Happy Thanksgiving!
The annual tradition continues as TYF writers come together to share what they are grateful for in the world of entertainment. Click through the slideshow to see who and what we show gratitude; w encourage you to share what you’re thankful for from the world of cinema, books, TV, music or video games!
[tps_title]Gillian Flynn[/tps_title]
I am grateful for Gillian Flynn because without her we wouldn’t have that dope movie that is Gone Girl. I am impressed that the author got to write the screenplay. And I am also impressed that Gillian has stood up for herself against the backlash she’s gotten about the character Amy Dunn. Feminism doesn’t mean all women need to be portrayed as caretakers and angels. Women can be portrayed as smart, menacing psychos too. If Amy were a man, there wouldn’t even be an argument. Props to Ms. Flynn, and here’s hoping she gets a nomination somewhere… – Melissa Berne
[tps_title]Tatiana Maslany[/tps_title]
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Tatiana Maslany is an amazing actress. It takes a lot to be able to act as multiple characters simultaneously and she does an incredible job at it. She does such an amazing job of portraying the characters as separate individuals that sometimes people argue over which character they like the best. On top of that she seems so down to Earth and relatable. I’m thankful for the fact that such a phenomenal actress exists and I’m definitely looking forward to watching Season 3 of Orphan Black next year. – Leigh Ann Brodber
[tps_title]Words[/tps_title]
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There’s much I could be thankful for this year in terms of entertainment from women kicking butt on television to the 2014 movie lineup landing some of the oddest assortment of films into my “Top Ten” list in a long time. I’m inclined to say Philip Seymour Hoffman because his death still stings but, instead, I’m ultimately thankful for words. From great lyrics in a song, to a moving quote in a movie, to one liners that make you laugh for weeks on TV, words and how they’re written are what makes so much of what I love compelling. Whether they’re written by new talent, old talent or if it’s me writing about a film I adored, words are what help create and equally distract and very few movies/shows/books/music would be as good as they were if the words were lackluster. – Allyson Johnson
[tps_title]Joss Whedon[/tps_title]
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I’m thankful for a man who has brought us a vampire killing high school student, a band of space smuggles, and a team of heroes trying to save the world. Whatever Joss Whedon turns to gold and he is one of the reasons that I got into sci-fi and fantasy. And anyone who wants to film a reenactment of a Shakespeare play in their own house is amazing in my book. –Yasmin Kleinbart
[tps_title]Nintendo[/tps_title]
I’m thankful for brothers, friends and Nintendo
Yeah, I’m going to say I’m thankful for a japanese video game company in lieu of an American harvest holiday, but I’m being completely honest. I didn’t grow up with problems between me and my brother. He was, and is, my best friend in the world that I could possibly think of, and Nintendo has a big role in those forming years of ours. GameCube, N64, Super Nintendo, even now with Wii U, we bonded between ourselves and with our closest friends going on adventures and solving puzzles together in the whimsical creations of Shigeru Miyamoto and his amazing team. Collecting stars in the corners of Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom, crawling dungeons in Zelda’s Hyrule, getting lost in depths of Metroid’s Planet Zeebes…
And the part that has remained a constant after 14 years since the first game’s release, he and I, and almost every one of our close friends, played Super Smash Brothers. Where other kids were competitive with baseball, we shacked up on weekend nights with snacks at friend’s houses and pummeled each other since the year 2000. Forget Call of Duty or Halo or any online multiplayer. We played with together on physical couches from the original on the N64 to community mods on the Wii. We’re always going to remember the stupidly fun items, the taunting, the smack talking, the struggling to beat that one friend who was impossibly good at it, and now that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has launched, we don’t see any stopping well into our young adulthood.
So yeah, thankful for brothers and friends, but technically the glue was Nintendo. – Evan Griffin
There are a lot of things that I’m thankful for this year in entertainment. Besides the Hollywood hunks, the movies that made me cry/laugh/think/research black holes/etc, the albums I listened to, the concerts I went to, etc. 2K14 has been a good year overall.
I’m thankful for Robin Williams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mike Nichols, Lauren Bacall, James Gardner and countless other souls that shared their talent with us and will always be remembered.
I’m thankful for all the new artists I met this year: Kaytranada, Sam Smith, MNEK, Hot Natured, FKA Twigs, and so many more. The artists I already knew but came out with new music: Nick Jonas, Azealia Banks, Beyonce, Drake, Lorde, Kendrick Lamar, etc.
