So sit back, grab a beverage, gather your family and friends, and let's get this started! This is going to be the ONLY awards show you need this year.
*Note: Most awards have several nominees. Some do not! For each award, the winner will be in BOLD and UNDERLINED and the runner-up is just UNDERLINED. Sometimes there will be multiple winners or runner-ups! After each award there will be a small discussion/explanation.*
MUSIC
Best in GenreHip-Hop/Rap:
Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors -- Big Boi
Food and Liquor II -- Lupe Fiasco
good kid, m.A.A.d. City -- Kendrick Lamar
G.O.O.D. Music - Cruel Summer -- Kanye West and Various Artists
The Heist -- Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Life is Good -- Nas
 |
| This was easy because Big Boi has got the beats, the rhythm, the groove, and the lyrics. But he is in good company because 2012 was an incredible year for the rap industry. Even with the absence of Drake and the rest of Young Money, we were graced with some truly classic albums. |
Pop:
Red -- Taylor Swift
Kiss -- Carly Rae Jepsen
Believe -- Justin Bieber
Warrior -- Ke$ha
Overexposed -- Maroon 5
Red -- Taylor Swift
Kiss -- Carly Rae Jepsen
Believe -- Justin Bieber
Warrior -- Ke$ha
Overexposed -- Maroon 5
 |
| Hit after hit after hit came from this album in a year that saw the pop genre make a giant comeback. Each album on that list had it's pop hits, but Maroon 5 reminded us throughout the year why they are the ultimate crowd pleasers. |
Manners -- Passion Pit
Night Visions -- Imagine Dragons
Some Nights -- Fun.
 |
| I've become a big fan of Alternative music lately (dear Lord that sounded hipster), but it really is a fantastic genre these days. And every genre has to have its masterpiece. Imagine Dragons' album this year is that masterpiece and coincidentally one of the best albums of the year. |
Channel Orange -- Frank Ocean
R.E.D. -- Ne-Yo
Chapter V -- Trey Songz
Looking 4 Myself -- Usher
 |
| Now I know what many of you are thinking: "How does this win over Channel Orange?!?" I know I know, but I absolutely loved Usher's new album, for me it was a return to form of his "Yeah!" days and there are several undiscovered hits throughout. It's the comeback album of the year in my opinion. |
good kid, m.A.A.d. City -- Kendrick Lamar
 |
| Again, don't feed me to the wolves here. This album is GREAT, but it's not the second coming of Tupac that everyone is making it out to be. It's got great lyrics, slightly-above-average beats, and an atrocious "storyline" of phone recordings after many of the songs that go on for ridiculously too long. I love the album, but there is a ton of room for improvement and it doesn't deserve the insane amount of praise it received. |
Red (Deluxe Edition) -- Taylor Swift
Night Visions -- Imagine Dragons
Channel Orange -- Frank Ocean
Overexposed -- Maroon 5
Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors -- Big Boi
 |
| Honestly, all of the top 3 albums are interchangeable because they are all that good. But ultimately, I gave Taylor top honors because there isn't one song that I skip on her Deluxe Edition of Red. Its got pop, alternative, country, and hell even some dubstep...and it's intoxicating. I was never a Taylor Swift fan before. Her music would come on and I would be fine with it, but I wouldn't actively seek it out. Red made me, and countless others, a fan. Once she (and all of us for that matter) is old and gray, it will be regarded as one of her best albums. |
TELEVISION
Best Episode:
"Dead Freight" -- Breaking Bad
"Wrath of the Gods" -- Spartacus: Vengeance (Finale)
"Q&A" -- Homeland
"Killer Within" -- The Walking Dead
"Blackwater" -- Game of Thrones
"The Choice" -- Homeland (Finale)
 |
| So how do you beat out a Spartacus finale that kills 6 major characters, any episode of Breaking Bad, and a Homeland finale that has a surprise terrorist attack? By being completely bad ass. "Blackwater" was a crucial episode for fans and it didn't disappoint. My jaw was on the floor the entire time and it's clear where 80% of the Game of Throne's budget went last season. |
Maisie Williams -- Arya Stark in Game of Thrones
Amy Poehler -- Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation
Zooey Deschanel -- Jess Day in New Girl
Claire Danes -- Carrie Mathison in Homeland
 |
| Homeland is a powerhouse for acting and Claire Danes' performance is the standout. A constantly-stressed out CIA agent with hunch after hunch after hunch, a forbidden lover, and a serious mental disability...think that sounds like a hard character to play? Danes does it exquisitely and believably and Homeland is all the better because of her. |
Bryan Cranston -- Walter White in Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul -- Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad
Andrew Lincoln -- Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead
Peter Dinklage -- Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones
Damian Lewis -- Nicholas Brody in Homeland
Max Greenfield -- Schmidt in New Girl
 |
| Is he a terrorist or is he an American hero? After you see all that Brody has to go through in 2 seasons of Homeland, you can barely realize that it's just an actor and not a real person. And that right there is amazing, especially when you are up against the two Breaking Bad heavyweights. |
Homeland
Game of Thrones
Arrested Development (Final Season)
Spartacus: War of the Damned (Final Season)
Breaking Bad (Final Season)
 |
| If you know what happens in this scene then you know why Breaking Bad is BY FAR the most anticipated return of 2013. And if you don't know what happens in this scene then congratulations on not having a life. The rest of us were busy getting our minds blown. |
South Park
Modern Family
Community
Parks and Recreation
New Girl
 |
| Community has dedicated fans and it's because it's one of the few shows on TV these days that tries. It doesn't recycle the same material over and over unless it's still funny and it has 3-4 super-unique episodes per season. If you still aren't a fan, check out the 8-bit episode (as seen above) or "Modern Warfare" from a couple seasons ago. You wont be disappointed. |
Game of Thrones
Homeland
Spartacus: Vengeance
The Walking Dead
Breaking Bad
 |
| Despite a strong Game of Thrones, an explosive Homeland, and a MUCH improved Walking Dead, Breaking Bad is still the best thing on TV right now and the argument could be made that it's the best thing on TV...ever. Not since LOST has a show left us wondering where it will go next and there has never been as deep of a character study as there is with Walter White's transformation from feeble-husband-with-cancer to meth lord/genius/monster. All hail the king baby. |
VIDEO GAMES
Biggest Disappointment:
Mass Effect 3
Assassin's Creed III
SSX
Call of Duty Black Ops 2
 |
| Turns out that a game set during the Revolutionary War wasn't all that Revolutionary. Still a great game by the series' standards, it wasn't the be-all end-all game that fans thought they would be getting. Several annoying glitches, a weak ending, bad pacing, and chore-like side missions made sure that this series stayed stagnant rather than taking the huge step forward that it should have. Chalk this one up to a serious case of "overhyping". |
Journey
Far Cry 3
Mass Effect 3
Lego Lord of the Rings
 |
| Journey was gorgeous, simple, emotional, and more importantly: perfectly scored. It was one of the many emotional high points in gaming this year featuring no gameplay instructions and a protagonist that doesn't speak...it expects you to find your way. And once you start to do that, well...take my advice and just let the music take you. |
Max Payne 3
 |
| Max Payne blew me away this year and was better than I think anyone expected it would be. And surprisingly enough it also featured my favorite multiplayer of the year. Why? Because Rockstar perfected online "bullet-time". Rather than someone activating it and slowing everyone down, they did it by line of sight and the result was addicting, hilarious, and FUN. |
Borderlands 2
Black Ops 2
Halo 4
Max Payne 3
 |
| Despite changes to the system, Halo 4's multiplayer remains as powerful and omnipotent as ever. It's not afraid to take some risks, but whats most important is that those risks are fair and they work. Not every shooter can say the same. |
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Journey
Max Payne 3
 |
| As impressive as Halo 4's graphics upgrade was, it pales in comparison to Far Cry 3 when you consider just how big of a world Far Cry is. Luscious jungles, light filtering realistically through trees, near-perfect people and animal animations, INSANE fire and explosion physics, and nearly unparalleled water visuals all with no stutter or slow down? I'm going to say that Ubisoft used some form of black magic. |
Bioshock Infinite
Tomb Raider
Watch Dogs
Grand Theft Auto V
The Last of Us
 |
| How is this not Grand Theft Auto V? Because as excited as I am for that game, I know that once I'm done with the story I will be done with the game just like I am with every other Rockstar game (other than Max Payne 3). But The Last of Us is being developed by the same team that made a little game that won an absurd amount of awards called Uncharted 2 Among Thieves. Maybe you've heard of it? (And God bless your soul if you haven't) It's a mature story set in a post apocalyptic world where the infected aren't the only monsters out there. If you've never been on the edge of your seat during a game trailer, go check out the E3 demo now on YouTube. |
Max Payne 3
Halo 4
Borderlands 2
The Walking Dead
Far Cry 3
 |
| Every year there is that game that will be regarded as a classic. A game that 10 years from now, we will look back and remember how fun it was and how much it did for the industry. This year, we got 2 classics with The Walking Dead and Far Cry 3. The Walking Dead provided gamers with one of the most emotional stories ever told in gaming in the simplest of genres: the point and click adventure. Somehow it created tension and deeply connected us with its characters. But it was eclipsed late in the year by Far Cry 3. An absolute powerhouse of a game that has everything. You want one of the best open worlds ever? Check. A plethora of animals (including Komodo Dragons!) that can attack you at any moment and will stalk you? Check. The best stealth system of this generation? Check. Graphics that will make your eyes bleed? Check. A story about insanity and the effect that violence can have on a person? Check. An antagonist almost every bit as memorable as The Joker? Check. Fun co-op and multiplayer? Check. Ability to paraglide, ride ATVs and jetskis, zipline, and wingsuit? Check. Far Cry 3 isn't just my favorite game of the year, it's destined to be one of my favorite games EVER. |
MOVIES
*Note: Each winner in the movie categories is linked to its respective review so if you forgot what I had to say, feel free to click it!*
Biggest Disappointment: |
| Not even The Hoff could save this one. The first film was bad, but it was so good at doing so that it elevated it to the pinnacle of the "so bad it's good" genre. It was actually very witty, funny, and relentless in both gore and nudity. This sequel was absolute trash and had almost no redeeming qualities. It tried far too hard to be funny and in return came across as a really stupid spoof. And to think that this was one of my most highly anticipated films of the year... |
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
 |
| This is a bit of a white lie, but I actually did see this film. But it was a couple weeks ago and I figured a review would be not very timely. It's a great film based on the woes of being a teenager and as an adaptation it is extremely faithful because it is directed by the writer of the book. All around just a really good piece of film. And it has Emma Watson in it, so there's that. |
Snow White and the Huntsman
American Reunion
Piranha 3DD
Men in Black III
 |
| While I still adore this movie, it did not deserve the 9.5 score that I gave it. I focused too much on the beautiful women and fun factor when I was awarding it and not enough on the merits of actually being a great film. Still a really fun movie, but not a Rath's Review score of 9.5 fun...more like 7.5. |
Dredd
The Campaign
Pitch Perfect
The Grey
 |
| I was far too hard on Ted's lackluster final 20 minutes. Sure it dragged the movie on for longer than it needed to, but it also provided us with the heart of the movie and the realization that we love Ted. Not to mention we got the Thunder Song out of this movie and that right there is reason enough to see it. If I had to review it again, Ted would get an 8.5. |
Magic Mike
21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street
Rock of Ages
Cabin in the Woods
The Expendables 2
 |
| Well, we have our first tie! I could just not decide which one took me by surprise more! The hilarious, fun, and sexy, Pitch Perfect, or the intense and alarmingly deep, The Grey. So I picked both. Because honestly, both are the creme of the crop this year and both deserve some recognition for being more than what people expected them to be. |
 |
| Looper is an immensely entertaining movie and part of that is because it is wickedly smart. Probably the most original script/idea since Inception in 2010. If you like sci-fi, time travel, or both, you owe it to yourself to see this one. |
Dredd
Prometheus
Life of Pi
The Amazing Spider-Man
 |
| The Master of 3D, James Cameron, took his classic movie and somehow managed to make it even better. The 3D isn't gimmicky and instead it immerses you in the actual Titanic. James Cameron went through the movie scene by scene and his TLC shows. One of the most unforgettable experiences I had at the movies all year. |
Prometheus
The Avengers
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
 |
| Life of Pi was as good as it was due in large part to the visuals. Not only did half of the movie look like a live-action painting, but the animated tiger was downright eerie in its movements. The movie is a visual treat from start to finish, hence the extra large example above. |
The Avengers
Prometheus
Wreck-it Ralph
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life of Pi
 |
| Bane's voice. `Nuff said. |
Prometheus
Life of Pi
The Dark Knight Rises
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
 |
| For the longest time, Prometheus had this award on lock. But Skyfall looked fabulous from beginning to end. As an audience, we always knew what was going on and where everyone was within the frame. Not to mention it provided us with some of the most iconic Bond images in the history of the franchise. |
The Dark Knight Rises
Rock of Ages
Step Up Revolution
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Skyfall
 |
| The Grey was up against some tough competition this year. Hans Zimmer's score of TDKR was phenomenal, but it wasn't his A-game. Skyfall's score meanwhile was basically perfect, especially Adele's song. But The Grey moved me to tears, and it still does. This award holds a special place close to my heart because I truly believe that an amazing original score can vault a movie from good to great, from great to classic. In the case of The Grey, it's the sole reason that I had tears in my eyes in a movie that has Liam Neeson vs wolves. |
 |
| In my honest opinion, and I know I'm not alone in this sentiment, Bane is just as an iconic villain as the Joker. Hardy's performance didn't require as much effort as Ledger's and ultimately Ledger's is the better performance. But we all know Bane's voice, and how much it terrified each of us the first time we heard it. We all remember how frightened we were as he picked Batman up over his head. Long story short, Hardy did the best that he had to work with (basically only his eyes) and created a truly terrifying monster that decades from now, we will still remember. |
 |
| The Bond franchise is 50 years old. In movies, that is the same as 100 lifetimes. But yet Bond is more relevant than ever now thanks to a fabulous movie and an actor who is singlehandedly redefining one of the most iconic characters of all time. Daniel Craig is the Sean Connery of our Bond era and he owes his success to no one but himself, and maybe the fact that he looks better in a suit than anyone else. |
Jennifer Lawrence -- The Hunger Games and Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhane Wallis -- Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild
Judi Dench -- M in Skyfall
Judi Dench -- M in Skyfall
 |
| It was a rather weak year for female performances. Last year had Rooney Mara dive headfirst into her Dragon Tattoo role, but this year we didn't have too many mind-blowing performances. That is, until you see Anne Hathaway sing "I Dreamed a Dream" in Les Miserables. The only words to describe it are: RAW EMOTION. |
Denzel Washington -- Whip Whitaker in Flight
Daniel Craig -- James Bond in Skyfall
Michael Caine -- Alfred Pennyworth in The Dark Knight Rises
Javier Bardem -- Raoul Silva in Skyfall
Daniel Day-Lewis -- Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln
Leonardo DiCaprio -- Calvin Candie in Django Unchained
Leonardo DiCaprio -- Calvin Candie in Django Unchained
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| Did you expect anything else? It's one of the most memorable and mesmerizing performances since Heath Ledger's Joker. Daniel Day-Lewis is the best actor currently living, bar none. |
Christopher Nolan -- The Dark Knight Rises
Peter Jackson -- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Ben Affleck -- Argo
Joss Whedon -- The Avengers
Quentin Tarantino -- Django Unchained
 |
| I dont want to take anything away from our two runner ups...what Ben Affleck did with the last 20 minutes of Argo was breathtaking and I'm not sure how many people truly realize how big of a job Whedon had on his shoulders bringing all of those heroes/egos together on screen. Both deserve a shout out. But Mendes basically took out the director-defibrillator and completely reinvigorated a 50 YEAR OLD FRANCHISE! Skyfall was one of the best Bonds ever (and the argument could be made that it IS the best Bond ever) and one of the best movies of the year and an immensely large chunk of the gratitude should go to Mendes. |
Anchorman 2
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
Man of Steel
Star Trek Into Darkness
 |
| "But the last Superman movie sucked!" you are all saying. But did the last one have director Zach Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan (who made a little indie trilogy about the Dark Knight)? No. And that's why we may quite possibly be looking at DC Comic's next epic trilogy and maybe (fingers crossed) the beginning formations of the Justice League. |
The Grey -- Liam Neeson vs. the Alpha Male wolf
21 Jump Street -- Trippin on the new drug
The Dark Knight Rises -- The ending
Dredd -- Slow-Mo drug induced battle
Argo -- Making it out of the airport
Looper -- Making the final decision
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey -- A game of riddles with Gollum
Skyfall -- Meeting Silva on the island
Django Unchained -- Django vs. everyone
 |
| This award was almost impossible to decide, hence the reasoning for so many nominees and the multiple ties. To decide, I had to ask myself, a decade from now, what scenes will still be burned into my memory forever. And immediately the answer was clear: the two scenes you see above you. One is the definition of brutal. A fist fight with no soundtrack and no weapons, just iconic dialogue and two men's egos. The second is possibly the most fun 20 minutes I have ever had in a movie theater. I felt like a little kid again and it was equal parts awesome and funny. |
 |
| It's the best videogame movie ever made (which isn't saying much) and the best animated movie of the year by a mile. Disney recaptured its temporarily-lost genius and created an incredibly original and touching story in an amazing world. Not just the best animated film of the year, but one of the best films of the year, period. |
Ted
Pitch Perfect
Wreck-it Ralph
The Campaign
 |
| This was another non-contest. As funny as all of the other nominees were, none of them could match the chemistry between Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. I couldn't breath at times I was laughing so hard, and that was just the other week on my 5th viewing. I would even go far as to say it's one of the funniest movies in the last decade. |
Life of Pi
Looper
The Grey
Flight
 |
| This movie was great from start to finish. It was funny at times and hold-your-pee-until-the-end intense at others. Ben Affleck knocked it out of the park in basically every aspect that he was involved with the film on and it was one of those rare movies where I agreed wholeheartedly with the praise critics were giving it. |
Django Unchained
Skyfall
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Dark Knight Rises
 |
| It was one of the biggest gambles in movie history. A movie packed chock full of characters this big and storylines this revered should have never worked. But it did, and it paid off. In fact, it paid off with $1.5 billion worldwide and the 3rd biggest earnings in movie history. It was entertaining from start to finish and unexpectedly funny, not to mention everyone got near-equal screen time. If you are one of the people who call it "overrated" you clearly have no idea how hard this was to pull off and how much was at stake. |
10. The Amazing Spider-Man (9% of people voted this as ONE of their Top 3)
Tie - Other (12%) (Django Unchained and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)
8. Tie - Wreck-it Ralph (12%)
Tie - The Hunger Games (15%)
6. Tie - Looper (15%)
Tie - 21 Jump Street (18%)
4. Tie - Argo (18%)
3. Skyfall (33%)
2. The Avengers (51%)
1. The Dark Knight Rises (72%)
 |
| It's clear that when you let the people vote you get a vast difference when compared to many other award shows. People know what entertains them and what they will remember. It doesn't surprise me at all that this list evolved in the way that it did (Avengers and Dark Knight Rises were neck and neck for weeks!) and I'm proud of my followers for participating to such a large degree. Thank you for contributing to the first Rath Award chosen by you! |
10. Looper
9. Pitch Perfect
8. Django Unchained
7. 21 Jump Street
6. Argo
5. The Grey
4. Wreck-it Ralph
3. Skyfall
2. The Avengers
 |
| What else is there to be said about The Dark Knight Rises that hasn't already been said? Sure there are plot holes. Sure you have to stretch your imagination a little bit. But once all the hater-dust settles, the truth is that Nolan provided us with an iconic piece of cinema and one of the best trilogies of all time. So if you aren't a fan of The Dark Knight Rises, view this award as more of a recognition for the trilogy as a whole. But if you are a fan of The Dark Knight Rises then this award should come as no surprise to you. It was an epic conclusion and although it didn't entirely live up to its predecessor it ended the series in a beautiful final 5 minutes. It wasn't the movie we needed, nor the one we deserved...it was better: the movie we didn't know we wanted. |
Have different choices? Have an opinion that's different from mine? Great! I would love to hear it in the comment section below and we can get a dialogue started.
Here's to an entertaining 2013!
Some interesting choices you have here. My personal favorite video game was Mass Effect 3, despite the ending it reached a level of story telling that I did expect. While I haven't played Far Cry, Halo 4 and Borderlands 2 were my other favorites.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the Dark Knight Rises agian I can't decide if it was awesome and fun or absurdly ridiclous with the holes plot. Either way its still my third favorite of the year and my second favorite Nolan movie after Inception.
-James
You have to play Far Cry 3. Near-flawless game.
DeleteAs for The Dark Knight, so many of the plot holes that people complain about are petty, and really the only reason they are there is because Nolan couldnt make a 4 hour movie explaining everything. I'll admit, they are certainly there, but I think with a bit of focus, many of them can be explained/assumed. I would say it's my second as well, tied with The Dark Knight and behind Inception.