SAG Noms: Surprises, Snubs, Sexism, Stunts
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 8:40AM
NATHANIEL R in Best Actress, Best Ensemble, Cake, Jennifer Aniston, Naomi Watts, Oscars (14), Robert Duvall, SAG, Selma, Theory of Everything, precursor awards, stunts

The nominations were announced live here (by Eva Longoria and Ansel Elgort) and on TBS & TNT. My wrong predictions were back here.

Though I have many pet peeves about the way the actors guild decides and divvies up its honor, here's one that's wildly underdiscussed online and I don't think it's at all insignificant or petty. Each year they refuse to alphabetize correctly, always listing Male Actor categories BEFORE Female Actor categories. That might make sense at the Oscars since "Actor" does comes before "Actress" in the alphabet if not in our hearts, but "Female" does not  come AFTER "Male" when you alphabetize and yet SAG always lists the men first. Highly sexist if you ask me though they are obviously super self-righteous about not calling women "Actresses". Go figure. 

If you don't think this is sexist consider this subliminal perhaps subconscious related value judgement: Drama is always listed before Comedy in their press releases though that's also not alphabetically justified. 

So The Film Experience always course-corrects for SAG by listing female actors first. Of course we do that with the Oscars too which is alphabetically incorrect since we use "Actress" but in our case it isn't a subliminal but a purposeful value judgement. Duh! Women are better than men. 

NOMINATIONS & COMMENTARY (ALL CATEGORIES) ARE AFTER THE JUMP

MOVIES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

In my predictions I suggested that SELMA could win some "sight unseen" votes but I didn't know how right I was. Turns out sight unseen is a real problem. Notice the lack of Christmas films here. NOTHING that hasn't opened yet made it to the top category. Which is a plus in a way even if it's sad for those films. Studios need to get their movies out there earlier so that they're actually part of the film year, you know?

ANGER-MAKING SNUB: given the popularity of the film and that everyone has seen it by now and that the cast is fucking great, why isn't Gone Girl here?

BIZARRENESS: Theory of Everything? I actually like that movie but "ensemble"? No. Just no. Unless by ensemble you mean "Charlie Cox is so cute and he was good in it" but that's not what this award is really for. Even if you like the movie this is an absolute waste of a golden opportunity to reward a big generous gifted cast from dozens of other movies. I mean Pride, Love is Strange, Selma, the list could go on and on.

ABOUT THE SELMA SNUB: The internet was quick to deem it racism but to be fair to SAG they are historically quite an inclusive awards body. Certainly moreso than the Globes or Oscar. The problem is not Selma itself but it's late screenings. You can see that problem happening with a bunch of other white films that broke late, too. 

LOTS MORE ON THIS CATEGORY OVER AT THE "ENSEMBLE SNUBBINGS" TWIN-POST

 

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Two qualifiers made the lineup: Jennifer Aniston and Julianne Moore but both started widely screening in September (unlike many of the snubs) but still... major prizes for qualifiers is not good for the health of moviegoing.

SURPRISE: my cat Monty is looking like a better Oscar pundit than you thought, right? He smelled Jennifer Aniston coming.

ANGER-MAKING SNUB: none really. It's SAG and a lot of the long-shot campaigns just haven't made any waves.

What does it mean for Oscar? It's certainly not a bad sign for Aniston but she's still going to have to break Oscar's Amy Adams addiction and intermittent Swank lust and the critically surging Marion Cotillard to make it. Do you think she will? 

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

This MIGHT be our Oscar lineup. But surely David Oyelowo (Selma) can build and knock someone out. As long as it's not Gyllenhaal or Keaton that he bumps out, I'm perfectly okay with this. 

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Naomi Watts finds this nomination just as surprising as you do!

Anger Making Snub: None really but it would've been nice to pair up Russo with Gyllenhaal given his nomination.

Weirdest nomination of whole day in any category: NAOMI WATTS AS PREGNANT RUSSIAN HOOKER IN MOVIE EVERYONE STOPPED TALKING ABOUT MONTHS AGO. (I wonder how close Bill Murray came in Actor and the movie in Ensemble? I'm guessing very very close.)

What does it mean for Oscar? Tough to say. Meryl Streep is literally the ONLY nominee from a Christmas time release that didnt' screen super early to make it. Selma & A Most Violent Year and American Sniper and Unbroken were all essentially punished for screening late. BUT... Meryl Streep probably got votes sight unseen because she's Meryl Streep. Unfair? Sure. But actors worship her.  While it's no longer true that this is the SAG category with the least Oscar correlation it used to be true. I wouldn't count out either Laura Dern or Jessica Chastain yet. We could still see a shakeup. 


OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE 


Can anyone knock Duvall out of that slot for Oscar? There are a lot of contenders for supporting but nobody seems to be campaigning hard. It's like there was this wide open window a month ago when it seemed like ANYONE with the right campaign could have the fifth slot and then nobody raised their hand and said "pick me". Strange that. 

TELEVISION
Each year I wonder if SAG might switch up their rules to provide more parity with motion pictures -- they're weirdly stingy with television unlike their fellow awards shows like The Golden Globes and the Emmys -- forcing insane competition by comining supporting actors and lead into all their categories.  

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Wow, the cult of "crazy eyes" is big if she managed to make it in this lead PLUS supporting category. Plus her inclusion has the added indirect bonus of shaming the Emmys for pretending she was a "guest" on her show. BLARGH. Category Fraud gets worse and worse all the time. 

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

I feel so oppressed by Modern Family and Big Bang Theory every year when awards shows happen. ENOUGH ALREADY. Is everyone everywhere at each organization voting on autopilot?

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

 

 

STUNTS
An undersung and recent addition to the Screen Actors Guilds annual list of honors are prizes for stunt ensembles. This is a very good way to honor a profession rarely honored, and action films at the same time. Last year these prizes went to the stuntmen and women playing all those doomed people (soldiers, royals, and pawns, in high death count machines: Lone Survivor and Game of Thrones. Here's what's nominated this year

STUNTS ! They Feel Good.

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

Get On Up seems like an odd choice.  Chadwick Boseman did his own splits. I know cuz I asked him. These same like reasonable nominees. I don't know why I keep forgetting that Fury existed this year and that SAG may well like it. 

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES  

Only show that got the boot from last year is Breaking Bad but maybe concerning eligibility dates it wasn't. 

Please do share your squeals of satisfaction and sorrow in the comments. Stay tuned for our annual Ensemble focused bitching about who got left out even when they got nominated!

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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