Oscars 2024

Every year, I try to watch every single movie nominated for an Academy Award, and this year, I was able to achieve that. With the Oscars being tonight, I’m making a list of my predictions, what I want to win, and add in a dream nominee/winner. So, here are my Oscar predictions for this year.

Best Picture:

Best Picture is picked on a ranking system, so I will rank my choices, from least liked to most liked.

10. Maestro
09. American Fiction
08. The Holdovers
07. Past Lives
06. Anatomy of a Fall
05. Killers of the Flower Moon
04. Oppenheimer
03. Barbie
02. The Zone of Interest
01. Poor Things

Prediction: Oppenheimer
My Personal Pick: Poor Things
Dream Nominee/Winner: Maestro was annoying and kind of boring. Instead of nominating that, I would have swapped it out for The Iron Claw, The Color Purple, or even Godzilla Minus One. Every other film deserved its slot.

Actor in a Leading Role:

• Bradley Cooper in Maestro
• Colman Domingo in Rustin
• Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers
• Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer
• Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction

Prediction: Cillian Murphy
My Personal Pick: Cillian Murphy
Dream Nominee/Winner: Zac Efron gave a career best performance in The Iron Claw. He should have not only been nominated, but probably should have won.

Actress in a Leading Role

• Annette Benning in Nyad
• Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon
• Sandra Hüller in Anatomy of a Fall
• Carey Mulligan in Maestro
• Emma Stone in Poor Things

Prediction: Lily Gladstone
My Personal Pick: Lily Gladstone or Emma Stone
Dream Nominee/Winner: The lack of a nomination for Margot Robbie in Barbie cause a kerfuffle on Twitter, but this is a completely stacked category. Personally, there are a couple of nominees I would switch out, like Annette Benning and Carey Mulligan (even though she was the highlight of Maestro). I don’t think I would replace Margot Robbie with either of them. Instead, I would have liked to see a nomination for Greta Lee in Past Lives, Fantasia Barrino in The Color Purple, or Natalie Portman in May December. I would still be between Lily Gladstone or Emma Stone in this category though.

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Sterling K. Brown in American Fiction
• Robert DeNiro in Killers of the Flower Moon
• Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer
• Ryan Gosling in Barbie
• Mark Ruffalo in Poor Things

Prediction: Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer
My Personal Pick: Ryan Gosling in Barbie. While RDJ has a more traditional Oscar winning role, Ryan Gosling absolutely nailed the needed Kenergy needed for Barbie. It was a perfect comedic performance.
Dream Nominee/Winner: Another stacked category, and while Ryan Gosling is still my pick, it would’ve been nice to see Charles Melton pick up a nom for his work in May December.

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer
• Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple
• America Ferrera in Barbie
• Jodie Foster in Nyad
• Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers

Prediction: Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers
My Personal Pick: Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple
Dream Nominee/Winner: Cara Jade Myers in Killers of the Flower Moon left a lasting impact in her short time on screen.

Directing:

• Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet)
• Killers of the Flower Moon (Martin Scorsese)
• Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan)
• Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things)
• Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest)

Prediction: Christopher Nolan
My Personal Pick: Christopher Nolan
Dream Nominee/Winner: With the Best Picture nominees expanding to 10 nominees, it always seems that there’s major directors left out. It would be nice to expand this category and add in Greta Gerwig for Celine Song for Past Lives.

Best Animated Feature

• The Boy and the Heron
• Elemental
• Nimona
• Robot Dreams
• Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse

Prediction: Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse
My Personal Pick: Robot Dreams

Original Screenplay

• Anatomy of a Fall
• The Holdovers
• Maestro
• May December
• Past Lives

Prediction: Anatomy of a Fall
My Personal Pick: Anatomy of a Fall

Adapted Screenplay

• American Fiction
• Barbie
• Oppenheimer
• Poor Things
• The Zone of Interest

Prediction: Oppenheimer
My Personal Pick: Barbie

Production Design

• Barbie
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Napoleon
• Oppenheimer
• Poor Things

Prediction: Poor Things
My Personal Pick: Barbie (but Poor Things is a close second)

Costume Design

• Barbie
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Napoleon
• Oppenheimer
• Poor Things

Prediction: Barbie
My Personal Pick: Barbie

Cinematography

• El Conde
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Maestro
• Oppenheimer
• Poor Things

Prediction: Oppenheimer
My Personal Pick: Poor Things

Editing

• Anatomy of a Fall
• The Holdovers
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Oppenheimer
• Poor Things

Prediction: Oppenheimer
My Personal Pick: Oppenheimer

Makeup and Hairstyling

• Golda
• Maestro
• Oppenheimer
• Poor Things
• Society of the Snow

Prediction: Maestro
My Personal Pick: Poor Things

Sound

• The Creator
• Maestro
• Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One
• Oppenheimer
• The Zone of Interest

Prediction: Oppenheimer
My Personal Pick: The Zone of Interest

Visual Effects

• The Creator
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
• Godzilla Minus One
• Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One
• Napoleon

Prediction: Godzilla Minus One
My Personal Pick: Godzilla Minus One

Original Score

• American Fiction
• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
• Killers of the Flower Moon
• Oppenheimer
• Poor Things

Prediction: Oppenheimer
My Personal Pick: Poor Things

Original Song

• “The Fire Inside (“Flamin’ Hot”)
• “I’m Just Ken” (“Barbie”)
• “It Never Went Away” (“American Symphony”)
• “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” (“Killers of the Flower Moon”)
• “What Was I Made For?” (“Barbie”)

Prediction: “What Was I Made For?” (“Barbie”)
My Personal Pick: “I’m Just Ken” (“Barbie”)
Dream Nominee/Winner: I was complete charmed by the live action version of The Little Mermaid and would have loved to see a nomination for “The First Time.”

Documentary Feature

• “Bobi Wine: The People’s President”
• “The Eternal Memory”
• “Four Daughters”
• “To Kill a Tiger”
• “20 Days in Mariupol”

Prediction: “20 Days in Mariupol”
My Personal Pick: “To Kill a Tiger”
Dream Nominee/Winner: Is Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce considered a documentary?!

International Feature

• “The Teachers’ Lounge,” Germany
• “Io Capitano,” Italy
• “Perfect Days,” Japan
• “Society of the Snow,” Spain
• “The Zone of Interest,” United Kingdom

Prediction: The Zone of Interest
My Personal Pick: The Zone of Interest
Dream Nominee/Winner: I’m not sure if I like the one movie per country per rule because Godzilla Minus One would be a worthy nominee.

Animated Short

• “Letter to a Pig”
• “Ninety-Five Senses”
• “Our Uniform”
• “Pachyderme”
• “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”

Prediction: “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”
My Personal Pick: “Our Uniform”

Documentary Short

• “The ABCs of Book Banning”
• “The Barber of Little Rock”
• “Island in Between”
• “The Last Repair Shop”
• “Nai Nai & Wai Po”

Prediction: “The ABCs of Book Banning”
My Personal Pick: “The Barber of Little Rock”

Live-Action Short

• “The After”
• “Invincible”
• “Knight of Fortune”
• “Red, White and Blue”
• “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”

Prediction: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”
My Personal Pick: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”

2023 Favorites: Movies

The Color Purple. The Boy and the Heron. Ferrari. Zone of Interest. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Anyone By You. All 2023 movies that I could not get to because COVID and release schedules disrupted my viewing plans. As Oscar nominations are announced and I get through more 2023 releases, this list my change.

Before jumping into my top 10, let’s start off with some honorable mentions. Horror franchises had a really strong showing, with Evil Dead Rise, Saw X and Scream VI having strong showings. More original fare, like When Evil Lurks and Thanksgiving also brought the scares. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem were incredibly animated films that were fun and visually beautiful. Teyana Taylor in A Thousand and One was an acting standout, as was Charles Melton in May December, holding his own against Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. The Holdovers was an emotional story that may become a Christmas staple. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake was a fantastic entry into the already strong Hunger Games franchise. Saltburn was over the top and trashy fun. Finally, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé was an incredible ride, from start to finish. The combination of behind-the-scenes footage and impeccably filmed and edited concert footage was a thrill that easily cements Beyoncé as the world’s greatest living performer (it wasn’t included in my final list because I focused solely on narrative films, not documentaries, but it would’ve been top 5 if I included it.). This year was a solid year for film, but here are my favorites of 2023.

10. Godzilla Minus One

Although Godzilla is a classic movie monster, most of my experience with him is connected to his American portrayals. So, when it comes to a Godzilla movie, I expected it to be bogged down by superfluous human stories and fun monsters just smashing stuff. However, Minus One had a touching and engaging human story that had me invested in what actually happened to the people in the movie. It also made Godzilla go from a kitschy, fun building smashing lizard into a truly frightening monster.

09. Past Lives

A touching portrait of “what ifs,” Past Lives is an emotional story of what could have been, the twists and turns of life, and how certain choices ultimately take us down different paths. An incredible debut from Celine Strong.

08. Anatomy of a Fall

Living a secluded life in the French Alps, Sandra’s husband, Samuel, is found dead. As the investigation of whether his death was a suicide or murder, the film delves not only into the procedural trial and investigation, but also an examination a forensic study of the psychology of Sandra and Samuel’s relationship. Led by a powerful performance by Sandra Hueller, the character Sandra continues to be an enigma, which makes her a compelling lead.

