The Avengers Review

The first phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was solid, but nothing that occurred prior to the moment when the Avengers would assemble had me believing that the result of their team up would be stellar. Even as a fan of the work of Joss Whedon, I had trouble buying into the idea that you could include so many characters that required their own share of the spotlight into one coherent film.

Obviously Joss proved me wrong with his sublime, measured screenplay that not only found a way to balance all of their personalities, it exceeded anything that came before it from the universe. The Avengers was their first truly great film, a picture that demanded to be seen on the biggest screen in town and was worth every penny of the inflated ticket price.

You know what crucial aspect this one got right that the five films before it failed at? A major reason why I love The Avengers on a whole other level than the solo films leading up to it? It finally, FINALLY got the villain right. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is a home run, as he steals scenes with his menacing smile and delightfully perfect dialogue, and it didn't take long for me to realize we were in for something special in this regard. Literally the opening sequence of the film, the exchange between Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Loki put a giant grin on my face that stuck around until the very end.

I walked into the theater to see The Avengers expecting to have a bit of fun, not much more, and I walked out feeling euphoric about the scale of the spectacle and the suddenly bright future of the MCU. Prior to this, I didn't see a single of the releases in the theater, choosing to wait patiently for their Blu-ray release instead. This was the moment the game changed for me, and I knew going forward I would be eagerly waiting for each new entry to dazzle me as soon as I could possibly see it.

4.5/5

Iron Man 2 Review

Right off the bat in this review I am going to stir the shit, and I apologize for this, but I really mean what I am about to say. Ready? Okay, here it goes...

Iron Man 2 is the Jar Jar Binks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I know, the whole bitch about Jar Jar thing is so damn played out and I agree. You can't turn a corner in a discussion regarding Star Wars: Episode VII online without someone making a "Maybe Abrams will bring Jar Jar back! LOL!" joke being made, and I need to be perfectly clear here, that isn't what I am trying to do. I am not laughing out loud as I write this, and that is precisely my point. Iron Man 2 cranks up the silly factor to 11 and is practically begging the audience to chuckle so hard it makes us slap our knee, but there is a problem. It isn't funny. At all.

It is a bit unfair to equate this entire film to an annoying, pointless, terrible character from another franchise because not everything in Iron Man 2 is misguided. When it actually attempts to portray a serious narrative, it succeeds and I am locked in during these moments, but unfortunately it spends so much time trying to be wacky and "fun" that it mostly fails as a complete movie. The reason I couldn't help but think of good ol' Jar Jar during this revisit was because I ask myself the same question here as I did back when The Phantom Menace was released 16 years ago: Why?

Why so silly? Why so over-the-top? I completely understand and appreciate that the source material these films are based on are comic books featuring men in costumes fighting super villains, so expecting total realism is obviously not in the cards. Why did it have to go that far in the other direction though?

Robert Downey Jr. is just as charming and perfectly suited to play the role of Tony Stark as ever, but that is another prime example of why the screenplay fails in Iron Man 2. Even his wit and clever banter is often times falling on my deaf ears because I had to tune out the terrible villain performance from Sam Rockwell the scene prior. I love Sam Rockwell and when I hear his name, I immediately think of his masterful turn in the science fiction film Moon. I will choose to pretend this nonsense isn't even actually on his résumé. On the other hand, a welcome bright piece of the Iron Man 2 puzzle is the introduction of Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson). Her role in this film is refreshing and interesting, a nice break from the cringe inducing comedic dialogue that is otherwise so prevalent here, and we now know just how important to the entire universe of movies her character proves to be. 

Iron Man 2 has always been my least favorite effort from the MCU and that has not changed a bit. I have no hatred in my heart for anything relating to this franchise as I have had some fun with even the lesser efforts like this, but the tone of this film is something I have never been able to understand.

2/5

10 Most Anticipated Films March - June

As the weather begins to warm up, so does the season of cinema. While the second half of the year always features a far more interesting slate of films overall, that doesn't mean some truly special gems aren't released before July.

Here are the 10 movies I am most excited about that will hit theaters between now and the end of June.

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter

Directed by Nathan Zellner

Starring Rinko Kikuchi

U.S. Release Date: March 18th

A film based on an urban legend surrounding the real life and death of Takako Konishi, as the media falsely reported that she died while on a quest to find the missing money buried near the end of the film Fargo. In actuality Konishi killed herself, but the fictionalized version of events is far more interesting and cinematic than reality. Reviews are pretty outstanding for this one, and I can't wait to see it.

