Fave Things Of 2014: Part I

Here are some things I thought didn't suck last year. 3 parts, Top 10 format, with one special "Grand Jury" prize synonymous with first place.

Sorry it took so long:



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10. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

I liked it. Could've been better, could've been worse. Great soundtrack and characters, though. I'm glad summer blockbusters can still have a heart.

I never thought I'd come close to crying over a tree and a raccoon.


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9. LUCATIEL

There are characters in the background of the Dark Souls games, and Lucatiel of Mirrah is the one I cared for the most. Even in the times where I want to take on every challenge alone, I always take up the offer to have her join in battle against this game's bosses.

Her story isn't long, but there's a quiet dignity and thoughtfulness to her arc, and I'm always a little saddened when it's time to say goodbye.

Maybe Dark Souls isn't one story, but the story of how millions of little people walk the same road?


(The Souls series will make a return on this list, I promise you that.)


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8. DOCTOR WHO: "DEATH IN HEAVEN"

Poster by Stuart Manning

I'm a casual fan of Doctor Who. I can't claim to be a lifelong expert or anything like that. I've only really seen the newer series, Eccleston-onward. I like some episodes more than others. It doesn't always click with me, but it has an admirable earnestness to it.

That said, there is only one thing I'm confused about. One source of bafflement out of all of the weirdness and lore, that no amount of scouring the Wiki articles has been able to clear up for me. One single, piercing question I have about this 50+ year old franchise:


If Stevan Moffat was capable of writing an episode this great, why did he let the end of Matt Smith's run go completely to shit?


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7. MALEFICENT

I have a lot of respect for this movie. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the dragon wasn't breathing green fire, like in the animated version of Sleeping Beauty. That's it.

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6. CIV: BEYOND EARTH SOUNDTRACK

Geoff Knorr, Griffin Cohen, Michael Curran & Grant Kirkhope composed some of the best music that came out of 2014. Their job was to elicit the feeling of brazen curiosity and courage that must surely come to any creature that wants to explore past familiar stars. I can't say if the game itself accomplished its' mission as well as it's music does.

It's strange how little I have to say about some of these entries, despite their ranking. Maybe I just have a hard time explaining my musical preferences.


PART 2 can be found here.


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~A.H.