2015 Oscar Predictions

By Alex Bauman

Best Supporting Actress

1. Patricia Arquette- Boyhood
She's seemingly been the frontrunner since Boyhood came out. Besides being an obvious nomination, at this point it's hard to picture anyone else winning.

January 13th Update: Her Golden Globe win is of no surprise and only furthers her chances

2. Emma Stone- Birdman

I've always liked Emma Stone but she brings her acting abilities to a whole other level in Birdman. With the film's overall hype plus her SAG and Golden Globe nominations, Stone is an obvious nomination at this point.

3. Keira Knightley- The Imitation Game
Formerly #4

At first I thought that Benedict Cumberbatch would overshadow all other actors but it looks like Keira Knightley has managed to gain recognition alongside Cumberbatch at several award shows, including the Globes and SAG. This'll be Knightley's second nomination, her first occurring 9 years ago for Pride and Prejudice.

4. Meryl Streep- Into The Woods
Formerly #3

It's Meryl Streep. Enough said.

5. Rene Russo- Nightcrawler
Formerly #6

6. Jessica Chastain- A Most Violent Year
Formerly #5

While I currently predict Jessica Chastain, her nomination is definitely the most up in the air. Still, the general acclaim of A Most Violent Year and the lack of contenders in this category should help her chances. Only one actress truly could squeeze her out.

January 11 update: Make that two actresses

7. Laura Dern- Wild
Formerly #6

That actress is Laura Dern in Wild. Dern was snubbed by SAG and the Golden Globes but with Wild's hype and praise for Dern's performance, she could still squeeze in an upset nomination.

8. Tilda Swinton- Snowpiercer
Formerly #7
Swinton's wonderfully campy performance as the loyal spokeswoman for Snowpiercer's dictator antagonist has received recognition at several smaller award shows including the Critic's Choice awards and the Satellite Awards. But the film itself is still a science fiction film and thus won't be recognized by the Academy.

9. Katherine Waterston- Inherent Vice
Formerly #8
Waterston (daughter of Sam Waterston) started off as a seemingly early contender for a Best Supporting Actress nomination, but now she's mostly forgotten and more hype is centered on her co-stars Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin. Perhaps an upset nomination could happen but I wouldn't count on it.

11. Carmen Ejojo- Selma
Formerly #10
Not a performance that's getting a lot of attention but she is the most prominent actress in a film getting a lot of Best Picture hype. And it's a role she already played 13 years earlier in the film Boycott.

12. Naomi Watts- Birdman/St. Vincent
Formerly #10
Naomi Watts surprised everyone with her SAG nomination for St. Vincent. In spite of that, I think that's all it is. A surprise nomination and nothing more will come of it. That said, her performance in Birdman, while not the main or most memorable storyline, was still very strong and deserves a shoutout, even if Emma Stone will ultimately steal her spot.

13. Adriana Barraza- Cake
Formerly #12
Barraza's performance in Cake has been praised but with the promotion focused on Aniston, there's only a slim chance.

Best Supporting Actor

1. J.K. Simmons- Whiplash
J.K. Simmons is another likely winner at this point, though not quite as guaranteed as Arquette.

2. Edward Norton- Birdman

Norton hasn't had a role this strong in years and now it seems his comeback has truly been made. He gives one of many great performances in Birdman and the film's overall praise and hype will likely get him a nod.

3. Ethan Hawke- Boyhood

Ethan Hawke didn't have a lot of hype after Boyhood came out, but in these last weeks, Boyhood's hype still hasn't died down and his hype has only built up as a result of it with SAG and Golden Globe nominations to his credit.

4. Mark Ruffalo- Foxcatcher

Ruffalo is currently the safest of the Foxcatcher stars as far as getting a nomination goes. While he's not as highlighted in the trailers, people seem to agree that he's just as strong as his co-stars and is a very likely nomination at this point.


Update: After seeing the film, I'll say that his performance is wonderfully subtle. He completely owns the scene where he's being interviewed on camera.

5. Josh Brolin- Inherent Vice
Formerly #6

A wild card nominee at this point. Inherent Vice might not be Oscar material but many who love it have called Brolin the best part of the film.

Final Prediction: Since the Oscars tend to have at least one wildcard actor make the cut every year, I expect Brolin to be that actor and knock Duvall out. I've been wrong before though.

6. Robert Duvall- The Judge
Formerly #5

This is where it gets iffy. The first 4 are basically guarantee nominations. The question now is simply who'll fill in that fifth slot. Duvall seemed like a nominee at first but then The Judge came out, got mixed reviews, and people forgot about it. Then he got surprise nominations at both the SAG and Golden Globes and he's right back in the race again.

Final Prediction: Yeah, he got those nominations, but the film was still a critical AND commercial failure. He's an excellent actor but what is there to gain by nominating him?

7.  Christoph Waltz- Big Eyes

Christoph Waltz continues to impress since his breakout role 5 years ago in Inglourious Basterds. He got a golden globe nomination and the film's received decent reviews but it doesn't seem that hyped at this point.

8. Riz Ahmed- Nightcrawler
New Addition
He's not going to get it but I felt he deserved a shoutout. Plus he got nominated for a spirit award.

9. Tom Wilkinson- Selma
Formerly #8
Before the SAG and Globe nominations, I would have pegged wlkinson for spot #5. He's an excellent actor playing a real life president in a film likely to get a Best Picture nomination. But he was snubbed at both the Globes and SAG so it's hard to say at this point.

10. Miyavi- Unbroken
Formerly #9

This is a film with a lot of hype and mixed reviews. Miyavi is the youngest of the best supporting actor possibilities and Unbroken is his film debut. But the hype surrounding Unbroken may be dead due to the mixed reviews and the SAG and Golden Globe snubs.

Update: make that second youngest.

11. Albert Brooks- A Most Violent Year
Formerly #10

In my opinion, Albert Brooks' snub for Drive 3 years ago is one of the biggest oscar snubs in Academy history. He should have been competing with Christopher Plummer for the win. Instead he wasn't even nominated. I was hoping A Most violent Year would give him an overdue second oscar nomination, but most of the praise has focused on Oscar Issac and Jessica Chastain.

12. James Gandolfini- The Drop
Formerly #11
James Gandolfini got a lot of Oscar buzz last year for Enough Said but for some reason hasn't for his final film, The Drop, which is really unfortunate since his performance is excellent. In spite of playing a criminal, his character bears few similarities to Tony Soprano in what could be the best film performance of his career.

