Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominees

This is probably one of the more fun awards shows as it focuses solely on the performances. While a lot of the same films will be considered for other categories in other awards shows here it is all about the acting.  SAG gives out awards for both films and TV. And your nominees are …

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

STEVE CARELL / John du Pont – FOXCATCHER

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Alan Turing – THE IMITATION GAME

JAKE GYLLENHAAL / Louis Bloom – NIGHTCRAWLER

MICHAEL KEATON / Riggan – BIRDMAN

EDDIE REDMAYNE / Stephen Hawking – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

Super strong category here. I think I want Keaton to win, but I couldn’t be mad if any of the others did either.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

JENNIFER ANISTON / Claire Bennett – CAKE

FELICITY JONES / Jane Hawking – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

JULIANNE MOORE / Alice Howland-Jones – STILL ALICE

ROSAMUND PIKE / Amy Dunne – GONE GIRL

REESE WITHERSPOON / Cheryl Strayed – WILD

Would like to see Felicity Jones or Rosamund Pike win this, but I realize that’s not going to happen with the buzz around Julianne Moore’s movie. Going to be honest … I hadn’t even heard of Aniston’s film.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

ROBERT DUVALL / Joseph Palmer – THE JUDGE

ETHAN HAWKE / Mason, Sr. – BOYHOOD

EDWARD NORTON / Mike – BIRDMAN

MARK RUFFALO / Dave Schultz – FOXCATCHER

J.K. SIMMONS / Fletcher – WHIPLASH

Duvall huh? No thanks. Simmons should take this, but I would be happy if any of the others aside from Duvall walk away with the Actor.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Olivia – BOYHOOD

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY / Joan Clarke – THE IMITATION GAME

EMMA STONE / Sam – BIRDMAN

MERYL STREEP / The Witch – INTO THE WOODS

NAOMI WATTS / Daka – ST. VINCENT

I think someone dies every time Meryl Streep isn’t nominated. She gets another nod here even for what looks to be a lackluster film and gimmicky role in Into the Woods. A shame since there were plenty of other deserving performances. Oh well. My vote goes to Patricia Arquette.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

BIRDMAN

BOYHOOD

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

THE IMITATION GAME

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

I venture that all of these films might get a nomination for Best Picture as well and they would all be deserving, but there will be plenty of others vying for those nominations as well.  Can’t decide yet.

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

(I left out the Actress category because sadly I had not seen a single on of the miniseries. Does that make me a bad person?)

ADRIEN BRODY / Harry Houdini  – HOUDINI

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Sherlock Holmes – SHERLOCK: HIS LAST VOW

RICHARD JENKINS / Henry Kitteridge – OLIVE KITTERIDGE

MARK RUFFALO / Ned Weeks – THE NORMAL HEART

BILLY BOB THORNTON / Lorne Malvo – FARGO

Billy Bob did not get enough love for his turn in Fargo. I hope he gets some here.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson – BOARDWALK EMPIRE

PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – GAME OF THRONES

WOODY HARRELSON / Martin Hart – TRUE DETECTIVE

MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Rust Cohle – TRUE DETECTIVE

KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – HOUSE OF CARDS

Any other year any of these nominees could win, but this year has to go to Matthew. Rust Cohle is an iconic character and the performance was scary good. A must win.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (6 nominees)

CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – HOMELAND

VIOLA DAVIS / Annalise Keating – HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – THE GOOD WIFE

TATIANA MASLANY / Sarah/Coxima/Alison/Rachel/ – ORPHAN BLACK

MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – DOWNTON ABBEY

ROBIN WRIGHT / Claire Underwood – HOUSE OF CARDS

This is a STRONG category. I’d like Maggie Smith to win because she’s just so damn perfect in that role. Amazingly funny.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – MODERN FAMILY

LOUIS C.K. / Louie – LOUIE

WILLIAM H. MACY / Frank Gallagher – SHAMELESS

JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – THE BIG BANG THEORY

ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker – MODERN FAMILY

Awful category. Really only think that William H. Macy is even worthy to be nominated. Sure Louie is really fun, but I prefer his stand up so much more. The rest can go away.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren – ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy – MODERN FAMILY

EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – NURSE JACKIE

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – VEEP

AMY POEHLER / Leslie Knope – PARKS AND RECREATION

Amy Poehler. Please, please, please!

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE

DOWNTON ABBEY

GAME OF THRONES

HOMELAND

HOUSE OF CARDS

I think Game of Thrones deserves it at this point based on the huge cast and the consistency coming from no doubt countless assistant directors and second units, yet the performances are great throughout. Great actors are cast for every corner of Westeros.

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

THE BIG BANG THEORY

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

MODERN FAMILY

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

VEEP

I honestly only watch OITNB, so I’d like them to win. Just please no more Modern Family ever again.

St. Murray

Last evening I went to see Bill Murray’s new comedy St. Vincent. Everyone loves Bill Murray like a crazy uncle. He’s more than an actor at this point, he’s more like a folk hero with stories about him joining a random kickball game to giving advice to a guy at his bachelor party. It might seem like his job is to show up places and make a person’s day but here he shows us he’s still a comedic genius on film as well. I don’t really need to get into Murray’s extensive filmography. He’s beyond terrific. With the unfortunate passing of Robin Williams it seems like Murray stands alone as an elder statesman of comedic actors, but also one who can transition effortlessly to drama. Murray does that here as an alcoholic deadbeat curmudgeon neighbor to the newly moved in Melissa McCarthy and her young boy played by newcomer Jaeden Lieberher. Circumstances are such that Murray has to babysit the kid and takes him along to bars, the horse racing track and visits his stripper girlfriend. The trailers play up the debauchery and seem rather similar to other films about cranky old coots being forced to take care of a kid and being changed by the experience. And that happens here, but there are lots of other aspects of the film that I won’t spoil that make it unique. The comedy and sentimental bits are handled well by first time director Theodore Melfi. Comedy directors don’t get as much credit, but their task is no less important or difficult as that of a director of serious drama films. Melfi shows promise and I’ll check out whatever he offers up next.

Much of the praise of the film will be heaped upon Murray, and it’s warranted, but the film just won’t work without great secondary characters. The film has quite the emotional punch at the end and it could end up being overly sentimental shlock if not handled carefully. It’s the supporting characters that make the world feel lived in and genuine without being over the top and allow Murray to go full bore into his character. This makes the emotional moments feel earned and not forced. Naomi Watts is pretty damn good as a pregnant prostitute. I don’t recall her ever being in a comedy before which makes her role even better. Her character is the silliest but still resonates. Melissa McCarthy shows that she can still be really funny even when she’s not doing physical comedy. Some of her recent roles have been a bit excessive, so it’s nice to see her dial it down and still be successful. Chris O’Dowd plays a teacher at a Catholic school and his dry Irish humor is on point. He’s one of my favorite comedic actors these days for smaller roles and I hope to see him get larger ones int he future, he could carry a film soon.

There isn’t that much in the way of new wide-release offerings this week so St. Vincent is well worth checking out. Next week with Halloween falling on Friday will be sparse for wide releases hitting new screens but smaller films will look to shine. I hope to be seeing Nightcrawler, Birdman, and Whiplash next weekend. Look for my thoughts on them coming up. But St. Vincent is more than just a filler film between good new releases. It could actually earn Murray a Golden Globe nomination on the comedic actor side and it would be well deserved. I need to see a Murray acceptance speech.