Tag Archives: soul

Song of the Day: There’ll Be Sad Songs (by Billy Ocean)

Posted on by Arleigh

Billy Ocean had a way of turning simple emotions into something cinematic, and “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” is a perfect example of that magic. The moment those warm synths and soft percussion kick in, you’re instantly transported to the neon glow of the mid-’80s — where emotions were big, melodies were lush, and love songs weren’t afraid to be earnest. Ocean’s smooth voice carries this mix of heartbreak and hope, like someone trying to stay strong while still holding on to pieces of a beautiful memory.

What makes the song so timeless is that it understands how music shapes emotion — how a single tune can unravel memories you thought were long tucked away. Ocean taps into that universal experience: hearing “your” song after a breakup and suddenly feeling the rush of everything you tried to forget. The arrangement, gently swaying between comfort and sadness, mirrors that emotional tug-of-war perfectly. There’s a sincerity here that modern ballads often miss, a belief that it’s okay to be vulnerable — even poetic — about love and loss.

Looking back, the track feels like a voice from a gentler time in pop music, when sincerity wasn’t filtered through irony. You can almost picture the record spinning on an old stereo, the room dimly lit, as Ocean’s voice fills the space with warmth. It’s not just a love song — it’s a time capsule, one that reminds you how the best music doesn’t just play in the background; it stays with you, quietly marking the chapters of your life like an old friend.

There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)

Sometimes I wonder by the look in your eyes
When I’m standing beside you
There’s a fever burning deep inside

Is there another in your memory?
Do you think of that someone
When you hear that special melody?

I always stop and think of you especially
When the words of a love song
Touch the very heart of me

There’ll be sad songs to make you cry
Love songs often do
They can touch the heart of someone new
Saying, “I love you”
(I love you)

I often wonder how it could be you loving me
Two hearts in perfect harmony
I’ll count the hours until that day (until that day)
A rhapsody plays a melody for you and me

Until the moment that you give your love to me
You’re the one I care for
The one that I would wait for

There’ll be sad songs to make you cry
Love songs often do
They can touch the heart of someone new
Saying, “I love you”
(I love you)

There’ll be sad songs to make you cry
Love songs often do
They can touch the heart of someone new
Saying, “I love you”

You’re my desire
You take me higher
My love is like a river running so deep
I always stop and think of you especially
When the words of a love song
Touch the very heart of me

There’ll be sad songs to make you cry
Love songs often do
They can touch the heart of someone new
Saying, “I love you”

There’ll be sad songs to make you cry
Love songs often do
They can touch the heart of someone new
Saying, “I love you”
(I love you)

Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Oooh, saying, “I love you”
I love you

Song of the Day: Make It Last Forever (by Keith Sweat)

Posted on by Arleigh

It’s funny how just the first few notes of “Make It Last Forever” can take you straight back to those smoky gymnasiums where the lights were dim, the disco ball spun slow, and everyone pretended not to care who asked who to dance. Keith Sweat’s voice had that raw, pleading edge — smooth but vulnerable — the kind that cut right through all the teenage coolness. This track wasn’t just background music; it was the moment when couples swayed a little closer, trying to hang on to a feeling that was bigger than any senior year could hold.

The thing about that late ’80s R&B scene is that it knew how to make time stop. Between Sweat’s silky tone and Jacci McGhee’s soft harmonies, the song felt like a brand-new kind of intimacy. It wasn’t flashy, just honest — the kind of slow jam that made you believe love could actually last forever, at least for the length of that dance. You didn’t need fancy choreography or a booming beat; the groove did all the talking. It was warm, romantic, and a little bittersweet — the perfect soundtrack for that fleeting stretch between youth and adulthood.

Even now, when it plays on an old-school radio mix or at a 40th high school reunion, something in it still hits home. You remember the scent of cheap cologne, the click of high heels on the gym floor, and that mix of nerves and hope that only a slow dance can bring. “Make It Last Forever” wasn’t just a song — it was a promise whispered in the dark, a memory that never quite fades, no matter how many years go by.

