Tag Archives: Bryan Cranston

Uncategorized

GOLDEN GLOBES: TV PICKS

1 Comment

Once again you can just cue into me singing “It’s the most wonderful time of the yyeeeaarrr…”
In case you haven’t guessed already.. it’s Awards season otherwise known as ‘My Happy Time’ ~ and the first big event is the Golden Globes this Sunday. It’s where the best of both the Film & TV worlds collide in one night. With so many categories, I’m breaking it up into two separate posts and of course, who I think the winner will be and what would be my pick – because they don’t always necessarily coincide with each other!!

TELEVISION

Best TV Series, Drama

The Crown
What a show this was. I couldn’t stop watching. The acting, the story – both all engrossing

Game of Thrones
This show took itself to a whole new level this year, and I loved every second of it even if Jon Snow coming back from the dead made me giggle for a sec.

Stranger Things – MY PICK
Fantastic storyline of something so far-fetched, yet so made you think! I loved it. The fact the acting by kids was so strong here really made it all the better.

This Is Us
Is this show cute..yes..maybe a little to cutsey & sappy for me, but I will say it’s quite well written.

Westworld – WINNER
There were times when I completely understood this show and others where I literally had no idea what the bejesus was going on. But you couldn’t help yourself to keep watching with the nagging feeling of “what if?” I think this one might steal the award just because of that.

Best TV Series, Comedy/Musical

Atlanta – WINNER
While I haven’t watched all the episodes of this show yet, the ones I have seen I just love. I can’t stop laughing.

Blackish
I loved this show at the beginning, now I will say I just don’t watch it all that much anymore..Sorta went the Modern Family route for me.

Mozart in the Jungle – MY PICK
I LOVE this show. It’s so completely different and well done about a subject I really didn’t know much about, yet made me interested in and yes, laugh.

Transparent
See Transparent has never done ‘it’ for me. I know there are those that just love it. I was done after season 1, I just really didn’t like too many of the characters enough to go to the next season.

Veep
Kinda the same as above for this one. I love Julia Louis-Dreyfus humour, but this one never grabbed me enough to keep watching.

Best TV Miniseries or Movie

American Crime –
This season of American Crime was mind-boggling. The best written and acted so far. I couldn’t get enough of each cliff-hanging episode.

The Dresser
While this featured a great cast I would have loved to see, I don’t have Starz channel as I cancelled cable, so was never able to see it.

The Night Manager
I still am not getting the appeal of this one. It wasn’t done plausably or even well. Sometimes I was just in awe of how ridiculous it really got.

The Night Of – MY PICK
Another mind-blowing HBO min-series that just took what could have been just another murder storyline and gave it more twists than you could keep your jaw from dropping instead. Acting was top-notch to boot.

The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story – WINNER
I mean what can you say about this fantastic mini-series that hasn’t already been said. So many things you’d either forgotten or never knew about, told & acted by a unbelievable parade of good writing and acting. Blew me away.
By far my hardest category to decide on.

Best Actor, Drama
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Just love Rami and this show. Rami helped keep it fresh for it’s second season.

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
While I loved this character on ‘Breaking Bad’, I couldn’t even get through the whole first season and to those that love it, kudos.

Matthew Rhys, The Americans
While the show has always been a hit or miss for me, as in I could skip a few eps., come back and still know exactly what was going on, I feel the same about it’s lead, Matthew Rhys.

Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Love Liev and the first 2 seasons his character was so something different. Now it’s just rambling as is the acting somewhat.

Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath – MY PICK/WINNER
Never have been Billy Bob’s biggest fan, but damn this role was cater-made for him. He is excellent as was the show.

Best Actress, Drama

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
I’ve only ever been able to watch 2 eps. of this show considering it’s on a very pricey pay channel here, so I can’t really give a fair assessment of her acting.

Claire Foy, The Crown – SLEEPER WIN
Oh Claire.. you are fantastic in this show. Simply sublime as the Queen herself might say. It’s so well written, cinematically beautiful and well acted. And you know us American’s love a good upper-class British show. Don’t anyone be surprised if she walks off with this award.

Keri Russell, The Americans
I mean who doesn’t like Keri Russell really now.. and I do, but she won’t be my pick or the HFP’s pick I’m guessing either.

Winona Ryder, Stranger Things – MY PICK
Winona, Winona, Winona – I feel sometimes as if we’ve grown up together. And is essence we have and you are soooo good in this show. I’m so glad you’re back.

Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld WINNER
Same as the show, good acting here because sometimes you just wondered what in bejesus is she?! or WHO is she should be more the question 🙂

Best Actor, Comedy

Anthony Anderson, Blackish
I’ve adored Anthony Anderson for as long as I can remember. He started off doing drama, and segwayed into comedy as easily as could be. Not my pick, but I am so glad he is nominated as it’s nice to finally have some fresh faces in this whole category.

Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
I love this show and I love Gael in it. But can he pull off another surprise win here?? I would love it but I doubt it.

Donald Glover, Atlanta – MY PICK/WINNER
Another first time, fresh nominee that I love. I’m going with a first timer here on this one because of the sarcastic brilliance of this show and his character in it.

Nick Nolte, Graves
I’m going to be honest – I’ve never even heard of this show. Sorry Nick!

Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
As Jeffrey has won so many times for playing this character, I’d just love to see someone new win it again.

Best Actress, Comedy

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Rachel Bloom surprised us all with her win last year. Is there a repeat in tow?

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
I kinda feel like Julia is the Meryl of TV comedy. 🙂

Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
While this show isn’t bad nor is SJP in it, I don’t think it’s going to grab a win.

Issa Rae, Insecure
I’ve not watched this one so truly can’t give it a nay or yay..

Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
While I think Gina Rodriguez is just adorable and I loved this show the first season, it waned very quickly on me during the second. Not saying she’s not still good in it, just haven’t watched in awhile.

Tracee Ellis Ross, Blackish – MY PICK/WINNER
Tracee would be my pick. While I might not be watching the show all the time anymore, she should have been nominated and won like 2 seasons ago already!

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown, The People vs. O.J. Simpson
This mini-series was just filled with fantastic acting and Sterling is part of that.

Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
While I really thought TNM was a poorly done series, there were two standouts in it that made it somewhat bearable, and one of them was Hugh Laurie.

John Lithgow, The Crown – WINNER
It’s rare that they get an American to play a Brit nowadays, but Lithgow as Winston Churchill is a brilliant piece of casting.

Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
I won’t lie. I kinda shook my head in disbelief when Slater walked away with this last year. I mean he’s good, but he’s not that good.

John Travolta, The People vs. O.J. Simpson – MY PICK
So yeah, I know people think it’s strange, but I’ve adored John Travolta since I was a child. yes, I admit and he’s done some really awful movies, but here, you can’t deny he was truly amazing.

Best Supporting Actress

Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
Remember I said there was two things that saved the Night Manager – Olivia Colman is part two of that.

Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
She’s always pretty damn amazing in this show. You can’t help but love to hate her character, but yet she still tugs at your heartstrings as she is just so flawed. Remember your show is only as good as your best evil person and she is truly fantastic at it time and time again.

Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Again, I find the show just a little to sappy, but I admire and respect the writing and the characters are all well done. It’s a tough call which person from the show to say I like more..Chrissy or Mandy.

Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Again, between the two nominated here from this, I might actually pick Mandy because her transition to this character is pretty damn good.

Thandie Newton, Westworld – MY PICK/WINNER
Thandie’s character here was the one I was never confused by. She was simply put ‘badass’

Best Actor, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Riz Ahmed, The Night Of – MY PICK
This show also gave us some fantastic performances with the two nominees in this category just making this show a spectacular watch.

Bryan Cranston, All the Way
I didn’t watch this one.

Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
Really.. on this one. For those who me, I love and ADORE Tom Hiddleston – but there in points in time where I just rolled my eyes at some of not only the show, but his acting here. Sorry Tom.

John Turturro, The Night Of
Turturro knocked it out the park on this one. There just isn’t much else to say, you can’t be mad if he wins this one.

Courtney B. Vance, The People vs. O.J. Simpson – WINNER
Again, this show was just so good! Even though you knew what was going to happen, it held you and kept you coming back. Courtney Vance was one of the main reasons why.

Best Actress, Mini-Series or TV Movie

Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Always a strong actress, this seasons AC was so good and she went for it in this role.

Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience
Only the 3rd show on an expensive pay-per-view that I never have had or probably will.

Sarah Paulson, The People vs. O.J. Simpson – MY PICK/WINNER
Again, mind-bending performance from this series. Sarah for me in the shoo-in to win this one.

Charlotte Rampling, London Spy
I watched this show so long ago, I forgot I’d even seen it. But I swear it was 2015 when I did see it so I’m not really quite sure why it’s under 2016 noms. Rampling always gets roles she excels at. This was no different.

Kerry Washington, Confirmation
I remember the story so we already knew what happened, but unlike the O.J. story, I didn’t get the feeling of still wanting to watch. Washington was good, but I don’t see her winning this one.

awards, Movie Reviews, Movies, Oscar Awards

7 DAYS OF OSCARS: DAY 6 ~ “BEST ACTOR”

4 Comments

Yes, the end of my “7 Days of Oscars” is nearing it’s close. For some this might be a hard category. For me, it is the simplest one as I knew from the minute the film was over, who was going to be my pick of the year. And yes, deservedly so.

BEST ACTOR

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Being a fan of Cranston, it’s a notable performance here, but the film went pretty unnoticed by most as it was about the infamous ‘blacklist’ and I think some just thought it had been done before.

Matt Damon, The Martian
This for me, was actually a really good dramady performance by Damon. He was funny, yet serious when he needed to be. But sorry Matt, it’s going to have to be another time. 🙂

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant – MY PICK/WINNER
Please pick up your Golden Man.. FINALLY Mr. DiCaprio. 😀

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Good, strong job by one of my favourite actors here. Lot’s of dialogue but just didn’t hit it on the mark for me.

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Last year’s winner and another good performance by Redmayne, but not of the Oscar caliber of last years so no..I don’t think Eddie’s doing a repeat.

And with that we are approaching Day 7 – The Final Day of “7 Days of Oscars” which will be of course, Best Picture. With that being said, I’m going to the Independent Spirit Awards tomorrow, Sat. the 27th, and instead of posting my BP picks, I’m just going to briefly address the Oscar controversy and save my last for the BIG DAY!! Cheers to you all until then..
#Oscars2016 #peggyatthemovies

**Reminder that I’m giving who I think the winner will be and what would be my pick – because yes, they just might not be the same!! 😀

awards, emmy awards, TV awards, Uncategorized

“EMMY AWARDS” ~ 2014 PICKS IN DRAMA

2 Comments

emmy-wallpaper-2560x1440

My favourite part of any Awards shows are the Drama categories.. In the last 10 years or so, there have been some of the best shows to ever grace a TV screen done in this category.  With cable jumping into the game around that time, it’s brought us loads & loads of great writing, acting & falling in love with TV all over again.  Have they missed a few shows over the years.. yes – they have – most notably ‘Sons of Anarchy’, ‘Justified’. and most recently Orphan Black & Rectify.  But so it goes.. Here are my picks of the shows/people that have been nominated..

 

Best Drama Series

“Breaking Bad”

One of the best shows to EVER grace the small screen.. I lived for Walter White and Jesse Pinkman every Sunday night..

“Downton Abbey”

Downton literally swept us off our feet in it’s first season with a wonderful portrayal of an era long past, but we all found so interesting..

“Game of Thrones”

The only season to disappoint so far in this series was S2 which after the “OHMYGOD” of Season 1 seemed almost explainable.  Season 3 came back with a vengeance and it’s been just jaw-dropping once again.