13. John Goodman- The Gambler
Formerly #12

Goodman is undeniably an underrated character actor and it's great to see he's still getting work. His role as a loan shark could prove to show a scary side to Goodman not seen often, but the film might not be Oscar material.

14. Matthias Schoenaerts-The Drop
Formerly #13
Schoenaerts gave an underrated performance in The Drop that wasn't at all highlighted in the trailers. He does a terrific job at making the audience despise him without resorting to cartoonish villainy.

Best Actress

1. Julianne Moore- Still Alice

Oh look, another shoe-in. Julianne Moore is going to win this year after 4 previous nominations. She's an amazing actress, long overdue. At this point, there's no one else I can imagine stealing her thunder. It's Moore's to take.

2. Reese Witherspoon- Wild

Personally, I thought Reese Witherspoon was going to be one of those one-time nominee, one-time winner actresses. It seemed like her performances and films afterwards simply didn't match up to Walk The Line. Well, I'm glad to say I was wrong. Reese Witherspoon is a nearly guaranteed nominee at this point, but I don't expect her to win. After all, she already won 9 years ago so she doesn't have the overdue status that Moore has. But her performance in Wild, directed by Dallas Buyer Clubs' Jean Marc Vallee, will likely score her second nomination.

3. Felicity Jones- The Theory of Everything

Jones has become a slowly rising star although this was my first time seeing the young actress on film. Jones gives a wonderful performance bringing Jane Hawking to life in all the best ways.

4. Rosamund Pike- Gone Girl

Not a 100% guarantee, but a probable nominee. Rosamund Pike does a wonderful job in Gone Girl and has been recognized with SAG and Golden Globe nominations. The only possible detriment is that the film is pretty dark and not exactly "Oscar-bait" but hopefully her performance is good enough that the academy won't care.

5. Jennifer Aniston- Cake
Once again, the fifth slot must be filled and Aniston seems like the most likely choice right now. In spite of Cake's mixed reviews, Aniston's performance has been praised (and people really love her lack of makeup). She's gotten SAG and Golden Globe nominations to help her out but could the mixed reviews ultimately damage her chances. We'll see.

6. Amy Adams- Big Eyes

Amy Adams already has 5 nominations over the last 9 years. Can she make it 6 nominations over 10 years? Big Eyes has solid reviews (better than Cake) and Adams' performance has been praised, including receiving a Golden Globe nomination, but the film will need more recognition to get Adams an Oscar nomination

7. Marion Cotillard- Two Days, One Night
Formerly #8

French actress Marion Cottilard won an Oscar for La Vie En Rose and was expected to get a second nomination for her performance in Rust and Bone before being unexpectedly snubbed. She's received oscar buzz again for her performance in the Belgian drama Two Days, One Night and has received a Critic's Choice nomination. However, the film is still mostly unseen by US audiences.

8. Hilary Swank- The Homesman
Formerly #7
An acclaimed actress who's not as seen as she used to be, Swank's received acclaim for her performance in Tommy Lee Jones' The Homesman and even appeared at the Oscar roundtable. But the film itself is still scarcely seen, making the nomination not too likely at this point.

9. Emily Blunt- Into The Woods

Emily Blunt recently received a Golden Globe nomination for Into the Woods but the Oscar attention is still primarily focused on Meryl Streep.

10. Julianne Moore- A Map to the Stars

Moore received a Golden Globe nomination for A Map to The Stars alongside Still Alice but Still Alice is still likely to overshadow her hype in this film

11. Helen Mirren- The Hundred-Foot Journey

Mirren's performance in Lasse Holstrom's newest film has received positive reviews as usual but even with a Golden Globe nomination, it's probably a bit too forgotten at this point.

Best Actor

The Best Actor category has the largest number of contenders this year, but I'd still say that it's primarily been narrowed down to 6 people. The others are just dark horses. There are also several common Oscar bait traits that are especially common in this category. They include losing weight, playing a real person, career comeback, playing against type, and playing an LGBT character. Please note that I'm not saying there's anything wrong with performances that include these traits, many of these performances are excellent. I'm just saying they're usually more likely to attract Oscar voters.

UPDATE: Ralph Fiennes is definitely a Best actor contender so it's now 7 men fighting for the five slots.

1. Michael Keaton- Birdman

The Best actor race has basically been narrowed down to 6 people and Keaton is the only one who I think is guaranteed to make the slot. Keaton gives a truly phenomenal performance in Birdman and it's one hell of a comeback. The Academy loves a good comeback, that's a fact.

2. Eddie Redmayne- The Theory of Everything
Formerly #3

Oh look, once again an actor playing a real person. Indeed, Eddie Redmayne gives a phenomenal performance as Stephen Hawking, truly embodying the man without making it feel like a desperate Oscar push. And with multiple award nominations already, Redmayne is a probable nominee.

January 13th Update: His Golden Globe win makes him a lock.

3. Benedict Cumberbatch- The Imitation Game
Formerly #2

Benedict Cumberbatch had a failed Oscar grab attempt last year with The Fifth Estate, a film with a lot of hype that ultimately received mixed reviews. This time, The Imitation Game has given him the recognition many were hoping for. He also has the advantage of playing a real person, something that's always attracted the Academy.

4. Jake Gyllenhaal- Nightcrawler
Formerly #6

I didn't expect Gyllenhaal to be a contender but I'm glad that he is, especially after he was criminally overlooked for his performance in Prisoners last year. His performance in Nightcrawler has garnered him a Golden Globe, SAG, and critic's choice nomination among others, but I currently predict him to be the odd man out in the major 6 contenders for Best Actor at the moment. Why is that? It's simply because his performance isn't Oscar bait (besides the fact that he lost weight). He plays a fictional, very immoral, character in a film few people have seen. He deserves the nomination but the Academy has snubbed excellent performances before and they've certainly snubbed Gyllenhaal.

January 9 Update: Gyllenhaal has been getting nominated at seemingly every award show, even winning a handful of Critic's awards. I would actually place him at #2 if it weren't for the fact that I still fear the rather non-Oscar baity nature of his performance could still cause problems, but I'm more optimistic at this point.

