widely beloved movie it is today.  A recommended read if you're a film nerd or if you just plain love this movie and want a bit of a deeper look.

The War for Late Night by Bill Carter
Here's the thing:  400 pages is beyond the necessary length for an exploration of how all of the Jay Leno vs. Conan O'Brien went down by about 200 pages.  Again, this is a niche read-- if you're a die-hard Conan fan like I am or just plain interested in how major television decisions get made, this book provides a lot of insight and things to think about.  Carter is a bit too flowery at times, wanting this conflict to be much more the Shakespearean tragedy than it really was, but he certainly gets props for thoroughness.

Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare
The last 18 months or so probably represent one of the biggest hiatuses I've taken from the Bard since I started reading him.  I've read most of the popular choices, and when making my list of 100 books it seemed only fair that I include at least one of the less exalted works that I hadn't yet discovered for myself.  Measure for Measure is a comedy, but is decidedly atypical.  It's got a whole lot of misogyny going on, as well as some good old fashioned disguises and cases of mistaken identity.  Overall I enjoyed this one, though I thought the last scenes tied up a bit too conveniently and abruptly (which is saying something when it comes to Shakespeare).  Recommended if you like William S's comedies and a lot of hatin' on the ladies in your reading.

Live From New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller

I admit I skimmed portions of this tome-- there's just so much to read, and to be honest I don't care a whole lot about NBC executives in the 70's or cast members who got fired after half a season.  The book does accomplish what it aims to, which is providing a vast in-depth portrait of the show, its inception, and the many ways it has morphed and changed over the years.  The style can be a bit off-putting at times, too-- while I love the idea of having all kinds of interviews with former and current cast and crew members, I think some of it would be much more readable condensed into some kind of narrative (there's a lot of repetition and insights that don't always feel quite relevant to the topic at hand.  This is a definite must-read, or at least a should-read, for dedicated fans of the show, but for more casual viewers it might be a bit much.

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Maybe I just really had to experience this one in middle school when everyone else did, but getting through this one was a Herculean struggle for me.  I was bored despite the surface-level resemblance to LOST, one of my favorite TV shows, I hated 99% of the characters and their actions, and on the whole I just didn't care about this book.  I know it's a classic, and I can see the value for younger readers (especially younger male readers, who I'm guessing were the target audience when the book was written), but for me it just didn't come together the way I'd hoped it would. Also, just as I finally motivated myself to embark on the last chunk of the book, a student I tutor totally spoiled the ending for me, confirming my suspicion that this one was always going to be a fail.

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
This book is the one that stuck with me the most this month.  In it we get a detailed account of one teenager's bout with depression and subsequent admission into a psychiatric ward.  The novel is based on the experiences of the author, who was hospitalized himself for a week during his own adolescence, and thus lends the story a credibility that adds considerable depth to what might otherwise be just another "sad adolescent" story.  But what the narrator/protagonist captures best when it comes to this experience is the feeling of knowing something is wrong with you/making you feel terrible, but never really being able to pinpoint exactly what that something might be.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
It might be surprising, given my obsession with dystopian literature and my own dabblings

Best Book:  Fahrenheit 451
Worst Book:  The Lord of the Flies
Fastest Read:  It's Kind of a Funny Story
Slowest Read:  Live From New York