15 Films I Look Forward to in 2012

1. The Hunger Games
Directed by Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth

Based on the highly addictive action-packed novel series, Jennifer Lawrence ("X-Men: First Class") brings the fierce main character of Katniss Everdeen to life in this feature film adaptation.



2. Snow White and the Huntsman
Directed by Rupert Sanders
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth

Only one word comes to mind when describing this twisted take on the classic Snow White fairy tale: badass.. Kristen Stewart plays the princess who is being hunted down by a huntsman(Chris Hemsworth, "Thor") who was appointed to do so by the Evil Queen, played so perfectly by Charlie Theron.



3. The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Scarlet Johansson, Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo

It's every comic book nerd's dream, assembling Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Captain America together for this team of superheroes. Whether or not this film will actually deliver in plot has yet to be determined. But one thing that's for certain is that this plenty of epic superhero showdowns that will have you geeking out in the movie theatres.



4. The Amazing Spider-Man
Directed by Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone

It was not long ago when Sam Raimi wrapped up neatly his Spider-Man Trilogy. Now, 500 Days of Summer's Marc Webb takes on the iconic web-sling hero, this time with The Social Network's Andrew Garfield, who seems to have waited for this role for a lifetime.



5. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov
Starring: Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Dominic Cooper

Based on the novel whose author has also spawned books such as "Pride and Prejudice with Zombies", this film gives a new take to the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, adding blood-sucking vampires into the mix. Broadway actor Benjamin Walker ("Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson") stars as the president, driven by his mother's death at the hands of vampires, kills vampires on his path to become the U.S. President.



6. Brave
Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
Starring: Kelly MacDonald

After a lackluster sequel of Cars 2 last summer, Pixar Animations returns with its first ever female lead character, a Princess who defies the rules of her kingdom to make her own path for her life.



7. The Dark Knight Rises
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway

The final chapter in Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy is being hyped up as one of the biggest films of the year. Word has it that some of the midnight showings are sold out already. Here's to hoping that this carbon copy cast of Inception will deliver just like the previous installment did.



8. Django Unchained
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio

Tarantino directs this western about a slave-turned-bounty hunter, who with the help of his mentor, sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. Little much else is known about this film but the plot already has me intrigued.



9. The Gangster Squad
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone

If the stellar cast didn't have me hooked already, then I don't know what else will. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone reunite to join Sean Penn in this crime drama set in Los Angeles in the 1940's about the LAPD trying to fight back gang leader Micky Cohen(Penn) who tries to bring his East Coast Mafia to the West Coast.



10. Skyfall
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem

The 23rd Bond film brings Daniel Craig back as the suave and sexy agent, this time facing off against a villain portrayed by Javier Bardem. This film is set to be more emotionally and character driven, but hopefully there will still be plenty of the usual Bond girls and combat action....which is how every Bond film should be.



11. Anna Karenina
Directed by Joe Wright
Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Johnson

After lackluster stints with Hanna and The Soloist, Joe Wright returns to direct the kind of period dramas that he is critically applauded for. In this adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's novel, Keira Knightley stars as the title character, a woman trapped in a loveless marriage who soon finds herself only being caught up in an even more complicated relationship.



12. The Great Gatsby
Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Toby Maguire and Carey Mulligan

The classic novel about social class, romance and the American Dream during the 1920's gets a 3-D makeover as DiCaprio will take on the lead role of Jay Gatsby himself. After the recently remarkable and critically praised use of 3-D in Scorsese's film Hugo, let's hope that the 3-D used in this film will enhance and not disrupt this beautiful tale.



13. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Directed by Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen

And just when you thought you'd never see that darn ring again after Frodo got rid of it in The Return of the King, it makes a return in Peter Jackson's two-part adaptation of The Lord of the Rings prequel. The first official trailer proved that this film will boast a lighter tone than the Rings trilogy, but nonetheless I'll take any sort of return to Middle Earth that we can get. And you can also count me in as ecstatic for the return of Ian McKellen as Gandalf.




14. Savages
Directed by Oliver Stone
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson and Blake Lively

Based on the novel about two successful marijuana growers, Ben(Johnson) and Chon(Kitsch), who attract the attention of the Mexican drug cartel. After the drug cartel kidnaps their shared girlfriend(Lively), the two friends must devise a plan to rescue her. You know why I am excited for this film. Gossip Girl's Blake Lively is in it. Need I say more?

15. Les Miserables
Directed by Tom Hooper
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, and Aaron Tveit

Possibly one of the best musicals of all time, Tom Hooper takes on Victor Hugo's classic tale about redemption set in 19th century France. It's the first version of Les Mis told with the songs from the Broadway hit in tact, and I cannot think of anyone better than Hugh Jackman to play the lead role of Jean Valjean. Besides Jackman however, the rest of the cast has me screaming in excitement as well. British rising star Eddie Redmayne and Broadway heartthrob Aaron Tveit also star, along with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen who are perfectly casted as the money-hungry Thénardiers. Oscar potential? I sure think so.

Smash (NBC) - Pilot Review

NBC's new musical drama series Smash proves that there really is no biz like show biz.

The network's advertising campaign for the series reads with the tagline: Stars aren't born, they're made. And in this case, these "stars" are made by the top-notch, award-winning creative team behind the series, with Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg as executive producer and original music composed by Tony Award nominated pair Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. But then again, the show itself isn't lacking in star-power either. Academy Award winner Angelica Huston, Emmy nominated actress Debra Messing, Jack Davenport and American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee are only some of the notable actors in the series. With a team like this, it is no doubt that this series is, well, going to be a smash.

The show follows two composers, Julia Houstin(Messing) and Tom Levitt(Christian Borle) who come with the idea of developing a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. When the pair enlist ambitious Broadway ensemble actress Ivy Lynn(Megan Hilty) to record a demo track for their new vision, the track goes viral and attracts the attention of a producer(Angelica Huston), and a rude but widely talented director(Jack Davenport). But what the director Derek Wills wants is an icon, not "a trooper" as he says. Not entirely convinced that Ivy is the right girl for the part, auditions are then held to find the female lead for the show...which is where Katharine McPhee steps into the picture. McPhee portrays an aspiring actress who is working as a waitress. Her freshness and innocence is what ultimately intrigues Wills, thus giving the production team not one, but two actresses to choose from for the coveted role of Marilyn Monroe.

For those weary of whether or not this series is simply a Glee rehash, fear not—because it isn't. Smash is very much realistic, with the musical numbers implemented in each episode making sense and not simply just having the actors break out into song-and-dance just 'cause they want to. Another differentiation from the FOX phenom is that Smash features original music from Hairspray and more recently Catch Me If You Can composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who dish out two catchy showtunes in the pilot episode.

Smash is a series that chronicles the backstage drama and the road to creating a Broadway show, and while it may seem like a series that only theatre gurus would enjoy, it isn't. As actress Megan Hilty brilliantly states, "I liked ER, but that doesn't mean that I wanted to become a doctor." You may not have any pre-existing theatre knowledge, but that does not mean that Smash won't be your cup of tea. The series is filled with your dose of television breakups, hookups and family dilemmas, with as much and if not more delicious storylines than your favorite primetime soaps.

The pilot of Smash is currently available for free for streaming on the NBC website, as well as for download on iTunes and Amazon for those of you who cannot wait. But for those of you who can, the series debuts February 6th, after the second season premiere of The Voice.

"Smash" airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.

The Artist (2012) - Film Review

If there was ever a film that completely sweeps up every award at the Oscars, and entirely deserves it, it would be The Artist.

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius, the French silent film is in every way, nostalgic and authentic in its artistic creation. Starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo in the lead roles, the film takes place during the 1920's and early 1930's of the Hollywood film industry, documenting the transition from silent films into the era of the talkies.

George Valentin(Jean Dujardin) is a silent film star who is attending the premiere of his latest film, "A Russian Affair" in Hollywood 1927. Following the film's screening, he steps out of the theatre for photos for the press. When a young female fan, Peppy Miller(Bérénice Bejo) accidentally stumbles out into Valentin's spotlight during his photoshoot, she lands herself on the front cover of Variety and instantly becomes the talk of the town. As Peppy continues to garner more attention first with the photo and later with an audition for a film that George Valentin is the star of, their friendship is put to the test when the silent film era comes to a close. As the stock-market crash in 1929 hits, Valentin finds his career coming to an end, while Miller herself becomes the leading lady to the public.

Words cannot even begin to describe how marvelous The Artist is. Jean Dujardin gives a commanding performance in the role of George Valentin, and Bérénice Bejo is equally adorable as she is talented in the role of Peppy Miller. Their onscreen chemistry is impenetrable, and has audiences so emotionally engaged in both of their character's journey throughout the film. Their talent is further proven to be indestructible when the two perform a spectacular tap dance number in the film.

The cinematography and screenplay also helps create the tone of the film, and when being watched in a theatre it makes you forget that you are living in the 21st century. The film transports you back to the days when big budget special effects and 3-D was not necessary in making a movie good or crowd pleasing. The artistic beauty of the film in and of itself is a tribute to the cinematic arts, and a worthy one. Further, the musical score composed by Ludovic Bource entirely corresponds with the narrative of the film and drives the emotional aspect of the film forward.

The Artist is a magnificent work of art that proves that you don't need all of the modern technology used today in many films to create a spectacle. But what it also goes to show is that the art of filmmaking is timeless, and something that was raved about many years ago can still be a hit in the present.

