Seems like a lot of people are glad to see 2013 go but quite frankly, I had a damn good year. For me it was 12 months of robots, pints, weddings, and most importantly, friendships. Not to get too mushy on you guys but I have some pretty incredible friends from all different corners of my life: my geeky friends and I started this very site, my childhood friends made this one of the best Christmases I’ve ever had, and my absolute best friends stood at my side during my wedding. To celebrate this glorious year of camaraderie I’m going to list my Top 5 Friendships of 2013.
Rocket Raccoon & Groot
If you haven’t been following along with Bendis’ current run of Guardians of the Galaxy I have to say, you’re missing out. While it doesn’t have the finesse or uninhibited mirth of Abnett & Lanning’’s run it is still a damn fun read. If there is anything Bendis excels at writing it’s the team dynamics of a bunch of misfits and by golly that’s exactly what the Guardians are. The real standouts are without a doubt Rocket Raccoon and Groot. The first issue showcases how deeply protective they are of each other and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Easily the two strangest members of the team it seems like their friendship would be inevitable but since the whole team is very tight-knit it makes the bond between these two even more precious. Rocket is small but deadly and Groot is built like a Tim Burton nightmare but is actually endearingly innocent. The way these two watch out for each other is both heart-wrenchingly sweet and knee-slappingly hilarious. It makes me 1000x even more excited for August 2014 when I can see these wonderful idiots on the big screen.
Bobby Moynihan & Taran Killam
In case you didn’t know I’m a diehard SNL fan. You can talk shit all you want about how “it’s just not funny anymore like was when _____ was on it” but let me tell you, everyone says that about every era. It’s easy to hate on the current seasons when you’re comparing it to five years ago. I think this past season has been amazing, the writing is really picking up momentum and the sketches are more often winners than losers. Two cast members that have really stepped up to plate now that Bill Hader, Jason Sudekis, and Andy Samberg have left are Bobby Moynihan and Taran Killam. Their friendship was destined to happen, both avid comic book fans and total nerds under all that comedic genius. They’ve mentioned numerous times that they’ve been insperable since they met. This past year they were seen at both SDCC and NYCC taking pictures with their favorite creators and even invited a few to an SNL after party to celebrate Taran’s upcoming co-written comic book. Basically I love them because they are funny geeks who aren’t ashamed to flaunt their co-dependence.
http://youtu.be/lUJUQv_IEzo
Thor & the Warriors
I’m one of those people who was willing to overlook the minor flaws in Thor 2: The Dark World because it wasn’t supposed to be a cinematic masterpiece, it was a fun comic book movie. One thing audiences finally got to see more of was the Warriors Three and Sif. You saw them fights together and feast together and heist together. When Thor called upon them to help him pull off some shady chicanery they were more than happy to oblige and when Thor admitted to teaming up with Loki they were more than happy to threaten Loki with death if he betrayed Thor. It was so cute to finally see them interact effortlessly on and off the battlefield. The trust between all of them is almost palpable and it leaves you craving more.\
Detective John Kennex & Dorian
I knew right away that I was going to like FOX’s Almost Human. The cast, the premise, and the promise of buddy-cop humor; that’s got Denise written all over it. When the shop finally aired I enjoyed the pilot but felt the real charm didn’t sink in until the second episode. Karl Urban plays the straight-laced, eye-rolling, vetern cop who doesn’t play by the rules and Dorian, surprisingly, calls him out on everything. You would expect that Kennex’s unwillingness to have an android as a partner would lead to making the adorable robot the butt of all the jokes but instead Dorian is brimming with sarcasm and witty retorts that balance the flashy action and futuristic setting. Each episode has actual laugh-out-loud moments and it didn’t take long for Kennex’s cold, bitter heart to thaw a little when it comes to his partner. I absolutely love watching these two, there’s only been five episodes and I’m already hooked. Their chemistry is so flawless and it’s bringing light-hearted nature back to the grimy, criminal procedurals that flood primetime nowadays. Expect a more full review in an upcoming HELL-evision article.
Seth Rogen & Jay Baruchel
I’ve been a fan of the Apatow boys for years, I watched Freaks and Geeks with my mouth hanging open like mindless burnout and I loved Undeclared even though I’ve never had any problems with ambition. It’s like Judd Apatow wanted to give a giant middle finger to mainstream media and tell their standards for leading men to fuck off. The world isn’t filled with Brad Pitts and George Clooney’s who look perfect from every angle, no we’re a culture of awkwardly shaped Canadians. These two have been friends for years but this past summer they finally released their apocalypse comedy This Is the End and oh dear god I haven’t laughed that hard in years. It was like one giant inside joke for fans of Apatow’s boys. During the movie Seth and Jay’s friendship is pushed to its limits and instead of a forced romance we just get two guys who love each other even though they haven’t shown it recently.
What other beautiful friendships charmed your pants off this year?