No, the blog title isn't referring to the new Britney Spears song about a "you're the most." (A Very Brady Sequel. Look it up.) Instead, it's referring to the number of times a designer is usually allowed into the bottom three on Project Runway. On that third strike, 95% of the time, designers will be sent home.
That didn't happen last night. Christopher Straub, a personal favorite, was saved yet again from the claws of elimination. Though I usually think Minnesota Nice's stuff is awesome, these past two weeks (last week especially) have been pretty horrible. It's odd. He started out so strong, and now is falling apart at the seams. (Fashion joke. Ha.)
(SPOILER: Judging from the Models of the Runway preview, Minnesota Nice makes it again next week, though he comes close to elimination one more time. Come on, Chris! Really?)
Episode Nine: Sequins, Feathers, and Fur, Oh My!
Lifetime: Television for Women Who Like Poorly Written Television Episode Titles. When Runway reaches the final eight contestants, a few important things happen. First, the judges really begin to look towards Fashion Week and who will show great collections. Second, immunity is no longer given to winners of challenges. No easy breaks. Finally, the judging gets a lot harsher. You do badly on one challenge, and you could go home. This week's episode involved designing for Christina Aguilera in the tradition of Bob Mackie. In other words, sequined, feathered, and with lots of over-the-top accoutrements. So...tacky, basically.
Not my favorite challenge, honestly. They've already done a "make a costume" challenge this season--do we really need a second? Also, though I think Christina Aguilera is talented and was once a huge star, in all honesty, has she done a whole lot lately? These folks were acting as though it was Beyoncé they were designing for.
Still, even when the challenge sucks, the show must go on.
Carol Hannah Whitfield
I was happy to see Two-Name Whitfield win a challenge. She's been a consistent designer so far, but hadn't done enough to win. She's a part of the incredibly strong female designer crop this season. Two-Name's dress, though pretty, didn't really fit the challenge, and I wonder if black can actually work from the nosebleed seats. To me, the Blonde and the Beautiful Althea's dress would better fulfill the challenge. Still, Two-Name needed a win, so I'm happy.
Logan Neitzel
I don't think our Designated Straight Male got the right amount of flak for his outfit. It was dull and poorly made, just like all his other stuff. Also, he is now the only designer left in the competition who hasn't won a challenge. In fact, Shirin Hideandseek, this week's eliminee, remains a full five points ahead of him in the standings. Thinking about it, I just can't see DSM at Bryant Park like I can Irina, Althea, Carol Hannah, Christopher, and even Gordana.
Gordana Gelhausen
Speaking of Fraülein Gelhausen... I have a very good feeling she had every intention of coasting with immunity this challenge. That's actually fine; there's nothing in the rulebook that says she even has to TRY on challenges where she is immune from elimination. Still, I was disappointed. Fraülein doesn't seem to have the same desire and drive to win this that the other designers do. Which is weird, since she's been trying out for this show for four seasons now. Still, the Irina/Althea/Carol Hannah triad is impossibly strong right now, and Gordana isn't showing that she deserves a spot in that final three.
Althea Harper
I loved this look. The detailing was great, the effect was dramatic, and it didn't look cheap as all get-out. The Blonde and the Beautiful is Irina's main competition to win at this point, but will losing the fabulous Tanisha Harper as her model shake her confidence next week? Probably not. Althea still hasn't taken a trip to the bottom, much like Irina and Carol Hannah, so it'll probably be Fraülein Gelhausen, Nicolas the Terrible, or DSM going home next week. Though Minnesota Nice isn't going that great right now...
Christopher Straub
Lucky he's SPOILER AGAIN obviously safe next week END SPOILER, because right now, if you told me Minnesota Nice was going home next week, I wouldn't doubt you. Christopher looked like the designer to beat for the first half of the season, but after his lethal third trip to the bottom three this week, can he survive much longer on this current course? He's the guys' only hope to win this season, but right now, he's got three incredibly strong female competitors.
Nicolas Putvinski
Nicolas the Terrible more or less remade a garment this week. He loves his white and lace, and Tim Gunn even pointed out the similarities to his winning design from three weeks ago. However, Heidi Klum was the only regular judge there that week. Michael Kors is gone again, and Nina Garcia, though back for the rest of the season (YEAH!), has no point of reference. No wonder he was in the top. No one remembers the last look! This really presents a problem about the judging system this season.
Irina Shabayeva
Shabbadabadoo's safety without interrogation this week puzzled me. There are only eight left: why not question all the designers? Still, her design was pretty safe, so her position was appropriate. She also kept her high score, so I guess there was a reason to keep her safe. However, next week looks like things don't go well for Shabbadabadoo next week, with the infamous "not here to make friends" label gets affixed to her. Is Irina the Kenley/Jeffrey/Santino of this season? Talented, yet despised?
Shirin Askari
Aww, Hideandseek! After representing Texas well for quite some time, including a win and avoiding the bottom three, Shirin was drop-kicked off the runway. I was surprised with her elimination, but Hideandseek was just annoying enough to become grating if she had stayed much longer. Still, this presents another problem with the judging. Ra'mon, Epperson, and now Shirin have been pretty unceremonially kicked off this show despite consistent performance. What's going on, Michael and Nina? You're both back next week, so I expect to see DSM going home!
My Winner: Althea Harper
My Auf: Christopher Straub
For the remaining finalists, here are the scores:
Irina Shabayeva: 6 IN
Althea Harper: 5 HIGH
Carol Hannah Whitfield: 4 WIN
Christopher Straub: 1 LOW
Gordana Gelhausen: 0 IN
Nicolas Putvinski: 0 HIGH
Logan Neitzel: -3 LOW
Shirin Askari: 2 OUT
Well, what'd you think? Surprised by Shirin's ouster? Is Irina unbeatable? Or will Althea or Carol Hannah usurp her? Is Christopher the biggest disappointment this show's ever seen? Gordana, Nicolas, and Logan: who goes next week? Or will it be someone unexpected? You know where to go to discuss: the comments!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Holy Nina Garcia, Batman!
(I love that phrase way too much.)
As my payments process on my college applications (because I'm DONE!), I thought I would take the chance to blog about my guilty obsession. That's right, hide your cross-stitchings and get ready for Korsian snippiness, because Season 6 of Project Runway is in full swing. With eight designers left, the season will finally kick into high gear on Lifetime this Thursday at 9 PM. This blog post will give all you latent Runwayers a chance to catch up.
After this, every weekend I'll post on the newest episode: some highlights, some lowlights, my opinion on who should have won/gone home, and just general thoughts. Sparsed in with as much Korsian snippiness as I can manage. (The guy's only been in like three episodes this season. It's really killing me.)
I'll also completely ignore the poorly planned Models of the Runway, a spinoff that airs every Thursday night after the real Runway. Though it has its interesting moments, the show is, on the whole, er, God-awful. The real show's enough to talk about.
You'll see a scoring system used to compare contestants. Essentially, here's how it breaks down:
WIN: 2 points
HIGH: 1 point
IN: No points
LOW: -1 point
OUT: -2 points (but since they're, y'know, out, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference anymore)
If you want to keep up with who scored where, check Wikipedia's chart here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Runway_(season_6)#Challenges
Episode One: Welcome to Los Angeles!
Oh, yeah, BTdubs, the show moved from NYC to LA this season. To celebrate the move, the first challenge was about the red carpet. (Am I missing something? Don't they have red carpets in NYC?) Most of the gowns were incredibly typical, including that of Ra'mon Lawrence Coleman. My personal favorite was the winner's: Christopher Straub created an awesome, oddly-textured skirt that would be perfect for the VMAs. Though Kanye likely wouldn't let him finish. (And I now declare that joke dead.) The strange Ari Fish was out even before she got used to the sunshine, though I would have eliminated the guy who essentially sent a nude model down the runway: Mitchell Hall.
My Winner: Christopher Straub
My Auf: Mitchell Hall
Episode Two: We Expect Fashion
Does the episode title strike anyone else as ridiculously obvious? I mean, what were judges Heidi Klum and Nina Garcia expecting, ugly maternity wear? That's just ridicul- oh, wait. Just saw Malvin Vien's design. Hope they weren't expecting a weird chicken/egg/sling/feather/hottrannymess thing, because that's what he made for this Rebecca Romijn-inspired maternity dress challenge. Meanwhile, Texas-based designer Shirin Askari made a fantastic dress and coat that looked good enough to wear, pregnant or no. The judges got it right this time, which might be the last time that happens all season.
My Winner: Shirin Askari
My Auf: Malvin Vien
Episode Three: Rumble on the Runway
Wow, Lifetime sucks at naming Runway episodes. There was no "rumble" this episode; there was one two episodes later, though. More on that later. This challenge, which forced the designers into teams of two, was about designing a surf-inspired ready-to-wear outfit. Later on, the designers learned that they were to make a SECOND outfit, an avant-garde look inspired by their surfwear outfit. (So it's inspired on an outfit that was inspired by the sea? Seems like there's some algebra property that deals with that...) I was not a big fan of the winning outfit, a nasty-looking neon green neoprene dress (that, ladies and gentlemen, was dyed in a toilet bowl. Don't you know that model was thrilled) that probably deserved to send Ra'mon ho'me. (Sorry. The apostrophe is too easy to mock.) Still, he did basically do his and Mitchell's outfits alone, so for that, I'm glad he got the win. I would have given it to ticking time bomb Johnny Sakalis, a former drug addict who really went off the deep end pretty quickly. Still, his look, put together with Irina Shabayeva, was really well-made and looked good, so give him the win. The useless Mitchell, however, really did get to get shoved off, even after his partner won the challenge.
My Winner: Johnny Sakalis
My Auf: Mitchell Hall
Episode Four: What a Woman Wants
God, Lifetime! The titles! They make my eyes bleed! The designers were expected to make a look for their model for an industry event based on the model's desires. This was one of those challenges that the judges really failed in judging, as all three top tier looks paled in comparison to other unnoticed looks. Still, if I had to pick one, Carol Hannah Whitfield did do a good job constructing her dress. Althea Harper, though an interesting designer with a signature look and one hell of a model (Tanisha Harper, you're too good for that stupid spinoff), really didn't create the best look this week, though, again, it was well-made. I would have sent home Logan Neitzel, AKA Designated Straight Male, for his tacky Smurf prom dress instead of Qristyl (okay, that name is just DESIGNED for people to misspell it) Frasier's boring black dress. But at least now she can go get that name sorted out.
My Winner: Carol Hannah Whitfield
My Auf: Logan Neitzel
Episode Five: Fashion Headliners
...*sigh* Lifetime... The "headliners" in this episode catastrophe/title refer to the newspapers the designers were expected to use as materials in this challenge. The results were really quite stunning, and I honestly couldn't pick a winner between Irina Shabbadabbadoo's gorgeous collared dress and Minnesota Nice Christopher's incredible skirt and armoresque bustier. I could, however, declare Johnny Tsunami, all of a sudden a lying mess, the easy loser. Fellow bottom two-er Nicolas Putvinski didn't really have to sweat it; Johnny Tsunami's terrible dress, mixed with his lying on the runway (which made mentor Tim Gunn more angry than I could have ever imagined Tim Gunn), made him an easy loser.
My Winners: Irina Shabayeva and Christopher Straub
My Auf: Johnny Sakalis
Episode Six: Lights, Camera, Sew!
That's not even a pun! Sew doesn't even resemble the word action! And what's with the unnecessary "!" at the end? *deep breath* Okay, as far as the episode is concerned, this was one of my favorite episodes in the entire series, with one of the worst decisions on the part of the judges. The designers were expected to craft a look based on a movie genre. Epperson (you only need one name when you look like Bob Marley) designed an awesome Annie Get Your Gun-style Western look, and Christopher created an awesome Victorian vampire bride look that didn't exactly mesh with his Period Piece genre, but it was incredible, so the judges (nor I) cared. Ra'mon was right'ly sent ho'me for a disgust'ing al'ien lo'ok that was just a mess of green fab'ric (I'll st'op), but the real winner, Nicolas the Terrible, designed an absolutely cheap ice queen look for his sci-fi genre. Probably the worst winner possible, other than Ra'mon. Nicolas the Terrible's look really didn't hold up to the PR standard.
My Winner: Epperson
My Auf: Ra'mon Lawrence Coleman
Episode Seven: The Sky is the Limit
I'm not gonna rant... I'm not gonna rant... I'm not gonna rant... In a repeat of a challenge from three seasons ago, the last time when Macy's was one of the sponsors of the show (in the form of the Macy's Accessory Wall, as opposed to the TreSemme Hair Salon or the L'Oreal Paris Makeup Room or the Garnier Hair Studio or the bluefly.com Accessory Wall-yeah, this show shells a few products), the designers were expected to create two looks in blue for the INC International Concepts Design brand. (I know, it should be ICD. But that doesn't sound as much like an unfortunate Lifetime Project Runway episode title pun as INC does.) I'm not actually talking a lot about the episode itself because it was one of those episodes you struggle through. An unoriginal challenge mixed with poor judging (Michael Kors, just because you are snippy does not give you the right to drop Minnesota Nice Christopher into the bottom two!) led to a fairly unmemorable episode. Irina deserved her second win, and Louise Black was the right choice to send home since Nicolas the Terrible had immunity, but boy, what a bad trip to get to the end.
My Winner: Irina Shabayeva
My Auf: Louise Black
Episode Eight: A Fashionable New Beginning
Right, so each pun is one shot, each mention of "fashion" is two shots... Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. This week's surprisingly good episode involved taking the wedding dress of a divorceé and making it into a new dress with which to start their new life. (Though I get the concept, some of these women seemed really still emotionally vulnerable and others were divorced way too long for this challenge to make sense.) I really dug Shirin Hideandseek's geometric look, a great way to use very little fabric. I also loved Gordana Gelhausen's (that's not a nickname, that REALLY is her last name) edgy-yet-chic dress, but to me, the winner was the one who actually used the dress in an interesting way, and that was Irina Shabbadabadoo. I was horrified that Bob Marley/Epperson was sent home, while Designated Straight Male survived with his Oktoberfest mess of an outfit. And Minnesota Nice Christopher was dropped into the bottom again. What is this, Michael Kors? Why can't you and Minnesota Nice just get along?
My Winner: Irina Shabayeva
My Auf: Logan Neitzel (I've sent him home twice now; is the third time the charm?)
For the eight remaining finalists, here are the scores:
Irina Shabayeva: 6
Althea Harper: 4
Shirin Askari: 4
Christopher Straub: 2
Carol Hannah Whitfield: 2
Gordana Gelhausen: 0
Nicolas Putvinski: -1
Logan Neitzel: -2
And my ranking is as follows:
Shabbadabadoo (Irina)
The Blonde and the Beautiful (Althea)
Minnesota Nice (Christopher)
Hideandseek (Shirin)
Fraulein (Gordana)
Two-Name (Carol Hannah)
Nicolas the Terrible (Nicolas)
Designated Straight Male (Logan)
Okay, Runway fanatics and latents. You're all caught up. What do you think of this season? Do you think that the Blonde and the Beautiful Althea, Irina Shabbadabadoo, and Minnesota Nice Christopher are already a lock for the Final Three, or could Shirin Hideandseek get in there? Could my nicknames be any worse? Are they worse than Lifetime's episode titles? Comments below!
As my payments process on my college applications (because I'm DONE!), I thought I would take the chance to blog about my guilty obsession. That's right, hide your cross-stitchings and get ready for Korsian snippiness, because Season 6 of Project Runway is in full swing. With eight designers left, the season will finally kick into high gear on Lifetime this Thursday at 9 PM. This blog post will give all you latent Runwayers a chance to catch up.
After this, every weekend I'll post on the newest episode: some highlights, some lowlights, my opinion on who should have won/gone home, and just general thoughts. Sparsed in with as much Korsian snippiness as I can manage. (The guy's only been in like three episodes this season. It's really killing me.)
I'll also completely ignore the poorly planned Models of the Runway, a spinoff that airs every Thursday night after the real Runway. Though it has its interesting moments, the show is, on the whole, er, God-awful. The real show's enough to talk about.
You'll see a scoring system used to compare contestants. Essentially, here's how it breaks down:
WIN: 2 points
HIGH: 1 point
IN: No points
LOW: -1 point
OUT: -2 points (but since they're, y'know, out, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference anymore)
If you want to keep up with who scored where, check Wikipedia's chart here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Runway_(season_6)#Challenges
Episode One: Welcome to Los Angeles!
Oh, yeah, BTdubs, the show moved from NYC to LA this season. To celebrate the move, the first challenge was about the red carpet. (Am I missing something? Don't they have red carpets in NYC?) Most of the gowns were incredibly typical, including that of Ra'mon Lawrence Coleman. My personal favorite was the winner's: Christopher Straub created an awesome, oddly-textured skirt that would be perfect for the VMAs. Though Kanye likely wouldn't let him finish. (And I now declare that joke dead.) The strange Ari Fish was out even before she got used to the sunshine, though I would have eliminated the guy who essentially sent a nude model down the runway: Mitchell Hall.
My Winner: Christopher Straub
My Auf: Mitchell Hall
Episode Two: We Expect Fashion
Does the episode title strike anyone else as ridiculously obvious? I mean, what were judges Heidi Klum and Nina Garcia expecting, ugly maternity wear? That's just ridicul- oh, wait. Just saw Malvin Vien's design. Hope they weren't expecting a weird chicken/egg/sling/feather/hottrannymess thing, because that's what he made for this Rebecca Romijn-inspired maternity dress challenge. Meanwhile, Texas-based designer Shirin Askari made a fantastic dress and coat that looked good enough to wear, pregnant or no. The judges got it right this time, which might be the last time that happens all season.
My Winner: Shirin Askari
My Auf: Malvin Vien
Episode Three: Rumble on the Runway
Wow, Lifetime sucks at naming Runway episodes. There was no "rumble" this episode; there was one two episodes later, though. More on that later. This challenge, which forced the designers into teams of two, was about designing a surf-inspired ready-to-wear outfit. Later on, the designers learned that they were to make a SECOND outfit, an avant-garde look inspired by their surfwear outfit. (So it's inspired on an outfit that was inspired by the sea? Seems like there's some algebra property that deals with that...) I was not a big fan of the winning outfit, a nasty-looking neon green neoprene dress (that, ladies and gentlemen, was dyed in a toilet bowl. Don't you know that model was thrilled) that probably deserved to send Ra'mon ho'me. (Sorry. The apostrophe is too easy to mock.) Still, he did basically do his and Mitchell's outfits alone, so for that, I'm glad he got the win. I would have given it to ticking time bomb Johnny Sakalis, a former drug addict who really went off the deep end pretty quickly. Still, his look, put together with Irina Shabayeva, was really well-made and looked good, so give him the win. The useless Mitchell, however, really did get to get shoved off, even after his partner won the challenge.
My Winner: Johnny Sakalis
My Auf: Mitchell Hall
Episode Four: What a Woman Wants
God, Lifetime! The titles! They make my eyes bleed! The designers were expected to make a look for their model for an industry event based on the model's desires. This was one of those challenges that the judges really failed in judging, as all three top tier looks paled in comparison to other unnoticed looks. Still, if I had to pick one, Carol Hannah Whitfield did do a good job constructing her dress. Althea Harper, though an interesting designer with a signature look and one hell of a model (Tanisha Harper, you're too good for that stupid spinoff), really didn't create the best look this week, though, again, it was well-made. I would have sent home Logan Neitzel, AKA Designated Straight Male, for his tacky Smurf prom dress instead of Qristyl (okay, that name is just DESIGNED for people to misspell it) Frasier's boring black dress. But at least now she can go get that name sorted out.
My Winner: Carol Hannah Whitfield
My Auf: Logan Neitzel
Episode Five: Fashion Headliners
...*sigh* Lifetime... The "headliners" in this episode catastrophe/title refer to the newspapers the designers were expected to use as materials in this challenge. The results were really quite stunning, and I honestly couldn't pick a winner between Irina Shabbadabbadoo's gorgeous collared dress and Minnesota Nice Christopher's incredible skirt and armoresque bustier. I could, however, declare Johnny Tsunami, all of a sudden a lying mess, the easy loser. Fellow bottom two-er Nicolas Putvinski didn't really have to sweat it; Johnny Tsunami's terrible dress, mixed with his lying on the runway (which made mentor Tim Gunn more angry than I could have ever imagined Tim Gunn), made him an easy loser.
My Winners: Irina Shabayeva and Christopher Straub
My Auf: Johnny Sakalis
Episode Six: Lights, Camera, Sew!
That's not even a pun! Sew doesn't even resemble the word action! And what's with the unnecessary "!" at the end? *deep breath* Okay, as far as the episode is concerned, this was one of my favorite episodes in the entire series, with one of the worst decisions on the part of the judges. The designers were expected to craft a look based on a movie genre. Epperson (you only need one name when you look like Bob Marley) designed an awesome Annie Get Your Gun-style Western look, and Christopher created an awesome Victorian vampire bride look that didn't exactly mesh with his Period Piece genre, but it was incredible, so the judges (nor I) cared. Ra'mon was right'ly sent ho'me for a disgust'ing al'ien lo'ok that was just a mess of green fab'ric (I'll st'op), but the real winner, Nicolas the Terrible, designed an absolutely cheap ice queen look for his sci-fi genre. Probably the worst winner possible, other than Ra'mon. Nicolas the Terrible's look really didn't hold up to the PR standard.
My Winner: Epperson
My Auf: Ra'mon Lawrence Coleman
Episode Seven: The Sky is the Limit
I'm not gonna rant... I'm not gonna rant... I'm not gonna rant... In a repeat of a challenge from three seasons ago, the last time when Macy's was one of the sponsors of the show (in the form of the Macy's Accessory Wall, as opposed to the TreSemme Hair Salon or the L'Oreal Paris Makeup Room or the Garnier Hair Studio or the bluefly.com Accessory Wall-yeah, this show shells a few products), the designers were expected to create two looks in blue for the INC International Concepts Design brand. (I know, it should be ICD. But that doesn't sound as much like an unfortunate Lifetime Project Runway episode title pun as INC does.) I'm not actually talking a lot about the episode itself because it was one of those episodes you struggle through. An unoriginal challenge mixed with poor judging (Michael Kors, just because you are snippy does not give you the right to drop Minnesota Nice Christopher into the bottom two!) led to a fairly unmemorable episode. Irina deserved her second win, and Louise Black was the right choice to send home since Nicolas the Terrible had immunity, but boy, what a bad trip to get to the end.
My Winner: Irina Shabayeva
My Auf: Louise Black
Episode Eight: A Fashionable New Beginning
Right, so each pun is one shot, each mention of "fashion" is two shots... Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. This week's surprisingly good episode involved taking the wedding dress of a divorceé and making it into a new dress with which to start their new life. (Though I get the concept, some of these women seemed really still emotionally vulnerable and others were divorced way too long for this challenge to make sense.) I really dug Shirin Hideandseek's geometric look, a great way to use very little fabric. I also loved Gordana Gelhausen's (that's not a nickname, that REALLY is her last name) edgy-yet-chic dress, but to me, the winner was the one who actually used the dress in an interesting way, and that was Irina Shabbadabadoo. I was horrified that Bob Marley/Epperson was sent home, while Designated Straight Male survived with his Oktoberfest mess of an outfit. And Minnesota Nice Christopher was dropped into the bottom again. What is this, Michael Kors? Why can't you and Minnesota Nice just get along?
My Winner: Irina Shabayeva
My Auf: Logan Neitzel (I've sent him home twice now; is the third time the charm?)
For the eight remaining finalists, here are the scores:
Irina Shabayeva: 6
Althea Harper: 4
Shirin Askari: 4
Christopher Straub: 2
Carol Hannah Whitfield: 2
Gordana Gelhausen: 0
Nicolas Putvinski: -1
Logan Neitzel: -2
And my ranking is as follows:
Shabbadabadoo (Irina)
The Blonde and the Beautiful (Althea)
Minnesota Nice (Christopher)
Hideandseek (Shirin)
Fraulein (Gordana)
Two-Name (Carol Hannah)
Nicolas the Terrible (Nicolas)
Designated Straight Male (Logan)
Okay, Runway fanatics and latents. You're all caught up. What do you think of this season? Do you think that the Blonde and the Beautiful Althea, Irina Shabbadabadoo, and Minnesota Nice Christopher are already a lock for the Final Three, or could Shirin Hideandseek get in there? Could my nicknames be any worse? Are they worse than Lifetime's episode titles? Comments below!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Part II: Favorite Films of All Time
NOTE: This is the second part of a note posted earlier this week. Just FYI, I'm writing this while I'm home sick, so if it isn't as peppy or zippy as it usually is, I apologize.
Same song and dance as last time. No repeats from directors, not the best, just my favorites, drama is equivalent to comedy, etc.
10. (tie) The Devil Wears Prada/Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Okay, make it a Top Eleven. Both fun, humorous, and infectious films in their own right, each had a towering villain (Meryl Streep, Penelope Cruz), a great actor surrounded by women (Stanley Tucci, Javier Bardem), a well-known ingenue (Anne Hathaway, Scarlett Johanssen), and a scene-stealing British female (Emily Blunt, Rebecca Hall). I couldn't leave either movie out, so they tie for the final spot.
9. The Nines
Never heard of it? I don't fault you. Few have seen this absolutely exquisite three-part film from director John August. Well-cast, with Ryan Reynolds, Samantha Who?'s Melissa McCarthy, and In Treatment's Hope Davis using the uncommon film structure to their advantage. Rented on a hunch, I loved The Nines a lot, and would recommend it to anyone who's willing to embrace a slightly quirky film. Your mind will be blown and you'll be humming "Is That All There Is?" for the rest of the day.
8. The Invention of Lying
The newest film on this list. After seeing this on Saturday, I really fell in love with the film. Yes, it has its weaknesses, and yes, Tina Fey was woefully underused. However, the movie has something powerful to say, and it does so in an extremely well-crafted manner. Jennifer Garner and Ricky Gervais have a strange chemistry together, and Rob Lowe is a perfect smarmy villain. The movie will have you and your viewing company talking the whole way home. Perhaps the concept is the greatest question of all: what would our world be if we couldn't lie?
7. Life is Beautiful
My favorite Holocaust movie, which honestly isn't saying a whole lot considering my disdain for the genre, but I digress. In all seriousness, Life is an excellent movie, anchored by the emotionally gripping performance by Roberton Begnini. The only Holocaust movie everyone needs to see, this movie was beyond good. It was Beautiful.
6. Crash
Another excellent film and Oscar-winner, I have a real love for this film for several reasons. First, it's an ensemble film. It's ridiculously hard to balance a full cast and make them all look as good as Paul Haggis did in this movie. Second, it received a whole mess of backlash after it beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture. Mountain was a good directorial effort. Crash was a masterpiece.
5. Thank You for Smoking
This movie shows how satire is supposed to look. Aaron Eckhart made this movie about a smoking lobbyist great, and perfectly skewered lobbying and liberalism. Few realize this was Jason Reitman's first film. He was the director of Juno and has a new (sure to be brilliant) movie coming out this December, Up in the Air. If you're wondering how his movies will be without the help of Ellen Page and Diablo Cody, look no further than this masterpiece.
4. The Wizard of Oz
What didn't this movie have? "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" remains my favorite (and arguably the best) original song for a film. Judy Garland's performance was pure magic. The sentiment was beautiful. The movie remains a classic. For film purists, this just might be the best movie ever made. Still, for me, three others trump it. The next three are incredibly close, though.
3. Sunset Boulevard
Maybe the first satire, the concept of an old silent film actress gone batty who (essentially) kidnaps a screenwriter to help her with her comeback was genius enough. Getting an actual silent film actress (Gloria Swanson, brilliant in her performance) to play the role was even more incredible. My favorite "old" film by far, Boulevard is still relevant and still rings true to this day.
2. Doubt
No one was quite as riled up about Doubt as I was, and I can understand why. In a year of film that favored the epic (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), the fantastic (Slumdog Millionaire), the political (Frost/Nixon), or the bleak (good Lord, only The Reader, Rachel Getting Married, I've Loved You So Long, The Dark Knight...), this film based on the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning play by John Patrick Shanley really was a play on film. Subtle, quiet, furious, curious, and devastating all at the same time, Doubt boasted some of the best performances of the decade, a script that made you question everything you believe about the Catholic Church, and a question that everyone has a different answer to. If you never saw Doubt, do yourself a favor and go rent it. It's enough for the Streep/Viola Davis showoff alone, not to mention the former's final, iconic, anguished cry: "I have such doubts!" Genius.
1. A Few Good Men
For a guy who hates Tom Cruise, having this movie top the charts is pretty incredible. A Few Good Men, penned by Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing fame, is like Doubt in that it is a play onscreen, but the performances are more dynamic, the cast is more vast, and nothing matches the drama of a courtroom. The final scene between Cruise and Jack Nicholson is iconic, perhaps the most iconic single scene of modern cinema. At a time when films were weak, Men was strong, and it is my favorite film of all time.
If the first list was objectionable, this one is sure to be reviled. Comments? Take them to the bottom. I would love to hear what you all think!
