My 2012 Emmy Predictions

I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty damn good at Oscar predictions. Two years ago I won an office Oscar pool by correctly predicting 18 out of the 24 major categories correctly. Last year I went an even more impressive 19 out of 24.

The Emmys, on the other hand, are a whole different beast. The Emmys are more unpredictable than the Oscars. There aren't so many obvious choices as there really isn't any true frontrunners here. I also don't get a chance to watch all of the television shows nominated, whereas it's a lot easier to watch most of the big movies nominated for Oscars. I wouldn't be surprised if many of my predictions are absolutely wrong here.

As always, I've listed my predictions for the top 19 categories as well as who I think deserves to win each category. Those are definitely not always the same!

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Will Win: Louis C.K. for Louie episode "Duckling"

Should Win: Robert B. Weide for Curb Your Enthusiasm episode "Palestinian Chicken"

(I admittedly am ashamed to admit I've only seen one or two episodes of Louie. As for the other nominees, I think Girls and New Girl are overrated. This episode of Curb was hilarious though.)

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

Will Win: Michael Cuesta for Homeland episode "Pilot"

Should Win: Vince Gilligan for Breaking Bad episode "Face Off"

(Nothing that has ever been on television was better than the Season 4 finale of Breaking Bad. Homeland gets a lot of love - I'm just starting to watch it now - but Vince Gilligan deserves this.)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Will Win: Lena Dunham for Girls episode "Pilot"

Should Win: Chris McKenna for Community episode "Remedial Chaos Theory"

(I think Girls is criminally overrated, but people LOVE Lena Dunham so I see her winning this one and that's it for the night. Community, on the other hand, is criminally underrated.)

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

Will Win: Julian Fellowes for Downtown Abbey episode "Episode 7"

Should Win: Semi Chellas and Matt Weiner for Mad Men episode "The Other Woman"

(I haven't seen Downtown Abbey yet, but just from the incredible word of mouth I can't see the show walking away empty handed. This episode of Mad Men, on the other hand, was absolutely amazing. It's the heart-breaking episode where Joan was asked to make the ultimate sacrifice for the company.)

Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series

Will Win and Should Win: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

(No Conan? Ridiculous. It would be dumb to bet against the Daily Show though. In the past ten years it's won 17 Emmys, which is insane. Good for the Daily Show team though, the show is great.)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

Will Win and Should Win: Jessica Lange for American Horror Story: Asylum

(Haven't seen American Horror Story, but I've heard Jessica Lange is awesome in it.)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

Will Win: Ed Harris for Game Change

(I'm indifferent towards this category because I haven't seen the other nominees and I didn't think Ed Harris' performance was that special.)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Will Win and Should Win: Julie Bowen for Modern Family

(Sure, why not? She's funny.)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Ty Burrell for Modern Family

Should Win: Ed O' Neill for Modern Family

(This category essentially comes down to which Modern Family actor is your favorite. I've seen a couple episodes and thought it was pretty funny. Apparently Ty Burrell has won a couple times already, so I think he'll win again. But Ed O' Neill is awesome.)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Will Win: Maggie Smith for Downtown Abbey

Should Win: Christina Hendricks for Mad Men

(Maggie Smith has this one in the bag. But I also think that Christina Hendricks proved that she can more than keep up with the other incredible actors on Mad Men this past season, which is no easy feat.)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Will Win and Should Win: Giancarlo Esposito for Breaking Bad

(This is the biggest no-brainer this year. Giancarlo Esposito gave us the best television villain of all time as Gus on Breaking Bad this year. Jared Harris' role on Mad Men was also so damn good that I wish he wasn't in the same category as Esposito.)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

Will Win and Should Win: Julianne Moore for Game Change

(Julianne Moore was awesome as Sarah Palin in Game Change. I admit it's the only one of these miniseries that I actually got the chance to see, but I can't see her not winning this one.)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

Will Win: Benedict Cumberbatch for Sherlock

(Again, I'm sort of indifferent to this category since I haven't seen any of the nominees besides Game Change, but I've heard really good things about Sherlock and especially Cumberbatch's performance.)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Veep

Should Win: Amy Poehler for Parks and Recreation

(The critics LOVE Julia Louis-Dreyfus, so I think she has the edge here. But Amy Poehler's been nominated three times for her role on Parks and Rec and has yet to win! In the words of her ex-husband Will Arnett, "COME ON!")

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Louis C.K. for Louie

Should Win: Larry David for Curb Your Enthusiasm

(This is a weird category to predict. Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory won the previous two years which is mind-boggling to me. I think it's probably Louie's year, but damn Larry David was good this past season on Curb.)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Will Win: Claire Danes for Homeland

Should Win: Glenn Close for Damages

(Anyone who reads this blog or knows me at all knows my love of the show Damages. It just concluded its final season and Glenn Close proved that she's one of the best and most underrated actresses of all time. However, Damages this past season aired on the DirectTV channel, which most people don't get and I'm sure that hurts her chances. I'm just starting Homeland now and I hear Claire Danes is awesome in it. She definitely appeals to a wider audience.)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Will Win and Should Win: Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad

(Year after year, Bryan Cranston has amazed as Walter White on Breaking Bad. We've seen Walter go from the empathetic cancer patient to the take no prisoners villain he's now become. And it's been believable every step of the way thanks to Bryan Cranston. Coincidentally, he's won three times for this role already, so if he wins this year, he'll tie the all-time Emmy record for wins for the same role.)