07. The Iron Claw

An incredible sad story that tells the tale of wrestling’s Von Erich brothers and examines the way that the push of a father and masculinity can have disastrous effects. This an extremely strong and powerfully acted by its ensemble, led by Zac Efron. As the film proceeds, he becomes more and more hollow, and is able to deliver perhaps the strongest male performance of the year.

06. Oppenheimer

Stunning visuals with powerful performances, Oppenheimer is a dense and engrossing tale of the creation of the atomic bomb and its aftermath.

05. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3

The Guardians franchise has been the best stand alone series under the Marvel umbrella, and the latest volume cements it. A surprisingly emotional and action-packed adventure, it provided a great closing chapter for this Marvel team.

04. The Little Mermaid

While it may not be considered “high art,” I was absolutely charmed by The Little Mermaid. It has its faults, including a leaden performance from Javier Bardem and some clunky songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, but the expansion of the story and the chemistry between Ariel and Eric was electric. Halle Bailey is fantastic as Ariel and the movie as a whole is a comforting watch.

03. Killers of the Flower Moon

At 3.5 hours long, it could have been easy to lose interest in Killers of the Flower Moon, but Martin Scorsese doesn’t waste any of the 206 minutes. Strong performances and a riveting story helped the time flew by. Lily Gladstone is utterly fantastic.

02. Barbie

The candy colored world of Barbie comes to life in an incredibly funny meta-comedy. Margot Robbie is pitch-perfect as Barbie and Ryan Gosling is utterly hilarious as Ken. An incredibly fun and rewatchable time.

01. Poor Things

Weirdly wonderful fun and funny. Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos are at their peak as they take us through the journey of maturation and growth for the character of Bella Baxter, and create a fantastical and colorful world . Ramy Yousef, Willem Dafoe, and Mark Ruffalo also give fantastic perfomances. It’s a strong movie visually, technically, and story wise. I absolutely loved following Bella Baxter’s growth.

2023 Favorites: Albums

I felt like this year was a little scarce on albums I enjoyed, at least when narrowed down to 2023 releases. To tell the truth, my favorite album of 2023 continued to be Beyonce’s Renaissance, which topped my list last year. However, here are my favorite albums that were released in 2023. If you’re looking at this list and thinking to yourself, “Wow, there is a lack of taste in this list!” you may be right. I had COVID when writing this.

10. GUTS – Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo has found her niche in the fun, bratty, pop-punk sound. When she’s angry and defiant, the album shines. On the flip side of those highs, the treacly ballads bring the fun side of the album down.

Favorite Tracks: Bad Idea Right?, Get Him Back!, Love is Embarrassing, All-American Bitch

09. Something to Give Each Other – Troye Sivan

Favorite Tracks: Rush, One of Your Girls, Got Me Started, What’s the Time Where You Are?

08. The Show – Niall Horan

Favorite Tracks: Heaven, Meltdown, The Show, If You Leave Me

07. BB/ANG3L – Tinashe

Favorite Tracks: Talk to Me Nice, Needs, Gravity, Uh Huh

06. The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – Chapell Roan

Favorite Tracks: Pink Pony Club, Red Wine Supernova, Femininomemon, Hot to Go!, My Kink is Karma

05. The Little Mermaid Original Soundtrack

There was something absolutely charming about 2023’s Little Mermaid live action remake, and a huge part of that was Halle Bailey as Ariel. While the soundtrack has some duds, and Lin Manuel-Miranda will pay for his crimes, Bailey is able to elevate and bring in a new spin to the already excellent songs from the original movie.

Favorite Tracks: Part of Your World, Part of Your World (Reprise), Part of Your World (Reprise II), For the First Time, Wild Uncharted Waters, Vanessa’s Trick

04. The Loveliest Time – Carly Rae Jepsen

Favorite Tracks: Psychedelic Switch, Kamikaze, So Right, Come Over, Shy Boy

03. With Love From – Aly & AJ

Favorite Tracks: Baby Lay Your Head Down, With Love From, 6 Months of Staring into the Sun, After Hours, Talking in My Sleep

02. chemistry – Kelly Clarkson

Favorite Tracks: Chemistry, Lighthouse, Favorite Kind of High, Rock Hudson, I Hate Love, Down to You

01. Endless Summer Vacation – Miley Cyrus

Favorite Tracks: Flowers, Thousand Miles (feat. Brandi Carlile), River, Jaded, Handstand, Rose Colored Lense

2023 Favorites: Songs

As this year closes, I have returned to peer out of my cave and declare the songs that I kept going back to this year. 

