No prizes for guessing what I will be watching between now and the Golden Globe Awards ceremony. Everything that I haven't gotten around to seeing yet that has received a Golden Globe nomination of course! And even though COVID19 ravaged the planet in 2020, there were still some excellent viewing experiences to be had and the nominations are looking very tasty indeed.
Fortunately, I will not need to go into viewing hibernation over February to get through the list because I have actually already seen quite a lot of the nominations and I can assure you all that they are all very worthy recipients of the accolades.
If you are hoping to watch the Golden Globe Awards they will be airing in Australia on March 1st on Foxtel's Fox8 and this years hosts will be comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. And yes, of course I will watching the event, not frocked up with a full face of makeup but probably in my PJ's with a cuppa tea and a Tim Tam in hand. But don't worry if you can't make it to see the awards my friends, I'll be posting the results on Spicywatch.com for you all anyway! However, until then check out the amazing nominations list; hopefully you too will be able to see some of these incredible offerings before the big event in March.
Fortunately, I will not need to go into viewing hibernation over February to get through the list because I have actually already seen quite a lot of the nominations and I can assure you all that they are all very worthy recipients of the accolades.
If you are hoping to watch the Golden Globe Awards they will be airing in Australia on March 1st on Foxtel's Fox8 and this years hosts will be comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. And yes, of course I will watching the event, not frocked up with a full face of makeup but probably in my PJ's with a cuppa tea and a Tim Tam in hand. But don't worry if you can't make it to see the awards my friends, I'll be posting the results on Spicywatch.com for you all anyway! However, until then check out the amazing nominations list; hopefully you too will be able to see some of these incredible offerings before the big event in March.
BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
THE FATHER (Trademark Films; Sony Pictures Classics)
MANK (Netflix; Netflix)
NOMADLAND (Highwayman / Hear/Say / Cor Cordium; Searchlight Pictures)
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (LuckyChap Entertainment / FilmNation Entertainment; Focus Features)
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 (Marc Platt Productions / Dreamworks Pictures; Netflix)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
VIOLA DAVIS MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
ANDRA DAY THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
VANESSA KIRBY PIECES OF A WOMAN
FRANCES MCDORMAND NOMADLAND
CAREY MULLIGAN PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
RIZ AHMED SOUND OF METAL
CHADWICK BOSEMAN MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
ANTHONY HOPKINS THE FATHER
GARY OLDMAN MANK
TAHAR RAHIM THE MAURITANIAN
BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM (Four By Two Films; Amazon Studios)
HAMILTON (Walt Disney Pictures / RadicalMedia / 5000 Broadway Productions / NEVIS Productions / Old 320 Sycamore Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
MUSIC (Pineapple Lasagne Productions / Landay Entertainment; Vertical Entertainment / IMAX)
PALM SPRINGS (Party Over Here / Limelight Productions; NEON / Hulu)
THE PROM (Netflix / Dramatic Forces / Storykey Entertainment; Netflix)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
MARIA BAKALOVA BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
KATE HUDSON MUSIC
MICHELLE PFEIFFER FRENCH EXIT
ROSAMUND PIKE I CARE A LOT
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY EMMA.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
SACHA BARON COHEN BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
JAMES CORDEN THE PROM
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA HAMILTON
DEV PATEL THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD
ANDY SAMBERG PALM SPRINGS
BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED
THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (DreamWorks Animation; Universal Pictures)
ONWARD (Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
OVER THE MOON (Netflix / Pearl Studio / Glen Keane Productions; Netflix)
SOUL (Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
WOLFWALKERS (Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Apple / GKIDS)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE
ANOTHER ROUND (DENMARK) (Zentropa Entertainments; Samuel Goldwyn Films)
LA LLORONA (GUATEMALA / FRANCE) (La Casa de Producción / Les Films du Volcan; Shudder)
THE LIFE AHEAD (ITALY) (Palomar; Netflix)
MINARI (USA) (Plan B; A24)
TWO OF US (FRANCE / USA) (Paprika Films; Magnolia Pictures)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
GLENN CLOSE HILLBILLY ELEGY
OLIVIA COLMAN THE FATHER
JODIE FOSTER THE MAURITANIAN
AMANDA SEYFRIED MANK
HELENA ZENGEL NEWS OF THE WORLD
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
SACHA BARON COHEN THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
DANIEL KALUUYA JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
JARED LETO THE LITTLE THINGS
BILL MURRAY ON THE ROCKS
LESLIE ODOM JR. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI...
