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Cinema Chat: Oscars Noms, Razzie Noms, 'The Final Year,' And More

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It's all about the Academy Award nominations this week---and the Golden Raspberries, too!  In this week's "Cinema Chat," WEMU's David Fair talks to Michigan and State Theater executive director Russ Collins about the latest movie news and all of the films you can check out at your local movie house this weekend.

2018 Oscar Nominations List:

‘The Shape of Water’ Dominates, ‘Phantom Thread’ Surprises for Best Picture

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are set to reveal the nominations for the 90th Academy Awards in all 24 categories this morning.  Films such as “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” are expected to earn multiple nominations this year following big wins at the Golden Globes and Critic Choice Awards.

Best Picture

“Call Me by Your Name”

“Darkest Hour”

“Dunkirk”

“Get Out”

“Lady Bird”

“Phantom Thread”

“The Post”

“The Shape of Water”

“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Best Director

Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water

Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk”

Paul Thomas Anderson, “Phantom Thread”

Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”

Jordan Peele, “Get Out”

Best Actor

Timothée Chalamet “Call Me by Your Name”

Daniel Day-Lewis “Phantom Thread”

Daniel Kaluuya “Get Out”

Gary Oldman “Darkest Hour”

Denzel Washington “Roman J. Israel Esq.”

Best Actress

Sally Hawkins “The Shape of Water”

Frances McDormand “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Margot Robbie “I, Tonya”

Saoirse Ronan “Lady Bird”

Meryl Streep “The Post”

Best Supporting Actor

Willem Dafoe “The Florida Project”

Woody Harrelson “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Richard Jenkins “The Shape of Water”

Christopher Plummer“All the Money in the World”

Sam Rockwell “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Best Supporting Actress

Mary J. Blige “Mudbound”

Lesley Manville “Phantom Thread”

Octavia Spencer “The Shape of Water”

Allison Janney “I, Tonya”

Laurie Metcalf“Lady Bird”

Best Adapted Screenplay

“Call Me by Your Name”

“The Disaster Artist”

“Logan”

“Molly’s Game”

“Mudbound”

Best Original Screenplay

“The Big Sick”

“Get Out”

“Lady Bird”

“The Shape of Water”

“Three Billboards”

Best Animated Feature

“The Boss Baby”

“The Breadwinner”

“Coco”

“Ferdinand”

“Loving Vincent”

Best Foreign Language Film

“A Fantastic Woman”

“The Insult”

“Loveless”

“Of Body and Soul”

“The Square”

Best Documentary

“Abacus”

“Faces Places”

“Icarus”

“Last Men in Aleppo”

“Strong Island”

Best Cinematography

“Blade Runner 2049”Roger Deakins

“Darkest Hour” Bruno Delbonnel

“Dunkirk” Hoyte van Hoytema

“Mudbound” Rachel Morrison

“The Shape of Water” Dan Laustsen

Best Costume Design

“Beauty and the Beast”

“Darkest Hour”

“Phantom Thread”

“The Shape of Water”

“Victoria and Abdul”

Best Film Editing

“Baby Driver”

“Dunkirk”

“I, Tonya”

“The Shape of Water”

“Three Billboards”

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

“Darkest Hour”

“Victoria and Abdul”

“Wonder”

Best Original Score

“Dunkirk”

“Phantom Thread”

“The Shape of Water”

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

“Three Billboards”

Best Original Song

“Mighty River” Mudbound

“Mystery of Love” Call Me by Your Name

“Remember Me” Coco

“Stand Up for Something” Marshall

“This Is Me” The Greatest Showman

Best Production Design

“Beauty and the Beast”

“Blade Runner 2049”

“Darkest Hour”

“Dunkirk”

“The Shape of Water”

Best Sound Editing

“Baby Driver”

“Blade Runner 2049”

“Dunkirk”

“The Shape of Water”

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

Best Sound Mixing

“Baby Driver”

“Blade Runner 2049”

“Dunkirk”

“The Shape of Water”

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

Best Visual Effects

“Blade Runner 2049”

“Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2”

“Kong: Skull Island”

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

“War for the Planet of the Apes”

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

“Edith+Eddie,” Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee Wright

“Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” Frank Stiefel

“Heroin(e),” Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon

“Knife Skills,” Thomas Lennon

“Traffic Stop,” Kate Davis, David Heilbroner

Best Short Film (Animated)

“Dear Basketball,” Glen Keane, Kobe Bryant

“Garden Party,” Victor Caire, Gabriel Grapperon

“Lou,” Dave Mullins, Dana Murray

“Negative Space,” Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata

“Revolting Rhymes,” Jakob Schuh, Jan Lachauer

Best Short Film (Live Action)

“DeKalb Elementary,” Reed Van Dyk

“The Eleven O’Clock,” Derin Seale, Josh Lawson

“My Nephew Emmett,” Kevin Wilson, Jr.

“The Silent Child,” Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton

“Watu Wote/All of Us,” Katja Benrath, Tobias Rosen

Oscars 2018: The Impact of #MeToo and Sexual Misconduct Allegations on the Awards Race

From "The Disaster Artist" to "Wonder Wheel," it was inevitable that the Oscars would feel the impact.  Here's what shook out on nominations morning.

When it comes to Oscar nominations, what’s often most compelling are the names that don’t make the cut.  This morning’s list includes a number of notable exclusions, many of whom could hang their rejection on the growing strength of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.  The past few months saw dozens of sexual assault, harassment, and misconduct allegations rock Hollywood; inevitably, the fallout led straight to the Academy Awards.

After a strong showing in the early part of the awards race, James Franco’s lauded “The Disaster Artist” faces a near-total shutout; its sole nomination went to one of the few elements that Franco himself was not involved in, a Best Adapted Screenplay nod for Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.

That alone was a surprise, as Franco earned both a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Award for his performance as Tommy Wiseau, director of his infamously bad film “The Room.”  However, the Los Angeles Times published a January 11 report detailing allegations of Franco’s sexually inappropriate and exploitative behavior — the day before the deadline for Academy members’ nomination ballots.

Also missing from the nominees is Woody Allen’s latest, “Wonder Wheel.” After premiering at the New York Film Festival, the period drama earned accolades for star Kate Winslet, though that never translated to much in the way of nominations.  Still, Winslet was very much on the circuit, where she repeatedly defended the filmmaker in interviews.

Though claims against Allen from his daughter Dylan Farrow are long-standing, the rise of #MeToo and #TimesUp, along with Farrow’s own visibility over the past few months — including a new op-ed in the Los Angeles Times that called out talents that continue to work with Allen, and her bombshell CBS This Morning interview — have been impossible to ignore.

Over the past few weeks, a number of Allen’s previous performers, including Best Actor nominee Timothee Chalamet and Best Director nominee Greta Gerwig, announced that they won’t work with him again.  Allen’s last Academy Award nomination was in 2014 for the screenplay of the Cate Blanchett-starring “Blue Jasmine.”

Despite early buzz about his work in Noah Baumbach’s Cannes premiere “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected),” Dustin Hoffman’s campaign for his role in the dramedy never quite caught fire. That could be tied to the potentially diminished Oscar chances of a Netflix film, but a slew of allegations against the actor grew throughout the awards season, including harassment and misconduct allegations that involve former co-stars and minor girls.

The production most impacted by allegations is Ridley Scott’s “All the Money in the World,” which notably excised actor Kevin Spacey, currently accused of multiple acts of sexual assault and harassment. It picked up one nomination for supporting actor Christopher Plummer, who took over the role during a rush to cut Spacey from the film entirely. Scott didn’t land a nod in the directing category, though he did pick up a directing nomination at the Golden Globes, which was the first voting body to issue nominations after seeing a cut of the finished film.

Yet, this year’s Oscars did nominate at least two men accused of sexual misconduct, including former basketball star Kobe Bryant as writer, star, and executive producer of animated short film “Dear Basketball.”  A 19-year-old hotel employee accused Bryant of sexual assault in 2003; he later admitted to a sexual encounter, claiming it was consensual.  His accuser filed a sexual assault complaint against the former Los Angeles Laker, though the case was ultimately dropped and was settled out of court.

Gary Oldman, considered the Best Actor frontrunner for his role as Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour,” has long been plagued by his own allegations.  In 2001, the actor’s wife Donya Fiorentino alleged that the actor beat her with a telephone in front of their two young children.  Fiorentino filed papers with the Los Angeles Superior Court, in which she accused the actor of abuse, along with mentions of alcohol, drug, and prostitute binges.  Allegations were investigated by the police, which filed no charges.  They divorced later that year, with Oldman granted sole legal and physical custody of their children.

Elsewhere in the race, films that speak to other aspects of #MeToo and #TimesUp – including inclusion, diversity behind the camera, and the need for more female talents – also emerged victorious, with Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” picking up five nominations, including a rare Best Director for Gerwig (only the fifth woman to ever be nominated in the category) and Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” earning four nominations. Patty Jenkins’ blockbuster “Wonder Woman,” however, was left out in all categories.

Perhaps surging contender “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” will most keenly speak to the moment.  The revenge drama, centered on a mother’s fight for justice for her raped and murdered daughter, has steadily picked up speed, especially for Best Actress nominee Frances McDormand and Best Supporting Actor Sam Rockwell.  It’s a timely story, to be sure, and its awards odds speak to perhaps the most fervent desire of survivors everywhere: to come out on top.

RAZZIE AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

There are winners and losers every year in the film industry, and as we continue through the thick of awards season, counting up the accolades that superb films like Get Out and Lady Bird have been collecting, it’s easy to forget that there were some truly awful movies made in 2017.  Of course, the people behind the annual Golden Raspberry Awards — otherwise known as the Razzies — haven’t forgotten, and it is their mission to recognize these achievements in subpar cinema.  With that in mind, the Razzies revealed the nominees in their top three categories today, and Rotten Tomatoes was given the exclusive announcement video. 

WORST PICTURE

"The Emoji Movie"

"Transformers: The Last Knight"

"Fifty Shades Darker"

"The Mummy"

"Baywatch"

WORST ACTRESS

Dakota Johnson- "Fifty Shades Darker"

Tyler Perry - "Boo 2! A Madea Halloween"

Katherine Heigl- "Unforgettable"

Emma Watson - "The Circle"

Jennifer Lawrence - "mother!"

WORST ACTOR

Tom Cruise - "The Mummy"

Jamie Dornan - "Fifty Shades Darker"

Mark Wahlberg - "Daddy’s Home 2" / "Transformers: The Last Knight"

Johnny Depp - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales"

Zac Efron - "Baywatch"

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Javier Bardem - "mother!" / "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales"

Russell Crowe - "The Mummy"

Josh Duhamel - "Transformers: The Last Knight"

Mel Gibson - "Daddy’s Home 2"

Anthony Hopkins - "Collide" / "Transformers: The Last Knight"

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Kim Basinger - "Fifty Shades Darker"

Sofia Boutella - "The Mummy"

Laura Haddock - "Transformers: The Last Knight"

Goldie Hawn- "Snatched"

Susan Sarandon - "A Bad Moms Christmas"

WORST REMAKE, RIP-OFF, OR SEQUEL

"Baywatch"

"Tyler Perry's Boo 2! A Madea Halloween"

"Fifty Shades Darker"

"The Mummy"  

"Transformers: The Last Knight" 

WORST DIRECTOR

Darren Aronofsky - "mother!"

Michael Bay - "Transformers: The Last Knight"

James Foley - "Fifty Shades Darker"

Alex Kurtzman- "The Mummy"

Anthony Leondis - "The Emoji Movie" 

WORST SCREENPLAY

"Baywatch"

"The Emoji Movie"

"Fifty Shades Darker"

"The Mummy"

"Transformers: The Last Knight" 

WORST SCREEN COMBO

Any Combination of Two Characters, Two Sex Toys, or Two Sexual Positions – "Fifty Shades Darker"

Any Combination of Two Humans, Two Robots, or Two Explosions – "Transformers: The Last Knight"

Any Two Obnoxious Emojis – "The Emoji Movie"

Johnny Depp and His Worn Out Drunk Routine – "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales"

Tyler Perry and Either the Ratty Old Dress or Worn Out Wig – "Boo 2! A Madea Halloween"

AWARD-WINNING FILMS NOW PLAYING!!!!!!!!!

"The Post" - Michigan

Nominated for two Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress (Meryl Streep)!

Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) is the first female publisher of a major American newspaper — The Washington Post.  With help from editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), Graham races to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spans three decades and four U.S. presidents.  Together, they must overcome their differences as they risk their careers — and very freedom — to help bring long-buried truths to light.  Directed by Steven Spielberg.

"Phantom Thread" - Michigan

Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), Best Supporting Actress (Lesley Manville), and Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson)!

Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the center of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutantes and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock.  With his latest film, Paul Thomas Anderson paints an illuminating portrait both of an artist on a creative journey, and the women who keep his world running.

"Call Me By Your Name" - State

Nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Timothée Chalamet), and Adapted Screenplay (James Ivory)!

In Northern Italy in 1983, seventeen year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) begins a relationship with visiting Oliver (Armie Hammer), his father's research assistant, with whom he bonds over his emerging sexuality, their Jewish heritage, and the beguiling Italian landscape.  Written by James Ivory from the novel by Andre Aciman.

"Lady Bird" - State

Nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan), Best Supporting Actress (Laurie Metcalf), Best Director (Greta Gerwig), and Original Screenplay!

WINNER of 2 Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture - Musical/Comedy and Best Actress - Comedy (Saoirse Ronan)

Marion McPherson, a California nurse, works tirelessly to keep her family afloat after her husband loses his job. She also maintains a turbulent bond with a teenage daughter who is just like her -- loving, strong-willed and deeply opinionated.  From Director Greta Gerwig and starring Saoirse Ronan, Lucas Hedges, and Laurie Metcalf.

"I, Tonya" - State

Nominated for three Oscars, including Best Actress (Margot Robbie) and Best Supporting Actress (Allison Janney).

Starring Golden Globe WINNER for Best Supporting Actress Allison Janney

Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband (Sebastian Stan) intervenes, leading to one of the most unbelievable Olympic moments in history.  Also stars Allison Janney.

"The Shape of Water" -Michigan to 1/25 to State 1/26

Nominated for 13 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Sally Hawkins), Best Supporting Actor (Richard Jenkins), Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer), Best Director (Guillermo del Toro), and Best Original Screenplay!

WINNER OF 2 Golden Globes: Best Director (Guillermo del Toro) and Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat )

An other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment.

"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri" - State

Nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Frances McDormand), Best Supporting Actor (Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson), and Original Screenplay!

WINNER of 4 Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture - Drama!

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a darkly comedic drama from Academy Award® winner Martin McDonagh ("In Bruges").  After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award® winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, commissioning three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson), the town's revered chief of police.  When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing's law enforcement is only exacerbated.

"The Final Year" - State 

This film is a unique insiders' account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team during their last year in office.  Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and State Department, "The Final Year" offers an uncompromising view of the inner workings of the Obama Administration.

"The Disaster Artist" - State

Nominated for the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay (Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber).

Starring the WINNER of the Golden Globe for Best Actor - Comedy, James Franco

In 2003, writer-director-actor Tommy Wiseau’s opus "The Room" was released to widespread critic panning. In the years that followed, it found a new life in the cult movie circuit, becoming widely recognized as “the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made.”  Ten years after the initial release, co-star Greg Sestero published his account of the making of the film and the strange friendship he shared with Wiseau.  Now, director-star James Franco and his brother Dave Francohave adapted Sestero’s book, bringing the hilarious and perplexing tale of Wiseau, Sestero, and the making of "The Room" to the big screen.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Korean Cinema Now: "Anarchist from Colony" - Saturday, January 27 at 1:00 PM

Life of an upcoming Korean patriot Park Yeol, who formed the anarchist organization “Black Wave” during the Japanese colonial period and attempted the assassination of the Japanese Crown Prince Hirohito.

"The Muppet Movie" (1979) - Saturday, January 27 at 11:30 AM at the State

Part of the Toyota Family-Friendly Film Series presented by the Benard L. Maas Foundation.  Free for kids 12 and under!  After Kermit the Frog decides to pursue a movie career, he starts his cross-country trip from Florida to California.  Along the way, he meets and befriends Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and rock musicians Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.  When Kermit is offered a job by Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) to advertise the fried frog legs at his restaurant chain, Kermit turns Hopper down.  However, Hopper refuses to relent and pursues Kermit and his companions to a final showdown.

"The Great Muppet Caper" - Saturday, February 3 at 1:30 PM at the State

Part of the Toyota Family-Friendly Film Series Presented by the Benard L. Maas Foundation and the "Jim Henson Presents the Muppets" Film Series.

Free for Kids 12 and under!

In the second live-action Muppets film, intrepid journalists Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo snag an assignment reporting on a British jewel heist.  Arriving in England, the trio settles in at the raucous Happiness Hotel and seeks out socialite Lady Holiday, the victim of the theft.  Soon Miss Piggy appears, intending to work for Lady Holiday, but she ends up being framed by the aristocrat's scheming brother, Nicky.  Kermit and company work to clear Piggy's name.

"Kedi" - Monday, February 5 at 7:00 PM at the State

Part of the "Awesome, We're F*cking 10! An Oscilloscope Retrospective" Film Series.  Hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely.  For thousands of years they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich.  Claiming no owners, the cats of Istanbul live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame -and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt.  In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could.  Presented in Turkish with English subtitles.

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— David Fair is the WEMU News Director and host of Morning Edition on WEMU.  You can contact David at734.487.3363, on twitter @DavidFairWEMU, or email him at dfair@emich.edu

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