Saturday, October 30, 2021

The Oscar Narrative: Post-Festival Nomination Predictions - Best Supporting Actor

Post Festival 2022 Nomination Predictions
Bradley Cooper "Licorice Pizza"
Willem Dafoe "Nightmare Alley"
Ciaran Hinds "Belfast" 
Jared Leto "House of Gucci"
Kodi Smit-McPhee "The Power of the Dog" 

Other Contenders - Jamie Dornan "Belfast", Troy Kotsur "CODA", Ben Affleck "The Tender Bar", Timothy Spall "Spencer", Richard Jenkins "The Humans", Idris Elba "The Harder They Fall", J.K. Simmons "Being the Ricardos", Adam Driver "The Last Duel", Al Pacino "House of Gucci", Jesse Plemmons "The Power of the Dog", Corey Hawkins "The Tragedy of Macbeth", Brendan Gleeson "The Tragedy of Macbeth", Colman Domingo "Zola", Jonah Hill "Don't Look Up", Tyler Perry "Don't Look Up", Mark Rylance "Don't Look Up", Reed Birney "Mass", Jason Isaacs "Mass", Kelvin Harrison Jr. "Cyrano", Jon Bernthal "King Richard", Robin DeJesus "tick, tick...boom!", Bradley Whitford "tick, tick...boom!", David Alvarez "West Side Story", David Strathairn "Nightmare Alley"

Commentary - This race feels like it is very fluid, and it could go anyway. If you look at the consensus so far, there is not much consensus. Ciaran Hinds feels like the only standard across predictions, as Belfast continues to rise. Kodi Smit-McPhee was a standout of The Power of the Dog, and I think he can ride the film's popularity to a nod. Willem Dafoe has become really popular as of late, and Nightmare Alley's first trailer is really intriguing. House of Gucci is either going to be awesome, or terrible. Jared Leto once again transforms himself, and he could get rewarded for it. Finally, Bradley Cooper could end up a double nominee, in this category for Paul Thomas Anderson's latest Licorice Pizza. Beyond those five, Jamie Dornan is hoping to join Hinds, although apparently he is clearly the lesser of the two in terms of performance. Troy Kotsur is getting a lot of buzz for CODA, Ben Affleck could get in for The Tender Bar, Timothy Spall is a standout in Spencer, Richard Jenkins should never be discounted, and Jesse Plemmons could join his co-star. Previous winners and nominees like J.K. Simmons, Al Pacino, Adam Driver, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, and David Strathairn are hoping to return. Veterans like Idris Elba, Tyler Perry, Reed Birney, Jason Isaacs, Jon Bernthal, Bradley Whitford and Robin De Jesus are hoping to finally crack the top five. Finally, young performers like Corey Hawkins and David Alvarez are hoping to make a splash. 

2021 People's Choice Award Nominations

THE MOVIE OF 2021
“Black Widow”
“Coming 2 America”
“F9: The Fast Saga”
“Dune”
“No Time to Die”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
“The Tomorrow War”
“Venom: Let There Be Carnage”

THE COMEDY MOVIE OF 2021
“Coming 2 America”
“Free Guy”
“He’s All That”
“Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard”
“Jungle Cruise”
“Space Jam: A New Legacy”
“Thunder Force”
“Vacation Friends”

THE ACTION MOVIE OF 2021
“Black Widow”
“F9: The Fast Saga”
“Godzilla vs. Kong”
“No Time to Die”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
“The Suicide Squad”
“The Tomorrow War”
“Venom: Let There Be Carnage”

THE DRAMA MOVIE OF 2021
“A Quiet Place Part II”
“Cruella”
“Dune”
“Fatherhood”
“Halloween Kills”
“In the Heights”
“Old”
“Respect”

THE FAMILY MOVIE OF 2021
“Cinderella”
“Luca”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
“The Boss Baby: Family Business”
“The Mitchells vs. the Machines”
“Tom and Jerry”
“Vivo”
“Yes Day”

THE MALE MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Chris Pratt — “The Tomorrow War”
Daniel Craig — “No Time to Die”
Dwayne Johnson — “Jungle Cruise”
Eddie Murphy — “Coming 2 America”
John Cena — “F9: The Fast Saga”
Ryan Reynolds — “Free Guy”
Simu Liu — “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
Vin Diesel — “F9: The Fast Saga”

THE FEMALE MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Awkwafina — “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
Charlize Theron — “F9: The Fast Saga”
Florence Pugh — “Black Widow”
Jennifer Hudson — “Respect”
Leslie Jones — “Coming 2 America”
Margot Robbie — “The Suicide Squad”
Salma Hayek — “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard”
Scarlett Johansson — “Black Widow”

THE DRAMA MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Anthony Ramos — “In the Heights”
Emily Blunt — “A Quiet Place Part II”
Emma Stone — “Cruella”
Jamie Lee Curtis — “Halloween Kills”
Jason Momoa — “Dune”
Jennifer Hudson — “Respect”
Kevin Hart — “Fatherhood”
Timothée Chalamet — “Dune”

