The Hot Shots of 2013

It's that time of year when I get to look at who had a successful year in 2013. So here's my list of the hot shots of 2013. The list is in alphabetical order.

Actresses over the age of 40
There are a few frontrunners for the Academy Award for Best Actress: Judi Dench (Philomena), Meryl Streep (August: Osage County), Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks) and Sandra Bullock (Gravity). Know what they all have in common? They're older, seasoned actresses; 2013 is one of the few years where actresses over the age of 40 have played meaty, starring roles. Even the sixth actor on the shortlist for Best Actress is 39 year old Amy Adams (American Hustle). Outside the Oscar race, Melissa McCarthy (with co-star Bullock) and Jennifer Aniston ruled the summer box office with The Heat and We're the Millers respectively.

Michelle Ashford, creator of Showtime's Masters of Sex
Masters of Sex is not only exceptionally filmed, beautifully acted and expertly written but it has a warmth and a sense of humor missing from other period prestige dramas (namely Mad Men). Ashford has created a show about sex that isn't juvenile; the series explores how sex can be funny, heartbreaking, disappointing, satisfying and erotic. While the number of female showrunners is growing, Masters of Sex is notable because it's not exclusively about the female experience with men as love interests or villains. The characters are all pretty developed and the show is truly a delight to watch.

Andre Braugher
After years of playing in serious dramas or serio-comedies, Braugher made the unexpected move: joining Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a goofy police workplace sitcom starring SNL vet Andy Samberg. As Capt. Holt, Braugher brings major laughs with his deadpan delivery and priceless facial expressions. Instead of playing the typical by-the-book straitlaced boss, he brings in new shades to the character each episode and displays just enough of a goofy side to become the freshman series' best character.

Alfonso Cuaron and the Gravity team
Cuaron has built an impressive filmography and delivered his most spellbinding and ambitious film yet. Gravity was a colossal success both with audiences and critics. Nominated for 4 Golden Globes, Gravity is expected to be a big hit at the Academy Awards; nominations are expected for most of the major awards and the technical awards. The film is glorious to watch; it is one of the few films to make full and proper use of 3D technology. The cast and crew should be applauded for pulling off this challenging but emotionally rewarding film. I would put money on Cuaron winning the Oscar for Best Director.

Chwietel Ejiofor
Ejiofor has been a dependable actor, often shining in supporting roles or not getting enough recognition. His time has come this year with his powerhouse performance in the critically acclaimed 12 Years a Slave. As a free man captured back into slavery, Ejiofor is quietly intense, heartbreaking and resilient in the face of relentless horror. It's a great performance, rightfully bringing this actor to the limelight. He's already won numerous awards for his incredible performance and he's the actor to beat for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Scarlett Johansson
After becoming the highest paid actress for her franchise work in the Marvel films, Johansson wowwed critics with her work in two different films. In Don Jon, she played bubblegum-chewing, bossy Jersey princess to great effect, mining laughs from her accent and spot-on line readings. Then she played an operating system named Samantha on the verge of sentience and love in Her. Johansson's creation of a whole character using only her voice has been greatly appreciated by critics. She also starred in the sci-fi horror Under the Skin which had a warm reception at various film festivals. Johansson's 2013 proved to be one of her best years  and the future is looking just as bright.

Jurassic Park in IMAX 3D
There have been a lot of IMAX 3D re-releases of older films these past few years. The most successful one was the conversion of the 1993 dino-thriller Jurassic Park. The 3D was detailed and immersive, the sound is sharp and enveloping and the dinosaurs looked as menacing as ever. While most of the re-releases can seem like a cash grab banking on the nostalgia factor, Jurassic Park actually was worth the effort. It doesn't hurt that the movie has aged wonderfully. The special effects are just as cool as they were 20 years ago.

Jennifer Lawrence
After a memorable Oscar win earlier this year, JLaw continued to be the coolest actress working in Hollywood. She finds herself back in the Oscar race with her supposedly unhinged and scene-stealing performance in American Hustle. She also continued to rock the box office in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. This year Lawrence proved that she isn't just a flash in the pan, showing versatility in her film roles. She's proved that she has what it takes to be a franchise star, a role model and a critical darling all while retaining her sense of humor about it all.

Malcom D. Lee and the The Best Man Holiday team
The Best Man Holiday is the best sequel to a move you probably forgot existed. The film opened at #2, making almost twice its budget on opening weekend. The movie, which features a large number of appealing, talented actors (including Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Nathan and Nia Long), earned positive reviews and strong word of mouth. It made a smashing total of $69 million in the US and opened at #1 on its opening Friday, earning more than Thor: The Dark World, the best sequel to a movie you weren't allowed to forget existed. Of course, Thor took back the #1 spot on Saturday and Sunday but the damage had been done: The Best Man Holiday was a surefire hit.

Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey
An unlikely pair both on and off the screen, Leto and McConaughey proved a formidable team in their critically acclaimed picture Dallas Buyers Club. As HIV+ individuals in the middle of the 80s epidemic, their performances and chemistry together bring the movie alive and add in some warmth and humor to what could have been a very serious drama. Both actors do career-defining work in the film. Along with co-star Jennifer Garner, these two actors really make this difficult time in American history relatable and engrossing, providing what could have been a soapbox melodrama with some necessary gravitas.

Steve McQueen
After making two critically acclaimed films that were just on the verge of getting wide recognition, McQueen finally hit the mainstream with the unflinching !2 Years a Slave. He brings his keen eye for striking visuals to a film that is bigger in scope than his previous films (Hunger and Shame) and he really pulled it off. While his previous films were somber character studies, this film takes on a more ambitious task of telling these human stories within a larger context. It is a truly harrowing but totally necessary film experience. McQueen has been brought to national focus because of this film, garnering many award nominations and wins for it. The film is a true achievement under McQueen's confident and unwavering direction.