40. Cobra – Megan Thee Stallion

39. Houdini – Dua Lipa

38. Angel – Halle

37. favorite kind of high – Kelly Clarkson

36. Love Like This – Zayn

35. Lipstick Lover – Janelle Monáe

34. Fly Girl – FLO

33. Rush – Troye Sivan

32. lighthouse – Kelly Clarkson

31. What Was I Made For? – Billie Eilish

30. Your Side of Town – The Killers

29. Dance the Night – Dua Lipa

28. Padam Padam – Kylie Minogue

27. River – Miley Cyrus

26. Heaven – Niall Horan

25. get him back! – Olivia Rodrigo

24. Red Wine Supernova – Chappel Roan

23. Eat the Acid – Kesha

22. One of Your Girls – Troye Sivan

21. This is Why – Paramore

20. My House – Beyonce

19. Borderline – Tove Lo

18. chemistry – Kelly Clarkson

17. Spirit – The Killers

16. I’m Just Ken – Ryan Gosling

15. Thunderclouds – Haley Reinhart & Kris Allen

14. TQG – Karol G & Shakira

13. On My Mama – Victoria Monet

12. No More Lies – Thundercat & Tame Impala

11. Needs – Tinashe

10. bad idea right? – Olivia Rodrigo

09. Thousand Miles (feat. Brandi Carlile) – Miley Cyrus

08. Psychedelic Switch – Carly Rae Jepsen

07. Part of Your World – Halle

06. America Has a Problem (Remix) [feat. Kendrick Lamar] – Beyoncé

05. Baby Lay Your Head Down – Aly & AJ

04. Talk to Me Nice – Tinashe

03. BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53 – Shakira & Bizarapp

02. Flowers – Miley Cyrus

01. Body Do – Chlöe

2022 FAVORITES: FILMS

15. Top Gun: Maverick

The original Top Gun debuted in 1986, three years before I was born, and I had not seen it until after Maverick was released. The only nostalgia I had for anything concerning Top Gun was a rollercoaster at my local amusement park. That being said, this movie was an absolute thrill from start to finish. Just pure fun and adrenaline all the way through.

14. On the Count of Three

A morbidly funny movie that manages to balance its serious subject matter with comedic moments and thoughtfulness. Great chemistry between Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott, who play off each other brilliantly. A very dark comedy that turned out to be a hidden gem on Hulu.

13. The Menu

Ralph Fiennes served and Anya Taylor Joy ate.

12. Bones and All

A coming-of-age love story and a gory cannibal road trip may seem to be on opposite sides of the movie spectrum, but Luca Guadagnino blends these two things perfectly into something extremely brutal, but incredibly delicate.

11. The Batman

Before this movie, there have been five live action Batmen in my life time, so when Robin Pattinson was announced as yet another Batman, I wasn’t too keen on seeing this. However, mixing Batman with Zodiac, Se7en, and the Saw franchise ended up being a fantastic choice, which ended up an intriguing detective mystery.

10. Barbarian

The less known about this movie before watching, the better. Just know that this is absolutely bananas and it takes so many fun and unexpected turns. Truly a fun time at the movies.

09. Pearl

Mia Goth absolutely kills in the role of Pearl, a prequel to this year’s X. A strange mix of The Wizard of Oz and Psycho that shouldn’t work, but instead manages to produce something scarily magical.

08. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Maybe I was just enamored by Namor, but this is probably the best Marvel outing in a while, certainly the best Phase 4 film (although the title of Best Phase 4 project may belong to The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special). Wakanda Forever is a touching tribute to Chadwick Boseman and manages to forge a path forward that honors him and T’Challa’s legacy. In addition to that, Namor may be the MCU’s most memorable villain (or is it anti-hero?) to date and I’m excited to see more of him in future movies.

07. Scream

Ghostface slayed this. Tells a brand new story, but emphasizes the fact that it wouldn’t be here without what led before. A fresh and fun addition to the franchise that also serves as excellent commentary around the horror genre. This also helped me realize that the Scream franchise might be my favorite movie franchise. A bloody good time.

06. She Said

I’m a sucker for a newspaper/investigation movie, and this hit all those sweet spots.

05. Babylon

Damien Chazelle’s epic ode to Old Hollywood and the power of the movies has proven to be nothing less than polarizing, but I loved all 189 raucous and debauched minutes.

04. The Fabelmans

A major them of the year has been movies about movies. Like Babylon, The Fabelmans is a love letter to cinema. While the trailer left me underwhelmed and feeling like it would be oversentimental schlock, it truly was a testament to the power of motion pictures.

03. Glass Onion

Glass Onion was the best time I had at the movies since the original Knives Out. It was so fun that I watched it twice in its limited theatrical run and cannot wait to watch it countless more times. Inject everything Benoit Blanc into my veins.

