Oh my God, I can’t wait to see Keanu! Not only does it star the hilarious Key and Peele, it also features one of the cutest kittens ever to show up in a red band movie trailer. Run, Keanu, run!
Keanu will be in theaters on April 29th!
Oh my God, I can’t wait to see Keanu! Not only does it star the hilarious Key and Peele, it also features one of the cutest kittens ever to show up in a red band movie trailer. Run, Keanu, run!
Keanu will be in theaters on April 29th!
The nominees for the SAG Awards were announced earlier today! The SAG Awards are usually one of the more accurate of the various Oscar precursors. Because so many members of the Academy are also members of the Screen Actors Guild, the SAG Awards are usually a pretty good indication of what films are on the Academy’s radar and which ones aren’t. Occasionally, an actor will be nominated by SAG and then snubbed by the Academy. Last year, for instance, SAG nominated Jake Gyllenhall for Nightcrawler, Jennifer Aniston for Cake, and Naomi Watts for St. Vincent. None of those three received any love from the Academy. But, for the most part, SAG is one of the most reliable precursors out there.
And that’s why so many of us are in shock today! The SAG Awards in no way resembled what many of us were expecting. Other than Spotlight, none of the film’s that many of us expected to be nominated for best ensemble (the SAG’s equivalent of the Academy’s best picture) were nominated (and even Spotlight only received one other nomination, for Rachel McAdams who, up to this point, hasn’t really figured into the Oscar discussion). The Martian was not nominated for best ensemble or anything else for that matter. Creed was totally snubbed. Brooklyn was nominated for actress but not ensemble. Mad Mad: Fury Road was nominated for its stunt work and nothing else. Helen Mirren received two nominations, for films that hardly anyone (outside of the SAG, obviously) was really paying any attention to. Sarah Silverman received a best actress nomination for I Smile Back, which I hadn’t even heard of until about a week ago. It’s an unexpected and strange group of nominees.
Keep in mind, it’s not necessarily a bad thing that the nominees are unexpected. Beasts of No Nation and Straight Outta Compton will both receive deserved boosts in their hunt for Oscar gold. At the same time, I have to admit that I wasn’t happy to see either The Big Short or Trumbo nominated for best ensemble because I know I’m going to feel obligated to see them and they both look so freaking tedious and blandly political! But consider this: if The Big Short and Trumbo are both huge Oscar contenders, we may face a situation where both Jay Roach and Adam McKay are nominated for best director in the same year. I think that’s one of the signs of the apocalypse and, at this point, I’m kind of ready to welcome the end of the world.
Anyway, here are the SAG nominations! Look them over and, after the Golden Globe nominations are announced tomorrow, update your Oscar predictions accordingly.
Best Performance by a Cast Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Mini-Series
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Mini-Series
Best Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
So, I’m sitting here and I’m trying to make out my annual list of good things that I saw on TV over the previous year and I’ve just realized something.
I did not watch as much TV as usual last year.
It wasn’t a conscious decision on my part. Up until this very moment, I was actually thinking that I watched too much TV last year. But, honestly, 2014 was a busy year for me. Between work and dance and family and romance and writing and seeing movies and shopping and being sick and getting well and the manic states and the depressive states, I just didn’t have as much time as usual to devote to television.
In fact, the only shows that I always made it a point to watch were two reality shows and that was mostly because I write about them over at the Big Brother Blog and the Survivor Blog.
That takes me by surprise because I love television. I’ve never made any secret of that fact and I’ve never felt guilty about it. When I’m writing, I find it helps to have the TV on in the background. As well, knowing that a certain show is always going to be on at a certain time tends to help me deal with my Obsessive Compulsive tendencies. I’ve always felt that, in a perfect world, I would have my own TV network. It would be called the Lisa Marie Network (LMN) and I would be in charge of programming every single minute.
But, for whatever reason, in 2014, I didn’t watch as much as usual. So, don’t consider the list below to be a comprehensive list of everything that was good on television last year. Instead, consider it to just be 20 good things that I was lucky enough to see.
So, here’s the list!
1) Too Many Cooks on Adult Swim
You knew that I’d have to start out with this one, especially considering that I still find myself randomly singing the theme song. “When it comes to the future, you can never have too many cooks!”
2) Figure Skating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics
I actually enjoyed watching most of the 2014 Winter Olympics. (Except, of course, when Bob Costas was there with his fucked up eye.) But what I especially loved was watching the figure skating. How couldn’t you love the chemistry between Charlie White and Meryl Davis or the amazing grace of Yulia Lipnitskaya or Ashley Wagner’s refusal to hide her disgust with the judges?
3) Veep
Without a doubt, the funniest show on television. Anyone who idolizes a politician should be forced to watch it.
4) Community ended its network run on a decent note
After a rough fourth season, Community made a comeback of sort during the fifth season. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to keep NBC from canceling the show but still, it was good to see a few more decent episodes of Community before the show moved over to Yahoo.
5) True Detective
True Detective has been praised so much that I really don’t have much more to say about it, beyond the fact that I found it to be endlessly fascinating.
6) Sharknado 2!
So, I wasn’t necessarily a huge fan of the first Sharknado. (I was even less of a fan of the way the media seemed to believe that Mia Farrow was the first person to ever live tweet a movie, especially considering how lame most of Mia’s Sharknado tweets were.) But I loved Sharknado 2! Sharknado 2 was everything that the first Sharknado was supposed to be and more!
7) The Old People TV Networks
This is the year that I really made an effort to explore all of the channels that I have available to me. What I discovered is that there are a lot of stations that are apparently dedicated to exclusively showing shows that were made long before I was even born! For a history nerd like me, coming across these networks is a bit like accidentally digging up a time capsule. Add to that, I’ve discovered that old TV shows make for perfect background noise. I call these networks the Old People TV networks but I do so with affection.
8) Seeing my friend and fellow movie blogging Irish gal Kellee Pratt in the audience whenever TCM rebroadcasts that interview with Maureen O’Hara.
9) Opposite Worlds on SyFy
Opposite Worlds was a reality show that was broadcast on the SyFy Network. Contestants were divided into two tribes. One tribe lived in the luxurious future, complete with a fully automated house. The other tribe lived in the past, which basically meant wearing furs and staying in a cave. The two tribes competed every week. Many contestants were seriously injured. I was hoping that Samm would win, mostly because I share her struggle. But I was okay with Frank eventually winning. He turned out to be a nice guy.
(By the way, SyFy, I’m still waiting for a second season…)
10) Bates Motel
Bates Motel got better and better during its second season. I still think Olivia Cooke needs a spin-off where she solves crimes.
11) True Blood ended before it totally went the way of Dexter.
To be honest, True Blood was definitely showing signs of its age. I wasn’t really happy with the final season but I was relieved to see that it still ended on a better note than Dexter did.
12) Flowers in the Attic
2014 got off to a great start with Flowers in the Attic, one of the best movies to ever show up on Lifetime.
13) Lizzie Borden Took An Axe
In fact, the only that kept Flowers in the Attic from being the best Lifetime movie was the fact that Lizzie Borden premiered a week later.
14) The Way The Saved By The Bell and Aaliyah Movies Brought Us Together As A Nation
For two nights, our often troubled country was united by the power of mass snarkiness.
15) Coverage Of The Fact That Paul Rosalie Was Not Eaten Alive
There was something greatly satisfying about how, after spending weeks promising that he would be, Paul Rosalie failed to be eaten alive by an anaconda. I think one reason I especially enjoyed this fact that I didn’t actually watch the special. I thought the whole thing sounded stupid and crass. That made the subsequent ridicule all the more satisfying.
16) Key and Peele
Without a doubt, the funniest sketch comedy program on TV today.
17) Talking Dead
To be honest, the only reason I watch The Walking Dead is so I’ll be able to understand what they’re talking about on The Talking Dead.
18) Daft Punk At The Grammys
It was great to see the Robots enjoying themselves.
19) Weather On The Local News
“Folks, we’ve got a storm system approaching but don’t worry. Channel 4 will keep your 4warned…” Some things never change. I’ve reached the point where I can find the humor in watching our local meteorologists panic every time that it starts to rain. This past year, whenever I was stuck inside while a light drizzle fell outside, I knew that Pete Delkus, Larry Mowery, and David Finfrock would be there to amuse me with their dire warnings of a weather apocalypse.
20) Degrassi!
Degrassi endures. And we’re all the better for it.
On one final note: GetGlue, R.I.P. For five years, I enjoyed checking into tvs, movies, books, and emotions on GetGlue. Sadly, GetGlue (or TV Tag as it came to be known) went offline on January 1st. Goodbye, GetGlue. It was fun while it lasted and I’ll always remember that week when me and that guy from Indonesia were violently fighting over who would get to be the guru of pepper spray. (GGers will understand.)
Tomorrow, my look back at 2014 continues with my ten favorite novels of the year!
Previous Entries In The TSL’s Look Back At 2014:
So, for the past few days, I’ve been happily hopping around my section of the Shattered Lens Bunker and do you know why?
Because it’s awards season, that’s why! With the conclusion of the 2011-2012 TV season, Emmy ballots have been mailed and votes are being cast and, come July, we’ll know which shows and performers have been nominated for the 2012 Emmys.
Before that happens, however, I would like to play a little game called “What if Lisa Was Solely Responsible For Picking the Nominees.” Here’s how it works — I looked over and studied the complete list of the shows and performances that have been submitted this year for Emmy consideration. And then, from that list, I picked my personal nominees.
Below are my personal nominations in the major Emmy categories. Again, note that these are not necessarily the shows and performers that I believe will be nominated. Instead, these are the shows and performers that I would nominate if I was solely responsible for picking the nominees.
A complete list of my nominations in every single Emmy category can be found here. (And yes, there’s a lot of Lifetime on the list. There’s also a lot of Community.)
Best Comedy Series
Bored to Death (HBO)
Community (NBC)
Girls (HBO)
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Raising Hope (Fox)
Veep (HBO)
Best Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
The Client List (Lifetime)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Homeland (Showtime)
Pan Am (ABC)
Ringer (The CW)
True Blood (HBO)
The Walking Dead (AMC)
Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
Blue-Eyed Butcher (Lifetime)
Cyberbully (ABC Family)
Drew Peterson: Untouchable (Lifetime)
Five (Lifetime)
Girl Fight (Lifetime)
Hatfields & McCoys (History Channel)
The Hour (BBC America)
Of Two Minds (Lifetime)
Outstanding Variety Series
Conan (TBS)
Fashion Police (E)
Key and Peele (Comedy Central)
The Soup (E)
Tosh .O (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Variety Special
Betty White’s 90th Birthday Party (NBC)
Celtic Women: Believe (PBS)
The Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen (Comedy Central)
TV Land Awards (TV Land)
Wendy Liebman: Taller on TV (Showtime)
Outstanding Nonfiction Special
Bobby Fischer Against The World (HBO)
Catholicism: Amazed and Afraid (PBS)
Crime After Crime (OWN)
God Is The Bigger Elvis (HBO)
6 Days To Air: The Making of South Park (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Nonfiction Series
America in Primetime (PBS)
American Masters (PBS)
America’s Most Wanted (Lifetime)
Beyond Scared Straight (A&E)
Inside Story (Biography)
Outstanding Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow (PBS)
Dance Moms (Lifetime)
Kitchen Nightmares (Fox)
Scouted (E)
Storage Wars (A&E)
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race (CBS)
The Bachelor (ABC)
Big Brother (CBS)
The Celebrity Apprentice (NBC)
Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Survivor (CBS)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Danny McBride in Eastbound and Down (HBO)
Joel McHale in Community (NBC)
Lucas Neff in Raising Hope (Fox)
Jason Schwartzman in Bored To Death (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama
Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad (AMC)
Jeffrey Donavon in Burn Notice (USA)
Damian Lewis in Homeland (Showtime)
Andrew Lincoln in The Walking Dead (AMC)
Timothy Olyphant in Justified (FX)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries or Movie
Idris Elba in Luther (BBC America)
Rob Lowe in Drew Peterson: Untouchable (Lifetime)
Steven Weber in Duke (Hallmark Movie Channel)
Dominic West in The Hour (BBC America)
Ben Whishaw in The Hour (BBC America)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy
Zooey Deschanel in New Girl (Fox)
Lena Dunham in Girls (HBO)
Tina Fey in 30 Rock (NBC)
Julia Louis Dreyfuss in Veep (HBO)
Mary-Louis Parker in Weeds (Showtime)
Martha Plimpton in Raising Hope (Fox)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Claire Danes in Homeland (Showtime)
Sarah Michelle Gellar in Ringer (The CW)
Jennifer Love Hewitt in The Client List (Lifetime)
Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife (CBS)
Elizabeth McGovern in Downton Abbey (PBS)
Anna Paquin in True Blood (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries or Movie
Kristin Davis in Of Two Minds (Lifetime)
Anne Heche in Girl Fight (Lifetime)
Rose McGowan in The Pastor’s Wife (Lifetime)
Emily Osment in Cyberbully (ABC Family)
Sara Paxton in Blue Eyed Butcher (Lifetime)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Charlie Day in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
Danny DeVito in It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX)
Donald Glover in Community (NBC)
Nick Offerman in Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Danny Pudi in Community (NBC)
Matt Walsh in Veep (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama
Bruce Campbell in Burn Notice (USA)
Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones (HBO)
Giancarlo Espositto in Breaking Bad (AMC)
Michael Pitt in Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Michael Shannon in Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Alexander Skarsgard in True Blood (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries or Movie
Powers Boothe in Hatfields and McCoys (History Channel)
Justin Bruening in Blue-Eyed Butcher (Lifetime)
Mark-Paul Gosselaar in Hide (TNT)
Sir Roger Moore in A Princess For Christmas (Hallmark Movie Channel)
Tony Shalhoub in Five (Lifetime)
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy
Alison Brie in Community (NBC)
Kristen Chenoweth in GCB (ABC)
Anna Chlumsky in Veep (HBO)
Gillian Jacobs in Community (NBC)
Cloris Leachman in Raising Hope (Fox)
Aubrey Plaza in Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in Drama
Christine Baranski in The Good Wife (CBS)
Kristen Bauer Von Straten in True Blood (HBO)
Kelly MacDonald in Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Christina Ricci in Pan Am (ABC)
Sophia Turner in Game of Thrones (HBO)
Deborah Ann Woll in True Blood (HBO)
Supporting Actress In A Miniseries or Movie
Tammy Blanchard in Of Two Minds (Lifetime)
Kaley Cuoco in Drew Peterson: Untouchable (Lifetime)
Lisa Edelstein in Blue-Eyed Butcher (Lifetime)
Jessica Lange in American Horror Story (FX)
Jena Malone in Hatfields and McCoy (History Channel)