If you've visited the blog before you've certainly realized that it is not only books that I fangirl over. TV, movies, and sometimes music can quickly become obsessions.
I thought it might be fun to share some of my favourite non bookish things from 2014 before the year ends.
TV
Breaking Bad
I binged watched this last Dec/Jan during a holiday marathon. It quickly became one of my favourite shows. Not just of the year, but ever. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are two characters you will never forget and the question of what happens after still haunts me. Without giving spoilers...you want this one character, in particular, to be okay. You want to think that they found their happiness after the events. The idea that they might not have...soul crushing. This show is insanely well written, even more well acted, and all consuming. Trust the hype, and just watch it already if you haven't.
The Affair
The he said/she said storytelling. The subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, differences in events. The brilliant acting. The amazing writing. Take your pick as there are plenty of reasons this show should already be on your radar.
The show plays with perception and our recollection of events. It asks how much of what we remember is based on how we see ourselves and others instead of on actual facts. The person you love for example will always look better to you than they do to themselves. Are our views of someone accurate? Is it something we're projecting onto them? All of this is tackled against a tightly woven plot that keeps unraveling as the story continues to spiral. The main four characters (Joshua Jackson, Ruth Wilson, Dominic West, and Maura Tierney) are electric and the chemistry between them all is palpable. You'll want to watch them connect with each other, destroy each other, and implode over and over.
Penny Dreadful
Eva Green. Those two words are enough to make watching Penny Dreadful a must. She delivers one of the best performances on television this year. I read somewhere that someone said nobody acted harder in 2014, on television, than Eva Green. I 1000% agree with this sentiment. The later half of the season in particular allows her some great material to work with. It stuns me that she hasn't received any nominations as of yet (hopefully an Emmy is in her future).
The fact that the rest of the cast is also very good, and that the show is well written only adds to it's allure. The show itself looks beautiful and the storyline is captivating. Harry Treadaway deserves a special mention for his role as Victor Frankenstein as well. He makes the iconic character his own, and provides something extra to his storylines as a result.
How To Get Away With Murder
The twisty, incredibly fun hit of the fall season also happens to have some of the most brilliant performances. Viola Davis literally and figuratively strips away the layers she hides behind in one stand out moment. Jack Falahee slays as the self destructive Connor Walsh. Alfred Enoch plays an audience stand in of sorts, and does it fantastically. His "WTF" expressions, and puppy like demeanor only add to his charm. The best thing about this show however is that after it's stunning first half of the season it can, pretty much, go anywhere. The possibilities have me excited and may just determine if this show has staying power.
MOVIE
Gone Girl
The book to movie adaptation of 2014 for me. Rosamund Pike's flawless performance as Amy Dunne steals the movie. Once the mysteries behind her character are revealed Rosamund gets her chance to showcase what she can do, and the effect is breathtaking. Too many details would spoil the movie, but her performance left me with goosebumps.The movie itself is a faithful, well done, impeccably acted, adaptation of one of my favourite novels and I left the theatre extremely pleased.
Jacke Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler
Chilling, creepy, perfection. Jake Gyllenhaal has be praised for his acting talents numerous times (Brokeback Mountain, anyone?) but his performance as Lou Bloom is beyond words. His transformation is nothing short of awe inspiring. He both repulses and fascinates you as a supremely driven crime scene journalist who will stop at nothing to get ahead in his career.
Boyhood
A movie that is both a look at growing up and the journey that takes us from childhood to the cusp of adulthood and a nostalgic time capsule. The amount of time, and planning that went into creating this story that spanned 12 years is inspiring. It's uplifting, bittersweet, and shows just how similar everyone's experiences really are.
MUSIC
Taylor Swift's 1989
Only one CD mattered to me this year (yes, this makes me lame, whatever) and it was this one. It has pretty much been on repeat since it's release and I am obsessed with Blank Space, and Wildest Dreams. OBSESSED.
Music was definitely the element lacking this year for me? Anything I should check out? Let me know in the comments.
OTHER
Etsy
This website has quickly become a favourite of mine. There are so many cute, and amazing things to buy. If you're part of a fandom, it's basically got you covered. You'll spend way too much time browsing but you'll undoubtedly leave it pining for some items, and with less money! It's going to be something I continue to use in 2015, especially for gifts for people.
