The Emmy Awards: A Love/Hate Relationship (Mostly Hate)

If you haven't heard yet, the Emmy Awards are approaching. The nominees have been announce and I find my self feeling the same why I always do about them, mostly disappointed. Year after year the Emmy Awards have neglected to recognize some of the most talented television actors and the most creative television shows. Don't get me wrong, there are always some very talented people recognized, but there is an equal number of actors and shows that go unrecognized every year. This is my assessment of this years nominations. If you haven't seen a list of the nominees, here is a link: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/emmys/la-et-st-emmy-nominations-2012-list-20120718,0,521498.htmlstory

Comedy Series:

 What they got right: 

The short answer? Not much. So many good shows have been left off of this list and in their place are a mass of HBO and CBS shows that are about as funny as getting a paper cut. The best show nominated in this category is hands down 30 Rock, but we all know it has no chance of taking home this award. I will give partial credit to Modern Family. It tries harder than HBO or CBS to actually be a smart show, and being produced by Steven Levitan (creator of the hilarious show Just Shoot Me) it has its bright spots. Not my personal favorite, but certainly a better nominee than the other four contenders.

What they got wrong:

A better question might be what didn't they get wrong? How about almost completely ignoring the funniest network, NBC? Community and Parks and Recreation both should have received nominations in this category. Along with 30 Rock they are arguably the funniest, most witty, shows on TV. Another show that was ignored is Fox's New Girl, a show much more original and clever than most of this years nominees. I would add that ABC's Cougar Town is also worthy of a nomination, but I've resigned to the fact that the Emmy's don't like good comedy.

Comedy Actor:

What they got right:

One name. Alec Baldwin. He's hilarious on 30 Rock. He should, and just might, win this award.

What they got wrong:

Just about everything else. Nick Offerman and Adam Scott from Parks and Recreation both deserve nominations in this category. So does Joel McHale from Community. Can I just point out how ridiculous it is that Jon Cryer is nominated in this category again. Nobody has ever watched Two and a Half Men because they thought he was funny. People watch that show despite the fact that he's on there. I mean I know Charlie Sheen said some mean things about him, but can we stop throwing him pity nominations? Also Jim Parsons is probably the most overrated actor on the most overrated show on television.

Comedy Actress:

What they got right:

Surprisingly more than they did with the other comedy categories. First of all, there is Tina Fey, who is clearly the funniest comedian of our time male or female. If you removed Fey's perfectly crafted Liz Lemon and her writing voice from 30 Rock, there would be no show. I was also glad to see that despite ignoring Parks and Recreation as a show, they did nominate Amy Poehler, who is the heart of the show. Finally, it was encouraging to see the Emmy's recognize Zooey Deschanel's work on New Girl. While not quite on Fey and Poehler's level, Deschanel has really crafted a funny and quirky character that deserves this nomination.

What they got wrong:

Can we please all jump off of the Julia Louis-Dryfus is funny bandwagon? We all know it's not true, and yet we keep supporting her horrible decisions with nominations. I would add that Courtney Cox perfectly portrays the highly functional drunk that is Jules Cobb on Cougar Town.

Supporting Comedy Actor:

What they got right:

I will throw a bone to Max Greenfield and Eric Stonestreet on this one. Both give solid enough performances on their shows to warrant this nomination, but not a win in my opinion.

What they got wrong:

Rob Lowe from Parks and Recreation definitely deserves a nomination in this category. Community's Donald Glover and Danny Pudi both deserve nominations as well. In fact I personally think that Danny Pudi should be winning this award and am baffled as to how the Emmy's can nominate Jim Parsons and not Danny Pudi. Pudi plays a very similar role as Parsons, but performs the role ten times better.

Supporting Comedy Actress:

What they got right:

Julie Bowen. That's about it. While I have stated that I'm not a huge fan of the show, 90% of the times it has made me laugh are because of Bowen's performance.

What they got wrong:

So much. Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, and Yvette Nicole Brown all give wonderfully hilarious performances on Community. Aubrey Plaza is perfect on Parks and Recreation. Perhaps the biggest snub of all? Busy Phillips on Cougar Town. She plays Laurie Keller perfectly and somehow makes TV's biggest "tease" one of the most lovable and charming characters out there.

