Awards Season 2019: Razzies Winners and Independent Spirit Awards Winners

So, we're finally here: Oscars weekend! But before I get on to my predictions for the winners at tonight's ceremony, there's a bit of other awards stuff to deal with first.

GOLDEN RASPBERRY AWARDS

Firstly, the 'winners' of the 39th Annual Golden Raspberry Awards were announced yesterday (Saturday 23rd February) on Oscars Eve, as is tradition.

Here's the full 'winners' list:

Worst Picture: Holmes & Watson  

Worst Director: Etan Cohen (Holmes & Watson)

Worst Actor: Donald J. Trump (As Himself) (Death of a Nation and Fahrenheit 11/9)   

Worst Actress: Melissa McCarthy (The Happytime Murders and Life of the Party)  

Worst Supporting Actor: John C. Reilly (Holmes & Watson)

Worst Supporting Actress: Kellyanne Conway (As Herself) (Fahrenheit 11/9)

Worst Remake, Sequel Or Rip-Off: Holmes & Watson

Worst Screen Combo: Donald J. Trump & His Self Perpetuating Pettiness (Death of a Nation & Fahrenheit 11/9)

Worst Screenplay: Fifty Shades Freed

Razzie Redeemer: Melissa McCarthy (for her performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me?)


Holmes & Watson are the big 'winners' of the night, with four Razzies. Interestingly, Fahrenheit 11/9 gets three. No doubt Trump will have tweeted about this already...

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INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

Yesterday also saw the handing out of the 34th Film Independent Spirit Awards, in a ceremony hosted by Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West, Safety Not Guaranteed, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World). 

As you no doubt know by now, the Independent Spirit Awards honour films made (partly or wholly) outside the major film studio system. Some of the winners are below.

Best Feature: If Beale Street Could Talk

Best Female Lead: Glenn Close (The Wife)

Best Male Lead: Ethan Hawke (First Reformed)

Best Supporting Female: Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Best Supporting Male: Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Best Director: Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Best Screenplay: Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Best First Screenplay: Bo Burnham (Eighth Grade)

Best Cinematography: Suspiria

Best First Feature: Sorry To Bother You

Best International Film: Roma

Best Documentary: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

John Cassavetes Award: On The Seventh Day [En El Séptimo Día]

The John Cassavetes Award is given to the creative team of a film budgeted at less than $500,000. The full list of winners can be found here.

I'm very pleased to see both Richard E. Grant and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty's script for Can You Ever Forgive Me? getting some recognition. Wins for Glenn Close and Regina King should bode well for tonight. 


So, with all that done, the focus now shifts to the Academy awards. My predictions for who will win in six major categories will be coming later today. 

Awards Season 2019: Writers' Guild Awards Winners

Just a quick update today as The Writers' Guild Awards were handed out yesterday (Sunday 17th February).

The film winners were:

Original Screenplay: Eighth Grade

Adapted Screenplay: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Documentary Screenplay: Bathtubs Over Broadway


Eighth Grade didn't get an Oscar nod for... well, anything, so it's good to see it noticed here. The surprise of winning wasn't lost on screenwriter Bo Burnham who exclaimed: 'To the other nominees in the category: Have fun at the Oscars, losers! How is this happening?' I'm pleased that the witty, poignant, and incisive screenplay for Can You Ever Forgive Me? got some love. It's unlikely to replicate that this weekend sadly, but it's good to see it getting recognised somewhere. 

Having read up about Bathtubs Over Broadway, it sounds utterly bizarre but strangely entertaining: comedy writer Steve Young discovered a hidden world of musical shows (full-on Broadway-style musicals) about some of America's most recognised corporations whilst researching a segment for The Late Show With David Letterman. This is the story of Young's search for the writers and performers of these shows. It's been generally overlooked in this awards season but it sounds quirky but fun. If this pops up on Netflix, I'd definitely give it a go. 


For those of you who aren't a fan of all this awards nonsense, you'll be pleased to know that we're almost done for this year. The peak is in sight, if you will. It's all gearing up to this coming weekend, where the Independent Spirit Awards and the Razzies will be given out on Saturday (23rd February) and then the Oscars ceremony is on Sunday (24th February).

The Watchers Film Show Podcast: January 2019

Our latest podcast is available here!

Starting with January 2019, we will be doing (at least) one podcast a month to talk about our recent geeky experiences, including film, TV, books, and anything else that takes our fancy.

We discuss some recent news in the film world and give our opinions on Mary Poppins Returns, Stan & Ollie, The Favourite, Bird Box, Glass, and Can You Ever Forgive Me? 

 We also have a chat about recent TV we've watched too: The Good Place, The Blacklist and The Haunting Of Hill House all get a mention, as does a Welsh-language drama with a surprising Watchers connection. Intrigued? Listen to find out more!