PICTURE
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Clint Eastwood, American Sniper
Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
James Marsh, The Theory of Everything
ACTOR
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
David Oyelowo, Selma
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston, Cake
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Rene Russo, Nightcrawler
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Mr. Turner
Nightcrawler
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
American Sniper
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Mr. Turner
Selma
EDITING
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Gone Girl
Whiplash
SCORE
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
The Theory of Everything
SONG
Big Eyes - “Big Eyes"
The Lego Movie - “Everything Is Awesome"
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me - “I’m Not Gonna Miss You"
Rio 2 - “What is Love”
Selma - “Glory"
PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Mr. Turner
COSTUME DESIGN
Belle
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner
MAKEUP
Foxcatcher
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Theory of Everything
VISUAL EFFECTS
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
X-Men: Days of Future Past
SOUND EDITING
American Sniper
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
Transformers: Age of Extinction
SOUND MIXING
American Sniper
Guardians of the Galaxy
Into the Woods
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Whiplash
ANIMATED FEATURE
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
ANIMATED SHORT
The Dam Keeper
Duet
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Force Majeure
Ida
Leviathan
Tangerines
Wild Tales
LIVE ACTION SHORT
Aya
Baghdad Messi
Carry On
Parvaneh
The Phone Call
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Case Against 8
Citizenfour
Finding Vivian Maier
Life Itself
The Overnighters
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace
The Lion’s Mouth Opens
One Child
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Oscar Nomination Predictions
Here are my predictions on who will be nominated for this year's Oscars:
PICTURE
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
The Butler
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Saving Mr. Banks
DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
ACTOR
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetal Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
------
Robert Redford, All is Lost
ACTRESS
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
------
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl, Rush
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
------
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
Oprah Winfrey, The Butler
------
June Squibb, Nebraska
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Hustle
Blue Jasmine
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
------
Dallas Buyers Club
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
12 Years a Slave
August: Osage County
Before Midnight
Captain Phillips
The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Philomena
EDITING
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Saving Mr. Banks
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Broken Circle Breakdown
The Grandmaster
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
Omar
------
Two Lives
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
20 Feet from Stardom
The Act of Killing
Blackfish
Stories We Tell
Tim’s Vermeer
------
The Square
CINEMATOGRAPHY
12 Years a Slave
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
------
Prisoners
PRODUCTION DESIGN
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
The Hobbit: The Desolution of Smaug
------
Saving Mr. Banks
SOUND MIXING
All is Lost
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Iron Man 3
Rush
------
Lone Survivor
SOUND EDITING
Captain Phillips
Frozen
Gravity
Iron Man 3
Rush
------
All is Lost
ANIMATED FEATURE
Despicable Me 2
Ernest and Celestine
Frozen
Monsters University
The Wind Rises
------
The Croods
COSTUME DESIGN
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
The Great Gatsby
The Invisible Woman
Saving Mr. Banks
------
The Butler
ORIGINAL SCORE
12 Years a Slave
All is Lost
The Book Thief
Gravity
Her
------
Philomena
ORIGINAL SONG
“Amen” – All is Lost
“Let It Go” – Frozen
“My Lord Sunshine” – 12 Years a Slave
“Ordinary Love” – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
“Young and Beautiful” – The Great Gatsby
------
"Atlas" - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
American Hustle
Dallas Buyers Club
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
------
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
VISUAL EFFECTS
Elysium
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolution of Smaug
Iron Man 3
Pacific Rim
------
The Lone Ranger
ANIMATED SHORT
Get a Horse
Gloria Victoria
Hollow Land
Requiem for Romance
Subconscious Password
------
Mr. Hublot
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
CaveDigger
Facing Fear
Karama Has No Walls
The Lady in No. 6: Music Saved My Life
Recollections
------
SLOMO
LIVE ACTION SHORT
Dva
Helium
Kush
Record/Play
Throat Song
------
The Voorman Problem
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
The Butler
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Saving Mr. Banks
DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
ACTOR
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetal Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
------
Robert Redford, All is Lost
ACTRESS
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
------
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl, Rush
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
------
James Gandolfini, Enough Said
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
Oprah Winfrey, The Butler
------
June Squibb, Nebraska
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Hustle
Blue Jasmine
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
------
Dallas Buyers Club
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
12 Years a Slave
August: Osage County
Before Midnight
Captain Phillips
The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Philomena
EDITING
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
The Wolf of Wall Street
------
Saving Mr. Banks
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Broken Circle Breakdown
The Grandmaster
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
Omar
------
Two Lives
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
20 Feet from Stardom
The Act of Killing
Blackfish
Stories We Tell
Tim’s Vermeer
------
The Square
CINEMATOGRAPHY
12 Years a Slave
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
------
Prisoners
PRODUCTION DESIGN
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
The Hobbit: The Desolution of Smaug
------
Saving Mr. Banks
SOUND MIXING
All is Lost
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Iron Man 3
Rush
------
Lone Survivor
SOUND EDITING
Captain Phillips
Frozen
Gravity
Iron Man 3
Rush
------
All is Lost
ANIMATED FEATURE
Despicable Me 2
