WTOP's Best of 2012

The Hunger Games

Directed by: Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark), Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne), Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy)
Rated: PG-13

Based on the book by Suzanne Collins, "The Hunger Games" pits child against child as 12 children from 12 districts fight to the death in a competition in which only one can remain standing.

In his review, WTOP Film Critic Jason Fraley says the book was practically made for the screen.

"Ross does a faithful job at bringing the book's small details to the screen, from the three-finger crowd salute, to Peeta standing to the right of Katniss as they enter the Games," he says. "Their flaming entrance is everything I imagined it would be (a literal "Chariots of Fire"), and the arrow-through-the-apple scene translates perfectly."

The production generated $152,535,747 its opening weekend in the United States in March.

Homeland

Producers: Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa
Starring: Claire Danes (Carrie Mathison), Damian Lewis (Nicholas Brody), Morena Baccarin (Jessica Brody)
Premiered: Oct. 2, 2011
Awards: 2012 primetime Emmy for outstanding drama series, 2012 Golden Globe for best TV series

The series chronicles the life of CIA officer Carrie Mathison, who learns that a U.S. Marine taken prisoner by terrorists has been turned against the United States.

Call Me Maybe


By: Carly Rae Jepsen
Awards: MTV's 2012 song of the year, 2013 Grammy nominee for song of the year and best pop solo performance of the year

Carly Rae Jepsen's single became an instant hit after Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez made a parody video to the song in February 2012. The original video has more than 369,319,000 views on YouTube, and the song is the first from a Canadian female singer to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart since Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" in 2007.

Some Nights

By: fun.
Genre: Indie pop
Label: Fueled by Ramen
Released: Feb. 21, 2012
Awards: 2013 Grammy nominee for album of the year and best pop vocal album

Some Nights is the second album by fun. and has sold more than 811,000 copies as of December. The title track, "Some Nights," reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Mumford & Sons

Album: Babel
Released: September 2012.
Members: Marcus Mumford, "Country" Winston
Marshall, Ben Lovett, Ted Dwane
Genre: Indie folk, folk rock
Awards: 2013 Grammy nominee for album of the year, best rock performance and best rock song

This English band has gained popularity in the United States in the past few years. Their second album, "Babel," had the biggest selling debut in the U.S. in 2012 -- selling 600,000 copies in the first week. The debut surpassed Justin Bieber's, "Believe," which held the record for first week sales at 374,000 copies.

Gotye

Album: "Making Mirrors"
Awards: 2013 Grammy nominee for best pop duo/group performance and best alternative music album

Australia's Wouter "Wally" De Backer (aka Gotye) reached international fame with his single "Somebody That I Used to Know." The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. With more than 359 billion views, the music video has become one of YouTube's most-watched videos of all time. Gotye released two albums prior to "Making Mirrors."

Adele

Album: 21
Released: 2011
Genre: Soul, R&B, Pop
Awards: 2013 Grammy nominee for best pop solo performance, 2011 and 2012 Billboard artist of the year, 2012 Billboard album of the year

English singer-songwriter Adele Laurie Blue Adkins -- better known as Adele -- came on the scene in 2008 with her debut album "19." Her second album, "21," was the longest-running number one album by a female artist in the United States and England. Last year, Adele took home six Grammy awards, tying the record for the most Grammys won by a female artist.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Role: President Abraham Lincoln in "Lincoln"
Awards: 2013 Golden Globe nominee for best actor, 2008 Oscar for best actor in a leading role ("There Will be Blood"), 1990 Oscar for best actor in a leading role ("My Left Foot")

WTOP Film Critic Jason Fraley says in his "Lincoln" review that Daniel Day-Lewis' performance as President Lincoln is his best yet.

"I sat staring at the screen, having to pinch myself a few times that this was indeed Day-Lewis and not the living, breathing Lincoln himself," Fraley says.

Jennifer Lawrence

Roles: Katniss Everdeen ("The Hunger Games"), Tiffany ("Silver Linings Playbook"), Elissa ("House at the End of the Street")
Awards: 2012 MTV Movie Award for best female performance, 2013 Golden Globe nominee for best actress ("Silver Linings Playbook")

WTOP Film Critic Jason Fraley says in his "Silver Linings Playbook" review that Lawrence had the best performance in the film.

"Known to teens everywhere as Katniss Everdeen in 'The Hunger Games' (2012), Lawrence plays Tiffany with the look of Juliette Lewis and the intensity of her Oscar-nominated performance in 'Winter's Bone' (2010)," Fraley says. "Her performance is just the right blend of feisty and vulnerable, becoming the moral compass of the film and a potential Oscar nominee."

Robert Griffin III

Team: Washington Redskins
Position: Quarterback

The Redskins draft pick has paid off and then some. Before Sunday's NFC division match-up against the rival Dallas Cowboys, the rookie has thrown for 3,100 yards in the burgundy and gold, connecting for 20 touchdowns and has a 66.4 percent completion rate. Griffin's five interceptions are in stark contrast to any Washington QB in the last few years. No. 10 jerseys are selling like hot cakes across the nation's capital as the city is reinvigorated by the athletic prowess of the lightning bolt from Baylor.

In this Dec. 23, 2012, file photo, Washington Redskins' Robert Griffin III throws a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia. Griffin was selected to the Pro Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Perez, File)

Katie Ledecky

Team: U.S. women's swimming
Awards: 2012 Olympic gold medal in 800-meter freestyle

A 15-year-old athlete from Bethesda, Md. Katie Ledecky won the support of D.C. area residents when she competed in her first Olympic Games in London this summer. Ledecky, the youngest member of the U.S. swim team, attends Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda. In August, Ledecky talked to WTOP about her Olympic experience. "I think the key to that race was just the confidence," Ledecky said, "and knowing I'd put in all the training and was ready to go." (WTOP/Paul Shinkman)

Satellite Room

2047 9th St. NW, Washington D.C., 20001

Located directly behind the 9:30 Club, Satellite Room is the city's newest option for grabbing a bite to eat before a show. The diner-style restaurant's late-night hours (it's open until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on the weekends) also makes it a great place to fuel up with friends after a concert -- possibly at a table next to the band.

Satellite Room serves a variety of comfort food fare, like burgers, pancakes, pot pie and meatloaf, but it is best known for its "adult" milkshakes. Drinks like the Linus Van Pelt (peanut butter and whiskey), the Vincent Vega (vanilla with bourbon) and the Archie Leach (strawberry with gin) grace the menu alongside other libations, including a craft beer selection.

Newtown Shooting

On Dec. 14, tragedy swept the nation when 20-year-old Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. and killed 20 children and six adults, including the school principal. The massacre was the second-deadliest school shooting in United States history, following a shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007 when 33 people were killed.

In this photo provided by the Newtown Bee, Connecticut State Police lead a line of children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 after a shooting at the school. (AP Photo/Newtown Bee, Shannon Hicks)