Best Songs of 2012

Here is a selection of my favorite songs of 2012, which was a very active year in super-catchy songs, from fun's "We Are Young", Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know", and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe." And that was the first half of the year. For the second half, the whole nation was dancing "Gangnam Style", trying to figure out why No Doubt even bothered to return to music, and discovering new bands and music acts that weren't manufactured in a factory (Frank Ocean, The Lumineers, Alabama Shakes, Of Monsters and Men, Emeli Sandé, etc.)

BEST SONGS OF 2012

Top 10: For the rest, check out this list.

10-Gotye featuring Kimbra | Somebody That I Used to Know | Making Mirrors

9-Of Monsters and Men | Little Talks | Into the Woods

8-Passion Pit | Take a Walk | Gossamer

7-Alabama Shakes | Hold On | Boys & Girls

6-tUnE-yArDs | Gangsta | W H O K I L L

5-Japandroids | Younger Us | Celebration Rock

4-Sharon Van Etten | Serpents | Tramp

3-Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe | We Are Young | Some Nights

2-The Black Keys | Gold on the Ceiling | El Camino

1-Grouplove | Tongue Tied | Never Trust a Happy Song

8 Definitive Ellen Burstyn Performances

"I am living my own life, not some man's life I'm helping him out with."

-Ellen Burstyn

To commemorate actress Ellen Burstyn's 80th birthday, here are eight of her finest roles on the silver screen and on television. (Plus a bonus section at the end, which features the future ex-Mrs. Ron Swanson.) Born Edna Rae Gillooly on December 7, 1932 in Detroit, she worked as a short-order cook before she became a model and TV actor in the early 1950s in New York. One of the shows she appeared in was "The Jackie Gleason Show." She received the name Burstyn from her third husband, Neil, who was also an actor, though she didn't use that name professionally until shortly before they divorced in 1972.

The Last Picture Show (1971)

Her first major on-screen role as the mother of the town beauty (Cybil Shepherd), she reveals to Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) about her long-time affair with Sam The Lion (Ben Johnson), the owner of the town's sole movie theatre. "Oh, Sam the Lion...I gave him that name," she admits, on the verge of tears. "He was so pleased." She earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. (Co-star Cloris Leachman, who portrayed Sonny's much-older lover won the trophy.)

The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)

While this little-known gem focuses on the estrangement of brothers radio DJ David (Jack Nicholson) and con-man Jason (Bruce Dern), Burstyn stands out as Jason's girlfriend, a faded beauty queen who can't quite admit to herself that her best days are behind her. The film was shot on location in Altantic City, shortly before it was given a major makeover as the East Coast's flashy and eye-catching answer to Vegas.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)

After her husband dies in an accident, Alice sells his belongings and the house, and gets in the car with her son Tommy to California in search of a better life. She wishes to be a singer, even getting a decent gig as a lounge singer in Phoenix. After a couple of mishaps, they head to Tucson, Arizona. She gets work at Mel's Diner and Tommy befriends a child tomboy version of Jodie Foster, where she teaches him how to steal guitar strings at a music store. It is at the diner where she encounters David (Kris Kristofferson, who is a musician in real-life), a ranch owner who has fallen head over heels for this widowed singer who is quite not ready for another relationship. The film was directed by an up-and-comer named Martin Scorsese, who impressed Burstyn with "Mean Streets."

After two nominations (Supporting Actress, The Last Picture Show and Actress, The Exorcist), Burstyn did not attend the Academy Awards to accept her Best Actress Oscar. It seemed logical, since she was a dark horse candidate that year (Faye Dunaway and Gena Rowlands were nominated for their signature powerhouse roles for "Chinatown" and "A Woman Under the Influence", respectively) "I won't win. I never do. I just get nominated." Scorsese accepted the trophy on her behalf.

Same Time, Next Year (1978)

Originally a play by Bernard Slade, Burstyn won the Tony for her portrayal of Doris, a married housewife who spends a weekend every year (for 26 years altogether) at a charming, coastal inn in northern California, with George (Alan Alda), an accountant who is also married. The film adaptation received mixed reviews but Burstyn and Alda's performances were praised. Burstyn won the Golden Globe for Best Actress also well as an Oscar nomination. 

Resurrection (1980)

This religious-themed drama earned Burstyn a nomination for Best Actress for her performance as a woman who through some sort of divine intervention (despite not being a religious herself) gains healing powers. After healing several people, she attracts the attention of the medical and religious communities, which either are in awe or are skeptical.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Darren Aronofsky wrote and directed what is possibly the scariest non-horror movie in history. "Requiem for a Dream" focuses on four people whose lives are connected with the big, bad world of addiction. Burstyn is Ella Goldfarb, a lonely, elderly woman who spends her time watching informericals and eating. She wants to lose weight and appear on TV. When she receives a phone call that she is going to appear on TV, she begins  taking diet pills and sedatives. As the dosage increases, she becomes erratic. At one point, she believes her refrigerator is going to eat her. This is a movie that you only need to watch once, especially since the last few scenes are very frightening. Co-stars Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans. 


The Stone Angel (2007)

This Canadian drama features Burstyn as a old woman reflecting on the many mistakes and events that shaped her unconventional yet exciting life while dying at a nursery home. Co-stars Ellen Page, Dylan Baker, Kevin Zegers, and Cole Hauser.

Political Animals (2012)

Often the best part of this uneven soap opera, Burstyn was the no-nonsense mother of Hillary Clinton stand-in Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver) and the family's often stable rock. She attempted to support her daughter despite disagreeing with her, helped his drug-addicted and suicidal grandson (Sebastian Stan) by nursing him back to health, and gave trophy fiancée/wife Anne (Brittany Ishibashi) something to do besides throw up in the bathroom or stand by her man (James Wolk) when they raided the liquor cabinet, ate junk food, smoked pot, and laughed the evening away.

Bonus
The Ellen Burstyn Show (1986)

For some reason, she headlined an NBC sitcom in 1986, which lasted a single season before being cancelled. Her character was a college professor who attempts to juggle her work and family. Elaine Stritch (who would later become Jack Donaughy's mother on "30 Rock") appeared as her mother and Megan Mullally as her grown-up daughter.  

(Alternative) Grammy Award Nominations

Tonight, during a live show in Nashville, the nominations for the 2013 Grammy Awards ceremony will be announced. No matter who gets a nod in the Top 4 categories, it's going to be an interesting year. For the first time in several years, there are no true frontrunners. Last year Adele swept the awards with 21, taking home Grammys for Record, Song, and Album of the Year.
In 2011, it was Eminem vs. the 4 others for Album of the Year (with Arcade Fire taking home the top prize for The Suburbs, one of the Recording Academy's most surprising and brilliant choices).
In 2010, Taylor Shift became the youngest artist to win (at age 20) for Fearless, which was possible because A) that is genuinely her best album so yet and B) it was a weak year for that category.

In addition to predicting who is going to get nominated, I have complied a list of artists who I believe should be recognized for their work over the past year. The real-life predictions will be listed first in each category for the Top 4 Awards, followed by an alternate list. For the categories following "Best New Artist", there are merely my picks for those categories.

The 55th Grammy Awards will be televised live on CBS on February 10, 2013.

ALBUM OF YEAR

The Black Keys-El Camino
Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel...
Frank Ocean-Channel Orange
fun.-Some Nights
Jack White-Blunderbuss

Alternate list
The Black Keys-El Camino
Frank Ocean-Channel Ocean
David Byrne and St. Vincent-Love This Giant
Sharon Van Etten-Tramp
tUnE-yArDs-W H O K I L L

RECORD OF THE YEAR
Adele "Set Fire to the Rain"
Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"
fun. featuring Janelle Monae "We Are Young"
Gotye featuring Kimbra "Somebody That I Used to Know"
Nicki Minaj "Starships"

Alternate list

The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling"
fun. featuring Janelle Monae "We Are Young"
Frank Ocean "Thinking About You"
Grouplove "Tongue Tied"
Nicki Minaj "Starships"

SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruce Springsteen "We Take Care of Our Own"
Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"
fun. "We Are Young"
Frank Ocean "Thinkin' About You"
Mumford & Sons "I Will Wait"

Alternate list
Frank Ocean "Thinkin About You"
fun. "We Are Young"
Japandroids "The House That Heaven Built"
Sharon Van Etten "Serpents"
Jack White "Love Interruption"

BEST NEW ARTIST
Alabama Shakes
Frank Ocean
fun.
Hunter Hayes
Emeli Sandé

Alternate list
Alabama Shakes
Azealia Banks
Hunter Hayes
Emeli Sandé
Of Monsters and Men

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

Florence + The Machine-Ceremonials
fun.-Some Nights
Gotye-Making Mirrors
Justin Bieber-Believe
One Direction-Up All Night

BEST ROCK ALBUM

Feist-Metals
Mumford & Sons-Babel
Nada Surf-The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy
Of Monsters and Men-Into the Woods
Jack White-Blunderbuss

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE

Alabama Shakes "Hold On"
The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling"
Of Monsters and Men "Little Talks"
The Walkmen "Heaven"
Jack White "Freedom at 21"

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

Beach House-Bloom
David Byrne and St. Vincent-Love This Giant
Passion Pit-Gossamer
The Shins-Port of Murrow
tUnE-yArDs-W H O K I L L

BEST DANCE RECORDING

Alex Clare-Too Close
Calvin Harris-Let's Go (featuring Ne-Yo)
Duck Sauce-Big Bad Wolf
Rihanna-Where Have You Been
Skrillex-Bangarang (featuring Sirah)

BEST COMEDY ALBUM

Aziz Ansari-Dangerously Delicious
Jimmy Fallon-Blow Your Pants Off
Jim Gaffigan-Mr. Universe
Kevin Hart-Laugh at My Pain
Patrice O'Neal-Mr. P

GRAMMY AWARDS: For Your Consideration: Best Comedy Album

One of my favorite categories in the Grammys is Best Comedy Album, where several stand-up comedians and comic performers/actors have an rare opportunity to win the Grammy Award. Nominations will be announced December 5.

James Adomian
LOW HANGING FRUIT

There are no clips from the album available from his album online, so here is a stand-up performance he did in someone's weird attic. You can purchase the album here.

Aziz Ansari
DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS

Also available for streaming on Spotify

Hannibal Buress
ANIMAL FURNACE

Shortly before the TV special and accompanying album was released, Chicago native Buress appeared on CONAN to share his favorite part of the iPad (reading embarrassing books), napkin ettiquette, and the TV show "Homeland."
Also available for streaming on Spotify

Jim Gaffigan
MR. UNIVERSE

I saw Gaffigan perform at Loyola this past March (thanks to my sister, who attends there. The second I found out he was performing there, I immediately called her and demanded she get tickets.) For 90 minutes, we were all in stitches. When Mr. Universe was available for download on his website the following month, I purchased it and watched the whole thing. Three times over the course of four days.

Pete Holmes
IMPREGNATED WITH WONDER


Also available for streaming on Spotify

Kevin Hart
LAUGH AT MY PAIN


Tenacious D
RIZE OF THE FENIX


Tig Notari
LIVE
Unfortunately ineligible due to being released five days after the September 30 deadline.