My Top 10 TV Shows of All Time

Hey everyone, the Emmy nominations just came out. Big whoop. But that got me thinking about TV shows that I love. So I decided to put out a list of my top 10 shows of all time. Now this was really DIFFICULT! Oh my gosh. Sooooo HARD! There are just so many! But while there are many shows I love, many of them are still on the air. So I don't know how they will end. And a bad ending can ruin a great show (i.e. How I Met Your Mother). So for my list, I chose shows I adore, that have already ended. With a couple exceptions. But I'll get into that later. I also didn't go with shows that had a great first season but then slowly but surely turned into crap. So no: Once Upon a Time, Heroes, Lost, Prison Break, etc. Also if a show was great for several season but then just kept going way too long, sorry no list for you. So no: Supernatural (great first 5 seasons, but that's now less than half the show), House M.D., Scrubs, Downton Abbey (so many ups and downs, but had a good ending), etc.

Also this is a list of my all time FAVORITE shows, so they may not necessarily be the "best shows ever" whatever that means. Rewatchability was definitely a big factor. Plus how excited the show made me when it was still airing played a factor. Because yes, I watched some of these shows while they were still on the air. I know, I'm so old. Also quick thing, there may be slight spoilers, so FYI.

So without further ado, my list!

10. Stargate SG-1

Ah Stargate, what can I say about you? I love this show. And you should know that I'm not a big Sci-Fi fan. I don't like many shows that are set in space, with aliens and the like. But Stargate was different. It had so many characters I loved. Jack O'Neill (played by Richard Dean Anderson AKA MacGyver) with his quips and puns. I love you so. Daniel Jackson, with his kindness and sweetness. I wanted to marry you. Teal'c, with his "Indeeds". I think of you every time I say that word. Samantha Carter, with your intelligence and grace. You gave girls everywhere a badass female scientist to look up to. Vala Mal Doran, with your wit and flair. I wanted to be your best friend. Plus you were what made the last 2 seasons watchable. Aside from the great characters, there was clever writing (the 100th and 200th episodes are meta and fantastic!), great set pieces, and surprisingly good CGI. It had a great series finale. And 2 more direct to DVD movies that continued the story while wrapping up things nicely. I will miss you forever. But all of you can watch the entire Stargate franchise on Amazon Prime! Get on it!

Side note: I also love one of the spin-off shows "Stargate Atlantis". But I felt like SG-1 just barely edges it out.

9. Friends

One of the best sitcoms ever! Mostly because unlike many other sitcoms, it remained funny all the way through to the end. Most sitcoms lose their way and just phone it in after a while (I'm looking at you Big Bang Theory). But Friends was different. It was hilarious, quotable ("Something is wrong with the left phalange!"), and interesting up until the very last episode. And most importantly it wasn't afraid to let its characters grow and evolve. Chandler grew into an amazing husband. Rachel became a mom. Phoebe realized she wanted a committed relationship. And the list goes on and on. Such a great show. All the seasons are on Netflix, so rewatch and enjoy!

8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joss Whedon. He burst onto the scene with this show and changed TV forever. Would there even be musical episodes of shows without him? Who knows. But this show was amazing. Witty, charming, at times very frightening (the gentlemen from the episode Hush still give me nightmares), and also gut wrenchingly sad when it needed to be (Angel season 2, Joyce season 5, need I say more?). This show broke so much ground it's astonishing. It had a female lead who kicked ass and it was a show about teenagers yet could be very adult with its themes at times. The characters are fantastic (even if I was never a fan of Buffy). The development of Willow, Spike, Cordelia, etc. was terrific. The writing was clever and hilarious. The show wasn't afraid to take risks, like having an episode with almost no talking (Hush). Or the musical episode? The list goes on and on. All the season are on Netflix, if you haven't seen the show WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

Side note: I also love the spin-off "Angel", but I went with Buffy instead because I felt like it was a better show as a whole. But I really could have gone either way.

7. Gilmore Girls

Here is one of the exceptions I mentioned earlier. This show did end. But is currently getting a miniseries that will continue the story and will be on Netflix sometime this year I believe. So the show is over and yet isn't over. Plus I have yet to finish the final season. It was not a good season and I gave up when watching it air originally. I am slowly but surely finishing it. But the reason the last season is such a disappointment is that the show was SOOO good up till that point. This is one of the funniest and most well written shows EVER. The writing is SOOO good you guys! The fast talking Gilmore family and friends are always a treat, no matter what mood you're in! This show had a simple premise, a mother and daughter who are each other's best friends and the quirky small town they live in. That's it. But it was so much more than that. The show was about growing up and dealing with all the ups and downs that go along with it. Both Lorelai and Rory change so much throughout the series. And so do the side characters like Sookie (played by Melissa McCarthy long before she was famous!), Lane, Kirk, etc. It was also a show about 2 sets of mothers and daughters, Lorelai and Rory, and Lorelai and her mother (Emily). Lorelai and Rory are so close, and Lorelai and Emily are so not. It's fascinating to watch. And considering how many shows and movies out there explore the father son dynamic, this is one of the few that deal with the other side. A side so many of us can relate to. All the seasons are on Netflix. Watch this show!!!!

6. Psych

One of the funniest shows EVER!! This show was incredible! Hilarious characters, clever writing, and yes another musical episode! This is the show about a fake psychic detective (the first one, not the rip-off The Mentalist). It's sooo funny and charming. Yet can be dark when it needs to be, like the Mr. Yang episodes, or the one where something bad happens to Henry. If you haven't seen this show, what's wrong with you? Cary Elwes guest stars several times, it spoofs American Idol, and has some of the funnies quotes EVER!! "Gus don't be this crevice in my arm", "You hear about Pluto? That's messed up right?", and the list goes on forever! All the seasons are on Netflix, do yourself a favor and WATCH THIS!!

5. Sherlock

This is another one of my exceptions. Sherlock is still on the air. If being on the air means it occasionally comes on TV, sometimes. Years may go by but Sherlock comes back when it wants to. So I don't know how this show will end, but if it ends horribly then I will have to rethink this list. But for now it definitely makes the cut. See, Sherlock on the BBC is a different kind of TV show. Even in the U.K. where most of their seasons (or series as they call them) air 6 to 8 episodes on average. Compared to network TV here in America where 20 to 24 is the norm. But Sherlock doesn't even do 6 episodes a season. It does 3. And each episode is 90 minutes long. So every episode is essentially a movie. And there are 3 of them each season. Yes it's weird. But it's also AWESOME. This show is clever, funny, dark, and so many other things I can't even fit them all in this list! Benedict Cumberbatch is INCREDIBLE as Sherlock Holmes. I have no idea how he manages to memorize the insane monologues that Sherlock has, but he does and it's amazing!!! And Martin Freeman is FANTASTIC as Dr. John Watson. Their chemistry alone makes this show worth watching. But then there's the writing and the side characters (Molly, Lestrade, Mycroft, etc.) and they are sooo good! But then you also have one of the greatest TV villains ever: Moriarty (played by Andrew Scott). He is chilling and unnerving, yet funny and interesting. He's incredible!! The first time he appears is sooo good!! And he just gets better and better with every scene. I can't recommend this show enough! All the series are on Netflix. So what are you doing? Watch it!

4. Galavant

Oh Galavant, where did you come from and where did you go? This show aired for 2 seasons on ABC. And I'm sure none of you have seen it. Almost no one saw it, which is why it's second season is a miracle! How do I describe this show? If the Princess Bride and Monty Python had a baby, who was then raised on nothing but Disney animated films, that child would be Galavant. It's a half-hour musical comedy extravaganza! It's hilarious, clever, charming, and has some of the best musical numbers ever put to screen! I can't even believe this show got made at all, yet alone got 2 seasons. It's incredible! And it is now available to stream on Netflix!!! Huzzah!! The soundtrack alone is worth any price!! Watch the clip below, it pretty much sums up the show!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWnDwM0RSX4

3. Veronica Mars

What can I say? A long time ago, we used to be friends. Which is totally a true statement. I watched this show when it aired back when UPN was a network. Before it merged with the WB to become the CW. Never did quite understand that name. But I digress. Anyway, Veronica Mars is the teenage detective show we all never knew we needed. I know that didn't make a whole lot of sense, but bear with me. This show was basically a noir film set in high school with a grittier funnier version of Nancy Drew. That's really the best way to describe it. It was dark, but funny, complicated, yet simple. In other words, it was AMAZING! Heck my MOM likes this show! Kirsten Bell was the perfect person to bring the character of Veronica Mars to life. Veronica Mars was layered, complicated, funny, charming, damaged, and I loved her. She was a 3 dimensional female character. Sad that that is so rare in both TV and film. But it's true. I love this show. I loved it when it aired. I bought the series on DVD and have rewatched it many times. The side characters are also amazing! Keith, Logan, Wallace, Mac, the list goes on and on. This show always made me laugh, often made me cry, and is the first time I remember a scene making me gasp in shock. Insanely quotable: "You say following. I say talking a walk with a friend", "This face? Right here? My over-the-moon face", "Annoy, tiny blonde one. Annoy like the wind!". I could go on forever, that's how many great quotes there are. This show also crowd-funded a movie years later to wrap up the show and give us all a little more Veronica Mars! If you have never seen this show, treat yourself! It's on Amazon Prime! And the movie is also really great!

2. Firefly

Browncoats forever!! It still hurts that this incredible show only got 1 season. Fox is the stupidest of all the TV networks. And that's saying something when you exist in the same universe as CBS. Firefly is yet another show from the genius Joss Whedon. It was funny, well written, emotional, and so many other words I can't even remember them all. The characters are fantastic! Malcolm Reynolds, River, Simon, the man they call Jayne, Wash, etc.! So cleverly written and well acted, this is a show that deserves it's fervent fan base. It also deserved more seasons, but I can't cry about that anymore right now. Set in distant future where humanity "used up" the earth and had to colonize other planets, this show is basically a western in space. How did it not get more seasons?! It's an amazing show that everyone should go out and watch right now! It's only season (still chokes me up) is on Netflix. As is the follow up film, Serenity, which was made to wrap up a lot of loose ends (and rip our hearts right out). Something Whedon is all too good at! I don't know how you could not like this show!

1. Pushing Daisies

Yet another show that was taken far too soon. This is my favorite show EVER. And if you know how much TV I watch, you'll understand what a big deal that is. What can I say about this show? It's wonderful, amazing, and totally ineffable. It's about a man named Ned (a pie maker) who has the ability to bring dead things (people, fruit, animals, etc.) back to life with a single touch. But there's a catch: if he touches them again, they're dead forever. Also if he keeps the dead thing alive for more than a minute, something else has to die to take its place. Simple premise, no? It has, in my humble opinion, the BEST cast on TV, EVER! Lee Pace plays Ned, our loveable, socially inept pie maker. Kristin Chenoweth plays Olive, the effervescent waitress who works at Ned's pie shop (the Pie Hole) and who routinely bursts into song. Chi McBride plays Emerson Cod the hard-boiled gum shoe who helps Ned solve murders. I can't even describe how quirky, weird, and wonderful this show is. If Roald Dahl (if you don't know who that is, you are dead to me) had been alive when this show came out, I would have sworn he wrote it. That's how GOOD and ODD this show is!! Unfortunately it was cancelled after its second season, most likely due to the writer's strike at the time. And it is a total shame. But you can watch the show for free on the CW Seed, look it up. You won't be sorry!

And there you have it! My top 10 favorite shows of all time! This was so hard! Some shows that almost made my list were: Smallville (I even watched the bad seasons, that's how much I loved you!), I Love Lucy (still hilarious even today!), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (I used to wake up at 7am every morning when I was younger because that's when the reruns would air on TVLand!), Gilligan's Island (seen every episode multiple times and loved all of them, way better show than Lost!), and Community (I still haven't seen the last 2 seasons, because the last season was on Yahoo and I haven't got around to buying it yet). Thanks for reading!

My Thoughts on the MacGyver Reboot

For those of you who haven't heard the news, the classic 80's TV show MacGyver is being rebooted. This reboot is coming to CBS this fall, and it will be about a young MacGyver who is just starting out in his career. CBS is no doubt trying to have their cake and eat it too. They are trying to appeal to an older audience (who fondly remember MacGyver) and at the same time appeal to a younger audience by casting a hot young star as the titular character (Lucas Till). Link to the trailer below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt8E6X6-744 

Now anyone who knows me, knows how much I LOVE MacGyver. I grew up watching the show (Yes, I realize I was -3 when it premiered but I watched a lot of TV Land growing up, don't judge me!) and I have seen every episode at least twice. So not only am I someone who actually remembers the original, but I'm also part of the demographic that CBS is trying so desperately to appeal to. So as you may have already guessed, I have very mixed feelings about this reboot.

On the one hand, I'm really excited that this series will get a new generation of people interested in this character (and by extension the original series). On the other hand it's being made by CBS. And I can't remember the last time I saw a CBS show and thought to myself "well that was great!". Heck it's hard to remember the last time I saw a CBS show and thought to myself "well that didn't suck too much!". So yeah, if this was being remade by literally ANY other network I'd definitely have more confidence that this wasn't going to suck!

Why would I be worried? How could the network that is responsible for 2 Broke Girls give us anything but quality TV?

But let's back up a bit and discuss the trailer shall we? First the good: I really love who they cast as MacGyver. Lucas Till is an up an coming star. You may recognize him from X-Men: First Class and a brief cameo in X-Men: Days of Future Past. He plays the character called Havoc. He was also in (gag me) the Hannah Montana Movie, but don't hold that against him. I think he's a really good actor. He's also very easy on the eyes, so that's good. Richard Dean Anderson was both of those things as well. So all good there. However, there are some people who are upset that Lucas Till is so young. Seeing as how MacGyver was in his mid 30's in the original series. But I get why they decided to go younger. Plus I think Till just looks younger than he is. He could easily play a teenager, even though he's in his late 20's. But it doesn't really bother me.

What were we talking about?

Also can we talk about MacGyver's hair for a second? Yes in the original series MacGyver does indeed have a mullet. It was the 80's O.K.!!!

It was a different time!!!

But it was a very specific look, and I was worried that they would just make the new actor look like every other male character on TV right now.

Not a bad look, but it can be a bit boring sometimes.

I'm happy that they went the other way. No he doesn't have a mullet exactly (thank God) but he does have pretty long hair. And I normally don't like long hair on guys but Till is definitely pulling it off. And it makes MacGyver look unique, so I'm on board with this.

What were we talking about again?

Another thing I really enjoyed about the trailer was the kind of action they had MacGyver doing. The first thing we see him do is get out of a jail cell by using gunpowder from some bullets to blow the door open. As an expert on all things MacGyver, I can tell you this trick is indeed authentic to the original show! Next thing: using a rubber hose to trip bad guys? Check. Using printer ink and some tape to create a fingerprint to open a door? Check. Using duct tape, gunpowder, and pipes to create an bow and exploding arrow? Totally something Mac (his often used nickname on the show) would do. And finally, escaping out of a truck falling off a cliff by using a parachute (which he probably constructed out of duct tape)? Again, totally Mac approved. So yeah, all that made me very happy! Watch one of MacGyver's best escapes in the link below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keYpxHNNQ-o

But with the good, there is usually at least some bad. So now for the things I didn't like about the trailer. First thing: while there is a Swiss army knife in the logo (clever) MacGyver didn't appear to use one at any point in the trailer. Now I'm sure he does use one on the show, but since I didn't see it for myself, I have to dock some points for that.

The next thing is probably the biggest problem I had, namely the character of Lincoln. Now this character didn't exist in the original series. In fact Mac usually worked alone. He did have a boss, Pete. But Pete's role generally consisted of him giving Mac new cases and sometimes providing Mac backup if he got in too much trouble. That is not what I saw in this trailer. It looks like the character of Lincoln will be some kind partner to Mac. In fact it looks like CBS wants to turn this into a buddy cop show. And that is NOT what MacGyver is. MacGyver is a guy who is sent into bad situations and has to find a way out, by HIMSELF. Mac would always have someone who he'd be trying to help/rescue but that was a new person every week. 

Now there were some recurring characters on the original show. Like Jack (Mac's screw-up, but ever charming, best friend), Penny (Mac's screw-up, but ever charming hot friend), and of course Murdoc (the un-killable, master of disguise, assassin, who is Mac's nemesis). None of those sound like Lincoln.

In the 80's this was considered a hot look O.K!!!

But I have to be honest, the main reason I dislike this character so much already, is because of the actor playing him. George Eads, who you may remember from one of the million CSI shows (I think he was on the first one).

The first one was called CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. I would have titled it: Look How Easy it is to Solve Crimes Kids!

I do NOT like this actor. I'm sure he's a very nice guy, but he is not a great talent. Not surprising since I've seen better acting on Soap Operas than I have on most of the CSI shows (in fact there were several Soap actors that went on to star on several CSI shows). So forgive me, but I don't want anyone associated with those giant turds (aka the CSI shows) to be a part of MacGyver.

Just top notch writing.

But anyway, those are my thoughts on the MacGyver reboot. I'm sure you were all riveted. Now I've heard some disparaging remarks from some people online about this reboot (shocking I know). Those people are wondering, who was asking for a MacGyver reboot? Well the answer is: ME. I was asking. I've been wanting this, for YEARS. So I beg you CBS (and I'm sure they're reading this) DON'T SCREW THIS UP!!!!! MacGyver fans know how to make bombs with chewing gum and paperclips, so don't screw with us!!!!

My Oscar Predictions 2016

YAY!!! It's finally here!!! OSCAR TIME!!! I make no bones about loving the Oscars, I've watched every single year for the past 14 years. Yes, even when I didn't own a TV. So yes, I care WAY too much about the Oscars, but that's just who I am. Deal with it. Anyway, every year I make my predictions at oscar.go.com. Last year was not my best, 15 right out of 24. But not my worst, 10 out of 24. So let's see if this year gets me a perfect score!! And now for predictions!!

Best Picture

And the nominees are:

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies

Brooklyn

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

My pick: The Revenant. Man this one is tough this year!! Although that does make for an exciting end to the award show. This really seems to be a 3 horse race between: the Revenant, the Big Short, and Spotlight. I really could see Spotlight taking this one, it deals with heavy subject matter (the Catholic Church scandal from the early 00s) and the Academy really likes that kind of movie. The Big Short also deals with an important issue, the banking crisis. But I think the Revenant will take this one because, Spotlight came out pretty early in the year and has lost momentum. And the Big Short is a pretty complicated movie, with lots of math and statistics, and that could turn off some voters. So because the Revenant is the freshest in the Academy's mind in it will probably take the big prize. But it wouldn't shock me if either Spotlight or the Big Short walked away with this award.

Actor in a Leading Role

And the nominees are:

Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)

Matt Damon (The Martian)

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)

Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)

Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)

My pick: Leonardo DiCaprio. I just can't decide on this one. Everyone WANTS Leo to win this award. Everyone will not SHUT UP about how he's been ROBBED so many times before. And the Academy might finally feel bad enough for him (he ate raw bison and slept inside an animal carcass for the Revenant) to finally give him this award. Most people don't think this is his best performance but it will probably get him his Oscar. Fingers crossed so then everyone can stop WHINING about it! But I do still think Fassbender has a shot, and man would that make me happy! I've loved him for years! But I've already ranted about him and Damon in my post about the nominations so I won't go into that again. But if either Damon or Fassbender won, I would be sooooo happy!!!

