The Best and Worst Dressed at this Year's Oscars

While I will be continuing on with the OVP for 2015 and finishing up a few reviews from some of the nominated films (including the Live Action Shorts, of which I did catch Monday to continue my streak!), this will be the last review regarding the actual Oscars themselves.  If you missed it earlier this week, here was my review of the ceremony in general, but now we're going to dive into that other aspect of the Oscars everyone loves so well, the fashions.  This year, while it wasn't nearly as exciting for me fashion-wise as it usually is (despite having some of my favorite fashion plates there), there's always something to love (and something to eyeroll) so let's take a look.

Best-Dressed

10. Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive

I know this was one of those love-it-or-hate-it dresses, but I was in the former's camp.  I loved the coloring, the way that Blanchett is constantly just going for broke in terms of fashion (name me anyone else who could pull off a dress this complicated so well on the red carpet), and her continual push to break up the solo-shade, strapless army of dresses that cascade through the red carpet.

9. Tina Fey in Versace

I'm going to be honest here, I don't recall ever putting Tina Fey on a best-dressed list, as usually her red carpet looks aren't my style, but this va-va-voom dress (of course from Versace) is a treat and a great way to stand-out since it's so a-characteristic of Fey's usual.  Bonus points to making the necklace pop with an up-do.

8. Kate Winslet in Ralph Lauren

The other love-it-or-hate-it dress that I was enamored with, Kate Winslet's "oil-slick" dress, as others were calling it out, was eye-popping and may have been the first time in years that an unadorned black dress on the red carpet actually worked for me.  I love the long tresses in a year where up-do's were everywhere, and the color in the earrings popped nicely against the neutral coloring of the gown.

7. Priyanka Chopra in Zuhair Murad

Chopra made a splash in her first Oscars appearance.  The white translucent gown is gorgeous and ties neatly with the costume-jewelry style rings, but I think what really sets this apart for me is the belt.  I'm not wild about belts and gowns intertwining, but it's so striking and doesn't feel added-on but as part of the dress that it was a big win for me.

6. Margot Robbie in Tom Ford

I'm in love with this Margot Robbie gown.  Combining "hey Oscar notice me!" gold with a gorgeously sexy cut ala Dynasty, and then tied together with a handbag that has a sleek black trail. Black-and-gold is such a tough combo to tackle without looking gaudy, but for me this was a romping success.

5. Brie Larson in Gucci

I know some have called this a prom dress, but teenage girls should be so lucky.  The skirt is elegant and I love the way it feathers, the belt ornaments the dress nicely and keeps it from not being washed out, and I like that we actually get straps here as I feel like no one goes there anymore.

4. Jennifer Garner in Atelier Versace

Looking good is the bet revenge, and every year we see at least one jilted actress on the red carpet get a chorus of "what was he thinking?" and this year it was Garner, who looked sexier than I've ever seen her in an asymmetrical Versace.  Bonus points for the jewelry, which make the look even more regal.

3. Dev Patel in Burberry

Proving that, yes, men should also be asked whom they're wearing Chris Rock, Dev Patel took male-best-dressed in this sleek and modern Burberry.  I didn't quite think that I'd love the suit not matching the shoes, but the tie keeps a great balance and I'm obsessed with the more unkempt hair and beard.  I have no idea why Patel was at the ceremony this year (does he have anything to promote coming up?), but he at least looked the part.

2. Isla Fisher in Marchesa

Gorgeous.  The makeup is perfect, easily the best of the night, and I loved the vintage-meets-princess sort of styling of the dress, which matches Fisher's rom-com sort of persona.  Bonus points for going with a pattern in a night where almost no one else attempted one successfully.

1. Naomi Watts in Armani Prive

Perfection.  The chic box handbag with the intense diamond necklace are grand accessories to Watts' flowing indigo-and-magenta gown.  If you're not a nominee or a presenter and want to stand out on the red carpet, take a risk, and that's what Watts does flawlessly here.

Worst-Dressed

5. Amy Poehler in Andrew Gn

Every year there's at least one person who wears a dress that makes it look like it was made from your Great Aunt Ruth's curtains.  That would be Amy Poehler this year, who also picked a dress that made her look heavier than she is, which is hard to do for someone so pixie-like.

4. Olivia Wilde in Valentino

One of my most-hated morning-after dress comments is "she looked beautiful" because this is Hollywood-everyone is beautiful in an almost impossible way, and that's more than true for Olivia Wilde.  However, the dress is hideous and looks like it is put on backwards with the high-waist and J. Lo-style decolletage.

3. Kevin Hart in Dolce & Gabbana

Kevin Hart looks like he borrowed this from an old Siegfried & Roy act.  The shiny shoes on-top of the shinier lapels is a gigantic swing and miss.

2. Heidi Klum in Marchesa

Klum, no stranger to worst-dressed lists went for a prom dress that looks like it went through a deli slicer when it was tailored.  Even the coloring is bad, considering how it washes out the blonde supermodel.

1. Jared Leto in Gucci

Never, ever, EVER should a tie be substituted for a fake mum.  Never.  This is the most hideous thing I've seen a guy wear on a red carpet since...well, probably Jared Leto last year.  The hair is also a gigantic miss, as it is pulled back so tightly it calls into question his botox usage.

Sisters (2015)

Film: Sisters (2015)
Stars: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz, Dianne Wiest, James Brolin, John Cena
Director: Jason Moore
Oscar History: No nominations
Snap Judgment Ranking: 2/5 stars

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are always funny.  It feels physically impossible for the two of them, when brought together, not to create some sort of massive humor and that's clearly on-display with Sisters, their rather lucrative (on what is purportedly a $30 million budget, the film has now made nearly $100 million, a tidy sum that will surely greenlight any project they want to do together in the future) new movie that is trying to coast off their mountains of goodwill from stellar performances at the Golden Globes and two massive bestsellers.  Whether or not Sisters was going to be funny was never in doubt, however, and that doesn't necessarily make it a good movie.  From the outset, the film's script is pretty sophomoric, and aside from occasionally trying to be interesting, it falls principally into cliche (look-adults can be crazy too!) and never reaches the sort of sharpness that Fey and Poehler's TV shows have so consistently achieved.

(Spoilers Ahead) Perhaps the biggest issue on display in Sisters is that its plot is exactly what you expect it to be.  On 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, while the end result usually gave us something to anticipate, the middle would get into weird and oftentimes crazy areas, a combination that made for wry and endearing humor.  The shows intelligently commented on things like groupthink and the culture around us, but Sisters is far more likely to comment on cliche.  I loved the way that Fey/Poehler reversed what you'd expect from the casting department (here Fey is playing the loser while Poehler is playing the uptight planner), but that's pretty much the only way that the film actually stops our expectations.  Every single plot point is spelled out in the trailer, from the odd relationships the two sisters have with their lives, romances, and each other, to the fact that they don't want their parents to sell their childhood home despite having little connection to the place after so many years away from it.

This cliche causes the laughter to be kept at about the minimum possible between Poehler and Fey.  The actresses, along with the likes of Maya Rudolph and Samantha Bee, are too funny not to land a few of the gags, and in particular Rudolph's uptight suburban mom and her feud with Fey's Kate is probably the film's comic high-point as it shows the pettiness of high school and how far it carries, and in particular it gives Rudolph a moment to flex her histrionic side, which we know from years of watching Saturday Night Live is a forte for her.  Otherwise, though, it's a series of mishaps and misadventures that you see coming a mile away (you just know it'll be Bobby Moynihan's joking loser that will end up taking the cocaine and the Asian nail salon stereotypes border more on the racist than the amusing).

Honestly, if it weren't Poehler and Fey I'd be fine with settling for just funny.  After all, funny is what you're hoping for and I've been to comedies many times where they couldn't even make me laugh, much less give me time to complain about the plot (this movie made me laugh, there's no doubt about that), but these two are comic geniuses, and when given strong enough writing they truly create something magical.  Paula Pell did many years at Saturday Night Live and made memorable guest spots on both actresses' TV shows, but she lacks the sharpness that Fey brought to something like Mean Girls or 30 Rock.  In a year where Melissa McCarthy hit comedic heights in Spy and Amy Schumer became a star through Trainwreck, it has to be said that Fey/Poehler, the Matthau and Lemmon of their era, should have been able to bring more of their A-Game after so much anticipation.

