Top 10: Best Movies of 2012

To say I'm a movie enthusiast is an understatement; movies are unique mediums for storytelling. It's been a particularly impressive year for movies not just because of the sheer number of exceptional releases, but also because of the incredible variety. Since the nominees for the Oscars are going to be announced tomorrow, I figured it would be a good time to think about my favorite movies of 2012:

10. The Master

This film was never going to be a commercial success, it was marketed as a smart, slow paced, psychological thriller. It was thought-provoking, perplexing, haunting, and engaging all at once. The casting was excellent; the combination of Joaquin Pheonix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams worked well. If you're looking for a movie that makes you think, then this one's for you.

9. Les Miserables

This was my most anticipated film of the year, and unfortunately it didn't quite live up to the hype. Still, it was the best movie musical since Chicago, which is a huge accomplishment. It was unique, well acted, and most importantly it was emotionally engaging. Anne Hathaway was particularly impressive, and she will most likely be the front runner for best supporting actress. I would recommend this to anyone who likes musicals.

8. Django Unchained

Very few movies can keep me entertained throughout, especially for over two hours. In fact, that was my main reason for excluding Skyfall- its pacing was noticeably clunky, and there were twenty minute chunks when I was thoroughly bored. On the other hand, Quentin Tarantino delivered a movie with exceptional pacing.It was bold, violent, over the top, and a lot of fun. I was impressed by Christoph Waltz's exceptional acting, which made up for the lackluster performances of Jamie Foxx and Leonadria DiCaprio. If you're a fan of Tarantino, it doesn't get much better than this.

7. Your Sister's Sister

This was a great year in general for romantic comedies. The plot and script were well crafted and unique, but what set this one apart was the brilliant acting from Emily Blunt and Mark Duplass. Rosemarie Dewitt was also excellent in the role of supporting actress. The characterization was excellent, and the story seemed believable. I would recommend this to anyone who likes romantic comedies.

6. Beasts of the Southern Wild

I hadn't heard much about this one before I watched it, so I didn't know what to expect. By the end, I was truly moved. Although it was framed as a film about post-natural disaster survival, it was all about adventure, wonder, growing up, and the power of imagination. It beautifully captured the evolving relationship between a child and her father as they went on a wondrous journey. Quvenzhane Wallis gives an absolutely amazing performance, and even at 9 years old she deserves a nomination for best actress. There was nothing else quite like this in 2012. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fantastical adventure movie.

5. Moonrise Kingdom

This movie was about two kids who run away together and fall in love. This was one of the films on the list that hinged on unique, stylistic direction. It could have been a conventional, run-of-the-mill experience and it still would have been enjoyable. However, Wes Anderson made this story smart and fresh. The characters were quirky and charming, the plot was a little crazy, and it was an absolute delight throughout. Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, and Bill Murray were great choices for supporting roles. Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman really impressed as the leads, with performances that captured the awkwardness and purity of young love. I would recommend this heartwarming, feel-good movie to anyone.

4. Zero Dark Thirty

The top four were tough to figure out. They were all exceptional films in their own right. This movie, about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, was extremely well crafted. Jessica Chastain delivered a spectacular performance as always, and the supporting cast worked well. While some argued that the portrayal of torture was controversial and unnecessary, I wholeheartedly disagreed. It was the attention to details that made it so compelling, and without that the pacing would have been too slow. It was the best political thriller I've seen in years.

3. Lincoln

This was one of many films this year that enjoyed both critical praise and huge commercial success. It was the only film on this list that I would absolutely recommend watching in theaters. The dialogue and direction was so engaging, that it would be a shame not to experience this with an enthusiastic group on the big screen. Particularly the subtle humor helped to capture the movie theater experience. Daniel Day Lewis gave yet another spot-on performance as Abe Lincoln, and he will surely be the front runner for best actor. The supporting cast of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Strathairn, James Spader, Sally Field, and Tommy Lee Jones was phenomenal. I would recommend this to anyone.

2. Argo

Ben Affleck has become my favorite director. He accomplishes what most directors consider unrealistic; he creates movies that are engaging, complex, and smart while maintaining accessibility to any audience - and he does this on a consistent basis. Oh yeah, did I mention he also delivered a wonderful performance as the protagonist? The plot, based on true events, was unique and dramatize just enough to remain believable. Going to see Argo was the most fun I had watching any movie this year. This was truly a film made for movie lovers.

1. Silver Linings Playbook

The director, David Russell, chose the monumental task of balancing comedy, drama, a tricky theme, and complex character development - and he achieved that balance with perfection. For that, he deserves the award for best director. Each character, including the supporting roles, had incredible depth and complexity. This movie demonstrated the healing powers of love. It shows us that we're all a little crazy sometimes, and that is not only okay - but it should be celebrated. The acting was immaculate. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper both delivered the best performances of their careers, and they will both most likely be nominated for best actress/ best actor respectively. In fact, I believe they deserve to win. The subtle genius of the acting and the dialogue sticks with you long after the movie is over. Every time I see this movie (and I've seen it three times already), I've enjoyed it even more. It will make you cry; it will make you laugh; it will make you think. Go see it !

Being Honest to Myself

Wow, this semester has been unbelievably crazy. So many ups and downs, so many mistakes made, but also so many lessons learned- So many conflicts, not just with other people but also internally. It’s almost like there were two versions of me. One version that appealed to my rationality – what made sense to me based on my own experiences – then one version that appealed to my emotions (my vulnerable self) or what I felt in my heart– what I didn’t necessarily have control over, which honestly terrified me. I liked to think of myself as a strong person, and I had a pretty defined version of inner strength (which was absurd in retrospect). I liked to think I had control over most situations or over myself, but I’ve realized this isn’t always the case. This misunderstanding consisted of a lot of emotional repression and confusion. But that has completely changed over the semester. The conflicts between my rational perspective and my emotional perspective have really forced me to tackle issues in different ways. These conflicts made me question myself:

Why do I care about people who don’t necessarily show me the same consideration or kindness? Why do I put myself in vulnerable situations when I know it’s going to lead to me getting hurt? Why do I feel taken advantage of even when I know that someone values me or their intentions are good? Why do I try really hard to maintain relationships that will not be rewarding in the long run? Why do little things bother me – and why do some huge things not affect me at all? Why do I think about people in my life so much throughout my day? None of these questions have concrete answers right now. I’ve pondered them and analyzed them quite a bit, but I haven’t reached a real conclusion.

This is who I am. I care about the people in my life – they make such a huge difference to me on a regular basis even when they don’t know it or don’t understand the depth of it. The little things count - in fact they are sometimes more important to me. I try my best to express it and make it known – but people express it in different ways. I invest myself so much into the relationships in my life. Still, occasionally I take for granted the amazing people in my life- and I think everyone can relate to that.

The most important realization I’ve made based on my experiences this semester is that we’re all human – I make many mistakes – I hurt people even when I don’t realize it. And even if I know I am hurting someone, I don’t always have control over it. Sometimes I put hours and hours of consideration into important decisions but still make the wrong choice. Even when I know I’m making the best decision for myself, it can still be painful and difficult to accept. Part of this realization is accepting the fact that everyone in my life will hurt me, people will make mistakes – the fact that I trust someone enough to be vulnerable around them means that they have the ability to hurt me. But there is true strength in vulnerability – and that is a simple concept to articulate but extremely difficult for me to accept and live by.

Despite all of this, I’ve realized how beautiful it is to have love in my heart for people I care about. Love can be selfish – I like to be a big part of my friends’ lives – I like to think I make a big difference and that I am contributing positively. I like to think people need me. This isn’t always the case – but I’ve realized what an important thing it is to continue to care about people and truly support those in my life – to know that I would do anything for those I love even if I don’t have to all the time. To transcend the selfishness of it all – is something special. It doesn’t make me weak, it doesn’t mean I’m being taken advantage of – it just means I have love in my heart, which is a wonderful thing. No matter how many times I am hurt, feel weak, or feel discouraged, the fact that I can persist and love those around me means I’m maturing as a human being. It’s always going to be a struggle, because that’s the nature of it – but I’m truly blessed and so glad that I haven’t lost the ability to love, to care, to trust, and to be vulnerable. Thank you.

What Are You Thankful For?

A couple of months ago I got some incredibly useful advice from a good friend: Every morning as you wake up, think of three things you are grateful for in your life. Even though it may seem silly at first, I've been doing this for a few months, and it has made a big difference in my overall mood when I wake up (especially since I'm not a morning person). There are no real limitations on what you can list, and there are no right or wrong answers. At a certain point this process becomes a habit and can help you wake up with a positive mindset - which can make a huge difference, particularly on days when you need to be productive. Over time, I've noticed that what I'm thankful for in my life generally falls into a few categories. As cheesy as it is to post on Thanksgiving, I figured there is no better time to share:

Friends:

"See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little. " - Pope John XXIII

I am truly thankful for the wonderful friends who help me maintain a balance, not only within our friendships but in life in general. To me, friends are people who I can always count on and who accept me for who I am - but also challenge me to learn from my mistakes, reach my goals, and improve. They are people who strive to understand me but who also help me understand myself and the world better over time. That balance is not easy reach and it continually changes for everyone. To my friends, I cannot even begin to express the depth of my gratitude. 

Places:

"You can fall in love at first sight with a place as with a person."  -Alec Waugh

There are so many places I am thankful for. Sometimes it's the school's tennis court, where I can keep my mind off of everything. Then there's my local coffee shop where I've met some of my favorite people, written some of my favorite poems, read some of my favorite books, and tasted some of the best coffee. Often it's the dock, which can serve as a quiet place of deep thought as well as a place of pure relaxation. I can't forget the Sunken Gardens, where I've done everything from marveling at the beauty of the stars in the night sky to streaking as a part of the triathlon. Each time I visit these places I have wonderful experiences, but they also remind me of previous memorable experiences. I love finding places that make me feel at home and comfortable, even when I'm somewhere new. 

Objects:

“Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.” - Percy Shelley

Often there are material objects in my life that hold meaning only I understand, and we all have objects that hold special meaning to us. They remind of us wonderful times and people in our lives. I have a friendship bracelet that I made with my best friend from middle school, and I still smile every time I see it. I have a song my friend and I recorded from years ago, and I still laugh hysterically when I hear it. I have a journal of poetry that I've kept since high school, and it's still fun to see how my writing has changed over time. However, Even things without sentimental value that we see on a regular basis can trigger emotions or inspire us. My favorite poets of the romantic era often wrote odes to objects that seemed mundane or ordinary, but framed them in a way that made them seem beautiful. John Keats believed that everything was beautiful, but that each object required a different kind of light to reveal its true beauty. For me, our campus is an example. Although I enjoy walking through campus during the day, something about the night sky above the scenic campus is just more beautiful to me. Everything, from the leaves and trees to the lights seems slightly different, and it is all peaceful. 

Through this process I've become much more appreciative of all that I have in my life. You'd be surprised at how much just stopping and thinking about it can do - So I challenge you to do so: What are you thankful for?

The Beauty of Unpredictability

It's been a while since I last posted, and I want to take some time to share my thoughts. The past few weeks have been absolutely crazy. By "crazy" I don't mean bad, but just incredibly unpredictable. At times like these, I like to look back and reflect on each situation so that I can take away important lessons for the future. 

Academically, it's been a challenge. Although my grades have been good by most standards, I haven't been satisfied by my level of efficiency with time. I often spend hours reading and trying to digest information without feeling like I actually learned much. Most of my classes focus on pure memorization without any practical application. With the exception of my poetry class (which is only once a week) and the occasional interesting lecture in global history, my classes have been uninteresting to me. Much of my time devoted to academics seems to be a waste. However, I've managed to find motivation; I can't even pinpoint exactly what is motivating me. Grades certainly don't at this point, and I'm not interested in the classes - perhaps I'm still riding the wave of motivation from the beginning of the semester. Regardless, I'm glad that I've put in enough time to do well in all my classes - and I hope that I can improve my efficiency or develop more of an interest in some of the material. 

At home, I am continuing to develop stronger relationships with my siblings and my parents. I rarely talk to my little brother but am still very close with him. I have been putting forth more of an effort in terms of keeping up with my sisters. Although it has been less than rewarding at times, it has still helped me to feel more connected with them - and ultimately will help to get along better with them despite our huge differences. My attempts with my parents have been less than successful. I want to believe that my parents will be understanding and somewhat flexible (and they have improved drastically over the past few years), but for some reason I just don't. I have accepted that they won't see eye to eye with me on a variety of important issues. Despite these differences, both of them have put in much more of an effort, and so I owe them the same - but my expectations are low especially after the past few weeks. There is a consistent pattern of overreacting and crossing the line without any attempts at reconciliation, and this makes being open or trusting them much more difficult. The biggest struggle by far is communication - not only a language barrier but a culture barrier as well. Regardless of the difficulty of the process, I truly believe that my relationships with siblings and parents will improve and strengthen as a result.

My personal life has been a mix between a sitcom and an excessively dramatic soap opera. All I can do is laugh when I look back at the unpredictability of it. What's most funny to me is that this was the part of my life I was expecting not to be complicated when I first got back on campus, but things don't always go according to plan. The most difficult part of this goes back to maintaining balance. I've had trouble finding enough time to spend with my close friends while also developing new close relationships. One of the solutions which has worked well has been mixing my various groups of friends. This process has helped me to get to know my existing friends in different ways while also getting to know new people more quickly. 

While efficiency seems out of place in terms of personal relationships, it has helped me to organize them in a much better way while also identifying the traits I look for before developing them on any level. Over the past few weeks, my relationships with several of my close friends have changed dramatically. As a result, I've had to consider a variety of adjustments. 

Ultimately, the conclusion I've come to is that I should focus on positive aspects of each relationship. If  that becomes hard work, then there is a problem. If a relationship is no longer rewarding, there need to be big changes. These kinds of changes can be frustrating, stressful, and even hurtful for those involved. However, if you know you're making the right choice for you, the changes will empower you and lead to a happier and healthier life. 

At what point does a relationship become not worth it? That's something I've always struggled to answer. It's difficult to weigh or quantify, but you can tell overall when someone is a negative part of your life. If you identify that, then- and only then- can you make the necessary changes in your life. This process is something that everyone can relate to. As life moves forward you change, your relationships change, your friends change, and circumstances change. It's impossible to predict what the future holds, but it's important to consider what is in your control - the people you surround yourself with. On a personal level, I've learned so much in just a few weeks - and this will help me as I develop existing relationships as well as form new ones in the future. 

Despite the fact that large parts of my life have been so unpredictable, I have maintained a consistently positive outlook throughout. In fact, I feel happier now knowing that I've been able to overcome such a variety of obstacles all at once and have learned from my mistakes. I woke up today more energized, refreshed, and stress free than I have in over a month - and I have peace of mind: No matter what life throws my way, no matter where life takes me, I know that things will work out. This peace of mind allows me to embrace the beauty of unpredictability and the craziness of life, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead. 

A Walk to Remember

One of my favorite daily activities is a late night walk. Something about night time, particularly in the summer, is soothing and peaceful to me. These walks can serve different roles. Sometimes I just reflect on what I did that day. Other times it can help to clear my mind or relax. Very rarely, I'll have a particularly memorable experience during a walk. Tonight I experienced one that I will never forget:

The day had gone by rather quickly, and the weather was absolutely crazy. It went from the perfect weather to a huge lightning storm and strong winds. I was watching the storm through the window of the restaurant with my friend, waiting for it to settle down if only a bit. Finally the rain stopped, and the weather was calm. It felt like the perfect time for a walk. The air was warm and humid, the sky was surprisingly clearing up, and the city seemed peaceful. Just as I was about to leave, she asked to join me for the walk. Although I prefer going on walks alone, I politely welcomed her to join me. This was going to be the last night of my visit to Richmond, and I wanted to mix it up. I had taken the path from the apartment to the VCU  campus several times before, so I decided to walk down the path near the river. After visiting the very scenic James River earlier that day, we were excited to experience its beauty at night.

When we got to the river path, it was absolutely beautiful. The lights around the city contrasted wonderfully with the night sky. The sound of water streaming was soothing and peaceful. The air was even more moist, but also refreshing and cool. I was convinced that the James River was most beautiful at night.

After some time on the bridge near the river, we began walking down the path. At first, we talked more in depth about the same topics that came up during dinner, and those that came up almost every time we talked. With her, the topics of conversation were usually pretty lighthearted, like our favorite TV shows, food, movies, and daily events in our respective lives. She loved joking around, was constantly smiling or laughing, and just always seemed to enjoy life. Not only that, but she helped others around her to appreciate life as well. That's part of what made her such an amazing person. 

We stopped halfway through and decided to sit down for a while. The look on her face changed from the familiar smile to a look of concern. I knew what she was going to bring up. Recently, her mother, who was a single parent and who she was incredibly close to, had died from complications after heart surgery. I had met her mother several times, but didn't know her that well. Although I talked to her a few times about it, I never tried to bring it up myself - and we never really talked about the situation in depth. I sat there, waiting for her to say something, but there was only silence. 

Suddenly, after a few minutes of silence, she started to cry. She was sobbing uncontrollably and tears were streaming down her face. I didn't know how to react. I put my arm around her and tried to comfort her. It felt like her body had collapsed, and she buried her face on my shoulder. What she was feeling was so directly portrayed by the look on her face and in her eyes. All I was thinking was that I wished she didn't have to go through this. Still there were no words. She continued to hold on tightly, and I felt her warmth as she grabbed my hand. We sat there for what seemed like ages. 

I could tell she had stopped crying, and there was no more sobbing or sniffling. Even though it was dark, I could see the redness and swelling in her eyes. Finally, she spoke -"I can't imagine life without her" Again, I didn't know what I could possibly say or do. I just told her that I was sorry, and that I wished she didn't have to go through such a tough loss. She nodded and sat up. She began to tell me a story about how she and her mother used to make blueberry pancakes every morning before church since she was a young child. Again, the look of sadness on her face was so clear, even as she was attempting to smile. She got up and started to wipe the tears from her face, and we continued walking down the path. 

She shared several more stories about her mother throughout the rest of the walk. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to every one of them, and I could tell she enjoyed recalling and sharing her experiences. As she was telling them, her face was lighting up and she was smiling more and more. By the end of the walk, she seemed to be back to normal. It felt surreal after sharing such a powerful moment of sadness and devastation, and I knew that I would never forget that moment. Even so, as I looked at her smiling and sharing memories, I knew that things would turn out alright for her - and that was all I needed. 

Late Night Thoughts

I want to preface this post with a couple of things. First, this is going to be much deeper and more personal than most of my other blog posts, and it's pretty lengthy. Also, these are just some late night thoughts without much coherency, so I apologize in advance. I'm running on very little sleep over the past few days, but I still felt this was worth posting. I often have these random adventures in my mind, usually when I'm driving or taking a late night walk - and I think sometimes it's worth putting these thoughts on paper: 

I was cruising on the interstate, relaxing music playing in the background, headed to West Virginia. I was looking forward to visiting my college roommate, and one of my best friends. I never got a chance to hang out with him much the semester he graduated. Surely the weekend would be fun, but there were so many thoughts going through my head. There were so many memories and experiences. There were some wonderful high points, and difficult low points. For the first time it really hit me just how much having such a close friend for a roommate meant to me over three years. Thinking about all of the experiences we had together put a big smile on my face. I began to wonder how I could possibly articulate this sentiment, and I was grateful that I would at least have an opportunity to do so that weekend.

My mind began to wander, and I started to think about all the people in my life who I didn't get to say goodbye to last semester. There were many of my closest friends who graduated, they had put up with all my craziness, and I was never afraid to be myself around them. And that was so important to me - it was because of them that I truly began to understand the value of being myself and of letting my guard down. I didn't feel pressure to change myself in any way - just being me was always good enough. I knew that I had taken many of them for granted, and I guess I just never got a chance to truly thank them for everything. It's a good possibility that many of them will never know how much better my college experience has been because of them.It's an interesting and common theme, if you think about it: You make much more of a difference than you know. 

For some reason, I started to think about how well I got to know so many of my friends at school and how my relationships developed and the dynamics changed throughout the years. I also thought about how coming to WM affected my relationships with those at home. I realized that I got much closer to many of my friends from home while I was in Williamsburg. I started to wonder: Why? Maybe it was because I valued having people around me who I was comfortable with. After all, coming to school and having to form all new relationships with people took a lot of energy. Going back home allowed me to go back into my comfort zone. I also felt what I valued in my friends changed significantly after my first year at WM, and so I felt that my relationships with those at home had to evolve in some ways. There are probably several more reasons I don't truly understand - but I can say that I have very much enjoyed adding more depth to my existing relationships. 

This question kept running through my mind: How well do you know the people in your life? How well do they know you? Relationships work in complicated ways, and there are so many factors to consider. I was thinking about all of my friends at WM. It was odd to me that most of my closest friends at school, I had only known for a year or less. Logically, I would think my closest friends would be those who I'd known for a long period of time. There was not one factor that logically explained the dynamics of the relationships I had with my friends at school. It always confused me, but especially since my semester off I had come to appreciate the randomness of that aspect of my life. 

What I now think is that you just get along best with people who are truly similar to you - and while that sounds simple at first it is truly complicated. There's a significant difference between what people project and who they truly are. From my experiences, this is always the case whether they admit it or not. The best explanation I have is that I just click with people who are truly like me - but it's difficult to find those people. Many of my closest friends seem much different from me. Everyone deals with insecurities and so much pressure, and it can be tough to be yourself around people who you feel are so different from you. I can count on one hand how many people I feel truly know me and understand me on a deeper level. These are the people who make me truly happy, and who I care about enough to share important aspects of my life with. As I develop new relationships, that can be discouraging and frustrating- because there are some people I know who will never truly understand me. But it's also exciting to know that there are many people out there who I will be able to form close bonds to in the future and share wonderful experiences with. 

I started to think about all the people in my life who impacted me significantly. My parents and siblings came to mind first. It's something I never felt like I had to express, kind of like an unspoken agreement. I love my family and family members love me- and at the end of the day regardless of any disagreements that's what matters most. The relationship was pretty straightforward. I then thought of all of my favorite teachers and some childhood friends, and I wondered if I would ever be in touch with some of them again. Strangely I didn't feel pressure to get in contact with any of them though. A thought occurred to me that seems fairly obvious now, but was like an epiphany at the time: life goes on, no matter how many friends you gain or lose. People change, circumstances change, relationships change, and so much is out of your control - but You'll always have wonderful memories, and they will make you smile and laugh. It's important to know that you'll always find new experiences and people to share them with. 

At last, my mind wandered back to all of the people who I wish I could have said goodbye to - and I had the widest smile on my face. The thoughts of all the fun conversations and experiences I had with them flooded in and warmed my heart. I was feeling true gratification thinking about such meaningful relationships with amazing people. At that moment I also realized that there isn't always a right time to say goodbye, and sometimes goodbyes aren't necessary at all. All I could hope for was that when any one of them thought about all the wonderful memories, that they would feel this level of joy, and maybe smile or laugh, too. I knew that I had also made a difference in their lives in one way or another - and there's no way to properly describe exactly what I was feeling right then, but I knew that this was what made me happy: Making an impact on those I truly cared about. 

The Perfect Week

My excitement has been building steadily for E3, an electronic entertainment expo where each of the biggest software and hardware developers will gather to discuss details about plans for the rest of the year as well as a general vision for the future. We'll get to see all of the most anticipated titles from a variety of developers including Nintendo, Ubisoft, Naughty Dog, and Electronic Arts. It will be an incredibly busy week to say the least. I'll be carefully watching each press conference and writing furiously throughout the four days of the expo. Here's a rundown of each day for anyone interested in the abundance of coverage that will be provided:

Day 1: This year Nintendo will be kicking off the conference with arguably the biggest press conference of the event. Out of the three hardware developers (Microsoft and Sony are the other two) Nintendo is the only one that will introduce and provide details for a new console. The Wii U received mixed reactions when it was first unveiled, and Nintendo has a lot to prove at this year's E3. The tablet controller is the main feature of the console, as well as an upgrade to high definition graphics. However, it is still a mystery and has been redesigned a few times since it was unveiled. The key is going to be the software lineup available at launch. After a disappointing launch to the 3DS, Nintendo has learned that the software lineup is crucial to make a console launch successful. Hopefully after the press conference, Nintendo will be able to convince consumers and other developers that their hardware is unique and worth picking up when it's released this fall.

Aside from the Wii U, Nintendo will be discussing an impressive lineup for the 3DS, including games from almost every major 3rd party developer of handheld games. Many are expecting a 3DS lite system to be unveiled at the press conference, which would make sense considering Nintendo's history of redesigning and repackaging handheld systems. A big focus of the 3DS portion of the conference is going to be connectivity with the Wii U, and we have already heard a few developers comment on the expanded connectivity relative to the original DS and the Wii. This is, by far, my most anticipated conference, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what the industry's most innovative have planned for the future.

Day 2: The second day of the conference will be mainly third party exhibitions, with Ubisoft and Activision/Blizzard having the largest presence. Many are looking for details of the next Starcraft 2, Heart of the Swarm, from Blizzard. They will also be announcing a beta for the next WoW expansion. Activision will be unveiling the next Call of Duty game, and they have also promised a new franchise which is both surprising and exciting. I am personally looking forward most to the new franchises and games series that will be introduced. The Last of Us was introduced earlier this year by Naughty Dog, and there are incredibly high expectations from such a reputable studio. More than anything, E3 is about the games, and more details about the biggest titles of the year will be discussed on day 2 than any of the other days. This is also usually the day of the most surprises, which always makes it interesting.

Day 3: Microsoft's presentation will most likely be the most polished as usual, but it is expected to be on the shorter side. Unlike most other years, they will have an extra day to digest the Nintendo press conference and adjust their presentation accordingly. Although Microsoft have said repeatedly that they will not be discussing their next console, there isn't a whole lot else to talk about. Kinect titles have generally received lukewarm reactions. I personally have no interest in Kinect titles or functionality, and if they don't announce any huge first party titles it will be a disappointment. The saving grace for Microsoft could be Halo 4, and hopefully it will be playable on the show floor.

Day 4: The Sony press conference is perhaps the most unpredictable. However, I trust that they will introduce unique first party titles, as well as give details on some of their anticipated titles set to release this year. Like Microsoft, Sony has promised that there will be no announcement of a new console or new hardware. Unlike Microsoft, however, Sony already has first and second party titles to discuss at the conference. It would be smart for Sony to focus on their Playstation Vita software lineup, as it includes a wide variety of titles. Since the Vita needs stronger marketing and more exposure, it would be smart for Sony to focus on the upcoming titles. A price cut would also help to boost sales post E3.

If the Sony conference wasn't exciting enough, I'll be looking forward to the midnight premiere of Prometheus, my most anticipated movie of the year. With an incredible cast, a director with an impeccable history with science fiction films, and a massive budget, expectations are monumentally high.

The Weekend: After four days of coverage, I'll most likely be exhausted. However, the fun doesn't stop there! In fact, most of the entire weekend will be incredibly busy. During the day, I'll be watching and covering MLG Anaheim, a major Starcraft tournament. Friday night I will get to listen to the beautiful 25th Anniversary Zelda orchestra concert. I've already heard many of the songs and they are amazing. Saturday night will be filled with post E3 events, and it should provide a break from all the craziness.

With so many awesome events lined up for the week, it should be an incredible experience. I absolutely cannot wait for this year's E3 week.