2017 Saturn Awards Nominations!

The 2017 Saturn Awards nominees for tv and film were announced today. This is one of my favorite awards as they honor all different forms of pop culture from comic book adaptations to sci-fi/fantasy.


 The Flash, Westworld and The Walking Dead are among the tv shows with multiple nominees as Rouge One is getting much love on the movie side.

Here are the categories and nominees with my pick in BOLD.

FILM:

Best Comic-to-Motion Picture Release:
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Warner Bros.)
Captain America: Civil War (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
Doctor Strange (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Suicide Squad (Warner Bros.)
X-Men: Apocalypse (20th Century Fox)

Best Science Fiction Film Release:
Arrival (Paramount)
Independence Day: Resurgence (20th Century Fox)
Midnight Special (Warner Bros.)
Passengers (Sony)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Star Trek Beyond (Paramount)

Best Fantasy Film Release:
The BFG (Walt Disney Studios)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Warner Bros.)
Ghostbusters (Sony)
The Jungle Book (Walt Disney Studios)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (20th Century Fox)
A Monster Calls (Focus Features)
Pete’s Dragon (Walt Disney Studios)

Best Horror Film Release:
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (IFC Midnight)
The Conjuring 2 (New Line / Warner Bros.)
Demon (The Orchard)
Don’t Breathe (Screen Gems / Sony)
Ouija: Origin of Evil (Universal)
Train to Busan (Well Go USA)
The Witch (A24)

Best Action/Adventure Film Release:
Allied (Paramount)
Gold (The Weinstein Company)
Hacksaw Ridge (Lionsgate)
Hidden Figures (20th Century Fox)
The Legend of Tarzan (Warner Bros.)
The Magnificent Seven (Sony)
The Nice Guys (Warner Bros.)

Best Thriller Film Release:
10 Cloverfield Lane (Paramount)
The Accountant (Warner Bros.)
The Girl on the Train (Universal)
Jason Bourne (Universal)
Hell or High Water (Lionsgate / CBS Films)
The Shallows (Sony)
Split (Universal)

Best Actor in a Film:
Chris Evans “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Benedict Cumberbatch “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Chris Pratt “Passengers” (Sony)
Ryan Reynolds “Deadpool” (20th Century Fox)
Mark Rylance “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)
Chris Pine “Star Trek Beyond” (Paramount)
Matthew McConaughey “Gold” (The Weinstein Company)

Best Actress in a Film:
Amy Adams “Arrival” (Paramount)
Emily Blunt “The Girl on the Train” (Universal)
Taraji P. Henson “Hidden Figures” (20th Century Fox)
Jennifer Lawrence “Passengers” (Sony)
Felicity Jones “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Narges Rashidi “Under the Shadow” (Vertical Entertainment)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead “10 Cloverfield Lane” (Paramount)

Best Supporting Actor in a Film:
Chadwick Boseman “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Dan Fogler “Fantastic Beasts and
Where to Find Them” (Warner Bros.)
John Goodman “10 Cloverfield Lane” (Paramount)
Diego Luna “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”(Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Zachary Quinto “Star Trek Beyond” (Paramount)
Christopher Walken “The Jungle Book” (Walt Disney Studios)

Best Supporting Actress in a Film:
Scarlett Johansson “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Tilda Swinton “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Margot Robbie “Suicide Squad” (Warner Bros.)
Kate McKinnon “Ghostbusters” (Sony)
Betty Buckley “Split” (Universal)
Bryce Dallas Howard “Gold” (The Weinstein Company)

Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Film:
Ruby Barnhill “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)
Julian Dennison “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (The Orchard)
Tom Holland “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Lewis MacDougall “A Monster Calls” (Focus Features)
Neel Sethi “The Jungle Book” (Walt Disney Studios)
Anya Taylor-Joy “The Witch” (A24)

Best Film Direction:
Scott Derrickson “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Gareth Edwards “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Jon Favreau “The Jungle Book” (Walt Disney Studios)
Anthony Russo, Joe Russo “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Bryan Singer “X-Men: Apocalypse” (20th Century Fox)
Steven Spielberg “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)
Denis Villeneuve “Arrival” (Paramount)

Best Film Screenplay:
Melissa Mathison “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)
Eric Heisserer “Arrival” (Paramount)
Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick “Deadpool” (20th Century Fox)
Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Taylor Sheridan “Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate / CBS Films)
Chris Weitz, Tony Gilroy “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)

Best Film Editing:
Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
John Gilroy, Colin Goudie, Jabez Olssen “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Stefan Grube “10 Cloverfield Lane” (Paramount)
Michael Kahn “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)
Mark Livolsi “The Jungle Book” (Walt Disney Studios)
Joe Walker “Arrival” (Paramount)

Best Film Production Design:
Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)
Doug Chiang, Neil Lamont “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Stuart Craig “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Warner Bros.)Guy Hendrix Dyas “Passengers” (Sony)
Owen Paterson “Captain America: Civil War” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Charles Wood “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)

Best Film Music:
Michael Giacchino “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Michael Giacchino “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)James Newton Howard “Fantastic Beasts and
Where to Find Them” (Warner Bros.)
Justin Hurwitz “La La Land” (Lionsgate)
Thomas Newman “Passengers” (Sony)
John Williams “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)

Best Film Costume Design:
Colleen Atwood “Alice Through the Looking Glass” (Walt Disney Studios)
Colleen Atwood “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Warner Bros.)Alexandra Byrne “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
David Crossman, Glyn Dillon “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Sang-gyeong Jo “The Handmaiden” (Amazon Studios / Magnolia)
Joanna Johnston “The BFG” (Walt Disney Studios)

Best Film Make-Up:
Jeremy Whitewood “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Nicky Knowles “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Warner Bros.)
Amy Byrne “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Monica Huppert, Joel Harlow “Star Trek Beyond” (Paramount)Allan Apone, Jo-Ann MacNeil, Marta Roggero “Suicide Squad” (Warner Bros.)
Charles Carter, Rita Ciccozzi, Rosalina Da Silva “X-Men: Apocalypse” (20th Century Fox)

Best Film Special / Visual Effects:
Louis Morin, Ryal Cosgrove “Arrival” (Paramount)
Joe Letteri, Joel Whist “The BFG” Stephane Ceretti, Richard Bluff, Vincent Cirelli, Paul Corbould “Doctor Strange” (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Tim Burke, Christian Manz, David Watkins “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Warner Bros.)
Rober Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, Dan Lemmon “The Jungle Book” (Walt Disney Studios)
John Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel, Neil Corbould “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)

Best Independent Film Release:
Eye in the Sky (Entertainment One)
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (The Orchard)La La Land (Lionsgate)
Lion (The Weinstein Company)
The Ones Below (Magnolia)
Remember (A24)

Best International Film Release:
Elle (Sony Pictures Classics)
The Handmaiden (Amazon / Magnolia)In Order of Disappearance (Magnolia)
The Mermaid (Sony)
Shin Godzilla (Funimation)
Under the Shadow (Vertical Entertainment)

Best Animated Film Release:
Finding Dory (Pixar / Walt Disney Studios)
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (Sony)
Moana (Walt Disney Studios)
Sing (Universal)
Trolls (20 th Century Fox)
Zootopia (Walt Disney Studios)

TELEVISION:

Best Science Fiction Television Series:
The 100 (The CW)
Colony (USA)
The Expanse (SyFy)
Falling Water (USA)
Incorporated (SyFy)
Timeless (NBC)
Westworld (HBO)

Best Fantasy Television Series:
Beyond (Freeform)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The Good Place (NBC)
Lucifer (Fox)The Magicians (SyFy)
Outlander (Starz)
Preacher (AMC)

Best Horror Television Series:
American Horror Story: Roanoke (FX)
Ash vs. Evil Dead (Starz)The Exorcist (Fox)
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)
Teen Wolf (MTV)
The Vampire Diaries (The CW)
The Walking Dead (AMC)

Best Action/Thriller Television Series:
Animal Kingdom (TNT)
Bates Motel (A&E)
Designated Survivor (ABC)
The Librarians (TNT)
Mr. Robot (USA)
Riverdale (The CW)
Underground (WGN America)

Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series:
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)Arrow (The CW)
Flash, The (The CW)
Gotham (Fox)
Legion (FX)
Supergirl (The CW)

Best Presentation on Television:
11.22.63 (Hulu)Channel Zero (SyFy)
Doctor Who: The Return of Dr. Mysterio (BBC America)
Mars (National Geographic)
The Night Manager (AMC)
Rats (Discovery Channel)

Best New Media Television Series:
Bosch (Amazon)
Marvel’s Daredevil (Netflix)
Marvel’s Luke Cage (Netflix)
The Man in the High Castle (Amazon)
A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix)
Stranger Things (Netflix)

Best Actor on a Television Series:
Bruce Campbell “Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz)
Mike Colter “Marvel’s Luke Cage” (Netflix)
Charlie Cox “Marvel’s Daredevil” (Netflix)
Grant Gustin “The Flash” (The CW)
Sam Heughan “Outlander” (Starz)
Freddie Highmore “Bates Motel” (A&E)Andrew Lincoln “The Walking Dead” (AMC)

Best Actress on a Television Series:
Melissa Benoist “Supergirl” (The CW)Caitriona Balfe “Outlander” (Starz)
Kim Dickens “Fear the Walking Dead” (AMC)
Vera Farmiga “Bates Motel” (A&E)
Lena Headey “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Sarah Paulson “American Horror Story: Roanoke” (FX)
Winona Ryder “Stranger Things” (Netflix)

Best Supporting Actor on a Television Series:
Linden Ashby “Teen Wolf” (MTV)
Mehcad Brooks “Supergirl” (The CW)
Kit Harrington “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Ed Harris “Westworld” (HBO)
Lee Majors “Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz)
Norman Reedus “The Walking Dead” (AMC)
Jeffrey Wright “Westworld” (HBO)

Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series:
Kathy Bates “American Horror Story: Roanoke” (FX)
Danai Gurira “The Walking Dead” (AMC)
Melissa McBride “The Walking Dead” (AMC)
Thandie Newton “Westworld” (HBO)Candice Patton “The Flash” (The CW)
Adina Porter “American Horror Story: Roanoke” (FX)
Evan Rachel Wood “Westworld” (HBO)

Best Younger Actor on a Television Series:
K.J. Apa “Riverdale” (The CW)
Millie Bobby Brown “Stranger Things” (Netflix)Max Charles “The Strain” (FX)
Alicia Debnam-Carey “Fear the Walking Dead” (AMC)
Lorenzo James Henrie “Fear the Walking Dead” (AMC)
Chandler Riggs “The Walking Dead” (AMC)

Best Guest Performance on a Television Series:
Ian Bohen “Teen Wolf” (MTV)
Tyler Hoechlin “Supergirl” (The CW)
Anthony Hopkins “Westworld” (HBO)Leslie Jordan “American Horror Story: Roanoke” (FX)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan “The Walking Dead” (AMC)
Dominique Pinon “Outlander” (Starz)

Best Animated Series or Film on Television:
Bojack Horseman (Netflix)
Family Guy (Fox)
The Little Prince (Netflix)
The Simpsons (Fox)
Star Wars: Rebels (Disney XD)Trollhunters

Riverdale series premiere review

 Chapter One: The River’s edge 

by Simon (@Suypro)

This is a very different Riverdale from the one that you might know. In fact, I wonder whether or not this show should have any connection to Archie at all. The characters are vastly different, the tone is kind-of weird and their connection also are not the ones you’d expect from them. In fact, if you make a few casting changes, or just ask the lead to not change his hair color, and change the names, no one would think to connect this to the Archie comics. I know that this was just a way to attract viewership, hey, it worked on me, but it still feels like a cheat.

The episode:
So anyway, we start with some beautiful establishing shots of Riverdale as a town. And I have to give credits to the director here, Lee Toland Krieger, for recreating images you might see in the Archie comics.

Oh, Jason Blossom dies. Cheryl is sad, I guess.

The song playing before the boat trip is a very romantic song, which is creepy. Between that and the “He was my soulmate” comment from Cheryl later on, I really think that we have an incest situation going on here. Or maybe not, because of how hard they push this theory down our throat. But this is a CW/Berlanti show, subtlety is not their strong suit.

The episode does something interesting where it introduces most of the leads before Archie. This is good, since everyone expects to see Archie first.

Jughead is narrating this whole thing, well in theory he is writing it. And we see a glimpse of him after Jason’s death.

At the same time, we see Alice Cooper, Betty’s mom. She is also the second worst. And she blames everything that happened to her other daughter on Jason.

Veronica just appears into town with her mom after her father gets in trouble with the law because of embezzlement.

Then we get Betty and Kevin. Betty just came back from her internship, which apparently lasted all summer. This is surprising because WHO THE FUCK gives an internship to a 14-15 year old girl? Anyway, Kevin is introduced as the token gay best friend, which is something that they at least allude to later on. Given how he is in the comics, it is weird to see him as such a cliché gay character here, but it doesn’t hurt him. He’s good.

And finally we meet Archie.  He worked construction with his dad over the summer. He also got into a sexual relationship with his teacher, Miss Grundy, who is in her early 30s. Let me remind you, because I myself forgot because of how the actors look, that Archie is supposed to be 14 OR 15 YEARS OLD. Gross.  She is the number 1 worst btw.

Few things made me as mad as Archie completely ignoring HIS BEST FRIENDS THAT HE HASN’T SEEN ALL SUMMER, because a hot girl entered Pop’s. But, they all meet and Archie is very interested. Much to the dismay of Betty. (and mine)

The next day, we get a scene between Archie and his dad. The biggest problem with this scene is how absolutely terrible the sound is during the start of it. Listen to the portion where Archie goes down the stairs and speak to his dog. This is terrible ADR(Automatic dialogue replacement). Compare it to the rest of the discussion and cry.

We get two filler hallway scenes. And then Archie goes to see Josie and the Pussycats to get some help with his new passion he discovered during the summer: MUSIC! Their singing is live here and it was really good. Josie turns him down with the best-bad pun nickname “Justin Gingerlake”.

Then the hallway scene continues but with some good stuff now. “Is he your boyfriend?” “No, we’re just friends” “No, he’s straight.”  Also, Kevin tells us that Archie/Betty are endgame. So Veronica decides Betty should invite him to the dance.

Seeing how Archie and Miss Grundy first had sex is gross and I really do not understand this storyline it infuriates every time I see it. GET IT THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE. Remember: This 30s lady WAS ATTRACTED TO A 14-15YEAR OLD. I DON’T CARE HOW MUCH PUBERTY HIT. WTF. If we want to take something positive from this scene: There are some interesting shots in it. The ones in the car are very beautifully shot. And the focus change as Grundy turns around is great.

Blah blah blah adults speaking, booooorrriiinnnnngggg. Blah blah blah.

Now we hear Archie’s song for the first time. And the few we hear of it is actually good.  Not fantastic, but good. The way the music changes from being non-diegetic to diegetic* as Veronica gets closer to the table is very well done. Simple, but great.

(*Characters in-universe also hear it when it is diegetic, and we usually see the source from where the music is coming from)
Cheryl shows up and is really great at her fake-kindness. I also have to praise her half-hidden insult at veronica “Betty already has so much on her plate right now” she says, as she looks at her plate in disgust. (it is kind of ridiculous since she’s eating a salad, but still funny) And her asking for a “Follow for Follow” in real life is probably the saddest thing I have ever seen. Please tell me people don’t actually do that. PLEASE.

Archie goes to make Miss Grundy, the music teacher, hear his music because he wants help with it. REMINDER THAT THEY HAVE SLEPT TOGETHER. MULTIPLE TIMES. She makes a good choice for once, and refuses.

And then we learn that they heard a gunshot the day Jason died. Miss Grundy, being the worst, tries to convince Archie that the sound was fireworks. And say that they have to hide it because oh HOW would they ever explain that they were together. But this is dumb. One of them could report it. Alone. And say that they were alone. Finding a reason to be alone in the woods wouldn’t be hard. I was taking a walk.

Finally, the best, and worst scene.

Worst: That queerbaiting. WHY. WHHHHYYYYYYYY. I do not believe for a second that they’ll get together ever. That kiss was beautiful. And they had more chemistry during it than that other kiss later in the episode. But it’s still never going to happen.

Best: Veronica totally backing up Betty and squashing Cheryl with the best line of the episode. “Betty and I come as a matching set. You want one, you take us both. You wanted fire? Sorry, Cheryl Bombshell, my specialty is ice.” So campy, but so great. In a world where we never see enough genuine friendships between women. THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

Then Veronica reveals that she wants to be a better person, which is why she wants to hang out with Betty so bad. She’s on a good path, honestly.

Veronica pushes Betty into inviting Archie to the dance. Which she does. Inviting both Veronica and Archie. Archie refuses for a while, Betty accepts but Veronica pushes him into it. And calls him Archiekins. Which is a beautiful comics call out.


Betty is happy. And her mother is terrible. Betty is tired of being perfect. (remember this for later on, this is VERY important)
Archie wants to do music, but he’s stuck between football and working with his dad and playing football. He tried hiding music from both of these and now his dad is mad at him, but tells him he should make a choice one way or another.

At the dance, Veronica leaves Betty and Archie alone to “go get punch”.  So, of course, Archie decides to go talk to Miss Grundy to force her into helping him with his music. Which she agrees to, because she’s an idiot.

Archie comes back. And after some pressure from Kevin and Veronica, Betty reveals her feeling. Only for Archie to be awkward and basically not really respond. He even turns to Miss Grundy during the awkward silence.

Apparently Cheryl is also Sabrina the Teenage witch, because she manages to convince Archie, Betty and Veronica to go to her party after this. And she wants to play seven minutes in heaven. And Archie goes first. It (not really) lands on Veronica

Let’s take a pause here. Her plan was to bring them to her house, pick Archie to play seven minutes in heaven and then have it land on Veronica???? Thank god, her bottle spinning skills are nearly 100% accurate.

They go into the closet and resist for a while by talking but then GASP, they kiss. They come out and are shocked to find Betty gone.
Bonus gay possibilities from the scene: Archie asks if she had a boyfriend, she says no. But she also says later that she was in love with someone at some point.

For some reason, Archie thinks that heartbroken Betty would go hide at Pop’s. But hey, we finally get an Archie/Jughead scene. And it is a great one. And we also learn that Archie messed up this relationship as well. By not talking to him after SOMETHING happened.  Archie seems really good at messing shit up.

Archie goes to Betty’s house and, SURPRISE, she’s there! She asks him if he loves her. Or even likes her. (That’s the sound of my heart breaking) He says that he DOES love her, but that she’s way too good for him. So perfect. (We agree on that one, Betty is waaayy too good)

We end with Kevin about to do some totally-not-gay-naked-stuff with a football player called Moose. And oops Jason’s body. With clear bullet hole on his forehead.

Jughead does a little voiceover telling us shit’s about to start going down rather quickly. See you next week Riverdale.


Actors
I don’t really like any of the adult cast.
Mädchen Amick as Alice Cooper. She can do so much better.  She overacts a lot here.
Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge. I don’t remember seeing her in anything else. But she doesn’t really sound genuine in most of her scenes. But I don’t know if she can do better, we’ll see.
Luke Perry as Fred Andrews. The best of the adults. He still has a few weak spots, but at least he does have some good scenes. I.E. Talking with Archie on the porch.
All of the “teens” are at least good.
Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy. She has a very short scene, in which she’s good. And she has a good voice, which really matters for that role.
Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. He also has a very short scene, in which he is very good. Not sure how good the voice-over is.
Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom. In some scenes she is very good and in others it all feel forced.
K. J. Apa as Archie Andrews. He is never bad, but he is not always good. But I think it might be mostly due to him not being used to hiding his accent and getting used to the role.
Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper. Always good.
Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge. Always good. Sometimes amazing. I now worship her.
Characters
Miss Grundy and her entire storyline better disappear as soon as possible.
Alice Cooper is a terrible mother and should also disappear quickly.
Hermione Lodge and Luke Perry are fine.
Josie McCoy is amazing and should be there at all times to crush Archie.
Jughead Jones is still too background-ish in the episode to have a clear opinion on him.
Archie Andrews is kind of terrible. He makes all the wrong choices and treats Betty like crap. But I guess that’s fine because he can only improve.
Betty Cooper is great and too good for Archie.
Veronica Lodge is kind-of in the middle. In theory, she also backstabbed Betty when she kissed Archie. But to be fair, she’s only known her for a few days.  So it’s hard for me to judge her as hard as Archie.
Theory
Betty opened to the idea of not being perfect because of “bad girl” Veronica. And then Archie tells her that she’s too perfect for him, so I think Betty will go down a path of becoming wild. I just hope she doesn’t go too far.
I only put four people as NOT being the killer. And these are Miss Grundy and Archie, because they were together doing gross things when the shot was heard. Jughead because there is no way that the “creepy” teen is actually the killer. Cheryl is also not the killer because it would be too obvious.
Rating
Overall a good and fun episode of television. 7/10
Conclusion
 This was a terrible review, but I had fun to writing it. If anyone read all the way to here, CONGRATULATIONS.