Actor in a Supporting Role

And the nominees are:

Christian Bale (The Big Short)

Tom Hardy (The Revenant)

Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)

Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight)

Sylvester Stallone (Creed)

My pick: Sylvester Stallone. I know, I can't really believe it myself! But there just seems to be a consensus out there that Stallone will get this award. I don't know if he deserves it (I haven't seen Creed). I don't know if Mark Rylance can pull off an upset here. But there you go, I'm just going with Stallone. But if Ruffalo won I would be over the moon!!

Actress in a Leading Role

And the nominees are:

Cate Blanchett (Carol)

Brie Larson (Room)

Jennifer Lawrence (Joy)

Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)

Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)

My pick: Brie Larson. This one does seem to be a lock. I haven't seen Room, but I do hear great things about it and her performance is supposed to be really amazing. Blanchett is always awesome, but I don't think she will get her 3rd Oscar this year. Lawrence shouldn't even be nominated (but I won't go into that again!). And it would make my heart happy if Saoirse won! And this is Rampling's first nomination and she is older than all the other nominees, so if she won I wouldn't be upset. But I think Larson has this one in the bag.

Actress in a Supporting Role

And the nominees are:

Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)

Rooney Mara (Carol)

Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)

Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)

Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

My pick: Alicia Vikander. I LOVE her soooo much!!! And I know that most people wanted her to get a nomination for Ex Machina, but she didn't so deal with it! She is amazing and I want her to win sooo badly!! I do love Winslet but she already has an Oscar and I don't think this is the year she will get a second.

Animated Feature Film

And the nominees are:

Anomalisa

Boy and the World

Inside Out

Shaun the Sheep Movie

When Marnie Was There

My pick: Inside Out. This one is super easy, it's not even a contest. Inside Out WILL win. I do hear really good things about all the other films nominated, especially Anomalisa. But come on, this is Inside Out's category all the way!

Cinematography

And the nominees are:

Carol

The Hateful Eight

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Sicario

My pick: The Revenant. This will be the third Oscar in a row for this cinematographer, but it's a pretty safe bet. Although Sicario's cinematographer is considered one of the best in the business and he's never won before, so he could upset here.

Costume Design

And the nominees are:

Carol

Cinderella

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

My pick: Cinderella. This should really be a no brainer. I mean come on Academy! This is the only category it's nominated in, and it's costumes are CLEARLY the best!!! Don't mess with me Academy! Don't. Mess. With. Me.

Directing

And the nominees are:

The Big Short

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

My pick: Alejandro Inarritu for The Revenant. Yes, I think he'll win back to back Oscars. It rarely happens for directors but I do think shooting with natural lighting and everything else he did on the Revenant will get him the Oscar once again. I could see Miller winning, if only because he's an older director and this might be the last chance the Academy gets to honor him in this category.

Documentary Feature

And the nominees are:

Amy

Cartel Land

The Look of Silence

What Happened, Miss Simone?

Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

My pick: Amy. Personally I don't think the award should go to this documentary about the late Amy Whinehouse, but it has great reviews and it's about the tragic life of a famous person. So it probably will win. I think Cartel Land should win, but what are you going to do?

Documentary Short Subject

And the nominees are:

Body Team 12

Chau: Beyond the Lines

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah

A Girl in the River: the Price of Forgiveness

Last Day of Freedom

My pick: Body Team 12. Man this one is really tough! I could see Caude Lanzmann taking this for the documentary about the making of the film Shoah. Or A Girl in the River about honor killings in Pakistan. But I'm going to go with the film about the Red Cross worker dealing with the Ebola crisis.

Film Editing

And the nominees are:

The Big Short

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Spotlight

Star Wars: the Force Awakens

My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. This film was incredibly difficult to make and supposedly even tougher to edit. I don't think this film will win Best Picture but it will probably win this category. 

Foreign Language Film

And the nominees are:

Embrace of the Serpent

Mustang

Son of Saul

Theeb

A War

My pick: Son of Saul. Yes, I think another film about the Holocaust will win this category this year. Just like last year. But this is the heavy favorite and supposedly shows a unique perspective on one of the worst events in history. Although Mustang might upset here. 

Makeup and Hairstyling

And the nominees are:

Mad Max: Fury Road

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

The Revenant

My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. This is just a weird category. Every year it gets weirder. I don't know! Mad Max had really unique make up, but the Revenant could upset. Who has even seen the other film?

Original Score

And the nominees are:

Bridge of Spies

Carol

The Hateful Eight

Sicario

Star Wars: the Force Awakens

My pick: The Hateful Eight. This is not my personal choice. I would rather Star Wars or Carol win, if I'm honest. Those scores were just better in my opinion. But Morricone is 87 and has never won for scoring before. Although he does have an honorary Academy Award. Just have a feeling the Academy will vote his way. Although come on, John Williams is always amazing and it would make me sooo happy if he won another Academy Award!

Original Song

And the nominees are:

Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)

Manta Ray (Racing Extinction)

Simple Song #3 (Youth)

Til it Happens to You (The Hunting Ground)

Writing's on the Wall (Spectre)

My pick: Til it Happens to You. I will not get into how incredibly WRONG it is that "See You Again" from Furious 7 wasn't EVEN nominated again! But it's WRONG!! And I personally really love "Writing's on the Wall," it might not be the best Bond song, but it's still really good! But yeah, the song that accompanies the documentary about campus rape, is haunting and beautiful. It should win.

Production Design

And the nominees are: 

Bridge of Spies

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. Yeah, this one is everyone's favorite for this category. I would love it if the Martian won though. But I won't be surprised if the Revenant upsets.

Animated Short Film

And the nominees are:

Bear Story

Prologue

Sanjay's Super Team

We Can't Live Without Cosmos

World of Tomorrow

My pick: Sanjay's Super Team. Oh my gosh! Cutest animated short in this category by far!! But even though I WANT it to win, I know how tight this race is. World of Tomorrow has a lot of great reviews so it might take it. And so might Bear Story. But I want Sanjay and his big eyes to win this soooo bad!

Live Action Short Film

And the nominees are:

Ave Maria

Day One

Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)

Shok

Stutterer

My pick: Stutterer. So tough!! Ave Maria is the lone comedy in this sea of depressing shorts, so that might give it an edge. Day One looks very well made and is about war. And Shok is based on a true story (and is super depressing!). But Stutterer looks like the best of both worlds, not too dark and deals with a real issue. Fingers crossed!

Sound Editing

And the nominees are:

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Sicario

Star Wars: the Force Awakens

My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. Flip a coin, it's either going to Mad Max or the Revenant. Really hard to call.

Sound Mixing

And the nominees are:

Bridge of Spies

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: the Force Awakens

My pick: The Revenant. Same thing as with Sound Editing, flip a coin basically. But I'm picking the Revenant to shake things up.

Visual Effects

And the nominees are:

Ex Machina

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: the Force Awakens

My pick: Star Wars: the Force Awakens. Really anyone could win this one. But I'm hoping Star Wars gets at least one Academy Award. Wow, never thought I'd type that sentence! Ex Machina might get some love here though. Or the Revenant's CGI bear might take the prize.

Adapted Screenplay

And the nominees are:

The Big Short

Brooklyn

Carol

The Martian

Room

My pick: The Big Short. I think this will be the one award this film goes home with. It took really complicated subject matter and made it somewhat easy to understand. Although I could see Room upsetting here. And the Martian winning would just make my night!

Original Screenplay

And the nominees are:

Bridge of Spies

Ex Machina

Inside Out

Spotlight

Straight Outta Compton

My pick: Spotlight. Like I said, it deals with really heavy subject matter and since it probably won't win Best Picture, I think this will be the one award it takes home. But maybe the voters want to award Ex Machina with something. It could happen. Real long shot is Straight Outta Compton, but stranger things have happened. Lady Gaga's song will probably win an Oscar tonight. We live in crazy times.

There you have it! My predictions for this year's Academy Awards. There are a lot of close races tonight, so I'm not holding my breath!  I probably won't get 20 right this year like I did a couple years ago. But you never know! And that's what makes the Oscars so much fun! Don't forget to watch!

My Thoughts on the 2016 Academy Award Nominations (A.K.A: Why the Academy Wants to Make Me Cry)

It's that time of year again my friends! Oscar time!! The Academy Award nominations were announced on Thursday, and I've taken a few days to think on things. So here are my thoughts.

Ridley Scott didn't get a Best Director nomination, what the crap?! If you read my last blog post, you'll know that The Marian was one of my favorite films of last year. And Ridley Scott deserves a lot of credit for what he did with that movie. I just can't believe Lenny Abrahamson got nominated over Ridley Scott. I've heard next to no award buzz for The Room, in fact I didn't even realize it had already come out! I'm just really annoyed by this!

But I am really happy that Matt Damon got a Best Actor nomination for The Martian!! I still can't believe that he doesn't have an Oscar yet (I realize he does already have an Oscar, but it's for screenwriting, not acting, so I'm not counting that!)! He is a terrific actor and I know he probably won't win this, but still so happy he got recognized for his performance! If you haven't seen it yet, what is wrong with you?

The Best Actor category is one that's really going to mess with me this year. Most people think that Michael Fassbender is going to win for his performance in Steve Jobs. And that would make me soooo happy! I've loved Fassbender for years! I think he is one of the best working actors today, and he sooo deserves an Oscar! But I've been waiting wayyyy longer for Damon to get an Oscar, so this category has me really torn!! Why Academy?!! Why do you have to mess with my emotions like this?!! Do you want to make me cry with frustration? Do you?!