Ernest and Celestine
Frozen
Monsters University
The Wind Rises
------
The Croods
COSTUME DESIGN
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
The Great Gatsby
The Invisible Woman
Saving Mr. Banks
------
The Butler
ORIGINAL SCORE
12 Years a Slave
All is Lost
The Book Thief
Gravity
Her
------
Philomena
ORIGINAL SONG
“Amen” – All is Lost
“Let It Go” – Frozen
“My Lord Sunshine” – 12 Years a Slave
“Ordinary Love” – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
“Young and Beautiful” – The Great Gatsby
------
"Atlas" - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
American Hustle
Dallas Buyers Club
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
------
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
VISUAL EFFECTS
Elysium
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolution of Smaug
Iron Man 3
Pacific Rim
------
The Lone Ranger
ANIMATED SHORT
Get a Horse
Gloria Victoria
Hollow Land
Requiem for Romance
Subconscious Password
------
Mr. Hublot
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
CaveDigger
Facing Fear
Karama Has No Walls
The Lady in No. 6: Music Saved My Life
Recollections
------
SLOMO
LIVE ACTION SHORT
Dva
Helium
Kush
Record/Play
Throat Song
------
The Voorman Problem
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Films I Watched in 2013
This year, I want to try and watch as many Oscar-winning and nominated films as I can. Here's my running list of films I watched in 2013 (whether for the first, fifth or fiftieth time):
Oscar Winners
Adaptation. (2002)
American Beauty (1999)*
Amour (2012)
Argo (2012)*
As Good as It Gets (1997)
Atonement (2007)
Avatar (2009)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)*
Black Swan (2010)
The Blind Side (2009)
Brave (2012)
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Chicago (2002)*
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
The Crying Game (1992)
Curfew (2012) - short film
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
The Descendants (2011)
Dumbo (1941)
Fargo (1996)
Finding Neverland (2004)
The Fighter (2010)
The Godfather (1972)*
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
The Graduate (1967)
Grand Hotel (1932)*
Hugo (2011)
Jezebel (1938)
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Les Miserables (2012)
Life is Beautiful (1998)
The Lion King (1994)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)*
The Miracle Worker (1962)
Mrs. Miniver (1942)*
The Muppets (2011)
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
No Country for Old Men (2007)*
On the Waterfront (1954)*
Ordinary People (1980)*
Paperman (2012) - short film
Platoon (1986)*
The Queen (2006)
Raging Bull (1980)
The Red Balloon (1956) - short film
Rain Man (1988)*
Reds (1981)
Rocky (1976)*
Shakespeare in Love (1998)*
Skyfall (2012)
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
The Sound of Music (1965)*
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Terms of Endearment (1983)*
Titanic (1997)*
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Tootsie (1982)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Tron (1982)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Oscar-Nominated
Adam and Dog (2012) - short film
Asad (2012) - short film
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
Buzkashi Boys (2012) - short film
Children of Men (2006)
Death of a Shadow (2012) - short film
District 9 (2009)
Fatal Attraction (1987)
A Few Good Men (1992)
Flight (2012)
Footloose (1984)
Fresh Guacamole (2012) - short film
Frost/Nixon (1998)
Head over Heels (2012) - short film
Henry (2012) - short film
How to Survive a Plague (2012) - documentary
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare" (2012) - short film
Manhattan (1979)
The Master (2012)
My Week With Marilyn (2011)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
ParaNorman (2012)
Pieces of April (2003)
A Single Man (2009)
Toy Story (1995)
Toy Story 2 (2000)
Tron: Legacy (2010)
Up in the Air (2010)
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
The Wrestler (2008)
Films from 2013
12 Years a Slave
Admission
August: Osage County
Enough Said
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
Identity Thief
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Monsters University
Oz the Great and Powerful
The Way Way Back
Others
Airplane! (1980)
Away We Go (2009)
Bernie (2012)
Best in Show (2000)
The Campaign (2012)
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Duck Soup (1933)
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Fight Club (1999)
Friends with Kids (2012)
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011)
A League of Their Own (1992)
Magic Mike (2012)
Megamind (2010)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
One Hour Photo (2002)
Paul (2011)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Pitch Perfect (2012)
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1956)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993)
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
Shame (2011)
Scream (1996)
Scream 2 (1997)
Scream 3 (2000)
Scream 4 (2011)
Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
Super 8 (2011)
We Need to Talk about Kevin (2011)
Young Adult (2011)
Documentaries
Catfish (2010)
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2012)
* Best Picture Winners
Oscar Winners
Adaptation. (2002)
American Beauty (1999)*
Amour (2012)
Argo (2012)*
As Good as It Gets (1997)
Atonement (2007)
Avatar (2009)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)*
Black Swan (2010)
The Blind Side (2009)
Brave (2012)
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Chicago (2002)*
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
The Crying Game (1992)
Curfew (2012) - short film
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
The Descendants (2011)
Dumbo (1941)
Fargo (1996)
Finding Neverland (2004)
The Fighter (2010)
The Godfather (1972)*
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
The Graduate (1967)
Grand Hotel (1932)*
Hugo (2011)
Jezebel (1938)
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Les Miserables (2012)
Life is Beautiful (1998)
The Lion King (1994)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)*
The Miracle Worker (1962)
Mrs. Miniver (1942)*
The Muppets (2011)
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
No Country for Old Men (2007)*
On the Waterfront (1954)*
Ordinary People (1980)*
Paperman (2012) - short film
Platoon (1986)*
The Queen (2006)
Raging Bull (1980)
The Red Balloon (1956) - short film
Rain Man (1988)*
Reds (1981)
Rocky (1976)*
Shakespeare in Love (1998)*
Skyfall (2012)
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
The Sound of Music (1965)*
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Terms of Endearment (1983)*
Titanic (1997)*
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Tootsie (1982)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Tron (1982)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Oscar-Nominated
Adam and Dog (2012) - short film
Asad (2012) - short film
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
Buzkashi Boys (2012) - short film
Children of Men (2006)
Death of a Shadow (2012) - short film
