Lights, camera, action
Academy Awards shine spotlight on year’s best films
With everything going on in the world right now, most people could use some positivity. Hollywood is about to answer the call with red carpet glamour as stars celebrate the power of film to not only entertain but educate, uplift and unite us.
A trio of fabulous, funny women take the stage to co-host the (mostly) live, in-person 94th Academy Awards, airing Sunday, March 28, on ABC. Wanda Sykes (“The Upshaws”), Amy Schumer (“The Humans,” 2021) and Regina Hall (“Support the Girls,” 2018) have been recruited to bring levity and humor to the highly anticipated event, no small feat given the state of the world. But if anyone can do it, they can, according to Oscars producer Will Packer.
“This year’s show is all about uniting movie lovers,” Packer said. “It’s apropos that we’ve lined up three of the most dynamic, hilarious women with very different comedic styles. I know the fun Regina, Amy and Wanda will be having will translate to our audience as well.
Packer finished up by saying, “Many surprises in store! Expect the unexpected!”
While this year marks the first time any of the comedians have hosted the Oscars, veteran director Glenn Weiss returns to helm the ceremony for the seventh time. Having won two Emmys for previous work on the Oscars telecast, Weiss is well poised to bring the gala back in style.
This year, the star-studded awards ceremony returns to its traditional home: the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Last year’s subdued, physically distanced event held at Union Station in Los Angeles (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) failed to wow viewers, and its viewership numbers plummeted below 10 million.
Producers hope to reverse that trend this year with a star-studded telecast featuring a mix of up-andcomers and Hollywood A-listers.
In early March, it was announced that Kevin Costner (“Yellowstone”), Zoë Kravitz (“Big Little Lies”), Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci,” 2021), Rosie Perez (“The Flight Attendant”), Chris Rock (“Everybody Hates Chris”) and Youn Yuh-jung (“Minari,” 2020) were slated to present. They will be among those welcoming dedicated artists and craftspeople to the stage to accept awards for acting, directing and more.
“The Power of the Dog” has earned the most nominations this season, with 12 Oscar nods, including one in the coveted Best Picture category. Based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, the Netflix western is unique in a number of ways: It is the first film directed by a woman to earn more than 10 Oscar nods; director Jane Campion is the first woman to be nominated twice for Best Director, the first time being for 1993’s “The Piano”; and director of photography Ari Wegner (“In Fabric,” 2018) is the second woman nominated for Best Cinematography in the ceremony’s 94year history.
In addition to acting nominations for “The Power of the Dog” stars Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game,” 2014) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“X-Men: Apocalypse,” 2016), the film’s real-life couple Kirsten Dunst (“On Becoming a God in Central Florida”) and Jesse Plemons (“The Irishman,” 2019) have both been nominated in supporting acting categories for their talent. Married couple Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” 2007) and Penélope Cruz (“Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” 2008) are also each nominated in acting categories for “Being the Ricardos” and “Parallel Mothers,” respectively, marking the first time in Oscars history that two real-life couples have been nominated in all four major acting categories.
Best Picture nominations are rounded out by “Belfast,” “CODA,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley” and “West Side Story.”
It is worth noting that in a career of milestones, Steven Spielberg (“Schindler’s List,” 1993) has reached one more. His nomination for “West Side Story” makes Spielberg the first director in history to be nominated across six decades. (His 11 Best Picture nominations have also set a record.)
While it would be tedious to list every nomination this year, there are a few of note.
Along with Campion and Spielberg, Best Director nominees include Kenneth Branagh (for “Belfast”), Ryusuke Hamaguchi (for “Drive My Car”) and
Paul Thomas Anderson (for “Licorice Pizza”). Bardem and Cumberbatch face competition from Andrew Garfield (for “Tick, Tick... Boom!”), Will Smith (for “King Richard”) and Denzel Washington (for “The Tragedy of Macbeth”) in the Best Actor category, while Cruz is in good company in the Best Actress category with Jessica Chastain (for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”), Olivia Colman (for “The Lost Daughter”), Nicole Kidman (for “Being the Ricardos”) and Kristen Stewart (for “Spencer”). Fans in search of other categories can find that information at the official Oscars website, oscars.org.
Sometimes the big news is not so much who was nominated, but who wasn’t. Among this year’s Oscar snubs, neither Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”) nor Jennifer Hudson (“Respect”) were nominated in the Best Actress category, a surprise to many. Denis Villeneuve did not get a directing nod for “Dune,”
despite the film earning 10 nominations (second only to “The Power of the Dog”). In another snub, previous six-time nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (“Don’t Look Up”) was left out of the Best Actor category.
Others who are surprisingly not in contention include Caitriona Balfe (“Belfast”), Ruth Negga (“Passing”), Ben Affleck (“The Tender Bar”), Cate Blanchett (“Nightmare Alley,” “Don’t
Look Up”), Bradley Cooper (“Licorice Pizza”) and Jared Leto (“House of Gucci”) for acting, as well as Aaron Sorkin (“Being the Ricardos”) and Tony Kushner (“West Side Story”) for their screenplays.
Whether your favorites made the list or not, watch as stars celebrate 2021 in film at the 94th Academy Awards, airing Sunday, March 27, on ABC.
Sunday Ford V. Ferrari 12:30 p.m.
FX
Matt Damon and Christian Bale star as a Ford engineer and race car driver, who set out to defeat the Ferrari race team at Le Mans in 1966 by building the Ford GT40 in this Academy Awardnominated film. Jon Bernthal and Josh Lucas also star.
Bad Boys 3:25 p.m.
SYFY
In Michael Bay’s directorial debut film, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star as Miami narcotics detectives who have just 72 hours to recover $100 million worth of heroin that was stolen from a secure police vault. The film’s sequel airs next.
Riverdale KNOE3 KPXJ 7 p.m.
(8.3) (21)
Archie (K.J. Apa) assembles a team to help rebuild his home in a new episode of this hit drama, which recently returned from hiatus. Also, Jughead (Cole Sprouse) copes with his new reality, and Veronica (Camila Mendes) breaks news at a town hall meeting.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty 8 p.m.
HBO
A new episode from this drama series, based on Jeff Pearlman’s book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s,” follows the rise of one of the NBA’s largest brands of the past 40 years. Quincy Isaiah stars.
Monday Judas and the Black Messiah 1:50 p.m.
HBO
Offered a plea deal by the FBI, petty criminal William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Blank Panther Party to gather information on Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) in this Oscar-winning biographical drama.
Killing Eve 8 p.m.
AMC
Eve (Sandra Oh) delves into the past of her target and unearths some secrets in a new bonus edition episode from this drama’s fourth and final season. Meanwhile, Villanelle (Jodie Comer) re-embraces killing and has a try at doing it altruistically.
I Was There 9 p.m.
HIST
Host Theo Wilson breaks down why some of history’s biggest events happened the way they did in a new episode of this docuseries. Today, Theo analyzes the events that led John Wilkes Booth to hatch a plan to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.
Tuesday Young Rock
(6) KTAL (10) KTVE 7 p.m.
As Lia (Ana Tuisila) prepares for her trial in this new episode, she puts Ata (Stacey Leilua) in charge of her wrestling promotion and its many issues. Rocky (Joseph Lee Anderson) starts feeling eclipsed by his partner, Tony Atlas (Antuone Torbert).
Abbott Elementary (3) KTBS (8.2) KNOE2 (65) KATV 8 p.m.
Lisa Ann Walter, Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph star as elementary school teachers in this freshman workplace comedy from comedian Quinta Brunson. Determined to make a difference in their students’ lives, the teachers fight against the system in Philly.
How to Survive a Pandemic 8 p.m.
HBO
This premiering documentary goes inside the historic race to research, develop, regulate and roll out COVID-19 vaccines in the war against the global pandemic. The film explores the hard work and collaboration of health agencies worldwide.
Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood 9:30 p.m.
FX
Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt star as an old-school Western film star and his stunt double struggling to make a new name for themselves in a Hollywood they no longer recognize in director Quentin Tarantino’s latest film. Margot Robbie also stars.
Wednesday The Flash 7 p.m.
(8.3) KNOE3 (21) KPXJ
Kate (Catherine Reitman) doubles down on micromanaging things at work after a push from Anne (Dani Kind) in this new episode, but her hands-on approach quickly comes under fire from the employees. Juno Rinaldi and Jessalyn Wanlim also star.
When We Were Bullies
HBO 8 p.m.
Set into motion by a mind-boggling coincidence, filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt tracks down his fifth grade class and fifth grade teacher to examine their memory of and complicity in a bullying incident 50 years ago in this new, Oscar-nominated short film.
Snowfall 9 p.m.
FX
While Jerome (Amin Joseph) tries to track down Peaches (DeRay Davis) in this crime drama’s newest episode, the Saint crew diverges on what to do next. Damon Idris, Isaiah John, Sergio Peris-Mencheta and Carter Hudson also star in the series.
Astrid and Lilly Save the World 9 p.m.
SYFY
High schoolers and best friends Astrid (Jana Morrison) and Lilly (Samantha Aucoin) take on terrifying situations in a new episode of this sci-fi comedy. As the pair go head-to-head with the big bad, they discover if they can really save the world or not.
Thursday Sixteen Candles
AMC 7 p.m.
In this directorial debut from John Hughes, the godfather of ‘80s teen comedy, Sam Baker (Molly Ringwald) has a truly bitter “sweet sixteen.” Her family forgets, her crush doesn’t notice her and a geeky guy won’t leave her alone. John Cusack also stars.
Halloween Kills 7 p.m.
HBO
Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her role as Laurie Strode to take down Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney) once and for all in this 12th installment of the Halloween franchise. She is joined in her quest by other survivors of Myers’s killing sprees.
United States of Al 7:30 p.m.
(8) KNOE
A new episode of this sitcom stars Parker Young as a newly returned marine veteran trying to readjust to life in Ohio. Meanwhile, Al (Adhir Kalyan), an Afghan interpreter who served alongside him, is enjoying many exciting ‘firsts’ as a new American.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 8 p.m.
(6) KTAL (10) KTVE
Sgt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) returns to investigate a never-ending series of violent and sexual crimes in a new episode of this spinoff, airing after a new episode of the original show’s reboot. Ice-T and Kelli Giddish also star.
Friday Paul 4 p.m.
SYFY
Seth Rogen voices a sarcastic, cigarette-smoking, booze-loving alien in this sci-fi parody film written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Two middle-aged comic book nerds get more than they bargained for on a trip to Area 51.
John and The Hole SHOW 7:05 p.m.
Thirteen-year-old John (Charlie Shotwell) feels alienated from his mother, father and sister. When he finds a construction hole in the woods, he plots to trap his family in it so he can do whatever he wants without judgment. Michael C. Hall co-stars.
Magnum P.I.
(8) KNOE 8 p.m.
Jay Hernandez and Perdita Weeks star in this hit reboot of the classic series as roguish private detective Thomas Magnum and the steward of the luxurious estate he calls home, former MI-6 agent Juliet Higgins, whose second job is keeping Magnum in line.
Saturday Ferris Bueller’s Day Off SHOW 9:30 a.m.
Intent on cutting school one last time before graduation, wise-guy Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) fakes sick, picks up his best friend and girlfriend, and the trio “borrow” a Ferrari to embark on an epic adventure through Chicago in this comedy.
Be My Guest with Ina Garten 11 a.m.
FOOD
Chef Erin French of “The Lost Kitchen” joins Ina Garten in the Hamptons in a new episode of this food-centric talk show. Ina bakes banana crunch muffins, and Erin shares the secret to her dad’s meatloaf before they head out in search of some sweet treats.
The Italian Job 5:05 p.m.
HBO
Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and Donald Sutherland star in this heist film remake. After one of them is left for dead in Italy, thieves plan to pull off the crime of their lives by orchestrating the largest traffic jam in the history of Los Angeles.
Knives Out 7:30 p.m.
BRAVO
This star-studded Rian Johnson film stars Christopher Plummer as the patriarch of a wealthy and eccentric family. When he is suddenly founded dead under suspicious circumstances, the quirky Det. Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is called in to investigate.