In the words of Timbaland, ‘It’s been a long time, I shouldn’t of left you, without a dope beat to step to’. With this great philosophical anecdote now scratched into your brain, I thought I would kick off a series of posts with something easily chewable to get you in the mood for the main appetiser … don’t want ‘yous’ chipping a tooth too early. So in the spirit of goodwill, minimal debate and no division, I introduce my 2018 entertainment awards! Yaaaaaaaay!
How this is going to work … I am going to reward a winner for the best of 2018 in three categories; Music, Film and Games. Simple enough I hear you scream, well I scream back YES, it really is that simple. Of course, I won’t just fire names at you, I will justify my choices. Leaving you, the readers, to pick the bones off my winner and tell me why I’m wrong! Remember in the first paragraph where I said in the spirit of goodwill blah, blah, blah? It’s the internet, I have learned to get over myself and developed what is known as a ‘thick skin’.
So without further ado, and still with a bucket full of irony and sarcasm to spill, lets look at our first award!
Film
In another year where Marvel gave us two massive blockbusters that were equally compelling as they were mature, it seemed easy to pick either Black Panther or Avengers: Infinity War for film of the year. However, not out of defiance or disrespect, I have chosen not to acknowledge these franchise films. Though the gradual evolution of the Disney films since Iron Man deserves much credit (albeit with a few missteps) I feel ‘traditional’ film buffs would be insulted by the suggestion they could be considered, never mind possibly any film of 2018 award. The sentiments and praise applied to the Marvel cinematic universe can also be applied to Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible series and last years action movie success, Fallout.
Those astutely observant among you have noticed that notoriety has been given to action movie blockbusters so far, so lets break convention and reveal my 2018 film of the year … Spike Lee’s Blackkklansman.
Based on the memoir by Ron Stallworth. The film follows the story of our author as he becomes not only the first black law enforcement official in Colorado Springs … but the first black member of the Klu Klax Klan. Upon Ron’s appointment he quickly works his way from the records room to the intelligence department. It is here he discovers the Klan’s potential plot for a terrorist attack. Ron, impersonating an eager white man who wants to join the group, is able to infiltrate the organisation with the help of his fellow detective, Flip Zimmerman. Flip is Jewish, adding to the irony of what they are able to achieve. Ron is portrayed by Denzel Washington’s son, John David. Star War’s Adam Driver co-stars as Flip.
Spike Lee is able to create satire and irony in a very politically energised period of history. In achieving this Lee has been able to comment on the issues that exist in America today. It is two parts hilarious, one part sobering. It is poignant in portraying the harsh reality of the world we are living in. Spike Lee has widely publicised the film ends with footage from the Charlotteville ‘Untie the Right’ rally. Including footage of the murder of a young counter-protestor after a alt-right activist drove a car into a crowd of protesters. The footage also includes Donald Trump defending the rally at a press conference the day after the incident.
Lee’s work has already been recognised at the beginning of award season and it would be no surprise to anyone if this includes several nods at the Oscar’s.
Music
Ba-by shark do-do-dudo-dudo-duhdo is not up for consideration for obvious reasons … it was released in 2016, DUH! The industry has seen a more competitive release schedule this year with many established artists releasing follow ups to commercially and critically successful albums. We have interestingly seen various experimental projects, such as Kanye’s five album Wyoming lock in and the Black Eyed Peas comeback which features the use of augmented reality technology. From the crazy to sublime, the industry has truly seen it all this year, but there can only be one winner. Before I announce this, I want to take this opportunity to give a worthy mention to what I believe is one of the most powerful debuts in Hip Hop to date. Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy is fun, gritty and earnest. If it wasn’t for the project that I am about to reveal next, it would have taken my album of 2018.
But, my choice for 2018 goes to Janelle Monae’s colourful, bombastic and funky, Dirty Computer. Released at the end of April, Monae’s third album hits the senses and unforgivably keeps beating them into hypnosis. One part political motivator, the other part a futuristic jazz, r’n’b fusion, this album cements Monae as global superstar that everybody should, if they didn’t before, take seriously. There is nothing in the industry quite like Monae, initiative, inspiring and independently sexy, her previously widely released entries are innovations on each other. ArchAndroid being Genesis and Electric Lady being Revelations. If Janelle is jumping hurdles in the music industry to become widely accepted, then Dirty Computer is the one that crosses the line and puts her on the top of the podium.
I am unashamedly a big fan of her life’s work thus far, but there is something that resonates more with her latest EP. Maybe its the world that we live in now that has given Monae more drive in her voice, or maybe its simple evolution, but one thing is for sure. The music industry and I are avidly waiting for the follow up to Django Jane.
‘If she is the GOAT now would anybody doubt it?’
Games
2018 for the game industry should have been a lot quieter after the heights of 2017. However, someone forgot to tell the developers of our favourite franchises that. Sony undoubtably had the strongest line up of the first party developers with the release of the sublime God of War and the fan faithful Marvel’s Spider Man. Nintendo, who undoubtably won 2017 (Breath of the Wild & Odyssey anyone? Didn’t think you were going to argue) were not to be outdone. With the best entries in a long time in the Mario Tennis and Party series, the big hitters for Kyoto’s best came at the end of the year in a new entry in the Pokemon series and the ultimate Super Smash Bros experience, ironically called Ultimate. Genius. Microsoft had a quieter year on the first party front but had the chance to develop one of the best racing simulations ever in Forza Horizon 4. 2019 looks to be a much more productive year for Xbox.
It would be amiss though to solely focus on first parties’ efforts as third parties put up a hell of a fight. Many arguing, including me, that this is where our game of the year comes from. So which multi-platform studio stole the show? Before I tell you, I think I will need to pre-emptively explain why a certain game hasn’t won the award … that game being Red Dead Redemption 2. After ‘playing’ Red Dead 2, I am left in awe by the incredible attention to detail and faithful recreation of this turn of the century tale about cowboys and the last embers of the west. It is an incredible experience that I believe most gamers should endure. This however, is very much part of the issue with the game. ‘Endure’ and ‘experience’ are very much adjectives that adequately fit this open world adventure. It feels like Rockstar created a game that it didn’t necessarily want you to play, but wanted you watch. Yes, the dialogue is incredibly crafted and clever, yes the presentation is the best we have ever seen in console gaming and yes, it is incredibly well made. But, it isn’t necessarily fun to play. It is deliberately slow, has cumbersome controls and the first couple of hours are laborious. I would not be surprised if many didn’t make it down Chapter 1’s snowy setting and onto Chapter 2. I did and I’m glad I persevered … but a game shouldn’t be about stubbornly sticking to a path just to portray you image. Nowadays you have to hit the ground running and this is what our game of the year did.
Now, I’ve spent so long explaining why something shouldn’t win game of the year I should spend equally as much time making sure I explain why Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a deserving winner. But I don’t feel that is necessary. All I have to tell you is yes, it isn’t as perfectly scripted as the later and yes, it is your usual Ubisoft open world game featuring bugs but … and this is a very big but, for how ‘unfun’ and constructed Red Dead Redemption 2 can be Odyssey is the complete opposite. Fly off in any direction and explore or destroy all of Greece however you want. Ubisoft unashamedly steals elements from recent successful modern world games and implements them into their AC universe. Origins was very much the game that brought me back to the series and Odyssey is the one that made me fall in love with it again … cyclops warts ‘n’ all.
So that is my 2018 multimedia awards, please keep criticism online constructive and look out for future blogposts from me coming soon!
aJNation71 