I will be updating the winners live (Update, I have to get up and going in the morning for work, and I don't know how much longer this will last, so I will update all the winners tomorrow):
Best Male Hip Hop Artist - Kendrick Lamar
Best Female Hip Hop Artist - Nicki Minaj
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist - Miguel
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist - Rihanna
Best Collaboration - ASAP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar "Problems"
Best Group - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Best New Artist - Kendrick Lamar
Best Gospel Artist - Mary Mary
Video of the Year - Drake "Started From the Bottom"
Video Director of the Year - Benny Boom
Best Movie - Think Like a Man
Best Actress - Kerry Washington
Best Actor - Jamie Foxx
Viewer's Choice - Drake "Started From the Bottom"
Young Stars Award - Gabrielle Douglas
Centric Award - Tamar Braxton
Sportsman of the Year - Lebron James
Sportswoman of the Year - Gabrielle Douglas
Best International Act (Africa) - Ice Prince (Nigeria)
Best International Act (UK) - Emeli Sande
Humanitarian Award - Dwayne Wade
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Top 100 Television Shows Since 2000: Part III
80. Top Chef (2006-2013) - For one year, and one year only, a shockeroo occured at the annual Emmy
78. Something the Lord Made (2004) - I never thought in my lifetime that Alan Rickman and Mos Def
developed as they changed the face of modern medicine by inventing the bypass surgery. The results of this unusual pairing were magnificent, in this heartfelt and compelling television movie that definitely had cinematic qualities. First, the two main leads, both of whom have proved themselves to be capable and compelling actors, simply nail the emotion and the intricacies of this particular relationship. They easily relay the compassion, ambition, and drive of these two individuals. It didn't hurt that they were backed by an incredibly well-written and compelling storyline that not only portrays the drama, and the struggle to make a medical breakthrough, but also navigates the racial issues that were inevitable with grace. But what truly makes this piece of art so worth the watch, is the real and honest emotion that emotes from the screen. After the struggle and the ups and downs, the end result will make you cry tears of hearfelt emotion, of pain and of joy. It is this honesty that elevates it from normal television movie wasteland to stunning dramatic heights.
77. The Academy Awards (1927-2013) - Every year, millions of viewers around the world tune into the Oscars. Every year hundreds of bloggers (including this one), film journalists, and television personalities spend hours of their time covering the events leading up to and including the big kahuna. And yet year after year, all of those viewers and bloggers and critics complain. They complain about the winners, they complain
about the host, and the ceremony, and the length of the ceremony. Despite its noticeably long running time, its cheesy attempts at bad jokes, its hit and miss hosts, and its triubtes that just never seem to work, year in and year out, The Academy Awards is still one of the most entertaining, exciting, and most adored events on television. That is because humans have always been drawn to the power of the movies. I have devoted much of my free time and energy to blogging about movies, most specifically the Oscars . That is because the race to the finish line is thrilling and filled with tons of twists and turns, and the final payoff can sometimes simply be magical. How wonderful was it to see a young talent like Jennifer Lawrence recover from her stumble to give a heartfelt speech? How amazing was it to see the great Daniel Day-Lewis make Oscar history for an utterly brilliant performance? The Oscars are still the original of the major awards ceremonies, they are still probably the most respected, and they still are one of the most thrilling nights of the year.
76. Desperate Housewives (2004-2012) - In the vein of shows like Dallas, ABC tried its hand at
primetime soap operas in the mid-2000's with shows like Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives enticing millions of viewers week after week. It turns out that the experiment was highly succesful, as both went on to be huge hits (Grey's still going strong). Desperate Housewives never claimed to be high-minded entertainment. It wasn't classy and sophisticated along the lines of something like Downton Abbey. No, for eight seasons, Desperate Housewives just happened to be one of the most entertaining, deliciously addictive shows on television. These fierce and feisty ladies, played by Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, and Marcia Cross were put through soap opera hell, murders and kidnappings, as well as through lifes happiest moments like weddings and births. Through all of it, these women held their own. They were hilarious, tough as nails, and always looked good (except for that one season where they made Eva Longoria look bad after she had Cecelia and Juanita). The men of Wisteria Lane always held their own as well, perfectly complementing their feisty wives. Like most shows, Desperate Housewives had its fair share of ups and downs, but through it all its twisting and turning storylines, its compelling characters, and its dark humor carried it through, and made it a smashing success.
75. American Dad (2005-2013) - At first, I did not think that American Dad was going to make it. While its voice acting was top notch, and its creator Seth MacFarlane had already proven his success with Family Guy, I just felt that eventually the schtick would wear out. But alas, I am so happy to say that I have been proven wrong. While the first couple of seasons had a central focus on Stan's CIA gig, the newest seasons have branched out from the original premise and began to focus on the eccentricities of the characters. This
subtle, yet smart move allowed the show to eventually grow into something of its own. It branched out in terms of its storylines, broke away from its Family Guy connection to become something entirely unique. Even as the Bush-era ended, and a lot of the initial punchlines began to fade away, American Dad continues to make politically and socially relevant humor week in and week out. Most importantly, as Family Guy has started to slip into some more dark, and sometimes disturbing storylines, American Dad has remained an always-fun, hilarious, and entertaining half-hour. The characters all get their due, and the storylines remain refreshing. After nine seasons, I think that it is time that we as the viewing public finally separate it from Family Guy (this includes myself, especially since I have referenced the comparison three times), and declare American Dad its own success story.
74. House, M.D. (2004-2012) - Cranky leading men are nothing new in television, and in fact have been
around since the beginning, just look at guys like Archie Bunker, and you'll know what a I mean. But Hugh Laurie's House, a anti-social cranky man with a noticeable injury, was so much more than your stereotypical grouch. His physical and psychological injuries were deeper than their surface recognized, and while his methods were always crossing the line of madness, they always proved that he was an absolute genius, and maybe did have a heart underneath all that sarcasm and madness. But while Hugh Laurie's House was clearly the center of the show, and one of the main attractions, it was not the only component that made House, M.D. such a success for eight seasons. The other cast members all held their own against Laurie, and when each of them was given the chance to shine, they all rose the challenge. More importantly, by placing House in a medical setting, the natural and compelling drama of illness and injury took over, especially when the writers gave us some crazy diseases. But this show was not just a medical procedural drama, instead, the writers built up sexual tension, character development, and some really awesome medical twists to create a thoroughly entertaining drama.
73. Firefly (2002-2003) - The nerds in the house (and I use the term nerd lovingly) will gasp when they see Firefly this far down the list. I apologize in advance, but while I may not be as obessessed with the show as its fans, I do appreciate that this was a great sci-fi television show that was unceremoniously cancelled way
too soon. Joss Whedon's sometimes disturbing, almost Orwell-esque, anti-corporation, post-war vision is not an easy subject for viewers to wrap their heads around, which is why it may never have caught on while it was airing. But this particularly dark vision, was also mixed in with terrifically thrilling action sequences, and a welcomed dose of humor. The show was impeccably written, with bold and daring storylines, and the actors all approach their roles with the gusto, darkness, and a dash of humor that a Joss Whedon storyline requires. It is unfortunate, but it feels like sci-fi films and television series are all ahead of their time, especially shows like Firefly that have a particular vision that may not click with a wide swath of viewers. But while Firely only had one season, it has gained a tremendous following since its demise, and I feel confident it will live on in television and science fiction infamy.
72. The Pacific (2010) - When HBO, along with executive producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, decided to tackle another World War II epic miniseries, the immediate comparions to the highly successful
Band of Brothers began. I don't think that The Pacific quite reached the cinematic heights of its predecessor, but it was still an enthralling and engaging ten-part miniseries, that captured audiences with its gritty war realism, its heartfelt humanity, and its epic scale. It was a huge undertaking, and the technical elements of it were on the level of most films in theaters. Heck, most of its stunning eight Emmy awards (out of a jaw-dropping 24 nominations) were given out at the Creative Arts ceremony. But this was not just a well-executed war drama. It also had a human impact, as we follow three marines in their struggles and journeys in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The character development may not be as deep as it was in Band of Brothers (probably the reason it is not quite as highly regarded), but the journey to the finish line is nonetheless just as sprawling, epic, emotional, and gritty. I also appreciated the representation of the other half of WWII. The European theater seems to get most of the storylines in WWII dramas, and the Pacific theater seems to be relegated to Pearl Harbor and the bomb (the beginning and the end). I think that this miniseries is an important entry into the historical film/television canon, by fleshing out in great detail a set of events that seems to have been overshadowed.
awards, when Top Chef overcame the odds and beat the perennial favorite The Amazing Race for Best Reality-Competition Program. While The Amazing Race when back to its winning ways the next year, it proved that a) it could lose, and b) that Top Chef was a show to be reckoned with, and there are plenty of reasons why. In many ways, the set up is not that different from many of the competition shows out there. The contestants perform some sort of challenge where judges then decide who stays and who moves on to the next challenge. So what makes Top Chef special? First of all, it was one of the first major shows to feature food in this type of competition. Second, the hosts Tom Colicchio and Padma Lakshmi are both great television personalities that always keep the show moving at a great pace, and keep the audience engaged. Most importantly, the talented and exciting competitors, the great challenges, and the constant drama make Top Chef one of the most entertaining shows week after week in any genre. You are always glued to the edge of your seat as the drama heats up, and Top Chef has remained fresh and engaging, while many of its long-running peers are faltering, which is a true testament to the popularity and creativity of this great reality program.
79. Cougar Town (2009-2013) - Yes, the title does suck. But if you can get past its glaring mistake what you will find is that Cougar Town is one of the best comedies on television. After Joey was such a miserable failure and The Comeback was cancelled too soon, I wondered if any of our former Friends were ever going to find television success again. To my surprise, it was the underrated friend, Courtney Cox. For ten
seasons, her character Monica was the glue that held the group together, and unfortunately, she remained the only member of the cast to never received an Emmy nominaton. While she continues to be snubbed for her hilarious work on Cougar Town, she is getting the last laugh. After it held on for a few seasons at ABC, the network finally cancelled it. But thankfully for us Cougar Town fans, TBS made a bold move to pick up the show, which has already been renewed for another season. I'll admit that there have been some growing pains in this season due the move, but nonetheless, Cougar Town, and its incredible cast, all of which have worked hard to create wonderfully flawed and funny characters, remains one of the best comedies on television, and definitely one of the quirkiest. There is so much love, chemistry, and humor piled into thirty minutes every week, that you wish it could last longer than a half an hour.
78. Something the Lord Made (2004) - I never thought in my lifetime that Alan Rickman and Mos Def
would star in anything together, but in 2004, they teamed up with director Joseph Sargent and HBO, to portray the pioneering heart surgeons Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas, and the relationship they
developed as they changed the face of modern medicine by inventing the bypass surgery. The results of this unusual pairing were magnificent, in this heartfelt and compelling television movie that definitely had cinematic qualities. First, the two main leads, both of whom have proved themselves to be capable and compelling actors, simply nail the emotion and the intricacies of this particular relationship. They easily relay the compassion, ambition, and drive of these two individuals. It didn't hurt that they were backed by an incredibly well-written and compelling storyline that not only portrays the drama, and the struggle to make a medical breakthrough, but also navigates the racial issues that were inevitable with grace. But what truly makes this piece of art so worth the watch, is the real and honest emotion that emotes from the screen. After the struggle and the ups and downs, the end result will make you cry tears of hearfelt emotion, of pain and of joy. It is this honesty that elevates it from normal television movie wasteland to stunning dramatic heights. 77. The Academy Awards (1927-2013) - Every year, millions of viewers around the world tune into the Oscars. Every year hundreds of bloggers (including this one), film journalists, and television personalities spend hours of their time covering the events leading up to and including the big kahuna. And yet year after year, all of those viewers and bloggers and critics complain. They complain about the winners, they complain
76. Desperate Housewives (2004-2012) - In the vein of shows like Dallas, ABC tried its hand at
primetime soap operas in the mid-2000's with shows like Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives enticing millions of viewers week after week. It turns out that the experiment was highly succesful, as both went on to be huge hits (Grey's still going strong). Desperate Housewives never claimed to be high-minded entertainment. It wasn't classy and sophisticated along the lines of something like Downton Abbey. No, for eight seasons, Desperate Housewives just happened to be one of the most entertaining, deliciously addictive shows on television. These fierce and feisty ladies, played by Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, and Marcia Cross were put through soap opera hell, murders and kidnappings, as well as through lifes happiest moments like weddings and births. Through all of it, these women held their own. They were hilarious, tough as nails, and always looked good (except for that one season where they made Eva Longoria look bad after she had Cecelia and Juanita). The men of Wisteria Lane always held their own as well, perfectly complementing their feisty wives. Like most shows, Desperate Housewives had its fair share of ups and downs, but through it all its twisting and turning storylines, its compelling characters, and its dark humor carried it through, and made it a smashing success. 75. American Dad (2005-2013) - At first, I did not think that American Dad was going to make it. While its voice acting was top notch, and its creator Seth MacFarlane had already proven his success with Family Guy, I just felt that eventually the schtick would wear out. But alas, I am so happy to say that I have been proven wrong. While the first couple of seasons had a central focus on Stan's CIA gig, the newest seasons have branched out from the original premise and began to focus on the eccentricities of the characters. This
74. House, M.D. (2004-2012) - Cranky leading men are nothing new in television, and in fact have been
around since the beginning, just look at guys like Archie Bunker, and you'll know what a I mean. But Hugh Laurie's House, a anti-social cranky man with a noticeable injury, was so much more than your stereotypical grouch. His physical and psychological injuries were deeper than their surface recognized, and while his methods were always crossing the line of madness, they always proved that he was an absolute genius, and maybe did have a heart underneath all that sarcasm and madness. But while Hugh Laurie's House was clearly the center of the show, and one of the main attractions, it was not the only component that made House, M.D. such a success for eight seasons. The other cast members all held their own against Laurie, and when each of them was given the chance to shine, they all rose the challenge. More importantly, by placing House in a medical setting, the natural and compelling drama of illness and injury took over, especially when the writers gave us some crazy diseases. But this show was not just a medical procedural drama, instead, the writers built up sexual tension, character development, and some really awesome medical twists to create a thoroughly entertaining drama. 73. Firefly (2002-2003) - The nerds in the house (and I use the term nerd lovingly) will gasp when they see Firefly this far down the list. I apologize in advance, but while I may not be as obessessed with the show as its fans, I do appreciate that this was a great sci-fi television show that was unceremoniously cancelled way
72. The Pacific (2010) - When HBO, along with executive producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, decided to tackle another World War II epic miniseries, the immediate comparions to the highly successful
Band of Brothers began. I don't think that The Pacific quite reached the cinematic heights of its predecessor, but it was still an enthralling and engaging ten-part miniseries, that captured audiences with its gritty war realism, its heartfelt humanity, and its epic scale. It was a huge undertaking, and the technical elements of it were on the level of most films in theaters. Heck, most of its stunning eight Emmy awards (out of a jaw-dropping 24 nominations) were given out at the Creative Arts ceremony. But this was not just a well-executed war drama. It also had a human impact, as we follow three marines in their struggles and journeys in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The character development may not be as deep as it was in Band of Brothers (probably the reason it is not quite as highly regarded), but the journey to the finish line is nonetheless just as sprawling, epic, emotional, and gritty. I also appreciated the representation of the other half of WWII. The European theater seems to get most of the storylines in WWII dramas, and the Pacific theater seems to be relegated to Pearl Harbor and the bomb (the beginning and the end). I think that this miniseries is an important entry into the historical film/television canon, by fleshing out in great detail a set of events that seems to have been overshadowed.
71. Sons of Anarchy (2008-2013) - I keep asking myself, how the hell has Katey Segal never been nominated for an Emmy? She probably should have won about three by now, but she's never even had the opportunity. The reason is that in this series (as in Married With Children), Katey Segal is embracing the trashy and the devlish, and therefore lacks the sophistication that most Emmy voters look for. Well screw them, because Katey Segal as Gemma has been one of the most wickedly terrifying, gut-busting characters
on primetime television in the last several years. She is jaw-dropping good, as is the rest of the cast including Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman, Mark Boone Junior, Kim Coates, and loads of others who embrace their dark and complicated characters with gusto. It doesn't hurt that Sons of Anarchy has some of the most gripping, gritty, and edge-of-your seat exciting storylines of any show currently on the air. Every episode blows your mind with just how crazy, yet somehow simultaneously human, it is. I can honestly say that there is no other show quite like Sons of Anarchy currently on television. It holds a unique niche in primetime programming. Those that dislike the show call in the lowest common denominator of entertainment, but what their dense and prejudice minds cannot comprehend is just how smartly written, brilliantly acted, and hauntingly real this show is, and it is their loss.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
The 3rd Annual Awards Psychic Television Awards: Winners
Best Drama Series
Winner - Breaking Bad
Runners Up - Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Parenthood
Commentary - Every year that I do the television awards, picking the winners seems to get a bit harder, particularly in the drama categories, where cable channels (and a few broadcast ones) have created compelling dramas. So this year, in a close call I decided to go for the last season of the incredible Breaking Bad. Not only was this season, like its previous ones, utterly compelling (and I can't wait to see how it ends), but it was simply the icing on the cake of one of the best television dramas of all time. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, and the entire cast were simply out of this world, the drama was fierce, unrelenting, and entertaining as hell, and its end will leave a huge void in primetime drama programming that may never be filled.
Best Comedy Series
Winner - (TIE) 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory
Runners Up - Bunheads, Modern Family, Louie
Commentary - Go ahead and grab your pitchforks and torches, because yes, I am a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory, and yes I think that as the show has aged, added new characters, and developed those characters, it has also gotten better with time. This season featured some great storylines that really showcased the chemistry and talent of its cast. Furthermore, while some may label me a populist, no one can deny that The Big Bang Theory is not just a sitcom or a television show, but it is a pop culture phenomenon that has exploded and continues to rise in ratings, fans, and awards attention with each passing year. But I could not leave this category without also recoginizing one of the best comedies on television: 30 Rock. Sadly, the show has left us, but for seven seasons, Tina, Alec, Jane, and the whole cast made us laugh out loud with intelligent humor that will be sorely missed.
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - Bryan Cranston "Breaking Bad"
Runners Up - Jeff Daniels "The Newsroom"
Commentary - The whole cast of Breaking Bad seems to top themselves with each new season, but the heart and soul, and the biggest reason it has been such a success is because of Bryan Cranston. His mix of evil and humanity, and his ever-evolving character has been one of the most facsinating stories to watch on television in the last decade. This season, he once again stepped his game up and proved why he keeps getting nominated, and winning Emmys for this incredible role.
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Kerry Washington "Scandal"
Runners Up - Vera Farmiga "Bate's Motel" and Keri Russell "The Americans"
Commentary - Let's face it, Scandal is not one of those classy, high-minded dramas like Downton Abbey, Homeland, or Mad Men (all of which are fantastic by the way), but instead, the mind of Shonda Rhimes has brought us one of the most addictively entertaining, and yes sometimes ridiculous and trashy, shows on television. Rhimes also made the brilliant decision to cast the under-appreciated and talented Kerry Washington. The show got off to a slow start, but in this second season it has exploded onto the scene, and a lot of credit goes to Washington's portrayal of Olivia Pope. She is fierce, yet vulernable, and no matter what crazy shenanigans Pope and her team face, Washington is simply stunning, creative, and classy week in and week out.
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Jake Johnson "New Girl"
Runners Up - Alec Baldwin "30 Rock", Louis C.K. "Louie", and Jim Parsons "The Big Bang Theory"
Commentary - One of the best moves in this year's Emmy race was bumping Jake Johnson into the lead slot for New Girl. While I think that the Jess/Nick love story has taken some of the quirk out of New Girl, I also think that it has added so much heart to the show that I am willing to go along for the ride. I personally thought that Jake Johnson's Nick was one-note last year, but the writers have given him a plethora of juicy storylines this season, and Johnson has handled them with ease and a lot of heart and humor, proving that he is one of the best leading comedy actors on television today.
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Sutton Foster "Bunheads" and Tina Fey "30 Rock"
Runners Up - Julia Louis-Dreyfus "Veep" and Amy Poehler "Parks & Recreation"
Commentary - Sorry for the ties, but get over it. First and foremost, I cannot let 30 Rock end without giving Tina Fey at least one of my awards. She has proven herself to be one of the funniest comedians on television, and her Liz Lemon will go down in pop culture as one of the greatest television characters of all time. Apparently she is going to return to us soon on television, and I think I speak for everyone when I say it cannot come soon enough. But I also wanted to take a moment to honor the performance of Sutton Foster in Bunheads. The show may still be in limbo about renewal, which is a true shame, because it was a huge breath of fresh air this past year on cable television, and proved again why Amy Sherman-Palladino should have a television show. A lot of credit goes to the talented Sutton Foster. I was worried about the transition to television from Broadway, and about the obvious comparisons to Lorelei Gilmore. But Foster was able to break out of those stereotypes and make Michelle her own, while remaining heartfelt, hilarious, and unique along the way.
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - (TIE) Nikolaj Coster-Waldau “Game of Thrones” and Larry Hagman "Dallas"
Runners Up - Michael Cudlitz "Southland"
Commentary - Ok so another tie, shoot me. A really close race, but in the end the really winner this year was Nikolaj Coster-Waldau who proved that he really can do more than be an ass on Game of Thrones. In A Storm of Swords, Jaime is finally given a real storyline, and Coster-Waldau stepped up to the plate, proving his critics wrong by tackling these juicy storylines with ferocity and focus. He simply knocked it out of the park. But I am also a sentimental fool, and I wanted to take the time to honor another scene-stealer who unfortunately has left us. In the original, and in the reboot, Larry Hagman stole every scene he was in, and chewed through his soap opera storylines with ease as J.R. on Dallas. His death has had a tremendous impact on the show, but it was his life, and his great performance for all these years that will be remembered no matter how long Dallas runs this time. Now that is a true testament to the power off Larry Hagman, and his irreplaceable J.R.
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Monica Potter "Parenthood"
Runners Up - Christine Baranski "The Good Wife" and Elizabeth McGovern "Downton Abbey"
Commentary - As many of you know, I think Parenthood is one of the mot underrated, and best television dramas currently on the air. I will admit though that there were some storylines this season I felt were not as sharp as previous seasons. But anyone who watched the show this season should have been complete engrossed by Christina's battle with cancer. That is because of the surprisingly wonderful talents of Monica Potter. She was utterly convincing, devastatingly emotional, and incredible human this entire season, and she made me cry, made my jaw drop, and caused me to be glued to my screen week after week. An incredible performance, and a standout among one of the best casts on television.
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Simon Helberg "The Big Bang Theory"
Runners Up - Tony Hale "Veep/Arrested Development" and Eric Stonestreet "Modern Family"
Commentary - For many years, I thought that Howard Wolowitz was the most obnoxious character on television, despite the obvious talents of the actor portraying him. But in the last season, with his marriage to Bernadette blossoming, and his astronaut tour of space, the writers have finally found the perfect balance for Howard, and I am really starting to appreciate his character, and I think that he along with another character (see below), have become part of the important glue that is holding the gang together. While I am finally starting to like Howard, I have always appreciated the talents of Simon Helberg who is incredibly funny, but can also nail the dramatic moments. This season, he has finally gotten a chance to shine, and the results have been terrific.
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Kaley Cuoco "The Big Bang Theory"
Runners Up - Kelly Bishop "Bunheads" and Eden Sher "The Middle"
Commentary - The other character that holds the gang of The Big Bang Theory together is, and has always been Penny. For years now, Kaley Cuoco has been the glue of the show, and her effervescence, humor, and sarcasm are not only laugh out loud funny, but she has always been the perfect foil to our group of geeks. This season, she may have received less screen time, but she has made it all count, and continues to develop her character and make us all laugh. I think that it was about damn time she got recognized.
Best TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - American Horror Story: Asylum
Runners Up - Behind the Candelabra and Political Animals
Commentary - I was kind of disappointed by Behind the Candelabra. Douglas and Damon were fantastic, but I think that the hype behind the project clouded my view. That being said, it was still pretty good, as was the underrated White House themed Political Animals. But this year, Ryan Murphy and his team topped themselves with their new chapter in the American Horror Story anthology entitled Asylum. It was crazy, creepy, shocking, and wonderfully entertaining. It kept you guessing week to week, and it featured one of the finest casts on television.
Best Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - Michael Douglas "Behind the Candelabara"
Runners Up - Matt Damon "Behind the Candelabra"
Commentary - The reason, I think, that Behind the Candelabra worked (although not as well as I would have hoped) was because of the lead performances of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon (especially since most of the supporting performances were weak at best). Of the two, the clear winner for me was Douglas. His embodiment of Liberace, and his lavishness were a spectacle to behold, and it was nice to see such a talented actor take a rish and challenge himself. And the final result was worth the risk.
Best Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - Elisabeth Moss "Top of the Lake"
Runners Up - Jessica Lange "American Horror Story: Asylum" and Sigourney Weaver "Political Animals" Commentary - I love Jessica Lange, and while she was great on this years entry of American Horror Story, I think that the real MVP of the season was one of her co-stars (see below). Sigourney Weaver also held her own in Political Animals as a Hilary Clinton-esque figure that must traverse a tricky Washington world. But this year, one of the best actresses working on TV out did herself. Elisabeth Moss may have been underused this season on Mad Men, but she was fantastic in Sundance's Top of the Lake. She matched the excellent writing and directing with ease, and she managed to balance emotional vulnerability with gritty dramatic acting brilliantly.
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - (TIE) James Cromwell "American Horror Story: Asylum" and James Wolk "Political Animals"
Runners Up - Evan Peters "American Horror Story: Asylum" and Peter Mullan "Top of the Lake"
Commentary - The first one is obvious. As the devious doctor (who ends up not being so bad), James Cromwell was scary as hell, and a towering presence in Asylum (and not just because he was so tall). But the other one might suprise some people. James Wolk, who plays the stable older son Douglas, may not have had the baitiest role in Political Animals, and in fact up until the last episode where he has an affair with Carla Gugino's Susan, he really avoids the vices of many of his family members. But I think that Wolk brought a sense of warmth to his role, a sense of duty, and I firmly believe that the whole miniseries would have been a disaster if he had not been at its heart.
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - Sarah Paulson "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Runners Up - Lily Rabe "American Horror Story: Asylum" or Ellen Burstyn "Political Animals"
Commentary - Jessica Lange is always great, but this season, the real MVP of American Horror Story was the fantastic Sarah Paulson. As an investigative reporter who is pulled into the insane world of the asylum, only to be helped in her escape by the Bloody Face killer, Paulson had a lot of meaty material, and she simply nailed it with emotion, ferocity, and a balls-out approach that matched well with the insanity of the twisting storyline.
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - Dylan Baker "The Good Wife"
Runners Up - Jimmy Smits "Sons of Anarchy" and Matthew Perry "The Good Wife"
Commentary - In my first ever attempt to pick my favorite guest performances, I am (mostly) sticking with recurring characters that constantly bring their A-game. For now four seasons, Dylan Baker's creepy, psychotic, yet kind of likeable Colin Sweeney has provided a plethora of great storylines for The Good Wife. This year's storyline (one of his storylines this season) involving his new girl, and her shenanigans in court to try to coax the truth out of him was brilliantly done, and even when he is forced into a corner, Dylan Baker brutally, yet with a deadly smile on his face, manages to wiggle out of every tough spot. He has created a memorable and delightfully psychotic television character.
Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Carrie Preston "The Good Wife"
Runners Up - Stockard Channing "The Good Wife"
Commentary - I get kind of gitty every time I see that Carrie Preston is going to be in an episode of The Good Wife. Her character Elsbeth, has now appeared in nine episodes over four seasons, and every time she has, this season being no exception, she steals every scene that she is in. Her goofy, quirky outer appearce, that masks a tiger and a hell of a good lawyer underneath provides The Good Wife with energy, entertainment, and a lot of surprising humor as well. That is because Carrie Preston has done such a magnificent job creatings an awesome recurring character.
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Bob Newhart "The Big Bang Theory"
Runners Up - David Lynch "Louie" and Rob Reiner "New Girl"
Commentary - In his long television career, Bob Newhart has never won an Emmy award. Let me repeat that: Bob Newhart has never won an Emmy Award. It is hard to believe, but this year he will probably have another shot at glory, and by God he deserves it. He plays an aging science television personality whose lifelessness after all these years has a huge impact on Sheldon, who considers him a hero. He doesn't deliver his lines at rapid speed, but his droll delivery and inside jokes, make his performance a guest spot worth remembering.
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Elaine Stritch "30 Rock"
Runners Up - Melissa McCarthy "Saturday Night Live"
Commentary - Elaine Stritch has been a recurring character on 30 Rock since season 1, and everytime she appears as Jack's mother, she blazes on the screen with that smart mouth and wicked sense of humor that has made Stritch such a force of nature in comedy for decades. This season, as in every season, her episode was the one that I looked most forward to, and she nailed it as always. It will be sad next season knowing I won't get to see her strut her stuff again.
Best Animated Program
Winner - Archer
Runners Up - The Simpsons and Family Guy
Commentary - For the second year in a row, I am going with my current favorite animated show on the air. I still love my Family Guy, The Simpsons, and South Park, but all of them have kind of hit a plateau. In contrast, each and every week Archer manages to surprise me, make me literally laugh out loud until I am crying, and always leaves me wanting more. Plus, the voice performances of Jessica Walter, H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, and the best of the bunch Amber Nash as Pam are spot on, and they make you forget that you are only hearing them.
Winner - Breaking Bad
Runners Up - Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Parenthood
Commentary - Every year that I do the television awards, picking the winners seems to get a bit harder, particularly in the drama categories, where cable channels (and a few broadcast ones) have created compelling dramas. So this year, in a close call I decided to go for the last season of the incredible Breaking Bad. Not only was this season, like its previous ones, utterly compelling (and I can't wait to see how it ends), but it was simply the icing on the cake of one of the best television dramas of all time. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, and the entire cast were simply out of this world, the drama was fierce, unrelenting, and entertaining as hell, and its end will leave a huge void in primetime drama programming that may never be filled.
Best Comedy Series
Winner - (TIE) 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory
Runners Up - Bunheads, Modern Family, Louie
Commentary - Go ahead and grab your pitchforks and torches, because yes, I am a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory, and yes I think that as the show has aged, added new characters, and developed those characters, it has also gotten better with time. This season featured some great storylines that really showcased the chemistry and talent of its cast. Furthermore, while some may label me a populist, no one can deny that The Big Bang Theory is not just a sitcom or a television show, but it is a pop culture phenomenon that has exploded and continues to rise in ratings, fans, and awards attention with each passing year. But I could not leave this category without also recoginizing one of the best comedies on television: 30 Rock. Sadly, the show has left us, but for seven seasons, Tina, Alec, Jane, and the whole cast made us laugh out loud with intelligent humor that will be sorely missed.
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - Bryan Cranston "Breaking Bad"
Runners Up - Jeff Daniels "The Newsroom"
Commentary - The whole cast of Breaking Bad seems to top themselves with each new season, but the heart and soul, and the biggest reason it has been such a success is because of Bryan Cranston. His mix of evil and humanity, and his ever-evolving character has been one of the most facsinating stories to watch on television in the last decade. This season, he once again stepped his game up and proved why he keeps getting nominated, and winning Emmys for this incredible role.
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Kerry Washington "Scandal"
Runners Up - Vera Farmiga "Bate's Motel" and Keri Russell "The Americans"
Commentary - Let's face it, Scandal is not one of those classy, high-minded dramas like Downton Abbey, Homeland, or Mad Men (all of which are fantastic by the way), but instead, the mind of Shonda Rhimes has brought us one of the most addictively entertaining, and yes sometimes ridiculous and trashy, shows on television. Rhimes also made the brilliant decision to cast the under-appreciated and talented Kerry Washington. The show got off to a slow start, but in this second season it has exploded onto the scene, and a lot of credit goes to Washington's portrayal of Olivia Pope. She is fierce, yet vulernable, and no matter what crazy shenanigans Pope and her team face, Washington is simply stunning, creative, and classy week in and week out.
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Jake Johnson "New Girl"
Runners Up - Alec Baldwin "30 Rock", Louis C.K. "Louie", and Jim Parsons "The Big Bang Theory"
Commentary - One of the best moves in this year's Emmy race was bumping Jake Johnson into the lead slot for New Girl. While I think that the Jess/Nick love story has taken some of the quirk out of New Girl, I also think that it has added so much heart to the show that I am willing to go along for the ride. I personally thought that Jake Johnson's Nick was one-note last year, but the writers have given him a plethora of juicy storylines this season, and Johnson has handled them with ease and a lot of heart and humor, proving that he is one of the best leading comedy actors on television today.
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Sutton Foster "Bunheads" and Tina Fey "30 Rock"
Runners Up - Julia Louis-Dreyfus "Veep" and Amy Poehler "Parks & Recreation"
Commentary - Sorry for the ties, but get over it. First and foremost, I cannot let 30 Rock end without giving Tina Fey at least one of my awards. She has proven herself to be one of the funniest comedians on television, and her Liz Lemon will go down in pop culture as one of the greatest television characters of all time. Apparently she is going to return to us soon on television, and I think I speak for everyone when I say it cannot come soon enough. But I also wanted to take a moment to honor the performance of Sutton Foster in Bunheads. The show may still be in limbo about renewal, which is a true shame, because it was a huge breath of fresh air this past year on cable television, and proved again why Amy Sherman-Palladino should have a television show. A lot of credit goes to the talented Sutton Foster. I was worried about the transition to television from Broadway, and about the obvious comparisons to Lorelei Gilmore. But Foster was able to break out of those stereotypes and make Michelle her own, while remaining heartfelt, hilarious, and unique along the way.
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - (TIE) Nikolaj Coster-Waldau “Game of Thrones” and Larry Hagman "Dallas"
Runners Up - Michael Cudlitz "Southland"
Commentary - Ok so another tie, shoot me. A really close race, but in the end the really winner this year was Nikolaj Coster-Waldau who proved that he really can do more than be an ass on Game of Thrones. In A Storm of Swords, Jaime is finally given a real storyline, and Coster-Waldau stepped up to the plate, proving his critics wrong by tackling these juicy storylines with ferocity and focus. He simply knocked it out of the park. But I am also a sentimental fool, and I wanted to take the time to honor another scene-stealer who unfortunately has left us. In the original, and in the reboot, Larry Hagman stole every scene he was in, and chewed through his soap opera storylines with ease as J.R. on Dallas. His death has had a tremendous impact on the show, but it was his life, and his great performance for all these years that will be remembered no matter how long Dallas runs this time. Now that is a true testament to the power off Larry Hagman, and his irreplaceable J.R.
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Monica Potter "Parenthood"
Runners Up - Christine Baranski "The Good Wife" and Elizabeth McGovern "Downton Abbey"
Commentary - As many of you know, I think Parenthood is one of the mot underrated, and best television dramas currently on the air. I will admit though that there were some storylines this season I felt were not as sharp as previous seasons. But anyone who watched the show this season should have been complete engrossed by Christina's battle with cancer. That is because of the surprisingly wonderful talents of Monica Potter. She was utterly convincing, devastatingly emotional, and incredible human this entire season, and she made me cry, made my jaw drop, and caused me to be glued to my screen week after week. An incredible performance, and a standout among one of the best casts on television.
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Simon Helberg "The Big Bang Theory"
Runners Up - Tony Hale "Veep/Arrested Development" and Eric Stonestreet "Modern Family"
Commentary - For many years, I thought that Howard Wolowitz was the most obnoxious character on television, despite the obvious talents of the actor portraying him. But in the last season, with his marriage to Bernadette blossoming, and his astronaut tour of space, the writers have finally found the perfect balance for Howard, and I am really starting to appreciate his character, and I think that he along with another character (see below), have become part of the important glue that is holding the gang together. While I am finally starting to like Howard, I have always appreciated the talents of Simon Helberg who is incredibly funny, but can also nail the dramatic moments. This season, he has finally gotten a chance to shine, and the results have been terrific.
