The Pop Culture Pusher

Awards: Oscar Nominee Predictions

2012-01-20T12:40:00.000-08:00

The Golden Globes are over; now it’s on to the big show: the Oscars. Here are my predictions as to who will be getting an Oscar nomination this year. Oh, and I don’t predict the shorts (live, animated or documentary). The official announcement is on Tuesday, January 24.

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life

BEST ACTOR
George Clooney (The Descendants)
Leonardo diCaprio (J Edgar)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Michael Fassbender (Shame)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)

BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)
Albert Brooks (Drive)
Armie Hammer (J Edgar)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)
Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Shailene Woodley (The Decendants)

BEST DIRECTOR
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)
Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life)
Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Decendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
Moneyball

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
50/50
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
Win Win
Young Adult

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Bullhead
Monsieur Lazhar
Pina
A Separation
In Darkness

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Rango

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Buck
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Project Nim

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Tree of Life

BEST FILM EDITING
The Artist
The Descendants
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball

BEST ART DIRECTION
The Artist
The Descendants
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II
The Help
Hugo

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Albert Nobbs
The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Help
Hugo

BEST MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs
Hugo
The Iron Lady

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II
Hugo
Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Tree of Life

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
War Horse
W.E.

BEST SONG
Hello Hello (Gnomeo & Juliet)
Lay Your Head Down (Albert Nobbs)
Life’s a Happy Song (The Muppets)
The Living Proof (The Help)
Man or Muppet (The Muppets)

BEST SOUND EDITING
The Adventures of Tintin
Drive
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon
War Horse

BEST SOUND
The Adventures of Tintin
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow, Part II
Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon

Let's see how I do.

Awards: The Golden Globes Recap

2012-01-15T22:55:00.000-08:00

I’m so glad I don’t take The Golden Globes as seriously as the Oscars. I got 60% this year, which is better than last year’s abysmal 40%. I was happy that Homeland and Kelsey Grammar won their categories even though it cost me some correct predictions. I was surprised Meryl Streep beat Viola Davis, (and I think Streep was equally surprised). I was annoyed that Laura Dern won over Zooey Deschanel for best comedy actress, it’s only because it’s HBO. Ricky Gervais was funny again this year, yet a bit more tame. It seemed all the presenters had their own Ricky Gervais jokes ready. Anyway, here are the winners.

Best Motion Picture – Drama
The Descendants (predicted)
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Meryl Streep (Iron Lady)
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
George Clooney (The Descendants) (predicted)
Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
The Artist (predicted)
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn) (predicted)
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Jean Dujardin (The Artist) (predicted)
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Christopher Plummer (Beginners) (predicted)
Best Animated Feature Film
The Adventures of Tintin (predicted)
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation (Iran) (predicted)
Best Director – Motion Picture
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
The Artist
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Masterpiece” (W.E. – Madonna)
Best Television Series – Drama
Homeland
Best Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Claire Danes (Homeland) (predicted)
Best Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Kelsey Grammar (Boss)
Best Television Series – Comedy
Modern Family (predicted)
Best Actress In A Television Series – Comedy
Laura Dern (Enlightened)
Best Actor In A Television Series – Comedy
Matt LeBlanc (Episodes) (predicted)
Best Mini-Series or TV Movie
Downton Abbey (predicted)
Best Actress In A Mini-series or TV Movie
Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce) (predicted)
Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
Idris Elba (Luther)
Best Supporting Actress in a Series or Mini-Series
Jessica Lange (American Horror Story) (predicted)
Best Supporting Actor in a Series or Mini-Series
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) (predicted)

Upcoming: Oscar Nomination Predictions

Awards: The Golden Globes

2012-01-09T22:33:00.000-08:00

The Golden Globes are this Sunday. I’m hoping for another year of Ricky Gervais and his biting comedy and some fun drunken speeches. Again the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is made up of less than 100 people who just want to mingle with celebrities (as Gervais pointed out last year with the laughable nomination of The Tourist to entice Depp & Jolie to attend). So take at as you will: a back slapping session of the Hollywood elite. It’s not Oscars but that’s okay. Here are my predictions:

Best Motion Picture - Drama
The Descendants; The Help; Hugo; The Ides of March; Moneyball; War Horse
Who I Think Will Win: The Descendants

