So, there’s just way too much stuff I missed last year. There’s no way I can say any piece of culture is a “Best Of” anything. So, here are some of my favorite things this year.
Favorite Movie- Promising Young Woman
A movie that was suspenseful, exciting, funny, and infuriating all the same time. This is a brutal takedown of the “boys being boys” societal excuse and an examination of how many are culpable in preventing this world from being a safe and just place.
Favorite TV Show – I Think You Should Leave
SNL has a sketch type called the 10 to 1 sketch, where they put all their weirdest and most absurd bits. This Netflix Sketch show is like if every single sketch was a 10 to 1 Sketch but every single one was hilarious. And also somehow, something you could see happening in real life? Like a show called “Coffin Flop” on the CornCobTV network.
Favorite Album – Sour by Olivia Rodrigo
It feels weird, as an almost 40-year-old man, to say that this break-up album by an 18-year-old is my favorite album of 2021. But it’s the best break-up album to come along in a long time. And every single song is good – even if they’re overtly indebted to Taylor Swift, the Breeders, and Paramore. Anyone of any age can relate – like when Olivia sings – “I’m not cool, and I’m not smart, and I can’t even parallel park”. We’ve all felt that weight of disappointment and lack of faith in ourselves at times. And “Driver’s License” is a masterpiece, a song that takes all of her influences and her musical theater background and creates the Olivia Rodrigo sound.
Favorite Videogame – Metroid Dread
This game was both a throwback to the older 2D Metroid games and a clear modern evolution. It caught me, and I think a lot of others by surprise. I’ve never been a big fan of the “Metroidvania” genre, but Dread just hooked me. The controls aren’t great, but the level layout, enemy design, graphics, and even the story really draw you in. And the difficulty somehow felt perfect, every time I thought I was going to give up the next time I died I would finally break through and beat that boss.
Favorite Podcast – Nextlander
GiantBomb’s the Bombcast and the Beastcast had been my favorite podcasts for over a decade. Then 3 of the 4 remaining “core” members of GB announced they were leaving in the Spring of 2021 and it seemed like a lot of what GiantBomb special would be gone. And it was, the Beastcast shut down and the Bombcast just hasn’t been the same since. But Brad Shoemaker, Alex Navarro, and Vinny Caravella (the 3 core members of GB who left) started doing new videogame podcasts and coverage at Nextlander later that year. And that quickly became my new favorite podcast. One of the rare videogame podcasts that you can enjoy even if you’ve never played or aren’t interested in the games they’re talking about. And one of the few podcasts that consistently makes me laugh.
https://www.patreon.com/nextlander
Favorite Songs of 2021
There were so many good albums to listen to in 2021 that I rarely had time to re-listen to them discover my favorite tracks. But these are the songs I kept returning to even if I didn’t have time for a whole album
“All My Favorite Songs” by Weezer
“All 10 Well” (10 Minute Version) by Taylor Swift
“drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo”
“good for U” by Olivia Rodrigo
“pride.is.the.devil” by J. Cole feat. Lil Baby