Emmy Dream Ballot: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2012-2013)

The men of drama caused quite a stir this year, ranging from a man battling a zombie apocalypse and losing his wife to man posing to a regular everyday American, but is actually Soviet spy in an arranged marriage.  This year's list is filled with many new comers ousting out some old favorites.  These men while complex and flawed prove that there are still great roles for men out there....wait, that's always been true.  What's most important about the evolution of this category is the wide range of men who have filled these five or six spots over the last decade have become more and more interesting.  Please note not one of these men is from a network television series.

Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad

Cranston is the only veteran returning for a fifth time; he has the most nominations, and has not missed a year in my own personal awards.  Cranston took Walt to new levels with Gus dead, and him in charge.  Walt took to new levels of darkness while trying to cling to being a part of his family.  As Skylar zoned out, Walt turned into a darker more intense man who is starting to get hooked into the game.  Watching him with that look in his eyes as he took control, and even killed was one of the most intense experiences of the last season of Breaking Bad.  Cranston takes Walt to new levels and is one of the best working in actors in all of television and film today.

Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy in The Newsroom

While some called Will one note, I think he is one of the most interesting characters of the 2012-2013 television season.  Daniels has become a force to reckoned with on stage and screen, and he has developed one great character within this show.  Will's rant alone in the first episode about the collapse of our society and journalism is reason enough for him to score a nomination, it is one of my favorite monologues from a television series.  Daniels is great in this show, and I love the way he flexes his pen is mightier than the sword wit on the camera it is truly a work of art.

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead

Wow, is all I can say.  While Walking Dead started to lose me with all of that Andrea/Mayor stuff, Lincoln kept me engrossed in the show.  Andrew Lincoln was the reason to watch this past season of Dead, his performance when he lost his wife Laurie was heart wrenching, and the after math even more.  Watching Rick struggle through not only the loss of his wife, but the battle with "the Mayor" was also worth the watch.Lincoln is one of the most underrated actors working on television, and this past season is proof that people need to take him more seriously.

Damien Lewis as Nicholas Brody in Homeland

The episode "Q&A," nuff' said.  While many folks complained that Homeland was soapier than season one, and that is namely because of the back and forth romance between Carrie and Brody, but the performances took things beyond that level.  Lewis was the all star of season one, and that level performance continued this season as he tried to not only play a double agent but stay true to his mission.  During the interrogation the intensity in Brody was some of the best acting Lewis has ever done, and watching him slip as he lost everything, or was about to lose everything including his family was some great acting.

Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings in The Americans

Kevin Walker, is that you? What a transformation.  While the show itself had growing pains in my opinion, the acting was top notch and Rhys himself was one of the best performers of the year.  Watching him fight to keep his family together, and avoid being found out as a Communist spy was some of the most intense television of the year.  One of Rhys best scenes was where he confronts the man who raped his wife, and kills him.  The intensity in Phillip's face as he kills the man proves that there is more this than an arranged marriage.  Rhys proves his acting chops here, and makes this show even better with his performance.

Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood in House of Cards

Who said you can't break the fourth wall?  This works so well in this show, and Spacey is a master of the theatrical.  Franics Underwood is representative of what I assume most politicians in DC to be like, sneaky, manipulative, and mainly out for themselves.  There is honestly nothing redeeming about this character; he uses people and spits them out, all on his way to getting what he wants.  Yet over the course of the season Spacey creates one of the most layered anti-heroes on television (well Netflix) proving like with Don Draper being a "good guy" or having redeeming qualities can be over rated.  Spacey hits every note and action with grace making you remember why he has two Academy Awards.

Runner Ups: Hugh Dancy as Will Graham in Hannibal, Timothy Olyphant as U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens, 

Argo Wins Best Ensemble at SAG, Downton Abbey and Modern Family win on Television Side

Tonight Argo stepped even closer to a Best Picture win at the Academy Awards.  Argo has now won Best Picture at the Broadcast Film Critics Association, Golden Globes, Producer's Guild Awards, and here.  At this very moment I can feel many film critics and Oscar pundits switching their Lincoln Best Picture win to Argo.  One of the most intriguing things to me is if Argo wins Best Picture who wins Best Director?  I will be theorizing that one for a while.

In the other film categories Lincoln picked up two trophies one for Best Lead Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), and one for Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones).  Day-Lewis has the Best Actor prize in the bag, and Tommy Lee Jones has a strong shot at the Best Supporting Actor award, but he was not there to accept, so look for missing Christoph Waltz to be a spoiler.