02. The Banshees of Inisherin

On the tiny island of Inisherin, two friends meet at the local pub everyday, until one day, one of them decides that they are done with their friendship. Not knowing why, it leads to things spiraling into darker and darker places. Great script, beautiful cinematography, and darkly comedic. Colin Farrell in this has my favorite male performance of the year and is my pick for Best Actor.

01. Everything Everywhere All at Once

This is unlike any other movie in this universe, or any other universe, really. We were promised a Multiverse of Madness this year, and Everything Everywhere All At Once was the film that surprisingly delivered with that. On the surface, it’s a completely bonkers story, but is layered with deeper feeling and commentary on generational family issues. This is an explosion of creative storytelling, buttressed by incredible performances across the board, led by Michelle Yeoh. It’s absolutely absurd, wild, and wonderful and manages to highlight all the mundane, but critical things that make our lives important, no matter how indifferent the big, vast universe is.

2022 FAVORITES: ALBUMS

Here are the albums that kept me company in 2022. There’s a whole slew of albums that I haven’t listened to and have to live with a bit more, but here’s what I enjoyed and kept coming back to this year.

20. Cool It Down – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Favorite Songs: Spitting of the Edge of the World, Wolf, Fleez, Burning

19. Moonflower – Graveyard Club

Favorite Songs: Nowhere, Spellsong, Halloween

18. People in Motion – Dayglow

Favorite Songs: Second Nature, Then It All Goes Away, Deep End, Talking to the Light

17. Cry Baby – Tegan and Sara

Favorite Songs: Fucking Up What Matters, Faded, Can’t Grow Up, Sometimes I See Stars

16. Denim and Rhinestones – Carrie Underwood

Favorite Songs: Denim & Rhinestones, Velvet Heartbreak, Ghost Story, Pink Champagne

15. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar

Favorite Songs: United in Grief, Die Hard, Father Time (feat. Sampha), We Cry Together, Auntie Diaries

14. In Real Life – Mandy Moore

Favorite Songs: In Real Life, Little Dreams, Living in the In Between, Little Victories, Brand New Nowhere

13. Harry’s House – Harry Styles

Favorite Songs: Late Ni

12. MUNA – MUNA

Favorite Songs: Silk Chiffon, What I Want, Runner’s High, Home By Now

11. Marry Me – Olly Murs

Favorite Songs: Die of a Broken Heart, Go Ghost, 25, Dancing on Cars, I Hate It When You’re Drunk, Don’t Stop Dancing

10. Kellyoke – Kelly Clarkson

Favorite Songs: Blue Bayou, Happier Than Ever, Queen of the Night, Fake Plastic Trees

09. Traumazine – Megan Thee Stallion

Favorite Songs: NDA, Not Nice, Her, Ms. Nasty, Anxiety

08. Night Call – Years & Years

Favorite Songs: Consequences, Starstruck, Crave, Sweet Talker, A Second to Midnight

07. Dawn FM – The Weeknd

Favorite Songs: Gasoline, Sacrifice, How Do I Make You Love Me?, Take My Breath, Don’t Break My Heart, Less than Zero

06. ATTENTION: MILEY LIVE – Miley Cyrus

Favorite Songs: Heart of Glass, 7 Things, Bang Bang x See You Again, Jolene, High, Like a Prayer, Nothing Compares 2 U x Wrecking Ball, Mother’s Daughter x Boys Don’t Cry, Fly on the Wall

05. Crash – Charli XCX

Favorite Songs: Crash, Good Ones, Baby, Yuck, Used to Know Me

04. Un Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny

Favorite Songs: Despues de la Playa, Titi Me Pregunto, Neverita, El Apagon, Un Verano Sin Ti

03. Dance Fever – Florence + The Machine

Favorite Songs: King, Free, Dream Girl Evil, My Love, Choreomania

02. The Loneliest Time – Carly Rae Jepsen

Favorite Songs: Surrender My Heart, Talking to Yourself, Sideways, So Nice, Shooting Star, Bad Thing Twice, The Loneliest Time (feat. Rufus Wainwright), Anxious, Keep Away

01. Renaissance – Beyonce

Favorite Songs: Cuff It, Energy, Break My Soul, Church Girl, Move, Thique, America Has a Problem, Pure/Honey, Summer Rennaissance

2022 FAVORITES: SONGS

It’s that time again! Here are some of my favorite songs of 2022!

40. Please Me – The Dirty Shirts

39. Don’t Stop Dancing – Olly Murs

38. Fly On the Wall (Live) – Miley Cyrus

While Fly on the Wall was first released in 2008, the version from Miley Cyrus’s live album gives it a completely new life.

