Welcome to another fun-filled week with NBC’s The Voice. While this episode left me with the weakest impression of auditions this season, there was enough talent on display to convince me that The Voice continues to be a stronger force in quality than its competitor, American Idol. However, Idol’s last “Vegas” themed episode was a bit stronger than this recent showing of The Voice, and it will be interesting to see who ends up victorious in my eyes at the end of the season. Like I mentioned in previous recaps, it’s going to take a lot for American Idol to overcome The Voice after three horrible back-to-back episodes. I don’t particularly mind, since I haven’t felt this excited about a singing competition show in a very long time, so let The Voice sit high and mighty as of right now. It deserves to. With that said, it’s time to dive head in to some performance reviews, beginning of course with the acts that failed to make the judges turn around. Because the blind auditions are getting down to the wire, don’t expect my reviews to be as harsh as they have been the last couple of times. There were certainly contenders in the group that failed to make the grade, but the judges are filling up their final group slots and cannot afford to make a mistake if they want the strongest team possible. Once again, the cuts, while disappointing, were necessary. Check out which auditions couldn’t quite get their act together, pun intended, after the jump:
Read more on ‘The Voice’ Recap: Blind Auditions #4…
Subscribe
Follow us on:
‘The Voice’ Recap: Blind Auditions #4
‘American Idol’ Recap: Vegas Round and Top 42 Revealed
Lights, camera, Vegas! Welcome to another episode of…American Idol. Not only was this episode the best of the entire season thus far, but it finally proved why Randy has been so high on Season Eleven for the past two weeks. Let’s face it, Hollywood Week was a miserable mess, and a trip to the desert was just the cure to alleviate the torture Hollywood Week put us through as viewers. I’m not saying American Idol has reached the upper echelons of its former quality, but I also think that it certainly redeemed itself with an episode that showcased many potential stars in the making, as well as providing us with some great feedback and criticism from our panel of judges. When Jennifer Lopez is on her judging game, only Simon Cowell tops her in this field. Lopez’s critiques are precise, helpful, and always spot on. She knows how far to push a contestant with a critique without making them collapse into tears, and even the let downs and cuts aren’t quite as painful to watch. That being said, there were three individuals tonight who I felt were robbed a shot at a spot in the Top 42. That’s right folks, the numbers have now been dwindled to 42 remaining contestants. After the jump, find out who made the top 42, who I select as my final “Top 5 to Watch” (yep, this is the last time these honors will be awarded this season), and most importantly: I predict who will make American Idol Season 11′s Top 24.
Read more on ‘American Idol’ Recap: Vegas Round and Top 42 Revealed…
‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week Recap: Group Rounds and Final Solos
Welcome back to another week of American Idol. Well, I guess I cannot complain too much because unlike last episode, which seemed silly to write a recap, people were actually singing instead of an hour showcasing DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA! However, I nearly keeled over in shock when Randy Jackson said of all eleven seasons, this was the best talent. Are you kidding me!? Either the editing has been atrocious this season, or something else is going on, because we haven’t seen talent this lackluster since Season Three. I’m not kidding — the kids can all certainly sing, but only a handful are making me sit up and pay attention. These five individuals will receive my weekly “Top 5 To Watch” of the week honors during this recap. I really hope some stars come to fruition, because after losing four of my “Top 5 to Watch” folks in Ethan Jones, Kyle Crews, Reis Kloeckener, and (I think) Brittany Zika, somebody had better stand out! Let’s get right into the thick of things after the jump. Read more on ‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week Recap: Group Rounds and Final Solos…
TV Review: Comic Book Men (***)
I really dislike reality TV, and honestly don’t watch much television at all, so I usually need some sort of hook to get me to tune in. ‘Comic Book Men’ does that by taking the ‘Pawn Stars’ set up and filters it through the slightly watered down vision of Kevin Smith (go figure that he’d be the one to get me to write my first ever television-related piece). The result is pretty entertaining to me, but I will say that I’m not sure who the show is for outside of the filmmaker’s fans. It’s not as deep into the history of the collectables as ‘Pawn Stars’ is, and it doesn’t focus on the lives of the employees as much as most reality TV does, so it’s kind of a mixed bag. I’m recommending it because I laughed a lot and sitting in for their conversations, but I know AMC has a somewhat tough sell on their hands with this. Hardcore comic book fans will find the conversations too simplistic, and non fans of Kevin Smith won’t be into watching it to begin with, I’d think. I suppose if you’re like me and already know the names Walter Flanagan, Bryan Johnson, and Ming Chen (to name a few) from Smith discussing them on his podcasts or their own shows (Tell-Em Steve-Dave and Puck Nuts), then gazing into their work lives has its appeal. If not, I don’t know that this is going to have anything to offer you.