“House of Cards”

I hear nothing but raves on this show.. have yet to see an episode due to the comfy couch/big screen TV syndrome I still have.. 🙂

“Mad Men”

Who doesn’t have a love/hate relationship with Don Draper..

“True Detective” – WINNER

Rust Cohle & Martin Hart.. need I say more – probably one of the most ingenious and original shows to come out of TV in a long time!! Can we say WINNER here!!

 

Best Actress in a Drama Series

 Lizzy Caplan, “Masters of Sex”

Lizzy Caplan brings a fresh perspective to the 50’s perfunctory woman in this role..I love the show & her in it.

Claire Danes, “Homeland”

I love Homeland.. and at times Claire Danes does a wonderful job with the role of Carrie – but at others she is annoying as end all being like a contortionist with her facial expressions and that old adage that moms always tell you when you’re a child always pops to mind here – ‘be careful or your face will stay that way’  – sorry but you know it’s true.

Michelle Dockery, “Downton Abbey”

While I love the show – and her character of Mary has been through some moments – I just don’t think it’s a strong enough role to win here..

Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife” – WINNER

Now we are talking… Let’s just give a slow clap first of all to the best season of ‘The Good Wife’ yet.  Season 5.  It was incredible and a lot of those kudos go right to this person here.

Kerry Washington, “Scandal”

What started off in Season 1 as an interesting premise did what Shonda Rhimes shows do and it so jumped the shark for me in Season 2 & beginning of Season 3 it’s pretty much unwatchable for me now.  Soooo over everyone trying to outfast talk the next actor.. so over this show and while I like Kerry.,you can’t compare her performance to that of Julianna Marguilies – you just can’t.

Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Always have liked Robin Wright.. since way back in “The Princess Bride” – I wish I could say I’ve watched it here.

 

Best Actor in a Drama Series

 Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”

One of the best performances ever done on TV – We felt sympathy at the beginning which later turned to fear of the man that was Walter White.

Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”

Great show – great character & performance ..

Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”

Again, tell me one person that does not have a Love/Hate thing for Don Draper.. it takes talent to pull that off.

Woody Harrelson, “True Detective”

It’s a hard decision for me to pick between the two characters on this show as both were just fantastic

Matthew McConaughey, “True Detective” – WINNER

But I’m going with Matthew & Rust Cohle – why..because as good as Woody was it is Rust’s character that blew this show out of the box.  Probably have never seen a character nor performance like it..so please let’s continue on with the McConaissance …please!!! 😀

Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

Kevin Spacey is also a consummate professional wonderful actor.  Keyser Soze anyone?? 😀

 

Supporting Actor, Drama Series

 Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”

Bitch.. hahahahhahaha

Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”

I  can keep saying how much I love the show – but I think it’s almost too much of an ensemble to just pick one character out of it.

Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”

I LOVE PETER DINKLAGE.. there I said it.. he’s a spectacular actor in everything from ‘The Station Agent’ to “Nip/Tuck to  X-Men – but this role was definitely just tailor-made for him..

Josh Charles, “The Good Wife” – WINNER

Of course I would pick Josh Charles – why you ask.. because losing Will Gardner felt like losing a family member and anyone that can make you feel that.. deserves an award.

Mandy Patinkin, “Homeland”

I’ve never related a ton to this character though I find him a complete necessity on the show.. I know..weird.

Jon Voight, “Ray Donovan”

For the whole first season of this show, I couldn’t figure out whether it was just plain brilliant or just plain bad.. I went with I like it and that’s all that matters.  Though I usually like my bad characters to have some redeeming quality to make me like them, Jon Voights character has never done that for me.

 

Supporting Actress, Drama Series

Anna Gunn, “Breaking Bad”

5 seasons of Skyler White.. at times we pitied her, sympathized with her, didn’t like her and at the end, we were just overwhelmed with where her life started and finished in this show.. Bravo Anna Gunn…well done.

Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey”

I mean she’s Dame Maggie Smith for crimeny sakes.  The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was on TV a few years back and she was so simply fantastic in that role..as she has been in pretty much everything she’s ever done.

Lena Headey, “Game of Thrones”

Oh Lena, you play the gamut in this role of roles.. but you actually kinda scare me too much!!  ha!

Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife” – WINNER

Because dammit she IS and embodies Diane Lockhart.  Nothing else needs to be said.

Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”

I just don’t think she had enough in her role this past season to quantify this nomination.  Had it been last season, I would have said yes.. This season I’m sorry but the fact that Elizabeth Moss aka Peggy Olson didn’t get this nom instead is just wrong.. she blew it off the screen this year.. Christina did not.

Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”

I know this might be odd…but I think she is totally the long shot to win this and just might do so.  Her portrayal of Anna Bates was so spot on this season that in such a large ensemble cast – she stood out..waaaay out and excelled completely in this role.

Uncategorized

REVIEW OF ~ GO GO GODZILLA.. YYEEAAHH,, GODZILLA GODZILLA ~ aka “GODZILLA THE MOVIE”

Leave a comment

Image

Those are the opening lines to the song ‘GODZILLA’ by Blue Oyster Cult from way back..but for some reason, those lyrics kept repeating in my head before & during the movie.. Maybe because it’s so campy funny, or that all Godzilla movies are just that..campy fun. I mean who hasn’t at one point in time or another in their lives like on a rainy Saturday afternoon home, watched a campy, mostly Asian genre-based Godzilla movie as literally one of the best parts was re-enacting the bad English dubbing of them!!  Therein might lie the problem of this movie as I think they just take it a bit to seriously.  I mean they almost could have named it ‘Godzilla Saves the World.’  Mind you it’s not a bad movie..not in the slightest..in actuality it’s entertaining enough and basically that is truly all I ask for in a movie ~ getting my bang for my buck so to speak.  

Bryan Cranston is believable and good enough as “Joe Brody” and ‘blink and you miss her’ Juliette Binoche as his wife “Sandra Brody” is what brings round why the plot of this story is even happening. Aaron Taylor-Johnson as “Ford Brody” son of Joe & Sandra is a welcome relative newcomer for me though I can see he’s been in quite a few things, mostly in the U.K. again, new to me, I liked him in this. Also, his wife, “Elle Brody” played by Elizabeth Olsen makes for another welcome new face and decent enough performances though all were pretty one-dimensional.  But let’s be real, no awards are going to be given in a Gozilla movie!! So simplicity is really best.  Ken Watanabe as “Dr. Ishiro Serizawa” is well..yeah..the scientist that has that perpetual “DOOM” look on his face and Sally Hawkins as “Vivenne Graham” to be honest I’m not really sure why she was in the movie as she didn’t speak for what the 1st hour. plus as Dr. Serizawa’s assistant and with a constant strained face look also, well let’s just say it was a bad choice of roles for an actress who was just up for a deservedly Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress for last years brilliant turn in Blue Jasmine. So a completely wasted performance for me. 

As for the creatures in the movie, I didn’t like the new ones, the MUTO’s as they call them. They reminded me of big fly/spider creatures and I’m never endeared to those kind of monsters. Godzilla however, was a wonderful creative in all his true Godzilla glory and while I didn’t think the fight scenes between the 2 monsters were anything special nor did they seem to show as much as say they did in the old school movies, it got the point across that yes, Godzilla was going to save us from the MUTO’s and is portrayed as the ‘good guy’ in this movie and have a ‘connection’ with the some of the people..*sigh*  Maybe that’s what didn’t roll right with me as isn’t Godzilla supposed to be our sworn enemy as basically all monsters are?  

Lastly, they really tried to bring in the human element story here of the Brody family..While I get you need a backstory, it’s a Monster movie for goodness sakes.. Leave it at that. 

Grade: C-