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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Favorite Trailer

2/2/2015

I love movie trailers. Getting to the theater early so I don't miss any of the previews has always been a big thing for me. As far as I'm concerned, it's an integral part of the movie theater experience. Even now that I run a movie website and have seen 95% of the trailers beforehand, there's still something special about watching them on a big movie theater screen. A good trailer can sell just about any movie. They're meticulously edited and assembled to give us a two or three minute preview that is intended to capture our interest and get us to go see a movie. Sometimes trailers end up being even better than the movies themselves. Here are my top 5 trailers that most impressed and excited me this year. Oh, and like the Favorite Poster category, in order for a movie to be eligible for nomination, the movie itself had to come out in 2014!

Favorite Trailer Nominees:

Guardians of the Galaxy

- Trailer 2

If you weren't pumped up by this Guardians of the Galaxy trailer, you probably needed to get your pulse checked. With its great music and structuring, it is one of the most entertaining trailers of the year. It does an excellent job of introducing us to these lesser known heroes, while showcasing their fearless attitude and unique flair. It's exciting, tense, and full of potential. It gives a retro spin on something wholly original.

Inherent Vice

- Official Trailer

This is arguably the most finely crafted trailer of the year. It feels fresh and flows flawlessly. I love how well it revels in its '70s style. The music selection is simply divine, with the perfectly appropriate "I Can Take You Higher" followed by Sam Cooke's classic "(What A) Wonderful World". The trailer itself wonderfully accentuates the quirky humor and bizarre style of Inherent Vice. Hai? Hai? Hai?

Unbroken

- Official Trailer

The Unbroken trailer escalates more effectively than any trailer from 2014. It leads us from Louis Zamperini's rebellious youth to his athletic glory, then through his sudden strike with disaster, finally culminating with his face-to-face meeting with the threat of death. The trailer is intensely moving, and unforgettably powerful. It presents Louis Zamperini as a true hero with unbelievable strength and tenacity.

Interstellar

- Official Trailer 2

This trailer opens with one of my absolute favorite quotes of the year. It alone made me nominate this trailer over the film's first trailer. The only downside is that it shows more than I wanted to see. Still, the trailer itself is magical and mesmerizing. It's a slow-building, epic endeavor that I personally couldn't wait to experience. It's emotional and beautiful, and filled with wonder and excitement.

John Wick

- Trailer #1

You won't find a trailer from 2014 that's cooler than this one. It had me drawn in right from the start with it's awesome muscle car sequence. The trailer gives a suitable introduction to John Wick himself, revealing him to be a very dangerous man pushed to the edge. It's stylish and hip, with the music nicely complimenting the action. Wick's level of sheer ruthlessness is just too cool! Yeah, Keanu. I'm thinking you're back!

And the Winner Is...

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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Favorite Movie Poster

2/2/2015

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For this category, I didn't consider only movies that I've seen. I looked through hundreds of this year's movie posters to come up with these 5 nominees. There is one stipulation, however. In order for a poster to be eligible for this award, the movie it is advertising had to be released in theaters in 2014. Posters for 2015 movies that came out this year will be carried over to next year's awards ceremony. Now with that out of the way, here are my top 5 choices!

Favorite Movie Poster Nominees:

The Theory of Everything

This poster is simply delightful. It's romantic, it's playful, and it's beautifully colored. I love its play on gravity, with the image flipped 90 degrees. The semi-transparent chalk writing is a nice added touch that highlights the mathematical theories of Hawking's work. These two lovers are adorable. My only knock on it is that Stephen Hawking looks like a dead ringer for Austin Powers. Yeah, baby!

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

This poster for Sin City: A Dame to Kill For was actually banned for being too revealing, before being touched up and reissued. All indecency aside, this is a fantastic poster that captures the style of Sin City remarkably well. It's classic film noir and is a perfect representation of the dame to kill for, Ava Lord. It's stylish, sexy, and cool, which is everything the first film was and that this sequel sadly isn't.