Read more on TV Review: Comic Book Men (***)…
Read more‘The Voice’ Recap: Blind Auditions #3
Welcome to the third blind audition episode of NBC’s The Voice. While the last episode still remains the series’ best overall and the best of 2012 in television programming, there was no major slow down to this show’s continuous dominance over American Idol. Like I said in my previous recap, The Voice is growing stronger and becoming a more legitimate threat to Idol’s ratings with its improved production quality, more settled in judges, and better discovery of unique voices with more distinct personalities. If The Voice continues on this track, it could be a major force to be reckoned with come Emmy time, possibly earning its first nomination and potentially knocking down The Amazing Race‘s nearly unbeatable incumbent status over the “Reality Competition Program” category. High praise, but thus far The Voice hasn’t lost its fuel or its steam. Let’s jump right into the thick of things, analyzing each successful blind audition and even turning our attention to those who weren’t met with spinning chairs.
Read more on ‘The Voice’ Recap: Blind Auditions #3…
Check out Jean Dujardin on Saturday Night LIVE!
In case you missed it!
If that Oscar didn’t already look like it’s his.
Read more on Check out Jean Dujardin on Saturday Night LIVE!…
2012 Grammy Award Winners!
Adele sweeps the 54th Annual Grammy Awards.
Last night at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, the best singer and the best overall musician of 2011 swept all major categories, including “Album of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” and “Record of the Year.” The British sensation, Adele, becomes just one of only two female artists in history to receive all six major music category wins. The Grammy Awards are notorious for not rewarding the most successful or popular artist with major wins, instead giving bizarre wins to artists who not only failed to make an impact on the charts but who barely anyone has even heard of. It was nice to see such a deserving artist make a clean sweep of the show. There is nothing wrong in awarding the underdog, but when it’s so clearly obvious that one individual artist has single-handedly enraptured not just the nation, but the world, with the power of her vocal instrument, it would be an injustice not to hand that artist all possible wins. If Whitney Houston and Adele have proven anything this year, it’s that big voices, not auto-tune singers, can still reign supreme on music’s biggest night. Adele was not the only benefactor from last night’s awards ceremony. Check out the entire list of winners right here: Read more on 2012 Grammy Award Winners!…
Read more2012 Grammy Awards Preview and Predictions
It’s a bit difficult right now to try and discuss and report on the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in light of the fact that legendary singer, Whitney Houston, has tragically passed away at age 48. This was to be a big night for her, and so I think it’s safe to say all of us feel a bit weary going into tonight’s telecast. I certainly believe there will be a tribute of some sort this evening for Whitney Houston, and I sincerely hope they do her proud. She deserves it. As for the rest of this article’s Grammy coverage, I would live to preview the show by listing who will be performing tonight as well as predict who should and who will win music’s most important award. Without further ado, let’s take a look at what the 54th Grammy Awards have in store for us. Read more on 2012 Grammy Awards Preview and Predictions…
‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week Recap: Day One