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
EMERALD FENNELL PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
DAVID FINCHER MANK
REGINA KING ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI...
AARON SORKIN THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
CHLOÉ ZHAO NOMADLAND
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
EMERALD FENNELL PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
JACK FINCHER MANK
AARON SORKIN THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
FLORIAN ZELLER, CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON THE FATHER
CHLOÉ ZHAO NOMADLAND
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE MIDNIGHT SKY
LUDWIG GÖRANSSON TENET
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD NEWS OF THE WORLD
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS MANK
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS, JON BATISTE SOUL
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“FIGHT FOR YOU” — JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Music by: H.E.R., Dernst Emile II
Lyrics by: H.E.R., Tiara Thomas
“HEAR MY VOICE” — THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Music by: Daniel Pemberton
Lyrics by: Daniel Pemberton, Celeste Waite
“IO SÌ (SEEN)” — THE LIFE AHEAD
Music by: Diane Warren
Lyrics by: Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, Niccolò Agliardi
“SPEAK NOW” — ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI...
Music by: Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth
Lyrics by: Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth
“TIGRESS & TWEED” — THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
Music by: Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq
Lyrics by: Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
THE CROWN - NETFLIX (Left Bank Pictures / Sony Pictures Television)
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY - HBO (HBO / Afemme / Monkeypaw / Bad Robot / Warner Bros. Television)
THE MANDALORIAN - DISNEY+ (Lucasfilm Ltd.)
OZARK - NETFLIX (MRC Television)
RATCHED - NETFLIX (Fox21 Television Studios)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
OLIVIA COLMAN THE CROWN
JODIE COMER KILLING EVE
EMMA CORRIN THE CROWN
LAURA LINNEY OZARK
SARAH PAULSON RATCHED
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
JASON BATEMAN OZARK
JOSH O'CONNOR THE CROWN
BOB ODENKIRK BETTER CALL SAUL
AL PACINO HUNTERS
MATTHEW RHYS PERRY MASON
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
EMILY IN PARIS - NETFLIX (Darren Star Productions / Jax Media / MTV Studios)
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT - HBO MAX (HBO Max / Berlanti Productions / Yes, Norman Productions / Warner Bros. Television)
THE GREAT - HULU (Hulu / Civic Center Media / MRC)
SCHITT'S CREEK - POP TV (Not A Real Company Productions / Canadian Broadcast Company / Pop TV)
TED LASSO - APPLE TV+ (Apple / Doozer Productions / Warner Bros. Television / Universal Television)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
LILY COLLINS EMILY IN PARIS
KALEY CUOCO THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
ELLE FANNING THE GREAT
JANE LEVY ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST
CATHERINE O'HARA SCHITT'S CREEK
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
DON CHEADLE BLACK MONDAY
NICHOLAS HOULT THE GREAT
EUGENE LEVY SCHITT'S CREEK
JASON SUDEIKIS TED LASSO
RAMY YOUSSEF RAMY
BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
NORMAL PEOPLE - HULU (Hulu / BBC / Element Pictures)
THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT - NETFLIX (Netflix)
SMALL AXE - AMAZON STUDIOS (BBC Studios Americas, Inc / Amazon Studios)
THE UNDOING - HBO (HBO / Made Up Stories / Blossom Films/David E. Kelley Productions)
UNORTHODOX - NETFLIX (Studio Airlift / RealFilm)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
CATE BLANCHETT MRS. AMERICA
DAISY EDGAR-JONES NORMAL PEOPLE
SHIRA HAAS UNORTHODOX
NICOLE KIDMAN THE UNDOING
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BRYAN CRANSTON YOUR HONOR
JEFF DANIELS THE COMEY RULE
HUGH GRANT THE UNDOING
ETHAN HAWKE THE GOOD LORD BIRD
MARK RUFFALO I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
GILLIAN ANDERSON THE CROWN
HELENA BONHAM CARTER THE CROWN
JULIA GARNER OZARK
ANNIE MURPHY SCHITT'S CREEK
CYNTHIA NIXON RATCHED
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
JOHN BOYEGA SMALL AXE
BRENDAN GLEESON THE COMEY RULE
DANIEL LEVY SCHITT'S CREEK
JIM PARSONS HOLLYWOOD
DONALD SUTHERLAND THE UNDOING
THE FATHER (Trademark Films; Sony Pictures Classics)
MANK (Netflix; Netflix)
NOMADLAND (Highwayman / Hear/Say / Cor Cordium; Searchlight Pictures)
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (LuckyChap Entertainment / FilmNation Entertainment; Focus Features)
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 (Marc Platt Productions / Dreamworks Pictures; Netflix)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
