Split Decision: "Nickel Boys"

In the Split Decision series, two of our writers face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Today, Nick Taylor and Nathaniel R discuss Nickel Boys...

NICK: Hello Nathaniel! Hope you’re doing well on this fine day. We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re . . . . I can’t think of another rhyme. What I can think of is Nickel Boys, and how blindsided I was to see it show up in this year’s Best Picture lineup after only showing up in Adapted Screenplay.

I’m happy for the film and RaMell Ross but also confused, and a little annoyed it didn’t make a bigger showing. It’s one of my favorites from this year’s Oscar nominees, and though I get the divisiveness around its first-person POV and how the film actually uses it, I’m a very big fan of what Nickel Boys achieves. That’s been the biggest point of discussion around the film, so maybe it’s best to dive in there? I’m not sure I actually know what you think of Nickel Boys, so lemme hand you the mic. 

NATHANIEL: It's funny how personal feelings are often distracting static when it comes to Oscar expectations, whether you're on the pro or the con side of any given film.  I wasn't the least bit surprised about Nickel Boys crashing Oscar's biggest category after all the breathless raves and its solid if unspectacular showing in the precursors. I'm Still Here was the only Picture nomination that threw me. Sadly,  trust me I didn't want to feel this way, Nickel Boys is my least favourite of the nominated ten...

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Emmy Category Analysis: Will "Hamilton" Win With Three Nominees?

Team Experience is looking at episode submissions for all the major Emmy categories...

Three "Hamilton" men are nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie - Anthony Ramos, Daveed Diggs and Jonathan Groff.

By Christopher James

Can Daveed Diggs come one step closer to an EGOT? The actor already has a Tony and Grammy for his work and he could very well add an Emmy to that haul… all for the same performance in Hamilton. He’s not the only Hamilton star vying for the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Even in such a long and lofty category title, considering the filmed performance of Hamilton in this category feels like a bit of a stretch. While this could ding the Emmy chances for Hamilton, voters didn't seem to be bothered by it, as the Limited Series acting categories all suggest.

Diggs’ Emmy is far from assured though. Three of the buzziest miniseries each have a young, breakout actor nominated here. I May Destroy You, The Queen’s Gambit and Mare of Easttown are all huge Emmy players this season, showing up in multiple categories. Coattails for any of these shows could help one of these men beat the trio of Hamilton nominees. Let’s take a look at the nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie (*NOTE SPOILERS AHEAD):

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Emmy Watch: Which Limited Series Supporting Actors will break through?

By Abe Friedtanzer 

John Boyega in "Small Axe"

This category is by no means the highest profile of the limited series/TV movie/anthology series acting races, but it does include a handful of strong contenders. The past three years have given us one show that earned three nominations – Watchmen, When They See Us, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace – and it’s certainly possible that this will be the fourth consecutive year of the tripling. This is also one of only two acting categories this year that has more contenders than in 2020, with 140 men in the running…

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Screen Actors Guild Nominations - The Movies

SAG Award nominations were announced this morning by Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) and Lily Collins (Mank). The late Chadwick Boseman made history with 4 nominations simultaneously (2 Cast, 1 Lead, 1 Supporting) and Minari, one of our three favourite pictures of the year, suprised by nabbing THREE nominations when none were at all certain. Trial of the Chicago 7 and Ma Rainey also snagged 3  nominations.

After the jump brief commentary on the surprises, snubs, and what it might mean (or doesn't mean) for Oscar. It's always worth reeminding that there is next to no overlap from group to group in terms of voting. SAG's nominating committee are a mix of random people from their close to 100,000 wide membership and the acting branch of the Academy is infinitely smaller and though they're also members of SAG, only a tiny percentage might actually end up on the SAG nominating committee in any given year...

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Review: "Hamilton"

by Eric Blume

Disney+ made a shrewd and smart move by releasing the filmed-stage movie musical Hamilton over the July 4 weekend, at a time when the country really needs it.  The themes and ideas of this Pulitzer Prize-winning theater phenomenon from five years ago seem even more relevant and powerful than they did upon arrival, and the movie version, which debuted this weekend, is a stage capture of the principal original Broadway cast, edited together from three live performances filmed in June 2016.  

Filmed versions of staged material always have their limitations:  one can never capture the visceral pump of energy that’s happening in the Richard Rodgers Theater before and during a performance of this show in particular.  As such, the Hamilton movie ultimately succeeds best in preserving an unbeatable group of actors in the biggest show of this century, exactly as the original creators intended it to play...

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