Drama Series:

What they got right:

Downton Abbey. I'm not a big fan of period pieces, but I have to say that this show is on top of its game. The characters are intriguing and the plot lines keep you watching.

What they got wrong:

I was livid when I saw the nominations and The Good Wife wasn't on there. It is hands down more intriguing than any other drama on television. Not to mention it does so without the gimmicks that so many of the dramas these days have to rely on. No, Alicia Florrick isn't a drug maker or a philandering ad salesman, she's a hard working lawyer fighting to keep her family in tact.

Drama Actress:

What they got right/wrong:

 I'm putting these two together cause honestly there isn't much that they missed here. Juliana Margulies and Michelle Dockery are both excellent nominations deserving of a win. If I could add one nominee it would be Ellen Pompeo, who I feel has always been under appreciated on Grey's Anatomy.

Drama Actor:

What they got right: 

Hugh Bonneville is perfect on Downton Abbey. His performance always balances out the more extreme characters on the show and keeps it from going off of the deep end like so many other dramas.

What they got wrong:

Josh Charles took a more active role on The Good Wife this past seasons, ironically as his character took a less active role in his law firm. I feel that his performance has gotten better and he deserved a nomination in this category.

Supporting Drama Actress:

What they got right:

The nominations of Maggie Smith and Joanne Froggatt for Downton Abbey, and Archie Panjabi and Christine Branski for The Good Wife are more than enough to make me content with this category. If one of these four women doesn't win the award, it's a real crime.

Supporting Drama Actor:

What they got right:

Brendan Coyle and Jim Carter both deserve their nominations for Downton Abbey.

What they got wrong:

Allen Cummings and Matt Czuchry both deserve nominations for The Good Wife. Cummings is especially great as the cunning and manipulative political adviser Eli Gold.

Babble On!

Since I'm doing this 30 Day Challenge, I thought I should dedicate my first post to the blogger that inspired me to ever consider blogging, Brooke White. Well actually my friend Hannah was the one that finally convinced me to take the plunge, and you can see her awesome blog here( http://nevesaro.blogspot.com/ ). But it was Brooke's blog "Brookie Babble" that first got me started even considering blogging as a format of expression. To this day it is one of the few blogs that I consistently follow and read.

My first introduction with Brooke White was watching American Idol. Yes, I do watch American Idol. It's not cause I care desperately who wins, it's because every year I like to see the under appreciated talents, like Brooke, who go on to do some pretty creative and inspirational things. What has become apparent to me through Brooke's time on Idol, blogging, and the music she has created post Idol is that she is a creative person and a kind soul. That is why I have always found her blog interesting. So here is why I think Brooke is a hidden talent you should check out.

First of all, there is her blog. You can find it here: http://brookiebabble.blogspot.com/
I would advise going through and reading all of her backlogged posts from the creation of the blog. I think you will find her spirit to be encouraging to anyone pursuing a creative or artistic field. Not to mention she's just a kind and caring person.

Second is her music. Brooke is currently in a duo called Jack and White and I have to say, it is her best musical endeavor yet. They have released three EP's so far, and here are some highlights from each of them.

Gemini: This was the first EP from Jack and White. I really love every song on it. If I have to pick a personal highlight from it though, it would be Smoke and Mirrors. It has creative lyrics, an interesting sound, and Brooke really puts her vocals to work on this one.

Winter: Jack and White's second EP was a little shorter than their first, but honestly it's no less impressive. My favorite track off of this EP is Night After Night. Again I think it has an interesting lyrical quality and it does a good job of highlighting both Jack and Brooke on vocals. There is even a dance remix of the song that was posted online. Here are both so you can hear the difference.

And the remix, which is surprisingly creative and catchy...

Undercover: This is Jack and White's latest effort and it was a very cool one. It is a cover album, but they didn't just pick and choose songs randomly. They covered a song from each decade starting with the 60's and going through the current decade. There are some really great covers on this EP. Being a child of the 90's, my favorite of their covers is hands down How's It Going To Be by Third Eye Blind. They mellow out the song a little and give it an almost summery feeling. I like it a lot.

MP3 Downloads of these EP's are available on iTunes and Amazon. You can purchase hard copies (my personal preference) from Jack and White's website http://jackandwhite.spinshop.com/

It Has Been A While/Is That a Challenge?

