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‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Visual Effects Behind-the-Scenes [VIDEO]

Avengers: Infinity War had some of the most impressive visual effects of the year. Here’s a behind-the-scenes video of how it came to life.

Avengers: Infinity War, with a budget of around $316–400 million, is one of the most expensive movies ever produced. It’s obvious that a large portion of that budget went to CGI considering the epic proportions of the movie.

From creating Thanos’ destroyed planet of Titan to the open vistas of Wakanda, the talented visual effects artists from Industrial Light & Magic—founded by George Lucas to work on Star Wars—had their work cut out for them.

It’s apparent from the visual effects reel above that they absolutely nailed it—and have landed on the Oscars shortlist for Best Visual Effects.

In the video above, go behind the scenes of the visual effects behind Infinity War and see how the artists created the battle of Wakanda. The video covers everything from the Hulkbuster suit to War Machine’s missiles and the wide field of play to Thanos’ spaceships crashing to Earth.

It’s an incredible feat of visual effects that is going to push the film medium even further. Infinity War is almost certain to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Visual Effects—check out all our Oscar predictions here—and it definitely deserves it.

Check out the video above to see how these groundbreaking visual effects brought Avengers: Infinity War to life!

December 14, 2018
2019 Oscar Predictions: Best Actor

Best Actor is a three-way race between Bradley Cooper, Rami Malek, and Christian Bale at the 2019 Oscars.

Best Actor still doesn’t have a clear single frontrunner. Critics season was ruled by Ethan Hawke for First Reformed, but he missed nominations at the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards, which doesn’t bode well for his campaign. At the top of the list are three actors with very legitimate shots to win. Here are the contenders:

Check out all our 2019 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture | Best Actor | Best Actress | Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress

The Frontrunners

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Rami Malek’s performance as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody has been almost universally praised despite the film’s mostly negative reviews and the controversy around its director. However, Bohemian Rhapsody is clearly loved by the industry than critics.

Rami Malek managed to win the Golden Globe over Bradley Cooper — who was in contention for A Star is Born — despite a very close race. However, I’m not sure the Oscar voting body will embrace his performance the same way.

Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

The Oscars love to nominate Bradley Cooper — he was nominated three years in a row for Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and American Sniper. However, he’s yet to win. I think that’s going to help him a lot. Especially with Malek going in as a first-time nominee and his other competitor Christian Bale (Vice) already a winner.

The other thing that will help him is the general love for A Star is Born. As the director, screenwriter, and producer, they’ll want to give him some love. And it feels like they might do it in Best Actor.

Rami Malek’s electric performance in Bohemian Rhapsody could land him his first Oscar nomination in Best Actor.

Christian Bale, Vice

On paper, Christian Bale’s performance as Dick Cheney in Vice is one that wins Best Actor. It’s a transformative performance of a real-life figure — in the usual fashion, Bale put on extra weight for the role — which has won everyone from Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) to last year’s winner Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) the Oscar.

However, unlike those two actors, Bale is playing a villain and an incredibly unlikeable figure. Granted, the Adam McKay film tries to portray Cheney in a negative light. There’s also the issue of Bale being a relatively recent winner and lacking the narrative for a second win.

On the Bubble

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Viggo Mortensen would have had the perfect overlooked veteran narrative — like Glenn Close in Best Actress — to win him the Oscar for Green Book. However, there are two things preventing him. First, the movie is divisive, particularly about his character. Second, Mortensen has made some… controversial comments.

The movie’s popularity and industry goodwill will push him to a nomination, but a win is off the table.

John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman

BlacKkKlansman has been one of the few consistencies throughout awards season, so it’s only right that its lead actor is nominated. I was skeptical of John David Washington’s — son of Denzel — chances despite his Golden Globe nomination — there are effectively 10 slots at the Globes. Then he got a SAG nomination. I think that sealed it for him.

Ethan Hawke, First Reformed

Ethan Hawke essentially ruled the critics’ awards for his performance in First Reformed. However, his snub at the Globes and SAG along with the movie’s lack of buzz — even a screenplay nomination seems out of reach — are going to make it hard for him to get a nomination.

That being said, there’s still a chance. The Academy might like the movie more than the guilds and Globes and A24 has proven itself an award juggernaut.

Other Contenders

Ryan Gosling, First Man

First Man has pretty much fallen out of the awards conversation — except for Claire Foy in Best Supporting Actress. However, Ryan Gosling still has an inkling of a shot for his portrayal of Neil Armstrong.

Though it’s a quiet performance — the Academy tends to like his louder performances like Half Nelson and La La Land — it’s certainly impactful. If First Man has a resurgence he can slip in.

Ryan Gosling could receive his third Best Actor nomination for First Man.

Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate

Willem Dafoe got thisclose to winning his first Oscar for The Florida Project but ultimately lost to Sam Rockwell for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. And while on paper his performance as Vincent Van Gogh seems like an Oscar-friendly role, the movie is definitely artsier than your typical biopic.

Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun

Allegedly, The Old Man & the Gun is screen legend Robert Redford’s final film performance. We’ll see if that holds. However, that could push him to a farewell nomination.

Long Shots

Joaquin Phoenix, You Were Never Really Here

John Cho, Searching

John C. Reilly, The Sisters Brothers

Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased

September 18, 2018
‘Mary Queen of Scots’ review — Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie are dueling queens

Mary Queen of Scots is a solid well-made historical drama with powerhouse performances by Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie

Mary Queen of Scots is an exemplary example of how a historical drama can feel modern and have modern themes without sacrificing the story its based on. Saoirse Ronan—following up her career-high performance in Lady Bird—is a powerhouse as the titular famed young queen with high ambitions.

So much of the power of the film comes from the performances, specifically Ronan and Margot Robbie, who plays Mary’s rival Queen Elizabeth of England, and Jack Lowden—most recently seen in the underrated Calibre or 2017’s Dunkirk—who is a revelation as Mary’s second husband Lord Darnley.