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs); Viola Davis (The Help); Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo); Meryl Streep (Iron Lady); Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin)
Who I Think Will Win: Viola Davis (The Help)

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
George Clooney (The Descendants); Leonardo diCaprio (J Edgar); Michael Fassbender (Shame); Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March); Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
Who I Think Will Win: George Clooney (The Descendants)

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
50/50; The Artist; Bridesmaids; Midnight in Paris; My Week With Marilyn
Who I Think Will Win: The Artist

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Jodie Foster (Carnage); Charlize Theron (Young Adult); Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids); Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn); Kate Winslet (Carnage)
Who I Think Will Win: Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)

Best Actor in Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Jean Dujardin (The Artist); Brendan Gleeson (The Guard); Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50); Ryan Gosling (Crazy, Stupid Love); Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris)
Who I Think Will Win: Jean Dujardin (The Artist)

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Berenice Bejo (The Artist); Jessica Chastain (The Help); Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs); Octavia Spencer (The Help); Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)
Who I Think Will Win: Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn); Albert Brooks (Drive); Jonah Hill (Moneyball); Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method); Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Who I Think Will Win: Christopher Plummer (Beginners)

Best Animated Feature Film
The Adventures of Tintin; Arthur Christmas; Cars 2; Puss in Boots; Rango
Who I Think Will Win: The Adventures of Tintin

Best Foreign Language Film
The Flowers of War (China); In the Land of Bees and Honey (USA); The Kid with a Bike (Belgium); A Separation (Iran); The Skin I Live In (Spain)
Who I Think Will Win: A Separation (Iran)

Best Director – Motion Picture
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris); George Clooney (The Ides of March); Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist); Alexander Payne (The Descendants); Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Who I Think Will Win: Alexander Payne (The Descendants)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
The Artist; The Descendants; The Ides of March; Midnight in Paris; Moneyball
Who I Think Will Win: Moneyball

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
The Artist; W.E.; The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo; Hugo; War Horse
Who I Think Will Win: Hugo

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Hello Hello” (Gnomeo & Juliet – Elton John); “The Keeper” (Machine Gun Preacher – Chris Cornell); “Lay Your Head Down” (Albert Nobbs – Glenn Close); “The Living Proof” (The Help – Mary J Blige); “Masterpiece” (W.E. – Madonna)
Who I Think Will Win: “Lay Your Head Down” (Albert Nobbs – Glenn Close)

Best Television Series – Drama
American Horror Story; Boardwalk Empire; Boss; Game of Thrones; Homeland
Who I Think Will Win: Game of Thrones

Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama
Claire Danes (Homeland); Mireille Enos (The Killing); Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife); Madeleine Stowe (Revenge); Callie Thorne (Necessary Roughness)
Who I Think Will Win: Claire Danes (Homeland)

Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama
Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire); Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad); Kelsey Grammar (Boss); Jeremy Irons (The Borgias); Damian Lewis (Homeland)
Who I Think Will Win: Damain Lewis (Homeland)

Best Television Series – Comedy
Enlightened; Episodes; Glee; Modern Family; New Girl
Who I Think Will Win: Modern Family

Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy
Laura Dern (Enlightened); Zooey Deschanel (New Girl); Tina Fey (30 Rock); Laura Linney (The Big C); Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Who I Think Will Win: Zooey Deschanel (New Girl)

Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock); David Duchovny (Californication); Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory); Thomas Jane (Hung); Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
Who I Think Will Win: Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)

Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series
Jessica Lange (American Horror Story); Kelly MacDonald (Boardwalk Empire); Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey); Sofia Vergara (Modern Family); Evan Rachel Wood (Mildred Pierce)
Who I Think Will Win: Jessica Lange (American Horror Story)

Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones); Paul Giamatti (Too Big to Fail); Guy Pearce (Mildred Pierce); Tim Robbins (Cinema Verite); Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Who I Think Will Win: Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)

Best Mini-Series or TV Movie
Cinema Verite; Downton Abbey; The Hour; Mildred Pierce; Too Big To Fail
Who I Think Will Win: Downton Abbey

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
Romola Garai (The Hour); Diane Lane (Cinema Verite); Elzabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey); Emily Watson (Appropriate Adult); Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce)
Who I Think Will Win: Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce)

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey); Idris Elba (Luther); William Hurt (Too Big To Fail); Bill Nighy (Page Eight); Dominic West (The Hour)
Who I Think Will Win: Dominic West (The Hour)

Let’s see how I do this year.

Film: The Adventures of Tintin

2012-01-08T14:30:00.001-08:00

GENRE: Animation/Adeventure
RATING: PG for action violence and drunkeness
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 47 minutes
STARRING: Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Flags of our Fathers)
Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings) Daniel Craig (Casino Royale)
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg (Indiana Jones, Catch Me If You Can)
WRITERS: Steven Moffat (Dr. Who), Joe Cornish (Attack the Block)
Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Hot Fuzz)
PLOT: Reporter Tintin and Captain Haddock cross the globe to find a sunken treasure left be Haddock’s ancestor.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 I’m not a fan of this type of animation but I will say that this is the best one I have seen using it. If this was live action, it would have been on par with an Indiana Jones film. Great action sequences, though I was surprised how much gun play there was.
2 I grew up on Tintin comics. I read them all. I thought Andy Serkis did an amazing job of Captain Haddock but I always pictured him a little differently. I thought he was gruffer and I didn’t remember him being such a bumbling alcoholic. Maybe I just more innocent in those days.
3 Simon Pegg & Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) play the humourous duo of Thomson and Thompson. I wish we saw more of their fun antics.
4 The story was very engaging. It was non-stop action. There was hardly a time for a breather. I felt bad for the little tykes who had to go the washroom partway in, because they were missing a lot of fun scenes. I also liked the back and forth flashbacks. Very fun.
5 Maybe it’s just me but Sakharine (Daniel Craig), the bad guy, kind of looked like Steven Spielberg back in the early eighties. It weirded me out a little.

RECOMMENDATION: DVD/Theatre – it’s a toss up
UPCOMING REVIEW: Golden Globe predictions

2012 Television Preview

2012-01-02T00:02:00.000-08:00

Wondering when your shows are returning? Here’s when my shows are returning, as well as a few new shows to check out this winter. Enjoy.

How I Met Your Mother (Jan 2)
Hawaii 5-0 (Jan 2)
Parenthood (Jan 3)
Suburgatory (Jan 4)
Modern Family (Jan 4)
Happy Endings (Jan 4)
Saturday Night Live (Jan 7)
The Simpsons (Jan 8)
The Firm (Jan 8) on NBC then moves to Thursdays
Josh Lucas takes over Cruise’s role and exits Witness Protection.
House of Lies (Jan 8) on Showtime
Theworkings of a slick management firm headed by Don Cheadle.
Are You There, Chelsea? (Jan 11) on NBC
Chelsea Handler is played by Donna from That 70’s Show. Chelsea Handler plays her older sister.
Big Bang Theory (Jan 12)
30 Rock (Jan 12)
Parks & Recreation (Jan 12)
The Office (Jan 12)
Up All Night (Jan 12) new timeslot
Grimm (Jan 13)
Fringe (Jan 13)
Napoleon Dynamite (Jan 15) on FOX
The entire cast returns to lend their voices to this animated version.
Alcatraz (Jan 16) on FOX
The former prisoners who disappeared are suddenly back & loose.
New Girl (Jan 17)
House (Jan 23)
Luck (Jan 29) on HBO
Dustin Hoffman plays a mob boss who is out of jail and involved at the horse racing track.
Smash (Feb 6) on NBC
Two women compete for the role in a Marilyn Monroe musical. No, this is not a reality show.
The Walking Dead (Feb 12)
The Amazing Race (Feb 19)
Life’s Too Short (Feb 19) on HBO
Ricky Gervais plays around with Warwick Davis. (Willow).
Breaking In (Mar 16)
Mad Men (March 2012)
Game of Thrones (April 2012)
Veep (April 2012) on HBO
Julia Louis-Dreyfuss is the Vice President of the USA. It's a comedy.
True Blood (June 2012)
Louie (June 2012)
Wilfred (June 2012)
Damages (July 2012)
The Killing (TBA 2012)
Breaking Bad (TBA 2012)
Episodes (TBA 2012)
Weeds (TBA 2012)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (TBA 2012)

2012 Film Preview

2012-01-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

So last year, I picked one movie to see each month and listed the rest of the films that intrigued me for the upcoming year. This year, that was not possible as there are some months that seem pretty light on quality films (like September & October). So, I thought I would rank the twenty films that I’m most looking forward to in 2012. Again, most of these are based purely on the promotion materials available, who is involved in the production and basic concept of the films. Here we go:

1. The Dark Knight Rises (Jul.20)
Christopher Nolan (Inception) brings his Batman reboot to a close. Can’t wait to see what he does!
2.The Avengers (May.4)
Joss Whedon (Buffy) puts all the Marvel heroes and personalities in one room and watches them fight it out.
3.The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Dec.14)
Peter Jackson returns to the Shire to write/direct the story that started it all. Welcome back Gollum.
4.The Hunger Games (Mar.23)
The exciting trilogy makes it to the screen. Looks exciting, but I gotta read the book first.
5.Django Unchained (Dec.25)
Quentin Tarantino writes/directs Leo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and more in a revenge western.
6.Les Miserables (Dec.7)
Tom Hooper (King’s Speech) directs the musical version with Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean.
7.Brave (Jun.22)
The first Pixar film with a female as the main protagonist. Hope this helps me forgive Cars 2.
8.The Great Gatsby (Dec.25)
Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) directs the Fitzgerald’s classic with Leo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby.
9.The Lorax (Mar.2)
The Despicable Me folks take on Dr. Seuss with Danny DeVito as the voice of The Lorax.
10.Men in Black III (May.25)
Will Smith’s J goes back in time to save his partner K (Tommy Lee Jones) in the future.
11.The Raven (Mar.9)
Someone is murdering people Edgar Allen Poe (John Cusak) style so they enlist his help.
12.This is Forty (Dec.21)
Judd Apatow continues Paul Rudd & Leslie Mann’s character story from Knocked Up.
13.Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Jun.22)
Written by Seth Grahame-Smith, the author of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. Fun stuff.
14.The Amazing Spiderman (Jul.3)
Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) tries to reboot Spiderman with Andrew Garfield.
15.Skyfall (Nov.9)
Sam Mendes (American Beauty) directs Daniel Craig in the latest James Bond film.
16..Safe House (Feb.10)
Denzel Washington (Training Day) is evil again as Ryan Reynolds ties to keep him safe.
17.Dog Fight (Aug.10)
Will Ferrell and Zach Galifinakis are rival politicians in this comedy.
18.Rock of Ages (Jun.1)
Adam Shankman (Hairspray) directs the broadway musical featuring 80’s rock and Tom Cruise.
19.The Five Year Engagement (Apr.27)
Jason Segel (Muppets) writes and stars in this funny and long engagement story.
20.A Thousand Words (Mar.23)
Eddie Murphy is a fast-talking agent who has to limit his words. Trying to give Eddie a chance.

Here are 10 more films that caught my eye and may be watched in the theatre if the trailers are good and the rotten tomato score is high: This Means War (Feb.10); Jeff, Who Lives At Home (Mar.9); American Reunion (Apr.16); The Cabin in the Woods (Apr.13); Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (Apr.20); Dark Shadows (May.11); Snow White and the Huntsman (Jun.1); GI Joe: Retaliation (Jun.29); Life of Pi (Dec.21); World War Z (Dec.21).

For those who like to look into the further future, here’s some offerings in 2013: Die Hard 5; Iron Man 3; Star Trek 2; The Lone Ranger; The Man of Steel; Pixar’s Monsters University; Despicable Me 2; Thor 2; Hunger Games: Catching Fire; Hobbit:There and Back Again. And for those who like excruciating waits Avatar 2 comes out in December 2014 so don’t hold your breath.

What are you looking forward to seeing this coming year?

Best of 2011

2011-12-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again. Time to take stock of all the movies and television shows I watched this past year and list the best. The movies have a link to the original review since I didn’t feel like repeating myself, whereas the television shows have a little more writing. The films were hard to pick this year as I didn’t watch as many and was not too thrilled with the offerings as in previous years. The television shows were also hard to pick this year as there were too many good shows to choose from. In any case, here are the lists. Enjoy.

