Hello everyone! Award season is underway.
I posted my Golden Globes predictions on YouTube this year!
Check out the video below. Let me know who you think will win!
Hello everyone! Award season is underway.
I posted my Golden Globes predictions on YouTube this year!
Check out the video below. Let me know who you think will win!
The 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards are on tonight and it is the fourth big award show of the Oscar season! Will we be able to finally tell who’s frontrunner for Best Actress at the Oscars? Will others become a lock? We’ll find out tonight.
Here are my picks ahead of tonight’s telecast!
Should win: PURPLE
Will win: RED
Locked winners highlighted only in RED
Best Picture
“The Power of the Dog” (Will Win)
Actor
Nicolas Cage, “Pig”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”
Peter Dinklage, “Cyrano”
Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”
Will Smith, “King Richard”
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Actress
Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”
Lady Gaga, “House of Gucci”
Alana Haim, “Licorice Pizza”
Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”
Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”
Supporting Actor
Jamie Dornan, “Belfast”
Ciaran Hinds, “Belfast”
Troy Kotsur, “CODA”
Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
J.K. Simmons, “Being the Ricardos”
Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”
Supporting Actress
Caitriona Balfe, “Belfast”
Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”
Ann Dowd, “Mass”
Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”
Aunjanue Ellis, “King Richard”
Rita Moreno, “West Side Story”
Young Actor/Actress
Jude Hill, “Belfast”
Cooper Hoffman, “Licorice Pizza”
Emilia Jones, “CODA”
Woody Norman, “C’mon C’mon”
Saniyya Sidney, “King Richard”
Rachel Zegler, “West Side Story”
Acting Ensemble
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
Guillermo del Toro, “Nightmare Alley”
Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”
Denis Villeneuve, “Dune”
Original Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”
Zach Baylin, “King Richard”
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”
Adam McKay, David Sirota, “Don’t Look Up”
Aaron Sorkin, “Being the Ricardos”
Adapted Screenplay
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Lost Daughter”
Sian Heder, “CODA”
Tony Kushner, “West Side Story”
Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth, “Dune”
Cinematography
Bruno Delbonnel, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Greig Fraser, “Dune”
Janusz Kaminski, “West Side Story”
Dan Laustsen, “Nightmare Alley”
Ari Wegner, “The Power of the Dog”
Haris Zambarloukos, “Belfast”
Production Design
Jim Clay and Claire Nia Richards, “Belfast”
Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau, “Nightmare Alley”
Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo, “The French Dispatch”
Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo, “West Side Story”
Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos, “Dune”
Editing
Sarah Broshar and Michael Kahn, “West Side Story”
Una Ni Dhonghaile, “Belfast”
Andy Jurgensen, “Licorice Pizza”
Peter Sciberras, “The Power of the Dog”
Joe Walker, “Dune”
Costume Design
Jenny Beavan, “Cruella”
Luis Sequeira, “Nightmare Alley”
Paul Tazewell, “West Side Story”
Jacqueline West, Robert Morgan, “Dune”
Janty Yates, “House of Gucci”
Hair and Makeup
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Visual Effects
“The Matrix Resurrections”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
Comedy
“Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar”(Should Win)
“Don’t Look Up” (Will Win)
Animated Feature
“Flee” (Will Win)
“The Mitchells vs the Machines” (Should Win)
Foreign Language Film
“A Hero”
“Drive My Car”
“Flee”
“The Hand of God”
“The Worst Person in the World”
Song
Be Alive, “King Richard”
Dos Oruguitas, “Encanto”
Guns Go Bang, “The Harder They Fall”
Just Look Up, “Don’t Look Up”
No Time to Die, “No Time to Die”
Score
Nicholas Britell, “Don’t Look Up”
Jonny Greenwood, “The Power of the Dog”
Jonny Greenwood, “Spencer”
Nathan Johnson, “Nightmare Alley”
Hans Zimmer, “Dune”
Best Drama Series
“Evil”
“For All Mankind”
“The Good Fight”
“Pose”
“Squid Game”
