'Deadpool' Lands a WGA Nomination

The Writers Guild is the least important guild, since so many of the inevitable nominees were never eligible, and in the case of this year, two are eligible only in the other category from which they were considered by the WGA. But you can kinda suss things out if you try, so let's look at what ended up in the nominations that came down this morning.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

'Loving' is nominated for original screenplay at WGA, but is only eligible for the packed adapted category at the Oscars

'Loving' is nominated for original screenplay at WGA, but is only eligible for the packed adapted category at the Oscars

  • Hell or High Water
  • La La Land
  • Loving
  • Manchester By the Sea
  • Moonlight

Okay, so here's the thing. Both Loving and Moonlight are only eligible at the Oscars in the adapted screenplay category, so that leaves two open slots right there. The other three are virtual locks, as they have been performing well all season and are guaranteed Best Picture nominees, so this leaves the open slots to be filled with several different options. We've got Jackie, Toni Erdmann, 20th Century Women, The Lobster and Zootopia as the most likely candidates. I'll go ahead and predict The Lobster and Zootopia. It's a shot in the dark, but The Lobster has been singled out by critics for its very original screenplay for months, and popular animated films have a long history of making it in for screenplay when acclaimed enough, even though it's always been a slot reserved for Pixar only (with the exception of the original Shrek way back in 2001). But I think with the love shown for Zootopia this year, and especially its clever screenplay, this could be Disney's first nod in the category.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Can 'Deadpool' get a surprise Oscar nod for screenplay?

Can 'Deadpool' get a surprise Oscar nod for screenplay?

  • Arrival
  • Deadpool
  • Fences
  • Hidden Figures
  • Nocturnal Animals

First off, we've got to make way for Moonlight here, so that knocks off Nocturnal Animals for sure. And some would say Deadpool's an obvious non-starter as well, but I'm not so sure about that. It would be a surprise, yes, but this nomination coupled with the ACE nod yesterday, and the movie's starting to look pretty strong. If it gets a PGA nomination, I'd stick with it to land a surprise screenplay nod at the Oscars as well. But of course, a superhero movie is always a long shot, so other options would be Loving, Silence, and perhaps Sully. But I'm not sure any of those movies have the enthusiasm or passion needed to get in, so don't count Deadpool out on this one.

More Critics Awards for 'La La Land,' 'Moonlight'

They were all coming like crazy for a few weeks and then suddenly they took a breather, but the critics aren't quite done yet, with at least a few more organizations to come. Today we've got two from Texas weighing in, along with North Carolina and Oklahoma.

NORTH TEXAS

Michael Shannon picks up a surprise supporting actor prize for 'Nocturnal Animals'

Michael Shannon picks up a surprise supporting actor prize for 'Nocturnal Animals'

  • Best Film: La La Land
  • Best Director: Damian Chazelle, La La Land
  • Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Jackie
  • Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester By the Sea
  • Best Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams, Manchester By the Sea
  • Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals
  • Best Cinematography: La La Land
  • Best Animated Film: Zootopia
  • Best Documentary: Gleason
  • Best Foreign Language Film: Elle

What I find odd about these is their lack of screenplay awards- why is cinematography literally the only tech category given out? That's weird, but their choices are conventional down the line, except for Michael Shannon in supporting, for a movie that's not getting a whole lot of attention otherwise.

AUSTIN

'Kubo' wins another animated film award, but still sits behind 'Zootopia'

'Kubo' wins another animated film award, but still sits behind 'Zootopia'

  • Best Film: Moonlight 
  • Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight 
  • Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea 
  • Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert, Elle 
  • Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight 
  • Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences 
  • Best Original Screenplay: Moonlight 
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: Arrival 
  • Best Cinematography: La La Land 
  • Best Score: La La Land 
  • Best Foreign-Language Film: The Handmaiden 
  • Best Documentary: Tower 
  • Best Animated Film: Kubo and the Two Strings 
  • Best First Film: The Witch

The Austin critics don't do anything worth noting here, with more of the expected Moonlight love, and Kubo stays in second behind Zootopia for animated film.

NORTH CAROLINA

Emma Stone adds to her mini-momentum with later critics groups

Emma Stone adds to her mini-momentum with later critics groups

  • BEST FILM: La La Land
  • BEST DOCUMENTARY: O.J.: Made in America
  • BEST ANIMATED FILM: Zootopia
  • BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: The Handmaiden
  • BEST DIRECTOR: Damien Chazelle — La La Land
  • BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: La La Land
  • BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS: Doctor Strange
  • BEST ACTOR: Casey Affleck — Manchester by the Sea
  • BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jeff Bridges — Hell or High Water
  • BEST ACTRESS: Emma Stone — La La Land
  • BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Viola Davis — Fences
  • BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Hell or High Water
  • BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Arrival

North Carolina added to Emma Stone's late breaking Best Actress haul, an award I believe will come down to SAG in the Oscar race, while going for the expected winners elsewhere.

OKLAHOMA

Actress prizes split up again, with these 4 critics groups going for Huppert, Portman, Stone and Adams

Actress prizes split up again, with these 4 critics groups going for Huppert, Portman, Stone and Adams

  • Film - La La Land
  • Actress - Amy Adams (Arrival)
  • Actor - Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
  • Supporting Actress - Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)
  • Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) 
  • Director - Damien Chazelle (La La Land) 
  • Animated film - Zootopia
  • Documentary - OJ: Made in America
  • Foreign film - The Handmaiden
  • Ensemble - Manchester by the Sea
  • First Feature - The Witch
  • Original screenplay - Manchester by the Sea
  • Adapted Screenplay - Arrival
  • Body of Work - Amy Adams 

And the OK critics spread the wealth, giving a big appreciation for Amy Adams in Best Actress, while Arrival picked up a few adapted screenplay prizes at all these groups.

Debbie Reynolds 1932-2016

And just like that, 32 hours after her daughter's death, Debbie Reynolds has died at the age of 84. The stress of her daughter Carrie's death was too much for her, as she had had several strokes in recent years, and according to her son Todd, her last words were "I want to be with Carrie." Debbie Reynolds was a Hollywood icon who starred as the ingenue in many films from the 1950's, most famously Singin' in the Rain at the age of 19, then How the West Was Won, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (for which she was Oscar-nominated for Best Actress), The Singing Nun, Divorce, American Style, the voice of Charlotte in the animated Charlotte's Web, Mother and In & Out. She was known as Hollywood's original "sweetheart," earning the title for her sunny disposition and the famous tabloid scandal that saw her be left by her husband Eddie Fisher for Elizabeth Taylor in 1959. A singer, dancer, and actress, Reynolds was a true performer who was known for her stage, film and television work over the years, she was nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy (for playing Debra Messing's mother on Will & Grace from 1999-2006) and a Tony (for the 1973 musical Irene), her hand and footprints are preserved at Graumann's Chinese Theatre, and she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from SAG in 2014 and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from AMPAS in 2015. This holiday has left the family with unimaginable grief, as Billie Lourd has lost her mother and grandmother, and Todd Fisher his mother and sister in just two days.

The famous scene from 1952's Singin' in the Rain, where Debbie holds her own against two of the greatest dancers to ever appear in film:

Carrie and Debbie's interview with Oprah in 2011:

Carrie Fisher 1956-2016

A pop culture icon, an actress, a writer and a comedienne- Carrie Fisher was a true original. She died on Tuesday at the age of 60, after suffering a massive heart attack on a plane returning to LAX from London and spending three days in the hospital in intensive care. This shocking death was another in a long list of Hollywood icons taken from us in 2016, and one of the most heart wrenching. Carrie was the daughter of Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, who grew up in Tinseltown before landing the role she would forever be fused with in 1977 as Princess Leia, the sci-fi heroine for generations of moviegoers to come. The original Star Wars trilogy made her eternally a part of pop culture and movie history, and it was a role she reprised just last year in The Force Awakens (and is set to do in next year's untitled Episode VIII, for which her scenes are already wrapped).

We may all remember her as the fierce and feisty Leia, but she had other performances in her filmography, including parts in Shampoo (see her hold her own against Warren Beatty as a mere teenager), When Harry Met Sally (Jess and Marie forever!), and The Blues Brothers (one of the funniest cameos ever). She made countless guest appearances on television shows over the years, which included her hilarious most recent role as Rob Delaney's mother on Catastrophe, on which she had just returned from filming the upcoming third season (a must-see for everyone). Fisher was also a prolific writer who published several novels, including Postcards From the Edge, for which she wrote the screenplay for the 1991 Meryl Streep starring film, which was based on the real life relationship between her and her mother Debbie Reynolds. Other published works included memoirs like the just released The Princess Diarist, and the play for her one woman show Wishful Drinking. A rare wit and a dear friend to all who worked with and knew her over the years, she will be missed. May the Force be with her.

In 1989's When Harry Met Sally, which I'm sure many will be watching this New Year's Eve:

Her roast of George Lucas at his AFI Lifetime Achievement Award win in 2009:

Carrie's original audition for Star Wars at age 18:

Nevada, Florida and The Alliance of Women Film Journalists Like 'The Lobster,' Annette Bening

More critics, but happily, there are some surprises from the Nevada and Florida groups, which went against the grain in Best Picture.

NEVADA

Will Annette Bening get her fifth Oscar nomination?

Will Annette Bening get her fifth Oscar nomination?

  • Best Film – Hell or High Water 
  • Best Actor – Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea 
  • Best Actress – Annette Bening, 20th Century Women 
  • Best Supporting Actor – Ben Foster, Hell or High Water 
  • Best Supporting Actress – Greta Gerwig, 20th Century Women 
  • Best Youth Performance – Alex Hibbert, Moonlight 
  • Best Director – David Mackenzie, Hell or High Water 
  • Best Original Screenplay – Hell or High Water 
  • Best Adapted Screenplay – Arrival 
  • Best Ensemble – Moonlight 
  • Best Documentary – O.J.: Made in America
  • Best Animated Movie – Moana 
  • Best Production Design – La La Land 
  • Best Cinematography – La La Land 
  • Best Visual Effects – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Hell or High Water ruled the day here, with some love shown for 20th Century Women in two acting races, and Ben Foster in supporting actor, who gave a better performance than Jeff Bridges, even though I'm sure he'll be the Oscar nominee. Good on NV for standing out from the pack.

FLORIDA

The offbeat sci-fi comedy 'The Lobster' wins Best Picture from the FL film critics

The offbeat sci-fi comedy 'The Lobster' wins Best Picture from the FL film critics

  • BEST PICTURE: The Lobster 
  • BEST DIRECTOR: Damien Chazelle – La La Land 
  • BEST ACTOR: Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea 
  • BEST ACTRESS: Isabelle Huppert – Elle 
  • BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jeff Bridges – Hell or High Water 
  • BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Michelle Williams – Manchester by the Sea 
  • BEST ENSEMBLE: American Honey 
  • BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Lobster 
  • BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Love & Friendship 
  • BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: La La Land 
  • BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Arrival 
  • BEST ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION: La La Land 
  • BEST SCORE: La La Land 
  • BEST DOCUMENTARY: Cameraperson 
  • BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Elle 
  • BEST ANIMATED FILM: Kubo and the Two Strings 
  • BEST FIRST FILM: The Edge of Seventeen 
  • PAULINE KAEL BREAKOUT AWARD: Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

The Lobster wins a Best Picture award! That's awesome. Well, why not? It's certainly one of the most original movies I've seen in a long time, and it looks like FL wanted to spread the love around to several of the different frontrunners. Cool choice.

ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

Ruth Negga is also on the cusp of a Best Actress nomination

Ruth Negga is also on the cusp of a Best Actress nomination

  • Best Film: Moonlight
  • Best Director: Barry Jenkins – Moonlight
  • Best Screenplay, Original: Manchester by the Sea 
  • Best Screenplay, Adapted: Moonlight
  • Best Documentary: 13th 
  • Best Animated Film: Zootopia
  • Best Actress: Ruth Negga – Loving
  • Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Viola Davis – Fences
  • Best Actor: Casey Affleck – Manchester By The Sea
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali – Moonlight
  • Best Ensemble Cast – Moonlight 
  • Best Cinematography: Moonlight 
  • Best Editing: Moonlight 
  • Best Non-English-Language Film: The Handmaiden 
  • Best Woman Director: Ava DuVernay – 13th 
  • Best Woman Screenwriter: Kelly Reichardt – Certain Women 
  • Best Animated Female (tie): Judy in Zootopia – Ginnifer Goodwin & Moana in Moana – Auli’i Cravalho 
  • Best Breakthrough Performance: Ruth Negga – Loving
  • Outstanding Achievement by A Woman in The Film Industry: Ava DuVernay – For 13th and raising awareness about the need for diversity and gender equality in Hollywood
  • Actress Defying Age and Ageism (tie): Annette Bening – 20th Century Women & Isabelle Huppert – Elle and Things to Come
  • Most Egregious Age Difference Between The Lead and The Love Interest Award: Rules Don’t Apply – Warren Beatty (b. 1937) and Lily Collins (b. 1989) 
  • Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent: Jennifer Aniston – Mother’s Day and Office Christmas Party
  • Bravest Performance: Isabelle Huppert – Elle
  • Remake or Sequel That Shouldn’t have been Made: Ben Hur
  • AWFJ Hall of Shame Award: Sharon Maguire and Renee Zellwegger for Bridget Jones’s Baby

The women film journalists loved Moonlight the most, but their best choices are the unconventional stuff, like actress in need of a new agent, which goes to Jennifer Aniston for what's either the second or third time. The age difference award is great too- god, did Warren Beatty really pair himself up with a 27 year old (who looks 16)? 

Lots of Love for 'Manchester By the Sea' From Vancouver Critics

Three more critics groups come in today, with results from Vancouver, the other Phoenix critics team, and the Black Film Critics Circle.

VANCOUVER

Michelle Williams has racked up the second most supporting actress wins next to Viola Davis

Michelle Williams has racked up the second most supporting actress wins next to Viola Davis

  • BEST FILM: Manchester by the Sea
  • BEST ACTOR: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
  • BEST ACTRESS: Isabelle Huppert, Elle
  • BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
  • BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
  • BEST DIRECTOR: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
  • BEST SCREENPLAY: Manchester by the Sea
  • BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Toni Erdmann
  • BEST DOCUMENTARY: Cameraperson

Wow, these guys really fell all over themselves for Manchester, giving it Picture, Director, two acting awards and screenplay. Aside from that it appears Isabelle Huppert remains a critics darling still, but I wonder if her Oscar nomination is secure at this point.

PHOENIX FILM CRITICS SOCIETY

Viola Davis remains on her cruise to the Oscar stage for 'Fences'

Viola Davis remains on her cruise to the Oscar stage for 'Fences'

  • Best Picture: La La Land 
  • Best Director: Damien Chazelle (La La Land) 
  • Best Actress in a Leading Role: Emma Stone (La La Land) 
  • Best Actor in a Leading Role: Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) 
  • Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Viola Davis (Fences) 
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water) 
  • Best Original Screenplay: Hell or High Water 
  • Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material: Hacksaw Ridge 
  • Best Cinematography: La La Land 
  • Best Film Editing: Hacksaw Ridge 
  • Best Production Design: La La Land 
  • Best Costume Design: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 
  • Best Visual Effects: Doctor Strange 
  • Best Original Score: La La Land 
  • Best Original Song: 'City of Stars' (La La Land) 
  • Best Ensemble Acting: Hell or High Water 
  • Best Animated Film: Zootopia 
  • Best Documentary: Gleason 
  • Best Foreign Language Film: Elle 
  • Best Breakthrough Performance: Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) 
  • Best Performance by a Youth: Alex R. Hibbert (Moonlight) 
  • Overlooked Film of the Year: Sing Street

Like I said, there's a Phoenix Critics Circle and a Phoenix Film Critics Society, and I have no idea why. Judge for yourself which of them has better taste. This does mark Emma Stone's third win in as many days, so she appears to have some mini-momentum going now.

BLACK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

Barry Jenkins could make history if he wins the Best Director Oscar for 'Moonlight'

Barry Jenkins could make history if he wins the Best Director Oscar for 'Moonlight'

  • Best Film: Moonlight
  • Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
  • Best Actor: Denzel Washington, Fences
  • Best Actress: Ruth Negga, Loving
  • Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
  • Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, Fences
  • Best Original Screenplay: Moonlight
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: Fences
  • Best Cinematography: Moonlight
  • Best Foreign Film: Elle 
  • Best Documentary: 13th
  • Best Animated Film: Zootopia
  • Best Ensemble: Fences

So these three groups today split between the big three movies- Manchester, La La Land, and Moonlight. Aside from Best Actress, the other three acting frontrunners remain in place before the televised awards (Affleck, Ali and Davis), and I think the two screenplay awards are now solidified as well, with Moonlight having been moved into adapted, giving it an easy win there as well as Manchester in Original. I may do much better on my Oscar predictions this year.

The Rock Teams Up with Zac Efron for 'Baywatch' Movie

Well, I don't know who was clamoring for this, but since it really doesn't seem to even resemble the old show in anything but the title and occasional shots of random girls running in swimsuits, I guess they might as well take a mismatched buddy movie and slap it with a recognized brand name for a title, right? Basically, this looks like shit, which is most movies starring The Rock. Sorry if you're a fan but he hasn't starred in a decent movie since 2003's The Rundown.