Review: "Split"

M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense is, for my money, one of the finest horror films of the past quarter-century, a stirring, unsettling, expertly filmed picture that deserved all of its half dozen Oscar nominations.

Ever since that 1999 release, unfortunately, it's been downhill for this supposed master of the supernatural. Unbreakable and Signs were watchable, albeit a remarkable step down from his breakthrough film, while subsequent releases just got worse and worse until Shyamalan entirely skid off the road into Razzie Award territory.

Shyamalan's latest effort is, I'm pleased to report, not an unqualified disaster, even if it never comes remotely close to reaching the heights of The Sixth Sense.

Split opens with Kevin (James McAvoy) abducting three teenage girls from a parking lot. They awaken in a windowless room and are quickly introduced to, among others, the likes of "Hedwig," "Patricia" and "Dennis" - that is, a few of Kevin's 23 alternate personalities. There are attempts to escape or trick Kevin but ultimately, only loner Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) proves smart and resourceful enough to be a real match to their captor. When Kevin isn't tormenting his prey, he's visiting with his psychiatrist (Betty Buckley), who has come to know Kevin's many personalities all too well.

The opening half or so of Split is reasonably entertaining, if never, ever actually scary. It plays almost like a cross between 10 Cloverfield Lane and Raising Cain, though it's rarely as compelling as either of those two pictures. The opening credits are truly fantastic and Hitchcockian. The thing is, a little of Kevin/Hedwig/Dennis/etc. goes a long way and, by the one-hour mark, I was plenty ready to bid him farewell. And, as is all too often the case with the director's pictures, Split really takes a nosedive toward its end.

McAvoy's scenery-chewing performance, while amusing, is no Joanne Woodward in The Three Faces of Eve. More satisfying are the badass Taylor-Joy, who was also terrific in last year's The Witch, and Buckley, the legendary, Tony-winning star of the stage, in a rare big screen appearance, with a juicy supporting role.

Split isn't without its pleasures but still, wait 'til it's on HBO.

C+

FINAL 2016 Oscar Nomination Predictions!

This is it, folks - my final Oscar nomination predictions! Since my last commentary in December, a ton has gone down in the awards season - Golden Globes were handed out, as were BAFTA nods and nominations from the Directors, Writers and Producers Guilds of America. Next week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will (at last!) offer its two cents on the best of cinema in 2016 and, not long after that, BAFTA and the guilds will be announcing their winners. As a reminder, this year's Oscar ceremony falls on February 26.

So, that being said, here are my final predictions. In parentheses you will see how many slots a contender has moved up or down since my December rankings. In some cases, I have eliminated a film or performer entirely.

Enjoy and, as always, feel free to comment with your own thoughts as well!

(PS: As I did last year, I will again be hosting an Oscar winners prediction contest, with a Fandango gift card as grand prize. Keep an eye out for more details on that, after the nominations are announced.)

Best Picture

1. La La Land (-)
2. Moonlight (-)
3. Manchester by the Sea (-)
4. Lion (-)
5. Hidden Figures (+2)
6. Arrival (-1)
7. Fences (-1)
8. Hacksaw Ridge (+1)
9. Hell or High Water (+1)
   ---
10. Nocturnal Animals (+3)
11. Silence (-3)
12. Deadpool (NEW)
13. Loving (-2)
14. Jackie (-2)
15. Sully (-1)

DROPPED
Florence Foster Jenkins (-1)

Best Director

1. Damien Chazelle, La La Land (-)
2. Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (-)
3. Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea (-)
4. Denis Villanueve, Arrival (+1)
5. Garth Davis, Lion (+2)
   ---
6. Martin Scorsese, Silence (-2)
7. Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge (-1)
8. David Mackenzie, Hell or High Water (-)
9. Pablo Larrain, Jackie (-)
10. Clint Eastwood, Sully (-)

Best Lead Actor

1. Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (-)
2. Denzel Washington, Fences (-)
3. Ryan Gosling, La La Land (-)
4. Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic (-)
5. Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge (-)
   ---
6. Jake Gyllenhaal, Nocturnal Animals (NEW)
7. Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool (+1)
8. Joel Edgerton, Loving (-2)
9. Colin Farrell, The Lobster (-2)
10. Tom Hanks, Sully (-1)

DROPPED
Michael Keaton, The Founder (-1)

Best Lead Actress

1. Emma Stone, La La Land (+1)
2. Natalie Portman, Jackie (-1)
3. Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins (-)
4. Amy Adams, Arrival (+1)
5. Isabelle Huppert, Elle (-1)
   ---
6. Emily Blunt, The Girl on the Train (+3)
7. Annette Bening, 20th Century Women (-1)
8. Taraji P. Henson, Hidden Figures (NEW)
9. Ruth Negga, Loving (-2)
10. Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane (-)

DROPPED
Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen (-3)

Best Supporting Actor

1. Mahershala Ali, Moonlight (-)
2. Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water (-)
3. Dev Patel, Lion (-)
4. Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins (+2)
5. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals (+4)
   ---
6. Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea (-1)
7. Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals (-2)
8. Kevin Costner, Hidden Figures (NEW)
9. Issey Ogata, Silence (-2)
10. Ben Foster, Hell or High Water (-2)

DROPPED
Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins (-1)

Best Supporting Actress

1. Viola Davis, Fences (-)
2. Naomie Harris, Moonlight (-)
3. Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea (-)
4. Nicole Kidman, Lion (-)
5. Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures (-)
   ---
6. Janelle Monae, Hidden Figures (+1)
7. Lily Gladstone, Certain Women (-1)
8. Greta Gerwig, 20th Century Women (+1)
9. Hayley Squires, I, Daniel Blake (NEW)
10. Laura Linney, Nocturnal Animals (NEW)

DROPPED
Molly Shannon, Other People (-3)
Felicity Jones, A Monster Calls (-1)

Best Original Screenplay

1. Damien Chazelle, La La Land (+1)
2. Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea (-1)
3. Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water (-)
4. Matt Ross, Captain Fantastic (-)
5. Noah Oppenheim, Jackie (-)
   ---
6. Nicholas Martin, Florence Foster Jenkins (-)
7. Efthimis Filippou and Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster (-)
8. Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee, Rich Moore, Jim Reardon and Josie Trinidad, Zootopia (+1)
9. Paul Laverty, I, Daniel Blake (NEW)
10. Maren Ade, Toni Erdmann (NEW)

DROPPED
Mike Mills, 20th Century Women (-3)
Peter Berg, Matt Cook and Joshua Zetumer, Patriots Day (-1)

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. Barry Jenkins and Tarell McCraney, Moonlight (-)
2. Luke Davies, Lion (+1)
3. Eric Heisserer, Arrival (+3)
4. August Wilson, Fences (-2)
5. Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi, Hidden Figures (+2)
   ---
6. Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals (+2)
7. Jeff Nichols, Loving (-3)
8. Andrew Knight and Robert Schenkkan, Hacksaw Ridge (+2)
9. Jay Cocks, Silence (-4)
10. David Birke, Elle (NEW)

DROPPED
Todd Komarnicki, Sully (-2)

Best Animated Feature

1. Zootopia (-)
2. Moana (-)
3. Kubo and the Two Strings (+3)
4. Miss Hokusai (+4)
5. The Red Turtle (-1)
   ---
6. Sing (-3)
7. Finding Dory (-2)
8. The Little Prince (NEW)
9. April and the Extraordinary World (-2)
10. My Life as a Zucchini (NEW)

Best Cinematography

1. Linus Sandgren, La La Land (-)
2. James Laxton, Moonlight (-)
3. Bradford Young, Arrival (-)
4. Bill Pope, The Jungle Book (+3)
5. Seamus McGarvey, Nocturnal Animals (+1)
   ---
6. Rodrigo Prieto, Silence (-3)
7. Greig Fraser, Lion (+1)
8. Giles Nuttgens, Hell or High Water (+1)
9. Stephanie Fontaine, Jackie (-4)
10. Greig Fraser, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (NEW)

DROPPED
Robert Richardson, Live by Night (-1)

Best Costume Design

1. Mary Zophres, La La Land (-)
2. Madeline Fontaine, Jackie (-)
3. Consolata Boyle, Florence Foster Jenkins (-)
4. Marion Boyce and Margot Wilson, The Dressmaker (NEW)
5. Colleen Atwood, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (-1)
   ---
6. Renee Ehrlich Kalfus, Hidden Figures (+2)
7. Dante Ferretti, Silence (-2)
8. Seong-hie Ryu, The Handmaiden (-1)
9. Lizzy Gardiner, Hacksaw Ridge (-)
10. Mary Zophres, Hail, Caesar! (NEW)

DROPPED
Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, Love & Friendship (-5)
Sharen Davis, Fences (-2)

Best Film Editing

1. Tom Cross, La La Land (-)
2. Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders, Moonlight (-)
3. Jennifer Lame, Manchester by the Sea (-)
4. John Gilbert, Hacksaw Ridge (+6)
5. Alexandre de Francheschi, Lion (-)
   ---
6. Joe Walker, Arrival (-)
7. Thelma Schoonmaker, Silence (-3)
8. Joan Sobel, Nocturnal Animals (-)
9. Jake Roberts, Hell or High Water (NEW)
10. Sebastián Sepúlveda, Jackie (-3)

