The Invisible Man - Review

The Invisible Man

“The Invisible Man” is a 2020 science fiction horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell. A contemporary adaptation of the novel of the same name by H. G. Wells that first saw the big screen in 1933.  In this adaptation the film stars Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, Michael Dorman, and Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

Early in the story we see Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) who is trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy scientist named Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). In the dead of night she disappears into hiding, aided by her sister Emily (Harriet Dyer), their childhood friend James (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). Apparently distraught by Cecilia leaving him Adrian later commits suicide and surprisingly leaves Cecilia a generous portion of his vast fortune. But shortly after a series of bizarre events start to occur in her home Cecilia begins to suspect his death was a hoax. As these eerie coincidences turn lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

REVIEW: The Mount Rushmore of cinematic heroines is now complete. In 1979 we saw Sigourney Weaver masterfully deliver the first heroine with her “Ripley” and her life and death struggle with the indestructible “Alien”. In 1984 Linda Hamilton delivered an equally convincing performance with her “Sarah Connor” life and death battles with the equally indestructible “Terminator. And in 2015 Charlize Theron delivered a stellar performance with her “Imperator Furiosa” road race battles with “Lord Immortan Joe” in the post-apocalyptic “Mad Max: Fury Road”. Now we can add Elisabeth Moss and her “Cecilia”. Though her heroine is not in a battle with a fictional monster per se, her battle nonetheless is still a life and death struggle with a plot thoroughly committed to the socially conscious Me Too Movement with a monstrous man of real flesh and blood.

Now as you are watching the film unfold you are already way a head of the events by knowing in real time what Cecilia” already knows - her dead boyfriend is alive, he has figured out how to disappear, he is torturing her and he is in the room. So for about an hour the film walks us through the perfunctory paces of her many friends and family repeatedly offering the standard litany of plausible denials and references about her “imagining things” and she “needing therapy”. These utterances in the film along with (unfortunately) most of the supporting cast of characters were the less compelling components to the plot. 

Specifically most of the cast outside of Moss felt like they were more push pined into the story for continuity and conveniences sake. But even with these momentary brief hiccups none of it hindered the showcasing of Moss’s acting prowess to carry the entire film to its dramatic ending. With both her vocal softness and loud blood curling screams, with facial expressions of a foreboding fear in the room and piercing eyes that burned through the screen that evoked a woman who was smart, calculating, resourceful and relied not on muscles, but with authentic feminine strengths and guile while taking on a cloaked ubermensch adversary determined to exact his revenge. With a running time 1:50 minutes Moss delivers a full bore complex emotionally compelling story of once a victim of unspeakable brutalized cruelty to becoming a victim no more, all immersed in quite a few creepy scenes including one at the 1:12 minute mark that I did not see coming that made me yell out an audibly loud…………. “Oh F&%k”................Trust me you will too.

While the film is a bit jagged at times with its movement in and out of creepy realism “The Invisible Man” is still an absorbing unnerving psychological horrifying thriller. With a smartly executed pace there are more than enough great scenes and solid moments that while even being occasionally flawed still makes this latest 2020 adaptation a must see in the theater.

3.50 Stars

Lester’s Way Too Early 25+ Best Picture 2021 Oscar Winning Contenders

Lester’s Way Too Early 25+ Best
 Picture 2021 Oscar Winning Contenders
Scheduled for release in 2020

“Ammonite” - Ammonite is an upcoming British-Australian romantic drama film written and directed by Francis Lee. It stars Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan. The independent historical drama tells the story inspired by the life of fossil hunter Mary Anning. The story is set in 1840s England, when Anning and a young woman sent to convalesce by the sea develop an intense relationship, altering both of their lives forever.

“Annette” - The film tells the story of a provocative stand-up comedian (Adam Driver) and his wife, a world-famous soprano (Marion Cotillard). Their glamorous life takes an unexpected turn when their daughter Annette is born, a girl with a unique gift.

“Bernstein” - A portrait of Leonard Bernstein's singular charisma and passion for music as he rose to fame as America's first native born, world-renowned conductor, all along following his ambition to compose both symphonic and popular Broadway works. Director Bradley Cooper and stars Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan.

“Cherry” - American crime drama by Anthony and Joe Russo with a written screenplay by Jessica Goldberg and Angela Russo-Otstot. The film stars Tom Holland in the lead role, along with a supporting cast that includes Ciara Bravo, Bill Skarsgård and Jack Reynor. An Army medic named Nico Walker (Holland) who has returned from Iraq dealing with an opioid addiction and posttraumatic stress disorder begins robbing banks.

“Da 5 Bloods” - A group of veterans from the Vietnam War return to the jungle to find their lost innocence. Stars Chadwick Boseman – Spike Lee Directs.

“Dune” - Director: Denis Villeneuve of Incendies, Sicario, Blade Runner and Arrival, revisits the science fiction story in the far future of humanity, Duke Leto Atreides accepts stewardship of the dangerous desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe, "the spice", a drug which extends human life, provides superhuman levels of thought, and makes foldspace travel possible. The ensemble cast including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem.

"Greyhound” - Directed by Aaron Schneider - Nazi U-boats pursue a convoy of Allied ships during the early days of World War II. Tom Hanks stars.

"Hillbilly Elegy” - Directed by Ron Howard aka for Apollo 13 is a film memoir of a family and culture in crisis based on J. D. Vance book about the Appalachian values of his Kentucky family and their relation to the social problems of his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, where his mother's parents moved when they were young. Amy Adams and Glenn Close star. 

“In the Heights” - Explores three days in the New York City Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights. Stars and Produced by “Hamilton’s”  Lin-Manuel Miranda. 

“Mank” (Netflix) - “Mank,” Directed by David Fincher and written by the director's late father Jack Fincher, which tells the true story of Herman J. Mankiewicz as he sets out to write the script for Orson Welles' “Citizen Kane.” Stars Gary Oldman.

“Macbeth” - A Scottish lord becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland, and his ambitious wife supports him in his plans of seizing power. Director Joel Coen and  stars Denzel Washington.

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” An upcoming drama film directed by George C. Wolfe, based on the play of the same name by August Wilson. Depicts the tensions musician Ma Rainey encountered between her bandmates, her white agent and her producer while recording an album in 1927. Stars Viola Davis as Ma Rainey, Chadwick Boseman and Glynn Turman.

“Minari” – A Korean family moves to Arkansas to start a farm in the 1980s. Director Lee Isaac Chung. Won Best Picture at Sundance Film Festival.

“News of the World” - A Texan traveling across the Wild West agrees to help rescue a young girl who has been kidnapped. Director Paul Greegrass aka for The Bourne films also stars Tom Hanks.

“Nightmare Alley” – A thriller film directed by Guillermo del Toro about a corrupt con-man teams up with a female psychiatrist to trick people into giving them money. Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Ron Perlman and Rooney Mara. 

“Nomadland” - “Nomadland” is a road movie following Fern played Frances McDormand aka Fargo and 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO, a woman in her sixties, who after losing everything in the Great Recession embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad. 

“On the Rocks” - An upcoming American comedy-drama film, written and directed by Sofia Coppola. It stars Rashida Jones, Bill Murray, Marlon Wayans, Jessica Henwick and Jenny Slate. The story follows a young mother who reconnects with her larger than life playboy father on an adventure through New York.

 “Soul” – Animation of a middle-school music teacher dreams of playing at legendary New York jazz club "The Blue Note".

“Stillwater” - When six old friends go on a weekend camping trip, it turns tragic when one of them dies under mysterious circumstances, triggering further turmoil as they attempt to unmask the killer within their own group.

“The Trial of the Chicago 7” - In 1969, seven people were charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Aaron Sorkin aka for ‘The Social Network writes and directs.

 "Tenet" – World espionage and time travel. An action thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan (Batman trilogy - Dunkirk). It stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, and Kenneth Branagh.

"The French Dispatch" – Director Wes Anderson aka for Moonlight Kingdom and The Isle of Dogs tells the story of a staff of a European publication decides to publish a memorial edition highlighting the three best stories from the last decade: an artist sentenced to life imprisonment, student riots, and a kidnapping resolved by a chef.