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2011

1.THE TREE OF LIFE
This may very well be the most beautifully shot film I have ever seen. The visuals are spellbinding. If this film doesn’t get a cinematography Oscar nomination, I’ll be dumbstruck.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/07/film-tree-of-life.html

2.50/50
Seth Rogen is amazing. (It’s weird to write that.) He's wonderful in every scene he’s in. He does the perfect blend of comedy and concern.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/10/film-5050.html

3.SUPER 8
Mix E.T. with Stand By Me with Close Encounters of the Third Kind with Cloverfield with Goonies with War of the Worlds and you’ll get a sense of what Super 8 is all about.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/06/film-super-8.html

4.HORRIBLE BOSSES
Charlie Day + Bowl of cocaine = Hilarious. I had tears coming out of my eyes. His sifting is priceless.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/08/film-horrible-bosses.html

5.MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL
Some fantastic action sequences in this mission. Compliments go to Brad Bird who before now has only done animation. The skyscraper scene is still suspenseful.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/12/film-mission-impossible-ghost-protocol.html

6.SHERLOCK HOLMES: GAME OF SHADOWS
This film is just plain fun; there’s action, humour and an intriguing story. Robert Downey Jr is fantastic yet again and in more bizarre disguises this time.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/12/film-sherlock-holmes-game-of-shadows.html

7.HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PT. II
A very fitting finale to the Harry Potter saga. This film is very well paced and is filled with both intense action and emotion. I didn’t shed a tear but still felt very connected to the characters.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/07/film-harry-potter-and-deathly-hallows.html

8.THE DESCENDANTS
Clooney deserves the Oscar nomination and possibly the win for his fantastic performance. So much emotion, so vulnerable, so amazing.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/12/film-descendants.html

9.THE MUPPETS
I could easily relate to Gary and Walter’s enthusiasm of meeting The Muppets. It was like getting together with an old friend.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/12/film-muppets.html

10.CARNAGE
Reza’s dialogue is fantastic. I love some of Jodie Foster’s word choices and how each word only drags the meeting out longer. Beautifully frustrating.
Link: http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2011/12/film-carnage.html

TOP TEN TELEVISION SHOWS OF 2011

1.BREAKING BAD (AMC)
Why: This season kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Favourite Character: Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito)
Best Episode of 2011: Salud (Season 4, Episode 10)
Jesse has to make the meth recipe solo; Saul & Skyler help Ted; Gus gets his revenge

2.PARKS & RECREATION (NBC)
Why: Each character is quirkily lovable. They ‘out-office’ The Office.
Favourite Character: Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman)
Best Episode of 2011: Pawnee Rangers (Season 4, Episode 4)
Leslie creates an all-girl wilderness group to rival Ron; Tom, Donna & Ben treat themselves

3.HOMELAND (SHOWTIME)
Why: This conspiracy thriller was full of twists, turns & stellar acting
Favourite Character: Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin)
Best Episode of 2011: Marine One (Season 1, Episode 12)
Brody gets ready for the Vice President policy summit, Carrie makes on last ditch effort

4.THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)
Why: A slow burn this season but the characters are still compelling
Favourite Character: Glenn (Steven Yeun)
Best Episode of 2011: What Lies Ahead (Season 2, Episode 1)
The gang is trapped on a highway with zombies approaching; someone goes missing

5.NEW GIRL (FOX)
Why: Jess is adorkable but the guys are just as funny dealing with her
Favourite Character: Schmidt (Max Greenfield)
Best Episode of 2011: Thanksgiving (Season 1, Episode 6)
Jess wants to impress Paul but Nick isn’t helping; Schmidt controls the kitchen

6.MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
Why: This is still the best family sitcom out there.
Favourite Character: Luke Dunphy (Nolan Gould)
Best Episode of 2011: Caught in the Act (Season 2, Episode 13)
On Phil & Claire’s anniversary, the kids get a surprise when they walk in on their parents

7.BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
Why: Some great payoffs from season one and love Nucky fighting
Favourite Character: Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi)
Best Episode of 2011: To The Lost (Season 2, Episode 12)
Jimmy switches his allegiances; Margaret contemplates testifying against Nucky

8.GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
Why: Cinematic gold. This is epic television. Lots of names though.
Favourite Character: Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage)
Best Episode of 2011: Baelor (Season 1, Episode 9)
Tyrion aquires himself a mistress but must pay a price; Ned makes a fateful decision

9.HAPPY ENDINGS (ABC)
Why: This is the new ‘Friends’. The chemistry is 'amahzing'.
Favourite Character: Brad Williams (Damon Wayans Jr)
Best Episode of 2011: Spooky Endings (Season 2, Episode 5)
Jan & Brad try to survive in the suburbs, Penny & Max compete for the same guy in costume.

10.THE KILLING (AMC)
Why: This procedural looks at all involved and keeps you guessing.
Favourite Character: Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman)
Best Episode of 2011: Undertow (Season 1, Episode 9)
Bennet is questioned but can’t be held; Stan decides to take matters into his own hands

TOP EPISODES OF 2011 (of shows not on the list)
THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
The Russian Rocket Reaction (Season 5, Episode 5) Sheldon attends a party hosted by Wil Wheaton. Howard is offered a job in space but his ladies won’t let him.
COMMUNITY (NBC)
Remedial Chaos Theory (Season 3, Episode 4) Troy and Abed share an apartment but their housewarming party takes on several possible scenarios.
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)
Palestinian Chicken (Season 8, Episode 3) Larry and his friends enjoy an anti-Semitic chicken restaurant despite protests.
EPISODES (SHOWTIME)
Episode Seven (Season 1, Episode 7) Sean learns of Beverly’s affair when saying farewell to Matt resulting in an all out fight involving the throwing of colgne.
HOUSE (FOX)
Bombshells (Season 7, Episode 15) Can House be there for Cuddy? Cuddy has a series of dreams that give her a glimpse of their relationship.
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS)
The Ducky Tie (Season 7, Episode 3) As Ted tries to tell the gang about running into his ex, Barney makes a bet with Lily that may change his tie forever.
LOUIE (FX)
Oh Louie/Tickets (Season 2, Episode 7) Louie quits his sitcom which looks like him bomb ‘Lucky Louie’ then confronts Dane Cook about the stealing of his jokes.
THE OFFICE (NBC)
Garden Party (Season 8, Episode 4) Andy hosts a garden party at Schrute Farms to impress Robert California but Andy’s family embarrasses him.
PARENTHOOD (NBC)
Sore Loser (Season 3, Episode 9) Sydney has been spoiled and does not lose well. Crosby and Adam celebrate a new client which leads to problems for Adam.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
Justin Timberlake/Lady Gaga (Season 36, Episode 22) Sketches include: Liquorville, Merry-Go-Love Tunnel, Barry Gibb Talk Show & Three-Way Digital Short.

What’s on your list?

Film: The Descendants

2011-12-29T23:32:00.001-08:00

GENRE: Drama/Comedy
RATING: 14A for language and sexual references
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 55 minutes
STARRING: George Clooney (Ides of March, Up in the Air)
Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager)
DIRECTOR: Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election, About Schmidt)
WRITERS: Alexander Payne (Jurassic Park III, Election)
Nat Faxon & Jim Rash (newcomers)
PLOT: A father tries to reconnect with his two daughters when his wife is in a coma, only to find out his wife cheated on him.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 This film is superbly written. The lines and voice-overs are pitch perfect. The pace is a little slow but it kind of needs to be for this kind of story. The plot is interesting and keeps you invested the whole time.
2 Clooney deserves the Oscar nomination and possibly the win for his fantastic performance. So much emotion, so vulnerable, so amazing.
3 Some great comedy is mixed in with the heartfelt emotion. Clooney running in loafers in good stuff but Alex’s friend Sid (Nick Krause) brings some much needed lightness to the proceedings. His comments in the car are priceless.
4 Serious moments and speeches in Hawaiian shirts seem odd for some reason. It seems darkly funny. I hope Payne intended this.
5 Welcome back Matthew Lillard, haven’t seen you in a while. I think you were playing Shaggy in some Scooby Doo films back then.

RECOMMENDATION: Wait for the DVD
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Best of 2011 & 2012 Previews

