The First Annual Underrated Film Awards (2012)

What does it mean to be underrated? More often than not there are numerous films which people define as "underrated" meaning people often underestimate the value of the film.  A film often becomes under estimated because a studio may not pay enough for marketing causing a low box office, and while critics like the film the film gets no push.  While critics may bring up their names, these nominees are underrated in my book because there are not enough folks singing the praises of the films, performances etc.

Most of time this is the reason films end up within this bracket.  Every year there are a good amount of films, performances, and even the technical aspects of films, which fall into these brackets.  Here is my first annual Underrated Awards, for films released in 2012.

What films were the most under appreciated this year? There were certain names you heard all the time, Argo, Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln and so on.  While all of these are great films which films were not talked about enough?  Or which films should have had a wider release?  The Independent Spirit Awards and critics awards attention are not enough for most of these films.  This list may be defined as the best you have not seen, but this boils down to underrated in a general sense of things (before you all argue with me).

Most Underrated Films of 2012

21 Jump Street
The Cabin in the Woods

End of Watch 

Middle of Nowhere

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Safety Not Guaranteed 

Seven Psychopaths 

(Middle of Nowhere)

Most Underrated Performances of 2012

Emma Watson-The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Liam Nesson-The Grey

Edith Scob-Holy Motors

Michael Fassbender-Promethues

Seth Rogen-Take this Waltz

Rebel Wilson-Pitch Perfect

(Emma Watson-The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

Most Underrated Technical Aspects of Film (Writing, Direction, Editing etc)

Jacqueline West's Costume Design for Argo

Reinhold Heil, Johnny Kilmek, and Tom Tykwer's Original Score for Cloud Atlas
Terrence Davies Direction for The Deep Blue Sea

The Visual Effects Team for The Impossible
Arthur Max's Production Design for Prometheus

Martin McDonagh's Screenplay for Seven Psychopaths 

A Tribute to Great Television: The West Wing (1999-2006)

Four years after Aaron Sorkin brought audiences into the Oval Office in the film The American President, he created a television series that followed the President's communication team with the television series, The West Wing.  Over the years the show evolved, and became one of the greatest ensembles of all time.

In the beginning the show centered on Sam Seaborn played by the ever talented Rob Lowe.  Sam was the Deputy White House Communications Director, and we saw how he interacted with fellow communications staffers, and a little bit more about his love life; he dated a call girl, and a classy one at that in season one, House's Lisa Edelstein.  Throughout the the first season the show began to evolve, and as Sorkin realized the power of his ensemble, and Commander in Chief, the direction of The West Wing changed ever so slightly.

How could Sorkin centralize this show on Sam when you had Martin Sheen as President Jed Bartlett?  I love Rob Lowe, and he was great in the show, but this ensemble led by Sheen is one of the best.  Eventually Rob Lowe left because of the lack of screen time, and this was a central reason, which created a dispute between he and Sorkin, but beyond this little moment the show kept its central and original cast mainly intact.   Moria Kelly was another original cast member, who played Mandy Hampton.  Unlike Lowe's Sam who was missed Mandy seemed to have a strong purpose in the beginning but as the first season wrapped; she seemed to lose purpose, and even her chemistry with Sam was not enough.

Beyond the rotating cast, the show's central players were some of the best in television history.  Press Secretary and eventual Chief of Staff Claudia Jean (C.J.) Cregg was always my favorite character.  Allison Janney is one of the most brilliant actors; she has this natural talent which blends humor and drama effortlessly.  John Spencer's Leo McGarry was always a close second for me.  Leo was the ever doting Chief of Staff to the President throughout most of the show, but in the last two seasons ran for Vice President with Jimmy Smitts character Matthew Santos.  There was always humility with Spencer's portrayal of Leo; he was a man who struggled with alcoholism, but was the resident support system for everyone.