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Kaley Cuoco "The Big Bang Theory"
Runners Up - Kelly Bishop "Bunheads" and Eden Sher "The Middle"
Commentary - The other character that holds the gang of The Big Bang Theory together is, and has always been Penny. For years now, Kaley Cuoco has been the glue of the show, and her effervescence, humor, and sarcasm are not only laugh out loud funny, but she has always been the perfect foil to our group of geeks. This season, she may have received less screen time, but she has made it all count, and continues to develop her character and make us all laugh. I think that it was about damn time she got recognized.
Best TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - American Horror Story: Asylum
Runners Up - Behind the Candelabra and Political Animals
Commentary - I was kind of disappointed by Behind the Candelabra. Douglas and Damon were fantastic, but I think that the hype behind the project clouded my view. That being said, it was still pretty good, as was the underrated White House themed Political Animals. But this year, Ryan Murphy and his team topped themselves with their new chapter in the American Horror Story anthology entitled Asylum. It was crazy, creepy, shocking, and wonderfully entertaining. It kept you guessing week to week, and it featured one of the finest casts on television.
Best Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - Michael Douglas "Behind the Candelabara"
Runners Up - Matt Damon "Behind the Candelabra"
Commentary - The reason, I think, that Behind the Candelabra worked (although not as well as I would have hoped) was because of the lead performances of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon (especially since most of the supporting performances were weak at best). Of the two, the clear winner for me was Douglas. His embodiment of Liberace, and his lavishness were a spectacle to behold, and it was nice to see such a talented actor take a rish and challenge himself. And the final result was worth the risk.
Best Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - Elisabeth Moss "Top of the Lake"
Runners Up - Jessica Lange "American Horror Story: Asylum" and Sigourney Weaver "Political Animals" Commentary - I love Jessica Lange, and while she was great on this years entry of American Horror Story, I think that the real MVP of the season was one of her co-stars (see below). Sigourney Weaver also held her own in Political Animals as a Hilary Clinton-esque figure that must traverse a tricky Washington world. But this year, one of the best actresses working on TV out did herself. Elisabeth Moss may have been underused this season on Mad Men, but she was fantastic in Sundance's Top of the Lake. She matched the excellent writing and directing with ease, and she managed to balance emotional vulnerability with gritty dramatic acting brilliantly.
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - (TIE) James Cromwell "American Horror Story: Asylum" and James Wolk "Political Animals"
Runners Up - Evan Peters "American Horror Story: Asylum" and Peter Mullan "Top of the Lake"
Commentary - The first one is obvious. As the devious doctor (who ends up not being so bad), James Cromwell was scary as hell, and a towering presence in Asylum (and not just because he was so tall). But the other one might suprise some people. James Wolk, who plays the stable older son Douglas, may not have had the baitiest role in Political Animals, and in fact up until the last episode where he has an affair with Carla Gugino's Susan, he really avoids the vices of many of his family members. But I think that Wolk brought a sense of warmth to his role, a sense of duty, and I firmly believe that the whole miniseries would have been a disaster if he had not been at its heart.
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries
Winner - Sarah Paulson "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Runners Up - Lily Rabe "American Horror Story: Asylum" or Ellen Burstyn "Political Animals"
Commentary - Jessica Lange is always great, but this season, the real MVP of American Horror Story was the fantastic Sarah Paulson. As an investigative reporter who is pulled into the insane world of the asylum, only to be helped in her escape by the Bloody Face killer, Paulson had a lot of meaty material, and she simply nailed it with emotion, ferocity, and a balls-out approach that matched well with the insanity of the twisting storyline.
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Winner - Dylan Baker "The Good Wife"
Runners Up - Jimmy Smits "Sons of Anarchy" and Matthew Perry "The Good Wife"
Commentary - In my first ever attempt to pick my favorite guest performances, I am (mostly) sticking with recurring characters that constantly bring their A-game. For now four seasons, Dylan Baker's creepy, psychotic, yet kind of likeable Colin Sweeney has provided a plethora of great storylines for The Good Wife. This year's storyline (one of his storylines this season) involving his new girl, and her shenanigans in court to try to coax the truth out of him was brilliantly done, and even when he is forced into a corner, Dylan Baker brutally, yet with a deadly smile on his face, manages to wiggle out of every tough spot. He has created a memorable and delightfully psychotic television character.
Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Winner - Carrie Preston "The Good Wife"
Runners Up - Stockard Channing "The Good Wife"
Commentary - I get kind of gitty every time I see that Carrie Preston is going to be in an episode of The Good Wife. Her character Elsbeth, has now appeared in nine episodes over four seasons, and every time she has, this season being no exception, she steals every scene that she is in. Her goofy, quirky outer appearce, that masks a tiger and a hell of a good lawyer underneath provides The Good Wife with energy, entertainment, and a lot of surprising humor as well. That is because Carrie Preston has done such a magnificent job creatings an awesome recurring character.
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner - Bob Newhart "The Big Bang Theory"
Runners Up - David Lynch "Louie" and Rob Reiner "New Girl"
Commentary - In his long television career, Bob Newhart has never won an Emmy award. Let me repeat that: Bob Newhart has never won an Emmy Award. It is hard to believe, but this year he will probably have another shot at glory, and by God he deserves it. He plays an aging science television personality whose lifelessness after all these years has a huge impact on Sheldon, who considers him a hero. He doesn't deliver his lines at rapid speed, but his droll delivery and inside jokes, make his performance a guest spot worth remembering.
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner - Elaine Stritch "30 Rock"
Runners Up - Melissa McCarthy "Saturday Night Live"
Commentary - Elaine Stritch has been a recurring character on 30 Rock since season 1, and everytime she appears as Jack's mother, she blazes on the screen with that smart mouth and wicked sense of humor that has made Stritch such a force of nature in comedy for decades. This season, as in every season, her episode was the one that I looked most forward to, and she nailed it as always. It will be sad next season knowing I won't get to see her strut her stuff again.
Best Animated Program
Winner - Archer
Runners Up - The Simpsons and Family Guy
Commentary - For the second year in a row, I am going with my current favorite animated show on the air. I still love my Family Guy, The Simpsons, and South Park, but all of them have kind of hit a plateau. In contrast, each and every week Archer manages to surprise me, make me literally laugh out loud until I am crying, and always leaves me wanting more. Plus, the voice performances of Jessica Walter, H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, and the best of the bunch Amber Nash as Pam are spot on, and they make you forget that you are only hearing them.
Friday, June 28, 2013
AMPAS Invites 276 to Join Ranks
After removing the cap on the number of new members each year, the Academy adds a walloping 276 individuals. Among the group includes many new nominees from last year like Emmanuelle Riva and Chris Terrio. Also noticeable is the huge increase in the number of minority invitees, which is refreshing, and hopefully will bring some much needed diversity to the Academy. Just among the actors alone: Rosario Dawson, Lucy Liu, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Oh, Paula Patton, Michael Pena, and Chris Tucker, we see many new faces that represent a variety of backgrounds. Check out the full list below:
Actors
Jason Bateman – “Up in the Air,” “Juno”
Miriam Colon – “City of Hope,” “Scarface”
Rosario Dawson – “Rent,” “Frank Miller’s Sin City”
Kimberly Elise – “For Colored Girls,” “Beloved”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “Lincoln,” “The Dark Knight Rises”
Charles Grodin – “Midnight Run,” “The Heartbreak Kid”
Rebecca Hall – “Iron Man 3,” “The Town”
Lance Henriksen – “Aliens,” “The Terminator”
Jack Huston – “Not Fade Away,” “Factory Girl”
Milla Jovovich – “Resident Evil,” “Chaplin”
Lucy Liu – “Kill Bill: Vol. 1,” “Chicago”
Jennifer Lopez – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Selena”
Alma Martinez – “Born in East L.A.,” “Under Fire”
Emily Mortimer – “Hugo,” “Lars and the Real Girl”
Sandra Oh – “Rabbit Hole,” “Sideways”
Paula Patton – “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Michael Peña – “End of Watch,” “Crash”
Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour,” “Hiroshima, Mon Amour”
Jason Schwartzman – “Moonrise Kingdom,” “Rushmore”
Geno Silva – “Mulholland Drive,” “Amistad”
Danny Trejo – “Machete,” “Heat”
Chris Tucker – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Rush Hour”
Cinematographers
Luca Bigazzi – “This Must Be the Place,” “Certified Copy”
Benoît Delhomme – “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” “The Proposition”
Simon Duggan – “The Great Gatsby,” “Killer Elite”
Greig Fraser – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Snow White and the Huntsman”
Jonathan Freeman – “Remember Me,” “Fifty Dead Men Walking”
Greg Gardiner – “Race to Witch Mountain,” “Elf”
Eric Gautier – “Into the Wild,” “The Motorcycle Diaries”
Agnès Godard – “Sister,” “Beau Travail”
Eduard Grau – “Buried,” “A Single Man”
Jess Hall – “The Spectacular Now,” “Brideshead Revisited”
Fred Kelemen – “The Turin Horse,” “The Man from London”
Mark Lee Ping Bing – “Norwegian Wood,” “In the Mood for Love”
Reed Morano – “Little Birds,” “Frozen River”
Oleg Mutu – “Beyond the Hills,” “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”
Alex Nepomniaschy – “Narc,” “Safe”
Christian Sebaldt – “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” “Race to Space”
Ben Seresin – “World War Z,” “Unstoppable”
Adam Stone – “Mud,” “Take Shelter”
Checco Varese – “Girl in Progress,” “The Aura”
Ken Zunder – “Bending the Rules,” “That’s What I Am”
Costume Designers
Paco Delgado – “Les Misérables,” “Biutiful”
Sophie de Rakoff – “This Means War,” “Legally Blonde”
Carlo Poggioli – “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” “Cold Mountain”
Designers
Lori Balton – “Argo,” “The Dark Knight Rises”
Judy Becker – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Fighter”
Simon Bright – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Avatar”
Martin T. Charles – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “The Artist”
David M. Crank – “The Master,” “Lincoln”
Stefan Paul Dechant – “Oz The Great and Powerful,” “True Grit”
Tracey A. Doyle – “The Muppets,” “21″
Anna Lynch-Robinson – “Les Misérables,” “An Education”
Maria Nay – “Identity Thief,” “Ray”
David Smith – “Crazy, Stupid, Love.,” “The Holiday”
Directors
Nikolaj Arcel – “A Royal Affair,” “Truth about Men”
Ava DuVernay* – “Middle of Nowhere,” “I Will Follow”
Paul Feig – “The Heat,” “Bridesmaids”
Catherine Hardwicke – “Twilight,” “Thirteen”
Kirk Jones – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Waking Ned Devine”
Ken Kwapis – “Big Miracle,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”
Pablo LarraÃn – “No,” “Tony Manero”
Steve McQueen – “Shame,” “Hunger”
Kim Nguyen – “War Witch (Rebelle),” “City of Shadows”
Jafar Panahi* – “This Is Not a Film,” “The Circle”
Todd Phillips – “The Hangover,” “Old School”
Joachim Rønning – “Kon-Tiki,” “Max Manus”
Espen Sandberg – “Kon-Tiki,” “Max Manus”
Tim Story – “Think Like a Man,” “Fantastic Four”
Benh Zeitlin – “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Glory at Sea”
Documentary
Orlando Bagwell – “Citizen King,” “Malcolm X: Make It Plain”
Rebecca Cammisa – “God Is the Bigger Elvis,” “Which Way Home”
Yung Chang – “China Heavyweight,” “Up the Yangtze”
Michael Chin – “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple,” “In the Shadow of the Stars”
Christine Choy – “In the Name of the Emperor,” “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”
Bonni Cohen – “The Island President,” “Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic”
Eduardo Coutinho – “As Canções,” “Cabra Marcado Para Morrer (Twenty Years Later)”
Miriam Cutler – “Kings Point,” “Ethel”
Andrea Nix Fine – “Inocente,” “War/Dance”
Sean Fine – “Inocente,” “War/Dance”
Robert Frank – “Cocksucker Blues,” “Pull My Daisy”
William Greaves – “Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey,” “Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One”
Lauren Greenfield – “The Queen of Versailles,” “Thin”
Patricio Guzmán – “Nostalgia for the Light,” “The Battle of Chile”
Vivien Hillgrove – “Symphony of the Soil,” “In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee”
Heddy Honigmann – “El Olvido (Oblivion),” “Crazy”
Vikram Jayanti – “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector,” “Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine”
Peter Kinoy – “Poverty Outlaw,” “When the Mountains Tremble”
Claude Lanzmann – “Le Rapport Karski (The Karski Report),” “Shoah”
Kim Longinotto – “Rough Aunties,” “Sisters in Law”
Stanley Nelson – “Freedom Riders,” “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple”
Jehane Noujaim – “Control Room,” “Startup.com”
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy – “Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret,” “Saving Face”
Marcel Ophuls – “Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie,” “The Sorrow and the Pity”
José Padilha – “Secrets of the Tribe,” “Bus 174 (Ônibus 174)”
Jafar Panahi* – “This Is Not a Film,” “The Circle”
Elise Pearlstein – “Last Call at the Oasis,” “Food, Inc.”
Raoul Peck – “Fatal Assistance (Assistance Mortelle),” “Lumumba: La Mort du Prophète”
Kevin Rafferty – “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,” “The Atomic Cafe”
J. Ralph* – “Chasing Ice,” “Man on Wire”
Bob Richman – “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory,” “Waiting for ‘Superman’”
T. Woody Richman – “How to Survive a Plague,” “Fahrenheit 9/11″
Veronica Selver – “Berkeley in the Sixties,” “You Got to Move: Stories of Change in the South”
Jon Shenk – “The Island President,” “Lost Boys of Sudan”
Ricki Stern – “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “The Devil Came on Horseback”
Robert Stone – “Earth Days,” “Radio Bikini”
Annie Sundberg – “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “The Devil Came on Horseback”
Renee Tajima-Pena – “Who Killed Vincent Chin?,” “My America (Or Honk If You Love Buddha)”
Agnès Varda – “The Beaches of Agnès,” “The Gleaners and I”
Roger Ross Williams – “God Loves Uganda,” “Music by Prudence”
Pamela Yates – “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator,” “The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court”
Amy Ziering – “The Invisible War,” “Derrida”
Executives
Holly Bario
Jeb Brody
Eric d’Arbeloff
Dean C. Hallett
Lynn Harris
Jeff Ivers
Jonathan King
Robert Kirby
Dylan Leiner
Nick Meyer
Andrew Millstein
Hannah Minghella
Angela Morrison
Brian Roberts
Mark Roybal
Tucker Tooley
Kevin Tsujihara
Film Editors
Michael Berenbaum – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Sex and the City”
Jeff Freeman – “Ted,” “Cruel Intentions”
James Haygood – “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Fight Club”
Stuart Levy – “Savages,” “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”
Mary Jo Markey – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Super 8″
Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Luisa Abel – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Inception”
Anne Aulenta-Spira – “The Place beyond the Pines,” “Drive”
Terry Baliel – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “J. Edgar”
Thomas Floutz – “The Call,” “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
Kay Georgiou – “Promised Land,” “Lincoln”
Bernadette Mazur – “Men in Black 3,” “The Campaign”
Kim Santantonio – “Gangster Squad,” “Frost/Nixon”
Lisa Tomblin – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1″
Kelvin R. Trahan – “Argo,” “Memoirs of a Geisha”
Lisa Westcott – “Les Misérables,” “Shakespeare in Love”
Members-at-Large
Victoria Alonso
Fred Baron
Ben Bray
Pieter Jan Brugge
Jackie Burch
Leo Davis
Susie Figgis
Lori Furie
Glenn S. Gainor
Joe Gareri
Lance Gilbert
Andy Gill
Mindy Marin
Laray Mayfield
Jeanne McCarthy
Neil Meron
Gary Powell
Ned Price
Michelle Satter
Stefan Sonnenfeld
Cindy Tolan
Brent Woolsey
Music
Ramiro Belgardt – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Lincoln”
Ramin Djawadi – “Safe House,” “Iron Man”
Jennifer Dunnington – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Hugo”
Siedah Garrett – “Rio,” “Dreamgirls”
Joe Hisaishi – “Ponyo,” “Spirited Away”
Henry Jackman – “This Is the End,” “Wreck-It Ralph”
Cliff Martinez – “Drive,” “Traffic”
Prince – “Purple Rain,” “Happy Feet”
J. Ralph* – “Chasing Ice,” “Man on Wire”
Aaron Lael Zigman – “Peeples,” “Sex and the City”
Producers
Stefan Arndt – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
Jason Blum – “The Purge,” “Paranormal Activity”
Finola Dwyer – “Quartet,” “An Education”
Jack Giarraputo – “Anger Management,” “The Wedding Singer”
Veit Heiduschka – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
Lloyd Levin – “Green Zone,” “Watchmen”
Julie Lynn – “Albert Nobbs,” “Nine Lives”
Margaret Menegoz – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
Andrea Sperling – “Smashed,” “Like Crazy”
Public Relations
Rachel Cadden
Theresa Cross
Jeff S. Elefterion
Julie Fontaine
Jackson George
Anne Globe
Michael Lawson
Dennis O’Connor
Blair Rich
John G. Sabel
Short Films and Feature Animation
Marc Bertrand – “Gloria Victoria,” “Hollow Land”
Bryan Buckley – “Asad,” “The Wake-Up Caller”
Shawn Christensen – “Curfew,” “Brink”
Eric Darnell – “Madagascar,” “Shrek”
John C. Donkin – “Ice Age Continental Drift,” “Gone Nutty”
Ken Duncan – “9,” “Shark Tale”
Danielle Feinberg – “Brave,” “WALL-E”
Sam Fell – “ParaNorman,” “The Tale of Despereaux”
Matt Groening – “Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare,’” “The Simpsons Movie”
Vicky Jenson – “Shark Tale,” “Shrek”
Travis Knight – “ParaNorman,” “Coraline”
Steve May – “Brave,” “Up”
Rich Moore – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!”
Robert Neuman – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Tangled”
Brandon Oldenburg – “Rise of the Guardians,” “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore”
PES – “Fresh Guacamole,” “Western Spaghetti”
Steve Pilcher – “Brave,” “Shrek the Third”
Normand Roger – “Hollow Land,” “The Banquet of the Concubine”
Clark Spencer – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Bolt”
Sound
Bobbi Banks – “The Call,” “Hustle & Flow”
Jose Antonio Garcia – “Argo,” “Babel”
Simon Hayes – “Les Misérables,” “X-Men: First Class”
Edward J. Hernandez – “Real Steel,” “Basic Instinct”
Daniel S. Irwin – “Prometheus,” “Little Children”
Drew Kunin – “Life of Pi,” “Lost in Translation”
Michael W. Mitchell – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Matrix Reloaded”
Tom Ozanich – “Project X,” “Kill Bill: Vol. 2″
Mark Paterson – “Les Misérables,” “The Pirates! Band of Misfits”
Richard Pryke – “127 Hours,” “Slumdog Millionaire”
Erin Michael Rettig – “A Good Day to Die Hard,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”
Ann Scibelli – “Prometheus,” “Inglourious Basterds”
Brian T. Slack – “Chéri,” “Crossover”
Bruce Tanis – “Gangster Squad,” “X-Men: First Class”
F. Elmo Weber – “Identity Thief,” “The Kids Are All Right”
Christopher T. Welch – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “(500) Days of Summer”
Dave Whitehead – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “District 9″
Stuart Wilson – “Skyfall,” “War Horse”
Visual Effects
Jason Bayever – “Life of Pi,” “The Wolfman”
Mark Breakspear – “The Great Gatsby,” “Tropic Thunder”
Philip Brennan – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “Minority Report”
Tony Clark – “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
David Clayton – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Avatar”
Michael Dawson – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Devil’s Double”
Erik-Jan De Boer – “Life of Pi,” “Night at the Museum”
Donald R. Elliott – “Life of Pi,” “Seabiscuit”
John Goodson – “Red Tails,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Charley Henley – “Prometheus,” “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
John McLeod – “Django Unchained,” “The Aviator”
Mark Noel – “Oz The Great and Powerful,” “Transformers”
David Prescott – “Transformers,” “X-Men”
Guillaume Rocheron – “Life of Pi,” “Sucker Punch”
Wendy Rogers – “Puss in Boots,” “Shrek”
David Alexander Smith – “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Matrix Reloaded”
Wayne Stables – “The Adventures of Tintin,” “Avatar”
Richard Stammers – “Prometheus,” “Angels & Demons”
Richard Stutsman – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Independence Day”
Christopher Townsend – “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Day after Tomorrow”
Stephan Trojansky – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Hereafter”
David Watkins – “Ali,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”
Jeff White – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
Trevor Wood – “Prometheus,” “The Golden Compass”
Writers
Jessica Bendinger – “Aquamarine,” “Bring It On”
Reggie Rock Bythewood – “Notorious,” “Get on the Bus”
Tina Gordon Chism – “Peeples,” “Drumline”
Julie Delpy – “Before Midnight,” “2 Days in Paris”
Lena Dunham – “Nobody Walks,” “Tiny Furniture”
Ava DuVernay* – “Middle of Nowhere,” “I Will Follow”
John Gatins – “Flight,” “Coach Carter”
John Hamburg – “I Love You, Man,” “Meet the Parents”
John Lee Hancock – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Blind Side”
Rian Johnson – “Looper,” “Brick”
Jeff Nichols – “Mud,” “Take Shelter”
Sarah Polley – “Take This Waltz,” “Away from Her”
Chris Terrio – “Argo,” “Heights”
AssociatesLorrie Bartlett
Paul Bronfman
Markham L. Goldstein
Robert Harvey
Gregory S. Laemmle
Sandra Marsh
Adam Schweitzer
Kimberly Snyder
Matthew L. Snyder
Les Zellan
Actors
Jason Bateman – “Up in the Air,” “Juno”
Miriam Colon – “City of Hope,” “Scarface”
Rosario Dawson – “Rent,” “Frank Miller’s Sin City”
Kimberly Elise – “For Colored Girls,” “Beloved”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “Lincoln,” “The Dark Knight Rises”
Charles Grodin – “Midnight Run,” “The Heartbreak Kid”
Rebecca Hall – “Iron Man 3,” “The Town”
Lance Henriksen – “Aliens,” “The Terminator”
Jack Huston – “Not Fade Away,” “Factory Girl”
Milla Jovovich – “Resident Evil,” “Chaplin”
Lucy Liu – “Kill Bill: Vol. 1,” “Chicago”
Jennifer Lopez – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Selena”
Alma Martinez – “Born in East L.A.,” “Under Fire”
Emily Mortimer – “Hugo,” “Lars and the Real Girl”
Sandra Oh – “Rabbit Hole,” “Sideways”
Paula Patton – “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Michael Peña – “End of Watch,” “Crash”
Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour,” “Hiroshima, Mon Amour”
Jason Schwartzman – “Moonrise Kingdom,” “Rushmore”
Geno Silva – “Mulholland Drive,” “Amistad”
Danny Trejo – “Machete,” “Heat”
Chris Tucker – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Rush Hour”
Cinematographers
Luca Bigazzi – “This Must Be the Place,” “Certified Copy”
Benoît Delhomme – “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” “The Proposition”
Simon Duggan – “The Great Gatsby,” “Killer Elite”
Greig Fraser – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Snow White and the Huntsman”
Jonathan Freeman – “Remember Me,” “Fifty Dead Men Walking”
Greg Gardiner – “Race to Witch Mountain,” “Elf”
Eric Gautier – “Into the Wild,” “The Motorcycle Diaries”
Agnès Godard – “Sister,” “Beau Travail”
Eduard Grau – “Buried,” “A Single Man”
Jess Hall – “The Spectacular Now,” “Brideshead Revisited”
Fred Kelemen – “The Turin Horse,” “The Man from London”
Mark Lee Ping Bing – “Norwegian Wood,” “In the Mood for Love”
Reed Morano – “Little Birds,” “Frozen River”
Oleg Mutu – “Beyond the Hills,” “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”
Alex Nepomniaschy – “Narc,” “Safe”
Christian Sebaldt – “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” “Race to Space”
Ben Seresin – “World War Z,” “Unstoppable”
Adam Stone – “Mud,” “Take Shelter”
Checco Varese – “Girl in Progress,” “The Aura”
Ken Zunder – “Bending the Rules,” “That’s What I Am”
Costume Designers
Paco Delgado – “Les Misérables,” “Biutiful”
Sophie de Rakoff – “This Means War,” “Legally Blonde”
Carlo Poggioli – “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” “Cold Mountain”
Designers
Lori Balton – “Argo,” “The Dark Knight Rises”
Judy Becker – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Fighter”
Simon Bright – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Avatar”
Martin T. Charles – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “The Artist”
David M. Crank – “The Master,” “Lincoln”
Stefan Paul Dechant – “Oz The Great and Powerful,” “True Grit”
Tracey A. Doyle – “The Muppets,” “21″
Anna Lynch-Robinson – “Les Misérables,” “An Education”
Maria Nay – “Identity Thief,” “Ray”
David Smith – “Crazy, Stupid, Love.,” “The Holiday”
Directors
Nikolaj Arcel – “A Royal Affair,” “Truth about Men”