Film: Carnage

2011-12-28T19:37:00.001-08:00

GENRE: Comedy/Drama
RATING: 14A for langauge
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 16 minutes
STARRING: Jodie Foster (Panic Room) John C Reilly (Chicago)
Kate Winslet (Titanic) Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)
DIRECTOR: Roman Polanski (The Pianist, Chinatown)
WRITER: Yasmina Reza (God of Carnage - play)
PLOT: Two pairs of parents have a meeting after their sons are involved in a fight which leads to an evening of childishness and chaos.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 This film is truly a showcase for the four actors involved; they get the opportunity to show off their comedy chops and overact the emotional stuff. The best of bunch, in my opinion, is Christoph Waltz who eventually embraces the chaos as his cell phone goes off repeatedly.
2 There are moments in the film when the one couple is almost out the door and then get sucked back in. It didn’t track for me, I would have just left. I don’t know if this is in the original play script or not, but it seemed a little too convenient for the story.
3 The film is 76 minutes long. Each minute is filled with uncomfortable tension. Thank goodness it wasn’t three hours.
4 Reza’s dialogue is fantastic. I love some of Jodie Foster’s word choices and how each word only drags the meeting out longer. Beautifully frustrating.
5 The vomiting looked real. Seeing people vomit makes me want to vomit. Not a good thing. Feeling queasy just writing it. Gotta go.

RECOMMENDATION: Wait for the DVD
UPCOMING REVIEWS: The Descendants

Film: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-12-28T01:01:00.001-08:00

GENRE: Drama/Mystery
RATING: 18A for brutal violence of rape & torture, graphic nudity
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 38 minutes
STARRING: Rooney Mara (The Social Network)
Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, Munich, Cowboys & Aliens)
DIRECTOR: David Fincher (The Social Network, Fight Club)
WRITER: Steven Zaillian (Mission: Impossible, Schindler’s List)
PLOT: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander team up to find a woman who has been missing for 40 years.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 There are some brutal rape scenes in this film. This is not for the weak of heart. It’s around the end of the first hour and it’s hard to watch. You’ve been warned.
2 Rooney Mara gives a powerhouse performance as Lisbeth. She plays vulnerable and strong and runs the full gamut of emotions. She was good in The Social Network but she rocks in this film.
3 The mystery of the missing girl is interesting but goes a little too slow. About half way through I pretty much figured it out.
4 Some great cinematography, especially with all the snow. I love the way Fincher smoothly pushes in on a character. No tricky shots though like the ones in Panic Room and Fight Club.
5 I enjoyed seeing Lisbeth eating Happy Meals. Thought it would be funny if McDonald’s put rub-on dragon tattoos as their meal prize for a twisted cross-promotion.

RECOMMENDATION: Wait for the DVD
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Carnage, The Descendants

Film: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

2011-12-23T12:14:00.001-08:00

GENRE: Action/Adventure
RATING: PG13 for action violence
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 13 minutes
STARRING: Tom Cruise (Minority Report, Valkyrie, Collateral)
Jeremy Renner (Hurt Locker) Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead)
DIRECTOR: Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Iron Giant, Ratatouille)
WRITERS: Josh Appelbaum & Andre Nemec (Alias)
PLOT: Ethan Hunt and his IMF team go rogue to clear their name after being implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 Sure, Tom Cruise acted a little weird a few years ago but let all that slip out of your mind as watch him tear up screen in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. He still shines as the virtually indestructible Ethan Hunt. He bring such charisma to this role, you can’t help but root for him.
2 Some fantastic action sequences in this mission. Compliments go to Brad Bird who before now has only done animation. The skyscraper scene is still suspenseful even though most of it has been shown in the trailers.
3 Simon Pegg has been a welcome addition to the franchise. Since being introduced in the third film, Pegg has brought some great humour to the missions. He almost steals the show this time around.
4 Since this installment is written by some former Alias writers, it is fun to see some references to previous JJ Abrams shows: favourite number ‘47’ appears multiple times, Sydney Bristow codename ‘Outrigger’ is mentioned and it is wonderful to see Lost’s Sawyer getting to do some action.
5 You don’t need to watch the third film to understand what’s going on but there are some references made to characters who appeared in MI3. It’s a cool movie anyway.

