Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Our chat room is full of people taking the piss out of the Grammys right now. I can’t take it. There are simply too many awards shows for me to give much of a crap about any of them these days...
... except, perhaps, the Saturns. There is a genuine love for the nominated material that was hard to deny when I attended the awards last year, and if anything, it’s a stronger batch of nominations this year. That’s because we’re seeing so many films that fall loosely into the various genres now that the films and TV shows that are nominated are often the best of the year in any genre. Thankfully, the Saturns give us a place to reward this type of material without the inherent snobbery of the Oscars or the for-sale bullshit of the Globes. I know these nominations were announced the other day, but I was in Montreal, and I only just got to catch up and read the list, and thought it would make for some good talkback material. Since I’m completely biased, I’m going to highlight my choices for who should win in red:
The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror films was founded in 1972 by Dr. Donald A. Reed to recognize the high achievements of genre filmmaking, television and home entertainment. The Saturn Awards are presented annually to honor and recognize the genres of the fantastic. Serving as President of the organization is Robert Holguin.
Past guests to the annual dinners include: Steven Spielberg, Nicholas Cage, J.J. Abrams, Whoopi Goldberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Burns, Charlton Heston, Billy Bob Thornton, John Ritter, James Woods, Janet Leigh, Rod Serling, Lon Chaney, Jr, and Boris Karloff.
This year’s 31st Annual Saturn Awards will take place on Tuesday, May 3, at the Universal City Hilton Hotel.
Special Award recipients will be voted by the Board of Directors of The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films and announced in early March.
Visit the Academy and Saturn Awards website
NOMINATIONS FOR THE 31ST ANNUAL SATURN AWARDS
BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM:
The Butterfly Effect (New Line Cinema)
The Day After Tomorrow (20th Century Fox)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features)
The Forgotten (Sony Pictures)
I, Robot (20th Century Fox)
Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow (Paramount)
BEST FANTASY FILM:
Birth (New Line Cinema)
Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
Hellboy (Sony Pictures)
House Of Flying Daggers (Sony Classics)
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (Paramount)
Spider-Man 2 (Sony Pictures)
BEST HORROR FILM:
Blade: Trinity (New Line Cinema)
Dawn of the Dead (Universal)
The Grudge (Sony)
Open Water (Lions Gate)
Saw (Lions Gate)
Shaun Of the Dead (Rogue Pictures)
Van Helsing (Universal)
BEST ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER FILM:
The Aviator (Miramax)
The Bourne Supremacy (Universal)
Collateral (DreamWorks SKG)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax)
The Manchurian Candidate (Paramount)
National Treasure (Buena Vista)
The Phantom Of The Opera (Warner Bros.)
BEST ANIMATED FILM:
The Incredibles (Buena Vista)
The Polar Express (Warner Bros.)
Shark Tale (DreamWorks SKG)
Shrek 2 (DreamWorks SKG)
BEST ACTOR:
Christian Bale The Machinist (Paramount)
Jim Carrey Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features)
Tom Cruise Collateral (DreamWorks SKG)
Matt Damon The Bourne Supremacy (Universal)
Johnny Depp Finding Neverland (Miramax)
Tobey Maguire Spider-Man 2 (Sony)
BEST ACTRESS:
Nicole Kidman Birth (New Line Cinema)
Julianne Moore The Forgotten (Sony)
Blanchard Ryan Open Water (Lions Gate)
Uma Thurman Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax)
Kate Winslet Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Focus Features)
Ziyi Zhang House of Flying Daggers (Sony Classics)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
David Carradine Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax)
Alfred Molina Spider-Man 2 (Sony)
Gary Oldman Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
Giovanni Ribisi Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow (Paramount)
Liev Schreiber The Manchurian Candidate (Paramount)
John Turturro Secret Window (Sony)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Kim Basinger Cellular (New Line Cinema)
Irma P. Hall The Ladykillers (Buena Vista)
Daryl Hannah Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax)
Angelina Jolie Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow (Paramount)
Diane Kruger National Treasure (Buena Vista)
Meryl Streep The Manchurian Candidate (Paramount)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUNGER ACTOR:
Cameron Bright Birth (New Line Cinema)
Perla Haney-Jardine Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax)
Freddie Highmore Finding Neverland (Miramax)
Jonathan Jackson Stephen King’s Riding the Bullet (MPCA)
Daniel Radcliffe Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
Emmy Rossum Phantom Of the Opera (Warner Bros.)
