Well kids, this is it, the final day of 2024. I’ve had the pleasure of being able to take some time off last week and this, so I figured I’d be vaguely productive online and share with *you*, dear reader, my favorites from different types of media in 2024.
Please note: this is just based on what I’ve been able to play / watch / listen to this year. There’s some movies and such which I haven’t had a chance to watch that I’m pretty sure I’ll dig (*Anora*, *Conclave*) and I’m sure there are games and albums I’ll be discovering from 2024 for years to come.
That said, let’s get into it.
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## Favorite Movie of 2024
***Saturday Night*** (Dir: Jason Reitman)
For quite a while there, this was pretty much *Dune Part Two*, and going to be locked as such. But then it seemed that Hollywood decided to go directly for the Marty Day vote and released a movie which…
– Was about putting on a show
– Featured young Hollywood
– Was in gloriously stressful “real time”
– Was about *Saturday Night Live*.
I get it, the movie’s historically inaccurate and there’s no way all of this happened in the hour-and-a-half before showtime, but no movie had me locked in and enthralled from the jump this year quite like this one. I’ve revisited it a few times on VOD since, and still dug it each time. I’m going to be watching this for years to come.
**Favorite Movies of 2024 List (Alphabetical)**
– *Alien: Romulus*
– *Dune: Part Two*
– *The Fall Guy*
– *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga*
– *Heretic*
– *Inside Out 2*
– *Jim Henson – Idea Man*
– *Nosferatu*
– *Saturday Night*
– *Twisters*
– *The Wild Robot*
– *Wicked: Part One*
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## Favorite Album of 2024
**Los Campesinos! – *All Hell***
Gareth from Los Campesinos! is 39 years old. This year, I turned 40. And no album this year spoke to me directly than this. Battling with your age and relevancy in a world you used to define by your taste and creativity is a rough go, and over the course of 15 tracks and 50 minutes, this album puts you there. But it’s far from a bummer of a listen. Enthusiastic, sarcastic, enthralling, heartbreaking, intense, the album covers a bit of everything, and that’s why it racked up play after play in my Apple Music library.
**Best Track:** “Clown Blood/Orpheus’ Bobbing Head”
**Favorite Albums of 2024 List (Alphabetical)**
– And So I Watch You From Afar – *Megafauna*
– Black x Sea – *Every Tree Shall Fall: One (EP)*
– Childish Gambino – *Atavista*
– Childish Gambino – *Bando Stone & the New World*
– Future Islands – *People Who Aren’t There Anymore*
– Godspeed You! Black Emperor – *“NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD”*
– Gulfer – *Third Wind*
– Jack White – *No Name*
– Justice – *Hyperdrama*
– The Last Dinner Party – *Prelude to Ecstasy*
– Los Campesinos! – *All Hell*
– Nada Surf – *Moon Mirror*
– Riley! – *Keep Your Cool*
– RJD2 – *Visions Out of Limelight*
– The Smile – *Wall of Eyes*
– The Smile – *Cutouts*
– St. Vincent – *All Born Screaming*
– Tycho – *Infinite Health*
– Vampire Weekend – *Only God Was Above Us*
– Wallows – *Model*
– Wishy – *Triple Seven*
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## Favorite Video Game of 2024
**Balatro**
If you had told me at the beginning of the year that I would dump literal hundreds of hours into a poker video game, I would’ve said you were crazy. But not since *Tetris* have I seen a game which grabs so many, from so many walks of life, and causes them to sink hours upon hours into a game that surprises and delights on every round. And in an industry where game budgets are bloated, layoffs are happening everywhere, and creativity seems to be dwindling — here’s a project by ONE person which has sold millions and will likely sell millions more. More *Balatros* in 2025, please.
**Favorite Video Games of 2024 List (Alphabetical)**
– *Astro Bot* (PS5)
– *Balatro* (macOS, iOS)
– *Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth *(PS5)
– *Helldivers II* (PS5)
– *Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth* (PS5)
– *Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics* (PS4)
– *Marvel Rivals* (PS5)
– *Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown* (PS5)
Note to self: play more video games next year.
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Welp! That’s that, folks. I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I’d love to hear what YOU dug in 2024. Shoot me a line or ping me on Mastodon/Blue Sky. And let’s look forward to a happy, healthy, exciting 2025.