Nominees for the 2013 Critics' Choice Movie Awards

The movie industry has had a critical banner year in 2012. As a result, many worthwhile films are being recognized and that should bode well for a very competitive awards season. The Critics' Choice Movie Awards nominations were announced today and the list of nominees is quite impressive and diverse. Steven Spielberg's Lincoln scored a record 13 nominations, followed by Les Miserables, with 11. Both films are nominated for Best Picture and received nods in multiple acting categories. 

I am especially please to note the following:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower snagged two nominations; Best Younger Actor (Logan Lerman) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Stephen Chobsky)

Life of Pi received multiple nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Ang Lee) and Best Younger Actor (Suraj Sharma)

Tommy Lee Jones is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Lincoln

Frankenweenie and ParaNorman are both vying for Best Animated Feature

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is nominated for Best Actor in an Action Movie for Looper

Here are the nominations for the 18th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards, which will be broadcast live January 10, 2013 on The CW.

BEST PICTURE

Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Master
Moonrise Kingdom

Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ACTOR

Bradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Daniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln”
John Hawkes – “The Sessions”
Hugh Jackman – “Les Misérables”
Joaquin Phoenix – “The Master”
Denzel Washington – “Flight”

BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain – “Zero Dark Thirty”
Marion Cotillard – “Rust and Bone”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour”
Quvenzhané Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Naomi Watts – “The Impossible”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Alan Arkin – “Argo”
Javier Bardem – “Skyfall”
Robert De Niro – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Philip Seymour Hoffman – “The Master”
Tommy Lee Jones – “Lincoln”
Matthew McConaughey – “Magic Mike”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams – “The Master”
Judi Dench – “Skyfall”
Ann Dowd – “Compliance”
Sally Field – “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway – “Les Misérables”
Helen Hunt – “The Sessions”

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Elle Fanning – “Ginger & Rosa”
Kara Hayward – “Moonrise Kingdom”
Tom Holland – “The Impossible”
Logan Lerman – “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Suraj Sharma – “Life of Pi”
Quvenzhané Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild”

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

Argo
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook

BEST DIRECTOR

Ben Affleck – “Argo”
Kathryn Bigelow – “Zero Dark Thirty”
Tom Hooper – “Les Misérables”
Ang Lee – “Life of Pi”
David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Steven Spielberg – “Lincoln”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Quentin Tarantino – “Django Unchained”
John Gatins – “Flight”
Rian Johnson – “Looper”
Paul Thomas Anderson – “The Master”
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola – “Moonrise Kingdom”
Mark Boal – “Zero Dark Thirty”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Chris Terrio – “Argo”
David Magee – “Life of Pi”
Tony Kushner – “Lincoln”
Stephen Chbosky – “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

“Les Misérables” – Danny Cohen
“Life of Pi” – Claudio Miranda
“Lincoln” – Janusz Kaminski
“The Master” – Mihai Malaimare Jr.
“Skyfall” – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION

“Anna Karenina” – Sarah Greenwood/Production Designer; Katie Spencer/Set Decorator
“The Hobbit” – Dan Hennah/Production Designer; Ra Vincent & Simon Bright/Set Decorators
“Les Misérables” – Eve Stewart/Production Designer; Anna Lynch-Robinson/Set Decorator
“Life of Pi” – David Gropman/Production Designer; Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
“Lincoln” – Rick Carter/Production Designer; Jim Erickson/Set Decorator

BEST EDITING

“Argo” – William Goldenberg
“Les Misérables” – Melanie Ann Oliver and Chris Dickens
“Life of Pi” – Tim Squyres
“Lincoln” – Michael Kahn
“Zero Dark Thirty” – William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

“Anna Karenina” – Jacqueline Durran
“Cloud Atlas” – Kym Barrett and Pierre-Yves Gayraud
“The Hobbit” – Bob Buck, Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor
“Les Misérables” – Paco Delgado
“Lincoln” – Joanna Johnston

BEST MAKEUP

Cloud Atlas
The Hobbit
Les Misérables
Lincoln

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

The Avengers
Cloud Atlas
The Dark Knight Rises
The Hobbit
Life of Pi

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Brave
Frankenweenie
Madagascar 3
ParaNorman
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

BEST ACTION MOVIE

The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
Looper
Skyfall

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE

Christian Bale – “The Dark Knight Rises”
Daniel Craig – “Skyfall”
Robert Downey Jr. – “The Avengers”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “Looper”
Jake Gyllenhaal – “End of Watch"

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE

Emily Blunt – “Looper”
Gina Carano – “Haywire”
Judi Dench – “Skyfall”
Anne Hathaway – “The Dark Knight Rises”
Jennifer Lawrence – “The Hunger Games”

BEST COMEDY

Bernie
Silver Linings Playbook
Ted
This Is 40
21 Jump Street

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Jack Black – “Bernie”
Bradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Paul Rudd – “This Is 40”
Channing Tatum – “21 Jump Street”
Mark Wahlberg – “Ted”

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Mila Kunis – “Ted”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook”
Shirley MacLaine – “Bernie”
Leslie Mann – “This Is 40”
Rebel Wilson – “Pitch Perfect”

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE

The Cabin in the Woods
Looper
Prometheus

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Amour
The Intouchables
A Royal Affair
Rust and Bone

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Bully
The Central Park Five
The Imposter
The Queen of Versailles
Searching for Sugar Man
West of Memphis

BEST SONG

“For You” – performed by Keith Urban/written by Monty Powell & Keith Urban – Act of Valor
“Learn Me Right” – performed by Birdy with Mumford & Sons/written by Mumford & Sons – Brave
“Skyfall” – performed by Adele/written by Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth – Skyfall
“Still Alive” – performed by Paul Williams/written by Paul Williams – Paul Williams Still Alive
“Suddenly” – performed by Hugh Jackman/written by Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer – Les Misérables

BEST SCORE

“Argo” – Alexandre Desplat
“Life of Pi” – Mychael Danna
“Lincoln” – John Williams
“The Master” – Jonny Greenwood
“Moonrise Kingdom” – Alexandre Desplat

Remembering Carolyn Conwell ("The Young and the Restless")

For nearly a quarter century Carolyn Conwell portrayed the strong willed, opinionated and often exasperating Mary Williams on The Young and the Restless. Conwell, who also worked in the theater and in film, recently passed away after a long illness, at the age of 82. The exact nature of her illness was not specified.

Long time viewers of The Young and the Restless had the pleasure of watching Conwell portray Mary Williams from 1980-2004. While Mary was not well liked by other characters, namely Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman), who was once married to her son, Paul (Doug Davidson), Mary did not care. She always put her family first and made no apologies for it. Even though Mary meant well, she was always butting into Paul's love life and, as a result, caused many problems, some of them quite humorous. Indeed, Mary sometimes provided comic relief with her no-nonsense demeanor, which endeared her to fans and made the character a memorable one, which was no easy task considering the talent that was present on Y&R during her tenure. Thanks for the memories Carolyn! You have been and will continue to be missed.

Recent Holiday Releases from Bunny Sigler and Margo Rey

Photos and information courtesy of Miles High Productions

R&B legend Bunny Sigler continues to share songs that prove his passion for music goes well beyond his beloved soul songs with his new twelve song holiday release When You’re In Love At Christmas Time. Sigler masterfully brings his smooth, powerhouse vocals to Christmas classics such as “White Christmas," “Little Drummer Boy,” "O Holy Night," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "The Christmas Song," "Winter Wonderland," "Ave Maria," "Auld Lang Syne," "O Come All Ye Faithful" and a few festive originals; "Merry Christmas Happy Holidays," "A Christmas Dream" and the title track. 

For more Christmas cheer, adult contemporary artist Margo Rey has released her holiday EP, This Holiday Night, with her original single, of the same name, already gaining recognition from the Billboard charts. Two additional tracks, "Toyland" and "Silent Night," round out this effort. Margo Rey is currently on tour with Dave Koz through December 23. 

PopCultureGuy's Top Ten Television Shows of 2012

Photo Credit: TNT

1) The Closer

The Closer concluded its seven season run this past summer on TNT with six unforgettable episodes that provided a clean ending for fans and allowed for a new beginning for its spin-off, Major Crimes. Kyra Sedgwick continued her Emmy worthy work as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, who had to contend with a possible betrayal from a member of her own team, the return of Phillip Stroh (Billy Burke), the loss of her mother, her father's cancer, and a potentially career ending altercation. The drama was offset with a generous amount of light-hearted moments, courtesy of the talented supporting cast, including G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Provenza. The Closer delivered consistently strong ratings throughout its long run, which proves that a cast filled with middle aged characters/actors can have mass appeal. The series is greatly missed, but went out on the best note possible.

Photo Credit: CBS

2) The Big Bang Theory

Now in its sixth season, The Big Bang Theory has not lost a step and, if anything, has gotten better over time. Adding more female characters to the cast has proven to be a smart move for the veteran sitcom. The only male character who does not have a counterpart/love interest now is Raj (Kunal Nayyar), but the jury is still out on his sexual orientation. For now, there are three solid, if unconventional, couples that demonstrate great chemistry. The outstanding cast never disappoint and their performances are ably supported by the hilarious guest appearances by Stephen Hawking, Wil Wheaton and Leonard Nimoy, among others. Somehow the characters never lose their appeal or feel tired. For instance, Mrs. Wolowitz steals the show every time her manly voice is heard in the background and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) always manages to surprise me with his never ending state of neuroses. The Big Bang Theory delivers consistently funny and well crafted episodes and will likely be recognized, if it is not already, as one of the best situation comedies in television history.

