Best Actress must be next. They're doing the five past winners thing again. The nominees: Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, Melissa Leo, Meryl Streep, and Angelina Jolie. I only saw The Reader and Changeling, and I liked Jolie in Changeling better. It will almost certainly go to Winslet or Streep, but Jolie is my pick anyway. The winner: Kate Winslet. Oh, hey, she thanked Peter Jackson too. He directed one of her first films (if not *the* first film for her).
Wow, her speech went on for a while, and they didn't interrupt her with music. They haven't done that all night. They must just be letting this one go long tonight if it has to.
Best Actor is next. The presenters: Michael Douglas presenting Frank Langella. Robert DeNiro presenting Sean Penn. Adrian Brody presenting Richard Jenkins. Anthony Hopkins presenting Brad Pitt (they were together in the great movie Meet Joe Black), and Ben Kingsley presenting Mickey Rourke. My pick is Frank Langella, though Mickey Rourke is almost certain to win. Winner: Sean Penn. Wow, his wife Robin Wright Penn looks great! Dude, thank your wife. Thank your wife. There's the political commentary. Two more things? More political commentary. Mentions Mickey Rourke. Did he thank his wife??? If he did, I sure did miss it.
Best Picture, presented by Steven Spielberg. First, a Best Picture nominee montage, with a focus on this year's nominees but with clips from past winners sprinkled in. The nominees: Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader, and Slumdog Millionaire. My pick: Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Good. It truly was the most deserving out of those nominated.
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Comments on the show:
The new way of presenting acting nominees with five past winners per category saying nice things about the current year's nominees was a good idea in a way, but it carried on a little long and dragged down the momentum of the show.
I don't understand why there were only three Best Song nominees instead of five, but I do like the fact that they combined shorter versions of them all together into one performance rather than doing full versions of each, sprinkled throughout the show.
I also like how they clumped similar categories together back to back using the same presenters to save time, though I think having Will Smith present four or five awards all on his own was a little excessive.
I wasn't so sure about Hugh Jackman hosting since I've never watched him host the Tony Awards, but it really didn't matter much because once the show got started, there really wasn't too much for him to do.
And, not once did they start music in the middle of a person's speech. That was respectful. Now, if winners will just learn to police themselves on how long they go on crying and catching their breath, the show might be over by 11:30.
Overall, I liked the show. You could tell they were trying new things, and many of them worked or were at least improvements. With a little tweaking (and, I'm sorry, some overall better nominees), next year's show could be excellent.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Live Blogging: 81st Annual Academy Awards [Half-Hour 7]
Liam Neeson and Freida Pinto are up to present Best Foreign Language Film. Woops. I don't think the nominees were in the same order on the screen as they were in which they read them aloud. Whatever won, it's a Japanese film.
Queen Latifah is on stage. Oh, here we go... In Memoriam (with Queen Latifah singing "I'll Be Seeing You"): Bernie Mac. Michael Crichton. Pat Hingle. Roy Scheider. Isaac Hayes. Ricardo Mantalban. Stan Winston. James Whitmore. Charlton Heston. Sydney Pollack. Paul Newman.
I wish they had filled the screen with the memoriam images. Instead we got a view of the stage which had monitors showing various pictures of those that passed away and their work. The end result is that the images of them were very small on the TV screen. A few times, a person's name got cut off at the bottom of the screen or was just too small to read well. I know they're trying some new things this year, but I'd rather they just let the memoriam fill the screen as they have in the past.
Reese Witherspoon is up to present the Best Director award. Her dress is a little weird. Anyway, my pick is Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (although Chris Nolan for The Dark Knight would have been just as deserving had he been nominated). Winner: Danny Boyle -- who, in my defense, really does look like Rudy Giuliani, so it was an honest mistake.
Queen Latifah is on stage. Oh, here we go... In Memoriam (with Queen Latifah singing "I'll Be Seeing You"): Bernie Mac. Michael Crichton. Pat Hingle. Roy Scheider. Isaac Hayes. Ricardo Mantalban. Stan Winston. James Whitmore. Charlton Heston. Sydney Pollack. Paul Newman.
I wish they had filled the screen with the memoriam images. Instead we got a view of the stage which had monitors showing various pictures of those that passed away and their work. The end result is that the images of them were very small on the TV screen. A few times, a person's name got cut off at the bottom of the screen or was just too small to read well. I know they're trying some new things this year, but I'd rather they just let the memoriam fill the screen as they have in the past.
Reese Witherspoon is up to present the Best Director award. Her dress is a little weird. Anyway, my pick is Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (although Chris Nolan for The Dark Knight would have been just as deserving had he been nominated). Winner: Danny Boyle -- who, in my defense, really does look like Rudy Giuliani, so it was an honest mistake.
Live Blogging: 81st Annual Academy Awards [Half-Hour 6]
Okay, if they still have to do Score, Song, Best Foreign Film, Best Picture, a tribute to Jerry Lewis (?), and the In Memoriam parts, they must not be trying to finish by 11:00. They haven't done the boring lawyer part yet either.
Eddie Murphy is out to present the Jean Hersholt Award (whatever that is). The recipient is Jerry Lewis. These parts are usually long & boring. Time for raspberry jelly toast.
And, now a music montage of the Best Score nominees. Zac Efron & Alicia Keys are out to present the award. My pick: Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.
Now, the best Original Song. One nominee from WALL-E and two from Slumdog Millionaire. Being performed on stage. Why are there not five nominees? My pick: WALL-E. I have to admit a little bit of language bias for my pick. Although, wow, the Indian songs are pretty catchy & lively. And, they did a little bit of a blend of songs at the end. Nice. The winner: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire. And, now that I see the songs performed, which jogs my memory how they sounded in the movie, I think I'm okay with the Slumdog win. That was a great song, even if the lyrics were in a different language.
Eddie Murphy is out to present the Jean Hersholt Award (whatever that is). The recipient is Jerry Lewis. These parts are usually long & boring. Time for raspberry jelly toast.
And, now a music montage of the Best Score nominees. Zac Efron & Alicia Keys are out to present the award. My pick: Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.
Now, the best Original Song. One nominee from WALL-E and two from Slumdog Millionaire. Being performed on stage. Why are there not five nominees? My pick: WALL-E. I have to admit a little bit of language bias for my pick. Although, wow, the Indian songs are pretty catchy & lively. And, they did a little bit of a blend of songs at the end. Nice. The winner: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire. And, now that I see the songs performed, which jogs my memory how they sounded in the movie, I think I'm okay with the Slumdog win. That was a great song, even if the lyrics were in a different language.
Live Blogging: 81st Annual Academy Awards [Half-Hour 5]
Looks like Best Supporting Actor is up next. They're bringing out five past winners again. This could take a while. Cuba Gooding, Jr. did a great job introducing Robert Downey, Jr.'s nomination. Kevin Klein is doing the introduction for Heath Ledger. And, the winner is: Heath Ledger. No surprise. His parents & sister are accepting the award on his behalf. Very nice.
The next award must be for Best Feature Documentary. Interesting how they're introducing them by showing clips of some of the filmmakers talking about their films. Bill Maher (urgh) is there to take a pot-shot at religion and maybe just present a freakin' award in the process. The winner: Man on Wire. Now, the Best Documentary Short Film. Winner: Smile Pinki.
And, now the 2008 action movie montage. Kind of weird that they take the effort to recognize action movies, but they never consider nominating one.
Will Smith is up to present the award for Best Visual Effects. There should be more than two nominees for this. My pick is Iron Man. The Dark Knight would be okay. *But,* *of course,* it goes to Benjamin Button.
Will Smith stays for Best Sound Editing. The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Slumdog Millionaire, WALL-E, and Wanted. Great nominees. My pick: WALL-E. Winner: The Dark Knight. Wow! I wasn't expecting that. It probably would have been my 2nd choice, though Iron Man would have been an extremely close 3rd.
Will Smith still up for Best Sound Mixing. Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, WALL-E, and Wanted. My pick: WALL-E. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Wow! Another surprise.
Oh, that's not Rudy Giuliani in the audience. That must be Danny Boyle, director of Slumdog Millionaire. Woops.
Will Smith *still* up for Best Film Editing. I do like how they're grouping the awards together this year. The nominees: Frost/Nixon, The Dark Knight, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, and Benjamin Button. My pick: Slumdog Millionaire. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire.
The next award must be for Best Feature Documentary. Interesting how they're introducing them by showing clips of some of the filmmakers talking about their films. Bill Maher (urgh) is there to take a pot-shot at religion and maybe just present a freakin' award in the process. The winner: Man on Wire. Now, the Best Documentary Short Film. Winner: Smile Pinki.
And, now the 2008 action movie montage. Kind of weird that they take the effort to recognize action movies, but they never consider nominating one.
Will Smith is up to present the award for Best Visual Effects. There should be more than two nominees for this. My pick is Iron Man. The Dark Knight would be okay. *But,* *of course,* it goes to Benjamin Button.
Will Smith stays for Best Sound Editing. The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Slumdog Millionaire, WALL-E, and Wanted. Great nominees. My pick: WALL-E. Winner: The Dark Knight. Wow! I wasn't expecting that. It probably would have been my 2nd choice, though Iron Man would have been an extremely close 3rd.
Will Smith still up for Best Sound Mixing. Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, WALL-E, and Wanted. My pick: WALL-E. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Wow! Another surprise.
Oh, that's not Rudy Giuliani in the audience. That must be Danny Boyle, director of Slumdog Millionaire. Woops.
Will Smith *still* up for Best Film Editing. I do like how they're grouping the awards together this year. The nominees: Frost/Nixon, The Dark Knight, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, and Benjamin Button. My pick: Slumdog Millionaire. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire.
Live Blogging: 81st Annual Academy Awards [Half-Hour 4]
Natalie Portman & Ben Stiller are out to present Best Cinematographer. Ben Stiller looks like Joaquin Phoenix did on David Letterman with the wild hair, shaggy beard, and sunglasses. It's the funniest thing Stiller has ever done (which isn't saying much). Natalie Portman looks hotter than Angelina Jolie too, though I'd prefer to see her hair down. My pick is Slumdog Millionaire with The Dark Knight an *extremely* close 2nd choice. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Woohoo.
Now, the guys from Pineapple Express are watching clips from 2008 comedies. So, were there only 1.5 comedies last year. Most of their clips are from dramas.
Those guys are up to present Best Short Film. No clue here. The winner is...something from Germany.
Hugh Jackman is singing & dancing in a tux & top hat. Very un-Wolverine-like. I think that's Beyonce who's joining him now. They're doing a Oscar song montage.
Ooh, a commercial for a Sandra Bullock movie with Ryan Reynolds and Betty White. I am there. It's called The Proposal. I have to wait until June for it. Bummer.
Now, the guys from Pineapple Express are watching clips from 2008 comedies. So, were there only 1.5 comedies last year. Most of their clips are from dramas.
Those guys are up to present Best Short Film. No clue here. The winner is...something from Germany.
Hugh Jackman is singing & dancing in a tux & top hat. Very un-Wolverine-like. I think that's Beyonce who's joining him now. They're doing a Oscar song montage.
Ooh, a commercial for a Sandra Bullock movie with Ryan Reynolds and Betty White. I am there. It's called The Proposal. I have to wait until June for it. Bummer.
Live Blogging: 81st Annual Academy Awards [Half-Hour 3]
Jennifer Anniston and Jack Black are up to present Best Animated Feature: Bolt, Kung-Fu, and WALL-E. My pick: WALL-E (duh). The winner: WALL-E!
Anniston & Black stay up there for Best Animated Short Film. A couple of them look foreign. I think Presto will win, and I base my prediction on absolutely nothing. Hmm. The French one won. Well, the title sounded French, but the award acceptor is Japanese and speaks barely any English. Interesting.
Daniel Craig and Sarah Jessica Parker are up to present Best Art Direction. I totally forgot to make my pick for this earlier. The winner: Benjamin Button. Let me look again at the nominees. Nope, out of the three I saw, I would have picked The Dark Knight or Changeling instead.
Craig & Parker remain to present Best Costume Design. Benjamin Button is the only one I saw. The winner: The Duchess. Don't know; didn't see it.
And, they're still up there for Best Makeup. My pick is Hellboy II. Benjamin Button will probably get it though. And, it does.
Two people I don't know are to present...a 2008 love montage. Oh, that reminds me, I still wanted to see Last Chance Harvey.
Anniston & Black stay up there for Best Animated Short Film. A couple of them look foreign. I think Presto will win, and I base my prediction on absolutely nothing. Hmm. The French one won. Well, the title sounded French, but the award acceptor is Japanese and speaks barely any English. Interesting.
Daniel Craig and Sarah Jessica Parker are up to present Best Art Direction. I totally forgot to make my pick for this earlier. The winner: Benjamin Button. Let me look again at the nominees. Nope, out of the three I saw, I would have picked The Dark Knight or Changeling instead.
Craig & Parker remain to present Best Costume Design. Benjamin Button is the only one I saw. The winner: The Duchess. Don't know; didn't see it.
And, they're still up there for Best Makeup. My pick is Hellboy II. Benjamin Button will probably get it though. And, it does.
Two people I don't know are to present...a 2008 love montage. Oh, that reminds me, I still wanted to see Last Chance Harvey.
Live Blogging: 81st Annual Academy Awards [Half-Hour 2]
And, the Oscars have begun. Less fanfare than usual. No prelude, clip montage, etc. Just Hugh Jackman.
It's going to be hard to get used to hearing Jackman's Australian accent. I'm so used to hearing him as Wolverine. He's singing now. He's bringing back the nominee music montage that only Billy Crystal used to do. He brought Anne Hathaway on stage to help with the Frost/Nixon segment. Oh, she can sing too.
I like how the The Reader portion of the music montage had nothing to do with The Reader. The lyrics implied that Hugh never got around to seeing The Reader. That's okay; he didn't miss much. Now, Hugh's sitting on Frank Langella's lap.
Hugh's pointing out several nominees in the front row. Where is Jack Nicholson? He's not nominated for anything, but doesn't he usually get an honorary front row seat anyway?
Woops. They had a little trouble with the curtains when revealing the screen to show the previous Best Actress montage. You could actually hear someone say, "Open them!"
Five actresses are up to present the Best Supporting Actresses. My pick is Taraji P. Henson out of the two movies I saw, but she may be the least likely of the five to win. Wow, this is a long presentation. They're talking about the roles of the nominees rather than showing clips. If they do this with every award, this will be a long night. The winner: Penelope Cruz. Wow, they're letting her go on forever with her acceptance. This show may last until Tuesday.
Steve Martin and Tina Fey are up to present one of the screenplay categories. Tina Fey looks better than Angelina Jolie too. This is the Original Screenplay category. The only one I've seen here is WALL-E, so it's automatically my pick. I wish J. Michael Straczynski had been nominated for Changeling. And, the winner is: Milk.
Now, the Adapted Screenplay category. Benjamin Button, Doubt, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, and Slumdog Millionaire. My pick is Slumdog, with Frost/Nixon a very close 2nd choice. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Woohoo.
Was that Rudy Giuliani in the crowd?
It's going to be hard to get used to hearing Jackman's Australian accent. I'm so used to hearing him as Wolverine. He's singing now. He's bringing back the nominee music montage that only Billy Crystal used to do. He brought Anne Hathaway on stage to help with the Frost/Nixon segment. Oh, she can sing too.
I like how the The Reader portion of the music montage had nothing to do with The Reader. The lyrics implied that Hugh never got around to seeing The Reader. That's okay; he didn't miss much. Now, Hugh's sitting on Frank Langella's lap.
Hugh's pointing out several nominees in the front row. Where is Jack Nicholson? He's not nominated for anything, but doesn't he usually get an honorary front row seat anyway?
Woops. They had a little trouble with the curtains when revealing the screen to show the previous Best Actress montage. You could actually hear someone say, "Open them!"
Five actresses are up to present the Best Supporting Actresses. My pick is Taraji P. Henson out of the two movies I saw, but she may be the least likely of the five to win. Wow, this is a long presentation. They're talking about the roles of the nominees rather than showing clips. If they do this with every award, this will be a long night. The winner: Penelope Cruz. Wow, they're letting her go on forever with her acceptance. This show may last until Tuesday.
Steve Martin and Tina Fey are up to present one of the screenplay categories. Tina Fey looks better than Angelina Jolie too. This is the Original Screenplay category. The only one I've seen here is WALL-E, so it's automatically my pick. I wish J. Michael Straczynski had been nominated for Changeling. And, the winner is: Milk.
Now, the Adapted Screenplay category. Benjamin Button, Doubt, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, and Slumdog Millionaire. My pick is Slumdog, with Frost/Nixon a very close 2nd choice. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Woohoo.
Was that Rudy Giuliani in the crowd?
Live Blogging: 81st Annual Academy Awards [Half-Hour 1]
Red carpet time...
Kate Winslet looks great. Josh Brolin, yeah who cares, he's with Diane Lane. Diane Lane always looks great. I can't tell if she's got short hair or just wearing it up. I like her better with longer hair (I like just about any woman with longer hair). But, she looks good anyway. Amy Adams look good too.
Taraji P. Henson looks good too. There's Pitt & Jolie -- super briefly. I'm sure everyone will be saying how hot Jolie is. I actually think Diane Lane and Amy Adams are hotter.
There's the cast of Slumdog Millionaire, including the kids that played the younger versions of the main characters. Freida Pinto -- another woman hotter than Angelina Jolie.
Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens -- Who are they? Am I that old already? Am I that out of touch? Okay, yes. I am, and I know it.
Holy crap, Robert Downey, Jr.'s wife is the hottest yet. Dude, keep staying off the drugs. Screwing up that marriage would be a crime. :)
Miley Cyrus looks like she's wearing a silver Christmas tree from Wal-Mart. Anne Hathaway looks good. Her dress makes her look like a metallic mermaid.
And, here are the lawyers from Price Watershouse Coopers dressed in boredom. Penelope Cruz looks good from the waist up, but from the waist down she looks like she's wearing the curtains from old haunted house. Richard Jenkins -- I don't know who he is.
There's Marisa Tomei. She looks really great, but it's surprising how un-revealing her dress is. Maybe that's intentional since she shows nearly everything in The Wrestler. Also, it's probably cold out there. Practical choice Marisa.
Now they're talking about the stage and the music. And, that's pretty much it for the red carpet.
Kate Winslet looks great. Josh Brolin, yeah who cares, he's with Diane Lane. Diane Lane always looks great. I can't tell if she's got short hair or just wearing it up. I like her better with longer hair (I like just about any woman with longer hair). But, she looks good anyway. Amy Adams look good too.
Taraji P. Henson looks good too. There's Pitt & Jolie -- super briefly. I'm sure everyone will be saying how hot Jolie is. I actually think Diane Lane and Amy Adams are hotter.
There's the cast of Slumdog Millionaire, including the kids that played the younger versions of the main characters. Freida Pinto -- another woman hotter than Angelina Jolie.
Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens -- Who are they? Am I that old already? Am I that out of touch? Okay, yes. I am, and I know it.
Holy crap, Robert Downey, Jr.'s wife is the hottest yet. Dude, keep staying off the drugs. Screwing up that marriage would be a crime. :)
Miley Cyrus looks like she's wearing a silver Christmas tree from Wal-Mart. Anne Hathaway looks good. Her dress makes her look like a metallic mermaid.
And, here are the lawyers from Price Watershouse Coopers dressed in boredom. Penelope Cruz looks good from the waist up, but from the waist down she looks like she's wearing the curtains from old haunted house. Richard Jenkins -- I don't know who he is.
There's Marisa Tomei. She looks really great, but it's surprising how un-revealing her dress is. Maybe that's intentional since she shows nearly everything in The Wrestler. Also, it's probably cold out there. Practical choice Marisa.
Now they're talking about the stage and the music. And, that's pretty much it for the red carpet.
2009 Oscar Picks
The Oscars are tonight. Real quick, before they air, my wishes and predictions are below.
Best Picture
1st Choice: Slumdog Millionaire
2nd Choice: Frost/Nixon
3rd Choice: Benjamin Button
4th Choice: The Reader
(Didn’t see Milk.)
All four that I saw were good, but only Slumdog Millionaire left me a complete sense of satisfaction. Benjamin Button, while containing a lot of nice technical achievements, was a little over-rated story-wise. And, neither Frost/Nixon nor The Reader were quite as engaging and enthralling as I think they were meant to be. After seeing four of these movies now, I will join many others who claim that, despite being a summer popcorn movie based on a comic book, The Dark Knight *really* does deserve to be in this list. It is no less special, epic, emotional, engaging, or well made than the ones actually nominated. I didn’t get around to seeing WALL-E a 2nd time to see if I thought it deserved to be in this list, but I do remember enjoying it more than I enjoyed The Reader.
Best Director
Similar opinion as above. Same order of preference. There’s no reason Christopher Nolan shouldn’t be in this list.
Best Actor
From all the hype, it sounds like Mickey Rourke is a lock, but I saw The Wrestler yesterday, and I just wasn’t as impressed as the rest of the world. I like Brad Pitt (not for the reasons ladies like him); I think he’s capable, watchable, and likable. But, I wasn’t blown away by his performance. Having not seen Milk or The Visitor, Langella gets my vote by default.
Best Actress
The only two I saw here were The Reader and Changeling. I’m doubting Angelina Jolie is not much of a contender for this, especially with Winslet & Streep in the mix, but I actually liked her performance. From what I’ve heard, Hathaway has a good shot, but that movie, or at least her character in that movie, didn’t look very watchable to me from the trailers & clips I saw of it.
Best Supporting Actor
A default vote, since The Dark Knight was the only movie here I saw. But, Ledger is a lock. I have a hard time imagining anyone else winning, regardless of the reasons people voted the way they did. And, he definitely deserves to be nominated to say the least.
Best Supporting Actress
I only saw Button & Wrestler. It sounds like Tomei may be a favorite for this, and she was good in her small role. However, I can’t help but wonder, was her emoting and delivery of lines enough to get her the nomination, or does the Academy give extra credit whenever an actress spins on a pole, wears a fishnet body stocking, bends over to the camera wearing a thong, and lets the makeup department litter her body with fake tattoos and nipple piercings. I’ll go with Taraji P. Henson, even though I think she’s a long shot.
Best Original Screenplay
Another default vote. WALL-E was the only one I saw. I’ve read good things about In Bruges and Happy-Go-Lucky. I’m intrigued enough that I might check them out on video someday.
Best Adapted Screenplay
My choices here have the exact same order of preference as my Best Picture and Best Director picks.
Best Animated Feature
Didn’t see Kung-Fu Panda though I’ve heard it’s good. Bolt was good, but not *quite* as good as I was hoping. In fact, my broadest complaint with it is that it felt a little short on overall quality compared to a Pixar movie. So, no brainer, it’s WALL-E.
Best Cinematography
1st Choice: Slumdog Millionaire
2nd Choice: The Dark Knight (very, very, very close 2nd; virtually a tie)
3rd Choice: Changeling
4th Choice: Ben. Button
5th Choice: The Reader
Ooh, tough, tough, category. Slumdog felt unique in it’s overall look. It was at time lively and kinetic but without using an excess of shaky-cam, which is about the only thing that keeps The Dark Knight from being my #1 pick. I liked the visual look & feel of Changeling. The camerawork in Benjamin Button was good, but I can’t remember any particular impressive scenes. And, I’m not entirely sure why The Reader is in the list.
Best Costume Design
A default vote. Button is the only one I saw.
Best Film Editing
Slumdog did such a good job cutting between the different time periods & settings. It was a little confusing in the beginning, but I like how things come together in the end. I think the editing had to be done carefully to balance all the elements.
Best Makeup
Excellent category. Benjamin Button had people looking different ages, and Dark Knight had the deformities of the Joker & Two-Face (although much of Two-Face’s look was done digitally). But, the makeup work done in Hellboy II was original, diverse, extensive, creative, and impressive.
Best Original Score
I don’t notice music too much in movies, but I think Slumdog may have stood out here.
Best Original Song
Sort of a default vote for WALL-E. Although I saw Slumdog, I wouldn’t have understood the words in the songs. Why are there only three nominees instead of five? Did enough people complain about the live performances of the Best Song nominees that they shrank the list?
Best Sound Editing
I’m no expert on sound, but since there’s no dialogue in the first half of WALL-E, the strength of the movie relies on two main things: images and sounds effects. I think WALL-E is a lock for one, if not both, of the sound awards.
Best Sound Mixing
Same opinion as for Best Sound Editing.
Best Visual Effects
Another really great category. With all the armor, computer screens, and in-helmet displays done by computer graphics, I’d be shocked if Iron Man didn’t win. But, there again, I almost forgot about the digital effects used to make Harvey Dent look like Two-Face in The Dark Knight. While equally excellent in quality, I think Iron Man is still more deserving when you factor in quantity of effects.
EDIT
I neglected to include Best Art Direction. Out of the three I saw, I would have preferred The Dark Knight or Changeling to win, but Benjamin Button got it instead.
Best Picture
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Frost/Nixon
- Milk
- The Reader
- Slumdog Millionaire
1st Choice: Slumdog Millionaire
2nd Choice: Frost/Nixon
3rd Choice: Benjamin Button
4th Choice: The Reader
(Didn’t see Milk.)
All four that I saw were good, but only Slumdog Millionaire left me a complete sense of satisfaction. Benjamin Button, while containing a lot of nice technical achievements, was a little over-rated story-wise. And, neither Frost/Nixon nor The Reader were quite as engaging and enthralling as I think they were meant to be. After seeing four of these movies now, I will join many others who claim that, despite being a summer popcorn movie based on a comic book, The Dark Knight *really* does deserve to be in this list. It is no less special, epic, emotional, engaging, or well made than the ones actually nominated. I didn’t get around to seeing WALL-E a 2nd time to see if I thought it deserved to be in this list, but I do remember enjoying it more than I enjoyed The Reader.
Best Director
- David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
- Stephen Daldry - The Reader
- Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
- Gus Van Sant - Milk
Similar opinion as above. Same order of preference. There’s no reason Christopher Nolan shouldn’t be in this list.
Best Actor
- Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
- Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
- Sean Penn - Milk
- Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
From all the hype, it sounds like Mickey Rourke is a lock, but I saw The Wrestler yesterday, and I just wasn’t as impressed as the rest of the world. I like Brad Pitt (not for the reasons ladies like him); I think he’s capable, watchable, and likable. But, I wasn’t blown away by his performance. Having not seen Milk or The Visitor, Langella gets my vote by default.
Best Actress
- Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
- Angelina Jolie - Changeling
- Melissa Leo - Frozen River
- Meryl Streep - Doubt
- Kate Winselt - The Reader
The only two I saw here were The Reader and Changeling. I’m doubting Angelina Jolie is not much of a contender for this, especially with Winslet & Streep in the mix, but I actually liked her performance. From what I’ve heard, Hathaway has a good shot, but that movie, or at least her character in that movie, didn’t look very watchable to me from the trailers & clips I saw of it.
Best Supporting Actor
- Josh Brolin - Milk
- Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
- Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
- Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
- Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road
A default vote, since The Dark Knight was the only movie here I saw. But, Ledger is a lock. I have a hard time imagining anyone else winning, regardless of the reasons people voted the way they did. And, he definitely deserves to be nominated to say the least.
Best Supporting Actress
- Amy Adams - Doubt
- Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
- Viola Davis - Doubt
- Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Maria Tomei - The Wrestler
I only saw Button & Wrestler. It sounds like Tomei may be a favorite for this, and she was good in her small role. However, I can’t help but wonder, was her emoting and delivery of lines enough to get her the nomination, or does the Academy give extra credit whenever an actress spins on a pole, wears a fishnet body stocking, bends over to the camera wearing a thong, and lets the makeup department litter her body with fake tattoos and nipple piercings. I’ll go with Taraji P. Henson, even though I think she’s a long shot.
Best Original Screenplay
- WALL-E
- Happy-Go-Lucky
- Frozen River
- In Bruges
- Milk
Another default vote. WALL-E was the only one I saw. I’ve read good things about In Bruges and Happy-Go-Lucky. I’m intrigued enough that I might check them out on video someday.
Best Adapted Screenplay
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Frost/Nixon
- The Reader
- Slumdog Millionaire
- Doubt
My choices here have the exact same order of preference as my Best Picture and Best Director picks.
Best Animated Feature
- Bolt
- Kung-Fu Panda
- WALL-E
Didn’t see Kung-Fu Panda though I’ve heard it’s good. Bolt was good, but not *quite* as good as I was hoping. In fact, my broadest complaint with it is that it felt a little short on overall quality compared to a Pixar movie. So, no brainer, it’s WALL-E.
Best Cinematography
- Changeling
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- The Dark Knight
- The Reader
- Slumdog Millionaire
1st Choice: Slumdog Millionaire
2nd Choice: The Dark Knight (very, very, very close 2nd; virtually a tie)
3rd Choice: Changeling
4th Choice: Ben. Button
5th Choice: The Reader
Ooh, tough, tough, category. Slumdog felt unique in it’s overall look. It was at time lively and kinetic but without using an excess of shaky-cam, which is about the only thing that keeps The Dark Knight from being my #1 pick. I liked the visual look & feel of Changeling. The camerawork in Benjamin Button was good, but I can’t remember any particular impressive scenes. And, I’m not entirely sure why The Reader is in the list.
Best Costume Design
- Australia
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- The Duchess
- Milk
- Revolutionary Road
A default vote. Button is the only one I saw.
Best Film Editing
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- The Dark Knight
- Frost/Nixon
- Milk
- Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog did such a good job cutting between the different time periods & settings. It was a little confusing in the beginning, but I like how things come together in the end. I think the editing had to be done carefully to balance all the elements.
Best Makeup
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- The Dark Knight
- Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Excellent category. Benjamin Button had people looking different ages, and Dark Knight had the deformities of the Joker & Two-Face (although much of Two-Face’s look was done digitally). But, the makeup work done in Hellboy II was original, diverse, extensive, creative, and impressive.
Best Original Score
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Defiance
- Milk
- Slumdog Millionaire
- WALL-E
I don’t notice music too much in movies, but I think Slumdog may have stood out here.
Best Original Song
- “Down to Earth” from WALL-E
- “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire
- “O Saya” from Slumdog Millionaire
Sort of a default vote for WALL-E. Although I saw Slumdog, I wouldn’t have understood the words in the songs. Why are there only three nominees instead of five? Did enough people complain about the live performances of the Best Song nominees that they shrank the list?
Best Sound Editing
- The Dark Knight
- Iron Man
- Slumdog Millionaire
- WALL-E
- Wanted
I’m no expert on sound, but since there’s no dialogue in the first half of WALL-E, the strength of the movie relies on two main things: images and sounds effects. I think WALL-E is a lock for one, if not both, of the sound awards.
Best Sound Mixing
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- The Dark Knight
- Slumdog Millionaire
- WALL-E
- Wanted
Same opinion as for Best Sound Editing.
Best Visual Effects
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- The Dark Knight
- Iron Man
Another really great category. With all the armor, computer screens, and in-helmet displays done by computer graphics, I’d be shocked if Iron Man didn’t win. But, there again, I almost forgot about the digital effects used to make Harvey Dent look like Two-Face in The Dark Knight. While equally excellent in quality, I think Iron Man is still more deserving when you factor in quantity of effects.
EDIT
I neglected to include Best Art Direction. Out of the three I saw, I would have preferred The Dark Knight or Changeling to win, but Benjamin Button got it instead.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
My Ratings for Oscar-Nominated Movies
My list of movies I’ve seen that are getting two or more Oscar nominations each, along with my letter grade and the list of nominations for each:
(A) Iron Man - 2 Nominations
(A) WALL-E - 6 Nominations
(A) The Dark Knight - 8 Nominations
(B+) Changeling - 3 Nominations
(A-) Slumdog Millionaire - 10 Nominations
(B+) Frost/Nixon - 5 Nominations
(B) The Reader - 5 Nominations
(B-) The Wrestler - 2 Nominations
(B+) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 13 Nominations
(A) Iron Man - 2 Nominations
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Visual Effects
(A) WALL-E - 6 Nominations
- Best Animated Feature
- Best Original Screenplay - Andrew Stantion, Jim Reardon, and Pete Docter
- Best Original Score
- Best Original Song - “Down to Earth”
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Sound Mixing
(A) The Dark Knight - 8 Nominations
- Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing
- Best Art Direction
- Best Makeup
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Sound Mixing
- Best Visual Effects
(B+) Changeling - 3 Nominations
- Best Lead Actress - Angelina Jolie
- Best Art Direction
- Best Cinematography
(A-) Slumdog Millionaire - 10 Nominations
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Danny Boyle
- Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing
- Best Original Score
- Best Original Song - “Jai Ho”
- Best Original Song - “O Saya”
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Sound Mixing
(B+) Frost/Nixon - 5 Nominations
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Ron Howard
- Best Lead Actor - Frank Langella
- Best Adapted Screenplay - Peter Morgan
- Best Film Editing
(B) The Reader - 5 Nominations
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Stephen Daltry
- Best Actress - Kate Winslet
- Best Adapted Screenplay - David Hare
- Best Cinematography
(B-) The Wrestler - 2 Nominations
- Best Lead Actor - Mickey Rourke
- Best Supporting Actress - Marisa Tomei
(B+) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 13 Nominations
- Best Picture
- Best Director - David Fincher
- Best Actor - Brad Pitt
- Best Supporting Actress - Taraji P. Henson
- Best Adapted Screenplay - Eric Roth & Robin Swicord
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing
- Best Art Direction
- Best Costume Design
- Best Makeup
- Best Original Score
- Best Sound Mixing
- Best Visual Effects
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
America's Emptiest Cities According to Forbes.com
An article at Forbes.com lists America's 15 Emptiest Cities based on rental vacancies and housing vacancies. The way they list the names of multiple cities per list item, I think they're actually listing metro areas rather than cities proper.
Unfortunately, two of North Carolina's metro areas are in the list, including the Greensboro/High Point area. At first look I thought Winston-Salem was included in that, especially since Winston-Salem has been cranking out the house construction in recent years despite not bursting at the seams with new jobs. But Winston-Salem and Greensboro are considered different metro areas now, so maybe Greensboro is worse off than Winston-Salem. On the other hand, I think they made the list out of the nation's 75 largest metros, and the Winston-Salem metro may be a little lower on the list than #75. My guess is, what's bad news for Greensboro is bad news for Winston too.
Here's the Forbes list of America's Emptiest Cities (Metro Areas):
15. (tie) Charlotte/Gastonia/Concord, NC
15. (tie) Cincinnati, Ohio / Middletown, KY
14. Bakersfield, CA
13. Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, FL
12. Chicago/Naperville/Joliet, IL
11. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Miami Beach, FL
09. (tie) Indianapolis, IN
09. (tie) Jacksonville, FL
08. Kansas City, MO / Kansas City, KS
07. Orlando, FL
06. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, AZ
05. Dayton, OH
04. Greensboro/High Point, NC
03. Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Marietta, GA
02. Detroit/Warren/Livonia, MI
01. Las Vegas/Paradise, NV
Unfortunately, two of North Carolina's metro areas are in the list, including the Greensboro/High Point area. At first look I thought Winston-Salem was included in that, especially since Winston-Salem has been cranking out the house construction in recent years despite not bursting at the seams with new jobs. But Winston-Salem and Greensboro are considered different metro areas now, so maybe Greensboro is worse off than Winston-Salem. On the other hand, I think they made the list out of the nation's 75 largest metros, and the Winston-Salem metro may be a little lower on the list than #75. My guess is, what's bad news for Greensboro is bad news for Winston too.