THE COMEDY MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Dwayne Johnson — “Jungle Cruise”
Eddie Murphy — “Coming 2 America”
Emily Blunt — “Jungle Cruise”
Leslie Jones — “Coming 2 America”
Melissa McCarthy — “Thunder Force”
Octavia Spencer — “Thunder Force”
Ryan Reynolds — “Free Guy”
Salma Hayek — “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard”

THE ACTION MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Charlize Theron — “F9: The Fast Saga”
Chris Pratt — “The Tomorrow War”
Daniel Craig — “No Time to Die”
Florence Pugh — “Black Widow”
John Cena — “F9: The Fast Saga”
Scarlett Johansson — “Black Widow”
Simu Liu — “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
Vin Diesel — “F9: The Fast Saga”

THE SHOW OF 2021
“Cobra Kai”
“Grey’s Anatomy”
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
“Loki”
“Saturday Night Live”
“The Bachelor”
“This Is Us”
“WandaVision”

THE DRAMA SHOW OF 2021
“Outer Banks”
“9-1-1”
“Cobra Kai”
“Grey’s Anatomy”
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
“The Equalizer”
“The Walking Dead”
“This Is Us”

THE COMEDY SHOW OF 2021
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
“Grown-ish”
“Never Have I Ever”
“Only Murders in the Building”
“Saturday Night Live”
“Ted Lasso”
“The Upshaws”
“Young Rock”

THE REALITY SHOW OF 2021
“90 Day Fiancé”
“Bachelor in Paradise”
“Below Deck”
“Jersey Shore: Family Vacation”
“Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
“Love & Hip Hop Atlanta”
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”

THE COMPETITION SHOW OF 2021
“America’s Got Talent”
“American Idol”
“Dancing With The Stars”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race”
“The Bachelor”
“The Bachelorette”
“The Masked Singer”
“The Voice”

THE MALE TV STAR OF 2021
Anthony Mackie — “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”
Chase Stokes — “Outer Banks”
Dwayne Johnson — “Young Rock”
Jason Sudeikis — “Ted Lasso”
Kenan Thompson — “Saturday Night Live”
Norman Reedus — “The Walking Dead”
Sterling K. Brown — “This Is Us”
Tom Hiddleston — “Loki”

THE FEMALE TV STAR OF 2021
Angela Bassett — “9-1-1”
Elizabeth Olsen — “WandaVision”
Ellen Pompeo — “Grey’s Anatomy”
Kathryn Hahn — “WandaVision”
Mandy Moore — “This Is Us”
Mariska Hargitay — “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
Queen Latifah — “The Equalizer”
Yara Shahidi — “Grown-ish”

THE DRAMA TV STAR OF 2021
Norman Reedus — “The Walking Dead”
Angela Bassett — “9-1-1”
Chase Stokes — “Outer Banks”
Ellen Pompeo — “Grey’s Anatomy”
Mandy Moore — “This Is Us”
Mariska Hargitay — “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
Queen Latifah — “The Equalizer”
Sterling K. Brown — “This Is Us”

THE COMEDY TV STAR OF 2021
Andy Samberg — “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Dwayne Johnson — “Young Rock”
Jason Sudeikis — “Ted Lasso”
Kenan Thompson — “Saturday Night Live”
Selena Gomez — “Only Murders in the Building”
Steve Martin — “Only Murders in the Building”
Wanda Sykes — “The Upshaws”
Yara Shahidi — “Grown-ish”

THE DAYTIME TALK SHOW OF 2021
“Good Morning America”
“Live with Kelly and Ryan”
“Red Table Talk”
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
“The Kelly Clarkson Show”
“The View”
“The Wendy Williams Show”
“Today”

THE NIGHTTIME TALK SHOW OF 2021
“Full Frontal With Samantha Bee”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Late Night With Seth Meyers”
“The Daily Show With Trevor Noah”
“The Late Late Show With James Corden”
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

THE COMPETITION CONTESTANT OF 2021
Cody Rigsby — “Dancing With the Stars”
Gottmik — “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
JoJo — “The Masked Singer”
JoJo Siwa — “Dancing With the Stars”
Katie Thurston — “The Bachelorette”
Matt James — “The Bachelor”
Symone — “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Wiz Khalifa — “The Masked Singer”

THE REALITY TV STAR OF 2021
Erica Mena — “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta”
Joe Amabile — “Bachelor in Paradise”
Kandi Burruss — “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”
Khloé Kardashian — “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
Kim Kardashian West — “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
Lisa Rinna — “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino — “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation”
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi — “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation”

THE BINGEWORTHY SHOW OF 2021
“Cobra Kai”
“Loki”
“Mare of Easttown”
“Outer Banks”
“Sex/Life”
“Squid Game”
“Ted Lasso”
“The White Lotus”

THE SCI-FI/FANTASY SHOW OF 2021
“Loki”
“Lucifer”
“La Brea”
“Shadow and Bone”
“Superman and Lois”
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”
“The Flash”
“WandaVision”

THE MALE ARTIST OF 2021
Bad Bunny
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
Luke Combs
Shawn Mendes
The Weeknd

THE FEMALE ARTIST OF 2021
Adele
Billie Eilish
Cardi B
Doja Cat
Halsey
Megan Thee Stallion
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie

THE GROUP OF 2021
BTS
Coldplay
Dan + Shay
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Migos
Twenty One Pilots

