2011 in Review: Better Late Than Never Edition

It took me the first full month of the year, but I was finally able to process the glorious year that was 2011. At least I got it done before February! Here’s my official 2011 wrap-up and review:

Music

This was an amazing year for music. I simply cannot stress that enough. There are albums that were released in 2011 that I truly cannot imagine ever living without. I’m talking all kinds of music—rock, country, pop. Everyone had a phenomenal year. The great thing about it is that a lot of the momentum that started building in 2011 is going to keep going right through 2012. We have new albums from 90s rock greats Foo Fighters and Bush; we will soon have new albums from their peers Garbage and No Doubt. I think 2011 definitely raised the bar a little bit on the variety of music we need and the level artists have to reach.

Some personal highlights:

- Britney Spears releasing Femme Fatale and embarking on her Femme Fatale Tour.

I got a chance to catch the show when she stopped in Washington, D.C. It was my second time seeing the Living Legend live . It was a spectacular show and a night I will never forget—which can be largely attributed to the fantastic material this era gave us.

- Miranda Lambert barreling ahead with Four the Record and the Pistol Annies.

The Pistol Annies’ debut, Hell on Heels, is one of the aforementioned 2011 albums that I cannot imagine ever living without. My greatest fear is that the trio won’t release another. And then there was Miranda’s fourth solo effort, Four the Record. Three months after its release and I’m still blasting this nonstop. I’m sure the fact that I just saw her on tour last week has something to do with it, but it’s also because FTR is another amazing album from a truly amazing artist.

Other 2011 albums of note (I have a feeling I’m forgetting some!):

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light (another one I can’t imagine living without)
Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
Adele – 21
Bush – The Sea of Memories
Cher Lloyd – Sticks + Stones
Nicola Roberts – Cinderella’s Eyes
Kelly Clarkson – Stronger
Chris Young – Neon (I can’t live without the title track)

Movies

Since starting this blog, I’ve had to admit to myself that I am more of a television person than a cinephile. Going to the movies is grueling for homebodies like me. It is also ridiculously expensive. But I do the best I can between Netflix and sporadic trips to the theater. 2011 was no different. Here are some highlights:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The eighth and final installment of the Harry Potter film franchise opened in mid-July. I remember both anxiously awaiting opening day and desperately wanting it never to arrive. When I finally did get into the theater, the emotions started overwhelming me the second the WB logo appeared on the screen. The film itself was a beautiful piece of work fitting to serve as the finale to such a tremendous series of films. I’m looking forward to owning the entire series one day so I can marathon them any time I please.

Ryan Gosling

He had three movies this year: Drive, Crazy. Stupid. Love, and The Ides of March. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing all three so I speak with confidence when I say that Ryan Gosling is one of the most consistently fantastic actors I have ever come across. It isn’t that I like the films he’s in (truth: outside of his performance, Ides was pretty weak). It’s that I love the way he fills out the roles he’s been landing. Gosling is one of the rare performers who you believe in each role. He doesn’t just play a version of himself over and over again but with different circumstances. He plays the part, the part doesn’t play him. I could really talk about Gosling’s fabulousness all day long. I know he’s said in a few interviews over the last couple years that he doesn’t think he will act forever. I hope the day he stops acting is a very far way off in the future.

The return of the Muppets

I think The Muppets was a special cinematic event for me for two reasons: 1. I genuinely love the Muppets. I was fortunate enough to grow up with them—from watching classic Muppet Show reruns on Nickelodeon to watching Muppets Tonight in real time—and I am fortunate enough to still enjoy them in adulthood. 2. I find it interesting and enjoyable to watch people make their dreams come true, and that is just what Jason Segel did when he got to write and star in a movie with the Muppets. The movie was a true delight. And fun fact: I’m rocking out to the soundtrack right now as I write this.

Additional personal film-related highlights:

X-Men: First Class – I knew Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy were amazing, but I was not prepared for the level of awesome they reached as a duo

Captain America – In part, this was special because I saw it the day I went to the Femme Fatale Tour. But seriously, 2012 needs more Chris Evans.

Bridesmaids – I didn’t get to see this in theaters so I was late to the game, but DAMN! What a phenomenal movie and a giant leap for comediennes (i.e., lady comics).

Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows – An absolutely fantastic sequel. I’m already itching for a third. And this is the first movie I can recall that had a scene in it that just at the thought of it makes me burst into giggles (Sherlock on the pony).

Television

This past year, I definitely matured as a television viewer. I became more discerning, my instincts sharpened. I’ve brought myself to a point where I can evaluate a show based on its synopsis and cast and crew to determine if it is worth my time or not. And after that, I’ve figured out how to cut a show from my schedule if it isn’t keeping me invested. And now, I’m happier. Goodbye, Glee and Covert Affairs!

Some television highlights:

Got caught up with Parks & Recreation

I remember back when Parks & Rec started, it was a dark time for me and television. ER had just ended after 15 glorious years and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles was on death’s door. I was pretty distraught. I remember being excited that Amy Poehler had left SNL and now had a show of her own, just like Tina Fey, but I also thought it looked like a lame reimagining of The Office. So I didn’t give it a second thought. Not until things exploded for P&R on the wonderful interwebs. And I’ve been trying to carve out time to get on the P&R train ever since. It finally happened this year and now I am a loyal and passionate Parks & Rec fan for life. Let’s put it this way: I feel the same way about P&R as I do about the Pistol Annies’ record—I cannot imagine my life without these characters and these jokes and Pawnee.

BBC America’s Dramaville

Another facet of my maturation as a television viewer was that I started branching out beyond the small handful of cable channels I watch, thus taking better advantage of what I pay for. Thanks to the hallmark simultaneous UK/US premieres of new episodes of Doctor Who, I learned all about BBC America and started watching it for more than just reruns of Kitchen Nightmares. Most importantly, I found Dramaville, which is BBCA’s nighttime programming with all the great British dramas. I finally got to see the original State of Play miniseries, which I’d been meaning to do since I saw the American film adaptation back in 2009. I got to catch the second season of Luther before it came to North America on DVD. And I know there are more great things to come in my future thanks to BBCA.

Goodbyes

2011 wasn’t without its tough times though. I had to endure some pretty rough goodbyes. Here are but a few of them (soundtrack supplied: Boyz II Men, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”):

The Harry Potter film franchise – There are no words.

Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale era – I will forever mourn that we didn’t get a video for “Inside Out.”

ABC Family’s original series Greek – I miss you, Cappie.

Friday Night Lights – More specifically, Tim Riggins, the Taylors, and Dillon, Texas.

***SPOILER ALERT: The Vampire Diaries season 2***

Aunt Jenna Gilbert – By far, the most shocking and difficult death to deal with from 2011 television.


And that's 2011! There is already so much to be grateful for in 2012 and I know there are a ton more surprises in store, but I definitely wanted to honor 2011 properly before we get too far along into the new year. And now I have. Hurray!