As seems to be tradition with me, I spent the majority of New Year's Day with my head in a toilet, so here's my slightly late round up of my personal favourite things in arts and culture from the last year. See you later, 2014...
Film
Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with his phone, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Need I say anything else? But honestly, this film is brilliant. It is shot beautifully and made me think about my own relationship with technology. Side note: I'm not going to shag my laptop...
- The Grand Budapest Hotel - dir. Wes Anderson
Symmetry, cakes, intrigue, just brilliant and in classic Anderson style.
- The Double - dir. Richard Ayoade
I can't even remember the details of this film, just that it made me feel a certain way. As a whole it is very atmospheric and very dark. Literally. I don't think a single scene is shot in daylight.
- Boyhood - dir. Richard Linklater
Shot over 12 years,
Boyhood chronicles Mason's life from childhood through adolescence.
I'm probably only one or two years older than the protagonist of this film, and I was personally struck by the way the use of certain pieces of music, as well as other references, threw me back to a similar time in my life.
- Mockingjay Part One - dir. Francis Lawrence
The beginning of the end of
The Hunger Games film franchise. Once again, all involved bring a tense and aesthetically pleasing adaptation to screen. Sticking true to the source material,
Mockingjay delivers.
- The Wind Rises - dir. Hayao Myazaki
From the creator of
My Neighbour Totoro, The Wind Rises follows Jiro Horikoshi and his dream to become an aircraft designer. Plot wise the film is slow, languidly exploring Jiro's life, but visually is an absolute triumph in animation, blending the use of hand painted scenery with modern digital animation.
- How To Train Your Dragon 2 - dir. Dean DeBlois
Animated sequel that will 100% make you cry. I just love some of the messages this films puts across. For example, the hero loses his leg in the first film and yet, despite his disability, Hiccup shows strength and courage, going on to again save the day and get on with his life. An excellent message to people, especially young people, in a similar position.
TV
- In The Flesh - created by Dominic Mitchell
The rural town of Roarton is recovering from "The Rising". During the rising, thousands of people across the country rose from the dead, including Kieren Walker, a teen who took his own life. It deals not so much with zombie attacks but frames the undead as victims - "partially deceased" - who are targeted by the living as they try to assimilate back into society. It is excellent.
- Sherlock - created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat
Excuse me for being late to the party on this one, but after years of friends badgering me about it, I finally bothered to watch it. And let me tell you, I finally understand the hype behind that Benderback Cumberbiscuit. No, but really, I loved it. A lot more than I anticipated I would. I especially loved the character of Molly, portrayed by Louise Brealey. I want nothing more than for her feelings for the cold and oblivious Sherlock to finally be requited.
Literature
- We Were Liars - E. Lockhart
Since
reading this book in early 2014, I have since passed it book on to
many of my friends who have all similarly loved this book. It is a YA
romance of it's own kind.
We Were Liars is a mystery that will have you guessing (and screaming, probably) until the very end.
- Tiger Lily - Jodi Lynn Anderson
I can't remember what happens but the prose is so beautiful, Anderson's quality of writing is a really high standard. As a retelling of
Peter Pan, we follow wild child, Tiger Lily, as the boy she
loves falls for someone else. It is brilliant and touching.
- One Hundred Proposals - Holly Martin
So
good I somehow had time to read it twice! The main character, Suzie
McKenzie, has my dream job. She runs a website that specialises in
helping people work out how to propose to their other half.
Her
best friend, Harry, helps her run it and, as a marketing ploy, decides
to test the proposals out on Suzie and start a blog. The only problem is
that Suzie loves Harry and every fake proposal breaks her heart. I
really didn't expect to love this book, but after three years of reading
the heavy stuff at uni, it was lovely to read something that was so
nice and relaxing to read.
- Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins
In
the third and final book of the series, we return to Paris, this time
following sweet and shy Isla as she tackles her final year of school
just as she embarks on a romance with the boy she's always been in love
with. Cute and quirky, Perkins creates the perfect love story, full of
drama, set in the City of Light.
Music
Swift
takes a risk with this departure from her usual country genre, branching
out to pop. It pays off. 1989 is easily one of my favourite albums of
2014. Swift herself has been especially impressive this year, having
grown so much as a woman and a feminist. Check out
Blank Space (obvs) and
Welcome to New York.
- So Long, See You Tomorrow - Bombay Bicycle Club
Not
only my favourite album of last year but possibly of all time. I've
been a Bombay fan since I was about 16 but this album is, to me, a step
beyond their previous work. Listen to
Luna, Eyes Off You, Come To... Just listen to it all, okay?
So, to round off, 2014 was a pretty big year. I watched, read and listened to some pretty good stuff. Here's to 2015 and whatever this year will bring!
Happy new year!
