The Griend Awards 2017: Best and Worst of Pop Culture

We are still in the midst of award season with The Grammys going down tonight and The Oscars rapidly approaching, so I thought this would be an opportunistic time to run through some of my best and worst of pics in all forms of entertainment for 2017. 

I thought long and hard about some of these picks, so sit back and enjoy.

Let's get started, shall we?

Best of

Moviestar (Male)

Winner ​James McAvoy (Split; Atomic Blonde)

It seems like this guy's talent is endless. He's such a method actor, and really eases his way into every role that he takes on, as proven by his performance in split, where he portrayed a man with multiple personalities, and did it expertly. I think the best is still yet to come for this guy, and I definitely see an Oscar in his future.

Other nominees

Dane DeHaan (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets; A Cure for Wellness)
Charlie Hunnam (King Arthur)
Javier Bardem (Mother!)
Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Last Jedi; Logan Lucky)

Moviestar (Female)

Winner: ​Jennifer Lawrence (Mother!)

Most of the acting in this movie was brilliant, but I thought Jennifer Lawrence's performance in Mother! was definitely the standout. She's had some memorable performances in the past, one of which earned her an Oscar, but this one might be her best one yet. I find that the best actors/actresses are the ones that can manipulate human emotions, and her performance in this film was such a great example of that.

Other nominees

Katherine Waterston (Alien: Covenant)
Rachel Weisz (My Cousin Rachel)
Holly Hunter (The Big Sick)
Charlize Theron (Atomic Blonde; Fate of the Furious)

Television Actor

Winner: ​Jason Bateman (Ozark)

I have to say that nominees in this category have really stepped it up in recent years. Ozark is basically Breaking Bad 2.0, and until this, I thought Bateman would be forever labeled a comedy actor, which is really nothing to be ashamed of, but he proved here that he is capable of much more. I like that he didn't entirely step away from comedy, as there is some comic relief here and there, but I admire the fact that he wants to prove himself in other genres. 

Other nominees

Michael Kelly (House of Cards)
Cole Sprouse (Riverdale)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead)
Josh Segarra (Arrow)
Michael Mando (Better Call Saul)

Television Actress

Winner: ​Kate Findlay (Man Seeking Woman)

I usually turn to shows with all-female casts like Orange is the New Black for this, but I didn't think there was anybody in that particular show that really stood out this year. This was kind of an oddball choice for me, since I'm not the biggest fan of that show in general, but I thought actress chosen to be kind of the female counterpart to Jay Baruchel's character was a great decision. Findlay brought an element of realism to an otherwise wacky, and sometimes unwatchable sitcom. It didn't start off as a bad show, and the concept is actually pretty interesting, but there's really only so much you can do with it, as the decision was made to pull the plug on this last year. It's kind of a shame, since I was hoping to see more from Kate Findlay, but hopefully her performance was enough to at least get her a spot on a more mainstream show.

Other nominees

Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
Robin Wright (House of Cards)
Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale)
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)

Musician (Male)

Winner: Ed Sheeran​

He had a number of big hits this year, and pretty much owned the Billboard charts with every of them, so it's hard to make a convincing argument for anyone else in this category. Considering the music that he's put out, it's hard to believe that he could ever produce a bad song. However, music is very subject, so I'm sure people will have differing opinions here.

Other nominees

Sam Smith
The Weeknd
Shawn Hook
Zayn

Musician (Female)

Winner: Selena Gomez

She's been flying under the radar for the last few years, but really impressed me this year with a couple of big hits. I think she's always had a very unique sound to her voice, and I have to give it up to her for staying true to herself, while keeping up with the times.

Other nominees:

Taylor Swift
Sia
Pink
Lana Del Rey

Song

Winner: ​ Play That Song by Train

A very catchy song indeed. It's a very familiar tune, but I admire the artist for making it their own, and basically introducing it to a whole new generation, and making it very current.

Other nominees

Despacito by Louis Fonsi
​Perfect by Ed Sheeran
I Don't Want to Live Forever by Taylor Swift and Zayn
Reminding Me by Shawn Hook and Vanessa Hudgens

TV Show

Winner: Game of Thrones

I don't remember a time when I watched a season of any particular show, and thought each episode was better than the last. That was until I watched the latest season of Game of Thrones. It was absolutely spectacular, there was a ton of story line progression, and it just made you look forward to the next season, which every show should do. 