Ava DuVernay* – “Middle of Nowhere,” “I Will Follow”
Paul Feig – “The Heat,” “Bridesmaids”
Catherine Hardwicke – “Twilight,” “Thirteen”
Kirk Jones – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Waking Ned Devine”
Ken Kwapis – “Big Miracle,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”
Pablo LarraÃn – “No,” “Tony Manero”
Steve McQueen – “Shame,” “Hunger”
Kim Nguyen – “War Witch (Rebelle),” “City of Shadows”
Jafar Panahi* – “This Is Not a Film,” “The Circle”
Todd Phillips – “The Hangover,” “Old School”
Joachim Rønning – “Kon-Tiki,” “Max Manus”
Espen Sandberg – “Kon-Tiki,” “Max Manus”
Tim Story – “Think Like a Man,” “Fantastic Four”
Benh Zeitlin – “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Glory at Sea”
Documentary
Orlando Bagwell – “Citizen King,” “Malcolm X: Make It Plain”
Rebecca Cammisa – “God Is the Bigger Elvis,” “Which Way Home”
Yung Chang – “China Heavyweight,” “Up the Yangtze”
Michael Chin – “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple,” “In the Shadow of the Stars”
Christine Choy – “In the Name of the Emperor,” “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”
Bonni Cohen – “The Island President,” “Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic”
Eduardo Coutinho – “As Canções,” “Cabra Marcado Para Morrer (Twenty Years Later)”
Miriam Cutler – “Kings Point,” “Ethel”
Andrea Nix Fine – “Inocente,” “War/Dance”
Sean Fine – “Inocente,” “War/Dance”
Robert Frank – “Cocksucker Blues,” “Pull My Daisy”
William Greaves – “Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey,” “Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One”
Lauren Greenfield – “The Queen of Versailles,” “Thin”
Patricio Guzmán – “Nostalgia for the Light,” “The Battle of Chile”
Vivien Hillgrove – “Symphony of the Soil,” “In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee”
Heddy Honigmann – “El Olvido (Oblivion),” “Crazy”
Vikram Jayanti – “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector,” “Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine”
Peter Kinoy – “Poverty Outlaw,” “When the Mountains Tremble”
Claude Lanzmann – “Le Rapport Karski (The Karski Report),” “Shoah”
Kim Longinotto – “Rough Aunties,” “Sisters in Law”
Stanley Nelson – “Freedom Riders,” “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple”
Jehane Noujaim – “Control Room,” “Startup.com”
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy – “Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret,” “Saving Face”
Marcel Ophuls – “Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie,” “The Sorrow and the Pity”
José Padilha – “Secrets of the Tribe,” “Bus 174 (Ônibus 174)”
Jafar Panahi* – “This Is Not a Film,” “The Circle”
Elise Pearlstein – “Last Call at the Oasis,” “Food, Inc.”
Raoul Peck – “Fatal Assistance (Assistance Mortelle),” “Lumumba: La Mort du Prophète”
Kevin Rafferty – “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,” “The Atomic Cafe”
J. Ralph* – “Chasing Ice,” “Man on Wire”
Bob Richman – “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory,” “Waiting for ‘Superman’”
T. Woody Richman – “How to Survive a Plague,” “Fahrenheit 9/11″
Veronica Selver – “Berkeley in the Sixties,” “You Got to Move: Stories of Change in the South”
Jon Shenk – “The Island President,” “Lost Boys of Sudan”
Ricki Stern – “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “The Devil Came on Horseback”
Robert Stone – “Earth Days,” “Radio Bikini”
Annie Sundberg – “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “The Devil Came on Horseback”
Renee Tajima-Pena – “Who Killed Vincent Chin?,” “My America (Or Honk If You Love Buddha)”
Agnès Varda – “The Beaches of Agnès,” “The Gleaners and I”
Roger Ross Williams – “God Loves Uganda,” “Music by Prudence”
Pamela Yates – “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator,” “The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court”
Amy Ziering – “The Invisible War,” “Derrida”
Executives
Holly Bario
Jeb Brody
Eric d’Arbeloff
Dean C. Hallett
Lynn Harris
Jeff Ivers
Jonathan King
Robert Kirby
Dylan Leiner
Nick Meyer
Andrew Millstein
Hannah Minghella
Angela Morrison
Brian Roberts
Mark Roybal
Tucker Tooley
Kevin Tsujihara
Film Editors
Michael Berenbaum – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Sex and the City”
Jeff Freeman – “Ted,” “Cruel Intentions”
James Haygood – “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Fight Club”
Stuart Levy – “Savages,” “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”
Mary Jo Markey – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Super 8″
Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Luisa Abel – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Inception”
Anne Aulenta-Spira – “The Place beyond the Pines,” “Drive”
Terry Baliel – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “J. Edgar”
Thomas Floutz – “The Call,” “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
Kay Georgiou – “Promised Land,” “Lincoln”
Bernadette Mazur – “Men in Black 3,” “The Campaign”
Kim Santantonio – “Gangster Squad,” “Frost/Nixon”
Lisa Tomblin – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1″
Kelvin R. Trahan – “Argo,” “Memoirs of a Geisha”
Lisa Westcott – “Les Misérables,” “Shakespeare in Love”
Members-at-Large
Victoria Alonso
Fred Baron
Ben Bray
Pieter Jan Brugge
Jackie Burch
Leo Davis
Susie Figgis
Lori Furie
Glenn S. Gainor
Joe Gareri
Lance Gilbert
Andy Gill
Mindy Marin
Laray Mayfield
Jeanne McCarthy
Neil Meron
Gary Powell
Ned Price
Michelle Satter
Stefan Sonnenfeld
Cindy Tolan
Brent Woolsey
Music
Ramiro Belgardt – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Lincoln”
Ramin Djawadi – “Safe House,” “Iron Man”
Jennifer Dunnington – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Hugo”
Siedah Garrett – “Rio,” “Dreamgirls”
Joe Hisaishi – “Ponyo,” “Spirited Away”
Henry Jackman – “This Is the End,” “Wreck-It Ralph”
Cliff Martinez – “Drive,” “Traffic”
Prince – “Purple Rain,” “Happy Feet”
J. Ralph* – “Chasing Ice,” “Man on Wire”
Aaron Lael Zigman – “Peeples,” “Sex and the City”
Producers
Stefan Arndt – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
Jason Blum – “The Purge,” “Paranormal Activity”
Finola Dwyer – “Quartet,” “An Education”
Jack Giarraputo – “Anger Management,” “The Wedding Singer”
Veit Heiduschka – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
Lloyd Levin – “Green Zone,” “Watchmen”
Julie Lynn – “Albert Nobbs,” “Nine Lives”
Margaret Menegoz – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
Andrea Sperling – “Smashed,” “Like Crazy”
Public Relations
Rachel Cadden
Theresa Cross
Jeff S. Elefterion
Julie Fontaine
Jackson George
Anne Globe
Michael Lawson
Dennis O’Connor
Blair Rich
John G. Sabel
Short Films and Feature Animation
Marc Bertrand – “Gloria Victoria,” “Hollow Land”
Bryan Buckley – “Asad,” “The Wake-Up Caller”
Shawn Christensen – “Curfew,” “Brink”
Eric Darnell – “Madagascar,” “Shrek”
John C. Donkin – “Ice Age Continental Drift,” “Gone Nutty”
Ken Duncan – “9,” “Shark Tale”
Danielle Feinberg – “Brave,” “WALL-E”
Sam Fell – “ParaNorman,” “The Tale of Despereaux”
Matt Groening – “Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare,’” “The Simpsons Movie”
Vicky Jenson – “Shark Tale,” “Shrek”
Travis Knight – “ParaNorman,” “Coraline”
Steve May – “Brave,” “Up”
Rich Moore – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!”
Robert Neuman – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Tangled”
Brandon Oldenburg – “Rise of the Guardians,” “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore”
PES – “Fresh Guacamole,” “Western Spaghetti”
Steve Pilcher – “Brave,” “Shrek the Third”
Normand Roger – “Hollow Land,” “The Banquet of the Concubine”
Clark Spencer – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Bolt”
Sound
Bobbi Banks – “The Call,” “Hustle & Flow”
Jose Antonio Garcia – “Argo,” “Babel”
Simon Hayes – “Les Misérables,” “X-Men: First Class”
Edward J. Hernandez – “Real Steel,” “Basic Instinct”
Daniel S. Irwin – “Prometheus,” “Little Children”
Drew Kunin – “Life of Pi,” “Lost in Translation”
Michael W. Mitchell – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Matrix Reloaded”
Tom Ozanich – “Project X,” “Kill Bill: Vol. 2″
Mark Paterson – “Les Misérables,” “The Pirates! Band of Misfits”
Richard Pryke – “127 Hours,” “Slumdog Millionaire”
Erin Michael Rettig – “A Good Day to Die Hard,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”
Ann Scibelli – “Prometheus,” “Inglourious Basterds”
Brian T. Slack – “Chéri,” “Crossover”
Bruce Tanis – “Gangster Squad,” “X-Men: First Class”
F. Elmo Weber – “Identity Thief,” “The Kids Are All Right”
Christopher T. Welch – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “(500) Days of Summer”
Dave Whitehead – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “District 9″
Stuart Wilson – “Skyfall,” “War Horse”
Visual Effects
Jason Bayever – “Life of Pi,” “The Wolfman”
Mark Breakspear – “The Great Gatsby,” “Tropic Thunder”
Philip Brennan – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “Minority Report”
Tony Clark – “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
David Clayton – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Avatar”
Michael Dawson – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Devil’s Double”
Erik-Jan De Boer – “Life of Pi,” “Night at the Museum”
Donald R. Elliott – “Life of Pi,” “Seabiscuit”
John Goodson – “Red Tails,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Charley Henley – “Prometheus,” “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
John McLeod – “Django Unchained,” “The Aviator”
Mark Noel – “Oz The Great and Powerful,” “Transformers”
David Prescott – “Transformers,” “X-Men”
Guillaume Rocheron – “Life of Pi,” “Sucker Punch”
Wendy Rogers – “Puss in Boots,” “Shrek”
David Alexander Smith – “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Matrix Reloaded”
Wayne Stables – “The Adventures of Tintin,” “Avatar”
Richard Stammers – “Prometheus,” “Angels & Demons”
Richard Stutsman – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Independence Day”
Christopher Townsend – “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Day after Tomorrow”
Stephan Trojansky – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Hereafter”
David Watkins – “Ali,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”
Jeff White – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
Trevor Wood – “Prometheus,” “The Golden Compass”
Writers
Jessica Bendinger – “Aquamarine,” “Bring It On”
Reggie Rock Bythewood – “Notorious,” “Get on the Bus”
Tina Gordon Chism – “Peeples,” “Drumline”
Julie Delpy – “Before Midnight,” “2 Days in Paris”
Lena Dunham – “Nobody Walks,” “Tiny Furniture”
Ava DuVernay* – “Middle of Nowhere,” “I Will Follow”
John Gatins – “Flight,” “Coach Carter”
John Hamburg – “I Love You, Man,” “Meet the Parents”
John Lee Hancock – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Blind Side”
Rian Johnson – “Looper,” “Brick”
Jeff Nichols – “Mud,” “Take Shelter”
Sarah Polley – “Take This Waltz,” “Away from Her”
Chris Terrio – “Argo,” “Heights”
AssociatesLorrie Bartlett
Paul Bronfman
Markham L. Goldstein
Robert Harvey
Gregory S. Laemmle
Sandra Marsh
Adam Schweitzer
Kimberly Snyder
Matthew L. Snyder
Les Zellan
Thursday, June 27, 2013
IMDB's Top 10 Funniest Actresses of the Past Ten Years
This list was apparently posted a few weeks ago, but Andrew missed it. I love IMDB, as do most of you film enthusiasts do, and I found this list to be particularly interesting. The full list, plus the blurbs about each actress can be found on IMDB starting at this link: http://www.imdb.com/list/VjMlalsff4w/?ref_=hm_ad_t1#1.