Touch (FOX) - Television Review

24's Kiefer Sutherland returns to television in Tim Kring's new thought-provoking and intriguing FOX drama series Touch.

The series from Heroes creator follows Martin Bohm(Sutherland), a single father whose wife died in the 9/11 attacks and is left alone to raise his 11-year-old son, Jake Bohm(David Mazouz), who is believed to be autistic. The pilot episode opens to Jake sitting on top of an electricity tower as her informs the audience that everyone in this world is in some way, shape or form connected. Obsessed with numbers and somehow unable or unwilling to speak, Jake is sent to an institution after a social worker, Clea Hopkins(Gugu Mbatha-Raw) comes to evaluate and conclude that it is best for Jake to be put in the institute. What unfolds is a string of global events—a man looking for his missing phone; a young woman with aspiring to become a singer; and a young boy faced with an economical family dilemma—that somehow find their way to connect together all through the numbers that Jake writes out.

From the innovative title sequence to the very last minutes of the pilot, extraordinary cinematography is incorporated to tell this story of social connectivity. The pilot is not only well-written, engaging and impeccably executed, but also manages to tug at your emotions, especially with the relationship between the father and son pair.

The series itself seems like a unusual concept for a television series, as one could assume that there is no life that could live beyond the pilot for narrative like this. However, upon finishing the premiere episode I can confidently say that not only will the pilot leave you pondering what will happen next, but it also makes you eager to get the next installment immediately. FOX has a new hit on their hands, one that is not only interesting but also magnetically interesting.

"Touch" premieres Monday, March 19 at 9/8c on FOX.

Oscars 2012 - Who I Want To Win

In light of the 2012 Academy Awards nominations being announced today, I've decided to make a list, not of who I think will win but simply who I want to win. My picks are highlighted in BOLD.

Best Picture

“War Horse”
“The Artist”
“Midnight in Paris”
“Moneyball”
“The Descendants”
“The Tree of Life”
“The Help”
“Hugo”
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Best Actress

Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis, “The Help”
Rooney Mara, “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn”

Best Actor

Demian Bichir, “A Better Life”
George Clooney, “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
Gary Oldman, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”
Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain, “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer, “The Help”

Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh, “My Week With Marilyn”
Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”
Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Nick Nolte, “Warrior”
Max von Sydow, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Best Director

Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”
Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”
Terrence Malick, “Tree of Life”
Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”

Best Original Screenplay

“The Artist”
“Bridesmaids”
“Margin Call”
“Midnight in Paris”
“A Separation”

Best Adapted Screenplay

“The Descendants”
“Hugo”
“The Ides of March”
“Moneyball”
“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”

Best Animated Feature

“A Cat in Paris”
“Chico & Rita”
“Kung Fu Panda 2”
“Puss in Boots”
“Rango”

Best Art Direction

“The Artist”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”
“Hugo”
“Midnight in Paris”
“War Horse”

Best Cinematography

“The Artist”
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
“Hugo”
“The Tree of Life”
“War Horse”

Best Costumes

“Anonymous”
“The Artist”
“Hugo”
“Jane Eyre”
“W.E.”

Film Editing

“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
“Hugo”
“Moneyball”

Make-Up

“Albert Nobbs”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”
“The Iron Lady"

Original Score

“The Adventures of TinTin”
“The Artist”
“Hugo”
“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy:
“War Horse”

Original Song

“Man or Muppet”
“Real in Rio”

Sound Editing

“Drive”
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
“Hugo”
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
“War Horse”

Visual effects

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”
“Hugo”
“Real Steel”
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”

The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards - My Predictions

The Golden Globes is tomorrow night, so I thought that I would just share my predictions for who I think would (and should) win in the categories below. If it were up to me however, "War Horse" would have received more nominations than it did but hopefully that is what the Oscars will make up for when it announces its nominations in the coming weeks.

MOVIE CATEGORIES

Best Motion Picture -- Drama

"The Descendants"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"The Ides of March"
"Moneyball"
"War Horse"

Best Motion Picture -- Comedy

"50/50"
"The Artist"
"Bridesmaids"
"My Week With Marilyn"
"Midnight in Paris"

Best Actress -- Drama

Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Best Actor -- Drama

George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"
Michael Fassbender, "Shame"
Ryan Gosling, "The Ides of March"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Best Actress -- Comedy

Jodie Foster, "Carnage"
Charlize Theron, "Young Adult"
Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"
Kate Winslet, "Carnage"

Best Actor -- Comedy

Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Brendan Gleeson, "The Guard"
Ryan Gosling, "Crazy Stupid Love"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "50/50"
Owen Wilson, "Midnight in Paris"

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"

Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Albert Brooks, "Drive"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Viggo Mortensen, "A Dangerous Method"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