THE SONG OF 2021
“Butter” — BTS
“Bad Habits” — Ed Sheeran
“Easy on Me” — Adele
“Good 4 U” — Olivia Rodrigo
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Lil Nas X
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
“Stay” — The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber
“Up” — Cardi B

THE ALBUM OF 2021
“Certified Lover Boy” — Drake
“Culture III” — Migos
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish
“Justice” — Justin Bieber
“Montero” — Lil Nas X
“Planet Her” — Doja Cat
“Sour” — Olivia Rodrigo
“Star-crossed” — Kacey Musgraves

THE COUNTRY ARTIST OF 2021
Blake Shelton
Carrie Underwood
Dan + Shay
Kacey Musgraves
Kane Brown
Luke Bryan
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert

THE LATIN ARTIST OF 2021
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
Becky G
Daddy Yankee
J Balvin
KAROL G
Maluma
Natti Natasha

THE NEW ARTIST OF 2021
24kGoldn
Bella Poarch
Giveon
Olivia Rodrigo
Rauw Alejandro
Tate McRae
The Kid Laroi
Tomorrow X Together

THE MUSIC VIDEO OF 2021
“Butter” — BTS
“Easy on Me” — Adele
“Good 4 U” — Olivia Rodrigo
“Location” — Karol G, Anuel AA, J Balvin
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Lil Nas X
“My Universe” — Coldplay X BTS
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
“Stay” — The Kid Laroi, Justin Bieber

THE COLLABORATION SONG OF 2021
“Best Friend” — Saweetie feat. Doja Cat
“Industry Baby” — Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
“Kiss Me More” — Doja Cat feat. SZA
“Leave the Door Open” — Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
“Stay” — The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber
“Way 2 Sexy” — Drake feat. Future & Young Thug
“You Right” — Doja Cat, The Weeknd

THE SOCIAL STAR OF 2021
Addison Rae
Britney Spears
Charli D’Amelio
Dwayne Johnson
Justin Bieber
Kim Kardashian West
Kylie Jenner
Lil Nas X

THE POP SPECIAL OF 2021
“Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry”
“Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil”
“Friends: The Reunion”
“Justin Bieber: Our World”
“Olympic Highlights With Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg”
“Oprah with Meghan and Harry”
“Pink: All I Know So Far”
“Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3”

THE COMEDY ACT OF 2021
“Back to Abnormal Tour” — Trevor Noah
“Bo Burnham: Inside” — Bo Burnham
“From Scratch Tour” — John Mulaney
“Sorry, Harriet Tubman” — Phoebe Robisnon
“The King’s Jester Tour” — Hasan Minhaj
“The Milk & Money Tour” — Ali Wong
“Vaccinated and Horny Tour” — Chelsea Handler
“You Know What It Is” — Marlon Wayans

THE GAME CHANGER OF 2021
Alex Morgan
Bubba Wallace
Carl Nassib
Naomi Osaka
Patrick Mahomes
Serena Williams
Simone Biles
Sunisa Lee

THE POP PODCAST OF 2021
“Anything Goes With Emma Chamberlain”
“Armchair Expert”
“Call Her Daddy”
“Chicks in the Office”
“Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend”
“Couple Things With Shawn and Andrew”
“SmartLess”
“Why Won’t You Date Me? With Nicole Byer”

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

37th IDA Documentary Awards Shortlists

IDA Documentary Awards 2021 Features Shortlist:
Ailey (USA / NEON. Director: Jamila Wignot. Producer: Lauren DeFilippo.)

Apenas el sol (Nothing but the Sun) (Switzerland, Paraguay/ Film republic. Director/Producer: Arami Ullón. Producer: Pascal Trächslin.) 

Ascension (USA. Director/Producer: Jessica Kingdon. Producers: Kira Simon-Kennedy, Nathan Truesdell.)

Black Power: A British Story of Resistance (United Kingdom / Amazon Studios. Director: George Amponsah. Producer: Helen Bart.)

Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters (USA / Kino Lorber. Director: Tom Hurwitz. Director/Producer: Rosalynde LeBlanc. Producer: Duana C. Butler.)

Charm Circle (USA. Director/Producer: Nira Burstein. Producer: Betsy Laikin.)

Convergence: Courage in a Crisis (USA / Netflix. Director/Producer: Orlando von Einsiedel. Producers: Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby, Laura McNaught.)

Eyes on the Prize: Hallowed Ground (USA / HBO Max. Director: Sophia Nahli Allison.)

Faya Dayi (Ethiopia, USA, Qatar / Janus Films. Director/Producer: Jessica Beshir.)

FLEE (Denmark, France, Norway / NEON. Director: Jonas Poher Rasmussen. Producers: Monica Hellstrӧm,Signe Byrge Sørensen.)

FRUITS OF LABOR (USA / Grasshopper Films, POV. Director/Producer: Emily Cohen Ibañez.)

In the Same Breath (USA, China / HBO, HBO Max. Director/Producer: Nanfu Wang. Producers: Jialing Zhang, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn.)

Jacinta (USA / Hulu, ABC News. Director: Jessica Earnshaw. Producers: Jessica Earnshaw, Holly Meehl, Nimisha Mukerji.)

Life of Crime 1984-2020 (USA / HBO, HBO Max. Director/Producer: Jon Alpert. Producers: Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller.)

Miguel’s War (Lebanon, Germany, Spain. Director/Producer: Eliane Raheb.)

North By Current (USA / POV. Director/Producer: Angelo Madsen Minax. Producer: Felix Endara.)

Not Going Quietly (USA / Greenwich Entertainment. Director: Nicholas Bruckman. Producer: Amanda Roddy.)

President (Denmark, USA, Norway. Director: Camilla Nielsson. Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen, Joslyn Barnes.)

Rebel Hearts (USA / discovery+. Director: Pedro Kos. Producers: Kira Carstensen, Shawnee Isaac-Smith, Judy Korin.)

So Late So Soon (USA / Oscilloscope Laboratories. Director: Daniel Hymanson. Producers: Trace Henderson, Josh Penn, Kellen Quinn, Noah Stahl.)

Storm Lake (USA / Independent Lens. Director: Beth Levison, Jerry Risius. Producer: Beth Levison.)

Summer of Soul (USA / Hulu, Searchlight Pictures. Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Producers: Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent, David Dinerstein.)

Taming the Garden (Switzerland, Germany, Georgia. Director/Producer: Salomé Jashi. Producers: Vadim Jendreyko, Erik Winker, Martin Roelly.)

This Stained Dawn (Pakistan, Canada. Director/Producer: Anam Abbas.)

Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre (USA / History. Director/Producers: Stanley Nelson, Marco Williams. Producer: Julie Sisson.)

Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (USA / Apple TV+. Director: Michael Bonfiglio. Producers: Kimberly Small, Marcella Steingart.)

Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F**ker (USA / Kino Lorber. Director: Chris McKim. Producers: Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey.)

Writing With Fire (India / ITVS, Music Box. Director/Producers: Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh.)

Wuhan Wuhan (USA / Starlight Media Inc., SA Inc., Kartemquin Films. Director: Yung Chang. Producers: Peter Luo, Donna Gigliotti, Diane Quon.)

IDA Documentary Awards 2021 Shorts Shortlist:
A Broken House (USA, Lebanon / Condé Nast Entertainment, The New Yorker, POV. Director/Producer: Jimmy Goldblum. Producers: Matt Weaver, Harrison Nalevansky.)

Águilas (USA / The New Yorker. Director/Producers: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre.)

Ain't No Time For Women (Canada / Travelling. Director: Sarra El Abed. Producer: Isabelle Grignon-Francke)

Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol (USA / The New York Times. Directors: Malachy Browne, David Botti. Producers: Haley Willis, Christiaan Triebert, Evan Hill, Cora Engelbrecht, Stella Cooper.)

E14 (United Kingdom / Fifth Season LTD. Director: Peiman Zekavat. Producer: Sanam Jehanfard.)

Joe Buffalo (Canada / Condé Nast Entertainment, The New Yorker. Director/Producer: Amar Chebib. Producers: Hayley Morin, Mack Stannard)

Joychild (USA / The New Yorker, Stanford University. Director/Producer: Aurora Brachman)

Kalsubai (India / Film and Television Institute of India. Director: Yudhajit Basu)

Open Shutters (USA, Republic of Korea / Field of Vision. Director/Producer: Do Youjin.)

Red Taxi  (USA, Hong Kong / Field of Vision. Director/Producer: Anonymous)

same/different/both/neither (Brazil / Photogram Films Distribution. Director/Producer: Adriana Barbosa, Fernanda Pessoa.)

Senior Prom (USA / PBS, Independent Lens. Director/Producer: Luisa Conlon. Producer: Jessica Chermayeff.)

Since you arrived, my heart stopped belonging to me (Desde que llegaste, mi corazón dejó de pertenecerme) (USA / The New Yorker. Director/Producer: Erin Semine Kökdil)

Status Pending (USA / Al Jazeera English - Witness. Director: Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz. Producer: Laura Reich.)

Takeover (USA. Director: Emma Francis-Snyder. Producer: Tony Gerber.)

The Last Cruise (USA / HBO Max. Director/Producer: Hannah Olson. Producers: Shane Boris, Joe Beshenkovsky, James A Smith.)

The Seeker (USA / Topic. Director: Lance Edmands. Producers: Kyle Martin, Sarah Tihany.) 

Saturday, October 23, 2021

The 31st Annual Gotham Award Nominations

Best Feature
The Green Knight
The Lost Daughter
Passing
Pig
Test Pattern

Best Documentary Feature
Ascension
Faya Dayi
Flee
President
Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Best International Feature
Azor
Drive My Car
The Souvenir Part II
Titane
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?
The Worst Person In The World

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Maggie Gyllenhaal for The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
Edson Oda for Nine Days (Sony Pictures Classics)
Rebecca Hall for Passing (Netflix)
Emma Seligman for Shiva Baby (Utopia Distribution)
Shatara Michelle Ford for Test Pattern (Kino Lorber)

Best Screenplay
The Card Counter, Paul Schrader (Focus Features)
El Planeta, Amalia Ulman (Utopia Distribution)
The Green Knight, David Lowery (A24)
The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal (Netflix)
Passing, Rebecca Hall (Netflix)
Red Rocket, Sean Baker & Chris Bergoch (A24)

