2024 is quickly coming to a close, and what a year it has been! From the latest blockbusters and chart-toppers to our favorite Shield stories, here are some of our staff member’s favorite picks from 2024.
Although Hannon’s picks remain modest, they highlight her personal interests well.
Her favorite movie of the year was “MaXXXine,” the third movie in the “X” franchise. Hannon picked “MaXXXine” because she’s a big fan of horror movies and thought it was a great conclusion to the trilogy.
Her favorite album of the year was the pop-rock debut album “Fireworks & Rollerblades” by Benson Boone.
Newman loved the big blockbusters this year as well as some indie favorites.
Her pick for best movie of the year was “Twisters,” the stand-alone sequel to the 1996 movie “Twister.” Her reason for liking “Twisters” was because of Glen Powell, the hunk trending on the internet and contender for “Sexiest Man Alive.”
Her favorite album of the year was “In Liebe” by German singer and musician AYLIVA.
Newman’s favorite video game of the year was “Mouthwashing,” a psychological horror adventure game developed by Wrong Organ. While some regard “Mouthwashing” as deeply disturbing, Newman enjoys the game for its engaging storyline.
Aside from her favorite watches and listens, her favorite assignment for The Shield was covering the 55th Annual Juried Art Show because she got to “play with cameras” and practice her photography skills.
Harris may not be a big movie buff this year, but his favorite picks display his musical and gaming interests.
He picked “Beatlejuice Beatlejuice” as his favorite movie of 2024.
“It was the only movie I saw this year,” Harris said.
However, his favorite album of the year was “I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU” by genre-bending rap artist JPEGMAFIA.
“This is one of the most unique and creative works of music I have heard in a while,” he said. “JPEGMAFIA continues to make some of the most cutting-edge and genre diverse music.”
While he didn’t have a new favorite video game, Harris did enjoy the “Counter-Strike 2” train update.
“CS2 is a simple yet fun shooter game,” he said. “They added back the really cool train map from ‘Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.’”
Attributed to his love for playing guitar and bass, Harris said he loved the new 2024 Fender American Ultra II Series.
“It’s a neat modern twist on the lineup of the Fender guitars and basses,” he said. “They just feel great to play.”
His favorite assignment for The Shield this year was making cartoon versions of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for the October print election guide.
“I had a blast working on the illustration for the October print cover,” he said. “It’s fun to make satirical parodies of important political people.”
Robertson is a Swiftie through and through.
Her favorite album was Taylor Swift’s “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY,” and her favorite event was Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
She loves the deluxe edition of Swift’s new album because “there are 31 different songs that can fit any mood you’re in.”
“There’s a song for when you want to party,” Robertson said. “There’s a song for when you’re feeling mellow. There’s a song for when you’re feeling down.”
She said the Eras Tour was “over three hours jam-packed with different eras” and that “everyone in the arena was filled with energy and excitement.”
Aside from Taylor Swift, Robertson’s favorite movie was “The Wild Robot.”
“The Wild Robot was a DreamWorks classic,” she said. “A heartfelt story that everyone, no matter the age, can relate to. It has colorful animation and powerful messages.”
Her favorite TV series was “Agatha All Along,” a Marvel miniseries set after “WandaVision.”
“Almost every aspect of the show was crafted with love and intent,” she said. “It had complex storylines and complex characters that you can relate to.”
An assignment Robertson did this year that was meaningful to her was a post she made for National Suicide Prevention Month in September.
“That was my favorite because spreading resources and words of encouragement to USI students is something that I don’t take lightly,” she said. “I believe that mental health is something that should be talked about more, and there shouldn’t be such a stigma around it.”
Chavez’s picks highlight her unique personality in many ways.
Her favorite movie was “Challengers” because of its masterful cinematography, music, cast and love triangle that makes the film worth watching.
“It’s a movie I could rewatch to analyze each character closely,” she said. “And who doesn’t love a good game of tennis?”
She also picked the album “Underdressed at the Symphony” by Faye Webster.
“I like her voice,” Chavez said. “Her songs can be melancholic but upbeat using instruments. She talks about a partner, but other times, it’s about universal experiences. I, too, spend money to feel something!”
Her favorite show of the year was “Like Water for Chocolate.”
“I loved the original movie from 1992 and the book,” Chavez said. “This adaptation includes the best cinematography to represent Mexico and the originals.”
The total solar eclipse was her favorite event of the year, describing it as a “surreal” experience. Her favorite story she wrote this year was “Archibald T. Eagle: Flying back to the past” because she enjoyed learning about Archie’s past and his journey of becoming USI’s iconic mascot.
Hurst enjoyed a variety of media from 2024.
An avid “Ghostbusters” fan, her favorite movie was “Ghostbusters Frozen Empire” because “it’s “Ghostbusters.”
“My favorite of the original characters (Ray Stantz) had a lot of screen time,” she said.
Along with “Ghostbusters,” she loves Hozier and his album “Unheard.”
“I’m a big Hozier fan, and it came out the day I had a competition, so it got me hyped up,” Hurst said.
She notes her favorite video game of the year was “South Park Snow Day” for its nice gameplay and fun graphics, and her favorite article in The Shield was “Getting into the Fall Spirit” because she got to talk about her interests.
Armeanu had many good reasons for their favorite picks of the year.
Their favorite movie was “Fall Guy,” but Armeanu originally planned to see another film.
“My friend and I had gone to see ‘Challengers,’ but we accidentally went into the wrong theatre and wound up seeing ‘Fall Guy,’” they said. “From the start, this movie was so interesting and just so much fun that we decided to stay and watch the rest of it. I still haven’t seen ‘Challengers,’ but I’m really glad that I got to see ‘Fall Guy.’”
Additionally, Armeanu’s favorite album of this year, “This Is How Tomorrow Moves” by Beabadoobee, was a step outside their comfort zone.
“There’s just something about it that’s so catchy,” they said. “I’m normally not that into music that is as soft and gentle as this album is, but it’s been keeping me company while I work, and it’s made the process more enjoyable.”
Aside from media, they also cherished the memorable experiences and work they accomplished in 2024.
“It hasn’t come out yet, but probably my article about ‘Opusilva’ was my favorite Shield article this year,” Armeanu said. “This was the first time that I actually got to walk through the show with the artist. Normally, I just go, walk through the show, take pictures, and form my own opinion on it. I really got a behind-the-scenes look at the process and a deeper understanding of all of the artworks that I saw.”
Armeanu also recalled their experience traveling to Osnabrück, Germany, as “wonderful” and is grateful for all the work they were able to put into The Shield this year.
“I got to see some really incredible artwork, but I think my favorite part was that I got to grab my camera and just take pictures,” they said. “Honestly, any day that I get to break my camera out is usually a good one, and I’m really happy with some of the photos that I took.”
It seemed like all of Ruhl’s favorite artists and franchises came out with new additions this year.
A sucker for coming-of-age movies, Ruhl’s favorite this year was “Didi,” following a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy navigating MySpace teenage adolescence in 2008.
“It’s a great coming-of-age story that shows the growing pains of being 13, and it reminded me of how easy it is to take your parents for granted, especially your mom,” she said.
She had two favorite albums this year, “Model” by Wallows and “Childlike” by John Mark Pantana and LOVKN.
“I really went hard on Wallows this year, so ‘Model’ naturally drifted up the list,” Ruhl said. “‘Childlike’ is a very fun and spirited indie album that helps me connect with my faith in new ways.”
She also enjoyed experiencing lead singer Dylan Minnette 10 feet away from the stage at the Wallows Model Tour in St. Louis.
An avid Pokemon GO player, her favorite game of 2024 was “Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket,” although she was previously never into the physical card game.
“Now I’m obsessed with ripping packs and the strategy of battling, and I don’t have to pay for any of it!” she said.
Her story on hurricane relief efforts was her favorite assignment this year.
“I felt really devastated when Hurricane Helene and later Milton hit the southeast, but I felt like I could do nothing because it was such a large disaster,” she said. “I was compelled to write a story about how people can help with the relief efforts not only to spread awareness but also so I could learn how to help, too. And I had Katie Hurst help with the story — she did an excellent job.”
Since this was her last semester at The Shield, Ruhl was grateful to attend the 2024 Fall National Media Convention in New Orleans this October.
“New Orleans was a great educational and cultural experience, and I’m glad I got to bond with my fellow editors during this memorable trip,” she said.
Whatley is relatively new to The Shield staff this year, but her picks are nonetheless noteworthy. Her favorite movie this year was “Inside Out 2,” recounting the nostalgic feeling she had when she was younger and watched the first film.
She also enjoyed Tyler, the Creator’s album “Chromakopia,” stating, “It’s Tyler the Creator… no questions asked.”
Her favorite book this year was Don’t Let the Forest In” by C.G. Drews.
“I loved the characters and the plot,” Whatley said. “The dark and eerie story started my love for gothic/horror books. It has queer characters also, which I’ll always love. The writing style was very poetic, and I loved everything about this book. It’s very new, and I had the opportunity to read it before release.”
Whatley also liked the Netflix series “Arcane,” which she is currently watching, and the Roblox sensation “Dress to Impress” — which actually came out in 2023 but grew in popularity this year.
“This is the only game I really play,” she said. “But I love dressing up and going up ranks.”
She’s currently writing her first review of the 55th Annual Juried Art Show.
For the past couple of years at The Shield, we have had a tradition of calling our sports editor “the sports guy.” Kessinger’s picks of 2024 display this title well.
His favorite book this year was “The Why Is Everything: A Story of Football, Rivalry, and Revolution” by Michael Silver, and his favorite video game was “EA Sports College Football 25.”
“Football is everything,” Kessinger said.
His favorite story in The Shield this year was his coverage of the USI vs. Indiana State University game because it was a great game, and he got great interviews for the story.
Finally, his favorite album of the year was “GNX.”
“Kendrick Lamar is better than Drake,” Kessinger said.
Smithson is a fan of many celebrities, to say the least.
His favorite album this year was “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.”
“I just love Taylor, and her music really speaks to me,” he said.
His favorite book this year was “Rebel Rising” by Rebel Wilson because he’s a big fan of the actress and “tell-alls.”
His favorite game this year was the “What Do You Meme – Trisha Paytas Expansion Pack.”
“I’m a Trisha Paytas stan, and ‘What Do You Meme’ is my favorite game to play with friends,” Smithson said.
He also loved her song “Pink Christmas.”
“It’s just a Pink Trishmas this year,” Smithson said.
Smithson is also a huge fan of the 1996 movie “Twister” and was excited for the release of “Twisters.”
“I have been waiting for it to come out for years!” he said.
Smithson also enjoyed working on The Shield’s election coverage. His favorite story was covering students’ reactions to the election results.
“I just loved getting to talk to students post-election and let them know that their feelings, whatever they may be, are valid,” he said. “It was so interesting to see different perspectives and talk to many different kinds of people.”
To send us off for the year, Durham is the last Shieldster to share her favorites of 2024. For movies, she picked “Inside Out 2” for its significant, well-portrayed message and “Wicked” for its incredible performances filled with depth.
Her favorite album was “The Secret of Us” by Gracie Abrams.
“Most of the songs on the album resonate with me in some way,” Durham said. “I think Gracie Abrams has a way of putting into lyrics and music the feelings, thoughts and actions that you can’t explain.”
She also saw Abrams at the Secret of Us Tour in Nashville.
“This was the second time I was able to see Gracie Abrams perform, the first being her as an opener on the Eras Tour,” she said. “It was cool to hear and see her growth in vocals and as a performer, and it was fun to sing her songs with other fans.”
Durham’s favorite Shield story is split between Manuel D. Apodaca Valdez and Norma Rosas Mayén reflect on their careers, importance of Hispanic Heritage Month and Food Review: Fall Fest 2024.
“I enjoyed getting to know professors Apodaca Valdez and Rosas Mayén and hearing their perspectives and their accomplishments,” she said. “I love the Fall Fest, so having an excuse to try all the food I wanted was great.”
