2013 Emmy Contenders: Best Actor in a Drama Series

2013 Contenders
Bryan Cranston "Breaking Bad"
Damian Lewis "Homeland"
Jon Hamm "Mad Men"
Jeff Daniels "The Newsroom"
Kevin Spacey "House of Cards"
Steve Buscemi "Boardwalk Empire"
Hugh Bonneville "Downton Abbey"
Michael C. Hall "Dexter"
Andrew Lincoln "The Walking Dead"
Timothy Olyphant "Justified"
Peter Krause "Parenthood"
Travis Fimmel "Vikings"
Kevin Bacon "The Following"
Matthew Rhys "The Americans"
Mads Mikkelson "Hannibal"
William H. Macy "Shameless"
Simon Baker "The Mentalist"
Jeremy Irons "The Borgias"
Hugh Dancy "Hannibal"
Kelsey Grammer "Boss"
Nathan Fillion "Castle"
Andre Braugher "The Last Resort"
Aden Young "Rectify"
Jonny Lee Miller "Elementary"
Mark Harmon "NCIS"
Matt Bomer "White Collar"
Charlie Hunnam "Sons of Anarchy"
Jim Caviezel "Person of Interest"
Michael Emerson "Person of Interest"
Tom Selleck "Blue Bloods"
Patrick J. Adams "Suits"
Billy Burke "Revolution"
Michael Chiklis "Vegas"
Dennis Quaid "Vegas"

Commentary -  For all the names on this list (and there are a lot of them), it seems that the race is really between less than a dozen of them. The usual suspects of Jon Hamm, Damian Lewis, and Bryan Cranston, all look to return with relative ease. And even if the Television Academy does not embrace the new format of Netflix with open arms, I could still see Kevin Spacey being a strong contender, simply because he is Kevin Spacey. Looking to return, but not as strong are names like Steve Buscemi, Michael C. Hall, Hugh Bonneville, and Timothy Olyphant, all of whom are great possibilities, but are not locks. The one I think that all of these guys need to look out for is Jeff Daniels. The Newsroom wasn't the most popular series, but if he can get in (which I think he will), he will be a tough contender for the win. He has all those Aaron Sorkin ranty monologues that are brilliant, and brilliantly delivered. More importantly, he gives the type of performance that simply wins Emmys. Of the other contenders, be on the look out for Matthew Rhys, Kevin Bacon, Travis Fimmel, Andrew Lincoln, Kelsey Grammer, and Nathan Fillion, who are outside possibilties, outside being the operative term.

2013 Emmy Contenders: Best Actress in a Drama Series

2013 Contenders
Claire Danes "Homeland"
Julianna Margulies "The Good Wife"
Michelle Dockery "Downton Abbey"
Robin Wright "House of Cards"
Glenn Close "Damages"
Elisabeth Moss "Mad Men"
Connie Britton "Nashville"
Kerry Washington "Scandal"
Keri Russell "The Americans"
Katey Segal "Sons of Anarchy"
Emily Van Camp "Revenge"
Madeleine Stowe "Revenge"
Ellen Pompeo "Grey's Anatomy"
Vera Farmiga "Bate's Motel"
Emmy Rossum "Shameless"
Thandie Newton "Rogue"
Anna Torv "Fringe"
Mariska Hargitay "Law & Order: SVU"
Kyra Sedgwick "The Closer"
Stana Katic "Castle"
Anna Paquin "True Blood"
Lucy Liu "Elementary"
Jennifer Morrison "Once Upon a Time"
Ginnifer Goodwin "Once Upon a Time"
Piper Perabo "Covert Affairs"
Mary McDonnell "Major Crimes"
Dana Delaney "Body of Proof"
Jennifer Love Hewitt "The Client List"
Callie Thorne "Necessary Roughness"

Commentary - I personally think that there are a total of about nine (maybe 11-12 at most) that will be fighting for six slots. Claire Danes and Julianna Margulies are probably the only two major locks at this point, although I think that Downton has enough good will for Michelle Dockery to get back in as well. House of Cards is still on the fence for me because of its format, but if it is accepted by the Academy expect Robin Wright to easily get in. Glenn Close is always a safe bet, but last year she was the shows only major nomination and there is a lot of competition. Elisabeth Moss should be safe, but she has lacked the meaty storylines this season on Mad Men. I personally think that Kerry Washington is fantastic, and would love to see her get in. Her show is a guily pleasure, which hurts it, but it also has an addicting quality, and she is the only black actress in contention, so there may be enough support. Of the new shows Keri Russell and Connie Britton are grey possibilties. I would love to add Vera Farmiga, but I wonder if voters will embrace Bates Motel. Of the rest names like Mariska Hargitay and Ellen Pompeo are always on the radar, but most likely are not real contenders.

