Favorite viral videos of 2014

Star Wars 7 teaser trailer

The 25 Best Films of 2014: A video countdown by David Ehrlich

10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman 

Funny Next Generation Elevator 

World's Toughest Job 

Will Ferrell and Chad Smith Drum-Off  (Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon)

Elusive girl on a motorcycle against debris

Look Up - A spoken word film for an online generation by Gary Turk

Seasons Waiting On You by Future Islands (live on David Letterman) 

Patrick Stewart ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

DuckTales Theme Song With Real Ducks




Agree or disagree? Did I miss anything good? Which are your favorite viral videos of 2014? 

Top 100 songs of 2014 (tracks 60-51)

60.)

Palo Alto by Devonté Hynes 
(From Palo Alto soundtrack)

59.)

Blackbird by Noni

(Thanks Ruth at Flixchatter for telling me about Beyond The Lights soundtrack)

58.)

FIXURLIFEUP by Prince and 3rd Eye Girl  

( From 2014’s PlectrumElectrum, you should also check out Whitecaps, thanks to Cristi B from The Sound and The Screen for the recommendation)

57.)

What Would You Do by Joan as Policewoman 

(The single Holy City is the most upbeat song on the album, and perhaps the catchiest as well. What Would You Do is my favorite for the feeling it gives me)

56.)

The Riverbed by Owen Pallett

(Epic is the best way to describe the sound. From same album, I Am Not Afraid is also a notable song about such diverse things as giving up smoking, whether to have children, and salvation)

55.)

Last Words by Hospitality

(Not a great album, but I love that song and that beat)

54.)

Saturn Song by Beach House

(Drifting off into space...)

53.)

Hey Now (Tensnake Remix) by London Grammar

(For me, the remix is an improvement on the original) 

52.)
Cherish by Ballet School
(A last minute addition from the album The Dew Lasts an Hour. A fantastic 80s throwback song, which I stumbled upon at Stereogum here. I'm also loving Heartbeat Overdrive(the shorter 3 min version from 2013 I prefer)
If you're wondering what got cut, it was Cosmo Black by Dynatron, from the soundtrack to COLD IN JULY)

51.)

It Takes A Lot To Know A Man by Damien Rice

(It’s quite gloomy, yet also thought-provoking about relationship issues. Was a toss-up between this or the track Colour Me In)

Agree or disagree? Have you listened to these albums? As always, comments are welcome. Tracks 50-26 coming soon!

Top 100 songs of 2014 (tracks 70-61)

70.) 

The Miracle (of Joey Ramone) by U2 

(The single got stuck in my head, especially the intro. The second track Every Breaking Wave is good too, even if it is reminiscent of the U2 classic With Or Without You.

I found the rest of the album to be a forgettable and unemotional listen, which was unexpected, considering Bono said the lyrics are very personal. He explained in an interview on Graham Norton that all the new songs are first journeys: Going to London, going to LA, first love)

69.)

No Fate Awaits Me (feat. Faux Fix) by Son Lux
(The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Soundtrack)

68.)

Lonely Richard by Amen Dunes

(The singer has been described as a male Mazzy Star)

67.)

minipops 67[120.2][source field mix] by Aphex Twin

(I don’t usually listen to Aphex Twin so I’m not sure I understand how to listen to this type of music. I liked the single, the rest of album is a blur right now. I sort of treat it as background music even though it deserves better. An acquired taste)

66.)

Glass by Kasabian

(The spoken word last section of the song hit me in a "Trainspotting choose life" kind of way)

65.)

Love Never Felt So Good by Michael Jackson (feat. Justin Timberlake)

(The single, which is so upbeat, and just makes me happy. Among Jackson’s best posthumous tracks)

64.)

I Played a Role by El May

(An underrated singer. I previously enjoyed her self-titled 2010 album El May)

63.)

Time Forgot by Conor Oberst

(While he does sound like he is in pain, I like what he has to say)

62.)

My Silver Lining by First Aid Kit 
(The single, I like the orchestral production, and probably the catchiest tune from album. On 2014's Stay Gold, the opening 3-4 tracks are the strongest for me)

61.)

Creation by The Pierces

(An uneven album, the second half of which is skippable. Believe In Me and Kings are the other memorable tracks)

Agree or disagree? Have you listened to these albums? As always, comments are welcome. Tracks 60-51 coming soon!

Top 100 songs of 2014 (tracks 80-71)

80.)

Sugar Storm by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (Gone Girl Soundtrack)

(For me, along with Appearances, Sugar Storm is the most soothing track from the score.

Like Home is good too. Thanks to Sati at Cinematic Corner for pointing me towards the highlights from the score!)

79)

Son of Placenta Previa by Cliff Martinez (The Knick Soundtrack)

(I haven’t seen the show, so thanks to Jaina at Time Well Spent for the music recommendation)

78.)

Love by Mica Levi (Under the Skin Soundtrack) 

(Among the most creepy and atmospheric film scores of the year. Also check out the track Death. Mica Levi has crafted an original piece of music, in an age when many of the scores sound the same)

77.)

If It Wasn't True by Shamir 

(His debut EP Northtown has been rated as one of the best releases by a new artist in 2014. The second track I Know It's A Good Thing is good too, if you can get past he sounds like a a male Jennifer Lopez)

76.)

It's Good To Be Alive by Imelda May 

(Can get your spirits up)

75.)

Marshall Law by Kate Tempest 

(Debut album, she is a British poet/rapper. Impressive lyrics. Apparently she is currently writing a novel about the album characters. Lonely Haze and The Beigeness are a couple of other tracks to check out from the album. I recommend reading the lyrics while you listen because of the speed of her rap)

74.)

Hot Dreams by Timber Timbre

(A slow-paced album with few weaknesses that I don't get bored of. I don't skip over any of the tracks. Has been described as the bands strongest album to date. Atmospheric, brooding sound. To do the album justice, you really have to listen to the whole thing in its entirety)

73.)

You Can't Get Us Off Your Mind (feat. Lisa Collins) by Music Super Circus

(The opening of this song I’ve heard so many times advertised on youtube. I guess ads do work!)

72.)

The Upsetter by Metronomy

(Love the first half of the album. I'm pretty certain Aquarius (Let the Sunshine in) by The Fifth Dimension was an influence for the band)

71.)

Fuckers by Savages

(Kind of a female Joy Division. Opening 4 min wow, the rest is just...noise)

Agree or disagree? Have you listened to these albums? Which are your favorite scores of the year?

Viewing recap November

Wake in Fright (1971)
I went into the movie blind, not knowing what to expect. Made during “the golden age” of Australian cinema. They sure get through a lot of beer in this movie. I hated the animal cruelty scenes which I guess shows the recklessness and savageness of the community. There is an imminent threat throughout about what these men are capable of. It balances between utopia and nightmare. The alcohol is almost like a recruitment tool for newcomers to stay, and you sense that he is just one of many who have dropped out of society and are stuck in the small town.
A critic wrote: “The kindness of strangers has never seemed more terrifying. I also like this comment: "Wake in Fright is a monster movie, and the monster is us.”
Favorite quote: “You need a drink” “No, water please” “Water is only for washing, drink it up”
Rating 9/10

The Postman (Il Postino) (1994) 
A sweet heart-warming Italian movie. Besides being in love with the local woman, the friendship the postman strikes up with the exiled poet is what made the movie special.
Rating 8/10

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 

A couple of scenes with Quill stayed with me, introducing the green girl to his music tape, and when he risks his life for her. The prison breakout was also memorable. The blue guy’s arrow is pretty deadly I must say.

A fun blockbuster with a sense of humor, impressive special effects, and enjoyable retro 70s soundtrack. Maybe I would have liked Guardians even more on the big screen. On dvd it’s a different experience. 

Rating 7.5/10

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

A film I had watched scenes from just never the whole thing before. Mainly memorable for the combined animation and live action, which has aged remarkably well. The script is highly quotable, and has entertainment value for adults too, with cultural references to for example Harvey (1950).

Favorite quote: “I can’t help it, I was drawn that way”

Rating 8/10

Enemy (2013)

While it is quite gripping and well-acted by Jake Gyllenhaal in his dual role, I don’t think it’s in the same league as Double Life of Veronique or Mulholland Dr. A good thriller, by a good director(Denis Villeneuve), and held my attention to the end. Perhaps I need to rewatch this one.

Rating 7.5

I already reviewed four new releases this month: Interstellar (2014), Nightcrawler (2014)  1989 (2014) (documentary), and The Look of Silence (2014) (documentary). You can read them here.

Agree or disagree. Watched anything great in November? As always, comments are welcome!