Other nominees

Better Call Saul
Stranger Things
Ozark
G.L.O.W.

Movie

Winner:  Dunkirk

This was one of those films that I just had to see in theaters, as war is a very touchy subject, so it's always interesting to witness different reactions. I thought the movie was well shot and well acted, and it was an interesting decision by Director Christopher Nolan to lead us through the same scene from different perspectives. Some scenes, while difficult to watch, were also great illustrations of how people would be expected to act under certain circumstances. The reactions didn't seem forced, and most scenes were equally as dramatic as they were suspenseful. 

Other nominees

Get Out
Logan
Baby Driver
Mother!

Worst of

Moviestar (Male)

Winner:  Dax Shepard (CHIPS)

I'm generally a huge fan of comedy, but I've really never found this guy funny. Half the time, I can't even tell if what he's saying or doing is intended to be comical or not. Half of all comedy is reaction, and if I don't know how to react to someone, there's a huge problem. I don't think Dax Shepard is a name you hear, and automatically go "Oh yeah, the guy from..." In other words, he's very forgettable. 

Other nominees

Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2)
Chris Pine (Wonder Woman)
Vin Diesel (Fate of the Furious; Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2)

Moviestar (Female)

Winner: Scarlett Johansson (Ghost in the Shell)

Another absolutely terrible actress who, in my opinion, is heavily overrated. How she seems to stumble into these leading roles is beyond me. I have almost reached the point of boycotting her movies just simply because she's in them. She doesn't really have chemistry with a lot of her co-stars, and I don't find her very convincing in any of her roles. 

Other nominees

Matilda Lutz (Rings)
Alexandra Daddario (Baywatch)
Sofia Boutella (The Mummy; Atomic Blonde)
Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick)

Television Actor

Winner: ​Adam Scott (Ghosted)

This guy has been around for at least 20 years, and clearly "suffers" from Tom Cruise syndrome, as he never ages. Despite that rather interesting tidbit, I can't take him seriously in any kind of lead role, especially a comedy series, as he's not someone that you take one look at, and immediately burst into laughter. He's a great actor for someone like Will Ferrell or Jim Carrey to play off of, but in a leading role, he just doesn't do anything for me. 

Other nominees

Chandler Riggs (The Walking Dead)
Juan Pablo Di Pace (Fuller House)
Finn Jones (Iron Fist)
Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things)

Television Actress

Winner: ​Megan Fox (New Girl)

Some things get better with age; she doesn't. She is the kind of actress you can attach to any big-time comedy series or blockbuster movie, and it would just be the kiss of death. I'm not going to go on and on about what a terrible actress she is, but I will say that if I had the option to choose her for this category every year, I totally would. Unfortunately, New Girl is heading into its final season this year, but I'm sure one thing has nothing to do with the other. 

Other nominees

Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls)
Beth Behrs (2 Broke Girls)
Anna Faris (Mom)
Alison Brie (G.L.O.W.)

Song

Winner:  Infinite Content by Arcade Fire

This is always a difficult choice to make, as music is very subjective. I suppose nothing could possibly be worse than Gangnam Style, but this comes pretty close. I'm not even really sure what this was supposed to be, or if it even qualifies as music, but it's essentially the equivalent of a high school student being instructed to write a 1000-word essay, and simply just repeating a single word 1000 times. 

Other nominees

Bon Appetit by Katy Perry feat. Migos
It's Everyday, Bro, by Jake Paul
I'm Not Famous by AJR

TV Show

Winner:  Fuller House

I think it's safe to say that this show has officially jumped the shark. That is if it was ever a hot topic to begin with. Season one was a complete nostalgia act, season two started to get lame, but season three was completely unwatchable. The jokes were all recycled, and were never even that funny in the first place. I have my doubts about the Roseanne reboot now, but at least that one has a prime time slot.

Other nominees

Girl Meets World
2 Broke Girls
Ghosted
Iron Fist

Movie

Winner: ​The Emoji Movie 

I've been saying for years that Hollywood is simply running out of ideas, and considering this terrible concept, a more perfect example of this there could not be. I don't know what this was supposed to be, or why anyone could ever dream up such an embarrassing idea, but I hope that future generations will not be subjected to such rubbish. 

Other nominees

Rings
Ghost in the Shell
The Mummy
Transformers: The Last Knight

So there you have it.

Until next time...