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.

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”

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'

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.

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...

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.