BEST MOVIES:
5. Jodorowsky’s Dune – Frank Pavich
Jodorowsky’s Dune is a documentary which chronicles the attempts of surrealist director Alejandro Jodorowsky to adapt the book Dune into what he believed to be the greatest movie ever made. The film is engaging and emphasizes creative mind of Jodorowsky and the plights of independent filmmaking and is a great movie for struggling artists.
4. Guardians of the Galaxy – James Gunn
Guardians livened up this year’s summer season with a classic adventure movie that we didn’t realize we were missing so much. Guardians also pushed the envelope of what Marvel is capable of and cemented the company as the greatest Hollywood producer of our time.
3. Gone Girl – David Fincher
Gone Girl is one of the greatest thrillers/mysteries in recent years. It also adds to the already impressive collection of Fincher’s past work. And to top it all off, Gone Girl reminded us about Ben Affleck’s acting capabilities and finally brought Rosamund Pike into the limelight.
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson
Reminding us of how great Wes Anderson can be, The Grand Budapest Hotel is arguably is best piece of work. Like Anderson’s past work, The Grand Budapest Hotel brought quirky and whimsical back into the mainstream for a while and dazzled us with its bright colors, fantastic scenery, and amazing score.
1. Birdman (Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) – Alejandro González Iñárritu
Birdman is easily the best movie of 2014 for me due to the fact that I could find no weak points in this movie. It stood out of other Oscar contenders for it’s unique cinematography and directing style as well as the fantastic acting and superb score. Easily the Academy Award winner for me.

WORST MOVIES:
5. Maleficent – Robert Stromberg
Maleficent is a prime example of a bad trend in modern Hollywood, which is trying to make your villains more “interesting” by painting them to be more “morally grey”. However, all this accomplishes is tarnishing the already great story of Sleeping Beauty by changing the evil dragon-witch Maleficent into the good guy, which makes Sleeping Beauty pretty sad when you think about it. So thanks Disney.
4. Amazing Spiderman 2 – Mark Webb
Unlike the past movie of Spiderman 2, The Amazing Spiderman 2 likely signifies the end of what could’ve been a decent franchise. Bloated with villains and side plots galore, this movie comes across as a colossal mess created in a Sony Executive boardroom. And the worst part is that even after this, Sony still wants to hang onto Spidey.
3. Robocop – Jose Padihla
Look, I can deal with a reboot every no and then. But I can’t deal with a reboot that completely trashes the story and feel of the original movie. 2014’s Robocop fell victim to the classic PG-13 rules of no blood or substance at all, which is a stark contrast to 1987’s Robocop where one of the bad guys is taken out by first being dunked in acid and being hit by a car before exploding. Compared to that, this one just feels lame.
2. Expendables 3 – Patrick Hughes
This series needs to stop, there it is plain and simple. 20 years ago this may have been a good idea, but now the Expendables franchise is just a series of explosions with out-of-place old men that you barely recognize in the foreground. Except for Terry Crews, you can never have too much of Terry Crews.
1. Transformers 4 – Michael Bay
This one is just like Expendables 3 except about 10 times worse. At the beginning the Transformers series may not have been entirely good, but it at least showed promise. Then came the 2nd movie… then the 3rd… and now the cake is all topped off with the most bloated, poorly written, shallow, and empty movie of the entire franchise. And that’s saying something.

BEST SONGS:
5. Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson
Personally, I enjoy most things that have to do with the term “funk”. The whole style is incredibly fun (it’s even in the name) and this is expressed very well with “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson, which brings that element of funk and combines it with modern pop to make a fun and catchy track for 2014.
4. Problem – Ariana Grande
Now I’ll be honest here, I’m not the greatest fan of pop music. Most of it seems cookie cutter or becomes too bloated by trying to be too “tech-savvy” (I’m looking at you, Skrillex). But occasionally you find a song that manages to stand out, and for me “Problem” by Ariana Grande was one of those songs. I can’t really place why I like this song so much, so I just put it on this list.
3. All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
Alright, I assume that there will be plenty of people that will strongly disagree with this decision. But my defense here is that they simply have to look at the facts, “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor was everywhere this year and has consistently remained at the top of the billboard since its release. I would also like to say that one of the reasons I added this song to the list was so I could use the term “Dawn of the Butt” or “Year of the Booty” from Vogue magazine. And to be fair, Vogue is right, it is the “Year of the Booty”, and Trainor shows it.
2. Take Me To Church – Hozier
If pop music isn’t your thing, then this song might be for you. “Take Me To Church” by Hozier is beautiful, soulful, and meaningful. This song definitely stands out from many similar songs which try to capture the same feeling and it offers a refreshing break from the overload of party music of this past decade. Not that that’s a bad thing, but sometimes we need a bit of variety.
1. Blank Space – Taylor Swift
If 2014 belongs to any artist, it would probably Taylor. This year we saw the previous country star depart from her less desirable roots for the pop scene, and I would have to agree completely with this decision. While the whole album of 1989 is a good example of this new style, “Blank Space” stands out as one of the featured tracks and for good reason, it’s a great pop song and that’s all there is too it. Being at the top of the billboard certainly helps.

WORST SONGS:
5. Let Me Take a Selfie – The Chainsmokers
I can cut a little slack to this song since it appears to be a satirical comment on college life, which I can appreciate. However, if your song isn’t good in the first place, then that makes it harder for to accept the message. Which is happens with “Let Me Take a Selfie” by the Chainsmokers.
4. Masterpiece – Jessie J.
“Masterpiece” by Jessie J. is a classic example of a piece of art trying to be something it’s not. The title would make you think it would be a half decent song at the least, but instead it becomes just another generic tune with less-than-decent lyrics to go with it.
3. Fireball – Pitbull
Honestly, when we were first writing down ideas for this list, one of the suggestions for Worst Song was “Anything by Pitbull”. So to compromise we chose “Fireball” as Pitbull’s song to use. Not that we really have anything against “Fireball”, just that it’s just another Pitbull song. Which isn’t very good.
2. Chandelier – Sia
When I first saw this song on the suggestions list I listened to it so I could get a feel of the song and why it sucks. And the first thing I noticed was that I couldn’t even understand the singer, it’s like she tried to mumble as much as she could to emulate other rappers but just manages to make herself completely unbearable as a rapper. Because of this I couldn’t even finish the song, making an already generic song into another crappy song.
1. Anaconda – Nicki Minaj
Remember when I said that “All About That Bass” was able to show the “Year of the Booty” in a positive light? Well, “Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj shows its bad side. Instead of being colorful and somewhat fun to listen to, Nicki manages to cram as much crap into this song and music video to make unfairly catchy and pretty stupid at times.

BEST ALBUMS:
5. X – Ed Sheeran
X (it’s pronounced “multiply” by the way, in case you were confused) is the latest album from Ed Sheeran, otherwise known as the new teenage dream boy. However, with this new album it looks as if Ed is trying to stray slightly away from that gimmick while still keeping the same audience. X provides a darker side from Sheeran and is definitely worth listening to.
4. Lazaretto – Jack White
While The White Stripes were a very successful and good band, Jack White shows that he doesn’t need his wife, Meg White, to shine. Lazaretto takes a step back from the traditional White Stripes minimalist style and becomes a very busy album and doesn’t fail to impress us with it. It looks like Jack White might have a successful solo career as well.
3. Mandatory Fun – Weird Al Yankovic
Mandatory Fun is easily the most interesting album on this list, which is typical of Weird Al Yankovic’s style. But besides being the first comedy album to reach the top of the billboard since 1963, Mandatory Fun stands out from others because it brings people back in time to when Weird Al was doing more things and reminded us why he is still in the business after 40 years. After this album, I can undoubtedly say that Yankovic has earned the title of a music legend.
2. Run the Jewels 2 – Run the Jewels
Run the Jewels is probably one of the better rap groups out there right now. They’re expertise in the genre is shown in Run the Jewels 2 where they manage to combine great beats with amazing lyrical skills. This album hits hard and knocks the competition out of the way as it makes it’s way to best rap album of 2014.
1. 1989 – Taylor Swift
While I may not be the biggest Taylor Swift fan, I have to give 1989 credit for not only being a great success, but also being the only album to make platinum this year. Along with that it also established Taylor Swift as a major figure in modern pop music alongside other icons such as Katy Perry. A testament to this power is when Swift removed her music from Spotify and received no backlash. 1989 truly is an impressive achievement.

WORST ALBUMS:
5. Indie Candy – Pixies
Indie Candy is probably the saddest song on this list because the Pixies are actually a good band, but this album just manages to fall flat. It simply doesn’t feel like a Pixies album, as if they just walked into the studio, played some sheet music they found somewhere, and went back home.
4. The New Classic – Iggy Azalea
Remember how I said Run the Jewels 2 stands out from other popular rap artists? Well Iggy is one of those, and she doesn’t even come close to Run the Jewels. Whenever I hear Iggy I get significantly detached from the song. Her song “Fancy” might have made the list if she wasn’t the main artist, and I almost considered moving “Problem” down the list just because of Iggy’s solo (although that one isn’t too bad, to be honest). I just feel like Iggy isn’t going to be relevant in a couple years time, and for good reason.
3. Tattoos – Jason Derulo
This one is similar to Iggy Azalea, except Iggy actually has some exceptions where she’s decent. Jason Derulo does not. I don’t think I can name a single good song by Jason Derulo, and I don’t really care about his music enough to try. I mean can anyone actually say that “Wiggle” is a good song? Probably not, and that’s likely the same with every other Derulo song.
2. Four – One Direction
While this may be One Direction’s best album, that doesn’t really say much. Honestly, having Four this far down the list might just be a “me” problem. It might have to do with the fact that I have a 14 year old sister at home who is something of a fan of One Direction, which causes me to have an insatiable desire for One Direction to stop making music and leave the music scene forever. I’m just tired of this teenage boy-band scene, it’s stale and annoying. Or maybe I’m just a closet hipster, I don’t really know.
1. Recess – Skrillex
This one is similar to my decision with Fourexactly the same and I hate it. I hate hearing it everywhere I go and I hate seeing songs that could be great be ruined by overly zealous dubstep. So screw you Skrillex, stop making music.

