Thoughts on Oscar Nominations and Predictions

With just a day to go until the 89th Academy Awards, here are my thoughts on the nominations (and the snubs) as well as my personal picks to win and also my predictions. All-in-one post for efficiency!

BEST PICTURE

• Arrival (8 nominations)
• Fences (4 nominations)
• Hacksaw Ridge (6 nominations)
• Hell or High Water (4 nominations)
• Hidden Figures (3 nominations)
• La La Land (14 nominations)
• Lion (6 nominations)
• Manchester by the Sea (6 nominations)
• Moonlight (8 nominations)

It's La La Land's world and we just live in it. And I couldn't be happier. It's not often that the Oscar front-runner (with a record tying 14 Oscar nominations) is also my favorite film so I've been quite enjoying its dominant awards-season run even with the predictable backlash. If that backlash sticks though Moonlight should benefit and thankfully I really like that film too! Meanwhile don't ask me why Hacksaw Ridge or Hell or High Water were nominated.

SHOULD WIN: La La Land
WILL WIN: La La Land
COULD WIN: Moonlight

BEST DIRECTOR

• Denis Villeneuve, Arrival
• Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
• Damien Chazelle, La La Land
• Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
• Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

I wished this had matched up the DGA nomination with Garth Davis (Lion) replacing Gibson, but alas we can't have everything. I think the other nominees were pretty expected and quite deserving. I'm especially thrilled that Villeneuve made it in for a sci-fi film and that Jenkins could become the first black director to win. But I think no one is beating Chazelle. I think even La La Land detractors would agree that he directed that movie wonderfully.

SHOULD WIN: Damien Chazelle
WILL WIN: Damien Chazelle
COULD WIN: Barry Jenkins

BEST ACTRESS

• Emma Stone, La La Land
• Natalie Portman, Jackie
• Ruth Negga, Loving
• Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
• Isabelle Huppert, Elle

This was a very competitive year for this category that such veterans like Annette Bening and Amy Adams were left out in the cold. The safe bet here is to pick Stone with her winnings the Globes, SAG, and BAFTA. But Portman and Huppert have their staunch fans and they've picked up their share of awards as well (i.e. Stone hasn't steamrolled). And let's give it up for Negga nabbing her first nomination... and of course Streep getting her 20th (!) Oscar nomination.

SHOULD WIN: Emma Stone
WILL WIN: Emma Stone
COULD WIN: Isabelle Huppert

BEST ACTOR

• Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
• Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
• Ryan Gosling, La La Land
• Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
• Denzel Washington, Fences

If there was an acting race, this would be the category to watch. Affleck is the slight frontrunner dominating the awards season, but there was always the hint of a scandal that never coalesced to anything concrete. And Washington is right there on Affleck's heels with his own powerhouse of a performance garnering him the SAG which feels like a shift in the race... or not. What I would give to have Gosling win in a shock (though as much as I love his film, he should've been nominated for The Nice Guys). Then again as happy as I am for Garfield's first nom (should've been for The Social Network), it really should be for Silence and not this film.

SHOULD WIN: Ryan Gosling
WILL WIN: Casey Affleck
COULD WIN: Denzel Washington

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Viola Davis, Fences
• Naomie Harris, Moonlight
• Nicole Kidman, Lion
• Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
• Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

First and foremost I love Davis and I'm so happy she's going to win her first Oscar! And yeah, no one is going to beat her. With that said, it's so clearly a lead role and I'm just a little bit disappointed at the category fraud. She would've been VERY competitive in lead. With that said, I also can't fault her. She's a lock here. If she wasn't here I think Williams could've won her first or perhaps Harris in a "shock" win. Anyways, if Davis wasn't here, who could've snuck in? Greta Gerwig? Janelle Monae?

SHOULD WIN: Viola Davis
WILL WIN: Viola Davis
COULD WIN: Michelle Williams (but she won't)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
• Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
• Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
• Dev Patel, Lion
• Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

Ali is the frontrunner here after dominating the awards season early on, but since then the race has gotten more interesting. He lost to Aaron-Taylor Johnson at the Globes and Patel at BAFTA. Thankfully Johnson wasn't nominated (instead his co-star Shannon deservedly snuck in without much precursor support), but with Lion surging, Patel is still a threat. Bridges' nod is so damn uninspiring. Could've made room instead for Hugh Grant or Ralph Fiennes.

SHOULD WIN: Michael Shannon
WILL WIN: Mahershala Ali
COULD WIN: Dev Patel

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Arrival
• Fences
• Hidden Figures
• Lion
• Moonlight

At the WGA Awards, Arrival won, but it wasn't up against Moonlight which interestingly enough was in the Original Screenplay category and won that award. I think Moonlight will make history and double-dip by winning here. If anything its closest competition is probably the surging Lion or the beloved Fences (to posthumously honor August Wilson) and not Arrival.

SHOULD WIN: Lion
WILL WIN: Moonlight
COULD WIN: Fences

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Hell or High Water
• La La Land
• The Lobster
• Manchester by the Sea
• 20th Century Women

With Moonlight in Adapted, this should be a cakewalk for Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea UNLESS the Oscars want to give La La Land all the awards which it could very well do. I don't think they will, but you never know. I *am* thrilled to see The Lobster and 20th Century Women nominated here. By far the two best scripts in film this year.

SHOULD WIN: The Lobster
WILL WIN: Manchester by the Sea
COULD WIN: La La Land

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

• Land of Mine (Denmark)
• A Man Called Ove (Sweden)
• The Salesman (Iran)
• Tanna (Australia)
• Toni Erdmann (Germany)

I'm a bit sad I haven't seen any of these films yet, but I know I'll eventually see at least Toni Erdmann (the favorite to win) and The Salesman (the very strong possible spoiler). With early favorites Elle and Neruda not making it in, Toni Erdmann is the only other film to receive precursor love, but if the Academy wants to make a political statement look for Asghar Farhadi's The Salesman. Also if you haven't read the joint statement of these filmmakers, you must.

SHOULD WIN: The Salesman
WILL WIN: Toni Erdmann
COULD WIN: The Salesman

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

• Kubo and the Two Strings
• Moana
• My Life as a Zucchini
• The Red Turtle
• Zootopia

I think you know it's a great year in animation when a Finding Nemo sequel is just my fourth favorite animated film of the year and I'm not even sad it's not nominated. Zootopia is the favorite to win and it's also MY favorite animated film of the year, but I did love Moana and Kubo as well and the latter, with its recent BAFTA win, is nipping at the Zootopia's heels. I've also only heard good things about the other two which I haven't seen.

SHOULD WIN: Zootopia
WILL WIN: Zootopia
COULD WIN: Kubo and the Two Strings

BEST FILM EDITING

• Arrival
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Hell or High Water
• La La Land
• Moonlight

All of these are Best Picture nominees and convention says La La Land will take this (and it will deserve it!). But if they want MOST editing, they could possibly go with Hacksaw Ridge or even Hell or High Water. Arrival or Moonlight would be inspired.

SHOULD WIN: La La Land
WILL WIN: La La Land
COULD WIN: Hacksaw Ridge

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Arrival
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Hail, Caesar!
• La La Land
• Passengers

Here's the thing, if it was up to me I'd give La La Land most of the categories it's nominated for. And the Academy could very well think the same thing and give it a win here. With that said, I think Fantastic Beasts and Arrival and maybe even Passengers had some precursor support. The big miss here was The Handmaiden.

SHOULD WIN: La La Land
WILL WIN: Arrival
COULD WIN: Fantastic Beast

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Arrival
• La La Land
• Silence
• Lion
• Moonlight

Probably one of my favorite list of nominees this year. I just think every single nomination here is truly well-deserved as I thought these were five of the most beautiful films I saw this past year. Again convention says La La Land if they want to sweep, but I wouldn't be surprised AT ALL if Moonlight or even Lion took the trophy.

SHOULD WIN: Lion
WILL WIN: Moonlight
COULD WIN: La La Land

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

• "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)," La La Land
• "Can’t Stop the Feeling," Trolls
• "City of Stars," La La Land
• "The Empty Chair," Jim: The James Foley Story
• "How Far I’ll Go," Moana

Last year's winner was deplorable so the Academy can only do better this year! And it's a good list with the exception of the totally random "The Empty Chair." It probably took the spot of "Do Anything" from Zootopia or the totally awesome "Drive It Like You Stole It" from Sing Street. That said, this is La La Land versus Lin-Manuel Miranda's quest to EGOT for his Moana song. He has more than a good possibility I think especially if the two La La Land songs split votes.

SHOULD WIN: "How Far I'll Go"
WILL WIN: "City of Stars"
COULD WIN: "How Far I'll Go"

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

• Jackie
• La La Land
• Lion
• Moonlight
• Passengers

As if the Academy voters aren't going to give the score award to the musical film. I think that's a pretty safe bet. If they are feeling adventurous though this would be the best chance to honor Mica Levy's work in Jackie. Or even poor Thomas Newman (Passengers) with his 14 nominations and 0 wins.

SHOULD WIN: La La Land
WILL WIN: La La Land
COULD WIN: Jackie

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• Allied
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Florence Foster Jenkins
• Jackie
• La La Land 

People are saying La La Land is a safe bet here, but I know more than a few people who wasn't too impressed (they're crazy). But if that's a more widespread feeling then I would think it'd be between Jackie or Florence Foster Jenkins. Unless they feel they must award Colleen Atwood (Fantastic Beasts) with her 4th win. Light a candle for The Dressmaker.

SHOULD WIN: La La Land
WILL WIN: Jackie
COULD WIN: La La Land

BEST SOUND EDITING

• Arrival
• Deepwater Horizon
• Hacksaw Ridge
• La La Land
• Sully

Hacksaw Ridge and Deepwater Horizon were really loud. But La La Land could sweep so...

SHOULD WIN: La La Land
WILL WIN: La La Land
COULD WIN: Hacksaw Ridge

BEST SOUND MIXING

• Arrival
• Hacksaw Ridge
• La La Land
• Rogue One
• 13 Hours

Someday I'll know the difference. Then again many Oscar voters don't. I'd probably just say La La Land again, but I think this will swing to another film. Arrival or Rogue One perhaps?

SHOULD WIN: Arrival
WILL WIN: Rogue One
COULD WIN: La La Land

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Rogue One
• The Jungle Book
• Doctor Strange
• Deepwater Horizon
• Kubo and the Two Strings

I think if I was making the ballot, these would've been my exact same five films. And yes, I'm thrilled that Kubo made it in since that film used VFX so well. Anyways, this is The Jungle Book's award to lose, but weirder things have happened.

SHOULD WIN: Kubo and the Two Strings
WILL WIN: The Jungle Book
COULD WIN: Doctor Strange

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING

• A Man Called Ove
• Star Trek Beyond
• Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad? Really? I would've gladly switched that out with The Dressmaker, Deadpool, or Florence Foster Jenkins. The sad thing is it's probably the frontrunner here too.

SHOULD WIN: Star Trek Beyond
WILL WIN: A Man Called Ove
COULD WIN: Suicide Squad

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

• Fire at Sea
• I Am Not Your Negro
• Life, Animated
• 13th
• O.J.: Made in America

I've only seen the Ava DuVernay's 13th, which I implore everyone to watch. With that said I haven't heard anyone say anything bad about any of these films. Made in America is probably the slight favorite with all of its precursor support, but I still call foul on submitting a 6+ hour miniseries for Oscar consideration.

SHOULD WIN: 13th
WILL WIN: OJ: Made in America
COULD WIN: 13th

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

• Extremis
• 4.1 Miles
• Joe’s Violin
• Watani: My Homeland
• The White Helmets 

I've seen The White Helmets and Extremis since they're both available on Netflix and I meant to see 4.1 Miles and Joe's Violin since they're also available elsewhere online. Without knowing too much about the race, I think The White Helmets might have an edge especially with our current political climate. Or maybe Joe's Violin.

SHOULD WIN: The White Helmet
WILL WIN: The White Helmet
COULD WIN: Joe's Violin

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

• Blind Vaysha
• Borrowed Time
• Pear Cider and Cigarettes
• Pearl
• Piper

Having seen only Pearl and Piper which I thought were both good (though not amazing), I have no earthly idea which of these films is the favorite or even who should win. Your guess is as good as mine.