Same song and dance as last time. No repeats from directors, not the best, just my favorites, drama is equivalent to comedy, etc.
10. (tie) The Devil Wears Prada/Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Okay, make it a Top Eleven. Both fun, humorous, and infectious films in their own right, each had a towering villain (Meryl Streep, Penelope Cruz), a great actor surrounded by women (Stanley Tucci, Javier Bardem), a well-known ingenue (Anne Hathaway, Scarlett Johanssen), and a scene-stealing British female (Emily Blunt, Rebecca Hall). I couldn't leave either movie out, so they tie for the final spot.
9. The Nines
Never heard of it? I don't fault you. Few have seen this absolutely exquisite three-part film from director John August. Well-cast, with Ryan Reynolds, Samantha Who?'s Melissa McCarthy, and In Treatment's Hope Davis using the uncommon film structure to their advantage. Rented on a hunch, I loved The Nines a lot, and would recommend it to anyone who's willing to embrace a slightly quirky film. Your mind will be blown and you'll be humming "Is That All There Is?" for the rest of the day.
8. The Invention of Lying
The newest film on this list. After seeing this on Saturday, I really fell in love with the film. Yes, it has its weaknesses, and yes, Tina Fey was woefully underused. However, the movie has something powerful to say, and it does so in an extremely well-crafted manner. Jennifer Garner and Ricky Gervais have a strange chemistry together, and Rob Lowe is a perfect smarmy villain. The movie will have you and your viewing company talking the whole way home. Perhaps the concept is the greatest question of all: what would our world be if we couldn't lie?
7. Life is Beautiful
My favorite Holocaust movie, which honestly isn't saying a whole lot considering my disdain for the genre, but I digress. In all seriousness, Life is an excellent movie, anchored by the emotionally gripping performance by Roberton Begnini. The only Holocaust movie everyone needs to see, this movie was beyond good. It was Beautiful.
6. Crash
Another excellent film and Oscar-winner, I have a real love for this film for several reasons. First, it's an ensemble film. It's ridiculously hard to balance a full cast and make them all look as good as Paul Haggis did in this movie. Second, it received a whole mess of backlash after it beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture. Mountain was a good directorial effort. Crash was a masterpiece.
5. Thank You for Smoking
This movie shows how satire is supposed to look. Aaron Eckhart made this movie about a smoking lobbyist great, and perfectly skewered lobbying and liberalism. Few realize this was Jason Reitman's first film. He was the director of Juno and has a new (sure to be brilliant) movie coming out this December, Up in the Air. If you're wondering how his movies will be without the help of Ellen Page and Diablo Cody, look no further than this masterpiece.
4. The Wizard of Oz
What didn't this movie have? "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" remains my favorite (and arguably the best) original song for a film. Judy Garland's performance was pure magic. The sentiment was beautiful. The movie remains a classic. For film purists, this just might be the best movie ever made. Still, for me, three others trump it. The next three are incredibly close, though.
3. Sunset Boulevard
Maybe the first satire, the concept of an old silent film actress gone batty who (essentially) kidnaps a screenwriter to help her with her comeback was genius enough. Getting an actual silent film actress (Gloria Swanson, brilliant in her performance) to play the role was even more incredible. My favorite "old" film by far, Boulevard is still relevant and still rings true to this day.
2. Doubt
No one was quite as riled up about Doubt as I was, and I can understand why. In a year of film that favored the epic (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), the fantastic (Slumdog Millionaire), the political (Frost/Nixon), or the bleak (good Lord, only The Reader, Rachel Getting Married, I've Loved You So Long, The Dark Knight...), this film based on the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning play by John Patrick Shanley really was a play on film. Subtle, quiet, furious, curious, and devastating all at the same time, Doubt boasted some of the best performances of the decade, a script that made you question everything you believe about the Catholic Church, and a question that everyone has a different answer to. If you never saw Doubt, do yourself a favor and go rent it. It's enough for the Streep/Viola Davis showoff alone, not to mention the former's final, iconic, anguished cry: "I have such doubts!" Genius.
1. A Few Good Men
For a guy who hates Tom Cruise, having this movie top the charts is pretty incredible. A Few Good Men, penned by Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing fame, is like Doubt in that it is a play onscreen, but the performances are more dynamic, the cast is more vast, and nothing matches the drama of a courtroom. The final scene between Cruise and Jack Nicholson is iconic, perhaps the most iconic single scene of modern cinema. At a time when films were weak, Men was strong, and it is my favorite film of all time.
If the first list was objectionable, this one is sure to be reviled. Comments? Take them to the bottom. I would love to hear what you all think!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Part I: Favorite Film Performances of All Time
NOTE: This is Part I of a two-part post. Later on this week, I will be publishing my Favorite Films of All Time.
Ever get the feeling when you're writing something that every single person who reads it will fervently disagree with you?
After boiling down the list the best I can, I have come up with my top ten favorite film performances of all time. A few warnings before I begin.
First, these are not the best performances, just my personal favorites. Obviously, if it was the best, it would be a different list. Also, I would have to watch every movie ever made to accurately form the list. And I just don't have that kind of time on my hands.
Second, dramatic gravitas does not outweigh comedic brilliance. This is not the Oscars, and drama is equivalent to comedy. (In my opinion, I think it's harder to be genuinely funny than be dramatic, but I know not everyone agrees...)
Third, these are not my favorite movies. Though a few of my favorite performances have come from my favorite movies, they don't match up exactly. So don't think I loved every single thing about each of these movies.
Fourth and finally, there are no double entries on this list. One performer won't have two entries. Otherwise, there would be seven Meryl Streep roles. There also won't be two performances from one movie, though, again, I was tempted.
With all that said, I present to you, the reader, my favorite film performances of all time.
10. Whoopi Goldberg, Ghost
An Oscar-winning performance, Goldberg elevated a one-note movie to Best Picture quality with her performance as the psychic Patrick Swayze is able to connect with from the afterlife. Both funny and touching, Goldberg never got any better role than this. It truly is the role of her lifetime.
9. Viola Davis, DoubtThe more I think about Davis' role, the more I realize that it is the best bit of Duet Acting ever done. 12 minutes on screen. Interaction with only one other person (Streep). Sheer powerhouse acting. Davis acts Streep off the screen as the mother of an abused child trying to turn a blind eye to a priest's indiscretion. It didn't win the Oscar, and while I love the performance that did (Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona), to me, Davis had the performance of the year.
8. Tom Hanks, Big
Wanna feel pure joy? Watch Hanks' performance in this movie. As a thirteen-year old trapped in an adult's body, Hanks perfectly captured the innocence of a child. The big reveal about his age is devastating, but my favorite scene by far is the one in FAO Schwartz with Hanks' boss. Their performance of "Chopsticks" will forever hold a place as one of my favorite film moments.
7. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
At times brilliant, at times frustrating, Ledger's posthumous campaign for an Oscar overshadowed many other brilliant performances in its year, as well as made the category a foregone conclusion, but there's no doubt that his performance as the Joker was my favorite villainous performance in any superhero movie, perhaps in any movie. The original film was better than Knight, but Ledger was sheer genius.
6. Helen Mirren, The Queen
There's only one thing to say: Mirren was the Queen. The performance was the most brilliant imitation I have ever seen, plus she elevated the movie beyond simple royal gossip to a Best Picture contender. I liked Mirren more than the movie, but that fits, because she was a genius in that movie.
5. Reese Witherspoon, Election
Tracy Flick is a character for the millenium. Crafted into echelon-climbing greatness by Witherspoon, Election's Flick transcended the typical teen movie villain to become one of my favorite characters ever crafted.
4. Kevin Kline, A Fish Called Wanda
Probably the Oscar-winning performance most forgotten, Kline perfected how to win an Oscar in a comedic performance. Robert Downey Jr. didn't even know what he was doing last year compared to Kline.
3. Jennifer Garner, Juno
When I was compiling my list, I realized that Garner provided not only one of my favorite dramatic performances of all time, she transcended subtlety and became brilliant. Her character, Vanessa, wanted nothing more than to have a child, an ability she did not have. Her quiet fury towards her husband after he announces that he no longer wants to adopt a child makes the movie for me. Garner is an actress I constantly undervalue, as proven by her performance in The Invention of Lying, released last weekend, and this masterpiece of a role.
2. Jack Nicholson, A Few Good Men
"You can't handle the truth!" Sheer brilliance. Nicholson has had a career of great roles, none better than Col. Jessep of the US Marine Corps. How Tom Cruise didn't run screaming from the room when faced with Nicholson's fury I will never understand, but I'll always admire.
1. Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Surprised? Sure, it's nto a conventional Streep role. And it didn't even win her an Oscar. But Streep crafted this genius character of Miranda Priestly from (almost) nothing, intimidated audiences everywhere without raising her voice above a chilly whisper, and taught a whole new generation who she is. The role that made Streep one of the most bankable stars of the decade, Miranda Priestly is a character whose villainy threatens the greatest Joker or Jessep. This truly was a masterpeice performance, and one of the most memorable. It is my favorite film role of all time.
Well, readers? Agree? Disagree? Don't all disagree at once! Take it to the comments!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Trailer Trash
Confession: I'm addicted to trashy reality TV. As they say, admitting is the first step, but this isn't an addiction I want to get over. Reality television always gets a bad rap, and for the most part, that's true. But there are always diamonds in the rough, even if the rough is filled with wannabes and STDs.
Not just all trash is treasure to me, though. Few reality shows can rise above the title of filth and gain a place in my heart. The following are four of the best.
The Paper
It saddens me that this show never saw a second season, because the casting and concept were pure genius. What would happen if cameras followed around the staff of the United States' biggest school newspaper? (Let me tell you, if they followed around my staff... well, let's just say MTV would have a new hit on their hands.) The Paper was a show with a surprising heart, led by the superb editor-in-chief, Amanda, who truly wanted the best for the newspaper but never quite understood how to work with her staff to achieve it. Even better was the tension between Amanda and her former best friend/love interest, Alex, who was shut out of the EIC position. Their final confrontation was just as inarticulate and awkward as the best high school brawl. Whenever The Paper comes out on DVD, you can bet I'll keep a copy in The Word's offices. Just to remind my staff that things could be so much worse (*grin*).
Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School
Plus-size commedienne Mo'Nique takes the trashiest girls from Flavor of Love seasons one and two and tries to set them straight. Mayhem ensues that includes psychological torture from one girl and tantrums from many, many more. There was something heinously genius about this show, but Mo'Nique was the standout, with such witticisms as, "The whore jumped out, then jumped back in." The show's charm was diluted in recent years due to hosts Sharon Osbourne and Ricki Lake, who took the show in an unimpressive direction, but the original was trashy genius.
NYC Prep
Somewhat of an anti-Paper, the strikingly bad NYC Prep contained a cast of completely unsympathetic characters who deep down likely believed the world really did revolve around them. So what made the show watchable? It's reminiscent of a train wreck: you simply cannot look away. The Fashion Week episode, "Guests of Guests Do Not Bring Guests," is notable for being by far the series' best episode, and Bravo knows it, as it reruns only that one episode during its regular daytime programming. From the flamboyantly evil PC to the social climbing Taylor to the clueless Sebastian to the somewhat interesting Kelli, the show ended this summer, and Bravo would be brain-dead not to renew the show for a second season. It was horrible, yes, but it knew it and embraced it. Which actually brings us to the final show on this list...
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
So many things to say about this show, yet so little time. Season One of the Atlanta branch of the Bravo Real Housewives of.... franchise was nothing to write home about; simply a retread of the earlier franchise installments, each more uninspiring and unfunny than the last. Season Two is a whole different breed of animal. The dead weight was removed (sorry, DeShawn), a new powder keg was added (Kandi, proving that the best drama takes some time to develop before harvesting), and alliances were broken and reformed (self-proclaimed HBIC NeNe mended fences with newly-divorced Sheree and the two took on the designated white woman and country singing disaster Kim). Stir in the flamboyant and hilarious Dwight (pronounced Doo-white) and you have the most genius reality show in history. It's horrible, and that's what's fantastic.
What are your favorite trashy reality shows? Is there any show you're embarrassed to admit you watch while you TiVo 24 or Lost? Post 'em in the comments!
Not just all trash is treasure to me, though. Few reality shows can rise above the title of filth and gain a place in my heart. The following are four of the best.
The Paper
It saddens me that this show never saw a second season, because the casting and concept were pure genius. What would happen if cameras followed around the staff of the United States' biggest school newspaper? (Let me tell you, if they followed around my staff... well, let's just say MTV would have a new hit on their hands.) The Paper was a show with a surprising heart, led by the superb editor-in-chief, Amanda, who truly wanted the best for the newspaper but never quite understood how to work with her staff to achieve it. Even better was the tension between Amanda and her former best friend/love interest, Alex, who was shut out of the EIC position. Their final confrontation was just as inarticulate and awkward as the best high school brawl. Whenever The Paper comes out on DVD, you can bet I'll keep a copy in The Word's offices. Just to remind my staff that things could be so much worse (*grin*).
Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School
Plus-size commedienne Mo'Nique takes the trashiest girls from Flavor of Love seasons one and two and tries to set them straight. Mayhem ensues that includes psychological torture from one girl and tantrums from many, many more. There was something heinously genius about this show, but Mo'Nique was the standout, with such witticisms as, "The whore jumped out, then jumped back in." The show's charm was diluted in recent years due to hosts Sharon Osbourne and Ricki Lake, who took the show in an unimpressive direction, but the original was trashy genius.
NYC Prep
Somewhat of an anti-Paper, the strikingly bad NYC Prep contained a cast of completely unsympathetic characters who deep down likely believed the world really did revolve around them. So what made the show watchable? It's reminiscent of a train wreck: you simply cannot look away. The Fashion Week episode, "Guests of Guests Do Not Bring Guests," is notable for being by far the series' best episode, and Bravo knows it, as it reruns only that one episode during its regular daytime programming. From the flamboyantly evil PC to the social climbing Taylor to the clueless Sebastian to the somewhat interesting Kelli, the show ended this summer, and Bravo would be brain-dead not to renew the show for a second season. It was horrible, yes, but it knew it and embraced it. Which actually brings us to the final show on this list...
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
So many things to say about this show, yet so little time. Season One of the Atlanta branch of the Bravo Real Housewives of.... franchise was nothing to write home about; simply a retread of the earlier franchise installments, each more uninspiring and unfunny than the last. Season Two is a whole different breed of animal. The dead weight was removed (sorry, DeShawn), a new powder keg was added (Kandi, proving that the best drama takes some time to develop before harvesting), and alliances were broken and reformed (self-proclaimed HBIC NeNe mended fences with newly-divorced Sheree and the two took on the designated white woman and country singing disaster Kim). Stir in the flamboyant and hilarious Dwight (pronounced Doo-white) and you have the most genius reality show in history. It's horrible, and that's what's fantastic.
What are your favorite trashy reality shows? Is there any show you're embarrassed to admit you watch while you TiVo 24 or Lost? Post 'em in the comments!
Friday, July 17, 2009
22 is the Luckiest Number
Dear Emmy Voters,
Thank you so much for your recent list of Emmy nominations. They were both surprising and welcome, with a few disappointments here and there. But most of all, it seems you listened to what people are watching, and I don't mean Boston Legal.
First, let's look at the seven nominees in each of the series categories. It's great to see Damages and Mad Men return in the Drama category, and even Big Love is a welcome surprise, but I am absolutely thrilled to see Breaking Bad get recognized for its even-better second season. On the Comedy side, it's no question that 30 Rock is going to win (22 nominations, for God's sake!), but the voters nominated three first-time programs as well: Weeds, How I Met Your Mother, and the fantastic Flight of the Conchords. Overall, no complaints here, but I wasn't a fan of Battlestar Galactica, so its snub doesn't mean a whole lot to me. Oh, and thank you for snubbing the vampy train wreck that is True Blood. I am eternally grateful.
In the lead acting categories, you more or less kept things the same, with a nice inclusion of Simon Baker for The Mentalist, and though I would have liked to see Tim Roth from Lie to Me get nominated, I don't think there's anyone from this group I would drop. I will remain silent about the insufferable Mariska Hargitay getting nominated again over the superb January Jones from Mad Men, and instead praise the nomination of Elisabeth Moss from the same show. Sarah Silverman's nod is a head-scratcher, as is Jermaine Clement's, because they're both just playing themselves, but the biggest annoyance is Tony Shalhoub's seventh nomination. Monk is done; it shouldn't hog any more nominations.
The supporting acting categories are where you guys went a little bit off the rails. First, you paid almost no attention to my suggestions (¿Dónde están B.J Novak y David Costabile?), and worse even, you didn't nominated Mad Men's sublime Christina Hendricks! She had a rape plotline in this season! You guys are suckers for that! Nonetheless, even with these glaring omissions (and by glaring, I mean I'm glaring at you), you still made some good choices. I love seeing two differerent In Treatment ladies get nominated, even if neither of them is named Allison Pill, and Cherry Jones really is the only award-worthy thing about 24 anymore. Katherine Heigl's snub is a bit puzzling (again, a cancer plotline should be irresistible), and I'm irritated that once again, even though John Slattery (a terrific actor) made it in, Vincent Kartheiser did not. Vanessa Williams' nod in a year otherwise Bettyless doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but she's good, so I'll say she deserved it. Rose Byrne was fantastic this past season in Damages (arguably better than her more famous co-stars), and I really hope she wins this Emmy. Finally, the recognition for Amy Poehler and Kristin Wiig should make it clear to all of their male Saturday Night Live compatriots who exactly are the stars of the show.
Glossing over the reality show categories, I thank you for the inclusion of Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi and Tom Collichio and the omission of Howie Mandel, but wonder what So You Think You Can Dance and its host, Cat Deely, need to do to get a little love. Jon and Kate Plus Eight's snub was a welcome surprise, even more because it makes Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List right where it belongs: in the frontrunner's seat.
I never have much to say about the movie/miniseries categories, but I'm thrilled with Grey G-ah-dens' 17 nominations, especially the ones for Jessica Lange, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and the absolutely spectacular Drew Barrymore.
In the guest actor categories, I love that SNL's Tina Fey and Justin Timberlake category-frauded their way to nominations (and a surefire win for Tina Fey, don't cha know) but I'm also thrilled for Jon Hamm, Steve Martin, Jennifer Aniston, Elaine Strich, and Alan Alda's nominations for 30 Rock, though I have a feeling only one of them is going to win (I'm looking at you, Arnie Vinick).
Thank you for snubbing Jay Leno. That is all.
It's nice to see almost all modern comedians fill out the Variety, Music, or Comedy Special category, including Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais, Kathy Griffin, and Will Ferrell. I'm rooting for Gervais or Griffin, mainly because their speeches will be the best part of the show if they win.
Finally, just one note for the writing categories. In both comedy and drama, one nod each went to a show OTHER than 30 Rock and Mad Men. Woe to you, Conchords and Lost; the odds are stacked against you this year, 4-1. Better luck next year.
Overall, I was very happy with your crop of nominations, Emmy Voters, and hope that your wisdom continues when the actual voting starts. I'll be posting my choices soon; you'd be wise to follow.
Thank you for your time,
Kevin O'Keeffe
PS: Great job getting Neil Patrick Harris!
Thank you so much for your recent list of Emmy nominations. They were both surprising and welcome, with a few disappointments here and there. But most of all, it seems you listened to what people are watching, and I don't mean Boston Legal.
