Category: Film Feature

Posted in Awards Season, Film Feature, Oscars

95th Academy Awards: Final Predictions

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Another awards season is poised to come to a close, and so it is time to celebrate the best of the best that cinema had to offer with the 95th Academy Awards. All in all, 2022 was a solid year for cinema, especially given the struggles it has had to endure for these previous two years. After the mess of last year’s ceremony where some of the awards were inexcusably presented off the air, the Academy has thankfully not carried this nonsensical idea over to this year’s ceremony.

So, without further ado, with 23 of those prestigious trophies up for grabs, here are my predictions for who will be clutching one of those iconic golden statues at the end of the evening.

 

Best Supporting Actress

  • Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 
  • Hong Chau – The Whale 
  • Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All At Once 
  • Stephanie Hsu – Everything Everywhere All At Once 

We kick off with easily the most stacked acting category this year where there is a plethora of performances which could have been in the final five. But for now, let’s focus on those who were nominated. The nominations of both Hong Chau and Stephanie Hsu mark the first time two Asian actresses have scored nominations in this category in the same year, and apart from Bassett, everyone else is picking up their first nomination. It looked for a while as though Hsu might miss out but it’s a relief she made it as her performance is a crucial part of her film’s narrative. Meanwhile, Jamie Lee Curtis’s performance in the same film feels like a culmination of everything she has brought to the industry across a five-decade-long career, which could explain her win at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. She probably wouldn’t have made the top five given the fierce competition, but it is nonetheless fantastic to see a legend like her be given her first nomination.

The two front runners are by far and away Kerry Condon and Angela Bassett, the latter of whom’s nomination marks the first time an acting performance in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film has received an Oscar nomination. Like Curtis, Bassett is a legend of the industry and yet somehow this is only her second nomination following 1993’s What’s Love Got to do With It. Despite Condon’s win at BAFTA, this trophy should have Bassett’s name on it, which when you watch her performance, especially the throne room speech in Wakanda Forever, where her grief and pain over the loss of Chadwick Boseman is painfully felt, there should be only one clear winner.

It says a lot about the insane competition this year when the likes of Janelle Monae (Glass Onion), Samantha Morton (She Said), Dolly De Leon (Triangle of Sadness), Lashana Lynch and Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King) and Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley (Women Talking), all of whom would have been worthy of a nomination, can’t even get a look in.

Will Win: Angela Bassett 

Should Win: Angela Bassett

Could have been nominated: See all of the above

 

Best Supporting Actor

  • Brendan Gleeson  – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Brian Tyree Henry  – Causeway 
  • Judd Hirsch – The Fabelmans 
  • Barry Keoghan – The Banshees of Inisherin 
  • Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once 

For the fourth year in a row, this category has two actors from the same film competing for the Best Supporting Actor trophy, with everyone apart from Judd Hirsch picking up their first nominations, which is wonderful to see.  It might have been a full set of first-timers had Paul Dano been nominated for The Fabelmans, as many had predicted. Sadly, for Dano, his wait for his first nomination goes on.

He might not have been on screen for very long, but Hirsch’s Uncle Boris certainly left an impression in The Fabelmans.  Brian Tyree Henry’s nomination came thoroughly out of the left field as he has been largely ignored throughout all of this awards season, but it is extremely satisfying to see him included as his performance in Causeway deserved recognition. The work of both Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin is some of the best work of their respective careers, both working effortlessly alongside Colin Farrell to great effect, However, out of all the acting categories, this one feels the closest to a lock as, despite Keoghan’s triumph at the BAFTAs, there is no scenario, in this universe or in any multiverses, where Ke Huy Quan does not walk away with the Oscar for his brilliant work as Waymond, the goofy, multiverse-travelling husband to Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn.

Will Win: Ke Huy Quan

Should Win: Ke Huy Quan

Could have been nominated: Paul Dano for The Fabelmans 

 

 

Best Original Screenplay

  • The Banshees of Inisherin  – Written by Martin McDonagh 
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once  – Written by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert 
  • The Fabelmans  – Written by Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner 
  • Tár – Written by Todd Field 
  • Triangle of Sadness – Written by Ruben Ostlund 

A battle of the Best Picture contenders, which makes picking an immediate frontrunner at first glance seems difficult. Yet, with both The Banshees of Inisherin and Everything Everywhere All At Once having garnered the most nominations, it is likely this award will go to one of those two films. EEAAO is likely to dominate in some of the other big categories, including Best Director for The Daniels, so this could be the Academy’s chance to share the love, which is something they don’t always do. Three out of four of McDonagh’s films have been nominated for this award, so perhaps, given the Daniels seem to be odds on to win the Oscar for Best Director, this could be the moment to give McDonagh his dues.

Will Win: The Banshees of Inisherin 

Should Win: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Should have been nominated: Dana Stevens for The Woman King

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • All Quiet on the Western Front  – Screenplay by Edward Berger Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell 
  • Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery   – Screenplay by Rian Johnson
  • Living – Screenplay by Kazuo Ishiguro 
  • Top Gun: Maverick – Screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie 
  • Women Talking – Screenplay by Sarah Polley 

All awards season long, this award really felt as though it only had Sarah Polley’s name on it for her excellent adaption of Miraim Tews’ novel. Although given the film was bafflingly snubbed by BAFTA, it could have completely lost its momentum, particularly as All Quiet on The Western Front conquered all before it at BAFTA. But, its presence in the Best Picture race shows there is a lot of support for the film, and a victory for Women Talking would see a woman win this category for three consecutive years, which would be wonderful to see.

Will Win: Women Talking 

Should Win: Women Talking 

Should have been nominated: Rebecca Lenkiewicz for She Said 

Best Animated Feature Film

  • Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Guillermo del Toro Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex 
  • Marcel the Shell with Shoes On  – Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan, and Paul Mezey
  • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish  – Joel Crawford and Mark Swift 
  • The Sea Beast – Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger
  • Turning Red – Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins 

Given it was released in March and inexcusably did not receive a cinema release, it is a relief to see Turning Red land a nomination, given it was easily the best-animated film Disney or Pixar released last year. However, with this being the only representative from the House of Mouse in this year’s crop of nominees, could Disney’s iron grip on this category be loosening?

Six of the 21 winners in this category have come from films produced either by Disney or its sister studio Pixar, but this year will make it the seventh non-Disney/Pixar winner. It will ultimately come down to the two films, with wishes at the heart of them. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is Dreamworks’ best film in years, and the cat has got my tongue and my vote. However, given the sheer labour of love in which Guillermo del Toro and his incredible team of artists brought one of the best interpretations of this classic tale to life, this is Pinocchio’s to lose.

Will Win: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Should Win: Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

Best International Feature Film

  • All Quiet on the Western Front  (Germany)  – directed by Edward Berger 
  • Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) – directed by Santiago Mitre 
  • Close (Belgium) – directed by Lukas Dhont
  • EO (Poland) – directed by Jerzy Skolimowski  
  • The Quiet Girl (Ireland) – directed by Colm Bairéad

There’s only one film here which is a Best Picture nominee, so it will be all quiet on the upset front.

Will Win: All Quiet on the Western Front 

Should Win: All Quiet on the Western Front 

Should have been nominated: Decision to Leave (South Korea)

Best Original Score

  • All Quiet on the Western Front  – Nicholas Volker Bertelmann 
  • Babylon – Justin Hurwitz
  • The Banshees of Inisherin – Carter Burwell
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once – Son Lux
  • The Fabelmans – John Williams

My head wants to say this award will be going to Justin Hurwitz for his insanely catchy score to Babylon. The film divided audiences, but no one can deny the irresistibly catchy nature of Hurwitz’s work, as whenever he collaborates with Damien Chazelle, the results are always spectacular. But, could Babylon’s divisive nature scupper a prospective win? With his staggering 53rd nomination at the age of 90, this makes the legendary John Williams the oldest nominee in Oscars history, and the second most nominated individual ever after a certain Walt Disney. The Fabelmans is probably unlikely to pick up any awards anywhere else, so this could be the time to bestow Williams with his sixth Oscar, but I’m going to say Babylon will prevail.

Will Win: Justin Hurwitz 

Should Win: Justin Hurwitz

Should have been nominated: Michael Giacchino for The Batman

Best Original Song

  • “Applause” from Tell it Like a Woman  – Music and lyrics by Dianne Warren
  • “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick – Music and lyrics by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
  • “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyrics by Tems and Ryan Coogler
  • “Naatu Naatu” from RRR – Music by M. M. Keeravani; Lyrics by Chandrabose
  • “This is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All At Once  –  Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne, and Mitski; Lyrics by Ryan Lott and David Byrne

With every awards season that comes around, it is practically a given Dianne Warren will find herself nominated for Best Original Song, even if it is for a film few people have heard of. One of these days a nomination is going to turn into a win for her, but it will not be this year.

After her success in winning this award for A Star is Born, Lady Gaga could definitely claim her second trophy for her moving song from Top Gun: Maverick, while Rihanna’s long-awaited return to music brought us the deeply moving and powerful Lift Me Up, which feels borne out of the loss everyone felt when Chadwick Boseman passed away. However, RRR took the world by storm last year and given this is its sole nomination, it feels nailed on the Academy will recognise this accomplishment with an Oscar.