Those are my thoughts on these two-what are yours?  Are you disappointed like I am in how Sisters turned out, or are my expectations too high?  Are you (like me) still hoping to see something truly special from these two on the big-screen?  And when is someone going to give Maya Rudolph the lead in a movie?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

2015 Emmy Predictions: The Comedies

The fun thing about the Emmys is that there are no precursors (at least none that have remotely shown their ability to predict the winners yet, so a lot of it is based on gut and history, and since the Emmy Awards will be later this month on September 20th, I figured it was time for to get my predictions out into the world.  Without further adieu, here are my predictions for the 2015 Emmy Awards in Comedy (we'll do Drama and Miniseries later this week):

(As a reminder I don't do Runners-Up or Second Place for predictions as I think that's kind of copping out)

Best Comedy Series

Louie
Modern Family
Parks and Recreation
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Veep

The Lowdown: One of the last strongholds of the broadcast networks disappeared this year, as ABC and NBC now find themselves in the minority compared with FX, Netflix, Amazon, and of course HBO.  Does that mean that the winner, who has been Modern Family for years, may falter?  If it manages to win it will officially break its tie with Frasier and become the most-honored show in the history of the category, but I feel like enough people don't want that to happen that it won't make it (though, like last year, it could well benefit from vote-splitting).  My money is on either Transparent or Veep-Transparent has the advantage of having never lost before (this category likes to honor from the beginning), but Veep has been overdue for a while and has the advantage of coming off what many consider its finest season.  I wouldn't be surprised by either, but I'm going with...
My Prediction: Veep

Best Actor in a Comedy

Anthony Anderson, Blackish
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis CK, Louie
Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

The Lowdown: Without perennial winner Jim Parsons included (easily the biggest surprise of Emmy nomination morning), it's looking more-and-more likely that Jeffrey Tambor will walk away with the trophy.  Honestly I can't imagine any of the other men making it, as only CK is in a Best Series nominee and it's hardly what one would consider the best season of Louie.  Tambor on the other hand is in the zeitgeist hit, is a TV veteran, and has actually been nominated seven times at the Emmy Awards without picking up the trophy.
My Prediction: Jeffrey Tambor

Best Actress in a Comedy

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

The Lowdown: Julianne Moore has an Oscar.  Kelli O'Hara has a Tony.  Will Emmy follow through and finally end Amy Poehler's losing streak?  The thirteen-time nominee would be a slam dunk, in my opinion, were she not already certain to get an award at the Creative Arts Emmys for hosting the Golden Globes.  As a result, I think the raves for Veep and the fact that no one else other than perhaps Schumer (who could pull something similar to Melissa McCarthy a few years ago considering they were both newfound movie stars in the wake of a first-time Emmy acting nomination) has a shot means that JLD may well nab her sixth Emmy Award.
My Prediction: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Adam Driver, Girls
Tony Hale, Veep
Keegan Michael Key, Key and Peele

The Lowdown: With only one Modern Family guy in contention, it's not out of the question that Ty Burrell takes a third trophy here, despite how many people have written off MF and its awards chances.  The reality is that the Emmys like to repeat, and he's clearly quite popular with the Academy (the same can be said for Tony Hale, also a contender).  That being said, I suspect they'll go for new blood and while Unbreakable ended up underwhelming a little bit (by not nabbing Ellie Kemper a citation for her starring role), there's a good chance that its major haul will result in at least one trophy, so I imagine Burgess takes home his first award.
My Prediction: Tituss Burgess

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent
Allison Janney, Mom
Jane Krawkoski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Niecy Nash, Getting On

The Lowdown: I still can't get past Niecy Nash's nomination here-absolutely out of nowhere for a series very few people have heard of, though she's been a TV trouper for so many years I'm guessing (and hoping) she's enjoying this moment.  The rest of the contenders all probably have their eyes a bit more focused on a win, though the eight-wide field makes vote-splitting likely, which surely will help perennial Emmy champ (she has six) Allison Janney in her quest for a seventh.  If Unbreakable is stronger than I suspect Jane Krakowski could get in (she's a 4-time loser and it could be "time") or if Veep is stronger consistent nominee Anna Chlumsky could also make it, but I think Janney has to be considered the favorite at this point.
My Prediction: Allison Janney

Those are my predictions-what are yours?  Who are you rooting for on Emmy night?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

25 Random Thoughts on the Emmy Nominations

Emmy-nominated presenters Uzo Aduba and Cat Deeley

Well, it's time for one of my favorite features here on the blog-the post-nominations random train-of-thought list of what I thought coming out of this morning's Emmy nominations.  Each awards show I run down the 25 totally random things that go through my head as I slowly memorize the nominations.  Shall we take a look?

1. Anyone else think it was odd that they picked two surefire nominees (Uzo Aduba and Cat Deeley) to present the nominations?  Neither of them looked actually surprised by their own nominations (just for their show's).

2. Really?  The Emmys skipped Empire, arguably the buzziest show on television (and it's on a major network...the major network, in fact, that is airing the Emmys this year!), to once again go with Downton Abbey and Homeland.  Only Taraji P. Henson scored major love for the series, as Terence Howard, Jussie Smollett, and Jennifer Hudson all were left in the cold as well.

3. Really-Naked and Afraid is an Emmy nominee?!?  Really?!?!?!?!  Why not just nominate the Kardashians while we're at it.  This is why I hate reality television.

4. Jim Parsons' snub has to be the story of the morning, particularly considering Mayim Bialik made it.  I have to say, though, that The Big Bang Theory was bordering on unwatchable this past season-even the Amy/Sheldon/Penny trio episodes weren't any good.  And the sexism and homophobia was entering Two and a Half Men territory.  Perhaps this is the end?

5. Modern Family is losing this year-only two nominated regulars?  It's down to the bare minimum at this point, and I suspect Veep or Transparent makes the cut instead.

6. Does anyone actually watch Episodes or House of Lies?

7. I actually think that, barring Amy Schumer totally dominating the conversation, that Amy Poehler could finally break her streak this year.

8. DANDY MOTT!!!!!!

9. Also, if you're into that sort of thing, TATIANA MASLANY!!!!

10. Between the Empire snubs, Kerry Washington being skipped, and Gina Rodriguez also not making it, there may be some credence to an EmmysSoWhite hashtag.

11. Do we really need eight nominees for Supporting Actress?  I honestly have never even heard of that Niecy Nash show.  Not that she's whom I would cut (gotta love a first-time nominee), but just saying.

12. Jon Hamm will win an Emmy this year...but not for Mad Men.  His Reverend Wayne is the funniest thing I've seen in a while...also the picture the Emmys picked for Hamm may be the handsomest I've ever seen.

13. Could Guest Actress in a Comedy be more boring-Joan Cusack, Christine Baranski, and Elizabeth Banks have been playing these roles for years-come on Emmy, promote them to supporting or let it go.  The same for Michael J. Fox and Beau Bridges over in Drama Guest.

14. I am so excited that Moss, Hamm, and Hendricks all made it for the final season-here's to hoping one of them finally wins.  Also, I'm super pumped by the Game of Thrones nominations.

15. If I have to endure as many years of Breaking Bad's ubiquity with Better Call Saul, I will no longer watch the Emmys.

16. Ha!  Grace of Monaco after all of that critical drubbing somehow landed on Best TV Movie!  I hope Nicole shows up.

17. David Oyelowo also looks very fetching in his Emmy photo...and will win this as a makeup for his Oscar snub (as well as for being in a stunningly weak field-where's Bill Paxton?).

18. Every single one of the Best Actress in a Miniseries nominees is an Oscar nominee or winner.  This feels a little bit like a cheap way to pick up an EGOT as a result.  Also, why not just throw Kidman in there while you're at it?

19. Will Emmy prove it's more about the performance or the politics?  That's what Mo'Nique is asking...probably about Finn Wittrock and his need to win an Emmy (just kidding-glad to see Mo back acting-I am guessing she wins as well).

20. It bums me out royally that all of the Variety Talk Series nominees star straight white men.  Talented straight white men, but still.

21. Tress Macneille gets her first Emmy nomination after over 450 episodes of The Simpsons!  Huzzah!  Also suspiciously perennial nominee Harry Shearer is nowhere to be seen (perhaps the TV Academy didn't like his temper tantrum?).

22. Amy Poehler at least will win for writing the Globes even if Julia Louis-Dreyfus wins again.

23. There's an Emmy category for Best Narrator?  Also, Miranda Richardson is the narrator of National Geographic Wild?

24. Can Rachel Portman get an Emmy to go along with her Oscar for scoring Bessie?

25. I hate Anthony Bourdain-Klum/Gunn, Bergeron, Lynch, Deeley-don't care who wins as long as it's not Bourdain.

And there you have it-my thoughts on this morning's Emmy nominations.  What about yours?  I suspect you have thoughts, so let's get them out in the open!  Click the comments below!

OVP: Inside Out (2015)

Film: Inside Out (2015)
Stars: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Richard Kind
Director: Pete Docter
Oscar History: 2 nominations/1 win (Best Animated Feature*, Original Screenplay)
Snap Judgment Ranking: 4/5 stars

Pixar has been on the naughty list lately, hasn't it?  Honestly since Toy Story 3 has anyone really been excited about the crew over there?  Cars 2, Monsters University, even Brave hasn't aged marvelously (though it's a strong picture that, had it come out in 2006, we'd all be a lot kinder to).  Plus, the new news seems like a list of disappoinments: constant sequels (including the vomit-inducing Toy Story 4) and persistent threats from studios like Laika over who should actually be wearing the Cartoon Crown. As a result, something like Inside Out, inventive, original, and shiny was bound to stand-out, but I'll admit here I was leery.  After drowning in bad movies, perhaps a taste of the old Pixar was going to make us think we were doused in Dom Perignon, rather than just tasting a solid merlot.  The hyperbole for this film was reaching a fever pitch when I saw the film's reviews (Kris Tapley over at In Contention called it the finest Pixar film ever made, which feels a bit much even if it is-wait a few weeks buddy).  Still, I went in ready to be surprised and delighted, and for the most part I was.

(Spoilers Ahead) The film follows five emotions in the mind of one little girl named Riley: Joy (Poehler), Sadness (Smith), Anger (Black), Disgust (Kaling), and Fear (Hader).  Joy and Sadness throw Riley's world into disarray when they accidentally are sucked out of Headquarters and brought into long-term memory, leaving Anger, Disgust, and Fear to try and control Riley, which is pretty much a recipe for any young girl's teen years, and things turn out exactly how you would expect.  The film follows Joy and Sadness as they bound through Riley's mind alongside her former imaginary friend Bing Bong (Kind), and they learn to appreciate one another and what they bring to Riley's world.

The film's best attributes, and it has a lot of them, are all surrounding the world-creating.  Few films have done that so well-every corner of Riley's mind feels like a new jewel to uncover, whether we're in Imagination Land or on the Train of Thought, this is inventive and creative Pixar, a vintage look at a new world reminiscent of Monsters Inc.  The movie really deserves a nomination for Art Direction, which I doubt would happen (animated films never seem to be cited outside of the sound tech categories), but I think you're going to be hard-pressed to find a more fascinatingly complete world-view in a movie this year.

The world is also complete because we have six instantly lovable characters in the five emotions and Bing Bong.  Pixar's casing prowess (where it towers over pretty much every other studio) shows here in a way not felt since Finding Nemo.  We have the ideally cast Amy Poehler, who is just beloved enough right now for everyone to adore her (ala Ellen) but not quite overexposed yet (like, admittedly, Ellen a few years after Nemo).  The rest of the cast is also ideal, with Bill Hader's nervous vocals joining Mindy Kaling's dismissive alto to Lewis Black's constant passion.  Best of all is Phyllis Smith, most known for playing Phyllis on The Office, who is marvelous as Sadness, a character who doesn't quite get herself and just has a hint of the goth to make her funny, while always being very relatable.  Honestly-there's not a false note in Smith's work, and while I know the Annie Awards don't usually shine to Pixar, it'd be a damn shame if she didn't get a nomination for Best Vocal Work this year.  These six characters all feel very cohesive and work well in the world-they don't feel like added characters just to sell Happy Meals, but instead feel authentic to the story-you actually want to collect them all, not out of OCD but out of liking each one.

The film's faults are few (while Tapley was wrong to call this the best Pixar movie, it's definitely the best Pixar film since Up, and possibly even since WALL-E), but they're there.  The movie occasionally ventures into the cute and cloying with the minds of the parents, for example (going for cheap stereotypical jokes and having all of the emotions in their heads be the same gender, despite Riley being a conglomerate of male and female), and the film's darker edges get a bit glossed over in the final, happy ending.  Overall though, this is a serious step in the right direction for Pixar-a creative endeavor that actually feels like something we'd be proud to watch during Pixar's heyday, rather than just a rescue from a downward spiral.

Those are my thoughts-what are yours?  What did you think of Pixar's latest film?  And where does it rank on the studio's list of movies?  Share in the comments!

Emmy Predictions: The Comedies

Yesterday we went through the Emmy predictions for the drama categories, so it only makes sense that we give comedies their due today.  Let's see below how things turn out in what has basically been the Modern Family categories for the past five years.

Best Comedy Series

1. Modern Family
2. Veep
3. The Big Bang Theory
4. Transparent
5. Louie
6. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
7. Silicon Valley

The Lowdown: Before you start to complain, yes, I do think that Modern Family will almost certainly lose this season-the backlash is too high and it's at a point where it might pick up an acting trophy still, but the big enchilada is out of its reach.  However, this is a prediction for the nominations, and it would be a massive upset if it missed a nomination, so it gets the top post, as do all of last year's eligible nominees.  With Orange is the New Black now over in drama and the field expanded, that still leaves room for two, and because of the buzz I'm going with the Tina Fey-creation Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and the zeitgeist-y Transparent over Jane the Virgin, though I feel like there might be a contingency of the Academy that wants to honor the CW for finally having a show that could compete here.  If there's a surprise, it's Jane.

Best Actor in a Comedy Series

1. Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)
2. Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
3. Louis CK (Louie)
4. William H. Macy (Shameless)
5. Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
6. Don Cheadle (House of Lies)

The Lowdown: That yawn you're feeling is collective, but what do you expect me to do here?  This is a category that has seen finer days and is one that the Emmys just keep repeating and repeating and repeating.  It says something that I went with five of last year's nominees (Ricky Gervais in Derek wasn't eligible) and the new guy is a six-time Emmy nominee who is almost certain to win.  The only other major names are Billy Crystal in The Comedians and Anthony Anderson in Black-ish, neither of which are what you'd call new-and-exciting nominees.  At least Tambor has never won before so we'll be crossing him off the list of actors who needed an Emmy this year.

Best Actress in a Comedy Series

1. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
2. Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
3. Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
4. Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
5. Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback)
6. Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin)

The Lowdown: Unlike its comedic male counterpart but very much like its dramatic female counterpart, Lead Actress in a Comedy seems like a race both for nominations and for wins.  We'll have to wait a few months to see if Amy Poehler gets a sentimental trophy after years of chasing one for Parks (though it seems likely she'll win for hosting the Globes so it might not be as emotional as we would like) or whether JLD gets another trophy, but both are in, as is perennial nominee Edie Falco.  Lisa Kudrow got in about a decade ago for Valerie Cherish, and I think she has enough pull to make it again, as does Ellie Kemper as the title character on Kimmy Schmidt.  For the final slot, I could have gone with legends Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin for Grace & Frankie, but I have a feeling they'll cancel each other out (though Tomlin has a slight advantage in the polls), and Amy Schumer might have made it in a less-charged field, but I think that the new star buzz of Gina Rodriguez is going to get her just over the finish line (and potentially throw a monkey wrench in the process in the JLD v. Amy Poehler battle).

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

1. Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
2. Tony Hale (Veep)
3. Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
4. Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
5. Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)
6. Hugh Laurie (Veep)

The Lowdown: It's always hard to tell which of the Modern Family guys is going to randomly make it and which aren't, so I'm going with the two from last year again and calling it a day (it could really be any combination of the four, though Burrell surely has to make it).  Tony Hale and Andre Braugher are mandatory nominees at this point, and I suspect that Tituss Burgess is not only going to be the new man on the block, but probably will end up winning for his scene-stealing Titus.  Finishing off the category could well be Hugh Laurie, a longtime Emmy bridesmaid still in the hunt for his first trophy.  Depending on the strength of Grace & Frankie Martin Sheen or Sam Waterston, both Emmy perennials themselves could also make it, as could bonafide movie star Chris Pratt (lest we forget George Clooney started gaining nominations when he began headlining movies), but I'm sticking with these six for now.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

1. Allison Janney (Mom)
2. Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
3. Anna Chlumsky (Veep)
4. Judith Light (Transparent)
5. Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
6. Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory)

The Lowdown: I feel like the Top 5 are set in stone.  You have endless nominees like Janney and Bowen, Kate McKinnon who is basically just getting warm-up citations for next year, when she will likely win for her Hillary Clinton election-season performance (she's the new Amy Poehler, except I think she might actually take it), Anna Chlumsky who benefits from a less competitive field and two previous nominations to have a base of support, and Judith Light, a TV icon who has only one nomination to her name and has a plum role in a major series.  The final slot comes down to a few questions.  I feel like love for The Big Bang Theory slipped quite a bit this season, and Bialik is vulnerable despite three previous nods for the same role, but there's only really two contenders who could take her out.  One is Sofia Vergara, who is on a show that people are also a bit tired of (and let's face it, hasn't had the best year, press-wise) and the other is a new show with Emmy favorite Jane Krakowski (Kimmy Schmidt), which could be stronger than we expect, but her role is definitely the third showiest-will that be enough?  I could honestly see Vergara or Krakowski both sneaking in at this point, but without some more proof I'm sticking with Bialik.

And there you have it-we still have Miniseries to go, but in the meantime, share your thoughts on whom you think should and will win, and which nominees I was crazy to skip!

