2016 Golden Globes Predictions!

Here are my (in red) and Camila's (asterisk *) predictions for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards, airing later tonight on NBC. This year is super hard to predict, so it should be fun! Plus, the best comedian ever, Ricky Gervais, is hosting! Make sure to tune in!

Best Motion Picture-Drama

Mad Max: Fury Road
Room
Spotlight*
The Revenant
Carol

Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy

Joy
Spy
The Big Short*
The Martian
Trainwreck

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Rooney Mara, Carol
Brie Larson, Room*
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama

Will Smith, Concussion
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant*
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy

Lily Tomlin, Grandma
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Maggie Smith, The Lady in the Van
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck*

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy

Al Pacino, Danny Collins
Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Matt Damon, The Martian*

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful EightHelen Mirren, Trumbo
Jane Fonda, Youth
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina*

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture

Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation*
Mark Rylance, Bridge of SpiesSylvester Stallone, Creed
Paul Dano, Love & Mercy

Best Director-Motion Picture

Todd Haynes, Carol
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Ridley Scott, The Martian*
Alejandro Iñárritu, The Revenant

Best Screenplay-Motion Picture

Emma Donoghue, Room
Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, SpotlightAaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs
Charles Randolph, Adam McKay, The Big Short
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight*

Best Motion Picture-Animated

Inside Out*
Shaun the Sheep Movie
The Good Dinosaur
The Peanuts Movie
Anomalisa

Best Motion Picture-Foreign Language

Mustang (France)
Son of Saul (Hungary)*
The Brand New Testament (Belgium, France, Luxembourg)
The Club (Chile)
The Fencer (Finland, Germany, Estonia)

Best Original Score-Motion Picture

Carter Burwell, Carol
Daniel Pemberton, Steve Jobs
Alexandre Desplat, The Danish Girl
Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight*
Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alva Noto, The Revenant

Best Original Song-Motion Picture

"Love Me Like You Do," 50 Shades of Grey
"See You Again," Furious 7
"One Kind of Love," Love & Mercy*
"Writing's On The Wall," Spectre
"Simple Song #3," Youth

Best Television Series-Drama

Game of Thrones
Mr. RobotNarcos
Outlander*
Empire

Best Television Series-Musical or Comedy

Casual
Mozart in the Jungle
Orange is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Transparent*

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

American Crime
American Horror Story: Hotel
Fargo*
Flesh & Bone
Wolf Hall

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Lady Gaga, American Horror Story: Hotel*
Queen Latifah, Bessie
Kirsten Dunst, FargoSarah Hay, Flesh & Bone
Felicity Huffman, American Crime

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Patrick Wilson, Fargo
Idris Elba, Luther
David Oyelowo, Nightingale
Oscar Isaac, Show Me a HeroMark Rylance, Wolf Hall*

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series-Drama

Taraji Henson, Empire
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With MurderCaitriona Balfe, Outlander*
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series-Drama

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot*
Wagner Moura, Narcos
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series-Musical or Comedy

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
Gina Rodriguez, Jane The Virgin
Jamie Lee Curtis, Scream Queens
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep*

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series-Musical or Comedy

Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Rob Lowe, The Grinder
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent*
Patrick Stewart, Blunt Talk

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Regina King, American Crime*
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New BlackMaura Tierney, The Affair
Judith Light, Transparent

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot*
Tobias Menzies, Outlander
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall

Film Review -- Brooklyn

Directed by John Crowley, the film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent, Domhnall Gleeson, and Julie Walters. Eilis Lacey (Ronan) is a young woman who lives in a small Irish town with her mother and older sister, Rose. Believing that Eilis would have a better chance at a future away from the confines of their hometown, Rose arranges for Eilis to move to Brooklyn, New York, where a friendly priest (Broadbent) arranges a job for Eilis at a department store and lodging at a women's boardinghouse run by Mrs. Keogh (Walters). Although she initially experiences gutting homesickness, Eilis soon becomes involved with Tony (Cohen), a plumber from Italian descent. When she just begins to settle into her life in Brooklyn, Eilis receives news that presses her back to Ireland, and she finds herself having to decide between the pull of her native land and the prospective new life she could lead with Tony in New York. The best part of the film is undoubtedly Ronan's performance. She expertly conveys the often conflicting, complex emotions that Eilis experiences as a displaced and lonely immigrant. Ronan is one of the best young actresses around today, a status cemented by this perfectly nuanced performance. The film touches upon many powerful themes, such as the strength of family ties and the search for one's "home," and addresses them in a story that's deeply moving without being at all melodramatic. Brooklyn is a beautifully-crafted coming-of-age period film that I highly enjoyed and recommend. 

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A

Film Review -- Room

Written by Emma Donoghue and based upon her novel of the same name, Room directed by Lenny Abrahamson and stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. Jack (Tremblay) and his Ma (Larson) live in a single, confined space known as Room. Room is Jack's his entire world, but Ma remembers a time when she had a life beyond the four walls of her ten-by-ten cell. When Jack turns five, Ma decides to tell him the agonizing truth about the world that exists outside of room, and they devise a desperate, dangerous plan to escape. Escaping, they soon find out, is only half the battle. Readjusting to - or, in Jack's case, newly discovering - life outside of Room is the other. This film is remarkable in that it is both heartbreaking and uplifting, harrowing but ultimately satisfying. At its core, the film is so much more than simply a story of the long-term abuse suffered by a captive: it is about the unbreakable bond between mother and child, and the lengths to which a mother would go to save her child. The film is anchored by two stunning performances; Larson paints a gutting, powerful, multidimensional portrait of a victim - but, above all, a mother - and Tremblay is a revelation in a challenging and intense role for such a young child to take on. They are truly deserving of any accolades that come their way, and Larson may well find herself victorious at this season's award shows. In all, this film is so beautifully written, acted, and made. It's definitely not one I'll forget anytime soon.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A

