I was going to bemoan the recent movie release date changes and the lack of any good comic-con news but than Taylor Swift surprised everyone delivered a jolt to my disastrous summer and dropped an album last night.
And I assure you folklore is deservedly on the Best of 2020 list already and will no doubt stay there. There will be rambles on this to come 🙂
So here’s a wrap up on the other great things I’ve loved this year! These aren’t in any kind of order but I highly recommend all of them!
Hamilton
You know there were moments going into this I worried that it couldn’t possibly live up to the hype and I’m not much of a musical theater fan regardless but it did. I’m so happy I saw it it only enhanced the music and I think it’s great they recorded the original cast because those performances deserved to be memorialized.
I could watch Daveed Diggs all day and night and probably will 🙂
The Harley Quinn Show
Surprising no one I’m sure!
We got two seasons this year and they were funny, sweet, raunchy, violent and full of heart. Plus Ivy! I’ve talked about this one plenty but it’s basically everything I would want them to bring to the live action movies!
Network Effect
Murderbot is one of my favorite characters (and ART) and amazingly in a year that has sucked his first full-length novel lived up to my hype and surpassed it. Bring me more Murderbot adventures and I will devour them happily as he does his bad shows!
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
It took me a few minutes to get into this film but once I did it was a beautiful dream. Well-acted and shot and also lived up to the hype that it came with.
Starsight by Brandon Sanderson
The sequel to Skyward I was actually impressed with the chances Sanderson took on this that really blew the world open. The characters, the politics, the space, the world-building both books are more than worth the read.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
It’s funny going into this I was probably one of those people going, ew, Snow really? After it I can answer the, I think unfair, question of why does this book exist?
Because Collins had a story to tell. But it is a character piece of which the Hunger Games is only a small part. Snow is a terrifying perspective to read because I think Collins nails it. He is garden variety asshole at the beginning. He is the guy down the street but we see how the chaos and the need for control shape the mind into the monster.
And Lucy was everything lively that Katniss really wasn’t. I do have my wish list on this (a POV for Lucy) but I still think it’s one of the best of the year. Collins had something to say and love it or hate it I think she nails it here.
Emma.
I never really got Knightley until this film.
But man the longing. They nail the longing so much. Johnny Flynn and Anya Joy-Taylor have great chemistry and hey even if they didn’t this is one of the prettiest costumed and designed films I’ve seen this year. And honestly… probably my favorite Austen adaptation period.
Night of the Dragon
I’ve found that rarely does a series ender actually nail the ending. In fact I’m more often let down than not but Night of the Dragon (a series I loved straight through) absolutely nailed it. It brought the characters, the funny and the heartbreak and it actually truly delivered on an action packed show down without losing the characters.
Plus the end, end has my heart.
So the year wasn’t all a wash by a long shot and hopefully they’ll be plenty of good stuff to come 🙂
Great post! I really need to watch Hamilton on Disney +
I forgot about that novel from Collins. My initial reaction was “nah” because of Snow as well, but now you’ve piqued my interest.
Definitely agree with Hamilton and Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Love those two.
I love Taylor Swift’s new album too and that’s something I haven’t said in years.
I know! I like all her more recent stuff but folklore finally feels like the extension of the original Taylor magic 🙂
YEES I loved watching Hamilton on Disney plus! I liked it SO MUCH! I’ve started listening to Taylor’s new album and I have to say that I am surprised. I was never a huge Taylor Swift fan but this album is different and I really feel like I could LOVE it! I have heard so many mixed reviews on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes so I am really hesitant to pick it up but it’s great to see some positive reviews on it! Great post!
I’m loving folklore but I admit I’ve always been a fan 🙂 But it definitely feels like while the most recent stuff has been good and fun this is where she should be!
So glad we finally got to see Hamilton. Just about the only positive movie moves during the pandemic was Hamilton moving forward a year. And Daveed Diggs was awesome as always!
Portrait of a Lady on Fire sounds AWESOME Gemma! 😍😍
I have yet to read The Hunger Games AND something by Brandon Sanderson! AHHHHH!!!
Wait!! WHAT?! Which Emma adaptation is that? AND HOW DO I NOT KNOW?!? 😱😱😱
Night of the Dragon is soo pretty and purple! 😍😍😍😍
i am SOOOO late to the hamilton hype train. i had heard of the musical obviously and i even tried getting into it at one point, but i was just forcing myself to enjoy it so obviously it didn’t work. however, this year my sister finally convinced me to watch it and!!!!! wow it’s actually SO good. please let me know your favorite song/character!!
I always loved Phillipa Soo singing Who Lives Who Dies at the end but after having actual seen it and not just listened to the CD I think my favorite might be Satisfied… otherwise anything involving Daveed Diggs he was so much fun as Jefferson! What about you?
I was going to say I’m gonna save my thoughts on the album until I see your review, but I can’t find one! I’m loving Seven, Peace, This is Me Trying and The One!
I tried the preview for Skyward (I believe that’s what it’s called) and I just got the feeling that it wasn’t going to be for me. 🙁
Ah, I’ll need to finally get around to watching Emma. I still love the BBC adaptation because Knightley is just so moody. But yes, the yearning! Friends to lovers is the superior trope.