37. Your Name – Shea Couleé

36. No One Dies From Love – Tove Lo

35. Her – Megan Thee Stallion

34. Treat Me – Chloe

33. Die Hard – Kendrick Lamar

32. If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You – The Wombats

31. As It Was – Harry Styles

30. Happier than Ever – Kelly Clarkson

29. At the End of the Day – Wallows

28. Ghost Story – Carrie Underwood

27. Fucking Up What Matters – Tegan and Sara

26. Yuck – Charli XCX

25. Gasoline – The Weeknd

24. Neverita – Bad Bunny

23. Then It All Goes Away – Dayglow

22. My Love – Florence + The Machine

21. Don’t Forget My Love – Diplo & Miguel

20. Kill Bill – SZA

19. What I Want – MUNA

18. This Is Why – Paramore

17. The Getting By II – The Killers

15. Talking to Yourself – Carly Rae Jepsen

16. Wrong Idea – The Brummies

14. Little Dreams – Mandy Moore

13. Burning – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

12. Surrender My Heart – Carly Rae Jepsen

11. America Has a Problem – Beyoncé

10. Hold Me Closer – Elton John & Britney Spears

09. With Love From – Aly & AJ

08. Don’t Forget – Sky Ferreira

07. Titi Me Preguntó – Bad Bunny

06. Crazy What Love Can Do (feat. Ella Henderson & Becky Hill) – David Guetta

05. Free Yourself – Jessie Ware

04. Free – Florence + the Machine

03. Cuff It/Energy/Break My Soul – Beyoncé

Cramming these three songs together as a tie may seem like cheating, but the transitions between them are done so well that it’s almost impossible to break the flow and treat them like three different songs. Hearing those transitions only strengthens the song that follows.

02. The Loneliest Time (feat. Rufus Wainwright) – Carly Rae Jepsen

01. Boy – The Killers

2021 Favorites: Films

After over a year of not going to the movie theater, I made my grand return in 2021. However, with the appearance of new variants, I played on the cautious side, so I missed quite a few releases. I haven’t been able to see movies like House of Gucci, Licorice Pizza, or Nightmare Alley, amongst others. Like always, as we get closer to the Oscars, this list will be revised. However, here are my favorite movies of 2021, as of now. (It’s 9:00 PM on New Year’s Eve, and laziness got to me, so there will be no in depth write ups of the movies until maybe the revised version.)

15. Barb and Starr Go to Vista Del Mar

Absolutely ridiculous, but exceptional fun. Trish approves.

14. Judas and the Black Messiah

13. The Lost Daughter

12. El Baile de los 41 (Dance of the 41)

11. No Time to Die

10. C’Mon, C’Mon

09. Pig

I was expecting John Wick with a pig, but instead is a poignant adventure of love and grief, anchored by a fantastic performance by Nicolas Cage.

08. Luca

07. Last Night in Soho

Stylish with amazing visuals and a great soundtrack. While the story isn’t exactly earth shattering, this did a great job keeping me engrossed all the way. Anya Taylor-Joy was mesmerizing.

06. A Quiet Place Part II

A nerve-wracking sequel that continues to expand the tense world of the first film, all the while keeping the heart of what made the first film so effective at heart.

05. Spider-Man: No Way Home

On paper, this could’ve easily gone off the rails, but instead everything comes together for an incredibly fun ride.

04. Spencer

Playing out less s like a traditional biopic and more like an undercover ghost story, Pablo Larrain is able to capture a deep, foreboding sense of captivity that underscore’s Diana’s psyche. Kristen Stewart is impeccable.

03. The Guilty

I’m incredibly biased towards dark dramas starring Jake Gyllenhaal, especially if he is investigating something, and The Guilty ticked all those boxes. While this was basically 90 minutes of Jake Gyllenhaal making and receiving phone calls, it was incredibly intense. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time while this went through twists and turns. Another fantastic performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, but that’s not surprising.

02. The Power of the Dog

A subtle quiet film that just hit you long after you’re done watching it. This is something I couldn’t stop thinking about after I finished it.

01. Belfast

Set during The Troubles, or the Catholic-Protestant conflict, in Northern Ireland, Belfast follows a young boy as he grows up with this conflict happening in the background. It’s a beautifully joyous coming of age story

2021 Favorites: TV

Between traditional network shows, cable series, and streaming, there is countless of options when it comes to television. Obviously, I could not watch it all, and there are still quite a few things left on my list, like the final season of Insecure. I’m probably also the only person in the world who has yet to see Squid Game. However, based on what I have watched, here are my top 10 TV series of 2021.

10. Hacks
(HBO/HBO Max)

Deborah Vance, is an aging Las Vegas legend whose being pushed her to shake up her stagnant act. To make her material more edgy and contemporary, a cynical millennial is paired to work with her, despite being blackballed by Hollywood due to a viral tweet. This series follows the apathetic relationship between the two, which leads to hilarious results, especially from Jean Smart.

