Film: Carry-On

 

GENRE: Action Thriller
RATING: PG-13 for strong violence and some language
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 59 minutes
PLATFORM: Netflix
STARRING: Taron Egerton (Kingsmen, Tetris, Rocketman, Black Bird)
Jason Bateman (Ozark, Game Night); Sofia Carson (Purple Hearts)
DIRECTOR: Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise, Black Adam)
WRITER: TJ Fixman (Ratchet & Clank)
PLOT: A terrorist threatens a TSA agent to let a dangerous package on a plane on Christmas Eve.    

FULL DISCLOSURE: Had low expectation.

STORY STUFF: I had heard that people were comparing this film to Die Hard or at least Die Hard 2. The fact that it takes place at an airport is as far as it goes. There is a lot of time focused on Ethan, the TSA agent, just following the instructions of Bateman’s Traveler. The action kicks in during the last quarter of the film. Most of the airport and airplane security was pretty laughable. No one in the baggage conveyer section? Where is the air marshal on that flight? Lots of empty places in this airport considering it is busy Christmas Eve. Even if you plugged all the plot holes, the thriller is just a couple notches above tepid. This is no Die Hard.      

ACTING STUFF: I enjoyed the calmness of Bateman’s baddie; his plan seemed pretty well executed. Egerton’s TSA agent gave a lot of concerned looks but I didn’t find him very captivating. I liked Theo Rossi (The Penguin) as the guy in the van but he was a little too happy hunting down a target.  

ARTISTIC STUFF: Not much to say. There is a fast driving scene with a lot of extremely fake CG action happening outside the windshield. Pretty funny.  

VERDICT: Two stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You want a breezy Christmas film on Netflix.
UPCOMING REVIEW:  September 5, A Complete Unknown

Film: Gladiator II

GENRE: Sword & Sandal Epic
RATING: R for strong bloody violence
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 28 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers, Aftersun, God’s Creatures)
Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us); Denzel Washington (Flight, Fences)
DIRECTOR: Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Blade Runner, The Marian, Alien)
WRITER: David Scarpa (Napoleon, The Last Castle)
PLOT: Gladiators fight in the Colosseum as tyrannical emperors rule Rome.    

FULL DISCLOSURE: Skeptical as to why a sequel was needed.

STORY STUFF: Well, that turned out better than I thought it would. I like that they made specific connections to the first Gladiator and that this was not just a retread. I will say that Connie Nielsen has aged incredibly well for sixteen years in the film and 24 in real life. The gladiator fights and the opening battle are top notch and why it is worth the money to see on the big screen. The political intrigue drags at times and I wish people would talk a bit faster instead of milking every line. The story was fine enough but nothing amazing. I was annoyed that someone has to be schooled about Romulus and Remus as they enter Rome. How would they not know that story? Also, why did they talk about the Greek god Poseidon? The Roman god Neptune would be pissed. Also, how did they transport that many sharks into the arena? There is a maybe not intentional “I am Spartacus” moment in the script. Made me laugh.    

ACTING STUFF: I thought Denzel had a smaller supporting role. He is all over this thing and was a treat to watch. Love his laugh. Mescal does an okay job but I wasn’t drawn to him like Russel Crowe. He needs more gravitas. I enjoyed Pascal and wished he had more to do. The twin emperors were good but Fred Hechinger’s Caracalla looked like a demented Ed Sheeran.  

ARTISTIC STUFF: Ridley Scott knows how to stage a battle sequence. It kind of reminded me of Game of Thrones. The gladiator fights were well done but I was more impressed with the first one when the technology was brand new. The archers were amazing– always on target. Haven’t seen this many good shots since Katniss Everdeen. I usually don’t comment on this but kudos to the props team. There is a severed head that looks amazingly real.

VERDICT: Three and half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like a sand and sandals flick with a good amount of blood
UPCOMING REVIEW:  September 5, A Complete Unknown

Film: Wicked

 

GENRE: Musical
RATING: PG for thematic material
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 40 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Cynthia Erivo (The Outsider, Pinocchio, Genius, Harriet)
Ariana Grande (Hairspray Live!, Don’t Look Up); Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton)
DIRECTOR: Jon M. Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians)
WRITERS: Winnie Holzman (Wicked original musical, My So-Called Life)
Dana Fox (The Lost City, Cruella, Isn’t it Romantic, The Wedding Date)
PLOT: Elphaba, the green witch, and Glinda becomes friends at school long before Dorothy arrives at Oz.    

FULL DISCLOSURE: I’ve seen the Broadway musical six times.

STORY STUFF: I was a little worried going in. This film has been so overblown in its marketing that I was skeptical that it could live up to the hype. I was more than pleasantly surprised. This film does an outstanding job of capturing all the cleverness and amazingness of the stage musical and kicks it up a notch with awesome production design and fun add-ons. Be aware that this is just part one, so it ends when the intermission would happen, which happens to be ‘Defying Gravity’, one of the best act one closing numbers (behind Les Mis’ ‘One Day More’). Despite my love of the songs ‘Popular’ and ‘Defying Gravity,’ I would say my favourite performance is ‘What Is This Feeling?’ which involves the classmates and a lot of great back and forth. While I think the running time is long, I’m not actually sure what I would cut out of this adaptation. You could shave a lingering moment here and there but not much more. My bigger concern is that this first half of the musical is far better than the second half as it has a lot more catchy songs. I hope they can wow me with the second half.  

ACTING STUFF: Not surprisingly, Ariana Grande is perfectly cast as Galinda or later Glinda. She has the singing chops and tosses her hair like a pro. She is mesmerizing and I hear may get an Oscar nomination for her efforts. Erivo also has an amazing voice and plays Elphaba well although I wish there was a bit more apprehension with her friendship with Glinda. The rest of the cast is dynamite and show their enthusiasm on the screen. Jeff Goldblum is fun as the wizard. I always enjoy Bowen Yang (SNL). There is also a wonderful cameo moment I won’t spoil but you can probably guess.

ARTISTIC STUFF: Production design is amazing with it’s beautiful architecture and intricate design. It is a feast for the eyes. It is definitely needed to be seen on the large screen. The costumes match the beauty and weirdness of the stage production. The singing is incredible although I wish my theatre had more surround sound.  

VERDICT: Five stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You’ve seen the musical or haven’t but wanted to
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Gladiator II

Film: Here

 

GENRE: Drama
RATING: PG-13 for brief language and thematic material
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 44 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump; A Man Called Otto; Big, Sully)
Robin Wright (House of Cards; Gump); Paul Bettany (Da Vinci Code)
DIRECTOR: Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump; Back to the Future)
WRITERS: Eric Roth (Gump; Dune: Part One; Ali; A Star is Born)
Zemeckis (Back to the Future; Polar Express; The Walk; Pinocchio)
PLOT: A generational story centered on a place where life happens.   

FULL DISCLOSURE: The experimentation intrigued me.

STORY STUFF: While I liked the concept; the writers squandered so many opportunities in this film. Don’t get me wrong, there are a number of great scenes and clever through-lines but there is also a lot missing. The idea of illness that permeated all the generations was well placed. There is a moment where black parents are giving their child precise instructions on what to do if they are pulled over by a cop. This is done well but would have had more impact if we saw other families giving parental advice to their children also. We get snap shots and drive-by lines to tell the story where a longer scene could help me get more invested in the lives of the characters. There’s a lot more things that could happen in a living room. I also did not believe that no one in the house cared that The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan.

ACTING STUFF: The acting is fine. I was not impressed with any performance in particular. Again this may be because I wasn’t given enough time to fully appreciate each moment in this house.            

ARTISTIC STUFF: I did enjoy the experiment. The camera is locked in place for the entire film; it did not bother me in the slightest. I liked the box-y editing of time switches. I was interested as a video editor. The set dressing was amazing with all the different times represented. I guess you could say the same for the costuming, although Hanks had bad style throughout. The music was a bit overdone at times although I did move my head to a couple of song choices.