Outstanding Comedy Series

Will Win: Modern Family

Should Win: Curb Your Enthusiasm

(What a weak category. Modern Family is funny, there's no doubt about that, but it's won the past two years already. Isn't there any other comedy that can compete with it? 30 Rock hasn't been as good lately and I've already talked about my dislike for Girls. Curb was really funny this past season though.)

Outstanding Drama Series

Will Win: Mad Men

Should Win: Breaking Bad

(This is like asking me to pick who my favorite child was, if I had children. I love both these shows and they were both so good last season, but Breaking Bad was just a little bit better. That being said, I think Mad Men appeals to a wider variety of viewers than Breaking Bad and that gives it the edge. However, Mad Men has won the Best Drama Series Emmy for the past four years and Breaking Bad hasn't won the category yet. That's criminal.)

And those are my picks! Let's see how well I do. Hit the comments section below and let me know who you think deserves to win. How do my predictions stack up against yours?

-Jared

Six More to See in 2012

So the summer is coming to a close and in just a few days, it will be September already. Some really awesome movies have come out this summer. Whether or not The Dark Knight Rises lived up to the hype for you, it's hard to deny that it wasn't an incredible effort. The Avengers proved that it really is possible to successfully combine movie franchises and service a multitude of characters in one story. Even The Amazing Spider-Man turned out to be a pretty good remake. Ted provided the biggest laughs of the summer for me, while Moonrise Kingdom surprised me by how much I liked it.

While I can't deny that my most anticipated releases of the year are now behind us, there are still a lot of great movies to see in 2012. There aren't many blockbuster type movies left, but the end of the year usually marks the time when studios release films they feel will do well during Oscar season.

So if you're bummed The Dark Knight Rises wasn't everything you had hoped it to be, here are six more awesome looking 2012 movies to look out for. Note: These are simply in order of release date.

The Master (September 14th)

This movie was under my radar up until recently, but wow this looks awesome. It's from one of my favorite directors - PT Anderson - whose last directorial effort (2007's There Will Be Blood) earned 8 Oscar nominations and two wins. The Master features the return to acting of Joaquin Phoenix as a Naval veteran who is taken under the wing of a charismatic cult-like leader played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It's hard not to notice the similarities to another cult-like organization in today's society while watching the trailer. There are even rumors that PT Anderson screened the film for famous Scientologist Tom Cruise and other members of the organized religion. While this film will surely ruffle a few feathers, I'm more excited to see some amazing performances by some of the best actors working today. It seems unlikely that The Master won't be nominated for a few Oscars. It may not have the explosions that The Dark Knight Rises had, but The Master is definitely one to look forward to. 

Argo (October 12th)

This is another one that I hadn't heard too much about before seeing the trailer before my Dark Knight Rises screening. Argo is based on a true story and is about a CIA specialist's risky plan to exfiltrate six captured Americans in 1979 Iran. It's directed by Ben Affleck and boasts a pretty incredible cast including Affleck, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, and Alan Arkin. The plot seems so far-fetched that it's pretty hard to believe that something like this actually happened. But that's what makes me even more excited to see it. I also must say that each and every Ben Affleck movie that he's either written and/or directed so far has been surprisingly awesome. First there was 2007's Gone Baby Gone and then 2010's The Town, both Oscar nominated. Judging from the trailer, Argo will likely not disappoint. Ben Affleck is quickly proving that he deserves to be one considered one of the greatest triple threats: excelling in acting, writing, and directing. All this from the guy who starred in Gigli!

Lincoln (November 9th)

Somewhere roaming around Los Angeles a few months ago was an in-character Daniel Day Lewis as the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Day Lewis is well known for fully immersing himself into his roles and it looks like Lincoln will be no exception. Above is a picture of the real Abraham Lincoln and next to it is Day Lewis. If we were ever going to come close to bringing Abraham Lincoln back to life, this is probably it. Lincoln is written by Tony Kushner, who also brought us Angels in America and 2005's Munich. It's directed by THE Steven Spielberg. It boasts perhaps the most talented ensemble cast of 2012: consisting of Daniel Day Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jackie Earle Haley, Jared Harris (Mad Men), John Hawkes, and Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire) among many others. The movie tells the life of Abraham Lincoln, specifically during the Civil War. While this movie has Oscars written all over it, it's interesting to note that if Daniel Day Lewis wins the Best Actor Oscar for this movie, he'll become the only man in history to win more than 2 Best Actor Oscars.