5. Ralph Fiennes- Grand Budapest Hotel

Formerly #7

Grand Budapest Hotel came out way in March but it garnered 4 Golden Globe nominations including Best actor for Fiennes. Fiennes was also recognized at the Critic's Choice awards. That said, I still feel too much time has passed and it's too...atypical to appease Academy voters.

January 13th update: Fiennes didn't win at the Golden Globes but The Grand Budapest Hotel itself did. It's now a probable Best picture and best director nominee. This doesn't guarantee anything for Fiennes but it does help his chances a lot.

Final prediction: The film's overall hype combined with Carell's possibility of a supporting actor nomination makes me think Fiennes might squeeze in.

6. Steve Carell- Foxcatcher
Formerly #5

Oh look, another actor playing a real person. Steve Carrell initially seemed to be the frontrunner but Birdman's hype has now overshadowed it. He's still got a SAG and Golden Globe nomination to his credit, although he was ignored by the Critic's Choice awards.

January 9 update: Carell has been largely ignored by Critic's awards but still managed to get nominated by arguably the most important predecessors: SAG, Golden Globes, and BAFTA (as a supporting actor). I think he'll get in, but just barely and he won't win.

Final Prediction: He's out of my roster but I'm not calling him out of the race just yet, especially since he could still squeeze in in the supporting category.

7. David Oyelowo- Selma
Formerly #6

Spoiler alert: Martin Luther King Jr. is a real person. Oyelowo is following this trend of playing a real person and the academy does love biopics. Selma's critical acclaim has helped although Oyelowo was snubbed by the SAG awards leaving his fate slightly in the air.

January 9 Update: Selma's controversy might end up being too much at this point. It's been ignored by SAG and BAFTA and more attention has been focused on the alleged historical inaccuracies rather than the quality of the movie itself.

8. Bradley Cooper- American Sniper
Formerly #11

Cooper's performance (as real-life Navy seal Chris Kyle) in American Sniper has been praised by most critics, Vanity Fair even called it "a performance for the ages". But the award shows don't seem to agree.

Final Prediction: Tough to say. American Sniper has suddenly become the target (haha) of much hype but Bradley Cooper only has 2 nominations at any notable award shows, one being the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards and the other being the Critic's choice awards (but it was Best actor in an ACTION movie, rather than just best actor). He's suddenly on several people's final predictions list and while it's true that Maggie Gyllenhaal got an oscar nomination a few years back with only one other award nomination, I've never heard of a leading actor getting nominated for an oscar with virtually no other nominations...except Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby. Who knows?

9. Timothy Spall- Mr. Turner
Formerly #8

Spall has received rave reviews for as REAL LIFE artist J.M.W. Turner in Mr. Turner. He even was invited to the Oscar roundtable. That said, most people in America haven't seen Mr. Turner and he's been ignored by the Golden Globes, SAG, and Critic's Choice among others. He's still likely to be a BAFTA nominee and there's a small chance he could be an upset nomination this year.

10. Oscar Issac- A Most Violent Year
Formerly #9

Oscar Issac is quickly growing into a strong leading man, following up his golden globe nominated performance Inside Llewyn Davis with A Most Violent Year. However, in spite of its acclaim, Issac has been ignored by most award shows in favor of Jessica Chastain.

11. Miles Teller- Whiplash
Formerly #10

Teller is another slowly rising star but his performance in Whiplash has been completely overshadowed by J.K. Simmons.

12. Joaquin Phoenix- Inherent Vice

These last 3 years have been good for Joaquin Phoenix with Inherent Vice following his acclaim in The Master and Her. Paul Thomas Anderson already scored him a nomination once for The Master but it seems Inherent Vice is probably a bit too divisive among critics to do it again.

13. Jack O'Connell- Unbroken

When I first heard about Unbroken, I figured Jack O'Connell would be an Oscar contender. But the film's reviews have been mixed and nobody is even talking about him so it's doubtful. The Academy do like films that fit Oscar bait to a T, though and he is playing a real person.

14. Bill Murray- St. Vincent

A lot of people have called St. Vincent one of his best performances in years and many feel he should have won 11 years ago for Lost In Translation (his only nomination). The Golden globe nomination helps but not that much.

15. Ben Affleck- Gone Girl

I'm really disappointed that Ben Affleck isn't a major contender. His performance in Gone Girl is the best of his career. But nobody cares. Rosamund Pike is the only person getting notice.

16. Mark Wahlberg- The Gambler

Mark Wahlberg lost weight for this movie. That's something.

17. Matthew McConaughey- Interstellar
Fresh off his win last year for Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McConaughey gave a lot of feels in a very feelsy movie. But it's also a Nolan movie. How many actors has Nolan gotten an Oscar nomination for? One and that was Heath Ledger.

18. Channing Tatum- Foxcatcher

Tatum gave what many are calling the best performance of his career in Foxcatcher (indeed he called it his most challenging role to date). But the decision to have him compete in the Best Actor category, against his co-star Carrell, will ultimately be damaging for him.

19. Tom Hardy- Locke/The Drop

Tom Hardy gave two amazing performances this year that have been quickly forgotten. Just saying.

20. Jeremy Renner- Kill The Messenger

I thought Kill The Messenger would be a big hit but it came and went and nobody saw it. Just throwing it here for completion's sake.

Best Director

1. Richard Linklater- Boyhood
With it's 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Golden Globe win among other awards, Linklater is clearly the frontrunner at the moment.

2. Alejandro González Iñárritu- Birdman

Birdman is one of the most acclaimed films of the year and similar to Inarritu's praise is similar to Alfonso Cuaron's praise for his direction in Gravity. Both specialize in long takes but Inarritu takes it to the next level by giving it the illusion of being a single shot. It's very ambitious and the Academy admired that last year so this year shouldn't be different.

3. Wes Anderson- Grand Budapest Hotel

Formerly #4
Thanks to his film winning the best picture (comedy or musical) golden globe and a DGA nomination along with a Golden Globe and BAFTA nom, Anderson is basically a lock at this point.

4. Morten Tyldum- The Imitation Game
Formerly #6
A Norwegian director making his English language debut

5. Clint Eastwood- American Sniper

Formerly #6
His DGA nomination, along with the film's PGA nomination and general hype makes him an emerging contender

Final Prediction: Whether he deserves it or not, the film has suddenly built up a lot of momentum and he's a past Oscar darling.

6. James Marsh- The Theory of Everything

Formerly #5

7. David Fincher- Gone Girl
Formerly #5

The golden globe nomination helped and he 100% deserves it in my opinion, but the snub by the DGA isn't doing him any favors.

8. Ava Duvernay- Selma
Formerly #7
January 11 Update: Selma's hype has been greatly hampered by the controversy regarding the film's historical accuracy. I still believe the film could get a best Picture nominee, but it's no longer a frontrunner.

January 13th Update: And no DGA nomination either. We'll see.

9. Bennett Miller- Foxcatcher

Formerly #8
Bennett Miller's 2 previous films got Best Picture nominations and he got a best director nomination for Capote. While I feel that Foxcatcher is his best film to date and could squeeze in a Best Picture nomination, his directing has been largely overlooked by award groups


10. Damien Chazzelle- Whiplash
Formerly #9
A potential wunderkind in the making, Chazzelle won't be getting any directing nominations for Whiplash, but this film has clearly put him on the map and can't wait to see what he does next.


11. Dan Gilroy- Nightcrawler
Formerly #10

12.  Angelina Jolie- Unbroken

Formerly #11

13. J.C. Chandor- A Most Violent Year

Formerly #12

14. Christopher Nolan- Interstellar

Formerly #13

15. Rob Marshall- Into The Woods

Formerly #14

16. Paul Thomas Anderson- Inherent Vice

Formerly #15

Losing interest in American Horror Story

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS

American Horror Story: Freak Show now has just 5 episodes left of its 13 episode season and I wish I could say I was looking forward to it, but I'm not. I'm shocked by just how much I've lost interest because the season got off to a pretty solid start.

I was excited for Freakshow going into it. It brought back a bunch of great actors (Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett), added in Michael Chiklis (The Shield) who I think is one of the top 5 greatest actors in tv history, and had an interesting concept. To me, the treatment of the deformed is one of the most acceptable forms of discrimination present in the world today so I was eager to see how the show tackled this issue. I was even more excited when I saw that actual "freaks" were casted such as Jyoti Amge and Mat Fraser.

I'm not exactly in love with American Horror Story. I don't think it's as smart as it thinks it is but I think the acting is excellent and it's a lot of fun in a campy sort of way. So I basically had similar expectations for this season, though I was eager to see how the freak concept would be handled.

John Carroll Lynch as Twisty The Clown

It started off pretty well. The show successfully showed the way that society discriminates against the freaks and it had a clown serial killer which is as ridiculously awesome as it sounds. Twisty the Clown was played by John Carroll Lynch, one of my favorite character actors who gives a vastly underrated performance as suspected serial killer Arthur Leigh Allen in David Fincher's Zodiac (Twisty's murder at the lake reminds me of a similar scene in Zodiac). Twisty the Clown wasn't giving me nightmares or anything but it was crazy, gory, and kinda dumb but in a fun way. It gave the story a sense of focus.

Then Twisty died after four episodes.

I've seen many shows set up storylines and characters that seem like they're going to be sticking around for awhile only to abruptly end. Some examples include The Shield, Deadwood, and The Walking Dead. When I see a storyline abruptly end or a character get abruptly written out, I'll typically hold my criticism until I see what happens as a result of it. I was disappointed Twisty died so soon but perhaps it would give the show a chance to evolve into something even better.

But it didn't. It became an "open plot" so to speak. A lot of stuff was happening, yet nothing felt really important in the long run, or at least not enough for me to care. I've joked that the American Horror Story writers tend to throw a lot of shit at the wall and just see what sticks, but it feels really true right now, except nothing is sticking.

And in a typical American Horror Story fashion, there is a LOT going on at once. We've got Dandy, the spoiled man-child who's become a serial killer with a grudge against the freaks. It's obvious that Dandy is supposed to be annoying so I'll give Finn Wittrock a few points for his performance but Dandy is also so flat and just not interesting to watch. There's Stanley and Maggie, the con artists looking to murder and/or capture the freaks to sell them to a museum. Dell Toledo and his wife Desiree, a strong man and intersexed person respectively who are new to the freakshow. Except Dell is gay and Desiree is actually 100% female. Evan Peters plays Jimmy, who's more or less the show's moral compass and straight man which is pushed even farther from giving him the considerably less obvious deformity of syndactylys (since the camera rarely focuses on his hands). He's also Dell's son though he doesn't initially know this. Kathy Bates plays Ethel, a bearded lady, Dell's ex-wife and Jimmy's mom. She's second in command at the freakshow but seems to be the voice of reason. Then we got Belle and Dot, conjoined twins with a single torso, one pair of arms and legs, but two necks and heads and very different personalities. Dot wants a surgery to be separated from Belle which DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE because they share one torso. And we have Jessica Lange hamming it up as Elsa, the German head of the freakshow and secret amputee.

Worst of all, the show has slowly gone away from its best storyline, the unsubtle discrimination the freaks receive at the hands of others. I don't have any problem with showing conflicts within the freakshow but it would really challenge the audience to show the discrimination of a group they probably can't identify with (and possibly even forcing them to confront their own prejudices towards "freaks"), rather than showing the squabbles within the group and allowing the audience to not have to feel particularly bad about any of it.

Now lots of shows have handled large ensemble casts and storylines quite well. Game of Thrones and The Wire are two especially prominent examples. The problem with American Horror Story is that I just don't care about most of these people...in any way.

Some might say "well the characters aren't supposed to be likable" and I agree. But I should feel something for them. I found several characters on The Shield to be unlikable including its protagonist, Vic Mackey, but I still was intrigued by Vic's journey throughout and wanted to see what choices he made and what the consequences would be. There have been several characters on Sons of Anarchy who I've hated and wanted to die, but that just shows how much of an impact the show has to make me feel that way. I'm not getting that with Freakshow. I don't like them enough to want them to live, I don't hate them enough to want them to die (maybe Dandy just because he's so goddamn annoying) and I don't really care about their experiences. The most recent episode, Blood Bath, certainly lived up to its title by killing off two main cast members, Kathy Bates and Frances Conroy. As a major fan of both actresses, I thought this would have more of an impact on me, but it didn't. I still didn't care.

