2020 Golden Globes Predictions

Ah, it’s that time again. When movies and television stars collide for one of Hollywood’s biggest parties. The Oscars may be considered the most prestigious of all the awards, but there’s no question that the Golden Globes is the “funnest” award show of them all.

This year’s ceremony promises a barrage of Hollywood heavyweights. From Brad to Leo to J-Lo, the stars will all be out in grand style come this Sunday night. But the big question is just who among them is going to walk away with a Globe in hand. I have some predictions.

I’ll probably be wrong for a bunch of categories but I’ll probably be right a lot too. Hey, I said A Star is Born was not winning Best Motion Picture – Drama last year, when all the pundits and “experts” predicted it would. Granted I did not predict Bohemian Rhapsody for the win but I was right about A Star is Born losing.

Admittedly I haven’t seen a number of the nominated films and television shows and so this year, I decided to do a Will Win vs. Could Win, as opposed to Will Win vs. Should Win.

Because I think it’s a little disingenuous to say someone should absolutely win over someone else when I haven’t seen all the performances. So without further ado, here are my predictions for this year’s Golden Globe Awards.

MOVIES

Best Motion Picture – Drama

• 1917
• The Irishman
• Joker
• Marriage Story
• The Two Popes

Will Win: Joker. I know all the pundits are saying The Irishman will win. But just like they were all wrong last year about A Star is Born, I think they will be again this year. I truly believe HFPA voters love Joker, much like they did Bohemian Rhapsody last year. And like Bohemian Rhapsody, Joker will also win this category.

Could Win: Marriage Story. Yup, I’m really not picking The Irishman here. If I am wrong about Joker’s winning, my gut says that Marriage Story will triumph instead.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

• Christian Bale – Ford v Ferrari
• Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory
• Adam Driver – Marriage Story
• Joaquin Phoenix – Joker
• Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes

Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix. This is a really tough one. And I’m fully prepared to be wrong here and hell, we may even see Antonio Banderas win this category on Sunday night. But sticking to my belief that HFPA voters love Joker, I’m giving the edge to Phoenix.

Could Win: Adam Driver. Let’s face it, this seems to be shaping up as a two-man fight between Adam Driver and Joaquin Phoenix. Driver had an exceptional year on screen with not just one, but three very memorable and yet very different, roles. And he shone in them all. And that might be the very thing that creates a win for him.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

• Cynthia Erivo – Harriet
• Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story
• Saoirse Ronan – Little Women
• Charlize Theron – Bombshell
• Renee Zellweger – Judy

Will Win: Renee Zellweger. It feels like Renee sewed this category up back in early 2019. That can sometimes be a negative, as more recent performances and actors build momentum, due to their being fresher in voters’ minds. But the consensus appears to be that this is still Renee’s to lose.

Could Win: Charlize Theron. Yeah what I just said about more recent performances building momentum, well that would be Charlize in Bombshell, a film that came out very late last year. But not late enough to stop voters from noticing Theron’s performance. I also wouldn’t be mad if things swung Johansson’s way.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Dolemite is My Name
• Jojo Rabbit
• Knives Out
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• Rocketman

Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Come on, it’s everything HFPA voters love – huge stars, it’s about Hollywood and the entertainment industry and it’s a dark, twisted comedy. The film has also shown up big for many award shows, getting noms not just for its actors, but director Quentin Tarantino as well. Hard to bet against it here.

Could Win: Jojo Rabbit. Hell, anyone of these other films could win. Rocketman fits the Musical side of things perfectly, Knives Out is a fun whodunit that is filled with a huge cast of actors and Dolomite is a funny and heartwarming movie.  But Jojo Rabbit is the one that was all the talk of the industry and film festivals a few months ago. And I think if any film has serious potential to upset Once Upon a Time here, it’s this one.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Daniel Craig – Knives Out
• Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• Taron Egerton – Rocketman
• Roman Griffin Davis – Jojo Rabbit
• Eddie Murphy – Dolemite is My Name

Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio. Once again, if things go Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s way on Sunday, expect to see Leo win his fourth Globe. HFPA voters love him. I mean its Leo for crying out loud. But more importantly, he was pretty amazing in the film.

Could Win: Eddie Murphy. Murphy is having a resurgence of sorts right now. And he is wonderful in Dolemite – funny, heartbreaking at times and even inspiring. This is another category where any of the nominees could win and I wouldn’t quibble. But I think if anyone has a serious chance of upsetting DiCaprio here, it’s Murphy.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Awkwafina – The Farewell
• Cate Blanchett – Where’d You Go, Bernadette
• Ana de Amras – Knives Out
• Beanie Feldstein – Booksmart
• Emma Thompson – Late Night

Will Win: Awkwafina – hands down. This, in my opinion, is one of the weakest categories. No offense to the other women, but Awkwafina’s performance in The Farewell is the kind of performance that is truly considered, career-defining.

Could Win: Benie Feldstein. I know many experts think Ana de Armas could pull a charming upset here, but I think if anyone could, it’s Feldstein for a film that was largely lauded across the industry. Plus she’s young, fresh and quirky. Just the way HFPA voters like them. That said, I think Awkwafina’s got this.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes
• Al Pacino – The Irishman
• Joe Pesci – The Irishman
• Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Brad Pitt. I can’t help feeling that like Leo for The Revenant a few years ago, where you just felt that it was time, that nothing was going to stop his finally receiving his more than deserved lead actor Oscar, the same is happening this year with Brad Pitt. It just feels like it’s time. That the industry loves him, he’s paid his dues, weathered the pitfalls of “heartthrob status” and come out on the other side as one of the most respected and likable men in the industry. The road to Oscar will start this Sunday.

Could Win: Joe Pesci. It’s hard to imagine The Irishman leaving Sunday night empty-handed and by all accounts, Pesci is a revelation in The Irishman. That said, you have to wonder if like Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone last year for The Favourite, he and Pacino will essentially cancel each other out.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell
• Annette Bening – The Report
• Laura Dern – Marriage Story
• Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
• Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Will Win: Kathy Bates. Yeah, yeah I know. That’s a “where did that come from” choice. But hear me out. Bates has won a major precursor award coming into Sunday’s night’s ceremony – National Board of Review. And Supporting Categories is often where HFPA voters tend to skirt what is expected and do their own thing. Think Aaron Taylor Johnson winning Supporting Actor for Nocturnal Animals, beating out Mahershala Ali for Moonlight. Bates is a legendary actor who while the movie she’s in may not be perfect, her performance often is.

Could Win: Jennifer Lopez. Ah, J-Lo. It’s been quite a ride to her getting another Golden Globe nomination, more than 20 years after she was nominated for her breakout performance in Selena. There does seem to be some strong buzz behind her at the moment and that momentum could build to a win on Sunday.

Best Director – Motion Picture

• Bong Joon Ho – Parasite
• Sam Mendes – 1917
• Todd Phillips – Joker
• Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
• Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Bong Joon Ho. The Parasite momentum is coming on strong. Think about Roma last year. And just as Cuaron quickly locked down this category, I have a feeling the same will happen with Bong Joon Ho this year, starting with the Globes.

Could Win: Martin Scorsese. Because it’s Scorsese and The Irishman is one of those big, sweeping, dramatic films he’s known for. Don’t count out a potential Tarantino surprise either.

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama

• Big Little Lies
• The Crown
• Killing Eve
• Morning Show
• Succession

Will Win: The Crown. It has the most nominations in total within this group, including three nods in the individual acting categories. Plus it’s a big sweeping drama about real-life Royalty –something that’s right up HFPA voters’ alley.

Could Win: Succession. Fans of this show have been touting its brilliance for a while now and it seems the various Guilds are finally taking notice. A wave of momentum may be in play, which will culminate in the big prize on Sunday.

Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama

• Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show
• Olivia Colman – The Crown
• Jodie Comer – Killing Eve
• Nicole Kidman – Big Little Lies
• Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show

Will Win: Olivia Colman. I know what all the experts are saying. HFPA, which loves its big stars is not going to let Aniston walk away empty handed. Well the same could have been said last year when Julia Roberts was nominated in this same category for Homecoming. And she lost. Colman is beloved in the industry and again, I have a feeling HFPA voters likely loved The Crown.

Could Win: Jodie Comer. I know most will say that the Globes often don’t do what the Emmys do but not always. See their love for Rachel Brosnahan and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. So with that said, I think, the potential spoiler to Olivia Colman’s winning is Comer, fresh off her Emmy win.

Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama 

• Brian Cox – Succession
• Kit Harrington – Game of Thrones
• Rami Malek – Mr. Robot
• Tobias Menzes – The Crown
• Billy Porter – Pose

Will Win: Rami Malek. Okay, I know what you’re thinking – of course, I picked Malek, who I am an unapologetic huge fan of. However, if I really believed he had no shot, I would admit it. That said, I can’t shake this gut feeling that this is the HFPA’s way of awarding him for a brilliant role that he’s never won a Globe for. Especially as this is their last chance to do so, with the show airing its series finale a few weeks ago. Keep in mind that many considered this nomination a long shot and even maybe impossible, considering how long it had been between seasons, and the show has lost favor with the critics and Guilds, during its last season. So the fact that Rami Malek is even nominated here, cannot be a coincidence in my opinion. But more importantly, if he does win, it will be more than deserved. He was masterful throughout the final season of Mr. Robot.

Could Win: Billy Porter. Billy Porter is certainly having a moment. And the Globes were the first to recognize his brilliant performance on Pose, with a nomination last year. This could be the moment he gets the win.

Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical

• Barry
• Fleabag
• The Kominsky Method
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• The Politician

Will Win: Fleabag. Conventional wisdom will suggest that Fleabag is clearly having a major moment right now and is likely to ride that momentum to a win.

Could Win: The Politician or The Kominsky Method. As we know, HFPA voters have shown numerous times in the past that conventional wisdom isn’t really their thing. So it’s more than possible to see a win for The Politician here (HFPA voters love Ryan Murphy) or a repeat for last year’s winner, The Kominsky Method.

Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy

• Christina Applegate – Dead to Me
• Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Kirsten Dunst – On Becoming a God in Central Florida
• Natasha Lyonne – Russian Doll
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag

Will Win: Christina Applegate. No idea why, but I just feel like Applegate’s dark comedic performance will be hard to resist for HFPA voters.

Could Win: Kirsten Dunst. Let’s be honest, how many people had even heard of this show before Dunst’s nomination? So the fact that she was able to even get in here for a mostly ignored show, speaks volumes.

Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical

• Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
• Bill Hader – Barry
• Ben Platt – The Politician
• Paul Rudd – Living With Yourself
• Ramy Youssef – Ramy

Will Win: Paul Rudd. Can I just say how much I adore Paul Rudd? I have since Clueless. But my fondness for him aside, I feel like HFPA voters might see this as a moment for an actor who’s been around for some time, quietly doing brilliant work, but never truly rewarded for said work.

Could Win: Ramy Youssef. Globes love rewarding freshman shows and faces. This may be the category where it’ll happen this year.

Best Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Catch-22
• Chernobyl
• Fosse/Verdon
• The Loudest Voice
• Unbelievable

Will Win: Chernobyl. Traditionally, Limited Series is where the Globes most mirror what happens at the Emmys. See last year’s sweep by American Crime Story, much as it did at the Emmys. And so with that said, I think this is Chernobyl’s to lose.

Could Win: Unbelievable. If Chernobyl is to lose, my money’s on this Netflix sleeper hit that seemed to come out of nowhere, when the nominations were announced. The film received individual acting nominations for all its three lead actresses, which is pretty impressive.

Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

• Kaitlyn Dever – Unbelievable
• Joey King – The Act
• Helen Mirren – Catherine the Great
• Merritt Wever – Unbelievable
• Michele Williams – Fosse/Verdon

Will Win: Michele Williams. I don’t think this category is particularly competitive, to be honest. Therefore I can see Williams continuing her winning streak from the Emmys and winning this easily.

Could Win: Merritt Wever. Considering the overwhelming love for the film, based on the number of nominations it received, a potential upset could happen. That said, you do have to wonder if the actresses will, unfortunately, cancel each other out.

Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

• Christopher Abbott – Catch-22
• Russell Crowe – The Loudest Voice
• Jared Harris – Chernobyl
• Sam Rockwell – Fosse/Verdon
• Sacha Baron Cohen – The Spy

Will Win: Jared Harris. With Jharrel Jerome’s snub in this category, which had many scratching their heads, the door for Harris to pull off the win, is wide open. If the Chernobyl love is strong on Sunday night, expect to see Harris walk away with the win.

Could Win: Sam Rockwell. He’s an Oscar winner, voters clearly seem to love the film and once again, HFPA voters love to go left when everyone expects them to go right.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Patricia Arquette – The Act
• Toni Collette – Unbelievable
• Meryl Streep – Big Little Lies
• Emily Watson – Chernobyl
• Helena Bonham Carter – The Crown

Will Win: Patricia Arquette. I know what all the experts are saying. That this is Bonham Carter’s to lose, especially as she’s 0-8 at the Globes. But I think HFPA voters are going to find it hard to reject Arquette’s brilliantly deranged performance of an abusive mother.

Could Win: Helena Bonham Carter. No, this is not a cop-out on my part. I do think Helena Bonham Carter has a legitimate shot in this category. I just personally still think Arquette will win.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Alan Arkin – The Kominsky Method
• Kieran Culkin – Succession
• Andrew Scott – Fleabag
• Stellan Skarsgard – Chernobyl
• Henry Winkler – Barry

Will Win: Andrew Scott. Fleabag is predicted to have a good night on Sunday and if that is indeed the case, Scott is likely to walk away with the win in this category.

Could Win: Kieran Culkin. Of course, if as I noted above, momentum is strong for Succession, Culkin could be the big winner here.

As for some of the other categories, my money’s on Noah Baumbach to win Best Screenplay for Marriage Story, Parasite to win Best Foreign Language Film, Joker to win Original Score, Elton John and Bernie Taupin to win Original Song (or Beyonce, lol. Wouldn’t that make for a Globe Moment?) and of course Toy Story 4 to likely win Best Animated Feature.

And there you have it. My predictions for this year’s ceremony, coming in just under the wire. I’ll be back after Sunday night’s show to break down all the highs and lows and all the predictions I called incorrectly as well.

 

Top Ten Moments of 2019 Academy Awards

As I began to write this article, which as I’m sure you’ve noticed from my other award show recaps, typically follow a Best and Worst format, something strange happened. I realized that I actually didn’t really have many “Worst” moments from this year’s Academy Awards.

In fact, I really had none. Yes, even with Green Book winning Best Picture (will get to that in a moment) and I could have done without that Jennifer Hudson performance. But overall, I found this year’s ceremony very engaging, well-paced and all around pretty enjoyable. It probably helps that who I was rooting for, won (again, will get to that in a moment).

So in a break from tradition, I’ve decided this year to not do a Best and Worst and instead just list my Top Ten moments of the night. For the record, these were not necessarily all moments I loved or was thrilled about but more the ones that stood out the most to me.

1. No Host…No Problem – This may be an unpopular opinion but I’ve never been particularly enamored with award show hosts. Truthfully I watch award shows for the performances, as in the case of The Grammys and really to see who wins the big categories and hear their speeches. I’ve never felt that the hosts really add anything to the show. Majority of the time, outside of their opening monologues, they tend to just fade away as the night goes on. So personally, I was fine with this year’s show not having a host and in the end, it turned out not to matter at all. The show moved seamlessly, there were no awkward bits to drag the ceremony down and honestly, in the end, it just didn’t affect the ceremony at all. I’m most definitely #TeamNoHost.

 

2. Rami Malek is the Champion – I’ll be honest, this was the only category I truly had a vested interest in. As I’ve said before, if anyone has been reading this blog from the beginning, then you know how much I adore Rami Malek since discovering him on Mr. Robot. Following this Award Season and seeing him get this type of validation has been the highlight for me. Not least of all because he, in my opinion, absolutely deserved it. And points for a pitch-perfect speech – it was emotional, heartfelt and touching in many ways. For those with issues about what he should have said and addressed, etc. I say get over yourselves. This moment was about this man’s hard work and a chance for him to celebrate and thank the people in his life who have supported and loved him.

 

3. Queen/Adam Lambert Rocks The Oscars – I’ll say the same thing I did when some grumbled about how “this isn’t the Grammys” when Justin Timberlake opened the Oscars a few years ago with his nominated song – sometimes what this award show need is a little fun and energy. In my opinion, this was a perfect opening in light of the lack of a host, which meant no big dramatic Oscar opening. The film Bohemian Rhapsody was one of the biggest films of the year commercially and was nominated for five awards that night, making the performance an appropriate fit. Performance wise it wasn’t perfect, as I do think Adam Lambert has a tendency to go for too much on these big stages (we all remember THAT American Music Awards performance), but it was, for the most part, a rocking good time. And I’ll admit that yes, I got a little choked up when Freddie Mercury’s image came on the screen.

 

4. Best Actress Upset – This was one of those “man I wish it had been a tie” moments for me. On the one hand, I was thrilled for Olivia Colman who is an absolutely brilliant actress. And as a viewer, I appreciated the surprise element of her win, as the acting categories to that point had gone fairly predictably. But as thrilled as I was for Olivia, I felt my heart drop for Glenn Close. So many nominations, so many losses and it felt like this was finally, finally her moment. And we all know she believed it as well. I mean come on, you don’t wear THAT dress unless you believe you’re heading up on that stage to accept an award. And to come so close and not have it happen had to be gut-wrenching. This one is definitely going to go down in the Oscar history books as one of those huge upsets/surprise moments.

 

5. Academy Finally Does the Right Thing By Spike Lee – It’s been a long time coming and admittedly it’s probably still not the award Spike truly wants and has deserved but on Sunday night, the acclaimed filmmaker finally won a competitive Oscar (he was previously awarded an Honorary Oscar for his Contribution to Cinema). And in true Spike Lee fashion, he used the moment to make a political and socially driven statement.

 

6. Diversity Was Present Throughout the Night – Yes, I’m aware that that’s not technically a moment but semantics aside, one of the highlights of this year’s ceremony was seeing the many individuals of color awarded throughout the night, including three out of the four acting awards. Two of the biggest moments, of course, were the simultaneous wins of Ruth Carter for Best Costume Design and Hannah Beachler for Best Production Design, both for the film Black Panther. Both wins were historic, as a woman of color had never previously won in either category.

 

7. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga Steam up the Ceremony – I’ll be honest, I wasn’t exactly swooning like millions of others watching. However, I did enjoy the performance for what it was and it was most definitely a standout moment of the night. More importantly, I have to give major props to Bradley Cooper for having the guts to perform the song live. Let’s not forget that this man is not a professional singer and he could have bailed out like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling did two years ago when City of Stars from La La Land was nominated for Original Song. But Cooper sucked it up and gave it his all. No, it certainly was by no means perfect but it didn’t have to be when he and Gaga were so good at selling it.

 

8. Three in One Night for Alfonso Cuaron – Serious question but how much do you think some of the people in that room on Sunday night hated that guy? Many of these individuals have fought for years just to win one Oscar. Hell poor Glenn Close is still Oscar-less and here comes Alfonso Cuaron, winning three in one night. The worse part though, he deserved every single one of them. I do wonder if his next film he’s going to direct, write, produce and star in it as well. At this point, why not? And I wouldn’t bet against him.

 

9. Presenter Bits – Yes, once again, I’m aware that it’s not a singular moment but whatever. A key factor in the show moving so smoothly for me is the various presenter banter and bits that for the most part, all worked very well. Award show banter 9 out of 10 times can be incredibly cringe-worthy but oddly, most of it worked this past Sunday night. From three of the Queens of comedy, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Maya Rudolph, nailing it in the first ten minutes of the show, to Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry’s hilarious presentation of Best Costume Design, and Trevor Noah’s savagely brilliant presentation of Black Panther, the presenters were all for the most part funny, engaging and entertaining.

 

10. Green Book Wins Best Picture – Big sigh. Okay, so we all know this one has caused quite the reaction in the online world and the Twitter-verse and blogosphere were all blowing up with outrage, think pieces, etc. And that’s actually why it’s a top moment because it’s certainly the moment that has garnered the most reaction and post-show discussion. Well, it and that performance of Shallow. I’m not going to say whether I agreed or disagreed with this win. I will say I predicted it for two key reasons – one, Green Book won the Producer’s Guild of America award for Best Picture and PGA is almost always a good predictor of which film will win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Two, as much as some fervently hoped for a Roma win, I knew it wouldn’t happen because I just didn’t believe the Academy is at the place, where they were ready to award a film distributed by Netflix, Best Picture. Maybe they will be in the next five years but not right now.

Of course, it would be remiss of me to not discuss fashion at all in a post about the Academy Awards. I can’t say I was particularly blown away by many of the looks but there were a few standouts.

Billy Porter in Christian Siriano 

I mean, need I say more? This was fashion boldness and fearlessness at its best, while still looking impeccably tailored and appropriate.

Lady Gaga in Alexander McQueen

HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 24: Lady Gaga attends the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images)

Best Original Song winner for “Shallow” from “A Star is Born” Lady Gaga attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party following the 91st Academy Awards at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills on February 24, 2019. (Photo by Jean-Baptiste LACROIX / AFP) (Photo credit should read JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/AFP/Getty Images)

I was definitely more in love with the second look, as the cone-shaped hips of the first look was a bit too severe for me. But this was perfect old Hollywood glam/belle of the ball. The kind of look you wear when you’re going to the Oscars and likely will win one that night.

Regina King in Oscar de la Renta

There was a little potential for a wardrobe malfunction but thankfully she held it together. I might have loved a different color shoe to make the whole look really pop but in all, I found this to be a very soft and delicate look for her.

Kiki Layne in Atelier Versace

Yes, the giant bow might have been a little overly dramatic but I feel like it works, in the sense that without it, this would just be a plain and simple pretty pink dress. And you don’t want to do plain and simple for the freaking Academy Awards. The bow gives the dress the right amount of drama and star power.

Gemma Chan in Valentino

So this one was pretty divisive and I get it. When I first saw it, I absolutely hated it. But as the night wore on, slowly I grew to like it a little more and more to where I now truly love this look. I think it has a whimsical and ethereal charm about it. Granted, only a model like Gemma Chan could probably pull this off but it’s definitely a look I thought truly stood out on the red carpet.

SAG Awards 2019 Predictions

By this point last year, the acting awards for motion pictures were all but sewn up. Most had pretty much accepted that Frances McDormand, Gary Oldman, Sam Rockwell, and Alison Janney were going to sweep the Awards season (and they did). That is not the case this year and that makes Sunday night’s SAG Awards particularly interesting.

Things don’t seem as up in the air for the television categories, however. Here are my predictions for what I think might happen this Sunday. As always, what I think will happen doesn’t always align with what I actually want to happen.

MOVIES

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

• A Star is Born
• Black Panther
• BlacKkKlansman
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Crazy Rich Asians

The surprise for me in this category is that Vice did not receive a nomination as the consensus seems to be that while the movie itself was a bit uneven, the performances were all stellar across the board. The same can also be said for The Favourite also not being included, considering three of the film’s leads have gotten acting nominations.

That said, in terms of who I think might win, I’ll say as this is the award for actors honoring other actors, voters may lean toward Bradley Cooper’s triple turn as actor, director, writer, and award this one to A Star is Born. A possible upset could come from Black Panther, for what it represented in films this year in terms of cultural relevance. Would be interesting if Bohemian Rhapsody pulls off another “upset”.

Will Win – A Star is Born

Could Win – Black Panther

 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

• Christian Bale – Vice
• Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born
• Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody
• Viggo Mortensen – Green Book
• John David Washington – BlacKkKlansman

In my opinion, at the moment, this is a two-man race between Bale and Malek. It’s hard to bet against Christian Bale, who always delivers a full-throttle performance with whatever role he tackles. His physical transformation was even more dramatic than Malek’s and we know how much voters love a dramatic onscreen physical transformation. My money’s on Bale though my heart hopes I’m wrong.

Will Win – Christian Bale

Could Win – Rami Malek

 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

• Emily Blunt – Mary Poppins Returns
• Glenn Close – The Wife
• Olivia Colman – The Favourite
• Lady Gaga – A Star is Born
• Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Can I be honest here? I really don’t understand why or how Lady Gaga is considered a favorite in this category. In my opinion, all the other nominees gave better performances. Don’t get me wrong, she was good. She held her own. But best performance, no. That said, as I noted above, considering this is about actors honoring other actors, look to see legendary actress Glenn Close take this one. I can maybe see an upset by Olivia Colman but I think this is Glenn’s to lose.

Will Win – Glenn Close

Could Win – Olivia Colman

 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

• Mahershala Ali – Green Book
• Timothee Chalamet – Beautiful Boy
• Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman
• Sam Elliot – A Star is Born
• Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

This may be the one acting category that is all but sewn up, with Mahershala Ali looking on the path to secure his second Academy Award in less than five years. That said, if there is any potential for an upset, Richard E. Grant has been a critical favorite throughout the season and like Glenn Close, is a veteran actor who has been toiling in the business for years. Fellow actors can certainly relate to that.

Will Win – Mahershala Ali

Could Win – Richard E. Grant

 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

• Amy Adams – Vice
• Emily Blunt – A Quiet Place
• Margot Robbie – Mary Queen of Scots
• Emma Stone – The Favourite
• Rachel Weisz – The Favourite

The glaring omission here, of course, is Regina King, considered by many to be a favorite in this category for the Oscars next month. That said, with no Regina King, I’d say this may likely be a battle between Amy Adams and Rachel Weisz. My money’s on Adams.

Will Win – Amy Adams

Could Win – Rachel Weisz

 

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

• Antonio Banderas – Genius: Picasso
• Darren Criss – American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace
• Hugh Grant – A Very English Scandal
• Anthony Hopkins – King Lear
• Bill Pullman – The Sinner

It certainly seems like it will be an Awards sweep for Darren Criss, on the heels of his winning the Globe, backing up his Emmy win late last year. So hard to bet against him here. If there is an upset, it will likely be for Hugh Grant in a film that critics and voters absolutely loved.

Will Win – Darren Criss

Could Win – Hugh Grant

 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

• Amy Adams – Sharp Objects
• Patricia Arquette – Escape at Dannemora
• Patricia Clarkson – Sharp Objects
• Penelope Cruz – American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace
• Emma Stone – Maniac

One interesting thing about this category is that because the SAG Awards do not include supporting for the television categories, Adams and Clarkson are competing against each other for the first time with their respective roles in Sharp Objects. A few months ago, one might have said this was a lock for Adams but Patricia Arquette’s win at the Globes disputes that assumption. Call me stubborn, but I still think Adams might take it.

Will Win – Amy Adams

Could Win – Patricia Arquette

 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

• Jason Bateman – Ozark
• Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us
• Joseph Fiennes – The Handmaid’s Tale
• John Krasinski – Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
• Bob Odendirk – Better Call Saul

In my opinion, Matthew Rhys not being nominated in this category for his very deserving performance in The Americans renders this almost moot to me. But if I absolutely had to make a prediction, I’d guess maybe Jason Bateman. I would be surprised if voters awarded Brown back to back wins but I guess anything’s possible. Like I said, not really interested in this category.

Will Win – Jason Bateman

Could Win – Sterling K. Brown

 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

• Julia Garner – Ozark
• Laura Linney – Ozark
• Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale
• Sandra Oh – Killing Eve
• Robin Wright – House of Cards

After her big win, definitely seems like this category is Sandra Oh’s to lose. However, just like the Actor in a Drama Series category, I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that Keri Russell was not nominated. That said, it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility to see Elisabeth Moss take this. Especially as she did not win last year when everyone expected she would, with SAG voters choosing instead to reward Claire Foy for the second year in a row, for her performance on The Crown.

Will Win – Sandra Oh

Could Win – Elisabeth Moss

 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

• Alan Arkin – The Kominsky Method
• Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
• Bill Hader – Barry
• Tony Shalhoub – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Henry Winkler – Barry

Actors love rewarding legendary actors. And because of this, this may be Michael Douglas’ award to lose. That said, there’s potential for a feel good/nostalgia moment with a win by The Fonz himself, Henry Winkler.

Will Win – Michael Douglas

Could Win – Henry Winkler

 

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

• Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Alison Brie – GLOW
• Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Jane Fonda – Grace and Frankie
• Lily Tomlin – Grace and Frankie

This seems like a lock for Rachel Brosnahan, who has swept all the other major Awards. Plus, SAG voters perennial favorite Julia Louis-Dreyfus is absent from the category for the first time in years, likely making Brosnahan’s win even more of a certainty.

Will Win – Rachel Brosnahan

Could Win – In the event the voters go completely left, maybe Jane Fonda

 

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

• The Americans
• Better Call Saul
• The Handmaid’s Tale
• Ozark
• This Is Us

So the lead actors are completely shut out from the lead actors’ category but the show gets an ensemble nomination. Okay then. I’m going to throw in some positivity and say this may be the way the voters will finally recognize Keri and Matthew for their years of stellar performances on The Americans. Maybe wishful thinking on my part, but it’s what I’m going with. On the chance that I’m wrong, I don’t see This Is Us pulling off a back to back win so I’m going to say The Handmaid’s Tale may be the big winner.

Will Win – The Americans

Could Win – The Handmaid’s Tale

 

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

• Atlanta
• Barry
• GLOW
• The Kominsky Method
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

If I were a betting woman, I’d say this is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s to lose. There is potential for an upset by The Kominsky Method.

Will Win – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Could Win – The Kominsky Method

2019 Golden Globes Predictions

One of the biggest parties in Hollywood – i.e. the Golden Globes Awards – takes place this Sunday night. Much of the buzz, heading into this weekend’s big show, is focused on A Star is Born and Lady Gaga’s transformation into “serious actress”.

