Late Night Retro Television Reviews: Baywatch Nights 1.10 “Kind of a Drag”


Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Tuesdays, I will be reviewing Baywatch Nights, an detective show that ran in Syndication from 1995 to 1997.  The entire show is currently streaming on Youtube!

Episode 1.10 “Kind of a Drag”

(Dir by Bernard L. Kowalski, originally aired on December 2nd, 1995)

Someone is putting on a dress and a rubber Richard Nixon mask and attacking drag performers!  After one performer is pulled out of the ocean (“It’s a wig!” a lifeguard shouts after pulling off the performer’s blonde hair), Mitch, Garner, and Ryan are hired to discover what’s going on.

They suspect that the attacker could be Duncan Valentine (Stuart Fratkin), the son of a former sitcom star who is trying to put together a movie about her life.  (His mother’s catchphrase was, “Wait until your father comes home!”)  Needless to say, someone is going to have to go undercover as a drag performer to catch the killer.  Which means that it’s time for Ryan to give Mitch a makeover!

Garner also goes undercover as Whoopi Goldberg but we don’t really get to see much of him in his red dress and wig.

While Mitch is performing a song, the assailant in the Richard Nixon mask shoots him!  No worries.  Mitch is wearing a bullet-proof vest.  What does worry me is that the assailant then heads to the dressing room but no one bothers to call the police or follow him down there.  Are they trying to catch this guy or not?  Instead, everyone gathers around Mitch to make sure that he’s okay.  Eventually, Ryan does say, “Call 911,” but I’m not sure why you would wait so long to do that when there’s a gun-toting maniac in the same building as you.

Anyway, it turns out that Duncan is innocent.  Instead, the assailant is revealed to be a drag performer who is upset that he wasn’t cast as Duncan’s mother in the biopic.

This episode was …. actually, considering that it’s from the 90s, it could have been worse.  Yes, a good deal of the show is taken up with scenes of David Hasselhoff struggling to walk in heels and revealing that no one has ever taught him the right way to sit down while wearing a short skirt.  (Ryan really should have given him some advice as far as that’s concerned.)  And yes, Mitch’s girlfriend did happen walk in on Mitch while he was wearing a dress.  (Fortunately, she’s thrilled to discover that Mitch is getting in touch with his feminine side.)  And yes, the villain did turn out to be a deranged drag performer who apparently believed that he actually was Duncan Valentine’s mother.  However, for the most part, the show did treat the other drag performers with respect and it didn’t attempt to play the attacks on them for laughs.  Mitch, Garner, and Ryan treat them like they would any other clients.  In 1995, that was probably the best anyone could expect.

Next week, the show undergoes the first of many format changes!

Oppenheimer Wins In Nashville!


Yesterday, the Music City Film Critics Association — that’s the Nashville group — has announced their picks for the best of 2023!  The winners are in bold.

Best Picture
American Fiction
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
The Iron Claw
The Zone of Interest

Best Director
Alexander Payne – The Holdovers
Celine Song – Past Lives
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Greta Gerwig – Barbie
Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Actress
Emma Stone – Poor Things
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Margot Robbie – Barbie
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Zac Efron – The Iron Claw

Best Supporting Actress
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Penelope Cruz – Ferrari
Rachel McAdams – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Best Supporting Actor
Charles Melton – May December
Glenn Howerton – BlackBerry
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie

Best Young Actress
Abby Ryder Fortson – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Ariana Greenblatt – Barbie
Calah Lane – Wonka
Madeleine Yuna Voyles – The Creator
Mile Davis-Kent – Creed III

Best Young Actor
Christian Convery – Cocaine Bear
Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers
Joe Bird – Talk to Me
Jude Hill – A Haunting in Venice
Milo Machado Graner – Anatomy of a Fall

Best Acting Ensemble
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
The Iron Claw

Best Music Film
American Symphony
Barbie
Maestro
The Color Purple
Wonka

Best Animated Film
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Elemental
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
The Boy and the Heron

Best Documentary
20 Days in Mariupol
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
Four Daughters
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Best International Film
Anatomy of a Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Society of the Snow
The Zone of Interest
When Evil Lurks

Best Screenplay
American Fiction
Barbie
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
The Holdovers

Best Original Song
“I’m Just Ken” Ryan Gosling – Barbie
“Live That Way Forever” Richard Reed Parry, Little Scream, Barr Brothers – The Iron Claw
“Peaches” Jack Black – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
“Road to Freedom” Lenny Kravitz – Rustin
“What Was I Made For?” Billie Eilish – Barbie

Best Score
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Boy and the Heron

Best Sound
Ferrari
Maestro
Oppenheimer
The Killer
The Zone of Interest

Best Cinematography
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest

Best Production Design
Asteroid City
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Editing
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Comedy Film
American Fiction
Barbie
Bottoms
The Holdovers
Poor Things

Best Horror Film
M3GAN
Scream VI
Talk to Me
Thanksgiving
When Evil Lurks

Best Action Film
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Best Stunt Work
Bottoms
Ferrari
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
The Iron Claw

The Jim Ridley Award
The Jim Ridley Award is named after the late, great Nashville Scene editor/writer where our critics group selects a film or individual that embodies the spirit of Nashville.
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
Beau is Afraid
Menus-Plaisirs Les Proisgros
Poor Things
Slotherhouse
The Boy and the Heron

Here Are The 2023 Nominations of the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association!