“Succession”
“This Is Us”
“Yellowjackets”
Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”
Mike Colter, “Evil”
Brian Cox, “Succession”
Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game”
Billy Porter, “Pose”
Jeremy Strong, “Succession”
Actress in a Drama Series
Uzo Aduba, “In Treatment”
Chiara Aurelia, “Cruel Summer”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Fight”
Katja Herbers, “Evil”
Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets”
MJ Rodriguez, “Pose”
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Nicholas Braun, “Succession”
Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”
Kieran Culkin, “Succession”
Justin Hartley, “This Is Us”
Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession”
Mandy Patinkin, “The Good Fight”
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Andrea Martin, “Evil”
Audra McDonald, “The Good Fight”
Christine Lahti, “Evil”
J. Smith-Cameron, “Succession”
Sarah Snook, “Succession”
Susan Kelechi Watson, “This Is Us”
Comedy Series
“The Great”
“Hacks”
“Insecure”
“Only Murders in the Building”
“The Other Two”
“Reservation Dogs”
“Ted Lasso”
“What We Do in the Shadows”
Actor in a Comedy Series
Iain Armitage, “Young Sheldon”
Nicholas Hoult, “The Great”
Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”
Kayvan Novak, “What We Do in the Shadows”
Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”
Actress in a Comedy Series
Elle Fanning, “The Great”
Renée Elise Goldsberry, “Girls5eva”
Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”
Sandra Oh, “The Chair”
Issa Rae, “Insecure”
Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ncuti Gatwa, “Sex Education”
Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso ”
Harvey Guillén, “What We Do in the Shadows”
Brandon Scott Jones, “Ghosts”
Ray Romano, “Made for Love”
Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
Kristin Chenoweth, “Schmigadoon!”
Molly Shannon, “The Other Two”
Cecily Strong, “Saturday Night Live”
Josie Totah, “Saved by the Bell”
Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso”
Limited Series
“Dopesick”
“Dr. Death”
“It’s a Sin”
“Maid”
“Mare of Easttown”
“Midnight Mass”
“The Underground Railroad”
“WandaVision”
Movie Made for Television
“Come From Away”
“List of a Lifetime”
“The Map of Tiny Perfect Things”
“Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia”
“Oslo”
“Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas”
Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Olly Alexander, “It’s a Sin”
Paul Bettany, “WandaVision”
William Jackson Harper, “Love Life”
Joshua Jackson, “Dr. Death”
Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”
Hamish Linklater, “Midnight Mass”
Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Danielle Brooks, “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia”
Cynthia Erivo, “Genius: Aretha”
Thuso Mbedu, “The Underground Railroad”
Elizabeth Olsen, “WandaVision”
Margaret Qualley, “Maid”
Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown”
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus”
Zach Gilford, “Midnight Mass”
William Jackson Harper, “The Underground Railroad”
Evan Peters, “Mare of Easttown”
Christian Slater, “Dr. Death”
Courtney B. Vance, “Genius: Aretha”
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”
Kaitlyn Dever, “Dopesick”
Kathryn Hahn, “WandaVision”
Melissa McCarthy, “Nine Perfect Strangers”
Julianne Nicholson, “Mare of Easttown”
Jean Smart, “Mare of Easttown”
Foreign Language Series
“Acapulco”
“Call My Agent!”
“Lupin”
“Money Heist”
“Narcos: Mexico”
“Squid Game”
Animated Series
“Big Mouth”
“Bluey”
“Bob’s Burgers”
“The Great North”
“Q-Force”
“What If…?”
Talk Show
“The Amber Ruffin Show”
“Desus & Mero”
“The Kelly Clarkson Show”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Late Night With Seth Meyers”
“Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen”
Comedy Special
“Bo Burnham: Inside”
“Good Timing With Jo Firestone”
“James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999”
“Joyelle Nicole Johnson: Love Joy”
“Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American”
“Trixie Mattel: One Night Only”
The 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be televised tonight. The SAGS are nominated and voted on by fellow actors.
So… here are my picks for tonight.
Who Should Win: RED
Who Will Win: PURPLE
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Caitríona Balfe (“Belfast”)
Cate Blanchett (“Nightmare Alley”)
Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”)
Kirsten Dunst (“The Power of the Dog”)
Ruth Negga (“Passing”)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Ben Affleck (“The Tender Bar”)
Bradley Cooper (“Licorice Pizza”)
Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)
Jared Leto (“House of Gucci”)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)
Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”)
Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”)
Jennifer Hudson (“Respect”)
Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”)
Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”)
Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick … Boom!”)
Will Smith (“King Richard”)
Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”)
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
“Belfast” (Focus Features)
“CODA” (Apple Original Films)
“Don’t Look Up” (Netflix)
“House of Gucci” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
“King Richard” (Warner Bros)
“Black Widow” (Disney)
“Dune” (Warner Bros)
“The Matrix Resurrections” (Warner Bros)
“No Time to Die” (MGM)
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (Disney)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Murray Bartlett (“The White Lotus”)
Oscar Isaac (“Scenes From a Marriage”)
Michael Keaton (“Dopesick”)
Ewan McGregor (“Halston”)
Evan Peters (“Mare of Easttown”)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Jennifer Coolidge (“The White Lotus”)
Cynthia Erivo (“Genius: Aretha”)
Margaret Qualley (“Maid”)
Jean Smart (“Mare of Easttown”)
Kate Winslet (“Mare of Easttown”)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Michael Douglas (“The Kominsky Method”)
Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso”)
Steve Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Jason Sudeikis (“Ted Lasso”)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Elle Fanning (“The Great”)
Sandra Oh (“The Chair”)
Jean Smart (“Hacks”)
Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”)
Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
“The Great” (Hulu)
“Hacks” (HBO Max)
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV Plus)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Brian Cox (“Succession”)
Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”)
Kieran Culkin (“Succession”)
Lee Jung-Jae (“Squid Game”)
Jeremy Strong (“Succession”)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”)
Jung Ho-yeon (“Squid Game”)
Elizabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Sarah Snook (“Succession”)
Reese Witherspoon (“The Morning Show”)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“The Morning Show” (Apple TV Plus)
“Squid Game” (Netflix)
“Succession” (HBO)
“Yellowstone” (Paramount Network)
“Cobra Kai”
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”
“Loki”
“Mare of Easttown”
“Squid Game”
By: Amanda Guarragi
It is the most hectic time of the year; award season. This year, the Golden Globes look a bit different and that is because of the backlash the HFPA received with their nominations and lack of diversity in its members. The Globes will not be televised, so it’s going to be an odd little award show, if you ask me. Nonetheless, award season will kickoff and there are some wonderful films in contention. So without further ado, here are my picks for each category:
Who should win will be highlighted in RED
Who will win will be highlighted in PURPLE
Best Motion Picture, Drama
“Belfast” (Focus Features)
“CODA” (Apple TV Plus)
“Dune” (Warner Brothers)
“King Richard” (Warner Brothers)
“The Power of the Dog” (Netflix)
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
“Cyrano” (MGM)
“Don’t Look Up” (Netflix)
“Licorice Pizza” (Focus Features)
“Tick, Tick … Boom!” (should and will win) (Netflix)
“West Side Story” (20th Century Studios)
Best Director, Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast” (should and will win)
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Lost Daughter”
Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”
Denis Villeneuve, “Dune”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”
Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”
Lady Gaga, “House of Gucci”
Kristen Stewart, “Spencer” (should and will win)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Marion Cotillard, “Annette”
Alana Haim, “Licorice Pizza”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Don’t Look Up”
Emma Stone, “Cruella”
Rachel Zegler, “West Side Story”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Caitriona Balfe, “Belfast”
Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”
Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”
Aunjanue Ellis, “King Richard”
Ruth Negga, “Passing”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Mahershala Ali, “Swan Song”
Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”
Will Smith, “King Richard”
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Don’t Look Up”
Peter Dinklage, “Cyrano”
Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick … Boom!” (will and should win)
Cooper Hoffman, “Licorice Pizza”