So is this going to be Gaga’s “Cher in Moonstruck” moment? Many think so. While I certainly would not be surprised to see her pull off the win this Sunday, I’m less convinced that come February, she’ll be holding an Oscar statuette for Best Actress.

But that’s for another time. Here’s what I think will happen vs what I necessarily may want to happen, in some of the biggest categories, at Sunday night’s ceremony.

Best Motion Picture – Drama

• Black Panther
• BlacKkKlansman
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• If Beale Street Could Talk
• A Star is Born

I know what all the experts are saying and it’s entirely possible I’m going to end up with egg on my face (wouldn’t be the first time I called a category completely wrong) but contrary to what many believe, I don’t think A Star is Born is going to win this one. My bold prediction is that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is going to reward the film that was one of the most commercially successful and culturally significant of 2018 – Black Panther. Let’s face it, Black Panther is not going to win Best Picture at the Oscars and I’d guess that most know that. This is the perfect show for them to get this win, as the HFPA has always been seen as a bit quirky and out of the box at times with their choices.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

• Glenn Close (The Wife)
• Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born)
• Nicole Kidman (Destroyer)
• Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
• Rosamund Pike (A Private War)

The HFPA loves Gaga, as evidenced by her win for her performance in American Horror Story. A performance that garnered her no other nominations but at the Golden Globes Awards. So it’s hard to bet against her here. If it turns out the HFPA voters aren’t feeling the A Star is Born love as much as most assume and there is an “upset”, I’m predicting Melissa McCarthy to take this one.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

• Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born)
• Willem Dafoe (At Eternity’s Gate)
• Lucas Hedges (Boy Erased)
• Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)
• John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman)

Probably one of the most interesting categories of the night. For starters, the actor who has been a critical favorite, sweeping every Critic’s Award handed out late last year, isn’t even nominated here. That would be Ethan Hawke for his performance in First Reformed. And Christian Bale, who is always a formidable force in any acting category, is tucked away in the Comedy/Musical category. The critics all seem unanimous on this being Bradley Cooper’s to lose. And it very likely may be. He was stellar, as usual, in A Star is Born and it’ll be a nice consolation prize for the Best Director category he is sure to lose. But while the head tells me to stick to the obvious, the heart says Rami Malek may pull off the upset for his career-defining performance as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Crazy Rich Asians
• The Favourite
• Green Book
• Mary Poppins Returns
• Vice

I see the argument for Green Book and of course, Vice. But my money’s on The Favourite to take this one. Largely because among those three, it’s the one that can most conventionally be considered a comedy with an excellent sharp and witty script and stellar performances by the entire cast.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns)
• Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
• Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade)
• Charlize Theron (Tully)
• Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians)

The HFPA voters have shown their clear love for Emily Blunt in the past. So I certainly would not be surprised to see her pull off a win here. That said, my money’s on Colman for The Favourite.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

• Christian Bale (Vice)
• Lin-Manuel Miranda (Mary Poppins Returns)
• Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)
• Robert Redford (The Old Man & The Gun)
• John C. Reilly (Stan & Ollie)

Hard to bet against Christian Bale, especially as we know how much voters love a dramatic transformation on film, like the one Bale delivered here, to portray former U.S. Vice President, Dick Cheney. Viggo Mortensen could sneak in and take it, but I feel like voters will save their Green Book love for Mahershala Ali.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture

• Amy Adams (Vice)
• Claire Foy (First Man)
• Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)
• Emma Stone (The Favourite)
• Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)

The obvious answer here is Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk, who has been cleaning up with the critics. Plus she’s one of a handful of double nominees this year, proving HFPA voters are definitely very aware of her. Interestingly, this will be one of two categories she and Amy Adams go head to head in. And many think Adams may be the one to spoil the party for King. I don’t. I think Amy’s win will come in a different category on Sunday night. If there is a spoiler to King, it will likely be one of the two women from The Favourite, who, contrary to what many believe, may not end up canceling each other out.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture

• Mahershala Ali (Green Book)
• Timothee Chalamet (Beautiful Boy)
• Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)
• Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
• Sam Rockwell (Vice)

This is without question, in my opinion, one of the toughest categories of the night. Any of these individuals are deserving in my opinion. However, based on previous wins, this looks to be a fight between Mahershala Ali and Richard E. Grant. My prediction is Ali will squeak this one out.

Best Director

• Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born)
• Alfonso Cuaron (Roma)
• Peter Farrelly (Green Book)
• Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)
• Adam McKay (Vice)

Have to go with Cuaron on this one. I understand the arguments for Bradley Cooper, with this being his first directorial role and his doing it so well and of course, Spike Lee has been delivering excellence for almost two decades. Still, the love and praise for Roma make it hard to imagine voters giving this to anyone else.

 

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama

• The Americans
• Bodyguard
• Homecoming
• Killing Eve
• Pose

The HFPA has a thing for awarding freshman shows or small, little-known shows. And for that, I think this will be a win for either Homecoming or Bodyguard. Would be pretty ballsy and historic if Pose pulled off the big upset.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

• Caitriona Balfe (Outlander)
• Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)
• Sandra Oh (Killing Eve)
• Julia Roberts (Homecoming)
• Keri Russell (The Americans)

It would be nice to see Sandra Oh pull off this win and she’s certainly a strong favorite. Unfortunately, she faces stiff competition in the name of Julia Roberts. Roberts’ role in Homecoming is a perfect mix of the kind of performances HFPA voters love to celebrate. She’s a big Hollywood name in a little-watched, highly acclaimed show.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

• Jason Bateman (Ozark)
• Stephan James (Homecoming)
• Richard Madden (Bodyguard)
• Billy Porter (Pose)
• Matthew Rhys (The Americans)

So yeah, going back to that thing about the HFPA voters loving to reward freshman shows that seem to come out of nowhere, I’m going to predict Richard Madden to take this one.

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

• Barry
• The Good Place
• Kidding
• The Kominsky Method
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Clearly, HFPA voters are still feeling the love for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But the Globes rarely award the same show, back to back. So with that in mind, I’m going to say this may be between The Kominsky Method (it’s quirky and niche enough to appeal to voters) and The Good Place, a show that has been one of the most underrated comedies on television for the last three years.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

• Kristen Bell (The Good Place)
• Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown)
• Alison Brie (Glow)
• Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
• Debra Messing (Will & Grace)

Past HFPA voter behavior would suggest Brosnahan will not repeat her win from last year. That said, the Globes did award Sarah Jessica Parker three wins in a row in this very category, for her role as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City. So it’s not impossible for Brosnahan to pull a back to back win. However, a little voice in my head says Kristen Bell is taking this one.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

• Sacha Baron Cohen (Who Is America?)
• Jim Carrey (Kidding)
• Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
• Donald Glover (Atlanta)
• Bill Hader (Barry)

Another interesting category with many very deserving winners. Many of the experts seem to think this is Douglas’ to lose. But I’m going to go against the grain here and say that Jim Carrey’s hilariously sad and sometimes hard to watch, performance in Kidding will edge out Douglas.

