Best Picture
1. Toy Story
2. Seven
3. Before Sunrise
4. Apollo 13
5. The Usual Suspects
6. Braveheart
6. Heat
8. Casino
9. Babe
10. 12 Monkeys
Best Director

1. David Fincher for Seven
2. Ron Howard for Apollo 13
3. Mel Gibson for Braveheart
4. Michael Mann for Heat
5. Richard Linklater for Before Sunrise

Best Lead Actor

1. Nicolas Cage as Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas
2. Ethan Hawke as Jesse in Before Sunrise
3. Morgan Freeman as William Somerset in Seven
4. Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell in Apollo 13
5. Sean Penn as Matthew Poncelet in Dead Man Walking

Best Lead Actress
1. Julie Delpy as Céline in Before Sunrise
2. Sharon Stone as Ginger McKenna in Casino
3. Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking
4. Nicole Kidman as Suzanne Stone-Maretto in To Die For
4. Elisabeth Shue as Sera in Leaving Las Vegas
6. Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility
Best Supporting Actor

1. Kevin Spacey as Roger "Verbal" Kint/Keyser Söze in The Usual Suspects
2. Brad Pitt as Jeffrey Goines in 12 Monkeys
3. Ed Harris as Gene Kranz in Apollo 13
4. James Cromwell as Arthur Hoggett in Babe
5. Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro in Casino

Best Supporting Actress

1. Kate Winslet as Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility
2. Gwyneth Paltrow as Tracy Mills in Seven
3. Mira Sorvino as Linda Ash in Mighty Aphrodite
4. Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Gerlach Lovell in Apollo 13
5. Joan Allen as Pat Nixon in Nixon

Best Original Screenplay

1. Toy Story
2. Seven
3. Before Sunrise
4. The Usual Suspects
5. La Haine

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. 12 Monkeys
2. Casino
3. Apollo 13
4. Babe
4. Sense and Sensibility
6. Leaving Las Vegas
Best Animated Film
1. Toy Story
2. Ghost in the Shell
3. Pocahontas
3. Whisper of the Heart
5. A Goofy Movie
Best Non-English Language Film

1. La Haine
2. Ghost in the Shell
3. Il Postino: The Postman
4. Whisper of the Heart
5. Underground

Best Documentary Film

1. A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies
2. The Battle Over Citizen Kane
3. Anne Frank Remembered
4. Frank and Ollie
5. Unzipped

Best Original Score

1. Toy Story
2. Braveheart
3. Apollo 13
4. Seven
5. Sense and Sensibility

Best Original Song

1. "You’ve Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story
2. "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas
3. "Gangsta’s Paradise" from Dangerous Minds
4. "GoldenEye" from GoldenEye
5. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" from Batman Forever

Best Sound

1. Apollo 13
2. Heat
3. Toy Story
4. Braveheart
5. Seven

Best Production Design

1. Braveheart
2. Apollo 13
3. Seven
4. 12 Monkeys
5. Sense and Sensibility

Best Cinematography

1. Seven
2. Braveheart
3. Apollo 13
4. Heat
5. Casino

Best Makeup/Hairstyling
1. Braveheart
2. Batman Forever
2. Seven
4. Clueless
5. 12 Monkeys
Best Costume Design

1. Braveheart
2. Sense and Sensibility
3. Clueless
4. Casino
5. 12 Monkeys

Best Editing

1. Seven
2. Apollo 13
3. Heat
4. Casino
5. Braveheart

Best Visual Effects

1. Apollo 13
2. Toy Story
3. Babe
4. Jumanji
5. Batman Forever

Best Voice Acting Performance

1. Tom Hanks as Woody in Toy Story
2. Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story
3. Christine Cavanaugh as Babe in Babe
4. Bill Farmer as Goofy in A Goofy Movie
5. Irene Bedard and Judy Kuhn as Pocahontas in Pocahontas

Best Directorial Debut

1. John Lasseter for Toy Story
2. Noah Baumbach for Kicking and Screaming
3. F. Gary Gray for Friday
4. Michael Bay for Bad Boys
5. Larry Clark for Kids

Best Ensemble Cast

1. The Usual Suspects
2. Seven
3. Apollo 13
4. Heat
5. Casino

Best Choreography, Stunts or Dance

1. Braveheart
2. Heat
3. GoldenEye
4. Rumble in the Bronx
5. Apollo 13

Best Soundtrack

1. Toy Story
2. Pocahontas
3. Casino
4. Clueless
5. Batman Forever

Best Non-English Language Performance

1. Vincent Cassel as Vinz in La Haine
2. Massimo Troisi as Mario Ruoppolo in Il Postino: The Postman
3. Gong Li as Xiao Jinbao in Shanghai Triad
4. Isabelle Huppert as Jeanne in La Ceremonie
5. Miki Manojlović as Marko Dren in Underground

Preferential ballot for this year
Full charts for all the categories

Best Picture
1. Toy Story
2. Seven
3. Before Sunrise
4. Apollo 13
5. The Usual Suspects
6. Braveheart
6. Heat
8. Casino
9. Babe
10. 12 Monkeys
Best Director

1. David Fincher for Seven
2. Ron Howard for Apollo 13
3. Mel Gibson for Braveheart
4. Michael Mann for Heat
5. Richard Linklater for Before Sunrise

Best Lead Actor

1. Nicolas Cage as Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas
2. Ethan Hawke as Jesse in Before Sunrise
3. Morgan Freeman as William Somerset in Seven
4. Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell in Apollo 13
5. Sean Penn as Matthew Poncelet in Dead Man Walking

Best Lead Actress
1. Julie Delpy as Céline in Before Sunrise
2. Sharon Stone as Ginger McKenna in Casino
3. Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking
4. Nicole Kidman as Suzanne Stone-Maretto in To Die For
4. Elisabeth Shue as Sera in Leaving Las Vegas
6. Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility
Best Supporting Actor

1. Kevin Spacey as Roger "Verbal" Kint/Keyser Söze in The Usual Suspects
2. Brad Pitt as Jeffrey Goines in 12 Monkeys
3. Ed Harris as Gene Kranz in Apollo 13
4. James Cromwell as Arthur Hoggett in Babe
5. Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro in Casino

Best Supporting Actress

1. Kate Winslet as Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility
2. Gwyneth Paltrow as Tracy Mills in Seven
3. Mira Sorvino as Linda Ash in Mighty Aphrodite
4. Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Gerlach Lovell in Apollo 13
5. Joan Allen as Pat Nixon in Nixon

Best Original Screenplay

1. Toy Story
2. Seven
3. Before Sunrise
4. The Usual Suspects
5. La Haine

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. 12 Monkeys
2. Casino
3. Apollo 13
4. Babe
4. Sense and Sensibility
6. Leaving Las Vegas
Best Animated Film
1. Toy Story
2. Ghost in the Shell
3. Pocahontas
3. Whisper of the Heart
5. A Goofy Movie
Best Non-English Language Film

1. La Haine
2. Ghost in the Shell
3. Il Postino: The Postman
4. Whisper of the Heart
5. Underground

Best Documentary Film

1. A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies
2. The Battle Over Citizen Kane
3. Anne Frank Remembered
4. Frank and Ollie
5. Unzipped

Best Original Score

1. Toy Story
2. Braveheart
3. Apollo 13
4. Seven
5. Sense and Sensibility

Best Original Song

1. "You’ve Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story
2. "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas
3. "Gangsta’s Paradise" from Dangerous Minds
4. "GoldenEye" from GoldenEye
5. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" from Batman Forever

Best Sound

1. Apollo 13
2. Heat
3. Toy Story
4. Braveheart
5. Seven

Best Production Design

1. Braveheart
2. Apollo 13
3. Seven
4. 12 Monkeys
5. Sense and Sensibility

Best Cinematography

1. Seven
2. Braveheart
3. Apollo 13
4. Heat
5. Casino

Best Makeup/Hairstyling
1. Braveheart
2. Batman Forever
2. Seven
4. Clueless
5. 12 Monkeys
Best Costume Design

1. Braveheart
2. Sense and Sensibility
3. Clueless
4. Casino
5. 12 Monkeys

Best Editing

1. Seven
2. Apollo 13
3. Heat
4. Casino
5. Braveheart

Best Visual Effects

1. Apollo 13
2. Toy Story
3. Babe
4. Jumanji
5. Batman Forever

Best Voice Acting Performance

1. Tom Hanks as Woody in Toy Story
2. Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story
3. Christine Cavanaugh as Babe in Babe
4. Bill Farmer as Goofy in A Goofy Movie
5. Irene Bedard and Judy Kuhn as Pocahontas in Pocahontas

Best Directorial Debut

1. John Lasseter for Toy Story
2. Noah Baumbach for Kicking and Screaming
3. F. Gary Gray for Friday
4. Michael Bay for Bad Boys
5. Larry Clark for Kids

Best Ensemble Cast

1. The Usual Suspects
2. Seven
3. Apollo 13
4. Heat
5. Casino

Best Choreography, Stunts or Dance

1. Braveheart
2. Heat
3. GoldenEye
4. Rumble in the Bronx
5. Apollo 13

Best Soundtrack

1. Toy Story
2. Pocahontas
3. Casino
4. Clueless
5. Batman Forever

Best Non-English Language Performance

1. Vincent Cassel as Vinz in La Haine
2. Massimo Troisi as Mario Ruoppolo in Il Postino: The Postman
3. Gong Li as Xiao Jinbao in Shanghai Triad
4. Isabelle Huppert as Jeanne in La Ceremonie
5. Miki Manojlović as Marko Dren in Underground

Preferential ballot for this year
Full charts for all the categories

Friday, December 13th 2019:

• Chocolate and Wine Pairing, December 12 - 13 Come in anytime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and taste five award winning estate red wines paired to perfection with five specialty chocolates. Reservations are only required for groups of six or more. 11am-4pm, $20 Sunset Meadow Vineyards, 599 Old Middle St. Goshen, CT
• Northern Lights, December 12 - 14 Mystic Aquarium lights up during Northern Lights… A sea of lights leads the way through a mesmerizing journey along the Aquarium’s outdoor pathways. See Arctic animals in a whole new light – quite literally – as you stroll to theatric music in search of hand-crafted lanterns that bring Arctic animals to life! Snap selfies and meet the Snow Sisters every Thursday, Father Christmas on Fridays and Petey the Penguin each Saturday. Plus, stop by our Send a Wish Upon a Star station to write notes and wishes to the men and women serving overseas this holiday season. An alfresco experience unlike any other, Northern Lights is sure to be a new family tradition, a truly romantic date night and Mystic Aquarium’s biggest holiday event yet. Pulling inspiration from the most spectacular natural light display there is – the aurora borealis – Northern Lights is sure to be just as magical and inspiring. 6pm-9pm, General admission $15, members $12, children (2 and under) free. Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT
• An Improvised Christmas Carol, December 12 - 22 Come see a hilarious retelling of Charles Dickens's Christmas classic twist! This show combines your suggestions with the improvisers’ imaginations to create a performance of A Christmas Carol like nothing you have ever seen. What if Scrooge owned a pet store? What if the Ghost of Christmas Past was a Film Noir detective? What if Tiny Tim wasn't so tiny? Come find out and see how your suggestions tell an all new tale of how Christmas can (or can't!) change Ebenezer Scrooge's life. Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m., Adults $15, children $10 Sea Tea Comedy Theater, 15 Asylum St. Hartford, CT
• 38th Annual Santa's Workshop, December 13 - 23 Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, elves making toys, set in a log cabin with decorations and music, and a fire in the great stone fireplace. 3pm-5pm, FREE Wickham Park, 1329 West Middle Tpke. Manchester, CT
• Polar Pajama Party, December 13 - 14 Start or continue your holiday tradition here at the Connecticut Science Center. Put on your PJs and join us for a wintery-themed evening of entertainment for the whole family in celebration of the Season of Science! There will be games, prizes, holiday crafts, cookie decorating for the kids, and special appearances by the Gingerbread Man, Rudolph, Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. Visitors can also join Jack Frost for the annual “Elf Drop.” Plus, don’t forget your tickets to see the Polar Express in 3D, showing at two different times during the party. Everyone can enjoy a free child size Froyo or Hot Chocolate. Members Ticket Sales Open on Monday, November 4. Non-Member Ticket Sales Open on Monday, November 11. 5pm-9pm, Members $5, Non-members $18, Movie: $5 Connecticut Science Center, 250 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, CT
• "The Treasure of Christmas Island", December 13 - 22 A comedy-adventure of pirates, heroes, mermaids and dames in the tradition of an English Panto! Panto: A traditional fairy-tale farce for both adults and kids, with broad characters, jokes, local references, audience participation, songs and more! Performances: December 13-15, 20-22. Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m., Adults $20; seniors, military $18; members $15; children (12 and under) $8. Donald L. Oat Theater at Norwich Arts Center, 62 Broadway, Norwich, CT
• Festival of Lights, December 13 Come and stroll through walkways brilliantly lit by thousands of luminaries. With live entertainment and complimentary treats, there's something for the entire family to enjoy. 5pm-9pm, FREE Olde Mistick Village, 27 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT
• 27th Annual Plainville Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Stroll, December 13 The Plainville Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 27th Annual Plainville Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Stroll. The event includes holiday caroling, the lighting of the Town tree, visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and horse and buggy rides through downtown. Refreshments will be made available. Please also visit our local downtown merchants as they will be hosting special offers and raffles throughout the night and weekend. 5pm-8pm, FREE Plainville Fire Department, 77 West Main St. Plainville, CT
• Kids VR Night, December 13 Drop the kids off at Xperiment Virtual Reality and enjoy a night off. We provide the snacks, drinks and the fun as well as some education into the mix. The kids have a fun Friday night playing VR as well as robots, and other STEM activities while you get time to yourselves. Your kids are guaranteed at least an hour of VR gaming time (more depending on availability). Limited spaces available so reserve now. Payment is required to hold your reservation. 6pm-8pm, $40 advanced, $45 at door. Xperiment VR, 100 Hawley Lane, Trumbull, CT
• All Star Christmas Show, December 13 Artists appearing in the show include Goo Goo Dolls, Hanson, Andy Grammer and Dean Lewis. 7:30pm, $35-$65 Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd. Uncasville, CT
• Nickelodeon's Double Dare Live!, December 13 Double Dare Live Standard VIP Experience ticket includes a special photo opportunity with the iconic Double Dare Pick-it “Nose” obstacle prop presented in a private space at the venue with the Double Dare Live backdrop, and a VIP tour laminate. Double Dare Live Deluxe VIP Experience ticket includes a special photo opportunity with hosts Marc Summers and Robin Russo in a private space at the venue with the Double Dare Live backdrop, a VIP laminate, and a unique souvenir. A photographer will be available if the purchaser does not have a personal camera / cell-phone camera. The DD VIP Experience (both Standard AND VIP) purchasers must arrive at the theatre at 6:30pm. 90 minutes in advance of the 8pm show start time. Proceed to the check-in table and pick up the DD VIP packet. Each adult and child in a group must have a DD VIP Ticket. Patrons will be directed to the photo opportunity which ends 30 minutes prior to show start time. Latecomers risk missing the opportunity, and no refunds will be issued if the purchasers are late. Must have separate ticket for the show. On your mark, get set, GO! The messiest game show on television is now the messiest game show on the road. Double Dare Live is coming to your town and will bring all the action and excitement of Nickelodeon’s hugely popular television show to the stage. All the Slime soaking, pie plastering, and booger busting will be hosted by the Double Dare legend himself Marc Summers! Bring your whole family to the show you loved as a child. You might even get chosen to compete to win by answering brain-bending trivia questions, complete messy physical stunts and even run the legendary obstacle course! 8pm, $32-$69 Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd. Mashantucket, CT
• Holiday Ho Ho Ho: Burlesque & Drag with Dirty Dixie Normous, December 13 A night of the best in holiday bawdy burlesque and drag entertainment! World class burlesque and drag with your host, Dirty Dixie Normous! A night of unspeakable fun! 9pm, $25-$30 Bijou Theatre, 275 Fairfield Ave. Bridgeport, CT

Saturday, December 14th, 2019:

• "The Nutcracker", December 14 - 15 It would not feel like the holidays without the timeless joy of The Nutcracker, and as part of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory’s 50th anniversary season, the prestigious Torrington institution will unveil an exciting new production of The Nutcracker this year. Audiences will be dazzled by this reimagined full-length ballet, complete with new sets, costumes and choreography. All dance roles features trainees of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, along with cameo roles performed by children from The Torrington School of Ballet. These aspiring artists come from all over the country to hone their craft and develop their artistry at The Nutmeg. The mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer will once again be played by accomplished European stage actor Thomas Evertz. Originally conceived by Sharon Dante, this production features choreography by The Nutmeg's faculty, led by Artistic Director Victoria Mazzarelli, and is set to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s musical masterpiece. Additional coaching is provided by Timothy Melady, Susan Szabo, Eleanor D’Antuono, Denise Warner Limoli, Joan Kunsch, and Alexei Tchernichov. Melady, The Nutmeg's Ballet Master, has led the production team responsible for bringing to reality the vision of Mazzarelli and scenic designer Roger LaVoie. Additional members of the design team include costume designers Susan Fazzino, Janessa Urwin and Susan Aziz; lighting designer Brian Sciarra; set construction by American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA; and painting by Roger LaVoie Designs/TSDesigns. Performances of The Nutcracker at Warner Theatre in Torrington are December 7 and December 8. Call The Warner Box Office at (860) 489-7180. Sat. & Sun. 12:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m., $46-$71 The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT
• Happy Hole-A-Days, December 14 Mayor Erin E. Stewart, Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Patrick Dorsey, and Stanley Golf Course are pleased to announce that the driving range at Stanley Golf Course will be open seven days a week throughout the winter months of December, January and February from 9 a.m.-5 p.m In addition to the driving range being open all winter, Stanley will also see the return of two popular special events from previous years. Happy Hole-A-Days will return to Stanley Golf Course on Saturday, December 14, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The event will be hosted by ESPN radio personality Rob Dibble and will include free buckets of balls, complimentary appetizers and beverage specials by Back Nine Tavern. Prizes will include restaurant, retail and pro shop gift cards along with the chance to win a 2020 season golf pass valued over $1,300. Back by popular demand, buckets of luck will also be returning to Stanley Golf Course in January and February where golfers can purchase buckets of balls on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays between the hours of 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and enter themselves in a raffle to win lots of great prizes including a drawing for a 2020 season golf pass. 11:30am-1:30pm, FREE, Stanley Golf Course, 245 Hartford Rd. New Britain, CT
• Jerry Seinfeld, December 14 Entertainment icon Jerry Seinfeld’s comedy career took off after his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1981. Eight years later, he teamed up with fellow comedian Larry David to create what was to become the most successful comedy series in the history of television: Seinfeld. The show ran on NBC for nine seasons, winning numerous Emmy, Golden Globe and People’s Choice awards, and was named the greatest television show of all time in 2009 by TV Guide, and in 2012 was identified as the best sitcom ever in a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll. Seinfeld has also starred in, written and produced movies (Comedian, Bee Movie), directed and produced a Broadway hit (Colin Quinn Long Story Short), and even wrote a best-selling book (Seinlanguage) and a children’s book (Halloween). Seinfeld directed the off-Broadway production of Colin Quinn: The New York Story and the Netflix stand-up special. Seinfeld’s latest project is the Emmy nominated and critically-acclaimed web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee which has garnered over 100 million views, and which the New York Times describes as "impressively complex and artful" and Variety calls "a game changer." Most recently, Seinfeld has been performing at the Beacon Theatre as part of his residency entitled, Jerry Seinfeld: The Homestand. He recently made his Netflix debut with the original stand-up special Jerry Before Seinfeld. 8pm, $82.50-$150 Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd. Mashantucket, CT

Sunday, December 15th, 2019:

Miss America 2020, December 15 - 19 The competition follows 51 compelling candidates as they compete for life-changing scholarships to be used to continue their efforts towards community service and education. The show will continue to highlight a diverse group of young students and professionals who are advancing the message of female strength, independence, and empowerment through their efforts in the areas of scholarship, talent and social impact. The Miss America Organization has ushered in a new era of progressiveness and inclusiveness, led by an all-female leadership team. Times vary, $75-$100 Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd. Uncasville, CT

Find more things to do here!

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How about a newly released movie! Check out these in a theater near you! ^{Some in select theaters/times/dates/etc...}

• Jumanji: The Next Level
• Black Christmas
• Bombshell
• The Body
• Kitten Party
• Cunningham
• Mob Town
• The Death and Life of John F. Donovan
• Seberg
• Windows On The World
• First Love
• Spiral Farm
• Hanukkah
• The Broken Butterfly

Ah, Casino, my favorite film. Such an underrated classic. The production value, the performances, the costume design, the locations, the fact that it's based on a true story, the list goes on of the things I love about this film. Martin Scorsese puts together this beautiful piece of cinema depicting the mafia inner workings of 1970s Las Vegas, and the critical consensus is, "Yeah, that was okay, but not as good as GoodFellas." Award ceremonies hardly even recognized it at all, with the exception of Sharon Stone's performance. What do you guys think? Not trying to start an argument, just wanna know your opinions on my personal favorite movie.

Note: I am updating if I think of new ideas. Updated 29.02.16
I have been looking at clues for S6 in AHS Hotel and I think the setting for next season may be based on Nevada State Prison. Prison has been a popular fan theory and has been hinted at since S1, where RM says we can find clues for S6. See my comment below about prison references in S1.
I think that being set in Nevada the season would have a Western feel and we may see Native American Reservations and their casinos.
Here is some of the evidence I found to support my theory:
PRISON REFERENCES In Hotel Tristan states that he spent time in prison. He later says he lied about this but he has his reasons. Are those reasons the writers giving us a clue to S6?
Are those trapped hands in the titles a clue to S6 as well as hinting at things to come in S5?
The Swedish girls in episode 1 are excited about going on the Fast and Furious ride. The main character in the film is an escaped convict. The girls themselves soon find themselves imprisoned.
Remember in Asylum when they played I put a spell on you and it was a clue to coven? Well. I think it was in episode 1 of Hotel they played Hotel California and the lyrics: we are all just prisoners here.
When Mr. March kills Miss Evers she describes herself as his last meal which is what a condemned man gets to eat. I think we may be seeing executions in S6.
The scene where Sally tries to help Iris commit suicide is reminiscent of execution by hanging. Sally places a bag over Iris's and then a noose round her neck.
Also a number of charcters spend time imprisoned within the corridors of the Cortez. Could this be a foreshadowing of S6 like Vivien being committed to the Asylum hinted at S2 setting?
The books that Liz gives to Tristan are Oscar Wilde who was imprisoned for homosexuality, at the time illegal and Emily Bronte who wrote a poem called the prisoner.
When Marcy is showing Will and Lachlan the hotel. Lachlan is throwing a ball in a similar way to the famous scene from the film The Great Escape.
In Devil's Night it is stated that Manson cannot attend because he is still alive and serving time in state prison. Mr. March introduces the murderers to John and he explains how each one died in prison. This also includes executions. So we have cult and prison references.
I may be clutching at straws here but I have noticed a number of bird references in Hotel. Are these references to jailbirds? Escaped convicts? Could there possibly be a creepy homage to the Birdman of Alcatraz?
Also in the TV series The Prisoner the main character is known as number 6. Number 6 - season 6 maybe?
GAMBLING REFERENCES The name of the hotel may suggest a casino theme. The El Cortez in Vegas is the longest continuously running hotel and Casino.
In the 1995 film Casino Sharon Stone's character's surname is Mckenna. We learn this is also Sally's surname.
There also seem to be a lot of references to cards and card games. You can't have missed the ace of spades references and there are giant cards displayed in the school. The Countess says she was the queen of disco as she rides through the club on a horse. More on horses later. Could Queenie have been seen in the finale as her name is a link to the theme? She's also there for the price is right, possible casino link? Could Ramona Royale's name hint to Casino Royale? Or a royal flush? Also Elizabeth Taylor starred in several films about gambling and we have a hotel character who is her namesake. Could we see GaGa's poker face next season?
POSSIBLE LINK TO NEVADA Having recently read that Nevada State Prison used to house a casino these clues seem to link together. I'm thinking that the prison setting could be based on the Nevada prison like the Cortez is based on the Hotel Cecil. The prison has only recently closed and is still used for executions. Past executions at the prison included hangings, firing squads and gas chambers. A prison theme would fit in with the modern timeline with flashbacks that has been announced. The prisoners could still be involved in illegal gambling in modern times with flashbacks to the legal prison casino and past executions.