Will Win:  RRR

Should Win: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Best Sound

  • All Quiet on the Western Front – Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel, and Stefan Korte
  • Avatar: The Way of Water – Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, and Michael Hedges
  • The Batman – Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray, and Andy Nelson
  • Elvis – David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson, and Michael Keller
  • Top Gun: Maverick – Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon, and Mark Taylor

So often, this category and editing go hand-in-hand, yet given the likely winner of Best Editing is nowhere to be found here, this award is a choice between the brutal sounds of trench warfare, the musical sounds of the King of Rock and Roll or the thunderous sounds of military aircraft, with the aircraft taking the trophy.

Will Win: Top Gun: Maverick 

Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick

Best Production Design

  • All Quiet on the Western Front – Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper
  • Avatar: The Way of Water – Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole
  • Babylon – Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino
  • Elvis – Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn
  • The Fabelmans – Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara

The Academy usually loves films about Hollywood. While Babylon‘s divisiveness could scupper its chances of winning Original Score, it is unlikely to prevent it from taking this award given it has swept all before it this awards season.

Will Win: Babylon 

Should Win: Babylon 

Should have been nominated: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 

Best Cinematography

  • All Quiet on the Western Front – James Friend
  • Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths – Darius Khondji
  • Elvis – Mandy Walker
  • Empire of Light – Roger Deakins
  • Tár – Florian Hoffmeister

When you consider some of the breathtaking cinematography we saw in 2022, this year’s selection of nominees is decidedly uninspiring and there are some major major snubs which boggle the mind as to why they weren’t included. Roger Deakins’s status as a legend is assured, and it is a given he will be nominated almost every time he shoots a film, there were more deserving nominations this year. Elvis’ Mandy Walker becomes the third woman to be nominated for this award and while it would be historic to see her win, yet my money is on another win for All Quiet on the Western Front.

Though the snub for Claudio Miranda for Top Gun: Maverick feels particularly baffling when you consider when filming the aerial combat sequences, they were reliant on natural lighting to shoot them, not to mention the extraordinary camerawork. Plus, last year’s winner of this award Greig Fraser’s work in The Batman to capture the murky underworld of Gotham City was equally deserving of a nomination.

Will Win: All Quiet on the Western Front

Should Win: All Quiet on the Western Front

Should have been nominated: Claudio Miranda for Top Gun: Maverick, Linus Sandgren for Babylon or Greig Fraser for The Batman 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Success in this category can often correlate with a win in one of the acting categories. This year, it could come down to whichever actor the Academy chooses to honour in Best Actor, which puts this as a coin flip between Elvis or The Whale. Given who I think will win Best Actor, my bet is going to give this one to The Whale.

  • All Quiet on the Western Front – Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová
  • The Batman – Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine 
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Camille Friend and Joel Harlow
  • Elvis  – Mark Coulier, Jason Baird, and Aldo Signoretti
  • The Whale – Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Anne Marie Bradley

Will Win:  The Whale 

Should Win: The Whale

Best Costume Design

  • Babylon – Mary Zophres 
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Ruth Carter 
  • Elvis – Catherine Martin 
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once – Shirley Kurata 
  • Mrs Harris Goes to Paris – Jenny Bevan 

Ruth Carter’s win for the first Black Panther film at the 91st Academy Awards was a historic win, and if she were to repeat her triumph, she would become the first black woman to win two Oscars in any category, which is just utterly mind-boggling. However, Catherine Martin’s work in Elvis to recreate so many of the King’s iconic costumes is some incredible work which would be worthy of a victory to add to her victories in this category for Baz Luhrmann’s previous films The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge!

Will Win: Elvis 

Should Win: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Should have been nominated: Gersha Phillips for The Woman King and Jenny Eagan for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery 

Best Film Editing

  • The Banshees of Inisherin – Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
  • Elvis – Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once – Paul Rogers
  • Tár – Monika Willi
  • Top Gun: Maverick – Eddie Hamilton

It is usually the case that editing and sound categories correlate. Yet, could this be the year which breaks that trend? Top Gun: Maverick had the unenviable task of editing through several hundred hours of footage they shot for the aerial combat sequences, which would have put it in a good position to fly home with the win. But, the editing in Everything Everywhere All At Once is equally impressive. While one assumes they did not have to edit through several hundred hours of footage, due to the nature of its plot and its ambition, the film could have very easily become a jumbled mess had the editing not been as on point as it was. Either would be a worthy winner, but the power of the multiverse should help EEAAO prevail.

Will Win:  Everything Everywhere All At Once 

Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick

Best Visual Effects

 

 

  • All Quiet on the Western Front – Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank, and Kamil Jafar
  • Avatar: The Way of Water – Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, and Daniel Barrett
  • The Batman – Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands, and Dominic Tuohy
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White, and Dan Sudick
  • Top Gun: Maverick – Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson, and Scott R. Fisher

The combination of the sheer visual majesty of Pandora and the pioneering technology developed for those breathtaking underwater scenes means there should only be one winner here.

Will Win: Avatar: The Way of Water

Should Win: Avatar: The Way of Water

Best Director

  • Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin
  • Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
  • Steven Spielberg – The Fabelmans 
  • Todd Field – Tár
  • Ruben Östlund – Triangle of Sadness 

For the last two years, we’ve seen women triumph in this category, which makes it all the more frustrating that women again find themselves shut out of this category, especially when you look at the quality of the films which were directed by women last year, there were certainly more than a few candidates who could have got in, such as Gina Prince-Bythewood, Sarah Polley, Maria Schrader or Chinoye Chukwu.

The Academy does have a tendency to nominate at least one international director, but had they nominated Edward Berger for All Quiet on The Western Front instead of Östlund, this might have been a very different race given the former’s success at BAFTA. Given his semi-autobiographical film may not triumph anywhere else, this could be the best chance to honour Steven Spielberg with his first Oscar since he won this very same award for Saving Private Ryan in 1999. However, with their triumph at the Directors Guild Awards, and the fact their film threw everything at the wall and somehow made it all work to wonderful effect, this is the Daniels’ to lose.

Will Win: The Daniels 

Should Win: The Daniels

Could have been nominated: Gina Prince-Bythewood for The Woman King, Sarah Polley for Women Talking or Maria Schrader for She Said

Best Actor in a Leading Role

  • Austin Butler – Elvis 
  • Colin Farrell – The Banshees of Inisherin
  • Brendan Fraser  – The Whale
  • Paul Mescal  – Aftersun
  • Bill Nighy  – Living

For the first time since the 7th Academy Awards in 1935, all the nominees in this category are receiving their first nominations. This is heartwarming to see particularly for an actor like Bill Nighy whose nomination is deserving but also feels like a culmination of his decades-long career. However, both Nighy’s and Paul Mescal’s chances of a win seem unlikely as throughout this awards season, this race has been dominated by the remaining three gentlemen in this category.

Austin Butler’s performance as The King of Rock and Roll was so transformative, he disappeared into the role and the Academy has had a tendency for rewarding transformative performances of that nature. Farrell had a superb 2022 with his work in After Yang, Thirteen Lives, his villainous turn in The Batman, and to top it all off his excellent work in Banshees. However, his unexpected loss at the BAFTAs to Butler means his hopes of Oscar glory now look to be remote at best, which puts this award in a straight fight between Butler and Fraser. Like Ke Huy Quan, Fraser has a comeback narrative on his side, and while The Whale has divided audiences, no one can deny Fraser’s performance was truly impactful and the six-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival is a testament to this. Plus with his win at the SAG awards and the over-arching sentiment that everyone seems to have towards him, it could tip this award in Fraser’s favour but this feels too close to call.

Will Win: Brendan Fraser 

Should Win: Brendan Fraser 

Best Actress in a Leading Role

  • Cate Blanchett  – Tar
  • Ana de Armas  – Blonde 
  • Andrea Riseborough  – To Leslie 
  • Michelle Williams  – The Fabelmans 
  • Michelle Yeoh  – Everything Everywhere All At Once 

For the second year in a row, this is the acting category which is, by far and away, the most chaotic. Last year, all of the nominees starred in films which were not nominated for Best Picture, but this year the Academy chose chaos for a different reason.

Let’s start with the positives. It is fantastic to see Michelle Yeoh (somehow) bagging her first nomination for her truly incredible work in Everything Everywhere All At Once, a performance which encapsulates her extraordinary career. Her namesake Michelle Williams’s turn as a supportive mother to the on-screen representation of Steven Spielberg in The Fabelmans perfectly captured how the compassion and warmth of his mother encouraged him to want to pursue his passion for filmmaking. However, while she is great in the film, it does feel a bit of a mistake to have campaigned for her in lead, given the fierce competition from her namesake as well as Cate Blanchett’s excellent leading performance in Tar.

But, now onto the negatives, Ana De Armas is a phenomenal actress who I have admired ever since her performance in Blade Runner 2049. But, while her turn as Norma Jean/Marilyn Monroe is by far and away the best thing about Blonde, the film’s fictionalised treatment of Monroe left a very bad taste in my mouth. It was nearly three hours of relentless trauma and misery which had nothing meaningful to say and for that it should not have been bestowed with a nomination.

And lastly, Andrea Riseborough’s nomination for her work in To Leslie came as a massive surprise given she picked up none of the precursor nominations. Her campaign was by and large driven as a result of some of her peers campaigning on her behalf. This is so frustrating because it proves even when women of colour put in exemplary performances, such as Viola Davis in The Woman King or Danielle Deadwyler’s heart-breaking performance in Till, the odds are stacked against them. Just SIX black women have been nominated for this award since Halle Berry won in 2002, it is really not good enough. If people in the industry can mobilise to push for someone like Riseborough to get a nomination, it begs the question, where is this kind of energy for women of colour?  Both Davis and Deadwyler should have been nominated, with Deadwyler’s snub will go down as one of the most egregious and downright disgraceful snubs in recent memory.

But in terms of who is going to emerge victorious, it really is a coin flip between two industry veterans. Blanchett triumphed at BAFTA and Critic’s Choice, but with Yeoh’s victory at SAG, and EEAAO riding a wave of popularity which has put it in pole position to land the biggest prize of the night, it is fitting to honour the woman whose breathtaking performance is what made the film the wondrous experience it was. Yeoh deserves her dues and should become the first Asian woman, and only the second woman of colour to win this award. It is time.

Will Win: Michelle Yeoh

Should Win: Michelle Yeoh

Should have been nominated: Danielle Deadwyler for Till and Viola Davis for The Woman King or Carey Mulligan for She Said

And, last and certainly by no means least…

Best Picture

  • All Quiet on the Western Front  – Malte Grunert 
  • Avatar: The Way of Water  – James Cameron and Jon Landau 
  • The Banshees of Inisherin   – Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, and Martin McDonagh
  • Elvis   – Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, and Schuyler Weiss
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once   – Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, and Jonathan Wang
  • The Fabelmans  – Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg, and Tony Kushner
  • Tár  – Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan, and Scott Lambert
  • Top Gun: Maverick  – Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison, and Jerry Bruckheimer
  • Triangle of Sadness  – Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober
  • Women Talking  – Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand 

Click here to see my ranking of the Best Picture contenders.

It is very satisfying to see in a year where he had 12 uninterrupted months of films on the big screen, this year’s crop of Best Picture nominees is pretty strong, with no film really sticking out like a sore thumb being included in this year’s list. Though it definitely could have been better, with Women Talking representing the only female-directed film on the list, despite the fact there were more than enough quality films directed by women which could have very easily made the list, such as She Said and The Woman King.

But alas, even if they had been nominated, their chances of a win probably wouldn’t have been high. Throughout this awards season, there has been one clear favourite which has by and large dominated and swept all before it and that film is the masterpiece from the Daniels. It says a lot about the sheer momentum and the positivity for Everything Everywhere that has carried it all the way to the awards season given it was released early last year and not in the usual Autumn/Winter awards season window and should it add the main prize to its likely slew of trophies, it would be the best Best Picture win since Parasite‘s triumph at the 92nd Oscars.

Will Win:  Everything Everywhere All At Once 

Should Win: Everything Everywhere All At Once 

Should have been nominated: The Woman King and She Said 

————————————————–

Final counts

Will win:

  • Everything Everywhere All At Once – 5 (Picture, Actress, Director, Supporting Actor and Film Editing) 
  • All Quiet on the Western Front – 2 (International Feature and Cinematography) 
  • Babylon – 2 (Production Design and Score) 
  • The Whale – 2 (Actor and Makeup and Hairstyling)
  • Avatar: The Way of Water – 1 (Visual Effects) 
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever -1 (Supporting Actress) 
  • The Banshees of Inisherin – 1 (Original Screenplay) 
  • Elvis -1 (Costume Design) 
  • Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – 1 (Animated Feature Film)
  • RRR – 1 (Original Song)
  • Top Gun: Maverick – 1 (Sound)
  • Women Talking – 1 (Adapted Screenplay)

Should win:

  • Everything Everywhere All At Once – 6 (Picture, Actress, Original Screenplay, Director, Supporting Actor, and Costume Design)
  • All Quiet on the Western Front – 2 (International Feature and Cinematography)
  • Babylon – 2 (Production Design and Score) 
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – 2 (Supporting Actress and Original Song) 
  • Top Gun: Maverick – 2 (Sound and Film Editing)
  • The Whale – 2 (Actor and Makeup and Hairstyling)
  • Avatar: The Way of Water – 1 (Visual Effects) 
  • Puss In Boots: The Last Wish – 1 (Animated Feature Film)
  • Women Talking – 1 (Adapted Screenplay)

 

Posted in 2020-2029, Film Feature, Ranking

Best Films of 2022

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

After the last two years saw cinema closures due to the pandemic for significant parts of the year, it has been immensely satisfying to have had a full interrupted 12 months of uninterrupted movies on the big screen. And what a year for film it has been, whodunnits aplenty, a long-awaited return to Pandora, more multiversal shenanigans, a very meta-comedy, some utterly enthralling action epics and a couple of extremely important movies that shone a spotlight on some very important and brave people. So without further ado, let us have a look at the best films of 2022.

With regards to films eligible for inclusion on this list, I always aim to include films which are listed as 2022 releases on IMDB. Yet, as seems to be the case every year, there are those films listed as 2021 releases which did not get released until well into the year, which makes them eligible for my 2022 list. On the flip side, there are some films featured here that are yet to be released in UK cinemas, but as I was able to catch these at London Film Festival, they are eligible for inclusion on this list. And as much as I would want to, I haven’t seen every film released in 2022, so if your favourite film is not on here, I might not have seen it. (On that note, I haven’t yet seen Babylon or The Fabelmans as they have not been released in the UK yet. I will factor these films into this list once I have seen them.)

Lastly, as always, the grades I awarded a film do not determine the final position on this list, a film which gets a perfect grade will not necessarily make it my favourite film of the year. This is my unashamedly biased list to highlight and celebrate the films which defined cinema in 2022 for me. As usual, there are some honourable mentions, films which are really great and worth your time but just didn’t quite make my list this year:

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent [review]. Nicolas Cage stars as Nick Cage in a very meta, but utterly hilarious, comedy that celebrates the career of Nicholas Cage, whilst also recognising the greatness that is Paddington 2. What more could you want?

Causeway.  Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry both give exceptional performances in this slow-burning but heavily impactful drama exploring the dynamic between two people trying to readjust and find their place in the world following tragic circumstances.

The Menu. A delightfully delicious satire of the wealthy elite of our society with a fascinatingly chilling performance from Ralph Fiennes as the head chef of this unique restaurant which will make you crave a particular food item by the end credits.

The Banshees of Inisherin [review]. Martin McDonagh reunites with his In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson for a simple tale of two friends who have fallen out elevated by McDonagh’s razor-sharp screenplay, which is a fascinating blend of black comedy meets tragedy.

Bros. Billy Eichner co-writes and stars in by far and away the funniest film of the year in a hilarious, heartfelt and groundbreaking rom-com which stars a predominantly LGBTQ+ cast, and openly and proudly celebrates the LGBT+ community in a massive step forward for diversity on screen.

 

 

Honourable mentions honoured. Now, here comes the top 10…

 

15. The Whale

For years, Brendan Fraser was absent from Hollywood for a multitude of reasons. In this powerful drama from Darren Aronofsky, he makes his triumphant return in this moving film as an obese man who tries to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter after he drove her away by eating to excess. It’s a simple story but one made extremely powerful, with stunning supporting performances from Hong Chau and Sadie Sink, as well as a devastating lead performance from Fraser.

 

14. Avatar: The Way of Water

review

13 years after the release of his ground-breaking film Avatar, James Cameron triumphantly returns to Pandora for the long-awaited sequel which has proved the appetite for audiences to make the return to this incredible world was there all along. This enthralling sequel offers some of the most dazzling visual effects you will ever see, especially for all those underwater scenes. While a bit of a retread of the first film in terms of its plot, it offered plenty of emotional stakes and compelling action to make this a worthwhile return to Pandora.

 

13. Till

In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was brutally lynched and murdered by white supremacists. Following this heinous crime, his mother Mamie Till became an activist and a powerful voice in the Civil Rights Movement in the USA, campaigning for justice for her murdered son. It is certainly not an easy watch, but an extremely powerful and necessary one thanks to Danielle Deadwyler’s extraordinary, devastating and awards-worthy performance.

 

 

12. See How They Run

review

Agatha Christie is arguably the greatest novelist of all time when it comes to penning murder mystery novels and plays, so where better to set a murder mystery at the centre of a production of The Mousetrap? Harbouring the whimsical spirit of a Wes Anderson film, this film provides some delightful and witty meta-commentary on the murder mystery genre, whilst getting stellar performances out of its cast, especially Sam Rockwell as a grumpy detective and the scene-stealing Saoirse Ronan.

 

11. Nope

 

Jordan Peele’s first two films, both superbly blending horror and comedy, cemented the former star of the Key & Peele comedy double act as one of those directors whose name alone has the power to sell a film. Much intrigue surrounded his third film in the build-up to its release as to what the master and horror comedy could produce and whether he could complete his hat-trick? Short answer, yep, he can.

Once again providing an expert blend of horror and comedy, Peele upped the ambition for this one by going down the sci-fi route as a strange phenomenon haunts the sibling owners of a ranch, namely OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer). Like his previous two films, the film has a lot to say with thought-provoking subtext and social commentary about humanity’s love/fascination with spectacle. Reuniting with Peele after Get Out, Kaluuya adds another stellar performance to an impressive filmography, but this film belongs to Keke Palmer who steals the show with a fantastic performance.

 

Now for the top 10…

 

10. Bullet Train

review

A high-speed bullet train is probably the last place you’d want to find yourself on your commute, especially if you knew there was a group of deadly assassins on board whose missions are interconnected. Fortunately for us, under the vision of stuntman-turned-director David Leitch, this particular service is a delightfully entertaining and one of the most stylish action films all year as these missions criss-cross with violent and hilarious results and one of the best comedy double acts of the year in Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s assassin comedy duo.