Woe is me, for American Idol has just reached a new low this week, with the introduction of Hollywood Week being eclipsed by one singer’s dramatic collapse from the stage. Really, Idol, are you going to capitalize on the drama of a contestant by ending the episode on a cliffhanger with her collapsing as a means to boost declining ratings? Did the shark really jump tonight, or am I alone in feeling that this was the single WORST EPISODE of American Idol we have seen since Season Nine’s announcement of the Top 12, where talent like Alex Lambert, Katelyn Epperly, and Lily Scott were cut in favor of vocal serial killers like Tim Urban and Paige Miles? Seriously, if someone would have told me a month ago that The Voice would have a stronger showing in its second season than Idol did in its eleventh, after an impeccable season last year, I would have probably laughed and screamed Steven Tyler’s “Dream On!” But low and behold, it has happened. With two stellar episodes of The Voice under its belt, and a so-so audition run by Idol, followed by a distasteful Hollywood Week episode, it’s hard not to jump on the Superbowl lead-out’s bandwagon. Does this mean the end is near for Idol? After being a fan for eleven seasons and witnessing the discovery of America’s finest talent and biggest superstars, I can’t jump ship quite yet. However, I can honestly say that so far The Voice has proven a superior show both in quality of production and discovery of strong vocal talent. From The Voice, I still have Jamar Roger’s “Seven Nation Army” song from two days ago stuck in my head, and have yet to fully commit myself to a single Idol contestant so far this season. I’m not saying Idol is lacking talent. I’m just saying that as a whole, this doesn’t feel like the same show that gave us Haley Reinhart and James Durbin just one year ago. I am Idol’s biggest supporter and want it to succeed, but I have to be honest when push comes to shove, and observe that The Voice has done its homework this season while Idol derives excitement from a contestant’s misfortune. Check out my recap of Hollywood Week, highlighting the five best contestants after the jump. Read more on ‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week Recap: Day One…
‘The Voice’ Recap Blind Auditions #2
If you thought the season two premiere was a big success, and it was at 37 million viewers, you won’t believe how stellar the second episode of The Voice is. Yesterday I said that The Voice may put a dent in American Idol’s impenetrable armor, but now I firmly think that armor may soon shatter with this season’s high quality of talent and unique voices. This episode was easily the BEST EPISODE of 2012 from a television program I have seen thus far. With interesting backgrounds (hello U.S. Air Force YouTube Singing Sensation) and winning personalities, the contestants who auditioned were more than meets their voice. I had issues with the lack of genuine personalities emerging last season, and I can finally say the casting department has delivered some legitimate contenders who are as interesting as they are vocally superior. With so many hits out of the ball park tonight, I felt like I was listening to a Michael Jackson Greatest Hits album. It was that pleasing to the ear. So that now I’ve totally unleashed my excitement, let’s highlight some of the contestants that were successful enough to garner a spot on either Team Blake, Team Christina, Team Cee Lo, or Team Adam. Read more on ‘The Voice’ Recap Blind Auditions #2…
TV Review: Remodeled (*)
Ever heard of Gordon Ramsey? That great chef who goes into other people’s restaurants and completely takes it over? Ever heard of Tabatha Coffey? She is that amazing stylist who goes into other peoples salons and also takes over? Well now we have Paul Fisher, who is apparently a legend in the modeling industry, I know this because he says this on repeat during his first episode of Remodeled.
Read more on TV Review: Remodeled (*)…
TV Review: Are You There, Chelsea? (*1/2)
Are you there, Chelsea? has left me quite perturbed. I just don’t know how to feel about it. I know that I don’t like the show, I know that the jokes are weak and based primarily around sex, but I also know that given better writing material the show has potential, and can be better, a lot better.