DROPPED
Blu Murray, Sully (-2)

Best Production Design

1. David Wasco, La La Land (-)
2. Barry Robison, Hacksaw Ridge (+5)
3. Christopher Glass, The Jungle Book (+2)
4. Jean Rabasse, Jackie (-1)
5. Patrice Vermette, Arrival (+5)
   ---
6. Dante Ferretti, Silence (-4)
7. Stuart Craig, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (-3)
8. Alan MacDonald, Florence Foster Jenkins (-2)
9. Doug Chiang and Neil Lamont, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (NEW)
10. Jeremy Woolsey, Hidden Figures (NEW)

DROPPED
Anna Rackard, Love & Friendship (-3)
Jess Gonchor, Live by Night (-2)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

1. Florence Foster Jenkins (-)
2. Deadpool (NEW)
3. A Man Called Ove (NEW)
   ---
4. Star Trek: Beyond (NEW)
5. Hail, Caesar! (-1)
6. Suicide Squad (+3)
7. The Dressmaker (NEW)

DROPPED
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (-10)
Jackie (-8)
Hacksaw Ridge (-6)
Nocturnal Animals (-5)
Silence (-4)
Love & Friendship (-3)
La La Land (-1)

Best Original Score

1. Justin Hurwitz, La La Land (-)
2. Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka, Lion (-)
3. Alexandre Desplat, Florence Foster Jenkins (+1)
4. John Williams, The BFG (+1)
5. Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams and Benjamin Wallfisch, Hidden Figures (NEW)
   ---
6. Mica Levi, Jackie (-3)
7. Nicholas Britell, Moonlight (+1)
8. Abel Korzeniowski, Nocturnal Animals (-1)
9. Michael Giacchino, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (-3)
10. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Patriots Day (-)

DROPPED
Mark Mancina, Moana (-2)

Best Original Song

1. "City of Stars," La La Land (-)
2. "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)," La La Land (+1)
3. "How Far I'll Go," Moana (-1)
4. "I See Victory," Hidden Figures (+1)
5. "We Know the Way," Moana (-1)
   ---
6. "A Letter to the Free," 13th (+2)
7. "Can't Stop the Feeling," Trolls (-)
8. "Drive It Like You Stole It," Sing Street (-2)
9. "Faith," Sing (-)
10. "The Rules Don't Apply," Rules Don't Apply (-)

Best Sound Editing

1. La La Land (-)
2. Arrival (-)
3. Hacksaw Ridge (-)
4. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (-)
5. Deepwater Horizon (+2)
   ---
6. Captain America: Civil War (+2)
7. The Jungle Book (NEW)
8. Patriots Day (-2)
9. Sully (-4)
10. Deadpool (NEW)

DROPPED
Silence (-3)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (-1)

Best Sound Mixing

1. La La Land (-)
2. Arrival (-)
3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (-)
4. Hacksaw Ridge (+1)
5. The Jungle Book (NEW)
   ---
6. Zootopia (-)
7. Captain America: Civil War (+2)
8. Deepwater Horizon (NEW)
9. Hell or High Water (NEW)
10. Sully (-6)

DROPPED
Moana (-4)
Silence (-3)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (-1)

Best Visual Effects

1. Arrival (-)
2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (-)
3. The Jungle Book (+1)
4. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (-1)
5. Captain America: Civil War (-)
   ---
6. Deepwater Horizon (+4)
7. Kubo and the Two Strings (NEW)
8. Doctor Strange (-)
9. Passengers (-4)
10. The BFG (NEW)

DROPPED
Sully (-5)
Deadpool (-4)

Best Documentary Feature

1. 13th (-)
2. I Am Not Your Negro (+2)
3. Gleason (-1)
4. The Eagle Huntress (-1)
5. Fire at Sea (-)
   ---
6. O.J.: Made in America (+3)
7. Cameraperson (+1)
8. Zero Days (+2)
9. The Ivory Game (-3)
10. Life, Animated (-3)

Best Foreign Language Film

1. Toni Erdmann (Germany) (-)
2. The Salesman (Iran) (-)
3. My Life as a Zucchini (Switzerland) (+3)
4. Land of Mine (Denmark) (-1)
5. A Man Called Ove (Sweden) (-)
   ---
6. The King's Choice (Norway) (-2)
7. Tanna (Australia) (+1)
8. It's Only the End of the World (Canada) (-1)
9. Paradise (Russia) (-)

Review: "20th Century Women"

In Santa Barbara, CA, circa 1979, adolescent boy Jamie Fields (Lucas Jade Zumann) is screwing around with his pals when he passes out and is rushed to the hospital, where he later awakens to the sight of his exasperated mother Dorothea (Annette Bening). A single mom who fears she's becoming more and more disconnected from her son, Dorothea calls on two young women, Abbie (Greta Gerwig) and Julie (Elle Fanning), to become more involved in Jamie's upbringing.

