Saturn Award Nominations: Rogue One... and Hidden Figures?
Monday, March 6, 2017 at 8:12PM
NATHANIEL R in Horror, Rogue One, Saturn Awards, Split, TV, Westworld, sci-fi fantasy, superheroes, thriller

The Saturn Awards were created over 40 years go to honor the then generally dishonored genres of sci-fi fantasy and horror. Whether they're still needed in a pop culture climate that veritably worships these things is up for debate. But even if they are -- and its certainly true that genre shows and films are still considered poor cousins to more respectable "drama" and "biopics" when it comes to mainstream awards --  are the Saturn Awards the ones to do it?

Now in their 43rd year, they seem to have lost the thread a little. They have so many categories it feels like they're eager to displace the Grammys, Satellites, or BFCA for "MOST!" and in addition to the ridiculous amounts of categories, they have 6 to 8 nominees per category which negates the need to have much in the way of discernment as to what constitutes "best". The problem in a nutshell: It's great to have an awards group that can say "Captain America: Civil War is superb" with a straight face, but when they also hold up Batman v Superman for the same honor, it kind of kills the impact.

Rogue One leads the nominees with 11 nominations. All 41 categories and more commentary after the jump... 

What's more their judgments about genre sometimes make the Golden Globes calling The Tourist a Comedy or Musical seem, well, sane. I mean how is Hidden Figures an "Action / Adventure Film"?  It's obvious they wanted to honor it due to geek love of NASA and space travel but still; You have to pick what you're about!

There are other problems. The awards are for the 2016 film year but for some reason Split is also included even though it wasn't released until late January 2017. Shouldn't it have to wait until next year's Saturn Awards? Anthony Hopkins is somehow in the "guest actor" category despite appearing in every episode of Westworld with one of the ensemble show's very biggest roles!

Their recently announced nominations in 41 categories (including 9 different "best film" and 8 different "best series" categories - what the whatnow?!?) with a few comments if any particular thoughts came up follow...

Action / Adventure Film



Animated Film

How UTTERLY BIZARRE to see Kubo and the Two Strings shunned despite six nominees!


Best Comic to Motion Picture

Literally the only film not nominated that was eligible is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadow. This is the problem with having wide shortlists for super specific categories.


Best Fantasy Film 


Best Horror Film 
  • Demon
  • Don't Breathe
  • Ouija: Origin of Evil
  • The Autopsy of Jane Doe
  • The Conjuring 2
  • The Witch
  • Train to Busan


Best Independent Film
  • Eye in the Sky 
  • Hunt for the Wilderpeople 
  • La La Land 
  • Lion
  • Remember 
  • The Ones Below 


Best International Film
  • Elle
  • In Order of Disappearance 
  • Shin Godzilla
  • The Handmaiden
  • The Mermaid 
  • Under the Shadow

Fun group, right? Many of these did well in their subtitled US releases


Best Science Fiction Film

Independence Day Resurgence? Really? Passengers? Really? Maybe have smaller fields when you have this many separate categories or you're forced to honor every film of a kind. 


Best Thriller Film
  • 10 Cloverfield Lane
  • Hell or High Water
  • Jason Bourne
  • Split
  • The Accountant
  • The Girl on the Train
  • The Shallows

Split was released in late January 2017. This is a 2016 film award.

Best Actor in a Film

Gold's awards campaign finally reaped more nominations than just "Song" at the Globes.  

So...nominated in one of their best film categories)? I mean... yeesh. Embarrassing. And you make an exception to include Split in your awards even though it's from the wrong year and you don't nominated James McAvoy for his popular multiple personality horror performance? 

Best Actress in a Film
Fun to see Narges Rashidi honored though Jennifer Lawrence's laziest performance in the same group kills the joy.
 
Best Costume Design
 
Best Director

ICYMI we interviewed Denis Villeneuve about Arrival. He's likely to be a Saturn regular again with reboots of both Blade Runner and Dune both coming up.

 
Best Film Editing
Best Make Up

X-Men Apocalypse in this category considering the crimes they committed to Oscar Isaac's face? I THINK NOT. 

Best Music

 

Best Production Design
Daniel covered a few of these in his column The Furniture so don't miss Passengers & Arrival or his take on Fantastic Beasts
 
Best Visual Effects
Best Writing
 
Best Performance By A Younger Actor in a Film

Hunt for the Wilderpeople!

 
Best Supporting Actor in a Film
 
Best Supporting Actress in a Film
 
TELEVISION AWARDS
 
 


Best Action / Thriller Series


Best Animated Series 
 


Best Fantasy Series


Best Horror Series
  • American Horror Story: Roanoke
  • Ash vs. Evil Dead
  • Fear the Walking Dead
  • Teen Wolf
  • The Exorcist
  • The Vampire Diaries
  • The Walking Dead 
 


Best New Media Series
  • A Series of Unfortunate Events
  • Bosch
  • Marvel's Daredevil
  • Marvel's Luke Cage
  • Stranger Things
  • The Man in the High Castle 
Best Presentation on Television
  • 11.22.63
  • Channel Zero
  • Doctor Who: The Return of Dr. Mysterio
  • Mars
  • Rats
  • The Night Manager
 


Best Science Fiction Television Series
  • Colony
  • Falling Water
  • Incorporated
  • The 100
  • The Expanse
  • Timeless
  • Westworld 
 


Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series
  • Arrow
  • Gotham
  • Legion
  • Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
  • Supergirl
  • The Flash
 
Best Actor on a Television Series
 
Best Actress on a Television Series

I actually like Kim Dickens -- she's just superb in Gone Girl. But I tried with Fear the Walking Dead and continually wanted to slap her. Wake up and ACT! Do something.

Best Guest Performance on a Television Series
Hopkins competing against people with only an episode here or there. Sigh.
 
Best Supporting Actor on a Television Series 
 
Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series
 
Best Younger Actor on a Television Series
 
DVD AWARDS
 
 
Best DVD / BD Classic Film Release
Best DVD / BD Collection
Best DVD / BD Release
 
Best DVD / BD Special Edition Release
 
Best DVD / BD Television Release

 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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