Yes, yes …. I know. I’m two days late in sharing this. Listen, these things happen and I think you should find it within your soul to forgive me. After all, how can you be angry when I’m sharing a trailer for a PIXAR film?
Personally, I have loved just about every PIXAR film that I’ve ever seen. That said, I also think that it’s possible that PIXAR is secretly run by aliens who want to see how frequently someone can be traumatized before they totally give up on happiness. From all of the toys being given away in Toy Story 3 to the first ten minutes of Up, PIXAR is all about getting people to cry. I’ve cried during every PIXAR film that I’ve ever watched, with exception of those movies about the talking cars.
This latest PIXAR film is called Soul and it’s about just that. It’s about …. well, the plot sounds really strange to me so I’m not even sure if I want to try to type it out. I will say that it involves death and not giving up on your dreams and celebrating life and it’ll probably make me cry a lot.
Soul was originally going to be released into theaters but we all know what they say about the best laid plans of Disney and PIXAR. So, instead, it’ll be released on Disney+ on Christmas Day. Hopefully, Disney+ will let its subscribers watch it, as opposed to charging them an extra thirty dollars for the opportunity. (That’s right …. I’m looking at you, Mulan!)
As this very strange year enters into the home stretch, it does seem like, almost despite itself, the Oscar picture is becoming a little bit clearer. The Venice and Toronto film festivals have announced their lineups. Theaters are tentatively reopening and, assuming that there isn’t a spike in moviegoers contracting the Coronavirus as a result, the majority of them could be reopen by December. For all the talk about how this year was going to be the Streaming Oscars, it’s totally possible that, with the eligibility window being extended to February and assuming theaters don’t have to close again, the Oscars could, once again, be dominating by traditional theatrical releases.
Anyway, here are my predictions for this month. Though the picture may have cleared a little, the year is still pretty uncertain so take these with a grain of salt. I imagine, over the next month, we’ll see a lot of movies scheduled for that January/February window of eligibility.
I’m making my monthly predictions on the assumption that most of these movies are even going to be released this year (and during the first two months of 2021). I may be making an even bigger assumption when I predict that they’ll even give out Oscars for 2020. Right now, it’s hard to know what’s going to happen.
But I am going to keep making these predictions because their fun to make and I believe that you do have to have some sort of normalcy in life. You can’t just say, “OH MY GOD, EVERYTHING’S SO NEGATIVE! I’M JUST GOING TO SIT IN FRONT OF TWITTER AND DRINK FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!” I mean, don’t get me wrong. A lot of people are, in fact, saying and doing just that. It’s kind of sad to think about the number of people who I once liked but who I have still, over the past few months, muted because I’m just sick of all the drama. I suppose I could list them all here just to see if any of them are actually bothering to read my posts but …. no, no. This post is about the movies and the performers and the Oscars who make every year a special year.
Once again, even trying to predict the Oscars this year seems like a fool’s errand.
Our story so far:
COVID-19 shut everything down, including both theaters and production on many of the films that were expected to be contenders for the 2020 Oscars.
The Academy announced that, for this year only, VOD and streaming-only films would be considered eligible for the Oscars. That’s good news for all of the films premiering on Netflix and Prime right now, right?
It looked briefly as if theaters might start reopening in July. Tenet awaits!
Oh wait, there’s still a pandemic going on. Keep those theaters closed.
But what about Tenent!? Tenet will open in July, no matter what!
Tenet gets moved back to August. Every other big production gets moved back to August and chances are they’ll get moved back again.
The Academy, meanwhile, throws everything into even more disarray by announcing that they will be extending the eligibility window to the end of February of 2021.
And now, we’re all waiting to see which films will be moved either back or forward to a January or February 2021 opening in order to qualify for the Oscars.
In other words, who knows what’s going to be eligible once the Academy finally gets around to selecting their nominees. Personally, I wish they hadn’t moved the eligibility window. It feels like a bunch of studios complained about the having to release all of their big movies via VOD so the Academy said, “Okay, we’ll give you an extra two months.” With the way things are going, though, it’s totally possible that theaters could still be closed in January and February so joke’s on them. ENJOY YOUR VOD OSCARS, YA BASTARDS!
Anyway, here are my monthly Oscar predictions. I did the best I could with what little information is actually out there. Normally, I would say that the Da 5 Bloods came out too early to be remembered at Oscar time but this is not a typical year. Despite the best picture victories of 12 Years A Slave and Moonlight, no black director has ever won best director. If there’s ever a year when the Academy is going to be motivated to rectify that, it will be this year.
Are we even going to have an Oscar ceremony next year?
