The Hangover

Hangover:  The day after the awards when the limos turn into Prius and the stars trade their Gucci and Wang for yoga pants and ball caps.

The 19th annual SAG awards is in the books and as far as film there were no major upsets. 

1) Argo won for outstanding performance by a cast. 

2) Jennifer Lawrence won for outstanding performance by a female actor. 

3) Daniel Day-lewis won for outstanding performance by a male actor. 

4) Anne Hathaway won for outstanding performance in a supporting role by a female actor.

5) Tommy Lee Jones outstanding performance in a supporting role by a male actor.

As slight as the categories for film are at the SAG awards it is perhaps the biggest bellweather for the Academy Awards.

With the producers and actors both giving the nod to Argo (as well as the Critics and Hollywood Foreign Press), the MPAA director's snub of Affleck is looking more and more like lobbying for Spielberg. 

Although Amour and Beasts of the Southern Wild are brilliant films, they appear to be thrown into the director's category as chum for Lincoln, effectively keeping other "sharks" their size (Argo, Les Mis and Zero Dark Thirty) outside the tank.  So unless a write-in candidate is allowed for director (I doubt it) the only backlash may ironically be Ang Lee's stranded at sea epic The Life of Pi.  

Spielberg and Lee are both legendary directors.  Lincoln is an instant classic and perhaps my second favorite film of the year.  I read and watched the Life of Pi and loved it.  Spielberg and Lee are both deserving directors.  

I also realize that Affleck is a directing "outsider".  However, he directed the most compelling film this year and is deserving of the Academy Award.  

By effectively locking him out, the director's category will become a footnote and an asterisk unless Lincoln can somehow pull off best picture and best director.  That is looking more like a longshot, no matter how many Presidents present for Lincoln.

We will find out more when the director's awards are revealed next Sunday, February 3rd.

The five winners are of the SAG film awards are now the frontrunners for Oscar gold. Argo, Daniel Day-Lewis and Anne Hathaway had the momentum coming into SAG.  Now SAG has clarified Jennifer Lawrence and Tommy Lee Jones as favorites in their categories going out.  Anything other than those five for the awards will be at least a minor upset.

It looks like the bloodbath category may be animation where Frankenweenie, Brave and Wreck It Ralph will duke it out.

Happy Screening!

Screen Actors Guild Film Predictions

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards are all about the acting.  There are no technical, production or direction categories.  This means the list of awards is short and more time is spent on TV categories than film.  As you may already know, I rarely turn on my TV unless it is to play a DVD or Borderlands 2.  So here are my choices and predictions.

1) Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Leading Role

            Bradley Cooper / Pat - "Silver Linings Playbook" (The Weinstein Company)

            Daniel Day-lewis / Abraham Lincoln - "Lincoln" (Touchstone Pictures)

            John Hawkes / Mark - "The Sessions" (FOX Searchlight)

            Hugh Jackman / Jean Valjean - "Les Misérables" (Universal Pictures)

            Denzel Washington / Whip Whitaker - "Flight" (Paramount Pictures)

The Lowdown:  A case can be made that peers might look at the complexity of roles for Hugh Jackman or John Hawkes as possible winners. The buzz says Daniel Day-Lewis will win and I believe deservedly so.  D.D.L might as well be a shape shifter.

My Choice: Daniel Day-lewis for Lincoln

Predicted SAG Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis/Lincoln

2) Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role

            Jessica Chastain / Maya - "Zero Dark Thirty" (Columbia Pictures)

            Marion Cotillard / Stephanie - "Rust And Bone" (sony Pictures Classics)

            Jennifer Lawrence / Tiffany - "Silver Linings Playbook" (The Weinstein Company)

            Helen Mirren / Alma Reville - "Hitchcock" (FOX Searchlight)

            Naomi Watts / Maria - "The Impossible" (Summit Entertainment)

The Lowdown:  I am mesmerized by Marion Cotillard and she gives a first rate performance in Rust and Bone.  However, this award comes down to Jennifer Lawrence or Jessica Chastain. Every indication is that it is a coin flip.  The x-factor is the politically charged torture issue with the film “Zero Dark Thirty”.  I do not think SAG members will hold the decision of the writer/director against Chastain in general, it may mean the one or two votes needed to get Lawrence the award.  Lawrence deserves it anyway.

My Choice: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook.

Predicted SAG Winner: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook.

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role

            Alan Arkin / Lester Siegel - "Argo" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

            Javier Bardem / Silva - "Skyfall" (Columbia Pictures)

            Robert De Niro / Pat, Sr. - "Silver Linings Playbook" (The Weinstein Company)

            Philip Seymour Hoffman / Lancaster Dodd - "The Master" (The Weinstein Company)

            Tommy Lee Jones / Thaddeus Stevens - "Lincoln" (Touchstone Pictures)

The Lowdown:  This category is a complete toss up.  Buzz has Tommy Lee Jones, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Alan Arkin as possible winners.  Sentimentality would put Arkin and Jones ahead.  Hopefully SAG will not ignore what I believe was one of DeNiro’s most compelling performances as the OCD father in Silver Linings Playbook.

My Choice: Robert DeNiro for Silver Linings Playbook

Predicted SAG Winner:  Alan Arkin for Argo.

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role

            Sally Field / Mary Todd Lincoln - "Lincoln" (Touchstone Pictures)

            Anne Hathaway / Fantine - "Les Misérables" (Universal Pictures)

            Helen Hunt / Cheryl - "The Sessions" (FOX Searchlight)

            Nicole Kidman / Charlotte Bless - "The Paperboy" (Millennium Entertainment)

            Maggie Smith / Muriel Donnelly - "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (FOX Searchlight)

The Lowdown:  Anne Hathaway is the frontrunner in this category and I would be surprised if she doesn’t sweep each of the award shows.  However, look out for Sally Field and Helen Hunt who are acting favorites. Neither has gotten as much love as they deserve.  (Note: Although she has done many wonderful roles, Nicole Kidman's portrayal in The Paperboy does not belong in this category) 

My Choice: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables

Predicted SAG Winner: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables

Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture

Argo (Warner Bros. Pictures)            

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (FOX Searchlight)

Les Misérables (Universal Pictures)                                             

Lincoln (Touchstone Pictures)

Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)

The Lowdown:  Each of these movies is a showcase for acting talent.  SAG members will not forget even the slightest role.  However, there seems to be a ground swell in Hollywood for Argo.  Argo has won every major movie and directing award thus far, including the Producer’s Guild Award for Best Picture last night.  The fact that the MPAA director’s nominating committee completely skipped directing nominations for Tom Hooper (Les Miserables), Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and one of their own, Ben Affleck (Argo) may have them seeing red.  Anything is possible (Les Mis or Silver Linings may be spoilers) but I like Argo to win.

My Choice: Argo

Predicted SAG Winner: Argo

Oscar Countdown

Many of you are in Super Bowl mode, college or pro basketball mode or maybe with hockey season finally back you are in ala mode.  Regardless, the crazy kooks known as cinephiles are breaking down the categories and nominees in the days leading up to the Oscars.

First things first, however.  The Producers Guild Awards (Saturday) , the SAG Awards (Sunday) and the Directors Guild Awards (February 1st) will give us an even better picture of how the Oscar categories are breaking down.   Up until now, the awards have been decided by critics and press.  The Guilds begin giving us an idea of how the Academy is thinking.  

There are actually two additional awards before the grand finale.  The BAFTA awards and the Independent Spirit Awards.   The BAFTA awards can either give some confirmation for some nominees or give no clarification whatsoever.  The BAFTA awards typically reward British film first.  The Indie Spirit Awards (On of my favorites as it is held in a tent on Santa Monica Beach) does not include big studio productions so it really doesn't clarify the Oscar race much.