 

 

9. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

review

The foundations of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were forever changed when it was announced that Chadwick Boseman passed away in August 2020. It put director Ryan Coogler in the toughest of positions when it came to the sequel to 2018’s Black Panther as to how on earth they could overcome such a tragic horrific loss of someone who brought so much to the screen with every single role? In the most difficult of circumstances, Coogler and his cast came through to deliver a heart-breaking but beautiful film which in the most difficult circumstances explores how we process the grief when someone close to us has passed away, while also serving as an emotional tribute to Boseman’s extraordinary legacy.

8. Turning Red

review

Pixar films have never been afraid to tackle meaningful subject matter while also turning audiences into blubbering messes with the brilliantly emotional stories they have created over the years. In their first film directed by a woman, Domee Shi continues this trajectory with her brilliant, hilarious and emotional film about a girl who discovers whenever she gets nervous or excited, she turns into a giant red panda. Simultaneously a moving story about culture, family, and the perils of growing up, plus lots and lots of 2000s nostalgia. Furthermore, to its immense credit, the film is not afraid to shy away from the subject of puberty from a female perspective.

7. Belle

review

Offering some of the most jaw-dropping and stunning animation we have seen so far this decade, Mamoru Hosada’s film is a beautiful tale of one girl who, after a personal tragedy, is able to rediscover her passion for singing when she joins a vast digital world and becomes a global sensation. Encompassing themes of the impact of bereavement on a young person, the increasingly digital nature of society and the desire particularly among young people to have an online presence, the highs and lows encompassing fame/viral sensation online, while providing a modern 21st-century update for a tale as old as time. It is utterly scandalous this film was not nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar.

6. The Woman King

review

What comes to mind when you hear the words: historical epic? Chances are you’ll think of a film like Gladiator or Braveheart where men are taking revenge against those who have wronged them or are charging into battle. Given these sorts of films are almost always from the perspective of a man, it makes Gina Prince-Bythewood’s film telling the true story of the Agoije, an all-female group of warriors in a West African kingdom so awe-inspiring and badass.  Viola Davis’s General Nanisca is exactly the sort of commander who you would follow onto the battlefield. She leads an impeccably acted cast including career-best work from Lashana Lynch, an impressive breakthrough performance from Thuso Mbedu and a wonderfully regal performance from John Boyega.

 

5. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

review

 

When Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc made his introduction in Rian Johnson’s 2019 murder mystery/whodunnit Knives Out, right then and there, with his iconic Southern drawl, a modern icon of the genre was born. With the film representing a revitalisation of the genre, it came as little surprise when Netflix sanctioned a massive money deal for the rights to two further sequels. It brought much anticipation as to what everyone’s favourite Southern sleuth would get up to on his next case.

With another superbly stacked cast bringing to life another array of eccentric, colourful and rather douchey characters at its core, Johnson proves once again there was no foul play with Knives Out as he demonstrates his love for the genre with another wonderfully witty and hilarious screenplay, which is almost prophetic with the satire and social commentary at the centre. Every single member of this ensemble cast play their roles to perfection, and it is wonderful to see Craig have so much fun following his stint as 007. But the standout is, by far, Janelle Monae. So long as Craig and Johnson are happy to keep making these movies, there will be no complaints from me if we have many more adventures with Monsieur Blanc for many years to come.

 

 

4. Top Gun Maverick

review

One of many films to have seen its release date moved around a few times due to the pandemic, fans may have wondered if this long-awaited sequel to 1986’s Top Gun was ever going to take flight. Perhaps it was due to the multiple delays, but it certainly seemed like the hype around this film was fairly muted prior to its release. Though this all changed when it finally blasted its way into cinemas, becoming Tom Cruise’s highest-grossing film of all time.

The original Top Gun arguably made a star out of Cruise, but his star power has continued to grow in the 36 years between the two films’ releases. His commitment to entertaining the audience through crazy, death-defying stunts remains unrivalled in big blockbuster filmmaking, and we are lucky to have him. Through a winning combination of utterly exhilarating flight sequences putting the audience at the heart of the action, alongside an extremely emotional story of Maverick confronting his past and his guilt over the death of his close friend Goose, as well as an extremely emotional scene with Val Kilmer’s Iceman, and you have a sequel which surpasses its predecessor in every single way, and will take your breath away again, again and again.

 

 

3. She Said 

review

Throughout history, we have seen examples of the extraordinary work journalists can do to bring stories to light in a way that changes the world forever. One such example is the extraordinary work of Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, whose tireless investigative reporting uncovered the rampant sexual abuse of men in positions of power, such as Harvey Weinstein, which gave rise to the Time’s Up and Me Too Movements.

Given how these movements represent very recent history, it was important for the filmmakers to approach this subject matter with care, and this is exactly how Maria Schrader and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz handled it. The film simultaneously shines a light on the incredible bravery of the women who came forward to speak out against such systemic behaviour and the tireless determination of the women who, in spite of threats to have the story buried, persisted in their efforts to bring the truth to light. Flawless acting by the entire cast, especially Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as Twohey and Kantor respectively, this important film shines a light on the important work journalists carry out, and the necessity for women’s voices to come to the fore when telling these stories.

 

2. The Batman

review

The Caped Crusader is an iconic figure in both comic book and cinematic history throughout the decades. Every actor who has donned the cape and cowl has managed to bring something unique to the role. The pressure was certainly on Matt Reeves for his take on this character to do something we haven’t seen before, and he absolutely delivered.

In a Gotham City quite unlike anything we have seen before, under an eternal cloud of perpetual rainfall, we have a Batman early in his crimefighting career (portrayed magnificently by Robert Pattinson) who must utilise all his skills as he comes up against Paul Dano’s terrifying Riddler. Portraying Batman’s skills as a detective in a manner previous Batman films have rarely utilised was an inspired choice and the combination of the exploration of Gotham’s murky criminal underworld, exemplified by a terrific performance from Colin Farrell as The Penguin, alongside some brilliant action sequences. When you have all of the above, along with an outstanding turn from Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman and you have one of the greatest incarnations of the Dark Knight ever put to screen.

And so my favourite film of 2022 is

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1. Everything Everywhere All At Once

review

When 2022 began, it was poised to throw a number of films at audiences which explored the concept of the multiverse. Such a concept has exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly in the genre of comic book films, little did we know that the best film to explore this concept was not something that had a Marvel logo attached to it, but was an entirely original indy flick, from the minds of the directors of Swiss Army Man.

The film lives up to its name by throwing a plethora of genres all into one big melting pot and the results were bonkers, hilariously entertaining and emotionally devastating all at once. You will never look at googly eyes, rocks, raccoons, hot dogs and bagels in the same way after watching this masterpiece. At the heart of it is an awards-worthy performance from the legendary Michelle Yeoh who pours her heart and soul into every single action scene, likewise for Ke Huay Quan who after several years away from acting makes a triumphant return. No other film released this year has illustrated to me perfectly just how special cinema can be as an art form, and for this, it more than earns the title of my favourite film of 2022.

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And that brings the curtain down on my list of the best the big screen had to offer in 2022. Thank you for reading, especially if you read all the way through! What were your favourite films of 2022? Let me know in the comments below or you can find me on the following platforms: Twitter, Facebook or Letterbox’d.

For my picks for my most anticipated films of 2023, please click here.

 

 

Posted in Film Feature, Ranking

Most Anticipated Films of 2023

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Happy new year cinephiles!

2022 was certainly a much better year for the big-screen experience as there were no enforced cinema closures to contend with. A full 12 months of uninterrupted cinema, and long may it continue! Looking to the year ahead, there is, as usual, lots to look forward to, so let us dive straight in with my most anticipated films for 2023. These are the releases that I am most looking forward to, but time will tell if they will be the best because as is the case every year there are bound to be some films that come out of nowhere with very little fanfare to blow audiences away and the films that are likely to be big awards season players tend to start popping up in the latter half of the year.

Before we start, there are a few 2022 releases that are finally getting their wide release on these shores this year, such as Babylon, TAR and The Fabelmans, but as these are technically 2022 releases, they will not be included here.

Before we have a look at the top 10, here are a few honourable mentions  (All current UK release dates unless specified):

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (release date: 31 March): For anyone who grew up with the early generation video game consoles, Mario is one of, if not the most iconic and recognisable video game characters of all time. Fans might have a feeling of trepidation, particularly with Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario, particularly as the other time they adapted Mario for the big screen, it did not go well. However, in the hands of Illumination, and with a strong voice cast behind it, let’s hope this one gets the gold star!

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (release date: 17 November)  Director Francis Lawrence is once again stepping back into the world of Panem for the prequel set 64 years before Katniss Everdeen became the Mockingjay to ignite the rebellion to overthrow the Capitol.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (release date: 24 March) Keanu Reeves is once again suiting up as John Wick AKA Baba Yaga for the fourth instalment of this action-packed franchise. Given how the last film ended, he’s out for bloody revenge and I fear for anyone who would dare get in his way…

Shazam: Fury of the Gods (release date: 17 March) Asher Angel/Zachary Levi return as Billy Batson who with a single word turns into the hero Shazam. There are significantly higher stakes this time around as Billy and his adopted family of superheroes must face off against the Daughters of Atlas.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (release date: 30 June). 15 years after he last donned the iconic hat and whip of the legendary Dr Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr, Harrison Ford reprises his role for the fifth and probably final time. James Mangold takes over the directing duties from Steven Spielberg, and with Mads Mikkelsen and Phoebe Waller-Bridge joining the cast, fingers crossed it can right the wrongs of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Now, let’s see what cracked my top 10:

10. The Little Mermaid

Release date: 26 May

Disney’s live-action offerings, particularly some of the recent ones, have mostly left an awful lot to be desired, begging the question as to why these films exist outside of an excuse for the Mouse House to print money. However, the live-action retelling of the story of Ariel could be the one to arrest the slump. Halle Bailey as Ariel is an excellent piece of casting, and she’s joined by Melissa McCarthy, and Javier Bardem, as well as the voice talents of Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina.

 

9. The Marvels 

Release date: 28 July 

It’s been a while since we have seen Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel in the MCU, but she is poised to make her return in this sequel to her 2019 film. The plot remains under wraps but this film will see Carol team up with Monica Rambeau and Ms Marvel, with Teyonnah Parris and Iman Vellaini reprising their roles from WandaVision and Ms Marvel respectively. Seeing these three team up, with Candyman reboot director Nia Da Costa (the first black woman to helm an MCU movie) calling the shots. Give it to me.

 

 

8. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Release date: 17 February

The third instalment of the adventures of the MCU’s tiniest heroes promises to be one of the biggest films, certainly for Ant-Man and in all likelihood for the MCU as a whole as this film will see Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang and Evangeline Lilly, as well as Cassie Lang (now played by Kathryn Newton), travel down to the Quantum Realm where they will have to face off against Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, who promises to be a major (pun intended) villain of the future MCU phases going forward.

7. Creed III

Release date: 3 March 

Speaking of Jonathan Majors, he pops up again here in this third instalment of the Rocky spin-off franchise as an old friend of Michael B Jordan’s Adonis who seemingly has a very personal score to settle after being released from prison. The stakes feel considerably higher for this third film, but alas Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky will not be involved this time around, with Jordan stepping behind the camera for his directorial debut.

 

6. Barbie

Release date: 21 July 

I honestly never thought I would see the day when a film about Barbie would feature on one of my lists of the most anticipated films of the year. But here we are, the POWER of Greta Gerwig.  Not much is known about the plot of the film, but with a cast which includes Margot Robbie in the lead role, Ryan Gosling as Ken, as well as Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Issa Rae and Michael Cera, and you have my interest, especially since THAT trailer hit the internet. Come on Barbie, let’s go party!

 

5. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

Release date: 5 May

The fate of this film lay uncertain for a long period of time following the departure of director James Gunn. However, common sense prevailed and after being poached by DC to make the terrific The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, Gunn returns for what is likely to be his last project for Marvel, and a potential end of the road for Marvel’s collection of loveable villains-turned-heroes as the recently released teaser indicates it could be an emotional farewell for The Guardians. Let’s hope Gunn has another Awesome Mix of banging tunes to drown out any potential audience waterworks.

 

4. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One

Release date: 14 July

The storming box office success of Top Gun: Maverick is proof positive Tom Cruise still commands insane box office power. Since Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the MI franchise has somehow managed to find ways to keep going and just get better and better with every new instalment. This is no small part due to Cruise’s willingness to keep doing absolutely jaw-dropping and insane stunts which manage to outdo the last crazy stunt he did for the previous film.

While plot details remain unknown, Cruise is showing no signs of slowing down with the craziness of the stuns he seems willing to pull off, and all of the familiar faces seem to be back in action alongside Cruise. Christopher McQuarrie is once again calling the shots as the director. What’s more, the franchise has added some very exciting talents including Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementioff, Esai Morales and Shea Whigham. Given this is likely to be the penultimate film with Cruise in the role of Ethan Hunt, expect even more fireworks than before, if that is somehow possible.

 

3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Release date: June 2

 

2018’s Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse was one of the most stylish and unique animated films to have come out in a long time, and it’s one of the best superhero films ever made. Introducing fan favourite Miles Morales as Spider-Man, its unique animation style made it feel like it was as if the animators were directly taking pages of a comic book and translating them onto the screen. Plus given the recent trend among superhero films to explore the multiverse, it was a film ahead of the curve.

With this sequel, we can definitely expect more multiverse shenanigans, and the fact that this film will be part one is an extremely intriguing prospect. Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld and Jake Johnson will all be reprising their voice roles. Joining the case will be Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099, Issa Rae as Spider-Woman, Daniel Kaluuya as Spider-Punk, and quite possibly many more if the trailer is anything to go by. My spider senses are tingling with excitement already!

2. Oppenheimer

Release date: 21 July

Christopher Nolan’s films are always cinematic events, and his next film promises to be an enthralling, explosive spectacle exploring the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and more specifically his role in the creation of the atomic bomb in the Manhattan Project during World War II. Frequent Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy leads what is an extraordinarily stacked cast which includes: Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh to name but a few.

And, my #1 most anticipated film of 2023 is…

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1.  Dune: Part Two

Release date: 3 November 

“This is only the beginning”, says one character in the closing scene of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, a cliffhanger which left fans wanting an immediate return to Arrakis. The sequel was not assured given the film was released to cinemas as well as a day and date release on HBO Max, but with strong box office support, substantial viewership on HBO Max, and six Academy Awards at the 94th Oscars, the spice will flow once more as Villeneuve got the go-ahead to adapt the second half of Herbert’s novel, with Paul (Timothee Chalamet) out for revenge against the ruthless Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard).

As well as Chalamet and Skarsgard, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem reprise their roles from the first film. Joining them for this sequel will be Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Lea Seydoux and the legendary Christopher Walken.

This concludes my picks for the most anticipated films of 2023, What are your most anticipated films for this year? Let me know on any of the following platforms: Twitter, Facebook or Letterbox’d. 

 

Thanks for reading. Here’s to a great 12 months of cinema!

Posted in 2020-2029, Film Feature, Ranking

Best Films of 2021

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

2021, a year that initially began as 2020 ended, with the cinemas still closed amid a continuing lockdown that kept us at home. New releases were being brought to us through the streaming services, but it was wonderful to see the cinemas finally reopen in May. That feeling of being back in the cinema, watching films where they are meant to be seen, there’s honestly nothing like it. Given that the year saw the release of many films that were pushed back, there were lots of films for cinephiles to enjoy, and so let’s have a look and see what was the best films that 2021 had to offer.

Whenever I compile these end-of-year lists, the aim is always to include films that are listed as 2021 releases on IMDB. Yet, as will probably be the case till the end of time, some films had very staggered release dates. Consequently, there are some films appearing on this list that came out in 2020, but they weren’t available to UK audiences until 2021. Hence, this makes them available for this year’s list. Also, as much as I would want to, I’ve not seen every film that was released this year, so apologies if your favourite is not on here, as I may not have seen it. On the flip side to that, some films featured here that are listed as 2021 releases on IMDB, haven’t yet made their way to UK cinemas. However, as I was able to see some of these at London Film Festival this year, this means they are eligible for inclusion here.

Additionally, as I say every year, the grades I give the films do not determine the rankings of these films. A film that gets a perfect grade is not guaranteed to be my favourite film of the year. Lists like these are always a chance for the person compiling them to be as biased as they want to be. These are the films that, for me personally, defined 2021 as a strong year for film.

Before I get into the main list, I must give a shout out to some honourable mentions. These films are excellent that you should definitely check out, but they just didn’t quite make the list:

The Power of the Dog [review]. 12 years after her last film, Jane Campion returns to the director’s chair for an enthralling Western that focuses less on the cowboys and the shootouts, and more on the tense relationship between two brothers on a 1925 Montana ranch.

Encanto [review] The first, and not the last, film on this list that has the involvement of Lin-Manuel Miranda. Disney celebrated their landmark 60th animated feature film in some style, with a beautifully animated film that depicted a heartfelt story to prove the House of Mouse still has the magic touch.

Spencer [review]. Princess Diana’s story is one that is all too well known. A tragic figure in British history, Pablo Larrain’s unconventional biopic zeroes in on a time when Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles had grown cold. There’s a lot of creative liberties in terms of the story, but it all comes together thanks to an astonishing, transformative Kristen Stewart performance as Diana.

A Quiet Place Part II [review]. The first film that I saw in cinemas when they reopened. John Krasinski returned to the director’s chair to bring us a sequel to one of the most unique horror films of recent years. Recapturing that tension that of the first film was always going to be a tough ask, but Krasinski pulled it off, delivering a sequel that proved to be a worthy follow up to the original, with an incredible performance from Millicent Simmonds.

Spider-Man: No Way Home [review]. Since the pandemic began, there’s arguably not been a film that had quite the level of hype going into it as the concluding chapter to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy. Where previous Spider-Man sequels failed, this threequel webbed all of its plot threads tremendously well and delivered an extremely satisfying film that should change the MCU as we know it.

 

Honourable mentions honoured. Now, since we had so many films this year, let’s dive into the top 15…

15. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

 

review

It had been a long time coming, but at long last this year, the MCU made a film that was led by an Asian superhero, alongside a predominantly Asian led cast. A landmark moment, and thanks to the outstanding stunt work, the film brought a unique visual style to the action scenes that are unlike anything that previous MCU films had brought to the table. Thanks to the brilliant performance of Simu Liu in the titular role, a new hero was born. Plus, in Tony Leung’s Wenwu, you have one of the best MCU villains in years.

14. tick, tick… BOOM!

