My Top 10 TV Shows Of 2014

Usually I do a review of the year near the end of December, that has my top 10 films and top 5 TV shows. This year I have decided to do it differently because there has been a lot of good TV I wanted to talk about! So my top 10 films will come later this month, as there are still a few films left to come out. Here are my top 10 shows of 2014:

10. Boardwalk Empire Season 5

Boardwalk Empire has been one of the best shows on TV for the last 5 years. I started watching it from day one and have not been disappointed since. It's had ups and downs every season but thankfully the final season was overall very good. I do feel the finale lacked slightly and cast a shadow over the season but it will still go down as one of the best crime shows ever to be made. 

9. Arrow Season 3

There have been a lot of comic book TV shows this year but Arrow still tops the lot of them. After a stellar second season, the show proved that it was more than just good looks and decent action. Although I don't believe the third season has started as strong as the second it is still pulling its punches and keeping me entertained week after week. I've grown to love all the characters and I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the season, especially after it's insane mid-season finale!

8. The Strain Season 1

For me The Strain was the biggest surprise of this list. I never intended on watching this show but one night I sat down and started it. I was not disappointed. The cast is great and the story is gripping. These vampires are real ones and proper scary! It has been a great first season and I cannot wait to see what the show has got in store for it's second.

7. True Detective Season 1

I was really looking forward to True Detective and although it was an incredible piece of drama, it did take a few episodes for me to get into. I may not have loved it as much as some critics claimed too but overall it was an amazing philosophical story. That tracking shot at the end of episode 4 (I think) was also one of the greatest pieces of camera work I have ever seen! It will be interesting to see what the writer does for a follow up.

6. The Leftovers Season 1

The Leftovers has seemed to become one of those shows that you either love of hate. I binge watched it over a weekend and I loved it! I wasn't one hundred percent sure what the show was about but was really surprised and happy to see them jump ahead after such a big supernatural event and look at how the world was affected by it. It was a brilliantly made and a very good looking TV show, I cannot wait to see the story evolve.

5. Homeland Season 4

I've been watching Homeland since day one but never loved it as much as other audience members have, in fact I have almost quit watching it a few times. This season however has really surprised me because I have absolutely loved it! They have done a complete revamp of the show and it now moves at faster pace with big exciting things happening every episode. It feels to me more like a TV version of the Bourne films. Carrie still isn't a very likable character but there has not been a TV show this year that has had me quite as gripped. 

4. Orange Is The New Black Season 2

I loved the first season of Orange Is The New Black and was really looking forward to the second one. Thankfully it did not disappoint and in fact I would say it improved on the first one! I actually like Piper now and there were characters from season one that disliked and now like and characters I liked and now hate. There has been some great writing on the show and some great moments which have been very powerful. Netflix is proving to be one of the best providers of original television, who would have guessed? Bring on season three!

3. House Of Cards Season 2

Yet again another Netflix TV show that improved on it's first season and provided some of the best television this year. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are incredible in their roles and every season the dynamics have changed and I can't wait knowing that season three is going to be even bigger and better than the last. The final moment of the season had me cheering at the TV for more. Such an awesome show!

2. Fargo Season 1

I made sure to watch the film just before starting the show, after doing so I loved how much the series captured the spirit of the original. I think in the end that the show may have even been better than the brilliant film. Martin Freeman showed that he was a very capable actor and the show even put Billy Bob Thornton back on the radar. Such a great and gripping show which had me obsessed from episode one.

1. Game Of Thrones Season 4

After the departure of Breaking Bad last year it was only obvious that Game Of Thrones was going to take it's place as the best show on TV. The world and the characters are so diverse and complex that every episode delivered with a big bang or an important piece of information that changed the dynamic of the war for the Iron Throne. I think the show has really found its legs now and is carrying on with some of the best writing, acting and cinematography not only in the world of TV but in the world of film as well. TV doesn't get better than this! Expect to see this show in the top spot of my list next year as well (I hope!).

Well that concludes my top ten shows of this year. I want to add that shows such as Halt And Catch Fire and The Newsroom were also very close into making it on the list. 

See you soon for my top ten films of the year.

What were your favourite shows of 2014? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

SDCC Thoughts #4

Fourth and possibly last of my post about the latest from Comic Con. Don't hold me to that but I might not get chance to do another as I am on my way to Calafornia itself tomorrow, a weekend too late however... This post features big news from Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man and Mad Max: Fury Road.

So the big panel at the con last night was Marvel's which included a first look at footage from Avengers: Age of Ultron. Unfortunately footage will not be officialy online for quite some while but here is a detailed description of it from Io9. And next to the footage in the now fully formed concept art poster of our heroes in action.

We see the Avengers sitting around trying to untangle the "whosoever is worthy" thing, regarding who gets to hold Thor's hammer. And they all think it's a trick, or a circus sideshow. "If I lift it, do I get to rule Asgard?" Tony asks. And Thor says yes. Tony says he will be fair but firm, and maybe work out the "wench clause." Tony can't lift it — even after he puts on an Iron Man glove and gets Rhodey to help him. Soon everybody is trying to lift it — including Bruce Banner, who gets kinda upset — and only Steve Rogers even comes close. Black Widow doesn't even want to try lifting it, because "That's not a question I need answering." Tony guess it's keyed to Thor's finger prints, or some other biometric, but Thor says the answer is simpler: "You're all not worthy." Then there's a ringing sound and they're all deafened, and Ultron strides into the room, with a crude Avengers logo painted on his slightly misshapen chest. "How could you be worthy? You're all killers," Ultron says. "You want to protect the world, but you don't want to it to change. There's only one path to peace: your extinction." Then a shit ton of robots burst through the wall and attack all of the Avengers, plus Maria Hill.

Then we hear Ultron's voiceover saying he had a vision of the whole world screaming for mercy, and everybody tangled in it. And we see glimpses of some city in what looks like Africa being reduced to rubble by an attack. There's a closeup of Loki's staff, and everybody looking freaked out on the Quinjet — most of all Bruce Banner, who is holding himself and shaking with a terrified look on his face. People are running everywhere, and the debris is flying like crazy. Ultron gives a menacing look, as he surveys all the destruction. Then there are some hero moments: Captain America enters a place shooting some guns. Stuff is blowing up. Banner staggers to his knees in a snowy forest, looking sickly. Thor uses his hammer to smash a tank. Black Widow is in a medical bay, reaching for some surgical tools. We glimpse Nick Fury looking the way he did at the end of Winter Soldier. And Scarlet Witch is on a bus, approaching some people at the back of the bus with magic in one hand. Tony Stark is looking forlorn and guilty. "It's the end, the end of a path I started us on," he tells Black Widow, who says everything ends. Scarlet witch sinks to her knees shouting. And there are more shots of Scarlet Witch using her powers, just quick glimpses of her projecting magical energy.

At this point, the trailer strts playing the clasic song "I've Got No Strings." Tony, in Hulbuster armor, confronts Hulk on a city street, and there are several shots of them brawling and Tony getting the shit beat out of him. Quicksilver runs through a crowded room that seems to be standing still. Captain America is fighting someone in what looks like a knock-down brawl. And because this is Joss Whedon, there's a glimpse of girls doing ballet. Then we're back to Black Widow shooting shotguns, and more of the Hulk/Hulkbuster brawl. Thor grabs Tony Stark's throat and lifts him off the ground. Captain America is riding a motorcycle and then running. Cars are tumbling in mid air. Black Widow touches her hand to the Hulk's massive green hand, like she's calming him down. We glimpse a confrontation between Black Widow and Scarlet Witch. And then Ultron finishes the song saying, "There are no strings on me," clenching a fist as he celebrates that he's no longer a puppet. And we go a shot of Captain America's shield — shattered to fragments. We pull back, and all of the Avengers are lying prone, apparently dead, in the rubble. Tony is leaning over them, and he looks totlaly horrified and ashamed.
Read more at http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/JoshWildingNewsAndReviews/news/?a=104583#kHxQGzdFT5HaQiiK.99

Other big news included Josh Brolin being confirmed as Thanos and the announcemnet that Guardians Of The Galaxy will be getting a sequel in 2017!

Ant-Man confirmed that Evangaline Lily will indeed be in the film and will be the daughter of Hank Pym, Hope Van Dyne or Hope Pym if you will. Corey Stoll was also confirmed as the villain of the piece Yellow Jacket!

Finally a look at the trailer for the next installment of the Mad Max with Tom Hardy in the front seat this time. It definitely looks very cool, check it out below:

It's been a good Comic Con yet again, even if I am sitting at home experiencing it!

Thanks for reading!

SDCC 2014 Thoughts #2

Another day and a load more cool stuff coming out of San Diego Comic Con. This post features awesomeness from Interstellar, Avenger: Age of Ultron, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead.

Mathew Mchonuaghey and Christoper Nolan both made suprise appearnaces last night at SDCC, promoting their new film Interstellar. A trailer was shown but unfortunately it won't be online for a few weeks yet. Reports were all posotive though and I thought I would share a few interesting tidbits from screenrant.com who were at the panel:

-Nolan wants to create a realistic viewpoint from inside of a space craft to outer soace.
-The Movie is important noe because Nolan says we're at the "cusp" of space exploration.
-2001: A Space Odyssey is the Interstellar's inspiration - Nolan wants his film to be equally as ambitious.
- He joked about not listing everything that's influenced Interstellar to avoid people knowing what he's copying from.
-Nolan says the story is really about what it means to be human and our role in the universe. 

Alright, alright, alright...

More posters have been released for Avengers: Age of Ultron and soon enough we'll get the full image that they'll make up. The two latest feature Quicksilver, Hawkeye and more importanty, our first look at The Vision! I've also included a new still from the film which features Black Widow riding a Harley Davidson whilst sporting Captain America's shield.

Very, very cool. Joss Whedon has also been talking up the film and said in an interview said that there will be 'four prominent female roles' in it. So far we know Black Widow, Scarlet Witch and Maria Hill will feature in the sequel but who could the fourth be? Ms Marvel maybe? Who knows, all could be revealed in the next couple days.

In Game of Thrones new, several new cast member have been added to the show, including Jonathon Pryce who will be playing the High Sparrow in season 5. Take a look at the video below where the new cast reveal themselves.

The Walking Dead have released a trailer season 5 of their show. I am starting to get a little tired of this show but the new trailer looks promising and seems to take whats left of the group in a new direction. Take a look below:

That's it for today. Check back later for more news! 

Thanks for reading!

SDCC 2014 Thoughts #1

Last year I did a few posts on some of the news coming out of San Diego Comic Con and my thoughts on it. Since every SDCC is like a second Christmas, full of pop culture news and announcements for us nerds, I thought I would do the same this year as well. I'll be posting all things that I think are cool from the Con so not every piece of news from every angle of the event will be reported. Man do I wish I was there...

 It may just be the first day of the con but we have already been treated to some gems, beginning with a bunch of awesome exclusive posters including The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies which can be seen below.

I especially love the Avengers ones, they are awesome! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that some form of teaser trailer will be released at SDCC and then online over the weekend! In other news Warner Brothers brought the cowl and cape of Batman from Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice to the show. It doesn't reveal much else to what we've already seen apart from the fact that it is dark grey and not a shade of blue that a lot of us fans would have liked to have seen. However I do still like the look they are going for with the Batfleck costume.

And if you wondering where the man himself was, well WB have just released a new official pic of The Batfleck.

Looking good! All this and it's still just Thursday, it's a good weekend to be a nerd.

Check back later for more updates on what going on at SDCC.

What do you think of all the latest SDCC news? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! 

The Oscars Predictions 2014

The Oscars are just round the corner and I thought I would give my thoughts and predictions on the nominees this year. I'm only going to do the categories that I have seen most of the films in, I'll tell you who I want to win and who will most likely win because unfortunately they are rarely the same.

Best Director
David O. Russell – American Hustle
Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity
Alexander Payne – Nebraska
Steve McQueen – 12 Years A Slave
Martin Scorsese – The Wolf Of Wall Street

I'm a massive fan of Scorsese and would love to see him win this award, however I think it will go to Steve McQueen.

Best Picture
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years A Slave
The Wolf Of Wall Street

The film I would most like to see win this is The Wolf of Wall Street. All the films this year are brilliant but The Wolf of Wall Street tops it, however I think it will be 12 Years A Slave that gets it.

Best Actor
Christian Bale – American Hustle
Bruce Dern – Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf Of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years A Slave
Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club

Hands down Matthew McConaughey, I feel for Leonardo DiCaprio and I wanted this to be his year but I want McConaughey to get it and think he will also.

Best Actress
Amy Adams – American Hustle
Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock – Gravity
Judi Dench - Philomena
Meryl Streep – August: Osage County

This is probably the category I am least sure about. My favourite performance on this list is from Amy Adams so I hope she gets the award.

Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper – American Hustle
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years A Slave
Jonah Hill – The Wolf Of Wall Street
Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club

I really want Michael Fassbender to get this one, he was one of the best things about 12 Years a Slave. However there is a lot of hype around Jared Leto so I have feeling he could be taking the award instead.

Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o – 12 Years A Slave
Julia Roberts – August: Osage County
June Squibb – Nebraska

Out everybody on this list Jennifer Lawrence is the stand out performance for me. However I can see The Academy giving it to newcomer Lupita Nyong'o, either way they it will be well deserved.

Best Original Screenplay
Eric Singer & David O. Russell – American Hustle
Woody Allen – Blue Jasmine
Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack – Dallas Buyers Club
Spike Jonze – Her
Bob Nelson - Nebraska

For me this is a showdown between American Hustle and Her. I have no idea how it might turn out though. May the best screenplay win!

Best Adapted Screenplay
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke – Before Midnight
Billy Ray – Captain Phillips
Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope – Philomena
John Ridley – 12 Years A Slave
Terence Winter – The Wolf Of Wall Street

Hands down Before Midnight should get this award! However because of the dodgy rules of adapting it might not be held as highly as its other competitors because it's not really adapted from anything apart from the characters from previous films in the trilogy. Fingers crossed though!

Best Cinematography
The Grandmaster

Gravity

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska
Prisoners

It's got to be Inside Llewyn Davis right? Surely...

Best Film Editing
American Hustle - Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten

Captain Phillips - Christopher Rouse

Dallas Buyers Club - John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa

Gravity - Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger

12 Years A Slave - Joe Walker

When editing I have always been told that more is better. So why Gravity is on this list and The Wolf of Wall Street isn't is beyond me! However I feel it will be either Captain Phillips or 12 Years A Slave because both have excellent editing.

Best Original Score

John Williams, The Book Thief

Steven Price, Gravity

William Butler and Owen Pallett, Her

Alexandre Desplat, Philomena
Thomas Newman, Saving Mr. Banks

Best Visual Effects

Gravity - Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk and Neil Corbould

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug - Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and Eric Reynolds

Iron Man 3 - Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash and Dan Sudick

The Lone Ranger - Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams and John Frazier

Star Trek Into Darkness - Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Ben Grossmann and Burt Dalton

Gravity should definitely win both of these, the score was great and come on, the effects were mind blowing! And who nominated The Hobbit? Apart from Smaug that film's visual effects were terrible!

So that concludes my opinions on The Oscars for 2014. It's a strong year, most of the films nominated are really, really good so I'm happy.

Do you agree with who I want to win and who I reckon will most likely win? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

Quick Reviews #7

Odd selection of films for this post of quick reviews. Two Oscar nominated films and one that should have been in for Best Animated Film, if it had come out earlier. Read on to find out what I thought of The Lego Movie, Inside Llewyn Davis and Dallas Buyers Club.

The Lego Movie

This animated film is brilliant. It is a very nostalgic piece that brings you back to your childhood and reminds you of all the crazy and weird things you can do with Lego. The film feels like a child could have written the story and I do not mean that in a bad way! The story is big and wild as you follow Emmet, the special one who has been prophesied to save the word from the evil Lord Bussiness. Emmet however is a pretty average figurine living in a world run by one company, with their views and beliefs being chucked down his neck. Yes The Lego Movie is also political, but it's not distracting from the amount of fun you can have with it if you just sit back, relax and expect stupid hilarity that will have you laughing throughout. The Lego Movie is one of the smartest animated films I have ever seen, even though it is one big product placement, it never takes itself too seriously and never fails to make you laugh. It's just a lot of fun and so it should have been because that's what playing with Lego is all about. The film makes you feel like a kid again as you remember the wonders and imaginations of Lego with stunning CGI and stop motion animation. Bringing characters like Batman into the mix makes my inner nerd squeal and putting them into the crazy adventure is all a plus. I also saw it in 3D which was good but I wouldn't say it was necessary. I am giving the film a rating of 4/5. Take your family and go see it!

Inside Llewyn Davis

The Coen brothers latest film is a treat. The beautifully shot Inside Llewyn Davis follows a folk singer as he tries to get through life after his music partner has committed suicide, and whilst his luck is generally just going down hill. The film is bittersweet but Oscar Issac manages to bring a softness to character who seems unlikeable but by the end of the film I was really caring for him. The film has the most amazing lighting, every shot looks incredible and a lot of care has gone in to them, as you would expect from a Coen brothers film. The best thing about this film is it's relationship with the music, much of the film is full of musical performances but every single one feels unique and adds a new depthness to the already well written characters, never getting boring. The music itself is also great and there is a great selection of songs on the soundtrack, which I bought immediately after seeing the film. It's a tragic yet sweet story that is put together so well with its great shots, lighting, dialogue and performances. The Coens always bring lightness to a bad situation with their brilliant writing style. I know Inside Llewyn Davis is going to be one of those films that I can watch over and over again. I am giving it a rating of 5/5. I wish it all the best at the Oscars this year!

Dallas Buyers Club

I knew this film would be good but I didn't expect it to hold up so well against the other Best Film Oscar contenders this year. I was wrong, Dallas Buyers Club is an incredible film that feels very relevant for the time we live in. even in our world now, there is still a lot of prejudice against homosexuality and AIDs and this film strives to change our views even though the film is set in the 80's when our prejudices were worse than they are now. I would give an Oscar to Matthew McConaughey right now if I could, he has my metaphorical vote for his performance as  Ron Woodworth, a man who strived to get medication to AIDs patients after being diagnosed himself. It's a truly powerful and uplifting story despite it's heavy topic, the way it unfolds took me by surprise and kept me hooked to the screen at all times. This is a really brilliant film that needs to be seen by everybody, its story is one that needs to be told even though it took an age for the film to be in development. The use of sound and cinematography heightens all emotions as you start to feel for a character that began as racist, homophobic cowboy. The other highly commendable performance that everyone is talking about is Jared Leto's. Believe the hype, he is great, but I think the spotlight deserves to be on McConaughey, who really does go all out for the character. I loved this film, it is amazing and therefore I am also rating it a 5/5. It may not win Best Film but it should win Best Actor hands down!

What did you think of the films I have reviewed? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!