These Are a Few of My Favorite Things - in Entertainment

So...I've been MIA for about 4 months because I work at a Summer Camp which pretty much RULES MY LIFE between May 15 and August 15th.  So, there are lots of things that I've read/watched/seen, etc. that i need to catch everyone up on.  Now, without further ado - the list of things that make me jump up and down in excitement/anticipation.

NUMBER ONE:

I DEVOURED these books (pun intended).  The best way I can describe them is this: The action/adventure of Harry Potter married the romantic angst of Twilight, and they had a baby and named it The Hunger Games.  The plot is fantastic; the characters complex and mulit-dimensional; the protagonists sympathetic; the antagonists deliciously despicable.  If I have one gripe it's that the series ends after only three books.  Of course, that's not fair to Suzanne Collins, but if she could write twenty more books about Katniss Everdeen, I'd pay my hard-earned money for each one.

SECOND

Watch the teaser trailer HERE

I loved the books so much, I'm anxious to see how the movie's going to work out.

THIRD:

Although I'm not a big Seth Rogen fan, I have never been disappointed in any movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Add to that the wonderful Anna Kendrick (who, as Jessica Stanley, outshone everyone except Billy Burke in Twilight, and an oscar-nominated turn in This Little Movie with George Clooney).  I really can't wait to go watch it.

THIRD:

Young Adult Sci-Fi at its finest.  Seriously.  This is the second book in the Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore.  The first book, I Am Number Four, was turned into a movie and came out in February of this year and grossed 144.5 million this year at the box office.  Not bad.  Maybe this'll be optioned for a movie, too.  I know I'd go see it.

FOURTHLY:
Anna Karenina Movie

I have no idea how they're going to do it, but director Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) is directing the big screen adaptation of Anna Karenina.  See the IMDB page Here.  The movie stars Keira Knightly as Anna Karenina, Jude Law as Alexei Karenin, Aaron Johnson as Count Vronsky, and Matthew McFadyen as Oblonsky...among others (seen above).  Having read the book several years ago, I'm super excited to see how this thing is going to turn out.  The films set to release in 2012, and I'm already holding my breath.

FINALLY (for now):

Hosted by a charming Nick Lachey, and judged by the musically-brilliant Ben Folds (of Ben Folds Five), the experienced and multi-awarded Shawn Stockman (of Boyz II Men), and the talented Sara Barellies.  This is, in my opinion, the BEST singing competition on TV today.  No instruments to mask pitch problems; no back-up singers who overpower lead vocalists; no judges more worried about reviving their own careers than helping people start in the business; no opening rounds filled with people whose voices sound like nails on a chalkboard or cats in heat; and no lecherous Steven Tyler leering at ever girl who walks in with a pretty face and nice rack.  This show is pure, unadulterated vocal brilliance, and, to top it all off, everybody on the show seems to get along.  It can't get any better than that!

Glee - Night of Neglect

So, I was really excited for the return of Glee last night.  As always, it was hilarious and entertaining and also had some incredibly sweet moments.  There are many reasons why I really liked last night's show.

Firstly: Gwyneth Paltrow's final episode was fantastic.  Her characterization of the allegedly hermaphroditic Nazi Sympathizer Wallace Simpson, (the woman who for whom King Edward IV to abdicate the British Throne) was brilliant.  And, as much as I like Gwyneth Paltrow, I was SUPER GLAD that she only sang one song during this show.  I love when awesome guest stars come on the show, but their musical/singing talent should NEVER steal the spotlight from the existing cast.  (And sometimes it does, as in the case of "Sexy" when Gwyneth sang lead in 3 songs).

Secondly: Thank You, Ryan Murphy, for not giving Rachel the episode-ending solo.  I love Lea Michele's voice.  She's a fantastically gifted performer, but hearing her week in and week out gets tiring.  This week Mercedes brought the house down with her Aretha tribute, and it was amazing.  Like that time she sang socks off "And I Am Telling You" in the first half of Season One.  As Oliver Twist would say, "Please, sir, I want some more."

Thirdly: Blaine was in an episode and didn't have a solo.  Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I'm a little tired of him being front and center all the time.  I love the character and Darren Criss is undoubtedly talented, but the powers that be have sort of turned him into the female version of Rachel.  And I agree with Kurt's statement in the "Original Song" episode stating that it's become a little like "Blaine and the Pips."

Fourthly: CHARICE!  Sunshine Corazon is back, and she KILLED "All By Myself."  Such an amazing talent.  I have missed her since her appearance in "Audition," singing "Telephone" with Lea Michele and then belting out "Listen" for her audition.  So glad she's back.

Fifthly: The Brainiacs, and the fact that Brittany was the biggest contributor during the competition.  "Feline Aids."  I mean, seriously, it's awesome.  And then the final question of the championship competition being "Hermaphrodite Nazi Sympathizers" was brilliant.  Love it.

Sixthly: Welcome Back WEMMA.  I don't know anyone who isn't a Will/Emma fan.  As much as I enjoy seeing John Stamos on my TV screen, I've been itching for more Will and Emma interaction.  The way he sweetly cleaned off her grape was beautiful.  So sweet.

Lastly: Santana has a heart!  Of all the people in the glee club, or in the school for that matter, to stand up to Karofsky and defend Kurt and Blaine, Santana might just be the last person I'd expect.  Of course, I understand that she sympathizes with Klaine because she's "realized" she's gay...and there's some kind of kindred spirit business there, but really, it's so out of her character to protect people.  She's usually the one doing the bullying.  It was nice to see the compassionate side of her character shine through.

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All that being said, there are also a few bones I have to pick with Glee this season.

Firstly: Where was Terri?  I missed her a lot - she's so good at stirring up trouble.  I realize that the actress has had some personal issues she's had to take care of, which is probably why her screen time has been diminished this year, which is why her return this episode was so exciting to me.  Last night's episode was supposed to be her big return, but she was virtually non-existent.  NOT COOL.  Hopefully, they were just setting up for something huge in the next couple of episodes.  I've missed her CRAZY. 

Secondly: Why is Mr. Schuester incapable of coming up with good ideas on his own.  All of his fundraising ideas are so dumb!  He's an intelligent guy.  He's no idiot.  But for some reason it's as if he has zero common sense.  Last season all his good ideas came from Emma; this season it's been Holly.  And let's not forget how he's mooched concepts from Sue (Power of Madonna) anyone?  I love Mr. Schue, but that part of his characterization is just plain annoying.

Thirdly: in a night of neglected artists/singers, why isn't Quinn performing?  SEriously, she hasn't had a solo since last season's Funk when she sang "It's A Man's World."  She's had some duets, "Lucky" and "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," and she's shared vocals with several people in "Time Warp" and "Marry You," but the girl hasn't sung a solo IN A YEAR!  Sorry, but that's unacceptable.  I mean, even Mike Chang has sung this year, and it was basically a solo...so, we're due for a Quinn song.  Until we get it, I will feel totally ripped off.

Fourthly: I LOVE Jenna Ushkowitz's character of Tina on the show, and I think she's a really fantastic singer.  Some of my favorite songs are songs she has lead vocals on, "Dog Days Are Over," "Proud Mary," and "True Colors."  So, my bone to pick is that the last two times she's had an opportunity to sing, she's dissolved into tears.  First with "My Funny Valentine" and then last night.  On top of that, we've never had a legit "Tina" storyline.  She took the forefront in "Theatricality" last year when she sang lead for "Bad Romance," and there was that little sidestory of her and Artie's romance, but beyond that, zilch. As a fan of the character and the actress, I feel decidedly dissatisfied and wish like crazy that the writers would give Jenna some really good material, instead of just using her as a backdrop one-line, one-note character.  She deserves better. 

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Anyway, I really did like last night's episode.  I'm just a little disappointed that some of those folks aren't better utilized.

Swiss Family Awesome

Even as an adult I wouldn't mind living here...

Especially if Francis was there to protect me

Now tell me that wouldn't be awesome!

Four Perfect Songs

The Swell Season - In These Arms




Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Carries On




Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights








The Avett Brothers - January Wedding

Thanks for making my day better.

Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace

Oh, baby, that's what I like!!!

And it's been in my head all day.

Why Ms. Bailey will ALWAYS be my favorite teacher

Yesterday I was sitting out on the back porch I share with my duplex neighbors, eating dinner and shooting the breeze, and we got to talking about family, and how some families favor heavily while other families almost don't look alike at all.  And so, I went inside to grab a photo album and show them exactly how much I look like my dad.  I didn't find the picture I was looking for, which bummed me out a little, but I figured it was in with my stuff somewhere.  So, last night, I pulled out all my scrap books and pictures, looking for a couple of particular pictures.  I never found them, but came across something fantastic instead.

It's a letter from my Junior High teacher, Mrs. Bailey.  I was in an advanced program throughout elementary and Junior High that my school called the VANTAGE program.  Basically, there was a teacher each year who was trained to cultivate the growth of students who had tested "advanced" or "gifted and talented" in some IQ and standardized testing.  They put all of us in the same class and this teacher gave us more advanced reading, more difficult schoolwork, etc, to stimulate us in order to keep us from being bored out of our minds in class.

In Junior High, that class was expanded to include about fifteen kids, and from 6th - 8th grade, we had Mrs. Bailey for two class periods each day.  In sixth grade she taught us reading and world history, making it fun.  We made fairytale hats and went on an archaeological dig.  In seventh grade she taught reading and language arts.  We read Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice, I believe, and composed our own poetry.  In eighth grade she taught us geography and language arts, tackling O Henry and Shakespeare again, A Midsummer Night's Dream, invented our own countries, establishing the government and writing legislation for it, as well as creating maps of said country.  (Amanda C. and I created Whopperland, and everything in our country was named after a candy or snack of some sort from Candy Corn Creek to Blue Razz Barrier Reef to M&M Mountains).  And we also did Model UN, the fantastic GTV, and tons of other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Although, I'll never forget Aundrea's Limmerick about Kermit the Frog:

Kermit the frog ate a fly
Then he used drugs to get high
Then he did choke
From the weed in his throat
Now to Kermit we say "Goodbye."

I fell in love with the English language, with composition and grammar, enjoyed the heck out of history, and got to read fantastic authors like Poe, Shakespeare, O Henry, Ray Bradbury (just to name a few) in Mrs. Bailey's class.  But the main reason Mrs. Bailey will always be my favorite teacher is because she loved us like her own kids...and she invested in us and cheered us on and challenged us to be BETTER.  She made us think, forced us out of the typical educational boxes, taught us more than statistics and facts and rules.  She fostered in us an ability and a drive to be creative, to be truthful about who we are, to be unapologetic about who we are, and to strive to be great.  I have never had another teacher do that for me, not in high school and not in college.  Nor have I ever had another teacher care for me and my fellow classmates in the same way Mrs. Bailey cared for us.  The proof of that is in this letter that she wrote us as we left her in 8th grade and went on to high school:
 

 So, Mrs. B, in case we haven't said it before -- or even if we have, it bears repeating -- thank you so much for pushing us when we needed to be pushed, challenging us when we needed to be challenged, and loving us even when we were getting on your last nerve.  We love you always, and we are truly better people for knowing you and being taught by you.

Glee Celebration Playlist



Glee has done some AMAZING covers, and some not so great covers of songs.  I don't have all of the music from the show, but I do have most of them (166 to be exact).  If I listened to them all back to back non stop, it would take 9.4 hours to get through the list.  Anyway...while I really like almost all of the songs, there are a few tracks that just stand out as being wildly better than the rest.  My current 15 favorite songs covered by the Glee Cast...in no particular order...and the lead vocals are going to by actor name, not character name.

1.  Dog Days Are Over -- lead vocals by Jenna Ushkowitz and Amber Riley (orig. Florence and the Machine)
2.  Don't Rain on My Parade -- lead vocals by Lea Michele (orig. Barbra Streisand from Funny Girl)
3.  Sweet Caroline -- lead vocals by Mark Salling (orig. Neil Diamond)
4. And I Am Telling You -- lead vocals by Amber Riley (orig. Broadway play Dreamgirls)
5.  Jessie's Girl -- lead vocals by Cory Monteith (orig. Rick Springfield)
6.  Lucky -- lead vocals by Chord Overstreet and Dianna Agron (orig. Jason Mraz & Colbie Callait)
7.  Valerie -- lead vocals by Naya Rivera (orig. Amy Winehouse)
8.  Over the Rainbow -- lead vocals by Matt Morrison (orig. Judy Garland in Wizard of Oz)
9.  Blackbird -- lead vocals by Chris Colfer (orig. The Beatles)
10. Fat Bottomed Girls -- lead vocals by Mark Salling (orig. Queen)
11.  True Colors -- lead vocals by Jenna Ushkowitz (orig. Cyndi Lauper)
12.  Proud Mary -- lead vocals by Kevin McHale, Amber Riley, and Jenna Ushkowitz (orig. Ike and Tina Turner)
13.  On My Own -- lead vocals by Lea Michele (orig. Broadway play Les Miserables)
14.  Dream a Little Dream -- lead vocals by Kevin McHale (orig. The Mamas and the Papas)
15.  Hello -- lead vocals by Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele (orig. Lionel Richie)

How He Loves

I Love Crowder.  That is All.

When I Grow Up...

I want to be like these girls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghgpz0IWV0E

Highlights from California

so, as most of you know, I spent four days this week in sunny California visiting my very good friend, Wendy.  We had tons of fun and ate a lot of great food and hung out on the beach and relaxed with "mixed beverages".  There isn't enough time to go into a whole lot of detail, but there are a few things I wanted to throw out there.  Mainly new friendships and wonderful restaurants you should eat at if you're in LA or Orange County.

First, as soon as we picked up Michelle "Reeder" Reed from the airport, we went to a Mexican food restaurant, where we met Wendy's friends, the wonderful Shannon, the Fabulous Matt, and her roommate, Javier, for lunch.  (I'll stop and say, something here: yes, Javier is a man.  No, he's not Wendy's boyfriend.  And if you're still worried, don't be.  Three people split the apartment, kind of like the TV show "Three's Company.")  Anyway, the meal was fantastic.  I can't remember the name of the place, but the table we sat at was in a little nook, and over Reeder's shoulder there was this resin bust of Jesus.  Very typical idol-like little statue.  Wendy raised her margarita to it, and I, jokingly raised my water and asked for wine.  Some of you guys may think that's offensive and horrible of me, so I apologize for any offense.  But, honestly, it was a shrine of Jesus in a restaurant.  Kind of ridiculous to begin with.  I had pulled beef tacos and a few margaritas.  Again, don't be alarmed.  We were there for about three hours, so I wasn't trashed, although I did feel very good when we finished.

I didn't have my camera out during the lunch, though I wish I had, because it was outrageously fun. But I did get it out in the parking lot before we went over to the beach, and snapped this fantastic picture of Matty.  After I snapped it, I said, "Now I have a gay picture!" and we all laughed SOOOOOOOOOOO hard.

After lunch we went to the beach.  I won't go into details.  Here are a few really neat pictures.

Wendy's friend Shannon, (And I guess she's my friend now, too) snapped this picture of Wendy, Reeder, and I walking along the beach.

This is one of my favorite shots from the whole vacation.  That's Reeder, walking down the beach, looking for rocks, with her cowboy boots tossed over her shoulder.

Wendy's feet buried in the sand. 

 Rocks on the shore, washed up because of the tsunami

 Wendy's writing in the sand: "Kasidee and Reeder Week"

Day two, we went down to San Clemente for Crepes.  Again, I can't remember the name of the place, but it is literally right across the road from the fishing pier.  So if you're ever there, pop in.  I had a breakfast crepe with applewood bacon, scrambled eggs, and cheese.  Then the three of us split a wonderful berries and creme crepe, stuffed with fresh strawberries and blueberries.  Super yummy.

I don't know why I make the most awkward faces when I take pictures, but, oh well.

After crepes we went down to the end of the pier and watched this adorable man fish off the side.  And then we watched some teenagers who were playing hooky, attempt to surf.  They weren't very good, and weren't following appropriate surfing ettiquite, which was really irritating to another guy out there who was.

Later that afternoon, we went to Irvine, to the mall, and ate at the Yard House.  I had a Mai Tai, and a Margherita pizza.  If you've never had either, I suggest you try both.  (Wait for the Mai Tai until you're 21, though.  I don't want anyone getting arrested for underage drinking.)  But the Margherita pizza was to-die-for.  It was literally the best pizza I've ever eaten in my entire life, and I've eaten good pizza.  Then we went to see Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon and Emily Blunt.  It was actually a really good movie.  then it was back to the apartment to watch Connie and Carla, and eat gooey butter cake.  YUM!

On day three we went to Hollywood and did a bus tour of LA, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica.  I didn't see anyone famous, or if I did, I didn't recognize them.  But, I did get a couple of great shots.  Breakfast was bagels from Panera, lunch was burritos at Chipotle. But dinner was the highlight of the day. We ate at an Italian Restaurant called Trastavere, and I had the most amazing meal: Ravioli Riccotta e Spinaci. It's hand-stuffed spinach and riccota ravioli, covered in a tomato basil sauce. So good. Wendy got butternut squash ravioli, and couldn't finish her last one, so I ate that, too. And it was heavenly. I don't have any pictures of our dinner, but many thanks go out to our amazing waiter Luis, who took very good care of us, and paired our meals perfectly with wine. (I actually didn't drink any wine because it gives me headaches, but Wendy's muscato was perfect with her meal). Needless to say, Luis got good tips from us.  Here are some pictures from day three


Of course, I had to get a good picture of the Hollywood sign.  It's actually no longer owned by the state because CA is in such debt.  They sold it to a citizen for private upkeep.  Movies have to pay bookoos to use it in film, and tourists are no longer allowed anywhere near the sign.

I can't get this picture to rotate, but this is Billy Graham's star on the walk of fame.  I'm not really sure what I think about that.

 This is a fountain in Beverly Hills.  I thought it was really cool and beautiful.

This is part of the Berlin wall, which went up under JFK and came down under Reagan. 

I thought this was funny...that someone would advertise their STD screening company in such a way.

Day four started early with us getting up at 6 to take Reeder to the airport.  We ate cold pizza and got Starbucks for breakfast after Reeder was on the plane.  Then Wendy and I chilled at her aunt's house, watched Burlesque and part of Chicago, then went to a sandwich shop called Togo, and had turkey and guacamole sandwiches.  Again, very good.  Then it was off to the airport so I could get back home.

All in all, this was a wonderful trip, and I'm ready to go back.  Hopefully I can manage that again soon...and hopefully i can stay longer than four days next time.

funny, funny, funny

Bar-none, Jeff Dunham is my favorite comedian.  Here's a few reasons why.

"It's in my other stick"

"Nnnnnnnyearrrrrrrrrrmmmmm"

"Oh, Jeff-fa-fa, oh, Jeff-fa-fa"

Favorite quotes, clips, and pictures from Little Giants

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Danny O'Shea: Rudy Zoleteck, your friendly neighborhood gasman!


Mr. Zolteck: Gasman? I don't get it.

Mrs. Zolteck: Think about it.
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Spike: Look, you berzerko Barbie doll, when you mess with Spike, you mess with death.


Becky O'Shea: You can talk the talk but can you walk the walk?

Spike: Try me!

Becky O'Shea: I will!

Spike: Let's go!

Becky O'Shea: Right now!

Jake Berman: SOMEBODY CALL 911
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Jake Berman: I CAN'T SEE WITH THIS THING ON!
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Johnny Vennaro: You can't pitch to Johnny! I'm Johnny!


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Becky O'Shea: What a hunk. Wait a minute? What am I saying? I'm the Icebox. Icebox doesn't like boys. Except for that one...

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Mike Hammersmith: What's that cheerleader doing with a helmet on?


Kevin O'Shea: That's no cheerleader, that's my niece Becky. She's pissed
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Sean Murphy: Hey Hanon, do you catch anything ever?


Hanon: Caught a cold yesterday, Murph. Here! Have some!

[sneezes on Murphy]
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Alien - Third Day

This is off their second studio album "Conspiracy No. 5", which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

Awake My Soul - Mumford & Sons

Love it.

Playlist Thursday: The First Twenty On iTunes On Shuffle

Audio Adrenaline - Speak to Me
Glee Cast feat. Jonathan Groff - Bohemian Rhapsody
Jeremy Camp - Walk by Faith
Iron & Wine - Carousel
Stryper - The World of You and I
Spring Awakening Cast - The Mirror-Blue Night
Rush - The Color of Right
Dada - California Gold
Glee Cast - What it Feels Like For A Girl
Reba McEntyre - You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving
Rush - One Little Victory
Chris Tomlin - Glory in the Highest
Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Cherry Poppin' Daddy Strut
Glee Cast feat. KD Lang - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Shaun Groves - Your Renown
BarlowGirl - Grey
Fleetwood Mac - You Make Loving Fun
Shane & Shane - Yearn
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
Rush - Entre Nous

Best Actors Born 1971 -1980

As promised...a follow up to last week's best actors born 1981-1990, here's my list of the ten best LIVING actors and actresses born between 1971 - 1980.

1980

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

This year was a tight fight between the guys, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Ben Foster both also contending for the win.  Everyone knows him because of The Notebook, but ultimately, Ryan's performances in The Believer, Lars and the Real Girl and Half Nelson (for which he received an Oscar nomination), solidified my decision.  Also watch his fantastic work in Remember the Titans, Murder by Numbers, and the upcoming film with Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine.

The only other female contender was Kristen Bell, and while I love her work, she hasn't quite proven to me that she can hang dramatically.  Michelle got her big break as Jennifer on Dawson's Creek.  Everyone knows this, but she has been able to do what the rest of the cast hasn't.  She's thrown off the teenage soapy image, and really shown her acting chops.  She received an Oscar nomination for her role in Brokeback Mountain, and was nominated again this year for Blue Valentine.  She also starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island, as his wife, and did a turn of comedy with Kirsten Dunst in 1999's, Dick, about Nixon and Watergate.

1979

James McAvoy and Claire Danes

There were two other actors I considered here.  The first, obviously, was Heath Ledger, but I decided to make this a list of living actors, so obviously Heath was out of the question.  The other actor was Nick Stahl.  Few people know him; he does lots of Indie movies, but his work has always been fantastic.  However, I chose James because of his wide acting range.  From the hit action movie, Wanted, to dramatic pieces like Atonement, The Last King of Scotland, and The Last Station, to the quirky Penelope, and his role as Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, he's shown he's got serious acting chops.  He doesn't have an Oscar nomination yet, but he will.

Claire Danes was pretty much a shoe-in for me.  The only other person I considered was Alison Lohman because of her performances in Matchstick Men and White Oleander.  But I must confess that I am a Clare Danes fan through and through.  From her early work in Little Women, My So-Called Life and Les Miserable to The Hours to Shopgirl, The Family Stone, Stardust and Evening, and now to her Golden Globe-winning performance of Temple Grandin, she's proven she can do just about anything.

1978

Gael Garcia Bernal and Rachel McAdams

I struggled a little with this year.  I thought I'd give the award to James Franco because he did such a wonderful job portraying James Dean in the TV bio-pic, he was hilarious in Date Night, wonderful in Milk and got an Oscar Nomination for 127 Hours.  But I changed my mind, and decided to give it to Gael.  His work in The Motorcycle Diaries is brilliant, he played his role in Letter to Juliet to perfection, and he was also fantastic in Babel.  I've always been pleased and impressed in every role I've seen him in.

Rachel, however, was pretty much a no-brainer from the beginning.  Sure, you have January Jones who is brilliant in Mad Men, and Zoe Saldana who has exploded onto the scene in the last two years with Star Trek and The Losers.  But Zoe's all action and no drama/comedy, and I honestly haven't seen enough of January Jones' work to judge.  Rachel, however, has done comedy (Mean Girls, The Family Stone), thrillers (Red Eye, State of Play), romantic dramas (The Notebook, The Time Travelers Wife), action (Sherlock Holmes and its sequel) and an intimate character piece (The Lucky Ones).  I've never seen a performance from her that I didn't like.

1977

Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Samantha Morton

Jonathan pretty much from the start, was my choice for this year.  There was one contender in Edgar Ramirez, but I only considered him after searching through a list of actors born in 1977.  Jonathan initially grabbed my attention as the coach in Bend It Like Beckham, and then again in Woody Allen's, Match Point.  He won my heart in August Rush, kicked butt in From Paris With Love, won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Elvis in the TV Movie, and has garnered tons of praise for his portrayal of Henry VIII in Showtime's The Tudors.

Samantha Morton is not well-known to most people, but she has been nominated for two Oscars, a SAG award and an Emmy, and won a Golden Globe (among many others).  Her breakthrough performance for US audiences was in Minority Report.  Her work is always spot on.  She starred as Mary, Queen of Scots in Elizabeth: the Golden Age, as an Irish immigrant to America in In America, and as the widowed army wife in The Messenger...which is a brilliant movie.

1976

Ryan Reynold and Reese Witherspoon

Ryan has proven over the years, that while he really excels in comedy, he has the ability to play serious, dramatic roles.  He got his start in the TV show Two Guys and a Girl, shines in comedies like The Proposal, Adventureland, and Just Friends, but has also done action (Blade: Trinity, X-Men: Origins, and The Green Lantern), horror (The Amityville Horror), a thriller (Buried), and the dramatic Fireflies in the Garden.  Plus, he's not hard to look at.

Reese Witherspoon's one of those actresses who, I believe, could do anything.  If you need her to play a tomboy, she can (Man in the Moon).  If you need her to play a British character, she can (Vanity Fair, The Importance of being Earnest). If you need her to play an airhead, she can (Legally Blonde 1&2).  If you need her to play some innocent ingenue, she's can (Cruel Intentions).  If you need her to play someone completely unlikeable, she can (Election).  If you need her to play a moped-riding eccentric, she can (Penelope).  If you need her to play June Carter Cash, she can (Walk the Line), and do it so well she wins an Oscar.

1975

Tobey Maguire and Kate Winslet

Tobey was a pretty easy choice, especially since his performance in last years Brothers.  But I've liked him for years, starting with the Spiderman trilogy, but also for his work in Seabiscuit, Pleasantville, Cider House Rules, and The Wonder Boys.  Bradley Cooper, Hugh Dancy, and Casey Affleck were contenders, but they just don't quite have enough to convince me otherwise.

Kate Winslet, on the other hand had absolutely no challengers.  Sure, there's Charlize Theron (who won and Oscar for Monster) and Marion Cotillard (who won and Oscar for La Vie en Rose).  But Kate his received six Oscar nominations: For Sense and Sensibility, Titanic, Iris, Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind, Little Children, and The Reader).  She won in 2008 for The Reader, and should have been nominated in the same year for Revolutionary Road.  Plus, she did wonderful films like Finding Neverland, and The Holiday.  There is no one born in 1975 who comes close.  She's absolutely brilliant in every role she takes, and I never feel like she's acting.  She's that good.

1974

Leonardo DiCaprio and Hilary Swank

Leo's only competition was Christian Bale, who just won the Oscar this year.  But, I had to give it to Leo.  He's been nominated for 3 Oscars (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, Blood Diamond) but he could have easily been nominated for more, including his performances is Gangs of New York, Titanic, Revolutionary Road, and Catch Me If You Can.  He's only made one or two movie missteps in his career, (The Beach, Man in the Iron Mask) and I'm happy to forgive him for them.  I'd just like him to do a comedy...but the man is so serious, I doubt that will happen.

Hilary Swank was someone I almost didn't think about.  She's won two Oscars (Boys Don't Cry, Million Dollar Baby) and they are well-deserved.  But Amy Adams was born in 1976 as well (and has 3 Oscar nominations herself), and I almost gave this slot to her.  But, Hilary eked this one out because of her Oscar wins, and also because of her roles in Amelia, PS I Love You, 11:14, and Freedom Writers.

1973

Neil Patrick Harris and Vera Farmiga

I know what you're thinking.  Why in the world does Doogie Houser, MD get this award instead of, say, Adrien Brody (who has actually won an Oscar).  Well, he gets it because I genuinely feel Neil is better.  The man is openly gay, and yet somehow manages to convince me every week that he is a completely straight, horn-dog on How I Met Your Mother.  Just because he hasn't done the big movies doesn't mean he couldn't.  He's a theater guy, and also, it's rare when an openly gay man actually gets the chance to take on a leading film role...much less a role in a film that has Oscar potential.  Straight men can play gay, but you won't see a gay man play straight.

Vera Farmiga is also not a huge movie star, or well-known...but she's my winner, beating out Juliette Lewis (who's received an Oscar nom) and Kate Beckinsale.  But Vera wins for her fantastic work in Up in the Air, The Boy with the Striped Pajamas, and The Departed.  If you haven't watch any of those films you should.  But be warned, Striped Pajamas will depress you for a full day or longer.

1972

Jude Law and Toni Colette

Jude had only one real contender, and that was Ben Affleck.  I know, there's not really a comparison, and perhaps if Ben had won his Oscar for acting instead of writing a screenplay, I could have given him more credence.  But Jude has received two nominations, (Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr. Ripley).  He's also starred in Closer, AI, Road to Perdition, The Aviator, The Holiday, Sherlock Holmes, and Repo Men, just to name a few.  And he famously stepped in and helped finished The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus after Heath Ledger died in the middle of shooting the film.