When Mary Queen of Scots focuses on the interactions between these players it soars. It’s no wonder considering the film’s director Josie Rourke has a decade and a half of experience directing stage plays, which is what the movie often feels like—a stage play.

It’s also apparent in the striking staging of many of the scenes. The film’s opening introduction to the two queens at the center of the film is so powerful. As Mary—introduced as she’s being walked to her execution—and Elizabeth appear on screen, we watch them walk from behind through a sea of men separating as they pass. It’s marvelous.

Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots. Courtesy of Focus Features.

The film begins with Mary returning to Scotland after her husband King Francis II of France dies leaving her widowed. With a claim to both the thrones of Scotland and England, she quickly begins maneuvers to strengthen her position in Scotland and secure her place as the successor to Queen Elizabeth.

Mary has the council of her illegitimate half-brother James, Earl of Moray (James McArdle) and the Earl of Bothwell (Martin Compston) guiding her through the politics, however, Mary clearly wants to be the one making the decisions. A main theme through the film is the two queens struggling to get men to look past their gender and allow them to rule as if they were kings. Queen Elizabeth even says at one point, “I choose to be a man.”

As the political intrigue continues, Queen Elizabeth—represented by her ambassador played by Adrian Lester and counseled by her lover Robert Dudley (Joe Alwyn)—slowly begins to become jealous of Mary’s youth, beauty, intelligence, and ability to produce an heir.

The slow descent that Queen Elizabeth experience is incredibly captured by Robbie who is especially convincing as someone who is developing an inferiority complex to a seemingly invincible rival. On the other hand, Ronan’s steely confidence as Mary—her motivation is sometimes terrifying—is juxtaposed with moments where she is losing a handle of it all, particularly when Lord Darnley comes into the picture.

The political intrigue is what makes the movie enjoyable to watch like an episode of Game of Thrones. Though, since it has less than two hours to tell an epic of a story House of Cards creator Beau Willimon‘s screenplay sometimes feels overstuffed. It also doesn’t give room for the audience to discover the character’s motivations or inner workings. Rather it dictates them.

Jack Lowden and Saoirse Ronan in Mary Queen of Scots. Courtesy of Focus Features.

Still, there are some stunning sequences that are captivating to watch thanks to Rourke’s strong direction and John Mathieson’s naturally lit cinematography. A battle sequence midway through the film—we watch as Mary on a cliff high above her rivals looks down knowing the physically and metaphorically has the higher ground—is chilling as is Mary’s execution scene—spoiler alert for history.

Though Mary Queen of Scots is obviously a historical drama it feels updated. Many of the characters and background actors are actors of color and one character is even updated to being a queer character—Mary’s confidant David Rizzio (Ismael Cruz Córdova). It proves that there is no excuse to not have diversity in a film.

Oddly though, Mary Queen of Scots feels less than the sum of its parts. There are rousing scenes mostly thanks to Rourke’s direction and Ronan and Robbie’s powerhouse performances—Lowden, Alwyn, and Lester deserve some credit on this front, as well. And the costume design by Oscar-winner Alexandra Byrne deserves to be in the Oscar conversation. However, the movie sometimes feels cold and disconnected.

Still, its feminist themes around women trying to succeed in a world stacked against them and dominated by men is particularly poignant and one of its successes. Mary Queen of Scots may not be perfect, but it has so many elements that make it a solid historical drama. The meeting scene between Mary and Elizabeth is worth the price of admission alone.

Mary Queen of Scots will be released in theaters on December 12th.

Karl’s rating:

November 28, 2018
‘Coherence’ Movie Review — Get ready to get your mind blown

Coherence is a twisting, thrilling, low budget sci-fi that shows that sometimes less is more when it comes to the genre.

As CGI and technology get more advanced, the stories and twists and turns of sci-fi movies get more epic in scope and complicated in plot. However, once in a while a movie comes along that proves less is more. Take Upstream Color or Ex Machina. They are small movies with big ideas. And while Coherence doesn’t quite reach the heights of either of those movies, it gets close. Just like the comet that sets off this entire mess. But before we get to that, we are introduced to eight friends having a dinner party.

Now, the last time I watched a movie about friends having a dinner party, it didn’t end well. But what made that movie — Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation — so great is that it held its cards close to its chest for as long as possible. Delving deeply into the plot will be a disservice to you. So, I’m going to tread lightly and warn you that no matter what, don’t watch the trailer. The main topic of conversation at this dinner party — hosted at Lee (Lorene Scafaria) and Mike’s (Nicholas Brendon) house — is a comet that is due to pass over the earth that very night. Em (Emily Baldoni) educates the group about the Tunguska Event — an actual occurrence — and various other comets that caused odd events in history. It sets an eerie tone in the evening. It doesn’t stop Em from feeling awkwardness over the presence of Laurie (Lauren Maher), a woman her boyfriend Kevin (Maury Sterling) dated or Beth (Elizabeth Gracen) from complaining about the negative feng shui of the space. However, when the lights go out and cell phones stop working, so do all rules of what they once knew to be true.

While the entire neighborhood is shrouded in darkness, they notice that a few blocks down a single house still has electricity. Hugh (Hugo Armstrong) and Amir (Alex Manugian) volunteer to go to the house and see if they have a landline they can use. When they return, a little shaken up, they have a box with photos of all the guests at the dinner with a random number written on the back and a ping pong paddle. Even more mysterious, the numbers are written in Em’s handwriting.

Made for just $50,000 dollars and shot in five night, Coherence is pretty much the exact opposite of any sci-fi blockbuster nowadays. Taking place over one night and in one house, it uses characters and big concepts to drive the story. And like any movie where seemingly impossible things happen to normal people, a huge part of the story is spent trying to grasp what is happening and let go of their former reality. What makes Coherence shine is the way the character interact with the situation they’re in. How would you react if everything you’ve ever known turns out to be a lie? Moviegoers not as open to the mind-twisting movies will latch on to this. For genre lovers, Coherence is a puzzle to solve that lays out clues not dissimilarly from Shane Caruth’s Primer. It’s almost as if it begs to be watched again and again to see what you missed along the way.

A frequent comparison has been made to The Twilight Zone episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.” If you haven’t watched this episode, stop and watch it. It’s probably one of the most iconic episodes of the series and, to be frank, is just great television. What makes the episode so great is that it’s relatively simple in plot compared to much of the series. The lights go out on a street in Anywhere, USA and causes confusion, panic, and suspicion among the neighbors. However, in the end, it’s a social experiment. How do we react when something unexplained and extraordinary happens? Who do we trust? Who do we become? That’s what Coherence is concerned with. It’s one of the few human sci-fi movies.

In all, Coherence tells a story we’ve seen before, but it’s told in a way that makes you think and feel. That’s rare when it comes to sci-fi. Few movies in the genre lately have been able to do that. Despite minimal effects and taking place over a single night in a single setting, the movie is incredibly entertaining from beginning to end. And while the improvised dialogue hurts the movie as does one-dimensional characters — save for Nicholas Brendon’s Mike — the concept and plot are able to make up for it.

Karl’s rating:

Coherence is available to rent or buy on Amazon!

March 12, 2017
‘The Last Resort’ review — The 1970s Jewish senior citizen mecca of Miami Beach

The Last Resort explores 1970s Miami Beach, when it was a mecca for Jewish retirees, through the photographs of Andy Sweet.

Before becoming the Miami Beach we all know, where Spring Breakers lost their inhibitions and where gay men found paradise in the 90s, the town was a mecca for senior citizens, predominantly Jewish, who called the small island home.

As one of the interviewees in documentary The Last Resort, which tracks the growth and decline of the population in the 70s, says, “it was a colorful town, full of colorful people, and it was all fun.”

Many of the citizens of Miami Beach at the time were once seasonal visitors from New York, who eventually fell in love with the warm weather, beautiful beaches, and the fact that it was a town filled with people like them. People with similar struggles and life experience could commiserate and feel safe.

The Last Resort, directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch, explores Miami Beach’s transition from a plantation to the South’s Atlantic City before eventually becoming a haven in the 1970s for these Jewish retirees—many of whom were Holocaust survivors.

The lives of the citizens were captured in vivid color by Andy Sweet and Gary Monroe, a couple of young and ambitious photographers who embarked on a project titled, “The Miami Beach Photographic Project,” which would go on to last 10 years.

What makes The Last Resort so successful in translating the energy Miami Beach in the 70s is truly in Andy Sweet’s magnificent work. The vibrant colors and framing of the subjects communicate so much life, especially juxtaposed against Monroe’s black and white photos.

The movie is made up of these images, which on their own are interesting enough to hold your attention for the lean 70-minute running time.

Through interviews with Jewish historians, Certain Women filmmaker and Miami Beach resident Kelly Reinhardt, Andy Sweet’s sister, and Gary Monroe, we piece together the rise and fall of Miami Beach as a sanctuary for these Jewish retirees as changing demographics pushed them out of the area—the movie explores this with heavy emotions.

The last part of the movie deals with Andy Sweet’s life, his eventual murder as a result of those changing demographics, and its effect on Monroe. I think this focus feels disparate from the beginning of the film. Both halves end up working, but it also feels as if we could have gotten more from each storyline.

Still, The Last Resort is an enjoyable walk through a fascinating time in history from the perspective of an incredibly talented photographer. It makes his fate all the more tragic.

The Last Resort will be released at Quad Cinemas and the Marlene Meyerson JCC in New York City on December 21st.

Karl’s rating:

December 21, 2018
How Cher won an Oscar for ‘Moonstruck’ in 1988 [VIDEO]

Cher pulled off an Oscar win for Best Actress over Glenn Close in 1988 for Moonstruck. This video explains how it happened.

Thirty years before Lady Gaga became an Oscar frontrunner for A Star is Born, Cher took home the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in 1987 romantic comedy Moonstruck.

But how did a musician turned actress take home Oscar gold for her film debut? Well, this video by Be Kind Rewind answers that question.

Cher was up against a murderer’s row of veteran actresses including Oscar favorite Meryl Streep for Ironweed, Sally Kirkland for Anna, Holly Hunter for Broadcast News, and most famously, Glenn Close for Fatal Attraction.

Close was on her fourth nomination and highly favored to win—she’d go on to be nominated twice more without any wins (though that might change this year). However, a mix of “publicity, name recognition, and an actor’s relationship to the Academy” ended up swaying the race in her favor.

This race is particularly important considering Lady Gaga, another pop star turned actress, is in contention for her performance in A Star is Born. Can she pull it off like Cher did in 1988? Watch the video above and then head over to our predictions for Best Actress!

December 7, 2018
‘Better Watch Out’ review — Nothing is what it seems in this Holiday horror

Better Watch Out is the kind of smart and witty horror movie that fans will love to watch and dissect

You’d better watch out. You’d better not cry. You’d better not shout, I’m telling you why… Because there are armed invaders attacking the home you’re babysitting in.

That’s the horrifying premise of Better Watch Out, an Australian horror movie that takes place in the American suburbs around Christmas time. However, this is no holly jolly Christmas movie. 17-year-old Ashley (Olivia DeJonge, quite good here) is babysitting 12-year-old Luke (Levi Miller), your typical preteen boy who is going through that awkward stage of puberty where his voice is a little lower but squeaks and is having sexual urges but is still seen as a kid.

However, that’s not stopping him from trying to seduce Ashley while she’s watching him. That storyline is already played for laughs as he tries and fails to prove that he’s more adult than she thinks. But then, a brick comes crashing through an upstairs window that reads, “U leave and U die.”

It’s difficult to talk about the rest of the movie because part of its success comes from the effectiveness of its twists and turns. So I’m going to warn you now. If you haven’t watched Better Watch Out, go on and watch it, then come back to this review. If you are a fan of psychological horror with an edge of wit to it, then this one is for you.

I’ll try and tread lightly, so you thrill seekers that want to risk reading the rest can do so generally spoiler free.

Better Watch Out reveals the movie it’s really trying to be in almost a split second. And it’s that change that will make or break this movie for audiences because it asks you to very quickly reevaluate your feelings toward characters without exactly earning it. For me, it was an incredibly effective twist that makes this movie a stunning watch.

For the rest of the running time, Better Watch Out plays like Home Alone mashed together with Funny Games. It may be one of the oddest descriptions of a film, but it is actually adept at explaining the mood and plot beats. At one point, the characters play a demented game of truth or dare that ends with one of the most twisted horror movie kills in recent memory, but director Chris Peckover doesn’t glorify the gore. It’s present, but he doesn’t linger on it.

In general, he doesn’t linger on the violent side of what is happening. Instead, the movie is a pretty sensible commentary on privilege, as one of the characters feels justified in their actions because they believe they deserve it. Halloween was a commentary on how our suburbs aren’t safe. Better Watch Out is an updated view on that topic that makes the danger a little closer to home.

Like The Cabin In the Woods, which stands as one of the best horror movies of the decade, Better Watch Out has a razor wit to its storytelling. It has a surprisingly light mood considering the subject matter and plays well as a comedy, albeit the darkest of comedies, and a horror.

Although, its success as a horror and a comedy rely on your buy-in to the characters. And Miller and DeJonge make that easy with two beautifully realized performances. Miller, in particular, feels like a star in the making. Which might happen with A Wrinkle in Time on the way.

Better Watch Out is like a puzzle that horror fans get to dissect, which makes it a true joy to watch. Even better, it’s a movie that demands you react to it. You’ll laugh. You’ll yell at characters. You’ll cringe. It’s just another indication that we’re in a golden age of horror. But not only that. It’s a golden age of original horror. The kind that you never see coming. And trust me, you won’t see what Better Watch Out has in store coming.

Better Watch Out is available to stream on Shudder!

Karl’s rating:

October 6, 2017
‘Cold War’ review — A love story without any heart

Cold War is stunningly crafted black-and-white love story set in postwar Poland that lacks the emotional substance to make it truly great.

In Cold War, the war isn’t the only thing that’s cold. The film follows a two-decade-long romance between Wiktor (Tomasz Kot)—the music director of a folk music academy tasked with capturing the culture of the rural citizens of Communist-era post-war Poland by forming a dancing chorus of desperate rural kids to tour around the country—and a member of that chorus named Zula (Joanna Kulig).

However, director Paweł Pawlikowski—he won Poland the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for his film Ida—doesn’t seem as interested in the emotions behind the romance as he is the aesthetics around it. The romance feels cold while the gorgeous crisp black and white cinematography makes the film feel alive.

It’s no wonder, though, why Pawilkowski makes the film breezy as it skips from plot point to plot point. The story is based off his parent’s real-life romance—the protagonists are named after his parents—that unfolded around the Berlin Wall.

Joanna Kulig in Cold War. Image courtesy of Amazon Studios.

The movie often feels like someone telling a story. But not a skilled storyteller like Rose in Titanic as she meticulously breaks down every feeling and every sense and emotion that came with her experience. No, Cold War feels as clinical as a story can come. It feels like a series of connected plot points that never bring the characters into focus enough for you to detect any emotions off of them.

I don’t think the movie actually wants to endear you to its characters. If it does, it is doing a terrible job as you learn nothing about either protagonist—not their motivations or their backgrounds or their vices or their desires. Instead, its approach to the story is communicating a sensation of fate and attraction. It doesn’t busy itself with the mechanics of love. Just the feeling.

In that aspect, Pawilkowski and his Ida cinematographer Łukasz Żal succeed. The movie’s intimate 4:3 aspect ratio coupled with the sharp hyperrealistic black and white cinematography gives off a nostalgic feeling. And the jarring transitions from one scene to another—often skipping years—add a layer of regret and melancholy to the film.

If anything, Cold War works better as a mood piece than it does as a story.

Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot in Cold War. Image courtesy of Amazon Studios.

Wiktor and Zula bounce from city to city over the years rekindling their love tryst. What ends up connecting them is music. You watch the landscape of music around them change over the years—from folk to jazz to rock n’ roll. That’s the one constant in their turbulent relationship.

Then, the movie comes to an abrupt stop. As cold as the relationship at its center. Are the characters different people from when we first met them? There’s no way to tell considering we know nothing about them. However, the sentiment of the ending is there. At least that you can derive.

There’s value in a film like Cold War. However, it’s a film I respect more than I actually enjoyed. The craft—from the cinematography and score to the sound mixing and production design—is impeccable. Some of the best of the year. Yet I found little to latch onto.

Cold War will be in theaters on December 21st.

Karl’s rating:

December 5, 2018
2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Actress

Sally Hawkins, Meryl Streep, and Saoirse Ronan lead the packed field for Best Actress

Best Actress started out as one of the most competitive categories at the Oscars this year, but quickly it looks like we’ve found our five nominees. Of all the categories this year, this is the one I’m most confident in predicting — at least the nominations. As for the winner, it’s going to be one of the hardest to predict. Especially considering that of the five expected nominees four of them appear in a Best Picture frontrunner. A feat that hasn’t happened since 2013 and gets even rarer the further you go back. If it does indeed happen, it would be a great way to cap off a year that has seen the most support for female empowerment in recent memory.

