Underworld: Awakening [2012]
Starring; Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea
Directed by: Måns Mårlind, Björn Stein
4/5

When human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. 
I've been a fan of the Underworld series since it began, so there's no surprise that the new entry in the franchise was something i got into fairly easily.
All the expected basics are there, gothic imagery, endless vampire action and Kate Beckinsale in the tightest outfit ever. My favourite thing about the Underworld films is the mythology. It's vast, and over the course of the series it's gotten bigger and bigger. 'Awakening' continues building on that mythology, even though it can feel a bit rushed in places.
Most of this films problems come with the issue of Scott Speedman missing in action for this film. I have no idea why he couldn't be involved in the production of the movie, but his face has been CGI'd
onto a stand in and his character is seen more as a background figure than a title character like he's meant to be. Because of this, it feels as if the writers had to "work around" his absense and make do with what they could without being able to use him properly.
It's not a major issue, but certain things are skimmed over fairly quickly, like what happened to the characters between 'Awakening' and 'Evolution'. That portion of the story has been relegated to a quick montage in the beginning of the film. I imagine with Scott IN the actual movie, they would have tagged on an extra 15 minutes to the short running time of 'Awakening' to flesh out the current storyline better.
The ending of the film also suffers from this messy approach, with the story feeling uncomfortably unfinished as the credits roll. Of course, it's meant to have a "to be contiuned" finish like all of the previous Underworld films, but in Awakening, it feels poorly executed.

I guess the makers of 'Awakening' had to make do with what they had, and all things considering, they still managed to pull together an entertaining and fun movie.
Kate Beckinsale as Selene is at her cold killing best, as she runs up walls and jumps out of buildings better than she ever has. A lot of the action is brutal and her fight choreography is fantastic. The introduction of the hybrid child character, Eve, mixes up the new cast nicely, as well as other new and likeable additions to the cast, like Selene's new vampire side-kick, David.
The camera work is slick, the Lycans attack by the bucket full and movie runs at a tense fast pace.

Had 'Awakening' been given the opportunity to make better use of it's developing story, this could have been the best in the franchise so far. As it stands though, 'Awakening' feels more like a bridge between 'Evolution' and the next film, which i hope is given more room to bring the series to a proper close.

Lana Del Rey
Born To Die: Deluxe Edition 
4.5/5

When Lana starting creating her album, Born To Die, she had a very specific idea as to what kind of sound she wanted sonically throughout the record. Musically, she's been described as the "Gangster Nancy Sinatra", and when you hear the album, it's obvious she took that name literally, with the majority of the record sounding like the soundtrack to a romantic urban mobster movie set in the 1950's.
The production on the songs moves beautifully between lush, vast melodies and string heavy hip hop beats. There's a dream like quality to the music that helps listeners become absorbed into Lana's world, and that's exactly what Lana and her producers have created with Born To Die, a complete audio and visual universe, a place to escape to.

The booming strings of the title track, Born To Die, open the album. Lana sings about a doomed relationship amidst a thunderous hip hop beat. It's the perfect way to start the record, the song feels like the opening credits to an old Hollywood film.
There's no time to take a breath however once Off To The Races immediatly kicks into gear literally a second after the title track ends. Lana's vocals sweep in and out of even louder hip hop beats this time, as the song builds and builds to a beautiful and cinematic string heavy finale.
The sexy, Blue Jeans is next, taking obvious notes from Chris Isaac's, 'Wicked Game'. The very haunting and timeless sounding torch ballad, Video Games, follows, which shares the same themes lyrically as the song before it.
The album takes a welcome change of direction at this point with, Diet Mountain Dew. The more lighter and upbeat vibe of the song is a nice way to pick the mood up after the more darker opening tracks. This song has had a few incarnations over the last few months with it's various demos. For the album version, the beat has been given an obvious "kick" and a lovely piano melody has been added to the already catchy chorus. This isn't my favourite version of the song, but the hook is so strong, it doesn't really matter to me either way. This wouldn't sound too far removed on an Amy Whinehouse album.
The small glimmer of light Diet Mountain Dew gives us doesn't last too long once the next track, National Anthem, begins. Similar to the previous track, this is known a much different sounding song by fans due to a demo leaking online last year. Gone is the summery chanting sound of the previous version, now the song sounds more like a war march at a funeral, with dark heavy synths and a creepy haunting chorus. It's a beautiful and eerie track, i like the song in both forms, but this version fits the feel of the album better.
Dark Paradise follows, and is the biggest surprise on the album for me. I'd heard a live snippet of the song months ago, and it didn't grab me as much as other new live songs did at the time. On the album however, the song is incredible. I especially love the opening few chords and the surprising change of direction during the bridge. Production wise, it's the best song on the album.
The sweet sound of Radio changes the tone of the album once again, with Lana singing about being in love over a very charming and catchy melancholic beat. Like earlier in the album however, it's yet another short lived lighter side to the record once the sinister, noir-esque and dark, Carmen, begins. This song seems to divide fans, it has a musical feel to it which might be off putting to some. Personally it's an album highlight for me.
The last few tracks that round off the standard edition of the album are the mid tempo, jazz-lite, Million Dollar Man. It's a sexy moody ballad and Lana's vocals sound their best on this. Summertime Sadness, a fan favourite, is next. It has the same beachy feel of Blue Jeans, with an even catchier chorus.
Last but not least, This Is What Makes Us Girls, closes the standard edition of the album. Like a few of the other songs, this has a different sounding demo that's been around for a while. On the album the song has been changed with newly added vocals and a Kanye West inspired hip hop beat.

