My Big Bold 2011 Emmy Winner Predictions

This Sunday Sept 18th is television’s big night, the Emmy Awards honoring the best on the tube in the past year. Emmy winner Jane Lynch (Glee) is up for another award this year and is our fearless host for the show that airs live at 8pm on the East coast (5pm for ya’ll on my side of the country). It should be a great show and we could see a wide variety of winners. However, I think the two big races will look like repeats from last year with Modern Family and Mad Men repeating in the Comedy and Drama categories… So, who else do I think will and should win? Take a look at my big bold perhaps clueless Emmy winner predictions below and watch the big show on Sunday night on Fox.

My Big Bold 2011 Emmy Winner Predictions~

Drama Series:
Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Mad Men
Will win: Mad Men
Should win: The Good Wife
Spoiler: Boardwalk Empire

Comedy Series:
The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, The Office, 30 Rock
Will & Should win: Modern Family
Spoiler: Parks and Recreation

Lead Actor Drama Series:
Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Hugh Laurie (House), Timothy Olyphant (Justified)
Will win: Jon Hamm
Should win: Michael C. Hall (hello, he’s never won, what???… yeah, it’s just my personal thing. However, apparently Jon Hamm really does deserve it for his submission episode “The Suitcase”)
Spoiler: Steve Buscemi

Lead Actress Drama Series:
Kathy Bates (Harry’s Law), Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), Mirielle Enos (The Killing), Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU), Juliana Marguiles (The Good Wife), Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men)
Will & Should win: Juliana Marguiles
Spoiler: Elizabeth Moss

Lead Actor Comedy Series:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Steve Carrell (The Office), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Louis C.K. (Louie), Matt LeBlanc (Episodes), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Will & Should win: Steve Carrell
Spoiler: Jim Parsons

Lead Actress Comedy Series:
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Laura Linney (The Big C), Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly), Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Will & Should win: Amy Poehler (yes, I’m going out on a big limb here)
Spoiler (and a very deserving one): Laura Linney (she’s never lost an Emmy race mind you… but she already has 3 of em!)

Supporting Actor Drama Series:
Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age), Josh Charles (The Good Wife), Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Walter Goggins (Justified), John Slattery (Mad Men)
Will win: Alan Cumming
Should win: Peter Dinklage
Spoiler: Walter Goggins
~this one is a serious horse race. Any of them could prevail

Supporting Actress Drama Series:
Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Michelle Forbes (The Killing), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Kelly MacDonald (Boardwalk Empiret), Margo Martindale (Justified), Archie Penjabi (The Good Wife)
Will & Should win: Margo Martindale
(I have a soft spot for Michelle Forbes though and would be thrilled if she pulled off an upset)
Spoiler: Archie Penjabi

Supporting Actor Comedy Series:
Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Chris Colfer (Glee), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Ed O’Neil (Modern Family), Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Will win: Ty Burrell
Should win: Chris Colfer
Spoiler: Eric Stonestreet (seriously, it could be anyone but Cryer and I’d be happy)

Supporting Actress Comedy Series:
Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Jane Lynch (Glee), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live), Betty White (Hot in Cleveland)
Will win: Betty White
Should win: Julie Bowen (even though White is still super awesome)
Spoiler: Jane Lynch (she has an amazing episode submission dealing with the softer side of Sue Sylvester and her sister’s death)

TV Movie/Miniseries:
Cinema Verite, Donwtown Abbey, The Kennedys, Mildred Pierce, The Pillars of the Earth, Too Big Too Fail
Will win: Downtown Abbey
Should win: Cinema Verite
Spoiler: Mildred Pierce (it was the most nominated program of the year by the way and that always helps)

Lead Actor TV Movie/Miniseries:
Idris Elba (Luther), Laurence Fishburne (Thurgood), William Hurt (Too Big To Fail),Greg Kinnear (The Kennedys), Barry Pepper (The Kennedys), Edgar Ramirez (Carlos),
Will win: William Hurt
Should win: Barry Pepper
Spoiler: Edgar Ramirez

Lead Actress TV Movie/Miniseries:
Taraji P. Henson (Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story), Diane Lane (Cinema Verite), Jean Marsh (Upstairs Downstairs), Elizabeth McGovern (Downtown Abbey), Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce)
Will win: Kate Winslet
Should win: Diane Lane

Supporting Actor TV Movie/Miniseries:
Bryan O’Byrne (Mildred Pierce), Paul Giamatti (Too Big to Fail), Guy Pearce (Mildred Pierce), Tom Wilkinson (The Kennedys), James Woods (Too Big To Fail)
Will win: James Woods
Should win: Tom Wilkinson
Spoiler: Guy Pearce

Supporting Actress TV Movie/Miniseries:
Eileen Atkins (Upstairs Downstairs), Melissa Leo (Mildred Pierce), Maggie Smith (Downtown Abbey), Mare Winningham (Mildred Pierce), Evan Rachel Wood (Mildred Pierce)
Will & Should win: Maggie Smith
Spoiler: Evan Rachel Wood

Reality Competition Show:
American Idol, Amazing Race, Dancing With the Stars, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef
Will win: American Idol (they’ve never won and this feels like their best chance or they will probably never win)
Should win: Project Runway or So You Think You Can Dance
Spoiler: Top Chef

My End of Summer Movie Grades

Well, summer is on its way out and with it goes a rather lackluster season at the movie turnstiles. Despite big monetary numbers, attendance was down at theatres this summer and several films underperformed (Cars 2, Pirates 4) despite still doing decently. Then there were also gigantic flops that you couldn’t pay me to see (Cowboys & Aliens, The Change Up, Green Lantern). On the other hand there were fabulous films that were both critical and commercial successes (The Help, Harry Potter). With the final weekend upon us dumping two big film turds (Shark Night 3D, Apollo 18), it is interesting to note that one very good movie will end the summer on a positive note, The Debt. This taut thriller spans three decades of spy intrigue as Mossad agents hunt a treacherous Nazi doctor and features fantastic performances from this year’s “It Girl” Jessica Chastain (The Help, The Tree of Life), Martin Csokas (The Bourne Supremacy), Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom), hottie Sam Worthington (Avatar) and Oscar winner Helen Mirren (The Queen). I really enjoyed the film (despite Worthington’s terrible accent~ his acting was still good remember!) and gave it an ”A-” grade. It was one of several movies I would recommend from the past few months. With that said, take a look at all the grades for the movies I saw over the summer. Enjoy and let me know your faves.

2011 Summer Movie Grades~

The Help: A+
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2: A
Crazy Stupid Love: A
Glee 3D Live: A
Beginners: A
The Whistleblower: A-
The Debt: A-
Bridesmaids: A-
Super 8: A-
Midnight in Paris: A-

Sarah’s Key: B+
Captain America: B+
Thor: B+
Rise of the Planet of the Apes: B+
X-Men~ First Class: B
Bad Teacher: B-
The Hangover Part 2: B-
One Day: C+
Columbiana: C

Fast Five: C
Larry Crowne: C-
Pirates of the Carribean~ On Stranger Tides: C-
Transformers~ Dark of the Moon: D+

And check out The Debt from Focus Features in theatres now. Here’s the trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SeeTheDebt?v=FI4mrRgELgA&feature=pyv&ad=13258451385&kw=the%20debt%20trailer

Will you take One More “Mission”?

Tom Cruise is attempting a big comeback this winter with the fourth installment in the Mission Impossible film series and he’s brought some interesting new cohorts along for the ride. The film, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (yes, that’s a really dumb name), which opens December 16th stars Cruise as super secret agent Ethan Hunt who is on the run along with his team as fugitives for a terrorist act they didn’t commit. The new faces on his team this time include Paula Patton (Precious), Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Star Trek) and two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner (The Town). Other interesting casting choices include Anil Kapoor (24), two-time Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton), and the first post-Lost film from Josh Holloway. This time the action is directed by Oscar winner and The Incredibles director Brad Bird. I think all of those choices seem promising and I’m willing to get over my own issues with crazy Cruise to go on one more Mission. Are you? And will it return Cruise to his former box office glory? … Check out the trailer below to make a more informed decision…

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

The Conspirator~ 2011′s first Oscar contender?

Sure, this week was all about the Oscar nominations for last year’s best in film. But after seeing the trailer for the new film The Conspirator, I’m already thinking about next year’s awards. Could this new historical drama directed by Academy Award winner Robert Redford and starring Golden Globe nominees Robin Wright (Forrest Gump) and James MacAvoy (Atonement) and Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom, Michael Clayton) be the first award worthy film of this year? It certainly seems so. The movie follows the assassination of President Lincoln and the trial of Mary Surraut, the civilian woman, who is accused in the conspiracy of his murder. It’s got history, prestige, costumes, drama and fantastic performances, so I sure hope it delivers. I also hope it finally gives the woefully underrated and brilliantly talented Wright her first Oscar nod. She was denied noms for her great work in Gump, She’s So Lovely, Nine Lives and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee to name a few and it’s about time she was recognized. Now, fear not, if the Academy doesn’t warm to this film, Wright has three more contenders that could put her in next year’s supporting race: the ensemble drama Rampart, the baseball story Moneyball with Brad Pitt and the big American adaptation of The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo directed by Oscar nominee David Fincher (The Social Network). So, hopefully 2011 is Wright’s year. Take a look at the trailer for The Conspirator below and watch the film in theatres this April.

The Conspirator

Will we get to see “The Kennedys” miniseries????

Last year, The History Channel announced their first big budget scripted program was going to be a blockbuster miniseries about American royalty The Kennedys. All signs looked great with a big cast including Oscar nominees Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton, In the Bedroom) and Greg Kinear (As Good as it Gets) as JFK!, plus Golden Globe nominee Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan, True Grit) and Mrs. Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes (Batman Begins, Dawson’s Creek) as Jackie. And judging from the trailer below, it looks pretty good…. However, we may not get to see it. Due to supposed political pressure from the Kennedys, The History Channel has pulled the program. They stated it didn’t really fit with their programming lineup. Um, conspiracy theory much? … Anywho, word is Showtime has been approached to buy and air the miniseries. I can’t see how they won’t jump at the opportunity. I sure hope they do. Take a look at the trailer below and let me know if you’re hoping we get a chance to see The Kennedys as well.

The Kennedys miniseries trailer

Seth Rogan, the Super Hero?

Seth Rogan has been called a lot of things~ funny guy, schlub, slacker, the guy next door~ but he’s about to add a rather surprising moniker to that list… super hero. Yes, Seth Rogan is about to take on the comic book legend in the new film, The Green Hornet. The slimmed down actor will star in the action comedy alongside Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson, recent Oscar winner Christoph Waltz as the big villain, newcomer Jay Chou as Kato, and Cameron Diaz as his love interest. It all sounds interesting on paper, but will it translate. Given the somewhat strange release date of Jan 14 next year, I’m not sure. Apparently, it’s not going to be a tent pole for its studio, Sony, but it could be fun. See for yourself as you watch the trailer below.

The Green Hornet trailer: