Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

The competition: Jane Fonda’s Hollywood actress (Youth), Jennifer Jason Leigh’s uppity prisoner (The Hateful Eight), Helen Mirren’s gossip queen (Trumbo), Alicia Vikander’s cunning robot (Ex Machina), and Kate Winslet’s loyal collaborator (Steve Jobs).

For your information: This is Fonda’s fifteen nomination, and she has won seven times. This is Mirren’s fourteenth nomination, and she has won three times, including two trophies out of three nominations in 2006. This is the eleventh nomination for Winslet, who has won three times. In 2008, she won both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Leigh was nominated once before and Vikander is also nominated for “The Danish Girl” this year.

Who should win? Winslet really impressed me in her film, and I’d sooner vote for Leigh in “Anomalisa” and Vikander in “The Danish Girl” than the roles they’re nominated for, even though they were good.

Who will win? There’s no real frontrunner here, and so this will be helpful in determining who might be able to take home the Oscar, though Rooney Mara and Alicia Vikander being recognized for what the Globes consider leading roles will change things. It could be any of them, but I’ll bet on Leigh.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

The competition: Paul Dano’s brilliant musician (Love and Mercy), Idris Elba’s fearless commander (Beasts of No Nation), Mark Rylance’s quiet spy (Bridge of Spies), Michael Shannon’s fearsome real estate developer (99 Homes), and Sylvester Stallone’s aging boxer (Creed).

For your information: Elba has been nominated four times in the past, winning once for “Luther.” Both he and Rylance, who is a first-time nominee this year, are also nominated for their TV miniseries work. Stallone was nominated in 1976 for acting in and writing “Rocky.” This is the first nomination for Dano and Shannon. Interestingly, none of these films are nominated for a Best Picture award.

Who should win? Shannon is far and away my choice, though I would not have classified him as supporting or ever expected him to get nominated.

Who will win? It’s not clear at this point, but Rylance seems to be the one who is being most widely praised, so I expect him to win unless Elba manages to or Stallone gets a nostalgia trophy.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

The competition: Jennifer Lawrence’s struggling inventor (Joy), Melissa McCarthy’s awkward agent (Spy), Amy Schumer’s vulgar journalist (Trainwreck), Maggie Smith’s title character (The Lady in the Van), and Lily Tomlin’s temperamental matriarch (Grandma).

For your information: This is the twelfth career nomination for Smith, who won film trophies in 1978 and 1986 and a TV award in 2012 for “Downton Abbey.” Tomlin has been nominated five times previously and also contends this year for “Grace and Frankie.” This is Lawrence’s fourth nomination in five years. She has won twice - for “American Hustle” in 2013 and in this category in 2012 for “Silver Linings Playbook.” Both films were directed by David O. Russell, who also directed her in “Joy.” This is the first nomination for both McCarthy and Schumer, who, along with Lawrence, have their films nominated for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical. Four actresses have won this award twice in a row, including Amy Adams the past two years.

Who should win? These are all fun choices, though McCarthy and Schumer’s performances aren’t quite at the same level. I think I would pick Lawrence over Tomlin and Smith.

Who will win? I would have said that Lawrence was far ahead just based on the nature of her performance, her having won twice, and the film, but the reception hasn’t been as positive as it should be, both for her chances and the fact that it’s great! I don’t know that any of the other actresses have enough momentum to win, so I’ll stick with her.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

The competition: Christian Bale’s brilliant numbers guy (The Big Short), Steve Carell’s temperamental moneyman (The Big Short), Matt Damon’s stranded astronaut (The Martian), Al Pacino’s aging musician (Danny Collins), and Mark Ruffalo’s manic-depressive father (Infinitely Polar Bear).

For your information: This is the seventeenth career nomination for Pacino, and the last time he was nominated for film work – back in 1992 – he won, one of four lifetime trophies. Damon has been nominated five times for acting and won once for screenwriting. This is Carell’s eighth overall nomination and his second consecutive bid for film work. He won in 2005 for “The Office.” Bale has been nominated twice before, winning once for “The Fighter.” Ruffalo earned his two previous Globe nominations last year. “The Big Short” and “The Martian” are nominated for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. Interestingly, in this category, the last two times that two performers were nominated for the same film, one ended up taking home the award, which might help Bale or Carell.

Who should win? I liked Ruffalo a lot in his film, but I’d still go with Damon.

Who will win? The only serious Oscar contender in this category is also the one likeliest to win: Damon.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

The competition: Cate Blanchett’s unhappy wife (Carol), Brie Larson’s loyal mother (Room), Rooney Mara’s impressionable salesgirl (Carol), Saoirse Ronan’s optimistic immigrant (Brooklyn), and Alicia Vikander’s supportive wife (The Danish Girl).

For your information: This is the ninth nomination for Blanchett, who can credit two of her three wins to this category for “Blue Jasmine” and “Elizabeth.” Mara and Ronan have each been nominated once before, and Vikander is also nominated in Best Supporting Actress this year, earning two nominations on her first try. This is the first nomination for Larson. All but Vikander’s film are nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama. The last time two actresses contended for the same film – 1991 – neither won.

Who should win? These are all great performances, but I’d vote for Larson or Vikander above the rest.

Who will win? There’s no clear frontrunner just yet, and unless one of the “Carol” women pull ahead, I think Larson will be the winner.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

The competition: Bryan Cranston’s communist writer (Trumbo), Leonardo DiCaprio’s determined trapper (The Revenant), Michael Fassbender’s brilliant inventor (Steve Jobs), Eddie Redmayne’s transitioning artist (The Danish Girl), and Will Smith’s persistent scientist (Concussion).

For your information: All five men here have been nominated previously for at least two Golden Globes, and Cranston, who won a TV trophy on his fifth try for “Breaking Bad,” is the only one new to this category. Redmayne won this award last year for “The Theory of Everything.” DiCaprio, who has won two Globes, one in this category in 2004 for “The Aviator,” is on his eleventh nomination. Smith earns his fifth this year, and Fassbender earns his third. Only “The Revenant” is nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama. The last actor to win two trophies in a row in this category was Tom Hanks in 1993 and 1994.

Who should win? I’m firmly behind Fassbender, though I think that all of these performances are award-worthy.

Who will win? Last year, Redmayne had already pulled out front, and this year, I don’t think it’s as clear cut. He’s already won a Globe even though he has yet to take home an Oscar, but I still think that DiCaprio will be in the lead for a ferocious lead performance.

Movie with Abe: Creed

Creed
Directed by Ryan Coogler
Released November 25, 2015

Some franchises never die, and it’s inevitable that they’ll be rebooted again and again. The first “Rocky” film won came out in 1976 and took home the Best Picture Oscar, launching Sylvester Stallone’s career and creating a number of iconic moments that are still referenced by film fans and Philadelphia visitors on a regular basis. That film spawned four sequels, which earned increasingly poor reviews, and a new film, “Rocky Balboa,” directed by Stallone, was released in 2006 to more positive reception. Now, Rocky is back for what may well be one last time in “Creed,” which puts a new boxer at the center of its story and gets him started on his career.

Adonis “Donnie” Johnson is introduced as a young boy in juvenile detention with a penchant for getting into fights. The arrival of Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad) changes Donnie’s future, as the widow of Rocky’s top opponent and friend Apollo Creed decides to adopt his illegitimate child and raise him as if he was her own. In the present day, Donnie (Michael B. Jordan) treks back from Mexico in the morning to hone his boxing skills and works in a corporate setting in the afternoon. Having grown up in luxury thanks to Mary Anne, Donnie has not forgotten his past, and he can’t help but be pulled into the life his father led, which brings him to Philadelphia, where he pressures Rocky (Stallone) to begin training him.

This reviewer was not particularly excited about this film, having received the original 1976 film tepidly when I watched it and steering clear of all the sequels, sitting down for this one only because of Stallone’s Golden Globe nomination, his first bid in thirty-nine years. I am pleased to report that the film was much better than expected, even if its plot took a predictable course and didn’t offer many surprises. Jordan, who was terrific in “Fruitvale Station,” brings a relatability to Donnie, who is initially wary of taking on the last name of the father who died before he was born because he wants to make his own mark. Stallone, to his credit, also delivers a fine performance, one that shows Rocky’s age and the choices he has made in his life. Tessa Thompson adds to the cast as Donnie’s neighbor and girlfriend Bianca, an aspiring singer with gradually worsening hearing loss. By the time it reaches its inevitable and admittedly exciting epic fight, this film has already proven itself more than capable. Stallone has successfully passed the franchise on to Jordan while paying tribute to Rocky’s legacy, and it can’t be a surprise that “Creed 2” is already in development. It’s very possible that this reviewer might even go see it.

B+

Movie with Abe: Anomalisa

Anomalisa
Directed by Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman
Released December 30, 2015

Some animated films are not for children, and in those cases, there’s usually a good and interesting reason that the filmmakers chose to use animation to tell their stories. Past examples such as “A Scanner Darkly” and “Waltz with Bashir” come to mind, and it should strike no one as a surprise that master auteur Charlie Kaufman, known for “Being John Malkovich,” “Adaptation,” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” would turn to a new medium for his latest effort behind the camera, another mind-boggling, intriguing look at life that raises many questions and answers few of them.

“Anomalisa” tells its story using computer-animated puppets. Michael Stone (David Thewlis) lands in Cincinnati, in town for just a night so that he can deliver a speech to a convention of customer service employees the next day. As he takes a cab to his hotel and interacts with the concierge and the bellboy, it becomes obvious that Michael is hearing the same voice (provided by Tom Noonan) whenever anyone talks to him. His wife and his son at home and an old flame who comes to meet him at the hotel all sound the same too. But when he meets Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), an eager woman in town to hear him speak, she sounds different, and his whole world is changed by the opportunity to experience something unique and original with this magical new person.

To say that “Anomalisa” is not a film for children is an understatement, as there is just as much, if not more, nudity in this film as there was in “Team America: World Police.” Yet things are much more serious here, and utilizing animation to showcase a transformative one-night stand is enormously powerful and effective. At first, it’s uncomfortable, but not having real people in the scene makes it all the more emphatic. It’s just as strange an experience as can be expected from Kaufman, who stepped behind the camera for the first time to direct “Synecdoche, New York,” with the existence of its universe relatively unexplained and certain hints at it not being real dropped over the course of the film without any true resolution. Noonan and Leigh do a marvelous job of voicing their characters, so lively and monotone, respectively, contrasting with Thewlis’ British accent as the protagonist of the film. For much of its ninety minutes, “Anomalisa” is a magnificently captivating film, and it ends on an uncertain, unfulfilling note that is sure to haunt its audience but fails to provide a firm and proper finish, even for Kaufman.

B

Movie with Abe: Grandma

Grandma
Directed by Paul Weitz
Released September 18, 2015

Every family has some crazy or eccentric relative who is well-known as such by all its other members. Sometimes it’s a zany grandparent who listens to no one and lives life by his or her own rules regardless of what others say or suggest. Often, such characters are born of old age, and an already crotchety or single-minded personality is only enhanced as faculties begin to weaken. Other times, someone is just like that his or her whole life. “Grandma” checks in with the singular Elle (Lily Tomlin) when the title hints at her age, but it’s clear from the start that Elle has never been one to conform to anything she didn’t personally feel like adopting.

Elle makes a rough impression in the film’s first scene, as her much younger girlfriend Olivia (Judy Greer) tries to have an open conversation with her about the difficulties of their relationship and ends up being called a footnote by her enraged partner who tells her to leave her key on the way out. Shortly after that wonderful interaction, Elle’s granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) shows up, asking for Elle’s help in putting funds together for the abortion she has scheduled that afternoon and is too afraid to fund with money from her condescending mother. Because the free spirit cut up her credit cards and made a work of art with them, an in-town road trip ensues, with stops along the way at all the people that Elle has wronged and spat on over the years.

In some ways, it’s hard to believe that a person such as Elle actually exists, since the poet does have substance and isn’t defined by something as small as racism, rather an argument that she doesn’t have an anger problem, just an asshole problem that causes her to get angry. Her language is coarse and she has no patience for anyone trying to call her out on the way she lives her life. Seeing her come to the staunch defense of her granddaughter while still pointing out her flaws is exceptionally interesting, and this short-distance road trip is an entertaining delight to behold.

Tomlin has received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the same year as she is honored for her flightier if still humorous role on Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie.” She is a strong, incomparable centerpiece in this film, and it would be nice if the film itself was honored along with its equally deserving lead actress. Garner and Marcia Gay Harden contribute positively to the film as well opposite Tomlin, but it’s Greer who steals all of her scenes and does a spectacular job of holding her own against Tomlin. This independent film is a great comedy and one that doesn’t try to accomplish much and manages to succeed with flying colors with what it does cover.

B+

Movie with Abe: The Good Dinosaur

The Good Dinosaur
Directed by Peter Sohn
Released November 25, 2015

There is a familiar theme to Disney and Pixar films, especially in recent years. A misfit with a good heart is usually the subject, and it is just a matter of time before someone no one ever expected anything from surprises them all and manages to astound with an act of true bravery. That formula works and is ready to go in the second and less talked-about production from Disney and Pixar this year, as one dinosaur who can’t even get out a proper roar has an uphill journey to travel in order to be able to make his literal and figurative mark.

There is often little explanation for how things are as they are in animated family productions, and here the existence of a family of talking dinosaurs is supported by the opening shot of the dinosaur-destroying asteroid that struck the Earth 65 million years ago missing the planet and allowing the prehistoric species to continue to thrive. As is usually the case, other animals talk too, but in an interesting twist, it’s the human whose words sound like gibberish and who has to communicate non-verbally. Though Apatosaurus Arlo hatched from a giant egg, the youngest of three dinosaur siblings has always been the runt of the litter, scared of his own shadow and unable to do anything of his own. Chasing after a peculiar human child one day leads Arlo on an incredible adventure that will surely transform him into what he was always meant to be.

Much of “The Good Dinosaur” feels like it could come from any Disney movie, and the way that the plot resolves itself can be predicted almost from the very start of the film. Yet there’s still something affirming about joining Arlo on his transformation from sheepish farmer to unintended explorer. This film definitely earns its PG rating, as this reviewer, who attended a 5:10pm screening with several talkative children reassuring each other about characters’ fates after destructive weather incidents, can attest to its intense thematic elements that put it on the more severe side of family entertainment.

This film’s title is fitting, though it isn’t to suggest that the other dinosaurs in the film aren’t good. In fact, dinosaurs are the best allies that Arlo can find out in the wild save for his mischievous human friend Spot, and it’s the other animals, particularly pterodactyls, who are villainous and frightening. What defines Arlo more than anything is that he is good, and this film has plenty of strong family and friendship values to impart to its viewers of all ages. It’s not the most resounding or original family film, but it’s a crowdpleasing, enjoyable movie that’s good for some sweet-natured entertainment.

B+

Oscar Predictions: Best Sound Editing

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 14th. As a result, most of the corresponding guilds won’t have announced their picks by then, so I’m making predictions in advance without being able to take those into consideration. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories, saving some of the biggest categories for last.

Last year’s nominees: American Sniper, Birdman, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Interstellar, Unbroken

This year’s locks: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Martian

Very likely: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant

Possible: Sicario, The Hateful Eight, Bridge of Spies, Jurassic World

Unlikely: Creed, Inside Out

The rundown: I’m not so confident in my predictions here because of my lack of expertise in this particular category, especially as it differs from Best Sound, but I’m betting on this field matching up four out of five with that race as it has the past two years. The four frontrunners are Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Revenant. Joining them I think will be Sicario, but it could just as easily be The Hateful Eight, Bridge of Spies, Jurassic World, or any number of other films.

One possible crazy scenario: The Walk is honored for heightening the suspense of its spectacular extended sequence.

Forecasted winner: I think that Star Wars: The Force Awakens sweeps most of the technical categories.

Oscar Predictions: Best Sound

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 14th. As a result, most of the corresponding guilds won’t have announced their picks by then, so I’m making predictions in advance without being able to take those into consideration. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories, saving some of the biggest categories for last.

Last year’s nominees: American Sniper, Birdman, Interstellar, Unbroken, Whiplash

This year’s locks: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Martian

Very likely: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant

Possible: Inside Out, Jurassic World, Bridge of Spies, The Hateful Eight, Sicario, Creed, Straight Outta Compton

Unlikely: So many others

The rundown: Some films seem like sure things and then don’t get nominated, so I’m really not sure what to predict here. It’s hard to imagine Star Wars: The Force Awakens not making the cut, and while I’m somewhat unwisely predicting The Revenant to be snubbed for Best Visual Effects, it should have no trouble getting in here. Best Picture contenders Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant should also make the cut, and if I’m betting historically, I’d put my money on animated crowdpleaser Inside Out over a handful of other films that could well bump it.

One possible crazy scenario: A film you’d never expect to be here, like Spotlight, shows up.

Forecasted winner: Give it to Star Wars!

Oscar Predictions: Best Film Editing

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 14th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories, saving some of the biggest categories for last.

Last year’s nominees: American Sniper, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Whiplash

This year’s locks: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant

Very likely: The Martian, The Big Short

Possible: Sicario, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Spotlight, Carol, Room, Creed, Bridge of Spies

Unlikely: Brooklyn, The Hateful Eight, Steve Jobs

The rundown: The big shock last year was that eventual Best Picture winner “Birdman” didn’t make the cut, and that’s why I’m not predicting Spotlight to be included, though it really deserves to be here. Its ACE Eddie snub yesterday only cements that likelihood, and I think that that the dramatic lineup could well end up being the Oscar lineup. Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant are sure things, and The Martian should be a good bet too. Even if Sicario doesn’t show up in other categories, it should be able to place here. It might end up being a Best Picture nominee, and if it is, I see Star Wars: The Force Awakens showing up here. It’s probable that The Big Short, cited as a comedy by the editing guild, will get in instead. Other possibilities include Carol, Room, Creed, Bridge of Spies, or Brooklyn. Outside shots include The Hateful Eight and Steve Jobs.

One possible crazy scenario: Unexpected recognition for the tight pacing of The Walk.

Forecasted winner: I see Mad Max: Fury Road triumphing here.

Movie with Abe: The Revenant

The Revenant
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Released December 25, 2015

When a director wins an Oscar, it’s always worth keeping an eye on what he or she chooses as a follow-up project. Prior to taking home the Best Director trophy for “Birdman,” Inarritu first contended for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category for “Amores Perros” before helming “21 Grams” (a personal favorite of this viewer), “Babel,” and “Biutiful,” all of which were defined by a powerful heaviness that “Birdman” departed from in its lighter style. Make no mistake – “The Revenant” is a formidable return to seriousness that hits just as hard and brutally as some of Inarritu’s previous films.

After featuring a large and talented ensemble in his last film, Inarritu pares back the focus of the adaptation of the 2003 novel by Michael Punke, honing in one central character with just a few important players surrounding him at the start of the film. Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is introduced as his camp is attacked by Native Americans while he is hunting with his son, and the group of trappers and hunters on a government-sponsored pelt expedition is pared down from over forty to just ten. Most devastatingly, Glass is horribly injured and nearly killed in a bear attack. Aware that the company must move on, Captain Andrew Henry (Domnhall Gleeson) leaves behind three men to care for Glass and transport him once he has healed, including Glass’ Native American son (Forrest Goodluck) and the self-motivated John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), who is more than prepared to leave Glass for dead.

The ensuing plot, which takes the films to over two hours and thirty minutes, is the incredible story of Glass’ persistence and ability to survive, facing much more than just bears and murderous people. The grittiness of “The Revenant” feels remarkably real, as demonstrated by the extensive wounds on Glass’ body and such pleasant instances as him grabbing a live fish out of the water and eating it immediately. The snow that blankets Wyoming and the uncharted Louisiana Purchase area in the 1820s gives the film a sedated, endless feel that only increases its impact. The cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, who has won the Oscar the past two years for “Birdman” and “Gravity,” is exceptional, and Lubezki is deserving of a third trophy. DiCaprio delivers a harrowing and strong performance, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if his name was called on Oscar night too. Hardy continues to demonstrate his range and his ability to be despicable, and the seemingly omnipresent Gleeson contributes a quality performance too. This film is unapologetically brutal and long, but that’s part of what goes into a fine epic such as this.

B+

Movie with Abe: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Released December 18, 2015

It’s one of the best known facts in the history of cinema that the Star Wars prequels were a monumental disaster. Sure, they grossed hundreds of millions of dollars, and this reviewer actually enjoyed the first two, but fans worldwide were epically disappointed in their quality and their failure to capture the same feeling as the first three films did from 1977 to 1983. Based on those results, it’s bold to say the least for the franchise to be rebooted just one decade after the prequel trilogy concluded, but based on the returns so far, revisiting a galaxy far, far away is a much more welcome trip this time around.

What “The Force Awakens” has brilliantly done to restart a franchise that may well be the world’s most popular and known movie series is to make the events of its original films legend. The new characters introduced in the seventh installment have heard names like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo and stories of the Jedi and the Force, but, to them, it’s a relic of the past that, especially with the emergence of the First Order, the latest incarnation of the Empire, seems destined to be remembered only as a myth. This film, therefore, serves as a fantastic callback to those original films, fully inviting nostalgia as fresh faces like defecting Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) and desert scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) experience the excitement and the rebirth of this saga right along with audiences.

I was impressed that I knew next to nothing about this film’s specific plot even after waiting a full two and a half weeks after its release to see it, so don’t expect any plot summary here. It’s enough to say that this film finds great and believable ways to incorporate familiar faces like Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) while handing over this film’s legacy to the likes of Boyega, Ridley, Oscar Isaac as Resistance pilot Poe, and Adam Driver as masked enemy Kylo Ren. They’re all more than capable, and it’s fun to think that this film has now launched the careers of those less known and amplified those with preexisting work. This film has everything that “Star Wars” fans should expect and will enjoy, including action, humor, and hints of romance, and the best part is that the next installment is due out as soon as May 2017. Priming its audiences for a sequel is far from a bad thing in this case – instead it’s a sure sign that this franchise is ready for many new chapters.

B+

Movie with Abe: Shaun the Sheep Movie (Capsule Review)

Shaun the Sheep Movie
Directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzak
Released August 5, 2015

One of this year’s Golden Globe nominees for Best Animated Feature and a probable Oscar contender for the same prize is this rather random film whose title seems extremely foreign until it becomes clear that Shaun the Sheep is a character born from the “Wallace and Gromit” universe who also exists in stop-motion form. This fully entertaining 85-minute adventure contains no discernable dialogue and manages to remain enthralling and enjoyable for the whole of its runtime as it follows Shaun on a quest to right his wrongs and rescue his amnesiac farmer after his antics get him, his flock, and most crucially his farmer into trouble far from the farm they all knew so well. It may not have the universal appeal of “Inside Out,” but this animated film is a strong presentation of animation and a cool, great-looking way to tell a story that’s remarkably simple yet manages to captivate without a single understandable word.

B+

Movie with Abe: Danny Collins

Danny Collins
Directed by Dan Fogelman
Released March 20, 2015

There were a number of films about the sordid lives of musicians in 2015, and most of them were based on real people. This film, “Danny Collins,” is based on a true story, but the musician in question wasn’t named Danny Collins. What Collins (Pacino) has in common with real-life folk singer Steve Tilston is that he found out, forty years after the fact, about a letter written to him by John Lennon praising both his music and his outlook on life. In Collins’ fictional story, discovering this letter prompts him to take a look at how he lives his life and change things in a big way.

In his seventies, Collins is still a success, singing hit tunes like “Hey Baby Doll” (which is eligible for the Oscar for Best Original Song) and living a comfortable lifestyle. His manager Frank (Christopher Plummer) has been with him for decades, and still looks after him even though he knows he doesn’t have much influence over what Collins will ultimately do. Getting this fateful letter inspires Collins to approach his son, Tom (Bobby Cannavale), whose reception is considerably icier than the lukewarm, tentative greeting he gets from Tom’s pregnant wife Samantha (Jennifer Garner) and the much warmer embrace of their daughter Hope (Giselle Eisenberg). To begin a relationship with them, Collins check into a Hilton where he also sets his eyes on the manager, Mary (Annette Bening), who seems determined not to be won over by this cocky rock star.

At no point in this film do the stakes feel particularly high, as Collins has little trouble finding his way into his son’s family life despite the fact that he hates him, and the success of his courtship effort with Mary has minimal bearing on his overall happiness. It’s all just about watching Collins talk and try to make things right in his mostly pleasant and fulfilling life. Fortunately, Pacino does put considerable effort into making Collins an endearing yet not fully likeable protagonist, and he is deserving of the Golden Globe nomination he received for his performance. In the supporting cast, the standouts are actually two actors currently appearing on freshmen series on television – Melissa Benoist from “Supergirl” and Josh Peck from “Grandfathered” as eager young hotel employees who treat Collins with respect and receive humor, smiles, and good tips from him. That’s the best way to describe this film: harmless and affirming.

B

Movie with Abe: Joy

Joy
Directed by David O. Russell
Released December 25, 2015

When a director continues to use the same actors over and over, at a certain point his or her films start to look alike. David O. Russell’s last two films garnered Oscar nominations for actress Jennifer Lawrence and actor Bradley Cooper. Robert De Niro appeared in “Silver Linings Playbook,” and now he, Lawrence, and Cooper are back together in Russell’s latest effort, which includes a handful of other talented performers in the ensemble. Fortunately, these collaborations are clearly worth it, since “Joy” is Russell’s best film yet, an impressive compliment given the generally agreed-upon quality of his work.

Lawrence stars as title character Joy, who, at a young age was told by her grandmother that she was destined for great things. Years later, her life is hardly organized, and every gain comes with some corresponding loss. Her nice but unmotivated ex-husband Tony (Edgar Ramirez) lives in her basement, while her bedbound mother Terry (Virginia Madsen) spends each day watching a soap opera on television. Her two children are traumatized by the occasional appearance of their grandfather Rudy (De Niro), whose temper is excessive and who obsesses over finding the right woman with whom to share his life, including by using a dating service for widows and widowers. Joy singlehandedly supports her family and never seems to manage to catch a break.

Trailers for the film, which have been playing in theaters for months, did a commendable job of not revealing much of the film’s plot beyond the above summary. Without revealing too much, Joy has an idea for a household invention that she resolves to bring to market, and the battle to get it made is not an easy one. “Joy” excels at capturing the intensity of the highs and lows in its protagonist’s life, gloriously celebrating her victories and wallowing with her in the utter devastation of her failures, making this so-called comedy often feel like something completely different.

Lawrence, who has already amassed three Oscar nominations in just five years, is certainly deserving of another shot at gold for this performance, one that is far from showy, creating a character who works hard and rarely sees the fruits of her labor yet still persists. De Niro, Madsen, Ramirez, and other members of the cast, including Cooper as a “friend in commerce,” Isabella Rossellini as Rudy’s new flame, Elisabeth Rohm as Joy’s spiteful half-sister, and Dascha Polano as Joy’s best friend Jackie, fit the rhythm of this film perfectly and complement each other wonderfully. The script is sharp and entertaining, and Russell’s direction helps his already enticing characters come alive even more in this involving, compelling portrait of one woman determined to get through the drudgery and make something of her life.

A-

Oscar Predictions: Best Visual Effects

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 14th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories, saving some of the biggest categories for last.

Last year’s nominees: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, X-Men: Days of Future Past

This year’s locks: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World

Very likely: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Possible: The Walk, Ex Machina, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant

Unlikely: Tomorrowland, Ant-Man

The rundown: Last year, six of the ten finalists in this category were are entries in series that produced other installments made in the past decade. This year, five and franchise films, though three of them are new installments of popular series last seen a lot longer ago. There’s no doubt that Star Wars: The Force Awakens will make the cut, and it seems all but guaranteed that Jurassic World will too. Avengers: Age of Ultron has a good shot, and it should beat out similar genre contenders Tomorrowland and Ant-Man. Mad Max: Fury Road is a probable Best Picture nominee but less likely here, and though it’s strange to say it, I think The Martian probably won’t show up here either. The same is true of The Revenant, a film with less recognizable supporting visual effects. The two contenders I think will do very well are The Walk, which did a superb job of recreating the Twin Towers and a daring walk between them fully from visual effects, and Ex Machina, which subtly and stunningly turned a human into a robot. There could be some surprises here, but I’m hoping that this might end up being the list.

Forecasted winner: It’s going to have to be Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Oscar Predictions: Best Makeup and Hairstyling

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 14th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories, saving some of the biggest categories for last.

Last year’s nominees: Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Guardians of the Galaxy

This year’s locks: None

Very likely: Black Mass

Possible: The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Concussion, Legend, Mr. Holmes

The rundown: There’s less mystery to this category since the field has already been narrowed down to seven contenders, three of which will be nominated. This category has often surprised with nominees like “Norbit” and “Il Divo,” and other sure things like “Hugo,” “Lincoln,” and “American Hustle” have been snubbed in the past. I’m pretty sure that the wildest inclusion in this category, The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, will make the final cut, if only because of the astonishing graphic I saw of the transformation of its lead actor into every single generation. The Film Experience also pointed out that Tom Hardy could be in every film recognized here, if Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, and Legend are all nominated. Mr. Holmes is another film that emphasizes the aging of an actor, though it may pale in comparison to the nearly unrecognizable faces of Johnny Depp in Black Mass and Will Smith in Concussion.

Forecasted winner: If it gets nominated, I bet that The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared will win.