Five Burning Questions from Last Night's Golden Globes

So, we now have the kickoff to the winner’s season.  While the Oscar nominations technically haven’t even been announced yet, we’re really already in the thick of deciding who is going to win on March 2^nd.  Who can take the trophy in J. Law vs. Lupita?  Is McConaughey about to carry the day along with Jared, or can Chiwetel take over?  If Amy and Tina host the Emmys can Poehler finally win that damn trophy?!?  And then, there’s these five major questions that the Hollywood Foreign Press posed last night:

1. The Fifth Slot: Amy Adams or Meryl Streep

Amy Adams win over Meryl Streep is not a surprise, despite what you may have read this morning-a nomination at the Oscars doesn’t necessarily mean a Globe win in the same category if you’re the only contender, particularly when you’ve won twice in the past five years.  That being said, it is very rare to win a Globe and then go on to have one of your “defeated” get nominated when you don’t with AMPAS.  In the past twenty years, eighty performances have won Globes for lead actors, and seventeen have gone on to not receive an Oscar nomination in the same year (all but one of the misses being in Comedy).

However, only five have missed and then had one of their defeated get into the Oscar race:

-Jim Carrey for The Truman Show (beat eventual Oscar nominees Tom Hanks, Nick Nolte, and Ian McKellen)

-Jim Carrey for Man on the Moon (beat eventual Oscar nominee Sean Penn)

-Richard Gere for Chicago (beat eventual Oscar nominee Nicolas Cage)

-Madonna for Evita (beat eventual Oscar WINNER Frances McDormand)

-Renee Zellweger for Nurse Betty (beat eventual Oscar nominee Juliette Binoche)

As you can see, all five actors who were snubbed were non-nominees at the time, being substituted for, in all but one case, people who had nominated before and most of the upsets were by actors who were in major Best Picture contenders.  This doesn’t bode well for Streep.  Her film is a longshot Oscar contender, while Adams has a Best Picture frontrunner.  Additionally, Streep, while a legend at the Oscars, is losing buzz at the exact wrong moment, and has been for weeks while Adams (who is no Academy slouch with four nominations, including one for starring opposite Streep) is gaining rapidly.  Add in the fact that Streep recently won (in a win that has raised eyebrows) and you have a recipe for a major snub.

Two things pop out of this: one, there’s actually two situations where a Globe winner beat someone who is presumed to be amongst the nominees (Leo beating Bruce Dern-perhaps this could be major trouble for Robert Redford?) and Adams being the only non-winner makes the race a bit harder for Blanchett.  After five nominations, many people would feel Adams is “due,” and though she can’t beat Blanchett with SAG, she could pull a Christoph Waltz and come in at the Oscars.

2. Is Andy Samberg the latest SNL-er to get a show perpetually renewed despite low ratings due to critical acclaim?

Following in the grand tradition of Tina Fey’s 30 Rock and Amy Poehler’s Parks and Recreation, we now have Samberg’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine taking two super stunning Globes last night, including Best Comedy Series.  The Globes occasionally like to put their stamp on a new series (they’re the first major awards show who gets a crack at the fall season), but FOX is not the same as NBC-they don’t have Lorne Michaels looking out for the show.  FOX seems to really dig the series, though, which should help-I suspect it at least finishes the season.

3. Is this the moment American Hustle takes the lead over 12 Years?

If you look at last night, American Hustle clearly had the better night of the two.  Though neither pulled off Screenplay or Director, Hustle did take the one head-to-head victory (Lawrence over Nyong’o) and Hustle also has the more famous movie stars shilling its product (12 Years has come and gone).  I think one could call Hustle the very tentative frontrunner, but let’s not count out 12 Years-the fact that it took the top trophy after major losses for McQueen and Nyong’o earlier says that the Globes know it’s the frontrunner and needed something (otherwise this would have gone to Gravity).  The better question is can McQueen pick up the DGA, which will be a crucial piece of this prize since Hustle is bound to win the SAG Award?

4. Does The Great Beauty become this year’s In a Better World?

A few years back, In a Better World got the best news of its awards run when Of Gods and Men somehow got skipped in the Best Foreign Film race-it had a strong shot at the win, and its lack of a slot on the shortlist reshaped the race.  In a Better World managed the Globe that year over the starrier Biutiful and I Am Love (similar to this year, where Blue is the Warmest Color got passed over), and went on to ride its semi-well known director (at least internationally) and its Globe win to a victory at the Kodak.

All of this seems to mirror The Great Beauty rather closely-with The Past, Blue is the Warmest Color, and Wadjda all out of the running, there’s a large void for a winner here.  I had thought we might see The Hunt or The Notebook rise to that slot, but this may have given The Great Beauty a major arrow in its quiver.

5. How Much Does a Bad Speech Matter?

This isn’t about Jacqueline Bisset (who is enough of a diva that she can get away with ramblings), but instead it’s about Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto and their bizarre speeches.  I feel like McConaughey will be sober at the remaining ceremonies, which will probably help, but his weird “dude-isms” won’t sit well with older voters watching from home, and neither will Leto’s odd segways.  People can get away with terrible speeches all season long (Jennifer Connelly, anyone?), but it doesn’t help, especially since you’ve got some really charming and respected competitors (Hanks, Leo, Redford, Dern, Cooper, and Fassbender all come to mind) in both categories that would love a chance at the podium, and will get one with at least BAFTA where McConaughey and Leto aren't nominated.

