They’re Here… My Big Bold 2012 Emmy WINNER Predictions…

Sunday night is TV’s biggest night as the Emmy Awards are announced on ABC in a ceremony hosted by a nominee himself, the hilarious Jimmy Kimmel… If history is any indication, Mad Men and Modern Family will repeat as the Drama and Comedy winners. However, I have a feeling we are in for a shakeup this year, especially on the Drama side. It’s the most competitive year in ages with four drama series all boasting a strong shot to win while we should see some new comedy acting winners as well… With that said, take a look at my big bold Emmy winner predictions below and watch the big show Sunday night!

 

My Big Bold 2012 Emmy Award Winner Predictions~

Drama Series:
Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland, Mad Men
Will win: Downton Abbey
Should win: Breaking Bad
~ spoiler: Homeland
* this category is fierce. I feel like Mad Men will finally lose the crown, but I won’t be surprised if it grabs one more victory. However, Abbey appeals to all demos of the voting group and should prevail over the classic but violent and dark Bad. If those three all split the vote, the very deserving Homeland or the big winner from the Creative Arts ceremony, Game of Thrones, could pull an upset.

Comedy Series:
30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, Girls Louie, Modern Family, Veep
Will & Should win: Modern Family
~ spoiler: The Big Bang Theory
* where on Earth is Parks and Recreation in this lineup??!!

Lead Actor Drama:
Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Steven Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Damian Lewis (Homeland)
Will & Should win: Bryan Cranston (you just can’t deny him)
~spoiler: Damian Lewis

Lead Actress Drama:
Kathy Bates (Harry’s Law), Glenn Close (Damages), Clare Danes (Homeland), Michelle Dockrey (Downton Abbey), Juliana Marguiles (The Good Wife), Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men)
Will & Should win: Clare Danes (this is the night’s most obvious winner. She has it by a mile)
~ spoiler: if I have to pick one… Juliana Marguiles

Lead Actor Comedy Series:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Don Cheadle (House of Lies), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), Louie C.K. (Louie), Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Will win: Jim Parsons
Should win: Garrett Dillahaunt (Raising Hope) or Adam Scott (Parks and Rec), but they weren’t nominated, blergh!
~spoiler: Jon Cryer (don’t underestimate this guy and he has a funny tape)

Lead Actress Comedy:
Zooey Deschanel (New Girl), Lena Dunham (Girls), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Julia Louis Dreyfuss (Veep), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly)
Will win: Julia Louis Dreyfuss (and a very deserving winner at that)
Should win: Amy Poehler (it was her best season yet. She was hilarious and heartwarming but Dreyfuss may just slide by her in the tightest race of the night)
~spoiler: Zooey Deschanel

Supporting Actor Drama Series:
Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Jared Harris (Mad Men), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
Will & Should win: Giancarlo Esposito
~spoiler: Peter Dinklage

Supporting Actress Drama:
Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Archie Penjabi (The Good Wife), Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)
Will win: Maggie Smith
Should win: Anna Gunn
~ spoiler: Christina Hendricks

Supporting Actor Comedy:
Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Max Greenfield (New Girl), Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live), Ed O’Neil (Modern Family), Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Will & Should win: Max Greenfield (and he will likely split the Modern Family vote)
~spoiler: Ed O’Neil (he seems like the Modern Family choice this year even though Jesse Tyler Ferguson had the strongest season)

Supporting Actress Comedy:
Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory), Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Merritt Weaver (Nurse Jackie), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)
Will win: Sofia Vergara
Should win: Kristen Wiig
~spoiler: Kristen Wiig or Julie Bowen
* this one should be close with any of them having a shot at the win except for the delightful Weaver or the dearly departed Joosten whose nomination is the prize.

Reality Competition Series:
The Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef, The Voice
Will win: The Amazing Race
Should win: So You Think You Can Dance
~spoiler: Top Chef

Reality Competition Host:
Tom Bergeron (Dancing with the Stars), Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance), Phil Koeghan (The Amazing Race), Ryan Seacrest (American Idol), Betty White (Off Your Rockers)
Will & Should win: Cat Deeley
~spoiler: Ryan Seacreset

Made for TV Movie/Miniseries:
American Horror Story, Game Change, The Hatfields & the McCoys, Hemingway & Gelhorn, Luther, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia
Will & Should win: Game Change
~ spoiler: American Horror Story

Lead Actor TV Movie/Miniseries:
Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoys), Benedict Cumberpatch (Sherlock), Idris Elba (Luther), Woody Harrelson (Game Change), Clive Owen (Hemingway & Gelhorn), Bill Paxton (Hatfields & McCoys)
Will & Should win: Woody Harrelson
~ spoiler: Bill Paxton

Lead Actress TV Movie/Miniseries:
Connie Britton (American Horror Story), Ashley Judd (Missing), Nicole Kidman (Hemingway & Gelhorn), Julianne Moore (Game Change), Emma Thompson (The Song of Lunch)
Will & Should win: Julianne Moore
~ spoiler: Nicole Kidman

Supporting Actor TV Movie/Miniseries:
Tom Berenger (Hatfields & McCoys), Martin Freeman (Sherlock), Ed Harris (Game Change), Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story), David Strathairn (Hemingway & Gelhorn)
Will win: Ed Harris
Should win: Denis O’Hare
~spoiler: Tom Berenger

Supporting Actress TV Movie/Miniseries:
Frances Conroy (American Horror Story), Judy Davis (Page Eight), Jessica Lange (American Horror Story), Sarah Paulson (Game Change), Mare Winningham (Hatfields & McCoys)
Will win: Jessica Lange (she pretty much has it in the bag)
Should win: Sarah Paulson

And there you have it… my big bold Emmy winner predictions… Do you agree? Am I crazy? Let me know and watch the big show on Sunday night.

Audiences Take a Big Bite out of “The Hunger Games”

The first massive movie smash of 2012 opened this weekend and boy did it bow big. Lionsgate’s film adaptation of the massively successful young adult book trilogy, The Hunger Games, opened to a huge $155 million making it the third biggest debut in history (behind only Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 and The Dark Knight). It set the record for the biggest opening for a non-sequel film and a March debut. The film is wowing audiences with great exit polls (I gave this very entertaining and surprisingly intense film an “A-” grade) and is likely to have long legs ahead as there is no big competition for franchise films until May. Hunger also benefitted from strong reviews and an attractive and very talented cast including Oscar nominees Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Donald Sutherland, Emmy nominee Elizabeth Banks, SAG Award Nominee Josh Hutcherson, SAG Award winner Wes Bentley, Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz and Aussie breakout Liam Hemsworth. (Take that you Twilight crap!). In fact, the movie seems to have single-handedly tuned around Lionsgate’s financial troubles with their shares rocketing over the past week… No other films made much noise this weekend, but 21 Jump Street and The Lorax held well despite the big Games onslaught. Take a look at the new top ten below and head to Box Office Mojo for more on all the numbers.

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week #
1 N The Hunger Games LGF $155,000,000 – 4,137 – $37,467 $155,000,000 $78 1
2 1 21 Jump Street Sony $21,300,000 -41.3% 3,121 – $6,825 $71,051,000 $42 2
3 2 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax Uni. $13,100,000 -42.5% 3,677 -92 $3,563 $177,300,000 $70 4
4 3 John Carter BV $5,014,000 -63.1% 3,212 -537 $1,561 $62,347,000 $250 3
5 5 Act of Valor Rela. $2,062,000 -44.8% 2,216 -549 $931 $65,942,000 $12 5
6 4 Project X WB $1,950,000 -51.8% 2,065 -857 $944 $51,752,000 – 4
7 6 A Thousand Words P/DW $1,925,000 -47.0% 1,787 -108 $1,077 $14,926,000 $40 3
8 N October Baby (2012) Gold. $1,718,000 – 390 – $4,405 $1,718,000 – 1
9 7 Safe House Uni. $1,400,000 -48.5% 1,330 -590 $1,053 $122,600,000 $85 7
10 8 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island WB $1,373,000 -42.5% 1,340 -595 $1,025 $97,155,000 $79 7

Tonight is Going to be a Game Changer….

I never thought I’d say the following words: I’m really excited to see Sarah Palin tonight…. Now, before you go all crazy on me (cuz yes, I think she’s an ignorant, hateful moronic mess too people), I’m just talking about the “Sarah Palin” played by glorious four time Oscar nominee Julianne Moore in tonight’s HBO film Game Change. The incredibly talented Moore plays the Republican V.P. candidate to Oscar nominee Ed Harris‘s John McCain in a movie from the folks who brought you the fantastic political film Recount. This one also stars two-time Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson and looks like it will be an incisive, fascinating, humbling, hilarious and exciting look at the rise of this polarizing woman played to perfection by the sure to be Emmy-nominated Moore. If you don’t believe me, check out the trailer below and watch the film tonight on HBO.

Game Change trailer

The Hunger Games~ Please let this be better than that Twilight crap!

The latest film in the crapfest Twilight film series hits theatres this weekend and you can’t pay me to see it. However, there’s a new teen literary to film phenomena coming our way that I may just have to check out. It’s the adaptation of the popular Hunger Games series. These books follow a young boy and girl from 12 different districts that are forced to fight to the death by their capital in a future society. Unlike Twitard which features atrocious acting (ahem Kristen Stewart and the lovely but boring Taylor Launter, to name a few), these Games feature an awesome cast lead by Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones),  SAG Award nominee Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are Alright), Emmy nominee Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock), Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz, plus Liam Hemsworth (The Last Song) and two-time Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson (The Messenger, The People V. Larry Flint). The action packed drama hits theatres in March and I’m cautiously optimistic. Take a look at the trailer below and let me know if you think this one will be worth your while.

The Hunger Games trailer

My Ridiculously Early October Oscar Predictions

Every year the Oscar race really revs up with the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals in late August/early September and then the forecasting begins in earnest. So, as we’re already into the middle of October, I feel like it’s time to weigh in. Sure, it seems ridiculously early to predict who’s gonna get nominated, but there are a few obvious front-runners for nods from films that have already hit theatres including The Help, Brad Pitt and Moneyball and Christopher Plummer in Beginners. So who else might be joining them? Take a look below and give me your thoughts. Then watch for my updated predictions in the weeks ahead.

My Ridiculously Early October Oscar Predictions~

Best Picture:
The Artist
The Descendents
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
J. Edgar
Moneyball
War Horse
~spoilers: The Adventures of Tin Tin, The Ides of March, Midnight in Paris, The Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn

*Note : this year the rules have changed again and the Best Picture nominees will vary from 5-10 films depending on the amount of support they get. (There’s a whole lot of weird math mumbojumbo involved). I feel like it will end up with 7 or 8.

Best Actor:
George Clooney (The Descendants)
Leonardo DiCaprio ( J. Edgar)
Woody Harrelson (Rampart)
Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
~spoilers: Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter), Michael Fassbender (Shame), Joseph Gordon Levitt (50/50), Matt Damon (We Bought A Zoo)

Best Actress:
Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)
~spoilers: Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Charlize Theron (Young Adult), Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin), Felicity Jones (Like Crazy)

Best Supporting Actor:
Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn)
Jim Broadbent (The Iron Lady)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
~spoilers: Christoph Waltz (Carnage), Nick Nolte (Warrior), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), David Thewliss (War Horse), Albert Brooks (Drive), Armie Hammer (J. Edgar)

Best Supporting Actress:
Sandra Bullock (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Judi Dench (J. Edgar)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Robin Wright (Rampart)
~spoilers: Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March), Kate Winslet (Carnage), Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus), Emily Watson (War Horse), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs), Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life), Sissy Spacek (The Help), Robin Wright (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

Best Director:
Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
Clint Eastwood (J. Edgar)
David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
Steven Speilberg (War Horse)
~spoilers: Bennett Miller (Moneyball), George Clooney (The Ides of March), Michel Hazanvicius (The Artist), Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)

Adapted Screenplay:
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Moneyball
War Horse
~spoilers: The Ides of March, Coriolanus, My Week with Marilyn, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Original Screenplay:
The Artist
Beginners
The Descendants
J. Edgar
Midnight in Paris
~spoilers: Young Adult, The Iron Lady, Rampart, Martha Marcy May Marlene, We Bought a Zoo