Screen Actor Guild predictions, 2019.

Here are the list of nominations, if you wanted to play prognosticator as well! I'm only predicting the film categories, as, as my Golden Globe predictions showed, I don't know much about TV. Haha.

Best Actor: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Actress: Glenn Close, The Wife

^^ With both the leading categories, I feel if Malek and Close win tonight, then they're favourites for the Oscar. Either American Hustle co-star Christian Bale (for Vice) or Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born) could beat Malek, and as for Close, she should be looking out for competition from Lady Gaga and Olivia Colman.

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Green Book

If Mahershala Ali wins tonight, he'll be on track to win Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars twice in three years. The last time we had a double winner in a short space of time was by Christoph Waltz, in 2010 and 2013, for the same category, except he won for acting in two Quentin Tarantino films, playing fairly similar roles [except one was a villain, and the other, a sympathetic character]. Ali has mixed it up with two different directors and two very different roles.

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, Vice

The current frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress, Regina King, wasn't nominated for the SAG (apparently there were screener issues) or the BAFTA (who inexplicably chose to nominate Margot Robbie's shameless Oscar-begging as Elizabeth I instead). So that frees up the category for Amy Adams to win tonight, although I feel Rachel Weisz will probably win the BAFTA, thus making the Supporting Actress race quite exciting!

By the way, Amy Adams is also up against Emma Stone in the 'Best Actress in a TV Movie or Limited Series' category, for Sharp Objects and Maniac respectively, and I'm predicting/hoping Adams triumphs over Bugeyes there as well!

Best Ensemble: Black Panther

The Favourite and Roma, which led the Oscars with the most nominations this week, didn't get nominated in this category. Instead, we have three films that fared well with audiences (Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody and Crazy Rich Asians) and BlacKkKlansman and A Star is Born. A Star is Born might be the obvious choice, given I'm not predicting Bradley Cooper or Lady Gaga to win tonight, so it might be a good place to honour them. But I'm gonna predict with my heart and go guess Black Panther - Wakanda forever!

OOTD: You promised me Kate Spade, but that was last year

Ever since I heard 'No More (Baby I'ma Do Right)' from 3LW when I was ten, I've wanted my own Kate Spade handbag, because it gets name-dropped in the song (I'm very easily influenced when it comes to rap songs mentioning brands, ha). Now, some 18 years on, I've finally been able to treat myself to that very thing. Baby I'ma do right!

Dress: Ted Baker

Handbag: Kate Spade

Earrings: Christmas market stall (Leicester Square)

Cardigan (under handbag): H&M

Glasses: Red or Dead
Nail polish: Essie

Golden Globe 2019 Predictions

Best Motion Picture, Drama: A Star Is Born
The fact that A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody requested that they compete in the more competitive category (Drama has historically been harder to win than Musical or Comedy) shows the scope of their ambition. 

In the pantheon of category fraud, it’s usually been the other way round, for example last year, Get Out’s producers fraudulently campaigned for it as a ‘Comedy’ because they thought it would maximise their chances of a prize.

So the fact that ASIB and BR volunteered for the harder category demonstrates the belief the producers of the films have in their end products. In A Star is Born’s case, I reckon it will pay off.

Potential spoiler: BlacKkKlansman, very much a film for the moment.

Restaurant review: THE PICKLED HEN (Marble Arch)

Such is my fondness for exploring London restaurants using deals I’ve pre-bought on the internet, that I bought a Sunday brunch for two deal from BuyAGift at The Pickled Hen of London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch. The deal entitled us to unlimited Presecco for two hours and a Sunday brunch for £39.

You definitely get bang for your buck with this deal. Apart from the main, where you order a la carte, everything else from the brunch was buffet-style. Normally, when I think of buffets, I'm reminded of copious amounts of food on display, all of questionable quality. That wasn’t the case here at all: there was choice, but it was all refined and prepared, like cute little quiches, a generous cheeseboard and cold cuts including small slices of salami.

Two photos of just some of the awesome foods you could have:

Restaurant review: PLANET HOLLYWOOD (Piccadilly Circus)

Hey readers! Sorry I’ve been MIA for the last two months; I recently started a job in Finance and absolutely adore it! However, I’m also putting the finishing touches on my PhD, and between that, the 9 to 5 job (where the 5 often extends to much later than 5) and studying for exams that accompany my job, I have had very little time for anything else! Hence the non-existent film discourse. 

My coverage of the 2019 Oscar race will sadly be minimal compared to my extensive coverage this year, although, rest assured, I will find time to watch the key Oscar players, come hell or high water!

Until then, here be a review of Planet Hollywood, a cheery-looking place just of Piccadilly Circus that I have long wanted to visit, if only for its enticing name!

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I bought a deal for a two-course meal for 2 at Planet Hollywood on BuyAGift.com. I got the voucher with a discount, but I will be assessing the dining experience had I paid the price been what it’s retailing at on the website, without a discount, of £40.

With the deal, you’re entitled to two courses out of a starter, a main and a dessert. This is good because it affords flexibility, with those with a fondness for the savoury dishes given the option of starter, and those with a sweet tooth can choose dessert. What’s more, because the portions are quite large (think American-style portions), two courses will fill you, in the same way that it usually takes all three courses of a Café Rouge-style set menu to fill you.

Because I’ve always loved the sour more than the sweet (my personality in a microcosm, right there. #GoneGirl), I opted for starters instead of dessert. I had nachos: 

Restaurant review: KILN (Soho)

Kiln is a Thai restaurant situated at Brewer Street, in the heart of Soho, an area that is graciously devoid of any franchises. Instead, the streets are filled with restaurants of which there are, at tops, two or three others in the UK, meaning when you dine in this area, you can be certain that your tastebuds will be treated to something atypical.

The dishes in KILN are inspired by the regions where Thailand borders Burma, Laos and Yunnan, whilst incorporating some Chinese herbs in their seasoning. Thus, for those who like their regional food to be nice and mild, some of the dishes at KILN may initially surprise you with their sharp flavouring.

The choice on the menu is quite limited - the current menu only features three starters, three vegetarian/salad sides, four fish dishes, four meat dishes, and three choices of rice or noodles. But the idea is that what they do serve, they do exquisitely. Below are the  Aged Lamb & Cumin Skewer, Isaan Style Tamworth Sausage and Slow Grilled Chicken & Soy: