2012 Grammy Nominations (The BIG Categories)

Here comes my favorite time of year…AWARD SEASON! And since the deadline for the Grammy’s already passed (September 30^th), I think it’s only appropriate to start slowly announcing my own predictions for the Grammy nominations this year. And as a disclaimer, this prediction list is not only based on my love for music and what I listen to the most, but also on common themes the Grammy’s seem to stick with. So don’t judge, but let me know what you think! We’ll start off with the major awards of the night.

Record of the Year

ADELE – “Rolling In The Deep”

Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse – “Body and Soul”

Foster The People – “Pumped Up Kicks”

Lady GaGa – “The Edge of Glory”

Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera – “Moves Like Jagger”

It’s going to be a big night for ADELE either way you look at it, so we’ll have to start off with her big hit of the year! Tony Bennett’s bittersweet duet with the late Amy Winehouse could be giving ADELE a run for her money. Let’s not forget about Foster The People’s big push on the radio recently which could be stuck in the voters’ minds. Lady GaGa may not have been AS successful like her debut with The Fame (or even The Fame Monster), but “The Edge Of Glory” was played enough times and heavily promoted all summer. And finally, we get to the breakout hit of the summer, creeping its way into fall: “Moves Like Jagger”. It’s catchy, fun, and has spent a long time on the charts since its debut early this summer.

And other possibilities:

ADELE – “Someone Like You”

Katy Perry – “Firework”

Katy Perry & Kanye West – “E.T.”

Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”

Album of the Year

ADELE – 21

Tony Bennett – Duets II

Beyoncé – 4

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Lady GaGa – Born This Way

ADELE’s 21 is an obvious shoe in. Tony Bennett had great success as well. Let’s not forget how much the Grammy’s love Beyoncé. It’s a shame that fans didn’t appreciate the growth and amazing-ness of 4, but I’m hoping it won’t be forgotten. Right along with that is the amazing contribution from Kanye West and his creative genius that is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. And of course, Lady GaGa’s much-hyped Born This Way.

And other possibilities:

Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

Foster The People – Torches

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne

Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – I’m With You

Song of the Year

ADELE – “Someone Like You”

Foster The People – “Pumped Up Kicks”

Kanye West & Rihanna – “All of the Lights”

Lady GaGa – “Born This Way”

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – “The Adventures of Rain Dance McGee”

“Someone Like You” has the sheer vulnerability worthy of this songwriting award. “Pumped Up Kicks” is catchy enough. “All of the Lights” is just different from anything else out there. “Born This Way” is a wonderful anthem that speaks out to individuality. And “The Adventures of Rain Dance McGee” is genius just for the perfect use of the cowbell.

And other possibilities:

ADELE – “Rolling In The Deep”

Beyoncé – “Run The World (Girls)”

Katy Perry – “Firework”

Lady GaGa – “The Edge of Glory”

Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera – “Moves Like Jagger”

Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”

Best New Artist

Christina Perri

J Cole

Jessie J

Marsha Ambrosius

Nicki Minaj

Christina Perri is wonderfully talented with a tone so mature. J Cole is making a big splash (much like Drake a year before). Jessie J is just my personal favorite and with the voice and her creativity, she just deserves to be nominated. Marsha Ambrosius is just a wonderful R&B addition to add variety. And having released her debut album in November 2010, Nicki Minaj better have a Best New Artist nomination!

And other possibilities:

Big Sean

Foster The People

GLEE REVIEW: Magically Delicious

Glee’s third season continued their perfect streak tonight with one magical surprise after the next!

The Good

Damian McGinty

The first official winner of this summer’s Glee Project finally made his debut tonight. Sure, his accent is a bit tough to understand at time, but there’s no denying his charisma and charm. He found the humor in all the right places, and my heart melted every time he started to sing. Sure they picked slow songs for him to sing that put Marissa to sleep (boo) but he has such a rich tone way beyond his years. 