Best Director

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
George Clooney, "The Ides of March"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Best Screenplay

"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"The Ides of March"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Moneyball"

Best Animated Film

"The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn"
"Arthur Christmas"
"Cars 2"
"Puss In Boots"
"Rango"

Best Foreign Language Film

"A Separation" (Iran)
"The Flowers Of War" (China)
"The Kid With The Bike" (Belgium)
"In The Land Of Blood and Honey" (USA)
"The Skin I Live In" (Spain)

Best Original Score

Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"
Abel Korzeniowski, "W.E."
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"
Howard Shore, "Hugo"
John Williams, "War Horse"

Best Original Song

"Hello Hello" by Elton John, "Gnomeo & Juliet"
"Lay Your Head Down" by Sinead O'Connor, "Albert Nobbs"
"The Living Proof," by Mary J. Blige, "The Help"
"The Keeper," by Gerard Butler, "Machine Gun Preacher"
"Masterpiece," by Madonna, "W.E."


TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Best Television Series - Drama

American Horror Story (FX)
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Boss (STARZ)
Game Of Thrones (HBO)
Homeland (SHOWTIME)


Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama

Claire Danes, "Homeland" (SHOWTIME)
Mireille Enos, "The Killing" (AMC)
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife" (CBS)
Madeleine Stowe, "Revenge" (ABC)
Callie Thorne, "Necessary Roughness" (USA)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama

Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" (AMC)
Kelsey Grammer, "Boss" (STARZ)
Jeremy Irons, "The Borgias" (SHOWTIME)
Damian Lewis, "Homeland" (SHOWTIME)

Best Television Series - Comedy Or Musical

Enlightened (HBO)
Episodes (SHOWTIME)
Glee (FOX)
Modern Family (ABC)
New Girl (FOX)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical

Laura Dern, "Enlightened" (HBO)
Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl" (FOX)
Tina Fey, "30 Rock" (NBC)
Laura Linney, "The Big C" (Showtime)
Amy Poehler, "Parks And Recreation" (NBC)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" (NBC)
David Duchovny, "Californication" (SHOWTIME)
Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
Thomas Jane, "Hung" (HBO)
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes" (SHOWTIME)

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television

Cinema Verite (HBO)
Downton Abbey (Masterpiece) (PBS)
The Hour (BBC AMERICA)
Mildred Pierce (HBO)
Too Big To Fail (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Romola Garai, "The Hour" (BBC AMERICA)
Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite" (HBO)
Elizabeth McGovern, "Downton Abbey" (Masterpiece) (PBS)
Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult" (ITV)
Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce" (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey" (Masterpiece) (PBS)
Idris Elba, "Luther"
William Hurt, "Too Big To Fail" (HBO)
Bill Nighy, "Page Eight" (Masterpiece)
Dominic West, "The Hour" (BBC AMERICA)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story" (FX)
Kelly MacDonald, "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey" (Masterpiece) (PBS)
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family" (ABC)
Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce" (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Peter Dinklage, "Game Of Thrones" (HBO)
Paul Giamatti "Too Big To Fail" (HBO)
Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce" (HBO)
Tim Robbins, "Cinema Verite" (HBO)
Eric Stonestreet – Modern Family (ABC)

My Top 5 Movies of 2011

2011 was yet another year filled with many great and entertaining movies, and while there were just as many hits as there were misses, I've narrowed it down to 5 films that I personally thought was my favorite movies of 2011.


5. Friends with Benefits
This romantic comedy starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake pokes fun at the rom-com cliches while also making audience laugh out loud through the hilarious plot that is almost entirely similar, though executed better than No Strings Attached. With a screenplay written by Will Gluck, the same person behind the perfectly hilarious Easy A, and impeccable chemistry between the film's two leads, it was no doubt that this movie is not only highly entertaining, but also worth watching over and over again.


4. The Help
Adapted from the New York times bestselling novel, this movie adaptation stars Emma Stone in a racist-filled community of Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer give powerfully moving performances worthy of an Oscar in their respective roles.


3. X-Men: First Class
In what was the best superhero movie of the year, X-Men: First Class delivers on both storytelling and action. With a stellar cast led by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, this installment breathed new life into the staling X-Men series. Here's to hoping there will be more sequel featuring McAvoy and Fassbender.


2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II
The end of another era came in the form of the Harry Potter series coming to an epic end. The final part of the book series movie adaptation not only charted a new milestone in the careers of the film's three leads, but also beautifully wrapped up what is one of the greatest stories ever told.


1. War Horse
Steven Spielberg brings to live the Tony Award-winning play about a boy and his horse during World War I. The film is beautifully shot, wonderfully orchestrated, and is bound to make you cry like a teenage girl thanks to the emotionally invigorating tale and intense bond between a man and his animal.