Still, the Academy is the Academy and that means that the winner of this category is going to most likely be a young, up and coming actress. That bodes well for Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird), whose performance in Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut has earned her wide acclaim and won her several critic’s awards along the way. It also doesn’t hurt that her film is one of the most acclaimed of the year and is looking more and more like a viable candidate to win Best Picture. However, it’s not your typical Oscar role. It isn’t the watershed performance that Brie Larson or Jennifer Lawrence won for nor the towering one of Meryl Streep or Sandra Bullock. But what she does have going for her is momentum. Between her and Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) the other young and up and coming actress in contention, Ronan is the one that seems to deserve it more at this point in her career. At just 23, she’s looking at her third nomination, is one of the most respected actresses of her age range, and feels overdue despite her young age. If I had to pick a definitive frontrunner, it is her.

But there are also other performances by veterans that in any other year would beget a win. The most likely of those would be Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water). Despite a silent performance and unconventional film, especially for the Oscars, she quickly emerged as a frontrunner early in the season. And it’s not surprising. Though I was more tepid on the film than most, I was enamored by her performance. It’s easily the most overtly emotional of the contenders. However, it does seem a bit too far outside the Academy’s taste to actually win. Though with the changing demographics, who knows what their taste actually is. What she does have going for her is that she hasn’t won like the two other veterans in the category.

Anyone who has seen Steven Spielberg’s latest film agrees on one thing. Meryl Streep (The Post) delivers one of the best performances of her career. While I can’t speak to that yet, from what I know about the role, it’s the kind of towering performance that often wins in this category. Plus, it’s a film that empowers its female protagonist, which will certainly play well in our current climate. However, there are a few things that will get in the way of another Oscar on her mantle. First, and probably most importantly, she won in 2011 for The Iron Lady. Though there have been cases with less time between wins, it’s pretty rare to win another trophy so close to another. It usually takes the perfect conditions to win again. In the case of Hillary Swank’s win for Million Dollar Baby, which came just 5 years after her win for Boys Don’t Cry, she didn’t have much feasible competition and her film was a late-breaking juggernaut. The same goes for Jodie Foster. I don’t think Streep has the right conditions to win, plus there are certainly other alternatives to go with. Especially Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri).

Like Streep, her role is about female empowerment and the movie gives her the room to explore that in a larger than life way. If there is a towering performance this year, it’s this one. However, the film has received significant backlash recently, which has diminished the acclaim it received initially. Unless there is a backlash to the backlash, I don’t see an easy path to a win.

Though I feel pretty confident that these five women are going to be the Best Actress nominees this year. There is always room for a spoiler to surprise in the category. The most vulnerable actress in a contention is probably Robbie, whose film is the most polarizing of the field and will have the least nominations on Oscar nominations morning. If she is pushed out, then Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game) is most likely to take her spot. She’s an Oscar favorite, landed a Globe nomination (Robbie and Ronan competed in the comedy category), and appears in a film that has received critical acclaim. However, there’s always room for another respected industry veteran like Judi Dench (Victoria & Abdul) or out of left field choice like Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) to surprise.

Check out all our 2018 Oscar Predictions!

Current Predictions (1/2/18):

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post

Other Contenders:

Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game
Judi Dench, Victoria & Abdul
Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman
Diane Kruger, In the Fade
Carey Mulligan, Mudbound
Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes
Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman
Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel

September 6, 2017
2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Actor

Best Actor has quickly become one of the hardest categories to predict at the Oscars with several contenders and no clear frontrunner. Though, it looks like Timothée Chalamet or Gary Oldman could rise to the top.

If there’s a category without a frontrunner, it’s Best Actor. Early in the season, Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) seemed to be a lock to win the category. However, as critics prizes started rolling out, it became clear that he wasn’t going to be a critics darling like some past winners. But that’s not always a requirement. Leonardo DiCaprio and Eddie Redmayne basically didn’t win anything until the major awards. It’s hard to picture Oldman winning without at least some critical support. Although, part of the reason he became a frontrunner was because the role is classic Oscar bait — grandstanding speeches, a revered historical figure. That might give room for a less conventional Oscar performance by Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) to sneak in. Unlike Oldman, Chalamet has been the consensus critical pick.

Chalamet is arguably the breakout star of 2017, but the Oscars aren’t kind to younger actors in Best Actor. At just the age of 21, he’d be the youngest nominee in the category since 1939. The most recent nominee to be in his 20s was Heath Ledger who was 25 when he was nominated for Brokeback Mountain. Before that, Adrian Brody was 29 when he won for The Pianist, the youngest winner in this category. His age is going to be his biggest hurdle to a win.

There are a few veterans in contention as well. Any of combination of them could be nominated. As of right now, I think the safest bet would be Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread). The movie, which was arguably the last major contender to premiere, was even higher profile than most of his films because it is supposedly his final film performance. I think it’ll be hard for the Academy to pass up nominating him for that fact alone. It only makes it easier that he gives yet another winning performance. However, he missed out on a Screen Actors Guild nomination to Denzel Washington (Roman Israel, Esq.) depending on how you look at it, but it’s not uncommon for one nominee from that ceremony to drop out of the Oscar shortlist.

Washington still has a chance of being nominated, but he’ll have to contend with Tom Hanks (The Post). Hanks was shockingly snubbed by SAG as well, but The Post also screened for voters later, which could account for that fact. Still, much of the praise for the film lands with Meryl Streep, who is a top contender for Best Actress. However, Hanks has been snubbed for his past three performances — two of them were shocking snubs. I don’t know whether that fact will help or hurt his campaign, but with two strong candidates also on the bubble, I could see him being snubbed once more.

Those final two candidates will appeal to the hipper set of Academy voters — most likely the newest members. Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) is perhaps the more surprising of the two. Get Out was always a strong contender in a lot of categories, but Best Actor wasn’t one of them. Still, he surprised with a SAG nomination and could stand as a representative for the ensemble. Plus, one of the most iconic images from this past year in movies has to be him petrified in a leather chair. That will stick with voters. But what has also been having a lot of cultural resonance is James Franco (The Disaster Artist) playing one of the most infamous filmmakers of all time.