Over the next few weeks, we will review the Oscar categories and the nominees.  

Stay tuned!

Golden Globe Post-Game

The Golden Globes held its share of fun and surprises last night.

As far as the awards go, one pleasant surprise.The Hollywood Foreign Press got the Best Supporting Actor category spot on with Cristoph Waltz for Django Unchained.  It was a brilliant portrayal of a very unique character... the dentist turned bounty hunter.

There were two puzzlers. Tarantino won Best Screenplay for Django unchained over Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty and Argo.  Although I loved the film, I would have had it listed fourth, only beating out Zero Dark Thirty.  Tarantino seemed just as surprised as the rest of the room, which is saying something.

Brave won best animated feature over Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and Wreck It Ralph.  I liked Brave more than other animation fans I have visited with, but it was a surprise.

The rest of the evening went according to expectations as far as the film categories. Argo and Les Miserables were the big winners.

With the exception of a brilliant but tasteful opening monologue, an initially amusing but then rather tiring presentation by Kristen Wig and Will Farrell and a coded "screw you press" but "thanks mom" acceptance speech from Cecil B. DeMille winner Jodie Foster, the Globes were pretty tame this year.

Another night at the Beverly Hilton in the books.

C.D.R's Golden Globes Picks

Awards shows are television's original version of "reality" fairy tale.  Celebrities dressed in shimmering gowns are escorted by distinguished gentlemen across a red carpet into a crystal ball room where glass slippers and marriage proposals await the hopeful.  Substitute golden statuettes for glass slippers and mega-film contracts for marriage proposals and you have the American version of a night at the ball.

The 70th Golden Globes airs tonight on NBC at 8 Eastern Time, 5 Pacific Time.  The Golden Globes are considered the lead in to the major award shows. However, of the Academy Awards may make the Globes feel like always a "bridesmaid" and never the "bride".

However, the Globes are certainly more entertaining even if not as prestigious as the Oscars.  Why?

First, the Globes break the categories apart so that romantic comedies are not competing with pulitzer prize winning dramas. Its just a fairer system and creates more awards.

Second, the Globes include television and film.  It brings together stars from big screen and small screen. It is as star studded an event as will take place all year.  The numerous categories help it move more quickly with less filler.

Third and most important, liquor.  Yes you heard me, the Globes are a dinner awards party so many of the stars are a few drinks in when they take the podium.  Anything seems to go at the Globes.  Take last year for example. George Clooney ribbed Michael Fassbender (who went full frontal, full side all and full rear all for the movie Shame) about his sizable manhood in front of the considerably sized Globe audience.

Add to all of this Hollywood mayhem the hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and the street crews may be cleaning up at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard for a week.

So as I sip my half caf at the local Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on San Vincente, I will make my picks and predictions for the film categories of the Globes.

Best Drama Nominees
"Argo"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

There is no clear frontrunner here.  I am going to go with Affleck's brilliant mixture of history, drama and comedy in Argo. I hope the Hollywood Foreign press will as well.

My Choice: Argo

My Globe Prediction: Argo

Best Musical/Comedy Nominees
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
"Les Miserables"
"Moonrise Kindgom"
"Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
"Silver Linings Playbook"

This comes down to epic musical Les Miserables and brilliantly relevant comedy Silver Linings Playbook.  An excellent film Moonrise Kingdom picks a bad year to come out.

My Choice: Silver Linings Playbook
My Globe Prediction: Les Miserables

Best Director Nominees

Ben Affleck, "Argo"
Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"
Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"
Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"

This is a crap shoot.  Anyone of these directors could win and there would be little second guessing.  Personally I have the order Affleck, Lee, Spielberg, Tarantino and Bigelow in that order.

My Choice: Ben Affleck for Argo
My Globe Prediction: Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty

Best Actress in a Drama
Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Marion Cotillard, "Rust and Bone"
Helen Mirren, "Hitchcock"
Naomi Watts, "The Impossible"
Rachel Weisz, "The Deep Blue Sea"

This should be easy.  However, don't overlook Marion Cotillard with the Hollywood Foreign Press.

My Choice: Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
My Globe Prediction: Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty

Best Actor in a Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"
Richard Gere, "Arbitrage"
John Hawkes, "The Sessions"
Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"
Denzel Washington, "Flight"

The envelope has been made out since November.  Unless the Weinstein company can intercept for Joaquin, it belongs to Lincoln.

My Choice: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
My Globe Prediction: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy

Jack Black, "Bernie"
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"
Ewan McGregor, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Bill Murray, "Hyde Park on Hudson"

Another tossup between Les Mis' Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper of Silver Linings.  However, Jack Black's performance was brilliant.

My Choice: Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables
My Globe Prediction: Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy

Emily Blunt, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Judi Dench, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Maggie Smith, "Quartet"
Meryl Streep, "Hope Springs"

Should already be engraved.

My Choice: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
My Globe Prediction: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Supporting Actress 

Amy Adams, "The Master"
Sally Field, "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Nicole Kidman, "The Paperboy"

Also in the "already engraved" category.

My Choice: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables
My Globe Prediction: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Arkin, "Argo"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Django Unchained"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"
Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"

I believe that anyone other than Arkin would not be a surprise.  Hoffman and Jones are the frontrunners.

My Choice: Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained
My Globe Prediction: Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln

Best Screenplay

Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"
David O'Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"
Chris Terrio, "Argo"

I believe Angels in America author Tony Kushner has the momentum.

My Choice: Tony Kushner for Lincoln
My Globe Prediction: Tony Kushner for Lincoln

Best Foreign Language Film

"Amour"
"A Royal Affair"
"The Intouchables"
"Kon-Tiki"
"Rust and Bone"

Amour seems to have a head of steam, but there are four films here who could win.  It is the Hollywood Foreign Press after all.

My Choice: The Intouchables
My Globe Prediction: Amour

Best Animated Feature

"Rise of the Guardians"
"Brave"
"Frankenweenie"
"Hotel Transylvania"
"Wreck-It Ralph"

The love affair with Tim Burton will probably continue, but look out for Wreck It Ralph.  My picks Paranorman and Le Tableau didn't make the nominees.

My Choice: Frankenweenie
My Globe Prediction: Frankenweenie

Best Original Song

"For You," music and lyrics by Monty Powell, Keith Urban ("Act of Valor")
"Not Running Anymore," music and lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi ("Stand Up Guys")
"Safe & Sound," music and lyrics by Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, T Bone Burnett ("The Hunger Games")
"Skyfall," music and lyrics by Adele and Paul Epworth ("Skyfall")
"Suddenly," music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil ("Les Miserables")

Seriously, the only competition to Adele is one of the least moving songs in Les Miserables.

My Choice: Skyfall (Adele)
My Globe Prediction: Skyfall (Adele)

Best Original Score

Mychael Danna, "Life of Pi"
Alexandre Desplat, "Argo"
Dario Marianelli, "Anna Karenina"
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil, "Cloud Atlas"
John Williams, "Lincoln"

This is typically a tough one to predict.  Its hard to pick against John Williams.

My Choice: Dario Marianelli for Anna Karinina
My Globe Prediction: John Williams for Lincoln

Moment of the night Prediction. Tina Fay and Amy Poehler skewer Joaquin Phoenix for griping about having to do awards circuit press with a "Really???" segment.

Happy viewing!!!

Real Cinema for Amateurs: Awards 2013

Using Awards Season 2013 as a Film Guide

Award Season is an exciting time for many cinephiles.  It ranks closely behind film festivals since they actually involve viewing film after wonderful film.  Subsequently festivals such as Sundance, Toronto, Cannes and AFI tend to be the favorite activity of film aficionados.

However, award season can serve two purposes.  First, for film lovers it serves as a way to root for and celebrate your favorite films of the last year.  Second, and perhaps most importantly, it can serve as a viewing guide. The endless choices of studio, independent and foreign films can be overwhelming.  Awards season winners and nominees can guide you when you are skimming through those films you have never heard of at your local video chain or streaming online services. This will enable you to discover the "Gems" that you have been missing.  

There are a number of different ways to use the Awards as a guide for film "treasure hunting".  First it is important to review what "Award Season" entails.

Award season typically begins around the time of the Gotham Award Nominations in mid-October and culminates with the Academy Awards in late February.  The list includes but is not limited to:

Gotham 

New York Film Critics Circle 

National Board of Review 

Los Angeles Film Critics

British Independent Awards (BIFA)

American Film Institute (AFI)

Satellite

Critics Choice

Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globes)

Producers Guild

Screen Actors Guild (SAG)

Directors Guild

British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)

Writers Guild

Independent Spirit 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars)

You can look at awards season like the PGA Tour of films where a film may compete in some events and not in others, or may compete in all.  The "Majors" would arguably be considered to be the Golden Globes, SAG, BAFTA and Oscars.  

Film Guide 1: See winners after the Academy Awards.

In 2010: I decided to see the Oscar Award winning films for every category.  This involved around 24 films including the short film categories.  This is a reactive film guide that was dependent on the results of the awards.  This can easily be done at two films a month and if you have a Netflix membership, be sure to check there before you head to the video store or I-Tunes.  Netflix has become a great place to see last years Oscar nominees and winners.

Film Guide 2: See all Oscar nominees before the Academy Awards

In 2011 after attending the AFI Film Fest I took a proactive approach. I used the films I had already seen and attempted to see all of the Oscar nominees before the awards.  The festival was in October and the nominations would be announced in late January, I had to utilize websites such as IndieWire and Ropes of Silicon as well as word of mouth to make sure I saw any films that might be nominated.  By the time I was finished I had seen over 80 films with possible Oscar implications and still came up four short.  (Two foreign animated features and two in the foreign category itself which had qualifying runs earlier in year).  

Film Guide 3: See as many awarded films as possible.  See all of the Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA and Oscar nominee's before the shows. 

This is my current task and has been a huge undertaking.  Tomorrow brings the Golden Globes and I will have seen every nominee except Nicole Kidman's performance in The Paperboy and the documentary The Gatekeepers.  I will have seen all of the SAG nominees.  I will be two to four short for the BAFTA awards and most likely, unless I can find a screening, be one short for the Oscars (The Canadian film War Witch which opens in early March).

Guides 2 and 3 are nearly impossible to do before the awards regardless, but especially without living near New York or Los Angeles where film festivals, art houses and Oscar qualifying runs make many films available months before they are actually due in theaters.  Many of the documentaries, foreign films and shorts will never show in a cinema outside the top 5 or 6 major American or International markets.  However, they will become available eventually through video outlets or streaming.

Living in Los Angeles has its perks and constant free screenings are one (although parking and eating out suck up that saved expense).  If on average I payed $10 per movie (That's a little low for NY and LA and a little high for the Midwest) I would have spent $1400 on movie tickets alone from awards season 2012 to awards season 2013.  I will have see over 140 films, dozens of them foreign and nearly half of them labeled "Independent" by Hollywood standards.  I will still have 20 or so films to see to complete the BIFA, Satellite and Indie Spirit nominees.

Guide 4:  See all of the winners of the four major awards. 

This is the best option for those who like film but aren't quite as OCD as yours truly.  There will be a lot of overlap between winners.  There will most likely be 35 to 50 winning films for all four awards shows.  A good well rounded list.  If you see one film a week (have a movie night) you will easily accomplish this in a year.  

I will always encourage you to see the films in the theatres when they open if at all possible.  The cinema experience is much preferable to sitting at home on the couch and a packed theatre is a fun theatre.  Use the buzz surrounding the pictures to guide you to the quality pics.

Happy Screening!!!

C.D.R.