The Oscar shortlists dropped earlier this week in nine categories: Original Score, Original Song, Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects, Documentary Feature, International Feature Film, Documentary Short Subject, Animated Short Film and Live Action Short Film.

On this podcast, my guest Will Mavity of Next Best Picture and discuss the first six of those shortlists, identifying the biggest surprises and the biggest snubs but also the bigger picture (and potential) what it means for a film like Parasite to get into Original Song or 1917 to make the cut in both Visual Effects and Makeup & Hairstyling. We also give our predictions in each category.

This podcast is sponsored by Amazon Studios and their films Les Misérables, which made the Oscar shortlist for International Feature Film and One Child Nation, which made the shortlist for Documentary Feature.

This podcast runs 1h 32m with music.

Opening: “Modern Fashion” by AShamaluevMusic

Closing: “New York City By Day,” by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

On this 76th Oscar podcast I welcome Variety's Awards and Features Editor Jenelle Riley, a first time guest, to discuss the upcoming Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for film.

While we don't really get into line by line predictions, Jenelle and I dig into the recent National Board of Review and New York Film Critics Circle wins, including The Irishman breaking from the pack early, but also the stealth contenders we're seeing come out of these announcements. Namely, Richard Jewell and Knives Out.

We talk a bit about potential 'controversies' this year but highlight and recognize that no amount of internet chatter keeps voters from voting what they want to vote for. 

We close with a bit of hopedicting and, wonderfully, we have the same single pick. #NominateNaiNai

This podcast runs about 52m with music.

Intro: "Modern Fashion" by AShamaluevMusic

Outro: "New York City By Day," by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

With the Creative Arts swinging big for Game of Thrones, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Chernobyl, will the Primetime Emmys follow suit?

In this final Emmy winner prediction podcast, Amanda Spears and I delve into all Drama, Comedy and Limited Series categories with our winner predictions plus the spoiler in those categories.

Even with Game of Thrones as the obvious winner for Drama Series (can you imagine the upset if it lost?) where else will it win? It's at 10 Emmys from the Creative Arts, just two away from the all-time record of 12 for a single season (a record owned by GOT itself, twice) so breaking that record should happen. But, by how much?

Creative Arts Emmy Award Winners – ‘Game of Thrones’ leads with 10; ‘Chernobyl 7,’ ‘Maisel’ with 6

Comedy is a fight between Barry, Fleabag, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Veep. Barry picked up two wins at the Creative Arts (yet lost stunts and sound editing, strangely), Fleabag snagged the casting award (a huge get) and Veep went 0/4. Its chances of taking the crown back from Mrs. Maisel seem like a pipe dream at this point.

Limited Series categories at the Creative Arts loved Chernobyl, giving it seven big wins. When They See Us, only managed a single win but it was for casting, a good bellwether for Sunday. There is a lot of history to be made if the series and its creator/director Ava DuVernay win. She's the frontrunner for writing and directing right now, making her first African-American woman to achieve that if she does.

This podcast runs 1h 14m with music.

Opening: Main title of Game of Thrones

Closing: Trailer for season two of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel featuring the song "Get Happy"

It's crazy but this is our first Oscar podcast of the 2019/2020 awards season!

With Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Telluride and Toronto behind us the Oscar season prospects are coming into view. Some things that looked strong in spring and now wilting in the fall, while others have emerged as frontrunners.

I am joined (for the first time) by AwardsWatch's own Mina Takla. Mina hit Cannes and TIFF for AW this year, knocking out over two dozen fantastic reviews and providing a much-needed looking at the non-English language selections that 2019 has to offer.

TIFF 19 Wrap-Up: From jokers to popes and birds to hustlers, here are the Best Films and Performances of the Toronto International Film Festival

In this podcast, we begin discussing Mina's experience at TIFF and the films and performances he liked the best. We end that section talking about the Grolsch People's Choice winner Jojo Rabbit and its runners-up Marriage Story and Parasite, which propels us into the Oscar conversation.

We cover Best Picture, Best Actor (with a focus on Joaquin Phoenix and Adam Driver), Best Actress (with a focus on Renée Zellweger and Cynthia Erivo), Documentary Feature and dabble in the supporting categories, as well as the historical potential of the Best Director category having more than woman director and/or two Asian directors with Bong Joon-ho (Parasite) and Lulu Wang (The Farewell) both in contention, on our way to closing out with the huge success and awards potential of Hustlers and the potential for Jennifer Lopez.

My apologies in advance for some of the audio. Something's a bit buggy with my side of the recording (and yes, that clickety-clack is me) lately and I'm still working it out. Thank you for your patience!

This podcast is 1h 17m with music.

Opening: "Over the Rainbow," from Roadside Attractions' Judy, sung by Renée Zellweger

Closing: "New York City By Day," by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

The Creative Arts Emmys, a two-night affair celebrating the technical achievements of the television season such as lighting, editing and cinematography, are this weekend - September 14th and 15th. I am joined by returning champ Amanda Spears on the Creative Arts Emmy winner prediction podcast.

The Creative Arts Emmys are also the home of five of the biggest awards of the Emmys: the four Guest Acting categories and Reality/Competition Host. We start the podcast analyzing the guest categories (Can Bradley Whitford win again? Will Adam Sandler be an Emmy-winning actor? Will Phylicia Rashad finally take it?) and that Reality/Host contest. RuPaul Charles stands a very good chance of tying Survivor's Jeff Probst for a 4th win here for RuPaul's Drag Race.

We also tackle categories that are often bellwethers for what is going to happen the week after at the Primetime Emmy Awards. Namely, the Casting categories. Casting for a Limited Series is going to be a tough fight between Chernobyl, Fosse/Verdon and When They See Us, one of many between these three nomination giants. Casting for a Drama Series should easily go to Game of Thrones as part of its inevitable sweep (keep an eye out for a GOT article from Amanda, who correctly predicted it would hit 32 nominations, on its potential wins). But it's Casting for a Comedy Series that gives us trouble. Veep won this three times in a row on its way to Comedy Series wins. In its absence last year, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won. But we also have huge Emmy hits Barry and Fleabag. Who will win and will that win correlate to a Comedy Series win?

The four costume categories (Contemporary, Period, Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Variety, Reality or Competition) and several music categories (Music & Lyrics, Main Title Theme, Score for Series and Limited Series) make up the rest of our Creative Arts Emmy winner predictions.

We'll be doing a Primetime Emmy winner predictions podcast just after the Creative Arts Emmys are held this weekend.

This podcast runs with music.

Opening: HBO's Chernobyl, episode "Please Remain Calm"

Closing: "Mein Herr" from FX's Fosse/Verdon

With the Drama and Comedy categories under our podcast belts, returning guest Amanda Spears and I tackle the Limited Series/TV Movie nominees with our ranked predictions.

The top three nomination getters - Chernobyl, Fosse/Verdon and When They See Us - take up quite a bit of oxygen in every race, going up against each other in virtually every category. Will there be a sweep or will the three split categories across the board? Will Ava DuVernay make Emmy history?

What to do with Supporting Actress. Will it be Patricia or...Patricia? Amanda and I go toe to toe on whether Arquette or Clarkson will be triumphant here. But maybe there's a spoiler lurking...

This podcast runs 1h 21m 55s with music.

Opening: "Big Spender" from Fosse/Verdon (FX)

Closing: Trailer for When They See Us (Netflix)

After a spirited debate on the Drama categories for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, Amanda Spears and I return to tackle Comedy and it's a much more open race across the board than their more serious counterparts.

While Game of Thrones is the clear frontrunner and runaway winner in many categories over in Drama, the Comedy side is rich with major contenders and no clear shot at who's going to end up on top. The return of Veep, for its final season, is surely a serious threat to take the crown back from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, who triumphed during Veep's hiatus and sits at a field-best 20 nominations, but we also have Barry, a big winner last year with double the noms this year, and the return of Fleabag, the cult hit that turned into a pop culture phenomenon this spring.

Emmy Podcast #27: Winner predictions in the Drama categories

While it doesn't seem to leave much room for the other nominees, there stands a chance for Schitt's Creek stars Eugene Levy or Catherine O'Hara to surprise - especially O'Hara who, back in the tape-based era, could probably run away with this with her submission "The Crowening." Veep's Julia Louis-Dreyfus stands in her way though, looking for her 9th career win, which would break her tie with Cloris Leachman as the female actor with the most Emmy wins. JLD has never lost here for Veep yet, a six-year streak.

