by Nathaniel R
The guild nominations are here already? Oh, yup, it's January now. (Funny how the calendar keeps happening even if you're in bed for a week plus with the flu!) Hollywood's editors have spoken and here are the cutting and shaping jobs they loved best this year on screens big and small. Curiously they have a hodgepodge of category sizes (3,4, or 5 nominees depending) and voting practices. In some categories the final voting for winners happens between January 5th and 18th and in others (within the TV side) there are blue ribbon panel voting situations where the screenings happen on the 14th. This always leaves us wondering what their prizes would be like if they were consistent. Would awards season have more surprises if those voting were forced to watch everything as they are in very few select categories within various organizations... often somewhat randomly? We think it might and wouldn't it be super exciting to try with the consistency and with the mandatory screenings?
One of the most notable things on their TV list is that Big Little Lies has been bumped from competing in miniseries (where it's competed at most every other awards shows) and is competing in regular drama series (where it surely belongs since they've announced a second season with the same characters/actresses). Nominees in all categories after the jump...
FEATURE, DRAMA
The most notable entry here is obviously Molly's Game as it's the title that isn't constantly in all Oscar conversations. Recency effect? Most Editing? (there are a lot of fast paced instructional montages to explain what's happening onscreen) Or something elses like genuine affection?
FEATURE, COMEDY
It's worth noting that these don't lineup well with the Golden Globes. Yet, Get Out I Tonya and Lady Bird repeat but Three Billboards was considered a "Drama" at the Globes and Baby Driver takes the other spot -- that's surely a worthy editing call (well done ACE) and could even surprise with an Oscar nomination.
FEATURE, ANIMATED
While we normally despise different sized categories it makes sense that animated features -- of which there are far less -- only have three spots. Why they get a full size Oscar category as long as they have only 16 eligible features is a complete mystery given that live action films have to compete with about 300 pictures for one of their nominations.
DOCUMENTARY
But then why do documentaries only get 4 slots -- there are hundreds of documentary films made every year?
SMALL SCREEN, DOCUMENTARY
TV SERIES, COMEDY
TV SERIES, COMEDY NON-COMMERCIAL
Despite only having four slots for a category with a truckload of eligible possibilities, Curb Your Enthusiasm hogs 50% of it.
TV SERIES, DRAMA
It's frankly silly, given the size and quality of the televised drama landscape, that only two series are nominated!
TV SERIES, DRAMA NON-COMMERCIAL
TV, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE
Can Feud finally win something without those other bickering ladies in the mix (Big Little Lies being booted to the regular series category)
NON-SCRIPTED SERIES