09. Mare of Easttown
(HBO/HBO Max)

Local detective, Mare, lives in a Philadelphia suburb that is marred with poverty and opioids. When a teen mom turns up dead, Mare needs to figure out if it is connected to a cold case from the year before. Under pressure to get results, she is paired with a hotshot detective to try and get results. Over seven episodes, Kate Winslet expertly leads an ensemble with great performances, clever twists, and an engrossing mystery.

08. Succession
(HBO/HBO Max)

The fever pitch of conversation and constant recommendations from friends finally made me sit down and check this show out. I quickly devoured all three seasons. All three seasons have been consistently funny, tense, and thrilling. Throughout the series, the dialogue is incredibly sharp with pitch perfect performances across the map. After a giant bomb went off in season 2, season 3 lived in its aftermath and set up what could be an even more intense showdown.

07. RuPaul’s Drag Race
(VH1/Paramount+/WOW Presents+)

Can you have too much of a good thing? As the Drag Race Expanded Universe continued to grow this year, it proved that, yes, it is entirely possible. Between a regular season and an All Stars season, the franchise went international, with seasons from Spain, Italy, Holland, Canada, Australia, and two UK seasons. That’s a lot of Drag Race. While some seasons continued the show’s streak of greatness (UK Season 2, All Stars 6, Spain, and Season 13), some were mediocre (UK season 3), or just plain bad (Australia). Despite the uneven quality throughout the franchise this year, it was still a joy to watch.

06. WandaVision
(Disney+)

Marvel’s first foray into TV shook up the Marvel movie formula and remains a unique vision in the MCU. Each week, the show took the form of a classic sitcom, and was committed to its tropes in order to examine Wanda’s grief. It was a welcome shake up to the familiar Marvel formula and set the bar high for what Marvel could be.

05. The Other Two
(HBO Max)

Cary and Brooke Dubek are two siblings living in the shadow of Chase Dreams (their pop star younger brother) and Pat (their talk show host mother). As Cary, a struggling actor, and Brooke, a nascent manager, try and navigate their way through being fame adjacent, they go through a series of relentlessly funny struggles. Another show that I binged from the beginning, this was a highly entertaining watch from the beginning and one of TV’s best comedies.

04. What We Do in the Shadows
(FXX/Hulu)

What We Do in the Shadows has been one of the funniest shows on TV since it premiered. Already on its third season, the mockumentary about what could be the world’s dumbest vampires continues to be one of the funniest shows on TV. Between Nandor and Nadja fighting over how to run the vampiric council, Nandor’s identity crisis, and Lazlo’s shenanigans, the show provides plenty of hilarious and quotable moments. The biggest moment that came was at the end of the season, which has left me eagerly awaiting season 4.

03. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
(FXX/Hulu)

Even though it’s TV’s longest running live-action sitcom, It’s Always Sunny continues to feel extremely underrated. Although this was an abbreviated season, consisting of only eight episodes, it packed countless laughs. Fifteen seasons in, and the show has remained as funny as ever. This season showed The Gang dealing with the events of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a trip to Ireland. Throughout all this, the characters have stayed as dumb as ever, even while the show keeps getting smarter and smarter.

02. Ted Lasso
(Apple TV+)

Ted Lasso‘s second season continued to be a source of joy and happiness during these trying times, even as the show itself got deeper and darker. This season explored the limits of Ted’s optimism and the importance of mental health in the sports world. Instead of being a relentless feel good parade, this season also tackled toxic relationships, codependency, and workplace insecurity, all the while giving a deeper edge to its characters, most notable Nate. Despite the trials and tribulations, the show maintained its integral warmhearted charm, all the while setting up what could be a huge third season.

01. It’s a Sin
(HBO Max)

It’s a Sin follows a group of young, gay housemates living on their own for the first time. Escaping from their quiet hometowns, 1980s London provides a hedonistic playground, as the the characters relish in finally being able to openly live their lives. The characters, especially the show’s lead, Richie Tozer, live life so vibrantly that death seems almost impossible. As the group revels in their freedom, whispers of a mysterious virus are heard and things start to dramatically around them start to change. It’s strange to say that a show about the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s is joyous, but It’s a Sin is a celebration of life, even through such grim subject matter. In fact, the celebratory tone that the show starts off with makes the grim turns even more devastating. Scored by an impeccable soundtrack, Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Omari Douglas, Nathaniel Curtis, and Callum Scott-Howells all deliver deeply affecting portrayals and the five episode series is personal, political, beautiful, and angry all at once. It’s a Sin is a tribute to those that lived through this terrible time and an indictment of the ignorance and cruelty that surrounded their deaths. Vibrant, devastating, and completely unforgettable, It’s a Sin is series that will fill you with joy while completely destroying you at the same time.