Though Best Actor started as one of the less competitive categories this year, it’s quickly evolved to being the most unpredictable. In addition to the 7 contenders I’ve mentioned so far, there are still a few other that have a feasible shot at being nominated. The most likely of which is Jake Gyllenhaal (Stronger), who could get a late-breaking push. Right now, it’s a coin flip.

Check out all our 2018 Oscar Predictions!

Current Rankings (1/2/18):

Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
James Franco, The Disaster Artist
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Other Contenders:
Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger
Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick
Robert Pattinson, Good Time
Denzel Washington, Roman Israel, Esq.

September 11, 2017
2018 Oscar Predictions — The Wildest Best Picture Race Ever

The Best Picture race this year is one of the most unpredictable with no clear frontrunner emerging. Though, Get Out is definitely going to put a fight for the title.

Oscar voting begins this week, which means we finally know exactly what the voters might be considering as they cast their ballots. However, Best Picture remains the most murky category. There are still 4 or 5 contenders that have a clear path to winning. This year, more than any, the preferential ballot is going to make it extremely difficult to figure out what film is going to win. Unlike the past couple years, though ending in upsets, we knew generally what the top two films were going to be.

But to quickly refresh, here’s how the preferential ballot works. Instead of voting for their favorite film, voters are asked to rank all nine nominees in order of preference — their first place film should be there favorite and their last place film should be their least favorite. In the first round of voting, each ballot’s first place vote is counted. If no film gets 50% of the first place votes, the film with the least first place votes is eliminated and their second place film becomes their first place vote. So let’s say Darkest Hour received the least first place votes in the first round and is eliminated. If the voter with Darkest Hour in first place had Phantom Thread in second place, then Phantom Thread would get another vote added to its total.

This means that the Best Picture winner will be a film all the voters generally like — a consensus pick. However, with so many frontrunners, voting might last 5 or 6, and even, 7 rounds before coming up with a winner. So, below I break down the four strong contenders for Best Picture and the case for and against each of them winning.

Let’s start with the film that based on precursors looks like a Best Picture winner. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri won Best Picture or the Best Picture equivalent at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and BAFTAs, received seven nominations including the rare double acting nomination in Supporting Actor, and is on track to win two acting awards. On paper, it seems like the strongest Best Picture contender even without a Best Director nomination, which certainly hurt its chances a lot. However, if any film is going to be hurt by the preferential ballot, it’s Three Billboards. Though it has its fervent fans, it also has its fervent detractors who point to the movie’s more problematic elements. Films like that tend to do well in precursors because they are voted on with a popular vote. However, with as many people ranking the film as their first and second place picks as much as their last pick, any support is essentially cancelled out.

On the other hand, The Shape of Water has both the chance to be helped and hurt by the preferential ballot. A lot of Oscar voters are going to put it towards the top of their ballot and a lot are going to put it towards the bottom. However, I think there’s also going to be a sizable amount of voters that put it in the middle, as well. Industry opinions on the movie range from love to appreciation to confusion. Having the breadth of placements can help if voting goes a lot of rounds, but hurts if it only goes 3 or 4. To win Best Picture this year, a film needs to consistently show up on the top half of ballots and almost no where on the lower parts of ballots.

I think two films are going to do that, which means that they’re most likely our two legitimate Best Picture frontrunners. Get Out is emerging as a popular choice among pundits since it has wide support, is well-viewed by voters and audiences, and a film that it seems everyone generally likes. However, the older sect of the Academy, according to some Oscar experts, have viewed that film as good, but not Best Picture worthy. Whether that means they’re going to rank it low on their ballot isn’t completely certain. That’s why I think that the dark horse contender this year is Dunkirk. Not only is it one of the most well-received movies of the year, it appeals to both the artier crowd and the older Academy voters who appreciate a war epic. Plus, it’s going to be a widely seen movie, which means, even if a voter didn’t see every movie nominated and only rank 5, Dunkirk has a good chance of being one of those 5. There’s a really strong chance that it upsets come Oscar night. However, if it does win, it’ll break a lot of long held beliefs among Oscar pundits. It doesn’t have a screenplay nomination, acting nomination, and it wasn’t nominated at the SAG awards. Those are a lot of statistics that would have fall for it to win. However, we’ve seen those statistics fail more recently. Anything can happen.

Check out all our 2018 Oscar Predictions!

So, who is going to win? At this point, I think this is Get Out’s race to lose. Universal has been putting a lot of weight behind it, it’s beloved by many and liked by most, and it should do well on the preferential ballot. In a time where Moonlight is the reigning Best Picture champ, anything is possible. Get Out may be an improbable winner, but it looks like it will go all the way.

Will Win: Get Out
Could Win: Dunkirk or The Shape of Water
Should Win: I always think this is a hard question to answer because I could just say my favorite movie of 2017, Call Me By Your Name, but I think Best Picture is a great way to represent the year in movies. In that case, Lady Bird is not only fantastic, it feels like a movie that is in and of our time. The same could be said for Get Out.

September 30, 2017
2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor typically goes to an overdue industry veteran, which in this case is looking to be Willem Dafoe for The Florida Project.

Best Supporting Actor is a packed category at the Oscars this year and filled with industry favorite actors that all have narratives to break into the race. However, it seems like Willam Dafoe (The Florida Project) is going to be the one to beat. His subtle but heartfelt performance has won over raves from critics that astonish over the fact that he’s only been nominated twice at the Oscars in this category — Platoon and Shadow of the Vampire. And he’s the perfect fit for a winner of this category, which usually goes to a hard-working veteran character actor. He’s the one to beat.

Another veteran character actor in the running is Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri). Though Frances McDormand is getting a lot of praise for her steely performance, Rockwell has become a standout from the cast. His bigoted cop role is the kind of villain that is often nominated in Best Supporting Actor, but more importantly, his character has an arc. And that’s one of redemption — though, the controversy around that redemption may work against him. Rockwell is well-regarded in the industry and a nomination could be seen as a career achievement award. Plus, his surprise win at the Golden Globes will certainly help raise his profile.

There are two supporting actors from Call Me By Your Name in contention, which is always a difficult call to make. It’s rare to get more than one nomination in an acting category at the Oscars and it hasn’t happened in this category since 1991 when Bugsy got two noms. However, the more likely candidate from Call Me By Your Name is Armie Hammer. He nabbed a Golden Globe nomination and has more screen time than his co-star Michael Stuhlbarg, who has arguably received more acclaim — mostly for his ending monologue — but has less screen time. It is troublesome that neither actor was nominated at the Golden Globes — neither was the cast. I think Hammer has enough buzz to push him through to an Oscar nomination, but the prospects of having both actors nominated is pretty much gone.

Check out our 2018 Oscar Predictions!

Current Predictions:
1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
3. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
4. Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name
5. Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Other Contenders (in alphabetical order):
- Mark Rylance, Dunkirk
- Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
- Michael Stuhlberg, Call Me By Your Name
- Ben Mendohlson, Darkest Hour
- Jason Mitchell, Mudbound
- Ray Romano, The Big Sick
December 4, 2017
2018 Oscar Predictions: Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress is probably the most competitive acting category at the Oscars, even though Allison Janney has emerged as the frontrunner.

Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars this year is a battle of the TV titans. Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird), an Emmy winner for Roseanne, and Allison Janney (I, Tonya), an Emmy winner for The West Wing and Mom, have been going head to head all season. Metcalf essentially swept the critics’ awards, but once the televised awards came, Janney started winning. However, I, Tonya has been a divisive movie. The fact that it couldn’t crack Best Picture or Best Orignal Screenplay is evidence of that. On the other hand, Lady Bird is a Best Picture frontrunner, and can even pull off a win.

However, Janney has the more traditional scene-stealing Oscar role in the vein of Mo’nique in Precious or Melissa Leo in The Fighter. Though, Metcalf certainly has winners who have had performances similar to hers — Patricia Arquette in Boyhood. While Janney’s performance is bigger, Metcalf has her moments and comes off more empathetic. I think it’s more of a tossup than people think.

There isn’t much room for an upset, but if there was one it could come from one of two contenders. Mary J. Blige (Mudbound) has been the most consistent nominee along with Janney and Metcalf. Though she hasn’t won anything, she would be a way to honor Mudbound, which was certainly popular based on nominations, and she was also nominated for Best Original Song, which gives her added visibility. However, that could also hurt her chances since voters have another category to honor her.

Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) was one of the most surprising nominations in any category. And Phantom Thread overperformed, including nominations in Best Director and Best Picture. She could pull a Marcia Gay Harden when she won Best Supporting Actress for Pollack without any major nominations.

At this point, I’d still give Janney the edge. She won all the right awards, is beloved in the industry, and is campaigning. However, I, Tonya is divisive and her character is truly an antagonist with no redeeming qualities. Even Mo’nique had a redemption scene. Plus, Lady Bird is going to be a popular movie at the Oscars. It’s going to be a lot closer than most people think.

Check out all our 2018 Oscar Predictions!

Current Predictions (2/1/18):
1. Allison Janney, I, Tonya
2. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
3. Mary J. Blige, Mudbound
4. Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
5. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water
December 13, 2017
2017 Emmy Predictions: Drama Series — The Crown vs. Stranger Things

Outstanding Drama Series has turned into one of the most crowded categories at the Emmys with at least 10 series vying for a nomination.

Outstanding Drama Series reigning champ Game of Thrones is ineligible this year since their seventh season will be premiering outside the eligibility window. On top of that, Downton Abbey ended its run last year, which means they are also out of contention. That means two slots are going to be open based on last year’s lineup. However, with a plethora high profile series this season, expect a major shakeup in the category. I even think it’s possible that only one or two nominees return from last year.

Let’s start off with the locks. Or lock, I should say. That’s how volatile this category is going to be. Netflix’s The Crown received the kind of buzz and acclaim that points to a potential first season winner — like Homeland and Mad Men before it. More importantly, it has maintained that buzz until now. Which is impressive since it premiered in November of last year. Pundits have been looking for the series that is going to replace Game of Thrones as the juggernaut. Well, you found it.

After that, I can make an argument and counterargument for nearly every other potential nominee. I think the next most likely candidate is The Americans it’s a critically acclaimed show that has taken a lot of time to get into the Emmys spotlight. Last year it broke through with five major nominations including Drama Series, Actor (for Matthew Rhys), Actress (for Keri Russell), Writing, and Guest Actress (Margo Martindale has won the category twice in a row for the show and competes in Supporting Actress this year). I see no indication that it will miss out other than the fact that it is a crowded year with a lot of new contenders. And compared to last year’s crop, this year’s new contenders are coming out swinging.

Though Better Call Saul has been consistent in its nominations — it was nominated for six for each of its first two seasons — it surprisingly missed out on directing last year. Whether that’s because there was no clear contender like their first season — AMC has the bad habit of submitting multiple episodes in the category — or it’s an indication of waning support, I don’t know. But I think that this year the show either can continue to fade or increase its nomination load similarly to Breaking Bad. I think it’s going to be that latter, but it has a chance of missing out.

Now we get into dicey territory. There are a few new shows that have made a splash critically, culturally, and in early award shows. The most likely of those shows to break through is Stranger Things. Yes, it’s a genre show and one that is even odder than Game of Thrones, but there seems to be some real support for the show in the industry. After all, it shockingly upset The Crown for Best Ensemble at the SAG Awards. It’s also expected to nab at least two acting nominations as well as directing and writing nods — they only submitted the Pilot for writing and two episodes for directing. Plus, the winner of Best Ensemble went on to be nominated for the Emmy every year since the awards started except for one time — CSI won the SAG and was snubbed at the Emmys.