SHOULD WIN: Piper
WILL WIN: Pearl
COULD WIN: Piper

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

• Ennemis Intérieurs
• La Femme et le TGV
• Silent Nights
• Sing
• Timecode

Saw these last weekend and I think any of them could win for various reasons. My absolute favorite is Timecode which is probably the slightest of them all story-wise, but it's also the most delightful. Sing has a very satisfying arc and some great character work. La Femme et le TGV might attract older voters and it's the only film with a recognizable star (always a plus). The latter two were my least favorites, but they were also the most topical. Ennemis Intérieurs was the better of the two but also the most inert film of the five while Silent Nights is just not good in so many sense.

SHOULD WIN: Timecode
WILL WIN: La Femme et le TGV
COULD WIN: Sing

So where does that all leave me in terms of predictions? I predicted La La Land to walk away with a leading 7 wins including Picture/Director/Actress. With the rest of the wealth shared among a few films namely Moonlight, Manchester by the Sea, Fences, Arrival, etc. And I think Lion, Hell or Hell Water, and Hidden Figures will walk away with no wins. Let's all check back on Sunday and see how wrong I am!

La La Land and Meryl Streep Win at Golden Globes

The most important thing to happen tonight at the Golden Globes is Meryl Streep's speech accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement. She expertly vilified a certain unnamed president "elect," made an impassioned plea for more empathy, and paid tribute to her "dear departed Princess Leia." Like Streep's filmography, her speech had range, was mostly captivating, and certainly already iconic. Other awards were given, many to a certain Los Angeles-set musical and many more to British actors. Jimmy Fallon, with the exception of the fun opening number, stuck with his usual milquetoast bland schtick with almost anyone else going to the stage tonight displaying why they'd be a better host (Viola Davis, Sunny Pawar, Kristen Wiig/Steven Carrell were my personal favorites). Anyways, onwards...

Best Motion Picture, Drama: Moonlight
Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: La La Land
Best Director: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Best Actress, Drama: Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Best Actress, Comedy or Musical: Emma Stone, La La Land
Best Actor, Drama: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actor, Comedy or Musical: Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences
Best Supporting Actor: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals
Best Animated Film: Zootopia
Best Foreign Language Film: Elle
Best Screenplay: La La Land
Best Score: La La Land
Best Song: "City of Stars," La La Land

Awards season frontrunner La La Land dominated, picking up a record breaking 7 awards and winning every category it was nominated for, becoming the winningest film in Globes history. Their haul included Best Comedy/Musical and first Globes to director Damien Chazelle and leads Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. The film awards were bookended with surprise wins, the first to Aaron Taylor-Johnson winning Supporting Actor (many thought, myself included, he had no right of being nominated let alone win) and the last to Moonlight for Best Drama Picture (a delightful turn of events). Isabelle Huppert, Casey Affleck, and Davis won acting awards giving their Oscar chances a boost though only Huppert was the only one that needed it (and I guess Taylor-Johnson as well but I still think/hope/pray his nomination/win here is a fluke). Predictions-wise, I think pretty great going 10 of 14 (12 of 14 with alternates). I was certainly happy that La La Land swept and I hope it happens again at the Oscars.

Best TV Series, Drama: The Crown
Best TV Series, Comedy: Atlanta
Best Actress, Drama: Claire Foy, The Crown
Best Actress, Comedy: Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish
Best Actor, Drama: Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath
Best Actor, Comedy: Donald Glover, Atlanta
Best Mini-Series or TV Movie: The People vs. OJ Simpson
Best Actress, Mini/TV Movie: Sarah Paulson, The People vs. OJ Simpson
Best Actor, Mini/TV Movie: Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
Best Supporting Actress: Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
Best Supporting Actor: Olivia Colman, The Night Manager

For TV, color me surprised that The Night Manager ended up as the most awarded TV show of the night with 3 wins. In retrospect, it really shouldn't have surprised anyone how much love this show would get from the HFPA (all its leads won including an Olivia Colman win that made me jump for joy). The Crown, Atlanta, and The People vs. OJ Simpson won Best Show honors as well as a key acting win each (Claire Foy, Donald Glover, and Sarah Paulson respectively). First time wins by Foy, Glover and Tracee Ellis Ross were a great sight to see. My predictions wasn't so great at 3 of 11 (6 of 11 with alternates) but in general I think the right people, mostly, were awarded.

To end, I have to again go back to Meryl Streep's speech. It's something that can be easily watched in full. You can do so below, courtesy of HFPA's tweet.

At tonight's #GoldenGlobes we honor Hollywood legend Meryl Streep with the prestigious Cecil B. Demille Award. pic.twitter.com/dxpeCDNXY6

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 9, 2017

Golden Globes: Predictions and Hopes

My last post was almost four months ago talking about another awards show so I guess it's fine if I just dive right back in the midst of awards season especially with the Golden Globes happening tonight. No extended thoughts on the nominees, but my predictions and hopes are below.

Best Director
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By the Sea

Will Win: Damien Chazelle
Alternate: Barry Jenkins
Should Win: Either one of those would be fine by me!

Best Motion Picture, Drama
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Lion
Manchester By the Sea
Moonlight

Will Win: Moonlight
Alternate: Manchester by the Sea
Should Win: Happy for either of those, but I'm low-key hoping for a LION shocker.

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
20th Century Women
Deadpool
La La Land
Florence Foster Jenkins
Sing Street

Will Win: La La Land
Alternate: N/A
Should Win: La La Land! La La Land! La La Land! LA LA LAND!!!

Best Actress, Drama
Amy Adams, Arrival
Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Ruth Negga, Loving

Will Win: Natalie Portman (Globes likes the big name!)
Alternate: Isabelle Huppert (Globes like the foreign ladies!)
Should Win: Amy Adams (Globes do whatever they want!)

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy
Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Lily Collins, Rules Don’t Apply
Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

Will Win: Emma Stone
Alternate: Meryl Streep
Should Win: Stone should really get this, but most of her fellow nominees are great.

Best Actor, Drama
Casey Affleck, Manchester By the Sea
Joel Edgerton, Loving
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences

Will Win: Casey Affleck
Alternate: Denzel Washington
Should Win: Viggo Mortensen. Or Andrew Garfield... but for his non-nominated role in SILENCE.

Best Actor, Musical, or Comedy
Colin Farrell, The Lobster
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Jonah Hill, War Dogs
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

Will Win: Ryan... Gosling
Alternate: Ryan... Reynolds
Should Win: GOSLING! I like Reynolds but I swear if DEADPOOL crashes the LA LA LAND party, I might have a stroke.

Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins
Dev Patel, Lion
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals

Will Win: Mahershala Ali
Alternate: Jeff Bridges
Should Win: ALI! Maybe Dev Patel, but only if he shares his award with Sunny Pawar. But really ANYONE BUT Taylor-Johnson please and thanks.

Best Supporting Actress
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester By the Sea

Will Win: Viola Davis
Alternate: Michelle Williams
Should Win: What I really wish is Davis winning in Lead and Williams winning here.

Best Screenplay
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Manchester By the Sea
Moonlight
Nocturnal Animals

Will Win: Manchester by the Sea
Alternate: Moonlight
Should Win: Again, both films are worthy and will likely get their respective Oscars so let's blow it up a bit here and say LA LA LAND.

Best Foreign Language Film
Divines, France
Elle, France
Neruda, Chile
The Salesman, Iran/France
Toni Erdmann, Germany

Will Win: Toni Erdmann
Alternate: Elle
Should Win: Unfortnately I haven't seen any of these to make a judgment call.

Best Animated Feature Film
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My life as a Zucchini
Sing
Zootopia

Will Win: Zootopia
Alternate: Moana
Should Win: A strong year for the medium that started out with a bang with ZOOTOPIA and it should be rewarded thusly.

Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Trolls
“City of Stars,” La La Land
“Faith,” Sing
“Gold,” Gold
“How Far I’ll Go,” Moana

Will Win: The guys who wrote Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen (City of Stars)
Alternate: The guy who wrote Broadway's Hamilton (How Far I'll Go)
Should Win: I would be VERY sad if one of those songs don't win.

Best Original Score, Motion Picture
Arrival
Hidden Figures
Lion
La La Land
Moonlight

Will Win: La La Land
Alternate: Not sure...
Should Win: Hoping for a big night for this movie!

Best TV Series, Drama
The Crown
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld

Will Win: Game of Thrones
Alternate: The Crown
Should Win: Ask me at different time and I can see myself (and the HFPA) say any of these, but I'll say GAME OF THRONES.

Best Actress, Drama
Catriona Balfe, Outlander
Claire Foy, The Crown
Keri Russell, The Americans
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

Will Win: I have no idea actually... Claire Foy?
Alternate: Same, um... Evan Rachel Wood?
Should Win: Russell, because see Russian comment below. But Ryder for the nostalgia.

Best Actor, Drama
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath

Will Win: Rami Malek
Alternate: Matthew Rhys
Should Win: We're letting the Russians win elsewhere, so let's give it up for RHYS!

Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy
Atlanta
Black-ish
Mozart in the Jungle
Transparent
Veep

Will Win: Veep
Alternate: Mozart in the Jungle
Should Win: I think this election year is giving me PTSD with VEEP so I would've voted for BLACK-ISH probably.

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy
Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
Issa Rae, Insecure
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

Will Win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, but can we first just look at how awesome this list of nominees is?
Alternate: Sarah Jessica Parker?
Should Win: Rooting for a first-time winner... Issa Rae!

Best Actor, Musical, or Comedy
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Nick Nolte, Graves
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Will Win: Gael Garcia Bernal
Alternate: Donald Glover
Should Win: Since Bernal won last year, I'd say Glover this time around.

Best Limited Series or TV Movie
American Crime
The Dresser
The Night Manager
The Night Of
The People v. O.J. Simpson

Will Win: The People v. OJ Simpson
Alternate: N/A
Should Win: PEOPLE V. OJ certainly, but I do wish NIGHT MANAGER got its due.

Best Actress, Limited Series or TV Movie
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience
Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Charlotte Rampling, London Spy
Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Will Win: Sarah Paulson
Alternate: N/A
Should Win: PAULSON HAS GOT THIS.

Best Actor, Limited Series or TV Movie
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Bryan Cranston, All The Way
Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager
John Turturro, The Night Of
Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson

Will Win: Courtney B. Vance
Alternate: Tom Hiddleston
Should win: Either one of those would be good with me, but I'm low-key itching for Turturro.

Best Supporting Actor
Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager
John Lithgow, The Crown
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
John Travolta, The People v. O.J. Simpson

Will Win: Sterling K. Brown
Alternate: John Lithgow
Should Win: BROWN has got this easily.

Best Supporting Actress
Olivia Colman, The Night Manager
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Thandie Newton, Westworld

Will Win: Thandie Newton
Alternate: Lena Headey
Should Win: Both were VERY good (very deadly) this past season. But I would love for Colman to grab this in a shocker.

Let's see how wrong I am tonight!

The 2015 Emmys: The Winners

Tonight's Emmy Awards were pretty great actually with diverse winners, records and streaks getting broken, and history made. The night started out strong with host Andy Samberg delivering an Ode to Having Way Too Many TV Shows to Catch Up On which I bet a lot of us felt quite sympathetic to in a deeper level (Samberg actually was pretty solid throughout the night I thought). The night ended out just as strongly as Tracy Morgan made his first live (and emotional) appearance since his accident and Veep and Game of Thrones were awarded Best Comedy and Best Drama Series respectively. In the the process, Veep halted the consecutive wins of Modern Family in the category at 5 and Game of Thrones, with a total of 12 wins, replaced The West Wing as the series to receive the most Emmys in a single year.

HBO was the night's big winner not only winning Best Comedy and Drama Series (no network has done that since 2002 when NBC's Friends and The West Wing won), but also taking home Best Limited Series with Olive Kitteridge. In total, HBO won 43 Emmy Awards including 25 from those three shows alone. It was also a huge night for women and women of color. Directing and writing in a Limited Series went to two women (Lisa Cholodenko and Jane Anderson respectively) for the aforementioned Olive Kitteridge while Jill Soloway won Best Directing in Comedy Series for the groundbreaking show Transparent (also picking up a win for Jeffrey Tambor). Meanwhile Regina King, Uzo Aduba, and Viola Davis won acting awards. For Aduba, she joins Ed Asner for having a role awarded in both Comedy and Drama. For Davis, she becomes the first (!) black actress to win for Lead Actress in a Drama Series. All of their speeches were highlights of the night, but Viola channeling Harriet Tubman would be hard to top. Speaking of great women, Allison Janney won her 7th acting Emmy tying her with... Ed Asner for the most.

And while Veep and Game of Thrones finally broke through to lead their respective categories, all eyes were on Jon Hamm who thankfully broke through as well finally winning for his role as Don Draper on Mad Men (the show then received only 1 acting win in 36 nominations). Sadly, Amy Poehler didn't fare as well with her Leslie Knope Emmy-less (she still won the night and the award show will truly and surely miss her). I could go on and on about the shows and performances I think should've won like Lisa Kudrow, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Banks, Parks and Recreation... but it's been a long night. The show pleasantly ended earlier than many thought and so in that spirit, I'll stop and just present to you the list of winners:

DRAMA
SERIES: Game of Thrones (HBO)
ACTOR: Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)
ACTRESS: Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
SUPP. ACTOR: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
SUPP. ACTRESS: Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
DIRECTING: David Nutter, Game of Thrones (HBO)
WRITING: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones (HBO)
GUEST ACTOR: Reg E. Cathey, House of Cards (Netflix)
GUEST ACTRESS: Margo Martindale, The Americans (FX)

COMEDY
SERIES: Veep (HBO)
ACTOR: Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)
ACTRESS: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
SUPP. ACTOR: Tony Hale, Veep (HBO)
SUPP. ACTRESS: Allison Janney, Mom (CBS)
DIRECTING: Jill Soloway, Transparent (Amazon)
WRITING: Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche, Veep (HBO)
GUEST ACTOR: Bradley Whitford, Transparent (Amazon)
GUEST ACTRESS: Joan Cusack, Shameless (Showtime)

LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
LIMITED SERIES: Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
TV MOVIE: Bessie (HBO)
ACTOR: Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
ACTRESS: Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
SUPP. ACTOR: Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
SUPP. ACTRESS: Regina King, American Crime (ABC)
DIRECTING: Lisa Cholodenko, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
WRITING: Jane Anderson, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

In terms of predictions I made, I got 9 out of 15 and with alternates 12 out of 15 so not too terrible, but nothing to celebrate. So until next year!

Pilot Thoughts: Black-ish and How to Get Away with Murder

Even though it was Premiere Week this past week, I actually only saw two new shows so don't think I'm putting them together now just because they happen to feature people of color as lead characters (though that isn't unimportant in the least). Let's go...

Black-ish is the first sitcom pilot I've seen this season and it looks like I started out on a good note. Dre Johnson, played slightly over-the-top by Anthony Anderson, is a marketing executive who is on the verge of a promotion and is generally high on life until he realizes that his family for all of their success have forgotten their black roots. His identity crisis and paranoia about them being black-ish is compounded by his son wanting to play field hockey and have a Bar Mitzvah and his company asking him to lead the "urban" division. He's put to the paces by his bi-racial doctor wife played by Tracee Ellis Ross and his father played by Laurence Fishburne as well as his other kids and predictably all's well that ends well as things do for sitcoms. The focus on race may have been too sledgehammer-y (or at least too broad) for a few, but it gives this show a solid base for the rest of its life. Plus it was funny (Ross and the young twins provided a lot of the laughs for me). I do hope that the show is more family comedy than work comedy because I generally found all of the latter slightly dull. Now let's all take a black break and get some white yogurt.

Grade: B
Willingness to continue: High. It has tons of potential and the family characters are great. Plus being sandwiched between two shows I already watch helps A LOT.

How to Get Away with Murder was my most anticipated show of the fall season so I'm super happy that it lived up to my already high expectations. First of all, Viola Davis as the brilliant and intimidating law professor Annalise Keating is just superb. Her role feels familiar already in the well-worn TV trope of smart and tough teacher who mentors her students in an unorthodox way (in the first episode she pits her students against one another to come up with the best defense on a case she's currently working on with four of the best to intern at her firm) and yet in Davis' hands she also feels fully fleshed out already in spite of still so many unanswered questions about her. I understand people saying she wasn't in the pilot enough, because from the first time she enters the frame to write the title of the show on the blackboard, you just never wanted her to leave and you definitely miss her when she's not on. The rest of the show though intrigued me if not in equal measure, then enough. It revolves around the young folks she's taken under her wing led by the baby-faced Wes Gibbins, adorably played by Alfred Enoch, a character you can easily root for in this dog-eat-dog world/show. In flash-forwards, we see Gibbins with three of his classmates literally trying to hide the evidence of a murder that's been committed. We get small clues in the pilot about what could've led to this dark moment in their lives (the tenuous relationships between all of the characters, the origin of the murder weapon, the identity of the victim, etc.) and I have to say I'm hooked. There's also so many other things I loved about the show such as having a gay character who is actually shown to have sex and of course seeing Liza Weil (Paris in Gilmore Girls) on my TV again. The week wait for the next new episode is murder.

Grade: A
Willingess to continue: A murder mystery and a chance to see Viola Davis weekly? HELL TO THE YES.

Looking Forward To...

Fall TV Edition

The weather is starting to cool and suddenly everything is pumpkin flavored, which means that the Fall TV season is upon us. Of course, I'm excited for my returning shows, but I'm also eager to dive into whatever new shows TV has to offer. Below are just some of the shows I'm highly anticipating for one reason or another. 

Gotham (FOX)
Premieres: Monday, 9/22 8PM
Starring: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz, Robin Lord Taylor, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Cory Michael Smith
Time Period Conflict: Big Bang Theory, Mom
Why: A Batman show without Batman is a laughable concept, but so is a TV show about the Headless Horseman plus McKenzie is easy on the eyes.

How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)
Premieres: Thursday, 9/25 10PM
Starring: Viola Davis, Charlie Weber, Alfred Enoch, Billy Brown, Karen Cabrera, Katie Findlay, Jack Falahee, Matt McGorry, Liza Weil, and Aja Naomi King
Time Period Conflict: N/A
Why: VIOLA DAVIS. VIOLA DAVIS. VIOLA DAVIS. Also Paris from Gilmore Girl and Bennett from Orange is the New Black. But really... Viola Davis.

Selfie (ABC)
Premieres: Tuesday, 9/30 8PM
Starring: Karen Gillan, John Cho, Allyn Rachel, Joy Randolph, Tim Peper, and David Harewood
Time Period Conflict: N/A
Why: Modern retelling of My Fair Lady is a fun concept and I really like both actors. Plus I have nothing else to watch at that time.

Gracepoint (FOX)
Premieres: Thursday, 10/2 9PM
Starring: David Tennant, Anna Gunn, Nick Nolte, Michael Pena, Jacki Weaver, and Kevin Rankin
Time Period Conflict: A to Z
Why: As a Broadchurch viewer, this American adaptation is unnecessary and yet to see Tennant and especially Gunn weekly? I won't pass that up.

A to Z (NBC)
Premieres: Thursday, 10/2 9:30PM
Starring: Ben Feldman, Cristin Milioti, Lenora Crichlow, Henry Zebroski, and Christina Kirk
Time Period Conflict: Gracepoint
Why: The trailer is twee even for me and yet all I can hope for is that the show is as charming and adorable I find the two leads.

The Affair (Showtime)
Premieres: Sunday, 10/12 10PM
Starring: Joshua Jackson, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney, and Dominic West
Time Period Conflict: Revenge
Why: I don't know much about this show except all of the actors are great and it looks to be some excellent soapy drama.

The two new shows actually premiering tonight, Red Band Society and The Mysteries of Laura, aren't on my list, but I'll still check out their pilots. I'm going to do that for a bunch of new shows. The other shows on my radar include Madam Secretary, Black-ish, Manhattan Love Story, Bad Judge, Mulaney, Jane the Virgin, and Marry Me. I might see them all or just half, we'll see.

Link Roundup: Oscar Edition

Everyone's talking about the Oscars, which is not too shocking since the big day is just three days away. If you're excited as I am, here are a few links that might interest you...


15 Minutes of Focus Artist Hunter Langston creates beautiful and creative posters for all of this year's Best Picture nominees.

In Contention Guy Lodge writes a must-read essay on the Academy Awards and awards season in general asking for cooler heads to prevail.

Awards Daily is attempting to compile a close-to-comprehensive list of Oscar predictions. What are yours?

Encore Speaking of predictions, have you all been reading Andrew's "incoherent" Oscar predictions on his blog?

Film Experience Jose views and shares his thoughts on the films nominated for Best Animated Film so you don't have to.


Vulture features an impressive set of infographics by Jesse David Fox of all of the Best Picture nominees. LOL, oh shit indeed.

IndieWire has a nifty and updated list of the announced presenters for this year's ceremony.

New Yorker Michael Shulman takes a look back at some of Meryl Streep's best acceptance speeches through the years.

Salon Andrew O'Hehir in the meantime lays out the almost too friendly rivalry between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis at this year's awards circuit.

End-Of-Year: Top 15 Films of 2011

Last Thursday, I said I would post my top 15 films of 2011 "tomorrow or the day after that." Fast forward a week full of internet troubles and here we are. So without further a due, I present to you the films...


15. The Muppets - I wasn't really a Muppet-head growing up. I saw a movie here and there and knew the famous songs and characters, but I wasn't a hardcore fan. So I can't really explain the feeling of absolute joy that overwhelmed me from the very first scene to last of this completely adorable film. From the get go, it felt as if I was a kid again watching my favorite characters similar to what the protagonist must have felt like when he met his felt idols. I didn't know Jason Segel had this in him, but he really pulled this off with some wonderful assists from famous friends. Now if you'll excuse me I'll go listen to "Pictures in My Head" for the 100th time. Join me won't you?

14. Incendies - To say this film was shocking would be an understatement, because the end really does leave the viewer speechless by what just transpired. I don't mean shocking in that visceral sense a horror film may evoke, but in that more subtle way an epic story such as the one being told in this film naturally brings forth. It's a film after all about two adult twins learning about the extraordinary story of their mother before she had them and the secrets discovered in that journey. Strong acting throughout, but especially for Lubna Azabal for her impressive work portraying the battle-tested mother through the years.

13. Attack the Block - I barely heard of the film before I saw it, which probably contributed to the giddiness I felt while watching this fantastical sci-fi thrill romp unfold before me. The plot is the usual alien invasion story, but this time the setting in condensed to a street block in London and the saviors of humanity a bunch of young British hooligans. Led by Moses, charismatically played by unknown John Boyega, these kids take it upon themselves to protect their turf and the end result was just too enjoyable for words. Great movie to see with friends. Plus this got the seal of approval from Edgar Wright. 'Nuf said.

12. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Never read the super popular nor watched the Swedish miniseries so I pretty much went into this movie knowing as little as possible. Suffice it to say, I found it pretty damn fantastic from that scintillating opening title sequence to that quiet end leaving you wanting for some more. David Fincher is a master of his craft and he proved it once again with this film, but it's Rooney Mara playing the titular character who really showed why she is a force to be reckoned with by really owning all of the sides of the complicated character that is Lisbeth Salander. The film also featured Daniel Craig in various states of undress, which was much appreciated.

11. Thor - If you asked me last year if this film would be ranked this high, I would've laughed. Not because it's a comic book superhero film, but because it's frickin' Thor. And yet here it is just outside my top 10 and beating fellow Marvel films X-Men: First Class and Captain America. For me, what pushed this above the others is how much it exceeded my expectations. The trailer made Asgard look cartoonish and overblown, but on screen it was just absolutely grand. It also helped that the relationship of Thor and Loki as played by Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston felt real and sincere. At least more sincere than it had any right to be.

And now the top ten...


10. My Week with Marilyn - My knowledge of Marilyn Monroe is actually pretty lacking. I've probably seen only two of her films ever and I never really looked into her life, knowing her only as the iconic woman she is famous for. So this measure of ignorance on my part heightened the mystique surrounding Monroe that made me more willing to wholeheartedly embrace Michelle Williams' heartbreaking and eye-opening performance. She was electric, funny, sad, charming, vulnerable all at once and it never once felt like she was stretching to be any of those. But a grand performance such as this would falter without strong support and I personally think she got that from Kenneth Branagh and Eddie Redmayne.


9. Warrior - Brotherly drama always gets to me (see Thor) so on the one hand I wasn't too shocked that this film, pardon the pun, knocked me out. The tale of two brothers' futures hanging in the balance on a series of matches was told as recently as last year's The Fighter and yet as much as I really liked that film, I much preferred this most recent one a bit more. It's probably unfair to compare the two, but on the surface at least the fights were certainly more exciting especially since mixed martial arts is a bit showier than boxing. But going deeper, I just fell hard for Joel Edgerton's quietly strong performance making me invested pretty quickly on every outcome. I cheered and I cried. What more could I have really asked for?