Skyfall (November 9th)

November 9th is going to be a busy weekend as for some reason Lincoln is opening against the newest entry in the James Bond series - Skyfall. Daniel Craig returns as James Bond but this time around American Beauty and Jarhead director Sam Mendes has taken the helm. It'll be interesting to see what Mendes is capable of because although I'm a big fan of his previous films, he hasn't directed a big franchise movie like this. James Bond producers recently tried this formula with Finding Neverland director Marc Foster with 2008's Quantum of Solace and that didn't work out so well. I have more hope for Skyfall than I did with Quantum of Solace though for one simple reason: Javier Bardem as the Bond villain. In the trailer alone, Javier Bardem seems like he will steal the spotlight. Not too much is known about the plot yet but we know that we will learn more about James Bond's relationship to M (played by Judi Dench) as we find out more about M's past. Equally as mysterious is what Ralph Fiennes' role will be. While the trailer indicates that he'll be an MI6 superior to Bond and M, it seems it would be somewhat of a disappointment if there wasn't a third act reveal that Fiennes wasn't a super villain. If we get Ralph Fiennes stroking a white cat in another Bond movie, count me in. 

This Is 40 (December 21st)

It's been a while since we've gotten a true Judd Apatow movie. Of course he's had his name attached to pretty much every comedy that's come out in the past eight years, but his last directorial effort was 2009's Funny People. Before that was 2007's hilarious Knocked Up. This winter comes the semi-sequel to Knocked Up. This Is 40 sees the return of Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann as their Knocked Up characters Pete and Debbie, who are now trying to cope with the fact that they're both turning 40. Melissa McCarthy, John Lithgow, Albert Brooks, Megan Fox, and Lena Dunham (Girls) round out the supporting cast and both of the Apatow children return as Pete and Debbie's kids. Besides Seth MacFarlane's Ted, which I thought was surprisingly good, there really hasn't been a breakout comedy of 2012 yet. My money's on This Is 40 being the comedy of the year.

Django Unchained (December 25th)

In late 2012 we get a PT Anderson movie, a Steven Spielberg movie, and even a Quentin Tarantino movie! In Tarantino's first movie since 2009's Inglorious Basterds, Jamie Foxx stars as a slave turned bounty hunter who sets out with his mentor (played by the incredible Christoph Waltz) to save his wife from a deranged Mississippi plantation owner. Perhaps the most intriguing part about Django Unchained is that Leonardo DiCaprio is playing said villainous plantation owner. While Django Unchained doesn't look as intriguing to me as Inglorious Basterds did a few years ago, I really like the idea of Tarantino working with Christoph Waltz again. After his insane performance portraying Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds (for which he won an Oscar), Waltz has seemingly done nothing. He starred in duds The Green Hornet and The Three Musketeers, as well as Water for Elephants and the so-so Carnage. This man gave the BEST performance of 2009! It's like Halle Berry winning an Oscar and then starring in Catwoman, but for three years! Hopefully Django Unchained will be awesome and will turn out great performances from Waltz and Leo!

And those are the six that I'm most looking forward to! So now when you hear people complain about there being no reason to go to the movies anymore, tell them that there's at LEAST six more movies to look forward to!

-Jared

Best Movies Starring Wrestlers

I haven't posted here in nearly two months and I have to admit, it's mostly because nearly all of my time is being consumed now by my new job. For those that don't know, I now work at World Wrestling Entertainment AKA the WWE. No, I'm not a wrestler, although I'm sure my masculinity and tremendous muscles could lead you to believe I was one.

There is a long tradition of wrestlers migrating from the squared circle to the silver screen. From "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan to The Rock to current WWE poster boy John Cena, there have been numerous films starring and featuring wrestlers. The WWE even created their own film studio in 2002 and have begun producing their own original films. However most of these movies starring wrestlers have pretty bad raps to them. Wrestlers can't act, right?

There have been a lot of pretty bad movies starring wrestlers, I do have to admit. But I'm going to open your eyes to five gems! Here are the absolute best ones!

The Rundown (2003)

Okay, The Rundown isn't for everyone, but I think it's a pretty cool action movie. It stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a man who is tasked to bring home a mobster's son from the Amazon. While there, he becomes entangled in a search for a mysterious treasure. The Rundown also stars Seann William Scott, Rosario Dawson, and Christopher Walken. This marks The Rock's first role since his debut in The Mummy Returns and the Scorpion King. In this movie The Rock proved that he could be really funny yet kick some serious ass as well. The Rundown is equally hilarious as it is awesome, with some really great action set pieces and shootouts. While The Rock started with movies like this, he soon ventured into a TON of Disney family films. I'm sure they paid well, but they really weren't for me. He eventually would go back to his action roots with...

Fast Five (2011)

Yeah, another movie starring The Rock. I think The Rock may be the best overall wrestler turned movie star, but this is the last Rock movie on this list, I promise. Fast Five may not even be my favorite entry in the series, but in this movie, The Rock proved he's the ultimate badass action star. Fast Five is pretty similar to the other movies in the Fast and the Furious series, except this time The Rock stars as the "villain" Luke Hobbs, a cop on the trail of the characters played by Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. The intense, knock out brawl between The Rock and Vin Diesel in this movie is worth watching alone. The Rock brings an intensity to that villain role that previous Fast and Furious movies were really lacking. With Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and guys from that age soon nearing action movie retirement, the world is looking for its next action superstar. And I think that person could be The Rock. 

They Live (1988)

This movie has to be one of the most underrated cheesy sci-fi horror movies of all time. I live for B-movie sci-fi and They Live is one of the kings of that genre. It stars "Rowdy" Roddy Piper as a man who discovers sunglasses that allow him to see aliens that are planning on taking over the Earth. It's equally parts funny as it is absolutely insane. There's really not much to say besides that this movie is a really good time and won't disappoint. Keep an eye out for an extended fight scene between Roddy Piper and actor Keith David. And by extended, I mean this fist fight lasts a good fifteen minutes. They Live also features one of my favorite lines of all time: "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of gum."

The Wrestler (2008)

Okay, this one's cheating a little bit. It doesn't necessarily star a wrestler, because as far as I know, Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei haven't laced up their boots yet. But many of the supporting cast members are all real wrestlers from independent wrestling company Ring of Honor. All of the wrestlers that Mickey Rourke's character "The Ram" faces in the ring are in fact all Ring of Honor regulars. Current WWE wrestlers R-Truth and Antonio Cesaro make cameos as well. For those that have never seen The Wrestler, it stars Mickey Rourke as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a professional wrestler who struggles with his life both in and out of the ring. It was nominated for 2 Oscars back in 2009 and if I had to guess, I'd say it's probably the only wrestling related movie to have Oscar nominations. It's also really, really good and you really don't need to know anything about wrestling to enjoy this movie.

The Princess Bride (1987)

You probably forgot about this one, right? Well The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies of all time, so of course it's ranked #1 on this list. In case you may have missed him, that 7 foot tall gentleman on the right is Andre the Giant, who is one of the most popular wrestlers of all time. The Princess Bride is a modern take on the classic fairy tale and sees the courageous Westley trying to save the love of his life from the evil Prince Humperdinck. Andre plays Fezzik- the giant with a heart of gold. I don't want to imagine that some people haven't seen The Princess Bride (my teachers actually showed it to us in middle school!), but if you haven't, I can't recommend it highly enough. It's directed by Rob Reiner, who also directed Stand by Me, This Is Spinal Tap, and other awesome movies. So stop reading this blog (well finish the last paragraph) and go out and watch this movie!!

Those are my Top 5 favorite movies starring wrestlers. Sure, there have been at least six times as many flops as there have been hits. But I have faith that we will continue to see wrestlers transition to movies and there will still be some good ones put out there! And if you ain't down with that, I got two words for ya!

Which of your favorite ones didn't make the list? Who do you guys think is the best wrestler turned actor? Hit up the comments section below to sound off on your opinions!

Jared

The Best Shows on TV

As much as I love talking about movies, every year I find myself more interested in television shows over movies. Television has come a long way in the past few years, especially with  networks like HBO, AMC, and SHOWTIME developing more and more fantastic original series. With many A list actors getting into the game recently as well, the line between TV and movies is starting to get thiner. Many TV series episodes are even beginning to resemble mini movies.

So what are some of my favorite TV series on the air right now? Below are the shows that you should be watching. They are really really incredible.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

One of the best decisions I ever made was deciding to marathon watch every season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia this past summer. In my opinion, the show is hands down the funniest show on television. The most recent Season 7 definitely wasn't on par with the rest of the series, but before Season 7 it's pretty hard to find an episode that I don't like. There are so many laugh out loud moments in the series. Most of that is due to the fantastic main cast, who also produce and write the series. It's hard to describe what It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is about for people who haven't seen it, but it's basically about five people who own an Irish pub in Philadelphia. The five of them, including Danny DeVito, happen to be horrible human beings and they often find themselves in really terrible situations. The still above is from my favorite episode- The Nightman Cometh, which sees my favorite character Charlie staging a rock opera to try and impress a waitress. Comedic gold.

Dexter

Oh man, Dexter was crappy this past season. With predictable plot twists and characters making decisions that made you want to strangle the writers, this past year I've been the least interested in Dexter than I've ever been. But that doesn't stop it from being an amazing show. Dexter is about a Miami forensics expert who moonlights as a serial killer who kills people he's believed have escaped justice. The writing (save for this past season) is incredible and the cast is top notch. Michael C. Hall, who plays Dexter, deserves every Golden Globe and Emmy nomination he's received. Dexter is must-watch television and there have been many episodes where I've been glued to my seat waiting to see where the writers would go next. The best season by far is Season 4, which features John Lithgow as the villainous Arthur Mitchell. Unfortunately for Dexter, that season was so good that it's been unable to live up to that standard since. I haven't heard much about Season 7 (which debuts in September) yet, but hopefully Dexter can climb back to where it once was.

