By Glenn Dunks.
The Film Experience would be remiss to not mention the nominations of the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (GALECA) given there are multiple members among the writing team here. Last year the organisation went all in on Carol for obvious reasons, winning five awards. This year another Oscar-favored film with LGBTQ themes leads the pack with seven nominations.
Film of the Year
Jackie
La La Land
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
20th Century Women
Mike Mills' love letter to his mother (and by extension Annette Bening) hasn't made it over the seas yet so I haven't seen it, but its inclusion is a pleasant one if for no other reason than it makes for a change of pace from the usual line-ups we have been seeing. A breath of fresh air.
Director of the Year
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Pablo Larraín, Jackie
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Park Chan-wook, The Handmaiden
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Mike Mills couldn't, however, make it into our director category (that actually covers film and TV, but I'm not sure how often anybody from TV would actually make it). In his place is Park Chan-wook.
LGBTQ Film of the Year
Being 17
Closet Monster
Moonlight
Other People
The Handmaiden
They weren't nominated, but can we give a shout-out to: Take Me to the River, Spa Night, Holding the Man, Eisenstein in Guanajuato, Henry Gamble's Birthday Party, Girls Lost, Fire Song, From Afar and more. For now, I really need to watch that screener of Being 17, as I feel ashamed for not having done so already. I'm glad that Closet Monster was nominated, though - I interviewed director Stephen Dunn early last year and just this past week, he gave a holler to The Film Experience's Manuel. Chuffed, we are. You can read his Vice article here.
Film Performance of the Year — Actress
Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Viola Davis, Fences
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Emma Stone, La La Land
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Is this what the Oscar race could have looked like if Viola Davis had stuck with the lead placement some think she deserved? What a fine looking list it is, indeed.
Film Performance of the Year — Actor
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight
Denzel Washington, Fences
Who was your favourite of the Moonlight actors? I've heard each and every one of them be cited by somebody somewhere.
Foreign Language Film of the Year
Elle
Neruda
The Handmaiden
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann
Glad to see Things to Come get a brief moment in the sun although, as always, it sits alongside the other Isabelle Huppert film of 2016, Elle. What a harsh reality that is, right?!?
Screenplay of the Year
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Mike Mills, 20th Century Women
Three of these nominees are from A24, which solidifies them as a favourite.
Documentary of the Year (theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)
I Am Not Your Negro
O.J.: Made in America
13th
Tickled
Weiner
At least GALECA's documentary category covers film, TV, VOD and DVD so that O.J. nomination isn't quite as offensive as it otherwise has been all season long. I'm giddy about that Tickled nomination, however, given it never stood a chance with highfalutin organisations. It's one of the funniest movies of the year as well as one of the most terrifying. Also, this:
Visually Striking Film of the Year
Arrival
Jackie
La La Land
Moonlight
The Handmaiden
Unsung Film of the Year
American Honey
Captain Fantastic
Christine
Other People
Sing Street
Campy Film of the Year
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
King Cobra
Nocturnal Animals
The Dressmaker
The Neon Demon
I am no fan of King Cobra, The Neon Demon or Nocturnal Animals to begin with, but c'mon - The Dressmaker is the definition of camp! I'm somewhat surprised Jackie didn't make it in here, actually. I genuinely believe the reason it didn't do as well as expected this award season was because it embraces a very feminine aesthetic. When drag queens are quoting Camelot in Snatch Game in the future, we'll know the truth.
TV Drama of the Year
Black Mirror
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
The Crown
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Westworld
We haven't discussed The Crown, have we? Do you readers have thoughts?
I certainly have thoughts about Westworld, which I think used its first season to tell a fifth season arc without any of the organic seasonal world-building that should come before it. It was like all of Battlestar Galactica crammed into one ten-episode block. It was like season seven of Buffy withough six years of built-up. I was engrossed for a lot of it, but it never felt... fun like a series about a western theme park ought to. I thank actors like Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden and Sidse Babett Knudsen (should've been Oscar nommed for After the Wedding!) for keeping it afloat.
TV Comedy of the Year
Atlanta
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Insecure
Transparent
Veep
TV Performance of the Year — Actor
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson
TV Performance of the Year — Actress
Claire Foy, The Crown
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Sarah Paulson, American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
Anderson Cooper 360
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Rachel Maddow Show
Real Time with Bill Maher
I guess some gay people do care about John Oliver. Not me, but some!
TV Musical Performance of the Year
Beyonce, "Lemonade," MTV Video Music Awards
Kelly Clarkson, "Piece by Piece," American Idol
Lady Gaga - "Til It Happens to You," The 88th Academy Awards
Jennifer Hudson, "I Know Where I've Been," Hairspray Live!
Kate McKinnon "Hallelujah,” Saturday Night Live
I admit that when it came to vote in this category, I was flumoxxed. And, to be honest, I don't actually think Gaga or Hudson were all that impressive and don't even get me started on Saturday Night Live's about face regarding He Who Shall Not Be Named.
LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
Looking: The Movie
Orange is the New Black
RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars
The Real O'Neals
Transparent
Are we thinking Orange is the New Black can make an Emmy comeback next year given it will be competing for its incredible fourth season, even though it will have aired over 15 months before voting? For now, let's just marvel in this great selection of TV. Brilliant TV, all of them. No American Crime is disappointing, but you can't win them all.
Unsung TV Show of the Year
Fleabag
Lady Dynamite
London Spy
Please Like Me
The Real O'Neals
I was surprised the superb London Spy didn't get more love given its very gay story (no "oh he just happens to be gay" about that show, that's for sure) plus everyone's favourite mop-haired Brit, Ben Whishaw, in the lead.
I'm also happy to see Lady Dynamite and Please Like Me there, though. The fourth (and potentially final) season of the latter is now available on Hulu and it is excellent, getting mileage out of plot developments that can only happen when you've been with characters for more than a few weeks (yes, I'm still mulling about Westworld).
Campy TV Show of the Year
Finding Prince Charming
Fuller House
Hairspray Live!
RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
We’re Wilde About You! Rising Star of the Year
Millie Bobby Brown
Lucas Hedges
Connor Jessup
Ruth Negga
Trevante Rhodes
Phwoar! I mean... damn! What a talented group.
Wilde Wit of the Year
(honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Samantha Bee
Carrie Fisher
Bill Maher
Kate McKinnon
John Oliver
Wilde Artist of the Year
(honoring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theater and/or television)
Beyoncé
Viola Davis
Barry Jenkins
Kate McKinnon
Lin-Manuel Miranda
For what it's worth, only one of these is actually LGBTQ. Hmmm.
Timeless Star
(to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)
John Waters
“If you go home with somebody, and they don't have books, don't fuck 'em!”