2021 Favorites: Documentaries, Specials, and Other

In the age of streaming, there is a lot of specials, documentaries, and other forms of media that don’t quite fit neatly into a traditional box. So, this year, I have a new category! Will this be a new yearly thing? Possibly, possibly not. However, here are my favorite documentaries and TV specials for 2021 (side note: if you click on the name, you can see trailers!).

10. Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson

The first of several pop star documentaries, Malfunction reexamines the extreme reactions to Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl Half Time show. While not much new information is presented, it was nice that the racist and misogynistic undertones that attempted to take down a musical icon were highlighted. Janet received the brunt of the blame and her careered suffered, while Justin Timberlake was able to scurry away unscathed. While it needed to go deeper, this revisiting was nice to see. A major component missing within this documentary is Janet’s voice, but here’s hoping we hear straight from the source in A&E’s upcoming documentary, JANET. While it didn’t bring anything new to the table, I always welcome anything that contains any Justin Timberlake lashings (although this documentary ended up being lighter on those than I expected).

09. WeWork: or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn

This year, I was hooked by documentaries about scammers and fraud, and quickly realized that if you’re charismatic and tall, it’s quite easy to sucker people into anything. Combining the deranged self-aggrandizing ego of Fyre Festival and sinister self-improvement philosophy, this documentary does a good job telling the fascinating story of this strange cult of a company.

08. Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage

An interesting take on the absolute mess that was Woodstock 99 and how easily people can be pushed into hysteria and destruction.

07. Misha and the Wolves

The less said about the premise might be better, but Misha and the Wolves is a thrilling and highly entertaining rollercoaster ride with crazy twists.

06. Final Account

Final Account is a chilling portrait of the last living generation of everyday people that were part of the Third Reich. Interviews ranging from former SS officers to normal citizens raise questions about authority, complicity, and responsibility that lends credence to the famous Edmund Burke quote, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” The nonchalance that some subjects have over this period of their life is shocking and can provide some insight to today’s landscape.

05. The First Wave

As another wave of the pandemic hits the United States, The First Wave proved to be a sobering watch. Even with all the talk of how the current COVID-19 variant is more mild, the healthcare system is still being slammed. This documentary gives the viewer access to a New York City hospital as it became the epicenter of the pandemic to show how dire the situation in hospitals is. It’s an agonizing look into the devastating loss of life and how healthcare workers have had to deal with the persistence of it. There is no way to watch this harrowing documentary without being rattled by the loss of life and the cost that the pandemic has caused.

04. Summer of Soul (…or When the Revolution Could Not be Televised)

A joyous documentary that interweaves revealing interviews, spirited performances, and cultural context to paint a picture of the forgotten Harlem Cultural Festival, which took place over six weekends in 1969. It is a testament to the healing and connecting power of music, especially during times of social unrest. The electrifying performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, and Gladys Knight & the Pips, among countless others, are an incredible joy to watch.

03. Tina

Serving as a sort of final farewell, Tina paints a complete picture of the musical icon through a series of intimate interviews and electrifying performance footage. As she began telling her story of trauma and survival, she was able to be reborn, but then had to grapple with the survivor narrative ascribed to her. This documentary is a triumph that highlights Turner’s career and hopefully allows her to move past the victim narrative. It’s a fitting bookend to the rock icon’s incredible career.

02. Framing Britney Spears/Controlling Britney Spears

Framing Britney Spears is an infuriating look into how Britney Spears’s life has been treated as a cruel international sport. Reframing her life in the context of today and seeing the constant misogyny and abuse that she’s been through since the inception of her career was incredibly disturbing, especially when it’s all laid out together. The montage of media coverage highlights how unfairly she was treated and how that contributed to her spiraling out of control and landing into a conservatorship, which lasted for thirteen years. In a surprise follow up, Controlling Britney Spears delves into the devices and manipulation that the people around her used to control her every move and keep her trapped as a cash cow with no say or freedom of her own. Shocking interviews paint a picture of how one of the most famous people on the planet was isolated and controlled for more than a decade. This series of documentaries proved to be some sort of catalyst for her freedom and shows that Britney Spears lives up to her lyrics of being “stronger than yesterday.”

01. Bo Burnham: Inside

A wonderfully weird comedy special that is bleak, hopeful, and hilarious all at the same time. Bo Burnham was able to perfectly capture the banality of the day to day of being stuck inside during the lockdown period of the pandemic, a banality so insidious that it slowly creeped into a state of depression, all this accomplished to a series of incredibly clever and catchy songs! Inside serves as a fascinating document for what people collectively went through, showing that even during our lowest points, despite feeling otherwise, we were not alone. By the end of this special, I had visceral reaction that proved to be cathartic. This might go down as the finest piece of art of the pandemic era.