NME Awards 2012: My Choices

Last night (30th of January) the NME Awards Nominations for 2012 were announced on Zane Lowe's BBC 1 Radio show. The ceremony takes place at the O2 Academy in Brixton on the 29th of February.

Here is the list of nominations and my picks are highlighted in bold and italics. I've tried as best as I can to pick those I think will win, not necessarily those that I would like to (as hard as it was not to give Best Solo Artist to personal favourite Miles Kane because I reckon Adele is odds on to win).

I've not included every category for both ease and fairness (I can't possibly comment on Best Book having not read any of them, Festival of the Year having not been to any of them as well as any of the "Worst" categories. Awards shows show be about celebrating the best and boldest, not about ridicule and mockery.)

Best British Band
Arctic Monkeys
Bombay Bicycle Club
The Horrors
Kasabian
Muse

Best International Band
Arcade Fire
Foo Fighters
Justice
Odd Future
The Strokes

Best Solo Artist
Adele 
Florence + the Machine
Frank Turner
Laura Marling
Miles Kane
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Best New Band
Foster the People
Lana Del Rey
Tribes
The Vaccines
Wu Lyf

Best Live Band
Arctic Monkeys
Kasabian
Muse
Pulp
Two Door Cinema Club

Best Album
Arctic Monkeys - 'Suck It And See'
The Horrors - 'Skying'
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds'
PJ Harvey - 'Let England Shake'
The Vaccines - 'What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?'

Best Track
Arctic Monkeys - 'The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala'
Bombay Bicycle Club - 'Shuffle'
Florence + the Machine - 'Shake It Out'
Hurts - 'Sunday'
Lana Del Rey - 'Video Games'

Best Dancefloor Anthem
Azealia Banks - '212'
Foster The People - 'Pumped Up Kicks'
Justice - 'Civilization'
Katy B - 'Broken Record'
Metronomy - 'The Bay'

Best Video
Arctic Monkeys - 'Suck It And See'
Beyonce- 'Countdown'
Hurts - 'Sunday'
Lana Del Rey - 'Video Games'
Tyler, The Creator - 'Yonkers'

Best TV Show
Dr Who
Fresh Meat
Misfits
Never Mind The Buzzcocks
This Is England '88

Best Film
Black Swan
Drive
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Inbetweeners Movie
Submarine

Best Album Artwork
Arctic Monkeys - 'Suck It And See'
Bombay Bicycle Club - 'A Different Kind Of Fix'
Bjork - "Biophilia'
Friendly Fires - 'Pala'
Jay-Z and Kanye West - 'Watch the Throne'

Hero Of The Year
Alex Turner
Dave Grohl
Matt Bellamy
Noel Fielding
Noel Gallager

Villain Of the Year
David Cameron
Justin Beiber
Lady Gaga
Liam Gallagher
Nick Clegg

Hottest Male
Andy Biersack, Black Veil Brides
Dominic Howard, Muse
Gerard Way, My Chemical Romance
Jared Leto, 30 Seconds To Mars
Matt Bellamy, Muse

Hottest Female
Amy Lee, Evanescence
Florence Welch, Florence + the Machine
Hayley Williams, Paramore
Katy Perry
Marina Diamandis, Marina and The Diamonds

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Voice of Reason #2: 80's remakes

Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future (1985)

For the past few years there has been a growing trend in Hollywood. Find a much-treasured film that audiences loved when they were younger (most likely made in the seventies or eighties) give it a fresh-coat of paint, a 21st Century spin and sit back and watch the dollars roll in (most of the time anyway).

Look no further than recent remakes such as Footloose (2011) and Fame (2009). Both were originally successful and much-loved films from the 1980's that were remade and reworked for a newer generation (as well as those rosey-eyed, older generations) and both were relatively successful in terms of the money they made. They benefited greatly from the nostalgia felt for the original movies.

Fair enough I say. It's a clever and good way for movie studios to benefit from those films we all hold close to our hearts. I must admit the updated versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and The Karate Kid (2010) both benefited from my love of their predecessors' to earn my money, even if they offered little in the way of originality or surprise; anyone familiar with the originals is not there to be told a new story; just to delight in the same story being retold.

The list of films and franchises that are being or have been re-booted or been given a new lease of life goes on and on. They vary from the moderately successful, such as Clash of the Titans (2010), Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), The Three Musketeers (2011) and Starsky and Hutch (2004) to the relatively pointless and unnecessary like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Predators (both 2010) and Rambo (2008)

To varying extents they work. Which is why it is being done more and more. This year we'll see not one but two different takes on the Snow White fairytale immortalised in classic Walt Disney cartoon with Snow White and the Huntsman and Mirror, Mirror. 80's television series 21 Jump Street is getting a big screen adaptation and there is a remake of comic-book film Judge Dredd (1995) on the way. 

But, as a lover of cinema and many a classic 1980's movie, is see other brilliant films from my childhood (and before I was born) targeted for a remake. Why? Because there are quite simply some films out there that you cannot remake. Why take the risk of making a botch-job that sours memories of the original for the sake of an extra bit of cash? This got me thinking about which 5 classic films would be the greatest examples of this. Here is what I came up with:

1) Back to the Future (1985)

One of my most favourite films of all time, Back to the Future is a completely original and quintessential 1980's movie. Being witness to Marty McFly rocking out to "Johnny B. Goode" and not being played by the brilliant Michael J. Fox would send my brains splattering across the living room wall right there and then. Please Hollywood, leave BTTF be.

2) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Much like Michael J. Fox and Marty McFly in Back to the Future, there is only one Ferris Bueller and that's Matthew Broderick. A high school slacker determined to make the most of his day off of school in the city, Ferris Bueller is a character that would look weird if ever played by anyone other. Definitely another Hollywood remake that should never be made.

3) Die Hard (1988)
Bruce Willis is New York cop John McClane in this action-packed 1988 movie. With three sequels since then and a fifth entry into the franchise due in 2013, rewinding the clock and remaking the Die Hard franchise would be a big mistake. No-one handles the action set-pieces and sarcastic quips quite as well as Willis.

4) Ghostbusters (1984)
Whilst rumours of a third or 'reunion' Ghostbusters movie have circulated for years, there is also a possibility here for a 'next generation' style remake. Another film that my no means requires a modern remake, the classic and original Ghostbusters still stacks up against films today as a hilarious and entertaining sci-fi comedy film.

5) Gremlins (1984)
Annoyingly, the one the film on this list I can see being most likely to receive a remake, Gremlins still deserves it's place on this list. Another quintessential eighties film, Gremlins would quite possibly have the most to gain from an up-to-date remake or reboot, with the little critters being similar to the recent Alvin and the Chipmunks films. However likely, it should still be left as it is.

What does anyone else think? Which other films out there can you quite simply not remake?

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Film Review: The Muppets

Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Walter, Kermit and Fozzie in The Muppets

Back on the big screen for the first time since Muppets from Space in 1999, The Muppets is a brilliant return to form for the gang as they manage to recapture the magic that has worked for nearly 50 years. Where the film works best though is in appealing to the current generation of children who are used to occupying their time with Nintendo, Ben 10 and Pixar.

First pitched to Disney by central (human) star Jason Segel (who plays older brother of new Muppet, Walter) in 2007, the film has been gaining huge momentum and hype through it's extensive (and genuinely funny) marketing campaign consisting of numerous film trailer parodies (i.e. Green Lantern became Being Green, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo became The Pig with the Froggy Tattoo and so on).

The good news for all you Muppeters out there is that this film doesn't disappoint. The whole gang is back in business with fan-favourites Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo all along for the ride. The storyline may not be ground-breaking but it serves it's purpose well; that is getting the gang back together.

Essentially, Kermit and the gang need the money to prevent Tex Richman (Chris Cooper, maniacal laugh) from knocking down and drilling for oil on the site of their old Muppet Theatre. So, what's the best way in which to do this? Put on a good old-fashioned show with the whole gang of course, with some help from Walter, Segel and Adams (the latter two playing cutesy and loved-up couple Gary and Mary).

It's charming and entertaining family-friendly stuff and does much to alleviate the pain brought on by other recent feature film adaptations like The Smurfs.

The jokes are genuinely funny and where the film really made this reviewer chuckle was the constant breaking of the fourth wall. The characters are completely aware of the fact they are in a film and really run with it. Whether it's Segel's Gary remarking that he's sorry he's late because he just had to finish a big sing-a-long outside or Fozzie bragging that they blew half the budget on one explosion, it's brilliantly written stuff.

This means that the jokes here aren't just for the kids. Many teens and adults will get a kick from what is on offer. As can be expected from a cinematic event such as a Muppet reunion, there is a large number of familiar celebrity faces that pop up along the way, from Jack Black, Sarah Silverman, Neil Patrick Harris, Zach Galifianakis, Emily Blunt, Dave Grohl and Whoopi Goldberg (and I could still go on for much, much longer).

The original songs are great for kids and annoyingly catchy for everyone as well as adding much to the show-spectacular feel of the film. When the curtain raises on the show-within-a-show it's genuinely entertaining and moving as the gang strive to raise the dough and save their precious studio and theatre.

In a time of disappointing blockbusters, overblown sequels and pointless reboots, The Muppets brings a fantastic sense of nostalgia to proceedings and is the kind of film you could take your mum, gran or even great-gran to and not feel like she'll be lost or alienated (although she may disapprove of Fozzie's fart jokes).
Altogether now...Wocka wocka!

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Verdict: New Girl

The cast of Fox's New Girl

Sitcom's come and go all the time, from the brilliant Friends and hilarious Seinfeld to the not so brilliant and not  so hilarious others *cough* $h*! My Dad Says *cough*. Problem is, there are so many flooding our screens every year, it can be easy to lose some brilliant gems hidden beneath the weight of the rest. For example, sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory take they're time to establish themselves whilst the original British The Office passed relatively un-noticed before achieving cult status later on.

Latest out of the blocks and vying for our attention is Fox's New Girl starring quirky and cute indie film star Zooey Deschanel. Premiering on American screens back in September last year, New Girl garnered a lot of attention with a pilot episode that drew an audience of over 10 million viewers.

Last Sunday was Australia's first chance to catch the show (which has recently been picked up for an entire 24 episode first season in the States.)

Much like many sitcom's that have preceded it,  New Girl sets up the premise from the off. Deschanel plays Jess, a teacher who moves into a new apartment with three guys after a sudden and messy break-up with her boyfriend. The three guys are split down into Nick (the fairly ordinary, kind-hearted one), Schmidt (the cocky, ladies man) and Coach (a character replaced by the second episode by another token-black character named Winston...confusing, I know).

Anyway, so there's the sit. So was there the com? Again, following in the vein of other successful shows New Girl gets the jokes flying early on with Deschanel slotting quickly into the kooky and awkward 'adorkable' role she's played before in films such as Elf and Yes Man. Randomly bursting into song and busting a terrible dance move, Deschanel is instantly likeable as Jess and gives the audience something to smile about straight away. The supporting cast is also given chance to establish itself with the standout character being ladies man Schmidt (Max Greenfield). What was also a nice surprise was that the episode came to a close with a relatively warm and fuzzy conclusion, even if it might have been a little cheesy.

What came as a surprise to me is that New Girl does not follow in the footsteps of other hit American sitcoms such as Friends, Two and A Half Men and How I Met Your Mother by not being filmed in front of a live studio audience. The lack of a laughter track is refreshing and I thought, rather in keeping with the tone of the show, so a good call.

Whilst it can never be easy to predict a show's success and longevity on solely it's pilot episode, it's easy to see why viewers will be won over by New Girl's charms. Deschanel brings the star power and the heart whilst it's supporting cast brings the laughs. Only time will tell whether it can survive against the plethora of other sitcoms bombarding our screens and stand-out amongst the crowd. So what did you think of (the) New Girl?

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Remembering Number 58

Marco Simoncelli at the 2011 Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island

In just 3 months, the 2012 MotoGP season will kick off in the Middle Eastern state of Qatar and with the inaugural race of the year not so far away, anticipation and interest has begun to bubble amongst the sport's fans.

However, whilst attention may be fixed intently upon the sport's looming future, it is the sport's more recent past it should be doing more to focus upon. Saturday, the 20th of January saw the 25th birthday of one of MotoGP's most promising - and tragic - personalities; Italian rider Marco Simoncelli.

Simoncelli tragically passed away during the penultimate round of the 2011 season: the Malaysian Grand Prix. Unexpectedly falling from his Gresini Honda, Simoncelli was struck by the bikes of Colin Edwards and 8-time champion, Valentino Rossi on the second lap of the race. Whilst the race was immediately postponed, Simoncelli was taken to the circuit's medical centre and he died 45 minutes later. The Medical Director Michele Macchiagodena stated the Italian had sustained "a very serious trauma to the head, neck and chest" after his helmet had come off during the crash.

It was a sudden and unexpected shock to the system for the sport. Coming just a week after British driver Dan Wheldon died at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in America, it was a reminder to everyone involved in the sport directly and it's fans around the globe that these men are not immortal and beneath the helmets, they are as vulnerable and delicate as the rest of us.

A likeable figure amongst the other riders in the sport and amongst everyone in Motorsport as a whole, Simoncelli was very much seen as the future. After winning the 250cc title in 2008, he progressed to the big league and had impressed from the word go. Known for his infectious smile, wild hair and enthusiasm for racing, Marco had obvious talent and panache.

And yet, for this fan, he'll be remembered for one thing: the knowledge that we didn't get to see and share in his undoubted successes. With just two pole positions and two podium finishes in his two MotoGP seasons, Marco would of become one of the biggest stars in the sport and it is a terrible shame to know that this will never be.

And it is for this reason I feel that more attention should be given to the late rider's 25th birthday. Whilst much is being done in his birthplace of Coriano, Italy to pay tribute, his passing, talent and impact should not be so quickly forgotten as the new season begins. For many fans, Simoncelli was an interesting, important and above all entertaining part of MotoGP. By all means, look forward to and count down towards the 2012 season. Just don't forget about those that were lost in 2011.

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My Top 5 Albums of 2011

2011 was a stellar year for music. Big names returning and new ones emerging, 2011 saw some brilliant records released by some incredible talents. Here is my pick of the best.

5) Skying - The Horrors

Almost universally critically acclaimed The Horrors third record achieved something amazing in topping it's 2009 predecessor, Primary Colours.  Picking up where they left off with lead single Still Life, the English quintet produced their most complete record to date. 

Other tracks such as I Can See Through You and Moving Further Away are great examples of how far this band has come since their hit-and-miss debut as well as showing the promise they hold for the future.

4) What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? - The Vaccines

2011 saw The Vaccines burst onto the scene with a record bursting with catchy riff-laden indie-pop hits. If You Wanna, Wetsuit and Norgaard to name but a few weren't trying to be big or clever; just a whole lot of fun and a little cheeky at the same time. 

With comparisons to The Strokes being drawn from the get-go, it's fair to say that The Vaccines will be one's to watch when the time for album No.2 rolls by.

3) Pala - Friendly Fires

For me, Pala by Friendly Fires was a unexpected surprise and one was not at all unpleasant. Whilst I could never get on board fully with the bands 2009 self-titled album, Pala provided me with the essential 'sound of summer'. 

From the gentle shutter-clicks at the start of the title track and the impossibly dancey chorus in Live Those Days Tonight to "watching a film with a talking dog" in festival favourite Hawaiian Air, Friendly Fires had me won over and smiling from ear to ear.

2) Suck It And See - Arctic Monkeys

Four albums in and most bands might be running out of road. But not the Arctic Monkeys. 2011 saw a new direction for the Sheffield group and a departure from the "desert rock" style seen in the Josh Homme produced third record Humbug. 

From the poetic Piledriver Waltz to the ridiculously silly Brick by Brick, the Monkeys play with convention and mix up the styles from start to finish. Now if only I could forgive them for that album cover...

1) A Different Kind Of Fix - Bombay Bicycle Club

Moving onwards and upwards from 2010's Flaws, the Bombay Bicycle Club showed us all what they're really worth by melding into something rather special. 

Kicking off with oddly-dancey track How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep, the North London quartet knocks out incredibly catchy riff-laden songs such as Shuffle as well as laid-back and spirited tracks like Your Eyes and Lights Out, Words Gone before jolting back to a close with the mournful and teary-eyed Still. 

The whole album flows from start to finish with not one track feeling out of place or a let-down. Album centre-piece Beggars draws from the acoustic sound of last year's record whilst Take the Right One is in essence a big rock anthem. 

Definitely my album of 2011 and maybe the one's to watch in the future.


Honorary Mentions: Colour of the Trap - Miles Kane, Velociraptor! - Kasabian, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Blood Pressures - The Kills, El Camino - The Black Keys, Angles - The Strokes, Mylo Xyloto - Coldplay, Portomento - The Drums and The King of Limbs - Radiohead.

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My Top 5 Films of 2011

With 2012 well under way, I felt it a good time to look back over the last 12 months and highlight which films really stood out for me and which I enjoyed the most.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor

5)  Thor (Director: Kenneth Branagh. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston)


Thor continued Marvel's run of success at the box office with a fantastic origin story for their Norse-god hero. Director Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job of recreating Asgard and making the whole context fit into the existing Iron Man/Nick Fury/SHIELD universe.

Hemsworth was great as the arrogant and heavy-handed Thor and suitably beefed-up for the role. Portman injected star-quality into the action but for me the stand-out was Tom Hiddleston as manipulative and slimy villain Loki. Hiddleston stole every scene he was in and will reappear in April when the Avengers assemble for their first big screen feature.


4) Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Director: Brad Bird. Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg)

Brad Bird (The Incredible's, Ratatouille) successfully leapt from the family friendly world of Pixar and brought the success he'd found there to the M:I franchise.

Witty dialogue, inventive set-pieces and that stand-out Dubai skyscraper sequence were a welcome breath of fresh air to  the films, with Tom Cruise taking centre stage amongst it all. Showing us all why he's the biggest movie-star on the planet, Cruise left no doubt in our minds that this was his film.

Brilliant, fun and most importantly, cool. Mission accomplished.

Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige in Submarine

3) Submarine (Director: Richard Ayoade. Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige)

Despite having only directed music videos previously (for bands such as the Last Shadow Puppets, Vampire Weekend and Kasabian), Richard Ayodae took his big screen directorial debut in his stride by managing the seemingly impossible; making teenage life in 1980's Wales an absolute hoot.

Craig Roberts was brilliant as quirky and awkward Oliver Tate who falls for Yasmin Paige's Jordana. Both are very good and for me Submarine stood out amongst a whole host of huge summer blockbusters that failed to impress.



2) Senna (Director: Asif Kapadia. Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost)

A documentary focusing on the life of Brazilian Formula One legend Ayrton Senna, this film was a brilliantly moving piece that showcased the talent, skill and determination of a mortally flawed and paradoxical human-being. Whilst overly biased in favour of it's subject, Kapadia did a excellent job of compiling together a fitting from the sport's extensive file footage.

Where the film worked best was appealing to a mass audience; you didn't have to be a huge fan of Formula One or any Motorsport for that matter to find the story of Ayrton Senna moving; it really was a case of art imitating life as Senna's journey plays out like a true Hollywood picture.

Super 8

1)  Super 8 (Director: J.J Abrams. Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths)

Set in 1979 suburban America, Super 8 was a throwback to the cinema of yesteryear with director J.J Abrams paying homage to producer Steven Spielberg and his back catalogue of films that have heart and soul to go with their balls.

Abrams assembled a stellar ensemble cast of youths (above) to portray a group of friends who work with their Super 8 camera to make zombie movies. Off-screen the kids must have an excellent rapport as it really shows on screen as they fit together like a true group of friends. Elle Fanning is especially good as Alice and Kyle Chandler is amazing as Joel Courtney's grieving father. It's a brilliant tribute to E.T. and Close Encounters, it stood-out as the film of the year.


Honorary mentions: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Contagion, Crazy Stupid Love and Puss in Boots.

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Voice of Reason #1: Cinema Classics

Citizen Kane (1941)

I didn't like Apocalypse Now. There I said it. "Whoa there" said my father, "how can you not like Apocalypse Now! It's a classic!"

And so begins to the discussion of films, or anything for that matter, that have attained the "classic" status or badge. Is it ever okay to have never watched certain films that it seems anyone and everyone else has?
Is it possible to go about my daily life the same as the rest of us having never watched Orson Welles utter "Rosebud" in Citizen Kane or witnessed the chariot race in Ben Hur? And then having watched said "classic", is it ever okay to dislike it?

Of course it is I argue. One can still appreciate a films prestigiousness and vintage status without having to have watched it from start to finish in the same way you don't have to have read every single one of Bill Shakespeare's work to know how acclaimed and treasured it is. I can still recognise and acknowledge the importance of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones or David Bowie without owning any of their records. 

In addition to this, I'm not one to talk. I'll hold my hand up and say I'm no stranger to the sentence, "but you have to love this film, it's a classic!" But I reserve it for films more on my level, ones I can relate to and enjoy such as Lord of The Rings or Star Wars. To not have seen either is practically criminal.

The fact that cinema is a very personal medium doesn't help this. Different films mean different things to different people and this naturally will create a debate over quality and "specialness". My problem is not with people's personal favourites films. Don't get me wrong, I myself have a special place in my heart for those films that I adore and treasure. Everyone does. Like any good book, song or poem, everyone has films that can evoke feelings and memories within us. To me, that's what makes them special. My problem is with people telling me that I must like a film. That I must enjoy and praise The Castle, based purely on the fact that everyone else does.

Essentially, my argument is this; there are simply too many classics out there. No-one can possibly have seen them all, from The Godfather to Monty Python. And even if they did, not everyone is going to have enjoyed them. All I simply ask is this; don't preach to me about not liking Apocalypse Now!

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