AI Recap: White Guy with Guitar Problem? Done.

Is it just me, or do you hear the theme from Jaws, which they so awesomely played during the Oscars to make people stop talking? Do you see, as Jimmy Buffett likes to say, fins to the left and fins to the right? I do, because if it hadn't happened before, this show is officially about to jump that proverbial shark.

Last week, after writing my recap of the first group of male singers to perform, I questioned whether the producers—whose ability to manipulate things could make Dick Cheney feel emasculated—would ensure that no male with a chance of winning would be advanced into the top 10. In fact, I even wondered whether more talented male singers were kept out of the top 20. And after watching last night's show, my suspicions are confirmed. Or, on the outside chance that the assembled group was the best the show could muster, let's make it an all-female show next season, because apparently all of the talented guys have gone to The Voice or The X-Factor.

Entertainer/choreographer Mathenee Trico, who was cut during Vegas week last season, kicked off the evening with a strange performance of Elvis Presley's A Little Less Conversation. His phrasing was interesting, and I don't know if that's partially because of the Bahamian influences in his speech patterns, or whether he thought it might work. (It didn't.) He also tried for a lot of notes that he couldn't quite reach. Ultimately, I know that Mathenee's performance didn't outshine Chris Daughtry's performance in Season 4 (despite the screechy ending), and there's no video proof of Jon Peter Lewis' hammy version from Season 3. Keith said that Mathenee has a huge vocal range and immense power, but (using the exact words he did with the first guy to perform last week) he cautioned him not to "underestimate the power of your voice" when entertaining, because the vocal was almost "assaulting." Nicki (using the fake British accent of her "Roman" persona) called the performance "cheesy and karaoke," while Randy said the song choice made him question what kind of singer Mathenee is. (Umm, a not particularly good one, at least in this case.) Mariah always liked Mathenee, don't you know, and said the duality of his being an entertainer and a singer gave him trouble. Also, she said she didn't know this song(!) so it left her feeling disconnected. (Props to Keith for nearly bursting out laughing when she said this.)

The self-named "Turbinator," Gurpreet Singh Sarin, resplendent in a bright yellow vest and pants, was unimpressive in every way with his rendition of James Morrison's Every Hurt Like You. It was out of tune, boring, and just plain bad. Keith told Gurpreet he liked his earlier performances better, when he played the acoustic guitar and sang. Nicki—who called him "Turb"—said he should have come out with his guitar, because "today was not the day to take a chance like this." (Of course, if he came out with his acoustic guitar, I'd guarantee at least one judge would have criticized him for doing the same thing all the time, but that's the ridiculous inconsistency of this show.) She ended her critique by saying, "Honey child, hell no." (Nice respect there.) Randy said it was terrible, and Mariah expressed disappointment she didn't get to hear the softer side of his voice, then asked him if he played sitar. (Because I guess all Indian people must, right, Mariah?) All throughout the judges' feedback, Gurpreet literally begged for them to put him through. It was a little desperate, even for this show.

Vincent Powell looks a little like Cee-Loo Green in the face and looks older than 29, but maybe it's his glasses. He apparently has been a backup singer for Whitney Houston and Latoya Luckett. He sang Lenny Williams' Because I Love You, a song I've never heard before. He's really talented and has a great vocal range, but I found the performance a little too showy and overdone, kind of like Curtis' performance last week. Keith, Randy, and Mariah gave him a standing ovation. Nicki told him, "You better work with your old soul," and while she said his performance was "good old-fashioned," she also called it "sexy old-fashioned," and said that she could picture "50- or 40-year-olds throwing their panties at you." She also added (ick), "That hit me somewhere." (Add that to the list of things I never need to hear again.) Randy said that the show started with Vincent's performance and called him the whole complete package. He then did his whole "look what I know about the music business" thing, saying, "You, like Miguel and Frank Ocean, are doing the D'Angelo thing." Oh yeah, and it was the debut of "This boy is in it to win it!" Mariah simply said, "Finally." (She's clearly not being paid by the word.)

Producers: stop trying to make the show all about Zoanette. Too much of her is too much. Watching her jump around, Ryan's conversation just with her, is all unnecessary.

My hopes for Nick Boddington to knock it out of the park quickly dissipated when he started singing a somewhat tepid version of James Morrison's Say Something Now. I love his voice but his performance was boring. Keith praised the timbre in his voice but said he was waiting to feel connected to him as a person, and encouraged Nick not to be afraid to show his heart. "Hello, Bodding," Nicki said. She told Nick she loved his voice, although she said the performance wasn't a 10, nor was it his best. Randy told Nick he knew he was "up to it" but didn't think the song was a good choice, as it didn't have any of Randy's precious "moments". Mariah claimed she heard one moment, and called him "consistent, raw, and nice." She also praised Nick for the way he was going about his career.

Josh Holiday—he who split his pants singing for his life to get into the top 20—sat behind the piano (at least for a little while) and sang an original song I'm guessing was called Better with You. (I nearly killed myself after googling every permutation of the lyrics to figure out what song he was singing, only to find out it was original.) As a song, it was a little treacly, but I like his voice and his range, although the last note was wonky with a capital "w." Keith said he wished Josh had cut loose a little more and was waiting for the moment he did. He said, "It might not be skillful to cut loose, but I don't give a rat's about skillful, I want to see your heart." Nicki said she wished Josh had stayed on the piano, because when he stood up to sing it seemed like he was trying too hard to please the judges. Randy said that singing his own song was a big risk, and he wasn't wowed. Mariah loves that Josh is a singer/songwriter but wasn't wowed either.

David Oliver Willis (cool name) took the stage with an acoustic guitar-driven, up-tempo version of Fever, which Paris Bennett sang in Season 5, top 20 contestant Nick Pedro sang in Season 6, and Syesha Mercado sang in Season 7. To coin a Randy phrase (Lord help me), I wasn't blown away, but I liked that he did something different, and I thought his voice has some great potential. Keith didn't think it was the right song to show off his voice, as Keith thought that David's "Dobie Gray/Michael Kiwanuka/Gary Clark Jr. vibe" was a good one. Nicki asked if David was married, and when he introduced his wife, she loudly shouted, "Hello, wife," and then told David he sounded like a kid who had just gotten a guitar for Christmas. (Not only doesn't the show want a white guy who plays guitar to be a possible contender this season, they don't want a black guy with a guitar either.) Randy liked David's "bluesy side" (and also dropped the Gary Clark Jr. reference), and Mariah said she was intrigued by David's back story (ok...), but had heard him "vocally a bit more" in earlier performances.

Bryant Tadeo is a perfectly pleasant-looking guy from the big island of Hawaii, who sang Billy Joel's New York State of Mind (an odd song choice, as far as I was concerned), previously performed by Kimberley Locke in Season 2 and the woefully under-appreciated Erika Van Pelt last season. His hand motions and expressions were cheesy, but I thought he had an interesting slightly higher voice that was good. Nicki said that apart from the last run, and the high note he sang at the end, she didn't like the performance at all, while Randy said he loved the beginning of the performance but kept waiting for the song to go somewhere. Mariah said he sounded "professional" (umm, wait, isn't that a good thing?), but said he got a little bit lost throughout the performance. Aloha, Bryant.

While top 10 finalist Breanna Steer's family was affected by Hurricane Isaac, Burnell Taylor's family was affected by Hurricane Katrina. Oh, and he's lost 40 pounds since his audition. He looked like Jaleel White's Steve Urkel character from the television show Family Matters, complete with bow tie. Burnell sang John Legend's This Time, and while I like his voice and his intonation, I found his performance to be a pale imitation of Legend's, even with some of the same vocal tone. Nicki gave him a standing ovation. Keith reminded us that Burnell had blown the judges away in his audition when he sang I'm Here from the Broadway musical The Color Purple, and said that Burnell is here to stay. Nicki said she would pay to see Burnell sing today. She praised him for losing weight, saying it was "the spirit of Katrina he was able to get off his shoulders," and that she "knows what it's like when your family is counting on you." She called his performance the best of the night. Randy did the whole Louisiana thing again, also praised Burnell for losing weight, and said he did justice to the song.

I had heard some of the news coverage about Lazaro Arbos, how his stutter is so bad but it mostly disappears when he sings. I was moved when he said that he works in an ice cream shop because "it's the only job where I don't have to do smart people things like talk." He sang Keith Urban's Tonight I Wanna Cry, which top 10 contestant Paul Jolley sang last week. (And it makes me wonder just how many song choices they really do have.) Lazaro's voice has a gorgeous tone but he had some issues with breath control, which I'm guessing was a combination of nerves and the stuttering. Keith told him that "his spirit burns through the vocals." Nicki spoke Spanish to him (she asked what's up with him), and praised him for "always giving us Lazaro," saying that he played it safe in a good way. Randy said that while there were some notes that weren't perfect, "every time you hit the chorus, you found the sweet spot in your voice." Mariah said that at the start of the performance she saw Lazaro start to well up, and she worried she'd become an emotional mess. (Because it's all about how Mariah feels, don't you know.) She praised the purity and simplicity of his voice.

Explain this to me, though: they praised Burnell for "overcoming the obstacle" of losing 40 pounds, and they gave Lazaro no props for singing through a stutter? This kid's job prospects are limited, as is his confidence, but it's less worthy of mention than Burnell's inability to find clothes in his size? I find this show so befuddling sometimes.

Cortez Shaw closed the show by mangling David Guetta and Sia's Titanium. Seriously, he hit some notes that I worried might send my dog into a frenzy. He definitely has star quality but honestly, that's about it. Keith called the song choice a bold and brave move, and said that there were a lot of spots where his voice went wrong, but said he found "redemption" in the last high note. Nicki asked, "Is it hot in here, or just me?" Randy mentioned Cortez's pitch issues but said the last notes were great, and called him a "current, very interesting" artist. (Why have all the people deemed "marketable" not had strong voices?) Mariah babbled but said, "Nothing's gonna be perfect." (That's okay only if you're one of the pre-chosen ones.)

Judges' decisions were next. Ryan asked Mariah, "Did you have any clashes?" Apparently the word "clashes" isn't in Mariah's dictionary because she just gave him a blank stare until he rephrased his question. Oh, and Randy told one of the contestants, "It's been tough on us as judges." Cry me a river, Dawg. (Oh, and as an aside, I have hated the way every contestant has to hug all four judges after every decision. I kind of liked when the contestants weren't allowed to approach the judges' table.)

David, his wife and his guitar were sent packing, and it was aloha time for Bryant. Unsurprisingly, Vincent made it through. Mathenee was sent back to the Bahamas, then Lazaro and Cortez(!) made it through. Josh was too good looking to be in the top 10, so he was sent home, and the much lighter Burnell was sent packing. Which left us with Gurpreet and Nick. I couldn't imagine they'd let Gurpreet go through, and they didn't, so Nick has one more shot at redemption.

Our top 10 guys are:

Paul "Theatrical" Jolley
Devin "En Español También" Velez
Elijah "Nicki's Baby Daddy" Liu
Charlie "Awkward Turtle" Askew
Curtis "Second Coming of Jacob Lusk?" Finch Jr.
Vincent "Cee-Lo" Powell
Nick "No Chance" Boddington
Lazaro "Better Cut Him Quick or He Could Win This Thing" Arbos
Burnell "Urkel" Taylor
Cortez "Dog Whistler" Shaw

I just don't know if I'm going to be able to make it through the season, but we'll see...

AI Recap: The Perks of Being Marketable...

It's Week 2 of the "sudden death" rounds, when the judges already have their list of people who are going to make it and just go through the motions of humoring the contestants listen to 10 singers in a group and then have to make "brutal" cuts to send only five to the top 20. Honestly, next year, why don't we divide the singers into two groups: The Chosen Ones, and Talented Cannon Fodder?

Watching the introductions of the contestants, I swear that Zoanette looks like a reject from RuPaul's Drag Race. Man, oh man.

First up was 19-year-old Melinda Ademi, an emigree from Kosovo who auditioned in Season 10. She sang Nobody's Perfect by Jessie J (the same song Angela Miller sang last week), and it was far from perfect. I could tell what she was trying to accomplish, and her voice has a nice smoky tone, but I thought she sounded shouty and hoarse. Keith said it sounded as if her nerves got on top of her, but praised her raw potential and talent. Nicki trotted out her whole "ladybug" thing again, and said the whole time Melinda was singing, she was remembering Angela's performance last week. (Ironically, following Angela's performance last week, all Nicki could talk about was the original song she performed the week before, but I'll bet these judges aren't counting on someone actually writing down their words.) She said she liked it, but didn't love it, and chided her for singing two Jessie J songs over the course of the competition. Randy was unimpressed, while Mariah noted she heard a "waver" in Melinda's voice, and wished her all the best of luck in the competition, an affectation she repeated several times.

Candice Glover who was inexplicably cut during Vegas Week last season (watch her group number from Vegas last season and see what I mean by "inexplicably"), looks facially a little like Queen Latifah, and certainly could be considered an early favorite. She sang Aretha's (You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman, a song that, in my opinion, will never be sung better than the way Kelly Clarkson did during the show's first season. Candice did a great job in parts of the song, a good job in others, but she definitely is one of the strongest vocalists in the competition. Keith gave her a standing ovation, and then serenaded her, telling her that the way she sings proves she is a "natural singer." Nicki said Candice was definitely born to sing, called her voice one of the strongest in the competition, and said that her confidence sets her apart. She also wondered how Candice could have been cut last season, and Randy explained, "It was a different time." (Which is Dawg for "We had a different agenda.") He said that Candice is one of his favorite contestants but said her performance, while good, wasn't the best she's done on the show. He encouraged her to go for it vocally, to "do things only you can do." Mariah called Candice a "bona fide singer," but interrogated her as to whether she was responsible for the arrangement and some of the notes she hit. Whatever, Mariah.

Fifteen-year-old Juliana Chahayed is an absolutely adorable girl, who comes from a musical family where every one of her siblings plays instruments and/or sings, and her father sings in both Arabic and English. She went acoustic, playing the guitar and singing a mellow, ethereal version of Demi Lovato's Skyscraper. Her voice has a little bit of Jewel in it, a little Imogene Heap, a little of a lot of those wispy-voiced troubadours popular now. Her voice wavered a little but I found it rich and tremendously unique, and loved her intonation. But the judges were not listening because they already had their minds made up hearing something else, apparently. Keith said she was struggling with pitch throughout the song, but he loved the purity of her voice and called her "totally real." Nicki praised that Juliana already had a signature tone to her voice at only 15, yet said she seemed very timid, and wondered if that would work against some of the "bigger voices" in the competition. (Why do we need 80 big voices? If you want a female winner, and know how popular Taylor Swift and others are, why not pick a 15-year-old and get people to vote for her?) Randy praised the honesty in her delivery and applauded Juliana for "giving us exactly who you are." Mariah said her voice had an angelic quality, almost celestial, and called her vulnerability a beautiful thing to witness. And then Randy had to go and spoil things by saying, "At 15 look at what Juliana has done, Ryan Seacrest couldn't have done it at 15," to which Ryan replied, "I can't do it at 22." Ha.

Petite Jett Hermano (cool name, BTW) took a page from Shubha Vedula's book last week, singing a slow, almost sexy version of Rihanna's Only Girl (In the World) while accompanying herself on the piano. (Season 10 contestant Ta-Tynisa Wilson sang this badly, and luckily, there's no video proof of it.) I really liked her voice and what she brought to the song, although it was a little boring at times. Keith loved her unique arrangement, called her musicianship fantastic, and praised her for "bringing out the sex in the song" in a different way than Rihanna does. Nicki liked the arrangement but felt the song never came to a climax. Randy—completely contradicting his criticism of Shubha last week (go figure)—told Jett he was disappointed she didn't get up halfway through the song and rock it. He and Nicki argued as to whether the restraint in her performance was good. Mariah called Jett "a unique addition to the contest" (tepid praise), said she enjoyed the first half of the performance, and told Jett that she "wasn't sure where you'll go in the competition," but "good luck with the rest of this thing." (Meaning, Jett, pack your knives and go. Sorry, wrong reality show.)

Cristabel Clack used to tour with a gospel group, and is a happily married mother of three. And she's 29, which is, like, 50 in American Idol years. She talked for far too long with Ryan about how she got nervous just before going to Vegas, but God assured her everything would be all right, and she had a place in the competition. She sang Alicia Keys' No One (which Season 8 contestant Felicia Barton sang), and I thought the rasp in her voice was really interesting, although sometimes it sounded like a hiccup. Randy gave her a standing ovation. Keith called it a fantastic performance and praised Cristabel's crazy potential, Nicki said she loved the song for Cristabel and loves the rasp in her voice, but thought it got a little out of control. (Agreed.) Randy said that while the song was overperformed in places (like the last few overlong runs), she was "on point," and called her a "racehorse singer," who allows herself the freedom to just go vocally. (Now, I'm no expert on women, but I don't think you should ever liken a woman to any kind of horse.) Mariah said that she would "like to hear what you do best," so "please come back and sing some more for us." Huh?

The first word I wrote down when I saw Aubrey Cleland was "beautiful." She sang Beyonce's Sweet Dreams (which last season's runner-up, Jessica Sanchez sang, although you can only find the studio version of the song online), and I liked her voice and presence a lot, although she didn't wow me. But she's hella nice to look at. Keith called Aubrey a "balance of poise and fire," and said she had great fire in her voice. Nicki admitted to being obsessed with Aubrey, and said that for the first time, someone sounded and looked the part. She said she'd sign Aubrey to a contract right now, because she looks the part and sounds the part. Randy said, "I'm obsessed with me, and you, and the other judges, and a little bit of Ryan Seacrest." He told Aubrey that during the auditions he said she was one of two contestants he'd sign right away because she is so marketable. He told her she looked amazing, she commands the stage, and has the "whole package," although he thought the song didn't have enough "moments." Mariah told Aubrey, "you're limitless," and said "I hope you continue with us, because, you're, limitless." (Great critique, Mariah.)

Rachel Hale who came thisclose to not making it into the top 20 (she was chosen in a sing-off), sang a spirited, awesome version of Nothing but the Water by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals. (Love them, by the way.) She has a great, rich-sounding voice, and a lot of personality, and I thought she knocked it out of the park. Once again, the judges didn't agree. Keith said he felt the song "got on top of you in parts," but loved her spirit. Nicki wanted to know where all of Rachel's confidence came from, since she's always been "my cute little ladybug." Rachel explained that she had been praying a lot for confidence (which caused Nicki to quote from MC Hammer's Pray), and Nicki said she was excited she came alive. Randy exclaimed, "Prayer works!", and then said he was happy that she brought her energy. Mariah praised Rachel's smile, but said "we may have heard you more on other songs." Unbelievable.

I've been watching this show far too long, so I hate when contestants trot out their sob stories. We've all had a challenging life in one way or another. Breanna Steer's family had their house in Louisiana destroyed by Hurricane Isaac. She sang Jazmine Sullivan's Bust Your Windows, and for me, there was a lot of attitude, not a lot of vocal range. Keith admitted he had dated a girl who busted the windows out of his car a long time ago (as he caressed the "Nicole" tattoo on his arm), and said that he liked the vibe of Breanna's performance. "Work it, Miss Little Ladybug," Nicki exclaimed, and told Breanna that she was another contestant she'd sign right away. She suggested that Breanna and Aubrey form a vocal group with "two sexy-looking girls" and they'd be famous. (What show is this again?) She called Breanna believable, said she had her swag, and was "sexy on a stick." Randy praised Breanna for "representing Louisiana from day one" (he's a proud Louisianan, you know), and said she was the other contestant he'd sign right away. He called her the whole package, and said she brought so much drama to her performance, Keith thought she'd actually bust the windows out of his car. Mariah also trotted out the m-word (marketable) and said she was so glad contestants could choose their own songs.

Before self-proclaimed "country girl" Janelle Arthur hit the stage, I said, "The show wants another Carrie Underwood, and this is who they want to win." Janelle sang Lady Antebellum's Just a Kiss, and it was, well, unimpressive. Singing a song solo that is usually performed by a band rarely works, and it didn't here. I just thought the whole performance—vocals, star quality, personality—fell utterly flat. Keith said the song had a limited melody, so it gave her no chance to really soar. Nicki said that she was excited to see Janelle and Zoanette—"my two little babies"—but said the performance felt a little bit flat. She said Janelle seemed disconnected, but said, "If it was up to me, you'll go through." (So what's the point of performing then?) Randy said that Janelle was his favorite country singer in the competition, and chalked her performance up to "just one of those nights." Mariah said she was "definitely a fan," and that she's rooting for Janelle. (So at least two better singers have no chance because you like Janelle? Twice now I've seen her perform and twice I was unimpressed.)

As I mentioned last week, I only started watching this season just before the top 40 was named, so I didn't get the chance to see much of Zoanette Johnson outside of her train-wrecky final solo performance. Apparently she and her family left Liberia when she was two (as opposed to Melinda's family, who fled Kosovo just a few years ago). She sang Circle of Life from The Lion King, starting out with the African chanting part of the song. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although it certainly wasn't as good as the way Jennifer Hudson performed it during Season 3. I found it utterly theatrical, though, which apparently is bad for guys but not for the women. Keith, Randy, and Nicki gave her a standing ovation. (Does Mariah not believe in standing ovations, or are her dresses too tight to stand without assistance?) Keith said, "Kudos to the Queen of the Jungle," and said that part of what makes Zoanette special is he has no clue what she's going to do next, and wonders if she does either. Nicki said, "Who gonna check you, boo? You just served it." She called out how amazing it is that Zoanette's family made it out of Liberia and that her siblings could hear her sing, and talked about how lucky she and Zoanette were that they were people who had nothing, but they were able to "get out of the country alive." Randy said, "It's not whether the notes are right," and honestly, I don't remember a thing Mariah said but it clearly was as unexceptional as everything else she says.

Time for the judges' decisions. Quick question, though: It's Season 12. Is there anyone that's fooled by the fake-outs anymore, or the judges' babbling? Can't they afford some new scripts by now? Anyway, Zoanette made it through, Melinda and Juliana didn't. "Marketable" Aubrey made it through, Cristabel didn't. Candice made it through, Jett didn't, and if you were paying attention, you'd know that "marketable" Breanna would make it before she walked out there, so they could put the two country singers, Rachel and Janelle up against each other. Despite being outsung and outperformed by Rachel in every way, the judges stuck with their script and put Janelle through. Unbelievable. So far I'm not nearly as wowed by these female contestants as the producers think we should be.

So, the top 10 female contestants are:

Tenna "Teena" Torres
Adriana "Don't Call Me Jessica Sanchez" Latonio
Kree "Melanie Lynskey" Harrison
Angela "Original Song" Miller
Amber "Meh" Holcomb
Candice "Triumphant Return" Glover
Aubrey "Marketable" Cleland
Breanna "Marketable 2: The Remix" Steers
Janelle "More Kristy Lee Cook than Carrie Underwood" Arthur
Zoanette "I Can Outcrazy Fantasia" Johnson

Tonight, we'll see if any of the guys with talent make it through. That means you, Nick Boddington.

Cool cover song of the week...

I don't listen to the radio that often, because radio stations tend to overplay the heck out of songs. It got to the point where I couldn't listen to certain songs for a while because I heard them on two, maybe three stations, all at the same time.

One song that was seriously played into the ground was Adele's Rolling in the Deep. (Most of her recent songs—no matter how good they are—tend to be played ad infinitum.) Of course, you can understand why, given her vocals, the great melody, and the angry yet not Taylor Swift-ish lyrics. While many singers have attempted to cover this song, most have failed because they lack Adele's vocal power or the world-weariness she brings to the song.

John Legend, however, succeeds, with this a cappella version. I'm a huge fan of his and think his voice is just fantastic in general, but I think he fuses soulfulness and scorching power in this cover. He doesn't do anything really unique or special, but it doesn't matter.

Give it a listen:


Check out my previous Cool Cover Songs of the Week:

Borderline by The Counting Crows

How Deep Is Your Love by The Bird and The Bee

Life in a Northern Town by Sugarland, Little Big Town, and Jake Owen

I Don't Want to Talk About It by The Indigo Girls

Only You by Joshua Radin

Pure Imagination by Maroon 5

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by Blake Stratton

What a Fool Believes by Neri Per Caso

Poker Face by Daughtry

Back to Black by Ronnie Spector

I Will Survive by Cake

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by The Stereophonics

Book Review: "Wise Men" by Stuart Nadler

Stuart Nadler's terrific book explores the complex relationship between father and son, and how spending one's life trying to be something other than what is expected can be emotionally crippling. It's also a book about the powerful hold unrequited love has over you, and like Ian McEwan's Atonement, it's also a story of how a snap decision made in the heat of the moment can have life-changing implications.

Hilly Wise is a teenager growing up in New Haven when his father, Arthur, an ambulance-chasing attorney, lands a major case following a tragic plane crash. The case makes Arthur one of the wealthiest and most famous attorneys, reviled by airlines and other businesses, and sought after by individuals whose lives have been affected by tragedy. In the summer of 1952, Arthur moves his family to a beach house in the small town of Bluepoint on Cape Cod, where his law partner, Robert, also moves to an adjacent house on the property. Arthur and his wife easily settle into the life of the newly rich and powerful, but Hilly struggles.

In Bluepoint, Hilly meets Lem Dawson, the black man whose job it is to care for the Wises' house, and although Arthur discourages it, Hilly strikes up a tentative friendship with Lem, borne partly out of sympathy for the way his father treats Lem, partly out of curiosity and loneliness. Hilly finds himself falling in love with Lem's troubled niece, Savannah, although he is unsure exactly how to express his affection. And in one moment, a decision that Hilly makes has shattering consequences for all of them.

Years later, an adult Hilly, working as a reporter, tries to track Savannah down, in an effort to satisfy his longing and his curiosity at how her life turned out, as well as to assuage his guilt. But picking up where you left off—especially in a situation like this—is more difficult than one would imagine, and his relationship with his father once again leaves everything awry. And all of these feelings, and all of the familial history, continues to follow him through the rest of his life.

This is a powerful, well-told story about love, guilt, resentment, and trying to escape your destiny. Nadler does a great job creating a compelling story that transcends these familiar themes, and while Hilly at times seems a little too spineless and sad-sack, and Arthur seems to be a bit of a caricature at times, the narrative packs a resounding, emotional punch. Some of the plot you'll see coming, some you may not, but it's a story that will fascinate you, frustrate you, and ultimately, move you.

AI Recap: For Awkward Turtles Everywhere...

As you might have heard once or twice, this season, American Idol really wants a female winner. While I'm fairly certain Nigel Lythgoe's powers don't run to the ability to block the phone lines of every tween and teen girl in America, what the show can do is not advance any male contestant that could legitimately be considered a contender. But before I shout sabotage, let's see what happens next week.