BEST DIRECTOR:
Alfonso Cuaron Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
Michel Gondry Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Focus Features)
Michael Mann Collateral (DreamWorks SKG)
Sam Raimi Spider-Man 2 (Sony Pictures)
Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax)
Yimou Zhang House Of Flying Daggers (Sony Classics)
BEST WRITER:
Stuart Beattie Collateral (DreamWorks SKG)
Brad Bird The Incredibles (Buena Vista)
Charlie Kaufman Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Focus Features)
Steve Kloves Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
Alvin Sargent Spider-Man 2 (Sony)
Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax)
BEST MUSIC:
Danny Elfman Spider-Man 2 (Sony)
Michael Giacchino The Incredibles (Buena Vista)
Edward Shearmur Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow (Paramount)
Alan Silvestri The Polar Express (Warner Bros.)
Alan Silvestri Van Helsing (Universal)
John Williams Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
BEST COSTUME:
Alexandra Byrne The Phantom Of the Opera (Warner Bros.)
Stella McCartney Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow (Paramount)
Wendy Partridge Hellboy (Sony)
Gabriella Pescucci & Carlo Poggioli Van Helsing (Universal)
Jany Temine Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
Emi Wada House Of Flying Daggers (Sony Classics)
BEST MAKE-UP:
David Anderson, Mario Cacioppo Dawn Of the Dead (Universal)
Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
Jake Garber, Matt Rose Hellboy (Sony)
Valli O’Reilly, Bill Corso Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (Paramount)
Paul Jones Resident Evil: Apocalypse (Sony/Screen Gems)
Greg Cannom, Steve LaPorte Van Helsing (Universal)
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS:
Peter Chiang, Pablo Helman, Thomas J. Smith The Chronicles of Riddick (Universal)
Matthew Butler, Neil Corbould, Karen Goulekas, Greg Strause The Day After Tomorrow (Paramount)
Roger Guyett, Tim Burke, Bill George, John Richardson Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.)
John Nelson, Andrew R. Jones, Erik Nash, Joe Letteri I, Robot (20th Century Fox)
John Dykstra, Scott Stokdyk, Anthony LaMolinara, John Frazier Spider-Man 2 (Sony)
Scott Squires, Ben Snow, Joe Letteri, Thomas L. Fisher Van Helsing (Universal)
TELEVISION:
BEST NETWORK TELEVISION SERIES:
Alias (ABC)
Angel (The WB Network)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)
Lost (ABC)
Smallville (The WB Network)
Star Trek: Enterprise (UPN)
BEST SYNDICATED / CABLE TELEVISION SERIES:
Dead Like Me (Showtime)
The Dead Zone (USA Network)
The 4400 (USA Network)
Nip/Tuck (FX)
Stargate: SG-1 (Sci Fi Channel/MGM)
Stargate: Atlantis (Sci Fi Channel/MGM)
BEST TELEVISION PRESENTATION:
The Dead Will Tell (CBS)
Farscape: Peacekeeper Wars (Sci Fi Channel)
5ive Days To Midnight (Sci Fi Channel)
Legend of Earthsea (Sci Fi Channel/Hallmark)
The Librarian: Quest For the Spear (TNT)
‘Salem’s Lot (TNT)
BEST ACTOR ON TELEVISION:
Richard Dean Anderson (Stargate: SG-1) (Sci Fi Channel/MGM)
Ben Browder (Farscape: Peacekeeper Wars) (Sci Fi Channel)
Matthew Fox (Lost) (ABC)
Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) (FX)
Tom Welling (Smallville) (The WB Network)
Noah Wyle (The Librarian:The Quest For the Spear) (TNT)
BEST ACTRESS ON TELEVISION:
Kristin Bell (Veronica Mars) (UPN)
Claudia Black (Farscape: Peacekeeper Wars) (Sci Fi Channel)
Jennifer Garner (Alias) (ABC)
Anne Heche (The Dead Will Tell) (CBS)
Evangeline Lilly (Lost) (ABC)
Amber Tamblyn (Joan Of Arcadia) (CBS)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR ON TELEVISION:
Kyle MacLachlan (The Librarian: Quest For the Spear) (TNT)
James Marsters (Angel) (The WB Network)
Dominic Monaghan (Lost) (ABC)
Terry O’Quinn (Lost) (ABC)
Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) (The WB Network)
Michael Shanks (Stargate: SG-1) (Sci Fi Channel/MGM)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS ON TELEVISION:
Amy Acker (Angel) (The WB Network)
Erica Durance (Smallville) (The WB Network)
Torri Higginson (Stargate: Atlantis) (Sci Fi Channel/MGM)
Samantha Mathis (‘Salem’s Lot) (TNT)
Amanda Tapping (Stargate: SG-1) (Sci Fi Channel/MGM)
Sonya Walger (The Librarian: Quest For the Spear) (TNT)
DVD
BEST DVD RELEASE:
Bionicle 2: Legends Of Metru-Nui (Buena Vista)
Ju-On: The Grudge (Lions Gate)
The Lion King 1 ½ (Buena Vista)
The Lost Skeleton Of Cadavra (Columbia/TriStar)
Starship Troopers 2: Hero Of the Federation (Columbia/TriStar)
Ripley’s Game (New Line)
BEST DVD SPECIAL EDITION RELEASE:
The Chronicles of Riddick (Unrated Director’s Cut) (Universal)
Hellboy (Director’s Cut) (Columbia/TriStar)
King Arthur (Extended Unrated Version) (Buena Vista)
The Lord Of the Rings: The Return of the King (Extended Cut) (New Line)
Shrek 2 (DreamWorks)
Spider-Man 2 (Special Edition) (Sony Pictures HE)
BEST DVD CLASSIC FILM RELEASE:
Aladdin (Buena Vista)
Dawn Of the Dead (Ultimate Edition) (Anchor Bay)
Duel (Universal)
The Fearless Vampire Killers (Warner)
Freaks (Warner)
THX 1138 (Warner)
BEST DVD COLLECTION:
The Best of Abbott and Costello (Vol. 1 – 3) (Universal)
The Ultimate Matrix Collection (Warner)
The Marx Brothers Silver Collection (Universal)
The Monster Legacy Collections (Universal)
The Star Wars Trilogy (Fox/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The Tarzan Collection (Warner)
BEST DVD TELEVISION PROGRAMMING:
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 2 & 3) (Fox)
Farscape (Season 4) (ADV)
The Simpsons (Season 4 & 5) (Fox)
Smallville (Season 2 & 3) (Warner)
Star Trek: Voyager (Season 1 – 7) (Paramount)
A Wrinkle In Time (Buena Vista)
BEST DVD RETRO TELEVISION RELEASE:
Jonny Quest (Warner)
Land Of the Lost (Season 1 & 2) (Rhino)
Lost In Space (Season 1 & 2) (Fox)
My Favorite Martian (Season 1) (Rhino)
Night Gallery (Season 1) (Universal)
Star Trek: The Original Series (Paramount)
There are some tremendous races in there. Look at the Best Director category. That’s more exciting to me than the DGA race was. And some of these redress some of the wrong-headed mistakes of the Oscars, like the oversight regarding HELLBOY in the Best Make-Up category. Overall, it should be a great evening for everyone involved, and our heartiest congratulations to everyone nominated.
"Moriarty" out.