The women who were listed were (not sure if their in order or reverse order, or just ten in general):
1. Melissa McCarthy
2. Meryl Streep
3. Emma Stone
4. Rebel Wilson
5. Tina Fey
6. Amy Poehler
7. Kristen Wiig
8. Sandra Bullock
9. Anna Faris
10. Julia Louis-Dreyfuss
A lot of the comments on IMDB's page so far have been terrible regarding this list, but I think it is not half bad. JLD, Fey, Wiig and Poehler have dominated television in the laugh department for years now, Melissa McCarthy rocked in Gilmore Girls, Samantha Who? and Mike & Molly, and is now making a name for herself in film (alongside Sandra Bullock), Emma Stone is a young talent that has big screen charisma, and the pick of Meryl Streep is absolutely brilliant. Most people think of her as a dramatic actress, but she can nail the funny as well as anybody. I think that Anna Faris has her moments, but has so far made some questionable career choices (although I will be watching Mom this fall on CBS, but that is more for Allison Janey), and Rebel Wilson has had two successful films, but I think it may be a little early to declare her one of the best. Overall, not a bad list, but I do wish they would expand to include the many talented women in comedy today, there are simply too many for only a top 10 list.
The women who were listed were (not sure if their in order or reverse order, or just ten in general):
1. Melissa McCarthy
2. Meryl Streep
3. Emma Stone
4. Rebel Wilson
5. Tina Fey
6. Amy Poehler
7. Kristen Wiig
8. Sandra Bullock
9. Anna Faris
10. Julia Louis-Dreyfuss
A lot of the comments on IMDB's page so far have been terrible regarding this list, but I think it is not half bad. JLD, Fey, Wiig and Poehler have dominated television in the laugh department for years now, Melissa McCarthy rocked in Gilmore Girls, Samantha Who? and Mike & Molly, and is now making a name for herself in film (alongside Sandra Bullock), Emma Stone is a young talent that has big screen charisma, and the pick of Meryl Streep is absolutely brilliant. Most people think of her as a dramatic actress, but she can nail the funny as well as anybody. I think that Anna Faris has her moments, but has so far made some questionable career choices (although I will be watching Mom this fall on CBS, but that is more for Allison Janey), and Rebel Wilson has had two successful films, but I think it may be a little early to declare her one of the best. Overall, not a bad list, but I do wish they would expand to include the many talented women in comedy today, there are simply too many for only a top 10 list.
The 39th Annual Saturn Award Winners
For 39 years, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films (also now action films), has rewarded genres that have been ignored by other major Hollywood awards (although this year there are several Oscar nominees/winners among its ranks), and this year they have made some interesting choices as always. Check out the full list of winners below, and for more information of this organization and past winners check out their website: http://www.saturnawards.org/
FILM AWARDS
Best Science Fiction Film: Marvel’s The Avengers
Best Fantasy Film: Life of Pi
Best Horror/Thriller Film: The Cabin in the Woods
Best Action/Adventure Film: Skyfall
Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey (Killer Joe)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games)
Best Supporting Actor: Clark Gregg (Marvel’s The Avengers)
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises)
Best Performance by a Younger Actor: Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi)
Best Director: Joss Whedon (Marvel’s The Avengers)
Best Writing: Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Best Production Design: Dan Hennah (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)
Best Editing: Alexander Berner (Cloud Atlas)
Best Music: Danny Elfman (Frankenweenie)
Best Costume: Paco Delgado (Les Miserables)
Best Make-Up: Heike Merker, Daniel Parker, Jeremy Woodhead (Cloud Atlas)
Best Special Effects: Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick (Marvel’s The Avengers)
Best Independent Film Release: Killer Joe
Best International Film: Headhunters
Best Animated Film: Frankenweenie
TELEVISION AWARDS
Best Network Television Series: Revolution
Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series: The Walking Dead
Best Presentation on Television: Breaking Bad
Best Youth-Oriented Series on Television: Teen Wolf
Best Actor on Television: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Kevin Bacon (The Following) – tie
Best Actress on Television: Anna Torv (Fringe)
Best Supporting Actor on Television: Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad)
Best Supporting Actress on Television: Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead)
Best Guest Star on Television: Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter)
HOME ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS
Best DVD/BD Release: Touchback
Best DVD/BD Special Edition Release: Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut
Best DVD/BD Collection Release: Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection
Best DVD/BD Television Series Release: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 1 & 2
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS FROM
THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE FICTION,FANTASY & HORROR FILMS
The Lifetime Achievement Award: William Friedkin
The Dan Curtis Legacy Award: Vince Gilligan
The Visionary Award: Richard Matheson
FILM AWARDS
Best Science Fiction Film: Marvel’s The Avengers
Best Fantasy Film: Life of Pi
Best Horror/Thriller Film: The Cabin in the Woods
Best Action/Adventure Film: Skyfall
Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey (Killer Joe)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games)
Best Supporting Actor: Clark Gregg (Marvel’s The Avengers)
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises)
Best Performance by a Younger Actor: Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi)
Best Director: Joss Whedon (Marvel’s The Avengers)
Best Writing: Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Best Production Design: Dan Hennah (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)
Best Editing: Alexander Berner (Cloud Atlas)
Best Music: Danny Elfman (Frankenweenie)
Best Costume: Paco Delgado (Les Miserables)
Best Make-Up: Heike Merker, Daniel Parker, Jeremy Woodhead (Cloud Atlas)
Best Special Effects: Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick (Marvel’s The Avengers)
Best Independent Film Release: Killer Joe
Best International Film: Headhunters
Best Animated Film: Frankenweenie
TELEVISION AWARDS
Best Network Television Series: Revolution
Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series: The Walking Dead
Best Presentation on Television: Breaking Bad
Best Youth-Oriented Series on Television: Teen Wolf
Best Actor on Television: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Kevin Bacon (The Following) – tie
Best Actress on Television: Anna Torv (Fringe)
Best Supporting Actor on Television: Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad)
Best Supporting Actress on Television: Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead)
Best Guest Star on Television: Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter)
HOME ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS
Best DVD/BD Release: Touchback
Best DVD/BD Special Edition Release: Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut
Best DVD/BD Collection Release: Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection
Best DVD/BD Television Series Release: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 1 & 2
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS FROM
THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE FICTION,FANTASY & HORROR FILMS
The Lifetime Achievement Award: William Friedkin
The Dan Curtis Legacy Award: Vince Gilligan
The Visionary Award: Richard Matheson
Monday, June 24, 2013
The Spectacular Now Trailer
I have been looking forward to this one since its premeire at Sundance. It has a Perks of Being a Wallflower vibe, and its two leads are both young talents that I think are ones to watch. Reviews so far have been good, and the trailer is definitely enticing. Check it out below:
Saturday, June 22, 2013
The 3rd Annual Awards Psychic Television Awards: Nominees
The long lists have been perused, and the final nominees have been set in stone. There are 5-8 nominees in the acting categories, and other categories. Comedy and Drama Series have ten each. The winners will be announced next weekend, before I begin the nomination predictions for this years Emmy Awards on Monday, July 1st!
Lena Dunham “Girls”
Eden
Nathan Lane
Nathan Lane
South Park
Best Drama Series
The Americans
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Homeland
The Newsroom
Parenthood
Scandal
Southland
Best Comedy Series
Arrested Development
The Big Bang Theory
Bunheads
Glee
Louie
Modern Family
New Girl
Parks & Recreation
30 Rock
Veep
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston “Breaking Bad”
Jeff Daniels “The Newsroom”
Jon Hamm “Mad Men”
Peter Krause “Parenthood”
Damian Lewis “Homeland”
Timothy Olyphant “Justified”
Matthew Rhys “The Americans”
Kevin Spacey “House of Cards”
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Connie Britton “Nashville
Claire Danes “Homeland”
Michelle Dockery “Downton Abbey”
Vera Farmiga “Bate’s Motel”
Lauren Graham “Parenthood”
Julianna Margulies “The Good Wife”
Keri Russell “The Americans”
Kerry Washington “Scandal”
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin “30 Rock”
Jason Bateman “Arrested Development”
Louis C.K. “Louie”
Johnny Galecki “The Big Bang Theory”
Jake Johnson “New Girl”
Jim Parsons “The Big Bang Theory”
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Courtney Cox “Cougar Town
Zooey Deschanel “New Girl”
Tina Fey “30 Rock”
Sutton Foster “Bunheads”
Mindy Kaling “The Mindy Project”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus “Veep”
Amy Poehler “Parks & Recreation”
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau “Game of Thrones”
Michael Cudlitz “Southland”
Alan Cumming “The Good Wife”
Peter Dinklage “Game of Thrones”
Noah Emmerich “The Americans”
Larry Hagman “Dallas
Rob James-Collier “Downton Abbey”
Aaron Paul “Breaking Bad”
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Christine Baranski “The Good Wife”
Emilia Clarke “Game of Thrones”
Anna Gunn “Breaking Bad”
Regina King “Southland”
Elizabeth McGovern “Downton Abbey”
Hayden Panettiere “Nashville
Archie Panjabi “The Good Wife”
Monica Potter “Parenthood”
Maggie Smith “Downton Abbey”
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Will Arnett “Arrested Development”
Ty Burrell “Modern Family”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson “Modern Family”
Max Greenfield “New Girl”
Tony Hale “Veep/Arrested Development”
Simon Helberg “The Big Bang Theory”
Chord Overstreet “Glee”
Eric Stonestreet “Modern Family”
Damon Wayans Jr. “Happy Endings”
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kelly Bishop “Bunheads”
Julie Bowen “Modern Family”
Kaley Cuoco “The Big Bang Theory”
Jane Krakowski “30 Rock”
Busy Phillips “Cougar Town
Naya Rivera “Glee”
Sofia Vergara “Modern Family”
Jessica Walter “Arrested Development”
Best Television Movie/Miniseries
American Horror Story: Asylum
Behind the Candelabra
The Hour
Parade’s End
Political Animals
Top of the Lake
Best Actor in a Television Movie/Miniseries
Benedict Cumberbatch “Parade’s End”
Matt Damon “Behind the Candelabra”
Michael Douglas “Behind the Candelabra”
Toby Jones “The Girl”
Toby Jones “The Girl”
Dominic West “The Hour”
Ben Whishaw “The Hour”
Best Actress in a Television Movie/Miniseries
Angela Bassett “Betty and Coretta”
Jessica Lange “American Horror Story: Asylum”
Rebecca Hall “Parade’s End”
Laura Linney “The Big C: Hereafter”
Elisabeth Moss “Top of the Lake ”
Sigourney Weaver “Political Animals”
Best Supporting Actor in a Television Movie/Miniseries
James Cromwell “American Horror Story: Asylum”
Ciaran Hinds “Political Animals”
Peter Mullan “Top of the Lake ”
Evan Peters “American Horror Story: Asylum”
Zachary Quinto “American Horror Story: Asylum”
Sebastian Stan “Political Animals”
James Wolk “Political Animals”
Best Supporting Actress in a Television Movie/Miniseries
Ellen Burstyn “Political Animals”
Carla Gugino “Political Animals”
Holly Hunter “Top of the Lake ”
Janet McTeer “Parade’s End”
Sarah Paulson “American Horror Story: Asylum”
Lily Rabe “American Horror Story: Asylum”
Alfre Woodard “Steel Magnolias”
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Dylan Baker “The Good Wife”
Michael J. Fox “The Good Wife”
Walton Goggins “Sons of Anarchy”
Ciaran Hinds “Game of Thrones”
Matthew Perry “The Good Wife”
Ray Romano “Parenthood”
Jimmy Smits “Sons of Anarchy”
Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Stockard Channing “The Good Wife”
Jane Fonda “The Newsroom”
Laura Fraser “Breaking Bad”
Shirley MacLaine “Downton Abbey”
Margo Martindale “The Americans”
Carrie Preston “The Good Wife”
Diana Rigg “Game of Thrones”
Maura Tierney “The Good Wife”
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Matthew Broderick “Modern Family”
Louis C.K. “SNL”
David Lynch “Louie”
Bob Newhart “The Big Bang Theory”
Rob Reiner “New Girl”
Justin Timberlake “SNL”
Patrick Wilson “Girls”
Patrick Wilson “Girls”
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Jamie Lee Curtis “New Girl”
Dot Marie Jones “Glee”
Melissa Leo “Louie”
Melissa McCarthy “SNL”
Liza Minnelli “Arrested Development”
Catherine O’Hara “30 Rock”
Parker Posey “Louie”
Elaine Stritch “30 Rock”
Best Animated Program
American Dad
Archer
Family Guy
The Simpsons
Friday, June 21, 2013
Disney's Frozen - Teaser Trailer
Could Frozen be this year's favorite animated film? Could it beat out Monster's University in a Disney vs. Pixar rematch after last year's loss to Brave? We'll of course have to wait and see, but this year's animated crop looks to be a bit weaker than last years, and while Monster's University is getting decent reviews, they are no where near Pixar's usual. This little clip that Disney has put out as a teaser trailer looks more like Ice Age than another Disney classic, but there is always hope:
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
RIP James Gandolfini
I cannot even believe that I am typing these words, the shock is real. According to various reports, while in Italy, the three-time Emmy award winner, James Gandolfini has died of a heart attack at the age of 51. This is incredibly sad news. Most people know him for Tony Soprano, one of the greatest television characters ever created, and rightfully so. But he had also made a name for himself in a film career that was slowly but surely rising. It is just so hard to believe that this mega-talent is no longer with us. We will always remember his incredible roles and his wonderful characters, and will forever watch The Sopranos, of course now with a heavy heart, and we will never forget this artist. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Rest in Peace old friend.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Top 100 Television Shows Since 2000: Part II
90. The Young and the Restless (1973-2013) - Of all the soap operas on television, this is the one to me that I actually really like. I like some of the performers in other shows, I appreciated the success and pioneering aspects of Guiding Light (as we saw in Part I), and I think that despite the cancellation of shows, there is still a life and a place for Daytime soap operas (as evidenced by the online returns of One Life to Live and All My Children). But on a daily basis, the show that I watch from daytime television is, and will always be, The Young and the Restless. It is by far the most popular of all the daytime dramas, is consistently the best (in my humble opinion), and remains a beacon of what makes daytime television such an addicting and essential enterprise. Celebrating its 40th Year, Y&R is also a family on set. Their chemistry on screen is a result of long and deep personal relationships which is why its fans are so loyal. Recently, Y&R lost a member of its family in the great Jeanne Cooper, one of the original queens of daytime television, and one of the original characters on this long-running show. When she died, my family went into mourning as much as her own family and her Y&R family did, it was truly a great lost. And I think that in of itself is only future proof of the impact that this show has had on its fans, and why it is truly one of the best .
89. Grey Gardens (2009) - The story of Edith and Little Edie Beale, the aunt and cousins of First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was told in the 1975 documentary called Grey Gardens. Their eccentricities were widely exposed, and they were the original messed up family, before The Osbournes and The Kardashians exposed their lives to television cameras. Years later, HBO, along with director/writer Michael Sucsy, attempted to fictionalize their story in a television movie, and the final result was a rousing success, winning two Golden Globes, and a stunning six Emmy Awards. Not only did Sucsy and his team recreate an already rousing story and adapted it well to the small screen, but they made the brilliant casting choices of Jessica Lange (who won the Emmy), and Drew Barrymore (who won the Golden Globe), as well as successful supporting charactes including Ken Howard (who also won the Emmy) and Jeanne Triplehorn. The chemistry and spark that Barrymore and Lange brought to their respective roles, their complete and utter compelling inhabitation of these two popular and eccentric characters, was estonishing to say the least. The end result was an entertaining, fascinating, and successful television movie that remains one of the best of the last decade. 
88. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-2013) - Of all the quirky and outrageous comedies on television, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has got to be at the top of the list. It is kind of hard to believe that this show is now going into its ninth season as of this fall. All of the comedies that have come and gone since it began, and it remains a comedy staple on television with so signs of stopping, as FX has already renewed it for a tenth season to start in 2014. I'm sure a lot of people would try to compare this to other buddy comedies or even bar comedies like Cheers. But It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is one of those shows that is truly one of a kind. No matter its more generic setup, the storylines, the characters, and more importantly, the attitude of this show is just completely different and unique compared to most of the stuff currently on television. It is pure balls-out, politically incorrect, offensively funny humor. It never shies away from difficult subjects, and in fact tackles them head on. Yes, it can be rude, crude, and offensive, but those who think that need to gain a thicker skin and check out It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I don't think you'll regret it for one second. 
87. 60 Minutes (1968-2013) - This one may make people yawn just by looking at it, but whether you watch 60 Minutes on a regular basis or not, no one can deny the cultural impact that it still has on popular culture, and on our political, social, and economic world. For now 45 years, 60 Minutes, and its band of popular and well-spoken reporters and news journalists have tackled difficult subjects, shined light on problematic worlds, and introduced us to artists, politicians, and other leading figures who shape our world. Within the last decade alone, stories on 60 Minutes have had huge impact on our world, our politics, and our culture. For example, if Sarah Palin had not done so horribly in her 60 Minutes interview with Katie Couric, would the electorate have realized how incompetent and stupid she was? Would it have changed the face of the 2008 election, and the face our country as we know it? Maybe will never know, but the fact is that that interview alone painted a much clearer picture of who we were potentially voting for. For 45 years, 60 Minutes has provided excellent ratings, compelling stories, and created television news personalities that are as much a part of the culture as the stories they tell. It is compelling and informative television, and remains one of the best shows on television. 
86. Veronica Mars (2004-2007) - Using a successful kickstarter campaign (unlike someone else, see below), Veronica Mars, the cult favorite which was unceremoniously cancelled, is coming back to audiences with a feature film. The film is sure to be a favorite among those who for three seasons, followed this feisty detective as she navigated the crimes of her rich town, as well as the social fallout from a murder and demotion for her sheriff dad. The film might also be a catalyst for people to go back and check out these brief but exciting seasons that started it all. What was liked most about Veronica Mars was that it never truly succumbed to the trappings of some of TV's standard detective shows, and it avoided some of the cliches that are present in most teen dramas. Instead it deftly combined a Gilmore Girls-esque wit and charm with smart and suspenseful cases that kept its cult following eagerly awaiting the next episode. Its writers kept it clever and fun, and its actors, led by the funny and quirky Kristen Bell, created fascinating and fun characters that only added to the entertaining storylines. I have always felt that there should be some place in pop culture for a continuing story of Veronica Mars, it was a niche treat that deserved more than it got. Well sometimes wishes do come true. Bring on the movie!
85. Prison Break (2005-2009) - Even on paper, Prison Break sounded like an interesting concept. Instead of simply rehashing say The Shawshank Redemption, Prison Break seemed to want to take a more brutal, and more thrilling tact. Fortunately for viewers, the show did just that. An innocent man hatches a plan to get both him and his brother out of jail, and while it only lasted four seasons, they were four thrilling and thoroughly entertaining ones. I will admit that as the later seasons went on, Prison Break did lose some of its momentum, but their attempts to keep it fresh were dually noted, the mysteries were always compelling, and the actors played their roles with equal passion and ferocity, in a way that made them connect with the audience. You know, a lot of people were disappointed when the show was cancelled, but I think that the show had a format that would have made it very difficult to sustain over a long run. So maybe, it was simply perfect timing to end a show while it was still on top, and while it was still mystifying audiences. Most importantly, Prison Break has found a legion of fans since it left television, and even to this day remains a captivating, addicting, and talked about series that still makes an impact. Now that is a sign of good television. 84. Deadwood (2004-2006) - The Wild West has always been a muse for directors, writers, and
actors of both television and film. But in the new century, Emmy award winning television legend David Milch, who either contributed to or brought us the likes of Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue, broke away from his crime procedural past and tackled the western genre with a flair of authenticity and a ferocity rarely displayed in the genre. Instead of a white-washed view of the American west, Milch and his incredible crew and cast, led by the fantastic Ian McShane, portray a rough, gritty, and corrupt world of Deadwood, South Dakota, in one of the most compelling dramas to hit the air since the new millinieum. As Al, McShane created one of the most deliciously evil and hard hitting villains, rivaling many of the great motion picture ones that have come our way. But he did not act alone, as the writers, and the rest of the cast truly stepped up to the task of challening, exciting, and scaring the crap out of viewers on a week to week basis. While it only lasted a mere 36 episodes (a crime if you ask me), the crew made each and every one of those count with compelling stories, passionate and dark characters, and a compelling western drama that not only delivered the well-worn genre to a new generation, but added its own spin and authenticity to make it one of the best westerns to ever grace the small screen. 
83. Scrubs (2001-2010) - Unlike the Veronica Mars kickstarter, Zach Braff's kickstarter for his new movie brought a lot of backlash, because many thought he would have plenty of money from the success of his hit series Scrubs. In many ways, Braff should take this backlash partially as a compliment because it means that people were so fond of, and thought highly of, the series that made him a recognizable celebrity. For nine seasons, the doctors and staff of Scrubs made us laugh till we cried. The quirky characters, which offered strange, yet wonderful mix of storylines, contributed to the witty dialogue, the outrageous stunts, and the natural humor that made Scrubs such a wonderfully funny show to watch. But what I also liked about Scrubs, was that, for all of its humor and laugh-out-loud moments, it also had a dramatic side. Working in a hospital is dramatic in itself, and these talented actors and writers were able to work in the tear-jerking moments with ease, deftly combining these elements. Zach Braff may have to wait to work on his next movie, so he can get his financing together, but no matter what happens, he still has the memories of Scrubs, a really great comedy series. 82. Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (2005-2010) - I understand that for some people, Kathy
Griffin is an acquired taste. She has made a career off of making fun of celebrities, as well as herself and her family, and that is just not everyone's cup of tea. But between her hilarious stand up specials, and her Emmy-award winning reality show, it has been quite a decade for the comedian, and she is simply everywhere. On her hit show, we see her staff and her hilariously drunk mother help her navigate the world of celebrities, fame, and dodging her many enemies. And week after week, her hilarious shenanigans, her awkward run-ins, and her struggle to make it off the D-List in Hollywood were much watch television, that was always vastly entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny, and despite all the of the staged setups, still managed to have a sense of natural humor. In particular, her interactions with her mother were classic. Whether Kathy Griffin wants to admit it (hell we know she's bragging about it) she is a five-time Grammy nominee, a successful stand-up comedian, and an Emmy-award winner, and while she still struggles to make it to the top and still works her hardest to crush the rich and famous with her wit, it may be time for her to move off the D-List. 
81. How I Met Your Mother (2005-2013) - When Friends ended, I pretty much went into a month's long depression. How was I going to live without Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross? Well, while no one can ever replace those beloved characters, the likes of Barney, Ted, Marshall, Lily, and Robin helped pull me out of my funk, and gave me something new to watch that fulfilled the Friend's-size hole that was left in my heart. Now nine seasons later, How I Met Your Mother is about to enter its final season, and something tells me that I will once again hit another funk when the ride is finally over. Over the last decade, How I Met Your Mother has developed into one of the funniest and warmest comedies on television. The cast is pitch-perfect, and has such a chemistry that has only developed more and deepened as the series went on. As of the last episode of this past season, we have finally met the mother, finally fulfilling the title of this show. But I think that I speak for everyone when I say that we will miss Ted's journey with this best friends on his road to love and happiness. How I Met Your Mother never quite reached the height of Friends, but it was still pretty damn good to me.
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