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Once, long ago, I posted on the internet as Studicus, an in-joke nickname related to a skit from high school. When I first started blogging, I called my year-end entries "Studicus Selects." The tradition has continued since 2005...although I skipped 2006 for some unknown reason.
You'll find past entries here (scroll down for the 2024 picks):
Best Howard, Howard Category. We have a repeat winner this year. It's no surprise the judges unanimously selected Howard as the best Howard. We saw some changes in our little guy this year. In January, we noticed he started tearing things up at home when we were gone. We'd check the cameras at home and he'd be pacing and panting, clearly anxious about being alone. We'd come home to find cardboard boxes shredded and items all around the home displaced. We started taking him every day to Barkefellers. He looks forward to going there and socializing with the dogs. He was also named Dog of the Day earlier this year. The only negative about doggy daycare is that Howard got bitten on two different occasions when we arrived to pick him up, with a dog jumping a fence to take a bite out of his hindquarters. The business took care of his vet bills and also changed its outboarding procedures. Anne bought Howie an elevated dog bed for outdoors, and he loves that thing when it's nice and sunny outside.
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| Our very proud Dog of the Day |
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| This is Howard manning the desk at Barkefellers |
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| This frog hoodie is adorable and I think Howard hates it |
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| Howard mugging it up inside the car |
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| Howard spent a lot...A LOT...of time lying on his elevated bed |
Best Turtle, Northern Map Turtle Category. We have another unanimous repeat winner. Honestly, Willy was pretty low maintenance this year. We kept waiting for her to lay eggs in the spring as she had the last two years. However, once June rolled around, we didn't see any eggs and Willy never had any to begin with. We learned from her vet that it's entirely possible she just didn't develop any this time--and we're constantly learning new things about our little turtle girl. She hasn't been a big fan of the winter weather, not so much because of the temperature but because of the constant fluctuations in hot and cold weather we've had since October. Wild temperatures swings within the same week have delayed her typical brumation period, which is the semi-hibernation stage she stays in during the winter. We'll have to have her beak trimmed down at some point soon, but other than that, she's doing great.
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| Willy up on her basking ramp |
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| I swear she almost always looks ticked off at me when I take her picture |
Best and Biggest Surprise, Nephew Category. When my sister-in-law and brother-in-law visited my other brother-in-law in Michigan back in March, it seemed like a normal trip. Then my sister-in-law started having some stomach trouble, which she initially attributed to something she ate. But in a scene ripped straight from a Lifetime movie, she ended up giving birth to a baby she didn't even know she was pregnant with. We were soon introduced to Dean the Unexpected, the best surprise we could've ever asked for.
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| Dean at two months |
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| Dean in an October snapshot |
Best Trip, 2024 Trip Category. In October, Anne and I ventured forth to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to visit her brother and his family. We spent some time with the Beenkenbauers, ate at some great restaurants, and went through the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. I learned a few things about President Ford, whose presidency had been, in my perception, somewhat of a joke (you can blame Chevy Chase for falling down the stairs, I think). It really is a great museum with some tremendous exhibits about the Ford years.
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| The museum featured the "Ford at 50" exhibit this year |
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| This replica White House was pretty cool |
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| Did you know he played football at Michigan? The museum will not let you forget |
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| Our tickets and a brochure to the museum |
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| The man himself in statue form |
I also got to share one of my all-time favorite SNL sketches with Anne and her brother--Dana Carvey as Tom Brokaw "pre-recording" the news ahead of a planned vacation. One of the main stories was the death of Gerald Ford. Carvey's delivery is pure gold.
Best Concert, College Nostalgia Category. When Creed announced a national tour, my venerable buddy Krildog asked if I wanted to go. After all, we listened to a lot of Creed in college. Well, I should probably clarify that I listened to a lot of Creed in college. Despite the fact I've lived in the Indy area for more than two decades, I'd never been to Ruoff/Verizon Wireless/Klipsch/Deer Creek Music Center. This marked my first go, and I got the full deal: lots of walking, overpriced water, drunk people, a girl peeing next to our car--the full Deer Creek Experience. The show was overproduced just like you'd expect from Scott Stapp and company. I had a great time. One of the opening acts was 3 Doors Down, which performed some of its signature songs. Oh, Finger Eleven was also there.
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| Hard to tell from the photo, but Scott Stapp has morphed into his final form as Clive Owen |
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| We had a decent view, at least |
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| The young Harrison Ford likeness is striking, as is the performance of voice actor Troy Baker |
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| Indy was simply trying to take a photo when these fascists showed up and wouldn't stop bothering him |
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| The national champion Ball State University Cardinals, something that will never happen in real life |
Saddest Goodbye, Disney Loyalty Program Category. In August, Disney announced its long-running Disney Movie Insiders program would come to an end. The loyalty program awarded members points on Disney purchases for things like digital movies, movies tickets, and Blu-ray discs. Over the years, I've added several movies to my collection by accumulating points through purchases. At least one of my final hauls was a pretty good one.
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| I cashed in points for these movies about a month before I learned the program was going away |
Movies Year in Review. As I did last year, I'll split my list of entertainment stuff into two sections: movies we saw at the theater and stuff we watched via streaming. Let's start with the movies first. As usual, there may be some spoilers.
Dune: Part Two. A movie of the year contender, this sequel stuck the landing. Director Denis Villeneuve topped Dune: Part One with a captivating cautionary tale packed with mysticism and spectacle. Paul Atreides sees the path laid before him and resists, knowing it will lead to all-out war on an unimaginable scale. But when his enemies refuse to listen to reason, he takes the only path left, becoming the messianic figure he dreaded.
Kung Fu Panda 4. Jack Black returns for another entertaining turn as Po. While not as strong as some of the other entries in the series, it's still very enjoyable.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The apes are firmly in charge in this installment of the long-running series. The special effects work was exceptional, as the apes are the focus of the story and the effects have to work well in order to sell it. It's mostly a coming-of-age tale that explores whether apes and humans could ever truly coexist. I'd rank it below Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes but slightly ahead of Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Twisters. Glen Powell is a star and tornadoes are still scary.
Deadpool & Wolverine. The sole Marvel Cinematic Universe movie of the year, this one packed plenty of star power and inappropriate humor into what was essentially a parody movie about the MCU itself. Ryan Reynolds Deadpooled as hard as he usually Deadpools, but it was Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine that grounded things (well, kind of). The movie featured some big cameos, my favorite of which was Channing Tatum's unintelligible Gambit. "Woo, I'm about to make a name for myself here."
Trap. The premise was probably more enjoyable than the movie itself, which sputtered once the high-concept plot (a serial killer is trapped at a concert specifically organized to ensnare him) left the concert and headed toward its resolution.
Moana 2. Enjoyable but not as good as the first one, which is certainly not a knock on it because Moana is an all-timer. Still, the music wasn't as catchy as the first one (there was no comparable "Shiny" or "How Far I'll Go" or "You're Welcome" in this one). I liked seeing more screentime for Pua and Heihei, and I'll always enjoy the interplay between Moana and Maui.
White Christmas. It was the best Christmas, as Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny Effing Kaye. We saw a 70th anniversary screening in mid-December to kick off our Christmas celebration.
Gladiator II. I didn't know if a sequel to Gladiator would work, but I thought Ridley Scott pulled it off well enough. Paul Mescal steps into the Maximus role, and while he's not Russell Crowe, a strong supporting cast and plenty of spectacle aid him considerably. Denzel Washington steals the show as the scheming Macrinus.
Streaming Year in Review. Here's a look at some of the things we watched at home.
Fallout. I never played the games, so I have a limited perspective on whether or not this was a good adaptation of the source material. As a series, however, I can say it was exceptional with compelling leads and a tremendous turn from the ever-reliable Walton Goggins as the Ghoul.
X-Men '97. A revival of the '90s animated X-Men series did just about everything right, giving us compelling storylines and imperfect characters to bring the world of mutants to life. Several cast members returned, although other characters got new voice actors. This was a stunning achievement, with my only complaint being that some storylines could've used a little more breathing room.
Agatha All Along. I didn't expect to like this MCU show as much as I did. This magic-based show follows Agatha Harkness as she leads others down the "Witches' Road." It's a spiritual sequel to WandaVision, tackling some of the themes and resolving a few dangling plot threads from one of the MCU's best shows. If anything, watch it for "The Ballad of the Witches' Road," which is a real earworm.
Manhunt. This excellent Apple TV+ show was based on an equally excellent book about the hunt for John Wilkes Booth in the wake of Abraham Lincoln's assassination. It follows Edwin Stanton, Lincoln's devoted secretary of war, as he tracks down leads to find Booth and bring him to justice. Some characters and situations are combined or compressed, but it's a compelling miniseries that's a mix of Lincoln and The Fugitive.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. A relatively late 2024 release, this Disney+ show features a bunch of kids who blast off on a starship without a way to return home. Their only hope is a scatterbrained droid and Jude Law's roguish pirate-maybe Jedi-character. The young cast does a fine job, Law is sufficiently charming, and the Spielberg movie-meets-Star Wars vibe works really well.
Abbott Elementary. Thankfully, the show put Janine back at school after last season saw her split time between Abbott Elementary and the school district. It's just a fun show packed with humor and heart.
Alien: Romulus. The latest movie in the Alien franchise returned to its horror roots. It's very, um, squishy.
Conclave. This awards contender follows a harried cardinal who oversees the papal conclave after the pope's unexpected death. Scandals bloom, factions form, and real-world politics threaten to subsume faith in this gripping thriller.
Late Night with the Devil. I don't watch a ton of horror...it's just not my thing...but the premise of this movie intrigued me. It follows the "lost broadcast" of a late-night talk show, putting a twist on the "found footage" genre. David Dastmalchian hosts a spooky Halloween broadcast that quickly goes sideways and turns shockingly sinister. It's presented as a TV broadcast with "behind-the-scenes" footage shown during commercial breaks.
Jackpot. John Cena and Awkwafina star in this goofy movie, which involves the California "Grand Lottery's" $3.6 billion prize. The winner, Awkwafina's character, can claim it IF she can survive until sundown. Meantime, anyone can steal the prize by killing her (no guns allowed!), meaning pretty much everyone statewide is trying to track her down to secure the life-altering prize. Cena plays a "protection agent" who agrees to help keep her alive in exchange for a cut of the money. Hijinks ensue.
Ricky Stanicky. Another movie starring Mr. Cena, this one revolves around a group of friends who always blame the imaginary scapegoat "Ricky Stanicky" to take the heat off themselves. When they make a major screw-up by missing the birth of a child, people question the existence of "Ricky Stanicky." The desperate friends hire Cena's character to portray their imaginary friend; Cena inserts himself into their lives in various aggravating ways. Probably most notable for a certain trait from William H. Macy's character and the related song in the end credits.
