The Best of TV in 2012

There has a been a real abundance of great TV in 2012, perhaps even more so than in other recent years. Here are some of the performers and shows that I believe are deserving of appreciation this year.Best drama: Breaking Bad
Somehow able to remain the drama to beat in its final season, it’s difficult to think of another series more engaging than Breaking Bad. Walter White’s descent into darkness continues to be the most compelling story on television.

Best comedy: Louie

There’s nothing else quite like it. Louie is able to explore issues that most shows wouldn’t dare touch and its episodes are incredibly well structured narratively. Oh, and it’s also completely hilarious.

Best drama actor: Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

It may be that I’m still finding it hard to believe that this man doesn’t have an Emmy yet, but Hamm’s performance in the fifth season of Mad Men is deserving of high praise. The award-winning actor gives a remarkable performance in every episode and I still feel like he’s under-appreciated.

Best drama actress: Claire Danes (Homeland)

There really isn’t anybody else more deserving. Not many actresses are provided with characters as well written as Carrie Mathison and Danes sets a high standard of acting within an impressive cast. You only need watch episodes like ‘The Smile’ or ‘Q&A’ to see the versatility and emotive power of Homeland‘s star.

Best drama supporting actor: Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)

The cast of Game of Thrones is so large and talented that to be the standout actor is really something. Dinklage’s performance is truly marvellous. Tyrion Lannister is a character with a large amount of both comedic and dramatic material, and Dinklage makes every moment of it work effectively.

Best drama supporting actress: Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones)

This may be an unusual choice. However, while many names came to mind vying for best actress, when I thought about supporting actresses the performance I remember most vividly is that of Williams as Arya Stark. She perfectly embodies a complex character and gives a lively portrayal that doesn’t hide how damaged Arya is. A great performance.

Best comedy actor: Louis CK (Louie)

He may not see himself as a great actor, but he keeps providing evidence to the contrary. CK’s performance on Louie isn’t as simple as just being himself, he works hard to fill his character with honesty and humour. Explaining why he’s so good isn’t easy, but fans of the show will know what I’m talking about.

Best comedy actress: Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Poehler is clearly one of the greatest comedic actresses working on television right now. She’s able to do so much and she’s incredibly charismatic. Her performance on Parks and Recreation is critically acclaimed with good reason, she’s able to keep the ever-optimistic Leslie Knope realistic and provides much of the show’s warmth and emotion.

Best comedy supporting actor: Donald Glover (Community)

There are a lot of other great comedic supporting actors at the moment, and Donald Glover’s Troy Barnes stands out among them. This was really Troy’s year on Community as he’s central to Season 3. Glover sells every outrageously funny gag and deeply felt emotional moment fantastically.

Best comedy supporting actress: Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation)

Yes, I’m going with another pick from Parks. Considering episodes from both the fourth and fifth seasons of the show, it has been a great 2012 for Plaza. Her character has gone through significant development, and she still retains her brilliant trademark sarcasm.

Best new drama: Arrow

Choosing Arrow as the year’s best new drama is something that even I am surprised I’m doing, but it’s a show that knows what it wants to deliver and does it with style. It’s not perfect, but there’s room to grow and it’s already highly entertaining.

Best new comedy: Girls

The first season of Girls is about as strong a debut season as I have seen. From the start, the show’s tone has been original and confident. It’s different from so many other comedies and every episode leaves me wanting to watch another.

Most improved show: The Walking Dead

After a dodgy and inconsistent second season, The Walking Dead has become exciting and unpredictable. It’s not without problems but it has learnt the value of suspense and quicker pacing. It’s really hard to tell where it’ll go next year and that’s absolutely a good thing.

— by simon cocks for twitchfilm.com

Les Misérables Primer: 5 Things You Need to Know Before Joining the French Revolution

Les Misérables is the big-screen version of the world’s longest-running stage musical (take that, Cats!). Since its 1985 debut, the show has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages. Mon Dieu! For this eagerly anticipated adaptation, the Oscar-winning director of The King’s Speech, Tom Hooper, shifts his focus from stuttering British royalty to singing French paupers in the 19th century. Victor Hugo‘s epic tale follows fugitive Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) as he’s hunted for decades by relentless Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), through the Paris Uprising of 1832. Whether you’re a Les Misnewbie or a die-hard fan (who can’t wait “One Day More“!), you’ll want to arm yourself with these fun facts before soldiering on.

Are the critics singing the praises of Les Mis?

Laurie Sparham/Universal Studios

1. No Lip-Synching or Auto-Tuning Allowed: Les Mis is mostly “through-sung,” with only a few spoken lines, so to amp up the realism, Hooper insisted the cast sing live instead of lip-synching to prerecorded tracks. Technological advances, including digitally erasing the mics on actors’ costumes, allowed him to pull off the unconventional approach. While the live singing does lend a raw honesty to the performances, it also highlights the limited vocal prowess of certain actors, including out-of-his-element Crowe and even stage vet Jackman, who strains through the weeper “Bring Him Home.”

Oscar buzz cheat sheet: Wil Les Misérables win big during award seaon?

Universal Pictures

2. I Dreamed a Dream…of an Oscar: Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!) and Eddie Redmayne (My Week With Marilyn) are winning as young lovers Cosette and Marius, while newcomer Samantha Barks impresses as ill-fated third wheel Éponine. But it’s Anne Hathaway as factory-worker-turned-hooker Fantine who gut-punches you with her tear-jerking, Susan Boyle-obliterating rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream.” That song alone makes Hathaway a major contender for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. It’s gonna be a 19th-century smack down between her and Sally Field‘s Mary Todd Lincoln!

Anne Hathaway required vegan shoes for her Les Mis character

Laurie Sparham/Universal Studios

3. The Les Mis Weight-Loss Makeover: Not as glamorous as it sounds! To help convey Fantine’s suffering, Hathaway lost 25 pounds and had her own hair chopped off in a scene where the character sells her tresses. Jackman also dropped poundage and went without water for 36 hours before shooting scenes of Valjean as a gaunt prisoner. (He then gained the weight back during the 12-week shoot.) To enhance the convict effect, Jackman grew out his beard, and it’s a bushy look that would make any Chia Pet jealous.

Hugh Jackman talks Amanda Seyfried’s birthday lap dance

Universal Pictures

4. Suddenly, There’s a New Song: The movie incorporates all the show’s well-known songs, though the filmmakers have made trims and occasionally shifted their placement in the narrative. They’ve also added a new composition, “Suddenly,” which Valjean sings after rescuing young Cosette from her abusive guardians (Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen). This means “Suddenly” is eligible for a Best Original Song Oscar; it also means the Les Mis fanatic sitting near you will mercifully stop singing along with the film, at least long enough to learn the new tune.

Les Mis nabs 12 Satellite Awards nominations

Universal Pictures

5. Gobs of Grime, All the Time: The streets of revolutionary Paris are packed with beggars, urchins, thieves and whores. To dress the downtrodden, the wardrobe crew created some 2,200 costumes and then ripped, shredded, and blowtorched the clothing to achieve a raggedy look. The makeup team gave actors rotten teeth and diseased skin—for an effect akin to The Walking Dead! Plus, set dressers painted slime on the walls and hauled in seaweed, sand and mud. In the end, the filth onscreen is palpable, and you’re grateful Les Mis isn’t presented in Smell-o-Vision!

(E! and Universal Pictures are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

–by matt stevenstue for eonline.com

 

The Best Movie Posters of 2012

“Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover” is a proverb whose simple existence proves the fact impressionable souls will do so without fail. This monthly column (with a special year-end retrospective today) focuses on the film industry’s willingness to capitalize on this truth, releasing one-sheets to serve as not representations of what audiences are to expect, but as propaganda to fill seats. Oftentimes they fail miserably.

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Another year is complete and the time has come to revisit the best one-sheets that did all they could to help their films achieve box office glory. Unsurprising to those of you who been following the Posterized Propaganda series all year, most of the ones I’ve singled out are teasers. Frankly, marketing firms find themselves freer to take chances and really toy with our perceptions before knowing too many details about the finished piece.

Compositions rule the day alongside carefully placed typography and a fearless desire to play with aesthetic and the medium by exceeding their constraints. Print is inherently flat as it handcuffs designers into a preordained space with regulated text. The following firms thankfully continue to find ways to ignore the rules and give us work that doesn’t hit us over the head or treat us like Kindergarteners.

Honorable Mentions

#15 Les Misérables Ignition Print .	#14 Moonrise Kingdom P+A	#13 This is 40 The Cimarron Group	#12 Compliance . .	#11 Safety Not Guaranteed .

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#10 Here Ignition Print I remember loving this poster when it came out a few months ago as Ignition really went all out rotating the page 90 degrees clockwise soBen Foster and Lubna Azabal can be anchored at left. It’s a brilliant way to transform a horizontal image vertical and the beige field of sky is a perfect blank slate for the pertinent production text to hover atop. Add in the authentic, map-like paper folds and you really do get a sense of the title’s Here being used as a destination. But instead of a place for these lovers to look towards, the location they seek is anywhere they can be together.

#09 Rust and Bone The Rageman I know the scrawled text over image trope is a bit overused these days, but I can’t help feel it enhances the fragility this still of Marion Cotillardand Matthias Schoenaerts emits. It along with the distressed, faded edges of scratches and folds add age to the image as well as character. We’re only seeing a small portion of the two before they continue out of frame, her expression projecting a sense of trepidation and a strengthening trust. The film is called Rust and Bone, but the poster is all about flesh and emotion.

#08 The Loneliest Planet Perhaps my inclusion of The Loneliest Planet makes it seem as though turned pages are presently my motif of choice, but this sheet truly captivates. Not only do the heads of Gael García Bernal and Hani Furstenberg perfectly bisect the page vertical, they also meet at the horizon line of the poster’s alternate image’s mountain landscape on which our actors hike along. It’s a gorgeous expanse of desert dunes filtered through a green marble juxtaposed against the colorful faces of the film’s stars. Forcing the crisp san serif text within a thinner vertical band only helps keep our attention constantly shifting from side to side to up and down.

#07 Deepsouth Brian O’Dell Honestly, I don’t care if Brian O’Dell‘s poster for Deepsouth should or shouldn’t be on this list when release schedule and notoriety are brought into question because it is a stunning piece of art notwithstanding. I love the delicate, lowercase Courier-like font with a not-so-subtle red cross serving as its “t” pushed down to the bottom of the page so our gaze can wind our way through the upside down tree’s barren branches. Is it a depiction of lungs? Is it a representation of a family tree stretching out wide? It’s beautiful in a purely formal aesthetic way—that’s what it is.

#06 The Cabin in the Woods Phantom City Creative The surprise film of the year—for the studio who shelved it two years, not the fans who knew they’d love it—The Cabin in the Woods was ripe for Mondo Tees to print a limited edition art run. Thanks to Phantom City Creative, the result is everything we could have hoped. Playing with the genre-bending, multi-level plot structure and set of the film, this homage to M.C. Escher‘s Relativity perfectly encapsulates what Drew Goddardand Joss Whedon created. Handdrawn and meticulously detailed to even include the honeycomb pattern its science fiction side utilized, it’s a breathtaking rendering.

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#05 Wreck-It Ralph How great is it that Disney made a film with 8-bit-like characters stuttering around the screen let alone had the courage to tease it with its fully pixelated lead character to children who have never played a game that didn’t include three-dimensionally rendered worlds? Ever since I saw Wreck-It Ralph‘s angry face in theater poster frames I knew I had to see the film whether it would be all 8-bit or not. The Mouse House went full bore into nostalgia for this one and it played huge with people my age—the same money-earners now spawning the studio’s key demographic clamoring for cartoons and popcorn.

#04 Sound of My Voice Having now seen Sound of My Voice, it’s poster somehow still possesses much of the same intrigue it had upon release. The image is an eerie one with a white, shrouded Brit Marling about to uncover her face as oxygen tubes wrap down around her nose. I wrote earlier in the year that it had an other-worldly, Matthew Barney feel projecting a sort of alien filter to her character. Knowing her secret now only bolsters this comparison. The art direction is spectacular from Marling’s pose to the low contrast delineation between text and image and its muted color palette draws you into the spirals of her gown and will not let go.

#03 The Paperboy and company Vintage chic with an off-white tint, and company effectively recreatesThe Paperboy‘s 70s era. The thick, stylized font weighs down the sheet as the painterly, air brushed imagery helps its high contrast photos lighten in an almost pastel hue. Having the car door not run parallel to the page’s edge gives it just enough of a slant to create that gorgeously shadowed triangle above the second widescreen cell of John Cusack‘s menacing glare and you can’t ask for better depth of field where its trio of actors in the main frame are concerned. It drips confidence and make me want to ignore all the bad press the film has received.

#02 Zero Dark Thirty BLT Communications, LLC BLT must be applauded for fearlessly covering their advertisement’s main element for recognition. Where most firms would have littered the frame with unnecessary words so it could redact everything but the title, they understood that the power of censorship is in deleting what means the most. They utilize a well-measured marker width perfectly positioned so that enough of each letter is visible to still read the Zero Dark Thirtyand December. Simple and exacting, if there were a scale for efficacy in design this couldn’t get lower than a 98%. It’s a fantastic stand-in for what seems to be the consensus favorite for Oscar season.

#01 The Master Dustin Stanton Dustin Stanton’s work for The Master exemplifies what the industry needs to remain fresh—a living, breathing representation of the film. Before anyone knew the plot of Paul Thomas Anderson‘s newest, this impressively manufactured faux bottle of alcohol elicited hypotheses while also piquing interest. The liquid’s surface edge magnifies the word it intersects and the fluid’s murky translucency obscures what’s below. You could almost believe it possible to reach through and touch the polished wall of text behind. Who knew something so flat could be so tactile? And without a floating, Photoshopped head too.

— written by jaredmobarak for thefilmstage.com

Pet Shop Boys, ‘Memory of the Future (Ulrich Schnauss remix)’. Listen.

Pet Shop Boys, ‘Memory of the Future (Ulrich Schnauss remix)’ – Song Premiere

British synth–poppers team with experimental German DJ for lush reworking

http://soundcloud.com/petshopboysofficial/psb-03-memory-of-the-future/s-xKLF3

Pet Shop Boys’ Elysium single “Memory of the Future” rode blissfully arpeggiated keys that twinkled and glistened, but on this remix from experimental German DJ Ulrich Schnauss, the British synth-poppers enter a deeper, lower groove that hypnotizes with lush textures and pulsating layers of blips. “We’ve always liked Ulrich Schnauss’s visionary albums and are thrilled that he has created a beautiful mix which sounds both like him and us,” Neil Tennant tells Rolling Stone. Pet Shop Boys are releasing “Memory of the Future” as a single with B-sides and remixes on January 1st.

— words taken from rollingstone.com

2012 Top Ten Film By Film Critics

2012 Film Critic Top Ten Lists

Below, we collect every year-end Top Ten list published by major film critics and publications. This page will be updated throughout December and January whenever new lists are published; be sure to check back frequently.

Critics pick the best movies of 2012

Below is our updated running tally of the films most frequently mentioned by individual critics on their year-end Top Ten lists. Note that if a critic ranks more than the standard 10 films, we will not include films ranked 11th or worse. In case of a tie for first or second, each film will receive the full points for that position. Our points system works as follows:

• 3 points for each 1st place ranking
• 2 points for each 2nd place ranking
• 1 point for being ranked 3rd – 10th, or for being included on an unranked list

	Movie	# 1st Place	# 2nd Place	# Other	Points
1	Zero Dark Thirty	15	7	31	90
2	The Master	14	3	28	76
3	Moonrise Kingdom	6	2	32	54
4	Lincoln	5	9	17	50
5	Holy Motors	6	6	17	47
6	Amour	5	3	25	46
7	Argo	1	4	22	33
8	Beasts of the Southern Wild	0	2	27	31
9	This Is Not a Film	3	1	12	23
	Silver Linings Playbook	0	1	21	23
11	Django Unchained	0	4	14	22
12	Looper	1	0	13	16
13	Life of Pi	1	1	9	14
14	Once Upon a Time in Anatolia	0	0	13	13
	The Deep Blue Sea	0	0	13	13
16	The Dark Knight Rises	1	0	9	12
	The Avengers	2	0	6	12
18	The Loneliest Planet	0	2	7	11
	Magic Mike	0	1	9	11
20	The Grey	1	0	7	10
	Bernie	1	1	5	10
	Skyfall	0	0	10	10

Individual critic top ten lists

Below are the individual top ten lists published by the film critics regularly included in Metacritic’s score calculations, as well as a few extra lists from additional prominent film sources. Some critics merely list ten films without ranking them in order; such lists are displayed below, without numbers, in alphabetical order.

Artforum J Hoberman
Werner Schroeter retrospective at MOMA (tie) Almayer’s Folly (tie) Tabu Il Cinema Ritrovato XVI (annual festival in Bologna) Oskar Fischinger: Space Light Art (Whitney Museum exhibition) Lonesome Beyond the Hills Leviathan The Master (tie) Moonrise Kingdom (tie) Beasts of the Southern Wild Clint Eastwood on YouTube
Artforum Amy Taubin
Cosmopolis The Gatekeepers Beasts of the Southern Wild Mobile Homestead trilogy Amour Memories Look at Me Our Children Almayer’s Folly Araf-Somewhere in Between The Unspeakable Act
Associated Press Jake Coyle View article
Amour The Master Margaret Moonrise Kingdom Not Fade Away Lincoln Jeff, Who Lives at Home The Dust Bowl Holy Motors Premium Rush
Associated Press David Germain View article
Moonrise Kingdom Life of Pi Zero Dark Thirty Argo Searching for Sugar Man Rust and Bone The Master Lincoln West of Memphis Looper
Associated Press Christy Lemire View article
Argo Beasts of the Southern Wild Skyfall Holy Motors Zero Dark Thirty The Master The Imposter Moonrise Kingdom Oslo, August 31st This Is Not a Film
The Atlantic Richard Lawson View article
The Amazing Spider-Man Amour Argo Beasts of the Southern Wild The Cabin in the Woods How to Survive a Plague Looper Moonrise Kingdom Your Sister’s Sister Zero Dark Thirty
The Atlantic Christopher Orr View article
Zero Dark Thirty Lincoln Beasts of the Southern Wild The Avengers Moonrise Kingdom The Master Silver Linings Playbook (tie) The Cabin in the Woods (tie) Seven Psychopaths Amour Frankenweenie
A.V. Club Sam Adams View article
Moonrise Kingdom It’s Such a Beautiful Day Middle of Nowhere Magic Mike Killer Joe Amour The Deep Blue Sea Wuthering Heights Barbara The Master
A.V. Club Mike D’Angelo View article
Holy Motors The Imposter The Loneliest Planet Miss Bala Moonrise Kingdom Amour The Deep Blue Sea Only the Young Looper This Must Be the Place
A.V. Club Noel Murray View article
The Master Zero Dark Thirty Life of Pi Damsels in Distress Holy Motors It’s Such a Beautiful Day Photographic Memory Looper The Queen of Versailles The Deep Blue Sea
A.V. Club Keith Phipps View article
Zero Dark Thirty Moonrise Kingdom The Master Wuthering Heights Amour The Kid with a Bike The Deep Blue Sea Beasts of the Southern Wild The Loneliest Planet Holy Motors
A.V. Club Nathan Rabin View article
The Master Django Unchained Bernie Searching for Sugar Man Moonrise Kingdom The Queen of Versailles Only the Young Silver Linings Playbook Killer Joe Boy
A.V. Club Tasha Robinson View article
The Avengers Wreck-It Ralph Zero Dark Thirty Chasing Ice I Wish Where Do We Go Now? The Master Beasts of the Southern Wild The Secret World Of Arrietty The Cabin in the Woods
A.V. Club Scott Tobias View article
The Master The Turin Horse The Deep Blue Sea Holy Motors The Loneliest Planet Moonrise Kingdom Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Zero Dark Thirty The Comedy Amour
A.V. Club Alison Willmore View article
This Is Not a Film The Loneliest Planet The Master Lincoln Rust and Bone Holy Motors Zero Dark Thirty Beasts of the Southern Wild The Cabin in the Woods Dark Horse
Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer View article
The Master This Is Not a Film Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Sister Photographic Memory The Secret World Of Arrietty Holy Motors The Gatekeepers The Invisible War Bernie
Contra Costa Times Randy Myers View article
Zero Dark Thirty Argo The Master Amour Beasts of the Southern Wild Moonrise Kingdom Silver Linings Playbook Looper The Grey In the Family
Empire View article
The Avengers Argo The Dark Knight Rises Skyfall Beasts of the Southern Wild Sightseers Moonrise Kingdom The Raid: Redemption Headhunters Rust and Bone
Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman View article
Lincoln Amour Silver Linings Playbook Room 237 Zero Dark Thirty The Perks of Being a Wallflower Killing Them Softly Argo Flight Bernie
Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum View article
Zero Dark Thirty Lincoln The Master Amour Argo The Gatekeepers Beasts of the Southern Wild Skyfall The Loneliest Planet How to Survive a Plague
The Globe and Mail Rick Groen View article
Beasts of the Southern Wild Holy Motors Life of Pi Lincoln Moonrise Kingdom
The Globe and Mail Liam Lacey View article
Alps Amour China Heavyweight The Master Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Stories We Tell
Grantland Zach Baron View article
Zero Dark Thirty Silver Linings Playbook The Master Django Unchained Beasts of the Southern Wild Argo Magic Mike Moonrise Kingdom Damsels in Distress Lincoln
The Guardian Peter Bradshaw View article
The Master Ted Amour Silver Linings Playbook Holy Motors This Is Not a Film Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Beasts of the Southern Wild Argo The Queen of Versailles
HitFix/Awards Campaign Gregory Ellwood View article
The Impossible Zero Dark Thirty Holy Motors Cloud Atlas Beasts of the Southern Wild Keep the Lights On Argo Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present Moonrise Kingdom Skyfall
HitFix/In Contention Kristopher Tapley View article
The Grey Moonrise Kingdom Looper Django Unchained Amour Lincoln Zero Dark Thirty Argo The Queen of Versailles The Master
HitFix/Motion Captured Drew McWeeny View article
Holy Motors Django Unchained The Act of Killing Cloud Atlas Zero Dark Thirty The Perks of Being a Wallflower Silver Linings Playbook Looper Moonrise Kingdom This Is 40
Huffington Post Staff consensus View article
Zero Dark Thirty Lincoln Beasts of the Southern Wild Argo Django Unchained Moonrise Kingdom Silver Linings Playbook Skyfall Les Miserables Looper
Indiewire Eric Kohn View article
Holy Motors Zero Dark Thirty The Master This Is Not a Film Amour Your Sister’s Sister Tabu The Loneliest Planet Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning
Intelligent Life Tom Shone View article
Amour Zero Dark Thirty Silver Linings Playbook Beasts of the Southern Wild Lincoln The Grey Life of Pi Flight Magic Mike Django Unchained
Keyframe (Fandor) Kevin B. Lee View article
This Is Not a Film Holy Motors Let the Bullets Fly Silver Linings Playbook Consuming Spirits Neighboring Sounds In the Family Once Upon a Time in Anatolia The Deep Blue Sea (tie) The Day He Arrives (tie) A Simple Life
Los Angeles Times Betsy Sharkey View article
Life of Pi (tie) Django Unchained (tie) Lincoln Zero Dark Thirty Argo (tie) Beasts of the Southern Wild (tie) Moonrise Kingdom Skyfall Silver Linings Playbook Detropia The Impossible Frankenweenie
Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan View article
Amour
Remaining movies ordered alphabetically: Argo The Dark Knight Rises Footnote The Gatekeepers The Law in These Parts Lincoln Middle of Nowhere Robot & Frank Rust and Bone Safety Not Guaranteed Silver Linings Playbook Zero Dark Thirty
Movies.com David Ehrlich View article
Holy Motors Like Someone in Love Amour Zero Dark Thirty Django Unchained The Master Something in the Air The Comedy Anna Karenina Girl Walk // All Day
MSN Movies Sean Axmaker View article
Zero Dark Thirty Holy Motors Moonrise Kingdom Once Upon a Time in Anatolia The Master Amour Deep Blue Sea Barbara Life of Pi This Is Not a Film
MSN Movies Richard Jameson View article
Zero Dark Thirty Lincoln Django Unchained Once Upon a Time in Anatolia The Turin Horse Silver Linings Playbook Moonrise Kingdom The Sessions Cosmopolis The Deep Blue Sea
MSN Movies Don Kaye View article
Looper Zero Dark Thirty West of Memphis Beasts of the Southern Wild The Dark Knight Rises Compliance Kill List Ruby Sparks Amour The Avengers
MSN Movies Glenn Kenny View article
The Master The Turin Horse Moonrise Kingdom Zero Dark Thirty The Kid with a Bike Cosmopolis Lincoln Looper Holy Motors This Is Not a Film
MSN Movies Danny Miller View article
Lincoln Argo Searching for Sugar Man Cloud Atlas Sound of My Voice Hello I Must Be Going The Perks of Being a Wallflower Return Moonrise Kingdom Les Miserables
MSN Movies Kat Murphy View article
Zero Dark Thirty Lincoln The Master Amour Holy Motors Django Unchained Moonrise Kingdom Silver Linings Playbook The Deep Blue Sea Cosmopolis
MSN Movies Frank Paiva View article
Jiro Dreams of Sushi How to Survive a Plague Beasts of the Southern Wild Argo Teddy Bear The Perks of Being a Wallflower Keep the Lights On The Queen of Versailles The Cabin in the Woods Kill List
MSN Movies Bryan Reesman View article
The Woman in Black Dredd The Avengers Skyfall The Grey The Raven Snow White and the Huntsman The Secret World Of Arrietty Zero Dark Thirty The Expendables 2
MSN Movies James Rocchi View article
Zero Dark Thirty Holy Motors Rust and Bone Django Unchained How to Survive a Plague Beasts of the Southern Wild Take This Waltz Compliance Kill List Safety Not Guaranteed
MTV MTV News staff View article
The Dark Knight Rises The Perks of Being a Wallflower Looper Zero Dark Thirty The Avengers Skyfall The Cabin in the Woods Silver Linings Playbook The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Hunger Games
New York Post Lou Lumenick View article
Moonrise Kingdom Argo Zero Dark Thirty Beasts of the Southern Wild The Sessions The Dark Knight Rises Amour Looper Frankenweenie Bernie
New York Post Kyle Smith View article
Les Miserables Magic Mike The Impossible Argo Zero Dark Thirty Ted Flight 21 Jump Street Pitch Perfect The Dark Knight Rises
The New York Times Manohla Dargis View article
Amour The Deep Blue Sea The Gatekeepers Holy Motors The Master Moonrise Kingdom Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Searching for Sugar Man Silver Linings Playbook Zero Dark Thirty
The New York Times Stephen Holden View article
Lincoln Amour Zero Dark Thirty Beasts of the Southern Wild Argo Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Elena How to Survive a Plague The Invisible War The Sessions
The New York Times A.O. Scott View article
Amour Lincoln Beasts of the Southern Wild Footnote The Master Zero Dark Thirty Django Unchained Goodbye, First Love Neighboring Sounds The Grey
The New Yorker Richard Brody View article
(tie) Holy Motors (tie) Moonrise Kingdom The Master (tie) Oki’s Movie (tie) This Is Not a Film
Remaining movies ordered alphabetically: The Color Wheel Damsels in Distress The Deep Blue Sea Fake It So Real Magic Mike Red Hook Summer Tabu This Is 40 To Rome with Love We Have a Pope
The New Yorker David Denby View article
(tie) Lincoln (tie) Zero Dark Thirty
Remaining movies ordered alphabetically: Arbitrage Argo Beasts of the Southern Wild The Central Park Five Detropia The Gatekeepers The Master Moonrise Kingdom This Is 40
Newsday Rafer Guzmán View article
The Master The Queen of Versailles Flight Zero Dark Thirty Beasts of the Southern Wild Magic Mike The Cabin in the Woods Silver Linings Playbook Anna Karenina Argo
The Observer Philip French View article
Amour Argo Berberian Sound Studio Holy Motors Killing Them Softly Life of Pi The Master Moonrise Kingdom Once Upon a Time in Anatolia This Is Not a Film
The Oregonian Marc Mohan View article
The Master Cloud Atlas The House I Live In Django Unchained Compliance The Grey Argo Silver Linings Playbook Zero Dark Thirty Chronicle
The Oregonian Mike Russell View article
Moonrise Kingdom The Master Kill List Cloud Atlas (tie) The Avengers (tie) The Cabin in the Woods Damsels in Distress Looper 21 Jump Street Skyfall The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Rolling Stone Peter Travers
The Master Zero Dark Thirty Beasts of the Southern Wild Lincoln Argo Silver Linings Playbook Les Miserables Life of Pi Moonrise Kingdom The Dark Knight Rises
Slant Staff consensus View article
This Is Not a Film Holy Motors The Deep Blue Sea The Kid with a Bike The Master Tabu Oslo, August 31st Zero Dark Thirty The Turin Horse Moonrise Kingdom
Slate Dana Stevens View article
Amour How to Survive a Plague Lincoln The Master Once Upon a Time in Anatolia The Queen of Versailles Silver Linings Playbook Take This Waltz The Turin Horse Zero Dark Thirty
Time Richard Corliss View article
Amour Beasts of the Southern Wild Life of Pi Anna Karenina The Dark Knight Rises Zero Dark Thirty Dark Horse Dragon Frankenweenie The Invisible War
Time Mary Pols View article
Zero Dark Thirty Amour Lincoln Life of Pi The Master Argo The Perks of Being a Wallflower Sister Starlet Jeff, Who Lives at Home
Time Out New York David Fear View article
The Master Compliance Bestiaire Zero Dark Thirty Magic Mike Lincoln The Raid: Redemption Amour Keep the Lights On Wuthering Heights
Time Out New York Joshua Rothkopf View article
Bernie Zero Dark Thirty How to Survive a Plague Lincoln Keep the Lights On Elena Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present The Imposter Silver Linings Playbook Django Unchained
Time Out New York Keith Uhlich View article
Almayer’s Folly Not Fade Away Domaine The Kid with a Bike Killer Joe This Is Not a Film Girl Walk//All Day Damsels in Distress Zero Dark Thirty Cosmopolis
Total Film View article
The Master The Imposter The Cabin in the Woods The Raid: Redemption Shame The Dark Knight Rises Argo The Avengers Looper Skyfall
Village Voice Simon Abrams View list
The Master Killer Joe Holy Motors Dark Horse Cosmopolis Moonrise Kingdom Detention It’s Such a Beautiful Day Samsara Keep the Lights On
Village Voice Melissa Anderson View list
Barbara Tabu Holy Motors Zero Dark Thirty The Master Magic Mike Neighboring Sounds Starlet Oslo, August 31st Lincoln
Village Voice Scott Foundas View list
Zero Dark Thirty The Master Amour Barbara Django Unchained The Turin Horse Once Upon a Time in Anatolia The Dark Knight Rises Holy Motors This Is 40
Village Voice Aaron Hillis View list
Holy Motors The Loneliest Planet Moonrise Kingdom Zero Dark Thirty Cosmopolis The Turin Horse Wuthering Heights The Comedy Sister Magic Mike
Village Voice Karina Longworth View article
The Master Holy Motors Moonrise Kingdom Attenberg The Loneliest Planet Rust and Bone This Is Not a Film Anna Karenina Chronicle Django Unchained
Village Voice Michelle Orange View list
The Master Django Unchained Moonrise Kingdom 5 Broken Cameras Silver Linings Playbook Rust and Bone The Queen of Versailles Lincoln This Is Not a Film Promised Land
Village Voice Nick Pinkerton View list
Alps Bernie The Deep Blue Sea The Grey Haywire Magic Mike Moonrise Kingdom Tabu Wanderlust Zero Dark Thirty
Village Voice Alan Scherstuhl View list
Moonrise Kingdom Holy Motors Django Unchained The Loneliest Planet Lincoln Middle of Nowhere This Is Not a Film Zero Dark Thirty The Master Tchoupitoulas
Village Voice Chuck Wilson View list
Lincoln Bernie The Master The Grey Moonrise Kingdom Beasts of the Southern Wild Wreck-It Ralph Middle of Nowhere Keep the Lights On The Kill List
Vulture David Edelstein View article
Zero Dark Thirty Lincoln Amour The Gatekeepers The Deep Blue Sea Life of Pi (tie) How to Survive a Plague (tie) Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry Pitch Perfect Oslo, August 31st Friends With Kids
Washington Post Ann Hornaday View article
Zero Dark Thirty Lincoln The Waiting Room Monsieur Lazhar Middle of Nowhere This Is Not a Film Argo Margaret Anna Karenina Amour

— made by jason dietz for metacritic.com

TEN BRANDS TO WATCH IN 2013

TEN BRANDS TO WATCH IN 2013

Marketers spent close to $1.2 billion on music sponsorship alone in 2012, and that’s not even counting the hundreds of millions that went into commercials featuring current songs that helped many artists impact the Billboard charts. As artists, labels, publishers and tour promoters alike continue to turn to the advertising community to help make up for budget and marketing gaps, here’s a look at 10 brands that will be among the first on everyone’s speed dial over the next 12 months.

Check Out All Our Year-End Coverage and Charts Here

Pepsi

As Frank Cooper, Pepsi’s chief marketing officer of global beverages, told Billboard.biz earlier this week, the soda giant is prepping a multi-year creative partnership with Beyonce worth $50 million that will be at the center of an even bigger music strategy for 2013. Among the brand’s plans are building a label-like service similar to Mountain Dew’s Green Label Sound and amplified music efforts around its sponsorship of the Grammys, NFL and “The X Factor.”

Having spent the bulk of 2012’s music strategy on its sponsorships of “American Idol” and the Olympics, Coke is turning to its recent $10 million investment in Spotify to guide its strategy for 2013. At the top of that list: a new series of location-based music apps, tentatively titled “PlaceLists,” that the brand already commissioned a network of New York hackers to develop last spring.

Cover Girl

The cosmetics brand finished the year with a trio of major music endorsements, adding Pink, Janelle Monae and EDM sister duo Nervo to a roster that also includes Queen Latifah and Taylor Swift. Look for big TV looks for Monae and Nervo at the top of the year, and a possible tour extension for Pink when her Truth About Love tour takes off this spring.

Macy’s

The country’s largest department store marketer is also looking to become its most powerful when it comes to artist relationships. Not only are Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift and Diddy among its many celebrity merchandise partners (and stars of its TV ads), but a new focus on emerging artists helped anoint twin-sister duo Megan & Liz the winners of the IHeartRadio Rising Star competition, sponsored by Macy’s. Look for Macy’s to do something similar in a new strategic partnership with Myspace, which will relaunch in mid-January.

Mondelez

The year’s most confusing rebrand aside, the new name of Kraft-Nabisco’s packaged food unit represents strong buying power and some big brands, ranging form Oreo to Planters to Trident to Oscar Meyer. At the top of the company’s list for 2013? A sponsorship of One Direction’s 2013 World Tour.

Intel

Having kicked off 2012 with new creative director Will.i.am, look for Intel to look for new and innovative ways to showcase its technology through music, from its ongoing global events series with Vice, The Creators Project, to a new jogging app with singer Imogen Heap where music reacts to the pace of your run in real-time.

Samsung

After spending some $600 million marketing its Galaxy products in 2012, Samsung will continue to seek artist and media partnerships using music to amplify its “Next Big Thing” platform and Samsung Music Hub in 2013.

Chevrolet

Perennially one of the most active brands in music across any category, Chevrolet set the bar high for music in the Super Bowl last year when a spot starring rockers Ok Go doubled as a launchpad for fun.’s “We Are Young.” Look for the automaker to try and top itself during the big game in 2013 as well as continue a sponsorship strategy that has included stops at South by Southwest and our own Billboard Music Awards.

Converse

With its Rubber Tracks studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, hosting over 400 artists in its 18-month lifespan thus far, Converse has quickly established itself as one of music’s most sustainable brands. This summer, CMO Geoff Cottrill helped artists like Nas, Santigold, Blur, Paul Weller, Spiritualized and Plan B play intimate gigs in London when other venues couldn’t take them due to the Olympics. With Rubber Tracks scheduled to do pop-up studios around the country in 2013 as well as continue as presenting sponsor of the Fader Fort at SXSW and CMJ in 2013, expect Converse to be everywhere emerging artists go for the next 12 months.

Budweiser

The brand’s inaugural Made In America festival, headlined and curated by Jay-Z, was a success — the two-day event grossed $5 million in ticket sales with over 78,000 in attendance, according to Billboard BoxScore. Look for a second year to follow around the same Labor Day timeline as 2012’s event, plus an extension of Bud Light’s renewed deal with Pitbull and a deeper dive into digital music sponsorships.
— made by andrew hampp for billboard.biz

 

New Year’s Eve 2012 Concert Guide

Looking for an alternative to watching five hours of Ryan Seacrest while your Mom serves you tortilla chips and mild salsa with a glass of bubbly grape soda? There are plenty of great concerts scheduled for New Year’s Eve 2012, which we’ve highlighted for you below.

NEW YORK CITY

– Afrojack: Pier 94

– Amanda Palmer (covering Prince’s Purple Rain): Terminal 5

– Azealia Banks: Boom Boom Room

– Blonde Redhead and Beach Fossils: Irving Plaza

– The Disco Biscuits: Theatre at Madison Square Garden

– The Felice Brothers: Mercury Lounge

– Gov’t Mule: Beacon Theatre

– Holy Ghost!, Midnight Magic, and The Juan MacLean: Brooklyn Bowl

– Jay-Z & Coldplay: Barclays Center

– Kid Congo and the K-Holes and DJ Jonathan Toubin: Home Sweet Home

– Matthew Dear: Le Bain

– Manitoba (of New York Dolls): Bowery Electric

– Merchandise: 285 Kent

– Nas: Radio City Music Hall

– Phish: Madison Square Garden

– Pretty Lights: Roseland Ballroom

– Psychic Ills: Saint Vitus

– Punch Brothers: Bowery Ballroom

– RJD2 and Com Truise: The Gramercy Theatre

– Titus Andronicus and Dapwell: Glasslands

CHICAGO

– The Airborne Toxic Event: Metro

– Big Gigantic: Aragon

– Butch Walker: Bottom Lounge

– Chandeliers: The Hideout

– Charles Bradley: Lincoln Hall

– Hannibal Burress: Zanie’s Comedy Club

– The Hood Internet: Beauty Kitchen

– JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound: Mayne Stage

– Leftover Salmon and The Lee Boys: Vic Theater

– Local H: Beat Kitchen

– Los Lobos: City Winery

– Maps & Atlases: Schubas

– Mucca Pazza: Empty Bottle

– MUTEMATH: House of Blues

– Naked Raygun and The Dwarves: Cobra Lounge

– Orchard Lounge: Smart Bar

– Paradise Waits (Grateful Dead): Ace Bar

– Paul Oakenfold: The Castle

– Porter Robinson: Congress Theater

– Robert Randolph & Karl Denson: Park West

– Screeching Weasel: Reggie’s

– Tilly and the Wall: Subterranean

– Wanda Jackson: Double Door

– White Mystery: Logan Square Auditorium

LOS ANGELES

– ASAP Rocky: House of Blues

– Cake: The Wiltern

– Daedelus and Tokimonsta: Secret

– The Henry Clay People: The Satellite

– Kendrick Lamar: The Observatory (Santa Ana)

– Rebelution: Hollywood Palladium

– Redd Kross and The Melvins: The Alexandria

– Sasha: Exchange L.A.

– Zedd, Nicky Romero: Club Nokia

BOSTON

– Bad Rabbits: Brighton Music Hall

– Deer Tick and Two Gallants: The Sinclair (Cambridge)

– Lee Fields & the Expressions: Jordan Hall

– The Magnetic Fields: Symphony Hall

– The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: House of Blues

– My Morning Jacket and Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Agganis Arena

– Soulive: Paradise Rock Club

SAN FRANCISCO

– Buckethead: Great American Music Hall

– Dawes: The Independent

– Erykah Badu: Fox Theater (Oakland, CA)

– The Fresh & Onlys and Sonny and the Sunsets: The Chapel

– Furthur: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

– Futuropolis (feat. Star Slinger, Holy Other and LowRIDERz): 1015 Folsom

– Sea of Dreams NYE (Gogol Bordello, Shpongle and The Glitch Mob): Concourse Exhibition Center

– Nick Waterhouse: Bimbo’s 365 Club

– Primus: The Warfield

– Sea of Dreams (feat. Gogol Bordello, Shpongle, The Glitch Mob andTrentemøller): Concourse Exhibition Center

– Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue: The Fillmore

– Vetiver: Cafe du Nord

LONDON

– Chase & Status: O2 Academy

– Four Tet: Fabric

– John Talabot: Corsica Studios

– Julio Bashmore: Troxy

– Marina and the Diamonds: Sanderson Hotel

– Simian Mobile Disco and Hercules and Love Affair Soundsystem: XOYO

– Tribes: The Water Rats

ELSEWHERE

Anchorage

– DeVotchka: Bear Tooth Theatre

Aspen

– Goodie Mob: Belly Up

Atlanta

– Cherub: Grand Hyatt

– Man or Astroman?: The Earl

– Umphrey’s McGee: The Tabernacle

Athens (GA)

– Kishi Bashi, Yip Deceiver and Modern Skirts: Georgia Theatre

Atlantic City

– Jane’s Addiction: House of Blues

– Rev Run and DJ Ruckus: Mixx Nightclub at Borgata

– Tiësto: Revel Ovation Hall

Austin

– Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears: Emo’s

– Grupo Fantasma: Beauty Ballroom

– Keys N Krates: Lamberts

– Neon Indian: The Mohawk

– Ringo Deathstarr, Megafauna, and Japanther: Frontier Bar

– Willie Nelson and Iron & Wine: Moody Theater

Charlotte (NC)

– The Avett Brothers and Amos Lee: Greensboro Coliseum Complex (Greensboro, NC)

– Joker and Skream: The Fillmore

– Widespread Panic: Time Warner Cable Arena

Cincinnati

– The Afghan Whigs: Bogart’s

Cleveland

– Cloud Nothings: Ohio City Masonic Temple

Dallas

– Big Freedia: Club DaDa

– Lights All Night (feat. Ghostland Observatory, Diplo, Axwell, Nero and 12th Planet): Fair Park

– Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights: Granada Theater

Denver

– Amon Tobin: City Hall Events Center

– The Black Angels: Bluebird Theater

– Chris Robinson Brotherhood: Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom

– Decadence New Year’s Eve (feat. ATB, MiM0SA, Zeds Dead, Wolfgang Gartner and Flosstradamus): Colorado Convention Center

– The Lumineers: Ogden Theatre

– STS9: The Fillmore

Detroit

– Skrillex, Boys Noize, Flosstradamus and Destructo: The Palace of Auburn Hills

– Zac Brown Band: Joe Louis Arena

Lake Tahoe

– SnowGlobe Music Festival (feat. Chromeo, Laidback Luke, Polica andPoolside): Lake Tahoe Community College

Las Vegas

– Avicii: XS Nightclub at Encore

– Benny Benassi: Marquee Nightclub

– The Black Keys and Divine Fits: The Joint

– Mayer Hawthorne: The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan

– Nicky Minaj: Pure Nightclub

– Red Hot Chili Peppers: Chelsea Ballroom

– Travis Barker: Rain

Manchester (UK)

– Simian Mobile Disco, Felix da Housecat, Benoit & Sergio, Tensnake, Annie Mac: The Warehouse Project

Miami

– Carl Cox: The Mansion

– Claude Von Stroke: Grand Central

– Kaskade: Amnesia

– Santigold: Delano

Minneapolis

– Astronautalis: Triple Rock

Montclair (NJ)

– The Hold Steady and Lucero: The Wellmont Theatre

Nashville

– Bassnectar and Two Fresh: Bridgestone Arena

– Keller Williams, Del McCoury Band and The Travelin’ McCourys: Marathon Music Works

– Moon Taxi: 3rd & Lindsley

– Old Crow Medicine Show and Pokey LaFarge: Ryman Auditorium

– PUJOL: Fort Nashville

New Orleans

– Black Lips: One Eyed Jacks

– Galactic: Tipitina’s Uptown

– Gregg Allman: House of Blues

– The Soul Rebels: d.b.a.

– Toubab Krewe, Honey Island Swamp Band: Blue Nile

Oakland

– Erykah Badu and The Coup: Fox Theater

Philadelphia

– The Devil Makes Three: Theater of the Living Arts

– The War on Drugs and Purling Hiss: Johnny Brenda’s

Portland (OR)

– The Minus 5: Dour Fir Lounge

– Paper Diamond and Nero: Oregon Convention Center

– Typhoon: Mississippi Studios

San Diego

– DJ Z-Trip: Block 16

– Drop the Lime: Ivy Nightclub

– Little Hurricane: Lafayette Hotel And Suites

– Geezer (Weezer Tribute Band) and Red Not Chili Peppers (Tribute Band): The Ruby Room

– OMFG NYE (feat. Laidback Luke, Hardwell, Zedd and Dillon Francis): Valley View Casino Center

Seattle

– Beats Antique: Paramount Theatre

– L.A. Riots: Foundation Nightclub

– Rusko: WaMu Theatre

– Supersuckers: Tractor Tavern

Tampa

– Beach Day and Natural Child: Crowbar

Toronto

– Machinedrum: Metropolis

– The Sadies: Horseshoe Tavern

– Young Empires: Lee’s Palace

Washington, DC

– Drive-By Truckers and North Mississippi Allstars: 9:30 Club

– The Roots: The Fillmore (Silver Spring, MD)

— articles taken from sam willett and alex young for consequenceofsound.net

Girls’ Generation 소녀시대_Dancing Queen_Music Video

Published on Dec 21, 2012

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Pulp releases new version of “After You”. Listen.

Update: Pulp releases new version of “After You”, produced by James Murphy

As Pulp conclude their two-year long reunion, they’ve left fans with a nice parting gift. Attendees of the band’s recent homecoming show in Sheffield, UK were given Christmas cards with a download code for “a little present,” which was to be submitted to the band’s website on Christmas Day. What they received was a previously unreleased version of the We Love Life era demo “After You”.

Update: As Pitchfork reports, this new version of “After You” was recorded in November by the band, then finished with James Murphy in London and while on the Coachella cruise. It marks the band’s first new recording in 10 years!

“After You” was first demoed in 2000 at London’s Wessex Studios. Pulp drummer Nick Banks previously described the song as “an absolute lost classic.”

As our resident Pulp expert Frank Mojica reports, this new version offers more developed instrumentation and clocks in about a minute longer than an earlier version floating around the web. Take a listen below.

Speaking recently to Q magazine, Jarvis Cocker said the band had nothing scheduled beyond their appearance on the Coachella cruise. “We haven’t got anything planned after the New Year… we’ll just be cruising off into the sunset. Seems poetic. Not wishing to make a big deal, but we’ve played for a while and it’s been really good, but you can’t keep doing that forever.”

Photo via Bar Italia

–compiled by alex young for consequenceofsound.net