8. A Separation - Why this film wasn't included in my initial list of ten is easy to explain. I only saw the film a week ago and so of course now that I have seen it, I just knew it would be ridiculous to not give this a top ten spot. First of all, it was just plain gripping throughout with the films full commitment to show just how messy a dissolution of a relationship can be not only to the two people getting separated by to those around them. The complex morality at play throughout the film was also one of my favorites making me constantly question my loyalties and beliefs. The whole Iranian cast was superb, but Leila Hatami and Peyman Maadi are the undisputed pillars of the film. That final shot with the two of them was exquisite.


7. Meek's Cutoff - Director Kelly Reichardt is known for stark and contemplative films and so it's only natural that Michelle Williams would gravitate towards her projects (see also their previous collaboration with Wendy and Lucy). It won't be for everyone, that's for sure, as the camera lingers at the breathtaking, but also bleak desert landscape that surrounds the characters with extended dialogue or action few and far between. But when they happen, and they do, the experience becomes heightened somehow, the dangers they face becomes all the more real. Williams is unsurprisingly perfect for the role, determined and calm in the face of everything that threatens her compatriots. Bruce Greenwood, who I didn't recognized until I saw his name in the credits, was also a standout.


6. The Help - The politics at play is definitely awkward at points, but that didn't really stop me from laughing, crying, laughing from crying, crying from laughing every other scene of this film. Most of the praise goes to its stellar ensemble headlined by the incredible performances by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as maids who find the courage to stand up for their rights. There's also Jessica Chastain who may have played my favorite character of the year as the saucy and vulnerable Celia Foote. In the end, it was a tricky film to pull off, but the cast managed to do just that all the while evoking plenty of real emotions from me.


5. Drive - This neo-noir crime drama film just refuses to get out of my head which is probably why it's ranked so high considering I wasn't completely head over heels in love with the film immediately after seeing it. But the more I got to thinking about the film--about its wonderfully stylistic images and arresting synth-pop score, about its laconic anti-hero, about its impeccable direction and wonderfully minimalistic screenplay--the more I grew to love it. It was such a great blending of art-house fare and action thriller which also lent itself to the iconic portrayal of the nameless Driver by Ryan Gosling, perfectly cast here able to give off sexy, dangerous, vulnerable, tough, sweet, and psychotic vibes all at once with very little effort (or dialogue).


4. The Artist - Pure joy. That's pretty much what I think about when I think of this film, which is actually pretty odd to say since this movie is actually quite dark for most of its compacted run-time. Yes, it's a black and white mostly silent film and for about the first 15 minutes I was enamored by the novelty of it all, but if you left the movie focusing on those aspects of the film, you missed a great chunk of what makes this film great. There are of course the incredibly charismatic performances from Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, and yes, Uggie, which made me smile throughout the whole film. No, it's not a strict silent film and I don't think it ever really wanted to be. But the courage it took to do this in this day and age where every Tom, Dick, and Harry only seem to want the latest 3D remake sequel, is an achievement by itself that deserves plenty of praise.


3. The Ides of March - This political thriller was perfectly pace, perfectly cast, and perfectly written. I have no idea why it didn't get more love than it did this year from audiences and from the various awards bodies, but I have a feeling it'll be a film more people will discover later on, even perhaps as early as this year when the ugly tradition of presidential campaigns take over all of our lives once again. What made this movie work for me was its topicality considering how so many people have become so jaded by the government. Ryan Gosling, as per usual for him this year, was great and showed that even surrounded by a crazy talented ensemble, he can rise above and deliver a true leading man performance. Seeing his character's idealism tested under the immense pressure and cynicism in politics was really quite something to behold.


2. Weekend - This tale of two British men having a chance meeting at a club then proceeding to spend an intimate weekend with each other knocked me off my feet. Chris New and Tom Cullen's chemistry was so sincere that I sometimes forgot I was watching a film, but that's also a testament to the confident direction from newcomer Andrew Haigh and his elegantly naturalistic script. It's a sexy film between two guys who engages in sex, but it goes deeper into the emotional lives of these two guys who are different, but no so different. Through this prism, the film explores the relationship between men and the identities they juggle with every day. In the end, I have to admit that I probably fell in love with this shockingly romantic film because it reminded me of Before Sunrise. And while the ending was done perfectly, poignantly so, I'm pretty much wishing for this film to have its own Before Sunset.


1. Midnight in Paris - A few months back, I wondered if my favorite summer film would once again be my favorite film of the year and it turns out that is the case again this year. Now, it may be corny to admit, but I was just taken aback by how magical this film was. I wouldn't go as far as to say that Woody Allen got his groove back since who knows if it ever really left, but this really was one of his best films in a long while. As a Francophile, my love for this film was akin to the main character's great love of Paris in the rain and with its highly original concept, inventive screenplay, and a cast stacked with talent, it's no wonder this became Allen's highest grossing film. Prominently featuring the theme of nostalgia and looking into the past that seemed to have pervaded many buzzed about films this year, it afforded a fun glimpse to such characters as Ernest Hemingway, Dali, the Fitzgeralds among others giving us all a lesson that the key to living is to live in the present.

And now it's time to live those lessons learned from my top film of the year and end this look back to the year that was. It was great talking about my favorite films, especially my top 15 above, but I'm also looking forward to seeing new films this year! Happy viewing all!

More year-end film posts:
- Favorite Films #16-35
- 2011 Film Winners
- 2011 Film Nominations
- Favorite Posters of 2011

End-Of-Year: 2011 Film Winners

Already getting impatient about the Oscars to see who'll win? Unfortunately we all still have to wait a month to see who wins that and hell, the final ballots haven't even been mailed out yet! So take some time and enjoy the next best thing, the result of my own year-end awards! Cue the applause and the cheering, etc. etc. etc. Of course, if you want, check out my nominations first, then see which I've picked as my favorite...

Best Actor: Ryan Gosling, Drive/Ides of March/Crazy, Stupid, Love
Runner-Up: Dominic Cooper, The Devil's Double

You can't be shocked by the winner here. How many posts have I done on Ryan Gosling this past year? Definitely more than a couple, that's for sure. But how could I not award him this after the year he has had with three different fantastic performances? You could argue that by that logic I probably should've given the award to Michael Fassbender, who I nominated alongside Gosling, but I was just slightly more impressed by Gosling. Of course, why did I pick Cooper over Fassbender for runner-up? That decision was more me wanting to highlight a performance that people probably haven't seen. His film was a bit on the messy side, but he really got into playing the dual roles of Uday Hussein and his double and made me believe it.

Best Actress: Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn/Meek's Cutoff
Runner-Up: Viola Davis, The Help

Ugh, okay so I'm exposing my love for Blue Valentine here, but I didn't award Williams (and Gosling) just because of that beautiful film. I actually didn't know much about Marilyn Monroe, but I was pretty bowled over by Williams' portrayal of her. While she may not have the infectious charisma that Monroe oozed, Williams was still able to make me believe this was the real Marilyn Monroe, the Marilyn who wasn't in front of a camera. I didn't even mention her very strong work in Meek's Cutoff which was a film I didn't expect to like, much less love. Then of course there's Viola Davis, who lordy, made me cry and made me give her a standing ovation. She really was the dominant force in her film even with the immensely talented ensemble around her.

Best Supporting Actor: Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris
Runner-Up: Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

It's really weird that I'm giving it to Corey Stoll for probably the smallest screen time of any of the actors I nominated, but he just left such an indelible impression that I do still think about his Ernest Hemingway from time to time. In fact as much as I love the film, I'm not sure I'd be so in love with it if I don't constantly think about Stoll's Hemingway. Then of course there's Andy Serkis who adds yet another phenomenal mo-cap performance on his resume with his nuanced work as Caesar. The movie worked as well as it did, because we had to relate to this CGI ape and Serkis was extraordinary in making Caesar the heart of the film.

Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain, The Help/Tree of Life/Take Shelter
Runner-Up: Carey Mulligan, Shame/Drive

I know what you're saying, I'm biased towards actors who do a lot of films a year and it may seem like that with my third multi-film actor winner, but similar to Gosling above, I just couldn't not award Jessica Chastain. She had an incredible year and that's something to celebrate. I didn't see all of her performances, but she was fabulous in the three films that I did see. If I had to pick, her Celia Foote was probably my favorite performance of the summer and so even if I could vote on just one film, she'd probably still win with that performance. Of course, Carey Mulligan also had a great year continuing in her quest not to be typecast as the Audrey Hepburn heir apparent by appearing in not one, but two dark and brave films. Her work in Shame is probably the better of the two since it was so unlike anything she's ever done, so raw, so electric.

Best Young Actor or Actress: Elle Fanning, Super 8
Runner-Up: John Boyega, Attack the Block

This was a bit difficult to pick since any of them really could've won, but then I remember that train depot scene, you know the one, with Ellen Fanning and just like the boys watching her, I was just transfixed. She also cast her spell with me last year in Somewhere, so maybe that also had something to do with my pick. But I also wanted to highlight John Boyega's strong leading performances in Attack the Block as Moses. He really was the glue of that quite inventive and fun film. Quick shout out to Saoirse Ronan who always seem to be doing fantastic work and Thomas Horn who made me cry a few times.

Best Ensemble: Midnight in Paris
Runner-Up: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

First I want to talk about the runner-up which is definitely a career award. Hasn't every British actor appeared in this film at one point or another? It's either this or Doctor Who I guess. I was most impressed by how the three lead actors held their own amongst these British acting juggernauts like Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman. Woody Allen outdid himself with the cast of Midnight in Paris, not only picking just the right actors to play these historical figures (great blend of known and not so known actors), but to also choose an unlikely, but solid lead in Owen Wilson (who I probably should've nominated).

Most Disappointing Film: The Conspirator
Runner-Up: Like Crazy

James McAvoy in a period piece revolving around the events after Lincoln's assassination co-starring Robin Wright and Rachel Evans Woods. How could that movie suck? And yet, it did. Despite fine acting from those three (though Wright gets almost nothing to work with), the film was pretty flat and dull throughout. I literally could not stop looking at my watch every few minutes or so. Then there's Like Crazy which is the type of movie I usually enjoy. Hell, critics were calling it a younger version of Blue Valentine and we all know my feelings towards that film, but as much as I like the two main actors, their relationship never hooked me and thus when their relationship went through its ups and downs, I could hardly care. I found myself rolling my eyes a couple of dozen times throughout the film.

Worst Film: Your Highness
Runner-Up: Beastly

The less said about these two films (and the other films I nominated) the better. I'm thinking Your Highness would be much better with a little herbal therapy, but I was unfortunately clear of mind when I saw this film and nothing was good. I literally wasted my time watching it. Beastly was actually less aggressively bad, but it was still pretty heinous. In the middle of the film I asked myself out loud why ANYONE would think this was a good idea to green-light.

Worst Acting Performance: Channing Tatum, The Eagle
Runner-Up: Natalie Portman, No Strings Attached/The Other Woman/Your Highness

My friends for some reason make fun of my seemingly baseless hatred for Channing Tatum and I wish I could articulate why I find him so... unappealing. I suppose I just find him dull and blanked-face plus his charms just don't work on me. Natalie Portman should thank her lucky stars that these films came out after she was already on her way to winning her Academy Award, because as much as I love her in Black Swan (she won my Best Actress award last year), she was just as dreadful in not one, not two, but three films this year. You may say I could be reacting negatively because of the films, and yes while the films are also bad, she was quite awful in them as well.

Best Netflix Movie: Almost Famous
Runner-Up: Undertow

his is one of my weirder categories since how can you really compare films from different eras? You really can't which is why I implore you to check out all of the films I've nominated for this. With that said, I can't believe it took me this long to see Almost Famous. It was love at first sight... or is it love at first hearing? I'm a sucker for coming-of-age stories, especially as well-done as it was with this film. It also helps that by now most of the young sort of unknown actors who appeared in that film are now household names and that was fun. Quick shout out to my runner-up Undertow, a Peruvian gay film that is beautifully structured and emotionally heartfelt.

Of course, I'm saving my pick for Best Film until sometime next week when I'm ready to post my list of top 30 or so films from this past year. Though, spoiler alert, I've already told you my top 10: The Artist, Drive, The Help, The Ides of March, Meek's Cutoff, Midnight in Paris, My Week with Marilyn, Thor, Weekend, Warrior. Which film will come out on top?

Looking Forward To...

The Help
Release: August 10, 2011
Distributor: Buena Vista
Director: Tate Taylor
Starring: Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sissy Spacek, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer, Mike Vogel, Nelsan Ellis, David Oyelowo, Jessica Chastain, Leslie Jordan, Mary Steenburgen, Chris Lowell, and Emma Stone