Hot Bitches

Or the Trouble Tones as they have officially been called, finally are taking form. Getting Mercedes to start it up was easy, but now we have the other powerhouse Santana with her lovable sidekick Brittany S. Pierce along for the ride. Their rendition of Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman” wasn’t as remarkable as I would’ve hoped, but it still was worthy enough to get New Directions’ attention, getting them to shake in their boots.

The Race Is On

Burt Hummel is running for Congress against Sue, and it looks like she’s getting a run for her money (literally). Burt has been such a strong supporting character from the first time we saw him back in season one when Kurt came out to him after his big football game. Since then, he’s steadily become one of my favorites on the show. From his dramatic heart attack, to his Glee wedding, to the endless amount of love and support he has for his gay son, Burt has it all!

They did WHAT?!!

SPOILER ALERT: Puck & Shelby kissed! Totally called it, but still surprised. How this is going to unfold will be very interesting to see within the next couple of weeks.

What to Look Forward To

Next week’s episode is called “The First Time”. In the promo, it’s obvious that the couples going all the way in their relationship are Finn & Rachel as well as Kurt & Blaine. While some may find it immoral and wrong for a number of different reasons (reasons I may or may not be totally agreeing with), it’s still going to be groundbreaking to see the progression of a gay couple taking that next big step, and on primetime television of all places! Here’s to hoping for more open doors for gays on primetime television (no pun intended).

Halloween Movie Countdown

This isn’t necessarily a countdown of the scariest movies of all time. This is just my little collection of favorite scary movies to watch, especially during Halloween time!

10.) Young Frankenstein

Need I say more…?

9.) Scary Movie

Fun, hilarious, and the start of the “Movie” franchise. The original is ALWAYS the best!

8.) The Ring

I can still remember seeing this for the first time. I still get scared the same way every time.

7.) Paranormal Activity

Nothing compares to the original. The other 3 follow-ups are pretty good, but nothing compares to seeing the first Halloween night at midnight 3 years ago!

6.) The Sixth Sense

Genius, breath-taking, and just an overall great movie! Who couldn’t believe that ending?!!!

5.) The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Crazy, classic, and a hell of a time! Tim Curry, Meat Loaf, and Susan Sarandon, where else can you see them all together at the same time?!

4.) The Nightmare Before Christmas

The best movie that works for both Halloween and Christmas, one right after the other.

3.) Hocus Pocus

This really is my childhood, watching this non-stop and quoting the movie throughout! “Come little children…”

2.) The Halloween Tree

I don’t know if anyone else even knows this movie exists, but I HAVE to watch it every Halloween!

1.) Halloween

My all-time favorite scary movie. It’s a true classic and gets me every time!

Halloween Music Countdown

Here is the first of two very special Halloween blogs! This one is just a lovely little countdown of my favorite Halloween songs. Party it up, and enjoy!

10.) “Morning After Dark”

Timbaland, SoShy, & Nelly Furtado

One of the newest additions to the list (and one of the most underrated) is this Twilight inspired Timbaland track. Spooky, fun, and such a good listen!

9.) “Time Warp”

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

How can you NOT include something from The Rocky Horror Picture Show? This one’s a classic!

8.) “Thriller/Heads Will Roll”

Glee

Don’t worry, the original by MJ is on this list later, but this cover mash-up comes fairly close. It may have been during the Super Bowl (as opposed to a special Halloween episode like it should have been) but still an amazing production!

7.) “This Is Halloween”

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Another timeless classic! 

6.) “Mister Sand Man”

The Chordettes

Some may be confused as to why this is on the countdown. It’s up-tempo and light, and a lot of people remember it from Back to the Future. But the only thing that comes to my mind is this song playing in Halloween 2 as well as Halloween H20.

5.) “I Put A Spell On You”

Hocus Pocus

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. This movie IS my childhood…need I say more?!

4.) “The Murder”

Bernard Herrmann

Classic cinema music that gets scarier with every second!

3.) “Disturbia”

Rihanna

I like to call this “Thriller” for the new generation.