Talking about this show without mentioning Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), Donna Moss (Janel Maloney), Charlie Young (Dule Hill), Abigail Bartlett (Stockard Channing),  Kathryn Joosten (Mrs. Landingham), and the many recurring characters Amy Gardener (Mary Louise Parker), Danny Concannon (Timothy Bussfield), Zooey Bartlett (Elisabeth Moss), Senator Arnold Vick (Alan Alda), Annabeth Schott (Kristin Chenowith), and I could go on and on.  This show created some of the most amazing characters, moments, speeches, and of course the famous walk and talks.

There is obviously one character missing from my line-up above, and that's because like with most the Commander in Chief is in a category of their own.  Martin Sheen does an amazing job portraying President Jed Bartlett, and the fact that he never won an Emmy for this role is a crime.  Sheen represents what many would call the a "New England elite" but his Jed Bartlett is one of the most grounded educated religious men to sit within the Oval Office, I swear I realize he was not real.  Watching him curse God in church after Mrs. Landingham has died, or putting a reporter in her place when she has not stood when he enters the room.  Yet there were moments when you were able to see the President struggle through the hard times, like during an assassination attempt, covering up his M.S., his daughter being kidnapped, and of course re-election.

The show covered many different topics, and I always wonder how, and if Sorkin would have to adapt the show with the birth of more social media, but The West Wing is a classic.  The show sits within a pantheon tied for the most Emmy wins in the Best Drama category with Mad Men, L.A. Law, and Hill Street Blues.  If you have not see all seven seasons of this show, or stopped towards the end, go back and re-visit the White House, and become inspired by the great writing, and incredible political revelations.  Heck go back, or watch because you want to root for Donna and Josh.  This show inspires me to be my best self, and that is poetic within the television world.  The clip below is my favorite from the series.

Grammy Awards Spread the Wealth Between fun., Gotye, Kanye West, The Black Keys, and Mumford and Sons.

The Grammy Awards were a bit mellow this year with regard to there performances, while T-Swift tried to kick things off with an upbeat note her live performance of "We are Never Getting Back Together" just baffled, and was odd.

Of the performances the person who stole show was Justin Timberlake and his instagram like performance for his new song "Suit and Tie" with Jay-Z.  Along with JT many of the performances while mellow kept the spirit of music alive from Mumford and Sons enchanting "I will Wait" to Kelly Clarkson's powerful vocals.

While the performers often steal the show from the actual awards, this may be one of the years where the Grammy's did a great job spreading the wealth.  fun. took home two major Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best New Artist.  

While many not realize this but the big winners of the night were Gotye, and The Black Keys, Kanye West with three each.  Gotye won for Record of the Year, Best Performance by a Pop Duo or Group, and Best Alternative Album.  The Black Keys stole rock categories winning Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song, and Best Rock Performance.  Kanye won three awards in the rap categories Best Rap Song, Performance, and Performance by a Duo or Group.  Although Dan Auerbach won 4 trophies (lead vocalist an guitarist for The Black Keys) because he also won Producer of the Year (Non-Classical).  While these artists split most of the wins Mumford and Sons went on to win Album of the Year, after winning only one other award.

My favorite moment of the evening was Kelly Clarkson's genuinely shocked expression/hilarious speech as she won Best Pop Vocal Album, and while her win was a shock, she was hilarious and loved the way she did a shout out to Miguel.  I also loved to hate on Taylor Swift as the camera flashed to her knowing everyone's songs and singing and dancing awkwardly.

GRAMMY AWARDS SHOW WINNERS:

Album of the Year-Mumford and Sons-Babel
 Record of the Year: Gotye featuring Kimbra-Somebody that I used to Know

Best New Artist: fun.
Best Country Album: Uncaged, Zac Brown Band
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "No Church in the Wild," Jay-Z and Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean and The-Dream
Best Pop Vocal Album: Stronger, Kelly Clarkson
Best Rock Performance: "Lonely Boy," The Black Keys
Best Urban Contemporary Album: Channel Orange, Frank Ocean
Song of the Year: "We Are Young," fun.
Best Country Solo Performance: "Blown Away," Carrie Underwood
Best Pop Solo Performance: "Set Fire to the Rain [Live]," Adele

