Golden Globes Snubs: Taraji P. Henson, Tom Hanks, Martin Scorsese, ‘Empire’, Matthew McConaughey

Warner Bros/REX/Shutterstock

by Dominic Patten 
Year after year, people scoff at the Golden Globes and year after year, many of those same people stamp their feet at not getting any love from the much-feted members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. 

Here are some of the biggest titles and names that were passed over this morning:

Taraji P. Henson – The Empire star is the heart and soul of Hidden Figures, and while her co-star Octavia Spencer got a Supporting Actress nom, the cookie did not crumble for last year’s Best Actress – TV Series Drama winner.

Tom Hanks – The Sully star could not land the plane with the HFPA – which is almost as incredible as the real-life events of the Clint Eastwood-helmed pic, which missed out on directing and best pic noms too.

Fences – No best pic or best director for Denzel Washington — though the Oscar winner did get a best actor nom and Viola Davis got one for best supporting actress.


Matthew McConaughey – The Gold star and past Globes and Oscar winner just didn’t glitter enough for the Golden Globes this time, though the Iggy Pop co-written title tune from the Stephen Gaghan-directed flick did.

Martin Scorsese – Silence is the acclaimed director’s passion project but the historical spiritual drama couldn’t raise a mummer for the Oscar winner or stars Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield –  the latter was given a nom for his Hacksaw Ridge work however.

Sausage Party – With a title that immediately raises more than eyebrows, the animated pic co-written and co-starring Seth Rogen was the first CGI-animated pic to be rated R by the MPAA and obviously was not a delicacy to the HFPA.

Michael Shannon – The Nocturnal Animals actor received a nomination for 99 Homes last year but his role in the much-nominated Tom Ford directed pic didn’t make the light of day.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan – The Walking Dead never gets any real recognition from the HFPA, but The Good Wife and Grey’s Anatomy alum’s turn as villain Negan on the AMC blockbuster garnered a Critics’ Choice Award last night and deserved at least a shout-out this morning.

Emily Blunt – The star of The Girl On The Train did not get a ticket to her sixth nomination today. The noms train should not have left the station without her.
 

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – After a strong Season 2, the Ellie Kemper-led Netflix comedy was un-nominated today — in all categories.

Michael Keaton – The Founder star was not on the morning menu.

Brian Tyree Henry – Atlanta was hot today in the HFPA’s eyes, but the pivotal Paper Boi actor was left out in the cold – and that’s not peachy.

House Of Cards – Looks like Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and the Netflix political drama were not holding the right deck.

Helen Mirren – Not even a look for the Eye In The Sky star?
Better Things – the Pamela Adlon and Louise C.K. FX comedy is poignant, often hilarious, and sometimes so true if feels more like a documentary on modern L.A. life and family – but neither the show nor its lead landed a nomination.

Warren Beatty – The legend’s Rules Don’t Apply obviously did not need apply this year for either its director-star or the film itself.

Gilmore Girls: The Netflix A Year In The Life reboot was all atwitter on Twitter during the Thanksgiving weekend so you’d think the Hollywood Foreign Press would want to seem a little populist. Alas, even with Lauren Graham a 2001 Best Actress nominee there was no Globes cream in the coffee of Stars Hollow this year.

Mr. Robot – Last year’s Best Drama winner came back with more intrigue in its second season and even snared best actor and best supporting actor noms for Rami Malek and Christian Slater today. Even with that, the series was surprisingly off the list.

Milo Ventimiglia – This Is Us is the only Big 4 breakout show this season, but no Supporting Actor hug for its TV Dad.


Empire – The Lyons of the Fox blockbuster did not roar this morning – shut out!

Kevin Costner – The three-time past Golden Globe winner blasts off with some of his best work as the barrier-discarding space-race boss in Hidden Figures – sadly it remains hidden glory.

Black Mirror – Once prophetic, the Charlie Brooker anthology satire became virtually breaking news regarding our troubled relationship with technology with its third season on Netflix. Guess the 90-plus members of the HFPA weren’t plugged in.

Silicon Valley – Hold on, the HBO tech comedy was nominated the past two years, but today the power was turned off?

The King’s Choice – Norway’s Oscar entry about the real-life monarch who stood up to the Nazis invasion is a story now largely forgotten outside of the Scandinavian nation. The HFPA totally forgot it today.

Luke Cage – Marvel’s latest Netflix series about Harlem’s bulletproof hero seemingly crashed the streaming service the weekend it launched, had strong performances from lead Mike Colter as well as Mahershala Ali (who was recognized for his Moonlight role) and Rosario Dawson — plus a killer soundtrack by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. And yet nothing. Genre bias?

Oscars: Scorsese Shows up with “Silence,” a Masterwork That Will Ambush Current Awards Race

by Roger Friedman
Martin Scorsese has ambushed the Oscar race with Silence, a Masterwork movie about faith and ideas that rocks everything we’ve been dealing with. Andrew Garfield may win the Oscar for best actor. But this is the Big Idea movie Hollywood has lacked for some time.

It’s strange, too, because the word out of Los Angeles on Sunday was that “Silence” was boring or something. I don’t know who those people could be who thought that. “Silence” is a meditation on theology, but it’s also a completely engrossing, absorbing movie in which Big Ideas are made accessible in dialogue and visuals to the point where I often found myself on the edge of my seat.

And that’s pretty interesting since this is faith based movie and I am neither Catholic nor Christian and don’t have a tremendous interest in Jesus. But “Silence” doesn’t require that– it’s a universal message that I think will be embraced by every intelligent moviegoer. Not only, there is some humor, and there is Scorsese violence including one scene where a man literally loses his head.

But this is Japan in the 1600s, and it’s a savage, brutal place where Christianity is being rebuked. “Silence” is based on the 1966 novel by Shūsaku Endō about two Portugese Jesuit priests (Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver) who are sent to Japan as missionaries. They are following in the footsteps of their mentor, played by Liam Neeson. Scorsese and screenwriter Jay Cocks do something really interesting here, because they are allowing everyone to speak in English but they are not English speakers. At one point it’s explained very elegantly that it’s Japanese and Portugese being spoken and that the priests are being translated by one of the Japanese.

Driver and Leeson are each very, very good but the movie hinges on Garfield. He’s in almost every scene. And what’s fascinating is that Garfield ( who is Jewish in real life by the way) is in the season’s other Christian movie, “Hacksaw Rdige.” But where that movie is hackneyed and dopey with heavy on the nose Catholic imagery, “Silence” is sublime. Garfield’s work in “Silence” is superior because of the writing and directing, and “Silence” is the movie for which he will get his Oscar nomination.

Scorsese says he’s been obsessed with “Silence” for about 40 years, and worked and worked to get it made. In between of course he became famous and celebrated for his gangster movies and remakes, gems like “The Age of Innocence.” I asked him last night, was this subject always on your mind? The answer was “Yes.” Scorsese’s own devout faith just blooms here in a way that casual fans of “Taxi Driver” or “Goodfellas” will not expect. Like one of those films, “Silence” moves– it’s certainly never boring.

I may be wrong. But this is what I think right now. This has been a good season for Oscar films and there are plenty– “La La Land,” “Manchester by the Sea,” “Lion,” “Moonlight,” “20th Century Women,” “Arrival,” “Sully.” But “Silence” is different, it’s the Big Picture. It’s a discussion of who we are and how we got here. In a world where religious persecution is more prevalent than ever, it’s also about who we can be.

One last thing: “Silence” features a Japanese actor named Issei Ogata who will be the Christoph Waltz of this film. He’s a total break out, and should get Best Supporting Actor nods. He doesn’t speak English, but we met him last night and he’s willing. He gets very special mention.

Andrew Garfield Joins the Best Actor Race – But for Which Performance?

by Sarah Stone
It’s been a rough year for lead actors in films: none of them have emerged unscathed. Even Ryan Gosling as the jazz musician following his dream in La La Land realizes all too late that he took the best things in life for granted. But that’s nothing when you consider Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea who wishes his worst regret was taking his wife and kids for granted. What he suffers in this film is something he can’t ever get over. He’ll never be over it. It will haunt him until the day he dies. 

This much is abundantly clear in Manchester by the Sea. He lives for his nephew and barely so. Affleck led the race early in the year because the Kenneth Lonergan work is among the most highly acclaimed films of the year.