2.) “Halloween Theme”

John Carpenter

My favorite scary movie, so of course it’s one of my favorite songs to hear today!

1.) “Thriller”

Michael Jackson

How could I NOT pick this as #1?!!! And as a special treat, here is the original…

…followed by the last live version ever recorded by the late MJ. RIP

GLEE REVIEW: Consider Glee Officially Fixed

3 solid episodes into the third season and now we must wait until November for more?!! This is outrageous friggin’ World Series. But nevertheless, let us celebrate what is sure to be THE best (and certainly MY favorite) episode from all three seasons.

The Good

Mike Chang & Mercedes (& Brittany)

It was a night for the underdogs! First up was Brittany S. Pierce. Heather Morris doesn’t have the strongest singing voice, but you know that her dancing trumps anything and everyone else in her way! “Run the World (Girls)” was brilliant and so entertaining. Can we just let Brittany have a dance break in every episode from now on for the rest of the season?

Then we have Mike Chang. After being promoted at last to a series regular, we get to see more of the Asian dancer we all love. The Asian F thing was funny, but it was a serious topic. The idea that parents are there to support their children’s dreams rather than their own was so poignant and real. Yes, it seems as though they tried to tie things over with a happy ending between Mike and his mother’s dancing lesson, but I’m hoping that they continue to highlight Mike Chang and Harry Shum Jr.’s amazing performance quality. And he sings! Like for real! Not as a joke like in last year’s “Duets” episode, but he actually sounds amazing! And from seeing him dance to no music with the true raw emotion behind it, and not to mention the “Cool” dance number, there was so much to celebrate where Mike Chang is concerned.

Look down below to get your Harry Shum Jr. fix again...

And now we get to Mercedes, the underdog we’ve been rooting for all along. It’s a little bit of life imitating art tonight when we hear Mercedes complaining that for the last 2 years of high school, she’s stood behind Rachel in her spotlight (speaking of which, UH-MAZING cover of a J-Hud classic!).

In real life, it’s been the show giving Lea Michele the spotlight for the past 2 seasons. Tonight we did see a more mature Mercedes, someone who wasn’t just going to be pushed to the side. She spoke her mind, she was confident, and she let everyone know just why she’s not going to take it anymore!

Precious

First we have the adorable connection between Will and Emma. Was my heart the only one that broke when we were introduced to Emma’s parents? And then to really see her breakdown with Will by her side, it was a touching moment. AND not to mention that Emma getting down on her knees and praying, and the way she explained that she feels God hears her better (also seeing Will praying for her and right next to her) was so much more meaningful and heartfelt in that couple of minutes in the ends than last season’s entire “Grilled Cheesus” episode.

And let us not forget Coach Beiste and Dot-Marie Jones’ portrayal. She is just adorable and such a huge asset to the show. She needs to be promoted to series regular STAT!

Long-lasting Storylines

Do you remember last year when there were storylines beginning in the beginning of the episode and then suddenly resolved by the end of the hour? We’re starting to get back to basics like the first season where the storylines cross over multiple episodes and aren’t simply resolved in one episode. Take for example West Side Story. Last year their school musical took place all in one episode, from the auditions, to the rehearsals, to the drama, to the performance itself. This year, we start with the announcement of the musical in the first episode, we get to auditions in the second episode, and then the final cats list by tonight’s episode. Not to mention that there is so much character development being wrapped around this whole concept. We also have storylines concerning Shelby Corcoran and her new group, Blaine and Kurt’s relationship, as well as the struggle and fear for the future after graduation.

The Bad

NOOOOOO-VEMBER!

The only bad thing was remembering at the end of tonight that we have to wait until NOVEMBER to see new episodes, and especially after an episode like this where we really do want more. Damn World Series…y’all know that us Gays have a life to live too for crying out loud! We’ll let you have your games, just pick a champion soon and let’s get back to the amazing third season!

What to Look Forward To

Santana and Mercedes reunited, and it feels so good. Let’s hear it for CANDYMAN!

And Quinn’s evil plot to get her baby Beth back from Shelby…UH UH GIRLFRIEND!

And don’t forget the allusions concerning Puck and his cougar-dating days from the first season. Did you see him holding Shelby’s hand? Uh-oh…SCANDAL!

And as promised..

There's a 50/50 Chance You'll Either Cry or Laugh (50/50 Review)

I went into going to see this movie with high expectations. It’s based on a true story, Seth Rogen sounds more mature, and of course we have the gorgeously talented Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the star. But what I walked away with was a big respect and appreciation for not only those with cancer but for the people in their lives helping them cope along the way, not to mention that I couldn’t help laughing half the time too!

The Performances

Let’s start with the obvious: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is pure genius. Subtle, poignant, and heartfelt, he’s such an inspirational and natural actor. His decisions in the film (from the head-shaving to the screaming in his car) carried his character to a whole new level. It was real and honest without being fake and campy.

Then we get to Seth Rogen who plays almost the same kind of character he plays in every other film, but this time it was mature and heartfelt compared to his other performances. Maybe since there was a real truth (after all playing the character of himself from the story the movie was inspired by with his best friend in real life) it was more meaningful and there was more effort on his part. His character Kyle had a great balance of off-beat humor and a sincere relationship with Adam.

Next we have the brilliant Anjelica Houston and her heartbreaking motherly performance as Adam’s mom, Anna Kendrick as a sweet, neurotic mess with Katherine, and playing the character we all hate again was the genius Bryce Dallas Howard as Rachael, Adam’s failure of a supportive girlfriend.

The cast worked well together finding the humor when it was called for and the seriousness when it was deserved.

The Story/Emotion

You don’t need to have someone close in your life to have cancer in order to be affected by the heartfelt story and emotion in this film. I can understand a lot of the pain and the seriousness of the situation, but at the same time I can also appreciate the needed moments of happiness and laughter that is often overshadowed by the fear of the sickness. Nothing was forced or over the top, nothing too far-fetched or fake, it all flowed well and was very realistic. From the surgeons we all know who are not personable at all (yes I’m talking to Dr. Dick who can’t even look Adam in the eye when he’s telling him about his cancer), and not to mention the raw moment when Adam locks himself in the car and just screams it all out, the film was filled with moments that were so natural and real. We could feel what they were all going through because everyone did a great job portraying people instead of simply actors playing characters.

The Mix

Not going to lie, I was a little skeptical at first hearing about a comedy about cancer. Did anyone sit through Funny People with Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen? THAT was forced and nothing realistic. It wasn’t heartfelt in the least bit. But what makes 50/50 so brilliant is that there was balance.

One second you have tears in your eyes because of the cancer announcement, but then fade into a couple scenes later and you’re laughing at Kyle’s antics with using Adam’s cancer to get girls.

It didn’t jump in and out too fast, there was a subtle transition from those moments and it was easy to tell the difference because you felt the emotion they were portraying every time it changed up.

Final Thoughts

It’s an honest look at what happens when someone so young is faced with this dilemma in their life. The real support shows itself and separates from those who are too scared and too selfish to deal and cope with it.

We see a brutally honest look into cancer and the effect it has on not just the patient, but the family and friends that surround them (not to mention the support coming from chemotherapy, another heartfelt but tough couple of scenes to watch).

It was poignant, realistic, and brilliant on every level.

Oscar Predictions?

It would be a crime not to nominate Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Best Actor. But could Seth Rogen actually get a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his mature turn as the best friend? Maybe even a Bets Supporting Actress nod for Anjelica Houston? And let’s not forget about the script written by Will Reiser (who based the film loosely on his life and the real life support from friend Seth Rogen). It’s stories and scripts with the honest connection like this that are recognized and possibly win the award in the end (see Dustin Lance Black’s script for the 2008 biopic Milk). Crossing my fingers!