Jennifer Lawrence made the Best Actress category more interesting tonight beating Jessica Chastain, this puts Lawrence out front, but never count out any surprises although with Harvey Weinstein behind her campaign she has the best chance.  Anne Hathaway further proved that her dream she dreamt will come true winning Best Supporting Actress, and I like that she thanked her Dark Knight cast; she gave a much better speech.

On the television side the Comedy Winners remained as stale as day old bread.  Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey whom I love won for Best Actor and Actress, and obviously it was as a parting gift for their great work on 30 Rock.  Modern Family also won for a third year in a row, and while I love their ensemble there are so many other great ensembles out there.  I guess I am just glad Betty White did not win this year or else they would have been the exact same winners as last year.  Baldwin and Modern Family have won together for the last three years, sloppy!

In the mini-series or movie category rubber stamped winner Kevin Costner and Julianne Moore won.  Costner was not present, but neither were any of his competition.  I think this is the first time in all my years of watching award shows where not a single nominee in a category has shown up.

The drama categories finally shook things up for the television world.  Best Actor went to Bryan Cranston he beat out front runner Damien Lewis.  Claire Danes was not nominated last year, but won Best Actress last year.  Downton Abbey won Best Ensemble, and I loved watching the actress who plays Mrs. Hughes accept for the cast; she was too precious.

One of the highlights of the evening was watching Dick Van Dyke get his lifetime achievement award. In watching his film reel, and hearing beautiful but brief acceptance of the award it was a great moment in one of the more boring award shows.

Argo is a Thrilling, Gripping Edge of Your Seat Thriller with a bit of Comedy Thrown in now and again Creating Near Perfection

Argo (4 1/2 out of 5 Stars)

Directed by Ben Affleck (Gone Baby Gone, The Town)

Written by Chris Terrio (Heights)

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Alan Arkin

Fifteen years ago Ben Affleck was soon to take the stage at the Academy Awards with best buddy Matt Damon for writing the screenplay for the film Good Will Hunting.  As the years passed Affleck took on more roles acting, from blockbusters like Armageddon to some major flops like Gigli.  The Gigli disaster happened in 2003.  

Four years later Mister Affleck took a different vantage point, one from the directors seat, with the film adaptation Gone Baby Gone.  Gone garnered an Oscar nomination for Amy Ryan, and was well reviewed.  Three years later he directed and adapted the screenplay for the film The Town.  The Town's reviews were even better, and also garnered an Oscar nomination for Jeremy Renner.  Affleck's career has evolved as a celebrity, but more so this film proves his evolution as an auteur. Argo is a thrilling, gripping edge of your seat thriller with a bit of comedy thrown in now and again creating near perfection.

Argo centers around the 1979 Iranian Revolution.   Islamic militants storm the US embassy in Iran, they end up holding 52 people hostage while 6 people end up escaping, seeking refuge in the  house of the Canadian Ambassador.  In order to get the six Americans out of Iran a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist named Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) works to concoct a plan to get the Americans out of Iran.  Mendez works with one of colleagues Jack O'Donnell (Bryan Cranston) and comes up with an idea to create a fake movie entitle Argo to get into Iran and out with the six Americans.

The premise sounds absurd but this is based on real life events.  Mendez real life actions were awarded a secret honor, and then quickly revoked in order to keep this mission, and the extent of US involvement hidden, until the 90s when President Bill Clinton opened the file and honored Mendez.  This story is an important one, and shows the volatile nature of this part of the world continues to be a hot spot.  Many will compare this revolution to the current situation going on in Libya, but there is sheer brilliance in the way this story is told, and how it builds to a gripping finale.

The star of this film (in all ways possible) is leading man/director Ben Affleck.  Affleck moves away from Boston and into the terrain of Hollywood and Iran.  One of my favorite lines in the script comes from the fake make-up artists on the film John Chambers (John Goodman) in which he states "So you want to come to Hollywood and and act like a big shot without actually doing anything?..You will fit right in."  This along with the line about anyone being able to direct are laugh out loud moments, but Affleck proves everyone may be able to point the camera, and shoot, but not everyone can create such great work.  This is one of the best films of the year, and Affleck's direction helps set the stage for everything to be made possible.

I always love thinking about a director, directing himself, and what pointers they must give.  This makes me laugh.  Affleck has however coached himself into making people forget some of his awful film roles because his performance as Mendez is incredible.  This is one stellar ensemble filled with the men behind the scenes in DC and Hollywood.  Alan Arkin plays the fake film's director, and his one liners add some great levity to this film.  Goodman and Arkin are truly a dynamic duo.  Bryan Cranston continues to prove why he is not only a brilliant leading man in television, but how he can take any role, and make it stand out on the screen.  Affleck is at ease with strong ensembles, his last two films had incredible casts, and he made each character deep and contextual.  

New screenwriter Chris Terrio words help blend the tension and comedy brilliantly; he appears to have a knack for showing multi-faceted layers, which is something that will land him lots of acclaim.  William Goldenberg's masterful editing blends the real life imagery of the storming of the embassy with Affleck's camera work; he also provides some great cuts that allow the films tension to gain momentum, and blend every aspect of the film together.  Alesandre Desplat's score is haunting, and creates this genius connection with the historical time period along with the different elements of the film.  Together 

all of these pieces fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, taut with perfection. 

As this films tensions builds, and the history lesson ends (well sort of) you sit back listen to Jimmy Carter talk, and realize that as a society we are in a vicious cycle with this part of the world.  Fear is a constant throughout this film, you are afraid you will lose these people, even though you may know the outcome, but the fear is salient with society today as well.  Does this film teach lessons?  Yes, two.  The first seems to be we need to take a step back on things we do not know or understand, i.e. cultures, and parts of the globe.  The second is how to make a modern day thriller about real life events.

Dream Emmy Ballot: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

I was looking at my list of nominees and the Television Critics Awards nominees and I realized something pretty interesting, my lead nominees are the same as theirs.  Now before you skeptics say I just picked the same nominees, look at my supporting dream ballots,they are different.  I also picked my nominees before these nominations were announced, guess I should should be part of this group, I will be sending my application posthaste.

Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad-This may be one of my favorite categories this year.  Like all of the other men within this category Walter White is an incredibly complex character.  Cranston has continued to make this one of the best characters to ever exist, and as the year passed by not only did he reach darker places, but there is this incredible balance where Walter still tries to be a good husband/father even through the muck.  This year was no different, and unlike most Cranston has taken on this role without flinching.

Kelsey Grammer as Mayor Tom Kane in Boss-Grammer played this incredible comedic roles on television the last 20 years from Cheers to Frasier to Back to You.  Grammer shatters each of these images as Mayor Tom Kane.  Tom Kane is a brilliant heavy man who not only works to crush his opponents, politically, but he also does this while hiding a debilitating neurological disorder. While Boss is a clunker in the ratings, Grammer carries this show, and makes it one of the most realistic portrayals of the complex political structure.

John Hamm as Don Draper in Mad Men-I never thought I would see the day when Don Draper was speechless, but the moment Peggy walked away from him, the look on Hamm's face was priceless. Cut to a week later when he found Lane Price hanging in his office.  Don Draper went through a bit of a change this year, an almost evolutionary change.  While still misogynistic (by nature) his new wife made him a better husband, along with being faithful.  I liked seeing the softer sides of this man, especially his night out with Joan.

Charlie Hunnam as Jackson "Jax" Teller in Sons of Anarchy-Hunnam has always been an incredible force within this show, but this category always seemed to hold too many strong contenders which prevented him from making my list.  This year Hunnam took his performance to the next level as he challenged his Machiavellian stepfather, and finally took their relationship to a crossroads.  Like with Homeland Hunnam often gets lost in the shuffle to Katey Sagal (Lewis to Danes).  Hunnam is a lesser known actor, but his talent should no longer be hidden.

Damien Lewis as Nicholas Brody in Homeland- Where do this man's loyalties lie? Brody is a master manipulator; he is the soldier long thought dead while fighting in Iraq, but surprise he has been alive, and now be a sleeper agent sent to wreak havoc on the government using his hero status.  This is one of the most brilliant cat and mouse narratives ever to play out on television, and while most give the credit to Danes (she is brilliant) many forget the sheer complexity to Lewis's role, and the way he makes love and hate him without knowing him, brilliant work!

Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in Justified-U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is one kick-ass guy, and Timothy Olyphant exudes this raw magnetism when he walks on the screen.  Olyphant brings on the southern charm while being a complete bad ass in the next breath.In an article I read about Olyphant and his portrayal as Raylan Givens the writer said "he is the kind of man who "buys you a drink before he puts a bullet in you."  I love watching this man on the screen; he is a terrific actor, and does a great job with this role.