The 58th Annual Drama Desk Award Winners

Will these shows repeat at the Tonys? At this point it looks very likely for some of the big contenders like Matlida, VSMS, Billy Porter, Cicely Tyson, and others.

Outstanding Musical

"Matilda"

Outstanding Play

Christopher Durang, "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike"

Outstanding Revival of a Musical or Revue

"Pippin"

Outstanding Revival of a Play

"Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Billy Porter, "Kinky Boots"

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Laura Osnes, "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella"

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Bertie Carvel, "Matilda"

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Andrea Martin, "Pippin"

Outstanding Actor in a Play

Tracy Letts, "Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Outstanding Actress in a Play

Cicely Tyson, "The Trip to Bountiful"

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

Richard Kind, "The Big Knife"

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Judith Light, "The Assembled Parties"

Outstanding Book of a Musical

Dennis Kelly, "Matilda"

Outstanding Music

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, "Here Lies Love"

Outstanding Lyrics

Tim Minchin, "Matilda"

Outstanding Music in a Play

Glen Kelly, "The Nance"

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Diane Paulus, "Pippin"

Outstanding Director of a Play

Pam MacKinnon, "Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Outstanding Orchestrations

Danny Troob, "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella"

Outstanding Choreography

Chet Walker and Gypsy Snider, "Pippin"

Unique Theatrical Experience

"Cirque Du Soleil: Totem"

Outstanding Revue

"Old Hats"

Outstanding Solo Performance

Michael Urie, "Buyer & Cellar"

Outstanding Lighting Design

Justin Townsend, "Here Lies Love"

Outstanding Set Design

Rob Howell, "Matilda"

Outstanding Costume Design

William Ivey Long, "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella"

Outstanding Projection Design

Peter Nigrini, "Here Lies Love"

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical (3-way tie)

Steve Canyon Kennedy, "Hands on a Hardbody"

Scott Lehrer and Drew Levy, "Chaplin: The Musical"

Tony Meola, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood"

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Fergus O'Hare, "Macbeth"

Outstanding Ensemble Performance

"Working"

Special Awards

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), Wakka Wakka (Gabrielle Brechner, Kirjan Waage, and Gwendolyn Warnock), Jayne Houdyshell, Samuel D. Hunter, Maruti Evans.

Top 100 Television Shows Since 2000: Finalists - Variety

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Saturday Night Live

Chris Rock: Bigger and Blacker

Late Show with David Letterman

Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill

The Chris Rock Show

MADtv

Late Night with Conan O’Brien

Ellen Degeneres: The Beginning

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Chappelle’s Show

Penn and Teller: Bullshit!

Elaine Stritch at Liberty

Chris Rock: Never Scared

The Academy Awards

The Grammy Awards

The Emmy Awards

The Tony Awards

The Screen Actors’ Guild Awards

The BAFTA Awards

Ellen Degeneres: Here and Now

Real Time with Bill Maher

The Colbert Report

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Lewis Black: Red, White and Screwed

AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies

Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired

AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies: 10th Anniversary Edition

Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W Bush

Beijing 2008: Games of the XXIX Olympiad

Louis C.K.: Chewed Up

By the People: The Election of Barack Obama

Conan

Portlandia

2013 Emmy Contenders: Best Actor in a Comedy Series

2013 Contenders
Alec Baldwin "30 Rock"
Jim Parsons "The Big Bang Theory"
Louis C.K. "Louie"
Jon Cryer "Two and a Half Men"
Jason Bateman "Arrested Development"
Matt Leblanc "Episodes"
Don Cheadle "House of Lies"
Johnny Galecki "The Big Bang Theory"
Jake Johnson "New Girl"
Matthew Perry "Go On"
Adam Scott "Parks and Recreation"
Rob Lowe "Parks & Recreation"
Chris Messina "The Mindy Project"
Andrew Rannells "The New Normal"
Justin Bartha "The New Normal"
Matthew Morrison "Glee"
Joel McHale "Community"
Danny McBridge "Eastbound and Down"
Elijah Wood "Wilfred"
Garret Dillahunt "Raising Hope"
Lucas Neff "Raising Hope"
Ashton Kutcher "Two and a Half Men"
Neil Flynn "The Middle"
Charlie Sheen "Anger Management"
Josh Radnor "How I Met Your Mother"
Will Arnett "Up All Night"
Billy Gardell "Mike & Molly"
Tim Allen "Last Man Standing"
Jeremy Sisto "Suburgatory"
Cedric The Entertainer "Soul Man"

Commentary - Will Louis C.K. ever win this category? Unfortunately history is not on his side. There have been many shows over the years where the main characters were playing slightly different versions of themselves (think Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm), and they tended not to do well. But he will probably be nominated alongside Jim Parsons and Alec Baldwin, these three being the best bets for the win. I guess Jon Cryer could win again, but I am hoping that the Academy got a lot of flack for his win last year (not completely shocking considering the episode submissions, but undeserved either way). But he will probably be nominated either way. If Arrested Development is any good then Jason Bateman could return, as could Johnny Galecki, who was left out last year for Larry David and Don Cheadle, but may have enough support to get back in. Speaking of Don Cheadle. I know he's a great actor and the movie star of the group, but House of Lies was just not very good in its second season, and sadly, none of the talented cast really deserve any recognition. New Girl's Jake Johnson made a smart move this year going lead, opening up the supporting category for his two co-stars, and now being placed in a relatively weak category where he has a real shot of getting in without Modern Family dominance. Some new contenders like Andrew Rannells, Justin Bartha, and Matthew Perry, but with Go On and The New Normal cancelled recently, it probably hurts their chances. Other names to look out for are the Parks & Recreation guys, Matthew Morrison, Matt Leblanc (who wasn't eligible last year, but was nomianted the year before, so definitely one to watch for), and Joel McHale.

2013 Cannes Film Festival: Inside Llewyn Davis Reviews

One of the most anticipated films of the festival was the Coen Bros. latest, Inside Llewyn Davis. They have become Academy favorites as A Serious Man, No Country For Old Men (which won), and True Grit have all been nominated for Best Picture. Well the early reviews suggest that once again, the Coens have struck gold as it is getting positive reviews across the board. Here are some sample reviews:

Scott Foundas at Variety:

"The sounds of the early 1960s folk music revival float on the air like a strange, intoxicating perfume in the Coen brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis,” a boldly original, highly emotional journey through Greenwich Village nightclubs, a bleak New York winter, and one man’s fraught efforts to reconcile his life and his art."

Kevin Jagernaugh at The Playlist at Indiewire:

"Definitely a bit darker than people might expect, particularly in the latter stages, "Inside Llewyn Davis" celebrates those whose moment at fame will forever be a phantom. Llewyn Davis is endlessly striving, gets knocked down and picks himself up again, brushes off his rumpled clothes and gives it another go. He'll make mistakes, he'll fuck up, he'll be down and out and perhaps even on top if ever so briefly. But when that light goes on, and you can connect for even four minutes on stage, in a club you've played hundreds of times, sometimes that's enough. "Inside Llewyn Davis" isn't about someone trying to make it big, but someone just trying to make it, and the Coens celebrate the hard road that can inspire great art."

Eric Kohn at Indiewre:

"Critics of the Coens often fixate on their alleged disdain for their protagonists as they endure Job-like suffering with no end in sight. Llewyn's plight provides no exception, but his conundrum is more understandable because he's trapped by his passion. After a private performance for one potential client, he's told, "I don't see a lot of money in this;" he has no rebuttal prepared. An ode to art for art's sake, "Inside Llewyn Davis" is the most innocent movie of the Coens' career, which in their case is a downright radical achievement."

Top 100 Television Shows Since 2000: Finalists: Reality/Nonfiction/Sports/Food/News

Survivor

Big Brother

Nick News with Linda Ellerbee

Inside the Actors Studio

The Osbournes

Project Greenlight

Iron Chef America

Chopped

American Idol

Da Ali G Show

Antiques Roadshow

The Amazing Race

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

The Apprentice

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Project Runway

Dancing with the Stars

Deadliest Catch

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts

Planet Earth

Top Chef

Intervention

Little People, Big World

The Kennedy Center Honors

Mythbusters

Undercover Boss

Louis C.K.: Hilarious

GasLand

Frozen Planet

The Voice

60 Minutes

Duck Dynasty

SportsCenter

The Real World

Jersey Shore

Keeping Up With the Kardashians

The Hills

The Bachelor

America’s Next Top Model

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Jackass

Top 100 Television Shows Since 2000: Finalists: Daytime

The Young and the Restless

General Hospital

Days of Our Lives

Guiding Light

The Bold and the Beautiful

One Life to Live

As the World Turns

All My Children

The Oprah Winfrey Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Sesame Street

The View
Live with Regis & Kelly

Good Morning America

The Today Show

CBS Sunday Morning

The Price is Right

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Jeopardy!

Wheel of Fortune

Cash Cab

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

Martha Stewart Living

Arthur

Dora the Explorer

Everyday Italian

Paula’s Best Dishes

Judge Judy

Barefoot Contessa

Rachel Ray

2013 Cannes Film Festival: The Bling Ring Reviews

The first big film to hit at Cannes this year is Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring, and as expected, it is running the gamet of reviews, some people declaring it smart and fun, others declaring it a superficial mess, and then there are those in the middle who don't know what to make of it. This doesn't mean that it can't be a big hit or an Oscar contender, after all, many films have come out of Cannes in much worse shape and still did very well. Here are some samples of reviews:

Guy Lodge at InContention at Hitfix thought highly of the film writing:

"After three films about those firmly ensconced in the ivory tower – the Chateau Marmont in one incarnation, the Palace of Versailles in another – Coppola is, for the first time, on the outside looking in. Celebrities are not humanized in “The Bling Ring”; they're objectified and finally commodified in a manner that equally strips them of their intrigue, their gilded refuges surveyed with post-”MTV Cribs” irony, and reduced unwittingly to self-image supermarkets for our young protagonists. (Not for nothing is Paris Hilton's much-vaunted “cameo” a tossed-off long shot of her in conversation across a crowded room – no one's interested in actually hearing her speak.) What's gratifyingly fresh about the film is Coppola's refusal to sentimentalize the kids' crimes as a form of starry-eyed celebrity desire, which would be the easiest and most self-flattering stance for a celebrity filmmaker to take."

Kevin Jagernauth at The Playlist at Indiewire was more in the middle with a C rating:

"The subject of celebrity is nothing new to Coppola who explored both its loneliness and luxuriance in "Somewhere" and "Marie Antoinette," and here those same preoccupations ricochet to less satisfying results. Coppola wants to chastise a tabloid culture where almost anybody can become an instant celebrity, regardless of their accomplishments (or misdeeds), but it's an easy target and when spun through a group of barely sketched characters, whose motivations are even thinner, it makes "The Bling Ring" a weightless experience, no matter how many hot tunes (the soundtrack is extensive and playlist ready) and gaudy baubles fill the screen."

Back on the more positive side, Robbie Collin at The Telegraph (UK) feels that the movie is necessary:

"Well, Coppola’s uproarious and bitingly timely film feels every inch a necessary artwork: the story is closely based on a string of true events that occurred in 2008 and 2009, but if it hadn’t actually happened, someone – Coppola, probably – would have to make it up...Everything comes together for the good here: visuals, performances, raucous soundtrack, Coppola’s teasing flirtation with, yet ultimate lack of commitment to, some kind of concrete morality. Here is the shot that will make you punch the air: the five brats tip-toeing past an enormous Hilton portrait, with the words “Can you afford me?” emblazoned on her t-shirt. Well, of course they can’t. But why let a thing like that stop you?"

Top 100 Television Shows Since 2000: Finalists - TV Movies/Miniseries

Death of a Salesman

Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows

Wit

The Gathering Storm

Path to War

The Matthew Shepard Story

Band of Brothers

Laramie Project

Door to Door

My House in Umbria

Live from Baghdad

Hysterical Blindness

Something the Lord Made

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself

Angels in America

The Lion in Winter

Iron-Jawed Angels

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

Warm Springs

Empire Falls

Lackawanna Blues

There Eyes Were Watching God  

Elizabeth I

The Girl in the Café

Into the West

Broken Trail

The Starter Wife

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

John Adams

Recount

Cranford

A Raisin in the Sun

The Andromeda Stain

Into the Storm

Grey Gardens

Prayers for Bobby

Little Dorrit

Generation Kill

Relative Stranger

House of Saddam

You Don’t Know Jack

The Special Relationship

Temple Grandin

The Pacific

Luther

Thurgood

The Sunset Limited

Carlos

Too Big to Fail

Mildred Pierce

Cinema Verite

Downton Abbey

Sherlock

Hatfields & McCoys

Game Change

Sherlock: Scandal in Belgravia

American Horror Story

Page Eight

Five

The Hour

Political Animals