RECOMMENDATION: See it in theatres now
UPCOMING REVIEW: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Film: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

2011-12-22T02:07:00.000-08:00

GENRE: Action/Adventure
RATING: PG13 for action violence and drug material
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 09 minutes
STARRING: Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man, Due Date, Zodiac)
Jude Law (Contagion, Closer) Jared Harris (Mad Men)
DIRECTOR: Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes, Snatch)
WRITERS: Michele & Kieran Mulroney (newcomers)
PLOT: Holmes and Watson try to take down Professor Moriarty who is plotting a war on several fronts.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 This film is just plain fun; there’s action, humour and an intriguing story. Robert Downey Jr is fantastic yet again and in more bizarre disguises this time.
2 Ritchie does an amazing job of the action sequences. The forest scene is classic Ritchie with its playful speed adjustments and the train sequence is a non-stop thrill ride. These two pieces are well worth the admission price alone.
3 Law and Downey provide the bromantic laughs yet again. Their fun dialogue and rescuing of each other carry this film along smoothly.
4 The Sherlock thought process seems a lot cleaner this time around. A great improvement over the first installment. Also the fact that Rachel McAdams role is greatly reduced helps as well.
5 I loved the music in this film. There is this great driving percussion that gets the adrenaline rushing. Sit back and enjoy the closing credit sequence as well.

RECOMMENDATION: See it in theatres now
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Mission Impossible 4

Film: Young Adult

2011-12-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

GENRE: Comedy/Drama
RATING: R for language and some sexual content
RUNTIME: 1 hours and 34 minutes
STARRING: Charlize Theron (Monster, Hancock, Italian Job)
Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille) Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, Hard Candy)
DIRECTOR: Jason Reitman (Juno, Thank You For Smoking)
WRITER: Diablo Cody (Juno, United States of Tara)
PLOT: A young adult fiction writer returns home to try steal back her highschool sweetheart who is now happily married and has a baby.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 For the last few years, every other Christmas there has been a Jason Reitman film that comes out and ends up near the top of my ‘best of’ the year list. This year, that will not happen. While Young Adult got a few chuckles out of me, it did not have the same quirky fun and high drama his previous films have had. It really seemed like he phoned it in this time. I was pretty disappointed. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion, but not in a cool way.
2 Oswalt is the glimmer of sunlight in this dark and depressing film. His crippled character brings the much needed sanity but he is unable to stop the train wreck. He plays so well with Theron, I am very interested in his next endeavor.
3 I will credit Reitman or at least his prop master with wonderful attention to detail. An old 90’s cassette brought back some fun memories. I spent most of the time watching the backgrounds. Says something about the story doesn’t it?
4 I loved Juno and found myself rooting for her the whole time. I disliked Mavis and didn’t care what happened to her. Diablo Cody did some sloppy writing on this one. At one point, Buddy says he’s stopped drinking but he’s offering beers at home and going to bars all the time. There’s also a reveal at the end that is not earned in the slightest. Lazy, lazy, lazy.
5 Too many close-ups of finger-nails and toe-nails.

RECOMMENDATION: Wait for TBS
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Sherlock Holmes 2, Mission Impossible 4

Film: The Muppets

2011-12-02T00:35:00.001-08:00

GENRE: Comedy/Family/Musical
RATING: PG for mild rude humour
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 38 minutes
STARRING: Jason Segel (I Love You Man, Bad Teacher)
Kermit the Frog (The Muppet Movie, Great Muppet Caper)
DIRECTOR: James Bobin (Flight of the Conchords)
WRITERS: Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
& Nicholas Stoller (Yes Man, Get Him to the Greek)
PLOT: With the help of three fans, the Muppets need to reunite in order to save their theatre from an oil tycoon.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS:
1 I loved The Muppet Show when I was a kid; I still love it today thanks to DVD. So I could easily relate to Gary and Walter’s enthusiasm of meeting The Muppets. It was like getting together with an old friend. Good times.
2 The songs were a lot of fun. Most of them were written by Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame. ‘Man or Muppet’ was pure Conchord genius. And I loved hearing Rainbow Connection again.
3 Some fun cameos. I would talk about them but I don’t want to ruin it for you.
4 My one issue was that Kermit was a little too depressing. I like crazy arm-flailing Kermit who tries to the keep the show going. This film is full of sad, reflective Kermit who misses the good old days and wonders what went wrong. Thankfully the others are mostly upbeat.
5 Chris Cooper raps. ‘Nuff said.

RECOMMENDATION: Watch in the theatres
UPCOMING REVIEWS: The Descendants

TV Reviews: Saturday

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Saturday’s only show is SNL. Like usual.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
11:35pm (NBC) Sketch Comedy (Still going strong and viral)
1 Weekend Update is still the best part.
2 Expected more from some of the hosts this season
3 Bill Hader, Seth Meyers & Taran Killam are my favourites

Hope you enjoyed my television reviews. Now back to the movies.