Toni Collette almost didn't win this.  I almost gave it to Gwyneth Paltrow, who won an Oscar for Shakespeare In Love.  But I chose Toni for her ability to completely disappear into a role.  She was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Haley Joel Osment's mom in The Sixth Sense, was brilliant in About a Boy, costarred in The Hours, shone in Little Miss Sunshine, was fantastic in Evening, and endearing in In Her Shoes.  Probably her best role, though, is in her TV show The United States of Tara, in which she plays a schizophrenic, and has won an Emmy and Golden Globe for her performance.

1971

Mark Wahlberg and Winona Ryder

This one was difficult as well, because I had to consider Ewan McGregor and Taye Diggs (who, even though he doesn't have much of a movie career, is a brilliant actor nonetheless, especially on the stage).  But Mark got the nod because of his wide variety of roles, including two Oscar nominations for The Departed and The Fighter.  But I would be remiss if I didn't mention his breakthrough work in Fear, as well as his roles in action movies (Three Kings, The Italian Job, Shooter,) and dramas (Invincible, The Lovely Bones, The Perfect Storm,)  and comedies (Date Night, The Other Guys).  (I'm going to completely ignore Boogie Nights.)

Winona was a pretty easy choice, though I considered Emily Mortimer and Sanaa Lathan.  Her work as a child actor, (Beetle Juice, Heathers, Great Balls of Fire) led to good work as a young adult which included two Oscar nominations (The Age of Innocence, Little Women) as well as Edward Scissorhands and How to Make an American Quilt.  Then she starred in Girl, Interrupted, and Autumn in New York.  And more recently has had supporting roles in Star Trek and Black Swan.  Kleptomania aside, she's really fantastic.



My Same - Adele

I know I'm a little late in the game, but i just discovered Adele.  For those of you who are familiar with her, you'll have to forgive me.  I'm not generally a fan of pop/R&B.  So much R&B now is too much like rap for me.  Anyway...I bought her first album, 19, a few days ago...and I can't stop listening to it.  My Same is my favorite song on the album.  I love every song, but this one is SO MUCH FUN

Enjoy.

Top Actors Born in 1981-1990

I recently was thinking about all the really good actors that were born in the same decade as me, and I decided I'd make a list of actors and actresses who, in my opinion, are currently the best actors of my generation.  This list contains 10 men and 10 women who I believe are the best LIVING actor/actress born in each year of the 80's decade.  We'll start from 1990 and go backward.

1990

Aaron Johnson and Emma Watson

Aaron's career is just getting started, but it's started with a bang.  He is the title character in Kick-Ass, starred as John Lennon in the bio-pic Nowhere Boy, and gave a wonderfully nuanced performance in a little indie movie called The Greatest starring Susan Sarandon, Pierce Brosnan and Carey Mulligan.

And Emma is famous for her Harry Potter role of Hermione Granger, which she plays to perfection.  She doesn't have much else on her resume, but as busy as that's kept her, you can't really blame her.  Plus, she's getting her degree from Brown Univeristy.   

1989

Anton Yelchin and Mia Wasikowska

Anton is one of those actors who disappears into his roles.  He got his big break in Alpha Dog, played Chekov in the 2008 Star Trek reboot, and Kyle Reese in Terminator: Salvation, and has starred in some smaller, indie films such as Middle of Nowhere with Susan Sarandon, and as the title character in Charlie Bartlett.

Mia was Alice in last years Alice in Wonderland, starred in the Oscar nominated film The Kids Are Alright with Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, and Mark Ruffalo, and plays the titular role of Jane Eyre in this year's film of the Charlotte Bronte classic.

1988

Haley Joel Osment and Emma Stone

Okay, so Haley hasn't done anything of note in the last six years.  Big deal.  He OWNED Sixth Sense, was fantastic in AI, and held his own against Robert Duvall and Michael Caine in Second Hand Lions.  The only guy who could come close is Rupert Grint, but as much as I love Ron Weasley, I have to give Haley his props.

Emma's probably best known for slapstick comedies such as Superbad (which I haven't watched all the way through, and never will), Housebunny, and Easy A, in which she outshone Amanda Bynes (which is hard to do).  But I like her performance in Zombieland best, and I'm really looking forward to watching her portray Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spiderman.

1987

Thomas Dekker and Ellen Page

I know you expected me to say Zac Efron, but I didn't.  Most people don't know who Thomas Dekker is, but that's going to change.  He starred in his own TV show, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and gave a brilliantly nuanced performance as Taylor Ambrose, Kate's boyfriend and fellow cancer patient, in My Sister's Keeper.  Plus, at 23, he's already written and directed his own independent film.  Not many guys can say that.

Ellen Page, however, is a shoe-in.  She's got this quirky, wry, dry sensibility that works well in comedies like Whip It and Juno, but she was wonderful in Inception, holding her own with Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and has been lauded for her work in the dramatic Hard Candy.

1986

Jamie Bell and Emmy Rossum

This was a difficult year to decide in both categories.  Jamie's chief competition was Shia LaBeouf, who I think is actually an excellent actor.  The edge went to Jamie, though, because he is able to disappear into a role.  Whether it's a period piece like Nicholas Nickelby, or an action film like Jumper or Defiance, or a character piece like The Chumscrubber or Billy Elliot, Jamie is always spot on.

Emmy won out over actresses like Gemma Arterton simply because her body of work is more diverse.  She did a musical Phantom of the Opera, an epic movie The Day After Tomorrow, and had her break-out role in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River, acting alongside Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, and Tim Robbins.  Now she stars in her own TV series on Showtime.

1985

Emile Hirsch and Keira Knightley

1985 was a hard year for men, simply because there aren't many established actors with a decent catalogue of work.  But, Emile won the vote because of his lead role in Into the Wild, and his supporting roles in Milk, Taking Woodstock, and Alpha Dog.  (I'll pretend someone else starred in Speed Racer).

This was a difficult year for women as well, but for the opposite reason.  Ultimately Keira Knightley beat out other actresses, like Carey Mulligan, Amanda Seyfried, and Anna Kendrick, simply because she's got such a wonderfully diverse portfolio.  From an Oscar nomination as Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, to a turn as a bounty hunter in Domino, to her Pirates trilogy, to a spot-on Welsh accent in The Edge of Love, Keira has proven that no matter the role or genre, she always brings her "A" game. 

1984

Paul Dano and Scarlett Johansson

Paul's main competition was Garrett Hedlund, who has come out guns blazing this year with Tron: Legacy, and Country Strong.  However, I chose Paul because he was spectacular as vow-of-silence Dwayne in Little Miss Sunshine, was brilliant in the indie Gigantic opposite Zooey Deschanel, and shone as kid-wonder scientist Simon Feck in Knight and Day.

I first saw Scarlett's work in Lost in Translation, and then I watched Girl with a Pearl Earring and Match Point.  I was impressed.  But what solidified my decision to go with her instead of, say, Jena Malone (who, by the way, is a fantastically under-rated actress), was actually her performance in The Spirit.  Finally, she played a character that didn't reek with sexuality, and she disappeared into the skin of an automaton.  Brilliant.

1983

Jesse Eisenberg and Emily Blunt

Everyone knows him from The Social Network.  I first saw him in The Squid and the Whale.  Then I watched The Education of Charlie Banks, then Adventureland, then Zombieland, and while I am waiting patiently for him to play a character completely opposite to type to prove he's got the chops, there's no arguing that he's one of the best young actors in Hollywood.

She stole the show from Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, won a Golden Globe for her role in TV movie Gideon's Daughter, held her own against Amy Adams and Alan Arkin in Sunshine Cleaning, and was radiant in The Young Victoria.  Even in the B-movie homage to old thrillers, The Wolfman, where everything was over-the-top and a little campy, she was pitch-perfect in her choices.

1982

Cam Gigandet and Anne Hathaway

Three years ago, no one knew who Cam Gigandet was.  Then he played James in Twilight, out-acting everyone in the film with the exception of Anna Kendrick and Michael Welch.  He starred in three movies in 2009, and four in 2010, including Easy A where he showed his comedy chops, and Burlesque where he wowed me as soft-hearted bar manager Jack.  He doesn't have a big award nomination or win yet, but don't count him out.

Anne Hathaway had a couple of close followers in Anna Paquin (she won an Oscar when she was 12) and Hayley Atwell (who is brilliant in The Duchess and Pillars of the Earth).  But ultimately, I had to give it to Anne.  She burst onto the scene with The Princess Diaries, then she chose Havoc and Brokeback Mountain so she wouldn't be pigeon-holed as a Disney actor.  She was brilliant in Becoming Jane opposite James McAvoy, and fun in Get Smart opposite Steve Carrell, and was nominated for an Oscar for Rachel Getting Married.  Even her work in the recent Love and Other Drugs was brilliant, despite the fact that there was far too much nakedness.

1981

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natalie Portman

I fell in love with him in Angels in the Outfield.  Then he starred on 3rd Rock from the Sun.  Then he did 10 Thing I Hate About You.  And he followed all those up with a wonderfully mixed bag of big blockbusters (Stop-Loss, Inception, GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra) and Indie films (Brick. (500) Days of Summer, and Uncertainty).  Rupert Friend and Chris Evans are the only two who come close, and they just don't have the goods.

Is there anyone other than Natalie Portman I could have given this to?  Sienna Miller is the only one I could consider, but even that was so distant it was a no-brainer.  From her brilliant turn as Mathilda in The Professional at the tender age of 12, to Amidala in the Star Wars trilogy, to epileptic Sam in Garden State, to her Oscar nominated role of Alice in Closer, to Evey in V For Vendetta, to widowed army wife, Grace, in 2009's Brother's, to this year's brilliant and much-awarded turn as psychologically broken Nina Sayers in Black Swan, she's proven herself to be fantastic in whatever role is set before her.  And if she doesn't win the Oscar on Sunday, I'll eat my hat.

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I'm working on at list of actors born in the 70's, which I'll post shortly.