Affleck, indeed, has been earning acclaim since Sundance. But Nate Parker was the person who led the very early part of the race back then. Once he was taken out of the race because of a 17 year-old case, Affleck really rose to prominence. Which is somewhat ironic since Manchester by the Sea really is about someone trying to get over something terrible that happened in the past – something he can’t wrestle free from. The film makes the case that mistakes in one’s past, deliberate or careless, can be and should be forgiven. The internet clearly doesn’t agree, with regard to Parker anyway.

Affleck seemed to have no challenger for the win until Denzel Washington came along. His breathtaking performance in Fences, despite being mostly ignored by the critics (no comment) towers above the rest. That is simply the fact of the matter. Maybe people don’t like his character as much as some of the others, maybe they’re not fans of Washington, or maybe they think three Oscars is too much for him. And indeed, actors who are directed by themselves do have a harder time winning for whatever reason. Roberto Benigni is one example where they did.

But Washington and Affleck did seem to be the two strongest. That is, until the one-two punch of Andrew Garfield in Hacksaw Ridge and Silence. A British actor, he tackles a southern accent in Hacksaw and a Portuguese accent in Silence. In both films he is imbued with Christ-like characteristics – a martyr who chooses an unconventional path and very much operates from a position of faith. Strangely enough, he fights Japanese soldiers in both films: first in 17th century Japan in Silence, and then later in WWII in Okinawa. He has farther to go in Hacksaw Ridge, where he starts out as a bright eyed idealistic soldier who then becomes so deeply affected by the ravages of war he emerges a changed man, although at the end he remains true to his pacifism.

Garfield plays Desmond Doss, a Private First Class for the U.S. Army who wishes to serve his country, but refuses to pick up a weapon and fight. He works as a medic on the battlefield and ends up saving the lives of many men by helping them and not getting killed himself. It must be said about Hacksaw Ridge that the battle scenes are astonishing. Although many have said that they indulge too much in violence – rather, I think that’s the whole point of them. Humans are violent by nature, and it took this kind of perspective to break through to audiences who have become accustomed to scenes on the battlefield in the many films that have been made about them. Letters from Iwo Jima, Saving Private Ryan, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, The Longest Day, etc. But Hacksaw Ridge, I thought, was symbolic in nature since it very specifically makes the point about someone who is choosing non-violence amid the most violent, bloody, unimaginable horrors of war. You find yourself thinking throughout the film, why do we do this to each other? And indeed, why do we?

Garfield then plays a Portuguese Jesuit priest in 17th century Japan who seeks out the “hidden Christians” or “Kakure Kirishitan” who continue to practice the Catholic faith after it became illegal to do so. Based on the novel by Japanese Catholic Shūsaku Endō, the story explores the test of faith amid suffering, but specifically the suffering of others. How can God remain silent when so many are dying just for the chance to believe? The priest then has an internal argument with God – and wonders whether he is self-serving by not renouncing his faith to save so many who follow him. 

Garfield must endure watching the torture and deaths of innocents, which eventually nearly destroys him.

In both films, Garfield really is an observer whose participation either saves lives or gets them killed depending on how you look at a conscientious objector on the battlefield or a priest whose faith in God is stronger, in some cases, than his desire to save lives. In both films there is no easy answer for the actor, who wrestles with his own morality. God does not tell him what to do in Silence, because of course, for the most part (without spoiling the film) the “word” silence means just that. But he is guided by his faith, no doubt. In Hacksaw Ridge and Silence, he does not buckle while watching the carnage unfold.

That gives us two Andrew Garfield performances and both are worthy of awards recognition. And, given the level of difficulty and the versatility he displays, it’s also possible he could win, Adrien Brody style, for one or the other. Therein lies the rub. How to choose?

Tom Hanks in Sully, Joel Edgerton in Loving, and Ryan Gosling in La La Land are also among the strongest contenders for the prize. If La La Land goes over very big, Gosling will be among the five nominees. But right now I’ll wager that it’s Hanks and Edgerton, just barely. Of course, if Garfield’s two competing roles cancels him out by vote splitting, all three could get in.

One thing to consider, of course, is if La La Land is indeed your Best Picture frontrunner, then it seems likely that the lead performance will get in. Gosling learned to play piano for the part so that he would look authentic doing it. Chazelle didn’t want to cut away and put someone else in there – he wanted it to really be Gosling.

One thing we can say for sure – the Best Actor race is competitive, with no one single name locked and loaded for the win.

What we do know is that these performances really are tied to Best Picture, even if the last time all five were in Best Picture nominees was 2013:
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Denzel Washington, Fences
Andrew Garfield, Silence + Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Joel Egerton, Loving
Chris Pine, Hell or High Water

Outside the realm of Best Picture, you have:
Adam Driver, Paterson
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Warren Beatty, Rules Don’t Apply
Miles Teller, Bleed for This

'Star Wars': X-Wing Zooms In To Hollywood for 'Rogue One' Premiere

Courtesy ABC7

The Force is strong on Hollywood Blvd.

Star Wars has definitely landed in Hollywood.

Preparations for Saturday's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story premiere have already seen some big road closures on Hollywood Blvd. — and on Tuesday, an X-Wing was spotted in the area where the stars of the film will gather in a few days.

Pictures quickly spread on social media, as apparently keeping an X-Wing secret is even trickier than keeping plans for the Death Star under wraps.

For those not fortunate enough to see the film early at Saturday's premiere, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters Dec. 16.

Johnny Depp Is Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actor For The Second Year In A Row

(Photo credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

Natalie Robehmed,  Forbes Staff

Just as Alice Through the Looking Glass hit theatres in May, a judge ordered a restraining order against its star, Johnny Depp, after his wife, Amber Heard, alleged he physically and verbally abused her. The couple reached a $7 million divorce settlement in August, but not before the $190 million sequel to Alice in Wonderland crashed at the box office.

Thanks to recent ticket booth losses, Depp is this year's most overpaid actor: His last three movies returned just $2.80 at the box office for every $1 he was paid on them. While the damning accusations did not impact his earnings during our scoring period, they look set to damage his box office prospects for months to come. It's the latest bad career news for Depp, who has suffered some high profile misses including last year's Mortdecai and 2014's Transcendence.

Will Smith, who ranks second, has had a similarly poor run at the box office: He returned a dismal $5 at the ticket booths for every $1 he earned from his recent films. With Concussion, an Oscar nod evaded him and the movie barely met its $34 million production costs; Focus was a little better. 

Smith's outsized paydays, coupled with box office disappointments, translate to poor returns.

This year's ranking of Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors is dominated by established male leads like Depp and Smith whose historic successes allow them to command eight figures, despite ever-more-frequent cinematic washouts. To compile our rundown, we looked at the last three films each actor starred in before June 2016, save animated films, movies where the actor appeared in an insignificant role, or movies that were released on fewer than 2,000 screens. We did not examine folks unless they had starred in a new eligible movie since last year's scoring period.

We then deducted the estimated production budget from the global box office for each film according to Box Office Mojo to come up with a limited definition of each movie’s operating income. We took the total operating income from the star's three most recent significant films then divided by the star's estimated pay for those films to come up with a final return on investment number.

Some actors, such as third-ranked Channing Tatum, make the cut even though they have scored hits. Magic Mike XXL was a veritable success, notching $122 million on a $14.8 million budget, but Tatum still returns just $6 at the box office for every $1 paid. That's because his three movie average is dragged down by 2015 flop Jupiter Ascending, which earned just $8 million more than its $176 million production budget.

He barely fares better than Will Ferrell, whose middling returns mean he renders $6.50 at the ticket booth for every $1 he earns. That's even worse than his $6.80 ROI last year. The dip is due to long-awaited Zoolander 2, which earned a dismal 23% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and managed just $56 million at the ticketing booth--on a $50 million budget.

Rounding out the top five is George Clooney. Once untouchable, his box office returns have waned to $6.70 for every $1 paid. He is still beloved by those who see his films: Hail, Caesar! was enjoyed by critics but fared modestly at the box office; Money Monster performed a little better. But Clooney's average takes a big hit from 2015's Tomorrowland, which barely grossed more than its eye-watering $190 million budget.

Such humongous budgets make it difficult to balance the books--even more so when the star commands a hefty chunk of backend profits. Such is the case with Leonardo DiCaprio, whose films earn $9.90 at the box office for every $1 he is paid. The Revenant star's outsized paychecks means that even when a film performs well--grossing $533 million on a $135 million budget, in this case--his ROI does not seem as impressive. But DiCaprio's last two films, The Revenant and Wolf of Wall Street, both earned him Best Actor Oscar nods and wide critical acclaim—a different reward valued deeply by some investors. (DiCaprio eventually won an Academy Award this year for the Alejandro González Iñárritu-directed feature.)

These returns might sound good to a bond or stock investors, but Hollywood accounting means they are worse than they appear. Considering studios can keep as little as 50% of global box office, once exhibitors have been paid, and that production budgets do not include the hefty costs of marketing, actor pay can quickly seem disproportionate.

For Depp, much rides on his return as Captain Jack Sparrow in next year's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. If that installment fails, in a franchise has already grossed $3.7 billion, Depp could find it difficult to score roles--in or out of a pirate hat.

Kirk Douglas’ 10 Most Memorable Movies for His 100th Birthday

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The acting legend (and father of Michael Douglas) crosses the century mark on December 9, 2016
As he reaches his milestone 100th birthday next week, Kirk Douglas writes a special article for Closer Weekly — on newsstands now.

The screen legend, turning 100 on Friday, Dec. 9, reveals to Closer how he plans to celebrate: "...my son [Michael Douglas] and his wife, [Catherine Zeta-Jones], are hosting my 100th. About 200 friends and family members will be there, but that’s about all I know!" 

The icon also shares words of wisdom for a long and healthy life: "[My wife Anne Buydens] and I always use these happy occasions to give presents to the institutions we support through our foundation. Giving is a selfish act, I maintain, because it makes you feel so good. I am always asked for advice on living a long and healthy life. I don’t have any. I do believe, however, that we have a purpose for being here. I was spared after a helicopter crash and a stroke to do more good in the world before I leave it."

He credits much of his longevity and happiness to his wife, Anne: "I was lucky enough to find my soul mate 63 years ago, and I believe our wonderful marriage and our nightly 'golden hour' chats have helped me survive all things."
 

Kirk, Catherine, Anne and Michael in 1999. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

His son Michael also shares a special tribute to his dad in Closer: “One hundred years old is certainly a milestone, but the facts are what dad has accomplished in 100 years."

"I think his stamina and tenacity are the qualities that stand out for me,” he continues. “He has taught me always to give it your best shot at whatever you take on. He’s the full package."

For the full story on Kirk, pick up the new issue of Closer Weekly on newsstands now!

Oscars: Jimmy Kimmel to Host This Year's Ceremony

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Jimmy Kimmel during last year's Emmys ceremony. 

 

by Gregg Kilday

His selection is expected to be announced by producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd.

After a long wait this year, Jimmy Kimmel has been set as Oscar host, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. 

The comedian will host the 89th Oscars show, to be broadcast live by ABC on Feb. 26, sources said. His selection is expected to be announced by producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd, who came aboard to produce the high-profile event just last month. It will be the first time hosting the Oscars, the granddaddy of all awards show, for Kimmel, who's been the face of ABC's late night telecast since his Jimmy Kimmel Live! launched in 2003.

Disney/ABC Television Group chief Ben Sherwood had publicly urged the Academy to consider handing the high-profile gig to Kimmel. In August, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences struck a new deal with ABC, which pays about $75 million a year to broadcast the Oscars, to extend the agreement until 2028. As part of the pact, ABC got more creative input on the show, including the choice of producers and host, although the Academy retained final say on the decisions. Kimmel has emceed the Emmys twice, in 2012 and this past September.

While he won good reviews for hosting the 68th Primetime Emmys on Sept. 18, ratings fell to an all-time low of 11.3 million viewers. The Oscars aims for a much bigger audience. The most recent ceremony, which Chris Rock hosted in February, attracted 34.3 million total viewers, which was considered a disappointment, since it ranked as an 11-year low for the Oscar-cast. Kimmel also has regularly piggy-backed on the Oscar broadcast, with ABC airing a Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars special immediately following the awards ceremony.