Saturday, March 25, 2017

Justice League Trailer

Pushing it for November is an interesting choice, maybe they think this one is better than Batman v. Superman? Or at least that its technical stuff could get some awards attention? Or that it will make more money when not pushed against other summer blockbusters? Either way, the trailer looks good, but I fear for it and for Wonder Woman. If either turn out like Suicide Squad or BvS, then we are all in for continued disappointment.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

The 44th Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations

Best Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Bergman, “The Young and the Restless”
Scott Clifton, “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Billy Flynn, “Days of Our Lives”
Vincent Irizarry, “Days of Our Lives”
Kristoff St. John, “The Young and the Restless”

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Nancy Lee Grahn, “General Hospital”
Gina Tognoni, “The Young and the Restless”
Heather Tom, “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Jess Walton, “The Young and the Restless”
Laura Wright, “General Hospital”

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Aniston, “Days of Our Lives”
Steve Burton, “The Young and the Restless”
Chad Duell, “General Hospital”
Jeffrey Vincent Parise, “General Hospital”
James Reynolds, “Days of Our Lives”

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk, “The Young and the Restless”
Anna Maria Horsford, “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Finola Hughes, “General Hospital”
Kate Mansi, “Days of Our Lives”
Kelly Sullivan, “The Young and the Restless”

Best Younger Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Craig, “General Hospital”
Pierson Fode, “The Bold and the Beautiful”
James Lastovic, “Days of Our Lives”
Tequan Richmond, “General Hospital”
Anthony Turpel, “The Bold and the Beautiful”

Best Younger Actress in a Drama Series
Lexi Ainsworth, “General Hospital”
Reign Edwards, “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Hunter King, “The Young and the Restless”
Chloe Lanier, “General Hospital”
Alyvia Alyn Lind, “The Young and the Restless”

Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series
Tobin Bell, “Days of Our Lives”
Don Harvey, “General Hospital”
Monica Horan, “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Nichelle Nichols, “The Young and the Restless”
Jim O’Heir, “The Bold and the Beautiful”

Best Writing Team for a Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Best Directing Team for a Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Best Talk Show - Entertainment
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Live with Kelly
Maury
The Talk
The View

Best Talk Show Host - Entertainment 
Harry Connick Jr., “Harry”
Kelly Ripa, “Live with Kelly”
Tamar Braxton, Adrienne Houghton, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai, Tamera Mowry-Housley, “The Real”
Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler, Sheryl Underwood, “The Talk”
Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Candace Cameron Bure, Raven Symone, Paula Faris, Sara Haines, Jedediah Bila, Sunny Hostin, “The View”
Wendy Williams, “The Wendy Williams Show”

Best Talk Show - Informative
The Chew
The Kitchen
Larry King Now
The Dr. Oz Show
Steve Harvey

Best Talk Show Host - Informative
Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, Michael Symon, “The Chew”
Mehmet Oz, “The Dr. Oz Show”
Sunny Anderson, Katie Lee, Jeff Mauro, Marcela Valladolid, Geoffrey Zakarian, “The Kitchen”
Larry King, “Larry King Now”
Chris Hedges, “On Contact”
Steve Harvey, “Steve Harvey”

Best Morning Program
CBS Sunday Morning
CBS This Morning
Good Morning America
Today Show

Best Entertainment News Program
Access Hollywood
E! News
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Inside Edition

Best Game Show
Celebrity Name Game
Family Feud
Jeopardy
Let’s Make a Deal”
The Price is Right

Best Game Show Host
Wayne Brady, “Let’s Make a Deal”
Craig Ferguson, “Celebrity Name Game”
Steve Harvey, “Family Feud”
Pat Sajak, “Wheel of Fortune”
Alex Trebek, “Jeopardy”

Best Culinary Program
America’s Test Kitchen
Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics
Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse
Guy’s Big Bite
The Mind of a Chef
Trisha’s Southern Kitchen

Best Culinary Host
Lidia Bastianich, “Lidia’s Kitchen”
Rick Bayless, “Mexico One Plate at a Time”
Guy Fieri, “Guy’s Big Bite”
Bobby Flay, “Brunch at Bobby’s”
Ina Garten, “Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics”
Vivian Howard, “A Chef’s Life”

Best Lifestyle Program
Flea Market Flip
George to the Rescue
Home Made Simple
Lake Life
Open House

Best Travel and Adventure Program
Jonathan Bird’s Blue World
Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope
Planet Primetime
Wonder Women
Xploration Awesome Planet

Best Lifestyle, Travel, or Children's Host
Jenna Bush Hager, “Give”
Emily Calandrelli, “Xploration Outer Space”
Rocky Kanaka, “Save Our Shelter”
Joseph Rosendo, “Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope”
Danny Seo, “Naturally, Danny Seo”

Best Legal/Courtroom Series
Hot Bench
Judge Judy
Judge Mathis
Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court
The People’s Court

Best Special Class Series
Close Up with the Hollywood Reporter
Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen
Landscapes Through Time with David Dunlop
SuperSoul Sunday
Working in the Theatre

Best Special Class Special
MTV Docs: Transformation
Out of Iraq
Bookaboo New Year’s Eve Special
The Wildlife Docs: Africa
The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration

Best Digital Drama Series
The Bay The Series
Red Bird
Tainted Dreams
Tough Love Web Series
Venice The Series

Best Actor in a Digital Drama Series
Anthony Anderson, “Anacostia”
Kristos Andrews, “The Bay The Series”
Michael Lowry, “Tainted Dreams”
Michael McShane, “Red Bird”
Gustavo Velasquez, “Conversations in L.A.”

Best Actress in a Digital Drama Series
Mary Beth Evans, “The Bay The Series”
Anne Marie Cummings, “Conversations in L.A.”
Alexandra Goodman, “Red Bird”
Lilly Melgar, “The Bay The Series”
Kelley Menighan Hensley, “Tainted Dreams”

Best Supporting or Guest Actor in a Digital Drama Series
Matthew Ashford, “The Bay The Series”
Nicolas Coster, “The Bay The Series”
Ronn Moss, “The Bay The Series”
Armin Shimerman, “Red Bird”
Anthony Wilkinson, “Tainted Dreams”

Best Supporting or Guest Actress in a Digital Drama Series
Jade Harlow, “The Bay The Series”
Vanita Harbour, “Conversations in L.A.”
Carolyn Hennesy, “The Bay The Series”
Natalia Livingston, “Tainted Dreams”
Kym Whitley, “The Bay The Series”

Best Musical Performance in a Daytime Program
Pentatonix, “Rachael Ray”
“The Color Purple Cast, “Today Show”
Michael Buble, “Live with Kelly”
Charles Bradley, “CBS This Morning Saturday”
St. Paul and the Broken Bones, “CBS This Morning Saturday”

Monday, March 20, 2017

2017 Daytime Emmy Nomination Predictions

Wednesday, the 44th Daytime Emmy nominations are going to be announced. Here are my predictions for the top drama categories:

Best Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Maurice Benard "General Hospital"
Peter Bergman "The Young and the Restless"
John McCook "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Kristoff St. John "The Young and the Restless"
Jason Thompson "The Young and the Restless"

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Kristian Alfonso "Days of Our Lives"
Nancy Lee Grahn "General Hospital"
Gina Tognoni "The Young and the Restless"
Heather Tom "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Laura Wright "General Hospital"

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Aniston "Days of Our Lives"
Obba Babatunde "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Steve Burton "The Young and the Restless"
Chad Duell "General Hospital"
Bryton James "The Young and the Restless"

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Eileen Davidson "The Young and the Restless"
Amelia Heinle "The Young and the Restless"
Anna Maria Horsford "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Finola Hughes "General Hospital"
Michelle Stafford "General Hospital"

Best Younger Actor
Jared Breeze "The Young and the Restless"
Bryan Craig "General Hospital"
Rome Flynn "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Pierson Fode "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Tequan Richmond "General Hospital"

Best Younger Actress
Lexi Ainsworth "General Hospital"
Camila Banus "Days of Our Lives"
Reign Edwards "The Bold and the Beautiful"
Hunter King "The Young and the Restless"
Alyvia Alyn Lind "The Young and the Restless"

2017 SXSW Film Festival: Audience Award Winners

I'm a bit late on this one, but here are the audience award winners, which included Baby Driver, the new Edgar Wright comedy.

