It's Guild Week. The week when many artists get their hopes up for nominations since the guilds have so many categories for their particular craft unlike Oscar's mere 5 for the altogether. But since we love costumes, the more the merrier. Congratulations to the nominees who we'll discuss after the jump...
Youth had great costumes by way of Carlo Poggioli
Excellence in Contemporary Film
Beasts of No Nation – Jenny Eagan
Joy – Michael Wilkinson
Kingsman: The Secret Service – Arianne Phillips
The Martian – Janty Yates
Youth – Carlo Poggioli
"Contemporary" is nearly always the most troublesome category for guilds as they tend to just reward whatever films are in the overall Oscar hunt. Though they were a smidge more creative here than they sometimes are.
Not sure I get it: I didn't personally vibe to Beasts of No Nation's costumes. At all. They felt like a massive hodgepodge of everything... which is possibly defensible as narrative choice I suppose given the magpie mayhem chaos but also why was that one guy completely naked all the time when they killed so many people and had so many people's outfits to choose from? And why did some people feel contemporary and others period.
I get it: Especially happy for Carlo Poggioli because the costumes for Youth were a crucial part of its filthy rich retreat mystique
Where are: Tangerine, Clouds of Sils Maria, By the Sea (or wait is that period? or just out-of-time)
Crimson Peak's Jessica Chastain
Excellence in Period Film
Brooklyn – Odile Dicks-Mireaux INTERVIEW
Carol – Sandy Powell
Crimson Peak – Kate Hawley
The Danish Girl – Paco Delgado
Trumbo – Daniel Orlandi
I get it: The lot of them...
Shed a tear: For all the dead animals employed to achieve the strong costuming work in both The Revenant and The Hateful Eight though neither were honored here.
Where is: Far From the Madding Crowd... insanely great costumes in that one and people keep ignoring them. Yes Madding Crowd will be a nominee here at TFE in the category. Also why no love for The Man From UNCLE anywhere in this regard?
Oscar probabilities: They all have a better than decent shot at the Academy's shortlist but their main trouble will come from this next almost-as-formidable category...
Excellence in Fantasy Film
Cinderella – Sandy Powell
Ex Machina – Sammy Sheldon Differ
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 – Kurt and Bart
Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Michael Kaplan
Assistant: You got TWO Costume Designer Guild noms! Sandy Powell: (doesn't look up) Send a thank you note. The template is on my desktop.
— [kie.ran] (@danblackroyd) January 7, 2016
I don't get it: Why is Ex Machina "fantasy" here but "contemporary" with ADG? Ex Machina is awesome so not complaining so much as just 'make up your minds guild'! Hint: easy-to-mistake for actually human sexbots are still very much fantasy, not available for purchase yet. Not that we've done a google search with credit card in hand. We're just... it SEEMS like that's far away still.
I get it: This list makes lots of sense. Showy costumes in well liked films.
Question: Will Sandy Powell score two Oscar nominations for Costume Design at once this season for Cinderella and Carol? She only managed that in 1998 with Todd Haynes's Velvet Goldmine and the Best Picture winner Shakespeare in Love. When the same opportunity arose in 2002 with Todd Haynes Far From Heaven and the Best Picture nominee Gangs of New York, they only went for the the more traditional period piece. What will happen this year with another double dipping year with a Todd Haynes picture as one half of the equation?
Outstanding Contemporary Television Series
American Horror Story: Hotel – Lou Eyrich
Empire, Season 1 – Rita McGhee
House of Cards – Johanna Argan, Kemal Harris
Ray Donovan – Christopher Lawrence
Transparent – Marie Schley
I get it: Hotel and Empire are no duh perpetually worthy choices in this arena. There are many issues to be had with American Horror Story each year but the costume work is generally not among them and generally inspired. Transparent's season 2 has found some wonderfully believable evolution for Maura's looks and other characters emotional arcs.
Not sure I get it: I've only seen a couple of episodes of Ray Donovan so I'll admit I'm at a loss to explain its inclusion since it doesnt seem a clothing show at all. Anyone? Like why wouldn't, oh... Jane the Virgin be here?
Outstanding Period Television Series
The Knick – Ellen Mirojnick
Mad Men – Janie Bryant, Tiffany White Stanton
Masters of Sex – Isis Mussenden
Outlander – Terry Dresbach
Penny Dreadful – Gabriella Pescucci
I get it: Please build your shrines to Gabrielle Pescussi and worship daily. But this whole list is good. Nice to see Janie Bryant's weirdly underrewarded work on Mad Men honored again.
I don't get it: But is Penny Dreadful period or fantasy? Did they have in guild arguments?
Outstanding Fantasy Television Series
Game of Thrones – Michele Clapton
Once Upon a Time – Eduardo Castro
Sleepy Hollow, Season 2 – Kristin M. Burke, Mairi Chisholm
Sleepy Hollow, Season 3 – Mairi Chisholm
The Wiz Live! – Paul Tazewell
I get it: Game of Thrones
I don't get it: Two different seasons of one show eligible in the same year? Confusion. Can anyone explain? Also, though I hate to feel like an ass for saying as much, since i understand the series is beloved by American families, every time I've chanced upon Once Upon a Time my eyes have started bleeding so I'll be perpetually perplexed for any visual honors for this show.
Excellence in Short Form Design
And So It Begins, Old Spice Commercial – Mindy Le Brock
From the Makers of Happy & Merry, H&M Presents Katy Perry Commercial – B. Åkerlund
The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth – Dance Battle, Video Game, Kaboom/Warner Interactive Commercial – Soyon An
Kevin Spacey, E-Trade Commercial – Johanna Argan
Most Interesting Man in the World Wins on Land, Sea & Air, Dos Equis Commercial – Julie Vogel
If I had the strength I would investigate since it was fun to consider costumes in commercials that one time we did. But alas, no strength during this particular guild week.