The Latino Entertainment Journalists Association has announced its nominations for the best of 2023!  The winners will be announced on February 12th!

BEST PICTURE
“All of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures) – Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin & Sarah Harvey
“Barbie” (Warner Bros.) – David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley & Robbie Brenner
“The Holdovers” (Focus Features) – Mark Johnson, Bill Block & David Hemingson
“Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films) – Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese & Daniel Lupi
“Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) – Emma Thomas, Charles Roven & Christopher Nolan
“Origin” (Neon) – Paul Garnes & Ava DuVernay
“Past Lives” (A24) – David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon & Pamela Koffler
“Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures) – Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos
Lanthimos & Emma Stone
“Radical” (Pantelion Films) – Benjamin Odell, Joshua Davis & Eugenio Derbez
“Society of the Snow” (Netflix) – Belén Atienza, Sandra Hermida & J. A. Bayona

BEST DIRECTOR
Lila Avilés, “Tótem”
Ava DuVernay, “Origin”
Greta Gerwig, “Barbie”
Yorgos Lanthimos, “Poor Things”
Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
Celine Song, “Past Lives”

BEST ACTOR
Gael García Bernal, “Cassandro”
Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”
Eugenio Derbez, “Radical”
Colman Domingo, “Rustin”
Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”
Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”

BEST ACTRESS
Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”
Greta Lee, “Past Lives”
Carey Mulligan, “Maestro”
Laura Paredes, “Trenque Lauquen”
Emma Stone, “Poor Things”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert De Niro, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Colman Domingo, “The Color Purple”
Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”
Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”
Charles Melton, “May December”
Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Adriana Barraza, “Blue Beetle”
Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”
Penelope Cruz, “Ferrari”
America Ferrera, “Barbie”
Rachel McAdams, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”

VOICE OR MOTION CAPTURE PERFORMANCE
Nicolas Cantu, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”
Ariana DeBose, “Wish”
Oscar Isaac, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Shameik Moore, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Hailee Steinfeld, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Lauren Vélez, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

ANIMATED FEATURE
Pablo Berger, “Robot Dreams”
Chris Buck & Fawn Veerasunthorn, “Wish”
Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers & Justin K. Thompson, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Hayao Miyazaki, “The Boy and the Heron”
Jeff Rowe, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”
Peter Sohn, “Elemental”

INTERNATIONAL FILM
“Anatomy of a Fall” (France)
“Godzilla Minus One” (Japan)
“Radical” (Mexico)
“Society of the Snow” (Spain)
“Tótem” (Mexico)
“The Zone of Interest” (United Kingdom)

DOCUMENTARY
Maite Alberdi, “The Eternal Memory”
Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Véréna Paravel, “De Humani Corporis Fabrica”
Mstyslav Chernov, “20 Days in Mariupol”
Madeleine Gavin, “Beyond Utopia”
Davis Guggenheim, “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”
Matthew Heineman, “American Symphony”

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Samy Burch, “May December”
Laura Citarella & Laura Paredes, “Trenque Lauquen”
Emerald Fennell, “Saltburn”
David Hemingson, “The Holdovers”
Celine Song, “Past Lives”
Justine Triet & Arthur Harari, “Anatomy of a Fall”

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, “Barbie”
Andrew Haigh, “All of Us Strangers”
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller & Dave Callaham, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Tony McNamara, “Poor Things”
Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”

ENSEMBLE CAST
“Barbie”
“Blue Beetle”
“The Color Purple”
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
“Oppenheimer”
“Poor Things”

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Suzie Davies & Charlotte Dirickx, “Saltburn”
Ruth De Jong & Claire Kaufman, “Oppenheimer”
Jack Fisk & Adam Willis, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer, “Barbie”
Marcela Gómez Montoya & Daniel Rincon, “The Kings of the World”
James Price, Shona Heath & Zsuzsa Mihalek, “Poor Things”

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Rodrigo Prieto, “Barbie”
Rodrigo Prieto, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Pedro Luque, “Society of the Snow”
Robbie Ryan, “Poor Things”
Linus Sandgren, “Saltburn”
Hoyte van Hoytema, “Oppenheimer”

COSTUME DESIGN
Sophie Canale, “Saltburn”
Jacqueline Durran, “Barbie”
Ellen Mirojnick, “Oppenheimer”
Julio Suárez, “Society of the Snow”
Holly Waddington, “Poor Things”
Jacqueline West, “Killers of the Flower Moon”

EDITING
Miguel de Zuviría & Alejo Moguillansky, “Trenque Lauquen”
Nick Houy, “Barbie”
Jennifer Lame, “Oppenheimer”
Yorgos Mavropsaridis, “Poor Things”
Thelma Schoonmaker, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Michelle Tesoro, “Maestro”

HAIR & MAKEUP
Luisa Abel, Jason Hamer, Jaime Leigh McIntosh & Ahou Mofid, “Oppenheimer”
Kazu Hiro, Stan Grigg, Kay Georgiou & Lori McCoy, “Maestro”
Ana López-Puigcerver, Belén López-Puigcerver, David Martí & Montse Ribé, “Society of the Snow”
Ivana Primorac, “Barbie”
Cassie Russek & Alexei Dmitriew, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier & John Weston, “Poor Things”

SOUND
Jorge Adrados, Oriol Tarragó & Marc Orts, “Society of the Snow”
Johnnie Burn & Tarn Willers, “The Zone of Interest”
Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo, Kevin O’Connell & Willie Burton, “Oppenheimer”
Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich & Dean Zupancic, “Maestro”
Tony Lamberti, Andy Nelson, Lee Orloff & Bernard Weiser, “Ferrari”
Nina Rice, Ai-Ling Lee, Dan Kenyon & Kevin O’Connell, “Barbie”

VISUAL EFFECTS
Félix Bergés & Laura Pedro, “Society of the Snow”
Simon Hughes, “Poor Things”
Andrew Jackson, Giacomo Mineo, Scott Fisher & Dave Drzewiecki, “Oppenheimer”
Michael Lasker, Alan Hawkins, Bret St. Clair & Pav Grochola, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland & Neil Corbould, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”
TBA, “Godzilla Minus One”

STUNTS
“Ferrari”
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
“The Iron Claw”
“John Wick: Chapter 4”
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”
“Napoleon”

SCORE
Jerskin Fendrix, “Poor Things”
Michael Giacchino, “Society of the Snow”
Ludwig Göransson, “Oppenheimer”
Robbie Robertson, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, “Barbie”
Marcelo Zarvos, “May December”

SONG
“Dance the Night” written by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa & Caroline Ailin; performed by Dua Lipa, “Barbie”
“The Fire Inside” written by Diane Warren; performed by Becky G, “Flamin’ Hot”
“I’m Just Ken” written by Mark Ronson & Andrew Wytt; performed by Ryan Gosling (featuring Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen), “Barbie”
“Road to Freedom” written and performed by Lenny Kravitz, “Rustin”
“This Wish” written by Julia Michaels & Benjamin Ric; performed by Ariana
DeBose, “Wish”
“What Was I Made For?” written by Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell; performed by Billie Eilish, “Barbie”

Here Are The 2023 Nominations of the Visual Effects Society


Here are the 2023 nominations of the Visual Effects Society!  The winners will be announced on February 21st.

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”
“Oppenheimer”
“The Creator”

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“John Wick: Chapter 4”
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
“Napoleon”
“Nyad”
“Society of the Snow”

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget”
“Elemental”
“Nimona”
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
“Ahsoka”; Season 1; Dreams and Madness
“Loki”; Season 2; Glorious Purpose
“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”
“The Last of Us”; Season 1; Infected
“The Mandalorian”; Season 3; The Return

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
“A Murder at The End of the World”; Season 1; Crypt
“Citadel”; Season 1; Secrets in Night Need Early Rains
“Ted Lasso”; Season 3; Mom City
“The Crown”; Season 6; Dis-Moi Oui
“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”; Season 2; Beat LA

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A REAL-TIME PROJECT
Alan Wake 2
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Immortals of Aveum
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Mortal Kombat 1

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A COMMERCIAL
Accenture; Changing Tree
Apple; Air Pods Pro; Quiet The Noise
Coca-Cola; Masterpiece
Jean Paul Gaultier; Divine Perfume
Virgin Media; Goat Glider

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SPECIAL VENUE PROJECT
Hypersphere 360; SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
Postcard From Earth
Rembrandt Immersive Artwork
“The Marvels:” Goose the Flerken Cat
“Zootopia: Hot Pursuit”

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”; Topo the Octopus
“Godzilla Minus One”; Godzilla
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; Rocket
“Wonka”; Oompa Loompa

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“Elemental”; Ember
“Elemental”; Wade
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”; Spot
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”; Superfly

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED CHARACTER IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
Diablo IV; Inarius and Lilith Cinematic; Lilith
“Shadow and Bone”; Season 2; No Funerals; Nichevo’ya the Shadow Monster
“The Last of Us”; Endure & Survive; Bloater
“The Nevers”; It’s a Good Day; Robot Dog
Virgin Media; Goat Glider; The Goat

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; Knowhere
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”; Underwater Wreck Environment
“John Wick: Chapter 4”; Place de L’Étoile
“The Creator”; Floating Village

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget”; Chicken Island
“Elemental”; Element City
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”; Mumbattan City
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”; Midtown Manhattan

OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
“Loki”; Season 2: 1983; World’s Fair White City
“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”; The Broken Circle
“The Last of Us”; Look for the Light; Salt Lake City
“The Last of Us:” Post-Outbreak Boston

OUTSTANDING VIRTUAL CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A CG PROJECT
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
“Migration”
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“The Creator”

OUTSTANDING MODEL IN A PHOTOREAL OR ANIMATED PROJECT
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; The Arête
“Peter Pan & Wendy”; Jolly Roger
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”; Spider HQ
“The Creator”; Nomad

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN A PHOTOREAL FEATURE
“Napoleon”
“Nyad”; Stormy Waters
“The Creator”
“The Nun 2”

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE
“Elemental”
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie”

OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, GAME CINEMATIC OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
“Citadel”; Secrets in Night Need Early Rains; Ocean Water
“Invasion”; Season 2; A Voice from the Other Side
“Loki”; Season 2; Science/Fiction; Spaghettification
“The Mandalorian”; Season 3; Lake Monster Attack Water
“Willow”; Children of the Wyrm; Crone Duststorm and Magical Effects

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A FEATURE
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
“John Wick: Chapter 4”; Apartment Massacre Videogame Style
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“The Creator”; Bar
“The Creator”; Spaceships

