21st Screen Actors Guild Awards

The Screen Actors Guild Awards strive to honor actors who have showcased extraordinary talent in film and television during the past year. Considered one of the industry's highest and most prized honors as it is a peer voted honor, the SAG Awards are the only televised awards to exclusively honor performers. The show consists of 13 awards for acting in film and  television during a two hour show aired live on TNT and TBS from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

A complete winner's list can be found here.

Some of the night's biggest winners were: Patricia Arquette in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role category for her role in Boyhood. J.K. Simmons won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Whiplash, giving the distinct impression that he is a shoo-in for the Oscar.  Eddie Redmayne won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in Leading Role for his role The Theory of Everything. Kevin Spacey took home the actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his role in House of Cards. Downton Abbey won for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series while Orange is the New Black won for Comedy Series; Uzo Aduba also took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for the series.  Viola Davis won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actress in a Drama Series for How to Get Away With Murder. Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in Leading Role was awarded to  Julianne Moore for her role in Still Alice.  Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture was awarded to the cast of Birdman. 

Debbie Reynolds was rightfully and deservedly honored with the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award which was presented to her by her daughter, Carrie Fisher. She gave an endearing speech that included true sentiments of gratitude and some teasing about Princess Leia buns. 

Given these results, it is likely, but in no way guaranteed, that Simmons and Moore will take home Oscars come February 22nd.  Birdman remains the top contender for Best Motion Picture. 

Other Guild awards are held as followed but are not televised:
26th Annual Producers Guild Awards - January 24, 2015
67th Annual Directors Guild Awards - February 7, 2015
67th Annual Writers Guild Awards - February 14, 2015
2015 Ace Eddie Awards (Film Editors) - January 30, 2015
19th Art Directors Guild Awards - January 31, 2015
62nd MPSE Golden Reel Awards (Sound Editors) - February 15, 2015
17th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards - February 17, 2015

Red Carpet Fashion

Celebrity Monitor/Splash News

Lupita Nyong'o looked exquisite in a long-sleeve print gown by Ellie Saab.

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike was stunning in a black Dior Couture dress, although it wasn't a hit with everyone.

Image Press/Splash News

Claire Danes shined in a mossy green Marc Jacobs gown with a waist belt and jeweled sides.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Viola Davis was a vision in a white custom Max Mara gown.

Movie Review: Begin Again

John Carney, director of Indie sensation Once, tries to duplicate the magic of music in his latest film Begin Again.  The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival a year ago under the title Can a Song Save Your Life?.  The film shares many similarities to the film Once including: a man and woman make music together, the music is a powerful force, and their love and connection to the city.

Begin Again tells the story of a songstress, Gretta (Keira Knightley) and her writing partner and boyfriend Dave (Adam Levine) as they move to New York City after Dave has been signed by a major record label. Dave climbs to success on Gretta's songs, cheats on her, subsequently dumps her, and becomes an overnight musical sensation.  Gretta leaves their aparment with her bike and a suitcase to find her street musician friend Steve (James Corden) so that she may stay at his apartment until she can get out of the city and home to London.

Of course, Steve can't let Gretta leave the city without accompanying him to a performance at a bar that same night.  She goes with him to the show where he makes her get onstage and play a song.  A recently fired, and drunk, record executive, Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo), sees her perform and is in awe of her raw talent.  He approaches her after the show, convinces her she is amazingly talented and for the remainder of the movie they make a CD in various locations around the city to convince his old record label that she deserves a record deal.

Throughout the process they highlight various things around the city, convince talented musicians to play for free, enlist the help of CeeLo Green (who is playing a hip hop/pop star in the movie), outrun the cops, and eventually make a full CD that the record label finds worthy of a deal.  While the movie is mostly filled with cliché and often unbelievable plot points, the movie goes for a sincere approach to music and relationships. 

Mark Ruffalo played his character with an obvious passion which would have been nice to see in all of the characters.  There were also many funny moments specifically from James Corden and Mark Ruffalo's characters.  The sincere approach to life and music of the film made it's cliched story more realistic and enjoyable in the way that jokes were able to land and the story didn't center on the main characters falling in love and living happily ever after.  

The film is very watchable and you'll find yourself laughing out loud more than once in the theater, but it probably won't make you believe that music is a magical force that will one day change your life forever.