Besides that, the season is throwing in typical shock value content like having a guy sit on a toilet seat covered in nails (a scene that served no purpose other than to give a character a random backstory that still doesn't give them any more depth) and a young woman is kidnapped and forced to participate in an orgy with the freaks while heavily drugged (a scene that has some really unfortunate "It wasn't rape. She liked it" implications).

We still have 5 episodes left so I'm hoping things can turn around but at this point I'm not really looking forward to Wednesdays.


Written by Alex Bauman

Top films to see Fall/December 2014

Another year, another list of Oscar bait movies I wanna watch. As usual, it's overcrowded. This time it includes THIRTY SIX movies that I wanna watch and yeah, I know I won't end up watching some of them, at least not this year. Yup. Here we go.

36. The Cobbler

I love Thomas McCarthy. I love The Station Agent, I love The Visitor, I love Win Win. I even greatly enjoyed his acting role on the final season of The Wire. So why is this at 35 on the list? Because this film has inexplicably been panned by critics. The Station Agent has a 95% rating, The Visitor has an 89% rating, Win Win has a 94% rating, The Cobbler has a 0% rating. I don't know what went so wrong, but this film is getting panned. The Cobbler stars Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi and tells the story of a shoe store worker who stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. I'm still curious regardless due to McCarthy's involvement. It has a 0% rating on Rotten tomatoes based on 7 reviews with an average rating of 3.2/10.

35. Suite Francaise

Based on the novel, Suite Francaise stars Michelle Williams as a French woman living in Nazi-occupied France during WWII as she falls in love with a German soldier. I am not familiar with the book but Michelle Williams is one of my favorite actresses and easily one of the best under 40.

34. Men, Women, and Children

The newest film from Jason Reitman, who has arguably been in a slump (Young Adult and Labor Day lacked the acclaim of his earlier films). His newest film has the vague plot outline of being about sexual frustrations teenagers and adults face in modern society. The cast includes Rosemarie Dewitt, Jennifer Garner, Dean Norris, Judy Greer, and Adam Sandler. It currently has a 54% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 5.9/10.

33. American Sniper

Like Reitman, it's been argued that Clint Eastwood has been in a slump. It's typically said that either Letters from Iwo Jima or Gran Torino was his last masterpiece and Invictus was his last good movie. His last three films, Hereafter, J. Edgar, and Jersey Boys all received mixed reviews. It's hard to know if American Sniper will break that slump, but I hope so. It's the true story of Navy Seal Chris Kyle who had 160 confirmed kills and was murdered last year in Texas, allegedly by a marine he knew. Bradley Cooper will be playing Kyle and has bulked up quite a bit for the role, but major details about the film are still unclear.

32. While We're Young

While We're Young is the new film from Noah Baumbach (The Squid and The whale, Frances Ha, Greenberg). It stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as a middle aged couple who befriend a younger couple (Amanda Seyfried and Adam Driver). Baumbach has done an amazing job in the past at bringing three-dimensional characters to life and all accounts say this is no different. It currently has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 11 reviews with an average rating of 8/10.

31. Exodus: Gods and Kings

Many argue that Ridley Scott has been in a slump lately. Indeed, The Counselor was critically panned and while Prometheus received fairly positive reviews, there was still a strong sense of divisiveness and not the acclaim the man once had. Body of Lies and Robin Hood also received mixed reviews. Exodus is the second biblical film released in 2014, the first being Noah, which was positively received by critics but received a much more mixed reception by audiences. Christian Bale stars as Moses. The rest of the cast includes the underrated Joel Edgerton, Aaron Paul, Sigourney Weaver, John Tuturro, Ben Kingsley, and the underrated Ben Mendelsohn. It's hard to know if this'll be a return to form for Scott or not but I sure do hope so.

30. Selma

Selma is about the Selma to Montgomery marches during the civil rights movement and features several key historical figures with a great cast including David Oyelowo (Martin Luther King Jr.), Tom Wilkinson (Lyndon B. Johnson), Tim Roth (George Wallace), Oprah Winfrey (Annie Lee Cooper), and Cuba Gooding Jr. (Fred Gray) among others.
Update: While I don't care for the rap music in the trailer, the film has been immensely acclaimed and I'd probably move it higher up on the list if I wasn't so lazy.

29. The Gambler

A remake of the 1974 James Caan film, Mark Wahlberg stars as a gambling professor who runs afoul of gangsters.  He reportedly lost 60 pounds for the role. William Monahan (The Departed) wrote the screenplay while Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of The Apes) directs.

28. Into The Woods

Rob Marshall (Chicago) directs Into The Woods, a modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales in a musical format that follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel-all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch who has put a curse on them. The cast includes Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt.

27. This is where I leave you

Shawn Levy isn't exactly a great director but wow, what a cast. This is Where I Leave You tells the story of a Jewish-American family sitting shiva following the death of the family patriarch. It stars Jason Bateman, Tiny Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Jane Fonda, Dax Shepard, Rose Byrne, Timothy Olyphant, Abigail Spencer, Connie Britton, Kathryn Hahn, and Ben Schwarz. Like I said, quite a cast. It's also Shawn Levy's first r-rated film, so I'm cautiously optimistic to see how he handles it. The film currently has a 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 5.5/10 based on 12 reviews.

26. The Judge

The Judge stars Robert Downey Jr. as a lawyer who must defend his father, a judge, on a murder charge. Vera Farmiga and Billy Bob Thorton co-star. Reviews have been mixed but I'm very impressed by the cast. It currently has a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews and an average rating of 4.8/10.

25. Trash

Stephen Daldry's Trash tells the story of three boys who find themselves on the run from a brutal police force after finding a leather bag while looking through the trash. It co-stars Rooney Mara and Martin Sheen.

24. Fury

David Ayer is best known for his police and crime dramas, so I'm very curious to see how he handles a World War II drama. Fury stars Brad Pitt, Jon Bernthal, Michael Pena, Logan Lehrman and Shia Labeouf as a five-man tank crew in the final days of World War II. WWII dramas aren't new, but tank-focused ones are so I'm curious and optimistic about how this'll turn out.

23. Map to the Stars

Map to the Stars is the newest David Cronenberg film telling the story of a dysfunctional Hollywood family starring Julianne Moore, John Cusack, Robert Pattison, and Mia Wasikowska. Early reviews have been mixed. It has a 53% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews with an average rating of 7.1/10.

22. Pawn Sacrifice

Pawn Sacrifice is the newest film from the underrated Edward Zwick (Glory, Last Samurai, Blood Diamond). It stars Tobey Maguire as chess prodigy Bobby Zwick and Liev Schrieber as fellow prodigy Boris Spassky. Early reviews have called it good, not great. It currently has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 6 reviews with an average rating of 5.7/10.

21. Tusk

Tusk is the new film by Kevin Smith and continues his path towards darker material after becoming best known for his raunchy comedies. Tusk stars Justin Long as a podcaster who goes to Canada to interview this...Canadian guy (Michael Parks). Basically put, the guy wants to turn him into a human walrus. Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense) co-stars and there's even a big A-lister who's name I won't reveal because...surprises. Reviews have been mixed. It currently has a 42% rating based on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 5.5/10 based on 89 reviews.

20. The Theory of Everything

The Theory of Everything is a Stephen Hawking biopic starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. It currently holds a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 14 reviews with an average rating of 7/10. Hawking reportedly loved the film and was moved to tears when he watched it.

19. Wild

Reese Witherspoon received her only Oscar nomination and win for Walk The Line nine years ago and hasn't really been in the spotlight since. Wild looks like it could be a return to form for the actress. Wild is based on the true story of Cheryl Strayed who hiked more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone, as a way to heal herself, following her divorce, the death of her mother, and years of reckless, destructive behavior. It currently has a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 11 reviews with an average rating of 6.8/10 and is directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, best known for The Dallas Buyers Club.

18. Mr. Turner

Timothy Spall plays eccentric painter J.M.W. Turner and the contrast between his admired art and morally ambiguous sexual exploits. It currently has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 21 reviews with an average rating of 8.5/10, with much praise directed to Spall's performance.

17. Unbroken

Unbroken is directed by Angelina Jolie and tells the true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic Track Star who later became a captive in a Japanese POW camp. The film looks pretty Oscar baity, but I also think the story has the potential to be truly raw and powerful, especially since the screenplay is written by Joel and Ethan Coen, though this isn't the type of film they're known for making. It stars Jack O'Connell (Skins) as Zamperini and famous Japanese musician Miyavi as his captor.

16. Suffragette

It's kinda surprising that there aren't more movies about this. I mean there's Iron Jawed Angels and that's basically it. Suffragette is about the women's suffrage movement in Great Britain. It stars Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Carey Mulligan, and Brendan Gleeson. The historical topic is the type that the Academy Awards are usually attracted to, so if the film ends up successful, it's likely that Oscar buzz could be headed this way.

15. Rosewater

The much hyped directorial debut of Jon Stewart, Rosewater stars Gael Garcia Bernal as real life Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, who was detained in Iran for five months after trying to cover the country's elections in 2009. It currently has a 90% rating on Rotten tomatoes with an average rating of 7.1/10. So far lots of critics seem to be saying that it's good, not great. Indeed, the trailer felt a bit overly sentimental for my tastes, but I'm still intrigued.

14. Whiplash

Whiplash won the top audience and grand jury awards in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. It stars Miles Teller as a struggling jazz drummer and J.K. Simmons as the ruthless conductor training him. It currently holds a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews with an average rating of 8/10. The two lead actors have been getting a fair amount of Oscar buzz. I haven't actually watched the trailer for this because I've heard that it's spoilerly and misleading, but it's here if you wanna see it.

13. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy star in this drama about a couple trying to reclaim their failing love life. No relation to the Beatles song. The film is actually three films: Him, Her, and Them. It sounds incredibly ambitious and complicated and I can't wait to see it. It currently has a 71% rating on Rotten tomatoes based on 14 reviews with an average rating of 6.4/10.

12. Mojave

Mojave is written and directed by William Monahan who wrote the Academy Award winning screenplay for The Departed, one of my favorite movies of all time. The plot details remain vague but what's known is that it follows a near-suicidal artist (Garrett Hedlund) who escapes to the desert only to encounter his doppelganger-like antagonist, a homicidal drifter (Oscar Isaac). Mark Wahlberg and Walton Goggins co-star.

11. Big Eyes

I really love Amy Adams, so it's quite disappointing that she hasn't won an Oscar yet after five nominations. It's also disappointing that she has had very few lead roles. In Big Eyes, she plays real-life painter Margaret Keane who's beloved paintings were credited to her husband (Christoph Waltz). And yes, this is a Tim Burton movie without any Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter. It'll be interesting to see how Tim Burton tackles what appears to be a straight drama. Jason Schwartzman co-stars.

10. A Most Violent Year

Directed by J.C. Chandor (Margin Call), A Most Violent Year stars Oscar Issac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), and Albert Brooks (Drive). Set in New York City in 1981 (statistically one of the most violent years in the city's history), the film tells the story of an immigrant and his family as they try to make a living among the rampant violence, decay, and corruption that surrounds them. The director has proven himself twice already and the cast is terrific. Very excited for this one.

9. Interstellar

Perhaps it's just the music subtly manipulating me, but wow that trailer gives me feels. Interstellar is the newest Christopher Nolan film and seems to be continuing the McConaissance. It's about scientists traveling through a wormhole.

8. Kill the Messenger

I love Jeremy Renner. I think he's a phenomenal dramatic actor and I think his performance in The Hurt Locker is one of the best dramatic performances ever. I think he perfectly showed his potential as a dramatic leading man which makes it all the more disappointing that he hasn't had a leading role in a drama since (Of his next seven movies, 4 are action films, 3 are dramas where he has supporting roles). So I'm really excited to see him play the lead role in a drama again. I don't get why it took five years, but I'm glad it's happening. Renner plays Gary Webb, a journalist who attempts to expose the CIA's  role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and importing cocaine into California. The rest of the phenomenal cast includes Ray Liotta, Michael Sheen, Michael K. Williams (The Wire), Barry Pepper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Andy Garcia, Oliver Platt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Richard Schiff (The West Wing), Robert Patrick, Yul Vazquez...yeah, it's got a lot of people.

7. The Drop

It's still hard to accept that James Gandolfini is gone but at least it looks like he'll be going out on a high note. The Drop is a crime drama written by Dennis Lehane starring Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, and Noomi Rapace. Hardy and Gandolfini play Brooklyn bartenders who hide dirty money for criminals. Tom Hardy is another favorite of mine so I'm very eager to watch this one. It currently has a 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 6.4/10 based off of 13 reviews.
Update: The film is excellent. Amazing performances all around.