Iris uses sage to cleanse the hotel. Sage is associated with Nevada and appears on the state flag.
CARSON CITY LOCATION AND COWBOYS The original warden of the prison was Abraham Curry and he and other ghosts are said to still haunt Carson City including the ranch near the prison. This could fit in with those Thacher school references in the finale as the boarding school is situated on a ranch and students take equestrian studies. There is currently a wild horse taming programme for low security prisoners in Nevada. Wild horses and bears also referred to are found in the area. Horses also link in with the gambling theme.
Back to the hotel name again Cortez the killer was a song by Neil Young and his band The Crazy Horse which links in with those Thacher references.
In the season finale Iris calls Drake a cowboy. She has previously referred to John in the same way. In the same scene she talks about 2 football teams from Carson checking in to the hotel.
Horses have been mentioned in other seasons. When Kit goes home in S2 he randomly tells Grace they should get a horse. In S4 Dandy has a horse figure in his play room and Ma Petite says she would like a pony.
In the late 1870s prisoners working at the quarry in Carson City discovered large fossilised foot prints. This could lead to a mystery creature theme.
GOLD RUSH Another possible link could be the references to gold and adventurers throughout the season. Gold prospectors were attracted to the area. There is also a myth that in the 1860's a stagecoach carrying gold bullion to the mint was robbed in Carson city. The armed gunmen escaped with the gold. All of the thieves were killed in a gun battle except Manuel Gonzales who was sentenced to 20 years in the prison. He remarked he could see where the treasure was buried from his window. Gonzales died before he could recover the treasure. The treasure has never been found, probably because the story is untrue, but it could provide an interesting subplot. When Gonzales is released and goes to retrieve the treasure after years of waiting, he is killed by whatever left the footprints or he actually gets the treasure but is then killed by the ghosts of the other jealous gunmen?
In the finale Mr. March talks about being the Captain of the ship and calls the other ghosts mateys. Could he be making a treasure seeking pirate reference? Is the Blue Parrot lounge another pirate reference? Max, the boy with measles is also seen wearing a pirate costume.
Maybe the prison could be set on an Alcatraz style island and that is where those water references tie in. There could be a light house on the island and we could get a homage to the film The Fog.
EGYPTIAN GODDESS Another possible link to the Nevada area is Sekhmet the Egyptian goddess. (Bare with me.) She has a lion's head. In the trophy room there is a scene where the lion's head is centre of the frame. The Temple of Goddess Spirituality connected to Sekhmet is in Nevada. Could also tie to references of Liz Taylor as Cleopatra. The Countess calls her a goddess. We could see murders being committed as sacrifice to the goddess. Iris speaks of the sacrifices she has made as a mother and Sally says killing can be righteous. Mr. March mentions libations when they drinking on Devil's Night and he calls the man they murder a sacrifice.
A prison setting could also include some of those cult themes that have been hinted at. There seems to be plenty of real life material here that S6 could draw on as well as many prison, Western and casino films that could be used as inspiration.
I was thinking that a good film to play homage to in a prison season would be The Green Mile. I Googled this as it's been a while since I saw the film and was interested to see that the Asylum in the film is called Briar ridge. Sound familiar? Also there is a mouse that's gets healed and gets longevity. The Countess is referred to as little mouse in Hotel. Incidentally, the movie Top Hat, the clue to the hotel season in S4 is referenced in this film.
LINKS TO FREAK SHOW A link to this theme from Freak Show could be Dandy Mott. The plot of the novel Mott the Hoople involves a freak show, prisons and gambling. Freak show also includes lots of references to the wizard of Oz. Could these be a clue to the TV prison series Oz?
Freak show also made reference to the electric chair a few times.
A link to the Nevada area from Freak Show is that Massimo says that he was building villages for atomic bomb testing in the Nevada dessert.
There were also a few Western references in Freak show. For example the bar Del and Stanley go to was called High Noon.
So in summary convicts, executions, cowboys, card sharps, sacrifices and goddesses. I think it could happen.