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE
“The Last of Us”; Endure and Survive; Infected Horde Battle
“The Last of Us”; Infected; Boston
“The Mandalorian”; Season 3; The Return
“Willow”; Children of the Wyrm

OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN A COMMERCIAL
Accenture; Changing Tree
Coca-Cola; Masterpiece
Smirnoff; Cocktail
Starfield

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL (PRACTICAL) EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL PROJECT
“I’m a Virgo”
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”
“Oppenheimer”
“Society of the Snow”

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARD
“Blue Beetle”; Machine Learning Cloth
“Elemental”; Volumetric Neural Style Transfer
“The Flash;” Volumetric Capture
“Wish”; Dynamic Screen Space Textures for Coherent Stylization

OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A STUDENT PROJECT
Au 8ème Jour
L’Animal Sauce Ail
Loup y es-tu?
Silhouette

Retro Television Reviews: Fantasy Island 4.9 “Sanctuary/My Late Lover”


Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Tuesdays, I will be reviewing the original Fantasy Island, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1986.  Almost the entire show is currently streaming is on Youtube, Daily Motion, and a few other sites.

Smiles, everyone, smiles!

Episode 4.9 “Sanctuary/My Late Lover”

(Dir by Leslie H. Martinson, originally aired on January 3rd, 1981)

This week brings us two fantasies, neither one of which quite works.

Thomas Henshaw (Bobby Sherman) is a man who does not initially appear to be too happy to be on Fantasy Island.  That’s because someone has poisoned him and he only has a day or two to live.  His fantasy is to go the Sanctuary, an exclusive resort for killers, and track down his assassin.  Henshaw has got one clue, a strand of hair that he found on his clothing.  All has to do is find someone who has the same hair.  This would make perfect sense in a world where only one person had light brown hair.  It make less sense in the real world or, for that matter, even on Fantasy Island.

Mr. Roarke gives Thomas Henshaw a serum that will prolong his life for a few days.  Henshaw goes to the Sanctuary, where he immediately finds himself being menaced by Sid Haig!  Sid plays the bad guy’s henchman.  There’s a scene where Thomas attempts to grab a strand of Sid’s hair and instead pulls off his wig.  Sid does not look particularly amused by the whole thing.

Thomas meets and falls for Tessa (Morgan Brittany), who is basically owned by one of the assassins.  Thomas changes his fantasy, telling Mr. Roarke that he just wants Tessa to be free, even if that means that he loses his chance to track down the killer.  Mr. Roarke agrees to the change but no worries.  Thomas still manages to track down his assassin and learn the name of the poison.  (He also snatches a strand of hair off of the bad guy’s head and declares, “It’s the same!”  DNA testing used to be so simple!)  Mr. Roarke and the Fantasy Island cops show up and arrest the killer and also provide an antidote to Thomas.  Thomas lives and leaves the Island with Tessa.

The main problem with this fantasy is that Bobby Sherman was extremely miscast, giving a performance that was so mild that you never once believed he could be at the center of a murder-for-hire scheme.  Michael Cole, who plays one of the assassins, perhaps would have been believable as Thomas Henshaw.  For that matter, if the show’s producers and writers had really been willing to think outside the box, it would have been interesting to see Sid Haig play a sympathetic role on Fantasy Island.  But Bobby Sherman is just too bland for this type of story.

The other fantasy is also, sad to say, a bit bland.  Anastasia Decker (Eva Gabor) is a wealthy widow who is trying to choose between three suitors.  Complicating matters is the ghost of Anastasia’s husband, the charming Dex (Gene Barry).  Dex keeps popping up and pointing out all of the flaws in the men who want to replace him.  Anastasia cannot emotionally move on.  Finally, Anastasia decides she wants to be with Dex so she tries to drive her car over a cliff!  Luckily, Ghost Dex is able to magically stop the car in mid-air and return it to the road.  Anastasia realizes that, of her suitors, nerdy-but-nice Walter (Craig Stevens) is the one who truly loves her and that’s who she leaves the Island with.  Dex returns to the afterlife, happy in the knowledge that Anastasia will be able to move on.

I like it when Fantasy Island deals with the supernatural but this particular fantasy was so bland that not even a tap-dancing ghost could liven things up.  Eva Gabor tried her best but this fantasy was the type of story that the show had already done several times in the past.  Despite effective performances from Gabor, Barry, and Stevens, it was just a bit too familiar to be effective.

Well, this was a disappointing trip to the Island.  Hopefully, the plane will bring something more interesting next week!

 

Belatedly, Here’s What Won At The Critics Choice Awards!


The Critics Choice Awards were handed out on Sunday and Oppenheimer did really well.  For all the attempts that a lot of us have made to try to pretend like this year’s Oscar race is wide open, it’s pretty obvious who the front runners are at this point.

Here’s what won at the Critics Choice Awards:

BEST PICTURE
American Fiction
Barbie
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
Saltburn

BEST ACTOR
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Leonardo DiCaprio – Killers of the Flower Moon
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

BEST ACTRESS
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Margot Robbie – Barbie
Emma Stone – Poor Things

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Charles Melton – May December
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
America Ferrera – Barbie
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Julianne Moore – May December
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

BEST YOUNG ACTOR OR ACTRESS
Abby Ryder Fortson – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Ariana Greenblatt – Barbie
Calah Lane – Wonka
Milo Machado Graner – Anatomy of a Fall
Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers
Madeleine Yuna Voyles – The Creator

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Air
Barbie
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer

BEST DIRECTOR
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Greta Gerwig – Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Alexander Payne – The Holdovers
Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Kelly Fremon Craig – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Andrew Haigh – All of Us Strangers
Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Tony McNamara – Poor Things
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Samy Burch – May December
Alex Convery – Air
Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer – Maestro
Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach – Barbie
David Hemingson – The Holdovers
Celine Song – Past Lives

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Matthew Libatique – Maestro
Rodrigo Prieto – Barbie
Rodrigo Prieto – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robbie Ryan – Poor Things
Linus Sandgren – Saltburn
Hoyte van Hoytema – Oppenheimer

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Suzie Davies, Charlotte Dirickx – Saltburn
Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman – Oppenheimer
Jack Fisk, Adam Willis – Killers of the Flower Moon
Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer – Barbie
James Price, Shona Heath, Szusza Mihalek – Poor Things
Adam Stockhausen, Kris Moran – Asteroid City

BEST EDITING
William Goldenberg – Air
Nick Houy – Barbie
Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer
Yorgos Mavropsaridis – Poor Things
Thelma Schoonmaker – Killers of the Flower Moon
Michelle Tesoro – Maestro

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Jacqueline Durran – Barbie
Lindy Hemming – Wonka
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck – The Color Purple
Holly Waddington – Poor Things
Jacqueline West – Killers of the Flower Moon
Janty Yates, David Crossman – Napoleon

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP
Barbie
The Color Purple
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Priscilla

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Creator
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST COMEDY
American Fiction
Barbie
Bottoms
The Holdovers
No Hard Feelings
Poor Things

BEST ANIMATED FILM
The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Wish

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Anatomy of a Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Perfect Days
Society of the Snow
The Taste of Things
The Zone of Interest

BEST SONG
“Dance the Night” – Barbie
“I’m Just Ken” – Barbie
“Peaches” – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
“Road to Freedom” – Rustin
“This Wish” – Wish
“What Was I Made For” – Barbie

BEST SCORE
Jerskin Fendrix – Poor Things
Michael Giacchino – Society of the Snow
Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer
Daniel Pemberton – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Robbie Robertson – Killers of the Flower Moon
Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt – Barbie

BEST DRAMA SERIES
The Crown
The Diplomat
The Last of Us
Loki
The Morning Show
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Succession
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kieran Culkin – Succession
Tom Hiddleston – Loki
Timothy Olyphant – Justified: City Primeval
Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us
Ramón Rodríguez – Will Trent
Jeremy Strong – Succession

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show
Aunjanue Ellis – Justified: City Primeval
Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us
Keri Russell – The Diplomat
Sarah Snook – Succession
Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Khalid Abdalla – The Crown
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
Ron Cephas Jones – Truth Be Told
Matthew MacFadyen – Succession
Ke Huy Quan – Loki
Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show
Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown
Sophia Di Martino – Loki
Celia Rose Gooding – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Karen Pittman – The Morning Show
Christina Ricci – Yellowjackets

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary
Barry
The Bear
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Poker Face
Reservation Dogs
Shrinking
What We Do in the Shadows

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Bill Hader – Barry
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building
Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows
Drew Tarver – The Other Two
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – Reservation Dogs

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear
Bridget Everett – Somebody Somewhere
Devery Jacobs – Reservation Dogs
Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Phil Dunster – Ted Lasso
Harrison Ford – Shrinking
Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows
James Marsden – Jury Duty
Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear
Henry Winkler – Barry

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Paulina Alexis – Reservation Dogs
Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary
Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building
Jessica Williams – Shrinking

BEST LIMITED SERIES
Beef
Daisy Jones & the Six
Fargo
Fellow Travelers
Lessons in Chemistry
Love & Death
A Murder at the End of the World
A Small Light

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Finestkind
Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie
No One Will Save You
Quiz Lady
Reality

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Matt Bomer – Fellow Travelers
Tom Holland – The Crowded Room
David Oyelowo – Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Tony Shalhoub – Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie
Kiefer Sutherland – The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Steven Yeun – Beef

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Kaitlyn Dever – No One Will Save You
Brie Larson – Lessons in Chemistry
Bel Powley – A Small Light
Sydney Sweeney – Reality
Juno Temple – Fargo
Ali Wong – Beef

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Jonathan Bailey – Fellow Travelers
Taylor Kitsch – Painkiller
Jesse Plemons – Love & Death
Lewis Pullman – Lessons in Chemistry
Liev Schreiber – A Small Light
Justin Theroux – White House Plumbers

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Maria Bello – Beef
Billie Boullet – A Small Light
Willa Fitzgerald – The Fall of the House of Usher
Aja Naomi King – Lessons in Chemistry
Mary McDonnell – The Fall of the House of Usher
Camila Morrone – Daisy Jones & the Six

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES
Bargain
The Glory
The Good Mothers
The Interpreter of Silence
Lupin
Mask Girl
Moving

BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Bluey
Bob’s Burgers
Harley Quinn
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Young Love

BEST TALK SHOW
The Graham Norton Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Late Night with Seth Meyers
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool
Alex Borstein: Corsets & Clown Suits
John Early: Now More Than Ever
John Mulaney: Baby J
Trevor Noah: Where Was I
Wanda Sykes – I’m an Entertainer

Oppenheimer Wins In Portland!


On the 14th, the Portland Critics Association announced its picks for the best of 2023!

The winners are listed in bold!

Best Picture
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
May December
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Director
Celine Song, Past Lives
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Greta Gerwig, Barbie
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Barry Keoghan, Saltburn
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Emma Stone, Poor Things
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Natalie Portman, May December
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Robert DeNiro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Willem Dafoe, Poor Things

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
America Ferrera, Barbie
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Julianne Moore, May December
Rachel McAdams, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

Best Ensemble Cast
Asteroid City
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Animated Feature
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
The Boy and the Heron

Best Documentary Feature
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
Still: A Michael J. Fox Story
The Pigeon Tunnel

Best Film Not in the English Language
Anatomy of a Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Past Lives
The Boy and the Heron
The Zone of Interest

Best Comedy Feature
American Fiction
Barbie
Bottoms
Dream Scenario
The Holdovers

Best Horror Feature
Infinity Pool
No One Will Save You
Talk to Me
When Evil Lurks

Best Science Fiction Feature
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The Creator
They Cloned Tyrone

Best Screenplay
Celine Song, Past Lives
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
David Hemingson, The Holdovers
Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, Barbie
Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik, May December
Tony McNamara, Poor Things

Best Cinematography
Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer
Łukasz Żal, The Zone of Interest
Robbie Ryan, Poor Things
Rodrigo Prieto, Barbie
Rodrigo Prieto, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Original Score
Daniel Pemberto, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Jerskin Fendrix, Poor Things
Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer
Mica Levi, The Zone of Interest
Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Costume Design
Ellen Mirojnick, Oppenheimer
Holly Waddington, Poor Things
Jacqueline Durran, Barbie
Jacqueline West, Killers of the Flower Moon
Milena Canonero, Asteroid City

Best Production Design
Asteroid City
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Sound Design
Ferrari
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest

Best Visual Effects
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Stunts or Action Choreography
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
The Iron Claw

The African American Film Critics Association Honors American Fiction and Origin!


Yesterday, the African American Film Critics Association announced its picks for the best of 2023!

And here they are:

AAFCA’S TOP 10 FILMS OF THE YEAR
1. American Fiction
2. Origin
3. The Color Purple
4. Oppenheimer
5. Past Lives
6. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
7. Poor Things
8. Anatomy of a Fall
9. Killers of the Flower Moon
10. Barbie

Best Drama: Origin
Best Comedy: American Fiction
Best Musical: The Color Purple
Best Director: Ava DuVernay – Origin
Best Screenplay: American Fiction
Best Actor: Colman Domingo – Rustin
Best Actress: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – Origin
Best Supporting Actor: Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Best Supporting Actress: *TIE* Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple & Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Best Ensemble: The Color Purple
Breakout Performance: Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Emerging Filmmaker: Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Best Independent Feature: A Thousand and One
Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best Documentary: Stamped from the Beginning
Best Music: The Color Purple
Best International Film: Io Capitano
Best Short Film: The After

Oppenheimer Wins In North Dakota!


Yesterday, The North Dakota Film Society announced its picks for the best of 2023!

The winners are listed below in bold.

Best Picture
ANATOMY OF A FALL – Marie-Ange Luciani, David Thion (Neon)
MAY DECEMBER – Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon (Netflix)
OPPENHEIMER – Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan (Universal Pictures)
PAST LIVES – David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon (A24)
POOR THINGS – Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Director
Yorgos Lanthimos – POOR THINGS (Searchlight Pictures)
Christopher Nolan – OPPENHEIMER (Universal Pictures)
Alexander Payne – THE HOLDOVERS (Focus Features)
Martin Scorsese – KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (Apple Original Films)
Celine Song – PAST LIVES (A24)

Best Actress
Lily Gladstone – KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (Apple Original Films)
Sandra Hüller – ANATOMY OF A FALL (Neon)
Greta Lee – PAST LIVES (A24)
Natalie Portman – MAY DECEMBER (Netflix)
Emma Stone – POOR THINGS (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper – MAESTRO (Netflix)
Paul Giamatti – THE HOLDOVERS (Focus Features)
Cillian Murphy – OPPENHEIMER (Universal Pictures)
Andrew Scott – ALL OF US STRANGERS (Searchlight Pictures)
Teo Yoo – PAST LIVES (A24)

Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt – OPPENHEIMER (Universal Pictures)
Danielle Brooks – THE COLOR PURPLE (Warner Bros.)
Sandra Hüller – THE ZONE OF INTEREST (A24)
Julianne Moore – MAY DECEMBER (Netflix)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – THE HOLDOVERS (Focus Features)

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. – OPPENHEIMER (Universal Pictures)
Ryan Gosling – BARBIE (Warner Bros.)
Charles Melton – MAY DECEMBER (Netflix)
Paul Mescal – ALL OF US STRANGERS (Searchlight Pictures)
Mark Ruffalo – POOR THINGS (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Screenplay
ANATOMY OF A FALL – Justine Triet, Arthur Harari (Neon)
THE HOLDOVERS – David Hemingson (Focus Features)
MAY DECEMBER – Samy Burch, Alex Mechanik (Netflix)
PAST LIVES – Celine Song (A24)
POOR THINGS – Alasdair Gray, Tony McNamara (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Cinematography
BARBIE – Rodrigo Prieto (Warner Bros.)
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Rodrigo Prieto (Apple Original Films)
OPPENHEIMER – Hoyte van Hoytema (Universal Pictures)
POOR THINGS – Robbie Ryan (Searchlight Pictures)
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Łukasz Żal (A24)

Best Costume Design
ASTEROID CITY – Milena Canonero (Focus Features)
BARBIE – Jacqueline Durran (Warner Bros.)
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Jacqueline West (Apple Original Films)
OPPENHEIMER – Ellen Mirojnick (Universal Pictures)
POOR THINGS – Holly Waddington (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Film Editing
ANATOMY OF A FALL – Laurent Sénéchal (Neon)
MAESTRO – Michelle Tesoro (Netflix)
OPPENHEIMER – Jennifer Lame (Universal Pictures)
POOR THINGS – Yorgos Mavropsaridis (Searchlight Pictures)
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Paul Watts (A24)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling
BARBIE – Ivana Primorac (Warner Bros.)
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Thomas Nellen, Siân Grigg, Kay Georgiou (Apple Original Films)
MAESTRO – Kazu Hiro, Siân Grigg, Kay Georgiou, Lori McCoy-Bell (Netflix)
OPPENHEIMER – Luisa Abel, Jason Hamer, Jaime Leigh McIntosh, Ahou Mofid (Universal Pictures)
POOR THINGS – Nadia Stacey, Mark Couler, Josh Weston (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Original Score
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Robbie Robertson (Apple Original Films)
OPPENHEIMER – Ludwig Göransson (Universal Pictures)
POOR THINGS – Jerskin Fendrix (Searchlight Pictures)
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – Daniel Pemberton (Sony Pictures)
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Mica Levi (A24)

Best Original Song
AMERICAN SYMPHONY – ”It Never Went Away” – Jon Batiste, Dan Wilson (Netflix)
ASTEROID CITY – ”Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven)” – Wes Anderson, Jarvis Cocker, Richard Hawley (Focus Features)
BARBIE – ”I’m Just Ken” – Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt (Warner Bros.)
BARBIE – ”What Was I Made For?” – Billie Eilish, Finneas (Warner Bros.)
PAST LIVES – ”Quiet Eyes” – Zach Dawes, Sharon Von Etten (A24)

Best Production Design
ASTEROID CITY – Adam Stockhausen, Kris Moran (Focus Features)
BARBIE – Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer (Warner Bros.)
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Jack Fisk, Adam Willis (Apple Original Films)
OPPENHEIMER – Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman (Universal Pictures)
POOR THINGS – Shona Heath, James Price, Szusza Mihalek (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Sound
ANATOMY OF A FALL – Olivier Goinard, Fanny Martin, Julien Sicart (Neon)
FERRARI – Tony Lamberti, Andy Nelson, Lee Orloff, Bernard Weiser (Neon)
MAESTRO – Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic, Steve Morrow (Netflix)
OPPENHEIMER – Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo, Kevin O’Connell, Willie Burton (Universal Pictures)
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Johnnie Burn, Tarn Willers (A24)

Best Visual Effects
THE CREATOR – Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts, Neil Corbould (20th Century Studios)
GODZILLA MINUS ONE – Kiyoko Shibuya, Takashi Yamazaki (Toho)
OPPENHEIMER – Andrew Jackson, Giacomo Mineo, Scott R. Fisher, David Drzewiecki (Universal Pictures)
POOR THINGS – Simon Hughes (Searchlight Pictures)
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Félix Bergés, Laura Pedro (Netflix)

Best Animated Feature
THE BOY AND THE HERON – Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki (GKIDS)
ELEMENTAL – Peter Sohn, Denise Ream (Pixar)
ROBOT DREAMS – Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia Díaz, Angel Durández (Neon)
NIMONA – Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Roy Lee, Karen Ann Ryan (Netflix)
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Avi Arad, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Christina Steinberg (Sony Pictures)

Best Documentary Feature
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL – Mstyslav Chernov, Derl McCrudden, Michelle Mizner (PBS)
AMERICAN SYMPHONY – Matthew Heineman, Lauren Domino, Joedan Okun (Netflix)
APOLONIA, APOLONIA – Lea Glob, Sidsel Lønvig Siersted (CAT & Docs)
BEYOND UTOPIA – Madeleine Gavin, Rachel Cohen, Jana Edelbaum, Sue Mi Terry (Roadside Attractions)
FOUR DAUGHTERS – Kaouther Ben Hania, Nadim Cheikhrouha, Martin Hampel (Kino Lorber)

Best International Feature
ANATOMY OF A FALL – France (Neon)
FALLEN LEAVES – Finland (Mubi)
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Spain (Netflix)
THE TASTE OF THINGS – France (IFC Films)
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – United Kingdom (A24)

Here’s What Won At The Emmys


I was busy hosting a movie watch party on Monday night so I didn’t watch the Emmys.  It’s probably for the best, as I would have been very upset over the lack of love shown to Barry and Better Call Saul.

(That said, I did like The Bear and I’m happy that Ted Lasso didn’t win.  As for Succession, it’s never done much for me and I usually find the discourse around it to be kind of annoying.  Finally, Beef was a good pick for Best Limited Series, even if it did run on a bit too long.)

Here are the Emmy winners:

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Barry (HBO/Max)
The Bear (FX)
Jury Duty (Freevee)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Wednesday (Netflix)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Bill Hader (Barry)
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Jason Segel (Shrinking)
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate (Dead to Me)
Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face)
Jenna Ortega (Wednesday)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Carrigan (Barry)
Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso)
Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
James Marsden (Jury Duty)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear)
Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary)
Henry Winkler (Barry)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)
Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)
Jessica Williams (Shrinking)

BEST DRAMA SERIES
Andor (Disney+)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
The Crown (Netflix)
House of the Dragon (HBO/Max)
The Last of Us (HBO/Max)
Succession (HBO/Max)
The White Lotus (HBO/Max)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters)
Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets)
Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us)
Keri Russell (The Diplomat)
Sarah Snook (Succession)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jeff Bridges (The Old Man)
Brian Cox (Succession)
Kieran Culkin (Succession)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us)
Jeremy Strong (Succession)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
F. Murray Abraham (The White Lotus)
Nicholas Braun (Succession)
Michael Imperioli (The White Lotus)
Theo James (The White Lotus)
Matthew Macfadyen (Succession)
Alan Ruck (Succession)
Will Sharpe (The White Lotus)
Alexander Skarsgård (Succession)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown)
Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus)
Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus)
Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus)
Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul)
J. Smith-Cameron (Succession)
Simona Tabasco (The White Lotus)

BEST LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES
Beef (Netflix)
Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Daisy Jones & The Six (Prime Video)
Fleishman Is in Trouble (FX)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Taron Egerton (Black Bird)
Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales)
Evan Peters (Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Daniel Radcliffe (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story)
Michael Shannon (George & Tammy)
Steven Yeun (Beef)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Lizzy Caplan (Fleishman Is in Trouble)
Jessica Chastain (George & Tammy)
Dominique Fishback (Swarm)
Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things)
Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & The Six)
Ali Wong (Beef)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Murray Bartlett (Welcome To Chippendales)
Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird)
Richard Jenkins (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Joseph Lee (Beef)
Ray Liotta (Black Bird)
Young Mazino (Beef)
Jesse Plemons (Love & Death)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Annaleigh Ashford (Welcome To Chippendales)
Maria Bello (Beef)
Claire Danes (Fleishman Is In Trouble)
Juliette Lewis (Welcome To Chippendales)
Camila Morrone (Daisy Jones & The Six)
Niecy Nash-Betts (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Merritt Wever (Tiny Beautiful Things)

BEST REALITY COMPETITION
The Amazing Race (CBS)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Survivor (CBS)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)

BEST TALK SERIES
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)
The Problem With Jon Stewart (Apple TV+)

BEST SCRIPTED VARIETY SERIES
A Black Lady Sketch Show (Max)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (Max)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Barry: “wow” – Bill Hader (Max)
The Bear: “Review” – Christopher Storer (FX)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: “Four Minutes” – Amy Sherman-Palladino (Prime Video)
The Ms. Pat Show: “Don’t Touch My Hair” – Mary Lou Belli (BET+)
Wednesday: “Wednesday’s Child Is Full Of Woe” – Tim Burton (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Andor: “Rix Road” – Benjamin Caron (Disney+)
Bad Sisters: “The Prick” – Dearbhla Walsh (Apple TV+)
The Last of Us: “Long, Long Time” – Peter Hoar (HBO)
Succession: “America Decides” – Andrij Parekh (HBO)
Succession: “Connor’s Wedding” – Mark Mylod (HBO)
Succession: “Living+” – Lorene Scafaria (HBO)
The White Lotus: “Arrivederci” – Mike White (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
Beef: “Figures of Light” – Lee Sung Jin (Netflix)
Beef: “The Great Fabricator” – Jake Schreier (Netflix)
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: “Bad Meat” – Carl Franklin (Netflix)
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: “Silenced” – Paris Barclay (Netflix)
Fleishman Is in Trouble: “Me-Time” – Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (FX)
Prey – Dan Trachtenberg (Hulu)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Barry: “wow” – Bill Hader (HBO)
The Bear: “System” – Christopher Storer (FX)
Jury Duty: “Ineffective Assistance” – Mekki Leeper (Amazon Freevee)
Only Murders in the Building: “I Know Who Did It” – John Hoffman, Matteo Borghese, and Rob Turbovsky (Hulu)
The Other Two: “Cary & Brooke Go to an AIDS Play” – Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider (Max)
Ted Lasso: “So Long, Farewell” – Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, and Jason Sudeikis (Apple TV+)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Andor: “One Way Out” – Beau Willimon (Disney+)
Bad Sisters: “The Prick” – Sharon Horgan, Dave Finkel, and Brett Baer (Apple TV+)
Better Call Saul: “Point and Shoot” – Gordon Smith (AMC)
Better Call Saul: “Saul Gone” – Peter Gould (AMC)
The Last of Us: “Long, Long Time” – Craig Mazin (HBO)
Succession: “Connor’s Wedding” – Jesse Armstrong (HBO)
The White Lotus: “Arrivederci” – Mike White (HBO)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
Beef: “The Birds Don’t Sing, They Screech in Pain” – Lee Sung Jin (Netflix)
Fire Island – Joel Kim Booster (Hulu)
Fleishman Is in Trouble: “Me-Time” – Taffy Brodesser-Akner (FX)
Prey – Patrick Aison and Dan Trachtenberg (Hulu)
Swarm: “Stung” – Janine Nabers and Donald Glover (Prime Video)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – Al Yankovic and Eric Appel (The Roku Channel)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (LIVE)
The Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Starring Rihanna (Fox)
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (Netflix)
Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium (Disney+)
The Oscars (ABC)
76th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)