Tag: Nicole Kidman

2019 Oscar Predictions: Best Actress

Best Actress is one of the most competitive categories at the 2019 Oscars as Glenn Close hopes to finally seal the deal.

Best Actress, unlike its Best Actor counterpart, is a little bit more clear in terms of who the top contenders are. And many of them follow Oscar history — young ingenues, overlooked veterans. However, it’s a long list of contenders. Here are our predictions for Best Actress at the 2019 Oscars.

Current Rankings

Glenn Close
The Wife

Olivia Coleman
The Favourite

Lady Gaga
A Star is Born

Melissa McCarthy
Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Yalitza Aparicio
Roma

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

The Frontrunners

Glenn Close, The Wife

On her 7th career nomination, Glenn Close should FINALLY win her much deserved Oscar for The Wife. The overdue veteran narrative is always a strong one and Close is the epitome of one. The one knock against her is that her film The Wife is not widely seen. Still, her narrative should be strong enough for a win.

Olivia Coleman, The Favourite

Playing a queen often wins you an Oscar — Helen Mirren won for The Queen and Judi Dench won for Shakespeare in Love. However, Olivia Coleman’s performance as Queen Anne in Yorgos Lanthimos’ wonderfully weird The Favourite is not your typical performance.

However, after winning the Globe and giving an endearing speech her stock has certainly risen. If it wasn’t for Close, she’d be the clear… favorite.

Lady Gaga could receive her first Oscar nomination in Best Actress for A Star is Born.

Lady Gaga, A Star is Born

Although Cher and Barbara Streisand both won Oscars after successful careers as musicians — this video explains how Cher pulled off her win for Moonstruck — Lady Gaga has an uphill climb for her performance in A Star is Born.

After shockingly losing the Golden Globe to Glenn Close (see above), it’s clear that she’s not going to be as much of a force as we thought. Maybe her public persona as a pop star is hurting her. Either way, she’s definitely winning an Oscar this year for co-writing “Shallow”.

Dark Horse

Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

Alfonso Cuarón’s magnum opus Roma — in a career full of them including my personal favorite Children of Men — is going to be one of the rare foreign language films to break through in major categories. Despite that, the film’s lead Yalitza Aparicio is going to have a harder time making it into the category.

Foreign language performances rarely make it into the acting categories. And to make it even harder, she doesn’t speak English, which will make connecting with voters difficult — even though it really shouldn’t. That being said, she’s the heart of the film and could be swept along if the movie does well in nominations.

Long Shot

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Can You Ever Forgive Me? might have fallen out of the conversation for Best Picture, but one consistent throughout the season has been Melissa McCarthy in the lead role as Lee Israel.

It’s certainly a change up from her typical comedic performance, which might be to her advantage. However, because of the film’s waning buzz and the fact that her co-star Richard E. Grant has been singled out for praise, she’s on the bubble.

September 22, 2018
10 Great Slow Burn Horror Movies (and where to stream them)
Slow burn horror movies done right can be some of the scariest movies in the genre. Here are some of our favorites!

Horror movies today rely on unsuspecting *JUMP SCARES* to entertain audiences. But we all know—at least you should—that a good horror movie is built on suspense and tension. That’s why some of the best horror movies are slow burn. These movies don’t tell you everything. Instead, they’re puzzles that you have to solve. And sometimes the terror is in what you can’t figure out.

From folk horror to ghost stories to slashers, here are some of my favorite slow burn horror movies!

The Invitation (2016)

What it’s about: Will (Logan Marshall-Greene) and his new girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) are invited to his ex-wife (Tammy Blanchard) and her new husband’s (The Haunting at Hill House’s Michiel Huisman) house for a dinner with old friends. However, a reunion isn’t the only thing planned for the night.

Why it’s great: Of the movies on this list, Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation is arguably the most underrated. It is the definition of a slow burn. Really nothing happens in the plot until the last 25 minutes. But by then, you’ve run through all the possibilities for what’s actually going on in your head and you’re prepared to find out exactly what’s happening.

The amount of tension—both horror and emotional—that the movie builds before its conclusion is incredible. And any payoff would work. Still, it feels like the movie still picks the best possible ending—and the final shot is stunning.

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Funny Games (1997)

What it’s about: Georg (Ulrich Mühe), his wife Anna (Susanne Lothar), their son Georgie (Stefan Clapczynski), and their dog Rolfi arrive at their lakeside vacation home for a week of relaxation. However, when Paul (Arno Frisch) and Peter (Frank Giering) arrive, their weekend becomes anything but.

Why it’s great: Funny Games might be an uncomfortable experience, but it’s impossible to turn away from the screen once it gets going. The movie’s slow-burn pace never feels sluggish as Paul and Peter’s games become more sadistic and the family’s attempts at survival more fleeting.

It’s a lean and mean horror-thriller that clearly has more on its mind, but it’s never overindulgent. There’s also a shot-for-shot English remake directed by Haneke himself, which is just as good as the original. 109 mins.

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The Lighthouse (2019)

Here’s what it’s about: In the late 19th century, a lighthouse keeper (Willem Dafoe) and his assistant (Robert Pattinson) slowly descend into suspicion and madness as they become isolated on a tiny New England island by a storm.

Why you should watch it: Just like his breakthrough first feature The Witch, The Lighthouse is an immersive experience. Shot with stark black-and-white cinematography and presented in a glorious 1.19:1 aspect ratio, Robert Eggers throws you headfirst into the deep end of the late 19th century with every period detail intact — it’s almost unbelievable that the lighthouse was built for the film.

The layered sound and striking visuals make it feel like the movie is wrapping around you as the pair fall further into insanity. The story, compelling from beginning to end and aided by a career-best performance by Dafoe, challenges your perception of what is real before leaving you either perplexed or jaw-dropped. Just let it take you.

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It Follows (2015)

What it’s about: Jay (Maika Monroe) is a normal teenage girl who spends time at the pool and goes on dates. But after sleeping with a guy, she is tracked down by a mysterious entity that takes the form of anyone—a stranger or someone she knows—until “it” finally gets her.

Why it’s great: It Follows takes the classic slasher movie rule “never have sex” to the extreme. What’s really interesting about the movie is that it subverts a couple of different genres. It has the elements of a slasher movie and a ghost movie which makes the finished product something else entirely.

However, instead of jump scare prone ghosts or agile serial killer, the eponymous “it” is slow-moving and creeping in its pursuit of the teenagers. And unlike the other movies on this list, It Follows isn’t about uncovering a mystery—it’s about surviving.

There is also little jump scares, but the movie leverages creepy imagery to add to the tense atmosphere. Plus, Disasterpiece’s pulsing synth score makes every beat all the more intense.

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Hereditary (2018)

What it’s about: After the death of her mother, Annie (Toni Collette), her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), and their kids (Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro) begin to uncover sinister secrets about their family.

Why it’s great: Hereditary is without qualification the scariest movie I saw in theaters. It’s also a horror fan’s dream. It’s a puzzle that you have to solve and unlike a lot of slow burn horror movies, it gives you the clues, you just have to find them.

Hereditary is also patient in its scares—in addition to its story. The horror set pieces are long drawn out and some you don’t even notice until a second look. That’s what makes this a masterpiece. It replaces jump scares with truly frightening imagery and an unsettling atmosphere.

Everything from the score to the production design to the sound design drip with evil. And it also has a smoldering family drama underneath it all. Not to mention one of the great horror performances from Toni Collette. It’s also one of our favorite movies of 2018.

Where to stream it: Hereditary is available to stream on Prime Video! It’s also available to rent or buy.

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The House of the Devil (2009)

What it’s about: It’s the 1980s, The Fixx is burning up the charts, there’s a full lunar eclipse, and Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) has a babysitting job at a mansion in the middle of nowhere. What can go wrong?

Why it’s great: The House of the Devil is a pitch-perfect homage to the satanic panic films of the 70s and 80s—think Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen—complete with camera zooms and freeze frames. Another thing it nails from the era is the slow burn.

You never truly know what’s going on in the movie until it lets you in on it. And I will warn you, this movie is the slowest of slow burns. It doesn’t give you much indication—or horror—for a good while. But the ending is worth the wait.

Plus, there’s bad 80s pop rock, feathered hair, and Sony Walkman. It’s all you can ask for.

Where to stream it: The House of the Devil is available to stream on Shudder! It’s also available to rent or buy on Amazon.

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It Comes at Night (2017)

What it’s about: After a mysterious apocalyptic illness wipes out the population, a family (Joel Edgerton, Carmen Ejogo, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.) must battle the horrors outside the house—and some inside.

Why it’s great: It Comes at Night suffered from its marketing in its initial theatrical run. While it was being sold as an apocalypse horror, it was closer to a psychological thriller with truly unsettling moments.

Trey Edward Shults—who also directed the phenomenal Krisha—balances unnerving imagery with a slow burn story that isn’t about what’s going on the outside, but what’s going on on the inside.

The chilling final 20 minutes are the payoff of an emotional rollarcoaster where relationships are tested and trust is earned and lost.

Where to stream it: It Comes at Night is available to stream on Prime Video. It’s also available to rent or buy.

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The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

What it’s about: The Murphy Family, cardiovascular surgeon Steven (Colin Farrell), his wife Anna (Nicole Kidman), and his two kids (Raffey Cassidy and Sunny Suljic), become the fascination of a mysterious teen Martin (Barry Keoghan) who seems to be up to no good.

Why it’s great: Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ signature style—deadpan acting and generally nihilistic worldview—is sometimes hard to appreciate, but it applies so well to the psychological thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

There is a sense of impending doom throughout the entire film as Martin’s increasingly nefarious plan falls into place. What makes him such a compelling villain is that you never truly know what he is up to. Neither does the Murphy Family—until it’s too late.

During the last act, Lanthimos’ style adds even more tense energy as a decision on the level of Sophie’s Choice is made. It’s darkly funny, suspenseful, and creepy. The perfect combination for a slow burn horror movie.

Where to stream it: The Killing of a Sacred Deer is available to stream on Prime Video. It’s also available to rent or buy.

The Ritual (2018)

What it’s about: After a tragic incident, four friends reunite for a trip into the mountains and forests of Sweden. However, little do they know they’re not alone.

Why it’s great: A slow burn story is almost a requirement for a folk horror movie, and The Ritual is no exception. Though the story is one that we’ve seen before—it’s comparable to The Descent earlier on this list—The Ritual delves into incredibly interesting mythology.

While the group of friends ventures deeper into the forest—The Blair Witch Project-style—increasingly distressing and creepy occurrences build suspense until the movie finally reveals exactly what’s going on.

The Ritual is paced incredibly well and never lets any tension go. And while it might be the least original of the movies on this list, its execution makes for a perfect stormy movie night.

Where to stream it: The Ritual is streaming on Netflix.

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The Witch (2015)

What it’s about: In 1630s New England a devout Christian family is exiled from their settlement to live in the wilderness. All is well until weird occurrences start to make the family members question if they can trust each other.

Why it’s great: Described as a New England folktale, The Witch does a fantastic job of immersing you in the world—the old English, the perfect production design, stunning performances. It’s all ground setting for a chilling tale.

However, the slow burn doesn’t come from whether or not there is a witch, that question is answered relatively quickly. Instead, the mystery is who you can trust.

And the movie doesn’t give you a clear answer. But along the way, you encounter terrifying scenes from a creepy black goat to one of the most stunning exorcism scenes I’ve ever seen. Plus, there’s a fantastic performance by newly anointed scream queen Anya Taylor-Joy.

Where to stream it: The Witch is available to stream on Netflix and Prime Video! It’s also available to rent or buy.

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The Night House (2020)

What does a house feel like when one of its inhabitants is gone? It feels empty. Incomplete. Cold. That’s the feeling that director David Bruckner’s new film The Night House, which premiered as part of the Midnight section of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, gives off at the start as Beth (Rebecca Hall), a high school teacher, copes with the suicide of her husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit). As she strolls through their lakeside home, built and designed by Owen, you can feel the vacant space. It probably doesn’t help that the home is filled with large windows opening into the darkness of the woods and lake. However, eventually, like Bruckner’s last film The Ritual, that feeling eventually gives way to a pervasive dread.

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More movies, less problems
Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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February 1, 2020
‘The Northman’ goes south | movie review

Years after witnessing his father’s murder, a Viking prince goes on a rampage across Scandinavia to avenge his death and save his mother.

The Northman looks and sounds like it cost $90 million to make. Robert Eggers is a master at his craft perfectly melding every element — particularly Jarin Blaschke’s cinematography — to create his Viking-era world. Where the movie goes south is in its narrative and characters. Beneath the twisting Scandinavian folklore is a simple and familiar revenge story that never gives us real reason to care. The movie lacks the emotional impact to become fully immersed. Still, Eggers is a masterful director and holds your attention even if the movie isn’t as narratively compelling as The Witch nor as visceral as The Lighthouse.

Full review coming soon.

April 25, 2022
‘Bombshell’ fizzles out despite strong performances — movie review

Bombshell tells the story of how the women of Fox News banded together to take down one of the most powerful predators in media

Quick review: Bombshell has a terrific performance by Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly and an interesting story worth telling. However, the muddled tone, hollow characters, and awkward pacing make it a forgettable watch.

There’s been a trend in the film industry of tackling serious topics and difficult people — that’s being kind — with a heavy dose of comedy and satire. In particular, Adam McKay seems to have cracked the code with the 2008 financial crisis movie The Big Short — which is good — and the Dick Cheney biopic Vice — which is bad. Then there was Craig Gillespie’s Tonya Harding biopic I, Tonya. Other than a shared style, these three movies had tremendous Oscar success. Keep that in mind when watching Bombshell — a new movie by Jay Roach following the demise of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes at the hands of several women at the network.

Truthfully, it feels like Bombshell is the worst version of this kind of movie because it feels like the story doesn’t justify the style — characters talking to the camera, punchy graphics popping up on the screen. Though, maybe it does. The Big Short’s Oscar-winning screenwriter Charles Randolph penned the script, so maybe it’s Roach that went wrong with the equation. The uneven tone shows just how much control someone like McKay had over his movies.

We follow three women working at Fox News. An eerily transformed Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly, Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, and Margot Robbie as the fictional Kayla Pospisil — an upstart keen on greatness at the network. The movie starts with a promising look into the fallout following the first Republican Primary Debate in 2016 where she confronted Donald Trump about his long history of harassment of women and misogyny.

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After the brush-up, she gives us a to the camera tour of the Fox News offices where we learn about the setup of the organization. Ailes and the VPs that serve him are on the second floor while the owners of the network, the Murdochs, are on the eighth. While she’s dealing with harassment from angry Trump voters, the media, and even people within the network, Carlson is preparing for war.

After showing her lawyers a reel of misogynistic comments and moments on-air — she assures them that worse happened behind-the-scenes — she gets ready to be fired and subsequently sue Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. Meanwhile, Kayla, who was recently promoted to working on The O’Reilly Factor, maneuvers her way into meeting Ailes to be considered for on-air work explaining that Fox News is like a religion to her conservative family. However, during an uncomfortable meeting with Ailes, he asks her to slowly lift her dress as he “assesses” whether she’s fit to be in front of the camera.

Theron is pure electricity as Megyn Kelly — and it’s not just the makeup job like some recent Oscar winner. While the physical transformation helps, it’s the physicality that she imbues her with that makes it remarkable. There are subtle ways she captures Kelly — the way she carries herself, the cadence and deliberateness when she talks, her almost slow-motion movements. Without that central performance, the movie would fall apart.

The other woman are solid too. Kidman is a seasoned pro and does the best that she could with Carlson. However, the character is shamefully underwritten, which is a key problem with the movie. Because we split our time between Kelly, Carlson, and Kayla, we never get time to understand them outside of this particular situation. They’re reduced to vessels rather than actual people — maybe it’s because the actual people aren’t that great either. As for Robbie, she does great work, but her character feels like a construction for the story.

That shouldn’t detract from the message. It seems to have been made with good intentions. Powerful men can be stopped when we support victims and when victims support each other. However, I don’t think Roach was equipped to tell that story. Rather than one about the victims, he focused on the intrigue. Instead of coalescing around Carlson’s crusade and the other woman around her, he’s more interested in Kelly’s journey to speaking out, as well. The issue there is that that journey isn’t entirely compelling either.

There are more layers to Bombshell than I am equipped to go into. So, I’ll leave you with this. More than being bad, it’s forgettable. Other than the scenes where Theron is giving room to flex her characterization, the rest of the movie feels is awkwardly paced, unevenly toned, and, to be frank, a slog. For a movie called Bombshell, it really has no impact. The news might even be more interesting.

December 16, 2019
2019 Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress has a frontrunner in Regina King, but there’s a good chance she is upset by Rachel Weisz or even Marina de Tavira.

Best Supporting Actress is possibly the trickiest category to predict at the Oscars this year.

Here are my current rankings:
1. Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) — Golden Globe, Critics Choice
2. Amy Adams (Vice)
3. Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)
4. Marina de Tavira (Roma)
5. Emma Stone (The Favourite)
Check out all our 2019 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture | Best Actor | Best Actress | Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress

Despite winning nearly every critics’ group prize — including the OFCS, the group I’m a part of — Regina King isn’t the surefire frontrunner she should be for her warm and emotional performance in If Beale Street Could Talk.

That’s because she missed a nomination at the BAFTAs and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. For context, that last winner of Best Supporting Actress that didn’t at least get a nomination at the SAG Awards was 2000 when Marcia Gay Harden won the Oscar for Pollack.

You have to go back to 2007 for the last time the winner of this category didn’t also win the Oscar — that year, Ruby Dee won the SAG for American Gangster and Tilda Swinton won the Oscar for Michael Clayton.

King has to worry about that first statistic more than the second since this year’s winner of the SAG Award was Emily Blunt for A Quiet Place, who wasn’t even nominated at the Oscars.

Regina King is the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

The fact that one of her fellow Oscar nominees didn’t win will help her. Especially, Amy Adams for her performance as Lynne Cheney in Vice and Rachel Weiss for her performance in The Favourite — both of whom are her biggest competition.

Adams, with her six nominations, could become the living actor with the most Oscar nominations without a win if Glenn Close finally wins on her seventh nomination in Best Actress, as expected. Her overdue narrative can push her to a win. The problem, though, is that her performance isn’t nearly as well received as her other nominations and ultimately takes a backseat to Christian Bale’s transformative performance as Dick Cheney.

Who might really be the favorite is Rachel Weisz. This year has eerily followed the 2015 Best Supporting Actor race where Sylvester Stallone was the frontrunner — winning the Golden Globe and being snubbed by SAG (which is won by non-Oscar nominee Idris Elba) and BAFTA just like King — to lose the Oscar to the BAFTA winner, Mark Rylance.

Whoever wins the BAFTA could be the actual frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress. However, watchout for an outside chance that Marina de Tavira turns her surprise nomination into a surprise win if Roma ends up sweeping on Oscar Sunday.
December 7, 2018
2017 Emmy Predictions In Every Category Before Sunday’s Ceremony

The Emmys are this Sunday! So, we made our predictions in every category.

Drama Series

Will Win: Stranger Things
Could Win: The Handmaid’s Tale
Dark Horse: The Crown

If you asked me who was going to win earlier this year, I would have said that The Crown was a lock. However, its buzz has waned since then and The Handmaid’s Tale picked up steam. But I feel an upset brewing in this category. That’s because Stranger Things did well at the Creative Arts ceremony — they won five awards. Most importantly, it took the crucial Picture Editing award, which has predicted the last 5 winners of Best Drama Series.

Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Will Win: Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Could Win: Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Dark Horse: Anthony Hopkins, Westworld

Brown should win this easily barring a major upset.

Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Will Win: Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Could Win: Claire Foy, The Crown
Dark Horse: Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder

This is going to be a tight race between Moss and Foy. And though Foy won the Globe and the SAG, Moss has been an Emmy bridesmaid for so long that an overdue win should be coming her way. Though, look out for Davis, who is riding high on her recent Oscar win for Fences

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Will Win: Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
Could Win: Chrissy Metz, This Is Us & Thandie Newton, Westworld
Dark Horse: Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale

This is going to be the hardest category to predict the entire night. This is Us has been incredibly popular with actors — they have seven acting nominations — and is the only broadcast show in contention on the drama side. Metz has a narrative to win. However, Millie Bobby Brown, is the actor of the moment. She has become such a cultural icon even larger than the show itself. Plus, if the show wins Drama Series, it can certainly take her along the ride. Thandie Newton has received the most acclaim of anyone in this category, but Westworld‘s confusing narrative could squander its chances in these main categories. It’s a coin flip at this point. I’m going to give Brown the VERY slight edge, but don’t be surprised if one of the other two actresses surprise.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Will Win: John Lithgow, The Crown
Could Win: Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Us
Dark Horse: David Harbour, Stranger Things

John Lithgow should easily win this category. But Ron Cephas Jones certainly has room to upset. If Stranger Things goes on a sweep, Harbour could be taken along.

Writing for a Drama Series

Will Win: “Offred” (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Could Win: “The Vanishing of Will Byers” ( Stranger Things)

Directing for a Drama Series

Will Win: “The Vanishing of Will Byers” (Stranger Things)
Could Win: “Offred” (The Handmaid’s Tale)

Comedy Series

Will Win: Veep
Could Win: Atlanta
Dark Horse: Black-ish

It’s going to be hard for any series to overcome Veep at its height.

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Jeffrey Tambour, Transparent
Could Win: Donald Glover, Atlanta
Dark Horse: Anthony Anderson, Black-ish

A lot of pundits are predicting Glover, but I find it hard to believe Tambour isn’t going to three-peat.

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Could Win: Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Dark Horse: Allison Janney, Mom

Louis-Dreyfuss continues her 5-year streak here.

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Could Win: Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Dark Horse: Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live

McKinnon has the edge, but having three Saturday Night Live ladies in the category could have a negative effect. If that’s the case, then Anna Chlumsky could finally win a very overdue Emmy for the series.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Will Win: Alex Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Could Win: Louie Anderson, Baskets
Dark Horse: Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Baldwin should easily win this.

Writing for a Comedy Series

Will Win: “Thanksgiving” (Master of None)
Could Win: “B.A.N” ( Atlanta)

Directing for a Comedy Series

Will Win: “B.A.N.” (Atlanta)
Could Win: “Groundbreaking” (Veep)

Limited Series

Will Win: Big Little Lies
Could Win: The Night Of
Dark Horse: Feud: Bette and Joan

Big Little Lies has the acclaim and has become a cultural phenomenon. But don’t count out The Night Of or Feud, the latter of which has a lot of star power behind it.

TV Movie

Will Win: Black Mirror: San Junerpino
Could Win: Wizard of Lies
Dark Horse: Sherlock: The Lying Detective

This is one of the weaker categories of the night, but Black Mirror feels like the popular pick. Though, Wizard of Lies does have more support through other categories.

Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will Win: Ewan McGregor, Fargo
Could Win: Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Dark Horse: John Turturro, The Night Of

McGregor has gotten mixed reviews for his performance, however, much of the campaign surrounding him has to do with his dual-role. The Emmys love dual roles. That’s why I think he’s going to do it. However, both The Night Of guys are chomping at his heels. Ahmed is the more likely of the two to win.

Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will Win: Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Could Win: Susan Sarandon or Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan
Dark Horse: Carrie Coon, Fargo

I think Sarandon and Lange cancel each other out. Under the old system of voting — voters used to rank the nominees — I think that one of them would have won. However, with the new popular vote system, it’s more likely that the two are going to draw votes from each other.

But why are the Witherspoon and Kidman not canceling each other out?

I think Kidman is the more clear choice between the two. Better role. Better material.

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will Win: Regina King, American Crime
Could Win: Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Dark Horse: Judy Davis, Feud: Bette and Joan

This is the tightest race in the Limited Series or TV Movie categories. Dern’s show has a lot more buzz than the others in the category. But King has surprised for the last two years winning in shocking upsets. And with her best role to date, I think that she’s going to win her third.

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Will Win: Alexander Skarsgard, Big Little Lies
Could Win: Stanley Tucci, Feud: Bette and Joan
Dark Horse: Michael K. Williams, The Night Of

Skarsgard wants to win this. He’s been doing far more campaigning than his competitors and has the strength of his show behind him. If anyone takes him down, it’s one of the Feud actors with Tucci being the most likely.

Reality-Competition Series

Will Win: RuPaul’s Drag Race
Could Win: The Voice
Dark Horse: The Amazing Race

With three wins at the Creative Arts ceremony, RuPaul’s Drag Race should win its first trophy in the category. However, there’s always a chance past winners The Voice and The Amazing Race upset.

Variety Sketch Series

Will Win: Saturday Night Live
Could Win: No One

This is the safest category of the night. With their best season in decades, Saturday Night Live should deservedly win.

Variety Talk Series

Will Win: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Could Win: Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Dark Horse: Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

John Oliver should notch his second win, but with such a ripe political season, Colbert and Samantha Bee could certainly upset. Also, watch out for Jimmy Kimmel Live, who has a lot of buzz with his heartful speeches regarding his son.

September 14, 2017
The Beguiled review — A darkly funny southern gothic tale

The 1971 southern gothic tale The Beguiled has been reimagined with a sharp, witty tone that delivers some darkly funny laughs.

