The year 2014 has come and gone in the world of entertainment and we all know what that means. It’s time for year end lists. Everyone has one and The Noobist is no different. Our awesomely talented staff has some great picks for the nerdiest of 2014 in entertainment, and I have a feeling that you might agree with them. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Movies
Comedy/Sci-Fi
Guardians Of The Galaxy
Despite comparisons to Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy is more reminiscent of the comedic timing in Ghostbusters, topped off with a special effects extravaganza.
Action/Adventure
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The latest Captain America film not only entertained, but also managed to connect the Marvel Comic Universe and its TV cousin in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D without disappointing.
Indy/Horror
Tusk
Not particularly revered by many this year, Kevin Smith’s walrus/body horror/comedy was the first move ever based on a podcast. This wonderful weird ride also features a memorable “throwback” style Johnny Depp performance.
Romantic Comedy/Sci-Fi/Drama
Her
The fascination with artificial intelligence (AI) continues with Her, a compelling exploration into a technologically driven society, which serves as reminder of how close our own society is to living a life dependent on AI and the inability to make real human connections.
Drama/Crime Thriller
Gone Girl
Gone Girl is a clever introspection of marriage and gender relations turned upside down. A deeply thought provoking look at biases in society and how it affects the justice system.
TV Shows
Drama/Thriller/Dark Comedy
Fargo
A seemingly unlikely success story, Fargo the TV show, manages to perfectly capture the tone of the classic Cohen Brothers film Fargo, without being a direct adaptation. Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman deliver convincing performances as a malevolent force of evil and the timid put upon little man drawn into his world, respectively.
Action/Adventure
The Flash
The CW has done it again! The spin-off from the successful Arrow TV show, not only manages to change up the dark and brooding tone from its predecessor, but also has made superheroes fun again.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has vastly improved from the first season plots of Phil Coulson’s revival and Bill Paxton working for Hydra, to the midseason finale, where they introduced the Inhumans; making for a much stronger TV show worthy of watching.
Arrow
Halfway into the third season, Arrow is still showing no signs of slowing down. Besides, where else could you find a TV show in 2014 that killed off the main character?
Romantic Comedy
You’re The Worst
This new romantic comedy not only manages to abandon stereotypical sappiness and crudeness, but also successfully delivers a heartfelt storyline.
Horror
American Horror Story
American Horror Story is the quintessential marriage between fiction and reality, by bringing to light a style of living that people only want to exist in fiction. Art imitates life, yes?
Sci-Fi
Orphan Black (Season 2)
After a compelling first season, the second season of Orphan Black continues to captivate with a hooking storyline and amazing casting.
Drama/Political Thriller
House of Cards (US Version)
Kevin Spacey plays the President of the United States of America…need we say more?
Game Systems
Nintendo Wii U
Of the three current generation consoles, the Wii U may be the least powerful but what it lacks in flashy graphics, it makes up for with fun game play.
Games
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The new Android release of this 12 year old RPG is nothing short of awesome with exceptional touch screen controls that make for easy playing.
Titanfall
Another first-person shooter, ho hum, but with a beautiful twist. Titanfall is the impressive result of a young studio’s (Respawn) ability to rise above circumstance and become a trailblazer by experimenting with game modes.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Kevin Spacey playing a character similar to Frank Underwood from House of Cards (US Version) that is bound to hold you over until the show returns on Netflix in February 2015. Plus, the exosuit is pretty cool too!
Honorable Mentions (Games):
Super Smash Bros
Super Mario Kart 8
Hyrule Warriors
GTA V (2013 release)- humor, constant changing dynamics, FPS playing, racing and user created content…look no further, this game has it all.
Comics
DC
Harley Quinn
First in Suicide Squad, and now in her own title, Harley Quinn has really come into her own as an independent character not solely defined by her relationship to the Joker.
Boom Studios
RoboCop
Finally, the sequel to RoboCop that we’ve always deserved. Plus, the art is amazing!
Marvel
George Romero’s Empire Of The Dead
Forget your standard zombie storyline. Try a storyline that basically resembles The Walking Dead vs. the walking, talking and bloodsucking dead. That’s right, zombies versus vampires. What’s not to love?
The Amazing Spider-man (The Spider-verse Storyline)
An amalgamation of all previous iterations of Spider-man versus a common enemy; which makes for one of the most creative takes on Spider-man in years.
Books
Sci-Fi
The Expanse by James S.A. Corey (a.k.a. the collaboration of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck)
This well-written “Game of Thrones in space” is just as gritty and punishing as the series which it is complemented with emulating. This should come as no surprise given that co-author Ty Franck is the personal assistant of George R.R. Martin (author of the series of novels that inspired the TV show Game of Thrones).
Aching for the next season of GoT to start? Oh my God, what are you doing, read The Expanse.