Writer-director Mike Mills' 20th Century Women finds this to be an eye-opening and challenging experience for all involved. The free-spirited photographer Abbie, who also happens to be a tenant of Dorothea's, introduces Jamie to the L.A. punk scene and teaches him about love, but it's Abbie's battle with cervical cancer that most shakes the young man. Meanwhile, Jamie has long been in love with neighbor Julie, who deeply cherishes their friendship and isn't so keen on taking their relationship to that level. There's also William (Billy Crudup), the ever-present handyman also navigating his way through this crazy and complicated time.

Given the era in which it's set and careful attention to dialogue and character detail, 20th Century Women often has the feel of something Norman Lear would have produced in his prime. It's a more compelling picture overall than Mills' breakout success Beginners, which was carried heavily on the shoulders of Christopher Plummer's exquisite, Oscar-winning turn, even if 20th Century doesn't sport a performance quite on that high level. The acting is still fine all-around, however, with Gerwig and Fanning both terrific in rich, intriguing roles.

Then, of course, there is Bening, truly the heart of the film, in perhaps her most memorable turn since The American President more than two decades ago. It's a warm, funny, lived-in performance that in most years would be a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination. While it won't be this year, someday, inevitably I would hope, this marvelous actress will at last take home the golden guy.

B+

2016 Directors Guild of America Awards nominees

Congratulations to this year's Directors Guild of America Awards honorees!

DAMIEN CHAZELLE
La La Land (Lionsgate)

Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Michael Beugg
First Assistant Director: Peter Kohn
Second Assistant Director: Paula Case
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Bart Lipton
Second Second Assistant Director: Brett Robinson
Additional Second Assistant Director: Dodi Rubenstein

GARTH DAVIS
Lion (The Weinstein Company)

Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Chris Webb
First Assistant Director: Ananya Rane (India Unit)
Second Assistant Directors: Mark Ingram (Australia Unit), Sunny Tiku (India Unit), KP Singh (India Unit), Shaunak Kapur (India Unit)

BARRY JENKINS
Moonlight (A24)

Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Jennifer Radzikowski

KENNETH LONERGAN
Manchester by the Sea (Amazon Studios and Roadside Attractions)

Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Declan Baldwin
First Assistant Director: Michael J. Moore
Second Assistant Director: David Blazina
Second Second Assistant Directors: Tim LaDue, Scooter Perrotta

DENIS VILLENEUVE
Arrival (Paramount Pictures)

Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Stan Wlodkowski
First Assistant Director: Donald L. Sparks
Second Assistant Director: Brigitte Goulet
Second Second Assistant Director: Karine P. Labelle

2016 Producers Guild of America Awards nominations

Congratulations to this year's Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards honorees!

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

Arrival
Producers: Dan Levine, Shawn Levy, Aaron Ryder, David Linde

Deadpool
Producers: Simon Kinberg, Ryan Reynolds, Lauren Shuler Donner

Fences
Producers: Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington, Todd Black

Hacksaw Ridge
Producers: Bill Mechanic, David Permut

Hell or High Water
Producers: Carla Hacken, Julie Yorn

Hidden Figures
Producers: Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin & Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams, Theodore Melfi

La La Land
Producers: Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt

Lion
Producers: Emile Sherman & Iain Canning, Angie Fielder

Manchester By the Sea
Producers: Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck, Kevin Walsh

Moonlight
Producers: Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner & Jeremy Kleiner

Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

Finding Dory
Producer: Lindsey Collins

Kubo and the Two Strings
Producers: Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight

Moana
Producer: Osnat Shurer

The Secret Life of Pets
Producers: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

Zootopia
Producer: Clark Spencer

Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Picture

Dancer
Producer: Gabrielle Tana

The Eagle Huntress
Producers: Stacey Reiss, Otto Bell

Life, Animated
Producers: Julie Goldman, Roger Ross Williams

O.J.: Made in America
Producers: Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow

Tower
Producers: Keith Maitland, Susan Thomson, Megan Gilbride