#TheBestOf2017

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Oh, 2017. You made my eyes and ears explode. So much happened in the world of entertainment this year that kept me glued to various screens- my computer, my phone, my television and the local cinema. This year may have been a rough one for some but in 2017, the world of pop culture dominated (hello, #MeToo movement).  Listed below are my favorites and recommendations of this passing year.

Hello gentlemen…

MOVIES   Please note that I haven’t seen “Get Out” (I know, know…), “The Big Sick,” “Lady Bird,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “The Florida Project,” “The Shape of Water” and so many other future (hopefully) Oscar nominated films. And can we reminiscence about one of my favorite moments of the year- the Oscar fiasco (Go”Moonlight!”)?

“Trainspotting 2:” Hands down, my favorite movie of the year (and not just because I’ve had a massive crush on Ewan McGregor for most of my life). Sequels usually don’t hold but man, this movie… “T2” wraps up loose ends in a neat, plaid bow and has a lot of fun doing so. Also, THE SOUNDTRACK  (take a gander at “Silk” by Wolf Alice). Also, SCOTLAND (take me back to the U.K….).

“Dunkirk:” The sound. “Dunkirk” must win Best Sound Editing at the Oscars next year. It is deafening (in the best way, of course). Christopher Nolan knows how to make a movie- TEACH ME YOUR WAYS! The stakes are high and he plays with the timeline of war in an interesting way. (My only compliant is there wasn’t enough of Tom Hardy’s lips.)

“Girls Trip:” Sometimes you need something stupid to watch and this is it (okay, stupid is the wrong word). The female friendship woven throughout the movie is heartwarming and feels real. I first saw “Girls Trip” at the theater when I was having an off day- I left with a cramp in my side from laughing so much. Tiffany Haddish absolutely kills in this movie and the other actresses play well off of each other so well.

“Wonder Woman:” Finally. Finally, finally, finally. We HAVE “WONDER WOMAN!” Gal Gadot is bad ass yet adorable. Patty Jenkins is a bad ass and a genius. This movie was sweet. It was fun. It was funny. And there wasn’t any cheap shot of certain female anatomy (that is important! Take note, male filmmakers!). This movie inspired me to start writing screenplays again- 2018, you better watch out for ME!

TELEVISION  Please note that there was simply too much good television made this year- “Big Little Lies,” “The Deuce,” “GLOW,”  “The Crown,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend…”  But I’m finally watching “Game of Thrones” and am finally caught up with “The Great British Bakeoff!”

“Master of None:” Give it up for brown people. In the middle of the new season of “Master of None“, there is this beautiful love letter to New York City and its residents. It’s refreshing to see stories about the little guy- the elevator operator, the girl who works at the corner bodega, your taxi driver. The entire season is fantastic (the Thanksgiving episode!) but this episode proves to the world that there’s no one like New Yorkers. (Netflix)

“The Handmaid’s Tale:” I love this show even though it hurts to watch. The United States no longer exists. The majority of the world’s women can no longer get pregnant. Those who can are raped and force to to bare children to term. With everything politically that happened this year, I watch this show and wondering if the premise of “The Handmaid’s Tale” could eventually become our reality.  Nevertheless, the show is compelling and leaves you wanting more. I can’t go enough of this show and am I so excited for the next season. (Hulu)

“Stranger Things:” I waited all year for the new season of “Stranger Things” and binged it within two days. With the exception of the seventh episode (you know which one I’m talking about, this season was perfect. Give me anything with Samwise Gamgee and cute guys named Steve. Bitchin’. (Netflix)

“This Is Us:” The feels. Ugly cry. This show. It’s so, so good. (NBC)

James Corden also killed with his “Carpool Karaoke” segments this year. They are always so much fun to watch. (CBS and iTunes)

My Top Songs of 2017, according to Spotify

MUSIC Yes, yes… I still need to listen to DAMN.

“(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” by Sampha:  It was a cold day in the beginning of February when I first heard this song. I was drinking coffee in my favorite coffee shop when the barista played this song over and over again on the loudspeaker. I was hooked. Sampha wrote this beautiful tribute to his mother and their East London home  right after she passed away from cancer. You can feel the emotion seeping from his pores as he sings about childhood memories. This is my favorite song of the year.

“Praying” by Kesha: I have to admit something awful. Despite my fondness for glitter, for the longest time I hated Kesha’s music. I was never a massive EDM fan and the bass in her songs would give me headaches. Flash forward to this summer. I intensely followed her legal battles against Dr. Luke and was curious to about her new album, especially when she still had ties to him. The first time I heard “Praying,” I cried. It has real power. Raw power. It is intense with filled with grace.  There is a kindness in it that I don’t think I could ever give anyone if I was in Kesha’s shoes. This song has taught me about forgiveness and finding the strength in yourself.

“Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles: My friends know me as a die hard One Direction fan (I wouldn’t sing anything else at karaoke). OD went on a hiatus this year and each member branched out, moving and shaking with their solo careers. While his bandmates followed the pop route, Harry Styles took another direction (haha… puns) and made a record that, when I first listened to it, thought was a David Bowie album. “Sign of the Times” has this gorgeous sweeping chorus, with beautiful vocals and drums. I want to live in this song and in its music video.

“Despactio” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. How can you not love this song?! Okay, it took me a while to fall in love with it but after hearing it for the millionth time, the song stole my heart (and makes me want to live on a Puerto Rican beach in a teeny bikini). Props for being the most YouTube video of all time and helping to raise Puerto Rican’s tourist interest.

“One More Light” by Linkin Park. 2017 was a sad year for rock and roll. The suicide of Chris Cornell was tough to process but Chester Bennington’s death felt like a repeated punch to the stomach. Linkin Park was a staple in my music rotation during my formative years, a band that I literally grew up with. Reading about Bennington’s suicide this July brought up some unsettling memories. The band released the video for “One More Light” a few months after Bennington’s death in memoriam. It’s with footage of a smiling Bennington interacting with fans- both the video and song just hauntingly gorgeous.

Rest in peace, Chester

WRITING  One of my resolutions for 2017 was to read more books. Despite my weekly visit to the local library, I would spend more time on Buzzfeed rather than flipping tangible pages. Quite frankly, I can’t remember the majority of things I read this year but I do remember this piece of journalism. The photos alone tell a heartbreaking story but dive deeper into the text and learn how the Syrian people  continue on despite the war around them. The music flows over the ruins of Aleppo and through the crevices of our hearts.

What are your favorites of 2017, dear reader?

My Favorite Tunes, Films, Books and Shows of 2015

Every publication on the planet puts out a top so-and-so list at the end of the year. I love these lists. I add these movies, shows and books to my winter to-do list, with hopes of getting everything watched and read before flowers start blooming and the daylight savings arrives.

2015 was filled with a bunch of visual goodies- I have to admit that I haven’t read as much as I wanted to this year (that’s going to change in 2016) but I did watch plenty. Here is my own list of favorites, although I have to admit that I only watch and read what I like (no more Marvel superhero movies for me).

My favorite films of the year (and yes, I am that person who says, “films”) are*:

Tom Hardy in “Mad Max: Fury Road”

1. Mad Max: Fury Road – Tom Hardy. Charlize Theron. The Doof Rider. Mad Max was my favorite movie of the year because of the physical and special effects, the strong female characters and the soundtrack. Okay… and Tom Hardy. Let’s be real.
2. DOPE– Steve and I watched the movie after listening to a review on NPR. I expected this movie to be like a Tyler Perry flick but it was so much better. The characters were hilarious. I loved how they’re obsessed with 90s rap and are in a punk band.
3. Sicario– Sicario is one of those movies that you’ll watch once and never see again… Not because it’s bad but because the subject matter- a drug war on the US/Mexican border- is so gripping and violent (I feel the same way for No Country For Old Men).
4. Trainwreck– Some moments in the opening scene mimicked my life in New York City. As I watched, I texted my old roommate, telling her that Amy Schumer picked my brain when she wrote the script (we both have had the same experience in Long Island).
5. Magic Mike XXL– I usually don’t give movies a standing ovation at the cinema but man, I love love love this movie. It was so fun and the guys… Their dance movies. Ginuwine’s “Pony.” Hello.
6. Ex Machina– I never thought I’d fall in love with a ginger again but Domhnall Glesson is adorable. This is just something about him. He was great in Star Wars and I’m so excited to see what happens to him next. (But I hated the ending of the movie.)
7. Man Up– I never considered Simon Pegg to be a sexy romantic lead but in Man Up, he is. The movie is fun and charming, perfect in you’re in need of a solid chick flick.

*This list is not finalized as I haven’t seen Brooklyn, the Hateful Eight nor Creed yet (and I heard that they’re all fantastic). I also haven’t seen End of the Tour yet, a film that is receiving a ton of Oscar buzz.

There was so much good music to fall in love with in 2015. I listened to a lot of pop this year and was impressed with different artists and styles. I loved… Daniel John’s “Aerial Love.” “Hello” by Adele. “Omen” by Disclosure and Sam Smith. Amy Lee’s cover of “Going to California.” (Please a new Evanescence album next year.) Jack U and Missy Elliot’s remix to “Take U There.” “Burning House” by Cam. “Yoga” by Janelle Monae. Lil Dicky’s “$ave Dat Money.” “FourFive Seconds” by Rihanna, Kanye West and Sir Paul McCartney. And my all time favorite of the year, “Music to Watch Boys To” by Lana Del Rey….

There are too many great songs to list…

“Somewhere Inside” by Lisa and Laura Ling

I’m particular about books, more than I am about movies. I want to read something engaging- the kid in me still likes reading past midnight, underneath my covers with a flashlight. But I’m willing to read almost anything**. I started reading Shonda Rhimes’ new book, “Year of Yes.” The Amazon reviews were great but 1/3 into it, I had to shelf it. I just couldn’t finish it. I never liked her shows to begin with so why did I think I’d like her book? Nevertheless, I did read a handful of great reads this year, which included:

1. “Bastards: A Memoir” by Mary Anna King. As an adopted child, this book tore at my heartstrings. Anna’s younger siblings are placed for adoption throughout various points in her life. She writes about meeting her four younger sisters in her 20s and wanting a better childhood for them and herself. Yes, this sounds depressing but it’s a wonderful read.
2. “Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home” by Lisa and Laura Ling. I’ve been following Lisa Ling’s career for a while. I loved her work with Vanguard and I’m addicted to her show on CNN. She co-wrote this book with her younger sister, Laura, who was imprisoned in North Korea for several months. The book is incredibly personal and inspiring. It’s the kind of writing that I want to do- in-depth journalism with lots of emotion.
3. “My Year with Eleanor: A Memoir” by Noelle Hancock. (Wow, I read a lot of memoirs this year.) I just quit Artown and I didn’t want to spend my summer watching TV waiting for the fall semester to start. So, I picked up this book, looking for inspiration. The author just left her position at an online magazine and spent her year doing things that scared her: skydiving, performing stand-up comedy, confronting her ex-boyfriend. It was an easy and comforting read that I wish that I didn’t give away- I’d read it again.
4. “20 Pounds in 90 days” by “Chloe Black” (not her real name). I’m bias- I never been thanked in a book’s credits before. My friend, “Chloe,” has spent the last part of the year writing this great read. She is my go-to friend when I need career and exercise advice. Look out for her mentoring book and blog next year.

** My future reading list. I will definitely need to buy a bigger bookshelf.

The macabre beauty of “Penny Dreadful”

TV has been my best friend this year. I watched a ton of it. But there is too much good television out there. We are still in the middle of the TV’s Golden Age and there are so many new seasons, new series, reboots (here’s look at you, X Files). Today’s television is like being at Burning Man- it’s overstimulating. You see a little bit of one thing before moving on to the next- there is simply too much to experience. Most of the time, I end up Wikipedia-ing episode synopsis so I can catch up (or learn how the show ended like what I did with Mad Men). When I do sit down and watch episodes in their entirety, it’s a rare moment when I let myself get engulfed with the story. My favorite TV shows of 2015 are***:

1. Mr. Robot (USA)- Everything about this show is amazing. The story line. The acting. The crazy cinematography. After I finished the season, I subscribed to Code Academy. I’m learning how to hack and becoming a member of F Society.
2. Master of None (Netflix)- I loved Aziz Anasari on Parks and Recreation (he and Donna made the best team- #squadgoals). His new show was wonderfully hilarious and like Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, it introduced relationships and dating in NYC in a very realistic way. I can’t wait for season two.
3. iZombie (The CW)- I never planned to get an iPhone. I was quite happy with my Nokia. One of the few reasons I caved was so I could FaceTime my BFF, Cece, when iZombie came on. Liv is the horror version of Veronica Mars (who I still aspire to be) and the men in her life (Rahul Kohli and Robert Buckley) are… well, hot. We sit and swoon.
4. Penny Dreadful (Showtime)- Penny Dreadful is smartly written, expanding on the stories of characters from classic horror lore. Dracula. Frankenstein and his bride. The werewolf. Dorian Gray. Eva Green is stunning (as is Josh Hartnett). The dialogue is word porn for the ears and the soundtrack is breathtaking- it’s one of the reasons why I picked up the violin this year.
5. Black-ish (ABC)- This show makes me laugh so hard. I can relate to every single character but Bow is my homegirl. We’re both of mixed ethnicities and were raised by moms who love their healing rose quartz crystals.
6. Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)- I don’t like The Walking Dead (please don’t hate me). I tried to get through the first season and I was bored. But I loved the spin-off series. I loved its gradually climb and its pacing. Plus, the show was more about the people than the brain-sucking zombies. No scary creatures for me, thank you.
7. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)- This is the best comedy of the year all because of Titus Andromedon and peeno noir.

***I’m still catching up with Jane the Virgin (The CW), the Americans (FX) and the Knick (Cinemax). After that, I’ll be watching the Leftovers (HBO), Jessica Jones (Netflix), UnReal (Lifetime) and this season of Fargo (FX).

What were your favorites of 2015, dear reader?