Film Review -- Spotlight

Directed by Tom McCarthy, the film stars Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Brian d'Arcy James, and Stanley Tucci. It centers around the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation, conducted by the "Spotlight" team of investigative reporters for the Boston Globe, of the massive cover-up of the rampant child molestation within the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Walter Robinson (Keaton) leads the team of reporters - Mike Rezendes (Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (McAdams) and Matt Carroll (James) - on a perilous mission to expose one of the most perverse scandals in the history of the Catholic Church. One great strength of this film is that it doesn't attempt, on account of its obviously revolting subject matter, to be melodramatic or to mold itself into a conventional 'good vs. evil' narrative. It treats its subject matter in a sensitive way, but it also doesn't try to sugarcoat it (of course, the Church's atrocities speak for themselves). The reporters aren't portrayed as heroes; rather, they're simply a group of people who found a story that needed to be told, and pursued it - sometimes reluctantly, but mostly resolutely - while experiencing a wide range of responses, including horror. The film's screenplay is perhaps the best of the year. The plot moves so seamlessly that I hardly noticed the time go by, and the dialogue seems so natural that it feels like you're listening to a conversation among real people. A necessary film is one that is so much more than entertainment, one that is an indispensable viewing to those who consider themselves decent human beings - this is one of those films. The sickening nature of organized religion is too often and inexplicably ignored by society at large, so one can't help but feel grateful to the original Spotlight team for their unflinching exposé as well as to the filmmakers who wished to bring this story to a wide audience for their small contributions in bringing this cancer to the forefront of mainstream culture. Spotlight is easily the best film of the year.

Should you see it: Absolutely
Grade: A+

Film Review -- The Big Short

Directed by Adam McKay, the comedy stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt. The film tells the story of three groups of people - eccentric hedge fund manager Michael Burry (Bale); investor Jared Vennett, who works with trader Mark Baum (Carell) and his team; and young investors Charlie (John Magaro) and Jamie (Finn Wittrock), who work with retired trader Ben Rickert (Pitt) - who accurately predicted the collapse of the housing market that led to the 2008 financial crisis and profited greatly from it. Although the true story that inspired it is ultimately horrifying, the film manages to take this shocking story and tell it in a comical and wholly original way. Beyond that, it makes the complex financial and economic practices that led to the crisis much easier to understand; in fact, McKay's strategy for explaining certain complicated financial terms is absolutely hilarious and one of the best aspects of the film. Because of the superb actors, the witty and intelligent screenplay, and pertinent subject matter, The Big Short is a winner. I was thoroughly entertained and loved its originality; creating a laugh-out-loud film about a global economic crisis is certainly a great accomplishment. It is one of my favorite films of the year.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A

FIlm Review -- Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Directed by J.J. Abrams, Episode VII of the epic series stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac. Set thirty years after Episode VI and the defeat of the Empire, a new regime, the First Order, threatens the galaxy. The small but mighty Resistance, led by General Leia (Fisher), must find a way to keep the First Order - led by the Vader-esque Kylo Ren (Driver) - from finding a map to fugitive Jedi Luke Sywalker (Mark Hamill) contained in a droid called BB-8. Han Solo (Ford), runaway stormtrooper Finn (Boyega) and orphaned scavenger Rey (Ridley) are enlisted to defeat the First Order and find the elusive Skywalker, perhaps the only hope of ensuring an enduring peace in the galaxy. The film, in general, plays it very safe. The plot is quite unoriginal, and mirrors the plots of Episodes I and IV in many ways. However, I can probably understand why Disney, having just acquired the rights to the franchise and in the position to shape the aftermath of the original trilogy, decided not to veer too far away from the original trilogy's tone or premise. I loved the mix of familiar and new characters, with the new characters being very solid additions. There is especially much to like about Ridley's strong female character, as well as the actress's fantastic debut performance. The special effects were outstanding, as was the score by the returning John Williams, a legend. However, because it felt so safe, the film wasn't particularly innovative or exciting, either. Without a doubt, it was thoroughly enjoyable, and inspired much more confidence than the beginning of the other recent trilogy, but The Force Awakens also wasn't the spectacularly original tour de force it could have been. The question, then, becomes: which would have been better? An undoubtedly faithful addition to the series that surely didn't alienate any fans or a more daring, but perhaps more divisive, story?

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A-

2016 SAG Awards Nominations

Awards season is officially upon us again! Here are the nominations for the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards, which take place on January 30.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 
Beasts of No Nation
The Big Short
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Trumbo

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role 
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role 
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Helen Mirren, Woman in Gold
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Sarah Silverman, I Smile Back

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role 
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Jacob Tremblay, Room

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role 
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards
Mad Men

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series 
The Big Bang Theory
Key & Peele
Modern Family
Orange is the New Black
Transparent
Veep

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series 
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series 
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Julianna Marguiles, The Good Wife
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Louis CK., Louie
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series 
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries
Idris Elba, Luther 
Ben Kingsley, Tut
Ray Liotta, Texas Rising
Bill Murray, A Very Murray Christmas
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries
Nicole Kidman, Grace of Monaco
Queen Latifah, Bessie
Christina Ricci, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles
Susan Sarandon, The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe Kristen Wiig, The Spoils Before Dying