Outstanding Lead Performance
Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
Frankie Faison in The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain (Gravitas Ventures)
Michael Greyeyes in Wild Indian (Vertical Entertainment)
Brittany S. Hall in Test Pattern (Kino Lorber)
Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter (Focus Features)
Taylour Paige in Zola (A24)
Joaquin Phoenix in C’mon C’mon (A24)
Simon Rex in Red Rocket (A24)
Lili Taylor in Paper Spiders (Entertainment Squad)
Tessa Thompson in Passing (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Performance
Reed Birney in Mass (Bleecker Street)
Jessie Buckley in The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
Colman Domingo in Zola (A24)
Gaby Hoffmann in C’mon C’mon (A24)
Troy Kotsur in CODA (Apple)
Marlee Matlin in CODA (Apple)
Ruth Negga in Passing (Netflix)

Breakthrough Performer
Emilia Jones in CODA (Apple)
Natalie Morales in Language Lessons (Shout! Studios)
Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby (Utopia Distribution)
Suzanna Son in Red Rocket (A24)
Amalia Ulman in El Planeta (Utopia Distribution)

Breakthrough Series – Long Format (over 40 minutes)
The Good Lord Bird
It’s A Sin
Small Axe
Squid Game
The Underground Railroad
The White Lotus

Breakthrough Series – Short Format (under 40 minutes)
Blindspotting
Hacks
Reservation Dog
Run the World
We Are Lady Parts

Breakthrough Nonfiction Series
City So Real
Exterminate All the Brutes
How To With John Wilson
Philly D.A
Pride

Outstanding Performance in a New Series
Jennifer Coolidge in The White Lotus (HBO Max/HBO)
Michael Greyeyes in Rutherford Falls (Peacock)
Ethan Hawke in The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)
Devery Jacobs in Reservation Dogs (FX)
Lee Jung-jae in Squid Game (Netflix)
Thuso Mbedu in The Underground Railroad (Amazon Studios)
Jean Smart in Hacks (HBO Max/HBO)
Omar Sy in Lupin (Netflix)
Anya Taylor-Joy in The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Anjana Vasan in We Are Lady Parts (Peacock)

Monday, October 18, 2021

The 6th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Nominations

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)
Attica (Showtime)
Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)
The Crime of the Century (HBO Documentary Films)
A Crime on the Bayou (Augusta Films/Shout! Studios)
Flee (Neon)
Introducing, Selma Blair (Discovery+)
The Lost Leonardo (Sony Pictures Classics)
My Name is Pauli Murray (Amazon Studios)
Procession (Netflix)
The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)

BEST DIRECTOR 
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin – The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)
Liz Garbus – Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)
Jessica Kingdon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)
Stanley Nelson and Traci A. Curry – Attica (Showtime)
Jonas Poher Rasmussen – Flee (Neon)
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)
Edgar Wright – The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Jessica Beshir – Faya Dayi (Janus Films)
Rachel Fleit – Introducing, Selma Blair (Discovery+)
Todd Haynes – The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)
Jessica Kingdon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)
Kristine Stolakis – Pray Away (Netflix)
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)
Edgar Wright – The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 
Jessica Beshir – Faya Dayi (Janus Films)
Jonathan Griffith, Brett Lowell and Austin Siadak – The Alpinist (Roadside Attractions)
David Katznelson, Ian Seabrook and Picha Srisansanee – The Rescue  (National Geographic Documentary Films)
Jessica Kingdon and Nathan Truesdell – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)
Nelson Hume and Alan Jacobsen – The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (Bleecker Street Media)
Emiliano Villanueva – A Cop Movie (Netflix)
Pete West – Puff: Wonders of the Reef (Netflix)

BEST EDITING 
Francisco Bello, Matthew Heineman, Gabriel Rhodes and David Zieff – The First Wave (National Geographic Documentary Films)
Jeff Consiglio – LFG (HBO Max and CNN Films)
Bob Eisenhardt – The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)
Affonso Gonçalves and Adam Kurnitz – The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)
Jessica Kingdon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)
Joshua L. Pearson – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)
Julian Quantrill – The Real Charlie Chaplin (Showtime)

BEST NARRATION
9/11: Inside the President’s War Room (Apple TV+)
   Jeff Daniels, Narrator

Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)
   Vincent Cassel, Narrator
   Mark Monroe and Pax Wassermann, Writers

The Crime of the Century (HBO Documentary Films)
   Alex Gibney, Narrator
   Alex Gibney, Writer

The Neutral Ground (PBS)
   CJ Hunt, Narrator
   CJ Hunt, Writer

The Real Charlie Chaplin (Showtime)
   Pearl Mackie, Narrator
   Oliver Kindeberg, Peter Middleton and James Spinney, Writers

Val (Amazon Studios)
   Jack Kilmer, Narrator
   Val Kilmer, Writer

The Year Earth Changed (Apple TV+)
   David Attenborough, Narrator

BEST SCORE
Jongnic Bontemps – My Name is Pauli Murray (Amazon Studios)
Dan Deacon – Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)
Alex Lasarenko and David Little – The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (Bleecker Street Media)
Cyrus Melchor – LFG (HBO/CNN)
Daniel Pemberton – The Rescue (National Geographic Documentary Films)
Rachel Portman – Julia (Sony Pictures Classics)
Dirac Sea – Final Account (Focus Features)