As the title says, it has been a while. My last post was in March, so bad blog updating on my part. I kept having ideas and saying, I'm going to blog about that, but I never did. So now I'm forcing myself to (for 30 days anyway). Yep, I'm doing another challenge. This time there is only one rule, blog once a day for 30 days. That's it. No song categories, which often left me feeling a little restricted in my blogging. So starting with my next post, expect 30 blogs for 30 days!

The 12 Smartest Shows Currently on TV

I'm a huge fan of TV. People like to say it is just junk, but I think it can be as much of an art form as theatre or film. So in honor of my appreciation for TV as an art form, and because it's 2012, here is a list of the 12 "smartest" shows on Television.

12.) Who Do You Think You Are?

 Now when I think about "smart" shows, there can be many different types of shows that come to mind. This one goes along the lines of the purely educational. If you haven't ever considered what does my ancestry look like, this show just might inspire you to. Also since the celebrities who take part in the show often look back several generations you often learn about issues such as slavery, immigration, and the living conditions in foreign countries. Overall watching the show is a very educational experience in the most basic sense. I would recommend it to anyone.


11.) Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

 I DVR this show every day. I really love trivia, and in my opinion this is the most well rounded trivia show. Shows like Jeopardy! aim way too high and shows like Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? aim way too low. Millionaire fits right in the middle. There are questions to fit every genre and they range in difficulty. What I like about this show is it isn't just high brow. Yes it's helpful to know your presidents, but you better also know what the latest summer blockbuster is, because all questions are fair game on this show.

10.) Castle

 No show dances the line between comedy and drama quite as well as Castle. One episode will seem like a comedy filled caper, and then the next will dive straight into the drama of something like the cold case surrounding Becket's mother. Surprisingly both sides of the coin seem to work. No, Castle is never the funniest show or the most sincerely dramatic, but it does a good job of balancing element of both. Also I have to give credit to any show that can keep the "will they, won't they" vibe going on for this long without it getting downright annoying. Viewers still wonder if the romance will come to fruition, but it's not the main drive of the show either.

9.) Whitney

   This show isn't exactly soaring in the ratings, and I understand why. It's a sitcom based purely around relationship issues, and aren't their enough of those already. I get it and to a degree I agree. That being said, what makes Whitney stand out to me is that the couple banter is coming from two seasoned comedians, and frankly, they're good at it. The show isn't the most clever thing on TV, but it sure beats that sitcom drivel that CBS seems to be shoveling out these days. Overall, Whitney isn't a bad way to spend a half hour.


8.) New Girl

 I've heard a lot of criticism over this show since it hit the air this year. Some say Zooey is trying to play up the "adorkable" angle too much, while others just flat out don't like it. No, it isn't the most hilarious or witty show on TV, but I think it's doing just fine finding its place in the sitcom world. I mean let's be honest this is a major leap in the right direction when it comes to Fox sitcoms. It's clearly the best sitcom the network has produced since the cancellation of Arrested Development. Yes Zooey's character does fall into the "adorkable" category, but she does it better than anyone else on TV. Is it really that different that Tina Fey fitting into the role of the affable curmudgeon or Amy Poehler playing the always optimistic (even to goof extremes) politician? Yes this show is still like a baby horse learning to stand, but at its best, it can be pretty darn witty.

7.) Psych

  USA network is known for putting out some pretty quirky crime dramas. I mean it is the network that produced Monk. Of all of the crime dramas currently on TV, this is hands down the smartest. Yes, the psychic angle gets absurd at times, but that is completely outweighed by the wit of the show. Seriously I don't think any show does witty banter better than psych. Sean, who clearly should be one of the most annoying characters on TV, comes off as one of the most enjoyable to watch. He make arrogant funny, and the only other show on TV that come close to that (though not close enough to make this list) is the Mentalist. Bottom line is the plot lines are often absurd, but balanced with the witty banter and the intelligence put into solving the case each week this show is definitely one of the smartest on TV.

6.) The Simpsons

 Let's face it, The Simpsons has a leg up on the competition. They have been at it for over twenty years, and while plots have been recycled, the show has never gotten old. Comedy owes a debt of gratitude to The Simpsons. It has inspired most of today's comedy writers and is singularly responsible for the entire prime time animated comedy genre. There are some episodes that really play on the basics that make you wonder if the show has lost its touch, but then you see episodes like this week's flawless spoof of Inception which make you realize why it is one of the smartest shows on TV. In the last few years a particular episode of note is season twenty's Treehouse of Horrors in which the show hilariously, yet still respectfully, spoofs The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown TV special.

5.) Parks and Recreation

  Believe me when I say that putting this show at number five on this list in no way is me saying that this show isn't as good as the following four shows. The one thing that made me put this show at the bottom of this all-star heap of what I believe are the five best shows still on TV is that the writers sometimes favor silly humor and charm over purely witty humor. I'm not saying this is a flaw, in fact it is the charm of the show that makes it stand out among the rest. It's just that in a list based on which shows are the smartest, I have to give wit a little more weight than charm. This show can be witty, don't get me wrong. April and Ron are proof enough of that. The show just doesn't rely mainly on wit. If this were a list of just my favorite shows, I would have a hard time not putting this one in the top three. So what makes this show so smart? Like I said, the charm of it plus some pretty great writing. Being able to make the audience care about the characters in a show can be hard, but this show does it perfectly by making you laugh along with them. These clips are one such example:

4.) The Good Wife

 I don't normally call TV dramas "smart." For the most part I think they play on the shock and awe of crazy plot twists. The Good Wife however is in a league of its own. It's no wonder that at all of the awards shows this is the only network drama to ever stand up against the cable powerhouses. The show is well written, has compelling characters, and evolves without being annoyingly over dramatic. It is easily the best courtroom drama on TV, and I would argue the best drama on TV period. Clips like these where you see Alicia stand up for herself are what makes the show great:

3.) 30 Rock

 While I'm starting to think that as an overall show I like Parks and Recreation better, for me 30 Rock really got the recent trend in smart comedies started. Tina Fey is really what sets this show's humor and wit above most. Whether it's the outrageous, such as Jenna's domain name Jennas-side.com (say that one out loud), or just the quirky relationship that Jack and Liz have, this show is generally firing on all cylinders. There is a reason that numerous A list stars have agreed to play recurring characters. Tina Fey is one of the smartest comedians in the business. So what makes this show so smart?
Perhaps it's the way that Tina Fey is unafraid to make fun of herself:

Or the way they work word play into the show frequently:

Then again it could just be how awkward Liz Lemon is:

2.) Cougar Town

 Despite the name, this show really has nothing to do with "cougars." Sure the first six episodes of season one dealt with Courtney Cox's Jules dating a younger man, but after that the show has followed the same format of sitcoms everywhere, a group of friends hang out and deal with life. There are many reasons that this show makes number two on my list. It's not your traditional humor. But if you get to know them, you can't help but love the characters and the more attention to pay to the show, the more you realize just how great the writing is. Here are some reasons Cougar Town makes the number two spot:
The way the characters don't understand half the jokes

The way the show introduces a joke at the beginning and brings it back at the end of the episode

Greyson's annoyingly catchy songs:

But most of all it's how fast Jules goes to her "crazy place"

1.) Community

 Community is hands down the smartest show on TV. What isn't to love about this show? It's daring, taking on alternate timelines, clay-mation dreamworlds, and school wide paintball wars. But they don't just rely on these as gimmicks, but tools through which to filter some of the best and wittiest writing on television. Not to mention a group dynamic unlike any other on television. Dan Harmon, the creator of the show, has a vision for this show, its dynamics, and the development of the characters unlike any other sitcom on TV. So what's great about this show?
The group dynamic and the witty banter that results from it

Or maybe it's the way that the writers can span a joke like this across three season

Then again, it's probably just this

A 13:13 Road to the Oscars (Part 3)

When the Oscars decided to up the number of Best Picture nominees from five to ten, I was skeptical at first. It seemed excessive. That being said, now that I have seen the result of that change, I'm happy they made it. The ten, or this year nine (still haven't heard an explanation for that), films are a sort of showcase of the year's best work. While we all know that there are only two or three real contenders for the award, it's good to recognize the movies that were good enough to be eligible for the award. So instead of doing the Who will win/who should win thing, first I'm just going to highlight each film (except War Horse, the only one I haven't seen), then I will say who will and should win in my opinion.