Nicki was sporting pink hair last night (question from the couch: "Does she dye her hair every day?") and Mariah decided to class things up a little by wearing a blue gown. Ryan asked Mariah what impressed her about the ladies' performances (sigh) and she blathered on about raw talent and it was impossible to eliminate anyone (yeah, I don't think so). When they introduced the 10 guys performing tonight, I swore Johnny Weir was in the lineup, but then I learned it was someone called JDA. (I'm not slow on the uptake, I purposely skipped the audition episodes this season.)

Paul Jolley, a good-looking country singer, was first out of the gate with his rendition of Keith Urban's Tonight I Wanna Cry. (For the love of Simon, was there no other country artist you could pick? It's like when someone sang When You Believe in Hollywood for Mariah.) I think Paul has a great big voice, and definitely hit some bigger notes than Keith does in the song, but maybe that's part of the song's charm, you know? Keith said he was honored that someone sang one of his songs, and told Paul he has a really great voice but he shouldn't underestimate its quality by overperforming. Nicki (I don't know if I'll ever get used to her monotonal delivery) said that Paul's earlier performances won her over more and called his eyes "theatrical." (Read: gay, especially based on the female judges' comments about other singers.) "Yo, yo," Randy began, "So, I mean, very risky proposition singing one of Keith's songs with him sitting there." He said the performance wasn't all perfect, but told Paul he has potential. Mariah said, "I guess I feel different from other people on the panel, in that I thought it was an intimate performance at the start." She liked it but agreed he might have oversang a little bit.

Last year's himbo, Johnny Keyser, finally made it to the stage, after being cut in Vegas last year and then being teased as one of the possible contestants the judges would resurrect. (They picked Jermaine, who was, of course, kicked off the show for criminal issues.) Johnny placidly sang Jason Mraz's I Won't Give Up, and most of it was on key but bland. (I actually paid more attention to the return of the cute, hat-wearing guitarist, if I'm being honest.) Johnny is precisely the type of contestant that would have thrived in earlier seasons, the good looking guy with an okay voice. (See: Tim Urban, Chris Richardson, etc.) Keith called Johnny's performance the best he's sung, and said there were moments of nervousness but moments he was in the groove. (I'm going to start a Keith Urban "effortless" count, since he says that of everyone. It was even in one of the commercials. And yes, he said it of Johnny as well.) Nicki told Johnny he looked "real sexy tonight," and gave him kudos for being "nicely groomed." She told him he doesn't have the greatest vocals, but there's something "masculine" about him. (So Paul was theatrical, and Johnny is masculine. Following along?) Randy, too, told Johnny he doesn't have the greatest voice (nice thing to think about during a singing competition, no?), and "for me (for you), it was just ok, not a lot of moments that made me say, 'Wow.'" Mariah said "I don't want to get in trouble with my husband," but also praised Johnny's masculinity. (Did I miss it when he did pushups or whipped out his d--k during the commercials?) Ryan quipped, "I'm glad there's finally some masculinity on the stage."

Don't worry, Ryan. The testosterone is about to dissipate.

Can I just ask, WTF was JDA? Seriously. I'm the last person to criticize people for being exactly who they are, but really? This was one of the 20 best male contestants this season? He looks like a mash-up of Johnny Weir, Marilyn Manson, and Kynt, one of the pair of "dating goths" on Season 12 of The Amazing Race, and he was wearing some sort of sleeveless top and a pair of palazzo pants I swear I've seen at a few weddings or bat mitzvahs. He "sang" Adele's Rumor Has It (and by "sang," I mean crawled all over the stage and made pouty faces). Keith told him he was "certainly right at home in Vegas," and applauded JDA's originality and humility, although he wished the performance seemed a little less rote. Despite everything I just said about JDA, I was a little offended that Nicki addressed him as "Miss Lady," and told him to "work it, girl." ("Gotta represent the gays," he replied, as Ryan faded into the woodwork.) She told JDA he was a superstar performer and praised him for singing to everyone in the audience, although she called his vocals "a little whiny." Randy explained that the vocals weren't good because he was so keyed in on the performance, but told him to "think more about the vocal—it's a singing competition." (Unless you're masculine like Johnny.) He also said the performance didn't feel original. Mariah said he didn't waver vocally, and said, "Your brand of masculinity and whatever it is you want to call it, whatever you're giving us was sexy." Umm, not in the slightest. Ryan quipped, "We haven't seen this much glitter since Adam Lambert's season." (That's right, Ryan, poke fun at the gays and chest bump Johnny backstage just to make yourself feel better.)

Kevin Harris seems like a nice guy, a loving father (who wore two bowties to represent his two sons) with cool dreads. He's just not that good of a singer, mostly, evidenced by his boring performance of Bryan Adams' (Everything I Do) I Do It for You, which Kimberly Caldwell sang in Season 2, and Anoop Desai sang in Season 8. Sure, he hit some good falsetto notes, but whatever. Keith said Kevin range is "crazy," although he said he had mixed feelings when performers "flip out vocally" by packing too many notes into songs. Nicki told Kevin, "Every single choice you made was perfection," and she loved every single thing about the performance, even calling it the first voice that was "100 percent tonight." Randy said they'd have to agree to disagree, as he called the performance "karaoke, not exciting." He told Kevin, "If you want to show what you can do as a singer, pick a better song than that." Mariah babbled for far too long and said nothing.

Next up: Lenny Kravitz (in his Let Love Rule days) meets Milli Vanilli, or Chris Watson. Really good looking guy, who apparently has made long headbandy things his signature, and strutted around the stage singing Otis Redding's (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay, using one or maybe two notes. Again, seriously, people? This was one of the 20 best? Keith said that the show is partly a "connection competition" (umm, no), but his voice wasn't the best, despite his confidence. Nicki called him, "the prettiest man I've ever seen," and said she wanted to marry his vibrato. She told Chris she was obsessed with him and loves him, and that she doesn't know what he's been through, but when he sings, she hears pain and struggle. (I hear no vocal range, but I'm no famous rapper.) Randy said, "I love you the person, but the song goes nowhere." Mariah made some irrelevant comments, the most egregious of which was, "You don't have the best voice but other things override it."

Eighteen-year-old Devin Velez worried me when he started singing Beyonce's Listen. (As an aside, for an amazing version of this song, check out Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron's version.) Devin has a really great voice but absolutely no stage presence, and didn't appear to have much of an emotional connection to the song. But he did switch to Spanish in the middle of the song, which was kind of cool. Keith brought his "effortless" count to four, saying, "That's the way to do it!" Nicki said Devin did an amazing job and called his switching to Spanish "a smart choice." She said he was "a nice looking guy with a nice spirit." Randy gave him "big props" and said it was amazing, and Mariah said she could see Devin critiquing himself during the performance and making changes, and she can't wait to see what a producer can do with him in the studio.

Elijah Liu definitely looks like a boy band escapee, with his popped jacket collar and blond streak in his artfully mussed hair. I applauded his unique song choice, Bruno Mars' Talking to the Moon, and while it sounded good in his middle register, his falsetto was practically non-existent, which is a problem in a song that actually has falsetto in it. Keith admitted it was a shaky performance vocally, although he said "you look like a freaking pop star," and called him current and relevant. Nicki said, "I don't care about the song, I want to have your babies." (Gross, but he's 18, so I guess it's okay?) She told Elijah she would sign him today, he's so marketable. (I guess. I mean, this is the age of AutoTune, no?) Randy said the vocal wasn't great and didn't have any "moments." Mariah praised Elijah's "New Edition-y feel," and also said he was extremely marketable, and she liked the fact he was Mexican and Chinese. (I'll take Random Feedback in a Singing Competition for $1000, Alex.)

Free spirit Charlie Askew showed off his belt that he got from JDA, and admitted to practicing with a golf club so he could get used to the feel of the baseless microphone he'll be using. He sang Elton John's Rocket Man, which Jon Peter Lewis sang in Season 3. There were moments where his voice sounded cool, and moments where his performance seemed like an outtake from This is Spinal Tap, all weird notes and movements and spinning around. Nicki gave the performance a standing ovation. Keith said Charlie seemed like "Freddie Mercury had a love child out of Woodstock," and praised Charlie's "fearless unpredictability" and originality. Nicki told Charlie, "I want to cradle you in my arms," and that he was a rock star. Randy said, "I don't know where I am, or what's going on," because he thought the performance was a bit "stage school," but, he said (somewhat facetiously), "Who cares about the singing?" Mariah said she "lived for the song choice" but although she loves Charlie she has liked some of his other performances better. He has this annoying habit of replying to everything the judges say, and spouting non-sequiturs during their feedback. At one point, he pulled out his turtle necklace, holding it aloft and proclaiming, "This is for awkward turtles everywhere."

Jimmy Smith looks ready to make a country album right now, with his curly locks and blandly good looking face. He sang Raining on Sunday by Keith Urban(!), and it was fine, not outstandingly good or bad. Keith again said he was honored that Jimmy sang one of his songs (although he admitted it is a Radney Foster song originally, which was pretty awesome of Keith to do), and thought he did a good job. Nicki said it was a good vocal but she was a little bored, "perhaps because I was thinking of something else earlier." Seriously? Randy said Jimmy looks like Robert Plant but sings country, making "a mixed bag that didn't work." Mariah said it wasn't Jimmy's best vocal "but there's something about you America should see."

The minute Curtis Finch, Jr. stepped on stage I took an immediate dislike to him. Something about his smug pompousness turned me off, and while he has a very good voice (and knows it), his smug, overperformed, hammish delivery of Superstar (more Luther Vandross' version than The Carpenters') annoyed me. (This song, of course, was Season 2 champ Ruben Studdard's signature, and Scott Savol sang it in Season 4. Keith said Curtis' performance was really lovely, that it was overperformed in parts but his voice is beautiful. Nicki said something annoying I didn't even write down, Randy called him one of the best singers in the competition, but cautioned him to try and "keep it young," since he's only 25. He said Curtis was "kinda dope but old fashioned." Mariah said, "I wouldn't even begin to critique you," despite the fact she's being paid millions of dollars to do that, and called his voice and his musicality "top notch."

Time for the judges' decisions. I honestly had no idea what they would do for most of the contestants, and the judges said they had one split decision, which would require Jimmy Iovine to break the tie. (He practically leaped out of his chair, he was so excited to be utilized.) Curtis made it through (Nicki even chided him, saying, "Stop with the act, you know you're through."), Jimmy and Kevin were cut. To the surprise of no one, Elijah made it through (and Nicki was handed a booklet on sexual harassment from the show's legal department), and JDA did not.

The judges' split decision, it was announced, was regarding Paul. Jimmy called him a good singer who chose the wrong song, saying, "You sang a Keith Urban song as if you were auditioning for Phantom of the Opera." (Again with the "theatrical" barb.) He cautioned him about oversinging but said he should make it into the top 20. Chris, although pretty, didn't make it, while Charlie did. And then it was down to masculine Johnny and bilingual Devin. Now, in the show's earlier days, this decision would have been a slam dunk for Johnny. But in this season, especially when they don't want any guys the female audience might find dreamy, the decision went to Devin.

All in all, I couldn't quibble with their top five. I just hope next week's guys' performances are much better (come on, Nick Boddington and Lazaro Arbos), and we don't have to hear how amazing the ladies are. But we will. Ad infinitum. Till next time, America...

AI Recap: Get Outta My Head...

I'll tell you, I really struggled with whether or not to commit myself to watching and recapping another season of American Idol. I mean, they kept Randy Jackson on the judges panel after weeks of rumors that he'd be put out to pasture transitioned into an "advisor" role, and I was such a huge Phillip Phillips phan (ha ha) last season, why not end it all on a high note?

But no, my friends, the need to snark won out over all else. So I'm back for Season 12, y'all! Oh, and if you haven't heard, they want a female winner this season.

In an effort to stack the top 10 with the contestants they want prolong the excitement as long as possible, this season has two weeks of "sudden death" rounds, or, as a fluffy-haired, tieless Ryan referred to it, "One song, one chance, no mercy." (Maybe I've been reading too many dystopian novels, but I wouldn't mind a "Hunger Games"-type singing competition.) Last night, 10 of the top 20 girls sang for the judges, and the judges will pick five of them. Tonight, the same thing will happen with 10 of the top 20 guys. And next week, the same thing will happen for the remaining groups.

When the judges were introduced, Nicki was once again sporting blonde hair that made her look a little like Janice the Muppet, Keith looked like he might have paid a visit or two to Nicole Kidman's plastic surgeon, and Mariah looked less than enthusiastic, a fact she reinforced when Ryan asked her if she was happy about the fact they'd have to cut contestants. She basically said, "Umm, no."

Oh, by the way, there's been a huge buzz about the ladies this season. In case you hadn't heard.

First up, Jenny Beth Willis, a 17-year-old from Owensboro, KY. She chose to sing Trisha Yearwood's Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love. It was an odd song choice for me (plus I'd never heard of it so I didn't know how good of a job she did), and vocally it was good in some parts (like the last big note) and rough in others. Touchy-feely Keith said he had mixed feelings about Jenny Beth's performance because it showed her "effortless confidence" yet it wasn't the best song for her. Nicki said she didn't come alive to the end, and even said that the "audience was more excitement (sic) than you were." Randy decided not to pull any punches, said it felt a little "jerky," like she was out of sync with the band, and while the last note was great, the rest of it wasn't. Mariah—whose frustration at being last to speak grew as the night went on—started her critique with, "Oh, dear." However, she called it a "very nice performance," but said she wished Jenny Beth would have been "more dynamic" with the verses. However, "the last note was a stone winner." All in all, not great.

Next up was Tenna Torres (darn you, Torres family, for spelling this child's name "Tenna" but pronouncing it "Teena"), from Queens, NY, who apparently disclosed during her auditions that she went to Camp Mariah as a child. Seriously? What activities did they do at this camp, hit vocal runs and practice wardrobe malfunctions? (It's actually a summer learning program for underprivileged children sponsored by the Fresh Air Fund. Take that, Larry.) Anyway, Tenna (ugh) sang Natasha Bedingfield's Soulmate (another song I'd never heard before), and looked like a circa-1980s singer from Star Search. I thought her tone and vocal choices were interesting but wasn't ultimately blown away by it. Keith said the song "required a lot of control, which you mostly had." Nicki (who started with this affectation where she'd address each contestant in her fake British accent) asked Tenna, "Why are you sad?" She explained it was a sad song, so she was trying to get into it. "You're scaring me," Nicki said. (You're scaring me, Nicki.) Nicki then said that her fans were apparently mad at her for saying Tenna had a good voice during the auditions (because, you know, Nicki is the vocal yardstick against which everyone should be measured), which was weird feedback to give a contestant. But she said she loved the performance, although she said that her hairstyle aged her, and advised her to "cut it all off, go bald." Randy said, "To me, this is the start of the night!", then called the performance, "95 percent perfect." Mariah said she "didn't want to be redundant," but praised Tenna's vocals and said that she hit great notes without even trying.

Apparently, 17-year-old Adriana Latonio is the show's first contestant from Alaska. Really? The pint-size cutie belted her way through a soulful rendition of Aretha Franklin's Ain't No Way, and while her vocals were fantastic, the best part was seeing Randy and Mariah sing along with the background vocalists. Keith and Randy gave her a standing ovation, and Keith said, "Now the night has started!", calling the performance "so damn good." Nicki referred to Adriana as a "little ladybug," asked if she was Filipino—begin Jessica Sanchez comparisons now—and called her "poised and ready." Randy "loved it, loved it, loved it," saying she was "born to do it," and Mariah rated the performance an "A+." I agree with Mrs. Cannon on that one.

Louisiana psych nurse Brandy Hotard was up next, and she chose to sing Travis Tritt's Anymore, a song Kimberly Caldwell sang in Season 2 (are you really surprised I know that?). I love the song and love to sing it, actually, but it's not a knock-your-socks-off type of song, despite a few big notes, which I thought she did well with. The judges weren't wowed. Keith said Brandy's voice was really good but said she suffered from "emotional connection inconsistency," because she wasn't reacting properly to the song. Nicki told Keith to "get out of her head" (I wonder if Nicole Kidman started getting into her To Die For persona when the icky flirting began), and questioned why Brandy was smiling while singing "My tears no longer waiting." She knocked Brandy's "pageant delivery" of the song (truth be told, she is a former top 10 contestant at Miss Louisiana), and then doomed her with a Paula-esque, "You look beautiful." Randy got his chance to start spouting ridiculousness because he said Brandy's song "didn't tell me enough about who you are...who am I looking at?" Mariah said she didn't notice Brandy smiling, she just saw "a beautiful girl singing," and told her "when you open up your voice in mid-register with the vibrato, it's a million-dollar note." She also encouraged her to record an album of classics, because she reminded her of a beautiful classic country singer from the past. (Of course, no one pointed that she might not get the chance to record such an album if she didn't make it into the top 10, but who am I to quibble?)

Seventeen-year-old Shubha Vedula (rewind to Randy's foul-up from the auditions, "What? Shula Vedula?") decided to shake things up with a rendition of Lady GaGa's Born This Way. She started out on the piano, singing a soulful, slow version, then got up and started singing uptempo. Did she throw a few too many runs in there? Maybe. Was it overly ambitious? Perhaps. But isn't the show looking for unique artists they can market? Oh, wait. No, they're not. The crowd really went wild, and Keith awkwardly said, "Well, it's all about the audience voting." (Which, of course, it isn't this round.) He called her performance "confusing," but said he loved Shubha's voice despite that. Nicki said there was so much going on, calling Shubha a "mashup of Christina Aguilera and that Gangnam Style guy." (Ouch.) Randy said he'd come to Shubha's defense, praising her unbelievable potential at age 17, but said she didn't need to hit runs on every note, and he would have loved it if she had stayed at the piano for the whole song. Mariah agreed with Randy, saying it seemed less forced at the piano. But, she said, "There's something about your voice—I can't pinpoint it—but I commend you." You could tell that Shubha thought the judges' reactions would be different than they were.

Background singer Kamaria Ousley was up next, singing a fairly horrible rendition of Kelly Clarkson's Mr. Know-it-All. She tried to change the song up a little too much and it just didn't work at all. Keith said he didn't think she ever found her emotional connection. Nicki said she was "nicely styled," but said that she "never noticed the throaty, twangy thing" in her voice, and didn't know if it was something Kamaria threw into the performance for "a little swag." Randy said it was Kamaria's worst performance of the season, saying it didn't work from the start, and there was "nothing redeemable about it." Ouch. Mariah said she was marketable, that a producer could put her in a studio and make a record, but somehow that didn't come off as a compliment.

Melanie Lynskey's doppelganger, Kree Harrison, sang Patty Griffin's Up to the Mountain, which Crystal Bowersox sang in the Season 9 finale. (It would have been her single, in fact, had she won.) Kree was really fantastic, and I find her voice so magnetic, so unlike many of the relatively generic country singers this show tends to pimp. (Heck, one might be coming up next week, in fact.) I'd like to believe she's really as humble as she seems. Keith and Nicki gave her a standing ovation, and Keith praised her "effortless believability" and said she is authentic. Nicki said she'd be very afraid if she were any of the other female contestants after Kree's performance. She told her that "every time you sing you make love to the song," that "even though you're fully dressed, something about you is so sexy." Randy called her a "natural born singer," and Mariah called the performance "beautiful to watch," and said she "sang the hell out of the song." I look forward to the wardrobe help Kree will get, because she looks like she just rolled out of bed.

After a quick shout-out to former (female) winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, who won Grammys earlier in the month, and another plug that perhaps one of this season's women could follow in their footsteps (can we dial this "a girl must win" frenzy down just a little, please?), Angela Miller, of the original song that blew the judges away last week, took the stage. With about 200 pounds of hair, she sang Jessie J's Nobody's Perfect. She's got a great voice, but I thought the song was a little too "look at me hit these notes" and seemed disjointed. Keith praised her "big, big gift" of a beautiful voice. Nicki told "Angie" she loved her, and went on for far too long about her song from last week. (Oh, but they're only judging on tonight's performance, remember.) She then said "America is witnessing the building of a superstar." (Hyperbole much?) Randy called her "the real deal" and said "she's going places." Mariah, too, talked only about the original song she sang last week.