Some of the greatest facets of a southern gothic tale — equivocal gender roles, a decaying setting, social alienation — all appear in both adaptations of Thomas P. Cullinan’s novel A Painted Devil, renamed The Beguiled. However, unlike the clear male gaze of the original 1971 version, which was directed by Don Siegel and starred Clint Eastwood, Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled is set firmly from the female point of view. But, it’s not just a single view. Instead, she looks at female desire from four different viewpoints. That change elevates this new version of The Beguiled to surprising new heights while also streamlining the narrative to be more deep and effective than before.

In 1864 Virginia, a few students and teachers remain in the Farnsworth Seminary run by Martha Farnsworth (Nicole Kidman). From the school, you can see smoke and hear canon fire as a reminder that the Civil War still rages on.

While searching for mushrooms in the woods in deep Virginia, Amy (a delightful Oona Laurence) stumbles upon a Union soldier Corporal John McBurney (Colin Farrell), who injured his leg. Amy helps him back to the school where he passes out. Martha decides to take him in and nurse him back to health before handing him over to Confederate troops. However, there’s a noticeable shift in the air when Corporal John McBurney arrives. Teacher Edwina Morrow (Kirsten Dunst), teenage student Alicia (Elle Fanning), Martha, and the other students begin fighting for McBurney’s attention often slipping into his room, which he is locked in, to even just steal a glance of him. However, they all have different motives.

Coppola smartly strips the movie of any obvious subtext and instead allows us to derive meaning from each characters’ actions. It’s less about the possible threat of McBurney and more about each woman’s reaction to his presence. And all of their reactions can be summed up in desire. Martha sees John as a companion. Unlike her complicated backstory in the original adaptation, it’s simply hinted at that Martha lost her husband at some point during the war. She sees John as a way to fill that void. Edwina, on the other hand, wants John as an escape. It’s clear that she’s unhappy with the way her life has gone, but she never had the means to leave it. To her, John is her chance to be free. Alicia, the eldest of the girls at the school, lusts after John. Her repressed sexuality suddenly has an outlet when John appears. And lastly, Amy, who doesn’t quite fit in with the other girls, want John to be a friend or even brother.

What is most surprising about The Beguiled, though, is that it is a delight to watch. Not that I didn’t think it was going to be enjoyable. But it’s surprisingly funny in its own dark way. In one scene, the girls, particularly dressed up for their first dinner with McBurney, slyly fight over the apple pie that McBurney just complimented. The polite, but pointed, banter is a hilarious reminder that none of these women have felt the attention of a man in quite some time.

However, there is a noticeable hole in terms of race. There has been a lengthy discussion about a black female slave character being cut from film — she appeared in both the book and the 1971 version. For a movie so closely tied to the Civil War, it was disappointing to not have that commentary. Especially considering this is a movie about desires. A woman in that position would have a very interesting perspective on the situation. It is addressed with a throwaway line early in the movie. Still, for such a lean narrative, one would wonder why they couldn’t fit in such an important conversation.

The Beguiled is a practice minimalistic storytelling. We rarely leave the overgrown grounds of the school — the growing weeds are a small reminder of the absence of slaves — the characters don’t say more than is needed, and the plot doesn’t stray far from the main thread. However, it is still a charming and engrossing, albeit quiet, movie. Though she certainly has Farrell, who delivers a constantly shifting performance that keeps you guessing, and Kidman, who is powerful in her otherwise reserved role, to thank for that. The Beguiled isn’t your typical summer thriller. However, one of the best things on a hot summer day is a dose of melodrama. And that, like revenge, is served up ice cold.

★★★½ out of 5

Watch The Beguiled on Amazon!

July 5, 2017
Lion review — A remarkable true story beautifully told

Lion is one of the few inspirational true stories that translates beautifully on screen thanks to director Garth Davis and a strong performance by Dev Patel

A Long Way Home, the book that the movie Lion is based on, is essentially devoid of emotion. That’s not to fault the book’s author and subject Saroo Brierley. He simply wasn’t equipped with the talent to translate his too-good-to-be-true story onto the page. Director Garth Davis certainly did. Lion could have easily fallen into the idealistic cookie cutter crowdpleaser category. However, Davis’ vision of Saroo’s journey is simultaneously devastating, yet filled with beauty, both human and cinematic.

Lion tells the true story of Saroo Brierley (Sunny Pawar), a boy who grew up as poor as one could in India — begging for scraps of food, caring for his young sister while his mother does hard labor. While following his older brother to a neighboring town, he becomes trapped in a train carriage. After two days on the train, being carried away from his mother, two brothers, and sister, he finds himself in Calcutta (modern-day Kolkatta). For months he must fend for himself by eating scraps of food and taking shelter under bridges. Eventually, he is taken into an orphanage and is adopted by an Australian family, Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John (David Wenham). Twenty years later as an adult (Dev Patel), Saroo decides to use Google Earth to find his long-lost family.