The Walking Dead

I don't understand some of the hate that The Walking Dead gets. Yes, sometimes it's slow, especially for a series about zombies and yeah some of the characters are massively underdeveloped. But The Walking Dead is one of the coolest and most exciting shows on TV right now. It's about a group of people struggling to survive a world overrun by zombies. No one is safe in this TV show, including main characters, which we learned at the conclusion of Season 2 last month. The Walking Dead is loosely based on the graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman, however it is unique for a series based on previously written material in that it only borrows what it thinks will translate for good television. The show smartly made a decision early on NOT to kill off one of its best characters, unlike the graphic novel, which dispatched one of my favorite characters far too early. The show also added some amazing elements that weren't in the graphic novels- including the scene stealing Merle and Darryl Dixon. While The Walking Dead definitely has a lot of room to get better, that's all I can see it doing. Season 2 just ended but I'm already highly anticipating Season 3 at the end of this year.

Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire is one of those series that makes you wonder how it could possibly get made. The show seems so wide in scope and it seems like there's so much involved in filming each scene. I do not envy series creator Terrence Winter, but I'm glad he and his team do it as this show is one of the best on TV right now. Boardwalk Empire is set in 1920s and stars Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson, a politician and gangster who rules over Atlantic City by controlling its alcohol during Prohibition. The show boasts one of the biggest and best supporting casts on television right now, including amazing performances from "the Michaels"- Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Michael K. Williams, and Michael Pitt. My personal favorite happens to be highly underrated Stephen Graham, who portrays real life gangster Al Capone during Capone's early years working in Chicago for Johnny Torrio. I love how Boardwalk Empire blends fact and fiction and perfectly gives time to some 10-20 equally developed and equally interesting characters. Season 2 ended in a big way and I can't wait to see what they do next.

Mad Men

I would do anything to be able to go back in time and get a chance to be an ad man in Manhattan during the 1960s. Mad Men makes it look so cool and Don Draper (played by Jon Hamm) is THE most sophisticated and suave man in the history of television. If I was a fifth as cool as Don Draper, then I'd be doing okay. Mad Men takes place in the 1960s and is about an advertising agency and its mysterious  ad executive Don Draper. Created by Matthew Weiner (also a writer on The Sopranos), each Mad Men episode contains some of the most creative writing I've ever seen. Unlike all of the other shows on my list that have a lot of action to drive the plot, Mad Men contains barely any action. Instead, Mad Men relies on developing its characters and getting you invested in them to get you to care about the show. After marathon watching every season of Mad Men these past two months, I truly care about these characters and that's a testament to fantastic writing. Currently on its fifth season, the show has reinvented itself  and has become more interesting than ever. 

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is about as close to perfect as I think any show can get. It should be a crime NOT to watch this show. With each new episode and new plot twist, Breaking Bad continues to blow my mind every episode. It's about a high school chemistry teacher named Walter White (played by the insanely talented Bryan Cranston), who finds out that he has terminal cancer. Instead of reacting like perhaps a normal person would, Walt decides to produce and sell crystal meth in order to leave behind enough money for his family. This is what the first season is about but as Walt continues down a treacherous and winding path, so many incredible elements are added to the show. My favorite part of the show is Gus, the crystal meth kingpin who forces Walt and Walt's partner Jesse to work for him. Gus is one of the greatest villains in TV history and when you consider that the character really doesn't talk all that much that's a pretty impressive feat. Breaking Bad is so smartly written and it knows how to totally shock people. But Breaking Bad is one of the few shows that doesn't do shocking things just for shock value. There have been some instances where something incredible will happen and then you'll re-watch an episode from a season or two ago and you'll see hints that the writers were always thinking of going there. Breaking Bad reportedly only has 16 episodes left before its series finale next year. That will be a very sad day.

Those may be my favorite shows on TV right now, but there's tons of other shows I enjoy. I think I'm one of the few people who really love The Office and 30 Rock still. I also have to admit that Celebrity Apprentice is one of my guilty pleasures. I'm not sure why I like it, but I do. I think New Girl may be one of the best new shows on TV. Some shows I hope to get into in the next few months are Community, Parks and Rec, and Game of Thrones, all of which I've heard really incredible things about. With all of these incredible shows on TV right now, you shouldn't be reading this blog anymore. Go ahead and watch the Breaking Bad pilot. You'll thank me later.

Jared

Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

With the Oscars just a few weeks ago, it's time to close the book on 2011 movies and begin to look forward to the films coming out this year. Looking at the list of films to be released this year, I have to say that it looks like it will be a pretty incredible year. Three of the biggest superhero franchises of all time will be releasing new entries this summer. Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Sam Mendes, and many other great directors will all be putting out new films in 2012.