First, let's look at the seven nominees in each of the series categories. It's great to see Damages and Mad Men return in the Drama category, and even Big Love is a welcome surprise, but I am absolutely thrilled to see Breaking Bad get recognized for its even-better second season. On the Comedy side, it's no question that 30 Rock is going to win (22 nominations, for God's sake!), but the voters nominated three first-time programs as well: Weeds, How I Met Your Mother, and the fantastic Flight of the Conchords. Overall, no complaints here, but I wasn't a fan of Battlestar Galactica, so its snub doesn't mean a whole lot to me. Oh, and thank you for snubbing the vampy train wreck that is True Blood. I am eternally grateful.
In the lead acting categories, you more or less kept things the same, with a nice inclusion of Simon Baker for The Mentalist, and though I would have liked to see Tim Roth from Lie to Me get nominated, I don't think there's anyone from this group I would drop. I will remain silent about the insufferable Mariska Hargitay getting nominated again over the superb January Jones from Mad Men, and instead praise the nomination of Elisabeth Moss from the same show. Sarah Silverman's nod is a head-scratcher, as is Jermaine Clement's, because they're both just playing themselves, but the biggest annoyance is Tony Shalhoub's seventh nomination. Monk is done; it shouldn't hog any more nominations.
The supporting acting categories are where you guys went a little bit off the rails. First, you paid almost no attention to my suggestions (¿Dónde están B.J Novak y David Costabile?), and worse even, you didn't nominated Mad Men's sublime Christina Hendricks! She had a rape plotline in this season! You guys are suckers for that! Nonetheless, even with these glaring omissions (and by glaring, I mean I'm glaring at you), you still made some good choices. I love seeing two differerent In Treatment ladies get nominated, even if neither of them is named Allison Pill, and Cherry Jones really is the only award-worthy thing about 24 anymore. Katherine Heigl's snub is a bit puzzling (again, a cancer plotline should be irresistible), and I'm irritated that once again, even though John Slattery (a terrific actor) made it in, Vincent Kartheiser did not. Vanessa Williams' nod in a year otherwise Bettyless doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but she's good, so I'll say she deserved it. Rose Byrne was fantastic this past season in Damages (arguably better than her more famous co-stars), and I really hope she wins this Emmy. Finally, the recognition for Amy Poehler and Kristin Wiig should make it clear to all of their male Saturday Night Live compatriots who exactly are the stars of the show.
Glossing over the reality show categories, I thank you for the inclusion of Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi and Tom Collichio and the omission of Howie Mandel, but wonder what So You Think You Can Dance and its host, Cat Deely, need to do to get a little love. Jon and Kate Plus Eight's snub was a welcome surprise, even more because it makes Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List right where it belongs: in the frontrunner's seat.
I never have much to say about the movie/miniseries categories, but I'm thrilled with Grey G-ah-dens' 17 nominations, especially the ones for Jessica Lange, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and the absolutely spectacular Drew Barrymore.
In the guest actor categories, I love that SNL's Tina Fey and Justin Timberlake category-frauded their way to nominations (and a surefire win for Tina Fey, don't cha know) but I'm also thrilled for Jon Hamm, Steve Martin, Jennifer Aniston, Elaine Strich, and Alan Alda's nominations for 30 Rock, though I have a feeling only one of them is going to win (I'm looking at you, Arnie Vinick).
Thank you for snubbing Jay Leno. That is all.
It's nice to see almost all modern comedians fill out the Variety, Music, or Comedy Special category, including Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais, Kathy Griffin, and Will Ferrell. I'm rooting for Gervais or Griffin, mainly because their speeches will be the best part of the show if they win.
Finally, just one note for the writing categories. In both comedy and drama, one nod each went to a show OTHER than 30 Rock and Mad Men. Woe to you, Conchords and Lost; the odds are stacked against you this year, 4-1. Better luck next year.
Overall, I was very happy with your crop of nominations, Emmy Voters, and hope that your wisdom continues when the actual voting starts. I'll be posting my choices soon; you'd be wise to follow.
Thank you for your time,
Kevin O'Keeffe
PS: Great job getting Neil Patrick Harris!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Five Plus Five Still Equals One Winner
Much ado has been made the past few days of AMPAS' decision to up the number of films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar from five to ten. Many have discussed the possible benefit for films like The Dark Knight, Star Trek, WALL*E, and Up. Others worry about the economic toll it will take on studios forced to produce more For Your Consideration campaigns (though that's more needless whining than anything else). Some have even responded with little more than a shrug of the shoulders, seemingly indicating a "who cares?" attitude about the change.
Personally, I have two opinions.
The first comes from a desire to see Oscar recognize more than the standard awards-bait fare. Last year, deserving movies like Rachel Getting Married, Doubt, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, the aforementioned WALL*E, and yes, even the dramatically overhyped Knight were passed over in favor of the Ron Howard halftruth-ridden Frost/Nixon, mediocre Holocaust flick The Reader, and the epic disaster that was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. (Note that I left Milk out; though the movie wasn't my cup of tea, I do think it probably deserved its spot in the Top Five.) Yet Ron Howard, the Holocaust, and epics are standard-bearers for the Academy, and a shaky camera-filmed character portrait like Rachel, a play-on-screen like Doubt, or the equivalent of a comedic powder keg like Vicky.
Such ignorance isn't new, either. Two years ago, Juno was the only heartwarming movie in a batch of grim, dark pieces. The year before that, both Dreamgirls and The Devil Wears Prada were left out in the cold in favor of The Letters of Iwo Jima, a somewhat surprising fifth nominee. Still, boasting foreign film cred, plus the Eastwood factor, it really shouldn't have been much of a surprise.
With ten nominees, such films become harder to ignore. That's the advantage. Still, no matter how many movies you nominate, there can only be one winner. The other films, as Heidi Klum would say, will be "out." (They would leave the runway, but they're movies. They don't have legs.)
That's where the problem lies. Some would argue that by expanding the field, the Academy is simply making the voting process more difficult for an already-apathetic voting body. As such, they are more likely to vote for the biggest name on the ballot. The Hangover for Best Picture, anyone?
The point of this system should not be to help honor unworthy films given a chance by strange circumstance, but find the singular best movie and give it the highest distinction in the land of film. This move arguably doesn't do anything to help advance that cause, only hinder the process getting there.
In the end, five plus five still equals one winner.
Personally, I have two opinions.
The first comes from a desire to see Oscar recognize more than the standard awards-bait fare. Last year, deserving movies like Rachel Getting Married, Doubt, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, the aforementioned WALL*E, and yes, even the dramatically overhyped Knight were passed over in favor of the Ron Howard halftruth-ridden Frost/Nixon, mediocre Holocaust flick The Reader, and the epic disaster that was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. (Note that I left Milk out; though the movie wasn't my cup of tea, I do think it probably deserved its spot in the Top Five.) Yet Ron Howard, the Holocaust, and epics are standard-bearers for the Academy, and a shaky camera-filmed character portrait like Rachel, a play-on-screen like Doubt, or the equivalent of a comedic powder keg like Vicky.
Such ignorance isn't new, either. Two years ago, Juno was the only heartwarming movie in a batch of grim, dark pieces. The year before that, both Dreamgirls and The Devil Wears Prada were left out in the cold in favor of The Letters of Iwo Jima, a somewhat surprising fifth nominee. Still, boasting foreign film cred, plus the Eastwood factor, it really shouldn't have been much of a surprise.
With ten nominees, such films become harder to ignore. That's the advantage. Still, no matter how many movies you nominate, there can only be one winner. The other films, as Heidi Klum would say, will be "out." (They would leave the runway, but they're movies. They don't have legs.)
That's where the problem lies. Some would argue that by expanding the field, the Academy is simply making the voting process more difficult for an already-apathetic voting body. As such, they are more likely to vote for the biggest name on the ballot. The Hangover for Best Picture, anyone?
The point of this system should not be to help honor unworthy films given a chance by strange circumstance, but find the singular best movie and give it the highest distinction in the land of film. This move arguably doesn't do anything to help advance that cause, only hinder the process getting there.
In the end, five plus five still equals one winner.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Pop Fiction
Two posts in one, folks. This week's deals with two events in pop culture that got a strong reaction from me, one positive, one not-so-positive.
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I have never watched Jon and Kate Plus 8. True story, true story. No, I have never watched the bizarrely popular TLC show about the married couple with eight kids. Frankly, I can't understand why one would want to watch it. I work at Target. I see enough screaming kids every day.
Even though I don't watch the "show," the pop culture universe has been swirling with news about the titular couple, Jon and Kate Gosselin. Though I'm not sure of the details, I believe Jon cheated on Kate, then Kate cheated on Jon, and so on and so forth. (I'm not sure who the Plus 8 cheated on, but I'll research it and get back to y'all.) Anyway, after that little bit of Melrose Place-style infidelity, they decided to divorce, and their show is now going on hiatus until August.
"...Wait. I'm sorry, what? On hiatus? Not cancelled?" That's right, the show must go on, even if Jon and Kate aren't Jon and Kate anymore. (A new Bachelorette-style show for Kate, perhaps? Date her and her eight kids, make it through the date without pulling your hair out and you win?) The show's not ending any time soon, either; EW.com reports that the couple still have quite a few more episodes to produce this season.
I don't know why this story bugs me so much, but maybe it's because of that eternal question: "What About the Children?" These parents go on television with their eight kids and essentially pimp them out to make money for them. Yes, I understand that they need a lot of money to raise eight kids, but this is not the way to make it. This is Billy Ray Cyrus-style child abuse: riding your kid's coattails until you've made yourself a pretty penny; never mind the psychological damage to them. Why CPS hasn't swooped in and taken these kids away yet I don't quite know.
If Jon and Kate want to get divorced, that's their business. If they want to pimp their divorce on televison, that's their business. If they want to let their celebrity consume them, that's their business. Those kids, however? Shouldn't be anyone's business.