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
The Light of the Moon

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
Dealt

HEADLINERS
Baby Driver

NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Mr. Roosevelt

DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin

VISIONS
Becoming Bond

MIDNIGHTERS
68 Kill

EPISODIC
Dear White People

24 BEATS PER SECOND
May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers

GLOBAL
Divine Divasl

FESTIVAL FAVORITES
The Big Sick

EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN
Into The Current

Virtual Cinema Grand Jury Awards

VIRTUAL REALITY: ROOM-SCALE
After Solitary

Special Jury Recognition for Innovative Use of Virtual Reality Technology in the Field of Health
Reinvent

360° VIDEO
Behind the Fence

Special Jury Recognition for Technical Excellence
Dreams of ‘O'

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

First Trailer for Pixar's Coco

Finding Dory was actually a really great film, but in a tough lineup for Best Animated Feature, and the animation branch going for their smaller, artsy films instead, it was left out. It will be interesting to see if Pixar rejoins the race with Coco, whose first trailer looks fantastic:

2017 SXSW Film Festival Award Winners

Narrative Feature Competition
Most Beautiful Island

Special Jury Recognition for Breakthrough Performance
James Freedson-Jackson “The Strange Ones”

Special Jury Recognition for Best Ensemble
A Bad Idea Gone Wrong

Documentary Feature Competition
The Work

Special Jury Recognition for Excellence in Observational Cinema
Maineland

Special Jury Recognition for Excellence in Documentary Storytelling
I Am Another You

Best Narrative Short
Forever Now

Special Jury Recognition for Acting in a Short
Tarra Riggs "DeKalb Elementary"

Documentary Shorts
Little Potato

Midnight Shorts
The Suplex Duplex Complex

Animated Shorts
Wednesday with Goddard

Special Jury Recognition
Pussy

Music Videos
Leon Bridges "RIVER"

Special Jury Recognition
Tame Impala "The Less I Know The Better"

Texas Shorts
The Rabbit Hunt

Texas High School Shorts
Better Late Than Never

Special Jury Recognition
Darcy’s Quinceañera

Excellence in Poster Design
Fry Day

Special Jury Recognition
Like Me

Excellence in Title Design
Into The Current

SXSW LUNA Gamechanger Award – Narrative
INFLAME

SXSW LUNA Chicken & Egg Award – Documentary
I Am Another You

Louis Black “Lone Star” Award
Mr. Roosevelt

SXSW Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award
Assholes

Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship
Leigh Johnson

The National Board of Review (NBR) Announces 2017 Awards Date

After this, my guess is that the New York Film Critics Circle will announce their date, just slightly ahead of the National Board of Review, as those two continually try to outmatch each other on who is first. Of course, neither picked the ultimate winner of Moonlight, so maybe being first is not always best.  

Anyway, no matter what it looks like these two groups are going to battle for first, with the NBR setting its announcement date for November 28, 2017, and its ceremony or gala for January 4th. It really does feel like Oscar season never really ends. Between all of these dates being announced for this, SAG, the Globes, and others, early success like Logan, and SXSW, it feels like this new year has already started.

Monday, March 13, 2017

2017 SXSW Film Festival: The Disaster Artist and Dear White People

Another day at the SXSW Film Festival, and another slew of new projects that look great.

First up is one that is already being hailed as an Oscar contender, and the new Ed Wood, James Franco's latest The Disaster Artist, about the 2003 film The Room, a known disaster, doesn't necessarily scream great movie, but so far the reviews have been kind to the film, which stars and is directed by Franco, and is written by the duo of Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who have brought us The Fault in Our Stars, (500) Days of Summer, and The Spectacular Now. The cast also includes brother Dave Franco, Sharon Stone, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogan, Melanie Griffith, Alison Brie, Zac Efron, Josh Hutcherson, and Zach Braff. So far, the reviews have made this out to be a fun film that surprisingly works.

The other major premiere was the first two episodes of Justin Simien's television adaptation of his film of the same name. The film was a fun, and important look at race issues on college campuses. There has been some backlash from folks, but I tend to ignore those folks because they clearly don't get the point. I am excited for the series, which premieres on Netflix soon. The first two episodes are getting rave reviews so far, and it looks like the same style and substance that was brought to the film is still there in the television series, which is definitely good news.

MTV Movie Awards Make Changes for 2017

The MTV Movie Awards will be held on May 7th, with no word yet on when the nominations will come out. That in and of itself is not really news, although my guess is that within the next few weeks we will know the nominees, which is exciting. Also, they are going back to being live. I'll be honest, I didn't even know that it was pre-taped last year, so this is not only news, but incredibly late news. However, the most important news item here are the additions to the ceremony. With the growth and popularity of television, the MTV Movie Awards, are now known as the MTV Movie and TV Awards. There is no word yet on the categories that will be covered. The MTV folks have always been creative on the movie side with Best Kiss, Best Fight, Best Scared-As-Shit Moment, Best Shirtless Moment, and others, so it will be interesting to see if they go for more traditional categories, or throw in some fun ones, or both. All will be revealed soon...

Sunday, March 12, 2017

2017 SXSW Film Festival: Edgar Wright's Baby Driver a Winner

A day after Malick's latest was kind of a bomb, it is nice to know that not all of the bigger projects to land at SXSW will follow suit. I like Edgar Wright, and I think that he is a creative and fun director. It is nice to know that his streak continues with his latest Baby Driver starring a great cast in Ansel Elgort, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, and Kevin Spacey. Now I don't have any pretensions here that this film is going to be an Oscar contender. But it looks like it is going to be a fun late summer entry that, if it gains traction, will probably do well at the box office. The reviews so far make it out to be a wild, well-acted, cool, and fun heist movie that fits right into Wright's edgy, weird, and fun action-driven comedies like Shaun of the Dead, The World's End, and Hot Fuzz. It opens August 12th in theaters.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

2017 SXSW Film Festival: Malick's Latest Song to Song Crash Lands

Terrence Malick hasn't made a great movie, and by great movie, I mean one with at least a semi-coherent plot line, since 1998's The Thin Red Line. The Tree of Life was visually stunning, and showed a master exploring new dimensions. But, seriously, his 21st Century offerings, including last year's awful Knight of Cups, have proven to be misguided, meandering, and simply bad, including To the Wonder (does anybody remember that movie, I had to look up the title), The New World, and now you can add Song to Song to the list. Malick's latest opened the SXSW film festival this year, and it seemed like a perfect fit because the film's plot is set in the Austin music scene. Unfortunately, despite an excellent cast that includes Rooney Mara, Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman, and Cate Blanchett, it looks like Song to Song is yet another Malick misfire. The reviews haven't all been bad, as the Malick-ites have labeled it as another masterpiece. But overall, the reviews have been pretty poor, considering that film critics used to swoon over anything Malick made. It has been called meandering, shallow, and Malick losing his vision. While I'm sure it will find an audience of folks who are willing to tackle Malick, no matter what, but in the end, this potential Oscar contender and year end's best, looks like it is going to be none of the above.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Golden Globes and Producers Guild Set 2017-2018 Awards Dates

SAG came earlier this week, and like clockwork, the major guilds and associations are already looking forward to the next awards season. This week, the HFPA and the PGA announced their timelines:

First, the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards, which will be on January 7, 2018 on NBC.

The 29th Annual Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards will be on January 20, 2018.

That is all we have for the moment, although I'm sure full timelines are not far behind.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Screen Actors Guild Announces 2017-2018 Awards Dates

SAG-AFTRA has gotten a head start on the 2017-2018 Award season by announcing its important dates:

July 10th - Submissions open for nomination consideration

November 15th - Ballots for the SAG nominations are open

December 10th - Nominations Closes

December 13th - SAG Nominations Announced

December 19th - Final Voting for SAG Awards opens

January 19th - Ballots Due

January 21, 2018 - SAG Awards on TNT and TBS

Monday, March 6, 2017

2017 Olivier Award Nominations

Best New Musical
Dreamgirls
The Girls
Groundhog Day
School of Rock the Musical

Best New Play
Elegy
The Flick
Harry Potter And The Cursed Child
One Night In Miami…

Best Director
Simon Stone for Yerma
John Tiffany for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
John Tiffany for The Glass Menagerie
Matthew Warchus for Groundhog Day

Best Musical Revival
Funny Girl
Jesus Christ Superstar
Show Boat
Sunset Boulevard

Best Revival of a Play
The Glass Menagerie
This House
Travesties
Yerma

Best New Comedy
The Comedy about a Bank Robbery
Nice Fish
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour
The Truth

Best Actor in a Musical
David Fynn for School Of Rock The Musical
Tyrone Huntley for Jesus Christ Superstar
Andy Karl for Groundhog Day
Charlie Stemp for Half A Sixpence