Below is the list of my most anticipated movies of 2012. It was too difficult to narrow it down to just 10 films, so I've included 11. I'm also really looking forward to 21 Jump Street, which is actually opening this coming weekend. It's been quite a while since I've seen a REALLY hysterical movie in the theaters and I'm hoping 21 Jump Street breaks that curse. I'm also looking forward to seeing what Jeremy Renner can do with the Bourne franchise in Bourne Legacy, coming out this August. And despite the first Expendables movie kinda sucking, I'm totally on board for The Expendables 2, coming out in August as well. As much as I don't want to admit it, The Hunger Games (March 23rd) has also caught my eye.

But those films didn't make my Top 11. Here are my Top 11 (in increasing order to most anticipated) movies of 2012.

11. The Great Gatsby (December 28th)

Can the book we were all forced to read in high school translate into a great movie? The book was about a Midwestern man who is drawn into the social circle of his mysterious neighbor Jay Gatsby. Looking at the cast alone, this will at least be an impressive effort. In addition to Leonardo DiCaprio playing the titular character, this film also boasts having Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, and Joel Edgerton in the main roles. Baz Luhrmann, the writer and director Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, has written the screenplay and is directing this as well. I thought the book was pretty entertaining (especially for a book forced upon me in high school) and I think this movie has potential to be an Oscar contender next year. To be fair, I think it's contractually obligated that Leonardo DiCaprio gets an Oscar nomination for every movie he signs onto nowadays anyway.

10. Moonrise Kingdom (May 25th)

I admit to not being the biggest Wes Anderson fan. For me, a lot of his movies have been hit or miss. I enjoyed The Royal Tenenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited, but despite being quirky and fun, I just didn't think of them as any more than that. Moonrise Kingdom, however, definitely has the potential to change that. Just the pure fact that Wes Anderson managed to gather Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, and Harvey Keitel in the same movie is pretty impressive. That's 5 Oscar nominees in the main cast! But the story sounds really interesting too. It's about two young kids who flee town and the and the search parties that form to find them. I also thought the trailer was really well-made. You can check it out HERE.

9. This Is 40 (December 21st)

Many consider Knocked Up to be one of the funniest movies to be released in the last ten years, but can its sequel live up to the original, especially with original stars Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl sitting this one out? I, for one, think so and have very high expectations for This Is 40. This time around the movie will focus on Pete and Debbie (played by Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann) but will also feature Jason Segel, Melissa McCarthy, Albert Brooks, and John Lithgow. If you're looking for a more hilarious group of actors and actresses, you're going to be looking for a long time. Judd Apatow, the writer and director of Knocked Up, is returning to write and direct this one as well. I'm going to go out on a (short) limb and say that This Is 40 will be the second funniest comedy of 2012.

8. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (December 14th)

I'm sure this is way higher on most people's lists, but I guess I'm not as big a Lord of the Rings fan as most people. That's not to say that I didn't really enjoy the original trilogy, because I did, but I didn't buy as much into the hype as everyone else. That being said, I actually have read most of the J.R.R. Tolkien books and The Hobbit was by far my favorite. With the introduction of Gollum and the backstory to how the ring was formed, the Hobbit definitely could be better than the Lord of the Rings movies. With Peter Jackson back on board as director and the original Lord of the Rings screenwriters adapting the screenplay, The Hobbit will probably be at LEAST as good as the original trilogy, if not better. A lot of the original cast will also be returning, including Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, so that will sure to get the Lord of the Rings geeks excited. My guess? The Hobbit proves to be one of the best J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations but falls short of a Best Picture Oscar nomination.

7. The Dictator (May 11th)

I hate the backlash that Sacha Baron Cohen has gotten recently. Despite most people loving Borat when it first came out, it seems like there's been a recent trend to crap on the movie now. It's no secret that I think Sacha Baron Cohen is one of the smartest, most hilarious comedic actors working today so I don't understand this trend. However with the recent release of The Dictator trailer, as well as hilarious hijinks on the Oscars red carpet a few weeks ago, I think The Dictator will change everyone's minds about Sacha Baron Cohen. The movie is about General Aladeen (played by Baron Cohen) and his quest to make sure that democracy never comes to the country that he so lovingly oppressed. Larry Charles, the director of Borat, will be returning to direct this movie as well. The movie is also rumored to feature a ton of celebrity cameos. Hopefully The Dictator will prove that Sacha Baron Cohen is the superstar that I know he can be.

6. The Amazing SpiderMan (July 6th)

The summer of 2012 will be jam packed with comic book movies. Perhaps in a weaker summer The Amazing SpiderMan would have ranked higher, but with the release of two even bigger superhero movies also coming out this summer, it'll have to deal with being my 6th most anticipated movie. That's not to say that I don't think The Amazing SpiderMan won't be...amazing. The movie is actually a reboot of the franchise, originally starring Tobey Maguire. This time around, The Social Network's Andrew Garfield will be stepping into the role of Peter Parker/SpiderMan as we again witness the teenager's transformation into the webbed superhero. Emma Stone, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, and Rhys Ifans also star. Perhaps what gets me most excited about The Amazing SpiderMan (besides Emma Stone, who gets my pick as the one celebrity I'd love to go on a date with) is that it's being directed by relative newcomer Marc Webb. The only other feature film that he's directed to date is the awesome 500 Days of Summer. That makes me think that the Amazing SpiderMan may be a breed of superhero movie that we've never seen before.