The Crown is the frontrunner for Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys

This Is Us seemed like it was going to be a juggernaut earlier in the season, but critical favor waned in the later episodes. I still think that industry buzz is good — it’s a network show that actually has good ratings — and it should expect to pick up a few nominations. My pause comes from the fact that Empire was in a similar position. It premiered to huge ratings, but eventually slipped in critical favor later in the season. It eventually only received one nomination for Taraji P. Henson. I think that that acclaim for This Is Us is a little higher than Empire, but it could still take a similar route. For now, I think it’s in.

That leaves two spots and three nominees from last year to fit in. Mr. Robot made a splash at the Emmys last year with eight nominations and a win for Rami Malek. However, it seems like all the buzz has faded away. It’s rare for a Drama Series to have a one off nomination. That last time it happened was 2011 when Friday Night Lights made it in for its final season — so, it seems more like an exception than anything. But I just don’t feel like there’s anything pointing to it getting in again.

The most likely contender to take one of the two last spots is Homeland. It’s coming off a pretty buzzed about season — it takes place, for the first time, in New York — and after missing out for a couple years, it came back. It’s almost impossible for a show to return to a series race after being dropped off unless it’s in its final season. At this point, I think Homeland stays in the category until it ends. Plus, though there are many other new shows that are more buzzed about, it’s always smart to go with the stalwarts when it comes to the Emmys.

For this final spot, I think it comes down between two new shows — The Handmaid’s Tale and Westworld — and two veteran shows — The Leftovers and House of Cards. I’ve been waiting for the time when House of Cards would fall out of the race. It never seemed like it was going to win, which is never a good sign for its nomination chances the following year. Plus, with the political environment, we’re currently in, the show just doesn’t seem that dramatic. Kevin Spacey’s disastrous performance at the Tony Awards might have sealed the deal as well.

It might as well be a tossup between the final three contenders. The Handmaid’s Tale is especially relevant and is peak prestige television. The Leftovers is a critical darling that has wrapped up its run in the perfect way. Westworld has the weight of HBO behind it and has been a constant force in the awards season thus far. I’m tossing a coin and landing on The Handmaid’s Tale. I think it’s little too late for The Leftovers and Westworld just seems to have dropped out from the conversation, though I have no doubt it’s going to be a technical juggernaut.

My predictions are going to change as the season moves along, so be sure to follow me on Twitter as I update my predictions!

Predictions:

The Americans
Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Homeland
Stranger Things
This Is Us

Spoilers:

Westworld
The Leftovers
House of Cards

Dark Horses:

American Gods
13 Reasons Why

Check out all of our 2017 Emmy Predictions!

June 14, 2017
2017 Emmy Predictions: Lead Actress in a Drama Series — Claire Foy leads this packed category

Claire Foy is ahead to win Lead Actress in a Drama Series, but Elizabeth Moss could sneak into finally win an Emmy

The race for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series this year is a packed year with new contenders and old favorites crowding the field. The question for this category is which nominees from last year can hold on. The only nominee from last year who is not eligible is winner Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) — the final season of the show didn’t premiere in time for her to be eligible. That leaves five actresses in contention from last year. The biggest lock of the category has to be Claire Foy (The Crown) who will fill that slot easily as she steamrolls through the season with a Golden Globe and SAG Award in tow. She has a great chance of taking… well, the crown.

However, her biggest competition has a lot of baggage behind her. Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) has been nominated for seven Emmys — six times for Mad Men and once for Top of the Lake — which certainly puts her in the overdue category. Jon Hamm eventually won an Emmy after being nominated ten times, yet Moss remained empty handed for the show. With The Handmaid’s Tale bound to have a good year at the Emmys, it could finally be Moss’ time to win Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

While those two contenders are definitely the frontrunners, there is a clear dark horse. The Americans finally broke through last year with three nominations — Drama Series, Lead Actor, and Actress in a Drama Series. This year should see it increase, which gives Keri Russell (The Americans) an edge. With more eyes than ever on her show, voters might see her as a great place to finally reward it.

Viola Davis won this category for the first season of How to Get Away with Murder

The last nominee that I’m confident in predicting is Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder). Had it not been for her incredible Oscar season run with Fences, I’d consider dropping her from the lineup. After losing out last year, I don’t think she’s going to be too competitive for the win. Though, leftover sentiment from Oscar season could push her over the edge.

That leaves two more spots with six contenders vying for it. Claire Danes (Homeland) has been nominated every year that her show has been on the air despite the show losing favor at the Emmys. I have a feeling that she will be one of those actors that are nominated for every season that their show is in contention. I think she has at least one more nomination in her.

The last spot is tricky. There’s Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld) who will make it in if her show makes a big splash at the Emmys this year. Taraji P. Henson (Empire) has made it in for the past couple years despite her show faltering. However, with decreased buzz, increased competition, and lesser acclaim, she could fall out. Christine Baranski (The Good Fight) is a perennial favorite with the Emmys and was the only cast member to be nominated every year of The Good Wife. Even Julianna Margulies was dropped out eventually. She could definitely break through despite CBS All Access being untested in the awards race. Carrie Coon (The Leftovers) can sneak in if her show is widely accepted at the Emmys. However, I’m going to go with Robin Wright (House of Cards). I’m still unsure of how the Emmys are going to react to this lackluster season. She’s teetering on the edge. If she doesn’t make it in. Baranski is waiting in the wings.

Check out all our 2017 Emmy Predictions!

Predictions:

Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Claire Foy, The Crown
Elizabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Keri Russell, The Americans
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Spoilers:

Christine Baranski, The Good Fight
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Carrie Coon, The Leftovers

Dark Horses:

Ruth Wilson, The Affair
Mandy Moore, This Is Us

June 18, 2017