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• The Alienist
• The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
• Escape at Dannemora
• Sharp Objects
• A Very English Scandal

I loved The Alienist, as well as The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. And HFPA voters clearly love Ryan Murphy’s brand of cinematic crazy. That said, I’m going to make a really bold prediction here and say Sharp Objects is going to win this category.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Amy Adams (Sharp Objects)
• Patricia Arquette (Escape at Dannemora)
• Connie Britton (Dirty John)
• Laura Dern (The Tale)
• Regina King (Seven Seconds)

Hard to see anyone but Amy Adams winning in this category. Certainly, all the actresses nominated are brilliant in their own right (and Regina King will likely be leaving with some hardware herself) but Adams’ performance in Sharp Objects was truly one of the best of the year.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso)
• Daniel Bruhl (The Alienist)
• Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
• Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose)
• Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal)

I would be thrilled to see Darren Criss win this category. One, because I thought he did an amazing job in American Crime Story and two, I’m petty enough to still enjoy all the Glee fans who hated him for ridiculous reasons and said he would do nothing after Glee, foaming at the mouth at his current success. That said, Hugh Grant’s performance in A Very English Scandal is just the kind of performance the HFPA voters absolutely love. So I can definitely see an “upset” here by Grant.

10 Biggest Pop Culture Stories of 2018

In working on this article, I thought about all that happened in the world of pop culture this past year and my general opinions and feelings regarding it. I came to the conclusion that in many ways I found this year to be average.

There were very few amazing musical moments/albums, the movies were mostly good but nothing that wowed and left me completely spellbound. Even the big entertainment events, such as award shows, the MET Gala and the like, were kind of lackluster.

Don’t get me wrong, there were some highlights, which obviously I mention below but in general, it was a mostly so-so year. Obviously, I couldn’t include everything (honorable mention to the passing of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin and that Home Going Service that seemingly lasted forever) and this is not meant to be a definitive statement on the pop culture events of the year. This is more a statement on the pop culture moments/events that resonated and/or lingered with me, for better or worse.

Royal Wedding – Just so we’re clear since there were two this year, I am of course referring to the wedding of Prince Henry of Wales and Meghan Markle. And listen, I can certainly discuss how antiquated the entire concept of royalty is in 2018. But let’s be honest, how many of us still love a big, fancy wedding? And if the viewing numbers are any indication, whatever the feelings about the idea of royalty in this day and age, plenty are still fascinated by the pomp and circumstance of it all. Not to mention that unlike the wedding of his older brother in 2011, Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle had all the makings of something right out of a Hollywood movie script – right down to the bride having been an actress. She’s biracial, American, divorced and the wedding week had enough shenanigans to send anyone into a spiral, due to her erratic father. But like any good Hollywood script – there was a happy ending as the world watched, on a beautiful, cloudless summer day, a beautifully composed and confident Markle walk herself most of the way down the aisle to her waiting groom. Less than six months later, the Palace announced the couple was expecting their first child. Ah, don’t you just love, love?

 

Wakanda Forever – Unless you spent 2018 under a rock, you know how culturally significant the success of Black Panther was. More than simply another superhero action film, Black Panther represented both a cultural and personal movement for many African Americans. This should not have been surprising considering the history behind the creation of the fictional character. And there had certainly been a considerable buzz for years as the film slowly went through the developmental process. Still, a lot was riding on the success of a predominantly black-led superhero action film. And it more than delivered. At last count, the film boasts a global gross of 1.3 billion, making it the highest grossing film in the U.S. for the year. Even the movie soundtrack, largely produced and spearheaded by Kendrick Lamar, struck gold, garnering eight Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year.

 

Quickie Celebrity Engagements/Weddings – Was there something in the water this year? Did it seem like there was a surprisingly high number of quickie engagements and marriages? It started with Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson’s “out of nowhere” engagement after merely dating for a few weeks. Spoiler alert, it didn’t last. That was quickly followed a few weeks later by Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin’s engagement, which has subsequently become a marriage. If you were confused by this, it’s understandable as at the start of the year, Justin was having Round 1000 with Selena Gomez before breakup 1000 occurred. These two engagements had nothing on Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s subsequent engagement though, followed by their lavish and seemingly never-ending wedding. I can’t be the only one who didn’t even know these two were a thing before they were suddenly engaged and now married. I try not to be mean so I’ll just say I wish the two married couples all the best. But let’s just also say that if my 2019 year-end list includes splits with one of those two, I wouldn’t be surprised.

 

A Star is (Re) Born – We all knew how multi-talented Lady Gaga is. That she is an incredible singer, songwriter, and musician. This year, she proved that actress can now solidly be added to her array of talents. I guess in some ways Gaga’s acting abilities shouldn’t be such a surprise considering one, she attended a highly prestigious performing arts school where she was likely trained in many different art-forms but more importantly, much of Gaga’s music career has been a performance. From the outlandish costumes, characters she creates in her songs, etc. She’s really been putting on an amazing acting performance since she broke out on the mainstream music scene in 2008.

 

The Year of Cardi B – Whether you like her or not. Whether you think she’s a flash in the pan or here to stay, one cannot deny that musically, 2018 was the Year of Cardi B. Following up on the surprising smash success of her 2017 hit, Bodak Yellow, the former reality show star released her first full length studio album, Invasion of Privacy, to critical acclaim. Whether it was confirming her long speculated pregnancy on SNL, securing her second Billboard Number 1 with Maroon 5, beefing with Nicki Minaj on Instagram, and of course hurling a shoe at her at an industry event, publicly playing out her relationship drama with estranged husband Offset, one thing was certain, you could not escape Cardi B. in 2018, whether you wanted to or not.

 

Beychella – It was supposed to happen in 2017 but due to her pregnancy, Beyonce had to put off being the first African American female to headline Coachella for a year. It was worth the wait. Sure much of the choreography and song arrangements weren’t exactly new but that hardly seemed to matter the second Queen Bey strutted confidently and emphatically onto the stage. As usual, the Coachella crowd was almost anemic in their response and seemed wholly undeserving of the great performances they were being given but it didn’t matter because a global audience was watching thanks to live streaming. And they certainly appreciated every single moment.

 

Netflix Revives the Teen Rom-Com – 2018 saw Netflix giving many of us something we may not have even realized we so desperately were missing – the good old fashioned teen rom-com. Shining the brightest amongst the rest was, of course, the adaptation of the popular book series, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Talk about striking gold. Lead actress Lana Candor and Noah Centineo brought movie magic that hasn’t been seen in a teen rom-com since maybe the early 2000’s with She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You and the like. Centineo quickly became an overnight sensation, seeing his Instagram followers increase from 700,000 to over 16 million. And a sequel has already been greenlit. It wasn’t all perfect of course – there was the “we’d all like to forget this happened” disaster that was Sierra Burgess Is A Loser and while The Kissing Booth was a huge hit for the streaming service, the film was problematic and awful in so many ways. Thankfully, the year ended on a high note with the adorably unproblematic and perfect Dumplin’. Long live the teen rom-com.

 

Crazy Rich Asians – Black Panther wasn’t the only inspiring movie box office success this year. The romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians was a roaring success, proving the financial prowess of a predominantly Asian led film. The film also introduced the pop culture world to rising star Awkwafina, whose hilarious scene-stealing performance, made her one of the highlights of the film.

 

Colin Kaepernick Nike Campaign/This is America – Undoubtedly, these were two of the most significant pop culture viral moments of the year. It began in May with the release of Childish Gambino’s (aka Donald Glover) powerfully disturbing and searing video for the song This Is America. A brutally, sometimes uncomfortable spotlight on the many racial and social injustices existing in the U.S., Gambino gained his first Billboard Number 1 on the strength of said video. Then in September, NIKE revealed its powerful ad campaign, featuring former NFL player Colin Kaepernick. Since his decision to not stand for the national anthem as a form of protest against social injustices of police brutality and racial inequality, Kaepernick has not been signed by any NFL team and not played professionally for the last two years. The tagline “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything”, became a rallying cry for many others in their own individual struggle. Many other athletes and celebrities supported the campaign, creating their own #BelieveInSomething moments.

 

Queen Rocks Us Again – The signs were all there. This was going to be a complete disaster. Plagued by years of development issues, including apparent discord between original lead Sacha Baron Cohen and the surviving members of the band, Brian May and Roger Taylor, which eventually led to Cohen’s exit. And then there was the Brian Singer saga which included missed days of shooting, some type of argument/verbal altercation with lead actor Rami Malek and eventually Singer being fired by the studio, while filming was still going on. And then came the early reviews after the film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. They weren’t awful but they certainly weren’t great. This was going to be a complete fail, is what most people thought. They were wrong. In another of many examples where critics don’t always reflect what the public and general movie-going audience think, the response to Bohemian Rhapsody was overwhelmingly positive, with young and old flocking to the film either to relive their younger days or discover the magic of this legendary band. At last count, the film has surpassed $600 million globally and grossed almost $200 million in the U.S. alone, making it the highest grossing musical biopic of all time. And then there was Rami Malek’s career-changing performance as Freddie Mercury. Anyone who has read this blog knows how much I’ve been a die-hard fan of Rami’s since discovering him on Mr. Robot. So it’s true that I was rooting for him with this one. But he surpassed even my expectations and delivered a beautifully nuanced and gorgeous portrait of one of the most enigmatic and charismatic frontmen in music history.

N.B. – All images courtesy GettyImages or Google Images 

2017 Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations (Well That Happened)

It’s been more than a week since the nominations for the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards were announced and it’s taken me this long to write about it because I find my feelings towards 90 percent of the nominations to be complete ambivalence. In fact, I almost changed the title of this blog entry to a more fitting, 2017 Primetime Emmy Nominations – Who the Hell Really Cares? It would certainly be a more catchy title.

The truth is, at the moment, most of the current critical darlings are complete “meh” and “whatever” to me and the shows and actors I do root for, were mostly ignored. As always, there were some pleasant surprises mixed in with the “WTF, are they serious” nominees and this year I also added in an “I’m okay with this” category for those snubs that really didn’t bother me. So on we go.

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me Category

1. Rami Malek Not Nominated for Best Actor – Yes, last year’s winner in this category didn’t receive a nomination this year. Now look, I try to be a fair and impartial observer even when I am a fan. So I will admit that the second season of Mr. Robot was a bit uneven and I felt that creator/head writer Sam Esmail sidelined Rami’s character Elliot a bit too much, considering he is the main character and integral to the show. So someone might argue that Rami didn’t have enough strong material for a nomination. I call bullshit on that. Because having watched the entire season, I can say with complete certainty that whatever he was given, no matter how little, Rami shined every single time. His not even getting a nomination for his performance is completely ridiculous in my opinion.

 

2. Shannon Pursur Nominated for Guest Actress – I hate bandwagon mentality. I hate people who jump on bandwagons and basically start parroting what is seen as the “popular” opinion. I especially hate when an average, barely interesting performance gets nominated for an Emmy because the internet has gone crazy and jumped on a bandwagon. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Shannon Pursur’s barely there performance in Stranger Things. Somewhere along the way of all the Stranger Things hype, a bunch of people online decided that Purser’s character of Barb represented a version of who they were as a teen and spoke or resonated to them or some such crap. And suddenly a pretty forgettable performance, in my opinion, became elevated to cult status and here we are. Did I mention I really hate bandwagon mentality?

 

3. Late Night With Seth Myers Snubbed – This last year was certainly one that was rife with material for the late night comics and many of them delivered in spectacular fashion. So naturally, the race for this year’s Variety Talk Series was tight. However, I have to say that at some point last year, Late Night With Seth Myers emerged amongst all the others as one of my absolute favorites. His Closer Look segment was always a perfect combination of biting humor, wit, intelligence and sarcasm. While I like all the nominees well enough, in my opinion, Late Night With Seth Myers was a far more impressive show this past season than a few of the nominees.

 

4. Modern Family Nominated (AGAIN) – Here’s the thing. Is Modern Family still a fairly enjoyable show? Yes. Is it still a nice enough way to unwind during the week and spend half an hour of television viewing? Yes. Is it still one of the best comedies on television? In my opinion, no. It’s getting to the point where these Best Comedy Series nominations for the show are starting to feel rote. Like voters just feel it is their obligation to nominate the show. In that case, word to voters – you’ve given this show FIVE Best Comedy Series wins. It’s okay to move on now.

 

5. No Love For Bates Motel – Yes, I admit that at this point it was simply delusional to expect anything else. But what can I say, sometimes I’m a glutton for punishment. And so, a tiny part of me still held out some bit of hope. Hope that for its final season, voters would finally see fit to reward the amazing performances and brilliant writing of this show that delivered quality television for five straight seasons. But alas, it was not to be.

 

Unexpected But Very Pleasant Surprises

1. Milo Ventimiglia Nominated for Best Actor – Team Jess Forever! But seriously, I was very happy for this nomination because I feel in some ways, Milo’s performance had been overlooked. Probably owing in part to how stellar Sterling K. Brown, who has to this point gotten most of the acclaim, is. However, while Brown is absolutely amazing as Randall, Ventimiglia’s Jack has been a solid glue and core of the entire foundation of This Is Us, played with a perfect mix of heart, warmth, humor and angst.

 

2. Snoop Dogg Is An Emmy Nominee – Yup, you read that right. The D-O-Double G is an Emmy nominee, nominated in the Host for a Reality/Reality-Competition Program category, along with his good friend Martha Stewart for their show Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. So many gems to pick out of this whole scenario – that Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart are friends, that they are friends who have a show together and now that show is Emmy nominated. You can’t make this stuff up.

 

3. Shantay You Stay (Rupaul’s Drag Race Nominated For Best Competitive Reality Show) – Remember when Rupaul’s Drag Race was this little cult show on Logo that not a lot of people watched but the ones who did absolutely loved and praised? Well, while in some ways it’s still that cult show, its cache has increased in recent years and now the show is recognized as a quality competitive reality show, fit to stand up against the big names. And I couldn’t be prouder. You betta work, ladies.

 

4. Continued Love for Kerri Russell and Matthew Rhys – Yes, The Americans was snubbed for Best Drama Series. But after years of the entire show, including the cast being shut out completely, it’s nice to see the validation stars Kerri Russell and Matthew Rhys finally received, has not waned.

 

5. SNL Dominates – Saturday Night Live consistently gets shown some love every year Emmy nominations come out, but this year the show saw an embarrassment of riches with a whopping 22 nominations. This was of course largely off the backs of Alec Baldwin’s and Kate McKinnon’s stellar Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton impersonations, respectively. Melissa McCarthy’s late season brilliant turn as Sean Spicer combined to make for an even more amazing season.

 

I’m Okay With This (Snubs That Weren’t Snubs In My Opinion)

1. DWTS Not Nominated For Best Competitive Reality Show – I have faithfully watched Dancing With the Stars since its debut season in 2004. I’ve had seasons that weren’t my favorite but for the most part, I’ve always enjoyed the show. However, the last two seasons, I found myself completely and utterly bored and checked out by mid-season. A number of things aren’t working for me (pointless troupe, sick of the booty shaking, half naked dancing disguised as Pro numbers, over the judges’ shtick, celebrities I don’t care about, etc.) but ultimately, I just think the show may have gotten to that point where the formula is overdone and it’s time to pack it in. Still love Tom Bergeron though.

 

2. Girls’ Final Season Ignored – Okay, so I’m not a fan and admittedly didn’t watch the last season but I read the reviews and nothing I read suggested that the season was so stellar or the quality had suddenly become amazing again. I’m not an advocate for nominating a once loved show just because it is the final season, if the season wasn’t that great. Also, I thought it then and still think it now, that Lena Dunham is an awful actor.