Mike White and Laura Dern, creators of HBO's Enlightened
Enlightened was sadly one of the most under-appreciated gems in the HBO oeuvre. Canceled after its second season, the series had a very unique and complicated heroine at the center and a knack for mining comedy out of minute and mundane social interactions. The show struggled to find an audience but in its obscurity it found creative freedom. The show explored uncomfortable themes, took chances with its narrative structure and developed its own style of gorgeous imagery. With each episode written by White, who co-stars along with Dern, the series felt intimate and real. For that it will be a true lost treasure for the HBO brand.

5 Films #8: Matthew McConaughey

For part 8 of 5 Films, I chose Mr. Southern Smiles himself, Matthew McConaughey. His career can be divided into three eras: Promising, Punchline, Powerhouse. In the 90s, he had a bright career with strong supporting roles and big parts in ensemble dramas that seemed to signify he was on the way to Big Things. Then his career took a turn into Rom-Com Junction. While some of his rom-coms are actually good, most of them lacked whatever a movie needs to be memorable and exciting. But then McConaughey reignited the fire of his career in the late 2000s and has been hitting home runs ever since. Now he's on the road to an Oscar nomination with the film Dallas Buyers Club (in theaters now).

1. Dazed and Confused (1993; Richard Linklater)
McConaughey's first movie role was as David Wooderson, the charming rascal who hits on girls several years his junior. "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age" is the kind of line only someone like McConaughey can pull off. The laidback, carefree Wooderson is what most people think of when they hear the name McConaughey. I'm sure he brought his natural charisma to the role or maybe this role was so iconic it shaped his entire offscreen persona. There are times when Wooderson shows his quiet intensity and the cool guy mask drops off. So even back then, McConaughey was showing traces of the actor he would become 20 years later.

2. A Time to Kill (1996; Joel Schumacher)
Even with a cast that includes a number of Hollywood heavyweights like Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Ashley Judd and Donald Sutherland, a young McConaughey manages to stand out in this popular legal drama. And I think that is because he's playing a lawyer, Jake Brigance. There's something about McConaughey's Southern drawl and winking charm which makes him perfect for playing a criminal attorney. He has the ability to stand for justice without sounding preachy. He's charisma and he has the intensity to back it up. This was the movie that brought him to the big leagues, his first adult starring role. And it's not surprising it made him a legit star.

3. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003; Donald Petrie)
The McConaughey rom-com era officially started in 2001 with The Wedding Planner. But the best of the bunch is clearly 10 Days, which pairs McConaughey with a totally game Kate Hudson in a zany battle of the sexes screwball comedy. This is still early enough in McConuaghey's rom-com era so his performance is genuine and spontaneous (unlike in later movies like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past or Fool's Gold where it feels phoned-in). As Benjamin Barry, he uses his charm and good looks in fun ways and is able to keep up with Hudson's full-bodied, over-the-top comic performance. Modern rom-coms don't get a fair shake but this one shows that with the right writers, cast and director, a PG-13 mainstream studio comedy can still be have a few tricks up its sleeve.

4. Killer Joe (2011; William Friedkin)
In 2011, McConaughey bounced out of his rom-com era and into the good graces of filmgoers in the taut legal thriller The Lincoln Lawyer. Around the same time, a little trash-noir indie was being shown around festivals only to have a limited release in June 2012. That was Killer Joe, one of McConaughey's most interesting and menacing performances. He completely discards his Southern charmer persona and becomes rather frightening and creepily vulnerable as the titular Killer Joe Cooper. As a cop who moonlights as an assassin-for-hire, he abandoned his normal star charisma and truly inhabits the role of Killer Joe. It's remarkable work, the culmination of almost two decades of perfecting his craft.

5. Dallas Buyers Club (2013; Jean-Marc Vallee)
As Ron Woodroof, a homophobic, skirt-chasing Texas man who tests HIV+ after an unprotected sexual encounter, McConaughey tries to balance his movie star persona with his Killer Joe intensity. And it works. Beautifully, I should add. While most actors who play real people try to disappear into the character, McConaughey brings his whole career with him into the character. For that reason, this very Oscar-y performance feels genuine and heartfelt instead of manipulative and hollow. As much as you want to hate Woodroof for his hateful view of the world, the way he tries to correct his life is admirable as is his desire to help people in his same situation. Woodroof feels like a real person on the screen instead of just your typical soapbox-cipher character. McConaughey could very well win the Oscar for this performance (his main competition is Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave) and that would be all right, all right, all right.

Other remarkable films starring Matthew McConaughey:
1. The Lincoln Lawyer
2. Magic Mike
3. Mud
4. Two for the Money
5. Amistad

Hope you enjoyed part 8 of 5 Films. Stay tuned for Part 9, starring Oscar winner Natalie Portman.

My Top 10 Favorite A.R. Rahman Songs

A.R. Rahman is perhaps one of India's greatest composers, if not the best. His eclectic, experimental style redefined Indian film music in the late 1990s and he has been churning out startling compositions ever since. He is a chameleon-like composer, adapting to the needs of the film. He can do a rock song or a classical mujra and it is evident that is a Rahman song, making him a true musical auteur. So here are my top 10 favorite A.R. Rahman songs.

10. "Rehnuma" from Blue (2009)
Lyrics by Abbas Tyrewala; sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Nigam
Blue is one of many mediocre, forgettable films for which the producers have inexplicably roped Rahman to provide the soundtrack and score. Blue is a pretty good soundtrack, featuring a number of eclectic songs ("Aaj dil gustakh hai," "Fiqrana," "Yaar mila tha") but the best one is the James Bond-ish "Rehnuma." This song, with strong, twisty vocals from Nigam and Ghoshal, features some slick arrangements. The underwater motif from Blue is most evident in this song as it brings thoughts of marine life to the mind. It's a very cool and addictive track, and the under-the-sea opening credits video matches it quite well.

9. "Banarasiya" from Raanjhanaa (2013)
Lyrics by Irshad Kamil; sung by Shreya Ghoshal, Anwesha Datta Gupta and Meenal Jain
This soundtrack features about 5 really good songs. But "Banarasiya" is the crown jewel of the soundtrack. For this Banaras-set romance, Rahman abandoned his usual electro-Western/Arabic fusion style and adopted a folksy, totally Indian-based style. What is so brilliant about this song is that it is both inventive and experimental but completely accessible. Rahman uses a variety of Indian classical instruments (sitar, bansuri, sarangi, tabla, etc) and creates a nuanced and surprising song. Ghoshal, already an incredibly versatile singer, is at her best with Rahman and the two take what could have been a situational number about Banaras the city and make it a modern classic. The way Rahman's music and Ghoshal's singing interact with each other is just brilliant, creating a playful back-and-forth between composer and singer.

8. "Kaise mujhe tum mil gayi" from Ghajini (2008)
Lyrics by Prasoon Joshi; sung by Benny Dayal and Shreya Ghoshal
Whenever a Hindi movie (or in this case a Tamil movie remade in Hindi) has any sort of connection to a Hollywood movie, comparisons are inevitable. When it comes to the Memento v. Ghajini battle, I prefer the latter. The love story is more fleshed out, giving the film the strong emotional backbone that Memento lacked. The ballad "Kaise mujhe" is emotionally raw and powerful. Rahman ingeniously places the melody of Ghoshal's verse into the musical interludes, hinting at a ghostly presence (much like Asin as a ghostly presence in Aamir Khan's mind). Benny Dayal delivers such a tragic performance and Rahman's music is fittingly sad and haunting. He uses the piano and sitar to great effect, making this romantic song full of longing. Ghajini is but a very violent love story and "Kaise mujhe" highlights the romance and heartbreak at the center of the film.

7. "Na shiqwa hota" from Tehzeeb (2003)
Lyrics by Javed Akhtar; sung by Madhushree
Tehzeeb was a little-seen comic-melodrama directed by screenwriter/journalist Khalid Mohammed based on Ingmar Bergman's 70s classic Autumn Sonata. With music playing a big role in the film, Rahman created a wholly unusual soundtrack blending together techno, Arabic music, and traditional ghazals. This resulted in an interesting but uneven soundtrack with two truly great songs "Meherbaan meherbaan" and "Na shiqwa hota." The latter is notable for Akhtar's poignant, forgiveness-themed lyrics and the powerful vocals from Madhushree (credited with her birth name Sujata Bhattacharya). The song is a piano ballad that is backed with a drumbeat that gives it a sense of urgency. Merging those two together makes the song feel timeless, both modern and traditional.

6. "Taal se taal mila" from Taal (1999)
Lyrics by Anand Bakshi; sung by Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan and Sukhwinder Singh
Taal is arguably one of Rahman's most acclaimed soundtracks and for good reason. The album spawned a large number of famous, if not iconic, songs like the twin versions of "Ishq bina," "Ramta jogi," "Kahin aag lage" and "Nahin saamne." I highlighted "Taal se taal mila" because it introduced Alka Yagnik into the Rahman troupe of singers. The Yagnik-Rahman pairing has been very successful and this debut song feels like two old friends collaborating on something magical. When Udit Narayan comes in, the song does dip in quality but that's because the lyrics of his verse are too situational. But the song isn't ruined at all. I like the rustic and rainy feel of the song, with the musical interludes evoking a heart-of-India feeling. And I especially like Sukhwinder Singh background vocals, possibly foreshadowing the "western remix" version of the song.

5. "Ranjha ranjha" from Raavan (2010)
Lyrics by Gulzar; sung by Rekha Bhardwaj, Javed Ali and Anuradha Sriram
There's an unfortunate trend when it comes to Rahman's songs. The films' directors trim the songs to shreds or place them in unfitting situations. No director is as guilty of this as Mani Ratnam, who often takes Rahman's nuanced music and butchers them or keeps them in the background. "Ranjha ranjha" is one of Rahman's most inventive songs. It's a Sufi number about forbidden love and erotic intrigue that features some electronic modern flashes. Rahman so effectively conveys a mood of danger and intense emotion that is really addictive. The singing by Bhardwaj and Ali is fantastic, and their chemistry together is electric. Sriram's vocalizing in the background and the Sufi chorus add some mystery to the song. In the movie? This song is played in the background during a flashback and then is heard in a weird stripped-down version that bares no resemblance to the original. Thanks, Mani Ratnam, for taking this wild song and taming it down to the point of uselessness.

4. "Azeem o shah shahenshah" from Jodhaa Akbar (2008)

Lyrics by Javed Akhtar; sung by Mohd. Aslam, Bonnie Chakravorty and Chorus
There is but one word fitting to describe this album-opener from Ashutosh Gowariker's romantic epid: MAJESTIC. With thunderous percussion instruments, blaring horns and trumpets and rhythmic clanging of swords and shields, "Azeem o shah shahenshah" is a serious achievement for Rahman. It's a pumping number, pulsating with energy and excitement. This is a long song but Rahman keeps it fresh by introducing a variety of eclectic arrangements that are different but blend together quite seamlessly. While the rest of the album is very good, the other songs struggle to keep up with the breathless originality of this song.

3. "Rang hai" from Meenaxi: A Tale of 3 Cities (2004)
Lyrics by Rahat Indori; Sung by Alka Yagnik and Dallinda
A.R. Rahman takes a trip to Jaisalmir, Rajasthan (one of the three eponymous cities) and crafts a number that takes the traditional ghoomar song and infuses with Arabic flavor. Rahman manifests the playful, girlish lyrics into a very exciting musical piece. He uses percussion instruments to keep the song's pulsating beat but adds in clapping and bangles to make the song sweeter. Also, the song changes pace every so often--the interlude before the second verse is absolutely stunning music. Of course, the real star of the show is Alka Yagnik, backed by Lebanese vocalist Dallinda. Yagnik takes these admittedly conventional lyrics and delivers an expressive and somewhat surprising vocal performance. She takes Rahman's playful melody and subverts her normal style quite subtly. Despite being from an odd and forgotten movie, "Rang hai" has emerged as one of Rahman's coolest numbers.

2. "Satrangi re" from Dil Se (1998)
Lyrics by Gulzar; Sung by Sonu Nigam and Kavita Krishnamurthy
Dil Se is perhaps Rahman's most well-known album with the colossal hit "Chaiyya chaiyya." But I think the real achievement from the album is "Satrangi re." This song is deceptively simple. It keeps a steady beat throughout but adds in really cool touches. I mean, these are recognizable instruments distorted to delicious effect. The whole thing combined is one number full of sexual madness and danger (like a precursor to "Ranjha ranjha"). And of course this is really Sonu Nigam's best vocal performance. He and Rahman have crafted some great songs together but their work here is spellbinding. I realized that this is the only Kavita Krishnamurthy song on this list but her work here should not be underestimated. Without her operatic vocalizing and poetic whispering, the song would not be as effective as it is.

1. "Tu muskura" from Yuvvraaj (2008)
Lyrics by Gulzar; Sung by Alka Yagnik and Javed Ali
Not only is "Tu muskura" my favorite A.R. Rahman song of all time but it is in fact my favorite song of all time. Rahman brings together the serene sound of a cello and Alka Yagnik's beautiful voice to create a sensual, sweeping love song. It's sweet, stirring number that utilizes a steady percussion beat to contrast with the ups and downs of Yagnik's singing and the cello. Javed Ali holds his own against the powerhouse Yagnik and delivers a strong, unique rendition. The end of the song features an amazing jugalbandi jam session between the cello, Yagnik and Ali and it is a really thrilling piece of music. "Tu muskura" is emblematic of the A.R. Rahman discography as a whole. It is a song that evokes a powerful feeling, one that is technically flawless yet warm and inviting.

The Alternate Universe Top 10 aka Songs I Felt Bad About Leaving off the List (in alphabetical order by movie name):
"Kehna hi kya" from Bombay (1995)
"Jiya re" from Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012)
"Tauba tauba" from Jeans (1998)
"Ghanan ghanan" from Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)
"Main vari vari" from Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)
"Achcha lagta hai" from Nayak (2001)
"Khamoshiyaan gungunane lagi" from One Two Ka Four (2001)
"Kay sera sera" from Pukar (2000)
"Dekho na" from Swades (2004)
"Hai khuda hafiz" from Yuva (2004)

Sound off in the comments with your favorite A.R. Rahman songs!

'Don Jon' and the New Era for Scarlett Johansson

I'm sure you all know that I am a huge Scarlett Johansson fan. But even I can admit that her film roles lately have been lacking that special something that really gets a fan like me excited. Sure, I appreciated her supporting performances in He's Just Not That Into You and Hitchcock. We Bought a Zoo was cute and charming and her turns as SHIELD agent Natasha Romanoff were cool. But Johansson hasn't had a legitimately meaty role since 2008's Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

In fact, for a while her trilogy of Woody Allen films felt more like a creative peak than the beginning of a true artist taking control of her career and moving out of sex symbol-land. She never really topped her performances in Barcelona, Match Point or Scoop. And with her subsequent roles, I was tired of thinking "wow she really made that underwritten role her own" or "true, anyone could have played that part but she did a good job."  Truth be told, I was afraid that we would never again see a truly great Scarlett Johansson performance.

The future looked bleak until Joseph Gordon-Levitt announced his directorial debut Don Jon and Scarlett Johansson was cast alongside him. What really got me excited was that he continually talked about how he wrote the part of Barbara Sugarman for her. It had been a long time since Johansson had a role that was created for her and her strengths. As Don Jon made the festival rounds, I paid close attention to what was being written about her performance. Looking for all the usual notices her about performances like "not much to do" or "sexy but underutilized," I was surprised to see reviews of her performance were pretty positive. I wouldn't say that they were completely glowing but critics seemed to appreciate her take on the rom-com addicted Jersey princess character type.

But I had to see it for myself. Not only was I not disappointed but I came out of Don Jon truly in awe of Scarlett Johansson. There was the actress I had fallen for years ago, the one I had defended on IMDb message boards and in real life. Johansson and her character fit each other to the T. Barbara is sexy, alluring, charming but it's all just an act. She's manipulative and cold, unwavering and bossy. It's a really sharp, nuanced portrayal as she bounces back and forth between the sexy girlfriend and the mean one (often within scenes and dialogue). Honestly, it's just so nice to see her sink her teeth into a funny, meaty character like Barbara Sugarman. And she received a Gotham Independent Film Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance which is pretty exciting.

What's even more exciting is that Don Jon isn't some kind of fluke. It's the first of a string of interesting projects that Scarlett Johansson has lined up. Up next is Spike Jonze's sci-fi romance Her, in which Scarlett J voices an operating system named Samantha with whom Joaquin Phoenix falls in love. Reviews of Her are quite positive, with Johansson receiving strong praise for her voice-only performance. It could be pretty interesting to hear her but not see her on the screen.

After that is the Jonathan Glazer alien horror film Under the Skin. She plays an alien who takes on the body of a seductive woman and preys on lonely hitchhikers in Scotland. While that premise does sound a little iffy, Glazer is known for haunting and well-crafted imagery and reviews from the festivals were delightfully divisive. I'm intrigued by it.

Then she'll be starring in Jon Favreau's comedy Chef starring Robert Downey Jr and Luc Besson's action movie Lucy. I don't know much about these projects but I'm sure they'll be fun to watch. If anything, it will be nice to see Johansson in a comedy like Chef or the star of her own action movie.  Of course, Johansson will be featured in both Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the Avengers sequel, subtitled Age of Ultron. I'm not too crazy about Johansson being tied down to more superhero movies because they keep her away from cool projects but maybe she enjoys them.

So while Scarlett Johansson has had kind of a weird phase in her career, Don Jon and her other projects suggest that in the next few months, we'll be seeing a lot of her in a variety of cool or at least interesting roles. As a longtime fan and full supporter, I am really excited to see how these films play out and what more success they could bring to Scarlett Johansson.

Her will have a limited release on December 18th, 2013 and then go wide on January 10, 2014. Under the Skin doesn't have a release date yet but my guess would be early next year in February or March. Captain America: The Winter Soldier opens April 4, 2014. Chef will open just a month later on May 9, 2014.  The Avengers: Age of Ultron will come out May 1, 2015. I don't think Lucy has a release date yet but it just started filming. Don Jon is playing in theaters now.

The Wallet Ballot: Why I'm Boycotting the Big Budget Hollywood Blockbuster

Sorry, Scarlett Johansson. I won't be there for you in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. (At least in the theater; as soon as you guys show up on HBO or Redbox, I'm there.)

I've seen a lot of good movies this summer at the box office. Frances Ha (pictured above) Blue Jasmine, In a World... (pictured below), The To-Do List, The Heat, We're the Millers, This is the End, The Spectacular Now, The Bling Ring and even Kick-Ass 2. All of these had budgets under $100 million dollars (some as low as $5 million). And I avoided a lot of movies at the theater like World War Z, White House Down, Pacific Rim, Elysium, The Lone Ranger, Fast & Furious 6, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Star Trek Into Darkness, among others.

The reason? Despite my hope of becoming Dr. Frasier Crane in my 40s, I don't really consider myself a total snob when it comes to films. Every movie has something to offer, even if it just a few "dazzling" special effects and hokey punchlines.

At the same time, however, I'm starting to get tired of being accosted with noisy blockbusters that all seem to blend together into one messy explosion. Each of the Summer 2013 Blockbusters have their supporters and I'm sure they each their own merits. I just don't want to partake in a Hollywood system that's broken and relies on launching franchises and spin-offs. I'm starting to feel that each new Hollywood movie is really just a trailer for a sequel or a trial run for a potential remake.

And, really, that's fine. I'm just an amateur blogger with little idea about how Hollywood actually works. But I want to support the film industry that supports itself with original scripts, casts chosen not just for their supermodel bodies and budgets that could realistically turn a profit.

So that's why I decided not to see any big budget Hollywood blockbusters (budgeted over $150 million) in the theaters. If that means, I'm going to miss out on some potentially exciting movies, so be it. It's a small price to pay (although to be honest, the movie I'm most excited about right now is the Nicole Holofcener mid-40s rom-com Enough Said, pictured above). Obviously, my mini-protest probably will not change anything and I doubt those Hollywood execs will ever change the system until they literally run out of money. But I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I'm not contributing to this broken system. Because while I may not be a part of the solution just yet, I will not be a part of the problem.

5 Films #7: Charlize Theron

For part 7 of my 5 Films series, I chose that sophisticated South African beauty, Academy Award winner Charlize Theron. Known for her portrayals of strong but vulnerable on the inside characters, Theron is the founder of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Program and a strong activist for other important causes.

Like Catherine Deneuve and NIcole Kidman before her, Theron is one of the most beautiful actresses but one who takes on roles that critique her own status as cinematic beauty. Theron's most famous performances are ones that strip her of her vanity and allow her to get down and dirty with her characters. For that reason, she is one of the most surprising working actors.

1. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001; Woody Allen)
One of Theron's pre A-list roles was as wealthy heiress Laura Kensington in Woody Allen's 1940s-set hypnosis comedy. She only has a handful of scenes, all almost exclusively with Allen himself. But her scenes with Allen consist of some funny verbal sparring and sexy banter and they liven up this film, which came during Allen's early 2000s/pre-Match Point slump. Her lively and wildly funny performance offers a glimpse of Theron's inherent charm and sense of humor, qualities that have helped her maintain strong goodwill within the industry and with audiences. Hopefully, Allen will cast her in a leading role in the future.

2. Monster (2003; Patty Jenkins)
Because the Academy Awards are so arbitrary and because it's no secret that campaigning and Hollywood politics have a lot to do with who wins, it's truly rare for an actor's winning performance to be also be their career-defining performance. Such honor goes to Charlize Theron's Oscar winning turn as real life serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Let's just put aside the physical transformation (which was magnificent). The reason why Monster is a true testament to Charlize Theron's talent is that she completely adopts Wuornos' mannerisms, vocal inflections and awkward, mannish gait. She completely assumes the persona of Wuornos, which we can all agree is worlds apart from Theron's own. What's even more brilliant is that this role completely catapulted her to superstardom. Most see the Oscar win as a peak in their careers; for Theron, it was just the beginning.

3. North Country (2005; Niki Caro)
Theron scored herself another Oscar nomination for her work as Josey Aimes, the real life woman who won a landmark sexual harassment case against her coal mining employers. Her performance in this film is quite strong. She maintains a remarkably nuanced balance between fighter against the system and broken bird struggling to survive. That's a common theme of her career, really. She likes playing these characters who have to put on a front just to get through the day. Balanced by a cast of respected character actors, North Country is another star performance from Theron. While not as memorable or unpredictable as Monster, it's still an interesting drama for Theron fans.

4. Aeon Flux (2005; Karyn Kusama)
Like so many Oscar winners before her, Charlize Theron's post Oscar career wasn't all apple pies and kittens. One of the few blemishes on her career is this adaptation of the 90s MTV animated show. She plays the title character, a solider of a revolution brewing beneath an idyllic but dangerous futuristic society. Visually, it's pretty striking but the script and story are both mind-numbingly dumb. Normally, I'd say that Theron does her best with the material but truthfully she looks comatose and withdrawn. She's just not having any fun with the character or action scenes. Her performance is so bad that I couldn't even believe it was her. Talented as she is in most roles, Theron's work in Aeon Flux demonstrates that she isn't infallible as an actor.

5. Young Adult (2011; Jason Reitman)
I mentioned earlier that Monster was Theron's career-defining performance. But her performance in Young Adult proves that she is still a surprising, unpredictable actor. As Mavis Gary, the divorced and delusional ex-prom queen, Theron offers a riveting, enthralling performance. Unlike Monster and North Country, however, she isn't stripped of her movie star glamor. In fact, her stunning looks are her greatest asset in the movie. Theron so masterfully conveys a not-so-tiny nervous breakdown beneath the fashionable clothes and stylish hair. Through Mavis's vanity, Theron bravely sheds her own and offers one of her ugliest but truly tragic characters. As you can probably tell, Young Adult is my favorite performance by Charlize Theron. She received many award nominations (though, sadly, not for the Academy Award) and this commanding performance truly deserved them.

Other remarkable films starring Charlize Theron:
1. Prometheus
2. The Italian Job
3. In the Valley of Elah
4. The Devil's Advocate
5. Snow White and the Hunstman (not all that remarkable but notable for Theron's work)

Hope you enjoyed the Charlize Theron installment of my 5 Films series. For part 8, I've chosen Mr. Southern Smiles himself, Matthew McConaughey. Stay tuned!

5 Films #6: Brad Pitt

It's been a while since I did a 5 Films blog but the time is right to finally post the 6th entry. At the end of the Scarlett Johansson edition of 5 Films, I had named 4-time Academy Award nominee Brad Pitt as the star of the 6th edition. Brad Pitt definitely has managed to overcome the side effects of being a hunky movie star by taking on a variety of fascinating roles, some as the lead and some as a supporting character.

I think this has to do with Pitt rising to prominence just before the Superhero Craze of the 2000s. I can imagine a world where he is the 1st on the list for Superman or Captain America or even Batman. But like his similarly chiseled but respected colleague Matthew McConaughey, he narrowly escaped the fate that awaits Henry Cavill or the Chris-es Hemsworth and Evans.

1.  Se7en (1995; David Fincher)
In the 1990s, Pitt established himself as a respectable supporting actor, and even earned his first Oscar nom for his work in 12 Monkeys. In Se7en, he plays Det. David Mills, the young hotshot cop contrasted to the more world-weary Somerset, played by Morgan Freeman. What's remarkable about Pitt's performance here is that it isn't very showy. I myself had trouble in figuring out how to describe and qualify it. Pitt is more concerned with making his character gel with his surroundings than putting in a show-stopper of a performance. Pitt is a surprisingly restrained actor but I think it's because he likes to really wow the audience when he drops the restrain like during the famous "what's in the box?" climax of Se7en.

2. Troy (2004; Wolfgang Petersen)
I mentioned earlier that Pitt gets taken seriously as an actor because he so rarely uses his looks as a crutch. Of course, the big counterpoint to that argument is Troy, where he is the most beautiful member in a cast that includes the crazy-hot ladies Diane Kruger, Julie Christie and Rose Byrne. In the grand scheme of his career, I can't quite place Pitt's performance as Achilles in this retelling of the Helen of Troy story (also called The Iliad). This is definitely a star performance but in a way that Pitt hadn't done before and hasn't really done since. This isn't Pitt disappearing into the character, this is BRAD PITT, MOVIE STAR in a toga carrying a sword. No, I wouldn't count his work here as some of his finest--but I think that's because this movie is focused on being epic and not on crafting fascinating characters and plots.

3. Burn After Reading (2008, Joel and Ethan Coen)
One thing that really fascinates me about Brad Pitt is that he can do a movie like Troy where he is the star of the show and then he can do a movie like Burn After Reading, where his role is just an extended cameo. Of course, one of the tricks of Burn After Reading is that it makes you think that Pitt is the star of the show and his departure from the film is one of its most shocking yet hilarious moments. As Chad Feldheimer, Pitt is playing such a ridiculous, cartoonish character and he really commits to the ditzy, dumb Chad and his quirks. For me, it was weirdly cool to see Pitt play a character that would normally go to someone less A-list. Like I said, Pitt so rarely goes over the top, but when he does in this movie, it's incredibly effective.

4. Inglourious Basterds (2009; Quentin Tarantino)
Pitt's commitment to his oddball character in Burn After Reading was really just a precursor to his brilliant work in Inglourious Basterds. As Lt. Aldo Raine, Pitt again brings out his goofy charisma but then mixes it with an unnerving menace. There are a lot of laughs to be found in his performance (like how he pronounces the word Nazi) but at the same time, there's something really unsettling about the glee he takes from scalping Nazis. Pitt's natural charm and A-list persona get us on his side but the danger in his performance confronts us with our own revenge fantasies. It is truly a sublime performance. At first I wondered why someone of Pitt's clout would take on such a small role, where he plays second fiddle to the unknown at the time Melanie Laurent and Christoph Waltz. His small role wasn't meant to dupe the audience like in Burn After Reading. Such a challenging balancing act between comedy and menace, however, required an actor of Pitt's calibre.

5. Moneyball (2011; Bennett Miller)
As in awe as I am of Pitt's work as Aldo Raine, his most grand achievement as an actor was as Billy Beane in Moneyball. What makes this performance better than the others listed is that it's incredibly naturalistic. His work feels lived-in and nuanced, as if he's been playing Billy Beane for years or, rather, has been Billy Beane for years. Though Pitt exploits his inherent charm and coolness in the role, underneath all that is the crushing disappointment of unrealized potential. Pitt channels the tragedy of Beane's past into his aggressive belief in the moneyball system. It's also quite ingenious the way Pitt shows Beane taking off his GM mask and becoming a devoted father when with his daughter. This suggests that his baseball team isn't everything, even though he's ready to put everything on the line to save it. I was severely disappointed when Pitt lost the Oscar to Jean Dujardin at the 2012 Academy Awards because his work here was effortless and authentic but I guess that's not the kind of thing the Academy goes for these days.

Other remarkable films starring Brad Pitt:
1. Ocean's 11, 12 and 13
2. Fight Club
3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
4. The Tree of Life
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Look out for part 7 of "5 Films" starring the great and powerful Charlize Theron.

The Greatest Episodes of American Dad (part 2)

A few months ago, I listed the best episodes of American Dad seasons 1-4. Now I'm gonna do seasons 5-8. Enjoy!

Season 5, Episode 4: Brains, Brains and Automobiles
With Steve and Hayley away for the summer, Stan is dreading spending time alone with Francine out of fear that she'll discover how boring he is. Luckily they have a pansexual, alcoholic, drug addicted, disguise wearing alien in the attic. As Francine tries to get Roger to move on with his life, Stan interferes and sends Roger into a coma. The episode is goofy and takes a bizarre trip into Roger's mind which is as horrifying as you might imagine. A lot of people consider season 5 to be the show's best (an assessment I don't disagree with) and I think it's because the season achieves an inspired level of absurdity but with some real emotional stakes. This episode is a great example of that.

Season 5, Episode 15: Merlot Down Dirty Shame
This is another strong Stan-Francine-Roger episode with Fran and Rog going on a wine tour, getting twisted-drunk and accidentally kissing. But when Stan surprises by joining them, hilarity ensues. The writing on this episode is remarkably strong. Also, this episode maintains a frantic pace with Roger trying to keep Stan from finding out about the kiss. Then he tries to get Stan to kiss bartender Mia whom Roger is attracted to and repulsed by (this leads to one of my favorite moments in the show, Roger singing "lips are for kissing, uh, uh, uh"). The lucid dream plot with Steve, Hayley and Klaus is funny but ends in some gruesome dark comedy, which I'm not sure the episode needed. But that's a small blemish on this near perfect episode.

Season 5, Episode 18: Great Space Roaster
Season 5 concludes with Roger 1601st birthday and he wants a roast. Of course, being Roger, he can't take the jokes and goes on a murderous rampage against the Smiths. They are forced to go to Space to escape, leading to an inspired Alien parody. This is another especially well-written episode with the two roast sequences being major highlights. What I like about this episode is that there isn't a B-plot and it has the Smith family all together. These four plus Roger and Klaus have a zany chemistry together, a comic well that the show doesn't turn to as often as it could.

Other season 5 highlights: In Country...Club, Rapture's Delight, A Jones for a Smith, Don't Look a Smith Horse in the Mouth and Bully for Steve.

Season 6, Episode 10: Stanny Boy and Frantastic
Stan and Francine search for another couple to hang out with and end up trying to keep up with an active, younger couple. It's a funny episode, one that gives Stan and Francine a lot of material where they can bounce off each other and do crazy stuff together. That's one thing that Family Guy or The Cleveland Show misses out on because those shows always have the dumb husband/nagging wife combo. The B plot, with Steve and Roger put on hold for two weeks when calling a customer service line for a faulty product, is hysterical--especially when it interacts with the A plot a few times.

Season 6, Episode 11: A Pinata Named Desire
This episode has become one of my favorites because it is jam-packed. A lot goes on in this episode and it features many comic set pieces, each funnier than the last. Even so, the episode doesn't feel frantic or rushed. With Stan and Roger competing for the lead role in the pseudo-intellectual play Pinata Man and Steve and his friends planning one last sleepover, the show mines a lot of great jokes about male friendships and competitiveness. The Stan and Roger plot has a lot of great stuff but the final play scene is just perfect. The women on the show don't really get much to do except deliver a few solid one-liners but overall, this episode is an exceptionally strong half-hour.