Photo Credit: FX

3) American Horror Story

The second season of America Horror Story has been even better than the first. Ryan Murphy continually surprises me with the direction that he takes the story and the troubled characters, who are portrayed very well by the amazing cast. Jessica Lange (pictured above) should make room on her mantle for another Emmy for her remarkable performance as Sister Jude, who constantly struggles with her faith, her past and her alcoholism. Evan Peters has also delivered strong work as the emotionally unstable Kit Walker, who may or may not have killed his wife. Peters infuses Kit with a vulnerability that makes viewers want him to be innocent of the crimes that he has been charged with, but his recent violent outbursts make him look guilty. The series, set in an asylum during the early 1960s, features demons, murderers, a former Nazi, and examines the harsh treatment of its mentally ill residents, who all deserve better care. American Horror Story features strong writing, performances and fascinating psychological profiles that hold my attention for the duration of each episode.

Photo Credit: PBS

4) Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey is a well written, superbly acted and beautifully photographed series. I somehow (inexplicably) missed the first season, but was able to catch up before the second series aired on PBS last winter and I am very much looking forward to the third season, which debuts next month. Screen legend Shirley MacLaine is the newest member of a cast that includes Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Rob James-Collier.....I could go on and on. The supremely talented cast is the main reason I watch and they never disappoint. Even those viewers who missed the first two seasons can quickly catch up, since there are roughly eight episodes per season, along with a Christmas special. So, for those not already on the Downton Abbey train, it is time to get on board!

Photo Credit: The CW

5) The Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries is the most consistently exciting series on television. The writer team is not afraid to kill off characters on a regular basis to keep things interesting, so outside of the lead trio (Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley), no one is really safe. This season, Elena (Dobrev) has been turned into a vampire, which has made the dynamic between her and her love interests, Stefan (Wesley) and Damon (Somerhalder), all the more interesting. Damon encourages her to feed on, but not to kill, humans, while Stefan encourages her to feed on animals or drink from blood bags, which leaves Elena weakened and unfulfilled. That same could be said for her relationship with Stefan. It looks like Damon may be the winner in the romance department this year. No matter what happens, I expect to be surprised by the always entertaining and unpredictable series that has been one of the best on television since its debut in 2009.

Photo Credit: FX

6) Archer

Archer continues to be one of the funniest, most intelligent, and often controversial shows on television. No subject is off limits and the hysterical characters, led by super spy Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin), play the material for all it is worth. Archer is entertainment for adults and does not make apologies for the outrageous comedic situations that the characters almost always find themselves in, whether in space or on a remote island. The fourth season of the Emmy worthy series premieres in January.

Photo Credit: TNT

7) Major Crimes

Following in the footsteps of a series like The Closer seems like an impossible task. However, Major Crimes, the highly rated spin-off series, is a worthy successor. Led by Mary McDonnell, Major Crimes features many cast members from The Closer, so the transition felt seamless. However, the two series are very different. The objective now is to solve cases with limited cost to the police department, not pulling out all the stops to find and prosecute the various perpetrators. Of course, making deals with known criminals does not sit well with all of the characters, who have voiced frustration with the new focus. Capt. Raydor (McDonnell) almost always follows the instructions that she is given by her superiors, which sometimes causes friction within the team. Raydor is also tasked with helping newcomer Rusty (Graham Patrick Martin) put his life back together and that has proven to be very difficult, but they are making progress. The ensemble cast is one of the finest on television and even though many of them are not in the younger demographic, the series has resonated with viewers and delivers consistently solid ratings.

Photo Credit: CBS

8) Elementary

The new take on Sherlock Holmes is a winner in Elementary. Credit Johnny Lee Miller, as Sherlock, for being the principal reason why the series works so well and he will certainly receive Emmy attention for his superb performance as the legendary detective. Lucy Lui's Watson displays solid chemistry with Holmes, but she does not seem to have enough to do, so I would like to see her role expanded in the future. The supporting cast includes the always watchable and believable Aidan Quinn, as Captain Gregson. Another crucial element to the success of Elementary is the writing, which has been intelligent and often surprising. I hope the series is able to sustain the momentum it has already gathered for the remainder of its rookie season and beyond.