Make It Last Forever

Make it last
Make it last forever (ever)
Don’t let our love end (ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-oh)
Let’s make it last (ooh-ooh-ooh-oh)
Let’s make it last forever and ever
Mm, don’t let our love end (oh, don’t let love end) mm

Let me hear you tell me you love me
Let me hear you say you’ll never leave me
Ooh, girl, that would make me feel so right
Let me hear you tell me you want me
Let me hear you say you’ll never leave me, baby
Until the morning light (ah)

Let me tell you how much I love you
Let me tell you that I really need you
Baby, baby, baby, I will make it all right
No one but you, baby, can make me feel
The way you make me, make me, make me feel

Whoa, oh-oh-oh
Mm, mm, mm
Don’t let our love end (oh, ooh-oh)
Just make it last forever (oh, make it last) and ever (forever)

Your touch is wonderful
Your love is so marvelous
Joy, that’s what I feel when I’m with you
Nothing, no one (no one, boy)
Could compare to what we have (oh, my baby)
Love, it feels so good
I’m so glad you’re mine (oh, oh)

Whoa, oh-oh-oh (ooh, baby)
Make it last forever (ooh, ooh, ooh)
Don’t let our love end (no-no, no-no-no)
Make it last forever and ever (yeah, yeah)

Ooh, give me kisses (kisses)
Love me (love me), hold me (hold me)
Squeeze me (squeeze me)
Chillin’ (chillin’), come on (come on)
I love it (you know I do), baby

Whoa, oh-oh-oh
Mm, mm, mm
Make it last forever (no-no) and ever (no-no-no)
Don’t let our love end (and ever)

Ooh, whoa, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh (no, don’t you let it end)
You got to make it last
Never, never, never let it end
Just make it last forever and ever (ooh-ooh, oh)

I want our love to last a lifetime (I’d give it up, give it up for you)
Ooh, tell me, tell me you’ll always be mine
(I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you)
To make love forever and ever (ooh-ooh)
We’ve got to make it last
Got to make it, got to make it, got to make it, got to make it
Oh, baby, oh, honey (oh, honey)
I love you (ooh, oh, oh, I love you)

Ooh, you’re my best thing in the world (oh)
The only thing in the world, I love you so

Song of the Day: My, My, My (by Johnny Gill)

Posted on by Arleigh

When “My, My, My” first floated across the airwaves in 1990, it felt like smooth perfection — the kind of song that made time slow down just a little. Johnny Gill’s voice carried that deep, unmistakable mix of confidence and tenderness that defined R&B at its best. It was the slow jam every prom DJ had queued up, waiting for the lights to dim and for couples to drift onto the floor. For anyone in high school back then, this was the dance moment — the one you replayed in your head for days afterward.

But what made it special was how it lived beyond those prom nights. This was one of those early-’90s R&B staples that found its way onto countless mixtapes — the kind carefully labeled and slipped into someone’s hand with a hopeful grin. It was the soundtrack of summer romances, of those shy exchanges that felt like the beginning of forever. With Gill’s velvet delivery and that lush Babyface-L.A. Reid production, even teenage crushes suddenly felt legendary.

And honestly, let’s be real — you don’t even need to take my word for it. Just one listen to Johnny’s sweet, dulcet tones and you know this was the kind of track that did more than inspire slow dancing. It’s baby-making music, through and through — smooth, soulful, and absolutely irresistible.

My, My, My

Yeah
Mmmh, mmh, mmmh, so good

My, My, My (you look so sweet)
Listen
Put on your red dress
And slip on your high heels
And some of that sweet perfume
It sure smells good on you

Slide on your lipstick and
Let all your hair down
Cause Baby when you get through
I’m going to show you

Tonight will be a special night
No matter where we go
And I’m so proud to be with you
I just wanna let you know

You got my saying
My, My, My
My, My, My
You sure look good tonight
And you’re so damn fine
I wanna say
My, My, My
My, My, My

You sure look good tonight

After all this time
Slip on your nightgown
Step in our bedroom
First I wanna take sometime

I just wanna look at you
Girl you are so fine
I can’t believe you’re mine
And all that I wanna do

I wanna make love to you
Tonight will be a special night
Of many more to come

And I’m so proud to be with you
So proud to share you’re love

My, My, My
My, My, My (You sure look good tonight)
I wanna say, My, My, My
My, My, My
My, My, My

Make love all night long
Make love ’til the break of dawn

Come on
Come on
Sweet little thing yes you do

Yes you do, yes you do, you do, do, do

And I’m so proud to be with you
So proud to share you’re love
My, My, My
My, My, My
You sure look good tonight

I wanna love you, in every way, every way
Let me
Let me
Show you how sweet it’s gonna be
I wanna show you things that you

Never, ever, ever seen before
Put your nightgown on
Let your hair hang low
Step into our room
I’m in the mood to love you all night long

You got me saying My, My, My
My, My, My
My, My, My
My, My, My
My, My, My
My, My, My
My, My, My

Say My, My, My
See all you gotta do
All you gotta do
Is say that you’ll be mine all mine, My, My, My
My, My, My (You’ll be all mine tonight baby)
You sure look good tonight
Let me, let me, show you how sweet it’s gonna be

Oh, My, My, My
My, My, My (You sure look good tonight) My, My, My
My, My, My
My, My, My (You sure look good tonight) My, My, My
My, My, My (You sure look good tonight) My, My, My

Song of the Day: Lady (by Kenny Rogers)

Posted on by Arleigh

Whenever I hear Kenny Rogers sing “Lady”, it takes me right back to those early ’80s days when life felt slower and simpler. The song would drift through the airwaves on a chilly evening, maybe from a clock radio sitting on my nightstand, and everything would just… pause for a minute. Back then, love songs like that didn’t try too hard — they just spoke straight to the heart. It was the soundtrack of hallway crushes, handwritten notes folded into perfect triangles, and the kind of hope only a teenager could carry.

What made “Lady” stand out wasn’t just Lionel Richie’s tender lyrics or the way he wrapped pop sophistication around a country soul — it was the way Kenny delivered it. His voice carried this warmth and ache that felt completely genuine, like he was singing directly to you. As great as the studio version was, his live performances somehow sounded even better — fuller, more heartfelt, the emotion right there in every note. You could feel that the song worked not just because it was written beautifully, but because Kenny Rogers had the rare ability to make you believe it.

Now, when the song sneaks up on me in a store or on a classic hits station, it’s like opening a window to a world that doesn’t exist anymore — one of Friday night roller rinks, slow dances, and dreams that seemed closer than they really were. “Lady” reminds me of who we were before everything sped up, when music had the power to stop time for three and a half minutes and make you believe in love, even if you didn’t quite understand it yet.

Lady

I’m your knight in shining armor and I love you
You have made me what I am, and
I am yours

My love
There’s so many ways I want to say I love you
Let me hold you in my arms forever more

You have gone and made me such a fool
And I’m so lost in your love
And oh, we belong together
Won’t you believe in my song?

Lady
For so many years
I thought I’d never find you
You have come into my life and
Made me whole

Forever
Let me wake to see you each and every morning
Let me hear you whisper softly
In my ear

And in my eyes (In my eyes)
I see no one else but you (I see no one else but you)
There’s no other love like our love
And, oh, girl I’ll always want you near me
I’ve waited for you for so long

Lady
Your love’s the only love I need
Oh, and beside me is where
I want you to be (I want you to be)
‘Cause, my love
There’s somethin’ I want you to know
You’re the love of my life
You’re my lady

Here Are The Oscar Winners!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Best Picture — Nomadland

Best Director — Chloe Zhao for Nomadland

Best Actor — Anthony Hopkins In The Father

Best Actress — Frances McFormand in Nomadland

Best Supporting Actor — Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah

Best Supporting Actress — Yuh-jung Youn in Minari

Best Adapted Screenplay — Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller for The Father

Best Original Screenplay — Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman

Best Animated Feature — Soul

Best Documentary Feature — My Octopus Teacher

Best International Feature Film — Another Round

Best Live Action Shot Subject — Two Distant Strangers

Best Animated Short Subject — If Anything Happens, I Love You

Best Documentary Short — Collette

Best Original Score — Soul

Best Original Song — “Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah

Best Cinematography — Mank

Best Costume Design — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Best Editing — Sound of Metal

Best Makeup and Hair Styling — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Best Production Design — Mank

Best Sound — Sound of Metal

Best Visual Effects -Tenet

My Final 2020 Oscar Predictions

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Since today is Oscar Sunday and all, I guess it’s time for me to make my final predictions for what will win tonight! Here we go! No guts, no glory!

Best Picture: Nomadland

Best Director: Chloe Zhao for Nomadland

Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Best Actress: Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman

Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah

Best Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-jung in Minari

Best Original Screenplay: Promising Young Woman

Best Adapted Screenplay: Nomadland

Best Animated Film: Soul

Best International Feature Film: Another Round

Best Documentary Feature: Collective

Best Documentary Short: A Concerto is a Conversation

Best Live Action Short Film: Two Distant Strangers

Best Animated Short Film: If Anything Happens I Love You

Best Original Score: Soul

Best Original Song: Husavik from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Best Sound: Sound of Metal

Best Production Design: Mank

Best Cinematography: Mank

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Best Costume Design: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Best Editing: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (bleh)

Best Visual Effects: Tenet

If I score 100% accuracy on my predictions, here’s how the night will end in totals:

3 Oscars — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Nomadland

2 Oscars — Mank, Promising Young Woman, Soul

1 Oscar — Another Round, Collective, A Concerto is A Conversation, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, If Anything Happens I Love You, Judas and the Black Messiah, Minari, Sound of Metal, Tenet, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Two Distant Strangers

In another few hours, we shall discover how good I am at guessing.

The Annie Awards Honor Soul

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I think it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Soul is going to win the Oscar for Best Animated Film.  I’m not complaining because I really, really liked Soul.  (I also really liked Farmageddon but, sadly, there can only be one winner.)  That said, if Soul needed a boost, it certainly got one from the Annie Awards last night.

The Annie Awards reward the best in animation.  Here are their 2020 winners:

Best Feature
Onward
Soul
The Croods: A New Age
The Willoughbys
Trolls World Tour

Best Indie Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Calamity Jane
On-Gaku: Our Sound
Ride Your Wave
Wolfwalkers

Best FX for Feature
Over the Moon
Soul
The Croods: A New Age
Trolls World Tour
Wolfwalkers

Best Character Animation – Feature
Onward
Soul
The Croods: A New Age
The Willoughbys
Wolfwalkers

Best Character Design – Feature
Soul
The Croods: A New Age
The Willoughbys
Trolls World Tour
Wolfwalkers

Best Direction – Feature
Calamity Jane – Rémi Chayé
Over the Moon – Glen Keane
Ride Your Wave – Masaaki Yuasa
Soul – Pete Docter & Kemp Powers
Wolfwalkers – Tomm Moore & Ross Stewart

Best Music – Feature
Onward
Over the Moon
Soul
The Willoughbys
Wolfwalkers

Best Production Design – Feature
Onward
Soul
The Willoughbys
Trolls World Tour
Wolfwalkers

Best Storyboarding – Feature
Earwig and the Witch
Over the Moon
Soul
The Croods: A New Age
Wolfwalkers

Best Voice Acting – Feature
Earwig and the Witch – Vanessa Marshall (Bella Yaga)
Onward – Tom Holland (Ian Lightfoot)
Over the Moon – Robert G. Chiu (Chin)
The Croods: A New Age, – Nicolas Cage (Grug)
Wolfwalkers – Eva Whittaker (Mebh Óg MacTíre)

Best Writing – Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon – Mark Burton & Jon Brown
Onward – Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley & Keith Bunin
Over the Moon – Audrey Wells
Soul – Pete Docter, Mike Jones & Kemp Powers
Wolfwalkers – Will Collins

Best Editorial – Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Calamity Jane
Onward
Soul
The Willoughbys

The Black Reel Awards Honor Judas and the Black Messiah

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The 2020 winners of the Black Reel Awards have been announced, with Judas and the Black Messiah taking the prize for best film.

Here are all the nominees and winners:

OUTSTANDING MOTION PICTURE
DA 5 BLOODS
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
SOUL

OUTSTANDING ACTOR
KINGSLEY BEN-ADIR – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
DELROY LINDO – DA 5 BLOODS
ROB MORGAN – BULL
LAKEITH STANFIELD – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS
NICOLE BEHARIE – MISS JUNETEENTH
VIOLA DAVIS – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ANDRA DAY – THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
TESSA THOMPSON – SYLVIE’S LOVE
ZENDAYA – MALCOLM & MARIE

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
RADHA BLANK – THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
REGINA KING – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
SHAKA KING – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
SPIKE LEE – DA 5 BLOODS
CHANNING GODFREY PEOPLES – MISS JUNETEENTH

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – DA 5 BLOODS
COLMAN DOMINGO – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ALDIS HODGE – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
DANIEL KALUUYA – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
LESLIE ODOM JR. – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
ALEXIS CHIKAEZE – MISS JUNETEENTH
DOMINIQUE FISHBACK – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
KIKI LAYNE – THE OLD GUARD
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS – THE HIGH NOTE
GABOUREY SIDIBE – ANTEBELLUM

OUTSTANDING SCREENPLAY
THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION – RADHA BLANK
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – WILL BERSON & SHAKA KING
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – RUBEN SANTIAGO-HUDSON
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI – KEMP POWERS
SOUL – PETE DOCTER, MIKE JONES & KEMP POWERS

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY
JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE
MLK/FBI
TIME
THE WAY I SEE IT

OUTSTANDING FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
HIS HOUSE
NIGHT OF THE KINGS
THE LIFE AHEAD

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
DA 5 BLOODS
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
MISS JUNETEENTH
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

OUTSTANDING VOICE PERFORMANCE
ANGELA BASSETT – SOUL
JAMIE FOXX – SOUL
MAYA RUDOLPH – THE WILLOUGHBYS
OCTAVIA SPENCER – ONWARD
PHYLICIA RASHAD – SOUL

OUTSTANDING SCORE
THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION – GUY C. ROUTTE
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY – JOHN DEBNEY
THE PHOTOGRAPH – ROBERT GLASPER
SOUL – TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS & JON BATISTE
SYLVIE’S LOVE – FABRICE LECOMTE

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG
FIGHT FOR YOU – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
MAKE IT WORK – JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
POVERTY PORN – THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
SPEAK NOW – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
TIGRESS & TWEED – THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY

OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT FEATURE
AMERICAN SKIN
FAREWELL AMOR
THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
MISS JUNETEENTH
SYLVIE’S LOVE

OUTSTANDING SHORT FILM
BROTHER
CANVAS
THE CYPHER
GRAB MY HAND: A LETTER TO MY DAD
THE PANDEMIC CHRONICLES

OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTARY
MR. SOUL!
THE SIT-IN: HARRY BELAFONTE HOSTS THE TONIGHT SHOW
WITH DRAWN ARMS

OUTSTANDING EMERGING DIRECTOR
EUGENE ASHE – SYLVIE’S LOVE
RADHA BLANK – THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
REGINA KING – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
SHAKA KING – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
CHANNING GODFREY PEOPLES – MISS JUNETEENTH

OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE, MALE
YAHYA ABDUL-MANTEEN II – THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
KINGSLEY BEN-ADIR – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
DUSAN BROWN – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ELI GOREE – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
NTARE MWINE – FAREWELL AMOR

OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE, FEMALE
RADHA BLANK – THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
ALEXIS CHIKAEZE – MISS JUNETEENTH
ANDRA DAY – THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
DOMINIQUE FISHBACK – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
ZENDAYA – MALCOLM & MARIE

OUTSTANDING FIRST SCREENPLAY
THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION – RADHA BLANK
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – RUBEN SANTIAGO-HUDSON
MISS JUNETEENTH – CHANNING PEOPLES GODFREY
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI – KEMP POWERS
SYLVIE’S LOVE – EUGENE ASHE

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY
DA 5 BLOODS
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
MALCOLM & MARIE
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
TENET

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
SYLVIE’S LOVE
THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
TENET

What If Lisa Picked The Oscar Nominees: 2020 Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

With the Oscar nominations due to be announced tomorrow, now is the time that the Shattered Lens indulges in a little something called, “What if Lisa had all the power.” Listed below are my personal Oscar nominations. Please note that these are not the films that I necessarily think will be nominated. The fact of the matter is that the many of them will not. Instead, these are the films that would be nominated if I was solely responsible for deciding the nominees this year. Winners are listed in bold.