As time goes by and we hit the later years in life, we begin to feel the pressure of wanting to leave our mark on the world. Taking the truly tragic story of Jonathan Larson and his struggles to craft the missing pieces of the puzzle for a play he’s writing doesn’t sound like the most invigorating combo in concept. But when you have a career-best performance from Andrew Garfield, and the usual catchiness of the songs that Lin-Manuel Miranda pens, and you have an extremely emotionally impactful combination that is beautifully directed by Miranda.

 

13. In the Heights

review

Continuing on the subject of Lin-Manuel Miranda, after being delayed by a year due to the pandemic, this Jon. M Chu-directed adaptation of Miranda’s 2005 musical was the much-needed blast of sun-soaked joy that we needed after many months of cinemas being shut. Filled to the brim with a plethora of memorable songs, all of which had a unique visual style to them. The film’s screenplay packed some important changes that made it extremely topical for the political landscape of 2021. In a year that saw a number of musicals, this is the best of them all and further proof that 2021 was the year of Lin-Manuel Miranda supremacy.

 

12. Belfast

review coming soon

In this beautiful semi-autobiographical film, director Kenneth Branagh tells the story about centres on a young boy growing up in the centre of Belfast just as the Troubles were beginning in Northern Ireland. Given that background, it seems unlikely that there’d be much room for humour, but Branagh works it so wonderfully well into his script, and gets awards-worthy performances out of every member of the main cast, especially Jamie Dornan and Catriona Balfe.

11. Raya and the Last Dragon

review

In all of the 58 Disney films that preceded this one, they’d never given audiences a heroine of South-Eastern Asian origin. As was the case with Shang-Chi, the film was a ground-breaking moment for representation that had been a long time coming. A lot of lore is packed into the story, but it married that up with an extremely exciting adventure. Plus, in Raya, you have yet another fearless and badass warrior princess that gives young girls a positive role model, and Awkwfinha as the voice of a dragon. One of Disney’s best films in years.

Now for the top 10…

 

 

10. No Time to Die

review

Being one of the first films to be affected by the pandemic, and being hit with a number of subsequent delays on top of that, it was starting to feel like we’d never get to see Daniel Craig’s final turn as James Bond. But thankfully this Autumn, it was finally released to the world, and it was worth the wait. The film had the extremely difficult task of tying all the loose ends from all of Craig’s previous Bond films, and managing the enormous expectations of the fans beforehand. Thankfully, while it wasn’t all plain sailing, it was mission accomplished with a compelling story that gave one of the best actors to play Bond a memorable final bow, and the send-off he deserved.

9. The Last Duel

review

Credit where credit is due for Ridley Scott. The veteran director is, at the age of 84, is still producing incredible pieces of cinema. He’s got a history with swords and sandals epic. However, what sets this apart from his previous films in this genre is that this is a medieval epic, with a modern, and very important message. Presenting its story in three distinct acts from a different person’s point of view, the first two acts are compelling and well written. However, it’s not until the third act, that the film truly soars, thanks to the award-worthy performance of Jodie Comer. This is, along with another film in this list, one of the most important films of the Post #MeToo Era of Hollywood, that absolutely did not deserve to be a box office bomb.

 

8. Sound of Metal

review

Losing one of your senses would undoubtedly be an extremely traumatic time in your life, especially if one of those senses was integral to your job as a drummer in a band. This is the devastating position that Ruben finds himself in, and must adapt to the changing circumstances of his life. With stunning sound work, the film puts you in Ruben’s (an extraordinary Riz Ahmed) position, and examines how his life will forever be changed by this painful diagnosis. An extraordinary directorial debut from Darius Marder that shines a deserved spotlight on deaf communities across the world.

7. King Richard

review

Serena and Venus Williams. Two names who need no introduction, as they have established themselves as two of the greatest athletes to have ever lived. What you probably don’t know, is the story of their father, Richard Williams, and the impact he had in shaping their early careers. The parents of any budding young superstar athletes undoubtedly have to work tirelessly to help their children achieve their dreams, and this uplifting family drama takes us on that journey. The film is packed with incredible performances, including an arguably career-best performance from Will Smith as Richard. He’s very ably supported by star-making turns from Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton as the young Venus and Serena respectively, likewise for Aunjanue Ellis as their mother Brandi.

 

6. The Harder They Fall

review

The Western genre is one that has so often been dominated by white lead characters. Meanwhile, for any black characters in these films, they are too often reduced to bit-part roles that don’t give them a chance to shine. However, as the words “These. People. Existed.” flash up on the screen at the start of this slick and stylish Western, it is a timely reminder that these people have stories of their own that deserve to be told. Enter Jeymes Samuel, with his feature film directorial debut that puts these characters front and centre.

Looking at what Samuel brings to the table in terms of his cast and the action scenes, it almost defies belief that this is his feature film debut. His passion for the genre comes through with every frame, and with the super talented cast he has at his disposal, it all meshes together tremendously well. An enthralling and much-needed revitalisation of the Western genre.

 

5. The Mitchells vs. the Machines

review

Technology has very much become a crucial aspect of modern life. From computers to mobile phones, it seems every so often we’re bathing our eyes in the blue light of some fanciful gadget. Films have often tackled the seemingly probable eventuality of a robot apocalypse, but what if when said robot uprising begins, humanity’s last hope is in the form of a hilarious, but extremely dysfunctional family? The answer is the latest hilarious film from those animated wizards at Sony Pictures Animation.

Filled to the brim with funny commentary about how dependent we are on our gadgets, the film’s animation brilliantly combines 2D and 3D styles of animation. The voice performances are all first-class, and the film has, hands down, THE best scene involving Furbies that will ever be seen in any film, ever.

 

4. The Suicide Squad

review

It’s fair to say that DC’s first attempt to bring their collection of super villains and mould them into a team of heroes didn’t get the reception and adulation that DC would have wanted. So what do you do to make a second attempt at this crop of characters work? Well, you bring in the guy who turned an obscure collection of Marvel anti-heroes into box office gold, and apply that to DC’s equivalent collection of characters.

While the film retains some characters from the 2016 film, it’s very much a soft reboot than a direct sequel. James Gunn brings his unique sense of humour to the story, and this new iteration expertly combines previous fan favourites, such as Harley Quinn, with exciting new recruits like a walking, talking humanoid shark, and a character who’s fond of rats. On paper, it sounds ridiculous but under Gunn’s direction, the end result is glorious and gory comic book movie mayhem.

 

 

Now, when it came to the top 3, putting these three films in some kind of order was extremely tough. At one point this year, I had all three of these at #1, and they all would be thoroughly deserving of that spot. If I could have them as a three-way tie for #1, I would. But as they must be ranked, we go on with…

 

3. Judas and the Black Messiah

review

The Civil Rights Movement in the US has seen a number of highly charismatic and influential leaders take a stand and leave their mark on history. The likes of Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Muhammed Ali are all important figures whose story has been told throughout history. Yet there’s one important figure whose name has seldom been told, but who really should be held in the same breath as these aforementioned historical figures: Fred Hampton Jr.

The story and film’s message have only become more important and relevant in recent years since events in 2020 forced the world to have an urgent conversation about race relations in the US. LaKeith Stanfield’s leading performance as the FBI informant is incredible. However, it is Daniel Kaluuya’s transformative, Oscar-winning, supporting turn as Hampton himself that cements this biographical historical drama as one of the most important films of the year.

2. Promising Young Woman

review

Every so often there is a film that holds up a mirror to our society, that demands us to have a conversation about a particular topic. It’s the power of a truly great film. Not only do they generate a discussion, but they stay with you even after the credits have rolled. This was most definitely applicable for this enthralling directorial debut from Emerald Fennell.

Forced to drop out of med school, following a tragic incident involving her best friend, Cassie goes out at night pretending to be drunk, to catch in the act, would be sexual predators who would take advantage of a drunken woman. The film grips with you with the opening act, and only escalates when circumstances present Cassie with an opportunity to take revenge against the person who inflicted all that pain on her years ago. Fennell expertly juxtaposes bright and colourful romantic comedy moments, with the more dark and brutal revenge mission, all while getting a career-best performance from Carey Mulligan.

 

And so my favourite film of 2021 is

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1. Dune 

review

For two years running, this was my most anticipated film of the year, and it absolutely delivered on those lofty expectations. Denis Villeneuve has cemented himself as one of, if not, my favourite directors working today. He has consistently delivered incredible films every time, and it was clear from interviews in the build-up to the film’s release just how much of an impact Frank Herbert’s iconic novel had on him growing up. It was said to be an unfilmable book, but Villeneuve absolutely proved everybody wrong.

Right from the off, the film immediately pulls the audience into the world of Arrakis and Dune. Villeneuve brings the visual majesty that he brought to his previous sci-fi works, and with a packed ensemble cast tells an utterly enthralling story, or at least the first part of it. The scope of the novel meant that Villeneuve was able to take his time, and it pays off. Dune very much stands on its own as an enthralling piece of sci-fi storytelling, and it was made for the big screen. Experiencing films like this was an experience that was sorely missed in 2020, and so to get the opportunity to experience this on the biggest screen possible was absolutely special. Plus, the great news is that we’ve Part Two still to come.

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And that brings the curtain down on my list of the best that film had to offer in 2021. Thank you for reading, especially if you read all the way through! Let’s hope that it won’t be long before the cinemas reopen and we can witness more films on the big screen. What were your favourite films of 2021? Let me know in the comments below or you can find me on the following platforms: Twitter, Facebook or Letterbox’d.

For my picks for my most anticipated films of 2022, please click here.

Posted in 2010-2019, Film Feature

92nd Academy Awards: Best Picture (Collaboration)

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The biggest night in showbiz is once again upon us, and I have once again teamed up with a group of awesome fellow film bloggers as we try and foresee the future by predicting who will be triumphant by the time the 91st Academy Awards have come to a close. We will be discussing the nine films that are up for Best Picture, giving you our rankings of all the films that we have seen, and making our case for what film should be clutching that Oscar, come the end of the evening. As a reminder, here are the nominees for Best Picture:

  • Ford v Ferrari
  • The Irishman 
  • Jojo Rabbit
  • Joker
  • Little Women
  • Marriage Story
  • 1917
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Parasite

Out, of those nine, what film should emerge victorious? Here’s my two cents:

As av  history student I am, I gravitate to war films. But this is not the reason why Sam Mendes’s magnum opus is my pick for the Best Picture of 2019. It’s for the fact that it is an astounding cinematic achievement that just floored me in every way. Filmed to look as if it is one continuous tracking shot, it should clean house in the technical categories, and ensure that the legend that is Roger Deakins picks up another Oscar. But all that technical mastery would count for nothing, if the story being told in front of the camera was not compelling and emotionally investing, which it absolutely is.

Focusing on two young English soldiers who must go behind enemy lines to deliver a message to call off an attack to prevent an absolute slaughter. The premise is simple but it’s extremely effective, and that’s down to the extraordinary performances of Dean-Charles Chapman, and especially George MacKay who demonstrate they are far more than just the uniforms they are wearing. From the first minute, I was thoroughly invested in their mission, and the extraordinary camerawork fully immerses you in the time and the place. You do feel like you are on the ground with these men, and it never let up throughout the tense two hour run time.

For my full ranking of this year’s nominees, please click here.

Here’s what my awesome contributors had to say:

Maddy: @madelexne

“Parasite is easily the best film I have seen in years. Every inch of it is polished to perfection in a wholly authentic way, and I am in awe of what Bong Joon Ho has created alongside a sensational cast and crew. It’s the most deserving winner of Best Picture in years.”

  1. Parasite
  2. Marriage Story
  3. Little Women
  4. Jojo Rabbit
  5. The Irishman
  6. Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood
  7. 1917
  8. Joker

Nathan: @__Nathan

“If not now, when? As foolish as it may sound, Best Picture means more than simply being the most well-made film of the year. All good winners of the Academy’s highest accolade, in my opinion, should be saying something about the world we live in; while it isn’t exactly necessary, a film’s social value makes a winner stand out. Parasite, Bong Joon-Ho’s social satire on class (we won’t say more, as it’s best appreciated blind), touches upon so many genres, incorporates so many tones and speaks so deeply about the way we interact as humans, that it’s something of a miracle that it works – never mind as masterfully and as confidently as it does.

Joon Ho’s layered screenplay and precise direction, the jaw-dropping production design, combined excellence of its well-dialled ensemble and razor-sharp editing have created something truly special in Parasite.
Never has a foreign language film been so accessible; never in my recollection has a movie earned such adoration across the board; and never has a film with this much hype actually lived up to it. It’s unlikely that a film as wildly entertaining, emotionally stirring, thematically sharp and just as consistently brilliant as Parasite will grace our cinemas for some time, so we should embrace it now.

The Academy has the opportunity to introduce one of the very greatest films of the century into a most elite club on Sunday. In the words of Bong Joon-Ho (and his interpreter for the award trail, Sharon Choi), let’s hope that voters can overcome the “the one-inch barrier of subtitles” and give the year’s best picture the Best Picture trophy.”

For Nathan’s full ranking of this year’s nominees, please click here.

Plain, Simple Tom: @PlainSimpleTom

Looking at 2019’s Best Picture nominees, there are only really three of them that I’d count as being truly special: 1917, Marriage Story and Joker – no, I haven’t had the chance to see Parasite yet – and out of the three of them, I’d guess that 1917 would be the likeliest to win, though I have no idea what the general consensus is on who the frontrunner is and maybe the critically adored Parasite will surprise everyone by being the first foreign language film to win. But there’s something to like in all the nominees and, with the exception of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Jojo Rabbit, I’d be perfectly satisfied if any of them won, though my preference would be 1917 and I’d love to see Joker win so that I can see Twitter explode.

And my ranking of the eight that I’ve seen would be:

  • 1917
  • Marriage Story
  • Joker
  • Ford vs. Ferrari/Le Mans ’66
  • The Irishman
  • Little Women
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Jojo Rabbit

Please find the links below to the other pieces written by these awesome film bloggers:

Posted in 2010-2019, Film Feature

92nd Academy Awards: Final Predictions

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Another awards season is now coming to a close, and every year it comes by, there always seems to be some kind of controversy attached to it. This year is no different, having given us one of the most divisive movies in a long time in Joker. Yet said film has lead the way with the most nominations (11). Furthermore, there has been a notable lack of diversity in the acting nominations, just barely avoiding another #OscarsSoWhite situation, and much like the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, a distinct lack of women in the director category, in spite of some truly excellent films made by women.

While it’s crystal clear that some work needs to be done on those matters, it has been a very strong year to round out the 2010s on the big screen and once again, there are 24 golden statues to give out. So who will be clutching one of those 24 golden statues that are on offer? Time to have a gaze at my metaphorical crystal ball and give my predictions, as well as give my own two cents on each category, minus the documentaries and the short films.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

  • Cynthia Erivo – Harriet
  • Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story
  • Saoirse Ronan – Little Women
  • Charlize Theron – Bombshell
  • Renée Zellweger – Judy

Last year, Olivia Colman unexpectedly (but very happily) took the statue ahead of strong favourite Glenn Close. This year, Renee Zellweger’s performance as Judy Garland has been sweeping all before her, so a triumph for her seems certain. However, her likely win is frustrating given that her performance was easily the best thing about an otherwise bland/forgettable biopic.

Johansson has become the first actor to be nominated in lead and supporting since 2007, and her work in Marriage Story was arguably a career best. Charlize Theron was on reliably excellent form in Bombshell, Saorise Ronan’s excellent performance in Little Women has ensured she has very impressively chalked up a fourth nomination at the age of 25. While it is embarrassing that Cynthia Erivo is the only person of colour to get nominated, her performance as the inspirational civil rights icon Harriet Tubman was more than deserving of recognition, as was Awkwafina whose heart-wrenching performance in The Farewell was snubbed.

What’s more, the Academy’s refusal to give horror films a look in is baffling when two of the best performances by women in leading roles came from Florence Pugh (Midsommar) and especially Lupita Nyong’o (Us), the latter of whom’s extraordinary dual performance really wipes the floor with the likely winner, and the fact it’s not in the conversation at all, is just mind-boggling.

Will Win: Renée Zellweger 

Should Win: Scarlett Johansson

Should have been nominated: Lupita Nyong’o for Us/ Florence Pugh for Midsommar/ Awkwafina for The Farewell 

Best Actor in a Leading Role

  • Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory
  • Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Adam Driver – Marriage Story
  • Joaquin Phoenix – Joker 
  • Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes

It seems a sure bet The Academy will ensure that Joaquin Phoenix becomes the second actor to win an Oscar for playing the Joker, eleven years after Heath Ledger’s posthumous win in 2009. Despite the backlash in some quarters to the film, his performance has been widely recognised as its main strength. Though he’s got some considerable competition, most notably from Adam Driver’s heart-breaking work in Marriage Story, likewise for Antonio Banderas’s very personal performance in Pain & Glory. Jonathan Pryce’s nomination came as a mighty surprise, especially given the bemusing absence of Robert De Niro, who gave his best performance in years that was more than worthy of recognition.

In an ideal world, this would be Driver’s trophy but Phoenix will have the last laugh here.

Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix

Should Win: Adam Driver

Should have been nominated: Robert De Niro for The Irishman 

Best Supporting Actress

  • Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell
  • Laura Dern – Marriage Story
  • Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit
  • Florence Pugh – Little Women
  • Margot Robbie – Bombshell

By far and away, one of the biggest snubs when the nominations were announced was the absence of Jennifer Lopez in this category for her stunning work in Hustlers. Given that she was nominated for pretty much every other awards show going, it was a massive surprise to see her not nominated. 2019 was the year that Florence Pugh truly made a name for herself. It’s worth reiterating that her outstanding work in Midsommar was worthy of a nomination. However, it is pleasing to see that in the year she made a name for herself, she’s duly rewarded with a well deserved Oscar nomination. Johansson had a small, but extremely effective part in Jojo Rabbit, which served as the emotional core of Taika Waititi’s film.

But like the other two acting awards, this has got Laura Dern’s name on it. To make a divorce lawyer a likeable character is quite the skill and it will ensure that she ends her long wait for Oscar gold.

Will Win: Laura Dern

Should Win: Laura Dern

Could have been nominated: Jennifer Lopez for Hustlers or Zhao Shuzhen for The Farewell 

Best Supporting Actor

  • Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
  • Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes
  • Al Pacino – The Irishman
  • Joe Pesci – The Irishman
  • Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

The fourth and final acting award of the night, and again it is looking another lock, this time for Brad Pitt’s incredible work in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. There’s definitely some dark history attached to this character, but Pitt’s charm and charisma is so effortless that along with Leo DiCaprio, he’s so much fun to watch.  To see Joe Pesci come out of retirement for Martin Scorsese’s gangster masterpiece was just wonderful to behold, and alongside Al Pacino, they made an effective compelling trio of powerful performances in Scorsese’s gangster epic. Tom Hanks’s first Oscar nomination in 19 years was long overdue, and while he made for a perfect Fred Rogers, this is Pitt’s trophy to lose.