Single-monikered Isabelle was next, and she talked about how she lost a lot of weight when she was a teenager. She sang God Bless the Child. I thought it was really good but it seemed very old-fashioned, almost (dare I say) pageanty. The judges talked about how she "overcame such struggles" and now is a role model for so many people. (Wait, isn't this a singing competition?) Randy praised her big voice and huge talent, but called the song "old-fashioned, like something you'd hear at a beauty pageant." (So Randy and I are on the same page. I have no words.) Mariah told Isabelle, "Your vocal is selling you, and your heart is selling you."

Rounding out the night was young Amber Holcomb, who was cut during Vegas Week last season. She sang My Funny Valentine, which the sensational Melinda Doolittle took on in Season 6, as did Constantine Maroulis in Season 4, and Matt Giraud in Season 8. When I first listened to it, I didn't love it, but after watching it back, I like what she did with the song. She definitely has a great voice. Keith, Randy, and Mariah gave her a standing ovation. Keith praised Amber's technique, saying she made it look easy, and said that she took an "old-fashioned song and made it seem interesting." Nicki called the vocal "A+++" (take that, Mariah), but wondered if Amber's "inner shine would shine through the television." Randy said it would. Mariah said she wanted to smack Amber because it was so good, that she loved her interpretation and can't wait to get her in the studio to make a record.

Left with nearly 30 minutes, you knew they'd drag the decisions out. The judges' chairs (with them seated) rose from underneath the stage, and one by one they revealed their decisions. The judges were unanimous (apparently sort of), so they didn't need cranky Uncle Jimmy to break any ties. Jenny Beth Willis and Brandy Hotard were sent packing (although the judges all praised the latter's work as a psych nurse), then Randy went into his whole "it's such an emotional night for us as judges, blah blah blah" before telling Tenna Torres she made it into the top 10. (Didn't agree with that choice.) Mariah tried telling Kree Harrison she never liked her as a singer, as if that could fake her into believing she didn't make it. (Mariah, the acting thing didn't work in Glitter and it doesn't here.) Isabelle was given the bad news, then Angela Miller got the good news, as did Amber Holcomb. For some reason, they let Kamaria Ousley give a speech before the judges sent her home, saying that she couldn't hear herself during rehearsal and couldn't hear herself during the performance, but she understood. (Kamaria, I heard you, and it wasn't pretty.)

Which left us with one stool and two contestants, the 17-year-olds, Shubha Vedula and Adriana Latonio. They're apparently best friends, and Shubha talked about how they'd keep in touch no matter what. Then, to the surprise of no one, Adriana was told she made it into the top 10, and Shubha was cut. I would have put both of them into the top 10 and cut Tenna, but what can you do?

Tonight? Ten of the top 20 guys sing. I wonder if they only put the bad singers into the top 20 to guarantee a female winner. Hmmm...

My favorite performances of 2012...

I know this post is kind of belated given it's almost the last week of February, but with the Oscars coming up on Sunday night, I thought I'd round up my favorite performances of the year. (And if you haven't already seen it, I recently compiled my list of my favorite movies of 2012 if you're interested.

First of all, here are my picks for the best performances of the Oscar nominees:

Best Actor—Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln: What more can be said about the best performance of the year, perhaps even the last 10 years? And this from a man who has already created one of the most indelible performances in recent film history, Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood. Apparently Liam Neeson was considering playing Lincoln, and while he would have been good, I can't imagine anyone else losing themselves so fully in a role as Day-Lewis did. If he doesn't receive his third Best Actor Oscar on Sunday night, there is something terribly, terribly wrong.

Best Actress—Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty: Chastain, who appeared in five films in 2011 and received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance in The Help, gives a quietly ferocious performance in Kathryn Bigelow's tale of the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. Playing Maya, a dogged CIA agent determined to find the 9/11 mastermind, Chastain sinks her teeth into this role without overacting, but easily runs the gamut of emotions. I don't think she'll win an Oscar (although I hope so), but I expect one is on the horizon.

Best Supporting Actor—Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained: Some say Waltz's virtuoso performance as bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz is a retread of his Oscar-winning performance in Inglourious Basterds. I disagree, but even if it was, this man had me marveling at his every line, every gesture, every nuance. While much of his performance is played for laughs, there's a brave tenderness underneath as well. It would be nice to see him play something completely different in his next pairing with Tarantino, but for now, just relish in this performance.

Best Supporting Actress—Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables: The weight loss and haircut notwithstanding, Anne Hathaway's brief but emotionally riveting performance as Fantine pleased diehard fans of the musical and moved neophytes to tears. While some have said an all-singing performance shouldn't be allowed to win an Oscar (much as Jennifer Hudson's winning turn in Dreamgirls), watch the movie and if you can set aside her phenomenal singing, you'll see some pretty darned impressive acting alongside it. I'd be shocked if she doesn't pick up an Oscar Sunday night.

Here are some additional amazing performances from this past year:

Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant, Amour: Two legends of French cinema teamed up for beautiful but emotionally devastating performances in Michael Haneke's Amour. Playing the long-married couple Georges and Anne, whose lives are torn asunder when Anne's physical condition begins to deteriorate, each occupies a piece of your heart. Riva, who very well may win an Oscar, brings amazing dexterity to a woman in emotional and physical decline, while Trintignant, inexplicably overlooked for an Oscar nod, is the true soul of the movie.

Richard Gere, Arbitrage: I had hoped Richard Gere's brilliant performance as a multimillionaire businessman whose professional and personal life are rapidly disintegrating would net him his first Oscar nomination, but that was not meant to be. This is a nuanced performance, full of shadow and light, and while you may not like his character, Gere's portrayal makes you root for him far more than you would in real life.

John Hawkes, The Sessions: Playing real-life poet Mark O'Brien, whose body was destroyed by polio but not his mind or his spirit, Academy Award nominee John Hawkes (Winter's Bone) spends the entire movie lying flat on his back, head contorted to the side, sometimes confined to an iron lung. His portrayal of a man so determined to lose his virginity in his mid-30s that he hires a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt) is sensitive, humorous, and downright moving, and should have been nominated for an Oscar.

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook: Is it fair for Lawrence to be so talented at such a young age? The girl who was on fire brings raw emotion and power to her performance as Tiffany, a somewhat unstable young widow who uses sex to console herself, yet finds herself unable to seduce the one man she really wants. The entire cast of Silver Linings Playbook is fantastic, particularly Bradley Cooper, but Lawrence is the one you remember most.

Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone: Sure, this movie about two damaged souls (one physically, one mentally) was kind of a downer, but Cotillard's performance was one to savor. Playing a whale trainer severely injured in a freak accident, she not only demonstrated physical dexterity, but emotional dexterity as well. Her character is so determined not to be vulnerable that she doesn't realize just how vulnerable she is.