Happy New Year, 2014 Review

Greetings, today’s blog update is the last one from 2014 and it sums up my favourite entertainment that the year has provided. Like last year’s review the categories consist of games, books, television shows and films that I have experienced in 2014 and not necessarily media that has been produced during the year. The next blog update will occur sometime next year and I will be reviewing ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’. I hope that 2014 was a good year for you and wish that 2015 proves to be an even better year.

Television show of the year: Fargo

I haven’t seen that many TV series this year but Fargo was certainly an entertaining show to watch. Prominent celebrities include Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton and Allison Tolman who were cast as the main characters. The show does have links to the 1996 film but it is set in 2006 and revolves around new characters that are unrelated to the original Fargo. Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne Malvo, a sadistic contract killer, is one of the shows highlights and is a memorable character that keeps the story interesting. Even though season two of Fargo will focus on different individuals I am still looking forward to what will bring and if it is connected to the Coen brother’s previous works.

Game of the year: The Walking Dead

The game of the year goes to Telltales’ take on ‘The Walking Dead’. The story is episodic in format and is set during a zombie apocalypse, following survivors named Lee Everett and Clementine. It introduces a wide range of colourful characters that often come into conflict with one another and forces the player into difficult decisions. The choices are difficult to make with the player being pressured due to a short time limit in order to reach a decision that often pits morality and rational reasoning at odds. I have yet to play the DLC or the second season but I intend to play them soon and am expecting it to keep up to the same high standard as the original.

Book of the year: A Clash of Kings

‘A Game of Thrones’ was crowned the book of the year for 2013 and ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ manages to win the title again in 2014. George R.R. Martin is a talented writer who has created some intriguing stories and characters, most notably the clever and sly dwarf known as Tyrion Lannister. This novel introduces some new characters, such as Melisandre, that will become more important as the series advances and it has expanded on others that were only mentioned in passing previously. Martin is setting up a complex world with an extensive lore and various opposing factions that the reader has only just begun to explore. I have plenty more novels to read before the series is finished and I am eager to see what plot twist lie ahead or who will be the ultimate victor in the conquest for the Iron Throne.

Film of the year: Guardians of the Galaxy

This year’s competition for movie of the year was a tough one as ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ were contenders. It was a close call between the three notable films but the latter wins the title and is easily the best work that the Marvel Universe has produced so far. It stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper and Dave Bautista as the main cast. The film has many positive aspects including a good sense of humour, memorable characters as well as a noteworthy soundtrack. I look forward to what the Marvel Universe has in store, especially the sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Quote of the Day

What should we do next? Something good, or something bad, or a bit of both?

Peter Quill/ Star Lord

Guardians of the Galaxy