VERDICT: Three stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You are interested in the experiment
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Red One; Wicked

Film: Conclave

 

GENRE: Dramatic Thriller
RATING: PG for thematic material and smoking
RUNTIME: 2 hours
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Ralph Fiennes (The Menu, Grand Budapest Hotel, Harry Potter)
Stanley Tucci (Spotlight, Big Night); John Lithgow (Cliffhanger, Footloose)
DIRECTOR: Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front)
WRITER: Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Goldfinch)
PLOT: The selection of a new pope leads to power struggles and secrets.   

FULL DISCLOSURE: The trailer and high Tomatoes score interested me.

STORY STUFF: I found myself pretty intrigued with the story. The setting was fascinating as the conclave begins to elect a new pope. The sequestering and the process kept me interested. While I expected some power shifts among the cardinals, I was surprised at how relevant it was to current national politics. The pacing is respectfully slow but that is to be expected; it’s not like this is Angels & Demons. There is a great twist that I did not see coming. This film is not for everyone but I certainly enjoyed it.

ACTING STUFF: Fiennes is perfectly cast as Lawrence, the one in charge of the conclave. Tucci & Lithgow also are treat with their feigned righteousness. Another standout for me is the quiet Carlos Hiehz as newcomer Benitez. Great acting all around.           

ARTISTIC STUFF: While I love the Italian architecture of the cathedrals and the eerie claustrophobic residence, it was the cinematography and sound that impressed me the most. The camera glides beautifully along the marble steps and perfectly captures moments of intense scrutiny. The music adds a slightly hair-raising tone with its high-pitched violins. There is also the amazing sound of air swooshing when some doors are closing to signify the sealing in of the cardinals. I love a good restrictive situation (see Die Hard).

VERDICT: Four and half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You are patient for an interesting twist 
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Here

Film: Saturday Night

 

GENRE: Bio-Comedy/Drama
RATING: R for language, sexual references, drug use
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 49 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans, Snack Shack)
Rachel Sennott (newcomer); Cory Michael Smith (Gotham, May December)
DIRECTOR: Jason Reitman (Juno, Thank You For Smoking, Up in the Air)
WRITERS: Reitman & Gil Kenan (Ghostbuster: Afterlife & Frozen Empire)
PLOT: It’s an intense 90 minutes before first Saturday Night Live.   

FULL DISCLOSURE: Love SNL. Love behind the scenes. Like Reitman.

STORY STUFF: I am completely biased. (It’s in my full disclosure.) I love this stuff. I have read a lot about the beginnings of SNL. I have done loads of research. And while there are a lot of liberties taken, outright contradictions and ludicrous moments, I loved every minute of it. Reitman has said this is not a documentary. Sure, he is cramming a lot of stuff in a short, time-ticking countdown to the first taping. I forgive it because I know he is going for the chaos, emotions and tensions that go into a live show. As a theatre director, I a feel a smidge of Lorne Michaels’ feelings and this need for a live show to go on, no matter what. I will say the brick laying is a tad much but I get the metaphor. Reitman & Kenan load the script with Easter eggs of future sketches, mostly given to Dan Aykroyd. (The Colon Blow cereal is pretty premature though.) The pace of this film is electrifying and I would love to watch it again to catch more background shenanigans.

ACTING STUFF: It is hard to single out the acting performances. I am extremely impressed with the casting of this film. From big names to no names, I enjoyed everyone’s embodiment of the real people behind Saturday Night Live. Honestly, I would list practically the entire cast as standouts.         

ARTISTIC STUFF: The countdown updates are well utilized. The jazzy music underneath keeps the flow going. The filming style reminded me of Birdman without the pretentiousness of trying to do it all in one “long take”. The make-up, costumes and set design are incredible and make me feel like I’m there, back in 1975.

VERDICT: Five stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You love SNL and enjoy the chaos of opening night.   
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Conclave? Red One?

Film: Joker: Folie a Deux

 

GENRE: Drama/Musical
RATING: R for strong violence and language and brief nudity
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 18 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line, Gladiator, Napoleon)
Lady Gaga (A Star is Born, House of Gucci); Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges)
DIRECTOR: Todd Phillips (Joker, The Hangover, Old School, Due Date)
WRITERS: Scott Silver (The Fighter, 8 Mile) & Phillips (Old School)
PLOT: Harley Quinn inspires Arthur Fleck while he is on trial for murder.  

FULL DISCLOSURE: Was pretty conflicted after seeing the trailer.

STORY STUFF: While the first Joker film was filled with dramatic contemplation and flights of fancy, there were also some good action sequences and humour. This one it pretty void of action and humour. The prison stuff is dark as it should be, but this is also a courtroom drama and with the exception of Gary Puddles on the stand, I was completely bored. I love courtroom stuff but this just didn’t work. The flights of fancy are musical numbers but they had no life to them. Give me a showstopper. I understand what Phillips was trying to do with this film but I didn’t enjoy the experience.  

ACTING STUFF: Phoenix continues the crazy and calm he brought to the first film. I thought Gaga did a good job as Lee Quinzel but I wanted more crazy from her. I enjoyed Gleeson as one of the guards, I found him captivating. I did not like Harry Lawtey (Industry) as Harvey Dent. What a boring DA. Show me some life. He’s supposed to be Two-Face eventually. Leigh Gill returning as Gary Puddles made the most of his screen time and created instant empathy for his character.        

ARTISTIC STUFF: This film is beautifully shot. It is the biggest highlight of the film for me. The images, the lighting, the movement, the colours all work in tandem to create amazing tableaux. I understand that lyrics and time period dictated the song choices but I was not a fan. Give me something bombastic. These a probably the saddest musical choices I have ever heard.   

VERDICT: Two stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You want a slower version of the first film.  
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Saturday Night

Film: Wolfs

 

GENRE: Crime Action
RATING: R for violent content and language
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 48 minutes
PLATFORM: Apple TV+
STARRING: George Clooney (Ocean’s 11, Michael Clayton, Syriana)
Brad Pitt (Ocean’s 11, Fight Club, Babel); Austin Abrams (Paper Towns)
DIRECTOR: Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home)
WRITER: Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming)
PLOT: Two rival fixers need to work together to cover up an accident.  

FULL DISCLOSURE: I like seeing these guys work together.

STORY STUFF: This film has a strong start. I like fixers getting information and performing a spotless clean-up (reminding me of Mr. Wolf in Pulp Fiction). Things start to unravel half way through the film where they get the real low-down and end up at a wedding reception. I am not sure what time of night this is supposed to be as there are lots of people around at some points and the streets are pretty empty around the same time. In the end, I was not too invested on how the film would conclude. That’s a problem. It’s too bad given the great beginning.

ACTING STUFF: You can tell that Clooney and Pitt just enjoy working together even if they are sniping at each other throughout. They play up their age nicely as they grunt almost every time they have to bend down or crouch. Not sure how Abrams has the energy he does in a chase scene but does a decent job acting alongside Clooney and Pitt.       

ARTISTIC STUFF: There is a fun slickness to the film that I enjoyed. Watts amps up the humour whenever he can. There’s not much else to say here.  

VERDICT: Three and a half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like seeing Clooney and Pitt have fun on film.
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Joker: Folie a Deux

2024 Emmy Awards Recap

 

There were some genuine surprises for the 76^th Emmy Awards, I’ll get to those in a bit. Father and son duo, Eugene and Dan Levy did an admirable job hosting. Their banter was light and they kept the proceedings going. Like last year, the Emmys honored TV history with representatives from family and occupational TV archetypes. They also brought back actors for the anniversaries of Happy Days and West Wing, which was nice.

