Karen Kemmerle’s Top 10 Of Everything In 2019

Was I as mesmerized by J.Lo, Constance Wu and the rest of the world in Hustlers? Absolutely. However, my favorite part of the movie is a brief, but memorable turn by Brooklyn based comedian Jon Glaser as Old Navy store manager Mark. After the recession of 2008, the smart, sexy, talented Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) is forced to work at the clothing store to make ends meet. Glaser’s Mark is SUCH an unbelievable asshole to Ramona when she asks to take off early during the holiday season to pick up her daughter. Every bite he takes out of his sandwich is infuriating and the perfect fuel for Ramona’s decision to start her phishing empire.

Where to stream Hustlers

I have always championed Francis Ford Coppola’s unfairly panned The Cotton Club. This period drama features Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Diane Lane and James Remar and centers on the performers and patrons of the famed Cotton Club in Harlem. Plagued with production problems, run time issues and a notoriously bloated budget, The Cotton Club has never received its due until this year with the issuance of the Encore edition which finally restored Coppola’s true vision. Beautifully remastered with additional footage, including extended dance sequences featuring the legendary Hines, this version of The Cotton Club is true treat for any cinephile, including me!

Where to stream The Cotton Club Encore: 35th Anniversary Edition

Bless Hannah Brown for giving me countless hours of entertainment this year. From competing for Colton’s heart on The Bachelor, to dealing with her own batch of suitors (and eventual heartbreak) as The Bachelorette, to winning the mirror ball trophy on Dancing With The Stars, this little Alabaman became America’s new sweetheart. Move the fuck over, young Julia Roberts! With her luminous smile, sometimes vacant eyes, and unparalleled way with words (or lack there of), Hannah Brown is a true gift to reality-TV lovers, especially me.

Where to stream The Bachelor

Michael Sheen is having the time of his life on Prodigal Son and so am I! The esteemed British actor plays Dr. Martin Whitley, a serial killer dubbed “The Surgeon” by the press. When his son Malcolm informs him during prison visiting hours that he wants to join the FBI, Martin is understandably skeptical because…Malcolm is the son of a SERIAL KILLER. Kind of a liability, ya think? Anyways, Michael Sheen’s line delivery is so on point it slays me every time.

Where to stream Prodigal Son

I have always been only a casual fan of Adam Brody (I was more of a Ryan Atwood girl), but this year, he really won me over. On the ABC comedy Single Parents, Brody is just delightful as Derek, former metal rocker/now fast food employee and Angie’s baby daddy, who wants to have a relationship with his son. Honestly, watching him play opposite real-life wife Leighton Meester was such a sweet experience that it gave me a toothache. Watching him play opposite Taran Killiam made me regularly laugh-cry.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Brody starred in Ready Or Not as Daniel Le Domas, a man who is forced to hunt and sacrifice his new sister-in-law to keep his family in good standing with Satan. Yes, it’s a lot to take on. However, having witnessed another sacrifice as a boy, Daniel has grown disillusioned and detached from the Le Domas clan. Brody conveys Daniel’s guilt, anger, duty, and eventual rebellion so convincingly that you can’t help being pulled into his nightmare world.

Where to stream Single Parents

Where to stream Ready or Not

Tired of seeing the same old zombie apocalypse? Me too! Netflix’s Black Summer offered an intensely brutal and disorienting take on the familiar genre. With only eight episodes in the first season running at varying lengths (the longest episode is 44 minutes, the shortest episode is only 20 minutes), this binge-watcher’s dream of a series was all killer, no filler. In the midst of all the zombie carnage and human cruelty, Black Summer manages to find meaningful and moving connections between its characters. I personally can’t wait for Season 2.

Where to stream Black Summer

One of my favorite things is when actors sing in movies. Bonus if they can actually sing well! In Her Smell, Elisabeth Moss turns in a truly stunning performance as Becky Something, a famous punk rocker whose violent mood swings, addictions and destructive behavior ruin her career and family. Later, during her recovery years spent in an isolated house, her daughter asks Becky to play her a song. Moss performs a tender cover of Bryan Adams’ “Heaven” and accompanies herself on the piano. It’s truly a beautiful moment and Moss hits every one of Becky’s emotional notes—happiness, sadness, regret, strength, and love—perfectly.

Where to stream Her Smell

This season of The Real Housewives Of Potomac kept me sane in 2019. While I could have made a top 10 list of moments from this Bravo franchise alone, one event stood out in particular: Katie’s hoedown party. All the storylines from the season collided in one chaotic afternoon: Candiace v. Ashley round 2; new allegations against Ashley’s husband Michael; Gizelle’s glorious pot-stirring; Robyn not knowing when to keep her mouth shut; Ashley and Karen rehashing their past fight; and finally, Candiace and a very pregnant Monique getting into it about their friendship, which prompted Candiace to say one of the series’ now-iconic lines, “Drag me, Monique!” It would be an honor and a privilege to be dragged by Monique after this fantastic fourth season.

Where to stream The Real Housewives of Potomac

I don’t know who was more excited when Jerry O’Connell got a limited-run talk show this year, me or him. Probably him, but as a die-hard O’Connell fan, I really enjoyed seeing him live his best life: performing sketches; telling stories about his family; doing man-on-the-street interviews; and, talking to his favorite Housewives. His enthusiasm, humor and endless reality-TV knowledge brought a smile to my face every single morning.

Haters might have doubted Renee Zellweger’s abilities to play the iconic and troubled singer, but my girl is going to be laughing all the way to the awards podium! It would have been so easy for Renee to camp up all of Judy Garland’s mannerisms and just impersonate her, but instead, she infuses her performance with the singer’s fragility, resiliency, and her tragic tendency to self-destruct. A credible singer, Zellweger gamely performs all the songs in the film with the singer’s trademark bravado and passion. Go get your second Oscar, girl!

Where to stream Judy