So glad that Saoirse Ronan (try pronouncing that name correctly John Travolta!) got a Best Actress nomination!! I really love her, and I can't wait to see the film Brooklyn, I've heard great things about it! And Cate Blanchett was nominated yet again. Not complaining, she's one of the best actresses of our generation. But it does seem like she's becoming the new Meryl Streep.  The Academy is like: "oh she was in something this year? Let's nominate her!" But I guess that's not a bad thing.

But you know what is a bad thing? The fact that Jennifer Lawrence got another Best Actress nomination. And for Joy, of all things?! I've haven't heard ANY award buzz for that film (other than the Golden Globes, but they have like zero credibility)! Alicia Vikander deserved to get in this category for Ex Machina (I've heard it's an INCREDIBLE film and a unforgettable performance). Ugh, I'm one of the few people who doesn't think Lawrence even DESERVED to win an Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook. Way to drop the ball Academy!

Yay! Alicia Vikander got a Supporting Actress nomination at least!! And I'm always happy when Kate Winslet gets a nomination! So good job Academy!

Wow, Sylvester Stallone got an Academy Award nomination. Best Supporting Actor, Sylvester Stallone, for playing Rocky. I have no words.

But yay! Mark Ruffalo got another Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor!! If you read my thoughts on last year's nominations, you know how much I love him!

Wow, Inside Out got a nomination for Best Original Screenplay! I did really enjoy the film, but I did not expect that to happen! Although the Academy does enjoy nominating Pixar films in this category: Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, and Up all managed to get nominations. Was Inside Out as good as those films? Not in my personal opinion, but whatever. It does seem like the Academy nominates Pixar films in this category as kind of an apology for not nominating them for Best Picture. In fact the Academy has only nominated 2 Pixar films for the Best Picture category: Up and Toy Story 3. Neither won by the way. And no, Inside Out didn't get a Best Picture nomination, I don't think it deserved one. But I know a lot of people were upset by this.

Also interesting to see Straight Out of Compton get a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. I didn't think the Academy would recognize this film at all. Good for it though! Also surprising was Ex Machina getting a nomination in this category. Yay! Many people were hoping for it to get a Best Picture nomination, but oh well.

Also kind of surprising that Tarantino didn't get a nomination for The Hateful 8 screenplay. It seems like every time he makes a film, he at the very least gets nominated in this category.

John Williams got another Best Score nomination for Star Wars: the Force Awakens! That brings his total Oscar nominations to 50. The only person with more Oscar nominations is Walt Disney, he got 59. You can totally tie him John Williams! I believe in you!! I just love him, but who doesn't?!

What?! Fifty Shades of Grey got a nomination for Best Song?!!! Are you kidding me?!! It got a nomination, but the beautiful and poignant song "See You Again" from Furious 7 didn't?!! What are you smoking Academy?!!! I can't even talk about this anymore I'm so upset!!

Best Makeup seems like it had slim pickings this year doesn't it? I guess no one got painted green or turned into an orc this year, huh?

Yay!!! Cinderella got a nomination for Best Costume!!! It sooooo deserved it!!! It has to win right? RIGHT?!!! Don't screw with me Academy!!!

Well the Best Animated Feature category seems pretty standard. No GIANT snubs like last year (I'm never going to let the fact that the Lego Movie wasn't even NOMINATED go, like ever!)! Although I was surprised The Peanuts Movie didn't get a nomination. It had really good reviews, but it's not like it had any hope of winning. It's Inside Out's category all the way!!

I do think that Star War: the Force Awakens should have at least gotten a nomination for Best Picture. Especially since there can be 10 films in this category now. I'm not saying it was the best film of the year, but it got great reviews and people really loved it. Plus I know it got better reviews than Bridge of Spies and that got a nomination, so what gives Academy?! I of all people think that a STAR WARS film deserved to get nominated, and that's saying a lot!!

Anyway those are my thoughts on the 2016 Oscar nominations. Don't forget to watch the awards on February 28th!!! Also if you wanted the full nominations list here is a link: http://collider.com/2016-oscar-nominations-announced/.

My Top 5 Movies of 2015

Well 2015 has come and gone. And since everyone else seems to be making a top 10 list of their favorite films of the past year, I figured I'd get in on it too. However you probably noticed from the title that this is a top 5 list not a top 10. And the reason for that is that I only saw about 12 films last year (that were released in 2015 that is). So a top 10 least didn't seem like it would really make that much sense. But a top 5 list? That I can do.

So for starters, this is a list of my favorite films of 2015. I realize these might not necessarily be the best (and best is a very subjective thing anyways) but these are the films I enjoyed the most this past year. Basically what I'm saying is that I know that most of these films aren't going to win a best picture Oscar or anything like that, but they do win a place on my list. Also I've only seen most of these films once, so the order of my list might change later on. Rewatchability can be an important factor to consider. Also I'll try and be as vague as possible, so no spoilers here if you haven't seen these films!