The Interview

I gotta hand it to The Interview for having such a great poster. It's miles above any of the other movie posters starring the comedic duo of Seth Rogen and James Franco. It has a beautifully illustrated art style, which actually parodies popular North Korean propaganda. This stylish and clever poster really pops out with its vibrant colors, and it tells you all you need to know about the movie.

Dracula Untold

This alternative poster for Dracula Untold is pretty freaking rad, by my standards. I'm still struggling to understand why it wasn't the movie's primary poster. It's fairly simple, but that doesn't make it any less cool. The real kicker here is Dracula's cape transforming into bats. Though it is perhaps a bit too reminiscent of Batman Begins. Still, I love the image, with its muted coloring and gloomy style.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel's had a lot of great movie posters, but I think this poster for Guardians of the Galaxy might just be their very best yet. I love the colors and excitement of the poster, which make it stand out. It's exciting, fun, and action-packed. It's ideal for a big, wild, summer blockbuster like Guardians. Even with so much going on in the poster, it's put together expertly without feeling crammed.

And the Winner Is...

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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Favorite Song

2/2/2015

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I was a little conflicted about how to approach this category since I didn't want to limit myself to only films I had seen. I figured it only takes a few minutes to listen to a song, so I went ahead and listened to nearly all of the eligible songs for this year's Oscars. It turns out that only 2 of the songs I've nominated here are even eligible for the award, and my top 5 choices are all from films I happened to see in theaters. Figures! Anyway, without further delay, these are my 5 favorite songs featured in movies in 2014!

Favorite Song Nominees:

The Hanging Tree

as performed by Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Jennifer Lawrence may lack confidence in her singing ability, but I thought her song "The Hanging Tree" was one of the strongest parts of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1. Is there anything that girl can't do? The song itself is simple, but striking, and Lawrence executes it really well. It embodies the pain and suffering inflicted on the people of Panem and serves as the calm before the storm now that rebellion has begun.

Not About Angels

as performed by Birdy and featured in The Fault in Our Stars

There's no fault in this song. Birdy's "Not About Angels" from The Fault in Our Stars expertly captures the pain, sorrow, and heartache of The Fault in Our Stars. It's as beautiful and tragic as life and love. Birdy's angelic voice expresses the fear of losing someone and a longing to hold on to them. It's about cherishing the moments and the memories that come from love. It touches on the cruelty of fate and the beauty of life.

So Now What

as performed by The Shins and featured in Wish I Was Here

The dreamy, whimsical sounds of "So Now What" by The Shins are a perfect accompaniment to Zach Braff's Wish I Was Here. Braff plays struggling actor Aidan Bloom who has to adapt to some harsh changes in his life, but he sees this as an opportunity to start over and do things differently for him and his family. This song conveys an uplifting and charismatic notion of chasing your dreams and living life to the fullest.

Once Upon A Dream

as performed by Lana Del Rey and featured in Maleficent

Lana Del Rey's reimagining of the classic Disney song "Once Upon A Dream" for the movie Maleficent is brilliantly realized. It's moody, eerie, and undeniably cool. It's a darker take on one of Disney's most known songs and it matches Maleficent herself in spectacular fashion. Lana Del Ray draws out her voice, adding a rawness and edginess to the vocals, and ultimately creating a song that is as dreary as it is magnificent.

The Last Midnight

as performed by Meryl Streep in Into the Woods

I feel foolish for every underestimating Meryl Streep, but did anyone know she could sing this unbelievably well? Her performance of "The Last Midnight" as the Witch in Into the Woods is nothing short of spectacular. I thought it was the highlight of the entire movie. Meryl escalates the song to epic heights, fully demonstrating her legendary and arguably limitless talent.

And the Winner Is...

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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Favorite Soundtrack

2/2/2015

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Great music makes everything better. It can heighten the emotional impact of a movie, and finding just the right song can make a huge impact on a scene, or a film as a whole. Soundtracks create a sense of style and tone. They can be indicative of a particular time and place, evoking emotions from our own past and memories. The best films can take licensed music and make it feel like their own, where we involuntarily link the music with the movie. Who doesn't automatically think of Goodfellas when they hear the end of "Layla"? Or Terminator 2: Judgment Day when they hear "Bad to the Bone"? Good music selection in movies can have that kind of lasting effect on us. Plus movies can introduce us to all types of new music we would never normally listen to. Here are my picks for the top 5 movies that featured music I loved and couldn't get enough of!

Favorite Soundtrack Nominees:

Boyhood

Spanning a 12-year period of filming, Boyhood's enormous soundtrack is representative of its time, featuring a wide range of popular music from the 2000s. Its greatest selected songs are perfectly touching and eloquent. Plus it gets bonus points for creating The Beatles' The Black Album!

Favorite Featured Songs:
"What is Life" by George Harrison, "Hero" by Family of the Year, "Band on the Run" by Paul McCartney and Wings, "Trojans" by Atlus Genius, "Deep Blue" by Arcade Fire

Guardians of the Galaxy

Oooga chaka! Oooga chaka! Oooga oooga! Oooga chaka! You won't be able to fight the feeling deep inside with this excellent soundtrack, appropriately titled Awesome Mix: Vol. 1. It's fun, catchy, and perfect for Guardians of the Galaxy. It gives these classic songs a fresh new spin!

Favorite Featured Songs:
"Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, "I Want You Back" by Jackson 5, "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone

Inherent Vice

What an eclectic mix of music! It wonderfully grounds Inherent Vice in the '70s while staying true to the quirkiness and the coolness of the film. I love the way it contrasts its lighthearted music with its off-the-wall exotic music and soul. This memorable soundtrack is truly far out!

Favorite Featured Songs:
"(What A) Wonderful World" by Sam Cooke, "Journey Through the Past" by Neil Young, "Simba" by Les Baxter, "Les Fleurs" by Minnie Riperton, "Vitamin C" by Can, "Any Day Now" by Chuck Jackson

the Fault in Our Stars

Unlike the other nominees, there was not a single song on this soundtrack that I knew before I had seen the movie. Rather than consisting of sappy, teenage love songs as expected, The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack has songs that are beautifully expressive and emotionally resonant.

Favorite Featured Songs:
"Best Shot" and "Not About Angels" by Birdy, "Long Way Down" by Tom Odell, "All I Want" by Kodaline, "Without Words" by Ray LaMontagne, "All of the Stars" by Ed Sheeran

Wish I Was Here

Zach Braff's Wish I Was Here has a beautiful soundtrack that feels very distinct and fitting. The songs are gentle and imaginative, and they touch the heart. They perfectly capture the movie's style and conflict, as a father lovingly guides his children, while still trying to find his own path in life.

Favorite Featured Songs:
"Holocene" by Bon Iver, "So Now What" by The Shins, "Cherry Wine" by Hozier, "The Shining" by Badly Drawn Boy, "The Mute" by Radical Face, "Wish I Was Here" by Cat Power

And the Winner Is...

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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Favorite Movie Quote

2/2/2015

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I love a good movie quote. Who doesn't? They can be a lot of fun to recite among friends. Sometimes just a few words can speak volumes. Although I find that good movie quotes can be pretty hard to come by. The best of them often become immortalized as pop culture lore. Time will tell if any of these nominations will still be quoted decades from now, but odds are you'll at least find me repeating a few of them for the coming months. Here are my top 5 favorites from 2014!

Favorite Movie Quote Nominees:

"We used to look up at the sky and wonder at our place in the stars.
Now we just look down and worry about our place in the dirt."

-- Cooper as played by Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar

"We are Groot!"

-- Groot as played by Vin Diesel in Guardians of the Galaxy

"Motto panacaku! Motto panacaku! Hai? Hai? Hai?"

-- Christian F. "Bigfoot" Bjornsen as played by Josh Brolin in Inherent Vice

"I am in love with you. And I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed. And that one day all our labor will be returned to dust. And I know that the sun will swallow the only earth we will ever have. And I am in love with you.”

-- Augustus Waters as played by Ansel Elgort in The Fault in Our Stars

“When I think of my wife, I always think of the back of her head. I picture cracking her lovely skull, unspooling her brain, trying to get answers.”

-- Nick Dunne as played by Ben Affleck in Gone Girl

And the Winner Is...

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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Lamest Character

2/1/2015

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It's no coincidence that 4 of the 5 nominees in this category are in movies that are also in the running for 2014's Lamest Movie of the Year. These awful characters all played a large role in bringing down their respective movies, and I think they should be held responsible for it. In order to be eligible for this category, these characters had to be a major part of the movies they're in. Some of these actors are partially to blame for their terrible characters, but for the most part, I think the fault lies with the writers that created them or that brought them to the big screen.

Lamest Character Nominees:

Adam Wilde

as played by Jamie Blackley in If I Stay

If I Stay's not-so-dreamy love interest and rock star Adam Wilde is one of the worst things about the entire film. It's heinous that the film tries to portray this scumbag as being a desirable guy when he's mostly terrible to his girlfriend, Mia. He continuously corrupts her without showing much regard for her or her feelings. What's even more frustrating is that Mia still loves him unconditionally without any good reason.

Ford Brody

as played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Godzilla

If Ford Brody wasn't the main character of Godzilla, he'd be more forgivable. It's to his disadvantage that he's following in the footsteps of Bryan Cranston, who plays his short-lived father. The film's trailers center around Cranston, who gives an emotional and stirring performance, while the film itself revolves around Taylor-Johnson's dull and uninvested character Ford, who feels completely disengaged from the disaster.

Frankie Valli

as played by John Lloyd Young in Jersey Boys

Jersey Boys makes Frankie Valli look like a complete schmuck. However, I don't think John Lloyd Young is the one at fault for his moronic portrayal. Valli is the lead singer of The Four Seasons and the main character of the film, and yet he's reduced to being the nice guy with a unique voice who is taken advantage of over and over again. He's depicted as a foolish guy can't make a single good decision on his own.

Lucy	as played by Scarlett Johansson in *Lucy*

Before drugs turn Lucy into the most intelligent person who ever lived, she's a trashy, predictable party girl. She's turned into a drug mule, and when the drugs inside of her leak into her bloodsteam, her intelligence rapidly increases, giving her supernatural powers. As Lucy becomes smarter, we as an audience become dumber. Even with all of the intelligence in the world, Lucy herself is hardly even remotely interesting.

Thorin Oakenshield

as played by Richard Armitage in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The biggest problem with The Battle of the Five Armies is that it takes us away from Bilbo to focus on Thorin Oakenshield. While I enjoyed him as a smaller character in the previous films, he is not interesting enough to carry his own film. He's boring, predictable, and majorly lacking in complexity. The film is trying to stretch too much out of his character, turning him into a main protagonist that is hard to care about.

And the Winner is...

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the 2014 5MMG Awards - Lamest Movie Romance

2/1/2015

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This category is not directed towards the worst romance movie, but the worst on-screen romance featured in a movie this year. These are the love stories that make us want to cringe, gag, and vomit. They are the most laughable and pathetic attempts at depicting love and are almost completely unbearable. If this is what love is, take it away!

Lamest Movie Romance Nominees:

Kili and Tauriel

as played by Aidan Turner and Evangeline Lilly in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

I could kind of believe the romance between these two in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, but by the time we get to The Battle of the Five Armies, it reaches the point of being absolutely dreadful. Could the dialogue here have possibly been any worse? This little love story disgraces Tolkien's work with brilliantly crafted lines like, "If this is love, I don't want it! Take it away! Please! Why does it hurt so much?" Ugggghhhhh.

