Every year I try to find a thread which binds most of the
top-nominated films together. This year
that is impossible. The productions were
all over the place and it’s more like comparing apples to sofas than apples to
oranges. There was also a lot of quality
this year. More than we’ve seen in a
while, which makes picking just one really hard. At least for me. There are huge box-office hits and movies no
one has ever heard of. There are male dominated
films and female dominated films. Marvel
actors reminded us that they are real actors, not just superheroes. There are a ~lot~~ of LGBTQIA+
characters. I chalk that up to a pushback
from Hollywood as to what is happening in this country. There is a lot – and I mean a lot – of
sex. Very prolonged sex. Very graphic sex. As a writer, I always ask myself … how
important is sex to the narrative? Does
portraying it in detail move the story forward?
Is it an element we need to understand the character? In the case of these films, sometimes yes,
but, in my humble opinion, most of the time, no. Same goes for graphic violence. There were two – yes, two – nominated titles
which involved watching people eat people.
I’m just saying. And yes, a woman
brutally murdered in the woods is awful.
But do we really need to see the back of her skull falling off, showing
her brain leaking out to feel bad?
Again, I have to say no. But
them’s my opinions. As always. Others won’t agree and the trend of rewarding
the male, the violent, the sexual and the “big” productions will likely
continue. Personally, I like the quirky,
thoughtful and fresh takes on who we are as people. Oh well.
Expect “Oppenheimer” and “Succession” to be the winners. Below, my two bits.
Best films overall:
#1 “Maestro”
#2 “Past Lives”
#3 “Oppenheimer”
#4 “Barbie”
#5 “Rustin”
#6 “The Color Purple”
#7 “American Fiction”
#8 “Nyad”
In terms of streaming series and limited series, definitely
check out “A Small Light”, “Daisy Jones & the Six”, “Lessons in Chemistry”,
season 4 of “The Morning Show”, “The Diplomat”, seasons 4 and 5 of “Fargo”, final
seasons of “The Crown” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, “The Gilded Age”,
“Abbott Elementary”, and “Fellow Travelers” (although I was a bit on the fence
with that last one).
My SAG votes:
FILM
Male Actor in a Leading Role: Bradley Cooper had my vote until I saw Colman
Domingo in both “Rustin” and “The Color Purple”. Talk about range! Cooper deserves attention for the incredible
work he has been doing in front of, and behind, the camera. But this was a year with a lot of juice in
the acting categories. The award will
likely go to Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer”.
Female Actor in a Leading Role: Annette Benning for “Nyad”. The film was brutally hard on a physical
level and Benning didn’t flinch at portraying a complicated, unvarnished
character. Award will go to Lily
Gladstone for “Killers of the Flower Moon”.
She deserves it, but so does every actor in this category.
Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert Downey, Jr. in “Oppenheimer”. #1 He was unrecognizable. #2 A lot of attention is paid to those who
die of ODs. Downey has worked hard, very
hard, to maintain his career and his sobriety.
Again, this is a very deep bench in terms of talent. It could be Downey for the win. Or Dafoe, or Gosling.
Female Actor in a Leading Role: Again, again, huge talent in the pool. I went for Danielle Brooks for “The Color
Purple”. She absolutely commands every
scene she appears in – giving joy or grief or energy or all of the above. She is, in my humble opinion, a force. The award will likely go to Da’Vine Joy
Randolph for “The Holdovers”.
Outstanding Cast:
This one was hard. Really
hard. I went for “Barbie” because it
took buy-in by every member of the cast to pull this off.
Stunt Ensemble:
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.
Because this film got a lot of crap it didn’t deserve. And there are lots of car stunts, chases,
and, you know … bullwhips.
TELEVISION
Male Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series: Matt Bomer in “Fellow Travelers”. Role showed range. The character was very, very, complex. Other nominees are gifted actors, but often
playing characters similar to ones they have played in the past. Steven Yeun will likely win for “Beef”.
Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series: Another very, very hard decision. Went with Brie Larson for “Lessons in
Chemistry”. She achieved Spock-like
brilliance by giving a stoic performance with oodles of emotion … right behind
her eyes. Very close second, for me, is
Bel Powley in “A Small Light”. She literally
brought light to the production. Ali
Wong will likely win for “Beef”.
Male Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Crudup in “The Morning Show”. Really wanted to give this to Pedro Pascal –
for being a guy who did an incredible acting job in a helmet and as a Spanish
speaking mother-figure in an SNL skit.
But Crudup delivers – a guy you should hate, but you just … don’t. The prize will go to one of the actors in “Succession”.
Female Actor in a Drama Series: Keri Russell in “The Diplomat”. She maintains a frenetic pace, dialog which
is Shakespearean in its complexity, and still manages to portray her many
conflicted inner feelings. Brava. The award will go to Elizabeth Debicki in “The
Crown”. Cuz, duh, she plays Diana.
Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Bill Hader for “Barry”. Not a weak category but didn’t like any of
the nominated titles. Don’t really like “Barry”,
but like it more than the others. Jeremy
Allen White will likely win for “The Bear”.
What I don’t get is nominating the same actors year after year. If this were up to me, Alan Tudyk, who has
never been nominated, would win for “Resident Alien”. He is nuts.
And brilliant.
Female Actor in a Drama Series: Alex Borstein in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. Honestly, can you imagine any other actor
ever playing that role? No. The award will likely go to Quinta Brunson for
“Abbott Elementary” or Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear”. Quinta should just get an award for working
her *** off. She produces “Abbott
Elementary”, appears in it, as well as appearing in other shows and a growing
list of commercials. Only other actor
I’ve seen with a resume like that is Queen Latifah.
Outstanding Cast/Drama: “The Morning Show”. Really wanted to give this to “The Crown” or “The
Gilded Age” but “The Morning Show” just keeps raising the bar. Award will likely go to “Succession”.
Outstanding Cast/Comedy: “Abbott Elementary”. Which might actually win.
Stunt Ensemble:
“The Last of Us”. Not easy choreographing
fight sequences with zombies. For a lot
of reasons.
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