Best Actress in a Musical
Glenn Close for Sunset Boulevard
"The Girls" - Debbie Chazen, Sophie-Louise Dann, Michele Dotrice, Claire Machin, Claire Moore and Joanna Riding - for The Girls
Amber Riley for Dreamgirls
Sheridan Smith for Funny Girl

Best Actor in a Play
Ed Harris for Buried Child
Tom Hollander for Travesties
Ian McKellen for No Man's Land
Jamie Parker for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Best Actress in a Play
Glenda Jackson for King Lear
Cherry Jones for The Glass Menagerie
Billie Piper for Yerma
Ruth Wilson for Hedda Gabler

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Ian Bartholomew for Half a Sixpence
Adam J. Bernard for Dreamgirls
Ben Hunter for The Girls
Andrew Langtree for Groundhog Day

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Haydn Gwynne for The Threepenny Opera
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Murder Ballad
Rebecca Trehearn for Show Boa
Emma Williams for Half a Sixpence

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play 
Anthony Boyle for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Freddie Fox for Travesties
Brian J Smith for The Glass Menagerie
Rafe Spall for Hedda Gabler

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Melissa Allan, Caroline Deyga, Kirsty Findlay, Karen Fishwick, Kirsty MacLaren, Frances Mayli McCann, Joanne McGuinness and Dawn Sievewright for Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour
Noma Dumezweni for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Clare Foster for Travesties
Kate O'Flynn for The Glass Menagerie

Best New Dance Production
Betroffenheit by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young
Blak Whyte Gray by Boy Blue Entertainment
Giselle by Akram Khan and English National Ballet
My Mother, My Dog And CLOWNS! by Michael Clark

Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for their London season
Luke Ahmet for The Creation by Rambert
English National Ballet for expanding the variety of their repertoire with Giselle and She Said

Best New Opera Production
4.48 Psychosis
Akhnaten
Cosi Fan Tutte
Lulu

Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Renee Fleming for her performance in Der Rosenkavalier
Stuart Skelton for his performance in Tristan and Isolde
Mark Wigglesworth for his conducting of Don Giovanni and Lulu

Best Entertainment and Family
Cinderella
David Baddiel - My Family: Not The Sitcom
Peter Pan
The Red Shoes

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Cuttin' It
The Government Inspector
The Invisible Hand
It is Easy to be Dead
Rotterdam

Best Theatre Choreographer
Matthew Bourne for The Red Shoes
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane for Groundhog Day
Steven Hoggett for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Drew McOnie for Jesus Christ Superstar

Outstanding Achievement in Music
Dreamgirls - music by Henry Krieger
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - composer and arranger Imogen Heap
Jesus Christ Superstar - The band and company creating the gig-like rock vibe of the original concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar
School Of Rock the Musical - Three children's bands who play instruments live every night

Best Costume Design
Gregg Barnes for Dreamgirls
Hugh Durrant for Cinderella
Rob Howell for Groundhog Day
Katrina Lindsay for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Best Lighting Design
Neil Austin for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Lee Curran for Jesus Christ Superstar
Natasha Katz for The Glass Menagerie
Hugh Vanstone for Groundhog Day

Best Set Design
Bob Crowley for Disney's Aladdin
Bob Crowley for The Glass Menagerie
Rob Howell for Groundhog Day
Christine Jones for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Best Sound Design
Paul Arditti for Amadeus
Adam Cork for Travesties
Gareth Fry for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Nick Lidster for Autograph for Jesus Christ Superstar

Special Award
Sir Kenneth Branagh

2017 iHeartRadio Award Winners

Song of the Year
"CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!" - Justin Timberlake

Female Artist of the Year
Adele

Male Artist of the Year
Justin Bieber

Best New Artist
The Chainsmokers

Best Duo/Group of the Year
twenty one pilots

Best New Pop Artist
The Chainsmokers

Pop Album of the Year
25 - Adele

Producer of the Year
Benny Blanco

Alternative Rock Song of the Year
"Heathens" - twenty one pilots

Alternative Rock Artist of the Year
twenty one pilots - WINNER

Rock Song of the Year
"Bang Bang" - Green Day

Rock Artist of the Year
Disturbed

Rock Album of the Year
Hardwired... to Self-Destruct - Metallica

Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist
The Strumbellas

Alternative Rock Album of the Year
Blurryface - twenty one pilots

Country Song of the Year
"Somewhere On A Beach" - Dierks Bentley

Country Artist of the Year
Thomas Rhett - WINNER

Best New Country Artist
Kelsea Ballerini

Country Album of the Year
Traveller - Chris Stapleton

Dance Song of the Year
"Closer" - The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey

Dance Artist of the Year
The Chainsmokers

Dance Album of the Year
Collage - The Chainsmokers

Hip-Hop Song of the Year
"One Dance" - Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla

Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
Drake

Best New Hip-Hop Artist
Chance The Rapper

Hip Hop Album of the Year
Views - Drake

R&B Album of the Year
Anti - Rihanna

R&B Song of the Year
"Work" - Rihanna featuring Drake

R&B Artist of the Year
The Weeknd

Best New R&B Artist
Bryson Tiller

Latin Album of the Year
Energía – J Balvin

Latin Song of the Year
"Duele El Corazon" - Enrique Iglesias featuring Wisin

Latin Artist of the Year
Nicky Jam

Best New Latin Artist
CNCO

Regional Mexican Album of the Year
Recuerden Mi Estilo – Los Plebes Del Rancho De Ariel Camach

Regional Mexican Song of the Year
"Solo Con Verte" - Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year

Calibre 50

Best New Regional Mexican Artist:
Joss Favela

Best Lyrics
"Love Yourself" - Justin Bieber

Best Collaboration
"Work" - Rihanna featuring Drake

Best Cover Song
"Ex's and Oh's" - Fifth Harmony

Best Song from a Movie
"Girls Talk Boys" - 5 Seconds of Summer (Ghostbusters)

Best Underground Alternative Band
Pierce the Veil

Social Star Award
Jack and Jack from Snapchat

Best Fan Army presented by Taco Bell
Fifth Harmony - Harmonizers

Most Thumbed Up Song of the Year
“One Dance” - Drake ft. Wizkid & Kyla

Label of the Year
Republic

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Is Logan An Oscar Contender?

We are six days out from the last Oscars, and it never fails that immediately folks began to wonder about the next year. I promise to soon start my first predictions for next year, and this Spring we have a lot to look for including the Daytime Emmys, the MTV Movie Awards, the Tonys, and of course Emmy season, which I am starting to love almost as much as the Oscars, begins before we know it. March is here, and we are going to start to see early Oscar buzz for some of the Spring contenders. Early Beauty and the Beast reviews are mixed, but my guess is that Visual Effects, Costume Design, and Production Design nominations feel like safe bets right now. But the real contender so far is not Beauty and the Beast, it is Logan, the R-Rated, western, post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-esque final chapter in the Wolverine saga. I love most of the X-Men movies (okay like 2/3 of the X-Men movies), and when they are done well, they are entertaining, and in some cases (X2 for example), can be incredibly emotionally satisfying. But it looks like, in Wolverine's final outing, the folks who brought this franchise to the silver screen have finally made their modern comic book masterpiece. The reviews are stellar, the R-rating and stripped down look has finally given the filmmakers here a chance to really explore Logan, not Wolverine, but Logan. We know that comic book movies have had a rough time at the Oscars. After The Dark Knight managed a whopping eight nominations, and 2 wins, but not a Best Picture or Best Director nomination, the Academy expanded the Best Picture field to be more inclusive of bigger films. So far, a lot of big films have made the Best Picture cut including Avatar, Up, Toy Story 3, Inception, The Help, Gravity, American Sniper, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, and Hidden Figures. Many of these films would not have made the cut in a year of five, and personally, I think this is enough proof that the Academy should keep its expanded Best Picture set up. Despite those successes, no comic book movie has managed to get a nomination. To be fair, with maybe the exception of Deadpool this year, most of them did not deserve it. But with Logan, the spiritual successor of The Dark Knight, the question will once again be revived: Can a film based on a comic book actually get a Best Picture nomination? I think that one of the positives of the expanded Academy membership is that a younger, more diverse voter base can lead to different choices. While Moonlight is on a much larger scale, it's surprise Best Picture win is proof that the Academy is not the same as it used to be. In the end, the answer is probably no. But if Logan, at the end of the year, ends up being one of the best, I'm hoping that Oscar voters let go of their pretensions, the way they did with Mad Max, and recognize brilliance, no matter the source.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

43rd Annual Saturn Award Nominations

Best Comic-to-Motion Picture Release
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Captain America: Civil War
Deadpool
Doctor Strange
Suicide Squad
X-Men: Apocalypse

Best Science Fiction Film Release:
Arrival
Independence Day: Resurgence
Midnight Special
Passengers
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Star Trek Beyond

Best Fantasy Film Release:
The BFG
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Ghostbusters
The Jungle Book
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
A Monster Calls
Pete's Dragon

Best Horror Film Release:
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
The Conjuring 2
Demon
Don't Breathe
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Train to Busan
The Witch

Best Action / Adventure Film Release:
Allied
Gold
Hacksaw Ridge
Hidden Figures
The Legend of Tarzan
The Magnificent Seven
The Nice Guys

Best Thriller Film Release:
10 Cloverfield Lane
The Accountant
The Girl on the Train
Jason Bourne
Hell or High Water
The Shallows
Split

Best Actor in a Film:
Chris Evans (Captain America: Civil War)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)
Chris Pratt (Passengers)
Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
Mark Rylance (The BFG)
Chris Pine (Star Trek Beyond)
Matthew McConaughey (Gold)

Best Actress in a Film:
Amy Adams (Arrival)
Emily Blunt (The Girl on the Train)
Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures)
Jennifer Lawrence (Passengers)
Felicity Jones (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Narges Rashidi (Under the Shadow)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane)

Best Supporting Actor in a Film:
Chadwick  Boseman (Captain America: Civil War)
Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
John Goodman (10  Cloverfield Lane)
Diego Luna (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Zachary Quinto (Star Trek Beyond)
Christopher Walken (The Jungle Book)

Best Supporting Actress  in a Film:
Scarlett Johansson (Captain America: Civil War)
Tilda Swinton (Doctor Strange)
Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad)
Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters)
Betty Buckley (Split)
Bryce Dallas Howard (Gold)

Best Performance by a Younger Actor:
Ruby Barnhill (The BFG)
Julian Dennison (Hunt for the Wilderpeople)
Tom Holland (Captain America: Civil War)
Lewis MacDougall (A Monster Calls)
Neel Sethi (The Jungle Book)
Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch)

Best Film Direction:
Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange)
Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Jon Favreau (The Jungle Book)
Anthony Russo, Joe Russo (Captain America: Civil War)
Bryan Singer (X-Men: Apocalypse)
Steven Spielberg (The BFG)
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)

Best Film Screenplay:
Melissa Mathison (The BFG)
Eric Heisserer (Arrival)
Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick (Deadpool)
Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill (Doctor Strange)
Taylor Sheridan (Hell or High Water)
Chris Weitz, Tony Gilroy (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Best Film Editing:
Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt (Captain America: Civil War)
John Gilroy, Colin Goudie, Jabez Olssen (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Stefan Grube (10 Cloverfield Lane)
Michael Kahn (The BFG)
Mark Livolsi (The Jungle Book)
Joe Walker (Arrival)

Best Film Production Design:
Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg (The BFG)
Doug Chiang, Neil Lamont (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Stuart Craig (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
Guy Hendrix Dyas (Passengers)
Owen Paterson (Captain America: Civil War)
Charles Wood (Doctor Strange)

Best Film Music:
Michael Giacchino (Doctor Strange)
Michael Giacchino (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
James Newton Howard (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
Justin Hurwitz (La La Land)
Thomas Newman (Passengers)
John Willians (The BFG)

Best Film Costume Designer:
Colleen Atwood (Alice Through the Looking Glass)
Colleen Atwood (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
Alexandra Byrne (Doctor Strange)
David Crossman, Glyn Dilloin (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Sang-gyeong Jo (The Handmaiden)
Joanna Johnston (The BFG)

Best Film Make-Up:
Jeremy Woodhead (Doctor Strange)
Nicky Knowles (Fanatastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
Amy Byrne (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Monica Huppert, Joel Harlow (Star Trek Beyond)
Allan Apone, Jo-Ann MacNeil, Marta Roggero (Suicide Squad)
Charles Carter, Rita Ciccozzi, Rosalina Da Silva (X-Men: Apocalypse)

Best Film Special / Visual Effects:
Louis Morin, Ryal Cosgrove (Arrival)
Joe Letteri, Joel Whist (The BFG)
Stephane Ceretti, Richard  Bluff, Vincent Cirelli, Paul Corbould (Doctor Strange)
Tim Burke, Christian Manz, David Watkins (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, Dan Lemmon (The Jungle Book)
John Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel, Neil Corbould (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Best Independent Film Release:
Eye in the Sky
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
La La Land
Lion
The Ones Below
Remember