“The Last Duel” - A historical period drama film directed by Ridley Scott. Based on the book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager, the script is written by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Nicole Holofcener, with Damon starring in the lead role opposite Adam Driver, with Affleck in a supporting role. Former best friends Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris are ordered to fight to the death after Carrouges accuses Le Gris of raping his wife in 14th-century France.

"The Prom" (Netflix) - Focuses on the relationship between an Indiana teenager (Caitlin Kinnunen) who wants to bring her girlfriend (Isabelle McCalla) to her school's big dance. Instead, they're banned from attending and band together with other friends to help fight the injustice.

“Those Who Wish Me Dead” - A teenage murder witness finds himself pursued by twin assassins in the Montana wilderness with a survival expert tasked with protecting him and a forest fire threatening to consume them all. Director Taylor Sheridan formerly known for writing Sicario, Hell of High Water and Wind River. Stars Angelina Jolie, Jon Bernthal aka Sicario and Nicholas Hoult aka Mad Max: Fury Road. 

“True History of the Kelly Gang” - a British-Australian biographical western film directed by Justin Kurzel. It stars George MacKay, Essie Davis, Nicholas Hoult, Orlando Schwerdt, Thomasin McKenzie, Sean Keenan, Charlie Hunnam and Russell Crowe. Based on Peter Carey's novel. The story of Australian bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang as they flee from authorities during the 1870s.

“Untitled Project” – Director David O. Russell aka Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, The Fighter and Three Kings – Stars Margot Robbie, Christian Bale, Michael B. Jordan and possibly Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, and Robert De Niro. 

"West Side Story" - West Side Story is a romantic musical film remake directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Tony Kushner. The film stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler and is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.

The Photograph - Review

The Photograph

“The Photograph” is a 2020 American romantic drama film written and directed by Canadian Director Stella Meghie. It follows “Mae” (Issa Rae) the estranged daughter of a famous photographer named “Christina Eames” who dies unexpectedly. When “Mae” finds a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box, she soon finds herself delving into her mother's early life. Meanwhile an unexpected romance comes into her life with a rising journalist “Michael Block” (Lakeith Stanfield) who is assigned to cover her late mother’s story. Over time both “Mae” and Michal” begin to fall in love with each other but will the unanswered questions and revelations from ‘Mae” mother past be an issue in their future together? Actors Chelsea Peretti, Lil Rel Howery and Courtney B. Vance also star.

REVIEW: The term “a picture is worth a thousand words” was popularized in the 1920s by Fred R. Barnard, who is often credited with the origin of the proverb. In the film “The Photograph” let me offer you a few hundred words…………. give or take on what I thought of the film’s suggested name sake.

Aesthetically, the film looks great with its excellent lightening, exquisite set designs and some fabulous music that encompasses the period from 1989 to present day. But while these subtle aspects can elevate the overall quality of a solidly conceived film it still comes down to the strength and quality of the written words and the ability of those actors to convey the plot’s idea into a compelling and moving reality. In this case “The Photograph” made a valiant effort to connect all the dots but in the end misses its mark.

While the central plot is about the consequences of loved lost, especially as seen through the flashbacks of “Mae’s  mother difficult decision to leaving someone behind when she was young, I found the films efforts to making the case of another generation burden with similar concerns in their lives lacking. While actors Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield looked good as couple together I never bought the argument that they actually found each other that interesting, nor for that matter the hidden subplot theme the “sins of our parent” having any barring on their decision to being a couple or not.

In retrospect “The Photograph” felt less a story about a deep, abiding love and romance and more about decent, likeable, educated, honest, smart people (past and present) being on the most thoughtful, respectful, kind, gracious and emotionally generous sexual one time “Hook-Up”. Nothing more.

Hollywood films have been around at least 90+ years with romantic love themes (in all of its varying forms) that I would be willing to wager has made more up than half its entire historical library of efforts about people from different background, genders, races, across borders and even with animals loving each other both unrequited and in abundance against all odds . Hell even the prison film “Shawshank Redemption” is a love story about two men who grew to have a deep abiding love for one another that was non-sexual but love no less. 

What these film all share is telling a story using at least one key or more component of …………… “Love at first sight, inner and outer conflict, external obstacles and turmoil, society and social ills, character growth and or extraordinary sacrifice (see “Jack” from “Titanic”). In ‘The Photograph” none of these components are in play the film anywhere, not once. Not in the present nor in any of the flashbacks scenes involving “Mae”’s mother. In the end all I saw were two people who basically were not a good fit to begin with. So why all of the emotional herranging?.

Film love stories (and love reality) in its early stages is chaotically organic and primal (see “Silver Linings Playbook). In film it introduces you the viewer to someone you don’t know, may not have even anything in common with, that over a 2+ hour period takes you on a whirlwind journey where in the end not only do you know them better, you are rooting hard for them to live happy ever after. In the end of "The Photograph" films effort I did not care if “Mae” or “Michael” stayed together. Not because they were not nice people, they were. No the director simply never made the case through the characters emotional growth THAT I SHOULD EVER CARE.

On the plus side, Director Stella Meghie has a definite talent and an sharp eye for shooting good looking films visually. But the aggregate film required me to dig to deep what she wanted me to think of these two lovers and their reason for being together. In the final scene “The Photograph” does not offer up a single romantic moment of rapture, rather leaves you with more of a romantic lacuna.

May be I am just an old sentimental sap. May be I have listen to way too many Sade, Phyllis Hyman and Anita Bakers songs in my time. But hey if  a four minute song can sweep me away with the simplicity of a moving emotional lyric………………..” When we met, always knew, I would feel that magic for you, on my mind constantly in my arms is where you should be……. I’m caught up in the rapture of love (Anita Baker), than a 1:50 minute movie cannot do no less. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYYDaDPmqBs

2.50 Stars

The Assistant - Review

The Assistant 

“The Assistant” is an American drama film written and directed by Kitty Green and starring Julia Garner (NETFLIX “Ozark”), Matthew Macfadyen, Kristine Froseth, Makenzie Leigh, Noah Robbins, Dagmara Domińczyk and Purva Bedi. It had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2019. It was released on January 31, 2020, by Bleecker Street.

Fictionally somewhere outside of NYC, we see actress Garner playing a bright highly accomplished Northwestern University recent graduate named “Jane”. She’s an aspiring film producer and has just landed her dream job as a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment movie mogul who coincidentally in the film you never see; not even a passing glance of. But on numerous occasions throughout the film you do hear his foreboding voice on the phone and see his dictatorial emails to “Jane”.

Still, “Jane” knows she is clearly lucky to having such a highly coveted prized entry level job in this prestigious studio, even though the fast majority of her very long dark to dark day besides getting up to go to work and heading home is spent much like any other assistant in America………..making coffee, ordering lunches, arranging travel accommodations, taking phone messages and deflecting phone calls for the male employees aka “lying” as to where they really are. But as routine as her daily duties have absolutely nothing to do with making films she begins to grow increasingly aware and weary of the abuse she sees and experiences first hand that begins to insidiously and negatively color every aspect of her workday and her goals in life. The day after day accumulation of male chauvinistic degradations directed at her as well as their surreptitious and stealthy improprieties they take with new aspiring albeit naïve female actresses forces “Jane” to possibly consider taking a stand that could cost her dearly.

REVIEW: “The Assistant” at its core is largely a quiet, patient and deliberate film, but overall is an adroitly unsettling to film watch also. Minimalistically shot with almost 90 percent on the entire film visually shot in “Jane’s reception work area it masterfully captures the duality of what inwardly is a normal happy, lovely and healthy person enduring a day after day toxic environment of brazen emotional vulgarity and abuse. I emphasize the word “emotional” in that there was very little in the way of actual verbal profanity in the film, but it still manages nevertheless to feel and seem to be filled vulgarity when it comes to moral decency, especially when it comes to men and their relationship with women. More so we sense vulgarity as we watch “Jane” feeling totally trapped by her wearing her angst and anxiety on her face and in her eyes all the while projecting a professional attitude even though at times she is no more respected than someone telling the family pet…………..”Go fetch the ball”.

I loved films that seem on the surface to be small but in the end delivers a much bigger message to embrace and “The Assistant” is just such a film. It’s a story executed as a subtle observational narrative which moves from the work place mundane to unexpected moments that are eerie, icy and creepy. Overall during its 97 minutes it shows what it feels like to live with, to endure and even survive to the minute a predator in the work place. It’s also examines male indifference and misguided instincts to just look away or  to offer up some dumfounded principled excuse and belief that male predatory actions in the work place is just a normal  part of the American work experience. ITS NOT.

It’s abundantly clear that this is a Harvey Weinstein-inspired drama, but its Julia Garner's work here that gives the film its big heart beat, its tenderness, its fear and its clarity of morality and decency without a shred of a political agenda. And while “The Assistant” offers nothing in the way of a solution nor takes any principled stand as to what to do, it still effectively captures very insightfully the mood and devastation of "screaming in silence" looks like and in the end how that silence is complicit to the atrocities exclusively directed far too often to way too many women in the work place everywhere.

3.50 Stars

Top Rated 2020 Sundance Festival Films

Top Rated 2020 Sundance Festival Films

“Minari“

 Premise: A tender and sweeping story about what roots us.  Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

“Promising Young Woman“

Premise: Plot

Everyone said Cassie (Carey Mulligan) was a promising young woman, until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she is living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past.

“Never Rarely Sometimes Always“

Premise:Two teenage cousins from Pennsylvania embark on a journey to New York City following an unplanned pregnancy.

“Zola”

Premise: The film is based on an infamous 148-tweet Twitter thread in which Zola meets a sex worker named Stefani at a restaurant where Zola waitresses, and the two immediately click over pole dancing. Only a day after they exchange numbers, Stefani invites Zola on a cross-country road trip, where the goal is to make as much money as possible dancing in Florida strip clubs. Zola agrees, and suddenly she is trapped in the craziest, most unexpected trip of her life, partaking in a wild 2-day trip with Stefani, her boyfriend Derrek, and Stefani’s violent pimp, who goes by X.

“Nine Days”

Premise: Winston Duke stars in Edson Oda's feature debut about a man tasked with interviewing souls for the chance to be sent out into life.

“Palm Springs”

Premise; When carefree Nyles (Andy Samberg) and reluctant maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti) have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated the next morning when they find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other.

“The Father”

Premise: A man struggles with his aging as he moves in with his daughter. Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman.

“The Glorias”

Premise: In Julie Taymor’s pinpoint-timely yet rousingly old-fashioned biopic about the life and times of Gloria Steinem, the legendary feminist leader is portrayed by four different actresses at four different stages of her life.

“Shirley”

Premise: A  modern hard-to-quantify psychological study variation on “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

“Born to Be Murdered”

Premise: A young couple become ensnared into a deadly conspiracy during their vacation to Trikala, Greece. John David Washington as Beckett and actress Alicia Vikander.

Birds of Prey - Review

"Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)"

“Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)”, or simply “Birds of Prey”, is a 2020 American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Birds of Prey. It is the eighth film in the DC Extended Universe, and both a follow-up to and spin-off of Suicide Squad (2016). It was directed by Cathy Yan and written by Christina Hodson, and stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead (FX Fargo Season 3), Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, and Ewan McGregor. The film follows Harley Quinn as she joins forces with Helena Bertinelli, Dinah Lance, and Renee Montoya to save Cassandra Cain from Gotham City crime lord Black Mask.

PLOT: Harley Quinn (Robbie) narrates the events of her life following the breakup of her diabolical boyfriend ‘The Joker”. Living on the streets of Gotham City, she is taken in by Doc, an elderly owner of a Chinese restaurant who gives her a place to live. Recovering from her abusive relationship with "The Joker", Harley cuts her hair, adopts a spotted hyena named “Bruce Wayne”, takes up roller derby, and blows up the Ace Chemicals plant where she pledged herself to “The Joker”. Needless to say she’s feeling dejected and depressed.

Early on we see “Harley” has a run in at a nightclub owned by gangster “Roman Sionis” (McGregor) crippling his driver. From that single event a tangled web of subplots begin to intersect and revealing an array of other women who have varying motives to hate “Roman Sionis” as well along with his evil over zealous right-hand knife wielding henchman “Zsasz”. The fight is on as Gotham City is immediately turned upside down as Harley, Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya's collectively and unlikely form a foursome of “having no choice” but to  team up to take the evil “Roman down”.

REVIEW: What’s the old adage?……………….."Behind every great man is a great woman". “Bird of Prey” turns that quote on its head as we see through Harley Quinn’s exploits, ……………….."Behind every criminal man is a bad ass, bat swinging, shot gun toting, beach blonde, multiple tattoos, crazier than hell, wearing two off size shaped shoes with bad make up on woman”.

“Birds of Prey” is a farcical nerdy film, but it’s a nerdy – geeky film that even through the occasional moments of “WTF”, still manages to work. But make no mistake about it, you have to go into the theater willing to accept in advance its totally nonsensical environment format where the law enforcement universe is totally inept, clumsy, bungling and as useless as a pair of human lips on a cold miners elbow.

The entire film is a sequence of scenes after scene of all out chaos where the female super heroes have lots of joy just being hopeless crime fighting clowns. But as much they are excepting their buffoonery, there is a bit of female liberation and emancipation to the overall  film that has a definite appeal. And why not, as the story was directed and written by two women who seem to want to understand and make the point……………men have been acting like jerks for years both on the big screen as well as in the real world, so why can’t women act crazier than hell  and get away with it too.

I cannot say this is a rush out to the theater to see effort, but as a rental its amusingly entertaining. In the comfort of your home you will have fun watching these characters having fun playfully dispatching “evil men” who have clearly gone totally mad through their greed, murder and back stabbing........both figuratively and literally, and where only these five tough heroine super women can make things right again.

3.00 Stars

Lester's 2020 Academy Award Predictions

Lester’s 2020 Academy Award Predictions
* Should Win (SW)

* Will Win (WW)

* Lock to Win

ACTING  CATEGORY

Best Supporting Actress (SW) - Laura Dern

Best Supporting Actress (WW) - Laura Dern

Possible Surprises - None

Best Supporting Actor (SW) - Brad Pitt

Best Supporting Actor (WW) - Brad Pitt 

Possible Surprises - None

Best Lead Actress (SW) - Renee Zellweger

Best Lead Actress (WW) - Renee Zellweger 

Possible Surprises - None

Best Lead Actor (SW) - Joaquin Phoenix

Best Lead Actor (WW) -  Joaquin Phoenix 

Possible Surprises – None

DIRECTING CATEGORY

Best Director (SW) - Sam Mendes

Best Director (WW) - Sam Mendes

Possible Surprises - Quentin Tarantino

BEST PICTURE CATEGORY

Best Film (SW) - “1917" or "Parasite”

Best Film (WW) - “1917" (Close)

Possible Surprises - “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

TECHNICAL CATEGORY 

Best Adapted Screenplay – “Little Women” ("Jojo Rabbit" could upset here)

Best Original Screen Play – “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Best Animation Feature – “Toy Story 4”

Best Cinematography – “1917”

Best Costumes Design – “Little Women”

Best Documentary – “American Factory” (Produced by B & M Obama)

Best Doc. Short Subject – “Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone”

Best Film Editing – “Ford vs Ferrari”

Best Foreign Film – “Parasite” 

Best Make Up / Hairstyle – “Bombshell” 

Best Production Design – “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Best Original Song – “Gonna Love Me Again – “Rocketman”

Best Original Score – “Joker”

Best Sound Editing – “1917”

Best Sound Mixing – “1917”

Best Visual Special Effects – “Avengers: Endgame”

Best Short Film: Animated – “Hair Love”

Best Live Action Short Film – “Brotherhood"