I should also point out that I’ve only nominated films that were actually released in 2020.  Undoubtedly, Nomadland, Minari, Judas and the Black Messiah, and The Father will do very well with the Academy tomorrow but, as far as I’m concerned, they’re 2021 films and not eligible for my nominations.  They will be eligible next year, when I do my 2021 edition of What If Lisa Had All The Power.

It should also go without saying that I’ve nominated films that I’ve actually seen.

You’ll also note that I’ve added four categories, all of which I believe the Academy should adopt — Best Voice-Over Performance, Best Casting, Best Stunt Work, and Best Overall Use Of Music In A Film.

Click on the links to see my nominations for 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010!)

Best Picture

The Assistant
Bad Education
First Cow
The Girl With A Bracelet
i’m thinking of ending things
Lovers Rock
Palm Springs
Promising Young Woman
Soul
The Vast of Night

Best Director

Stéphane Demoustier for The Girl With A Bracelet
Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman
Charlie Kaufman for i’m thinking of ending things
Steve McQueen for Lovers Rock
Andrew Patterson for The Vast of Night
Kelly Reichardt for First Cow

Best Actor

Ben Affleck in The Way Back
Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
John Boyega in Red, White, and Blue
Hugh Jackman in Bad Education
Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods

Best Actress

Alison Brie in Horse Girl
Sidney Flanigan in Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Julia Garner in The Assistant
Melissa Guers in The Girl With A Bracelet
Sophia Loren in The Life Ahead
Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman

Best Supporting Actor

Brian Dennehy in Driveways
Aldis Hodge in One Night In Miami
Orion Lee in First Cow
Clarke Peters in Da 5 Blood
Paul Raci in The Sound of Metal
J.K. Simmons in Palm Springs

Best Supporting Actress

Jane Adams in She Dies Tomorrow
Glenn Close in Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Cooke in Sound of Metal
Allison Janney in Bad Education
Chiara Mastroianni in The Girl With A Bracelet
Talia Ryder in Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Best Voice Over Performance

Jack Cruz in What Did Jack Do?
Bruce Davis in The Vast of Night
Tina Fey in Soul
Jamie Foxx in Soul
Nick Offerman in Frances Ferguson
Chris Pratt in Onward

Best Original Screenplay

The Assistant
Palm Springs
Possessor
Promising Young Woman
Soul
The Vast of Night

Bad Education

Best Adapted Screenplay

Bad Education
Emma
First Cow
The Girl With A Bracelet
i’m thinking of ending things
The Outpost

Best Animated Feature Film

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Onward
Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs
Soul

Best Documentary Feature Film

Alabama Snake
Athlete A
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind
The Social Dilemma
Tread

Best International Feature Film

Figurant
The Girl With A Bracelet
Gunpowder Heart
The Hater
The Life Ahead
The Shock of the Future

Best Live Action Short Film

Basic
Figurant
Host
Run/On
Waffle
What Did Jack Do?

Best Documentary Short Film

Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business
John Was Trying To Contact Aliens
Lions in the Corner
Quilt Fever

Best Animated Short Film

Canvas

If Anything Happens I Love You

Best Original Score

Call of the Wild
First Cow
Mangrove
Possessor
She Dies Tomorrow
The Shock of The Future

Best Original Song

“Boss Bitch” from Birds of Prey
“Diamonds” from Birds of Prey
“Everybody Dies” from The Outpost
“Future Shock Work in Progress” from The Shock of the Future
“Gratia Plena” from Fatima
“Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Jah Jah Ding Dong” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Metamorph” from Gunpowder Heart
“The Spirit of Christmas” from The Christmas Chronicles 2
“True Love’s Flame” from What Did Jack Do?

Best Overall Use of Music

Bill & Ted Face The Music
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Lovers Rock
Proising Young Woman
The Shock of the Future
Soul

Best Sound

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Lovers Rock
The Outpost
Possessor
The Shock of the Future
Sound of Metal

Best Production Design

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Emma
First Cow
i’m thinking of ending things
Possessor
The Shock of the Future

Best Casting

The Assistant
First Cow
Lovers Rock
Palm Springs
Promising Young Woman
The Vast of Night

Best Cinematography

First Cow
i’m thinking of ending things
Lovers Rock
Mank
She Dies Tomorrow
The Vast of Night

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Bill & Ted Face The Music
i’m thinking of ending things
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Promising Young Woman

Best Costume Design

Emma
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Fatima
First Cow
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Tesla

Best Film Editing

Extraction
i’m thinking of ending things
The Outpost
Palm Springs
Promising Young Woman
The Way Back

Best Stuntwork

Bad Boys For Life
Birds of Prey
Bloodshot
Extraction
The Hunt
The Outpost

Best Visual Effects

The Christmas Chronicles 2
The Midnight Sky
The Outpost
Possessor
Radioactive
Tesla

Films By Number of Nominations

8 Nominations — First Cow, Promising Young Woman

7 Nominations — Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, i’m thinking of ending things

6 Nominations — The Girl With A Bracelet, Lovers Rock, The Outpost, Shock of the Future, Soul, The Vast of Night

5 Nominations — Palm Springs, Possessor

4 Nominations — The Assistant, Bad Education, Sound of Metal

3 Nominations — Birds of Prey, Emma, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, She Dies Tomorrow, What Did Jack Do?

2 Nominations — Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Christmas Chronicles 2, Da 5 Bloods, Extraction, Fatima, Figurant, Gunpowder Heart, Hillbilly Elegy, The Life Ahead, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Onward, Tesla, The Way Back

1 Nomination — Alabama Snake, Athlete A, Bad Boys For Life, Basic, Bettye Saar: Taking Care of Business, Bloodshot, Call of the Wild, Canvas, Driveways, Frances Ferguson, The Hater, Horse Girl, Host, The Hunt, If Anything Happens I Love You, John Was Trying To Contact Aliens, Lions in the Corner, Mangrove, Mank, Midnight Sky, The Mystery of D.B. Cooper, Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, One Night in Miami, Quilt Fever, Radioactive, Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs, Red White and Blue, Run/On, A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, The Social Dilemma, Tread, Waffle

Films By Number of Oscars Won

3 Oscars — The Girl With A Bracelet, Promising Young Woman

1 Oscar — The Assistant, Bad Education, Driveways, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Figurant, First Cow, Frances Ferguson, If Anything Happens I Love You, i’m thinking of ending things, John Was Trying To Contact Aliens, Lovers Rock, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Outpost, Palm Springs, Possessor, Shock of the Future, The Social Dilemma, Soul, Sound of Metal, The Vast of Night, What Did Jack Do?

Tomorrow, the Oscar nominations will be released and we’ll see if how much or, more likely, how little the Academy and I agree upon!

Here Are The Producers Guild Nominations!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Producers Guild announced their nominees for the best of 2020 earlier today.  A lot of people are expression shock that Borat picked up a nomination but it’s something that I’ve been predicting for a while now.  The film industry is largely made up of Democrats and Sacha Baron Cohen has managed to convince a lot of otherwise intelligent people that his film was somehow essential to defeating Donald Trump.

(Seriously — do you know of any Trump supporters who changed their mind as a result of Borat or who even watched the movie?)

Borat was nominated.  Da 5 Bloods and News of the World, two films that many are expecting to be Oscar nominated, were not.  Does this mean that Borat is going to pick up an Oscar nomination?  Perhaps.  Then again, let’s not forget how excited people briefly were when Deadpool was nominated by the PGA a few years ago.  And, before that, Nightcrawler.

In other words, we’ll see.  (Personally, I think that Borat will be nominated.  If they were willing to go for VIce, it’s hard to imagine the Academy not going for Borat.)  The Oscar noms will be announced next week.  Until then, here are the PGA Nominations!

The Award for Outstanding Producer of a Feature Theatrical Motion Picture
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Judas and the Black Messiah
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
The Croods: A New Age
Onward
Over the Moon
Soul
Wolfwalkers
 
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures
The PGA previously announced the nominations in this category on February 2nd, 2020.
 
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Dick Johnson Is Dead
My Octopus Teacher
Softie
A Thousand Cuts
Time
The Truffle Hunters