Season 6, Episode 13: I am the Walrus
Stan and Steve have a father-son relationship that I at first didn't find all that interesting but now has become one of my favorite dynamics on the show. Stan is all about traditional norms of masculinity and Steve continues to fail to live up to that and it makes for some great material throughout the show. This episode has the two of them competing for masculine dominance in the animal kingdom that is the Smith home. It's hysterical, some truly rich jokes. The B plot has Hayley and husband Jeff go to marriage counseling with reliable funnyman Principal Lewis and their interactions are pretty funny. Even Francine has a lot of great stuff to work with in this Steve/Stan heavy episode, which makes it even better.

Other season 6 highlights: Stan's Food Restaurant, School Lies, Jenny Fromdabloc, Home Wrecker and Gorillas in the Mist.

Season 7, Episode 5: Virtual In-Stanity
One thing I touched upon a few times in the last American Dad blog post was that AD pulls off edgy, weird, racy humor quite well and Virtual In-Stanity, in which Stan makes himself a hot blond teenage girl robot avatar and seduces Steve in an effort to bond with his son, is just an out-there plot that only this show could pull it off. It features some excellent jokes, some of which really come out of nowhere and gives each character a few good moments. The whole thing ends with a random Avatar homage and a truly funny/exciting fight scene. The B plot has limo driver Roger stalking and murdering a group of frat boys who stiffed him the bill. It is one of my favorite late-season Roger plots because it is so ridiculous and over-the-top, these horrific murders become just hysterical.

Season 7, Episode 6: The Scarlett Getter
When Stan's old CIA crush Scarlett Reynolds (probably named after Tony winner Scarlett Johansson, formerly Reynolds) comes back to town, those old feelings come rushing back. Jealous Francine gets Roger to put on his most charming disguise, Dan Andsome-Handsome, and seduce Scarlett away from Stan.  Stan can be such a jerk that it's easy to forget what a great, funny character he is. This episode is really strong for him as his jealous act when Scarlett and Dan Andsome-Handsome are together is a total riot. The end of the episode is super strong also even though it gets a little gruesome. Steve's "lucky panties" B plot is also terrific, giving him, Snot and Hayley some really fun stuff to work with.

Season 7, Episode 14: Stan's Best Friend
I can imagine this episode being somewhat controversial as it makes a case for euthanasia, itself a controversial subject. And this episode features a lot of laughs but it does feature a strong emotional throughline about pets and the unconditional love they give. Stan's Best Friend also features a terrific one-shot character Dr. Lizzie, the psychotic lesbian alt-medicine veterinarian. Her character is truly awful but the writers made her kooky enough to be funny and memorable. There is some nice meta-commentary about the show's wobbly continuity and Steve's constant crying is another good running gag. The B plot with Jeff and Hayley is throwaway and is not all that memorable but it doesn't ruin the episode.

Other season 7 highlights: The Unbrave One, Stanny Tendergrass, Wheels & the Legman and the Case of Grandpa's Key, Old Stan in the Mountain and Ricky Spanish.

Season 8, Episode 5: Why Can't We Be Friends?
Stan's hard and fast rules for manhood have been touched on a lot in the show and there have been some great episodes where Stan gets to be a kid again (most notably in Season 5's Man in the Moonbounce). Here, Stan gets to know what it's like having a truly awesome best friend when he sends Steve's BFF Snot to a fake witness protection program but then becomes friends with Snot himself. It's a great episode about friendship, but what makes it even more remarkable is that the friendship between Steve and Snot is rich in unique but relatable details. The episode makes the effort to demonstrate why Steve and Stan value Snot so much as a friend. The episode is elevated to classic status with the B plot of Roger paying Jeff to clean the attic then robbing him later. It's classic AD B plot with the escalation of events getting even more ridiculous until a great over-the-top finale.

Season 8, Episode 6: Adventures in Hayley-sitting
Once the show dried up the well of political comedy and focused more on character-based sitcom hijinks, Hayley was given B plots, running gags or wasn't even featured at all. Part of that was due to Hayley's voice actress Rachael MacFarlane taking time off to raise her family. In this episode, Steve sneaks out to a party when Hayley makes fun of him and his friends, then she chases them all over town because she wants to show her parents that she's responsible. It's a great setup and the writing lives up to it. Nonstop gags, memorable supporting characters and some really solid one-liners make this one of the zaniest episodes yet. I didn't even mention the funny B plot with Stan and Francine being unable to keep their hands off each other while going to a Cavalia show .

Season 8, Episode 18: Lost in Space
American Dad invites you to become invested in the characters' personal journey, something missing from the other animated shows on Fox. Lost in Space is a terrifically moving episode. A few episodes before, Jeff had been beamed up to a spaceship from Roger's home planet, and this episode finds him trying to make his way back to Earth, by proving to Roger's home planet's Emperor that Hayley is his true love. The episode is very funny, even without most of the Smith characters. It features light parodies of sci-fi with some other clever jokes and fun characters. Such a big departure from the show's regular format was a huge risk but the episode works beautifully. Jeff escapes from the spaceship but still doesn't make it back to Earth at the end. This opens the door for the exciting prospect of a sequel episode or two.

Other season 8 highlights: American Stepdad, The Adventures of Twill Ongenbone and His Boy Jabari, Blood Crieth Unto Heaven, Max Jets and Spelling Bee My Baby.

So there you have it, the 12 best episodes of American Dad seasons 5-8. The 9th season of American Dad premieres Sunday, Sept. 29th at 9:30 pm on Fox. This will be the last season of the show to air on Fox; TBS has bought the show from the network and will air 15 original episodes starting in 2014.