Lariat’s Best Of 2012

BY LARIAT STAFF

Albums

Ab-Soul-Control System

Ab-Soul mystified the rap industry when he released his second independent album titled Control System. The album explores the deep depths of the mind of one of the top lyricists in the rap game today as Ab-Soul takes his listeners on a ride through his twisted life. The album is overflowing with diversity as it blends various styles. Examples include mellow flows, hard flows, and a feeling of indie rap music. Although each song is a hit in my opinion, certain songs definitely stand out such as, “Track Two”, “SOPA”, “Illuminate”, and “The Book of Soul”. Control System deserves the title as a top album of the year because it uses excellent beats and Ab-Soul proves exactly why he has gained the title as the human rap dictionary. -Jacob Fierman

Joyce Manor-Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired

Joyce Manor is one of the best punk bands around today. Along with several others, they keep the scene alive and kicking, however, unlike many of the more traditional punk rock bands that are still making music, Joyce Manor reach a wider audience, through their often romantic, often sensitive subject matter.  Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired is a short album, coming in at under 15 minutes.  In this short time, though, Joyce Manor tells us stories of struggling love affairs and feelings of absolute hopelessness.  They even fit in a catchy-punk rock remake of the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star.”  Of All Things I will Soon Grow Tired is a dynamic, emotional punk rock album that can appeal to the passionate teenager in everyone. -Jeremy Haas

Kendrick Lamar Good kid, m.A.A.d city

This year, rap’s best lyricist Kendrick Lamar dropped his highly anticipated second album Good kid, m.A.A.d city and proved himself worthy of being crowned the “new king of the West Coast”. With lulling bass lines and ethereal beats, Lamar delivers syncopated and soulful arrangements that paint a vivid portrait of growing up in Compton. Outstanding tracks like “Backseat Freestyle”, “m.A.A.d City”, “Compton” and “Money Trees” are prime examples of lyrical virtuosity, slick quotes, and pulverizing beats that prove just why this is one of the best albums of the year. –Sabrina Victor

St. Vincent & David Byrne — Love This Giant

Love This Giant will, in the years ahead, be seen as a modern landmark in the realm of indie music. The quirky, eclectic brainchild of the legendary David Byrne (Talking Heads) and indie superstar Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) represents a passing of the torch from one of the best artists of the past to one of today’s finest, and while it is the product of two largely insular minds, the album is remarkably universal in subject and scope, and stands testament to the fact that whenever two artists connect their worlds, it enriches our own. Byrne’s career has traversed across genres and all conventions of modern music, from his legendary role as the Talking Heads front man to his prolific solo career. On Love This Giant, Byrne has exudes a stately, sagacious optimism throughout, a force both uplifting and grounding in perfect balance to Clark’s equally magnetic presence. One of the most driven and magnetic artists around, Clark’s sheer talent is boundless, as while she is certainly a talented vocalist, Clark is nothing short of a guitar genius, having created a sphere of sound entirely her own, able to stretch, bend, and tear the instrument’s sound well past recognition. Yet both of these artists are but two parts of the album’s greater whole, its third member the massive brass band that bestows weight and presence on the otherwise lofty, cerebral constructs Byrne and Clark have created. However, Byrne and Clark’s personalities often seem to clash almost as often as they connect. I often found myself yearning Clark’s signature sound on tracks where Byrne’s influence seemed overwhelming. While Love This Giant may lack the clarity and cohesion of vision that often defines great albums, it remains an utterly fascinating blend of sounds and styles from two brilliant minds that continues to fascinate. – Jack Brady

Movies

Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises was the epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.  It begins by introducing us to Bane, the main villain.  As the movie progresses, you see Bane gaining more and more power as he seeks to carry out his plan to destroy Gotham.  Despite being branded with hate after taking the fall for what happened to Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, Batman once again risks everything in order to save Gotham from complete destruction.   Many people were skeptical that this movie wouldn’t be as good as its predecessor The Dark Night, but you need not worry, the film completely delivers.  From its incredible sound track to its awesome characters, you realize that you aren’t just watching a piece of cinema; you’re engaged in an emotional journey that is Bruce Wayne’s life.  It is two and a half hours of “ on the edge of your seat excitement”, and is even packed with a few twists at the end. This is easily my favorite movie of the year. -AJ Kurzman

Red Dawn

Red Dawn takes place in the present as North Korea attacks and takes over the United States of America.  As the Koreans control American life, a group of vigilante teenagers step up to fight for their country.  They call themselves the “Wolverines.”  Slowly the team uses lethal force to regain control of their land, and soon, more teams assembled to defeat the Koreans across the United States.  The film was directed by Dan Bradley and includes actors such as Chris Hemsworth and Josh Peck.  It’s an amazing remake of the original made in 1985. -Daniella Aspuru

Lincoln

Movies with historical significance are notoriously tough to watch.  They can either render an audience with boredom or simply be portrayed with historical inaccuracy. Remarkably Lincoln does neither. With humor and sophistication, Spielberg’s film masterfully captures the dual dilemmas facing the president in the final months of his life. Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln) reaches new acting heights while Tommy Lee Jones mirrors his talent in his rustic portrayal of a republican congressman.  With an admirable script and superb acting, Spielberg’s film is definitely Oscar-worthy and is perhaps one of the most impressive political films in cinema history. -Blue Kaufman

Ted

One of the movie highlights of the year was creator of Family Guy Seth McFarlane’s directorial debut film Ted. The movie is centered on Boston native John Bennett (played by Mark Walberg) and his stuffed bear named Ted (voiced by Seth McFarlane) who he magically wishes to life. It follows the hilarious antics and escapades of the pair as Bennett tries to cope with living in the adult world and make his girlfriend Lori (played by Mila Kunis) happy.  The highest grossing original R-rated comedy of all time has many raunchy parts that will leave viewers rolling over with laughter. Additionally, it attunes with many of his other creations. McFarlane ads plenty of smart and nostalgic humor that even the most critical of moviegoers can appreciate. It is safe to say if you are a fan of McFarlane’s work, you are going to love Ted. It’s Freakin’ Sweet! -Brandon Sloane

Flight

Starring Denzel Washington as an alcoholic pilot named Whip Whitaker, the movie Flight is one of the best dramas of the year. The movie begins with Captain Whitaker waking up from a long night of drinking. To ease his hang over before his early flight, Whip uses cocaine. Once on the flight, Whip continues to drink and allows his co-captain to watch the plane while he leaves it on autopilot, but when the plane takes a steep fall Captain Whitaker takes the wheel. Barrel rolling the plane and crashing on an empty field, Whip saves 96 out of the 102 people on board.  He’s considered a hero, until airline representatives are forced to hold someone responsible for the six deaths.  To defend Whitaker and keep his drug-abuse secret, lawyers did their best to prove that the crash was due to a technological malfunction. During the investigation, however, Whip finds himself struggling to quit drinking as he comes to grips with his alcoholism.  With witty characters, dramatic sequences, and intense themes, Flight puts the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. Flight is everything a person could want in a movie, and more. Overall, the movie doesn’t fail to surprise viewers and even leaves a major twist for the ending. -Jessica Weaver

TV Shows

Sherlock

This BBC interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous “consulting detective”  is set in the present and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his sidekick Dr. John Watson. Written and directed by Stephen Moffat of Dr. Who fame, Sherlock is smart, witty and the modern twists will keep you guessing even if you’ve read the original stories a hundred times. Cumberbatch and Freeman are transcendent in the roles and Cumberbatch in particular gives a portrayal of Holmes which will go down as one of the best interpretations of the character ever. There is already an American knock-off Elementary, but if you want the real deal, watch Sherlock. -Brock Landers

House of Lies

House of Lies premiered on Showtime earlier this year and tells the story of a team of ruthless management consultants.  The show stands out because of the performance of Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan, a cynical yet charismatic consultant who places few limits on the lengths he is willing to go to satisfy his clients, often leading him into uncomfortable situations.  House of Lies is a brilliant, raunchy comedy that satirizes many modern day business practices by showcasing some of the most controversial and shady parts with little hesitation. -Alex Barnard

The Voice

NBC’s The Voice started airing last year, but gained mass popularity this past year. I’m pretty sure one of them has to do with Adam Levine, one of the judges of this somewhat-unique singing show. The other celebrity judges are the ever-popular Christina Aguilera, “Forget You” singer Cee Lo Green, and country star Blake Shelton. The concept of this show is simple. Have all auditioning singers stand on stage while the four judges are turned around and therefore prevented from seeing the singers in action. This is supposed to eliminate any other factors aside from the singers’ voices. If the judges press a button while the person auditioning is singing, this means they want this person on their “team.” Those who auditioned then get to pick whose team they want to be on, if two or more judges turned around. All of these elements came together make for a very fun (and interesting) singing show with a twist. -Stacey Pasternak

Wilfred

Wilfred is a show on FX based on the Australian series.  It follows the story of Ryan Newman, a washed up ex-lawyer, who perceives his neighbor’s dog, Wilfred, as an Australian man in a dog suit rather than an actual dog.   The show comically plays off the preconceived relationship of dog as man’s best friend, to a much more literal, and darkly hilarious interpretation.  Wilfred features a different moral in each episode, which Wilfred the dog teaches to Ryan through hysterical situations.  Even though much of the show’s appeal lies in its strong sense of comedy, there are some very dark undertones to be accounted for, such as suicide and schizophrenia.  This mix balances well and makes for one of the most amazing TV shows of the year. -Jeremy Haas

Dexter

The hit television show, Dexter, aired its best season this year on Showtime. Based off Jeff Lindsay’s best selling books, Dexter has grown into one of the most exciting television shows on the air. In this season, chaos breaks loose, as Dexter continues to be chased by the Ukrainian mob. Along the way, he must deal with his urges to kill, while he’s investigated for murders he committed way back in season one. More importantly, he must keep a loving connection with his sister even through she is now aware that he’s a serial killer. Amazing characters have been introduced this year, like Dexter’s new serial killer girlfriend, played by Yvonne Strahovski. It’s the awesome actors/actresses and mysterious plot development that makes Dexter a classic. – David Deacon

Books

Stalk Me

Of all the books to come out this year, only a few really stood out above the others. Stalk Me by Jillian Dodd was a roller coaster read. This exciting book was about a girl named Keatyn who’s living the dream; movie star parents who let her do whatever she wants, high school popularity, and a famous boyfriend. When she decides to make a change and possibly follow in her mothers famous footsteps it becomes clear that Keatyn inherited more from her mother than just skill and beauty. Things spiral out of control when her mother’s stalker decides to fixate on Kaetyn instead. The drama and excitement of this book definitely made it one of the best of 2012. – Rachel Gambach

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth was a fast paced, electrifyingly spectacular book. It has a great plot with a fresh take on a dystopian society that is divided by factions. Sixteen-year-old Beatrice chooses to leave her family and everything she knows behind to enter a new faction with values that are the polar opposite of her own. In this unknown and dangerous world corruption runs rampant, and Beatrice is at the center of it all. The suspense and action of this book make it one of the best of 2012. -Rachel Gambach

Night Road

In Night Road, Kristin Hannah takes readers on an emotional journey that encompasses love, acceptance, anger, tragedy and forgiveness. The main character, Alexa “Lexi” Baill is a foster child who forms an unbreakable bond with Mia and her twin brother Zach, after moving in to a wealthy town with her aunt. However, one bad decision causes their lives to completely change and as Lexi loses everything she has. Full of twists and turns, the plot will keep nearly any reader interested. The characters are complex and extremely relatable, especially to teenagers. This book is Hannah at her very best, telling a compelling story about the importance of family and friendship, the power of hope and the courage it takes to forgive those that we love. -Rachel Sharpe

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story

Sean Howe’s behind the scenes account of the history of Marvel Comics spans from the creation of Fantastic Four and Spider-man to this year’s blockbuster success of the Avengers movie and is a must read for any comic book fan. With super-heroes dominating the pop-culture landscape, Howe’s account of the people, stories and turmoil behind some our favorite comic book characters is fascinating, illuminating and timely. -Brock Landers

Mark of Athena

In this splendid new addition to the Heroes of Olympus series, published on October 2, 2012, author Rick Riordan uses the perfect combination of humor, plot, and Greek mythology to continue the story that readers first fell in love with. In the Mark of Athena, the third book, seven demigods, or half-human children of the gods, must obey a prophecy and work together to stop a war that threatens to destroy the world. Using the typical “saving the world” theme, Riordan brings ancient Greek mythology characters to life and incorporates many not-so-typical challenges, such as fighting an army of dolphins or outsmarting the god Hercules, to make this novel unique. The story is told in the viewpoint of four of the seven demigods, switching off each chapter, and uses many of the same characters and storyline as in the bestselling series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The dynamics of both Greek and Roman demigods are expertly portrayed in the interactions of these seven heroes as they soar away from their demigod training camps in Long Island and San Francisco and towards ancient Rome. The war that these seven plan to stop is against the earth itself, a.k.a. the sleeping Gaea, who is waking with a plot to destroy the Greek gods along with the rest of the world. The Mark of Athena is a remarkably exciting novel that leaves readers in a trance until the last pages and anticipation for the next novel of the series, The House of Hades, coming out next fall. -Kyra Bacon