PRE-GRAMMY AWARDS SHOW WINNERS:
Producer of the Year: Dan Auerbach
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Somebody That I Used To Know," Goyte feat. Kimbra
Best Alternative Music Album: Making Mirrors, Goyte
Best Rock Album: El Camino, The Black Keys
Best Rock Song: "Lonely Boy," The Black Keys
Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance: "Love Bites (So Do I)," Halestorm
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Kisses on the Bottom, Paul McCartney
Best Country Song: "Blown Away," Carrie Underwood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "Poonton," Little Big Town
Best World Album: The Living Room Sessions Part 1, Ravi Shankar
Best R&B Song: "Adorn," Miguel
Best R&B Performance: "Climax," Usher
Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Love On Top," Beyonce
Best Pop Instrumental Album: Impressions, Chris Botti
Best Rap Album: Take Care, Drake
Best Rap Song: "N****s In Paris," Jay-Z and Kanye West
Best Rap Performace: "N****s In Paris," Jay-Z and Kanye West
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Safe and Sound," Taylor Swift for Hunger Games
Best R&B Album: Black Radio, Robert Glasper
Best Dance/Electronica Album: Bangarang, Skrillex
Best Dance Recording: "Bangarang," Skrillex featuring Sirah
Best Regional Roots Album: The Band Courtbouillon, Wayne Toups, Steve Riley & Wilson Savoy
Best Folk Album: The Goat Rodeo Sessions, Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile
Best Bluegrass Album: Nobody Knows You, Steep Canyon Rangers
Best Blues Album: Locked Down, Dr. John
Best Americana Album: Slipstream, Bonnie Raitt
Best Musical Theater Album: Once: A Musical, Steve Kazee & Cristin Milioti, principal soloists; Steven Epstein & Martin Lowe, producers (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, composers/lyricists)
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album: Midnight In Paris
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Unity Band, Pat Metheny Unity Band
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You), Arturo Sandoval
Best Latin Jazz Album: ¡Ritmo!, The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Radio Music Society, Esperanza Spaulding
Best Improvised Jazz Solo: "Hot House," Gary Buron & Chick Corea
Best New Age Album: Echoes of Love, Oakram
Best Comedy Album: Blow Your Pants Off, Jimmy Fallon
Best Spoken Word Album: Society's Child: My Autobiography, Janis Ian
Best Children's Album: Can You Canoe?, The Okee Dokee Brothers
Best Reggae Album: Rebirth, Jimmy Cliff
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: "Hartke, Stephen: Meanwhile - Incidental Music To Imaginary Puppet Plays," Stephen Hartke
Best Classical Compendium: "Penderecki: Fonogrammi; Horn Concerto; Partita; The Awakening Of Jacob; Anaklasis," Antoni Wit
Best Choral Performance: "Life & Breath—Choral Works By Rene Clausen," Charles Bruffy, conductor (Matthew Gladden, Lindsey Lang, Rebecca Lloyd, Sarah Tannehill & Pamela Williamson; Kansas City Chorale)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: "Meanwhile," Eighth Blackbird
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: "Kurtag & Ligeti: Music For Viola," Kim Kashkashian
Best Classical Vocal Performance: "Poemes," Renee Fleming
Best Producer of the Year, Classical: Blanton Alspaugh
Best Orchestral Performance: "Adams Harmonielehre and Short Ride In A Fast Machine," Michael Tilson Thomas
Best Opera Recording: "Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen,"James Levine and Fabio Luisi
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Life & Breath, Tom Caufield and John Newton
Best Tropical Latin Album: Retro, Marlow Rosado Y La Riqueña
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Pecados Y Milagros, Lila Downs
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: Imaginaries, Quetzal
Best Latin Pop Album, Rock or Urban Album: MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition, Juanes
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Eye on It, TobyMac
Best Gospel Album: Gravity, Lecrae
Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)," Matt Redman, & "Your Presence is Heaven," Israel and New Breed
Best Gospel Song: "Go Get It," Mary Mary
Best Gospel Contemporary Christian Musical Performance: "10,000 Reason (Bless the Lord)," Matt Redman
Best Surround Sound Album: Modern Cool, Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Michael Friedman, surround producer (Patricia Barber)
Best Remixed Recording, Non Classical: "Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix)," Skrillex, remixer (Nero)
Best Engineered Album, Non Classical: The Goat Rodeo Sessions, Richard King, engineer, Richard King, mastering engineer (Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile)
Best Historical Album: The Smile Sessions (Deluxe Box Set), Alan Boyd, Mark Linett, Brian Wilson & Dennis Wolfe, compilation producers; Mark Linett, mastering engineer (The Beach Boys)
Best Album Notes: Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles, Billy Vera, album notes writer (Ray Charles)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Woody At 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection, Fritz Klaetke, art director (Woody Guthrie)
Best Recording Package: "Biophilia," Michael Amzalag & Mathias Augustyniak, art directors (Björk)
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist: "City of Roses," Thara Memory & Esperanza Spalding, arrangers (Esperanza Spalding)
Best Instrumental Arrangement: "How About You," Gil Evans, arranger (Gil Evans Project)
Best Instrumental Composition: "Mozart Goes Dancing," Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Gary Burton)
Best Long Form Music Video: "Big Easy Express," Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros & Old Crow Medicine Show
Best Short Form Music Video: "We Found Love," Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

