Big awards day, huh? The PGA have announced their preferred excellence in production for 2014. No big surprises so the only thing to talk about is the chaos of what might be nominated for Best Picture in less than two weeks.
PRODUCERS GUILD NOMINATIONS
Feature Film
AMERICAN SNIPER
BIRDMAN
BOYHOOD
FOXCATCHER
GONE GIRL
GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
IMITATION GAME
NIGHTCRAWLER
THEORY OF EVERYTHING
WHIPLASH
... Only five of these made my top 30. Not a consensus year for TFE, then.
PGA's list is very similar to the BFCA top ten only they shoved American Sniper and Foxcatcher in the Unbroken and Selma slots. The AFI was also similar but that Institute also made room for Into the Woods and Interstellar and Selma. In short: the Best Picture race is still rather confounding when it comes to who might be nominated and how many pictures will be there beyond the frontrunners Boyhood and Birdman and, I guess, Imitation Game... though I had previously thought that Selma would have or had already supplanted it in third spoiler position. [More...]
Selma's absence from guild awards to date is disturbing. We continue to hope that that's merely a product of their very late screeners... and one of the last releases but who knows. It could just be one of those stuffy Oscar years when they decide to go with old giants rather than fresh voices. See: Clint Eastwood's American Sniper which still surprises me a bit as a viable contender and the ease with which traditional efforts like Imitation Game and Theory of Everything have gathered steam. Here's the latest Gurus of Gold chart.
We're all going to have to do a lot more thinking about the Best Picture category. Into the Woods & Unbroken's very warm public reception (even though they're ignored here) suggests they're still in the race, too.
Animated Feature
BIG HERO 6
BOOK OF LIFE
BOXTROLLS
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
THE LEGO MOVIE
Extremely American but then it THE PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA. I still think Oscar will toss The Book of Life out for either Princess Kaguya or Song of the Sea.
Longform Television
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAKSHOW
FARGO
THE NORMAL HEART
THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY
SHERLOCK
Documentary Feature
THE GREEN PRINCE
LIFE ITSELF
MERCHANTS OF DOUBT
PARTICLE FEVER
VIRUNGA
Episodic Television, Drama
BREAKING BAD
DOWNTON ABBEY
GAME OF THRONES
HOUSE OF CARDS
TRUE DETECTIVE
Was so happy that Downton Abbey returned last night. Love those stuffy rich people and their dining room dramas.
Episodic Television, Comedy
BIG BANG THEORY
LOUIE
MODERN FAMILY
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
VEEP
Non-Fiction Television
30 FOR 30
AMERICAN MASTERS
ANTHONY BOURDAINE: PARTS UNKNOWN
COSMOS: A SPACE TIME ODYSSEY
SHARK TANK
Competitive Television
AMAZING RACE
DANCING WITH THE STARS
PROJECT RUNWAY
TOP CHEF
THE VOICE
I have no use for any awards shows Competitive Television categories since they always ignore the most creative, addictive and hilarious one: RuPaul's Drag Race. I guess it skews way too urban and young and queer for showbiz professionals but you'd think they'd be a little more openminded given you know... showbiz
Live Entertainment or Talk TV
COLBERT REPORT
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER
TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON