- Four years ago…in a Galaxy Very, Very Close By (The Internet), a site was created to uphold a film-goer’s love of Oscar all year round. That site was (and still is) known as The Awards Circuit, the premiere site for anything movie-awards related, focusing primarily on the annual Academy Awards. Yet, our vision has surpassed our original prognostication trademark. Four years later, we have now become one of the biggest and best sites for all things film and television; this includes: news, reviews, trailers, opinion pieces, staff predictions, television recaps, and much, much more. We strive to be an incomparable force in the cinematic kingdom for providing a plethora of news information concerning the top echelons of the entertainment medium. However, we would have never been here to begin with if not for our amazing editor, Clayton Davis, who created this site after The Oscar Igloo’s original editor had to step down. Credit must also be given to our amazingly eclectic staff of writers, who each bring a fresh perspective to different parts of the film and television worlds in each of their articles. Most importantly, we have to thank the readers who stuck by us through the thick and thin, never wavering in loyalty or affection for our cause. You are all the primary reason why we’ve managed to stick around this long, and we thank you for your unflinching dedication as avid readers. If it isn’t already obvious, this past week The Awards Circuit celebrated its 4th Year Anniversary. I implore everyone to please read the reflective piece that Clayton wrote while at the same time looking toward our unlimited future. Nothing stood out quite as much this week as that landmark celebration, and we look forward to many more years of continued success. Thank you for being a part of our four year journey as a site!
- We began the week with Joey Magidson’s review of Brit Marling’s Sound of My Voice. Although not entirely a nightmare to Joey, this film ultimately frustrated Mr. Magidon by its sloppily-handled loose ending. Things certainly got better for Joey as the week went along. God Bless America received a positive review, particularly stemming from its brash and brazen handling of satire. However, there was one particular film that no one could escape from (Sorry Robert, not even you can “lock them doors and turn them lights down low” to avoid this phenomenon), and it also happened to be one of Mr. Magidson’s top films of the year: The Avengers. Having already seen the film, I can attest to its greatness, and I’ll be even more bowled over by its sure-to-be recording-breaking box office numbers once everything is tallied later this afternoon. Highest-grossing first weekend release ever? Well, I doubt the egos of Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Nick Fury would have it any other way. Joey’s next review was the remake of the 1980′s Red Dawn. It’s yet ANOTHER film that stars Chris Hemsworth this year (drinking game…begin!). Joey concluded his film review sessions with the poorly executed The Giant Mechanical Man.
- Joey’s DVD Pick-of-the-Week happens to be one of my favorite films of 2012 (even though I saw it in 2011 at last year’s AFI Festival). Yep, it’s Steven Soderbergh’s genre-evolving action flick, Haywire. Not nearly enough people saw it in theaters, so do yourself a favor and go see this film right away! The fight scene between Michael Fassbender and Gina Carano is one for the ages! For his vintage selection, Joey picked Superman: The Movie as his choice in honor of The Avenger’s release.
- Television certainly had its fair share of surprises this week. On Dancing with the Stars, Jaleel White was given the boot after his Dance-Off with Roshon Fegan. At the beginning of the season, many pundits thought this former teen-icon would go all the way to the end and nab that Mirror Ball Trophy. White’s elimination proves that nothing is for certain until those dancing shoes hit that shiny wooden floor. The surprises continued on The Voice this week when presumed frontrunner, Jamar Rogers, was sent home after Juliet Simms delivered an indisputably perfect cover of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” It’s also an unfair world, as Jamar and Juliet both should have made it to the finale if not for that silly “one member from each coach’s team” rule (Both were members of Cee Lo’s team). In a surprisingly unsurprising turn of events, Phillip Phillips managed to make the final four on American Idol despite botching both his performances, easily separating himself from the rest as the worst of the bunch. It’s no surprise he’s become the official “Vote For the Worst” mascot. If there is any justice left on Idol, Phillip will go this coming week. I’m not holding my breath, as I’d probably be long dead by doing so when Phillip manages to coax out a win this year. Finally, Clayton delivered the most recent television review: Don’t Trust the B**** In Apt. 23. Clayton seemed to trust her, as he discovered a sitcom filled with promise, headlined by a delightful cast that espoused dark comedy oh so brilliantly.
- Joey Magidson presented our first “Under the Circuit” article with his examination of the career of Joe Wright, director of Atonement and Pride and Prejudice, whose latest, Anna Karenina, is releasing closer to the holidays. Could this year mark Wright’s first Oscar nomination in the directing category? With an ability to fully draw in even the most diehard contrarians to the romance genre, Joe Wright is one of our finest working directors today. I cannot wait to see his take on a Tolstoy classic.
- The first televised award show nominations have been announced! The 2012 MTV Movie Award voters delivered some surprisingly stellar picks with their nomination lineup. And lest we forget the universe that is Broadway, this year’s Tony Nominations had the musical adaptation of Once leading the pack with a whopping 11 nominations! I guess this beloved film isn’t “falling slowly” when it comes to the attention of the masses — quite the opposite in fact!
- New staff writer Mark Johnson continues to bring us some refreshingly creative articles. Aside from his persuasive review of Kirby Dick’s documentary, The Invisible War, Mark brought us two terrific pieces that sparked great discussion: The newly created “Circuit 3″ Article (which will be featured on a weekly basis every Thursday) and “10 Films to Be Excited for This Summer.” Please check them out and participate if you haven’t already! Mark is doing an awesome job ensuring every reader brings their own movie opinions to the forefront with his “water cooler” pieces.
- Finally, Terence Johnson is taking the initiative to set up a recurring article entitled “Late Pass.” The way this article functions is by giving a summary of all the important tidbits of movie/television/you-name-it news we may have missed this week. In a sense, it’s like a “Circuit Round-Up” for news, except the article highlights major new scoops that fell through the cracks until Terence lassoed them in. Please make sure to check out Terence’s “Late Pass” edition at the end of each week!
- Thank you all for another terrific week here at The Awards Circuit. Our 4th Year Anniversary has passed, and although we are still celebrating, our work never ceases. Enjoy another great week, and thanks for reading!
My name is Joseph Braverman. I am 24 years old and a recent graduate from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Digital Media. I love watching and analyzing films and television shows. I have a huge obsession with "Best Of" or "Top #" lists. I am currently living in Los Angeles, CA, trying to become enmeshed in the movie industry scene in any way possible. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @JBAwardsCircuit.
Joey Magidson
May 6, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Thanks for reading, as always!
Joey Magidson(Quote) (Reply)