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY 
Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)
The Real Charlie Chaplin (Showtime)
The Real Right Stuff (Disney+)
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (HBO Documentary Films)
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)
Val (Amazon Studios)
The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)

BEST HISTORICAL OR BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY
Attica (Showtime)
A Crime on the Bayou (Augusta Films/Shout! Studios)
Fauci (Magnolia Pictures/National Geographic Documentary Films)
Final Account (Focus Features)
Julia (Sony Pictures Classics)
My Name is Pauli Murray (Amazon Studios)
No Ordinary Man (Oscilloscope)
Val (Amazon Studios)

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY 
Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry (Apple TV+)
Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James (Showtime)
Listening to Kenny G (HBO Documentary Films)
The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Hulu)
Tina (HBO Documentary Films)
The Velvet Underground (Apple TV+)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
The Crime of the Century (HBO Documentary Films)
Enemies of the State (IFC Films)
Four Hours at the Capitol (HBO Documentary Films)
Influence (StoryScope, EyeSteelFilm)
Mayor Pete (Amazon Studios)
Missing in Brooks County (Giant Pictures)
Nasrin (Hulu)
Not Going Quietly (Greenwich Entertainment)

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
Becoming Cousteau (Picturehouse/National Geographic Documentary Films)
Fauci (National Geographic Documentary Films)
The First Wave (National Geographic Documentary Films)
The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 (Bleecker Street Media)
Playing with Sharks (National Geographic Documentary Films)
Puff: Wonders of the Reef (Netflix)
The Year Earth Changed (Apple TV+)

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY 
The Alpinist (Roadside Attractions)
Changing the Game (Hulu)
The Day Sports Stood Still (HBO)
Kevin Garnett: Anything is Possible (Showtime)
LFG (HBO Max/CNN Films)
Tiger (HBO)

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY 
Audible (Netflix)
Borat’s American Lockdown (Amazon Studios)
Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis (Netflix)
Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol (The New York Times)
The Doll (Jumping Ibex)
The Last Cruise (HBO Documentary Films)
The Queen of Basketball (The New York Times)
Snowy (TIME Studios)

MOST COMPELLING LIVING SUBJECTS OF A DOCUMENTARY (HONOR)
Ady Barkan – Not Going Quietly (Greenwich Entertainment)
Selma Blair – Introducing, Selma Blair (Discovery+)
Pete Buttigieg – Mayor Pete (Amazon Studios)
Anthony Fauci – Fauci (Magnolia Pictures/National Geographic Documentary Films)
Ben Fong-Torres – Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres (StudioLA.TV)
Val Kilmer – Val (Amazon Studios)
Ron and Russell Mael – The Sparks Brothers (Focus Features)
Rita Moreno – Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It (Roadside Attractions)
Valerie Taylor – Playing With Sharks: The Valerie Taylor Story (Disney+)

Saturday, October 16, 2021

The Oscar Narrative: Post-Festival Nomination Predictions - Best Supporting Actress

Post-Festival Nomination Predictions
Caitriona Balfe "Belfast" 
Judi Dench "Belfast"
Ann Dowd "Mass"
Kirsten Dunst "The Power of the Dog"
Aunjanue Ellis "King Richard" 

Other Contenders - Marlee Matlin "CODA", Ruth Negga "Passing", Cate Blanchett "Don't Look Up", Meryl Streep "Don't Look Up", Ariana DeBose "West Side Story", Jayne Houdyshell "The Humans", Martha Plimpton "Mass", Toni Collette "Nightmare Alley", Rooney Mara "Nightmare Alley", Glenn Close "Swan Song", Naomie Harris "Swan Song", Rita Moreno "West Side Story", Gaby Hoffman "C'mon C'mon", Nina Arianda "Being the Ricardos", Regina King "The Harder They Fall", Dakota Johnson "The Lost Daughter", Jessie Buckley "The Lost Daughter", Alana Haim "Licorice Pizza", Olga Merediz "In the Heights", Lily Rabe "The Tender Bar", Rebecca Ferguson "Dune", Anya Taylor-Joy "Last Night in Soho", Salma Hayek "House of Gucci", Olivia Colman "Mothering Sunday", Sally Hawkins "Spencer", Haley Bennett "Cyrano"