5. Skyfall (November 9th)

Casino Royale was one of the best James Bond movies and perhaps one of the best action movies of all time. Although Quantum of Solace was disappointing, it's hard to argue that the third installment to feature Daniel Craig as James Bond doesn't sound exciting. This time around I'm even more excited because American Beauty and Road to Perdition director Sam Mendes will be taking over directing duties. Daniel Craig will of course be returning, but also starring are the incredibly talented and Oscar winning Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem in roles we're not quite sure of as of yet. The rumor, however, is that both men will be playing Bond villains. If this is true, Skyfall could perhaps be THE undisputed best Bond movie of all time.

4. Lincoln (December 2012)

All you need to know about this movie is that stars Daniel Day-Lewis as the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. That picture above is actually Daniel Day-Lewis in Abraham Lincoln make-up. If that doesn't sound freaking amazing enough, the movie will also feature Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sally Field, Jackie Earle Haley, James Spader, David Strathairn, Tim Blake Nelson, Jared Harris, Michael Stuhlbarg, Walton Goggins, and EVEN more amazing actors portraying historical figures. Should they even bother nominating any other ensemble casts at the SAG Awards next year? Cause there's no beating this one. Oh, I also forgot to mention one thing. Lincoln is directed by a man you may have heard of. Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg + Daniel Day-Lewis = my ass in a seat on opening night.

3. Django Unchained (December 25th)

I actually have the script for Django Unchained sitting on my desktop but I can't bring myself to read it because I don't want to spoil any of the movie for me. From writer and director Quentin Tarantino comes Django Unchained, a movie about a slave turned bounty hunter who sets out to rescue his wife from a Mississippi plantation owner. Jamie Foxx stars as the titular character Django while Kerry Washington will be playing his wife and Leonardo DiCaprio will be playing plantation owner Calvin Candie. As usual with most Quentin Tarantino movies, Django Unchained will have a TON of characters. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kurt Russell, Sacha Baron Cohen, Samuel L. Jackson, Cristoph Waltz, and many more fantastic actors will also make appearances at some point during the story. Can Django Unchained top Inglorious Basterds? My guess is that it will and Django Unchained will bring Quentin Tarantino his second Oscar.

2. The Avengers (May 4th)

Iron Man. Thor. Captain America. The Incredible Hulk. Hawkeye. Black Widow. Nick Fury. All in the same movie. It's the movie that we've been waiting for ever since it was teased at the end of Iron Man way back in 2008. And it's finally here! Comic book geeks rejoice! However, out of all of the movies on my most anticipated list, I think The Avengers has the potential to be the most disappointing, but that's probably because of all the hype surrounding it. The Avengers will see Nick Fury and his S.H.I.E.L.D. agency form a team called The Avengers to battle Loki and his army. There really isn't much else to be said. This movie will be HUGE. In a normal year, it would have definitely been my most anticipated movie. But this year sees the release of....

1. The Dark Knight Rises (July 20th)

Not really a surprise, The Dark Knight Rises is by FAR my most anticipated movie of 2012. Screw it, The Dark Knight Rises is my most anticipated movie of all time. The Dark Knight is among my favorite movies of all time so to say I'm looking forward to the sequel would be quite an understatement. The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after The Joker wreaked havoc on Gotham City in The Dark Knight. This time around, a terrorist leader known as Bane (played by Tom Hardy) causes Batman to resurface to put an end to his nefarious plot. Also starring is Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, but we're not quite sure how she figures into the plot yet. On top of that, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard will also play characters named John Blake and Miranda Tate, but how their characters play into the story is also unknown. This air of mystery gets me really excited for the movie. I have faith in Christopher Nolan and I don't think The Dark Knight Rises will disappoint. At least I hope it doesn't, cause I will be one sad Batman fan if it does.

There are my most anticipated movies of 2012! What movies are you looking forward to? Do you agree with my picks! Hit the comments below the post and let me know!

Jared

2012 Oscar Thoughts

The 2012 Academy Awards have come and gone and most of the wins didn't really surprise anyone. Last year I was entered into an Oscars pool and ended up winning a couple hundred dollars by correctly guessing 18 out of the 24 categories correctly. This year I went 19/24 but unfortunately, no pool. Damn!

Here are some quick thoughts on the show:

The biggest surprise of the night was definitely Meryl Streep winning Best Actress for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. I had guessed Viola Davis, as I'm sure many people had. Viola Davis was definitely the favored winner and in my book, deserved the award over Meryl Streep. However it's hard to argue against Meryl Streep winning an Oscar. She's actually only won twice before and this was her first win since 1983. Considering that she probably deserved to win many more times than she actually has, this isn't really too upsetting. I do feel for Viola Davis though. She's very talented and I'm sure we'll see her at the Oscars again soon.

I'm very happy that both Jean Dujardin and director Michael Hazanavicus won their Oscars for Best Actor and Best Director. They both deserved them. But for some reason The Artist winning Best Picture didn't really sit right with me. I definitely enjoyed the film a lot, but it doesn't even begin to compare to previous Best Picture winners. I can't even see myself wanting to ever watch The Artist again- it just doesn't have great replay value. I definitely would have been more satisfied seeing Hugo, or even The Help or Moneyball, winning over The Artist. 

Was Billy Crystal better than last year's hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway? Obviously yes, it would have been really hard for him not to be better. But was he as good and as funny as he should have been? I definitely don't think so. I don't think I laughed out loud one single time during the show and I thought his Sammy Davis Jr. impression was more outdated than inappropriate. Billy Crystal is definitely funny, but his sense of humor was more "cute" than "funny". So who should have hosted the Oscars instead you ask? Well I was definitely disappointed when Eddie Murphy, who was originally supposed to host the Oscars this year, dropped out. I thought he had the potential to be a LOT better than Billy Crystal turned out to be. Other suggestions? How about Sacha Baron Cohen? Or Sacha Baron Cohen in character as The Dictator? The Dictator had the funniest moment of the night by far when he "accidentally" dumped what he claimed was Kim Jung Il's ashes on an unsuspecting Ryan Seacrest. "When people ask you who you're wearing, you'll say Kim Jung Il," the Dictator shouted as he was thrown off the red carpet by security. Imagine if the Academy wasn't so uptight and let him host!

What did you guys think of the 2012 Academy awards? Who would you like to see host the awards next year?

Jared

My 2012 Oscar picks!

Okay, I know tonight is the Oscars and I'm extremely late with these picks. But these are the winners, I'm sure of it. Last year I guessed 18 of the major 24 categories correctly, which is impressive if I do say so myself. This year let's see if I can do better!

Best Live Action Short Film

Will Win: The Shore

(Yeah I didn't see any of these)

Best Animated Short Film

Will Win: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

(Didn't see any of these either, picked this one solely on the cool title)

Best Documentary Short

Will Win: The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

(again, can't judge- didn't see any of these)

Best Documentary Feature

Will Win: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

(I'm really disappointed in myself that I didn't see any documentaries this year! But this one looks fantastic.)

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Will Win & Should Win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

(This one is obvious. Andy Serkis is the man.)

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

Will Win & Should Win: Hugo

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

Will Win & Should Win: Hugo

(Okay, Hugo clearly won't win BOTH Sound Editing and Mixing. But it'll win at least one of them.)

Best Original Song

Will Win & Should Win: "Man or Muppet" from The Muppets

(There's only 2 nominated so I have a 50% chance of getting this right. It's an awesome song though.)

Best Original Score

Will Win & Should Win: The Artist

(In this silent film a lot of attention was drawn to the score, so I think the Academy will recognize that.)

Best Achievement in Makeup

Will Win: The Iron Lady

Should Win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

(Academy history makes me think it'll be The Iron Lady. But I wouldn't be shocked if Potter wins.)

Best Achievement in Costume Design

Will Win & Should Win: The Artist

(The Artist is going to win a lot for sure, but Jane Eyre could steal this one.)

Best Achievement in Art Direction

Will Win & Should Win: Hugo

(Can you tell I liked Hugo?)

Best Achievement in Editing

Will Win & Should Win: The Artist

(Again, it's tough to bet against The Artist)

Best Achievement in Cinematography

Will Win & Should Win: Hugo

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Will Win: A Separation

(didn't manage to catch any of these this year, but A Separation looks awesome)

Best Animated Feature of the Year

Will Win & Should Win: Rango

(WEAK nominees this year)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Will Win: The Descendants

Should Win: Hugo

(The Descendants looks incredibly boring. But the Academy LOVES George Clooney movies.)

Best Original Screenplay

Will Win & Should Win: Midnight in Paris

(As much as I would love to see Bridesmaids win, I'm sure Midnight in Paris has the edge and deservedly so.)

Best Achievement in Directing

Will Win: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist

Should Win: Martin Scorsese, Hugo

(I feel bad for whoever is going to have to pronounce Michael Hazanavicus' name.)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Will Win & Should Win: Octavia Spencer, The Help

(This is definitely the easiest category to predict.)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Will Win: Christopher Plummer, Beginners

(The only performance I saw from this category is Jonah Hill in Moneyball. I'm sure Plummer was better though.)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role

Will Win & Should Win: Viola Davis, The Help

(Viola Davis is INCREDIBLE. In any movie she's in. Meryl Streep has been put on notice.)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role

Will Win & Should Win: Jean Dujardin, The Artist

(If George Clooney wins and there's a good chance he will, I'll put my foot through my television.)

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Will Win: The Artist

Should Win: Hugo

(I liked Hugo better than The Artist. But I think The Artist will win. Again, I'm very shocked The Artist has been embraced the way it has.)

Make sure to check back after the Oscars are over to see how many I got right! I'll be back in a few days with my thoughts on the 2012 Academy awards! 

-Jared