Another year, another list. Add mine to the pile!

To me, 2011 was not a tremendously strong year in film. But my favorites have an obvious theme: sentimentality. The following movies appealed to me on a surprisingly strong emotional level. These films were a beautiful mixture of sad and sweet, and I connected with specific aspects of each - as they reminded me both of my youth and recent history. 

BEGINNERS 

I found Ewan McGregor’s performance and his character’s interaction with his father to be incredibly touching. 

THE DESCENDANTS

Clooney is at his very best in a more subtle role like this, where the eyes speak almost more than he does. This film also offers a stunning Hawaiian backdrop and is another Alexander Payne gem for both direction and script (co-written with Jim Rash, who plays the Dean on Community!). 

HUGO

A love letter to cinema, and a fantastic adventure accompanied by beautiful cinematography and set design. 

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

As a Lit major who took a class specifically about Fitzgerald and Hemingway, I was absolutely enthralled in the world that Woody Allen presented.

MONEYBALL

Because I had attended many of the games during the Oakland A’s infamous 20-game winning streak and loved the book, I was very impressed with how they translated that experience onto the big screen.

SUPER 8

Absorbing the action and story in Super 8, I felt the same joy I had as a wide-eyed kid watching E.T. for the first time.

[Side note: there are still many Oscar contenders that I have yet to see and hope to soon, including Albert Nobbs, The Artist, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Iron Lady, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, We Need to Talk About Kevin and Young Adult]

TELEVISION

Everyone has a Top 10. I have 12, plus three that almost made the list.

Again, alphabetically:

1. Breaking Bad
2. Community
3. Friday Night Lights
4. Fringe
5. The Good Wife
6. Happy Endings
7. Homeland
8. Luther
9. Justified
10. Once Upon a Time
11. Parks and Recreation
12. Person of Interest

Honorable mentions: Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead.

While many would argue that a few of the above shows may not qualify as the BEST that television had to offer in 2011, these are my personal favorites. To each their own. 

Thank you for reading, and Happy New Year! 

There are many articles I should be writing and videos I should be attempting to post, but technical difficulties have created a divergence. Thus, I am distracted, and because I love lists - I decided instead to share what I believe are the very best shows on TV right now. 

Caveat 1: these shows are scripted and still airing (although very few are gracing our small screens during this dull summer). Caveat 2: don’t focus on the the exact placement of one particular series over another; this is just my (J)opinion about each as of this very moment, and obviously YOUR shows and order will differ.

1. Breaking Bad
2. Mad Men
3. The Good Wife
4. Fringe
5. Justified
6. Dexter
7. Community
8. Game of Thrones
9. Modern Family
10. Parks and Recreation
11. Parenthood
12. Southland
13. Damages
14. Rescue Me
15. Falling Skies
16. Nurse Jackie
17. The Big C
18. Cougar Town
19. The Big Bang Theory
20. Happy Endings
21. 30 Rock
22. The Killing
23. The Walking Dead
24. Weeds
25. Boardwalk Empire

Truthfully, I have fallen out of love with four shows that I’d watched from the beginning: Entourage, House, The Office and True Blood. Thus, they did not make my list. In addition, I just started Castle, which is why it didn’t make the cut (yet). 

* File under: Guilty Pleasure Shows that I really enjoy watching (but don’t belong in the list above) 

1. Hawaii 5-0
2. The Vampire Diaries
3. Body of Proof
4. Bones
5. Warehouse 13
6. Pretty Little Liars
7. Chuck 
8. Private Practice
9. Grey’s Anatomy
10. Glee

Ideally, I would really love this Tumblr page to become a more interactive experience, much like the good old days with LOST posts. So please leave any comments or lists you might have!

As usual, the lovely folks who decide upon major television award nominations exercised their sci-fi bias. Egregious omissions this year include the final season & cast of Lost, and Fringe (WHY DOESN’T THE WORLD RECOGNIZE HOW BRILLIANT JOHN NOBLE IS?).

Sigh. Here are my initial reactions to the TV nods. I have not seen enough of the nominated films to comment on them. Yet.

Best Television Series, Drama

1. Boardwalk Empire [yawn]
2. Dexter [bloody great]
3. The Good Wife [the good choice]
4. Mad Men [deserving every year]
5. The Walking Dead [goo, too new]

Best Televison Series, Comedy or Musical

1. 30 Rock [average season]
2. The Big Bang Theory [absolutely geektastic]
3. The Big C [not particularly funny]
4. Glee [music: yes, comedy: no]
5. Modern Family [for. the. win.]
6. Nurse Jackie [also not particularly funny]

Best Actor in a Television Series, Drama

1. Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire [just…no]
2. Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad [just…YES]
3. Michael C. Hall - Dexter [not this season]
4. Jon Hamm - Mad Men [for The Suitcase alone]
5. Hugh Laurie - House [annual nod; yawn]

Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama

1. Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife [love love love]
2. Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men [it was her season]
3. Piper Perabo - Covert Affairs [does not compute]
4. Katey Sagal - Sons of Anarchy [don’t watch the show]
5. Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer [don’t watch the show]

Best Actor in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical

1. Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock [the saving grace of the show]
2. Steve Carell - The Office [annual nod; yawn]
3. Thomas Jane - Hung [does not compute]
4. Matthew Morrison - Glee [oh HELL no]
5. Jim Parsons - Big Bang Theory [approve; please reward the nerd]

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

1. Hope Davis - Special Relationship [does not compute]
2. Jane Lynch - Glee [hers to lose]
3. Kelly McDonald - Boardwalk Empire [strong second choice]
4. Julia Stiles - Dexter [great guest role; this nod belongs to Jennifer Carpenter]
5. Sofia Vergara -Modern Family [Jay! Don’t talk smack about Jane Lynch if I lose]

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

1. Scott Caan - Hawaii Five-0 [well ok]
2. Chris Noth - The Good Wife [not on screen enough]
3. David Straithairn - Temple Grandin [have not seen]
4. Eric Stonestreet - Modern Family [hilarious & deserving]
5. Chris Colfer - Glee [the saving grace of the show]

Best Actress in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical

1. Toni Collette - United States of Tara [challenging roles, deserves nod]
2. Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie [stellar as always]
3. Tina Fey - 30 Rock [consistently entertaining]
4. Laura Linney - The Big C [flawless dimples & performance, not a funny role]
5. Lea Michelle - Glee [not this season]

To sum up, I am primarily thrilled for the TheBigBangTheory BreakingBad Dexter TheGoodWife MadMen & ModernFamily creative teams and casts.

Which nominations surprised/elated/annoyed YOU?

File under: stunning, party of two.

I can’t get enough of Archie Panjabi on The Good Wife. She is my favorite female character on television right now, without a doubt. The eyes, the knee-high boots and zipped up leather jackets speak volumes. Kalinda is extremely guarded and vague…and I love it.

Now I need to watch A Mighty Heart again, because Panjabi played a pivotal role in the 2007 Angelina Jolie film.