Oscar Roundup 2012: BAFTAs Leaves Some Oscar Categories Shaken and Stirred Up

Well stick a fork in the Best Picture category folks, Argo has won almost every major Best Picture Award (non-critics), and will be poised to be the first film to win without a director nomination since Driving Miss Daisy in 1989.  Argo won two other prizes at BAFTA, Best Director, and Best Editing.

Affleck winning the Director race across the board, and being snubbed by the Academy poses an interesting question in this category.  Who will win?  Oscar pundits can't use data to help predict this award, predictions have to be based on a hunch this year.  At the moment I think this is a two person race, but surprise surprise I do not think either of those people is Steven Spielberg.  I think the director race is going to be between Ang Lee for Life of Pi, and David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook.  Spielberg may have received thunderous applause at DGA, and he is not out of this race, but Lincoln has been snubbed across the board; he was not even nominated for BAFTA.  Lee is a well like director, and many are impressed with the directorial achievement of this film.  O. Russell is ahead of Spielberg in my book for several reasons, this is seen as a personal project for him (people know this) he also has Harvey behind him, and Harvey could push him for a win in this category because of Affleck's snub.

BAFTA added a little variety to the Best Actress category picking Emanuelle Riva to win over favorites Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence. This is a big win, and here's why.  Silver Linings Playbook did not receive many nominations from BAFTA, they only received two nominations, and while no one predicted O. Russell to win Adapted Screenplay, he did, another surprise.  If BAFTA liked the film enough they would have picked Lawrence.  Zero Dark Thirty took home no awards, and while Chastain could still win she is in third place in my book.  While Zero Dark is fading Silver Linings Playbook is gaining momentum, and Amour is clearly beloved.  Winning at BAFTA in this category is a pretty good sign for a win at Oscar, Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady, Natalie Portman in Black Swan, Marion Cotillard in La vie en Rose, and many more.  While this is not fool proof this gives Emanuelle Riva a massive bump in the voting season.  Look for her to surprise with a potential win.

BAFTA has added another interesting layer to the Best Supporting Actor category as well.  Christoph Waltz who won the Golden Globe, won at BAFTA here today.  Tommy Lee Jones won at SAG.  Phillip Seymour Hoffman won at the critics choice, so wins at the Oscars?  Several critics on Twitter have said it best Waltz is lead in a supporting category, which gives him the edge, and the Academy likes this type of performance.  Waltz could take this!  Django also won in Best Original Screenplay, and while Tarantino is not up for WGA, neither is its fiercest competitor Amour.  Look for Tarantino to win screenplay, making up for his loss for Inglorious Basterds in 2009.