 

3. Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon Snubbed – As I noted above, this was a tough year in the Variety Series category and I have to say this wasn’t a snub that particularly surprised or bothered me. Amongst the competition that existed, I feel like there were better standouts.

 

4. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Snubbed – I am honestly surprised that so many consider this a snub. I’m sorry, but in a nutshell, this special sucked. Okay, maybe that’s a bit harsh. But I just don’t think it delivered anything particularly special and different from the original series and if anything, the characters were just more annoying and unlikable. With the many shows to choose from, I can’t say I think this was such a standout worthy of being nominated.

Best & Worst of Golden Globes 2017

Yes, I know that this is almost a week late but what the hell. So well that happened… Honestly, it took me this long to put this together because frankly, I was pretty underwhelmed when it was all said and done. And in case you were wondering how I did with my predictions that you can find in this post – I ended the night with 6 out of the 14 categories I predicted. So not so great. Ah well, what can you do?

Best

Meryl Streep’s Cecil B. DeMille Speech – Let us get one thing clear, I do not and have never engaged in political discussions on this blog and I am not going to start now. That said, I have never understood why some get so up in arms whenever celebrities use their platform to make political statements. I think it is absolutely ridiculous when people make statements like, “you’re a singer, just sing or you’re an actor, just act” whenever a celebrity expresses a political viewpoint that is opposite to theirs. It’s like many believe that celebrities, once they become celebrities, stop being citizens. As far as I am concerned, anyone who is a tax-paying citizen of a country has the right to speak about the government whenever they so choose, which is what Meryl Streep did last Sunday. And just as she has the freedom to do so, others have the freedom and right to disagree with her or ignore her.  But to suggest it was inappropriate for her to say it or “not the place” is ridiculous in my opinion. The political discourse aside, this was also one of the best moments of the night because whether you agreed with everything she said or not, you cannot deny that it was an articulate, well written, passionate and brilliantly delivered speech.

Brad Pitt’s Surprises Audience & Viewers – Judging by the reaction, it was clear no one was expecting Brad Pitt to show up at last Sunday’s ceremony. Understandable, with him in the midst of a somewhat contentious divorce from estranged wife Angelina Jolie. However, the unexpected factor made it all the better because it turned out to be a very, very pleasant surprise. The rousing applause might have been a bit much for some but it was clearly meant as a statement that people still love and adore Brad. And come on, let’s acknowledge the shallow here – how freaking gorgeous did the man look? 53 never looked this good.

Tracee Ellis Ross’ Deserving Upset – This was one of the night’s big “upsets” and what a pleasant and deserving one it was. I only call it an upset because no one predicted her for the win. But as I said, it was well-deserved. This was a long overdue win for an actress who has been doing amazing work for years. Ross first grabbed many people’s attention in the early 2000 comedy series Girlfriends, where she played neurotic, relationship challenged Joan Clayton. Her win for her equally hilarious role on ABC hit Black-ish seems like a full circle moment. Her speech was also one of the best and most powerful of the night.

Viola Davis’ Long Overdue Win – Question – before this year’s ceremony, did you know that Viola Davis had never won a Golden Globe? If you said no, don’t worry, you’re likely not alone. Seems crazy right, that Viola Davis, one of the most brilliant actresses, had never won a Golden Globe, not for her film work or her brilliant television turn on How To Get Away With Murder. But that finally changed this year when she won the Best Supporting Actress award for her amazing performance in Fences. The win increased her momentum and the likelihood that she may finally secure that also long overdue, Academy Award. Fingers crossed.

Fashion – I say it every year, but while the awards and speeches are all great, we’re really mostly here for the fashion. Or at least I am and this year’s did not disappoint. There were certainly some disasters, and don’t worry, I will single out my worst dressed but for the most part, many of the women (and some men) delivered beautifully in their fashion statement. Here were three of my favorites.

Evan Rachel Wood – Rumor is this was an ode to the late David Bowie but I was getting strong Marlene Dietrich vibes from the whole look. Whatever the intent, she pulled it off effortlessly.

Brie Larson – You can never fail with a classic Hollywood bombshell look and Brie Larson proved that right with this gorgeous gown.

Viola Davis – Yellow is a very bold to pull off and Viola pulled it off with ease. This was simple and clean but still bold and daring.

Worst

Jimmy Fallon’s Anemic Hosting – This may destroy one of my closest friendships with someone who absolutely loves Jimmy but honestly, I was not impressed. He wasn’t awful, so much as he was completely unmemorable. It didn’t seem like he added anything to the show and there were many times that I almost forgot he was hosting because he was gone so long. Anemic was the best adjective I could think of because essentially I just found his performance very beige and uneventful. Sorry Jimmy fans, still like him 🙂

The Constant Hidden Figures Mixup – So this year, there are two films that have gotten a lot of award attention and critical love – Fences and Hidden Figures. For some reason, many people found it very difficult to distinguish between them and thus, we got the Hidden Fences snafu. It started with Jenna Bush Hagar while interviewing Hidden Figures’ producer/composer Pharrell Williams, referring to the film as Hidden Fences and was later compounded by Michael Keaton making the same error when announcing Octavia Spencer, one of the stars and a nominee for the film. Seriously folks, it’s not that hard. And it particularly sucks because the story of Hidden Figures is such a powerful and important one. I know it was not deliberate either time but still, it was not a good look.

Sofia Vergara’s Tired Shtick – Hey, did you know that Sofia Vergara is originally from Colombia and English is not her native language? Of course, you do because it’s the only thing she ever seems capable of using as a punch line. We get it – no, seriously WE GET!  The shtick was old even before it started and it’s really old now.

Rami Malek Snubbed Again – Well, if you read my post predicting the winners, you’d know that much as I wanted my beautiful Rami to win, the gut said it would be Billy Bob Thornton and well, I was right. Doesn’t mean it still didn’t suck when it happened. Listen, I’m sure Billy Bob is amazing on his show but it just sucks in my opinion that Christian Slater has a Globe for his role on Mr. Robot (no offense Christian), the show has won and Rami, the person who truly carries and is the most compelling part of the show, has never won. It’s ridiculous. Well, we still have the Emmy win and fingers crossed, maybe the SAG will come through later this month (not holding my breath on that one).

Tom Hiddleston’s Speech – Poor, poor Tom Hiddleston. I bet he’s wishing he could go back to this time last year when most people just knew him as Loki from the Thor movie series and he had a cult following of fans who thought he was so good-looking, dapper and a gentleman. How did it all go so wrong? First, there was the mind-boggling joke that was Hiddleswift (never forget people, never forget…) complete with fake “I heart T.S.” shoulder tattoo and vest. Then suddenly, it was all over in the blink of an eye. But since then he’s been pretty low-key and Sunday night, he had a chance to deliver an elegant, beautiful speech for his surprise win. And he certainly started that way but then things just took a very strange and awkward turn. When it was all said and done, Hiddleston actually ended up issuing an apology on his official Facebook page for the speech. *Sigh* It can only get better from here right?

And now for this year’s worse dressed. As always, there were many worthy candidates but one stood out among all the rest. Drum roll please…

Worst Dressed 

Nicole Kidman – So remember how once upon a time Nicole was a bold fashionista who took chances with fashion while always hitting it just right? Yeah those days seem long gone. There is something to be said for too much embellishments. This dress could have been okay if the designer had forgone those awful arm sleeves and that hideous white confection at the bottom. The whole thing just looked like a tacky, high school sewing and designing class project gone wrong.