1/28/2012

SAG Sunday

The cast of The Help leads the SAG noms with 4. Prizes awarded Sunday
The Screen Actors Guild awards are this Sunday! It’s always a fun guild to watch, since the actors comprise the largest wing of the Academy, so a win here hints at potential Oscar upsets (re: Crash). Although most the individual acting prizes seem pretty much wrapped up, the top prize – Best Cast – could go any way. The only one I wouldn’t bet on, though, is my #1 film of the year, Midnight in Paris… it could win here, but that seems unlikely since all the other films have nominees in other categories. If the actors vote based on acting, The Help will would win by a landslide; If they vote for Best Cast as a “Best Picture” prize, then chalk one up for the whimsy of The Artist. I won’t do a full write-up, since my thoughts haven’t changed much since the Golden Globes. I still feel crazy for predicting Meryl Streep over Viola Davis though... I'm guessing they'll award Streep and that support for Davis will help The Help win Best Cast.
For entertainment purposes, though, here’s some picks:

Will win
If I picked the winner
Will the Bridesmaids shake up the race with an upset win?
Best Performance by a Cast…
The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
The Help
Midnight in Paris
Snubbed: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Actor
Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Snubbed: Michael Fassbender, Shame

Best Actress
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
 Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Snubbed: Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Snubbed: Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris (and why wasn't he included in the cast's nomination?!)

Best Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
-->It could be Chastain, though... surely the actors recognize her strong body of work for the year, right?
Snubbed: Carey Mulligan, Shame; Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus


*I haven't seen enough of the TV noms to do my own picks, so I'll guess take a stab at them...

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Nominees:
"30 Rock"
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Glee"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Nominees:
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Breaking Bad"
"Dexter"
"Game of Thrones"
"The Good Wife"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Nominees:
Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock"
Ty Burrell for "Modern Family"
Steve Carell for "The Office"
Jon Cryer for "Two and a Half Men"
Eric Stonestreet for "Modern Family"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Nominees:
Julie Bowen for "Modern Family"
Edie Falco for "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey for "30 Rock"
Sofía Vergara for "Modern Family"
Betty White for "Hot in Cleveland"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Nominees:
Patrick J. Adams for "Suits"
Steve Buscemi for "Boardwalk Empire"
Kyle Chandler for "Friday Night Lights"
Bryan Cranston for "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall for "Dexter"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Nominees:
Kathy Bates for "Harry's Law"
Glenn Close for "Damages"
Jessica Lange for "American Horror Story"
Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife"
Kyra Sedgwick for "The Closer"


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Nominees:
Laurence Fishburne for Thurgood
Paul Giamatti for Too Big to Fail
Greg Kinnear for "The Kennedys"
Guy Pearce for "Mildred Pierce"
James Woods for Too Big to Fail

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Nominees:
Diane Lane for Cinema Verite
Maggie Smith for "Downton Abbey"
Emily Watson for "Appropriate Adult"
Betty White for The Lost Valentine
Kate Winslet for "Mildred Pierce"

Oh, and the Director's Guild Awards are tonight. I'll say:
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Michael Hazanavicious, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

You?