Those are what was running through my head this morning-what about you?  What do you think the above answers will be?  And what were your burning questions after last night?

Top 10 Women Who Should Join Twitter

While I was doing my daily check-in with all things social media yesterday (anyone else find Pinterest particularly slow?), I was thinking about the people who I wish were on Twitter, but are not.  I started to make a list for a post, in fact, and ended up with six women listed before I got to a guy, and so I figured I’d make this post gender-specific.  Here are the ten women I wish were on Twitter but aren’t:

10. Catherine Deneuve

The gorgeous, icy French actress recently turned seventy (Happy birthday!) and is an icon of French cinema.  She’s worked with Roman Polanski, Luis Bunuel, Francois Truffaut, Jacque Demy, and Lars von Trier-you know those five combined have some epic stories she could start sending out (seriously-has this woman written a memoir?)  She’s also very politically active and is a fashion icon.  Who wouldn’t want to follow her?

9. Sofia Coppola

I promise this list won’t be made up entirely of enigmatic, fashionable women (okay, I don’t promise that at all-if I was straight I’d clearly end up turning into Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity, brought down by my own personal Barbara Stanwyck).  Coppola regularly finds herself making interesting movies and gallivanting around the world to film festivals and New York and Italy.  For the record, I also think that all of these people should be on Instagram in addition to Twitter.

8. Jacki Weaver

Have you ever seen Jacki Weaver, the deliciously talented woman who won our 2010 OVP Award, in an interview or a speech?  She’s an utter delight-regularly talking about her ex-husbands/lovers and her experiences with directors and her love of acting.  Throw in some recent Senate polling numbers and that’s basically all my Twitter feed is.  Melissa Leo is there Jacki-sign yourself up!

7. Patti LuPone

LuPone is the grand dame of Broadway-every young actress on Broadway wants to be her (and, let’s face it, so do a lot of young actors).  LuPone, though, has something vital to being a great presence on Twitter-she has opinions.  Lots and lots of opinions-she takes great stances about audience etiquette on Broadway (a worthy topic) and wrote a deeply juicy memoir a few years back that would translate well to the occasional shade-throwing tweet.

6. Meryl Streep

In my heart, of course, Meryl is always first place, but that would be too expected so I'll keep her in sixth.  Meryl is funny, elegant, charming, and always nails every interview that she’s ever done.  Plus, she’s worked with every single person in Hollywood, so you know she’d be having great back-and-forths with Jane Fonda or Leo DiCaprio on Twitter.  Come, join the party Meryl!

5. Lauren Bacall

For a while there, there was a rather popular fake Bacall Twitter feed where the Oscar-winning actress slammed Twilight and made up saucy stories about her fellow Golden Age stars.  Wouldn’t it be a hoot to have the frank and delicious real thing on Twitter, telling us what it was like to go to the Brown Derby with Vivien Leigh and Joan Crawford?

4. Pippa Middleton

I know the rest of the world might be “over” her (she’s not even a godparent, sad face), but I cannot get enough.  My day is instantly brightened with some sort of Pippa news and I am waiting to see when she’s engaged.  Plus, this is the closest I’m going to ever get to Kate joining, and you know that Pippa would snap a few candids with nephew George!

3. Tilda Swinton

Doesn’t it feel like Tilda Swinton, who is so intensely quotable and always popping up in some avant garde conversation, is already on Twitter?  It does, but she isn’t, and it needs to be rectified.  The Oscar-winning actress is a fountain of great opinions, is constantly working on interesting projects and with hip artists, and is a fashion icon.  Who doesn’t want to see what Tilda wears on laundry day, or if Tilda Swinton has a laundry day?

2. Jennifer Lawrence

Lawrence has famously taken a stance against Twitter, but we all weren’t going to join Twitter until we did, so it’s just a matter of time Jen.  More than any other actor of her generation, Lawrence isn’t afraid to go there with a naughty story or a saucy aside.  Twitter was born for Jennifer Lawrence to join-let’s get a behind-the-scenes look-pretty please Katniss!

1. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

Only an idiot would need me to explain why this is something we all need more than oxygen and water.

Those are my ten (err…eleven)-what are yours?  Which famous ladies (or gents) would you like to see on Twitter?