Here's the Forbes list of America's Emptiest Cities (Metro Areas):
15. (tie) Charlotte/Gastonia/Concord, NC
15. (tie) Cincinnati, Ohio / Middletown, KY
14. Bakersfield, CA
13. Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, FL
12. Chicago/Naperville/Joliet, IL
11. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Miami Beach, FL
09. (tie) Indianapolis, IN
09. (tie) Jacksonville, FL
08. Kansas City, MO / Kansas City, KS
07. Orlando, FL
06. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, AZ
05. Dayton, OH
04. Greensboro/High Point, NC
03. Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Marietta, GA
02. Detroit/Warren/Livonia, MI
01. Las Vegas/Paradise, NV
Monday, February 16, 2009
New Presidential Rankings By C-SPAN (updated to include George W. Bush)
In time for President's Day, C-SPAN is releasing their new list of presidential rankings.
Here are parts of their overall list, with their 2009 rankings in the 1st column, 1999 rankings in the 2nd column, and some of my commentary in italics):
Top 10
01 - 01 - Abraham Lincoln
02 - 03 - George Washington
03 - 02 - Franklin D. Roosevelt
04 - 04 - Theodore Roosevelt
05 - 05 - Harry S. Truman
06 - 08 - John F. Kennedy
07 - 07 - Thomas Jefferson
08 - 09 - Dwight D. Eisenhower
09 - 06 - Woodrow Wilson
10 - 11 - Ronald Reagan (Ronny breached the top 10, baby; woohoo!)
Excerpts from the Middle of the List
12 - 12 - James Polk (Born in North Carolina)
15 - 21 - Bill Clinton (Holy crap, how did he jump up six spots?)
18 - 20 - George H. W. Bush
21 - 17 - Grover Cleveland (Wow, how'd he drop 4 spots? I thought he was a good one.)
23 - 33 - Ulysses S. Grant (Up 10 spots?!? Is he coming back from the grave and bribing historians?)
25 - 22 - Jimmy Carter
Bottom 10
33 - 26 - Rutherford B. Hayes
34 - 34 - Herbert Hoover
35 - 36 - John Tyler
36 - n/a - George W. Bush (Any surprise?)
37 - 35 - Millard Fillmore
38 - 38 - Warren G. Harding
39 - 37 - William Henry Harrison
40 - 39 - Franklin D. Pierce
41 - 40 - Andrew Johnson (President right after Lincoln)
42 - 41 - James Buchanan (President right before Lincoln)
C-SPAN also breaks down the list of Presidents by several categories. Here's how some of the presidents did in those categories:
Public Persuasion
01. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)
02. Lincoln
03. Reagan
04. Teddy Roosevelt (TR)
05. Washington
10. Clinton
30. GHW Bush
36. GW Bush
Crisis Leadership
01. Lincoln
02. FDR
03. Washington
04. Truman
05. TR
11. GHW Bush
12. Reagan
15. Clinton
25. GW Bush
Economic Management
01. Washington
02. Lincoln
03. Clinton
04. TR
05. FDR
17. Reagan
23. GHW Bush
40. GW Bush
Moral Authority
01. Wash
02. Linc
03. FDR
04. TR
05. Eisenhower
08. Reagan
19. GHW Bush
35. GW Bush
37. Clinton
International Relations
01. Wash
02. FDR
03. Linc
04. Truman
05. TR
08. Reagan
09. GHW Bush
16. Clinton
41. GW Bush
Administrative Skills
01. Wash
02. Linc
03. FDR
04. TR
05. Eisenhower
16. GHW Bush
20. Clinton
30. Reagan
37. GW Bush
Relations With Congress
01. FDR
02. Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ)
03. Linc
04. Wash
05. Jefferson
08. Reagan
19. Clinton
20. GHW Bush
36. GW Bush
Vision/Setting An Agenda
01. Linc
02. FDR
03. Wash
04. Wilson
05. TR
07. Reagan
15. Clinton
25. GW Bush
34. GHW Bush
Pursued Equal Justice For All
01. Linc
02. LBJ
03. Truman
04. Clinton
05. Carter
14. GHW Bush
16. Reagan
24. GW Bush
Performance Within Context of Times
01. Linc
02. Wash
03. FDR
04. TR
05. Truman
07. Reagan
16. Clinton
19. GHW Bush
36. GW Bush
Here are parts of their overall list, with their 2009 rankings in the 1st column, 1999 rankings in the 2nd column, and some of my commentary in italics):
Top 10
01 - 01 - Abraham Lincoln
02 - 03 - George Washington
03 - 02 - Franklin D. Roosevelt
04 - 04 - Theodore Roosevelt
05 - 05 - Harry S. Truman
06 - 08 - John F. Kennedy
07 - 07 - Thomas Jefferson
08 - 09 - Dwight D. Eisenhower
09 - 06 - Woodrow Wilson
10 - 11 - Ronald Reagan (Ronny breached the top 10, baby; woohoo!)
Excerpts from the Middle of the List
12 - 12 - James Polk (Born in North Carolina)
15 - 21 - Bill Clinton (Holy crap, how did he jump up six spots?)
18 - 20 - George H. W. Bush
21 - 17 - Grover Cleveland (Wow, how'd he drop 4 spots? I thought he was a good one.)
23 - 33 - Ulysses S. Grant (Up 10 spots?!? Is he coming back from the grave and bribing historians?)
25 - 22 - Jimmy Carter
Bottom 10
33 - 26 - Rutherford B. Hayes
34 - 34 - Herbert Hoover
35 - 36 - John Tyler
36 - n/a - George W. Bush (Any surprise?)
37 - 35 - Millard Fillmore
38 - 38 - Warren G. Harding
39 - 37 - William Henry Harrison
40 - 39 - Franklin D. Pierce
41 - 40 - Andrew Johnson (President right after Lincoln)
42 - 41 - James Buchanan (President right before Lincoln)
C-SPAN also breaks down the list of Presidents by several categories. Here's how some of the presidents did in those categories:
Public Persuasion
01. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)
02. Lincoln
03. Reagan
04. Teddy Roosevelt (TR)
05. Washington
10. Clinton
30. GHW Bush
36. GW Bush
Crisis Leadership
01. Lincoln
02. FDR
03. Washington
04. Truman
05. TR
11. GHW Bush
12. Reagan
15. Clinton
25. GW Bush
Economic Management
01. Washington
02. Lincoln
03. Clinton
04. TR
05. FDR
17. Reagan
23. GHW Bush
40. GW Bush
Moral Authority
01. Wash
02. Linc
03. FDR
04. TR
05. Eisenhower
08. Reagan
19. GHW Bush
35. GW Bush
37. Clinton
International Relations
01. Wash
02. FDR
03. Linc
04. Truman
05. TR
08. Reagan
09. GHW Bush
16. Clinton
41. GW Bush
Administrative Skills
01. Wash
02. Linc
03. FDR
04. TR
05. Eisenhower
16. GHW Bush
20. Clinton
30. Reagan
37. GW Bush
Relations With Congress
01. FDR
02. Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ)
03. Linc
04. Wash
05. Jefferson
08. Reagan
19. Clinton
20. GHW Bush
36. GW Bush
Vision/Setting An Agenda
01. Linc
02. FDR
03. Wash
04. Wilson
05. TR
07. Reagan
15. Clinton
25. GW Bush
34. GHW Bush
Pursued Equal Justice For All
01. Linc
02. LBJ
03. Truman
04. Clinton
05. Carter
14. GHW Bush
16. Reagan
24. GW Bush
Performance Within Context of Times
01. Linc
02. Wash
03. FDR
04. TR
05. Truman
07. Reagan
16. Clinton
19. GHW Bush
36. GW Bush
Friday, February 13, 2009
Partial Best Picture Commentary
For some reason, it's been hard for me to keep in the habit of blogging for the last few months, including doing full-fledged movie reviews, but I still have a tendency to leave comments on other people's blogs.
Quoted below is the comment I made to an entry about the Best Picture nominated film Frost/Nixon over at TheReelAddict.com. The writer of the original post said they were having trouble "getting" Frost/Nixon. My comment strays a bit into my overall opinion of this year's Best Picture nominees.
Quoted below is the comment I made to an entry about the Best Picture nominated film Frost/Nixon over at TheReelAddict.com. The writer of the original post said they were having trouble "getting" Frost/Nixon. My comment strays a bit into my overall opinion of this year's Best Picture nominees.
I know what you mean. I have similar feeling about all four of the five Best Picture nominees I’ve seen. They’re good, but not quite *that* good. Slumdog Millionaire comes the closest to having a complete, epic, well rounded story with a satisfying emotional payoff at the end (even if the plot depends too much on a convenient series of coincidences).
I feel that the strength of Frost/Nixon was in the performances which play very well, sometimes in very intense close-up monologues. I also noticed the similarities between Frost/Nixon and sports movies. But, that’s one of the elements I actually liked. It was interesting to see Frost & Nixon spar for a while, then go back to their respective corners to re-group and then break between rounds. It felt like a boxing match. I don’t like sports, particularly boxing, but it was interesting to me to see the typical sports formula applied to a long interview where words were flying rather than fists. I liked that twist.
The biggest problem with this movie and other Oscar nominees from this year and other years is what I call the “so what” factor. Sometimes, I watch a movie and no matter how well made it was or how much I respect the performances, I still feel like, “Eh, so what.”
Did I learn anything, did I get excited, did I laugh a lot, did I almost tear up a little, am I more relaxed or in a better mood for having seen the movie? If the answer to all those questions is “no,” then the movie didn’t quite hit every mark. I sort of learned some things about both Frost & Nixon through the movie, but with biopics, it’s always hard to tell what’s true and what’s creative license.
As good as Kate Winslet’s performance was, I feel that The Reader definitely missed on all those marks. While I may sound like the typical geek (which I am), I’m more convinced now that The Dark Knight should have at least been nominated. For a comic book movie, it had all the high production values and top caliber performances you’d expect from an Oscar-worthy movie, but it was also written well and covered a lot of moral and philosophical issues without being depressing or draining. I might need to see Wall-E again to determine if I’d feel the same way about it (as good as it was, I think my expectations for it were *even higher* which clouded my opinion of it).
Frost/Nixon would be my 3rd choice for Best Picture after Slumdog Millionaire (1st) and Benjamin Button (2nd choice; also less emotional gravitas than it’s given credit for).
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
My Top Favorite 10 TV Shows of 2008
Unfortunately, 2008 was a sucky year for TV. It started with the 2nd half of the writers strike. Then, the 2007-2008 season ended with cancellations of several good or promising shows, including Beauty & the Geek, Jericho, Men In Trees, Moonlight, New Amsterdam, and Women’s Murder Club. Journeyman and The 4400, after half a season and four seasons, respectively, didn’t even make it to 2008, due to cancellation, and neither did Rescue Me, due to a strike-related delay.
In the 2008-2009 season, I couldn’t get enthused about new shows, I quickly grew tired of Ugly Betty and Fringe, Heroes had yet another disappointing volume, Boston Legal’s abbreviated fifth & final season did not quite live up to its bar-raising fourth season, and I didn’t even bother with any more of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and especially the gaudy & morbid Pushing Daisies.
But, there were some bright spots. Lost redeemed itself with a fairly impressive season four, Battlestar Galactica delivered some interesting moments, I continue to like House’s new team better than his old team, Chuck and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles continue to increase in quality, and The Shield concluded its six-year run with some compelling and satisfying episodes.
So, without ranking them (because that’s just too hard to pull off), here’s my list of top 10 TV shows of 2008 in alphabetical order:
Battlestar Galactica
Sometimes this show is a little bit too serious and depressing for me. So, I don’t love it as much as most people. But, the show still delivers good drama, Emmy-worthy performances, lots of mystery, and shocking revelations. It may not be the most well-rounded show on TV, but it’s still currently the best made sci-fi show.
Chuck
So far, Chuck has not suffered from sophomore year slump. They continue to develop the characters’ relationships and backstories in a warm, comical, and intelligent way. It has a great mix of drama, comedy, action, and romance. And, the show has lots of potential directions it could take, such as the introduction of Chuck & Ellie’s long lost dad or Ellie learning about her brother’s secret life.
House
Some have criticized the new direction of the show with a new team and more focus on the support characters. But, I like it. Deep-thinking Taub and geeky Cutner are more interesting than Chase and Cameron. And, aside from House himself, Thirteen (a.k.a. Dr. Rema Hadley), the bisexual doctor dealing with a shortened life span due to her Huntington’s disease, has the best storyline of all. However, the budding romances between House & Cuddy and between Foreman & Thirteen might take further convincing.
Jericho
Cancelled after season one but brought back for a brief 2nd season due to fan outcry, the show ended its overall story arc in a fast-paced, action-packed way. While I did miss the quiet moments of drama and character development, it was still rewarding to see the show wrap up the bulk of its apocalyptic storyline instead of leaving us all hanging.
Lost
I liked the concept of the Oceanic Six and enjoyed the flash-forwards. The show continues to introduce new questions but is also providing answers to mysteries at a more reasonable pace. In fact, the show’s overall pace feels better now that there are around half a dozen fewer episodes per season. Unlike Heroes, which continues to decline, Lost redeemed itself after a disappointing third season.
Men In Trees
I might have to turn in my man card for saying this, but to me, this show was the new Gilmore Girls (and, I’m referring to GG’s first five seasons, when it was still excellent). It had great writing, quirky characters, an interesting setting, and a perfect blend of drama & comedy. First, ABC cut the first season of Men In Trees short but redeemed itself by just adding those episodes to a full season two and giving the show a post-Grey’s Anatomy timeslot -- for a while. But, then it was moved again, put on a hiatus, and finally cancelled without warning, so the series ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. I felt the quality of the show was just as good, if not better, than in its first season with the exception of Patrick’s amnesia storyline which messed up the relationship between him and Annie. Had the show survived, I’d like to think their relationship would have repaired itself unlike the bad direction Luke & Lorelai took in season six of Gilmore Girls (which made its last two seasons painful to watch).
Moonlight
A vampire show in the age of vampire mania with a vampire leading man and human leading woman that were declared hottest TV couple by TV Guide... And CBS cancelled it. Moonlight was just getting really good too and, if I understand correctly, wasn’t getting horrible ratings. Since CBS also cancelled Jericho and didn’t give Kid Nation a 2nd season, I declare CBS to be the new Fox. Moonlight lasted 16 episodes. The show that took it’s time slot in fall 2008, The Ex List, was cancelled after only four episodes. Good move CBS.
Prison Break
In a way, this show doesn’t deserve a top 10 slot. It’s a sometimes ludicrous show. Because it should have only lasted one season (and, its first season *was* great), it constantly has to re-invent itself to have lasted to its current *fourth* season. And, three years later, it still depends on fake outs, redirection, coincidences, double crosses, and a hefty suspension of disbelief. But, somehow, it still works. I still find myself curious every week to see what crazy thing is going to happen next. It’s not a soap opera or a reality show, but it has that same guilty pleasure feel to it.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Just when I started to worry this show would be a one-trick pony, it finds new ways to explore the Terminator universe. More people and cyborgs traveling back in time, including a female liquid metal terminator, Derek’s girlfriend, and her undercover companion. There’s also a deepening exploration of character psyches, and who would have guessed that Derek would be such a cool character when played by Brian Austin Green -- who was David Silver on Beverly Hills 90210. Somehow, I actually believe he’s a soldier from the future.
The Shield
This was a rough show that was sometimes a little too violent or vulgar for my tastes. But, I held on because the underlying story was based on rich concepts like family, friendship, loyalty, general morality, justice, ends vs. means, sacrifice vs. self interest, etc. And, I just had to find out how it would all end. Unfortunately, the support characters had mundane and open-ended conclusions. But, the storylines for the three remaining Strike Team members, Vic, Shane, and Ronnie, were wrapped up quite nicely in the 90-minute series finale. The final episodes are full of shock, irony, tension, and desperation. Not being a fuzzy, feel-good show, that kind of ending was just right.
Honorable Mentions
- Boston Legal (just short of the top 10 due to a lackluster final season)
- Stargate: Atlantis
- Women’s Murder Club (cancelled)
In the 2008-2009 season, I couldn’t get enthused about new shows, I quickly grew tired of Ugly Betty and Fringe, Heroes had yet another disappointing volume, Boston Legal’s abbreviated fifth & final season did not quite live up to its bar-raising fourth season, and I didn’t even bother with any more of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and especially the gaudy & morbid Pushing Daisies.
But, there were some bright spots. Lost redeemed itself with a fairly impressive season four, Battlestar Galactica delivered some interesting moments, I continue to like House’s new team better than his old team, Chuck and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles continue to increase in quality, and The Shield concluded its six-year run with some compelling and satisfying episodes.
So, without ranking them (because that’s just too hard to pull off), here’s my list of top 10 TV shows of 2008 in alphabetical order:
Battlestar Galactica
Sometimes this show is a little bit too serious and depressing for me. So, I don’t love it as much as most people. But, the show still delivers good drama, Emmy-worthy performances, lots of mystery, and shocking revelations. It may not be the most well-rounded show on TV, but it’s still currently the best made sci-fi show.
Chuck
So far, Chuck has not suffered from sophomore year slump. They continue to develop the characters’ relationships and backstories in a warm, comical, and intelligent way. It has a great mix of drama, comedy, action, and romance. And, the show has lots of potential directions it could take, such as the introduction of Chuck & Ellie’s long lost dad or Ellie learning about her brother’s secret life.
House
Some have criticized the new direction of the show with a new team and more focus on the support characters. But, I like it. Deep-thinking Taub and geeky Cutner are more interesting than Chase and Cameron. And, aside from House himself, Thirteen (a.k.a. Dr. Rema Hadley), the bisexual doctor dealing with a shortened life span due to her Huntington’s disease, has the best storyline of all. However, the budding romances between House & Cuddy and between Foreman & Thirteen might take further convincing.
Jericho
Cancelled after season one but brought back for a brief 2nd season due to fan outcry, the show ended its overall story arc in a fast-paced, action-packed way. While I did miss the quiet moments of drama and character development, it was still rewarding to see the show wrap up the bulk of its apocalyptic storyline instead of leaving us all hanging.
Lost
I liked the concept of the Oceanic Six and enjoyed the flash-forwards. The show continues to introduce new questions but is also providing answers to mysteries at a more reasonable pace. In fact, the show’s overall pace feels better now that there are around half a dozen fewer episodes per season. Unlike Heroes, which continues to decline, Lost redeemed itself after a disappointing third season.
Men In Trees
I might have to turn in my man card for saying this, but to me, this show was the new Gilmore Girls (and, I’m referring to GG’s first five seasons, when it was still excellent). It had great writing, quirky characters, an interesting setting, and a perfect blend of drama & comedy. First, ABC cut the first season of Men In Trees short but redeemed itself by just adding those episodes to a full season two and giving the show a post-Grey’s Anatomy timeslot -- for a while. But, then it was moved again, put on a hiatus, and finally cancelled without warning, so the series ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. I felt the quality of the show was just as good, if not better, than in its first season with the exception of Patrick’s amnesia storyline which messed up the relationship between him and Annie. Had the show survived, I’d like to think their relationship would have repaired itself unlike the bad direction Luke & Lorelai took in season six of Gilmore Girls (which made its last two seasons painful to watch).
Moonlight
A vampire show in the age of vampire mania with a vampire leading man and human leading woman that were declared hottest TV couple by TV Guide... And CBS cancelled it. Moonlight was just getting really good too and, if I understand correctly, wasn’t getting horrible ratings. Since CBS also cancelled Jericho and didn’t give Kid Nation a 2nd season, I declare CBS to be the new Fox. Moonlight lasted 16 episodes. The show that took it’s time slot in fall 2008, The Ex List, was cancelled after only four episodes. Good move CBS.
Prison Break
In a way, this show doesn’t deserve a top 10 slot. It’s a sometimes ludicrous show. Because it should have only lasted one season (and, its first season *was* great), it constantly has to re-invent itself to have lasted to its current *fourth* season. And, three years later, it still depends on fake outs, redirection, coincidences, double crosses, and a hefty suspension of disbelief. But, somehow, it still works. I still find myself curious every week to see what crazy thing is going to happen next. It’s not a soap opera or a reality show, but it has that same guilty pleasure feel to it.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Just when I started to worry this show would be a one-trick pony, it finds new ways to explore the Terminator universe. More people and cyborgs traveling back in time, including a female liquid metal terminator, Derek’s girlfriend, and her undercover companion. There’s also a deepening exploration of character psyches, and who would have guessed that Derek would be such a cool character when played by Brian Austin Green -- who was David Silver on Beverly Hills 90210. Somehow, I actually believe he’s a soldier from the future.
The Shield
This was a rough show that was sometimes a little too violent or vulgar for my tastes. But, I held on because the underlying story was based on rich concepts like family, friendship, loyalty, general morality, justice, ends vs. means, sacrifice vs. self interest, etc. And, I just had to find out how it would all end. Unfortunately, the support characters had mundane and open-ended conclusions. But, the storylines for the three remaining Strike Team members, Vic, Shane, and Ronnie, were wrapped up quite nicely in the 90-minute series finale. The final episodes are full of shock, irony, tension, and desperation. Not being a fuzzy, feel-good show, that kind of ending was just right.
Honorable Mentions
- Boston Legal (just short of the top 10 due to a lackluster final season)
- Stargate: Atlantis
- Women’s Murder Club (cancelled)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Top 50 All-Time Favorite TV Shows
Ain't It Cool News has posted Empire magazine's list of top 50 all-time best TV shows. If you look at the plethora of comments by readers, you can tell it's a much disputed list.
The three most notable things about the list is that it has a fair amount of science fiction (something I don't mind); a few shows on the list are either old, obscure, or British (but not as many as you'd think considering Empire is a British magazine); and almost all the shows are from the 1990s or 2000s.
Lists are often fun to read, but they're also hard to create. There are always items that make the list or don't make the list on a technicality. Narrow the criteria for the list, and it's too hard to eliminate some favorites. Broaden the criteria and stuff gets in despite some flaws.
Below is my best attempt to list *my* Top 50 All-Time Favorite TV Shows. Since it's too hard to rank all of them or even pick a top ten, I have divided them up into categories and will also reveal some Honorable Mentions. I've never had premium cable channels, so The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Dexter, Rome, etc. are automatically missing.
My Top 50 All-Time Favorite TV Shows (for now)
Babylon 5 is my #1 all-time favorite show out of all genres. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer was drastically disappointing in the sixth & seventh seasons, but the high quality of the first five years makes it too hard to eliminate entirely. Highlander: The Series was one of my favorite shows during college. Terminator: tSCC barely makes the list since it's only had seven episodes so far, but I think it has potential if renewed. Alien Nation, Crusade, Firefly, and John Doe were short-lived shows that deserved better. The 4400 lasted four years but was cancelled before it could get a fifth season or a proper series finale. Farscape probably would have made the list had I watched it more consistently, but I only caught it occasionally and was often lost when I did.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Farscape, Moonlight (current), New Amsterdam (current), Sliders
DIS-HONORABLE MENTIONS: Andromeda, Doctor Who (sorry, I just don't get it), Flash Gordon, Lexx, Painkiller Jane, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise
Chuck is the best new show of the 2007-2008 season. After fan support won the show a 2nd season of seven episodes, Jericho is once again and permanently cancelled by CBS. The creator of the show is shopping it around to other networks, but the future is bleak. Many criticize Prison Break for beating a dead horse. While it does seem to depend on coincidences, conventient (or sometimes inconventient) timing, unexpected double crosses, and gimmicky cliffhangers a bit too often, it's still a guilty pleasure that's hard to give up. Alias doesn't make the list or even the honorable mentions because I grew tired of it halfway through its run, but it's worth noting that its pilot episode was one of the best series premieres in the last eight years (surpassed only by Lost and maybe Chuck).
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Standoff (cancelled prematurely), The Pretender, Women's Murder Club (current)
DIS-HONORABLE MENTION: 24 (I didn't like the 1st season enough to stick with it)
Though not perfect (Rescue Me wasn't that good last season, The O.C.'s third season was hard to watch, and I took a sabbatical from The West Wing during seasons five & six and caught them later in repeats), all six of these shows have excellent writing. Despite the violence & harsh language, repeats of The Shield are surprisingly re-watchable because of the compelling downward spiral the main character, Vic Mackey, takes into corruption. House's procedural format somehow thrives in a world full of arc-driven shows. The recent cast re-shuffle on House may seem like a premature move at re-invention, but it's actually improved the show in its fourth year. The West Wing is a monument to class & intellect that NBC could have used more of in the last two years.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Brothers & Sisters (current), Commander-in-Chief (cancelled prematurely), ER (*only* because of its early years), Grey's Anatomy (current), L.A. Law
DIS-HONORABLE MENTION: Nip/Tuck (thank goodness I stopped watching after the identity of the Carver was revealed a few seasons ago; I've heard it's gotten even worse since then)
Deserving of their own category, I love shows that blend drama & humor, especially in original, quirky ways. It's no coincidence that three of these shows (Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Picket Fences) are David E. Kelley shows. He's the master of blending biting social commentary, comforting humanity, and unbelievably eccentric yet relatable characters. Gilmore Girls (for a while there, my #2 all-time favorite show) caught "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer Syndrome" and declined in seasons six & seven, leaving me with mixed feelings about the show as a whole. But, as with B:tVS, the brilliance of the Gilmores' first five years are impossible to ignore.
DIS-HONORABLE MENTION: Pushing Daisies (I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't like that show, and I gave it a chance too)
A few years ago, I decided to stop watching half-hour sitcoms. I didn't like the directions characters were taking on Friends, Niles & Daphne getting together took the fun out of Frasier, Spin City wasn't going to be the same without Michael J. Fox, and I simply lost interest in That '70's Show. But, I caught up on Scrubs when it went into 2nd-run syndication and repeats on Comedy Central. The writing on that show is extremely sharp, and it's nice not having the laugh track. South Park is hit & miss. It's sometimes too raunchy or juvenile, but other times, it's pure genius. Though they don't age well with time, I could't deny the enjoyment I got out of Cheers, Seinfeld, and The Golden Girls when they were current.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Frasier, Friends (*only* for its early years), Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Carol Burnett Show, The Cosby Show, The Muppet Show, Whose Line Is It Anyway
Okay, so this is an odd Frankenstein of a category, but it's also a small list, so it was best to combine these shows somehow. Beauty and the Geek is a reality/competition show that depends on stereotypes at its core and yet still manages to be as heartwarming & relatable as it is sometimes frustrating & silly. The host of Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe, is quite possibly the most witty & likable person on TV. Mythbusters is both entertaining & educational, and I like how they respond on the show to fan feedback. Survivor, despite some often questionable casting, is an addictive and seemingly unstoppable cultural phenomenon. The Daily Show, while trying to be just a satirical comedy show, somehow manages to be informative & credible. I love presidential trivia, so for me, frequent repeats of the History Channel's mini-series, The Presidents, has high re-watch value.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Ebert & Roeper At the Movies, Face the Nation, Girls Next Door, Kid Nation (hopefully they'll try a 2nd season), Last Comic Standing, Late Show with David Letterman, Meet the Press, Man vs. Wild, Prime Minister's Questions, Who Wants to Be a Superhero
Although these are shows that I haven't seen in a long time and probably wouldn't enjoy nearly as much today, I can't deny how iconic these were when I was growing up. In a list of *all-time* favorites, these shows win a place for their significance in the past.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: MacGyver, Little House on the Prairie (used to watch reruns of it in between classes in college; don't ask me why)
The three most notable things about the list is that it has a fair amount of science fiction (something I don't mind); a few shows on the list are either old, obscure, or British (but not as many as you'd think considering Empire is a British magazine); and almost all the shows are from the 1990s or 2000s.
Lists are often fun to read, but they're also hard to create. There are always items that make the list or don't make the list on a technicality. Narrow the criteria for the list, and it's too hard to eliminate some favorites. Broaden the criteria and stuff gets in despite some flaws.
Below is my best attempt to list *my* Top 50 All-Time Favorite TV Shows. Since it's too hard to rank all of them or even pick a top ten, I have divided them up into categories and will also reveal some Honorable Mentions. I've never had premium cable channels, so The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Dexter, Rome, etc. are automatically missing.
My Top 50 All-Time Favorite TV Shows (for now)
Best of Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Alien Nation
- Babylon 5
- Battlestar Galactica (2004)
- Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
- Crusade
- Firefly
- Heroes
- Highlander: The Series
- John Doe
- Journeyman
- Lost
- Quantum Leap
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Stargate: Atlantis
- Stargate: SG-1
- Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
- The 4400
Babylon 5 is my #1 all-time favorite show out of all genres. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer was drastically disappointing in the sixth & seventh seasons, but the high quality of the first five years makes it too hard to eliminate entirely. Highlander: The Series was one of my favorite shows during college. Terminator: tSCC barely makes the list since it's only had seven episodes so far, but I think it has potential if renewed. Alien Nation, Crusade, Firefly, and John Doe were short-lived shows that deserved better. The 4400 lasted four years but was cancelled before it could get a fifth season or a proper series finale. Farscape probably would have made the list had I watched it more consistently, but I only caught it occasionally and was often lost when I did.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Farscape, Moonlight (current), New Amsterdam (current), Sliders
DIS-HONORABLE MENTIONS: Andromeda, Doctor Who (sorry, I just don't get it), Flash Gordon, Lexx, Painkiller Jane, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise
Best of Action/Suspense/Mystery
- Chuck
- Jericho
- Prison Break
Chuck is the best new show of the 2007-2008 season. After fan support won the show a 2nd season of seven episodes, Jericho is once again and permanently cancelled by CBS. The creator of the show is shopping it around to other networks, but the future is bleak. Many criticize Prison Break for beating a dead horse. While it does seem to depend on coincidences, conventient (or sometimes inconventient) timing, unexpected double crosses, and gimmicky cliffhangers a bit too often, it's still a guilty pleasure that's hard to give up. Alias doesn't make the list or even the honorable mentions because I grew tired of it halfway through its run, but it's worth noting that its pilot episode was one of the best series premieres in the last eight years (surpassed only by Lost and maybe Chuck).
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Standoff (cancelled prematurely), The Pretender, Women's Murder Club (current)
DIS-HONORABLE MENTION: 24 (I didn't like the 1st season enough to stick with it)
Best of Drama
- House
- Rescue Me
- The O.C.
- The Practice
- The Shield
- The West Wing
Though not perfect (Rescue Me wasn't that good last season, The O.C.'s third season was hard to watch, and I took a sabbatical from The West Wing during seasons five & six and caught them later in repeats), all six of these shows have excellent writing. Despite the violence & harsh language, repeats of The Shield are surprisingly re-watchable because of the compelling downward spiral the main character, Vic Mackey, takes into corruption. House's procedural format somehow thrives in a world full of arc-driven shows. The recent cast re-shuffle on House may seem like a premature move at re-invention, but it's actually improved the show in its fourth year. The West Wing is a monument to class & intellect that NBC could have used more of in the last two years.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Brothers & Sisters (current), Commander-in-Chief (cancelled prematurely), ER (*only* because of its early years), Grey's Anatomy (current), L.A. Law
DIS-HONORABLE MENTION: Nip/Tuck (thank goodness I stopped watching after the identity of the Carver was revealed a few seasons ago; I've heard it's gotten even worse since then)
Best of Dramedy
- Ally McBeal
- Boston Legal
- Gilmore Girls
- Men In Trees
- Picket Fences
- Ugly Betty
Deserving of their own category, I love shows that blend drama & humor, especially in original, quirky ways. It's no coincidence that three of these shows (Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Picket Fences) are David E. Kelley shows. He's the master of blending biting social commentary, comforting humanity, and unbelievably eccentric yet relatable characters. Gilmore Girls (for a while there, my #2 all-time favorite show) caught "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer Syndrome" and declined in seasons six & seven, leaving me with mixed feelings about the show as a whole. But, as with B:tVS, the brilliance of the Gilmores' first five years are impossible to ignore.
DIS-HONORABLE MENTION: Pushing Daisies (I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't like that show, and I gave it a chance too)
Best of Comedy
- Cheers
- Scrubs
- Seinfeld
- South Park
- The Golden Girls
A few years ago, I decided to stop watching half-hour sitcoms. I didn't like the directions characters were taking on Friends, Niles & Daphne getting together took the fun out of Frasier, Spin City wasn't going to be the same without Michael J. Fox, and I simply lost interest in That '70's Show. But, I caught up on Scrubs when it went into 2nd-run syndication and repeats on Comedy Central. The writing on that show is extremely sharp, and it's nice not having the laugh track. South Park is hit & miss. It's sometimes too raunchy or juvenile, but other times, it's pure genius. Though they don't age well with time, I could't deny the enjoyment I got out of Cheers, Seinfeld, and The Golden Girls when they were current.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Frasier, Friends (*only* for its early years), Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Carol Burnett Show, The Cosby Show, The Muppet Show, Whose Line Is It Anyway
Best of Talk, Reality, Nature, or History
- Beauty and the Geek
- Dirty Jobs
- Mythbusters
- Survivor
- The Daily Show
- The Presidents
Okay, so this is an odd Frankenstein of a category, but it's also a small list, so it was best to combine these shows somehow. Beauty and the Geek is a reality/competition show that depends on stereotypes at its core and yet still manages to be as heartwarming & relatable as it is sometimes frustrating & silly. The host of Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe, is quite possibly the most witty & likable person on TV. Mythbusters is both entertaining & educational, and I like how they respond on the show to fan feedback. Survivor, despite some often questionable casting, is an addictive and seemingly unstoppable cultural phenomenon. The Daily Show, while trying to be just a satirical comedy show, somehow manages to be informative & credible. I love presidential trivia, so for me, frequent repeats of the History Channel's mini-series, The Presidents, has high re-watch value.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Ebert & Roeper At the Movies, Face the Nation, Girls Next Door, Kid Nation (hopefully they'll try a 2nd season), Last Comic Standing, Late Show with David Letterman, Meet the Press, Man vs. Wild, Prime Minister's Questions, Who Wants to Be a Superhero
Best of the 1980s
- Airwolf
- Knight Rider
- The A-Team
- The Dukes of Hazard
- Transformers
- Voltron
Although these are shows that I haven't seen in a long time and probably wouldn't enjoy nearly as much today, I can't deny how iconic these were when I was growing up. In a list of *all-time* favorites, these shows win a place for their significance in the past.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: MacGyver, Little House on the Prairie (used to watch reruns of it in between classes in college; don't ask me why)
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