Best International Film Release:
Elle
The Handmaiden
In Order of Disappearance
The Mermaid
Shin Godzilla
Under the Shadow

Best Animated Film Release:
Finding Dory
Kingslaive: Final Fantasy XV
Moana
Sing
Trolls
Zootopia

Best Science Fiction Television Series:
The 100
Colony
The Expanse
Falling Water
Incorporated
Timeless
Westworld

Best Fantasy Television Series:
Beyond
Game of Thrones
The Good Place
Lucifer
The Magicians
Outlander
Preacher

Best Horror Television Series:
American Horror Story: Roanoke
Ash vs. Evil Dead
The Exorcist
Fear the Walking Dead
Teen Wolf
The Vampire Diaries
The Walking Dead

Best Action/Thriller Television Series:
Animal Kingdom
Bates Motel
Designated Survivor
The Librarians
Mr. Robot
Riverdale
Underground

Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series:
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Arrow
The Flash
Gotham
Legion
Supergirl

Best Presentation on Television:
11.22.63
Channel Zero
Doctor Who: The Return of Dr. Mysterio
Mars
The Night Manager
Rats

Best New Media Television Series:
Bosch
Marvel's Daredevil
Marvel's Luke Cage
The Man in the High Castle
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Stranger Things

Best Actor on a Television Series:
Bruce Campbell (Ash vs. Evil Dead)
Mike Colter (Marvel's Luke Cage)
Charlie Cox (Marvel's Daredevil)
Grant Gustin (The Flash)
Sam Heughan (Outlander)
Freddie Highmore (Bate's Motel)
Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)

Best Actress on a Television Series:
Melissa Benoist (Supergirl)
Caitriona Balfe (Outlander)
Kim Dickens (Fear the Walking Dead)
Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel)
Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Roanoke)
Winona Ryder (Stranger Things)

Best Supporting Actor on a Television Series:
Linden Ashby (Teen Wolf)
Mehcad Brooks (Supergirl)
Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones)
Ed Harris (Westworld)
Lee Majors (Ash vs. Evil Dead)
Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead)
Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)

Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series:
Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Roanoke)
Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead)
Melissa McBride (The Walking Dead)
Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Candice Patton (The Flash)
Adina Porter (American  Horror Story: Roanoke)
Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld)

Best Younger Actor on a Television Series:
K.J. Apa (Riverdale)
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)
Max Charles (The Strain)
Alycia Debnam-Carey (Fear the Walking Dead)
Lorenzo James Henrie (Fear the Walking Dead)
Chandler Riggs (The Walking Dead)

Best Guest Performance on a Television Series:
Ian Bohen (Teen Wolf)
Tyler Hoechlin (Supergirl)
Anthony Hopkins (Westworld)
Leslie Jordan (American Horror Story: Roanoke)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead)
Dominique Pinon (Outlander)

Best Animated Series or Film on Television:
Bojack Horseman
Family Guy
The Little Prince
The Simpsons
Star Wars: Rebels
Trollhunters

Best DVD / BD Release:
Dog Eat Dog
The Girl
The Lobster
The Man Who Knew Infinity
The Wailing
Tales of Halloween

Best DVD / BD Special Edition Release:
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition
The Hills Have Eyes Limited Edition
The Iron Giant Signature Edition
Phantasm Remastered
Raising Cain
Mad Max: Fury Road Black and Chrome Edition

Best Classic Film Release on DVD /  BD:
Destiny
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
Gog 3D
It Came From Outer Space
Donovan's Brain
Time After Time

Best Television Release on DVD / BD:
Banshee: The Final Season
Hannibal: The Complete Series Collection
Mr. Robot: Season 2.0
Salem's Lot
Versailles: Season One
Star Trek: The Animated Series

Best Collection on DVD / BD:
Buster Keaton Shorts Collection 1917-23
Frankenstein: Complete Legacy Collection
Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast
Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection
Pioneers of African American Cinema
The Wolf Man: Complete Legacy Collection

Best Local Live Stage Production:
Amadeus (L.A. Theatre Works)
Chen Ying Rescues the Orphan (Chinese Yu Opera)
The Fantasticks (Pasadena Playhouse)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (3D Theatricals)
Moby Dick (South Coast Repertory)
A View From the Bridge (Ahmanson Theatre)