Welp...

Now that Christmas has come and gone, we're in the final days of 2017. Over the next couple weeks the last few stragglers of 2017 films will make their way in theaters.

Molly's Game (Jessica Chastain, all day, everyday)
The Post (The pedigree!!!!!! The timeliness!!!!!)
I, Tonya (Love the trio of Allison Janney, Sebastian Stan and Margot Robbie)

Followed by the hard hitting duo of Call Me by Your Name and Phantom Thread on January 19th.

Call Me by Your Name has been one of my most anticipated films ever since it premiered at Sundance almost a year ago. I love coming of age stories, and Timmy Chalamet seems like a lock for my Best Actor prize.

PT Anderson made Magnolia and Boogie Nights two all-time great films, plus The Master and There Will Be Blood make anything he does - must see.

I'm running a little behind because of the cold weather so I still need to see Downsizing and Darkest Hour.

Anyone know if My Friend Dahmer has a DVD release anytime soon? I had heard good things about it, but it never came anywhere near Omaha.

December Oscar Predictions

The critic awards have started for the 2017 awards season. 

The National Board of Review began the proceedings awarding The Post with Best Picture. Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks came along for the ride in the leading acting categories for the same film. Lady Bird walked away with Best Director for Greta Gerwig and Best Supporting Actress for Laurie Metcalf. Willem Dafoe won the first of his Supporting Actor awards for The Florida Project. 

NYFCC was next in line. Lady Bird had another big day winning Best Picture and Best Actress for Saoirse Ronan. Saoirse's Lady Bird co-star Timothee Chalamet won Best Actor for his raved work in Call Me by Your Name. The Florida Project's Sean Baker won Best Director. In an unexpected, but inspired pick Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish won in Supporting Actress. Phantom Thread won Best Screenplay following up its Original Screenplay win at NBR. Willem Dafoe won again. 

Call Me by Your Name was the big winner at the LAFCA awards. The film won Best Picture, Chalamet won Best Actor and the film co-shared Best Director. The Shape of Water which shared the Best Director prize also won Best Actress for Sally Hawkins. Laurie Metcalf and Willem Dafoe won again in the supporting categories. Jordan Peele's Get Out won Best Screenplay. 

My interpretation is that Tiffany Haddish is very close to an Oscar nomination and I'd predict her to get in. Wonder if they will use her grapefruit monologue for the ceremony? Willem Dafoe might sweep the critics and since people seem to really be against Sam Rockwell's attempted redemption in Three Billboards then with the overdue factor I could easily see Dafoe winning this now. Also a chance for them to reward The Florida Project. Timmy Chalamet might come up short in his quest to become the youngest Best Actor winner ever, but he is going to put up a strong fight. It's too bad Gary Oldman just had to play Winston Churchill this year. Lady Bird seems like it could win Best Picture, and I never would have guessed that a month ago. Christopher Nolan or Spielberg still seem likely Best Director winners, but Gerwig should be good for a nomination now. I thought Allison Janney was going to stream-roll her way to the Oscar, but I'm leaning towards Metcalf now. Actress and Original Screenplay are a mystery right now. The Post seems very timely and very likely to be our winner for Picture.

Best Picture:

The Post

1. The Post (+3)

2. Lady Bird (+4)

3. Dunkirk (-1)

4. Call Me by Your Name (+1)

5. Get Out (+3)

6. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-5)

7.  The Shape of Water (-4)

8. The Florida Project (-1)

Best Director:

Greta Gerwig 

1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (=)

2. Steven Spielberg, The Post (+1)

3. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (NEW)

4. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name (=)

5. Jordan Peele, Get Out (NEW)

Dropped Out:

Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Guillermo Del Toro, The Shape of Water

Best Actress:

Margot Robbie

1. Meryl Streep, The Post (+1)

2. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (+2)

3. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-2)

4. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (-1)

5. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (=)

Best Actor:

Timothee Chalamet

1. Gary Oldman, The Darkest Hour (=)

2. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (=) 

3. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (=)

4. Tom Hanks, The Post (=)

5. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (=)

Best Supporting Actress:

Tiffany Haddish

1. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (+1)

2. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (-1)

3. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (=)

4. Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip (NEW)

5. Hong Chau, Downsizing (NEW)

Dropped Out:

Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

Catherine Keener, Get Out

Best Supporting Actor:

Willem Dafoe (and Brooklyn Prince)

1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (+2)

2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-1)

3. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name (+1)

4. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water (NEW)

5. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name (-4)

Dropped Out:

Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water

Adapted Screenplay:

1. Call Me by Your Name (=)

2. The Disaster Artist (=)

3. Mudbound (=)

4. Molly's Game (=)

5. Wonder (NEW)

Dropped Out:

Last Flag Flying

Original Screenplay:

1. Get Out (+4)

2. Lady Bird (=)

3. The Post (+1)

4. Phantom Thread (NEW)

5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-4)

Dropped Out:

The Shape of Water

Lucas Hedges

In the last year, Lucas Hedges has appeared in Lady Bird, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and Manchester by the Sea. Nominated for an Oscar at an age where that doesn't happen for men. Has Boy Erased coming out next year, and Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel in his past. Is Lucas Hedges the best script reader in the business or is his agent?

Speaking of Hedges, I think he is great in both of 2017's releases but especially in Lady Bird. The role fades in the second half of the film, but man does he nail his moment.

One Week until LADY BIRD

Next Friday marks the release of Lady Bird, the debut film for director/writer Greta Gerwig. This is essentially a major life event for me as Gerwig is one of my biggest inspirations in film. Plus throw in one of my favorite actresses in Laurie Metcalf and a gang of some of my favorite young actors like Lucas Hedges, Timmy Chalamet, John Karna and of course my 2015 Best Actress winner Saoirse Ronan. (Brooklyn)

Lady Bird was brought to life from parts of the Frances Ha script that were cut. Frances Ha is one of my top-10 films of the decade so far. If you haven't seen the film I really can't recommend it enough. Greta plays Frances, a dancer that can't quite catch her big break or really any break. Frances Ha is essentially a romantic-comedy except it isn't between two lovers, but best friends. There are not enough films about friendships, and Frances Ha is at the top of the list. Greta starred in the film, but also co-wrote it with Noah Baumbach who directed the picture.

Frances Ha was nominated for four of my personal awards for 2013. Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and won my award for Best Original Screenplay. Lady Bird could be up for even more?

Trailer for Frances Ha:

Trailer for Lady Bird:

Also while we're at it, you should probably watch Mistress America as well. While not quite as masterful as Frances Ha, it's great. Greta won my Supporting Actress prize for it.

2017 Oscar Predictions

Awards season grows ever closer, so it feels like time for some early Oscar predictions. 

Best Picture:

1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

2. Dunkirk

3. The Shape of Water

4. The Post

5. Call Me by Your Name

6. Lady Bird

7. The Florida Project

8. Get Out

Outside Contenders: 

Downsizing. 

The Big Sick.

 I, Tonya. 

Mudbound.

Best Director:

1. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk

2. Guillermo Del Toro, The Shape of Water

3. Steven Spielberg, The Post

4. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me by Your Name

5. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Outside Contenders: 

Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird. 

Sean Baker, The Florida Project. 

Best Actress: 

1. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

2. Meryl Streep, The Post

3. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

4. Saorise Ronan, Lady Bird (Pictured above)

5. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya

Outside Contenders:

Judi Dench, Victoria and Abdul.

Brooklyn Prince, The Florida Project.

Jessica Chastain, Molly's Game.

Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes.

Jennifer Lawrence, mother!

Best Actor:

1. Gary Oldman, The Darkest Hour

2. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (Pictured Above)

3. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread

4. Tom Hanks, The Post

5. James Franco, The Disaster Artist

Outside Contenders:

Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out.

....

I guess maybe...

Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger.

...

This category is desolate.

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Allison Janney, I, Tonya. (Pictured Above)

2. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird.

3. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick.

4. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water.

5. Catherine Keener, Get Out.

Outside Contenders:

Hong Chau, Downsizing.

Melissa Leo, Novitiate.

Mary J. Blige, Mudbound.

Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread.

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name

2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

3. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project

4. Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name

5. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water.

Outside Contenders:

Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water.

Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Sebastian Stan, I, Tonya.

Mark Rylance, Dunkirk

Jason Mitchell, Mudbound.

Original Screenplay:

1. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

2. Lady Bird

3. The Shape of Water

4. The Post

5. Get Out

Outside Contenders:

The Florida Project

The Big Sick

Phantom Thread

Downsizing

Adapted Screenplay:

1. Call Me by Your Name

2. The Disaster Artist

3. Mudbound

4. Molly's Game

5. Last Flag Flying

Other Contenders:

I could barely come up with five.

mother! is finally here!

Today, Darren Aronofsky's latest release, mother! finally hits the silver screen. I've been waiting for this ever since it's been announced. The Wrestler is one of my absolute favorite films, and Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan are near-masterpieces.  

Jennifer Lawrence has become a controversial celebrity, you either love her or hate her, but I really love her. For my awards she's a 5-time nominee. (Best Actress-Winter's Bone, Silver Linings Playbook, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Joy. Supporting Actress - American Hustle) plus you throw in Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Kristen Wiig and Michelle Pfeiffer and well it's a party. 

Best of 2016 in Film: The Awards

      (From: L to R: Midnight Special, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Demolition, Ghostbusters, 

       Cafe Society, Captain America: Civil War, Everybody Wants Some!!, Little Sister, Lion

 King Cobra, The Witch, The Neon Demon, Suicide Squad)

Hollywood's annual celebration of the prior year in film returns tonight with the Academy Awards celebrating 2016. For once the Oscars actually did an overall solid selection for the year. Every single film nominated for Best Picture is worthy of that title. The acting categories also are overall very strong as well with the Best Actress category an embarrassment of riches.  2016 overall brought us many treasures and a couple of complete slogs to sit through, but brought us the best film since Blue is the Warmest Color in 2013.

Here are my personal picks for the best of 2016.

Nominees in alphabetical order, winner in bold. (Six nominees in each category, except Best Actress because I am weak, and cannot cut one of them.) 

Best Picture:

Arrival

Elle

La La Land

Other People 

The Edge of Seventeen

Toni Erdmann 

Best Director:

Maren Ade, Toni Erdmann

Andrea Arnold, American Honey

Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Robert Eggers, The Witch

Paul Verhoeven, Elle

Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

Best Actress: 

Amy Adams, Arrival

Rebecca Hall, Christine

Sandra Hueller, Toni Erdmann

Isabelle Huppert, Elle

Natalie Portman, Jackie

Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen

Emma Stone, La La Land

Best Actor:

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Joel Edgerton, Loving

Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge

Ryan Gosling, La La Land

Connor Jessup, Closet Monster

Peter Simonischek, Toni Erdmann

Best Supporting Actress:

Viola Davis, Fences

Greta Gerwig, 20th Century Women

Gillian Jacobs, Don't Think Twice

Riley Keough, American Honey

Janelle Monae, Moonlight

Molly Shannon, Other People

Best Supporting Actor:

Tom Bennett, Love & Friendship

Alden Ehrenreich, Hail,Caesar!

John Goodman, 10 Cloverfield Lane

Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea

Andre Holland, Moonlight

Ashton Sanders, Moonlight

Original Screenplay:

20th Century Women

Hell or High Water

Manchester by the Sea

Other People

The Edge of Seventeen

Toni Erdmann

Adapted Screenplay:

Arrival

Elle

Fences

Indignation

Love & Friendship

Moonlight

Cinematography:

Arrival

Don't Breathe

Jackie

La La Land

Lion

The Neon Demon

Score:

Arrival

Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Elle

Jackie

La La Land

The Neon Demon

Film Editing:

Arrival

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

Demolition

Hacksaw Ridge

La La Land

Moonlight

Production Design:

Hail, Caesar!

Jackie

La La Land

Love & Friendship

The Nice Guys

The Witch

List of eligible 2016 films: 

The Forest

The Witch

Hail, Caesar!

Deadpool

Zootopia

How to Be Single

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

10 Cloverfield Lane

Everybody Wants Some!!

Batman vs. Superman

Civil War

The Jungle Book

X-Men: Apocolypse

Neighbors 2

Popstar

The Shallows

Ghostbusters

Indignation

Swiss Army Man

Eddie the Eagle

Maggie's Plan

Don't Breathe

Bad Moms

Sully

Other People

American Honey

King Cobra

Hacksaw Ridge

Mascots

Arrival

Café Society

Midnight Special

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

Hell or High Water

Finding Dory

Fantastic Beasts

Moonlight

The Edge of Seventeen

Florence Foster Jenkins

Captain Fantastic

Demolition

Rogue  One

Passengers

Manchester by the Sea

Moana

Love & Friendship

The Nice Guys

Suicide Squad

Goat

Nocturnal Animals

Little Men

La La Land

Little Sister

Elle

Closet Monster

Christine

20th Century Women

Jackie

A Bigger Splash

Alice: Through the Looking Glass

Fences

Lion

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Don't Think Twice

The Neon Demon

Loving

Toni Erdmann

Final Oscar Predictions

Sunday brings us the Academy Awards ceremony celebrating the year 2016 in film. Another year has already flown by, it feels like not that long ago that Leonardo DiCaprio was still without his beloved Oscar. (RIP Leo-Oscar Memes, we will never forget you!)

I'll post my awards for 2016 on Sunday, but overall the Academy did a pretty solid job this year. While the BP nominees aren't the nine films I would of selected, overall there isn't one bad film in the bunch. Fences comes in as the weakest selection for me, but that script is just so powerful that you could never say it was a bad film.

Much has been already said about La La Land joining All About Eve and Titanic as the films with the most Oscar nominations EVER. All About Eve is a Top-5 all-time film in my opinion, and Titanic made enough money to fill up the ocean. La La Land is fantastic and I have a hard time debating its merit as a most-nominated film. Is it an all-time great? Probably not. However it happened to come along at the right time and it is more than worthy of winning Best Picture this year. Oh yeah, spoiler alert of the year, IT'S WINNING.

Best Actress is an extremely solid category this year. I'll be watching Loving between now and Sunday, so I haven't seen Ruth Negga in action yet. I'm sure she is fantastic. Huppert, Stone and Portman all give brilliant performances in their respective films. All would be solid winners most years. Meryl is great in Florence Foster Jenkins as well, even if it wasn't my cup of tea as a film overall. Of course I'll forever be shouting from the rooftops how Amy Adams was robbed for Arrival, but this category is tremendous.

Casey Affleck and Denzel Washington are battling it out in the tightest category of the night for Best Actor. Casey has been an early favorite since Sundance last year, but his personal baggage and subtle role have slowed down his victory roll. The character of Lee Chandler is not a role that usually wins Oscars. The Oscars aren't known for loving subtle performances. Affleck's performance is that towering that he has overcome that hold-up. However his past personal trouble and caveman like appearances on the red carpet have voices speaking up about him losing the prize. His biggest competition is Denzel Washington who has a role that screams "OSCAR!" However Denzel already has two Oscars, he would join rare company in winning a third. I do see Denzel winning a third Oscar before he retires, but does it come this weekend? Garfield and Gosling are fantastic in their roles, but are just here for the party. Viggo is always great in everything, but I hated Captain Fantastic with every fiber of my being. Glad for Viggo to return though. Plus there really was no alternative for sixth place.

The Supporting categories are pretty locked and loaded. Supporting Actress will go to Viola Davis who it feels like has been owed an Oscar since Doubt. Ali will likely be winning Supporting Actor, but watch out for Dev Patel who has a slight chance.

Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea seem likely to be rewarded in the Screenplay categories and it has felt that way for quite awhile now. Lion is a strong dark horse in Adapted against Moonlight, and there is always a strong chance that La La Land sweeps Original Screenplay along with everything else. Wouldn't be shocked at all to see Lion and La La Land win.

For the tech categories I expect La La Land to basically sweep everything with a sound prize or two going to Hacksaw Ridge.

Speaking of Hacksaw Ridge, can we believe that the Academy went for Mel Gibson in Best Director? He directs the hell out of Hacksaw Ridge, but I really never thought he would make his return to any sort of in-crowd event. It will be interesting to see his reception. Either way Chazelle is winning that category.

Final Predictions:

Best Picture: La La Land
Runner-Up: Moonlight

Best Director: Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Runner-Up: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Best Actor: Denzel Washington, Fences
Runner-Up: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Best Actress: Emma Stone, La La Land
Runner-Up: Isabelle Huppert, Elle

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Runner-Up: Dev Patel, Lion

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences
Runner-Up: Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea by Kenneth Lonergan
Runner-Up: La La Land by Damien Chazelle

Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight by Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney
Runner-Up: Lion by Luke Davies

Cinematography: Linus Sandgren, La La Land
Runner-Up: Greig Fraser, Lion

Costume Design: Mary Zophres, La La Land
Runner-Up: Madeline Fontaine, Jackie

Sound Mixing: Hacksaw Ridge
Runner-Up: La La Land

Film Editing: Tom Cross, La La Land
Runner-Up: Joe Walker, Arrival

Sound Editing: Hacksaw Ridge
Runner-Up: La La Land

Visual Effects: The Jungle Book
Runner-Up: Doctor Strange

Make-Up and Hairstyling: Star Trek Beyond
Runner-Up: Suicide Squad

Original Song: "City of Stars" from La La Land
Runner-Up: "How Far I'll Go" from Moana

Original Score: Justin Hurwitz, La La Land
Runner-Up: Thomas Newman, Passengers

Documentary: 13th
Runner-Up: O.J.: Made in America

Foreign Language Film: The Salesman
Runner-Up: Toni Erdmann

Animated Feature: Zootopia
Runner-Up: The Red Turtle

Production Design: La La Land
Runner-Up: Passengers

Enjoy the show!