Who knows? I hope we do because I think that it would provide some sort of normalcy. Even if everyone chooses not to watch it, at least they’ll have that choice. (People tend to forget how important, psychologically and emotionally, it is for people to have a choice. All of these cheery “We’re all in it together” commercials don’t mean shit if people are feeling imprisoned.) Up until this week, I was pretty confident that we would because COVID-19 was in decline and restrictions were being lifted and things seemed like they were heading in the right direction. (Or, at least, that’s the way it seemed in my part of the world. I know that some people disagreed with my assessment.) Now, we’re in the middle of nation-wide rioting and a divisive presidential election so who knows what’s going to happen with the rest of this year. Will theaters even want to risk reopening before 2021? Will they be able to? The Academy has said that streaming films will qualify this year but how many studios want to release all of their big productions VOD?
I’m going to continue to make my monthly Oscar predictions, though. My reasons are pretty selfish: making them helps to keep me centered. I’m a compulsive scheduler and keeping that schedule (which is really what I’m doing with these monthly predictions) helps me deal with my ADD.
So, with that in mind, here are my Oscar predictions. Take them with a grain of salt. And be sure to check out my previous predictions for January, February, March, and April!
Best Picture
Ammonite
The Father
Hillbilly Elegy
Minari
News of the World
Nomadland
Respect
Soul
The Trial of Chicago 7
West Side Story
Best Director
Paul Greengrass for News of the World
Ron Howard for Hillbilly Elegy
Francis Lee for Ammonite
Steven Spielberg for West Side Story
Chloe Zhao for Nomadland
Best Actor
Matt Damon in Stillwater
Tom Hanks in News of the World
Anthony Hopkins in The Father
Bill Murray in On The Rocks
Gary Oldman in Mank
Best Actress
Jennifer Hudson in Respect
Angelina Jolie in Those Who Wish Me Dead
Sofia Loren in The Life Ahead
Frances McDormand in Nomadland
Kate Winslet in Ammonite
Best Supporting Actor
David Alvarez in West Side Story
Tom Burke in Mank
Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods
Forest Whitaker in Respect
Steven Yeun in Minari
Best Supporting Actress
Abigail Breslin in Stillwater
Glen Close in Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman in The Father
Saoirse Ronan in Ammonite
Helena Zengel in News of the World
That’s it for this month! Hopefully, next month will bring a bit more clarity.
The year of 2016 has taken many of the music scene’s greatest. Prince, David Bowie and Glenn Frey just to name a few taken too soon. Now, George Michael joins his musical brethren as news of his passing on Christmas Day was announced and confirmed.
There’s not much to say other than any kid growing up during the late 80’s knew and listened to George Michael in some capacity or another. While he became famous as part of the British boy band WHAM! it was when he branched out on his own as a solo act that he hit megastar status. His solo debut album, Faith, would reach multi-platinum levels and each single released from the album and each video that ran in circulation on MTV would become instant hits.
My favorite song of his and this goes to his many excellent post-modern videos, would be the third single released from his debut album, “Father Figure.”.
Father Figure
That’s all I wanted
Something special, something sacred
In your eyes
For just one moment
To be bold and naked
At your side
Sometimes I think that you’ll never
Understand me (understand me)
Maybe this time is forever
Say it can be, woah
That’s all you wanted
Something special, someone sacred
In your life
Just for one moment
To be warm and naked
At my side
Sometimes I think that you’ll never
Understand me (understand me)
But something tells me together
We’d be happy, woah baby
I will be your father figure (oh baby)
Put your tiny hand in mine (I’d love to)
I will be your preacher teacher (be your daddy)
Anything you have in mind (it would make me)
I will be your father figure (very happy)
I have had enough of crime (please let me)
I will be the one who loves you
Till the end of time
That’s all I wanted
But sometimes love can be mistaken
For a crime
That’s all I wanted
Just to see my baby’s
Blue-eyed shine
This time I think that my lover
Understands me (understands me)
If we have faith in each other
Then we can be strong, baby
I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine (my baby)
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
I will be the one who loves you
Till the end of time
If you are the desert, I’ll be the sea
If you ever hunger, hunger for me
Whatever you ask for, that’s what I’ll be
So when you remember the ones who have lied
Who said that they cared
But then laughed as you cried
Beautiful darling
Don’t think of me
Because all I ever wanted
It’s in your eyes
Baby, baby
And love can’t lie, no
(Greet me with the eyes of a child)
My love is always telling me so (Heaven is a kiss and a smile)
Just hold on, hold on
And won’t let you go, my baby
I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
And I have had enough of crime
So I am gonna love you
Till the end of time
(I will be your father) I will be your (I will be your preacher) Father (I will be your father) I’ll be your daddy, whoa
I will be the one who loves you
Till the end of time
A rock legend passed away today. Joe Cocker had one of those very unique voices which most everyone recognized. A blues and soul rock singer who performed with some of the rock legends of the 60’s and 70’s, he would become a mainstream hit with songs such as “Up Where We Belong” and his covers of Beatles songs.
It was in 1975, covering a ballad written and composed by Billy Preston, Bruce Fisher and Dennis Wilson that he truly burst into the mainstream scene. The song was “You Are So Beautiful” and while the album it was a part of never truly took off the single itself reached No. 5 on the Billboards chart of that year.
Cocker’s version was much slower in tempo than the original song and this worked well in concert with his gritty, bluesy voice where each word and lyric felt full of emotion that blues and soul singers have become well-known for.
Joe Cocker might have faded away from the mainstream consciousness after the 80’s but rock and blues aficionados always remembered and admired him right down to his last days.
Time for the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame to heed the words of Billy Joel and induct the man in it’s hallowed halls. He’s more than earned it.
You Are So Beautiful
You are so beautiful to me You are so beautiful to me Can’t you see Your everything I hoped for Your everything I need You are so beautiful to me
Such joy and happiness you bring Such joy and happiness you bring Like a dream A guiding light that shines in the night Heavens gift to me You are so beautiful to me
“One look in your eyes and there I see Just what you mean to me”
Those opening lyrics are instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up during the late 80’s. Whether one was in junior high, high school, college or already settled down. It’s a song with not a single cynical bone in its making.
“Here and Now” was the song that introduced the velvet-voiced crooner Luther Vandross to the general public. He was already a favorite singer for those who followed the R&B and soul music scene, but for the rest of the world he was an unknown. After the release of “Here and Now” in 1989 he was not an unknown to the rest of the world.
It’s a song that’s become a staple at proms and formal dances. The song soon became at weddings and continues to this day.
“‘Cause you’ve got that whip appeal So work it on me”
It would be impossible not to include one of the most popular old school ballads from my era.
“Whip Appeal” was the third single off of singer-producer Babyface’s second R&B album, Tender Lover. The single released in early 1990 just in time for the song to put it’s melodic hooks into everyone who heard it for the first time. I can confirm that this was a staple of all high school dances and proms from 1990 and onwards. It was one of the go-to ballads that would get couples and potential ones to get on the dance floor and just sway to the song.
Ballads like this are truly old school. When I say they don’t make them like this anymore there’s some truth in that. The lyrics themselves are quite risque, but definitely more subtle than what R&B artists nowadays put into their own form of ballads. There’s a classic soulful sound to the music that harkens back to the Motown sounds of the 60’s that have been lacking in most R&B today.
A song that’s 25 years old and yet still planting it’s soulful hooks into old and new listeners alike.
One of the great classic R&B songs also happens to be today’s late “Song of the Day.”
The song “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5 is not just a great song but also reminds us that, through all the scandal and absurdity which that became Michael Jackson’s adulthood, he was a great singer and performer and none more so than when he was fronting his band of brothers.
I also picked this song for another reason that seems so out of left field (which it is), but also fit in so perfectly to end two hours of an enjoyable time at the cinemas. James Gunn had personally picked the classic 70’s songs that would be part of mixtape for Guardians of the Galaxy. One such song is The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and it’s use and timely appearance in the film also marks one of it’s most adoring sequences.
I know for a fact that site co-founder Lisa Marie Bowman will love not just this song but the scene it gets attached too.
I Want You Back
Let me tell you now
When I had you to myself I didn’t want you around Those pretty faces always made you Stand out in a crowd
But someone picked you from the bunch One glance was all it took Now it’s much too late for me To take a second look
Oh baby, give me one more chance (To show you that I love you) Won’t you please let me Back in your heart
Oh darling, I was blind to let you go (Let you go, baby) But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Yes I do now (I want you back) Ooh, ooh baby (I want you back) Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (I want you back) Na na na na
Trying to live without your love Is one long sleepless night Let me show you, girl That I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on I leave tear stains on the ground Following the girl I didn’t even want around Let me tell you now
Oh baby, all I need is one more chance (To show you that I love you) Won’t you please let me Back in your heart
Oh darlin’, I was blind to let you go (Let you go baby) But now since I see you in his arms, uh huh
A buh buh buh buh A buh buh buh buh All I want A buh buh buh buh All I need A buh buh buh buh All I want A buh buh buh buh All I need
Oh, just one more chance To show you that I love you Baby (baby), baby (baby), baby (baby)
(I want you back) Forget what happened then And let me live again
Oh baby, I was blind to let you go But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back) Spare me of this cause Gimme back what I lost
Oh baby, I need one more chance, ha I tell ya that I love you Baby, ow, baby, baby I want you back I want you back
Through the Shattered Lens 