The deluxe edition features 3 extra songs, but they don't feel tagged on to the end like an after thought, they blend nicely with the rest of the album.
Like Carmen and Dark Paradise, the first of the bonus tracks, Without You, features some of the most unique production on the album. The song is only a few tempos away from being a dance song, yet the beat is kept restrained throughout the track, making the song a mid-tempo ballad with a subtle bassline that feels like a tease.
Lolita, is next. Gone is the 1950's pop sound of the demo, Lolita now sounds like the next Bond theme with it's cinematic, dark and dramatic production. This should have made the standard edition, it's fantastic.
The final song on the deluxe album, Lucky Ones, ends it all on a surprisingly lighter note. This is Lana's ode to falling in love, and after the mostly depressing tone of the previous 14 tracks, Lucky Ones is a nice way to say goodbye to listeners by ending on a positive and hopeful note. Production wise, it's my least favourite song on the album though.

There are a few minor issues with the album that i have. Even though the production is beautifully lavish and rich, that also means the album as a whole can be a bit of a heavy listen.
More of an attempt to make each song not blend together so much would have benefited the overall experience of hearing the album by adding some variety. The differences in the production are actually there, but they're subtle,and you may need to give the album time to showcase that a little.
Also, i did prefer the previous finished version of Diet Mountain Dew [titled 'Diet Mtn Dew'] over the album version. The new version is nice, but it's missing the pre-chorus lyrics which were my favourite part of the previous version.

The only other album that has captivated my "imagination" as much as Born To Die was Fever Rey's debut album from a few years ago. Lana's music features the same other wordly feel as that album, she has a very unique and distinct voice, and when combined with her lush and atmospheric music, she sets herself apart from what any other artist is doing at the moment.
Whether you like Lana's overall product as an artist or not, there's no denying the amount of ambition and passion that has gone into this album. From Lana's incredible lyrics and signature voice to the rich and vast sound of the music, every inch of this album is absolutley dripping with passion. I doubt i'll find a better album this year, she's set the bar very high.
 

Born To Die 5/5
Off To The Races 5/5
Blue Jeans 5/5
Video Games 5/5
Diet Mountain Dew 3.5/5
Dark Paradise 5/5
Radio 5/5
Carmen 5/5
Million Dollar Man 5/5
Summertime Sadness 4/5
This Is What Makes Us Girls 4/5
Without You 4/5
Lolita 5/5
Lucky Ones 3/5

Upcoming In 2012
Here's a list of my most anticipated things in 2012...

Music

 Lana Del Rey "Born To Die"
This is my most anticipated release of 2012, and luckily i don't need to wait long with the album out on January 30th. I've heard 9 tracks from the album already and they're all fantastic. It will be a great record to kick off the year, and an album that will no doubt be a very hard one to beat as the year rolls on.

Santigold
There have been rumours about a second album release from Santigold for a couple years now, but it seems like 2012 is pretty much the year she's officially giving us a full length new release. Her debut was good, hopefully this next album is just as strong. No idea when it will be released.

Skylar Grey "Invisible"
She was featured on a Dr. Dre track, and other acts were singing songs she had written ["Coming Home" Diddy Dirty Money, "Love The Way You Lie" Eminem] throughout 2011, however in 2012, she finally releases her own debut album. I've heard a couple live tracks, they sound promising, she even did a duet with Marilyn Manson on one of the songs. There's no official release date yet, but it should be out before June.

Kanye West
There's no word as to when this will be out, or what the album will sound like, however, he did hint at possibly experimenting with dance music this year. Only Kanye could explore that genre and actually come up with something that doesn't sound like everything else right now, so i look forward to hearing what it sounds like. 

Ellie Goulding
Not sure if she'll try something new or go down the same route musically as her debut album, either way, i like her style, so i'm excited to hear whatever she releases next. No date is set for the release, but i'm guessing it will be near the end of the year. 

How To Destroy Angels
Trent Reznor and his wife teamed up to create this project, they released an EP a couple years ago which was pretty cool, and tis year we get a proper full length album.

Also this year:  
Marilyn Manson "Born Villain",  
Nicki Minaj "Roman Reloaded"
Air
Madonna





Movies

The Dark Knight Rises
'The Dark Knight' was incredible, and one of the best cinema experiences i've ever had. My anticipation for this is huge, as it is for pretty much everyone else out there.

Snow White & the Huntsman
There's another Snow White film called 'Mirror Mirror' coming out earlier in 2012 that's for kids, this one however is a much darker adult version of the story. Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth star. Out in June.

Prometheus
The loosely based prequel to Ridley Scott's 'Alien'. Same Universe, different characters and storyline. Or so Ridley says. Out mid year.

My Week With Marilyn
It had a limited run in America end of 2011, but everywhere else gets it in 2012. Early reviews have been good, and it will be interesting to see if Michelle Williams can pull off her role as Marilyn. Out early 2012.

Chronicle
This "handy cam" style movie centres around 3 friends who discover they have super powers. Cool concept, looks fun. Out mid year.

The Hobbit: Part 1
I doubt it will live up to the epic scale of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but Peter Jackson is back as director and so are some of the original cast, which means it's in good hands. I'll love going back to Middle Earth!. Out end of 2012.

In The Land of Blood and Honey
Angelina Jolie's directorial debut! preview screenings in December 2011 were positive, and as a Jolie fan, it will be interesting seeing her pull off her role as a director. No idea when this will be released properly, but it will be sometime this year.

The Hunger Games
It sounds like it's borrowed a little from Battle Royale, but you can't really go wrong being inspired by such a great film. I've just picked up the books now.

Dark Shadows
I'm a bit over Tim Burton as a director at this point, but this movie does sound interesting and has a great cast. There's no trailer for this yet, but i do know that the movie is a fantasy drama about a family of vampires. Out end of 2012.
 

World War Z
Based on the famous zombie book, this is Day of the Dead meets Contagian. The books take a very scientific and serious approach to what would happen if the world was over-run by zombies after a viral outbreak that starts in China. No idea how different this will be from the books, but it stars Brad Pitt and is the first part of a trilogy. Released end of the year.

Video Games

Tomb Raider
It's been a good few years since the last game. I've been on board with this series since the early days, hard to believe it's still going after so long. The series is getting a complete overhaul from start to finish, that's never happened before, so i'm curious to see how the new game plays out. Out end of 2012.

I Am Alive
I don't know much about the game, but you play one of only a few survivors in a city that's been destroyed. It's basically an exploration game where you try to survive while helping those around you. Looks interesting. 

The BEST + WORST of 2011

Music of 2011

The BEST

10 // Zola Jesus Conatus
A little lighter than her last album, but still trademark sythy Zola.
Best track: Hikikomori

09 // Kimbra Vows
A great debut from an underrated artist. You'll be surprised at how easily she can go from popstar to soul singer.
Best track: Good Intent

08 // Gotye Making Mirrors
I can't believe it's taken me all these years to finally discover him. I love the cinematic feel of the production on the album.
Best track: Somebody That I Used To Know

07 // Nero Welcome Reality
It's a shame David Guetta and Calvin Harris get more radioplay than these guys, i really enjoyed this album, best dance record of the year for me.
Best track: Guilty

06 // Natalia Kills Perfectionist
What Natalie lacks in personality and charisma she makes up for with great production and melodies. For those who like their pop a little darker.
Best track: Wonderland

05 // Jay-Z & Kanye West Watch The Throne
There were big expectations for this collaboration, and not surprisingly, the guys delivered.
Best track: Murder To Excellence

04 // Katy B On A Mission
Haven't heard this sort of downtempo club sound since the first Sugababes album over a decade ago. Great debut.
Best track: Witches Brew

03 // Florence + The Machine Ceremonials
Florence doesn't tread any new ground with this album, but it does expand nicely on her previous record. It's bigger and better than her debut.
Best track: Leave My Body

02 // Lady Gaga Born This Way
Gaga explores some new sounds while still staying close to her trademark style. My favourite "popstar" album of the year.
Best track: Heavy Metal Lover

01 // Adele 21
There isn't one song on this album i can fault, it's perfect from start to finish. The only problem with 21 is she may never top it because she set the bar so high.
Best track: Someone Like You

Honorable Mentions:
Electric Lady Lab Flash!
Bjork Biophilia
iiO Exit 101
Beyonce 4

The WORST

Avril Lavigne Goodbye Lullaby
Avril Lavigne has become a bit of a by the numbers type of act nowdays. She follows the same formula with each record, going between annoying upbeat first single and dull and uninspired second and 3rd singles following. She's gone as far as she can creatively, at this point, no one cares anymore, and one has to wonder how long she can keep dressing like a 15 year old emo as she edges close to turning 30 and selling her tweeny tinged product.

Songs of 2011

The BEST

20 // David Guetta & Sia Titanium
Epic chorus, Sia's vocals are beautiful on this.

19 // Kelly Rowland Work It Man
I prefer Kelly doing r&b over dance.

18 // Taryn Manning Turn It Up
One half of Boomkat, Taryn is going solo!.

17 // Bjork Crystalline
Love the dupstep outro and melody on this.

16 // Wynter Gordon Till Death
Best dance track by a girl this year [yes, even better than than God awful 'We Found Love'].

15 // Zola Jesus Vessel
Love me some Zola Jesus!

14 // The Rapture How Deep Is Your Love
Caught onto this one a bit late, but better late than never i suppose.

13 // Electric Lady Lab Follow You
Could have used a couple of there songs on here, but i went for this one, underrated duo.

12 // Adele Someone Like You
Overplayed, but still such a great song.

11 // Calvin Harris Feels So Close
I'm not usually into his stuff, but this was a great track.

10 // Florence + The Machine Shake It Out
An epic song to compliment an equally epic album.

09 // J. Cole Work Out
His album disappointed me, this track was oddly missing from it, but i loved it anyway.

08 // Example Changed The Way You Kissed Me
Love the alternative style vocals mixed with the hard dance production.

07 // Katy B Witches Brew
Catchiest chorus of the year?

06 // Ms Dynamite Neva Soft
The UK is really delivering with underground acts this year. Love this song.

05 // Kimbra Good Intent
I fell in love with it the moment i heard it. Also became my favourite music video of the year.

04 // Beyonce Run The World [Girls]
I know pretty much everyone hated this, but i loved it.

03 // Natalia Kills Wonderland
It's an old track, but her debut album came out this year and this was on it.

02 // Gotye & Kimbra Somebody That I Used To Know
For a while it was my #1 song of the year. Amazing song and i love Kimbra's part. 

01 // Lana Del Rey Video Games
She came out of nowhere this year, and Video Games became a sleeper hit on iTunes all over the world. The production on the song is beautiful and her voice is very haunting. 2012 will be a big year for her.

The WORST 

Cher Lloyd // Swagger Jagger
It's hard to believe this song was actually a serious release. It sounds like a cheap Black Eyed Peas attempt with a video that's one of the most cringe worthy things i've ever seen. Worst song of the year.

Bruno Mars // The Lazy Song
Bruno is a talented guy with a great voice, but i can't stand his music. It's annoying "songs for my cute sweet girlfriend" crap that bores me to tears. 'The Lazy Song' however the worst of the worst when it comes to his single releases. The annoying video that goes along with it makes it even more unbearable.

Jason Derulo // Don't Wanna Go Home
You may not want to go home, Jason, but i want you to. Awful use of a cringe sample.

Movies of 2011

The BEST

 10 // Toast
This will no doubt fly by a lot of peoples radars, which is a shame because it's a great little feel good drama. Helena Bonham Carter always adds a little something "extra" to films she's in, i loved her in this.

09 // We Need To Talk About Kevin
Kevin is one fucked up kid, and this movie will no doubt leave feeling ill afterwards. Tilda Swinton was amazing in this, probably one of the best performances of the year.

08 // Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2
A fitting, if slightly short end to a mostly entertaining series. What really sells this finale is the emotional aspect of the story, which much like the book, is quite powerful.

07 // The Woman
Definitely not a film for everyone, but if you can handle the graphic nature of the story, you're in for an intense and dark movie experience.

06 // Rise of the Planet of the Apes
I love that Andy Serkis is causing an uproar in the film industry by bringing up the debate over whether motion cpature is a legitmate form of acting. His work in The Lord of the Rings and King Kong was fantastic, but he really hit his peak this year with 'Apes', he brought a lot of genuine heart to his character, Ceasar. A surprisingly moving film. 

05 // X-Men: First Class
I've loved all the X-men films, but the franchise did need a bit of an adrenaline shot after ther rushed 'X-Men: The Last Stand'. 'First Class' gave the franchise the life it needed. We haven't had a X-Men film this strong since the brilliant X-Men 2 almost a decade ago. 

04 // Black Swan
I know this came out in the U.S. in late 2010, but the rest of the world got it early 2011. It's a dark mind bending experience into madness with Natalie Portman giving the performance of her career. You literally watch a girl lose her mind for 2 hours, you almost feel tired by the end of it all.

03 // 50/50
The mixture of serious drama and comedy was done so perfectly, you'll find yourself laughing and crying at the same time. Joseph Gordon Levitt proves he's still one of the best young actors in Hollywood, Seth Rogen is hilarious, Anna Jendrick is as charming as always, and Angelica Huston was fantastic but sadly underused. I had this film stuck in my head for days afterwards, i loved it.

02 // Jane Eyre
I'm unfamiliar with the book and the previous film adaptations, so i'm not sure how this stands up against them. As a stand alone film though, i thought it was beautifully shot and the chemistry on screen between Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender felt very natural and genuine. It was very romantic, i even cried like a baby in the end *turns red*.

01 // Bridesmaids
It's not common for me to pick a comedy as my #1 film of the year, but this is one of those rare moments. Not only was this my favourite movie of the year, but it's also one of the funniest movies i have ever seen in my life. I haven't laughed this hard non-stop over a movie in a long time. The film doesn't just bring the laughs though, it also addresses some relatable depressing moments in peoples lives, especially around the main character, played brillianty by Kristen Wiig.

Honorable Mentions:
The Help
Wasted On The Young
Martha Marcey May Marlene
Thor

 

 

 

The WORST 

Cowboys & Aliens
Is it just me, or has Steven Spielberg been attaching his name as a producer to some SHOCKING work over the last few years? First the last 2 Transformers movies, and now this mess? You'd think cowboys shooting lasers at aliens would send your imagination wild, but this ended up being a massive bore.

Sucker Punch
Visually it's fantastic, and the soundtrack is great too, the rest however is the biggest clusterfuck mess of ideas i've ever seen. Nothing flows, nothing makes sense, nothing feels like a complete film. The sexy, yet cardboard thin characters didn't help either.

Tree of Life
Congrats to anybody who can sit through this over blown, boring as hell, pretentious mess of a movie. Shots of buildings, people whispering endlessly, and footage from "the best of National Geographic" is all you'll get from this load of self indulgent garbage.

Green Lantern
There were some great comic book films this year, Green Lantern wasn't one of them. Who's idea was it to cast Ryan Rynold's as a serious superhero? the guy cannot do drama, he constantly look like he's trying not to laugh, he has that face in ALL his films. And don't even start me on the mess that was his costume.......glowing green eyes, pouty lip glossed lips, perfect hair, practically naked body suit, he looked like a gay Mardi Gras float character. Awful.
 

Music Videos of 2011

The BEST

 05 // Robyn Call Your Girlfriend

It's nothing but one continuous shot of Robyn freestyle dancing. Simple, but strangely re-watchable thanks to Robyn's energy.
Directed by: Max Vitali

04 // Gotye & Kimbra Somebody That I Used To Know

It's art house to the max, but it's still great. Gotye really does need to clean his feet next time he chooses to film them though.
Directed by: Natasha Pincus

03 // Lady Gaga Marry The Night
Gaga channels David Lynch and Kubrick in this dream-like biographical story of her rise to fame. As a first time solo directing effort, Gaga shows a lot of promise with an interesting eye for detail.
Directed by: Lady Gaga

02 // Kimbra Good Intent
She makes great use of having a low budget with her music videos, this one features some fantastic choreography and a great 1950's noir style.
Directed by: Guy Franklin 

01 // Lana Del Rey Born To Die
The only way to match the rich production of the song was to create an equally grand music video. With dynamic colours and wide sweeping cinematic camera work, Lana and Woodkid have created a beautifully visual music video that captures Lana's haunting vocals perfectly.
Directed by: Woodkid

The WORST

 Cher Lloyd Swagger Jagger
It's bad enough that the song is so horrendous, but Cher seems to have made an even worse music video, yes....i didn't think it was possible either. She acts and looks ridiculous, it feels like a parody from a comedy sketch show. Unfortunately for Cher, it's not. 

Kat DeLuna Drop It Low
You'll find it so unintentionally hilarious that you'll no doubt watch the whole thing. From the awful attempts at looking sexy, to the weird choice to wear helmets during bizarre crotch thrusting dance moves and a random piano dance breakdown that will have you laughing off your chair. It's like watching a train-wreck right before your eyes, but most of what Kat DeLuna does is like that, so i can't say i'm shocked.

People of 2011 

BEST Person of the Year: Adele
No one is more deserving of the success they've achieved this year than Adele. With so many artists in the pop world vying for the cameras and their need to be #1 and make history at every moment of their careers, Adele casually walked through her blindingly huge year as the biggest artist on the planet, and she did it all without a gimmick or a controversial story behind her.
Her reign hasn't even stopped, she no doubt has another huge year coming up in 2012 as her album continues to break records and the demand for her music keeps on thriving.
My only regret is that i never got a chance to see her live since she's been plagued with medical problems and has had such a lazy approach to her tour for most of the year. Touring doesn't seem like something that sits well with her, seeing one of her shows seems to be a lucky opportunity for those that manage to catch her on one of her good days. I'm sure i'll get another opportunity in the future with her next record [whenever that may be].
 
WORST Person of the Year: Kim Kardashian
Throw in the rest of her horrid media whoring family under this title as well. I'll never understand the weird obsession the world has with Z list celebrities who filter every corner of the media for doing absolutely nothing.
Kim has been the worst offender of that this year, from her horribly scripted and acted "reality" TV show, to her endless need to try her hand at every possible thing, whether it's doing television, releasing a song [God help us], or shoving her face onto any product she can to make a buck. We haven't seen pointless fame from anyone like this since Paris Hilton 5 years ago. This is a style of celebrity i thought had died out with the last decade. Sadly, it hasn't.

I'm the first to tell people to "look away" or "change the channel" when it comes to being bombarded with people they can't stand who are in the public eye. However, with someone like Kim, it's hard to get away from her. Every magazine cover, every news report, every tv channel has SOMETHING to say about her or her family. The family members have about 10 shows between them, they may as well call the E channel, the Kardashian channel considering how many times a day they appear on a different program.
And just when you thought Kim couldn't get anymore ridiculous, she showered the world with her self indulgent need to showcase her 10 million dollar wedding, which was then followed by a divorce only weeks later.
Thankfully, the public responded with mostly eye rolling, as people finally started to get sick of the fuckified lifestyle Kim kept opening herself up to so everyone could give her the attention she so desperately craved. Since then, she seems to have started her slow decline into irrelevancy, which imo can't come soon enough.


 

That's all. Till next year :)

 

The BUFFY Top 20! Part 2

10 Conversations with Dead People [Season 7]

Buffy goes art house! Season 7 was a bit hit and miss, but Conversations with Dead People was one of the few major highlights of the season. Each of the main characters are visited by The First who takes the form of a dead person they once knew. Buffy has an honest sit down conversation with an ex-student who is now a vampire, Willow gets a visit from a girl who died a few episodes earlier, and Dawn has the most bizarre visit of all, with The First appearing as her Mother during a group of very creepy hauntings while Dawn is home alone.

09 Prophecy Girl [Season 1]

This was the first time the series showed potential as a serious drama, and not just a funny monster of the week style show. It works perfectly as a teaser for whats to come in season 2 as far as writing goes, and it's also the perfect way to end an overly fluffy first season.

08 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered [Season 2]

Xander casts a love spell on Cordelia which backfires and makes every woman in town fall in love with him instead. They could have played this safe, but they actually went all out in this episode with Willow chasing Xander with an ax, Buffy getting turned into a rat and even Buffy's Mom lusting after Xander when he tries to find sanctuary in her home.

07 Band Candy [Season 3]

What a hilarious concept for an episode! The adults of Sunnydale revert back to acting like teenagers when the town starts eating some new [and suspicious] chocolatete bars that clearly have a secret ingredient not listed on the back of the wrapper. The sight of a rock n' roll bad boy Giles and a vandal happy gum chewing Joyce Summers is something you'll only ever see once in this series, so this episode is a must!.

06 The Body [Season 5]

Joss Whedon goes for a much more realistic style of direction in this episode, when Buffy has to deal with the consequences of finding her Mother dead. The deafening silence of the episode [which features no music whatsoever] is very powerful and makes the entire experience the characters go through that much more effective.

05 When She Was Bad [Season 2]

Buffy comes back from summer vacation and it seems like she has a few unresolved issues after dying [and coming back to life] at the end of season 1. Unfortunately for everyone around her, they have to deal with her rather nasty and unpleasant attitude. Other than her bipolar character turn in season 6, you won't see Buffy as far removed from her usual self as you do in this episode. Buffy's a bitch!

04 Hush [Season 4]

The town of Sunnydale have their ability to speak taken away from them when a group of creepy floating fairytale demons come to town. Buffy and friends have to try and find a way to solve the mystery behind how to stop the creatures, all while awkwardly signing/miming their way throughout the episode. The scene where Buffy motions using a stake, but looks like she's masturbating makes the episode worth it alone.

03 Living Conditions [Season 4]

In my opinion, this was the funniest episode from the whole series, and there were many of those, so that says a lot. Buffy goes to college for the first time in season 4 and finds herself sharing a dorm room with the most annoying roommate on Earth. She borrows Buffy's clothes, eats Buffy's food and is constantly listening to Cher's "Believe", much to Buffy's horror. The Scoobies think Buffy is starting to lose her mind when Buffy announces she wants to kill her roommate to end the torment, but later it's revealed that the roommate is in fact a demon, which Buffy is more than happy to use as an excuse to destroy her.

02 Restless [Season 4]

From a direction point of view, this was the best thing we ever saw in the series. Joss Whedon goes all David Lynch as he weaves in and out of characters dreams as they recieve prophetic messages from a dark figure that stalks them in their sleep. The weird moments and fantastic transitions between worlds are perfectly executed, i also love the confrontation between Buffy and the first Slayer during the last part of the episode. The visuals are hypnotic, but the interesting use of music and sound in the episode also adds to the strong eerie atmosphere of the dream worlds the characters encounter.

01 Becoming, Part 1 & 2 [Season 2]

I know technically i'm cheating with this since i've included both episodes in the #1 spot, but if i had to choose just one side of this epic 2 part finale, it would be part 2. I figured i'd write about both of them since they work best as one long double episode anyway.

It doesn't get any bigger in terms of "wow" moments for me in Buffy than it does with Becoming parts 1 and 2. From the death of Kendra, to Angel's plot to open the gates of hell, through to Buffy being framed for murder and eventually taking Angel head on in a battle to the death, it's like a mini movie!. While part 1 builds up the momentum to part 2 perfectly [especially with Kendra's death], it's part 2 that brings it all full circle.
I'm sure every fan who watched this back in the day remembers how tense the lead up to Buffy and Angel's confrontation felt. It was even more shocking when Angel's soul was finally restored thanks to the Willow's magic, only to have Buffy still need to kill him to close the portal he already opened. It was the most dramatic the series got at the time, and the cinematic feel of the story showcased how capable the series was at telling really great epic stories.

Honorable mentions:

Lie To Me [Season 2]

The Joss Whedon directed episodes were the best, weren't they!? I loved the terminal illness spin on this story.

The Gift [Season 5]

Buffy dies, well.............she's died before, but this time she sacrificed herself to save the ones she loves.

Tabula-Rasa [Season 6]

The Scooby Gang get different personalities when a spell Willow casts goes wrong. Naturally it's hilarious.

Wrecked [Season 6]

Willow's magic addiction finally makes her hit rock bottom. The exchange between Buffy and Willow at the end is fantastic, as are Willow's tripped out visions during her "magic/drug" sessions.

The BUFFY Top 20! Part 1
After 15 years of watching Buffy episodes over and over again, i had a fair idea as to what would make my top 10. My top 20 however took a bit more thought. I could swap a few episodes here and there with others that didn't make the list, but overall i'd say this is pretty much the definitive top 20 for me.
Naturally, fans will agree and disagree with a few of my choices. I could have easily made my list based on the biggest and most popular fan favourites that are always picked, however, my selection process was a little broader. Here's part 1, episodes 20-11...

20 Passion [Season 2]

As Jenny Calendar tries to find a solution to restoring Angels soul, Angel begins sending cryptic messages to Buffy and the gang via dead fish [Willow] and drawings during sleep time [Buffy]. Eventually Angel comes head to head with Jenny, and kills her. Well......he snaps her neck to be more precise, and i'll always remember it as the first genuine shock of the series, completely unexpected and proof for the first time that no one was safe, even if you're part of the Scooby Gang.

19 Chosen [Season 7]

I still think it should have been a feature length finale, but as a final episode it still delivers the goods. After living for 7 years with these characters, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing them finally close the Sunnydale Hellmouth for good in the last ever episode of the series.

18 Grave [Season 6]

Season 6 comes to a massive finish when an evil and heartbroken Willow tries to take down the entire planet after her girlfriend [Tara] is killed. The episodes final scene between Willow and Xander is one of the most touching moments from the series.

17 Storyteller [Season 7]

Ex-villain and geek supreme, Jonathan, is held captive in the Buffy house. To pass his time, he records a day in the life of the Scooby Gang with a hand held camera. The slow motion kitchen scene is a highlight.

16 Who Are You? [Season 4]

The return of Faith in season 4 was a big one! Just when you thought she may redeem herself after the events of season 3, she comes rampaging back into Buffy's life, swaps bodies with her and causes yet another mess. It only gets worse once she makes her way to Angel in L.A for another double episode in his series where she really loses it.

15 Double Meat Palace [Season 6]

This gets hated on by a lot by fans, i'm not sure why. I've always found Buffy's attempt at an everyday dead end fast food job kinda hilarious. The weird staff, Spike ordering a meal, the constant state of depression Buffy is in ect. Sure the monster at the end is a bit silly, but it all adds to the weird vibe of the whole episode.

14 Witch [Season 1]

My second favourite episode from the first season. 'Witch' is the first time we see Buffy deal with something other than vampires in the series. A highlight from the episode is a scene involving Buffy attempting cheerleader try outs under a hyper actively dangerous spell.

13 Once More With Feeling... [Season 6]

A demon turns the entire town of Sunnydale into a singing and dancing cast from a musical. The Scooby Gang try to restore the town back to normal all while breaking out into random outbursts of song and dance.
Joss Whedon's dream to write a musical comes true with original songs and real singing from each of the cast members. There's actually some really great tracks in the episode and it's the weirdest you'll ever see the characters in the series.

12 Dopplegangland [Season 3]

Anya tries to regain her powers while accidentally bringing in a vampire version of Willow from an alternate reality into the "real" world. Willow as an evil vampire is a lot of fun to watch, especially when she's so out of place with the rest of the confused cast.
Willow's comment about her vampire alter-ego being "gay" was also a funny hint at what was to come of Willow in season 4.

11 Ted [Season 2]

Forget the awkward robot episode from season 1 [I, Robot...You, Jane], in season 2 of Buffy, the writers created a much more entertaining way for Buffy to come head to head with a robot in the evil form of Buffy's Mom's new boyfriends, Ted [played by John Ritter].
Sarah and John play opposite each other perfectly, it's very tense between their characters. John's guest appearance was the best one the series ever had.

Part 2 next week!...