District 9 (2009)
Fatal Attraction (1987)
A Few Good Men (1992)
Flight (2012)
Footloose (1984)
Fresh Guacamole (2012) - short film
Frost/Nixon (1998)
Head over Heels (2012) - short film
Henry (2012) - short film
How to Survive a Plague (2012) - documentary
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare" (2012) - short film
Manhattan (1979)
The Master (2012)
My Week With Marilyn (2011)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
ParaNorman (2012)
Pieces of April (2003)
A Single Man (2009)
Toy Story (1995)
Toy Story 2 (2000)
Tron: Legacy (2010)
Up in the Air (2010)
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
The Wrestler (2008)
Films from 2013
12 Years a Slave
Admission
August: Osage County
Enough Said
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
Identity Thief
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Monsters University
Oz the Great and Powerful
The Way Way Back
Others
Airplane! (1980)
Away We Go (2009)
Bernie (2012)
Best in Show (2000)
The Campaign (2012)
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Duck Soup (1933)
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Fight Club (1999)
Friends with Kids (2012)
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011)
A League of Their Own (1992)
Magic Mike (2012)
Megamind (2010)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
One Hour Photo (2002)
Paul (2011)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Pitch Perfect (2012)
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1956)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993)
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
Shame (2011)
Scream (1996)
Scream 2 (1997)
Scream 3 (2000)
Scream 4 (2011)
Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
Super 8 (2011)
We Need to Talk about Kevin (2011)
Young Adult (2011)
Documentaries
Catfish (2010)
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2012)
* Best Picture Winners
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Final Oscar Nomination Predictions
Oscar nominations are being announced on Thursday morning. Here are my final nomination predictions:
Best Picture
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Master
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Best Director
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Best Actor
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Denzel Washington, Flight
Best Actress
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin, Argo
Javier Bardem, Skyfall
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike
Best Supporting
Actress
Amy Adams, The Master
Judi Dench, Skyfall
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Best Original
Screenplay
Amour
Django Unchained
Looper
Moonrise Kingdom
Zero Dark Thirty
Best Adapted
Screenplay
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Silver Linings Playbook
Editing
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty
Cinematography
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Master
Skyfall
Production Design
Anna Karenina
Cloud Atlas
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Miserables
Lincoln
Sound Mixing
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises
Les Miserables
Zero Dark Thirty
Skyfall
Sound Editing
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Costume Design
Anna Karenina
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Lincoln
Snow White and the Huntsmen
Original Score
Anna Karenina
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Original Song
“Ancora Qui” – Django Unchained
“Learn Me Right” - Brave
“Skyfall” – Skyfall
“Suddenly” – Les Miserables
“This Gift” – The Odd Life of Timothy Green
Foreign Language Film
A Royal Affair
Amour
Beyond the Hills
The Intouchables
Kon-Tiki
Documentary Feature
5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How to Survive a Plague
The Imposter
Searching for Sugar Man
Best Animated Feature
Brave
Frankenweenie
The Painting
ParaNorman
Wreck-It Ralph
Best Visual Effects
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life of Pi
Prometheus
Makeup and Hairstyling
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Lincoln
Men in Black 3
Best Animated Short
Adam and Dog
The Eagleman Stag
Fall of the House of Usher
Maggie Simpson in The Longest Daycare
Paperman
Best Live Action
Short
Asad
Curfew
Death of a Shadow
9meter
when you find me
Best Documentary
Short
Education of Mohammed Hussein
Mondays at Racine
Open Heart
Paraiso
Redemption
Commentary
Commentary
- I have Lincoln earning 13 nominations, which would leave it one shy of tying for the most-nominated film in Oscar history.
- I really hesitate nominating "Maggie Simpson in the Longest Daycare" for Best Animated Short. If something replaces it, it will be "Dripped."
- I have Skyfall earning six nominations, which would make it the most-nominated film to not earn a Best Picture nomination.
- I know I'm wrong on Best Picture because there are no curveballs. Contenders I considered for the curveball spot were Amour, The Impossible, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Skyfall.
- There's almost always a non-famous animated film in the Best Animated Film category. I expect that to be The Painting.
- My most "shockeroo" prediction would be Matthew McConaughey. He has received no support for his performance in Magic Mike except from critics. However, I think anyone that wants to vote for him based on the year he's had (Bernie, Magic Mike, The Paperboy, Killer Joe) will vote for his performance in Magic Mike. Also, I think anyone that actually votes for him will place him high on the ballot.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
My Top 10 of 2012?
Hey, why not? My favorite music of the year:
Top Ten Songs of 2012
Favorite Pop/Urban Songs of 2012 (alphabetical order)
50 Ways to Say Goodbye (Train)
Blow Me (One Last Kiss) (P!nk)
Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepsen)
Everybody Talks (Neon Trees)
Feel Again (OneRepublic)
Give Your Heart a Break (Demi Lovato)
Love on Top (Beyonce)
Not Over You (Gavin DeGraw)
Rumour Has It (Adele)
Set Fire to the Rain (Adele)
Skyfall (Adele)
Stronger (Kelly Clarkson)
Thinkin' Bout You (Frank Ocean)
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor Swift)
Wide Awake (Katy Perry)
Favorite Country Songs of 2012 (alphabetical order)
Begin Again (Taylor Swift)
Better Dig Two (The Band Perry)
Blown Away (Carrie Underwood)
Creepin' (Eric Church)
Did It for the Girl (Greg Bates)
Don't Rush (Kelly Clarkson/Vince Gill)
Drink In My Hand (Eric Church)
Fastest Girl in Town (Miranda Lambert)
Glass (Thompson Square)
Good Girl (Carrie Underwood)
The One that Got Away (Jake Owen)
Pontoon (Little Big Town)
Run (Matt Nathanson/Sugarland)
Springsteen (Eric Church)
Why Ya Wanna (Jana Kramer)
Favorite Alternative/Rap/Electronic/Dubstep/Etc. Songs of 2012 (alphabetical order)
Feel So Close (Calvin Harris)
Gangnam Style (Psy)
Gold on the Ceiling (The Black Keys)
Home (Phillip Phillips)
I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor Swift)
I Will Wait (Mumford and Sons)
Lights (Ellie Goulding)
Little Talks (Of Monsters and Men)
Madness (Muse)
Shake It Out (Florence and the Machine)
Some Nights (fun.)
Titanium (David Guetta/Sia)
Too Close (Alex Clare)
We Are Young (fun./Janelle Monae)
Without You (David Guetta/Usher)
Songs I Used to Like But I'm Sick of Now (no order)
Ho Hey (The Lumineers)
Somebody that I Used to Know (Gotye/Kimbra)
Top Ten Songs of 2012
- Madness (Muse)
- Pontoon (Little Big Town)
- Springsteen (Eric Church)
- Gangnam Style (Psy)
- 50 Ways to Say Goodbye (Train)
- Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepsen)
- Drink in My Hand (Eric Church)
- Everybody Talks (Neon Trees)
- Run (Matt Nathanson/Sugarland)
- Don't Rush (Kelly Clarkson/Vince Gill)
Favorite Pop/Urban Songs of 2012 (alphabetical order)
50 Ways to Say Goodbye (Train)
Blow Me (One Last Kiss) (P!nk)
Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepsen)
Everybody Talks (Neon Trees)
Feel Again (OneRepublic)
Give Your Heart a Break (Demi Lovato)
Love on Top (Beyonce)
Not Over You (Gavin DeGraw)
Rumour Has It (Adele)
Set Fire to the Rain (Adele)
Skyfall (Adele)
Stronger (Kelly Clarkson)
Thinkin' Bout You (Frank Ocean)
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor Swift)
Wide Awake (Katy Perry)
Favorite Country Songs of 2012 (alphabetical order)
Begin Again (Taylor Swift)
Better Dig Two (The Band Perry)
Blown Away (Carrie Underwood)
Creepin' (Eric Church)
Did It for the Girl (Greg Bates)
Don't Rush (Kelly Clarkson/Vince Gill)
Drink In My Hand (Eric Church)
Fastest Girl in Town (Miranda Lambert)
Glass (Thompson Square)
Good Girl (Carrie Underwood)
The One that Got Away (Jake Owen)
Pontoon (Little Big Town)
Run (Matt Nathanson/Sugarland)
Springsteen (Eric Church)
Why Ya Wanna (Jana Kramer)
Favorite Alternative/Rap/Electronic/Dubstep/Etc. Songs of 2012 (alphabetical order)
Feel So Close (Calvin Harris)
Gangnam Style (Psy)
Gold on the Ceiling (The Black Keys)
Home (Phillip Phillips)
I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor Swift)
I Will Wait (Mumford and Sons)
Lights (Ellie Goulding)
Little Talks (Of Monsters and Men)
Madness (Muse)
Shake It Out (Florence and the Machine)
Some Nights (fun.)
Titanium (David Guetta/Sia)
Too Close (Alex Clare)
We Are Young (fun./Janelle Monae)
Without You (David Guetta/Usher)
Songs I Used to Like But I'm Sick of Now (no order)
Ho Hey (The Lumineers)
Somebody that I Used to Know (Gotye/Kimbra)
Sunday, December 2, 2012
My Personal Oscar Nominees (evolving)
In the spirit of ranking films as I've seen them, I also want to think about who I would nominate and vote for if asked. As I see more films (I am trying to increase that number at a rapid pace), this will evolve until I'm ready to say these would be my final votes. I've seen everything I've listed below, and there are films I've seen but aren't mentioned here because I couldn't imagine ever voting for them if given the opportunity. For now...
Best Picture
Argo
Bernie
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Queen of Versailles
The Sessions
Silver Linings Playbook
Alternates: (1) Beasts of the Southern Wild (2) The Campaign (3) Hope Springs (4) The Impossible (5) Pitch Perfect (6) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (7) The Avengers (8) Flight (9) Skyfall
Best Actor
John Hawkes (The Sessions)
Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables)
Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln)
Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi)
Alternates: (1) Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) (2) Denzel Washington (Flight) (3) Jack Black (Bernie) (4) Ben Affleck (Argo) (5) Tom Holland (The Impossible) (6) Tommy Lee Jones (Hope Springs) (7) Daniel Craig (Skyfall) (8) Zach Galifianakis (The Campaign) (9) Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) (10) Liam Neeson (The Grey)
Best Actress
Judi Dench (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Meryl Streep (Hope Springs)
Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)
Naomi Watts (The Impossible)
Alternates: (1) Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) (2) Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) (3) Aubrey Plaza (Safety Not Guaranteed)
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers)
Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike)
Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables)
Alternates: (1) Irfan Khan (Life of Pi) (2) James Spader (Lincoln) (3) John Goodman (Flight) (4) Alan Arkin (Argo) (5) Robert DeNiro (Silver Linings Playbook) (6) Ewan McGregor (The Impossible) (7) Dwight Henry (Beasts of the Southern Wild) (8) Dallas Roberts (The Grey) (9) Hal Holbrook (Lincoln), (10) William H. Macy (The Sessions)
Best Supporting Actress
Judi Dench (Skyfall)
Sally Field (Lincoln)
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)
Helen Hunt (The Sessions)
Maggie Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Alternates: (1) Tamara Tunie (Flight) (2) Jacki Weaver (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) (3) Shirley Maclaine (Bernie) (4) Penelope Wilton (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) (5) Samantha Barks (Les Miserables) (6) Frances McDormand (Moonrise Kingdom), (7) Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables) (8) Helena Bonham Carter (Les Miserables) (9) Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) (10) Gloria Reuben (Lincoln)
Best Picture
Argo
Bernie
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Queen of Versailles
The Sessions
Silver Linings Playbook
Alternates: (1) Beasts of the Southern Wild (2) The Campaign (3) Hope Springs (4) The Impossible (5) Pitch Perfect (6) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (7) The Avengers (8) Flight (9) Skyfall
Best Actor
John Hawkes (The Sessions)
Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables)
Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln)
Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi)
Alternates: (1) Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) (2) Denzel Washington (Flight) (3) Jack Black (Bernie) (4) Ben Affleck (Argo) (5) Tom Holland (The Impossible) (6) Tommy Lee Jones (Hope Springs) (7) Daniel Craig (Skyfall) (8) Zach Galifianakis (The Campaign) (9) Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) (10) Liam Neeson (The Grey)
Best Actress
Judi Dench (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Meryl Streep (Hope Springs)
Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild)
Naomi Watts (The Impossible)
Alternates: (1) Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) (2) Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) (3) Aubrey Plaza (Safety Not Guaranteed)
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers)
Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike)
Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables)
Alternates: (1) Irfan Khan (Life of Pi) (2) James Spader (Lincoln) (3) John Goodman (Flight) (4) Alan Arkin (Argo) (5) Robert DeNiro (Silver Linings Playbook) (6) Ewan McGregor (The Impossible) (7) Dwight Henry (Beasts of the Southern Wild) (8) Dallas Roberts (The Grey) (9) Hal Holbrook (Lincoln), (10) William H. Macy (The Sessions)
Best Supporting Actress
Judi Dench (Skyfall)
Sally Field (Lincoln)
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)
Helen Hunt (The Sessions)
Maggie Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Alternates: (1) Tamara Tunie (Flight) (2) Jacki Weaver (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) (3) Shirley Maclaine (Bernie) (4) Penelope Wilton (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) (5) Samantha Barks (Les Miserables) (6) Frances McDormand (Moonrise Kingdom), (7) Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables) (8) Helena Bonham Carter (Les Miserables) (9) Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) (10) Gloria Reuben (Lincoln)
Sunday, November 18, 2012
2012 Films - Ranked
I have quite a few left to see, but here's a ranking of the 2012 films I've seen so far (with a list of what I have left to see - well, what I actually want to see - in a list below). This isn't a quality ranking - it's a "what I enjoyed" ranking.
And just because a film is low on the list, doesn't mean it's bad. I guess I picked a good group of movies to watch. The one I have ranked last, "Mansome," was a random Netflix watch - that's the only one I'd never want to see again.
Amour
Brave
Django Unchained
Frankenweenie
Hitchcock
The Master
ParaNorman
Rust and Bone
This is 40
Wreck-It Ralph
Zero Dark Thirty
What I Probably Won't Rush to See
21 Jump Street
The Amazing Spider-Man
Arbitrage
The Bourne Legacy
Breaking Dawn Part Two
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hunger Games
Looper
Men in Black 3
Rise of the Guardians
Snow White and the Huntsmen
And just because a film is low on the list, doesn't mean it's bad. I guess I picked a good group of movies to watch. The one I have ranked last, "Mansome," was a random Netflix watch - that's the only one I'd never want to see again.
- Argo
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Lincoln
- Life of Pi 3D
- Les Miserables
- Silver Linings Playbook
- The Sessions
- Bernie
- The Queen of Versailles (documentary)
- Moonrise Kingdom
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
- The Campaign
- Hope Springs
- The Impossible
- Pitch Perfect
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
- The Avengers
- Flight
- Skyfall
- Ted
- Magic Mike
- Craigslist Joe (documentary)
- Cirque du Soleil: World's Away 3D
- Bully (documentary)
- The Dark Knight Rises
- Safety Not Guaranteed
- The Dictator
- Casa de mi Padre
- The Grey
- The Invisible War (documentary)
- Mansome (documentary)
Amour
Brave
Django Unchained
Frankenweenie
Hitchcock
The Master
ParaNorman
Rust and Bone
This is 40
Wreck-It Ralph
Zero Dark Thirty
What I Probably Won't Rush to See
21 Jump Street
The Amazing Spider-Man
Arbitrage
The Bourne Legacy
Breaking Dawn Part Two
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hunger Games
Looper
Men in Black 3
Rise of the Guardians
Snow White and the Huntsmen
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Oscar Winner Predictions
Going to an Oscar party or entering an Oscar pool? Here's your ticket to victory:
Picture - The Artist
Director - Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Actor - Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Actress - Viola Davis, The Help
Supporting Actor - Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Supporting Actress - Octavia Spencer, The Help
Original Screenplay - Midnight in Paris
Adapted Screenplay - The Descendants
Foreign Language Film - A Separation (Iran)
Animated Feature - Rango
Art Direction - Hugo
Cinematography - The Artist
Costume Design - The Artist
Editing - The Artist
Score - The Artist
Original Song - "Man or Muppet" (The Muppets)
Sound Editing - Hugo
Sound Mixing - Hugo
Visual Effects - Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Makeup - The Iron Lady
Documentary Feature - Paradise Lost 3
Documentary Short Subject - Saving Face
Live Action Short - The Shore
Animated Short - The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Picture - The Artist
Director - Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Actor - Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Actress - Viola Davis, The Help
Supporting Actor - Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Supporting Actress - Octavia Spencer, The Help
Original Screenplay - Midnight in Paris
Adapted Screenplay - The Descendants
Foreign Language Film - A Separation (Iran)
Animated Feature - Rango
Art Direction - Hugo
Cinematography - The Artist
Costume Design - The Artist
Editing - The Artist
Score - The Artist
Original Song - "Man or Muppet" (The Muppets)
Sound Editing - Hugo
Sound Mixing - Hugo
Visual Effects - Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Makeup - The Iron Lady
Documentary Feature - Paradise Lost 3
Documentary Short Subject - Saving Face
Live Action Short - The Shore
Animated Short - The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Monday, January 23, 2012
My Oscar Nomination Predictions
Yes, you can argue that the campaigning and the politics takes away from recognizing the "best" film or the "best" performance. For one, anyone who thinks they can identify a "best" film or a "best" performance in any given year is crazy. The race to the Oscars is one big economics problem (supply/demand, cost/benefit, etc), and I love it!
Here's my futile attempt at predicting. We'll see how I do. These are not my preferences - they are my predictions. You can see my running list of rankings in my previous post.
Picture
The Artist
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
War Horse
Anywhere from 5-10 films can be nominated this year. No one knows yet how many will be nominated, but I think it will be these seven. Just a hunch.
Director
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorcese, Hugo
David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Actor in a Lead Role
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Actress in a Lead Role
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Actress in a Supporting Role
Bernice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
Original Screenplay
50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
A Separation
Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Film Editing
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
War Horse
Cinematography
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Tree of Life
War Horse
Art Direction
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
Costume Design
The Artist
The Help
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.
Sound Editing
The Adventures of Tintin
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8
War Horse
Sound Mixing
Drive
Hugo
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Super 8
War Horse
Makeup
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Iron Lady
Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Rise of the Planey of the Apes
Transformers: The Dark of the Moon
Original Score
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
War Horse
W.E.
Original Song
"Hello, Hello", Gnomeo and Juliet
"Lay Your Head Down", Albert Nobbs
"Life's A Happy Song", The Muppets
"The Living Proof", The Help
"Man or Muppet", The Muppets
Documentary Feature
Buck
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Project Nim
Semper Fi: Always Faithful
Documentary Short
The Barber of Birmingham
In Tahrir Square: 18 Days of Egypt's Unfinished Revolution
Incident in New Baghdad
Pipe Dreams
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Animated Feature
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Animated Short
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
Luminaris
Magic Piano
Wild Life
Live-Action Short
Love at First Sight
The Road Home
The Roar of the Sea
The Shore
Tuba Atlantic
Foreign-Language Feature
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Pina
A Separation
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Ranking the Oscary Movies
Once again, I've been watching as many Oscary movies as I can, and here's my first attempt at a personal ranking, based purely on my enjoyment of the film:
1. The Artist
2. The Muppets
3. The Descendants
4. Bridesmaids
5. 50/50
6. Midnight in Paris
7. My Week with Marilyn
8. Martha Marcy May Marlene
9. Shame
10. We Need to Talk About Kevin
11. The Iron Lady
12. The Help
13. Hugo
14. Moneyball
15. Warrior
16. Super 8
17. The Ides of March
18. The Tree of Life
Other Movies I Saw in 2011:
1. Horrible Bosses
2. Crazy, Stupid Love
3. Bad Teacher
4. Just Go With It
Still Need to See:
Albert Nobbs
Beginners
Drive
Rango
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Young Adult
Probably Will Not Watch:
The Adventures of Tintin
Coriolanus
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
J. Edgar
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy
War Horse
1. The Artist
2. The Muppets
3. The Descendants
4. Bridesmaids
5. 50/50
6. Midnight in Paris
7. My Week with Marilyn
8. Martha Marcy May Marlene
9. Shame
10. We Need to Talk About Kevin
11. The Iron Lady
12. The Help
13. Hugo
14. Moneyball
15. Warrior
16. Super 8
17. The Ides of March
18. The Tree of Life
Other Movies I Saw in 2011:
1. Horrible Bosses
2. Crazy, Stupid Love
3. Bad Teacher
4. Just Go With It
Still Need to See:
Albert Nobbs
Beginners
Drive
Rango
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Young Adult
Probably Will Not Watch:
The Adventures of Tintin
Coriolanus
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
J. Edgar
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy
War Horse
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
My Jeopardy! Journey - At the Studio
It’s not everyday someone can show up to Sony Entertainment and expect to tape Jeopardy! So needless to say, this was a big deal. Forget that this has been on my bucket list. Forget that I’ve been watching Jeopardy! for a very long time (remembering specifically that the 1991Tournament of Champions was my first real memory of watching it, on an old school TV in my bedroom). The only thing I needed to focus on was showing up….and hopefully winning.
I wait in the lobby of my hotel and catch the shuttle to Sony. A few of the contestants were very chatty near the front of the shuttle bus. Us in the back were a little less chatty. I make conversation with a couple of people behind me (one who I later find out is the returning champion, Dan McShane – who is building a big schoolgirl fanbase on Tumblr). Even though it wasn’t, the ride to the studio seemed like the LONGEST RIDE OF MY LIFE.
We get there, it’s super sunny and warm outside (for November), and we meet two more contestants there. We get our clothes and bodies scanned, meet up with Glenn and Corina (two of the contestant coordinators), and head to the “green room.” I can’t remember if the room was actually green, but it was nice. Comfy. We passed through part of the Jeopardy! Hall of Fame to get to the green room, which was right across from an obscene display case of what seemed like 5,067 Emmy Awards. Snacks and drinks are waiting on us. I choose healthier fare (fruit) instead of the donuts which looked SO DELICIOUS. I made sure to semi-chug a Coke, because if I didn’t, the caffeine-withdrawal headache I would inevitably get near the end of the day would probably be my kryptonite.
We (the contestants….referred to here on out as “we” or “us”) go over our paperwork, sign more paperwork, and practice our “Hometown Howdies,” which are greetings to be sent to our various local TV stations that broadcast Jeopardy!. Then, the “Maggie Show” begins. Maggie Speak is a contestant coordinator who loves her job. Seriously, her spirit and passion is infectious. If I was in a position to hire someone for something, I would try to snatch her away from Jeopardy! in a second. She is so good at getting us excited, inspiring us, and making us smile. I would find out throughout the day just how awesome she is. Before the “Maggie Show,” she sat down next to me and said, “I’m going to hang with you today. You seem fun.” Aw shucks, Mags.
For about an hour, we listen to Maggie as she tells us about former contestants, strategy, goes over the rules, advises us on what to do in tricky situations, and encourages us to do our best. While she’s presenting, contestants are going in one by one to get their makeup done. I appeared on Wheel of Fortune in 2005, and got my makeup done by Clint Eastwood’s daughter. But it wasn’t until I was in the makeup chair that it really sank in that, “Hey Preston, you’re about to go on a national game show for the second time in your life.” How many people can say that? I would find out later that “about two dozen” people have been on both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! It was so surreal. Not to mention that the makeup person was giving me what she referred to as a “fake tan.” I needed it; I’m a red head, therefore, quite pale.
Maggie finishes the orientation, and we leave the green room to start the practice games. The coordinators take us to the stage, and it wasn’t until I heard fellow contestant Michael say “wow” did I realize that I was standing on the freakin’ Jeopardy! stage. It was so bright, so purple and blue. It was a dream come true. I get called to stand behind a podium as the stage manager gave us instructions on how to use the telewriter and the signaling device. It’s not a buzzer, it’s a “signaling device.”
For two games, contestants rotate in and out of a mock game, using the actual signaling device, the actual podium, the actual game board. I don’t get called to go to the stage until deep into Double Jeopardy of the first mock game. I start playing, get in on a few buzzes, and then I hit a “Daily Double.” Knowing this is all play money, I bet it all, and double up on a clue about The Prince and the Pauper. Double Jeopardy! was over, we went to Final Jeopardy!, and I bet it all again on the category of “State Capitals.” “This is the only three word state capital.” Boom, I’m already writing down Salt Lake City before the “think music” starts playing. I double up, win the “game,” and proceed to start hamming it up. I knew Maggie would like that. She did. I even did the paused jumping, fist in the air pose. Lots of laughter from fellow contestants and the contestant coordinators ensued.
We play another mock game. Again, I don’t get called until late in Double Jeopardy!, but we don’t play Final Jeopardy! because.....HERE COMES THE AUDIENCE. OH MY GOD PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO WATCH ME PLAY JEOPARDY! TODAY. This might not be 100% accurate, because at this point, I get a little nervous.
Jeopardy! tapes five episodes in a day. There are three episodes taped back to back, a lunch break for the contestants, and then two more episodes. I’m not drawn for the first episode – the “Monday” episode. So, I get to watch from the audience. This is the same for the “Tuesday” and “Wednesday” episode. There were some questions in those first three episodes I didn’t know, and also some “triple stumpers” that I wanted to jump up with my hand in the air and shout, “Me! Me! I know!” So, because I wasn’t called to the stage during the morning taping, I get a free lunch on Jeopardy! w00t!
As a quick aside, Alex is awesome, and crazy, and curmudgeonly, and slightly inappropriate. He makes drinking jokes, talks about the recent sex scandals, and answers audience member’s questions in a way that shows he’s not going to take anybody’s crap. He being hilariously bizarre was one of my favorite parts of the day.
We return to the studio after lunch, and those of us who are left play another mock board. Then the “Thursday” episode starts, without me. As that episode wraps up, I was facing a dilemma. If I was drawn for the “Friday” episode, then fine, I would tape that episode. If I wasn’t drawn, I would have to report back to the studio the next day to do the process all over again. We were there on a Tuesday, and they were taping five more episodes the next day (Wednesday). Now trust me, I wouldn’t have minded that one bit. Another hour of watching “The Maggie Show?” Sign me up! Well, names are drawn, and it’s me! It’s me! I go take one more bathroom break (sorry for the overshare), and then I step on stage to hopefully not embarrass myself in front of America (and apparently, according to Alex, parts of the Middle East).
“THIS…IS….JEOPARDY! HERE ARE TODAY’S CONTESTANTS….A PRE-LAW PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND ATTORNEY, ORIGINALLY FROM HOMINY, OKLAHOMA…..PRESTON NICHOLSON….” Let the game begin.
Other Posts:
Part 1 - The Online Test
Part 2 - Preparing for the Audition
Part 3 - The Audition
Part 4 - Getting the Call
My Jeopardy! Journey - Getting the Call
Even getting the call is slim. Over 100,000 people take the online test each year. Out of those 100,000, around 3,000 are invited for an in-person audition. That’s 3%, people. Out of those 3,000 people, around 400 are selected to be on the show. In summary, 400 out of 100,000 people who try get on the show each year. That’s 0.4%. Not even 1%. Plus, this is my first time in the pool. Why should they select me now? The odds were certainly stacked against me…until October 5th.
I’m sitting in my office organizing my Outlook calendar when the phone rings. I knew if I ever got the call from Jeopardy!, it would probably be from the 310 area code. That’s the area code that was used when I got the call from Wheel of Fortune. I remember weird things like that. Lo and behold, I look down at my phone, and it’s a 310 number. I jump up, shut my office door, and take the call.
Corina from Jeopardy! asks me to verify the information that I submitted on my initial paperwork. She doesn’t invite me to be on the show when we first start talking, but at this point, I’m pretty sure it’s coming. I read online that they like to do the “fakeout” before they actually extend you an invitation to tape. Well, I answered her questions, and then she asked me to tape in November. I was freaking out in my mind, but I did a good job of keeping composure while on the phone with her. I find out I’m expected in L.A. for tapings on November 8th and 9th. That’s one month away.
One more thing is interesting about the timing of this call. That morning, as I was getting ready for work, I randomly thought, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if Jeopardy! called me tomorrow, so I could get the call before my 30th birthday?” Little did I know I wouldn’t have to wait until “tomorrow” for the call, because I was going to get it “today.”
With one short month before I’m expected to answer trivia questions on national TV, I start a study regimen. My friend Robert sent me a large collection of Jeopardy! episodes he had collected and recorded. I owe a big debt of gratitude to him for this. I watched A LOT of those episodes. I also pored over lists about presidents, capitals, Shakespeare, science, literature, and read some books about U.S. history. I was very realistic with myself – I couldn’t learn EVERYTHING, so why not study enough so that I feel confident when I go on stage, knowing I did what I could do with the time I had.
As expected, October was the quickest month I’ve ever experienced. November 7th rolls around, it’s 5:00pm, and I find myself sitting in a hotel room in L.A. waiting on my friend Kay to get there so we could go to dinner. After dinner, she spends some time using one of my books to ask me questions about comic strips, bodies of water, etc. After this, I go to bed and try to sleep. You want to guess how well I was able to sleep?
Other Posts:
Part 1 - The Online Test
Part 2 - Preparing for the Audition
Part 3 - The Audition
Other Posts:
Part 1 - The Online Test
Part 2 - Preparing for the Audition
Part 3 - The Audition
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
My Jeopardy! Journey - The Audition
It’s the morning of my audition, and I had to go to work. I presented at New Student Orientation on campus that morning (working in academic advising, being present at New Student Orientation is a must), so as soon as that presentation was over, I jumped in the car and headed to KC. I was tempted to listen to a book on my Kindle on the way there to get the brain going, but I opted to sing loudly to music on my iPod on the way there instead (to get my energy up). Funny looks from fellow motorists were abundant. I did this until I realized, “Oh crap, my voice is getting scratchy.”
I get to the Kansas City hotel where it was held pretty early. I go into the holding room to fill out the application with my brand new, swanky, Jeopardy! click pen (which looks just like my swanky Wheel of Fortune click pen that's now out of ink). Pretty standard fare – are you running for public office, have you ever been convicted of a felony, on what channel does the show air….crap. What are the call letters? I have no idea. “Topeka Affiliate.” That will have to do. Little did I know that my local cable company would stop broadcasting the “Topeka Affiliate” one week before my Jeopardy! debut (but again, more on that later). I’m one of the younger people in the room. The contestant coordinators (awesome folks, by the way) come in to take an instant picture of us – Fujifilm, not Polaroid. My picture was pretty sexy.
We are escorted to the official audition room, where Robert, one of the contestant coordinators, goes over the rules and gets us pumped up. I am now sufficiently pumped up, although some others were way more pumped up than me. Some people were trying way too hard to get the coordinators’ attention. They lead us through a mock game with everyone in the room participating by raising our hands. I was the very first person called on in the mock game, and after answering, was complimented on my voice and quickly choosing the next category.
After that, we start the fifty question test. A few times during the test, I made eye contact with one of the coordinators, and we smiled at each other. “Ooh, I know that one….wait, I know that one too…OMG…wow, I just studied that….oh crap.” Fifty questions later (sorry, I can’t reveal details of the questions – cheaters, scram!), I’m pretty confident I passed. The rumor on the internets is that 35/50 is a passing score. I definitely scored above 35. In fact, I think I scored anywhere between 39-41, which is pretty close to what I think I scored on the online test.
The coordinators go outside to grade the test, and people in the room start comparing answers. I felt bad because one guy realized he missed quite a few, and became sufficiently bummed. I realized I missed quite a few also, including making a stupid mistake on what might have been one of the easiest questions on the test. To my credit though, I did get some obscure questions that many in the room realized they missed.
After they come back in, the coordinators tell us they are going to call us up in groups of three to play a mock game, in no particular order. This is different than the way they used to do it. They used to cut some people after they graded the fifty question test. But now, they let everyone stay and play the second mock game. Again, I’m the VERY FIRST PERSON THEY CALL. Random? Maybe. For the record, I was in the first group at my Wheel audition, and that worked out pretty well. I’m jokingly introduced as the 47-day returning champion, I bow, and we start the game. I pick the first category, then after, the coordinator says, “that’s how you do it.” Did I just get complimented for a second time on my voice and gameplay? Holy crap. I get outbuzzed a few times, but get in a few times, and I get all my questions right. They start interviewing the three of us; I get some laughs from the coordinators and from the crowd, and then the other two get questions. In that moment, I felt like my interview was short, and it was definitely shorter than many others, but I think it went well, nonetheless. We take our seats and stay for the remainder of the audition, watching and supporting the others.
One guy was there for his sixth audition, about half were there for their second or third audition, and most of the younger people were there for the first time. The woman I played against in my mock game will definitely be on the show. She was interesting and camera ready. A few others will also definitely get on. They were funny and interesting. But that’s what makes it so tough – no one was outright bad. Although, one guy missed three questions in his mock game all in a row. He looked like he needed a hug.
Overall, I did all I could do, so it would now be in their hands. At this point, I'm in the contestant pool for eighteen months, so if I didn't get selected this time, I could start the audition process again in January 2013. Thousands of people audition each year for 400 spots, so the odds were against me. I had no idea if my being on Wheel would help me (“he’s camera ready….”) or hurt me (“let’s give others a chance…”). I could have had an amazing audition, but not get selected because there’s just not room for me.
At this point, I had two goals. Continue studying, but also try and go on with my life. Try being the operative word.
For part two (Preparing for the Audition): Preparing for the Audition
For part one (The Online Test): The Online Test
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