Commentary - Caitriona's move to Supporting might have just won her her first Academy Award, or at least her first nomination. The movie is leading this year's race, she is kind of a lead, and she is apparently great in the movie. Ann Dowd, an Emmy-winning veteran, has gotten a lot of buzz for her role in Mass, a film that I think will get a lot of notice from actors. She is the kind of veteran who often does well in these supporting races. Kirsten Dunst could hop up to lead, but I think she has a better shot here. She is a beloved veteran who, despite a long film career, has never managed an Oscar nomination. With The Power of the Dog doing so well, I think she finally makes the cut. Judi Dench could be pushed out by Balfe, or, because she is Judi Dench, she could join her co-star. I think the latter. Finally, the amazing Aunjanue Ellis, who got her first Emmy nomination this year, could add an Oscar nomination to her list of growing (and deserving) accolades. She not only holds her own, but sometimes overpowers her towering co-star Will Smith. But this race has a lot of folks to watch out for, and it looks to be an exciting race to watch. Marlee Matlin, an Oscar-winning icon, could return if CODA finds an audience with Oscar voters (I personally think she could easily knock out one of the current top five). Ruth Negga is getting a lot of buzz for Passing, Don't Look Up has the legends Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep, Jayne Houdyshell could repeat her Tony win, Martha Plimpton could join her co-star Dowd, Toni Collette and Rooney Mara could return, and Ariana DeBose could be this year's breakthrough performance. There are plenty of previous nominees and winners who could once again charm voters including Glenn Close, Naomie Harris, Regina King, Rita Moreno, Salma Hayek, Olivia Colman and Sally Hawkins. Newcomers and under-rewarded veterans like Gaby Hoffman, Nina Arianda, Jessie Buckley, Alana Haim, Olga Merediz, Lily Rabe, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennet, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Dakota Johnson should not be discounted. 

Sunday, October 10, 2021

The Oscar Narrative: Post-Festival Nomination Predictions - Technical Categories

Best Cinematography
Greig Fraser "Dune"
Dariusz Wolski "House of Gucci"
Dan Laustsen "Nightmare Alley" 
Bruno Delbonnel "The Tragedy of Macbeth" 
Janusz Kaminski "West Side Story"  

Other Contenders - Ari Wegner "The Power of the Dog", Haris Zambarloukos "Belfast", Robbie Ryan "C'Mon C'Mon", Seamus McGarvey "Cyrano", Chung-hoon Chung "Last Night in Soho", Alice Brooks "In The Heights", Claire Mithon "Spencer", Paula Huidobro "CODA", Robert Yeoman "The French Dispatch", Jeff Cronenweth "Being the Ricardos", Michael Bauman and Paul Thomas Anderson "Licorice Pizza"

Best Costume Design
Belfast
Cruella
Licorice Pizza
The Tragedy of Macbeth
West Side Story

Other Contenders - Dune, Spencer, House of Gucci, Nightmare Alley, Being the Ricardos, Cyrano, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Black Widow, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, In the Heights, The French Dispatch, Mothering Sunday, Coming 2 America, Respect, The Last Duel, Last Night in Soho, Eternals, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Harder They Fall, The Power of the Dog, Don't Look Up

Best Film Editing
Belfast
Don't Look Up
House of Gucci
The Power of the Dog
The Tragedy of Macbeth

Other Contenders - Licorice Pizza, Dune, CODA, Nightmare Alley, King Richard, tick tick...boom!, Being the Ricardos, No Time to Die, Eternals, The French Dispatch, In the Heights, The Harder They Fall, The Lost Daughter, Cyrano, Last Night in Soho, Spencer, The Last Duel, C'mon C'mon, Parallel Mothers, Flee, The Tender Bar, A Quiet Place Part II

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Cruella
Dune
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Nightmare Alley
Spencer

Other Contenders - House of Gucci, King Richard, West Side Story, The Tragedy of Macbeth, , Being the Ricardos, Don't Look Up, The French Dispatch, Eternals, Black Widow, Coming 2 America, Belfast, The Power of the Dog, Last Night in Soho, The Harder They Fall, Licorice Pizza, Cyrano, Respect, Parallell Mothers, A Quiet Place Part II, In the Heights, The Last Duel, No Time to Die, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Best Original Score 
Nicholas Britell "Don't Look Up"
Hans Zimmer "Dune"
Alexandre Desplat "The French Dispatch" 
Jonny Greenwood "The Power of the Dog" 
Carter Burwell "The Tragedy of Macbeth" 

Other Contenders - Jonny Greenwood "Spencer", Jonny Greenwood "Licorice Pizza", Alberto Iglesias "Parallell Mothers", Nathan Johnson "Nightmare Alley", Kris Bowers "King Richard", Ramin Djawadi "Eternals", Marcos Beltrami "A Quiet Place Part II", Nicholas Brittel "Cruella", Harry Gregson-Williams "House of Gucci", James Newton Howard "Jungle Cruise"

Best Original Song
TBA

Best Production Design
Belfast
Dune
Nightmare Alley
The Tragedy of Macbeth
West Side Story

Other Contenders - The French Dispatch,  House of Gucci, Cyrano, The Power of the Dog, Being the Ricardos, Cruella, Licorice Pizza, Spencer, The Harder They Fall, Black Widow, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Last Night in Soho, The Last Duel, A Quiet Place Part II, Respect, In the Heights

Best Sound
Dune
Eternals
The Power of the Dog
No Time to Die
West Side Story

Other Contenders - Belfast, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, A Quiet Place Part II, The Last Duel, Black Window, Cruella, Last Night in Soho, In the Heights, Respect, Licorice Pizza, Nightmare Alley, House of Gucci, The Matrix: Resurrections, The Harder They Fall, Don't Look Up, The Tomorrow War, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Suicide Squad, Cinderella

Best Visual Effects
Dune
Eternals
Godzilla vs. Kong
The Matrix: Resurrections
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Other Contenders - The Suicide Squad, Black Widow, A Quiet Place Part II, Cruella, No Time to Die, Swan Song, West Side Story, Nightmare Alley, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Tomorrow War, Jungle Cruise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Army of the Dead, Last Night in Soho, Cinderella, In the Heights, Mortal Kombat

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The Oscar Narrative: Post-Festival Nomination Predictions - Best Original Screenplay

Post-Festival Nomination Predictions
Kenneth Branagh "Belfast"
Mike Mills "C'Mon C'Mon" 
Adam McKay and David Sirota "Don't Look Up" 
Paul Thomas Anderson "Licorice Pizza" 
Pedro Almodovar "Parallel Mothers" 

Other Contenders - Asghar Farhadi "A Hero", Zach Baylin "King Richard", Paul Schrader "The Card Counter", Julia Ducournau, Jacques Akchoti, and Simonetta Greggio "Titane", Aaron Sorkin "Being the Ricardos", Sean Baker "Red Rocket", Jeymes Samuel and Boaz Yakin "The Harder They Fall", Steven Knight "Spencer", Paolo Sorrentino "The Hand of God", Fran Franz "Mass", Justin Chon "Blue Bayou", Edgar Wright "Last Night in Soho", Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, and Roman Coppola "The French Dispatch", Jonas Poher Rasmussen "Flee"

Commentary - Belfast, after winning the Toronto People's Choice prize has shot up the Oscar charts. I am not the biggest Branagh film, but apparently this personal film is his best yet. Mike Mills, who is a previous nominee in this category, has also gotten a lot of praise for his latest screenplay C'Mon C'Mon. I think writers will appreciate his work, even if other branches ignore it. Paul Thomas Anderson got nominated for Inherent Vice. He is clearly a writer's branch favorite, and unless Licorice Pizza is an utter disaster, he will be a contender. Pedro Almodovar's Parallel Mothers just got snubbed by Spain for the International Feature Film submission. But, Almodovar has a history of defying his country's submission and winning over Academy voters. His latest is getting raves, and he has won this category before. Finally, despite my reservations about the first trailer for Don't Look Up, Adam McKay has defied expectations before to be an Academy favorite. Beyond those five, there are plenty of contenders waiting in the wings. Asghar Farhadi has done well in this category before, King Richard has a lot of buzz (although I don't know if the screenplay has been highlighted), Titane is certainly original, Aaron Sorkin is an Oscar-winning screenwriter, and Sean Baker has been flirting with Oscar success for years. The Harder They Fall has a lot of talent, Paolo Sorretino's latest has been well-received, Spencer has its fans, Wes Anderson and Edgar Wright are screenwriters with vision, and Flee could surprise. This is going to be a fun race to watch. 

Saturday, October 2, 2021

The Oscar Narrative: Post-Festival Nomination Predictions - Best Adapted Screenplay

Post-Festival Nomination Predictions
Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna "House of Gucci" 
Maggie Gyllenhaal "The Lost Daughter" 
Guillermo Del Toro and Kim Morgan "Nightmare Alley"
Jane Campion "The Power of the Dog" 
Joel Coen "The Tragedy of Macbeth" 

Other Contenders - Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, and Eric Roth "Dune", Sian Heder "CODA", Rebecca Hall "Passing", Stephan Karam "The Humans", Chloe Zhao, Patrick Burleigh, and Ryan Firpo "Eternals", Steven Levenson "tick, tick...boom!", Joe Wright "Cryano", William Monahan "The Tender Bar", Tony Kushner "West Side Story", Alice Birch "Mothering Sunday", David Lowery "The Green Knight", Quiara Alegría Hudes "In the Heights", Virgil Williams "A Journal for Jordan", Abe Sylvia "The Eyes of Tammy Faye", John Kraskinski "A Quiet Place II", Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge "No Time to Die", Dave Callaham, Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Lanham "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", David Chase and Lawrence Konner "The Many Saints of Newark",

Commentary - Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog has entered the post-festival era in the lead with Oscar prognosticators. She has already won a writing Oscar, and she could easily win a second. The Tragedy of Macbeth has also received rave reviews, and Joel Coen is a writing branch favorite. The Lost Daughter premiered to rave reviews, and I think writers will appreciate the effort of Maggie Gyllenhaal, and her well-received adaptation of a popular novel. After seeing the first footage of Nightmare Alley, I think it could be another Guillermo Del Toro hit with voters. Finally, House of Gucci still is a big question mark. I have a feeling it is either going to be awesome or a train wreck. If it is awesome, I think it will do well across the board.  Beyond those five though, there are a lot of contenders. Dune had the reaction I thought it would, it will be interesting to see if its fans can make it the latest think piece science fiction pic to do with with the Academy. CODA is a feel-good favorite that could rebound after the fall festival onslaught. Joe Wright should never be discounted, Passing has promise, tick, tick...boom! has a lot of big talent, The Humans could be a favorite of this branch, Mothering Sunday is interesting, William Monahan is an Oscar winner, and Tony Kushner has still yet to win an Oscar. Then there are the big blockbusters like Eternals, Shang-Chi, The Many Saints of Newark, In the Heights, No Time to Die, and A Quiet Place II. Blockbusters sometimes do well, but often don't. In a year where movie theaters are still struggling, maybe voters will want to reward the films keeping them afloat.