A best of 2019 list this late in January 2020? Well, it’s my blog and I do
what I want. Last year was quite a year though. Especially for myself. I got a
new job, started this here blog (Anniversary on the 14th!), and
ventured further into storytelling and critical thinking than I had in any
prior year of my life. Some of that is school related and some is related to
just trying to be a better, more informed person. Today, we’re taking a look
back at pop culture in 2019. And we’re doing it in the form of a Top 5,
something I haven’t done in quite some time. Let’s dive in!
1. Best Podcast: Waypoint Radio
At the forefront of my desire to think more
critically about media was my introduction to Kotaku and Vice Games
(Formerly Waypoint), especially their
respective podcasts, late in 2018. While my mind had already been trending that
way, these two podcasts, Waypoint Radio
especially, crystalized exactly what I had been thinking about: Media shapes
the world. Not in a Fox News, CNN kind of way. In the way that themes and
presentation seep into our understanding of the world. The way that
representation of minority groups (Or the lack thereof) can affect the way
people think about themselves and others, consciously or not.
That goal is something I struggled with
throughout 2019. The later in the year it got, the better I was able to
recognize these things and articulate my ideas about them. That is in part a
credit to myself, but also to Austin Walker, Patrick Klepek, Ricardo Contreras,
Rob Zacny, Danielle Riendeau, Natalie Watson, and everyone else involved in Waypoint Radio over that time and that
remain involved now.
Honorable
Mentions: Kotaku Splitscreen, The Big Picture, The Uncanny X-Cast
2. Best Comic Book: House of X/Powers of
X
I kind of cheated here by putting two
series here. If you’ve read these two miniseries, you’ll be fully aware that
while each can be read on their own, they are two parts of one whole. In fact,
each issue of both series states they are “Two Series That Are One.” What this
means thematically, both for the two miniseries and Jonathon Hickman’s larger
run, is still unclear to me, it could be any number of things.
What’s important here is that the X-Men had
been a travesty since Brian Michael Bendis left the franchise in late 2015.
There was no coherent plan for the team. Their status quo was always up in the
air and their most famous members died. Each year or so brought another
relaunch, another group of talented creators that mostly floundered. There were
some exceptions, of course (Check out Iceman),
but the X-Men line was running in place. After sitting on the shelf for a
couple years, the legendary Uncanny X-Men
returned. It had a great premise but ranged from mediocre to bad.
Then there were rumors of Jonathon Hickman
taking over the X-Men. Then those rumors were confirmed. Then House of X and Powers of X were announced. Then they were released and suddenly
there were new ideas in the X-Men comics for the first time since 2015. Hickman
set the mutants on a new, high concept science fiction course. One where
mutants would be truly together for the first time. And it was beautiful as
well with Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva leading two creative teams. Suddenly, the
X-Men were back and should be back for quite some time.
Honorable
Mentions: Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Naomi, Shazam!
3. Best Television Show: Watchmen
Watchmen is one of the most
influential comic books of all time. I don’t particularly care for it though.
While Dave Gibbons' and John Higgins' art is exquisite, Alan Moore’s writing
style and preferred themes are not ones that tend to interest me. So, consider
how conflicted I was when it was announced there would be an HBO adaptation led
by Damon Lindelof (Creator of Lost and The Leftovers, two of my
favorite shows).
Turns out, if you make everyone's motivation
something outside of psychosexual parent issues (With some exception), you can
have interesting characters. This is a show that opens with the Greenwood
Massacre, so it was immediately clear that race would be a huge focus. It also
explores the nature of power and who should wield it.
A
few characters return from the comic and they're infinitely more interesting
here than before. But the star of is Regina King as Angela Abar. King gives an
outstanding performance that is worth the HBO Now subscription fee on its own. Angela
is a complex character that would be difficult to dissect in this space from
reading the script. King brings something else entirely, a humanity that isn’t
in any other adaption of Watchmen. She’s already begun picking up
well-deserved awards and I’d expect we see her star in something else soon.
Honorable Mentions: Supergirl, The Good
Place, Riverdale, Arrow
4. Best Film: Little Women
There are a few films I want to watch from
2019 that I haven’t been able to yet. But I’m not sure any of them, even if
somehow objectively better, would affect me in the way Little Women did.
Based on a classic novel I quite like, this film takes some risks and makes
some changes most adaptations wouldn't dare. Not only is the entire structure
different from writing the book (Not an entirely unique choice, although the
execution is excellent) but the ending is both the same and different in ways I
would never want to spoil for those that haven't seen it.
The writing and acting are the true stars of
this film. Every scene between the sisters is both lovely and tense in that way
that four different humans and their desires naturally conflict. Soairse Ronan
and Florence Pugh put this film on their backs and give two of the best
performances I saw all year. The way they bicker and fight, but ultimately love
each other, even with competing world views, is both a testament to their
performances and to their performances and Greta Gerwig's thoughtful script and
direction.
Also, this film is beautiful. The
cinematography, the costumes, the sets. Everything looks amazing in this film.
Watch it.
Honorable Mentions: Marriage Story,
Detective Pikachu, Knives Out, Shazam!
5. Best Video Game: Kingdom Hearts 3
Was there ever any doubt? Kingdom Hearts
is the most important video game in my life. It’s been that way for almost 20
years. And here comes the conclusion of the “Dark Seeker Saga,” a story that
played out over ten games and most of my life. And it was fantastic. Kingdom
Hearts 3 is not without its flaws (The ship in Caribbean still sucks) but
it is an almost perfect distillation of Kingdom Hearts.
The story is sweet. But it’s also dark and
desperate at points. Characters who have been trapped or mind controlled for a
decade (Both in game and out at this point) are reached and given a moment to
shine. The true nature of this struggle is revealed. But in the end, Sora and
his friends rely on each other and save the universe. Also, there’s a complete
performance of “Let It Go” but with occasional shots of an anime boy and his
magic duck and dog friends.
But this is not truly the end of the story,
only this chapter. Re:MIND, the sole DLC for the game released last
night. But beyond that, Kingdom Hearts: Union X continues, Project
Xehanort is coming soon, and there will undoubtedly be another game in the
series. Long live Kingdom Hearts. I cannot wait!
Honorable Mentions: Fire Emblem: Three Houses,
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Football Manager 2020
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