I’m also thankful that Nicki Minaj told everyone that when you hear her spit, she wrote it:
I’m thankful for Guardians of the Galaxy, which made me laugh more than any other comedy this year. I’m thankful that after many years watching Parks and Recreation, people are finally realizing that Chris Pratt is the Hollywood hunk our world needed and totally deserved.
I’m thankful for Gone Girl and how it made me love the Fincher-esque yellow tones even more than I already do. I’m also thankful that I don’t have a toxic relationship like Amy and Nick’s.
I’m beyond thankful for Christopher Nolan and Interstellar because so far there hasn’t been a movie this year that impacted me more than this one. It was glorious.
There are so many other things I’m thankful for that probably didn’t make this list, but to be fair, I’m thankful that we have so many other great things to look forward in the near future, and I can’t wait to write this post next year.
Last but not least, shout out to all the pear and Rick Ross. – Luciana Villalba
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[tps_title]Eddie Redmayne[/tps_title]
Eddie Redmayne is one of those actors that you just want to keep watching. He is utterly captivating. It’s not just his dazzling eyes, or his charming smile, or his ginger, red hair, (which there is much to be thankful for in those traits), but it’s his acting, especially the growth in his art over the years. From Tess of the d’Urbervilles to The Pillars of the Earth, to My Week With Marilyn, and then Les Miserables, and most recently, The Theory of Everything. With each film, his craft has grown significantly, and I am thankful that this year he gave us one of the best performances in film with his portrayal of Stephen Hawking. He is truly the gift that keeps on giving, and I can’t wait to see what he does in future projects. – Alejandra Torres
[tps_title]Sleater-Kinney[/tps_title]
One of my top ten artists, and easily the greatest all-female band of all time, I’m thankful for Sleater-Kinney because, well, they’re back together. I may not get to see The Velvet Underground, The Clash, The Beatles, or The Smiths in my lifetime, but I have tickets to see these three legends live in Philadelphia next February (the tickets sold out in less than five minutes, so my obsessive stalking of the website paid off). And with an album coming out in January, 2015 is already making up for this so-so year in music. – Matt Rice
[tps_title]Chris Pratt, Nick Jonas, Outlander, & Jane the Virgin[/tps_title]
I am thankful for many things this year, and like some of the other young folks here. I had a hard time picking just one. So… I am thankful in particular for the following:
Chris Pratt has always been a funny guy, but 2014 was his breakout year. We saw how completely charismatic and entertaining he can be in Marvel’s hit Guardians of the Galaxy. He has a bunch of impressive work lined up for next year, including Jurassic World. And he knows how to do a perfect French braid, what more could a girl ask?
If you told me a few years ago that I would be obsessed with Nick Jonas, I would have . Look who’s laughing now! Nick’s new self-titled album is fantastic. He blends Pop and R&B almost seamlessly. He’s all grown up and making some damn sexy music that even non Jonas Brothers fans can get behind.
There are two new shows that I’m thankful for this year. One was long-awaited, while the other came as a complete surprise, but one thing they have in common is that they’re driven by strong female leads. Outlander (Starz) is a lush, romantic adventure that pulls at the heartstrings (and other things). Jane the Virgin (The CW) is a hilarious and emotional show wrapped up in a ridiculous but whimsical premise. Both feature lead characters that are passionate and smart, but still imperfect. These women are both embarking on their own incredible journeys, and watching them deal with the obstacles in front of them is riveting. It’s sad that it’s rare to find such well-written women on TV, especially when we have channels dedicated to “women-focused entertainment.” I’m glad that Starz and The CW recognized the brilliance of these shows and their characters. I hope more networks begin following suit. – Gabrielle Bondi
[tps_title]Birdman[/tps_title]
I’m thankful for Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu’s Birdman. It was one of the most inventive American films in recent memory. Michael Keaton and the rest of the class in a film lampooning superhero films, while delving into the human condition and the price and cost of fame in the 21st century. – Paul Gilbert
[tps_title]Diplo[/tps_title]
I’m thankful for Diplo. A lot of people have been throwing a lot of shade at him but he’s responsible for one of the best times I’ve ever had in my life. Thanks to him, Mad Decent exists– which led me to the Mad Decent Boat Party. Such an amazing experience in the Bahamas. I don’t know how I’ll ever top it. So thank you, Dip. (Also, he’s not completely unfortunate looking.)
Also, I’m thankful to live in this amazing country, because even though we aren’t perfect, we’re free and that’s what matters! ‘Murica! – Cachie Gonzalez
[tps_title]John and Hank Green[/tps_title]
This year I am thankful for John and Hank Green. John Green we all know as the brilliant writer behind Young Adult books such as The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska. He’s also one half of the VlogBrothers, a YouTube vlog that’s all about decreasing “world suck” and celebrating nerdy-ness. Hank Green is the other half of VlogBrothers and John Green’s younger brother. John and Hank have created the fantastic community, which they refer to as Nerdfighters or Nerdfighteria. John has said in a video before:
“Nerds like us are allowed to be un-ironically enthusiastic about stuff… Nerds are allowed to love stuff, like jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can’t-control-yourself love it. When people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is ‘You like stuff.’ Which is not an insult at all. Like, ‘you are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness.”
I am thankful for John and Hank because not only do they bring us tons of great content (TFIOS, Lizzy Bennet Diaries), but they’ve taught me to be proud of the things that I love. – Jenna Johnson
[tps_title]Inspiration[/tps_title]
This year I’m thankful for inspiration. I’m not just talking about family or friends because that’s kind of a given. I’m talking about the people and pioneers that have inspired us and our work, or that just inspire us to be better people. This year we’ve lost a lot of people who have been personal inspirations in my life.
This year we have lost some much needed laughter in our lives with the passing of some great comedians. The year has claimed two female, comedic trailblazers whose irreverence and candidness we’re both applauded and sometimes feared: Joan Rivers and Elaine Stritch. Robin Williams proved to be another devastating blow, and regardless of the demons he was battling, he always put us first. His selflessness lives on through his work and we’ll keep enjoying his one-of-a-kind charm for decades to come.
The film community took a great blow with the passing of legendary director Mike Nichols, who showed us that success isn’t limited to any singular source by being one of a dozen people to EGOT (winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony). The great Philip Seymour Hoffman put himself completely into every performance, and even though it feels like we were just starting to get to know him, he has already left a noticeable impression in our lives and the industry. Then we have America’s sweetheart, Shirley Temple, whose effervescence helped our entire country in one of it’s darkest times: The Great Depression/World War II.
Right now in America, we face more dark times, and the words of poet Maya Angelou and actress/civil rights activist Ruby Dee are easily amiss. Both fought against racial/gender injustice in their own way, and their work has helped pave the way towards equality for all.
There are many more great people we lost this year, but these are the one’s who impacted my life the most. They are a constant reminder and inspiration to write honestly, to speak out with conviction, to love wholly, to laugh heartily, and to live fully. This year, I want to give thanks to all of the people who have lived their lives in a way that has inspired, and will continue to inspire, generations to come. Happy Thanksgiving. – Jon Espino
I’m thankful for Tom Hiddleston because he shows us that Disney princes do exist in real life. From his dance moves to his kind heart, what is not to love about this man? Also, there is nothing sexier than a man who can recite poetry, sing in a Disney movie, and make William Shakespeare plays look so good.
I’m thankful for the Walt Disney Company. I can go on and on about how much I love the company and what they have done for children both young and the young at heart but I will just say a few things. I love how they continue to have one foot in the future and one in the past. As they make movies such as Big Hero 6 as well as continuing to increase the level of magic in their theme parks, they remain true to their roots of animation as well as innovation. Lastly, I can tell that they keep Walt’s spirit alive and well in every project they undertake.
I am thankful for One Republic’s album, Native. It is one of my favorite albums of this year. I cannot stop raving about it to ones who are looking for new music to listen to. This talented bunch has continued to conquer the music industry and this album tops it all. From the cover art to the lyrics, this album is truly amazing.
I am thankful for the book ‘Not in the Script’ by Amy Finnegan because of the romance, the drama, and the young Hollywood environment. I have not read a book so fast in quite awhile so I definitely read this book if you are interested in books revolving young love and a dash of rumors and drama. Also, I rarely ever wish that a fictional character is real, but I really wish Jake was! Read the book and you will definitely fall in love with him too.
I am also thankful for Rixton! These lads have easily become one of my favorite bands. Not only are they funny and sweet, but they can also harmonize and put you in a musical trance with their lyrical melodies. They have blown up this year and are opening for Ariana Grande next year! I wish them continued success. So if talent like them keep coming from the U.K, I seriously need to visit ASAP! – Camille Espiritu
Everyone at The Young Folks wishes you an awesome Thanksgiving day and Holiday season!
Who/What are you thankful for?
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