Philomena

Is Philomena philomenal?

Philomena Lee’s journey is one of those small, true stories that inspire good movies, showing up in theaters just in time for the holidays.

Philomena, based on the 2009 investigative book by BBC correspondent Martin Sixsmith,The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, focuses on the efforts of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench) to find her Irish son who was given away for adoption in the United States.

As you can expect, her journey with the writer, Martin (Steve Coogan), takes a few poignant turns.

Simply put:  Philomenal. A true story. A truly affecting film.

Award potential: Dench is a delight and she has a good shot at a Best Actress nomination, if not an Oscar win. Cate Blanchett will take that award.

The movie has a small chance at Best Picture and Best Actor for Steve Coogan – but it has a very good shot at Best Screenplay. 

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.

Alan's Golden Globe Nominee Predictions - 2014

The Golden Globes are voted on The Hollywood Foreign press, which is 90 foreign journalists who choose to live in Southern California — so who knows what they think? Apparently, I sorta do. I have an 87% accuracy rate in the past, so here goes.

Best Motion Picture (Drama)

12 Years A Slave

Captain Phillips

Gravity

Saving Mr. Banks

The Butler

Watch out for: Blue Jasmine, Dallas Buyers Club,

Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)

American Hustle

August: Osage County

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Watch out for: Her

Best Actor In A Leading Role (Drama)

Chiwetel Ejiofor,12 Years A Slave

Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips

Robert Redfort, All Is Lost

Forest Whitaker, The Butler

Watch out for: Michael B. Jordan, Fruitvale Station

Best Actor In A Leading Role (Comedy or Musical)

Bruce Dern, Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaptio, The Wolf of Wall Street

Oscar Issac, Inside Lllewyn Davis

James Gandolfini, Enough Said

Joaquin Phoenix, Her

Watch out for: Christian Bale, American Hustle

Best Actress In A Leading Role (Drama)

Bereinice Bejo, The Past

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks

Judi Dench, Philomena

Watch out for: Kate Winslet, Labor Day

Best Actress In A Leading Role (Comedy)

Amy Adams, American Hustle

Julie Delphy, Before Midnight

Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha

Julia Louis Dreyfus, Enough Said

Meryl Streep, August; Osage County

Watch out for: Melissa McCarthy, The Heat

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role

Daniel Bruhl, Rush

Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave

James Gandolfini, Enough Said

Tom Hanks, Saving Mr. Banks

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Watch out for: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role

Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years A Slave

Julia Roberts, August: Osage County

June Squibb, Nebraska

Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniel’s The Butler

Watch out for: Octavia Spencer, Fruitvale Station

Best Screenplay

August: Osage County

Before Midnight

Inside Llewyn Davis

Saving Mr. Banks

The Wolf of Wall Street

Watch out for: Philomena, 12 Years A Slave, Nebraska, Her

Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave

David O. Russell, American Hustle

Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

The Coens, Inside Llewyn Davis

Watch out for: Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips and Spike Jones, Her

Best Animated Motion Picture

Frozen

Monsters University

The Wind Rises

Watch out for: The Croods, Ernest & Celistine

The nominations will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7 a.m. CST on NBC. The 71st annual Golden Globes, hosted for the second consecutive year by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, will air Sunday, January 12, 2014, on NBC.

Alan's SAG AWARD Nominee Predictions for 2014

The SAGS are not the Oscars, but last year, 14 of the 20 SAG nominees went on to reap Oscar bids. In 2012, it was 17 out of 20. Below, my fearless predictions for Wednesday's nominees in all the film categories.

 Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Judi Dench, Philomena

Meryl Streep, August; Osage County

Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks

Watch out for: Amy Adams, American Hustle

  

Best Male Actor In A Leading Role

Chiwetel Ejiofor,12 Years A Slave

Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips

Robert Redford, All Is Lost

Bruce Dern, Nebraska

Watch out for: Forest Whitaker, The Butler

It’s the toughest category. Sorry Leonardo DiCaprio Michael B. Jordan and Joaquin Phoenix

Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role

Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

Lupita Nyongo, 12 Years A Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County

Octavia Spencer, Fruitvale Station

Oprah Winfrey, Lee Daniel’s The Butler

Watch out for: June Squibb, Nebraska

Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role

Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave

Harrison Ford, 42

John Goodman, Inside Llewyn Davis

Tom Hanks, Saving Mr. Banks

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Watch out for: Jake Gyllenhall, Prisoners

Best Performance By A Cast Ensemble (Not Best Picture)

12 Years A Slave

American Hustle

August: Osage County

Lee Daniel’s The Butler

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Watch out for: Saving Mr. Banks and Blue Jasmine


Sasha Alexander and Clark Gregg will reveal the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® nominations on Wednesday, Dec. 11  on TNT at 8 a.m. (CT)  and webcast live on tntdrama.com and tbs.com.