The Tree of Life:
This movie, while on the artsy side, was very interesting. The movie bases itself on the premise of there being two paths in life, that of Grace and that of Nature. The story follows a boy, who you later see as an adult, and his upbringing under a mother who represents Grace and a father who represents Nature. The film deals with some pretty big themes such as the death of a relative, the meaning of existence, and emotional abuse. There are long periods of the film that consist mainly of visual images. They are stunning. I don't think this movie has a chance at winning Best Picture, but if it doesn't win best cinematography, it's a crime. It's also worth mentioning that Jessica Chastain and Brad Pitt are two of the main actors in this film and they are both nominated in acting categories for other films.

Midnight in Paris:
I'm normally not a huge Woody Allen fan, but sometimes his creativeness outdoes his oddness, an that is the case with Midnight in Paris. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, because if you haven't seen it, there is a bit of a twist that I guarantee you won't see coming. What I will say is that if you are a fan of history, literature, or the arts, you should look into this movie. It's well acted, creatively written, and certainly worth a watch. No, this movie won't win Best Picture, but it might win best original screenplay and it definitely deserves the nomination.

Moneyball:
It's always good to see a true story that is well told on film. Moneyball isn't your traditional sports film. Yes baseball is a part of the film, but it's really more about the inner workings of the sport and what it takes for a small market team to compete. I really liked the human struggles that you see depicted in this movie. A lot of sports films deal in grand gestures and cliches, but this movie looks at the struggles that people deal with on an everyday basis, such as building a relationship with you child, or providing for a family. It's a good film, but again, it won't win the Best Picture award. It is worth noting that Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are both nominated for their acting roles in this film.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close:
This film hasn't gotten the respect that it deserves. It's a well acted film that shows a great range of human emotions. The film has a 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I think that this is a testament just how cynical movie critics have become. This movie depicts such a range of human issues and emotions, that I think it definitely deserves this nomination. Also of note is that Max von Sydow is nominated for his performance in this film.

Hugo:
This was a really good movie. The story revolves around a young boy who is orphaned and living in a Paris train station, while trying to reconnect with is dead father. While it is supposed to be a children's film, it deals with many adult elements. There is also a nice look back at the era of silent film in this movie, much like its fellow nominee The Artist. This film probably won't win Best Picture, but there is a good chance that it will grab the Best Director award.


The Artist:
The Artist is easily one of the three best films of the year. What has drawn many to it is the novelty of being a 21st Century silent film. The way the film deals with this aspect is creative and worthy of praise. Beyond the silent film aspect of the movie, this is just a really well made movie. It is creatively written (although I do have a problem with a film that doesn't have any real dialog being nominated for best original screenplay), well acted, and overall very charming. The story may not be the most original, but it goes to a fairly deep place and does so creatively. For all of these reasons it is indeed a contender to win this award. Also worth noting is that this film won the Golden Globe for Best Picture Comedy/Musical

The Descendants:
This is one of my two favorite films of the year. It deals with the story of a family dealing with their mother/wife suffering from a boating accident. The emotion in this movie is on a level beyond most movies I have seen. The acting in the movie is also some of the best in any movie I've seen this year. Shaileen Woodley should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and George Clooney rightfully earned the Best Actor nomination, which he very well could win. It also won the Golden Globe for Best Picture Drama.

The Help:
This is the other movie that makes my top two list. The story (based on a book) deals with the struggles of African-American maids in the South. Some critics have expressed problems with this film, under the claim that it portrays African-Americans in a disparaging light. I couldn't disagree more. Yes, the women in the film are maids and aren't well educated. That's the tragedy of the time that the story takes place in, but it is an accurate portrayal for the most part. What is so great about the story is that the characters, while living in a horrible situation that they had no control over, rise up and do great things in the face of adversity and danger. The movie shows that the women are greater than their situation. That's why I think it's great. Is this a contender for Best Picture? Some say yes and some say no. I think the fact that the question is even being asked makes it a contender. Also keep in mind, it's worth noting that this film did win Best Ensemble Cast at the SAG Awards and that make up the biggest voting group at the Oscars. The win is very possible, but the nomination alone is a great recognition of the movie.

Who will win?/Who should win?
Like I said, I think the three contenders for this award are The Artist, The Descendants, and The Help. Who will win? At this point I'm guessing that The Artist will win just because of the novelty. Not that it isn't an amazing movie, but of these three movies I would put it at number three. Who should win? I'm having a hard time deciding if The Help or The Descendants is the better movie. I like them both a lot. But I think when it comes down to it, I would have to go with The Help, just because of the multitude of great acting performances and the power of the story being told. Whoever wins, make sure you watch the Oscars tomorrow night on ABC!

A 13:13 Road to the Oscars (Part 2)

In this post I will be covering the Best Leading Actor/Actress categories. For the most part I'm pretty impressed with the nominations this year, so I'll just jump right in.

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

1. Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
2. George Clooney (The Descendants) 
3. Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
4. Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
5. Brad Pitt (Moneyball)

Who will win the Oscar?/Who should win the Oscar?

I'm putting these two together here because I think this one is really up in the air. The winner will definitely be either Jean Dujardin or George Clooney, I'm sure of that, but I don't know for sure which one will win. For the sake of argument and because of the way things have happened so far, I'm going to say that Jean Dujardin will win, but that George Clooney should win. I could honestly see both winning. Clooney won the Golden Globe for Leading Actor in a Drama, while Dujardin won the Golden Globe for Leading Actor in a Comedy/Musical, and the SAG for Leading Actor. Dujardin was impressive this year and deserves the nomination. He works flawlessly within the medium of silent film, with the emotion of the performance transcending the silence of the film. That beings said, I feel like Clooney's performance in The Descendants is easily the best of his career. The range of human emotions that Clooney presents in this film is nothing short of amazing. For that, I believe he deserves the Oscar, and Academy voters very well may agree with me on that one. I think this will be the closest race in any of the acting categories this year.

The rest of the nominees?

I haven't seen A Better Life or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, so I can't really comment on Bichir and Oldman. I did see Moneyball however, and I found Brad Pitt's performance to be impressive. I'm not normally a Brad Pitt fan. He normally chooses roles that are a little too odd and abstract for my taste. What I like about Pitt in this movie is that he does a good job of balancing a character who is struggling to be both an aggressive businessman and a caring father. He's good, but Clooney and Dujardin are just better. 

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

1. Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
2. Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)
3. Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
4. Viola Davis (The Help)
5. Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)

Who will win the Oscar/Who should win the Oscar?

Again, I think there is a bit of a tight race here. I don't think it is nearly as up in the air as the Best Actor category, but I think there is a somewhat competitive race. The two front runners in this category are Viola Davis and Meryl Streep. I honestly think the answer to both of these questions is Viola Davis. She won the SAG for Leading Actress. Davis performance in The Help really makes the movie. Some critics have said of this movie that it makes the white people look like the heroes, but if you come away from this movie and don't see the hero that Davis creates in this performance, you weren't paying attention. There is dignity and emotion in this performance and as much as critics might want to take away from Davis, she's amazing. Meryl Streep on the other hand won the Golden Globe for Leading Actress in a Drama. This is the only reason I could possibly see her taking the Oscar from Davis. Yes I said taking, because while Streep is good in this movie, she is far from the best this year. I will give credit to Streep, she is a beacon in what is one of the worst films I've seen this year. Nobody could fill this role like she does. She really is great here, but Davis gave a performance that no other actress can touch this year. 

The other nominees?

I haven't seen Albert Nobbs and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so I can't really comment on the performances, though I have heard good things about Mara's performance from my brother who read the book and saw the movie. Michelle Williams however gave one of my favorite performances this year in My Week With Marilyn. I heard one critic who complained that Williams makes Marilyn look ditsy, when in reality Marilyn was sexy. I couldn't agree less. I think that Williams' performance in this movie makes Marilyn an actual human beings. Most people see Marilyn as a figure or an icon. Hardly as a person. The Marilyn that Williams portrays in this movie has hopes, dreams, and fears that make her seem more human than ever, and yes this is based on a true story. Well those are my thoughts on this year's Best Actor/Actress nominees. 

A 13:13 Road to the Oscars (Part 1)

I love movies. To me, film is the highest form of the performing arts. There's nothing like a great movie. In honor of the Oscars this year, I'm doing a three part blog post on the nominees for the Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Leading Actor/Actress, and Best Picture. I haven't seen every movie or performance from this year's nominees, but I will try to cover as much as I can. This won't be exact, but I'm going to try and cover who I think will win, who I think should win (which might be the same as who I think will win), and other notable performances or snubs. So for today I'm starting with Best Supporting Actor/Actress.

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)
2. Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
3. Nick Nolte (Warrior)
4. Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
5. Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)

 Who will win the Oscar?
Simple answer? Christopher Plummer. He won both the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and the Golden Globe. Odds are that he will win the Oscar too. I haven't personally seen Beginners, so I can't really comment on Plummer's performance.

Who should win the Oscar?
Since I haven't seen Christopher Plummer's performance, so I'm not exactly saying he doesn't deserve it. I have seen three of the performances by the actors in this category however, and I can say that some of them were pretty impressive. I was most impressed however by Max von Sydow, who is nominated for his role in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. In a year that saw a return to silent film with The Artist, what impressed me was that Max von Sydow gave a silent performance in a film that wasn't silent, and he gave a very compelling performance. Max von Sydow was really one of the best parts of this movie and I'm glad that he's getting recognized for it with an Oscar nomination.

The other nominees and any snubs?
Jonah Hill and Kenneth Branagh are both deserving nominees this year. Hill, gives a surprisingly good dramatic performance for an actor that is known mostly for his comedy work. Branagh gives the kind of polished performance that you would expect from the veteran Shakespearean actor. I can't honestly say that there are any noticeable snubs in this category this year. Great performances by supporting actors were a little limited this year, but I think the Oscars pretty much got it right with this year's nominees.

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Octavia Spencer (The Help)
2. Berenice Bejo (The Artist)
3. Jessica Chastain (The Help)
4. Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
5. Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)

Who will win the Oscar? 

Unless there is some unforeseen disaster, this award easily belongs to Octavia Spencer. She won both the Golden Globe and the SAG, and all signs point to her winning the Oscar as well. Some critics say however that she could split the vote with Jessica Chastain, who is also from The Help, giving someone else a chance to sneak by and win. It's possible, but I doubt it. 

Who should win?

Octavia Spencer. Like I said, this award easily belongs to her, and rightfully so. Spencer's performance in The Help is the kind of performance that makes a career. What makes this even greater for Spencer is that she came out of nowhere and rose to such a high level of acting. I honestly can't say enough about how great Spencer's performance is in this move. In this one character she reaches both dramatic and comedic excellence. 

The other nominees/snubs?

This is probably my favorite category this year. I mean don't get me wrong the other categories are pretty exciting, but this category just looks great this year. For starters you have Berenice Bejo in the Artist. She's charming, and she really is the grounding element of The Artist which gives it that extra edge as a great movie. Melissa McCarthy, while I really do like her as an actress, is another story. I don't think that she deserves this nomination. Yes, it's good for the women that they could do a female based comedy like Bridemaids, but that being said this movie is no different than any other Judd Apatow movie. Yes, McCarthy is good in the movie but to nominate her for the Oscar seems unwarranted. I can't help but make comparisons to other supporting actresses that have won or been nominated for this award for comedic performances. Namely Marisa Tomei comes to mind for her performance in My Cousin Vinny. To say that McCarthy's performance is even half as good as Tomei's is a joke itself. Flatulence on camera isn't enough to warrant the nomination. One of the true tragedies of this year's Oscars is that Jessica Chastain can't also win an Oscar. Chastain and Spencer both give amazing, and unassuming, performances in The Help, and the best part is that most of their scenes in the movie are done together. If Spencer hadn't given the amazing performance that she did, I honestly believe that Jessica Chastain would be winning an Oscar this year. She's that good. It's also worth noting that at the SAG Awards, The Help won best ensamble cast, and that Jessica Chastain had major roles in two of this years Best Picture Oscar nominated films, The Help and The Tree of Life. I have not seen Albert Nobbs, so I can't really comment on Janet McTeer's performance this year. Snubs? Yes there is one major snub in my opinion. Shaileen Woodley for The Descendants. This is one of my favorite performances of the year. I would put it right behind Spencer and Chastain's performances this year in the supporting actress category. Instead the Oscars decided to nominate Melissa McCarthy, which is extremely unfortunate. Well those are my opinions on this year's supporting categories.