VIOLA DAVIS MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
ANDRA DAY THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
VANESSA KIRBY PIECES OF A WOMAN
FRANCES MCDORMAND NOMADLAND
CAREY MULLIGAN PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
RIZ AHMED SOUND OF METAL
CHADWICK BOSEMAN MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
ANTHONY HOPKINS THE FATHER
GARY OLDMAN MANK
TAHAR RAHIM THE MAURITANIAN
BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM (Four By Two Films; Amazon Studios)
HAMILTON (Walt Disney Pictures / RadicalMedia / 5000 Broadway Productions / NEVIS Productions / Old 320 Sycamore Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
MUSIC (Pineapple Lasagne Productions / Landay Entertainment; Vertical Entertainment / IMAX)
PALM SPRINGS (Party Over Here / Limelight Productions; NEON / Hulu)
THE PROM (Netflix / Dramatic Forces / Storykey Entertainment; Netflix)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
MARIA BAKALOVA BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
KATE HUDSON MUSIC
MICHELLE PFEIFFER FRENCH EXIT
ROSAMUND PIKE I CARE A LOT
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY EMMA.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
SACHA BARON COHEN BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
JAMES CORDEN THE PROM
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA HAMILTON
DEV PATEL THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD
ANDY SAMBERG PALM SPRINGS
BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED
THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (DreamWorks Animation; Universal Pictures)
ONWARD (Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
OVER THE MOON (Netflix / Pearl Studio / Glen Keane Productions; Netflix)
SOUL (Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
WOLFWALKERS (Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Apple / GKIDS)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE
ANOTHER ROUND (DENMARK) (Zentropa Entertainments; Samuel Goldwyn Films)
LA LLORONA (GUATEMALA / FRANCE) (La Casa de Producción / Les Films du Volcan; Shudder)
THE LIFE AHEAD (ITALY) (Palomar; Netflix)
MINARI (USA) (Plan B; A24)
TWO OF US (FRANCE / USA) (Paprika Films; Magnolia Pictures)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
GLENN CLOSE HILLBILLY ELEGY
OLIVIA COLMAN THE FATHER
JODIE FOSTER THE MAURITANIAN
AMANDA SEYFRIED MANK
HELENA ZENGEL NEWS OF THE WORLD
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
SACHA BARON COHEN THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
DANIEL KALUUYA JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
JARED LETO THE LITTLE THINGS
BILL MURRAY ON THE ROCKS
LESLIE ODOM JR. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI...
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
EMERALD FENNELL PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
DAVID FINCHER MANK
REGINA KING ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI...
AARON SORKIN THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
CHLOÉ ZHAO NOMADLAND
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
EMERALD FENNELL PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
JACK FINCHER MANK
AARON SORKIN THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
FLORIAN ZELLER, CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON THE FATHER
CHLOÉ ZHAO NOMADLAND
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE MIDNIGHT SKY
LUDWIG GÖRANSSON TENET
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD NEWS OF THE WORLD
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS MANK
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS, JON BATISTE SOUL
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“FIGHT FOR YOU” — JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Music by: H.E.R., Dernst Emile II
Lyrics by: H.E.R., Tiara Thomas
“HEAR MY VOICE” — THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Music by: Daniel Pemberton
Lyrics by: Daniel Pemberton, Celeste Waite
“IO SÌ (SEEN)” — THE LIFE AHEAD
Music by: Diane Warren
Lyrics by: Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, Niccolò Agliardi
“SPEAK NOW” — ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI...
Music by: Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth
Lyrics by: Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth
“TIGRESS & TWEED” — THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
Music by: Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq
Lyrics by: Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
THE CROWN - NETFLIX (Left Bank Pictures / Sony Pictures Television)
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY - HBO (HBO / Afemme / Monkeypaw / Bad Robot / Warner Bros. Television)
THE MANDALORIAN - DISNEY+ (Lucasfilm Ltd.)
OZARK - NETFLIX (MRC Television)
RATCHED - NETFLIX (Fox21 Television Studios)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
OLIVIA COLMAN THE CROWN
JODIE COMER KILLING EVE
EMMA CORRIN THE CROWN
LAURA LINNEY OZARK
SARAH PAULSON RATCHED
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
JASON BATEMAN OZARK
JOSH O'CONNOR THE CROWN
BOB ODENKIRK BETTER CALL SAUL
AL PACINO HUNTERS
MATTHEW RHYS PERRY MASON
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
EMILY IN PARIS - NETFLIX (Darren Star Productions / Jax Media / MTV Studios)
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT - HBO MAX (HBO Max / Berlanti Productions / Yes, Norman Productions / Warner Bros. Television)
THE GREAT - HULU (Hulu / Civic Center Media / MRC)
SCHITT'S CREEK - POP TV (Not A Real Company Productions / Canadian Broadcast Company / Pop TV)
TED LASSO - APPLE TV+ (Apple / Doozer Productions / Warner Bros. Television / Universal Television)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
LILY COLLINS EMILY IN PARIS
KALEY CUOCO THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
ELLE FANNING THE GREAT
JANE LEVY ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST
CATHERINE O'HARA SCHITT'S CREEK
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
DON CHEADLE BLACK MONDAY
NICHOLAS HOULT THE GREAT
EUGENE LEVY SCHITT'S CREEK
JASON SUDEIKIS TED LASSO
RAMY YOUSSEF RAMY
BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
NORMAL PEOPLE - HULU (Hulu / BBC / Element Pictures)
THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT - NETFLIX (Netflix)
SMALL AXE - AMAZON STUDIOS (BBC Studios Americas, Inc / Amazon Studios)
THE UNDOING - HBO (HBO / Made Up Stories / Blossom Films/David E. Kelley Productions)
UNORTHODOX - NETFLIX (Studio Airlift / RealFilm)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
CATE BLANCHETT MRS. AMERICA
DAISY EDGAR-JONES NORMAL PEOPLE
SHIRA HAAS UNORTHODOX
NICOLE KIDMAN THE UNDOING
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BRYAN CRANSTON YOUR HONOR
JEFF DANIELS THE COMEY RULE
HUGH GRANT THE UNDOING
ETHAN HAWKE THE GOOD LORD BIRD
MARK RUFFALO I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
GILLIAN ANDERSON THE CROWN
HELENA BONHAM CARTER THE CROWN
JULIA GARNER OZARK
ANNIE MURPHY SCHITT'S CREEK
CYNTHIA NIXON RATCHED
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
JOHN BOYEGA SMALL AXE
BRENDAN GLEESON THE COMEY RULE
DANIEL LEVY SCHITT'S CREEK
JIM PARSONS HOLLYWOOD
DONALD SUTHERLAND THE UNDOING
MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
Release Date: 2020
Rating: M
Running Time: 94 mins
An American drama directed by George C. Wolfe, written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and based on the play of the same name by August Wilson. Steeped in soulful blues music and firmly focused on the racial tensions of the 1920's, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom delivers in an affecting and original way.
It's 1927 and the highly regraded blues singer Ma Rainey has agreed to a recording of her music at Paramount studios in Chicago. However, Ma is determined to make the producers work for the privilege of recording her music and her four piece band struggle to keep things, and themselves, together as the session progresses.
Viola Davis gives an Oscar worthy performance as Ma Rainey, demonstrating her incredible range and diversity as an actor. And she is strongly supported by the late Chadwick Boseman who also shines brightly onscreen as Ma's trumpet player with great aspirations, Levee Green.
This film is a wonderful tribute to the real life Georgia blues legend Ma Rainey, or 'Mother of Blues' as she was affectionately known but more than that, it accurately exposes the terrible discriminations and manipulation of the Black music culture in America.
FINAL SAY: They don't care nothin' about me.
3.5 Chilli Peppers
Release Date: 2020
Rating: M
Running Time: 94 mins
An American drama directed by George C. Wolfe, written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and based on the play of the same name by August Wilson. Steeped in soulful blues music and firmly focused on the racial tensions of the 1920's, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom delivers in an affecting and original way.
It's 1927 and the highly regraded blues singer Ma Rainey has agreed to a recording of her music at Paramount studios in Chicago. However, Ma is determined to make the producers work for the privilege of recording her music and her four piece band struggle to keep things, and themselves, together as the session progresses.
Viola Davis gives an Oscar worthy performance as Ma Rainey, demonstrating her incredible range and diversity as an actor. And she is strongly supported by the late Chadwick Boseman who also shines brightly onscreen as Ma's trumpet player with great aspirations, Levee Green.
This film is a wonderful tribute to the real life Georgia blues legend Ma Rainey, or 'Mother of Blues' as she was affectionately known but more than that, it accurately exposes the terrible discriminations and manipulation of the Black music culture in America.
FINAL SAY: They don't care nothin' about me.
3.5 Chilli Peppers
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