Speaking of Schitt's Creek, late in the podcast (just before we reveal out Comedy Series winner predictions), Amanda has a special announcement to share. 

With music this podcast runs 

Opening: Theme to Veep by Rupert Gregson-Williams

Closing: Ending theme to Schitt's Creek (composer unknown)

With all of the episodes submissions in for Drama Series and individual performers, the first Emmy winner prediction podcast is here, tackling the guest, supporting and lead acting acting categories as well as the big one itself.

I am joined once again by Amanda Spears, who correctly predicted the path for Game of Thrones to earn its historic and record-breaking 32 Emmy nominations this season. While it's kind of a forgone conclusion that the incest and dragons page-turner will triumph in Drama Series, there's a lot of room for spoilers, upsets and surprises in the acting categories.

Can Peter Dinklage make history and win his fourth? Will Pose's Billy Porter be the first out, queer, black man to win Lead Actor in a Drama Series? Will Lead Actress go to Killing Eve's Jodie Comer or Sandra Oh? Or is Emilia Clarke going to fly in destroy their chances? All these questions and more get answered.

With music, this podcast runs 1h 16m 38s with music.

Opening: Into to FX's Pose

Closing" "Home," sung by Mj Rodriguez, Billy Porter and featuring Our Lady J from FX's Pose

Is Game of Thrones running away with the Drama Series Emmy win? All signs point to yes but that doesn't mean there isn't a conversation to be had about this year's drama races. 

I am joined once again by Amanda Spears to break down Drama Series, Lead Actor and Actress and Supporting Actor and Actress (guest, writing and directing categories will be tackled later). 

In this podcast we tackle if GOT can break NYPD Blue's all-time record for most nominations by a show in a single season, how the acting races could play out for Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, Pose's Billy Porter and the Emmy fate of This is Us and House of Cards and much more.

This podcast runs 56m 30s with music.

Opening: The theme from Game of Thrones by Ramin Djawadi

Closing: "New York City By Day,' by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

We're right in the middle of the Emmy voting period for the 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards, making it high time for an Emmy podcast.

Returning champion Amanda Spears and I discuss the likely nominees, if When They See Us can dominate the acting categories, how Deadwood, Chernobyl, Fosse/Verdon and Sharp Objects will fare and if there's any room for major surprises. 

This podcast runs 57m 10s with music.

Opening: Trailer for When They See Us (Netflix)

Closing: "New York City By Day," by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

In our first Emmy podcast of the 2018/2019 season, I am joined by Amanda Spears, who has been detailing her Emmy predictions here over the last few weeks.

In this episode we tackle the Comedy Series categories and the battle that seems to be between Veep's final season and the second season of the history-making winner from last year, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Will this focus on only these two shows (and their acting components like Julia Louis-Dreyfus vs Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein vs Anna Chlumsky) make room for a surprise third to come in and shock?

We look at the possible demise of the regular networks in the top category, with ABC's black-ish barely hanging on and NBC's The Good Place possibly coming in to take its place in the final lineup of seven shows.

Netflix has been enormously successful at the Emmys...with nominations. With so many comedies, new and previously established for it to push, how many can it realistically get in? 2? 3? 4?? And can it ever win?

I know I say at the beginning of the podcast that we'll be doing both Comedy and Drama categories but I decided to split them up so Drama cats will be coming soon.

This podcast runs 1h 7m 45s with music.

Opening: "Change for the World" by Charles Bradley from HBO's Barry

Closing: "New York City by Day" by Thomas Newman from the original motion picture soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

The 2018-2019 awards season pulled itself across the finish line last night with the 91st Academy Awards giving Best Picture to Green Book. 

The night gave us the widest spectrum of wins where Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book sit beside BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther and If Beale Street Could Talk as Oscar winners in the same year, from the same voting body.

On this 74th podcast, the Oscar post-mortem, I am joined by New York film critic Tomris Laffly of Time Out and RogerEbert.com to work our way through this bizarre season of over the top controversy and scandal, of show producers' tone deaf ideas and how it ultimately fed into a telecast that gave us inspired wins, unique moments and tearful speeches.  

Tomris and I also dig into the how the producers listened to the backlash (albeit seemingly oblivious to it), what we thought of the show having no host, our favorite wins and moments and what we hope and want for next year's show.

This podcast runs 1h 30m with opening 2019 Oscar moments and closes with, as usual, "New York City By Day," by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Desperately Seeking Susan. 

Welcome to the AwardsWatch Final Oscar Winner Predictions Podcast!

I am honored to be joined by Amanda Spears, the creator of the #PresentAll24 hashtag and movement that brought film and Oscar fans together when the Academy and show producers announced it would be pushing four categories to commercial breaks. The wave of social media support to keep all 24 categories on the live broadcast moved actors, directors and filmmakers to join the push and late last Thursday night, they reversed their decision. 

On this 73rd podcast, first time guest Amanda and I break down this year's race not just its controversies but how we talk about the Oscar race, including how the controversies of Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody have impacted how we do that.

We work our way into categories that are up in the air such as Supporting Actress where Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) and Rachel Weisz (The Favourite) are neck and neck. 

The technical categories give us a lot to talk about, especially in Production and Costume Design that see a close race between The Favourite and Black Panther and how closely other categories, like Makeup & Hairstyling, Sound Mixing and Editing are closely tied to Best Picture nominees. 

As we move into the more locked categories (like Supporting Actor, Best Director) we find ourselves at Best Picture, where we reveal our rankings from #8 to #1 and the ins and outs of why and how. 

Amanda Spears can be found on Twitter at @msamandaspears and her writing can be found at GoldDerby. 

Keep an eye out for my FINAL Oscar winner predictions at awardswatch.com this week. 

This podcast runs 1h 53m with music. Enjoy!

Opening: "And the Oscar goes to..." montage

Closing music: "New York City By Day" by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

At the age of 85, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But without a definitive Ginsburg biography, the unique personal journey of this diminutive, quiet warrior's rise to the nation's highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her
biggest fans – until now. RBG is a revelatory documentary exploring Ginsburg 's exceptional life and career from Betsy West and Julie Cohen, and co-produced by Storyville Films and CNN Films.

I spoke with Betsy West and Julie Cohen, the directors of RBG, the double Oscar-nominated documentary of the life and victories of the judicial powerhouse. In our conversation we talk about the directing duos first meetings with RBG, her unique relationship with fellow Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and what it could tell us about how we interact with each other today.

RBG is currently available to rent or buy on DVD or streaming on Amazon. The 91st Oscars will take place on Sunday, February 24th, 2019 and air live on ABC.

The 2019 Oscar nominations happened less than 12 hours ago and on this 72nd podcast I am joined by the awesome Valerie Complex to talk about the nominations we liked, what we didn't like and where we think the Academy is heading with these choices. 

We dig in on the good (Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, LGBTQ character inclusion) but also talk about how a group that makes impressive and inclusive choices like nominating Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira (ROMA) can continue to fall back on safe, easy 'traditional Oscar bait.'

Does the Academy hold back on 'too many' black or female or LGBTQ stories and need to coalesce around one or two? Why wasn't there room for If Beale Street Could Talk or Disobedience? Where's Crazy Rich Asians or genre films Hereditary and performances likes Toni Collette's?

All of this and more is covered.

This podcast runs 51m 45s with music.

Opening: Theme for 2019 Oscar nominations announcement

Closing: "New York City By Day" by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan

Here it is. The FINAL Oscar nominations predictions podcast and, as usual, it's a big one. 

I am joined by Next Best Picture's Will Mavity for this 71st Oscar Podcast and we dig in on how wild this season has been so far, with films being hit with controversy, the continuing chasm between critics and audiences and where we think the Academy is going to lean as a result.

Predictions start off with Visual Effects and build up through the techs into the top 8 of Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and finally Best Picture. Regrettably, we didn't hit Animated Feature, Documentary Feature or Foreign Language Film but you can find those predictions at each of our respective sites.

We spent time on the hows and whys of films like A Star Is Born, Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody hitting the guilds and audiences whereas If Beale Street Could Talk not finding that same love. We also ask: will First Man become the most nominated film in the expansion era to not hit Best Picture? Can Barry Jenkins be a lone director nominee a la Bennett Miller?

These details, utilizing guild nominations, box office, branch history and more help guide us through our predictions, with both Will and I making changes on the fly during our conversation. 

This podcast runs 2h 23m with opening and closing music. 

Closing music: "New York City By Day" by Thomas Newman from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Desperately Seeking Susan.