Read more on TV Review: Are You There, Chelsea? (*1/2)…
‘The Voice’ Premiere Recap
The biggest Sunday of the year not only offered us America’s largest television fixation, the Superbowl, but premiered the second season of NBC’s breakout singing-competition show, The Voice. Last season, I had a lot of issues with the premiere. I felt like the judge’s made the entire program all about themselves, specifically the warring insults flung across the rotating chairs between Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine. As the show slowly started to find its footing, especially in the Battle Round stages, I grew to appreciate it. Will it ever topple my first love, American Idol? Not at this stage, but the season two premiere felt far more confident, organized, and enthusiastic about finding the next great vocal sensation. Even the judges banter left me with nostalgic smiles instead of nauseous rumblings this second go-around. All in all, this show might, and I stress might, put a serious chink in Idol’s armor this season if it carries the sure-to-be gargantuan viewership that the Superbowl consequently churns to its follow-up program. Read more on ‘The Voice’ Premiere Recap…
TV Review: The Firm (**1/2)
If you have not heard the news already, NBC’s new drama thriller, The Firm, has just been taken off NBC’s Thursday night lineup to make room for a new series, Awake. While the show has yet to be confirmed as canceled, its move to Saturday is a death sentence that’s just waiting for the guillotine to release. Therefore, I thought I’d push out a review of the series in light of its soon-to-be demise, and perhaps discuss why the series spiraled to such low viewership. I mean, this is NBC we are talking about, so low viewership is almost a certain guarantee, but with Josh Lucas taking over Tom Cruise’s Mitch McDeere role, Grisham’s personal involvement in the rebooted sequel as executive producer, and a suspenseful plot to boot, this show should have been a formula for somewhat of a moderate success. So what went wrong and what can we learn about unsuccessful, high-produced shows such as these, with strong investment and big names attached to them? Find out after the jump. Read more on TV Review: The Firm (**1/2)…
American Idol Auditions: Week 3 Wrap Up
Picking the Top 5 Contestants to Watch from Portland and St. Louis.
We have officially completed the audition phase for American Idol Season 11. Hard to believe, right? It’s a kind of depressing feeling going into next week knowing that the once uncrushable reality series is averaging under its usual 20 million range. Are people just having singing-competition fatigue, or are these drops in ratings just a string of consequences following extensive DVR usage alongside utilized media sites like YouTube, which show many of the actual auditions that end up going viral? Whatever the case may be, this television viewer is not giving up on Idol in the least, and my coverage of America’s #1 regular programming show will be even more extensive in the coming weeks once things get interesting and the top 24 are announced. I know we’ve all been a bit distracted by Oscar season, and that’s a great thing, but lets not forget that this is a place where we can openly discuss our love for Idol and other television series in general. Like Clayton mentioned, the off-season shouldn’t be a time to hang up our hats until Oscar winter season comes knocking on our window again, failing to actively engage in some excellent chatter about the finest contributions pop culture has to offer us. Oscars coming to a close next month does not mean the fun at Awards Circuit is over — far from it. So I encourage all the readers to continue to stick with us for the entire year, especially in the off-season gap. Read more on American Idol Auditions: Week 3 Wrap Up…
Read morePaula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger, and Steve Jones Leaving ‘X-Factor’
Wow, Simon Cowell sure isn’t playing around. After streaming news circulated yesterday morning concerning host Steve Jones leaving X-Factor, followed by judge Nicole Scherzinger’s confirmed dismissal later that afternoon, a news report released this morning from The New York Times confirmed there were three cuts made from the British mogul in total. The final person given the axe from the U.S. version of the X-Factor is none other than Cowell’s close friend and fellow judge, Paula Abdul. Yep, that makes more than half of the U.S. ‘X-Factor’s’ on-air team, consisting of four judges and one host, whittled down to just two remaining players: judges Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid. Talk about making some massive changes! I’ll give you my reactions and possible predictions/suggestions for judges and a host that can fill the absent spots in light of Simon’s shocking yet necessary changes after the jump. Read more on Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger, and Steve Jones Leaving ‘X-Factor’…
American Idol Auditions: Week 2 Wrap Up
Picking the Top 5 Contestants to Watch from San Diego, Aspen, and Houston.
Welcome everyone to week two of the American Idol auditions. This week was the largest set of episodes strung together over a three day period. Some east coast fans missed parts of the telecast from the San Diego auditions, as the football game of the Giants versus The 49ers pushed into overtime, and so FOX decided to air a repeat episode on Tuesday. So yes, we had three consecutive nights of American Idol this week, four if you count Sunday’s show. Some may see this as overkill, but as a fan of the show who has fully embraced the new judges, I could not be more thrilled. It’s funny, I’d never thought I’d say this but I prefer Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez any day of the week over Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul. Tyler and Jennifer actually care about the contestants and look like they are having a blast doing their jobs. Simon always seemed incredibly bored and let his snarky quips draw more attention to the show than the talent from the contestants. Paula, while nurturing as a judge, failed to communicate a proper critique since she seemed so loopy and easily distracted by Simon’s antics. In fact, what I love about the new judges as a whole is how small their egos are. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have established careers, and yet they always seem down to earth, as if every meal before the auditions is humble pie. These singing competition shows need to be about the talent first and foremost. Seasons Seven through Eight seemed to have forgotten that, but Seasons Ten and Eleven are right on track with this agenda. Read more on American Idol Auditions: Week 2 Wrap Up…
Read moreTV Review:Touch (**)
It is with great sadness that I have to report a negative review of a new series on FOX which stars one of my favorite television actors, Kiefer Sutherland, who was the star of one of my most beloved television series of all time, 24. Yes, Sutherland’s new series, Touch, does not hold a candle to the suspense and addiction that 24 provided viewers for eight seasons, because it simply is not that compelling a show to begin with. I can hear the detractors now saying I need to bide my time, let the show develop, let its plot flesh out to comprehensibility, but I completely object! A pilot episode should at least give us a sense of purpose and provide viewers with some direction as to where the show is heading. Touch is simply a sappy post-9/11 drama series that attempts on multiple occasions to pull heartstrings, but you are more likely be tortured by its blatant manipulation. After the jump, I will delve into why Touch may be one of the most disappointing premieres in quite some time. Read more on TV Review:Touch (**)…
American Idol Audition Week One Wrap Up
Picking The Top 5 Contestants to Watch from Savannah and Pittsburgh
This is…American Idol! Oh man, I’ve always wanted to say that. Welcome readers to the brand new season of American Idol. This year at the Awards Circuit, we will do our very best to give you the most in-depth coverage of the #1 Television Show in America. It needs no introductions, so let’s get right down to it! This is Season 11, and after an amazing season last year, I can only hope the judges continue to exude amazing chemistry amongst themselves while still finding the best vocal talent America has to offer. After The Voice and The X-Factor, it is good to be back in familiar territory. I’m not knocking the other two shows, but this is what started the fad for singing competition shows, and still remains the best of the bunch. The ratings don’t lie nor do Scotty McCreery’s platinum hit sales numbers. The best part of Idol is discovering a new chart-topper, which is why it remains the best and most legitimate show on television for discovering the next great artist. Read more on American Idol Audition Week One Wrap Up…
Read moreTV Review: Alcatraz (***1/2)
“On March 21st, 1963, Alcatraz officially closed. All the prisoners were transferred off the island…only that’s not what happened. Not at all.”
Yes, this is the exciting premise to one of the new year’s best, most fascinating shows from the creative imagination of J. J. Abrams. Sci-Fi/Supernatural stories and J.J. Abrams go together about as well as champagne on New Years Eve, so it’s no surprise that Alcatraz could very well be the answer to the absence of Lost. J.J. Abram’s previous television hit launched a legion of fans dedicating their time to decrypting the secrets of its complex narrative, as well as pushing forward the production quality of a Broadcast television show. Before Lost, there had never been a show with such a high concept storyline, stunning visual effects, and set production values that had ever been done before. The show felt like a movie, but better — instead of neatly wrapping itself up in two hours, the show spanned six seasons with layer upon layer of mythology, fleshed out characters whose back-stories were given great weight and importance, and a highly complex science fiction plot that ignited fierce and passionate discussion on message boards across the internet. If ever there was a show that marked the beginning popularity of the post-millennium internet age coming together as an online community in debunking their favorite television show in such lavish detail and commitment, it was Lost. The show launched in 2004, and television has never been the same since thanks to J. J. Abrams. Many shows post-Lost have attempted to mimic its high concept narrative and extravagant production values, but to little avail. Most shows that did this were poorly received by the national audience, sank in the Nielsen ratings, and were forced to shut down production because their rating shares could not cover the cost to maintain expensive production. Only J. J. Abrams, it seems, could revive the high-concept science fiction show on Broadcast television. Even though Alcatraz is nowhere near Lost in its overall quality, it definitely holds promise to develop into a show that is both original, refreshing, and the remedy to the absence most sci-fi fans have been feeling since Lost’s series finale ended in 2010. Read more on TV Review: Alcatraz (***1/2)…
Read moreThe Off-Season Gap
After last night’s, I’ll just say average, Golden Globe Awards, and Thursday’s spectacular Critics Choice Movie Awards, we are in full swing of awards season and just nearly one week away from the Oscar nominations. More importantly, the sad thing is that after February 26, 2012, sites like the Awards Circuit, Awards Daily, etc. can become a wasteland. Nothing for us to talk about except next year’s ceremony which can be simply pulling at straws and creating discussion. Obviously on the site we’ll be talking about Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” to get us through the year.
Read more on The Off-Season Gap…
Read moreGolden Globe Final Predictions: Television
Every year at the Golden Globe Awards, the same TV shows are always nominated and the same actors win, and it always seems to get a little boring. This year many new shows and names are in the running to win including American Horror Story, Homeland and New Girl. Should be a fun show!
My predictions are listed below. Be sure to tune in Sunday at 8et/5pt on NBC for the 69th annual Golden Globes!
Read more on Golden Globe Final Predictions: Television…
TV Review: “American Horror Story” (***1/2)
American Horror Story is yet another creative, campy, barrier-pushing, and boundary-breaking new show from the twisted genius that is Ryan Murphy. The highly rated FX television series just wrapped its first season last week, and now it’s time to review the complete show in its entirety after having finally completed all of the inaugural season episodes. I will avoid explicit spoiler details, but I will touch on general events, character arcs, and themes that occur throughout the first season. I want to start off by saying, this show is definitely in line with Ryan Murphy’s other television series. It’s twisted, it’s extremely campy, the characters are flawed yet fascinating, and every frame has a pop to it in visual splendor. Aside from Nip/Tuck, which also had incredibly dark human behavior that only a parent like Sigmund Freud could be proud of, American Horror Story may be Murphy’s greatest creation yet. While Nip/Tuck and Glee were largely praised in their first seasons, the later seasons really took a beating from fans and critics alike. American Horror Story as an entire first season may not have been as consistently wonderful as those former show’s inaugural seasons, but it’s strength lies in its imperfection, ironically enough. The fact that it is so inconsistent with flashes of brilliance means this is an experiment in storytelling I would not mind seeing continued onward. Without spoiling anything, the ending of the first season really makes you wonder where the plot, and the television show, will head in its second season. There are rumors of entirely new casting and different locations, but one thing is for certain — if things do not get consistently weirder, the show will decline. Read more on TV Review: “American Horror Story” (***1/2)…
American Society of Cinematographers’ Television Nominees
Via Sasha Stone @ Awards Daily
HBO Leads Nominations with Programs in All Three Categories
- David Franco for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire (“To the Lost”)
- Jonathan Freeman, ASC for Boardwalk Empire (“21″)
- David Katznelson, DFF, BSC for PBS’ Downton Abbey (Pilot)
- John Lindley, ASC for ABC’s Pan Am (Pilot)
- David Stockton, ASC for NBC’s Chase (“Narco Part 2″)
The finalists in the Television Movie/Miniseries category are:
- Ed Lachman, ASC forHBO’s Mildred Pierce
- Kevin Moss for Showtime’s Chicago Overcoat
- David Moxness, CSC for ReelzChannel’s The Kennedys (“Moral Issues and Inner Turmoil”)
- Martin Ruhe for PBS’ Page Eight
- Wojciech Szepel for PBS’ Any Human Heart (“Episode 2″)
- James Bagdonas, ASC for ABC’s Modern Family (“Bixby’s Back”)
- Michael Balfry, CSC for The Hub’s R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour (“Brush with Madness”)
- Vanja Cernjul, HFC for HBO’s Bored to Death (“Forget the Herring”)
- Levie Isaacks, ASC forABC’s Man Up (“Acceptance”)
- Michael Weaver, ASC for Showtime’s Californication (“Suicide Solution”)
Read more on American Society of Cinematographers’ Television Nominees…
Read morePodcast Feeds
Oscar Pool
The Awards Circuit – By Clayton Davis – Academy Award Predictions, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, SAG Predictions All Year Long- Oscar Circuit: Best Cinematography February 23, 2012And the Nominees Are: Guillaume Schiffman “The Artist” Oscar Scene: Waking up from the sound dream sequence Jeff Cronenweth “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Oscar Scene: Opening credits Robert Richardson “Hugo” Oscar Scene: Traveling through the train station Read more on Oscar Circuit: Best Cinematography… Related content: American Society of Cinematograph […]Clayton Davis
- Oscar 2012 Will Win/Should Win Selections (Hamer) February 22, 2012The brightest light of Oscar's Best Pictures... Four days left. From time to time during my first year as The Awards Circuit’s staff writer, I have been regarded as the snobby, deliberate contrarian who panned popular movies just to get a reaction. Those kinds of accusations are to be expected in this profession these days, but it also belied the numb […]Robert Hamer
- The 14th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards! February 22, 2012Last night the Costume Designers Guild spoke up and gave out their awards. Did they do anything to clear up the Oscar race for Best Costume Design? Well, see below which films the guild chose to honor: Read more on The 14th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards!… No related content found.share […]Joey Magidson
- Making the final case for each Best Picture nominee… February 22, 2012As you’re reading this, the Oscar voters have already made their final selections for each category of the Academy Awards, and there’s nothing left to do but wait for the results at the awards ceremony on Sunday. It got me to thinking, what kind of case has each Best Picture contender made for their shot at the award? Below are arguments that could be made, […]Joey Magidson
- Shocker: Oscar voters are overwhelmingly white males! February 22, 2012Yes, I know this comes as a real shock to all of you, but a lot of the Academy is made up of older white men. A recent L.A. Times study of Oscar voters and their demographics came up with this result, obviously signaling that the people who choose the best movies of the year don’t mesh demographically with the people who go out and watch the flicks. There’s […]Joey Magidson
- Film Review: This Means War (*1/2) February 21, 2012A action tinged romantic comedy completely devoid of competent action, romance, or comedy, ‘This Means War’ is about as stupid as movies get. I’d say that it’s no surprise considering the director is McG, but I dislike him less than most critics, and actually really enjoyed his “serious” effort ‘We Are Marshall’. Here, he’s being as lazy as possible (and so […]Joey Magidson
- Oscar 2012 Will Win/Should Win Selections (Belickis) February 21, 2012It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Well, stressful at the same time but hey, it’s the Oscar’s. Now that the Oscar’s are less than a week away all of us here at the Awards Circuit are scratching our heads trying to figure who the winners will be while wishing our favorites *cough* Melissa McCarthy *cough* will win. Our predictions change daily and it’s […]Anna Belickis
- The Greatest First Quarter Releases! February 21, 2012Most people don’t expect much from the months of January, February, and March…at least when it comes to quality cinema (and in the past they’ve had good reason to think as such). I’m hear to say that this isn’t really the case any longer. Now I’ll concede that these first three months can’t hold a candle to the Oscar season or even the summer blockbuster mon […]Joey Magidson
- Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (2/21/2012) February 21, 2012This week we have quite a nice assortment of selections available to you on Blu-Ray and DVD. The field is led by two solid and well acted films, while the rest of the slate is of more mixed quality, but without a shortage of recognizable titles…so there is that. Overall, I’m pleased enough with the choices, so I’m sure you will be as well. In terms of my PIC […]Joey Magidson
- ‘The Voice’ Recap: Blind Auditions #4 February 21, 2012Welcome to another fun-filled week with NBC’s The Voice. While this episode left me with the weakest impression of auditions this season, there was enough talent on display to convince me that The Voice continues to be a stronger force in quality than its competitor, American Idol. However, Idol’s last “Vegas” themed episode was a bit stronger than this rece […]Joseph Braverman
- Oscar Circuit: Best Cinematography February 23, 2012
 |
© Copyright 2011 awardscircuit.com. All rights reserved. |