Anthony Ramos, “In the Heights”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Ben Affleck, “The Tender Bar”
Jamie Dornan, “Belfast”
Ciaran Hinds, “Belfast”
Troy Kotsur, “CODA”
Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”
Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast” (will and should win)
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
Adam McKay, “Don’t Look Up”
Aaron Sorkin, “Being the Ricardos”
Best Original Score, Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat, “The French Dispatch”
Germaine Franco, “Encanto”
Jonny Greenwood, “The Power of the Dog”
Alberto Iglesias, “Parallel Mothers”
Hans Zimmer, “Dune” (will and should win)
Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Be Alive,” “King Richard” (will and should win)
“Dos Oruguitas,” “Encanto”
“Down to Joy,” “Belfast”
“Here I Am [Singing My Way Home],” “Respect”
“No Time to Die,” “No Time to Die”
Best Motion Picture, Animated
“Encanto” (Disney)
“Flee” (Neon)
“Luca” (Pixar)
“My Sunny Maad” (Sacrebleu Productions)
“Raya and the Last Dragon” (Disney)
Best Motion Picture, Non-English Language
“Compartment No. 6”
“Drive My Car” (will and should win)
“A Hero”
“Parallel Mothers”
Best Television Series, Drama
“Lupin”
“The Morning Show”
“Pose”
“Squid Game”
“Succession” (should and will win)
Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
“The Great”
“Hacks”
“Only Murders in the Building”
“Reservation Dogs”
“Ted Lasso” (should and will win)
Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
“Impeachment: American Crime Story”
“Maid”
“Mare of Easttown”
“The Underground Railroad”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Uzo Aduba, “In Treatment”
Jennifer Aniston, “The Morning Show”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Fight”
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, “Pose” (should and will win)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Brian Cox, “Succession”
Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game”
Billy Porter, “Pose”
Jeremy Strong, “Succession” (should and will win)
Omar Sy, “Lupin”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
Elle Fanning, “The Great”
Issa Rae, “Insecure” (should and will win)
Tracee Ellis Ross, “black-ish”
Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Jessica Chastain, “Scenes From a Marriage”
Cynthia Erivo, “Genius: Aretha”
Elizabeth Olsen, “Wandavision”
Margaret Qualley, “Maid”
Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role
Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”
Kaitlyn Dever, “Dopesick”
Andie MacDowell, “Maid”
Sarah Snook, “Succession”
Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso” (should and will win)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Nicholas Hoult, “The Great”
Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”
Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso” (should and will win)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Paul Bettany, “Wandavision”
Oscar Isaac, “Scenes From a Marriage”
Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”
Ewan McGregor, “Halston”
Tahar Rahim, “The Serpent”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role
Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”
Kieran Culkin, “Succession”
Mark Duplass, “The Morning Show”
Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso” (should and will win)
O Yeong-su, “Squid Game”
Well there you have it! All of my picks for every single category. If you want to stay updated, follow along on Twitter: @amxndareviews for live updates and maybe some ranting.
By: Amanda Guarragi
The Van directed by Erenik Beqiri shows the resilience of a young man who needs to pay his wait out of Albania. He already works during the day with his father but it isn’t enough to survive. What we see is two different perceptions of how to survive. Ben (Phénix Brossard) finds side hustles in order to survive, whereas his father (Arben Bajraktaraj) believes in hard work. The generational divide is ultimately put to the test, when Ben joins a fighting ring, in order to earn some extra cash. The family drama highlights the lengths people will go to for their family.
The film is beautifully shot and the aspect ratio benefits the story, as we fully see the Ben’s physique in the frame. Each time Ben exits the van, his wounds get worse. The close ups are completely necessary in showing his pain and his emotions while processing his next move. The lighting choices were also effective because of the contrast of warmth and steely tones in certain scenes. The yellowish tones were used when Ben was safe at home with his father, whereas the steely blues were used near the van. The technical aspects of this film worked extremely well and made and elevated the story.
The Van is a short film that shows the journey of a father and son, trying to make their way out of a life that seems impossible to advance in. Ben is pushed to his limits and doesn’t quite know when, or even how, to stop these actions. Once he sees the money payoff, it is hard to leave the toxic environment. It is a brutal story of making a living and Ben does teach his father about how to function in this new era of society. The only way to survive is to cut corners, even if there are difficult tasks being handed to you.