There’s not much to write about the presenters and speeches. There was a bizarre Johnny Walker Blue sponsored entrance for a couple actors that was mega-awkward. I did enjoy Candice Bergen’s comments about her old days fighting with the VP and comparing that to today. Unfortunately, her glittery dress was lighting up the bottom of her face like a flashlight during campfire horror stories. I also enjoyed the touching tribute given to Greg Berlanti (along with Joshua Jackson shaking his head while entering to the Dawson’s Creek music). Berlanti also gave a good speech as the winner of the Governor’s General Award. Okay, maybe there was a bit to write about the presenters and speeches.

The biggest shock of the night was Hacks beating The Bear for Best Comedy Series. I love The Bear but Hacks is the funnier show and was super deserving. Them beating The Bear for writing as well was surprising since The Bear episode was “Fishes” with their intense family dinner. I was so happy when some of my favourites defied odds and won against the predicted winners. Ripley and Slow Horses winning made me shout for joy. The other long shot that made me grin from ear to ear was Lamorne Morris winning for Fargo, he’s come along way from New Girl.

The couple awards that annoyed me a bit was Daily Show winning despite the fact that Jon Stewart is only on one night a week. I also thought that Liza Colon-Zayas was more deserving of her Emmy for The Bear’s next season and not season two – were the voters confused which season they were voting for?

Anyway, here were the winners:

THE WINNERS:

Drama Series: Shogun (Predicted)

Comedy Series: Hacks

Limited Series: Baby Reindeer (Predicted)

Talk Series: The Daily Show (Predicted)

Variety Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Predicted)

Lead Actor [Drama]: Hiroyuki Sanada (Shogun) (Predicted)

Lead Actress [Drama]: Anna Sawai (Shogun) (Predicted)

Lead Actor [Comedy]: Jeremy Allen Shite (The Bear) (Predicted)

Lead Actress [Comedy]: Jean Smart (Hacks) (Wanted)

Lead Actor [Limited]: Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer) (Predicted)

Lead Actress [Limited]: Jodie Foster (True Detective) (Predicted)

Supp. Actor [Drama]: Billy Crudup (The Morning Show) (Predicted)

Supp. Actress [Drama]: Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown) (Predicted)

Supp. Actor [Comedy]: Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) (Predicted & Wanted)

Supp. Actress [Comedy]: Liza Colon-Zayas (The Bear)

Supp. Actor [Limited]: Lamorne Morris (Fargo) (Wanted)

Supp. Actress [Limited]: Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer) (Predicted)

Directing [Drama]: Shogun – Crimson Sky (Predicted)

Directing [Comedy]: The Bear – Fishes (Predicted & Wanted)

Directing [Limited]: Ripley (Wanted)  

Writing [Drama]: Slow Horses – Negotiating with Tigers (Wanted)

Writing [Comedy]: Hacks – Bulletproof

Writing [Limited]: Baby Reindeer (Predicted)  

2024 Emmy Award Predictions

 

The Emmys are this Sunday. It’s weird because the last Emmy Awards were in January thanks to the strike. This also means a lot of changes in the nominations. The Crown is the only returning drama. I’m not expecting much surprises: The Bear for comedy (despite its clearly dramatic content), Shogun for drama and Baby Reindeer for limited series. I hope they spread the love. I’m praying for some Slow Horses and Ripley love. Anyway, here are my predictions:

Outstanding Drama Series
3 Body Problem | Fallout | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Shogun | Slow Horses | The Crown | The Gilded Age | The Morning Show
WILL WIN: Shogun (The production value is really quite high)
WANT TO WIN: Slow Horses (I have become a huge fan of this show)

Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Hacks | Only Murders in the Building | Palm Royale | Reservation Dogs | The Bear | What We Do in the Shadows
WILL WIN: The Bear (Season 2 was awesome)
WANT TO WIN: The Bear (Though it would be fun if Curb won)

Outstanding Limited Series
Baby Reindeer | Fargo | Lessons in Chemistry | Ripley | True Detective
WILL WIN: Baby Reindeer (Haven’t seen it but has some Emmy love)
WANT TO WIN: Ripley (Beautifully shot and acted and full of suspense)

Outstanding Talk Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live | Late Night with Seth Meyers | The Daily Show | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
WILL WIN: The Daily Show (Though Jon Stewart's only on one night a week)
WANT TO WIN: Late Night with Seth Meyers (He is the best interviewer)

Outstanding Scripted Variety Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | SNL
WILL WIN: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (No surprise here)
WANT TO WIN: SNL (49 years and still a fan)

Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Hijack: Idris Elba | Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Donald Glover | Fallout: Walton Goggins | Slow Horses: Gary Oldman | Shogun: Hiroyuki Sanada | The Crown: Dominic West
WILL WIN: Hiroyuki Sanada (Appreciate the diversity but love Oldman)
WANT TO WIN: Gary Oldman (His character is gross, smart and fun to watch)

Lead Actress in a Drama Series
The Morning Show: Jennifer Aniston | The Gilded Age: Carrie Coon | Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Maya Erskine | Shogun: Anna Sawai | The Crown: Imelda Staunton | The Morning Show: Reese Witherspoon
WILL WIN: Anna Sawai (From what I saw, she was pretty good)
WANT TO WIN: Imelda Staunton (I enjoyed her Queen Elizabeth)

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
What We Do in the Shadows: Matt Berry | Curb Your Enthusiasm: Larry David | Only Murders in the Building: Steve Martin | Only Murders in the Building: Martin Short | The Bear: Jeremy Allen White | Reservation Dogs: D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai
WILL WIN: Jeremy Allen White (No doubt about this one again)
WANT TO WIN: Steve Martin (for his quick singing)

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary: Quinta Brunson | The Bear: Ayo Edebiri | Only Murders in the Building: Selena Gomez | Loot: Maya Rudolph | Hacks: Jean Smart | Palm Royale: Kristen Wiig
WILL WIN: Ayo Edebiri (Can’t say she’s funny though)
WANT TO WIN: Jean Smart (She had a bunch of funny stuff this season)

Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Fellow Travelers: Matt Bomer | Baby Reindeer: Richard Gadd | Fargo: Jon Hamm | Feud: Capote vs. The Swans: Tom Hallander | Ripley: Andrew Scott
WILL WIN: Richard Gadd (I’ll be sad if Andrew Scott loses this one)
WANT TO WIN: Andrew Scott (He is quietly riveting in this limited series)

Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
True Detective: Jodie Foster | Lessons in Chemistry: Brie Larson | Fargo: Juno Temple | Griselda: Sofia Vegara | Feud: Capote vs. The Swans: Naomi Watts
WILL WIN: Jodie Foster (She had lots to do in this season)
WANT TO WIN: Juno Temple (She was so fiery and rocked Fargo this season)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Shogun: Tadanobu Asano | The Morning Show: Billy Crudup | The Morning Show: Mark Duplass | The Morning Show: Jon Hamm | Shogun: Takehiro Hira | Slow Horses: Jack Lowden | Slow Horses: Jonathan Pryce
WILL WIN: Billy Crudup (He just plays slimy so well)
WANT TO WIN: Jack Lowden (I like the effort he gives his character)

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
The Gilded Age: Christine Baranski | The Morning Show: Nicole Beharie | The Crown: Elizabeth Debicki | The Morning Show: Greta Lee | The Crown: Lesley Manville | The Morning Show: Karen Pittman | The Morning Show: Holland Taylor
WILL WIN: Elizabeth Debicki (Everyone still loved Princess Di)
WANT TO WIN: Christine Baranski (She’s just fun to listen to)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
The Bear: Lionel Boyce | Hacks: Paul W. Downs | The Bear: Ebon Moss-Bachrach | Only Murders in the Building: Paul Rudd | Abbott Elementary: Tyler James Williams | SNL: Bowen Yang
WILL WIN: Ebon Moss-Bachrach (His “Forks” episode should be enough)
WANT TO WIN: Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Though I like Bowen Yang as well)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Palm Royale: Carol Burnett | The Bear: Liza Colon-Zayas | Hacks: Hannah Einbinder | Abbott Elementary: Janelle James | Abbott Elementary: Sheryl Lee Ralph | Only Murders in the Building: Meryl Streep
WILL WIN: Hannah Einbinder (She plays really well with Jean Smart)
WANT TO WIN: Hannah Einbinder (See above)

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Fellow Travelers: Jonathan Bailey | The Sympathizer: Robert Downey Jr. | Baby Reindeer: Tom Goodman-Hill | True Detective: John Hawkes | Fargo: Lamorne Morris | Lessons in Chemistry: Lewis Pullman | Feud: Capote vs. The Swans: Treat Williams
WILL WIN: Robert Downey Jr. (For star power)
WANT TO WIN: Lamorne Morris (I loved his honest cop)

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Ripley: Dakota Fanning | Under the Bridge: Lily Gladstone | Baby Reindeer: Jessica Gunning | Lessons in Chemistry: Aja Naomi King | Feud: Capote vs. The Swans: Diana Lane | Baby Reindeer: Nava Mau | True Detective: Kali Reis
WILL WIN: Jessica Gunning (She is pretty disturbing to watch)
WANT TO WIN: Kali Reis (She was pretty good in True Detective)

Directing for a Drama Series
Mr. & Mrs. Smith • First Date | Shogun • Crimson Sky | Slow Horses • Strange Games | The Crown • Sleep, Dearie Sleep | The Morning Show • The Overview Effect | Winning Time • Beat L.A.
WILL WIN: Shogun-Crimson Sky (There is a lot of love for this show)
WANT TO WIN: Slow Horses-Strange Games (Though the next episode is more exciting)

Directing for a Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary • Party | Hacks • Bulletproof | The Bear • Fishes | The Bear • Honeydew | The Gentlemen • Refined Aggression | The Ms. Pat Show  • I’m the Pappy
WILL WIN: The Bear-Fishes (These one seems like another hands down win)
WANT TO WIN: The Bear-Fishes (This intense episode never lets up)

Directing for a Limited Series, Anthology or Movie
Baby Reindeer • Episode 4 | Fargo • The Tragedy of the Commons | Feud: Capote vs The Swans • Pilot | Lessons in Chemistry • Poirot | Ripley | True Detective: Night Country
WILL WIN: Baby Reindeer- Episode 4 (It well shot but very disturbing)
WANT TO WIN: Ripley (This series is just so well made)

Writing for a Drama Series
Fallout • The End | Mr. & Mrs. Smith • First Date | Shogun • Anjin | Shogun • Crimson Sky | Slow Horses • Negotiating with Tigers | The Crown • The Ritz
WILL WIN: Shogun-Crimson Sky (They are highly favoured)
WANT TO WIN: Slow Horses-Negotiating with Tigers (Great dialogue)

Writing for a Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary • Career Day | Girls5eva • Orlando | The Bear • Fishes | Hacks • Bulletproof | The Other Two • Brooke Hosts a Night of Undeniable Good | What We Do in the Shadows • Pride Parade
WILL WIN: The Bear-Fishes (Another easy win)
WANT TO WIN: The Bear-Fishes (Lots of fun overlapping dialogue)

Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special
Baby Reindeer | Black Mirror • Joan is Awful | Fargo • The Tragedy of the Commons | Fellow Travelers • You’re Wonderful | Ripley | True Detective • Part 6
WILL WIN: Baby Reindeer (It’s the Beef of this year)
WANT TO WIN: Ripley (Love myself an artistic suspense)

Let’s see how I do. I’ll post after the Emmys with the results and commentary. 

Film: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

 

GENRE: Dark Comedy
RATING: PG-13 for violent content and language
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 45 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatres
STARRING: Michael Keaton (Batman, Birdman, Spotlight, Beetlejuice)
Winona Ryder (Little Women); Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream VI)
DIRECTOR: Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Beetlejuice)
WRITERS: Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (Shanghai Noon, Smallville)
PLOT: The Deetz family returns for a funeral but end up needing Beetlejuice after a family member makes an uninformed choice.  

FULL DISCLOSURE: Usually apprehensive of legacy sequels.