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As an American Idol devotee, I would have pulled my hair out if Allison Iraheta, fourth-place finisher, had missed out on a record contract while third-place finisher Danny Gokey received one. Iraheta's treatment on the show was lukewarm at best, spiteful at worst. Judge Simon Cowell, who these days cares more about the personalities of contestants than their singing ability, was particularly harsh on the scarlet-haired rocker. I didn't think my fear was unfounded.
The history of talented Idol finalists to not get record contracts with 19E is a sad one. Finalists Tamyra Gray, Elliott Yamin, Melinda Doolittle, and Carly Smithson all had to venture to other labels to get signed, and Vonzell Solomon and Syesha Mercado remain unsigned to this day (those last two particularly piss me off). Iraheta's snub seemed to not be far behind.
Yet my worry was unfounded, as Iraheta received her record deal two days after Kris Allen did, and the day after "big brother" Adam Lambert did. As for Gokey? He's still languishing without one, which is where he will hopefully stay.
Finally, a snub I can get behind.
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I have never watched Jon and Kate Plus 8. True story, true story. No, I have never watched the bizarrely popular TLC show about the married couple with eight kids. Frankly, I can't understand why one would want to watch it. I work at Target. I see enough screaming kids every day.
Even though I don't watch the "show," the pop culture universe has been swirling with news about the titular couple, Jon and Kate Gosselin. Though I'm not sure of the details, I believe Jon cheated on Kate, then Kate cheated on Jon, and so on and so forth. (I'm not sure who the Plus 8 cheated on, but I'll research it and get back to y'all.) Anyway, after that little bit of Melrose Place-style infidelity, they decided to divorce, and their show is now going on hiatus until August.
"...Wait. I'm sorry, what? On hiatus? Not cancelled?" That's right, the show must go on, even if Jon and Kate aren't Jon and Kate anymore. (A new Bachelorette-style show for Kate, perhaps? Date her and her eight kids, make it through the date without pulling your hair out and you win?) The show's not ending any time soon, either; EW.com reports that the couple still have quite a few more episodes to produce this season.
I don't know why this story bugs me so much, but maybe it's because of that eternal question: "What About the Children?" These parents go on television with their eight kids and essentially pimp them out to make money for them. Yes, I understand that they need a lot of money to raise eight kids, but this is not the way to make it. This is Billy Ray Cyrus-style child abuse: riding your kid's coattails until you've made yourself a pretty penny; never mind the psychological damage to them. Why CPS hasn't swooped in and taken these kids away yet I don't quite know.
If Jon and Kate want to get divorced, that's their business. If they want to pimp their divorce on televison, that's their business. If they want to let their celebrity consume them, that's their business. Those kids, however? Shouldn't be anyone's business.
----------------------
As an American Idol devotee, I would have pulled my hair out if Allison Iraheta, fourth-place finisher, had missed out on a record contract while third-place finisher Danny Gokey received one. Iraheta's treatment on the show was lukewarm at best, spiteful at worst. Judge Simon Cowell, who these days cares more about the personalities of contestants than their singing ability, was particularly harsh on the scarlet-haired rocker. I didn't think my fear was unfounded.
The history of talented Idol finalists to not get record contracts with 19E is a sad one. Finalists Tamyra Gray, Elliott Yamin, Melinda Doolittle, and Carly Smithson all had to venture to other labels to get signed, and Vonzell Solomon and Syesha Mercado remain unsigned to this day (those last two particularly piss me off). Iraheta's snub seemed to not be far behind.
Yet my worry was unfounded, as Iraheta received her record deal two days after Kris Allen did, and the day after "big brother" Adam Lambert did. As for Gokey? He's still languishing without one, which is where he will hopefully stay.
Finally, a snub I can get behind.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Now Stop; Emmy Time.
Ah, the Emmy Awards. The ugly duckling of awards shows. What are supposed to be the television equivalent of the Oscars are so often left alone, stranded outside of awards season with few viewers. Yet they are still the television industry's highest honor, and are just as subject to intense journalistic and Internet scrutiny.
Here's the problem with all that- while there are a limited amount of viable options at the Oscars for nominations, at the Emmys, the options are seemingly limitless. Even with the expanded number of nominations in each field (6, up from 5), it still makes predicting nominees a fool's game. So, unlike what I did with the Oscars, I'll simply be highlighting actors, actresses, and programs worthy of Emmy attention come nomination time. (Names in bold are my recommended nominees for each category.)
And away we go!
Best Comedy Series
This one's no contest. I'm sorry, Office fans, but the Emmys just aren't that into your show anymore. It's 30 Rock all the way, though I'd like to see a nod for a strongly-resurging Scrubs or the sadly-cancelled Samantha Who?.
Best Drama Series
Mad Men won this award last year, and considering how stellar their second season was, I see no reason why they won't repeat. However, I would also urge consideration for Damages, easily television's best thrill ride, and the criminally underrated In Treatment. What shouldn't be nominated that will be? Boston Legal is the biggest example, especially considering the fact that the Emmy favorite went off the air in December, but I'd also strongly warn against nominating True Blood. Bizarrely, the show is riding a tidal wave of good buzz right now, despite a weak first season, so a nomination is likely.
Best Reality Competition Series
The award's gonna go to The Amazing Race anyway, so why not throw in a few fun nominations along the way? Must-recognize shows include So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef, and the brilliantProject Runway, but I would love for Bravo's other awesome reality competition, Make Me a Supermodel, to see a little Emmy love.
Best Variety Series
Saturday Night Live came off a brilliant season, so it should see a nod. After years of Daily Show dominance, it would be nice to see compatriot show The Colbert Report get recognized. I beg Emmy voters to ignore the idiocy of Jay Leno, and since he didn't really leave television, maybe the sentimental factor won't come into play. My big appeal is for the comically brilliant Chelsea Lately to get a nod. The E! show is finally getting its due from critics, and I'm hoping it will see some Emmy love. It's not probable, but I'm hopeful.
Best Actor, Comedy Series
There's a lot of love for Jim Parsons, but I'm not a huge Big Bang Theory fan. I'll stick with what works and throw my support behind Alec Baldwin.
Best Actress, Comedy Series
As far as Tina Fey is concerned, though I love her work on 30 Rock, I don't think she deserves this award again. I'd recommend JoAnna Garcia from the underrated Privileged and Judy Reyes of Scrubs. To me, however, it belongs to Christina Applegate for her brilliant Samantha Newly.
Best Actor, Drama Series
Jon Hamm is in a class of his own on Mad Men, and probably deserved this award last year, though I was thrilled that Bryan Cranston got the Emmy. Still, let's not kid ourselves. The fact that Hugh Laurie has never won this award is criminal. He's a perennial nominee, and should win posthaste. (Yeah, I said posthaste.)
Best Actress, Drama Series
You gotta love the ladies of cable. January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Glenn Close, and Kyra Sedgwick are all award-worthy, but Moss is the true wonder. Her work on Mad Men is so subtly emotional that she can make even the staunchest detractors swoon. That's what happened with me, anyway.
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy Series
Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, and Scott Adsit are all worthy for their work on 30 Rock, as is B.J. Novak, a standout in an uneven season of The Office. It seems silly to campaign for the oft-recognized Neil Patrick Harris, but that doesn't make him any less award-worthy. One request, though: don't nominate Jeremy Piven!
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy Series
I have but one nominee in mind: Jane Krakowski, brilliant as Jenna on 30 Rock. I wouldn't be mad at Emmy voters if they awarded last year's winner, Jean Smart, or her co-stars Jennifer Esposito and Melissa McCarthy. Voters would be wise to recognize SNL's funny ladies, Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiig.
Best Supporting Actor, Drama Series
I'd love to see Robert Sean Leonard recognized for his work on House, J.K. Simmons of The Closer, or either John Slattery or Vincent Kartheiser of Mad Men, but more than anyone else, I want to see David Costabile, the creepy bearded man from Damages, recognized. They gave it to Zeljko last year, let's see another Damaged man get it this year.
Best Supporting Actress, Drama Series
Lots of choices here. Rose Byrne and Marcia Gay Harden are both worthy for Damages, Lisa Edelstein was especially brilliant this season on House, CCH Pounder gave a brilliant flair to the final act of The Shield, Allison Pill, Hope Davis, and Dianne Wiest were all genius on In Treatment, Cherry Jones made for 24's best President ever, and Stephanie March was a welcome return to Law and Order: SVU. Still, there's one fiery redhead whose flawless acting and bombshell style has made one hit show even more phenomenal: the incomparable Christina Hendricks. If she submits the episodes "A Night to Remember" and "The Mountain King," she's won, no doubt. If not, she still deserves the win, but as you can tell, the competition here is stiff, possibly the stiffest of the whole lot. But Hendricks is a revelation, and it would be a shame if her work went unrecognized.
So, to recap, my picks are:
Best Comedy Series: 30 Rock
Best Drama Series: Mad Men
Best Reality Series: Top Chef
Best Variety Series: Chelsea Lately
Best Actor, Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Best Actress, Comedy: Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Best Actor, Drama: Hugh Laurie, House
Best Actress, Drama: Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: B.J. Novak, The Office
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Best Supporting Actor, Drama: David Costabile, Damages
Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Of these, I'd say four are likely, four are within the realm of possiblity, and four are pipe dreams. Care to guess which are which? Head to the comments section, and respond to my picks! Did I snub worthy performances and series? Which of my picks are crazy? What chance in hell does David Costabile have of winning an Emmy? Sound off!
Here's the problem with all that- while there are a limited amount of viable options at the Oscars for nominations, at the Emmys, the options are seemingly limitless. Even with the expanded number of nominations in each field (6, up from 5), it still makes predicting nominees a fool's game. So, unlike what I did with the Oscars, I'll simply be highlighting actors, actresses, and programs worthy of Emmy attention come nomination time. (Names in bold are my recommended nominees for each category.)
And away we go!
Best Comedy Series
This one's no contest. I'm sorry, Office fans, but the Emmys just aren't that into your show anymore. It's 30 Rock all the way, though I'd like to see a nod for a strongly-resurging Scrubs or the sadly-cancelled Samantha Who?.
Best Drama Series
Mad Men won this award last year, and considering how stellar their second season was, I see no reason why they won't repeat. However, I would also urge consideration for Damages, easily television's best thrill ride, and the criminally underrated In Treatment. What shouldn't be nominated that will be? Boston Legal is the biggest example, especially considering the fact that the Emmy favorite went off the air in December, but I'd also strongly warn against nominating True Blood. Bizarrely, the show is riding a tidal wave of good buzz right now, despite a weak first season, so a nomination is likely.
Best Reality Competition Series
The award's gonna go to The Amazing Race anyway, so why not throw in a few fun nominations along the way? Must-recognize shows include So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef, and the brilliantProject Runway, but I would love for Bravo's other awesome reality competition, Make Me a Supermodel, to see a little Emmy love.
Best Variety Series
Saturday Night Live came off a brilliant season, so it should see a nod. After years of Daily Show dominance, it would be nice to see compatriot show The Colbert Report get recognized. I beg Emmy voters to ignore the idiocy of Jay Leno, and since he didn't really leave television, maybe the sentimental factor won't come into play. My big appeal is for the comically brilliant Chelsea Lately to get a nod. The E! show is finally getting its due from critics, and I'm hoping it will see some Emmy love. It's not probable, but I'm hopeful.
Best Actor, Comedy Series
There's a lot of love for Jim Parsons, but I'm not a huge Big Bang Theory fan. I'll stick with what works and throw my support behind Alec Baldwin.
Best Actress, Comedy Series
As far as Tina Fey is concerned, though I love her work on 30 Rock, I don't think she deserves this award again. I'd recommend JoAnna Garcia from the underrated Privileged and Judy Reyes of Scrubs. To me, however, it belongs to Christina Applegate for her brilliant Samantha Newly.
Best Actor, Drama Series
Jon Hamm is in a class of his own on Mad Men, and probably deserved this award last year, though I was thrilled that Bryan Cranston got the Emmy. Still, let's not kid ourselves. The fact that Hugh Laurie has never won this award is criminal. He's a perennial nominee, and should win posthaste. (Yeah, I said posthaste.)
Best Actress, Drama Series
You gotta love the ladies of cable. January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Glenn Close, and Kyra Sedgwick are all award-worthy, but Moss is the true wonder. Her work on Mad Men is so subtly emotional that she can make even the staunchest detractors swoon. That's what happened with me, anyway.
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy Series
Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, and Scott Adsit are all worthy for their work on 30 Rock, as is B.J. Novak, a standout in an uneven season of The Office. It seems silly to campaign for the oft-recognized Neil Patrick Harris, but that doesn't make him any less award-worthy. One request, though: don't nominate Jeremy Piven!
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy Series
I have but one nominee in mind: Jane Krakowski, brilliant as Jenna on 30 Rock. I wouldn't be mad at Emmy voters if they awarded last year's winner, Jean Smart, or her co-stars Jennifer Esposito and Melissa McCarthy. Voters would be wise to recognize SNL's funny ladies, Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiig.
Best Supporting Actor, Drama Series
I'd love to see Robert Sean Leonard recognized for his work on House, J.K. Simmons of The Closer, or either John Slattery or Vincent Kartheiser of Mad Men, but more than anyone else, I want to see David Costabile, the creepy bearded man from Damages, recognized. They gave it to Zeljko last year, let's see another Damaged man get it this year.
Best Supporting Actress, Drama Series
Lots of choices here. Rose Byrne and Marcia Gay Harden are both worthy for Damages, Lisa Edelstein was especially brilliant this season on House, CCH Pounder gave a brilliant flair to the final act of The Shield, Allison Pill, Hope Davis, and Dianne Wiest were all genius on In Treatment, Cherry Jones made for 24's best President ever, and Stephanie March was a welcome return to Law and Order: SVU. Still, there's one fiery redhead whose flawless acting and bombshell style has made one hit show even more phenomenal: the incomparable Christina Hendricks. If she submits the episodes "A Night to Remember" and "The Mountain King," she's won, no doubt. If not, she still deserves the win, but as you can tell, the competition here is stiff, possibly the stiffest of the whole lot. But Hendricks is a revelation, and it would be a shame if her work went unrecognized.
So, to recap, my picks are:
Best Comedy Series: 30 Rock
Best Drama Series: Mad Men
Best Reality Series: Top Chef
Best Variety Series: Chelsea Lately
Best Actor, Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Best Actress, Comedy: Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Best Actor, Drama: Hugh Laurie, House
Best Actress, Drama: Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: B.J. Novak, The Office
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Best Supporting Actor, Drama: David Costabile, Damages
Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Of these, I'd say four are likely, four are within the realm of possiblity, and four are pipe dreams. Care to guess which are which? Head to the comments section, and respond to my picks! Did I snub worthy performances and series? Which of my picks are crazy? What chance in hell does David Costabile have of winning an Emmy? Sound off!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
That Bitter Struggle for Independence
As I mulled in an earlier post, 17 is a weird age. You don't get a whole lot of new privileges (though that blood donor thing is pretty damn exciting, lemme tell you), but you're still stuck in this awkward stage between teenagerdom and adulthood. One of the big pains that comes with that is the battle for independence.
Seriously, this one rivals that whole "Revolutionary War" skirmish everybody gets all in a tizzy about. What I'm talking about is the bloody, impassioned, no-holds-barred struggle between parents and teenagers for their independence. At 17, that battle gets so much more complicated.
In just a little over 400 days, I will be off to college (please NYU or UCLA), and because of this, my parents have hit the stage of parenthood I like to call "MY BABY'S LEAVING!!!" In this stage, commonly rational parents have the tendency to, simply, lose it. Not their fault. They're faced with the idea of losing their flesh and blood to a harsh, cruel world that they seemingly haven't prepared their progenee for. To be sure, my parents have done a wonderful job of raising me, avoiding almost every pratfall parents are destined to hit. They've raised me to be an adult. Yet even with this in mind, facing this change, all rationale goes "Bye Bye, Birdie."
I, as a teenager, am also locked in a stage I have termed "Get Out My Face," in which I want to do my own thing, have my cake and eat it too, and cry at my party if I want to. I know that my parents are doing for me exactly what they should be doing with their sole motivation being their undying love and devotion to me, but even still, I'm just being a brat.
These two stages, when mixed, have a deadly reaction I call "Vesuvius II." Simply because the two states are so highly dangerous when combined, the reaction formed is poisonous and can kill an otherwise healthy parent/child relationship. Though everyone involved has the same basic goal, our methods differ, and our bond suffers for it.
...what? You were expecting some solution here? Oh, God, you can't really expect me to come up with the solution to Vesuvius II on a BLOG? *Sigh* Okay, here's what I got. Understanding each others' motives is Step One. Truthfully, when you know that the other person is really not in it to win it, but simply to do what's best for you, it's a lot easier to get along. Also, try to negotiate a middle ground. Parents should still have a say in what their kids do, but make sure they know you need to take control of your life.
...you say that didn't work? Hey, I'm not God. Your results may vary. And sometimes, the struggle is vastly different. But the fundamental rules apply. Your parents, for better or worse, are two (+/-, not trying to be insensitive) of the best friends you've got. Plus, they put up with a lot. Don't take them for granted, and don't lose them to Vesuvius II. Because, as my mom so aptly put it when I was four days old, "My baby's gonna leave!" And as my dad even more succintly put it, "Not tomorrow."
No, not tomorrow, Dad. But the tomorrows are running out.
Seriously, this one rivals that whole "Revolutionary War" skirmish everybody gets all in a tizzy about. What I'm talking about is the bloody, impassioned, no-holds-barred struggle between parents and teenagers for their independence. At 17, that battle gets so much more complicated.
In just a little over 400 days, I will be off to college (please NYU or UCLA), and because of this, my parents have hit the stage of parenthood I like to call "MY BABY'S LEAVING!!!" In this stage, commonly rational parents have the tendency to, simply, lose it. Not their fault. They're faced with the idea of losing their flesh and blood to a harsh, cruel world that they seemingly haven't prepared their progenee for. To be sure, my parents have done a wonderful job of raising me, avoiding almost every pratfall parents are destined to hit. They've raised me to be an adult. Yet even with this in mind, facing this change, all rationale goes "Bye Bye, Birdie."
I, as a teenager, am also locked in a stage I have termed "Get Out My Face," in which I want to do my own thing, have my cake and eat it too, and cry at my party if I want to. I know that my parents are doing for me exactly what they should be doing with their sole motivation being their undying love and devotion to me, but even still, I'm just being a brat.
These two stages, when mixed, have a deadly reaction I call "Vesuvius II." Simply because the two states are so highly dangerous when combined, the reaction formed is poisonous and can kill an otherwise healthy parent/child relationship. Though everyone involved has the same basic goal, our methods differ, and our bond suffers for it.
...what? You were expecting some solution here? Oh, God, you can't really expect me to come up with the solution to Vesuvius II on a BLOG? *Sigh* Okay, here's what I got. Understanding each others' motives is Step One. Truthfully, when you know that the other person is really not in it to win it, but simply to do what's best for you, it's a lot easier to get along. Also, try to negotiate a middle ground. Parents should still have a say in what their kids do, but make sure they know you need to take control of your life.
...you say that didn't work? Hey, I'm not God. Your results may vary. And sometimes, the struggle is vastly different. But the fundamental rules apply. Your parents, for better or worse, are two (+/-, not trying to be insensitive) of the best friends you've got. Plus, they put up with a lot. Don't take them for granted, and don't lose them to Vesuvius II. Because, as my mom so aptly put it when I was four days old, "My baby's gonna leave!" And as my dad even more succintly put it, "Not tomorrow."
No, not tomorrow, Dad. But the tomorrows are running out.
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