The other big surprises is that Les Miserables won four trophies (Best Production Design, Best Make-Up/Hair, Best Sound, and Best Supporting Actress).  The film is a British production so I am not surprised it won these awards, but may not at the Oscars.  The other British film which scored big was Skyfall, which won for Best British Film, and Best Score (Thomas Newman).

Overall BAFTA seals the deal for wins by Argo (Best Picture, Best Editing), Daniel Day-Lewis (Best Actor), Anne Hathaway (Best Supporting Actress), Life of Pi (Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects), Anna Karenina (Best Costume Design), and Amour (Best Foreign Language Film), and the rest are up to the fate of the Oscar Gods.

BEST FILM

X - "Argo"

"Life of Pi"

"Lincoln"

"Les Misérables"

"Zero Dark Thirty"

BEST BRITISH FILM 

"Anna Karenina"

"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"

"Les Misérables"

"Seven Psychopaths"

X - "Skyfall"

BEST DIRECTOR

Michael Haneke, "Amour"

X - Ben Affleck, "Argo"

Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"

Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"

Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"

BEST ACTOR 

Ben Affleck, "Argo"

Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"

X - Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"

Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"

Hugh Jackman, "Les Misérables"

BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Marion Cotillard, "Rust and Bone"

Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Helen Mirren, "Hitchcock"

X - Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Alan Arkin, "Argo"

Javier Bardem, "Skyfall"

Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"

Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"

X - Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, "The Master"

Judi Dench, "Skyfall"

Sally Field, "Lincoln"

X - Anne Hathaway, "Les Misérables"

Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

"Amour"

X - "Django Unchained"

"The Master"

"Moonrise Kingdom"

"Zero Dark Thirty"

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

"Argo"

"Beasts of the Southern Wild"

"Life of Pi" 

"Lincoln"

X - "Silver Linings Playbook"

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM 

X - "Amour"

"Headhunters"

"The Hunt"

"The Intouchables"

"Rust and Bone"

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"The Imposter"

"Marley"

"McCullin"

X-"Searching for Sugar Man"

"West of Memphis"

BEST ANIMATED FILM 

X - "Brave"

"Frankenweenie"

"ParaNorman"

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

"Anna Karenina"

"Life of Pi"

"Lincoln"

X - "Les Misérables"

"Skyfall"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

"Anna Karenina"

X - "Life of Pi"

"Lincoln"

"Les Misérables"

"Skyfall"

BEST COSTUME DESIGN 

X - "Anna Karenina"

"Great Expectations"

"Les Misérables"

"Lincoln"

"Snow White and the Huntsman"

BEST EDITING

X - "Argo"

"Django Unchained"

"Life of Pi"

"Skyfall"

"Zero Dark Thirty"

BEST MAKEUP & HAIR 

"Anna Karenina"

"Hitchcock"

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

"Lincoln"

X - "Les Misérables"

BEST SCORE

"Anna Karenina"

"Argo"

"Life of Pi"

"Lincoln"

X - "Skyfall"

BEST SOUND

"Django Unchained"

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

"Life of Pi"

X - "Les Misérables"

"Skyfall"

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

"The Avengers"

"The Dark Knight Rises"

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"

X - "Life of Pi"

"Prometheus"

BEST DEBUT BY BRITISH WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Thina Garavi (writer/director), "I Am Nasrine"

X - Bart Layton (writer) and Dimitri Doganis (producer), "The Imposter"

David Morris (director) and Jacqui Morris (director/producer), "McCullin"

James Bobin (director), "The Muppets"

Dexter Fletcher (writer/director) and Danny King (writer), "Wild Bill"

RISING STAR AWARD

Elizabeth Olsen

Andrea Riseborough

Suraj Sharma

X - Juno Temple

Alicia Vikander