STORY STUFF: That was a mixed bag. There are some very fun parts of this film but way too many plot threads. The stuff with Beetlejuice is awesome and the Deetz family stuff is okay, although Justin Theroux is to hammy. Willem Dafoe’s actor cop is completely unnecessary as is Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s ex-wife who is trying to track him down. There are some nice callbacks to the first one along with a rousing musical number near the end. I do miss the Harry Belafonte tunes though. There is a snippet of an eighties ballad lip-synch that made me laugh out loud in the theatre. I also was thankful that the film was short and sweet being under two hours – how refreshing.    

ACTING STUFF: Keaton commands the screen once again as Beetlejuice – he brings the energy, the sounds, the voice and grossness. Ortega is along to pull in the younger viewers but does a great job as Lydia’s daughter. Catherine O’Hara falls back into her role seamlessly but Ryder is a little clunky at times but that could be because she’s with Theroux who I found annoying. The shrunken head people are fun but the stand out is Bob.       

ARTISTIC STUFF: Because Jeffrey Jones is behind bars, they kill off his character early and tell the story of his death using Claymation. Then they have the top half of his body missing for the rest of the film – pretty clever. While I didn’t see the need for Monica Bellucci’s role, I did enjoy the special effects of stapling her back together as she gets introduced. I was surprised the exposed brain of Dafoe’s character was not more grotesque; it just looked really fake, like they didn’t care. There are some odd song choices in the film that are very un-Burton like. Also, I get the gimmick of the Soul Train but are there this many disco nuts dying or do they just keep filling the platform and train on repeat? I guess I’m not supposed to think about that though.

VERDICT: Three stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You liked the original and are up for a legacy sequel
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Wolfs, Joker: Folie a Deux

Film: Reagan

 

GENRE: Bio-Pic
RATING: PG for minimal violence and smoking
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 15 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatres
STARRING: Dennis Quaid (Any Given Sunday, In Good Company)
Penelope Ann Miller (Kindergarten Cop); Mark Moses (Mad Men)
DIRECTOR: Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer)
WRITER: Howard Klausner (Space Cowboys)
PLOT: The life of Ronal Reagan.  

FULL DISCLOSURE: Grew up with Reagan as president.

STORY STUFF: Oof! That was rough. Played more like a TV-movie than theatrical film. There is an awful frame story of a present day comrade asking an aging Jon Voight why the Soviet Union collapsed. He could have just said ‘Reagan’ and been done with it but instead gives this young guy a way too long biographical accounting of the 40^th president. Except for the actual clever lines spoken by Reagan in debates and other press conferences, the rest is garbage. Nancy Reagan is apparently the most supportive wife on the face of the planet as expressed in her cheesy affirmations. I like some of the recreations of moments in history but it just doesn’t have the gravitas needed for a theatrical release.

ACTING STUFF: The only saving grace of Reagan is Dennis Quaid. I appreciated his performance. His voice is close enough without being too cartoonish. He has a twinkle in his eye that I thought worked. Everyone else is painful to watch. Wonder Years dad, Dan Lauria as Tip O’Neill? No, thanks. Entourage’s Johnny Drama, Kevin Dillon as Jack Warner? Laughable. Hercules’ Kevin Sorbo as a baptizing reverend? What? Lesley-Anne Down is terrible as Margaret Thatcher. I’ll admit I have a soft spot for Xander Berkeley, who always plays spineless leaders on TV shows, as George Schultz.      

ARTISTIC STUFF: The de-aging of Quaid looks pretty good. The de-aging of Voight is disturbing for some reason. Maria pointed out that the jellybeans used were not decade accurate. They were more like recent Jelly Bellys instead of old school beans. The soundtrack to the film is pretty lame. There’s a final horse riding scene that almost seemed Titanic-like with its ethereal music send-off accompanied by tearful Nancy and secret service. Just awful.

VERDICT: One stars out of five (for Quaid)
SEE IT IF: You’re unable to wait to waste time watching it on a streamer
UPCOMING REVIEW:  Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice