90th Oscars

*Hello!  This was originally written on March 8, but do to life, I didn’t have time to post it because, quite frankly, with such a hectic schedule, this blog has become little more than a hobby.  After all, many other things in my life have been delayed, so why not this too?  So, sit back and enjoy!

 Mr. Bee

Last Sunday the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) held the 90th Academy Awards.  It was hosted by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.  And, for the record, they did not make the same mistake as last year.  Jimmy Kimmel did a good job as host for what ended up being a nearly four hour telecast.  He did a a bit where the person who gave the shortest acceptance speech got a jetski and an all-expenses paid trip to Lake Havasu (which ended up being the costume designer for Phantom Thread).  I would say that was the best on-going joke at an award show since Ellen Degeneres and her pizza skit and the selfie-seen-round-the-world at the 2014 Oscars.  Since then, we had very mediocre bits (e.g. Neil Patrick Harris giving predictions and Chris Rock selling girl scout cookies).  The In Memorium was good but left out one very important name - that being Adam West.  For me, West’s inclusion seemed very insensitive.  Granted, he’s best-known for playing Batman in the tv version, but he was also arguably the first Batman in a movie, so I would imagine his immense cult following was also disappointed.  Now, let’s get to the winners.

Best Picture - The Shape of Water; I just wanted to mention that I made the stupidest move of all time with this.  I predicted this movie to win for WEEKS only to change my prediction at the last minute to Get Out.  I guess it’s important to follow my early predictions instead of my last-minute predictions (that is predictions soon after nominations come out).  The “Three Billboards Backlash” was probably the deciding factor in this category that catapulted The Shape of Water.  

Best Actress - Frances McDormand for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.  She gave a really empowering acceptance speech.

Best Supporting Actress - Allison Janney for I, Tonya

Best Actor - Gary Oldman for Darkest Hour.  His acceptance speech was mixed but had probably the best ending to a speech of the night.

Best Supporting Actor - Sam Rockwell for Three Billboards

Best Director- Guillermo Del Toro for The Shape of Water

Best Adapted Screenplay - Call me by Your Name.  James Ivory, the screenwriter, is now the oldest Oscar winner at 89.

Best Original Screenplay - Get Out.  Jordan Peele, the screenwriter and director, gave one of the best acceptance speeches of the night by thanking we the audience (unfortunately, he did not mention me by name).  

Best Animated Feature and Song - Coco

One of the other categories that I want to mention is Best Animated Short which went to Dear Basketball.  This means that Kobe Bryant now has an Oscar in the year of the #metoo movement, which is very debatable.  However, animated legend, Glen Keane finally won his first Oscar (which is probably about 20 years overdue).  

And now, before I send you off, I want to give you my predictions for next year’s ceremonies.  This year’s predictions were pretty spot-on.  I got 19 out of 24 categories correct and would have done even better if I didn’t second-guess myself.  I am also pretty proud to remind you that last year I picked Darkest Hour and Dunkirk which were both nominated for Best Picture. Now for my predictions for next year. Keep in mind it's a long way to next year and it could change at any moment, Mary Queen of Scots starring Oscar nominees Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie (about Queen Mary of Scotland), Black Panther, and movies with an outside chance include Mary Poppins Returns, Christopher Robin, The Incredibles 2,  Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, and Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs.  Well, thanks to everyone for reading my often-delayed awards’ season coverage, and between now and next year’s coverage, there will be a lot happening with my blog.  So, good night, and here’s hoping for a great movie year.  Bee Happy!

Mr.Bee
copyright 2018 Mr. Bee Studio International All rights belong to Mr. Bee and webmaster Wesley M. and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your understanding. 

The Annies and the BAFTAs

            Welcome to the Olympic athletes returning home that may be reading my blog.  And to everyone else reading, I guess you can read along.  Well, a little over 3 weeks ago, the Annies took place.  Then, a week ago Sunday the BAFTAs took place.  So, let’s start with the Annies.

     It was one of most organized Annie ceremonies that I have seen.  It was quite a surprise and may be from the fact that the Oscars botched it last year (which is a really amazing considering that the Annies holds the record for the most “What the Bee” moments).  One of my favorite moments was the tribute to the late, great June Foray.  With that said, the in memoriam segment where they highlight some of the other main people that died had the same problem as in years prior; the names just rolled going down the screen which left little to no impression.  

On to the winners; Coco swept the Annies.  It only lost one nomination but won the category nonetheless because it was competing against  itself (that being “Best Storyboarding”).  Having seen all the nominees for best animated feature coupled with seeing one of the Animated Feature (Independent) nominees (Loving Vincent) my opinion on Coco winning everything is that it was a very weak year for animated movies.  Since Lego Batman was shut out of most categories, Coco was a shoo-in.  When you are putting movies like Boss Baby and Captain Underpants up against a legitimate movie, Coco is on a different plane.  Both movies are decent - just nowhere near the category of Coco.  If this is the best in animation, I’d hate to see the worst.  Unfortunately, “the worst” came out this year, and I have seen it.  Here’s hoping for a better slate of animated movies in 2018 (and it looks promising).  The Breadwinner won Best Animated Feature (Independent) putting it in a very good place to at least somewhat compete with Coco, but for all intents and purposes, Coco is a lock for the Oscar.  Best Animated Short went to Dear Basketball.  Now, you might think that positions Dear Basketball for an Oscar, but the Annies have only correlated 3 of the last 7 years to the Oscars.  The race has really tightened up in this category as of late, but it is still a slight favorite with today being the last day for Oscar voting.  

As for the BAFTAs, it was an overall pretty good show.  The ceremony was hosted by Joanna Lumley and she was kind of “meh”.  She had some funny jokes, but her opening sketch was not funny in the least.  She did not, however, distract from or ruin the ceremony itself - which a bad host can do (recall Anne Hathaway and James Franco, 2011).  Let’s get to the winners. Best Supporting Actress went to Allison Janney (I, Tonya) who is now the Oscar lock with little leeway. Best Supporting Actor went to Sam Rockwell (3 Billboards) who is the heavy favorite for the Oscar.  Gary Oldman won for Best Actor (Darkest Hour) and is a shoe-in for the Oscar.  Frances McDormand got the Best Actress for 3 Billboards and is who the smart money is on to win.  Best Director went to Guillermo Del Toro for The Shape of Water which has positioned itself as the front-runner.  Call me by your Name, and probable Oscar winner, won Best Adapted Screenplay.  Best Original Screenplay was 3 Billboards which is in a dogfight with Get Out.  It was no surprise that Coco won for Best Animated Feature.  3 Billboards won for Best Picture, but I would not count on it winning the Oscar.  The BAFTAs have gotten the Best Picture wrong the last three years.  3 Billboards also did not get a Best Director nomination which is a kiss of death.  3 Billboards is having a backlash for its purported mixed messages with Sam Rockwell’s character and the ending.  If you will recall, last-minute backlash is what unseated La La Land last year.

I apologize for the delay for this.  I will not be posting another blog until after the Oscars, so enjoy the show and anticipate my reactions and recap.  

I dedicate this blog to the late June Foray who was a pioneer in voice acting.  She voiced many of your favorite cartoon characters through many decades.  She was a passionate defender for the art of animation including founding the Annie Awards and because of her time on the Board of Governors of the Academy, she is the reason that animation still has a place in the Oscars.  So, from all of us at Brilliant Movie Buzz; thank you!  Goodnight, and Bee Happy!™ 

Mr.Bee  

copyright 2018 Mr. Bee Studio International All rights belong to Mr. Bee and webmaster Wesley M. and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your understanding.  

images courtesy of ASIFA-Hollywood ,BAFTA  and MyConfinedSpace

The SAG Awards and Oscar Nominations

Welcome. The SAG Awards were last Sunday and the Oscar nominations were announced Tuesday morning, so let’s not waste any time. Let’s get into it. So, the SAG Awards were Sunday and they were hosted by Kristen Bell and she did a pretty decent job and I will say that she is the best SAG host (that’s not saying much considering that she is the first host). The ceremony was overall pretty good.

Here are the winners in the movie categories:

• Best Actress: Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
• Best Actor: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)
• Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
• Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)
• Best Ensemble: Three Billboardss
• Best Stunt Ensemble: Wonder Woman  

Now that we have the SAG awards out of the way, let’s get to the reason you clicked on this blog in the first place. Well there are 9 nominees for Best Picture this year. As I have mentioned every year, the Oscar’s can have a maximum of 10 nominees for best picture, and a minimum of 5. Some of the movies that have gotten left out include I, Tonya, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Disaster Artist, Coco, The Lego Batman Movie, and The Emoji Movie. I am joking about the last one. That movie has a nice happy spot  as a Razzie nominee for worst movie of the year (fingers crossed).  As for the winner of Best Picture, I would say that there is a 4-way race between The Shape of Water, Three Billboards, Get Out, and Lady Bird.  Before the nomination, it was between Billboards and The Shape of Water, but the director of Three Billboards, Martin Mcdonagh was, surprisingly, not nominated for Best Director.  As I mention every year, with the director of a movie not being nominated, it severely hinders that movie’s chances of winning the top honor.  Only 4 movies in the 90 year history of the Oscars have been able to pull it off (Wings, 1929; Grand Hotel, 1932; Driving Miss Daisy, 1990; Argo, 2013).  So, Billboards winning is now unlikely even though it has a shot.  

For the other categories; Best Director - Guillermo del Toro as the front-runner (The Shape of Water)  with Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) being the next most likely suspect.  Best Actor - Gary Oldman has this in the bag (Darkest Hour); Best Actress - Frances McDormand is a lock; Best Supporting Actor - Rockwell or Willem Dafoe or Christopher Plummer could pull out a  victory; Supporting Actress - Allison Janney (I, Tonya); Best Adapted Screenplay - Call me by Your Name; Best Original Screenplay - Get Out; Animated Feature - Coco without competition

Now I want to turn your attention to a very interesting category; Best Animated Short.  I have seen two out of the five movies nominated (Lou and Dear Basketball).  Both shorts are really good and are the two front-runners.  I think Dear Basketball will pull out a victory.  If this happens, Kobe Bryant will actually win an Oscar.  

Well, that’s about it for this installment.  You still have time to vote for my end-of-the-year poll.  Goodnight, and Bee Happy!™ 

Mr.Bee

For a complete list of ALL the Oscar nominees, please visit  

http://oscar.go.com/nominees

 

copyright 2018 Mr. Bee Studio International All rights belong to Mr. Bee and webmaster Wesley M. and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your understanding. 

The Golden Globes, The Critics’ Choice, and BAFTA Noms

Well, after last week we finally have a clear picture on what will be the Oscar nominees and winners.  So, let’s start with the Golden Globes.

Now the Golden Globe ceremony  was on January 7.  They were hosted by late-night-host-extraordinaire Seth Meyers.  His monologue was brilliant as he successfully navigated a tumultuous time in Hollywood (#MeToo, #Timesup, #Woke).  He wasn’t “as good” throughout the show, but he set the bar pretty high from the onset.  He did a pretty decent job overall - not the BEST host, but far better than Jimmy Fallon last year.  

The show was pretty good.  Oprah stole the show when she gave a really great speech after receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award (and, before you ask, she DID NOT get everybody a new car.).  Let’s get to the winners!

Best Picture (Drama): Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Picture (Musical or Comedy): Lady Bird

Best Animated Feature: Coco

Best Supporting Actor:  Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)

Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney (I, Tonya)

Best Actor (Drama): Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)

Best Actor (Musical or Comedy): James Franco (The Disaster Artist)

Best Actress (Drama): Frances McDormand

Best Actress (Musical or Comedy): Saoirse Ronin (Lady Bird)

Best Director: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)

Best  Screenplay: Three Billboards

Now, letś move onto the Critics’ Choice Awards.  They had these last Thursday and were hosted by Olivia Munn.  She did an okay job.  It was one of the better Critics’ Choice shows (which is a very short list because of their really bad track record with hosts).  Letś move onto the winners:

Best Picture: The Shape of Water

Best Animated Feature: Coco

Best Supporting Actor:  Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards)

Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney (I, Tonya)

Best Actor : Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)

Best Actress (Drama): Frances McDormand (Three Billboards)

Best Director: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)

Best Original Screenplay: Get Out

Best Adapted Screenplay: Call me by Your Name

Now letś move onto the BAFTA Nominations:

The Shape of Water had the most nominations that year (12).  I have a sneaky suspicion that it will probably win Best Picture because the BAFTAs are, of course, British therefore have British voters.  Three Billboards seems to be a very American movie, so it may have a lesser-appeal across the pond.  Other movies that could take it are Dunkirk or Call me by Your Name.  Del Toro will most likely win for Best Director but Christopher has a major chance for pulling off an upset because heś British.  Gary Oldman will easily win for Best Actor (especially since heś playing the part of Winston Churchill)  Frances McDormand will win for Best Actress.  As for Supporting Actor, Iḿ going to go out on a limb and say Christopher Plumber (for All the Money in the World), but Sam Rockwell will probably go on to win the Oscar.  Best Supporting Actress will probably be Allison Janney (I, Tonya).  Best Original Screenplay will probably be Three Billboards.  Best Adapted Screenplay will be Call Me by Your Name.  And, finally, Coco will win for Best Animated Feature.  One interesting thing about this category is that we have a holdover from last year; that being My Life as a Zucchini.  If youŕe wondering why that is, BAFTA goes by when the movies are released in England while the Oscars go by when movies are released in Las Angeles.  So, My Life as a Zucchini wasn't released in England until 2017.

The SAGs are on Sunday and the Oscar nominations will be announced on Tuesday morning, and the Producers’ Guild Awards will be announced on Saturday.  So, be sure to keep checking back for all of my awards season coverage.  You also still have time to do my end-of-the-year poll, so Goodnight, and Bee Happy!™ 

Mr.Bee

copyright 2018 Mr. Bee Studio International All rights belong to Mr. Bee and webmaster Wesley M. and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your understanding. 

Award Season Nominations 2018

Welcome to my long-delayed award season coverage.  Last month we got the nominations for three of the big four award shows.  Now, I will be predicting the major awards for all of them in the order in which they were announced.  

The Annie Awards

     Best Animated Feature: It’s a very interesting category.  

·         Captain Underpants

·         The Boss Baby

·         Cars 3

·         Despicable Me 3

·         Coco - Coco will win hands-down.  

Best Animated Feature: Independent will probably go the “The Breadwinner”

Best Directing: This award will probably go to Lee Unkrick for “Coco”.  A possible upset pick could be Nora Twomey for “The Breadwinner” or Chris McKay for “LEGO Batman Movie”

Best Voice Acting:  This award will likely go to Zach Galfianakis for “Lego Batman Movie” or Anthony Gonzalez for “Coco”

Writing:  I think that “Coco” has this one in the bag.

And, on a side note, for Outstanding Achievement for Animated Effects in an Animated Production one very interesting nomination, Avatar Flight of Passage which is a motion simulator at Disney World.  In other words, it’s a ride.  

This is the second time in as many years that I have questioned the legitimacy of a nominee (after last year’s “ Batman: The Return of the Caped Crusader” was nominated for best music).  The award may go to the ride, but my bet is on “Cars 3”

The Critics’ Choice Awards

     Best Picture: “The Shape of Water” will probably win although “Dunkirk” or “The Post”

     will be outside contenders.

     Best Actor: James Franco in “The Disaster Artist” seems to be pulling away.

     Best Actress: I predict Francis McDormand for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing,

     Missouri” although Meryl Streep and Sally Hawkins could be in the running.

    

     Best Supporting Actor: I predict Willem Dafoe for “The Florida Project”

     Best Supporting Actress: I think Allison Janney for “I, Tonya” will take home the hardware.

     Best Director: I predict Christopher Nolan for “Dunkirk”but Guillermo Del Toro for “The

     Shape of Water” wouldn’t surprise me.  Spielberg is also always a contender.  

     Best Original Screenplay:  “Three Billboards…” looks promising in an otherwise difficult

     category to predict.

     Best Adapted Screenplay: “The Disaster Artist”

     Best Animated Feature: I’m leaning towards “Coco”, but “The Breadwinner” is up there.  

     I’d also give “The LEGO Batman Movie” a chance of pulling out a victory.

Golden Globes

     Best Picture (Drama): “Dunkirk”

     Best Picture (Musical or Comedy): “The Disaster Artist” is my favorite in this category but

     “Ladybird” could pull out a victory.  

     Best Actress (Drama): Meryl Streep for “The Post” is probably the front-runner although

     many of the “experts” are saying Frances McNormand, so take it for what it’s worth

     Best Actor (Drama): Gary Oldman for “The Darkest Hour”

     Best Actress (Musical or Comedy): Margot Robbie for “I, Tonya”

     Best Actor (Musical or Comedy): James Franco

     Best Supporting Actress (Musical or Comedy): Allison Janney

     Best Supporting Actor (Musical or Comedy): Willem Dafoe

     Best Director: Christopher Nolan

    

     Best Screenplay: “Three Billboards”

     Best Animated Feature: “Coco” with the caveat that “The Breadwinner” is a true

     dark horse here.  The Golden Globe might go weird and give it to “The Boss Baby”

     Though.

SAG Awards

     Best Ensemble: “Three Billboards…”

     Best Actress: Frances McDormand with Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water”) another

     Potential recipient.  

     Best Actor: Gary Oldman or maybe James Franco

     Best Supporting Actress: Probably Allison Janney

     Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe

That is a brief synopsis of what’s to come.  Thanks for joining us.  I’m sorry for the delay, but The Golden Globes is Sunday.  Check back for my thoughts and reactions.  Please vote for my end-of-the-year poll which is up and running.  Goodnight, and Bee Happy!™ 

Mr.Bee

copyright 2018 Mr. Bee Studio International All rights belong to Mr. Bee and webmaster Wesley M. and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your understanding. 

  image courtesy of NYMag

Mr. Bee’s 2017 End of the Year Poll (the fine print)

Well, 2017 is done.  For some people, it was a year that many would like to forget - specifically, studio executives.  As the box office this year has been dismal.  I do have a subtle suggestion to these executives - MAKE BETTER MOVIES!  For me personally, 2017 is marked by Japan climbing into the #2 spot for readership for my blog.  

As the year closes, it’s time for my end-of-the-year poll.  Here are the rules:

• All movies must be below an NC-17 rating (trying to keep it family-friendly)

• You can respond via email (thatbradley@gmail.com) or by leaving a comment on any of my blogs before the deadline date (February 28). 

• You must put the year of the movie with your request, so I’m sure to get the correct version.

• Only one vote per person.

My award season predictions and coverage will begin sometime this week.  Goodnight, and Happy New Year

 Mr.Bee 

copyright 2018 Mr. Bee Studio International All rights belong to Mr. Bee and webmaster Wesley M. and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your underst 

The Big 6 Studios Possibly Going Down to 5

Now if you haven’t heard, Disney and Fox have announced a deal that will give Disney most of Fox’s assets. Now before I get fully into this, I will just like to mention that I do not have any stock in Disney or Fox and I am also not on their payroll. So basically, unless Disney buys me up (and my “number” is high), I can say anything I want.  The assets that Disney will acquire is cable channels outside of their news and sports as well as their 20th Century Fox film and television production companies.  Disney will also acquire 30 percent of hulu to combine with the 30% that they already have (for 60% control of the company for those of you who are mathematically challenged).  

Now you might be wondering; what do I think of this deal.  I have mixed feelings.  One one hand, I’m really excited by this deal.  Who wouldn’t want to see Wolverine side-by-side with the Avengers (and, there is a possibility that Hugh Jackman might return for just such a venture)?  One one hand, we might finally get the original Star Wars movies in their original version released for the first time in 20 years.  On the other hand, this seems like a bit of a monopoly.  Disney would stand to own 40% of the entire box office. Think of all the movies (and franchises) that Disney will have in their collection: Avatar, X-Men, Fantastic 4, Ice Age, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Alien, Independence Day, Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and The Sound of Music as well as many, many more.  It seems that Disney, even though a trusted brand, would have too much control over the market.  And, as history has taught us, too much control is not good for any industry (which is the biggest problem with the airline industry).  Now, it needs to be mentioned that we are over a year away from getting this deal to become a reality because it needs to get government approval.  The question remains, however, will the government approve it?  I am going to say “yes” because our President seems to be very pro-business.  Disney CEO Bob Iger has suspended his retirement date (again) effectively putting him out of the presidential race in 2020 and not a threat to our current administration.  

The deal will probably go through but there are still a lot of questions to be answered.  What will Disney do with the “Fox” name?  Will Fox News and the entities being retained have to change their name (insert obvious joke).  As the story progresses, I will be sure to keep you posted on the developments in this major ($52 billion) story.  As for Disney, I’m currently writing a book about you, so PLEASE stop making major news and extending the page number and release date of said book.  And to the Fox employees who may lose the job, I am hiring and you have my contact information in this blog space.  Goodnight, and Bee Happy!™ 

Mr.Bee 

copyright 2017 Mr. Bee Studio International All rights belong to Mr. Bee and webmaster Wesley M. and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your underst 

 image courtesy of  Hollywood Reporter