Michaelangelo and April

as played by Noel Fisher and Megan Fox in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I suppose we could write this one off as a teenage crush more than a romance since the feeling isn't mutual, but it's so creepy and uncomfortable that it felt wrong not to include it. Michaelangelo has the hots for Megan Fox's April O'Neil and wants to let the world know about it. If he wasn't a giant mutant ninja turtle, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but it ends up feeling completely unnecessary and quite embarrassing.

Mia and Adam

as played by Chloe Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley in If I Stay

This movie is a perfect example of everything a romance shouldn't be. While If I Stay might try to make Mia and Adam look like a healthy, loving couple, the truth is they're so far from it. While some may be quick to dismiss that every couple has problems, Mia and Adam have an abundance. What's problematic about it is that the movie tries to portray their romance as a beautiful and desirable model of love. It's not.

Ava Lord and Dwight

as played by Eva Green and Josh Brolin in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

The romance between Ava Lord and Dwight, or heck, Ava Lord and everyone for that matter, makes me want to pull out my hair. Yes, we get it. She's attractive and enjoys being naked. However, she's also a complete psychopath. Dwight knows this and has been screwed over by her before, but he keeps coming back for more. Their love affair is maddening and terrible and so hard to actually take seriously.

Shane and Tessa

as played by Jack Reynor and Nicola Peltz in Transformers: Age of Extinction

Let's all give a nice round of a applause to the touching and unforgettable romance between Mark Wahlberg's daughter and her stunt car driving boyfriend. Seriously, did anyone like anything about any of this? It was painfully dreadful and totally pointless. The film was pushing 3 hours. How about cutting out this bogus love story? Instead we have it continuously sprinkled in to annoy us throughout the movie. Thanks.

and the Winner Is...

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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Lamest Villain

2/1/2015

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A good villain is hard to find. Often times, so much attention is paid to the protagonist that the villain is left underdeveloped, serving merely as an obstacle along the hero's journey. The worst of them feel shoed-in and they're easily forgotten or removed from the equation entirely. While a bad villain won't usually ruin a movie, they certainly don't do anything to help it.

Lamest Villain Nominees:

Ronan the Accuser

as played by Lee Pace in Guardians of the Galaxy

Ronan the Accuser does have at least one good thing going for him, and that's his awesome appearance. On the down side, he serves mainly as a pawn of Thanos, the real villain we're waiting for Marvel to unleash. In the grand scheme of things, Ronan doesn't seem to be much of a threat, and it's hard to take him seriously. He's not memorable or even very intimidating. He's just another lackluster Marvel villain.

M.U.T.O.

as seen in Godzilla

M.U.T.O. (or Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) is the code name given to the giant monsters that Godzilla battles in various locations on the globe in 2014's Godzilla. There's a male and a female M.U.T.O. and their goal is to mate, which Godzilla is not about to let happen. The main issue with M.U.T.O. is how derivative they are. These bland, generic monsters are unworthy of taking on the King.

The Wolf

as played by Johnny Depp in Into the Woods

I loved The Wolf in the Broadway version of Into the Woods, but his character is done all wrong here in Disney's film. His aggressive nature and appetite become incredibly inappropriate and uncomfortable now that the wolf is humanized in appearance. Considering that Johnny Depp is a master of transformative appearances, how come they just had him put on whiskers and a hat with ears for this role?

Ramses

as played by Joel Edgerton in Exodus: God and Kings

Joel Edgerton's Ramses is conflicted, but not particularly compelling. While we may at times feel sympathy toward his character, his actions clash harshly with any level of perceived good in his character. The Egyptian Pharoah Ramses succeeds in frustrating us with his foolishness, but all in all, he's mostly forgettable. He might as well have been lost in the Red Sea along with the rest of them.

mercedes

as played by Jillian Bell in 22 Jump Street

It's hard to believe that Mercedes could be the real threat in 22 Jump Street. She's the one responsible for distributing the drug WHY-PHY across her college campus, and this smart-mouthed, prissy knows how to pack a punch and use a gun. I, for one, am not buying it. What's even more troubling is that her dad, Ghost, is played by Peter Stormare, who should have been the real villain. Talk about a total waste of talent!