BEST TV SHOWS:
5. The Walking Dead
A lot can be said about AMC’s hit show The Walking Dead, some out there (like me) might say the show is starting to face it’s decline and will never compare to it’s amazing first season. However, after Season 5.0 it looks like it might be returning to its past glory after the staleness that was Season 3. Season 5.0 brought the gang to a new environment and new villains, and while some might disagree I would say that the hospital arc was actually really well done and ended with Spoilers! one of the saddest deaths in the whole seriesNo Spoilers. If you haven’t already watched this season, I would definately recommend it.
4. Silicon Valley
HBO has always had great shows under its belt, such as The Sopranos or The Wire and now Game of Thrones, and it looks like their new comedy show Silicon Valley might end up as one of HBO’s better series. Showing promise in its first season by bringing a new form of nerd comedy to the table after The Big Bang Theory started to go down in popularity. Silicon Valley was also nominated for several Emmy’s, including Outstanding Comedy Show. If anyone is looking for a good series to watch in a week, I would definitely recommend the first season.
3. Louie
Just like Silicon Valley, Louis C.K.’s new show Louie brings a fresh new approach to comedy to modern television. Shifting from funny to sad throughout the series, Louie shows us the life of a newly divorced comedian in New York City trying to deal with his life. Sometimes dark, sometimes light, always funny. Would recommend.
2. Game of Thrones
While I may be a bit biased since I’m a huge fan of the Game of Thrones series, I would like to say that I’m a huge fan for a good reason. HBO’s Game of Thrones is arguably the best TV show out right now, and this last season further proved that point. Not only did the last season introduce more characters, locations, and events (and then kill them all), it also managed to keep up the power with the old characters (minus Daenerys, she had a boring season) and bring them to new places. These past four seasons are truly remarkable pieces of television.
1. Fargo
As a big fan of the original Coen Brothers movie, I feel safe in saying that not only is FX’s TV adaption of Fargo a faithful callback to the movie, but that it is also the best TV show to come out of 2014. Which is shown by the long list of awards given to its first season along with an Emmy. If you enjoy crime dramas, dark comedy, or anything to do with the Coen Brothers, I would highly recommend this show for you.

WORST TV SHOWS:
5. Stalker
To me, CBS’s show Stalker represents the genre of crime dramas like NCIS or Law and Order coming to a pinnacle of repetition, where they take the same formula and just cookie cutter it 500 times over until eventually your cookie cutter breaks and people get tired of it. Stalker is just lazy, repetitive, boring to watch, and uninteresting. Do not recommend.
4. 2 Broke Girls
Stalker is to crime dramas like 2 Broke Girls is to sitcoms. Just another network trying to cash in on the same formula and they get lazy with the lame jokes and try to squeeze a laugh track in wherever they can. So basically, it’s just like Stalker but with boobs and worse jokes. Also do not recommend.
3. Any Disney Sitcom
I know a lot of people will defend these particular types of shows by saying “But they’re just for kids!” However, the fact stands that you can have TV shows that work for both kids and adults, such as Gravity Falls or Spongebob. Unfortunately, that is not the case with any sitcom that has ever been produced by either Disney or Nickelodeon. Not only are they repetitive, but they’re also just plain stupid sometimes. The writing is terrible and made so that only a 10 year old could laugh at it, and most of the time these shows are just made so that Disney’s next up and coming star can have a musical solo at the end of each season. Why else would every single one take place in some kind of music or arts academy? But at least kids like them, which in the end is all that matters. But they’re incredibly annoying.
2. The Real Housewives of Whatever
This choice is similar to the Disney Sitcom above it except it’s worse. Everything about these shows is absolute trash, the way it glorifies horrible rich people and encourages them to do horrible things to each other while sleeping with every Guido they can find is actually kind of disturbing. I mean they are just one gladiatorial arena away from being exactly like the rich people from the Hunger Games, the resemblances are uncanny actually. I don’t even know what to say with these shows or these people, I’ll just hope they’ll all lose their money and disappear from everyone’s thoughts, forever.
1. Keeping Up With The Kardashians
This is really just picking out the worst of the lot from the Real Housewives series. I mean, these shows are just terrible, and Kim Kardashian is a not a good person, I mean the only reason why she’s famous is because of the success of others. She’s a terrible role model and I would highly discourage anyone who wants to watch this show or ever keep up with any of the Kardashians.