While the story has the plot of a Lifetime movie, it is true, yet improbable as it sounds. The journey Saroo takes is an incredible one. However, it’s also one that could easily be exploited for its emotional beats. The issue with a lot of movies based on incredible true stories is that the focus of the emotion is on plot, rather than character. And while Lion certainly toes that line, writer Luke Davies keeps the focus on the character’s emotional journey rather than the physical one. In particular, the character of Sue Brierley is given new life in the movie. In Saroo’s memoir, he protects his mother from his attempts to find his birth mother in fear that he is going to hurt her. While that is stated, it is never seen. In the movie, we see Sue being affected, not by Saroo’s search, but by the fact that he chose to hide it from her and that he was distant from her. It culminates in an incredible scene that reminds us of Nicole Kidman’s talents. I suspect that it will be her Oscar scene.

However, this is a story about Saroo and the movie does a lot to portray his emotional journey. Most of that falls on the shoulders of Dev Patel, who drives much of the story with his physicality and facial expressions. The shift from book to screen infused the story with an element of the mental toll that the story would take on a four-year-old boy and how it shapes the man he becomes. Sunny Pawar puts in some really great work as the young Saroo in a nearly wordless performance. Patel, on the other hand, depicts the psychological journey. While much of it is suggested with the editing — they cut in scenes from his past similarly to the way that a war movie would portray PTSD — Patel’s reactions to the memories are even more important.

While the performances give an emotional center for the movie, the cinematography and score do all they can to support them. Cinematographer Greig Fraser, who has done some fantastic work including Zero Dark Thirty and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, finally received an overdue Oscar nomination for his work. And while his work in Zero Dark Thirty is truly phenomenal — the raid scene ranks among the best shot scenes in the decade — his work on Lion certainly deserves its recognition. The way he lights the movie, which in this case was manipulating natural light, does justice to the skin tones of the Indian actors, which, unfortunately, is something that is quite rare. Though, the lighting does more than that. In addition to mixing stabilized and choreographed shots with uncontrolled ones, he used the natural lighting to give the movie a cinema verite realism that feels so grounded. However, as evidenced by the opening shot in the movie which finds Saroo between two hills surrounded by butterflies, Fraser also found the natural beauty of the landscapes he was shooting in.

Lion does have one fault, and that is in its editing. I find it hard to talk about the transition from book to the movie because you are awarding a certain dramatic license to the filmmaker. I can’t fault them in the changes they made for the sake of simplicity and dramatic tension. My bigger issue is the way that they cut the story. Although the movie comes in at just under two hours, this is one of the few occasions that I wished the movie had been a bit longer. Or, I wish the movie had been distributed differently. I think one of the most affecting parts of the book is Saroo’s portrayal of his life before “getting lost.” In particular, the focus on hunger as a motivation and how common and easy it is for a child in India to be lost and never found. While the second half of the movie, which focuses on the older Saroo, is strong in its own right, the movie would have been more dramatically satisfying if we got to spend more time with the young Saroo in India.

All in all, Lion is simply a remarkable story that is told well. After reading the book and being less than impressed, it shows what strong filmmaking can do for a story. I imagine that a lot of people are going to skip this movie because it seems like the typical uplifting Hollywood fare. More than anything, though, it’s a movie that is going to tear you down and build you back up again as a different person. That’s something so rare, yet beautiful to experience. It is far from being a perfect movie. However, it is a completely delightful watch that will stay with you past the last frames. Even the most cynical won’t be able to resist the charm of Lion.

★★★ out of 5

Lion is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital rental on Amazon!

February 14, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: Viola Davis is unbeatable in Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actress is pretty much won by Viola Davis for her incredible performance in Fences.

With the shocking — but actually not shocking at all — news that Viola Davis (Fences) would be campaigning in Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, the category turned from a free for all to all but won. Davis has the reputation as a great actress, a career trajectory (and Oscar history) that would mean she’s prime for a win and an incredibly emotional role. On top of that, she has been everywhere during awards season. In addition to sweeping every award along the way, she received honors from the Critics Choice awards, a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, and has introduced Meryl Streep not once, but twice! A win by anyone else would be shocking.

If Davis hadn’t moved into the category, it would likely have been Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea) winning the trophy. Though her total screen time amounts to less than 10 minutes, the impact of her scenes is palpable and would have been a shoo-in. However, with the waning support for the movie and Davis so solidly in the lead, she’s not going to factor into the race too much.

However, the true dark horse would have been and is still Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures). After a Best Ensemble win at the SAG Awards and her movie likely being the highest grossing best picture nominee, Spencer could have been the spoiler to Davis. What is working against her is the fact that she recently — at least in the eyes of The Academy — won for The Help. Thought it’s not unheard of for an actor to win Oscars in close proximity, it’s definitely a rare occurrence.

Nicole Kidman (Lion) does some really great work in the Best Picture nominee. In another year she would have been a stronger contender, especially with her film’s late surge and the key Oscar scene in her back pocket. However, in such a competitive year it is not enough. Plus, her thin screentime is bolstered by the fact that she only has one really strong scene that isn’t the centerpiece of the movie that way Williams’ scene is. I guess she’ll just have to cry into her Best Actress Oscar when she loses this one.

The final contender is Naomie Harris (Moonlight). Though her screen time is similarly thin, she is the only actor in the movie to appear in all three acts. Plus, she has a strong scene in every act. However, she is often overshadowed by the other performances. This is just her first nomination and it’s clear from this performance that she will have many more chances for an Oscar to come.

Check out the rest of our 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Viola Davis, Fences
Could Win: N/A
Dark Horse: Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Should Win: Viola Davis, Fences

October 31, 2016
Final 2017 Oscar Nominations Predictions

And the nominees are… We take our best guess at who will be nominated at the 2017 Oscars

The nominations for the 89th Academy Awards are next Tuesday and we’ll finally know where this wacky awards season leads to. This year has been one of the most confusing awards seasons in recent memories. However, we do know one thing: La La Land will dominate the awards. If my predictions hold, La La Land will lead with thirteen nominations followed by Arrival with twelve. The two other films best positioned to win the top prize, Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea, should reap eight and six nominations each.

This year, I tried to make more bold choices. Among the boldest are Ryan Reynolds being nominated for Deadpool, The Handmaiden showing up in a couple technical categories, and a near shut-out for Silence.

Check out my final 2017 Oscar nominations predictions below!

Best Picture
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight

I think this category more than any should go as planned. I don’t foresee any surprises except for maybe a nomination for Deadpool. While the last two years there have been eight nominations, Hidden Figures will probably sneak in and make it nine.

Best Director
Denis Villeneuve, Arrival
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Garth Davis, Lion
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

While a lot of people think that the DGA nomination for Garth Davis (Lion) was a fluke. I was predicting him to get in even before that. He’ll be the Ben Zeitlan or Lenny Abrahamson of this year.

Best Actor
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
Denzel Washington, Fences
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Yes, you read that right. I think Ryan Reynolds will be nominated for Deadpool. Even then, it’s probably a long shot and Viggo Mortensen will be nominated for Captain Fantastic. But, no guts no glory, right?

Best Actress
Amy Adams, Arrival
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Emma Stone, La La Land

This category should go as planned. Meryl Streep cemented her place with her incredible Golden Globes speech.

Best Supporting Actor
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Other than Lucas Hedges, I think this category is locked. I can see him being snubbed for Aaron Taylor-Johnson after his shocking nomination at the Golden Globes.

Best Supporting Actress
Viola Davis, Fences
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Naomie Harris, Moonlight

This category has been consistent throughout the season. I don’t see why that would end with the Oscars.

Best Original Screenplay
20th Century Women
Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
Manchester by the Sea

My big prediction for this category is 20th Century Women. It just feels like the type of movie to be nominated in this category. I’m also going out on a limp – a more sturdy one – for The Lobster.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Moonlight
Lion

This was one of the harder categories to predict. Nocturnal Animals is the wild card here.

Best Film Editing
Arrival
Hell or High Water
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Moonlight

I think Manchester by the Sea is going to take a hit by missing this Best Picture requirement.

Best Cinematography
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Moonlight
Silence

My big prediction here is Hacksaw Ridge. However, war movies do well in this category so I felt like it would be a missed opportunity to leave it out.

Best Production Design
Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
The Handmaiden
Jackie
La La Land

Much like The Grandmaster a couple of years ago, The Handmaiden could be that foreign film ineligible for Best Foreign Language that makes up for it in the tech categories.

Best Costume Design
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
The Handmaiden
Jackie
La La Land

Again, The Handmaiden.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Deadpool
Florence Foster Jenkins
A Man Called Ove

A lot of people are going with Hail, Caesar or Star Trek Beyond. However, I think this is the perfect place for Deadpool to get some love.

Best Score
Jackie
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

No surprises here!

Best Original Song
“Runnin’” – Hidden Figures
“City of Stars” – La La Land
“Audition” – La La Land
“How Far I’ll Go” – Moana
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” – Trolls

After “City of Stars” making a romp of the early awards, I think the Academy will include “Audition,” which could pave the way for Lin Manuel Miranda to EGOT.

Best Sound Editing
13 Hours
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The sound categories are notoriously hard to predict. While I’m confident about most of it, I’m taking a huge guess in including 13 Hours.

Best Sound Mixing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
The Jungle Book
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Damien Chazelle’s last movie Whiplash won in this category. He should easily do it again with La La Land.

Best Visual Effects
Arrival
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I think (and really hope) Kubo and the Two Strings makes history as the first animated movie to be nominated in this category.

Best Animated Film
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life As A Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia

Pixar is probably sitting this year out.

Best Foreign Language Film
A Man Called Ove
Land of Mine
My Life As A Zucchini
The Salesman
Toni Erdmann

This category is pretty much set. Land of Mine could be bumped out for Tanna, though.

Best Documentary
13th
Cameraperson
I Am Not Your Negro
OJ: Made In America
Tower

This is a stacked category this year. While Weiner or The Eagle Huntress or Gleason is the smart choice. My gut says it’s gonna be Tower.

Best Animated Short Film
The Head Vanishes
Inner Workings
Pear and Cider Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper

Best Live Action Short Film
Graffiti
Nocturne in Black
Silent Nights
Timecode
The Way of Tea

Best Documentary Short Subject
4.1 Miles
Extremis
Frame 394
Joe’s Violin
The White Helmets

What do you think of my nominations? Where am I completely wrong? Let me know in the comments!

January 19, 2017