Clouds of Sils Maria

Directed by Olivier Assayas

Starring Kristen Stewart, Juliette Binoche, Chloe Grace Moretz

U.S. Release Date: April 10th

Unfortunately, a common reaction when many people see the cast listing will be to write this film off because of the presence of Kristen Stewart. Insert Twilight jokes, comments about her personal life, whatever. The truth is, with the right material she can certainly act and apparently that is the case here. Why do I say that? Well, she recently won the Cesar Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance here in France. Not only is this a prestigious award, it's especially significant because Stewart is the FIRST American actress to ever win one. So yeah, safe to say I am excited to see this film.

Lost River

Directed by Ryan Gosling

Starring Christina Hendricks, Matt Smith, Eva Mendes, Saorise Ronan

U.S. Release Date: April 10th

Reviews for Lost River have been almost universally terrible and it was booed viciously at the Cannes Film Festival last year. So why do I have it on my most anticipated list? Because I don't care, I want to see it for myself and make up my own mind. The directorial debut by Ryan Gosling, word is this film was heavily and noticeably influenced by David Lynch and Nicolas Winding Refn, which makes me intrigued to say the least. 

A couple of years ago, people kept talking about how terrible Only God Forgives by Refn was. It was angrily booed at Cannes and the negative reviews came pouring in. In my opinion, it was one of the finest films of the year. So yeah, Lost River may be terrible, but I need to make up my own mind.

Ex Machina

Directed by Alex Garland

Starring Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac

U.S. Release Date: April 10th

Oh man do I love some good science fiction. I literally don't need to know anything from a project, just tell me it is well reviewed and science fiction and I will be there, and that is exactly the case here with Ex Machina. Critical reception has been fantastic, my boy Oscar Isaac is in it, and the writer/director Alex Garland previously wrote 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Never Let Me Go. Count me in.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Directed by Joss Whedon

Starring Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Spader, Paul Bettany

U.S. Release Date: May 1st

What really needs to be said? The first Avengers film was, in my opinion, the first truly excellent thing to come from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, until 2014 rolled around and both Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy exceeded it. Those are the last two films to be released before Age of Ultron, so yeah, expectations are through the roof.

Far From the Madding Crowd

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg

Starring Carrie Mulligan, Michael Sheen, Juno Temple, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge

U.S. Release Date: May 1st

Talk about jumping in the complete opposite direction of Age of Ultron, and with the same release date no less. I read Thomas Hardy's novel of the same name, which was published roughly 140 years ago, and I liked it but was underwhelmed. Despite this, I am very excited to see this film adaptation. Why? Director Thomas Vinterberg's last work was The Hunt from 2013, which was without a doubt one of the greatest films from that year, so I was going to be excited about whatever he did next. Plus, I'm a fan of Carrie Mulligan, a pretty extraordinary actress. So while I will be seeing Avengers on the biggest screen possible that weekend, Far From the Madding Crowd won't be far behind.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Directed by George Miller

Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult

U.S. Release Date: May 15th

While on my list because of the outstanding trailer, Mad Max: Fury Road is the first film on this list I am truly skeptical about. I can't shake that amazing trailer, disappointing film overall feeling, but I am hoping for the best. Regardless, I'm sure this will be a pretty spectacular sight on the big screen, and I hope it lives up to the footage we have seen thus far.

Tomorrowland

Directed by Brad Bird

Starring Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Hugh Laurie

U.S. Release Date: May 22nd

An intriguing trailer, a summer slice of science fiction that I can see with my very excited daughter, and Brad Bird. Enough said, I will be there.

Jurassic World

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard

U.S. Release Date: June 12th

Much like Mad Max: Fury Road, I approach Jurassic World with what can best be described as highly excited pessimism. I am going to see it, I really want to see it, and I hope it is great, but I just can't shake the bad feeling it will be a dud. Excited that Colin Trevorrow is at the helm here as I loved his previous feature film Safety Not Guaranteed, and much like most of the planet right now, I'm a big fan of Chris Pratt, so I am hoping for the best. 

Inside Out

Directed by Pete Docter

Starring Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Kyle Maclachlan, Diane Lane

U.S. Release Date: June 19th

The world needs a truly great Pixar film. I have not hated anything they have done, including the Cars films which do what they intend to for their target audience, but it has been years since the glory days of a studio that released animated masterpieces annually. I have big expectations for Inside Out and will be severely disappointed if it ends up merely being "good. This one needs to be something special, and the first couple of trailers indicate it has the potential to be just that.

I'm sure a few of these ten films will be disappointing, but obviously I will hope for the best across the board. Here's to an exciting and highly anticipated next few months of cinema!

50 Best Films of 2014 - #20 - #11

Now into the top 20 films from 2014

20. Under the Skin

A tricky one to recommend, Under the Skin is enigmatic and utterly, shockingly strange, and while I loved it obviously and I know others who did as well, I also know a fair share of people who would ask me why the hell I wasted their two hours, or they would turn it off halfway through in disgust. This is really only a safe bet if you meet one of these two conditions: a) you are physically attracted to Scarlett Johansson, or b) you find strange, abstract cinema with some real depth and meaningful thematic substance appealing.  

I will leave it at this: there is some really interesting stuff happening here regarding the way we view and treat women in society.

19. Blue Ruin

I really expected this to be a by the numbers, you can see what is approaching around every corner revenge thriller. I was so damn wrong. Blue Ruin is smart, edge of your seat stuff, if you have Netflix streaming I highly suggest checking it out.

18. Life Itself

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I used to walk to a store nearby to purchase a newspaper every Friday specifically for the movie reviews, and it wasn't a difficult decision whether I should pick up a Sun-Times or a Tribune. I wanted to read the words of Roger Ebert, and even when I disagreed with the man, I always admired him. Life Itself is a wonderful documentary that serves as a tremendous tribute to Roger, but the best thing about it is that it is honest rather than simply positive pandering. Steve James doesn't mind showing that his subject was flawed because it is human to be flawed, and as a result the film is truly special.

17. Foxcatcher

A chilling and brilliantly performed picture based on a true story, I was engrossed inside the world crafted by Bennett Miller from start to finish. Foxcatcher is a cold and dour experience without a doubt, and one looking for anything light and fun will surely be counting the minutes until it's over, but if you are like me and find odd amounts of joy watching something ominous this may work wonders for you too.

16. Inherent Vice

Luckily for me, I had read the delightfully strange source material this was based on before seeing the film, the novel by Thomas Pynchon of the same name, so I knew what to expect going in. I knew much of the narrative would seem incoherent and the style of storytelling would feel out of sorts, but strangely that was what makes Inherent Vice such a blast to witness unfold. Sure, it's a mess, but what a glorious mess it is. Directed by one of the brightest modern auteurs working today, Paul Thomas Anderson, even if you have no idea what the hell is going on you have got to admire just how well crafted the ride is.

15. Nightcrawler

Lead by my favorite male performance of the year by Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, Nightcrawler is another dark and creepy entry into my list, but unlike Foxcatcher it also has a wickedly clever sense of humor as well. The fact that this ended up at #15 on the year is a testament to just how strong 2014 was in cinema, because my goodness I love this movie.

14. The LEGO Movie

The first movie from 2014 I saw ends up being one of the finest of the year. It isn't often I can say that because typically the early months are the doldrums of the theatrical calendar, but The LEGO Movie turned out to be shockingly great. So clever, so warm, so much damn fun with a third act twist that brought quite a few tears to the eye, what initially felt like it was destined to be solely an advertisement for toys turned out to have an important and meaningful message in the end.

13. How to Train Your Dragon 2

Back in 2010, I was one of the few people who felt the first How to Train Your Dragon was the best animated film of the year. Understandable because the also amazing Toy Story 3 was released during that very same year, but How to Train Your Dragon just had this magical feeling that cast a spell on me and won me over immediately. I was concerned the sequel would be a let down, but that skepticism vanished quickly as the characters, the story and the stakes all matured since the release of the original. For quite some time this movie held my top spot of 2014 and with each revisit I am reminded why. How to Train Your Dragon 2 is an amazing film for any person of any age. 

12. Like Father, Like Son

The switched at birth story has been done before, but never this eloquently and with this much realism and passion. Like Father, Like Son is heartbreaking and thought provoking cinema, asking a rather important question: what makes a child yours? Is it the blood and genetics you share, or is it something more? A truly beautiful film, and as a father I made a very strong connection with this work.

11. The Raid 2

The first Raid film completely caught me off guard as I had assumed I would be bored by something that was essentially non-stop action, and instead I was pumped full of adrenaline and exhausted by the end of that insanely intense, blood soaked film. Within the first minute of The Raid 2, as the movie opens outdoors with a wide shot that is far different from the cramped and claustrophobic nature of the first film, it is clear director Gareth Evans wants bigger and better things with the sequel. That is exactly what he delivered, as this time around things are far more story oriented, yet when the action does show up it is just as intense and just as awesome as before. 

Next up, the top ten films of 2014. The picture above is from a work that landed not only on the list, but in the top 5 of the year.

My Unofficial 20 Favorite Films of 2014 - #20 - #11

It's that time of the year when the best of 2014 lists come flying in from every direction, but I actually typically don't post mine just yet. My tradition is to make the previous year official on the day of the Oscars, as that gives me the first two months of the new year to catch up on films I am yet to see. While I have managed to watch 90 movies released in 2014 already, there are still so many more that I need to make sure to catch before I can really feel good about what I claim to be my favorites. Films like American Sniper, Into the Woods, Inherent Vice, Foxcatcher, Selma, A Most Violent Year, Wild, Whiplash, The Imitation Game and more, so many works receiving tons of praise that I must witness before my 2014 wraps up.

That being said, why not release an unofficial best of list now?

These are my the first ten of my current twenty favorite films of 2014:


20. Godzilla

My Review of Godzilla


Is it a flawless film? Of course not, but the pacing, the musical score by Alexandre Desplat, the confident direction by Gareth Edwards, and the jaw dropping visual effects all combined to make this a blast at the theater way back in May.


19. The Fault in Our Stars

My Review of The Fault in Our Stars


As a thirty year old man, I was apparently not the target audience of this film. As I always say though, there are no bad genres, only bad films, and The Fault in Our Stars is not one of them. I refuse to write off something for being a "chick flick" before I even get a chance to see it, and this hit so many wonderful notes for me and made me weep openly in the theater that day.


18. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

My Review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes


I was extremely pessimistic about a sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes as I thought the progression of the apes would prove to be silly. I am so glad I was proven wrong. Exciting action and excellent storytelling, not only was this a worthy second installment into the rebooted franchise, it turned out to be a rather large step up from the first in every way.


17. The Guest

My Review of The Guest


The 2014 film I most recently watched and I was surprised to find it entering my top 20 films of the year, but this fantastic genre film was a total blast and the final fifteen or so minutes were possibly the most entertaining of anything I have seen all year.


16. X-Men: Days of Future Past

My Review of X-Men: Days of Future Past


Another film that I admit I was pessimistic about in advance, as I thought it would be too crowded, a movie trying to do too much and thus it would succumb to its lofty ambitions. Again, glad to be proved wrong. I actually just revisited this on Blu-ray the other night and everything I loved about it in the theater held up just fine at home. A smart, stylish, entertaining film.


15. Enemy

My Review of Enemy


Last year the film Prisoners was my #2 of the year, a gritty, dark and disturbing thriller that had me truly riveted from start to finish. While not quite reaching those heights in 2014, director Denis Villeneuve is back again with his new film Enemy, a confounding and original work that made me literally yell out loud at the end, and then scratch my head as I wondered what I just saw. I am still not entirely sure, but I know it is great.


14. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

After a down year in 2013 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I was hoping my boy Captain America would bring the intelligence and excitement back, with a little less focus on absurd humor and more on a solid script and some kick ass action. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was just what the doctor ordered, essentially a fantastically crafted spy thriller that so happens to have a superhero in it.


13. Under the Skin

My Review of Under the Skin


When I finished watched Under the Skin, the first thing I thought was "What the hell?!" but I had a pretty big smile on my face because I meant it in a very positive way. A truly bizarre experience, but the themes are pretty apparent and meaningful and I appreciated the way it was handled. Seriously though, some of the imagery seen here will keep you up at night. Some truly weird crap, without a doubt, and I loved it.


12. Blue Ruin

My Review of Blue Ruin


I thought I had Blue Ruin pegged from the get-go. I assumed it would go down a rather predictable path, but then something happened that surprised me: exactly what I thought would happen did...except all in the first act of the film. So much story to tell and I had no idea what to expect next. A smart revenge flick that keeps you on your toes until the very end.


11. Life Itself

My Review of Life Itself




Growing up, there was no Rottentomatoes or Metacritic to go to for every review you could imagine. I found my film criticism from two places: the Chicago Sun-Times, where I quickly flipped through in search of the written words of Roger Ebert, and also the television program Siskel and Ebert. I greatly admired Roger for his passionate love for film and the fact that he was able to create a connection with his readers and viewers by never seeming like he knew more than you. He wrote so that you would understand why he felt the way he did, and after you finished reading you truly were persuaded to either see or skip the film being reviewed.

Life Itself is hard to watch at times because it follows Roger to the very end and focuses on the good and the bad, but it is a remarkable tribute to the life of a great man.

My next list will be my current top ten of the year. Happy New Year everyone, here's to a hopefully great 2015.

Golden Globes Film Predictions

On Thursday, December 11th, the nominations for the 2015 Golden Globe awards will be announced. While not nearly as exciting or seemingly important as the Oscars, it is still interesting to see how these nominations shake out and it may reveal some hints as to which way the Academy might lean as well. While the Academy is made up of over 6000 members where as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the group behind the Golden Globe nominations and award winners) have only 91, they still manage to have their voices heard and be a precursor to the big show.

Here are my predictions for what we will hear on Thursday morning on the film side of the ballot, nominees only. I will worry about picking the winners incorrectly when the actual ceremony draws nearer.

BEST PICTURE - DRAMA

Boyhood
Unbroken
Selma
The Imitation Game
Gone Girl

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Foxcatcher, Whiplash or American Sniper
*Personal wish that won't come true: Interstellar
*Surprise wildcard: A Most Violent Year


BEST PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Birdman
Into the Woods
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Pride

*Most likely if I'm wrong: St. Vincent, Begin Again or Top Five
*Personal wish that won't come true: Guardians of the Galaxy or The Lego Movie
*Surprise wildcard: Chef


BEST ACTOR - DRAMA

Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Steve Carrell, Foxcatcher
David Oyelowo, Selma
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner or Oscar Isaac, A Most Violent Year
*Personal wish that won't come true: Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
*Surprise wildcard: Ben Affleck, Gone Girl

BEST ACTRESS - DRAMA

Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Hilary Swank, The Homesman or Jennifer Aniston, Cake
*Personal wish that won't come true: Shailene Woodley, The Fault in Our Stars
*Surprise wildcard: Scarlett Johannson, Under the Skin

BEST ACTOR - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Michael Keaton, Birdman
Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Bill Murray, St. Vincent
Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice
James Corden, Into the Woods

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Chris Rock, Top Five or Mark Ruffalo, Begin Again
*Personal wish that won't come true: Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy
*Surprise wildcard: John Lithgow, Love is Strange

BEST ACTRESS - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Emily Blunt, Into the Woods
Amy Adams, Big Eyes
Angelina Jolie, Maleficent
Keira Knightley, Begin Again
Helen Mirren, The Hundred-Foot Journey

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Kristen Wiig, The Skeleton Twins or Julianne Moore, Maps to the Stars
*Personal wish that won't come true: Jenny Slate, Obvious Child
*Surprise wildcard: Quvenzhane Wallis, Annie

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Edward Norton, Birdman
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
Tom Wilkinson, Selma

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Josh Brolin, Inherent Vice or Alfred Molina, Love is Strange
*Personal wish that won't come true: Tyler Perry, Gone Girl
*Surprise wildcard: Johnny Depp, Into the Woods

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Emma Stone, Birdman
Laura Dern, Wild
Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Carmen Ejogo, Selma or Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
*Personal wish that won't come true: Carrie Coon, Gone Girl
*Surprise wildcard: Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer

BEST DIRECTOR

Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman
Angelina Jolie, Unbroken
David Fincher, Gone Girl
Ava DuVernay, Selma

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game or Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
*Personal wish that won't come true: Christopher Nolan, Interstellar
*Surprise wildcard: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash

BEST SCREENPLAY

Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman
Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash or the Coen Brothers, Unbroken
*Personal wish that won't come true: Phil Lord and Chris Miller, The LEGO Movie
*Surprise wildcard: Phil Lord and Chris Miller, The LEGO Movie (it might come true despite above)

BEST ANIMATED FILM

The LEGO Movie
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Big Hero 6
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
The Boxtrolls

*Most likely if I'm wrong: The Book of Life
*Personal wish that won't come true: Nothing
*Surprise wildcard: The Penguins of Madagascar

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Mommy (Canada)
Fource Majeure (Sweden)
Two Days, One Night (Belgium)
Ida (Poland)
Leviathan (Russia)

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Winter Sleep (Turkey)
*Personal wish that won't come true: None
*Surprise wildcard: Wild Tales (Argentina)

BEST MUSICAL SCORE

Under the Skin
Gone Girl
Inherent Vice
Birdman
Interstellar

*Most likely if I'm wrong: Theory of Everything or Selma
*Personal wish that won't come true: None
*Surprise wildcard: Noah

I might be missing a category here but I believe I covered most of it. I know I didn't address Best Original Song, but to be honest that is because I really don't know what songs are even being considered. Although I believe Coldplay has a song in Unbroken, so that will probably win.

I will revisit these on Thursday and see how terrible I did. I look forward to it!