6. Nightcrawler

I think Jake Gyllenhaal has been on a real roll lately, although 2010 was arguably the only time when he arguably was in a slump. But with Source Code, Prisoners, End of Watch, and Enemy, he's certainly been reminding a lot of people just how talented he really is. His newest film has him playing an apparently sociopathic LA crime journalist. It currently has a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 reviews with an average rating of 8.6/10. Much praise has gone towards Gyllenhaal's dedicated performance. He's long overdue for another Oscar nomination, especially after his work in Zodiac and Prisoners. We'll see.

5. Inherent Vice

Paul Thomas Anderson remains one of my favorite directors and after his work with Joaquin Phoenix in The Master, I'm very excited to see them work together again. Set in the 1970s, the film tells the story of a private Detective searching for his missing ex-girlfriend as he encounters "a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, LAPD Detectives, a tenor sax player working undercover, and a mysterious entity known as the Golden Fang," It's that trippy, complicated style that I love from PTA. Should be terrific.

4. The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, the famous mathematician and cryptologist who helped the British government crack the German Enigma Code during World War II. His life was ruined after he was prosecuted for his homosexuality. Much praise has been given to Benedict Cumberbatch's lead performance and the film currently has an 82%

3. Birdman

Birdman sounds like a film designed for Michael Keaton. Keaton (his first lead role in five years) plays a washed up actor once famous for playing a superhero as he tries to mount a broadway play. The trailer makes it quite clear that the film will be heavily surrealistic in nature which makes me even more intrigued. Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel, Biutiful) directs the film which is said to be edited to look like it's all done in one take. It co-stars Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Zack Galifinakis, and Amy Ryan. It currently has a 94% on Rotten tomatoes based on 17 reviews with an average rating of 7.8/10. Michael Keaton looks to be an early Oscar contender.

2. Gone Girl

I've repeatedly called David Fincher my favorite contemporary director. Fight Club is my favorite movie of all time. I'm just as excited for his 10th movie, Gone Girl, as any of his other films. The film stars Ben Affleck as a man searching for his disappeared wife. As it becomes a media sensation, people soon begin to suspect that he's not completely innocent. It co-stars Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry. The decision to case Harris and Perry is a very risky move so I'm curious to see how it will pay off. I trust Harris but I'm more hesitant about Perry. Regardless, I'm hoping for another classic from David Fincher, who's always managed to wow me. It is set to be released on October 3rd and has no reviews yet.

1. Foxcatcher

I posted about this last year but then the date got pushed back to 2014. Well, it looks like it's finally happening this year and I couldn't be more excited. Foxcatcher stars Steve Carrell in what looks like an Oscar worthy turn as John du Pont, a mentally ill multimillionaire ornithologist, conchologist, coach and sports enthusiast. Mark Ruffalo plays Du Pont's friend Dave Schultz, who would be murdered by him while Channing Tatum plays Dave's brother and a protege of Du Pont. Directed by Academy Award Nominee Bennett Miller (Moneyball, Capote), Foxcatcher has all the makings of a classic. The film currently has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes based off of 23 reviews and an average rating of 8.6/10. Miller and the three stars are getting a lot of Oscar buzz. It is set to be released on November 14th.

The Walking Dead: Can Daryl be gay?

This is a conversation I never thought I would have. There's been a lot of talk recently about the sexuality of the character Daryl Dixon on the popular AMC Drama, The Walking Dead. For those who don't know, Daryl is the show's breakout character. Introduced as an aggressive and anti-social redneck, his character developed into a kindhearted but tough and helpful member of the group. To most fans, he is viewed as a sexy badass.

Dreamy

Now there's been a lot of talk about Daryl Dixon's sexuality. Daryl, despite having so many fangirls screaming about how much they love him, has never had a romantic or sexual relationship on the show. Obviously he's not the only character but I guess due to his popularity, people would have expected something to happen by now. Now there's been speculation as to whether or not Daryl is gay. Ambiguous answers have been given to this question. According to executive producer and creator of the comics, Robert Kirkman, it's "been discussed". Showrunner Scott Gimple said: 

"The fact that there’s still a question as to what Daryl’s orientation is in Season 5 absolutely speaks to Daryl’s character; he is a very guarded, very closed-off individual in a lot of ways. We have been able to see him ever so slowly open up and show the other characters aspect by aspect as to what makes him tick. That’s been a very satisfying journey for all of us on the creative side to portray. [And] he’s still on that journey."

So you interpret that however you want. I first read about this on an article posted by Cinema Blend on their Facebook page. I was shocked by the overwhelmingly negative response to the basic idea that Daryl MIGHT be gay. Let's talk about some of the comments people have been saying.

"Please don't make Daryl a token gay guy. Every show does not have to have a gay guy"

First off, there's already a gay character, Tara, and nobody complained about that, so I don't see why making Daryl gay makes him a token gay character. Secondly, Daryl, gay or not, is NOT a token character. If he was a Token character, he would have no meaningful storylines and if gay, he would exist purely for the sake of having a gay guy on the show. Having a character that belongs to some kind of a minority group does not automatically make them a token character. They CAN be a Token character if the writing is poor but people are acting like it's token by default. T-dog is a token (black) character because his character served no purpose. Daryl being gay would not negate his impact on various storylines in the series and any more to come, so no, Daryl being gay does not turn him into a token gay guy. An example of a token gay guy would be if they randomly introduced a gay character, established that he was gay and then had him serve no purpose on the show...like T-Dog. That's not Daryl.

"Why bring sex into a show that has nothing to do with sex or sexual situations? Leave the show alone!! Why try to change something when it's this awesome?? The only relationship anyone gives a hoot about is Glen and Maggie. Just let him be Daryl!!!"

Oh bullshit. You wouldn't be saying that if he hooked up with Beth or Carol or Michonne. And don't pretend the show isn't about sex. The first sex scene is in the second episode.The show features one of the most messed up love triangles ever with Rick, Shane, and Laurie, obviously Glenn and Maggie, I'm feeling some sexual tension with Bob and Sasha and of course Andrea and The Governor. Don't say that sex isn't part of the show. Your problem is with the idea of him being gay. Admit it. If your problem really is sex and relationships then I'm shocked you've stuck with the show this long.

Dat non-offensive heterosexual sex scene that nobody complained about

A lot of people are saying that they don't care about his sexuality. Like they're really, really emphasizing the fact that they don't care about his sexuality and they just wanna watch zombies get killed. It's the apocalypse so his sexuality doesn't matter. That's great. I don't care about his sexuality either. If you don't care, then why is it a big deal if he's gay. Nobody's sexuality matters because it's the apocalypse? Ok, I'll say it again. Tell that to Rick, Lori, and Shane, Glenn and Maggie, The Governor and Andrea. You care about his sexuality. If you truly didn't, then you wouldn't be so upset about the idea of him being gay.

"Sorry but Darryl isn't anymore gay than John Wayne, Clint Eastwood or Chuck Norris. No one will ever buy it. Not being homophobic. Just telling it like it is."

This is my disappointed face

Just...no. I am so tired of people equating someone's sexuality with their "manliness". Look, some gay men are effeminate. Some aren't. Rock Hudson, Michael Sam (first openly gay NFL player), Darren Young (wrestler), Wentworth Miller. All gay men. All have a reputation for being manly. Still gay. And those are just a few. Ever heard of "bears" in a gay context? In male bisexual and gay culture, a bear is a large, hairy man who projects an image of rugged masculinity. And yes, they're gay. If they can be gay, why can't a badass redneck with a crossbow be gay?

Another big comment is that there doesn't need to be a gay person on every show. And I do agree with that. We don't need a gay person on every show. We don't need a white person on every show. We don't need an asian on every show. We don't need a Jew on every show. Two of the most underappreciated shows on tv right now, Hannibal and Rectify, don't have gay characters and that's fine. At the same time, I don't think introducing a gay character would automatically be a deterrent as long as it's still written well. And for that matter, Tara is a gay woman, so The Walking dead has already done it once without complaining. Or is two gay characters just too much? And no, the show doesn't NEED a gay character, but is it so bad to have one? Like it or not, gay people exist. They've existed since the beginning of time and they still exist. With the amount of characters we've met, isn't it possible that a couple of them might not be heterosexual. Season 5 is going to have SEVENTEEN people in the main cast alone. I don't think one or two being gay will end the world.

An argument I've heard to that question is that since Tara was introduced as gay immediately, it's ok. In comparison, Daryl has been around for 4 seasons and this still hasn't been established, so it would "ruin" the character. I get what you're TRYING to say. In fact, some have even argued that the show is just trying to make him gay now in order to seem "hip" and it's a cheap way to develop a character. I actually agree with that to a certain extent. Being gay is not just some fad. But in my opinion, the offensive approach would be if they introduced a new character, established him as gay, patted themselves on the back for being "progressive" and then did nothing with the character. Daryl has always been one of the major parts of the show so unless he dies, he's gonna keep being a major part. And about Daryl being "established", well I just don't understand that logic. There have been numerous shows where an established character is not revealed as gay immediately (Buffy the vampire slayer, Southland, The Sopranos). It never established him as straight, it established him as a human being...unless you think that him being gay would somehow ruin his character as a three-dimensional individual.

Some do argue that he's already been established as straight, citing romantic tension with Beth, Carol, and Michonne. I'll admit I saw it that way with Carol and Michonne (more with Carol), but I always viewed his relationship with Beth as being more brotherly. However, looking back, there was never anything explicit. What we may have seen as romantic tension could really have just been Daryl, you know, being a decent human being and treating women with respect. Crazy concept I know, but it can happen.

Perhaps the biggest fear is that Daryl being gay will turn it into a "gay" show, with many people mentioning Glee to emphasize their fear.

The horror...the horror...

I do understand what they're trying to say. There are shows where it's appropriate to tackle LGBT issues head on and shows where it's not. In my opinion, The Walking Dead does not need to preach gay issues on the show when so many crazier things are happening like those Terminus bastards. However, I still think the fear is irrational. What I mean is that just because he's gay doesn't mean that the show is going to make a huge deal about it. The Walking Dead established Merle as a racist but didn't turn into a lengthy commentary on why racism is wrong, so I doubt The Walking Dead will have lengthy preaching on gay acceptance or whatever. Indeed, Alanna Masterson, the actress who plays Tara, praised the show's non-preachy approach to her character being a lesbian. Now let's compare with another show. Southland. 

Southland is one my favorite shows of all time. It's incredibly character driven and features some of the best writing and character development I've ever seen on television. The show had a gay character, but they didn't reveal he was gay right away. After he was revealed as gay, the show continued to be a gritty character-driven cop drama. There were no drastic changes because, similar to the straight characters on the show, his homosexuality was portrayed as a small part of him and not his defining characteristic. I can imagine The Walking Dead would establish Daryl as gay and then return to business as usual.

Actually, let's compare it to a Norman Reedus movie, The Boondock Saints. In the film, Norman Reedus and the other guy who nobody cares about become vigilantes in Boston. Willem Dafoe plays an FBI agent investigating their crimes.

It's one of my favorite performances from Willem Dafoe. It's both over the top and restrained depending on the scene. I actually preferred his character over the two "protagonists". I loved the way his character developed and changed over the course of the film. Oh and he's gay.

The only time he's explicitly indicated as gay is a scene when he gets a call about some more murders by a co-worker. He's seen in bed, presumably naked, with a man trying to cuddle with him (He doesn't like cuddling). It's not any different from scenes where a man or woman is seen in bed with their wife and husband, or just some stranger they screwed. There is also a scene where he's at a gay bar, but the fact that it's a gay bar isn't portrayed as being a big deal either. I know I'm getting off topic. The point I'm trying to make is that it's possible to have a gay character without making a big deal out of it and without removing the character's badassery. It worked for The Boondock Saints. It can work for The Walking Dead.

To further emphasize this point, here's a fun fact. The comics introduced the characters of Aaron and Eric, a gay couple.

And that's all they did. Aaron and Eric were gay and it wasn't a big deal. Since the creator of the comics, Robert Kirkman, is a producer for the show, I'm sure he'd have them handle Daryl being gay in a similar fashion. They didn't ruin the comics so I don't think a gay guy will ruin the show.

To sum this up, take your own advice. Who cares about his sexuality? I don't. He could hook up with a woman, he could stay single forever, he could hook up with a guy. It doesn't matter to me. As long as the storyline is written well, I'm happy with whatever direction the show takes.