With so many movies, I figured I’d split up all the other rad things I watched, read, and listened to this past year!
TV Shows
Succession – The worst family in town finally came back with a new season and it was worth the wait! The amount of betrayal was insane.
Mare of Easttown – That fifth episode was a gamechanger, but the whole season had me guessing about who committed this small town murder.
Ted Lasso – Also finally back on screen, this season delivered the laughs but also some A+ character development.
Hacks – Jean Smart is gold as comedian being forced out of her Vegas residency. Hannah Einbinder is her formidable and equally funny writer. Their chemistry sizzled!
Dr. Death – I still can’t believe this man existed in real life. The amount of evil chaos he brought to patients who trusted his abilities was heartbreaking and infuriating.
Books
The Dry by Jane Harper – The present mixes with the past when one of Aaron’s best friends winds up dead and he’s forced to go back to his hometown to investigate.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley – Talk about a perfect storm for disaster! A remote island wedding spirals when someone ends up dead.
Survive the Night by Riley Sager – My favorite of his books by far. Ohio in the 90s and a girl obsessed with movies trying to escape a killer? Count me in!
Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy – Takes the very common vampire and werewolf, makes them kind of friends, and try to solve a murder together. Love to see it.
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix – Gosh do I want to see this thing adapted! Fast-paced, teasing us with perfect horror tropes, and then whiplashes us with a surprise ending. Fantastic!
Albums
The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of the Understatement/Everything You’ve Come to Expect
I’m many years late to this supergroup’s party, but I’m glad I made it because they are amazing! Orchestral pop/rock is the genre I’d say, but when you’ve got songs like “Pattern” and “My Mistakes Were Made for You,” it doesn’t really matter. They are excellent!
Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare/Suck It and See/AM
Again, I can’t believe it took me this long to jump on the Arctic Monkeys’ train, but it’s been a fun ride. All the albums are pretty great, but I find myself coming back to these three the most. “Old Yellow Bricks,” “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalalala,” and “Fireside” top out as my favorites from each one, respectively.
Royal Blood – Typhoons
This disco vibe coursing throughout this duo’s third full-length makes for an awesome listen start to finish. “Boilermaker” and the title track are ones to check out for sure.
AFI – Bodies
Oh, how I’ve missed new AFI music! Finally, they’ve given us something, and I’m even more excited to see them in a few months live to play “Dulceria” and “Escape from Los Angeles.”
I Don’t Know How But They Found Me – Razzmatazz
I’d consider this band another supergroup, but they’ve rocketed me back to the 80s with every track. Definitely a solid debut record, and “Kiss Goodnight” and “Sugarpills” are at the top of the list!