Photo Credit: MTV

9) Teen Wolf

The second season of Teen Wolf improved on the strong first season and looks poised to become MTV's most successful scripted series to date. The third season will consist of 24 episodes, a first for MTV. The less experienced members of the cast have worked hard to improve their performances and it shows in every episode. The series features both older and younger cast members, but the focus is on the younger generation that includes Tyler Posey as Scott, Dylan O'Brien as Stiles, Holland Roden as Lydia, Crystal Reed as Allison and Tyler Hoechlin as Derek. They are ably supported by their older counterparts, including J.R. Bourne, Linden Ashby and Ian Bohen. The acting, writing, music and cinematography conspire to create one of the most unexpectedly entertaining shows in recent memory. For those who may be skeptical, Teen Wolf is exciting, scary, funny and sometimes heartfelt. Really! So start watching when the series returns next year. Trust me on this one!

Photo Credit: ABC

10) Once Upon A Time

With an endless number of characters to work with from the Disney library (and beyond), Once Upon A Time could run indefinitely. I suspect that is likely to happen if they continue to cast talented actors in iconic roles. The ensemble cast is highlighted by Robert Carlyle, as Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin, who should have snagged an Emmy nomination last year. Whether Carlyle is portraying the in control Mr. Gold, or the over the top Rumpelstiltskin, he always delivers superb work. The second season of the series has already established a new break out star, Colin O'Donoghue (The Rite), as Captain Hook. He seems to be receiving more airtime than many of his counterparts and has assumed the role with ease. Kudos also to casting Jorge Garcia (Lost) as The Giant (from Jack and the Beanstalk) and Barbara Hershey (Black Swan) as Cora, the mother of Regina/The Evil Queen. They both have been a lot of fun to watch and I hope to see much more of them in the future. The second season has already improved on the outstanding first season, so I expect more great things from Once Upon A Time.


Honorable mentions:

Revenge (ABC)
Arrow (The CW)
The New Normal (NBC)
Nashville (ABC)
666 Park Avenue (ABC)

Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection

Photo and information courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment

From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. Now, in celebration of the studio's 100th Anniversary, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection showcases 8 of the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including:

• Dracula
• Frankenstein
• The Mummy
• The Invisible Man
• The Bride of Frankenstein
• The Wolf Man
• Phantom of the Opera
• Creature From the Black Lagoon  

Over 12 Hours of Bonus Features:

• Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3D (Blu-ray Exclusive!)
• Rare Alternate Spanish Version of Dracula
• Documentaries
• Expert Commentaries
• Interviews
• And Much More!

Plus a collectible 48-page book, The Original House of Horror: Universal and a Monster Legacy, featuring rare photos, archival materials and more.

For additional information, go here.

Holiday Gift Ideas from Insight Editions: Batman, Looney Tunes and Johnny Cash

Here are three of my favorite books that I had the pleasure of reading in 2012, from Insight Editions. Click on the title of each book to read my review.

For the Batman and superhero fans on your list, The Dark Knight Manual is a clever and unique gift idea.

For the Looney Tunes fans on your list, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons will bring back cherished memories.

The legendary Johnny Cash is profiled in House of Cash by his son, John Carter Cash.

Movie Snapshot: "A Late Quartet" - Starring Christopher Walken

Play classical music. Insert melodramatic plot twist. Rinse and repeat. A Late Quartet stars Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Mark Ivanir, as a string quartet celebrating their 25th anniversary, while also dealing with a series of personal setbacks that may threaten their future. Cellist Peter Mitchell (Walken) experiences weakness in his left hand which may signal the onset of Parkinson's disease, married couple Robert (Hoffman) and Juliette (Keener) have an unexpected argument that bruises Robert's ego and leads to a poor decision on his part, and Daniel (Ivanir) falls in love with someone close to the group, which causes even more problems among the quartet.

When the focus is on the music and the Fugue quartet practices for Beethoven's String Quartet No. 14, Op. 131, the film works well. The four lead actors look natural as musicians, although the music viewers hear is by the Brentano String Quartet, and they realistically behave as though they have known each other for many years. While it is important to explore characters, the screenplay, by Yaron Zilberman and Seth Grossman, gets bogged down in the sordid details of their personal lives of three of them. As a result, I did not particularly care for or about Robert, Juliette or Daniel, despite the performances from the aforementioned actors.

A Late Quartet is initially anchored by Peter's medical problems, which works well, courtesy of the understated and completely effective work from Walken. However, the film then loses momentum and focuses on the aforementioned sordid details of an affair and a love affair, neither of which ring true. Further problems result from a miscast and completely obnoxious supporting character. I also found myself losing interest intermittently throughout the film, especially when Walken, Keener and Hoffman are absent. My anticipation was high for A Late Quartet, but I was somewhat disappointed in the overall film. The talent is present to produce something memorable, but the execution is lacking.