And the Winner Is...

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The 2014 5MMG Awards - Lamest Fight

2/1/2015

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The most frustrating thing about this category is that nearly all of these fights had the potential for greatness. They could have been contenders, but instead, they're all pretty bunk. Sometimes in movies the final showdowns are rushed, or they're escalated to intolerably ridiculous heights. It's always a shame when a movie builds up to a great fight and then it fails to deliver.

Lamest Fight Nominees:

Godzilla vs M.u.t.o.

in Godzilla

Godzilla battles two monsters throughout his latest film, culminating in what should be an epic three-way showdown. After teasing us throughout the film, we finally get to see the monsters duke it out in all their massive glory. Regrettably, the fight feels more comical than cool, and Godzilla makes short work of them both with his atomic breath, leaving us to wonder why he didn't just use it from the get-go.

Barney Ross vs Conrad Stonebanks

in The Expendables 3

Sylvester Stallone vs. Mel Gibson. Two of my Hollywood heroes battling it out to the death. I was so excited for this climactic battle in The Expendables 3 and it fell pretty far short of what I had hoped for. It ended far too quickly. By the time the two of them get to fight, Gibson's menacing Stonebanks is overshadowed by a greater threat, the explosives set to blow up the building, and Stallone's Ross quickly eliminates him.

Robert McCall vs Teddy

in The Equalizer

Throughout The Equalizer, Denzel Washington's character Robert McCall remains two steps ahead of everyone, with the exception of the film's excellent villain Teddy. While we don't know all that much about Teddy, he's a ruthless and intimidating presence that is made all the more compelling by his ability to impede McCall. I expected their face-off to be full-blown tactical warfare, but instead Teddy was just target practice.

Legolas vs Bolg

in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The Lord of the Rings trilogy had so many incredible, epic battles, but sadly, the final entry of The Hobbit wasn't able to capture that same level of intensity or excitement. The film's Battle of the Five Armies was dissatisfying, to say the least, with the worst part of it being the battle between Legolas and Bolg. It goes to great lengths to be try to be epic, but the end result is a fight that is laughably over-the-top and dumb.

Schmidt vs Mercedes

in 22 Jump Street

When the villain of 22 Jump Street is finally revealed to be Mercedes, the daughter of the drug dealer known as Ghost, she attacks Schmidt and the two of them engage in a fist fight. Despite Schmidt's initial reluctance to hit a girl, the two of them begin exchanging blows in a scene that is totally awkward and uncomfortable. It's made even more unsettling by Mercedes' sexual advances during the scene.

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Favorite Trailer Nominees:

Guardians of the Galaxy

Inherent Vice

Unbroken

Interstellar

John Wick

Favorite Movie Poster Nominees:

The Theory of Everything

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

The Interview

Dracula Untold

Guardians of the Galaxy

Favorite Song Nominees:

The Hanging Tree

Not About Angels

So Now What

Once Upon A Dream

The Last Midnight

Favorite Soundtrack Nominees:

Boyhood

Guardians of the Galaxy

Inherent Vice

the Fault in Our Stars

Wish I Was Here

Favorite Movie Quote Nominees:

Lamest Character Nominees:

Adam Wilde

Ford Brody

Frankie Valli

Lucy

Thorin Oakenshield

﻿And the Winner is...﻿

Lamest Movie Romance Nominees:

Kili and Tauriel

Michaelangelo and April

Mia and Adam

Ava Lord and Dwight

Shane and Tessa

Lamest Villain Nominees:

Ronan the Accuser

M.U.T.O.

The Wolf

Ramses

mercedes

Lamest Fight Nominees:

Godzilla vs M.u.t.o.

Barney Ross vs Conrad Stonebanks

Robert McCall vs Teddy

Legolas vs Bolg

Schmidt vs Mercedes

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