Side note, I know the Oscar nominations came out today but I'm still processing my thoughts on the snubs and surprises, so look for that rant in the next couple of days!

Anyway, on to the list!

5. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

I love the MI movies, they always have great action and amazing stunts (mostly because Tom Cruise is a crazy person, but that makes for some unforgettable stunts!)! And this one was no exception, in the first 10 minutes Cruise is hanging of the back of a plane while it takes off (that's not a spoiler, you see that in the trailer!)! While I did think the last MI movie was slightly better, this one was still fun and I enjoyed it immensely. And there is an underwater scene that is AMAZING!! Plus Simon Pegg had more screen time than the last film and when is that ever a bad thing?

4. Cinderella

For those of you that know me, this should come as no surprise. I'm a HUGE fairy tale geek and a TOTAL Disneyphile. Plus it had Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother, I mean COME ON!! Also Sir. Kenneth Branagh directed this, and he did a fantastic job! Lily James was superb as the title character (I've loved her since Downton Abbey so I'm very pleased she's getting big movie roles!). Richard Madden was a terrific prince (I'm totally in love with him now btw). To sum up: it has an incredible cast and it is wonderfully directed. It takes elements from the Disney animated version, the fairy tale, and it manages to show a fresh new take on the classic tale. It's so good I saw it twice in the theater! The music is also amazing (it has a little bit of singing but nowhere near as much as the animated film). Overall a great new version of Cinderella that both kids and adults can enjoy!

3. The Martian

This is where it starts getting really tough, this film and the number 2 film were neck and neck for me. But for the moment my number 3 film is Ridley Scott's amazing film: The Martian. Let me start out by saying that I have read the book (and LOVED it btw) so I went in to this film with HIGH expectations. And I was not disappointed. While I would say the book is better (surprise, surprise) it is only slightly better. Matt Damon was the PERFECT choice to play the lead character, a astronaut stranded on Mars. The film was directed beautifully and all the supporting actors were amazing! And there is a scene that was funny in the book but was 10 times funnier in the film! I laughed so hard my sides hurt! That's really what people need to remember when watching this film, it has dramatic subject matter (man vs. nature) but it is really funny! I know Damon probably won't win the Oscar for this performance (the Best Actor category is really stacked this year) but that shouldn't detract from what an INCREDIBLE job he did. Especially considering the majority of this film is just him all alone on a desert planet. It's basically Cast Away meets Apollo 13, and why wouldn't you want to see that? To sum up: WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!

2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I know some of you just died of shock: a Star Wars film is ON my list of favorite films of the year?! And not just ON my list, it's NUMBER 2?!! Look I've always been very upfront about my dislike of Star Wars (other than Han Solo and R2-D2 there's not much I like about Star Wars). But I was actually hopeful about this film, J.J. Abrams directed it, and he's one of my favorite working directors right now. It had Andy Serkis and Lupita Nyong'o in it, and they're awesome. So I had my fingers crossed. And honestly I was just hoping it would be better than the Prequels (a low bar I know). But I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie! It introduced great new characters (I totally want to be best friends with Rey and am in love with Finn!), was really funny, and had Harrison Ford in it (and he wasn't phoning in his performance for once!). There were great action sequences, amazing dialogue, and terrific performances. All things that I need to really enjoy a film. So yes, hell has officially frozen over, I like a Star Wars movie! The end of days is probably just around the corner. But who knows? Maybe the next one will suck.

Drum roll please!

1. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Look I realize that not a lot of people actually saw this film, and that's a real shame, because it's AMAZING!! I just LOVED this movie sooooo much!!!! It has a great director (Guy Ritchie), a great cast (I want to be BFF's with Alicia Vikander after seeing this film!), and the best soundtrack since Guardians of the Galaxy!! The film is full of action, humor, and amazing outfits! It's a spy film set during in the 60's so you know the costumes and music have to be pretty awesome!! I remember watching this film and halfway through thinking "I can't wait to watch this again!" And that to me is why this film is my number 1!!! I saw it twice in the theater and made my family buy it for me for Christmas!! So yeah, I really, really, really liked this movie!!! A side note: it was based on a cheesy 60's television show, and yes I have seen many episodes of that show. This film managed to take the cool elements from the show, disregard the cheesiness, and infuse it with Guy Ritchie's unique style. I just wish this film did well enough to get a sequel. But you never know, stranger things have happened!!

So there you have it, my favorite 5 films of 2015. Some films that I really enjoyed but that didn't make this list were: Age of Ultron (just barely missed the cut, but still really liked this film), Inside Out (a really nice new Pixar movie, just not as good as Up or the Incredibles, if it was it'd be on my list!), and Jurassic World (not a great movie, but a really fun one!). Anyway, that's all for now, stay tuned for my reaction to the Oscar nominations!!