My Favorite Things of 2012: On-Screen Edition

I have the biggest too-much-caffeine headache in the world. IN THE WORLD.

It’s also the day before the last day of work before THE WEEK EVERYONE TAKES OFF FOR THE HOLIDAYS, which means things are a little, well, nutty.

BUT.

Today I’m talking about two of my favorite things that are not books: film & TV.

Now. I do not pretend that I have some sort of great knowledge of either of these things. I like them both, and I’m kind of a hermit, and so I watch a good amount of movies and TV shows. But I don’t have any sort of high-brow expertise. I mean, I technically *d0* because I have a degree in writing about the arts. But, c’mon. I watch more shows on The CW than probably all of the Television Critics Association combined. So I’m not gonna front.

So without further ado, I am pleased to present, in no particular order, the movies and TV shows of 2012 that I enjoyed watching a whole bunch.

The Big Screen Side of Things

Safety Not Guaranteed

This has Aubrey Plaza, whom I adore, and Jake Johnson,whom I adore, and maybe a little KBell, whom I adore, all in one movie, about a weird (real!) classified ad published in Seattle. It’s funny and adorable and just a lot of fun.

Pitch Perfect

So, I have a massive girl crush on Anna Kendrick. She seems awesome and I just want for us to be friends. So when I saw she was in this move, I was in. And then I went to see it, and Skylar Astin just won me the hell over. All in all, there are some things I don’t like at all about this movie, but Anna + Skylar + Rebel Wilson + Singing = I CAN GET OVER THOSE THINGS.

(Skylar is the one who sings “It Feels like the First Time.” He was also in Spring Awakening. So. YOU KNOW.)

The Avengers

There aren’t really words to express how happy I am about the success of The Avengers.  Just. WHEDON FOREVER.

First Position

I’m a little in love with dance, ballet in particular. So when I found out about the documentary First Position, about children/teens competing at the Youth America Grand Prix in hopes for a scholarship to a prestigious dance school/a contract with a company, I knew as I was in. Luckily, I live in New York and was able to see it in theaters. It is lovely and thoughtful and very respectful of the fiercely competitive ballet community. It’s also streaming on Netflix!

Cabin in the Woods

It’s been a great year for Whedonites. Also Thor is in this. As is Fran Kranz, who is one of my pop culture boyfriends.

Also, I feel like it’s pertinent for you to know that I watched this movie during Hurricane Sandy while all of my neighbors were out of power, but I inexplicably had power, and they were all staring out of their windows at my TV, forced to watch Cabin in the Woods.

 

The Small(er) Screen Side of Things

Scandal

This is a Shonda Rhimes show. She’s the lady who is the creator/showrunner for Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, and, I think Bunheads. Nope, not Bunheads. I just IMDb’d and she was totally a writer for Princess Diaries 2, which a) AWESOME and b) I apparently confuse that with Bunheads, which is blasphemy. I blame the caffeine.

ANYWAY. Scandal is a political thriller/romance about a really ballsy lady “fixer” named Olivia Pope who is also the mistress of the mother-effing President. It’s soapy and has really fast dialogue and there’s a lot of backstory involved and also a lot of crying. But it’s really fun and well worth your time if you’re looking for a D.C.-based show that has some political intrigue, but isn’t, you know, POLITICAL.

Arrow

Arrow is the CW adaption of DC Comics Green Arrow, a comic I’ve never read or really know anything about. But I like superheroes and I like The CW because I’m in that “new adult” age group everyone seems to be targeting right now, so I gave this a shot. At first it didn’t really hold my interest. I found the lead actor to be, you know, pleasing to my eyeballs, but also stiff as a board. (Get your mind out of the gutter.) But I kept watching and it’s getting really, really good and there are really great guest stars from BSG and Torchwood and shows like THAT. So it’s really fun and it’s hitting it’s stride and you should totally watch it.

Girls

Shut up, I like it.

Awkward

So, okay. Technically this show debuted in 2011, but I didn’t start watching it until this past year, so I’m including it here because this is my list and you can’t stop me. I EFFING LOVE THIS SHOW. It is smart and funny and kind of poignant and so, so, so true of what the high school experience is if you let yourself look back on it honestly. And there’s a DILF.

So those are the things that I enjoyed watching this year. I do realize I’m not including web-series and that’s because I don’t really watch them, which is probably a giant, giant oversight because I hear things like Misfits and Husbands are really great. I’ll get around to it.

Eventually.