Overly Opinionated
Although most of us are ready to forget last year as soon as our clocks change. I think it’s important to say goodbye to the last 365 (or 66) days we were subjected to. To help me with my annual shake down, I asked a few of my friends if they would tell a story for CAMOUFLAGE about their 2024. The only parameter was that there were none… So I hope you enjoy seeing, reading about, and listening to, some of my super talented friend’s favorite stuff from last year :)
I do my best to listen to every song and watch every movie ever made. Working on consuming more television. Eventually my goal is to consume everything. Don’t let them convince you it’s not good for you. I don’t think my taste in these things is better than anyone else's. I just care. Thank you CAMOFLAUGE for the opportunity to discuss my favorites from 2024.
Album - Petrichor (070 Shake)
Honorable Mentions: Dark Times - Vince Staples, The World Im Searching For EP - Jersey
070 Shake has never been an artist you can pin down. Since her early moments on Ye and Daytona, she’s created her own legend through multiple lovely records leading up to Petrichor.
Coming off You Can’t Kill Me (2022), she spent the next two years collaborating with artists across genres, and teasing what would become Petrichor. I was waiting patiently for something new so when the album finally came, I knew I had to lock-in and listen with no distractions.
That was some of the best 39 minutes I spent all year. Petrichor is a complete body of work that highlights Ms. Shake’s evolution as both a vocalist and a visionary. She’s always thrived on emotional intensity, but this time, the production is even fuller.
Tracks like “Elephant” and “Pieces of You” prove why Ms. Shake is one of the most unique artists in recent memory. Her voice warps with the production, floating between melodies and raw, spoken-word moments. She’s able to move between vulnerability and confidence, all while making music that is undeniably listenable.
In an industry filled with people looking to make the next background music for viral Tik-Tok videos, 070 Shake provides a breath of fresh air. She isn’t chasing trends, she’s creating her own musical footprint. If this is where the 27 year old artist is now, the future is limitless and I can’t wait t hear more from her.
Movie - The Substance (Dir. Coralie Fargeat)
Honorable Mention: Monkey Man - Dir. Dev Patel
The Substance follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a former TV aerobics star struggling with the decline of her fame and the onset of aging. In a desperate effort to restore her youth, she makes a Faustian bargain (learned that one while writing this), which leads to a gnarly series of events.
The conviction of Demi Moore’s performance is second to none in 2024. I’m not sure how anyone prepares to play this role but she somehow did it, and the physical transformation she undergoes is a testament to her dedication. At the 2025 Golden Globes, she was awarded for best performance by an actress in a motion picture - musical or comedy, the first award of her acting career.
Coralie Fargeat does a great job combining a relevant narrative with a nightmarish screenplay- resulting in the most impressive movie of the year for me. The Substance is a good example of the power of cinema to make you question WTF you just watched and what the director was really trying to get at.
For me, The Substance wasn't just the standout film of 2024, it was a cinematic experience that took me days to digest. All of that being said, I may never watch it again.
Television Series - Invincible S2 (Amazon Prime)
Honorable Mentions: Shogun - Hulu, The Vince Staples Show - Netflix
While the second season of my current favorite show first started airing in November 2023, fans had to be patient during a mid-season break which saw the final episode of the season hit Amazon Prime on April 4, 2024, so we’re going to count it. After the absolute chaos of Season 1, I had high hopes and this season definitely delivered.
Season 2 adds even more to the already outstanding character development this show contains. The dialogue is quick and self-aware, while somehow still delivering some of the most compelling storytelling in the genre.
Few shows are able to make you laugh at some points and sit there completely blank as somebody you thought was a crucial character dies. It’s completely unpredictable and every episode leaves you considering what might happen next, only to be wrong.
The animation is perfect and every fight scene feels like the biggest one yet. If you saw Season 1 and thought it was brutal, Season 2 will remind you just how fucked up Invincible gets.
This show combines all the ideal elements of binge-worthy TV in a way that can only be understood through watching it and I can’t recommend it enough. By the time the finale came around, I found myself awfully disappointed that I would have to wait for more episodes.
Thankfully, that wait is over. Season 3 launches February 6th and the entire season debuted at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, just like the first two.