Will Win: Brad Pitt

Should Win: Al Pacino/Joe Pesci (can’t split them)

Should have been nominated: Jamie Foxx for Just Mercy or Song-Kang-ho for Parasite 

Best Director

  • Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
  • Todd Phillips – Joker
  • Sam Mendes – 1917
  • Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
  • Bong Joon-ho – Parasite

Like with BAFTA and the Golden Globes, the best director category is, rather disappointingly, another all male affair. When you consider some of the films that were made by women, is extremely disappointing. The films made by these men are (mostly) great (looking at you Todd Phillips) but when you have the likes of Greta Gerwig, Marielle Heller or Lulu Wang or heck even Olivia Wilde, get shut out, it is deeply frustrating. It makes you wonder what these directors have to do to break down that barrier.

However, of the five to get nominated, by far the one that stands out the most is the work of Sam Mendes and the stunning work that is done to make 1917 such an immersive experience that puts you on the ground with these men. Bong Joon-ho is definitely a threat to Mendes due to his breath-taking work with Parasite, but a second Oscar for Mendes would be a fitting way to celebrate what is one of his finest films.

Will Win: Sam Mendes 

Should Win: Sam Mendes

Should have been nominated: Greta Gerwig for Little Women or Lulu Wang for The Farewell

Best Original Screenplay

  • Knives Out – Rian Johnson
  • Marriage Story – Noah Baumbach
  • 1917 – Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Quentin Tarantino
  • Parasite – Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won

Five extremely strong screenplays competing here, but given that four of the five are Best Picture nominees, Knives Out‘s chances of an upset are sadly slim to none. Given the criticisms in some quarters of 1917’s screenplay, it seems unlikely to add to its probable slew of Oscar wins in the technical categories. Noah Baumbach could yet pull off an upset to add to Marriage Story’s Supporting Actress win, but this seems to be a race between OUATIH and Parasite. Tarantino has twice won this Oscar twice before, and a hat-trick is definitely possible, but it likely won’t be the case. While Parasite is a surefire bet to win Best International Feature, this should be Bong Joon ho’s richly deserved moment in the spotlight.

Will Win:  Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won for Parasite

Should Win: Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won for Parasite

Should have been nominated: Lulu Wang for The Farewell

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • The Irishman – Steven Zaillian
  • Jojo Rabbit – Taika Waititi
  • Joker – Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
  • Little Women – Greta Gerwig
  • The Two Popes – Anthony McCarten

To have taken on an adaptation of a much beloved novel, one that has been many times over, and put your own stamp on the material, providing audiences with the definitive adaptation of said novel is a credit to Greta Gerwig. Given her snub in the director category, it would be very satisfying to see her win for only her second feature film. Furthermore, it would make her the only woman to win in this category in the 2010s, which given the lack of diversity in the directing category is indicative of the obstacles facing female writers and directors.

Yet she has some stiff competition in the form of Taika Waititi who had the extremely tricky task of adapting the novel Caging Skies for the big screen. There was an enormous risk that this could have backfired badly, and it definitely divided critics and audiences right down the middle. The divisive nature of Jojo might just help it swing back in Little Women’s favour though, but it’s very close to call.

Will Win: Taika Waititi for Jojo Rabbit

Should Win: Greta Gerwig for Little Women

Should have been nominated:  Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Best Animated Feature Film

  • How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – Dean DeBlois, Bonnie Arnold, and Brad Lewis
  • I Lost My Body – Jérémy Clapin and Marc du Pontavice
  • Klaus – Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh, and Marisa Romá
  • Missing Link – Chris Butler, Arianne Sutner, and Travis Knight
  • Toy Story 4 – Josh Cooley, Jonas Rivera, and Mark Nielsen

One of the more unpredictable categories this year. In years gone by, the Academy has always leaned towards Disney/Pixar films, and so often they run away with it. Yet, due to the fact that Toy Story 4 isn’t as highly regarded as the 3 that came before it, that could count against it. Indeed, this year’s race has seen the majority of the prizes being split up between Klaus and Missing Link.  Hence, any one of these three could end up claiming the trophy.

Will Win: Klaus

Should Win: Toy Story 4

Best International Feature Film

  • Corpus Christi (Poland) – Directed by Jan Komasa
  • Honeyland (North Macedonia) – Directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov
  • Les Misérables (France)– Directed by Ladj Ly
  • Pain and Glory (Spain) – Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
  • Parasite (South Korea) – Directed by Bong Joon-ho

While France could have nominated the much beloved Portrait of a Lady on Fire, it’s hard to look past this being another hit from the Bong for Parasite.

Will Win: Parasite

Should Win: Parasite

Could have been nominated: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (France)

Best Original Score

  • Joker – Hildur Guðnadóttir
  • Little Women – Alexandre Desplat
  • Marriage Story – Randy Newman
  • 1917 – Thomas Newman
  • Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – John Williams

This would appear to be a straight up battle between Guðnadóttir and Newman. But even 15 nominations later, and after producing a stirring, breath-taking score for 1917, there’s a substantial chance that Newman could lose out yet again. Which begs the question, what has he got to do to end his run without an Oscar?! If she wins, Guðnadóttir will become the first woman to win since the score category became one single category. While Desplat’s score for Little Women was delightful, it’s unlikely he’ll be claiming his third Oscar. The nomination for Williams does feel like a token nomination, and is more of a celebration of his work in general, given that his score for The Rise of Skywalker was, like the film itself, unremarkable. Alan Silvestri deserved a nomination for the “Portals” track alone.

Will Win:  Hildur Guðnadóttir

Should Win: Thomas Newman

Could have been nominated: Alan Silvestri for Avengers: Endgame

Best Original Song

  • “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4 – Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman
  • “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
  • “I’m Standing with You” from Breakthrough – Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren
  • “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II – Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
  • “Stand Up” from Harriet – Music and Lyrics by Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo

While Rocketman definitely could have got a few more nominations (Costumes and Best Actor), the one nomination it has picked up is likely to end in triumph for the Elton John biopic. As well as her nomination for Best Actress, Cynthia Erivo’s soulful performance of “Stand Up”, probably represents its closet challenger. However, a victory for Elton would be a fitting tribute to a true legend of the music industry.

Will Win:  (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again Rocketman

Should Win: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again from Rocketman

Best Sound Editing

  • Ford v Ferrari – Donald Sylvester
  • Joker – Alan Robert Murray
  • 1917 – Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Wylie Stateman
  • Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Matthew Wood and David Acord

Back at the 90th Oscars, it was a case of Baby Driver going up against Dunkirk in these two sound categories. This year, it’s once again a tale of revving cars vs warfare as Ford v Ferrari goes head to head with 1917. The work of the sound team on Ford V Ferrari is extremely impressive, and a big part of the film’s success. However, every technical aspect of 1917 helps to make it such an immersive cinematic experience, and the astounding work done by the sound team should put this out of reach of all of its competitors.

Will Win:  1917

Should Win: 1917

Best Sound Mixing

  • Ad Astra – Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano
  • Ford v Ferrari – Paul Massey, David Giammarco, and Steven A. Morrow
  • Joker – Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland
  • 1917 – Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler, and Mark Ulano

Likewise for the Sound Editing, this one should be going the way of 1917 as war films tend to do well in the sound categories, though again Ford V Ferrari represents its biggest competitor.

Will Win:  1917

Should Win: 1917

Should have been nominated:

Best Production Design

  • The Irishman – Production Design: Bob Shaw; Set Decoration: Regina Graves
  • Jojo Rabbit – Production Design: Ra Vincent; Set Decoration: Nora Sopková
  • 1917 – Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Production Design: Barbara Ling; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
  • Parasite – Production Design: Lee Ha-jun; Set Decoration: Cho Won-woo

Another category that feels very open given that all these nominees are in the Best Picture race. However, given that 1917 and Parasite are the front runners in that particular race, it’s looking like to be another battle between these two. Both the lavish home of the Park family, and the squalid dwellings of the Kim family were constructed from scratch. Yet the work done to eerily recreate the horrors of WWI trenches, No Man’s Land and a town that’s been battered by warfare, stand just a fraction above in my opinion. Though, given that the Academy so often likes films about Hollywood, don’t rule Once Upon a Time in Hollywood out of this.

Will Win: 1917

Should Win: 1917

Could have been nominated:

Best Cinematography

  • The Irishman – Rodrigo Prieto
  • Joker – Lawrence Sher
  • The Lighthouse – Jarin Blaschke
  • 1917 – Roger Deakins
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Robert Richardson

Roger Deakins produced further evidence of his unrivalled mastery as a cinematographer with his scintillating work in 1917. As well as making that one shot element of the film work so well, some of the shots especially the ones at night were just absolute feasts for the eyes. After FINALLY winning that first Oscar for Blade Runner 2049, Deakins will be claiming that second Oscar, a fitting recognition for one of the best ever cinematographers.

Will Win: Roger Deakins

Should Win: Roger Deakins

Should have been nominated: Pawel Pogorzelski for Midsommar

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

  • Bombshell – Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, and Vivian Baker
  • Joker – Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou
  • Judy – Jeremy Woodhead
  • Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten, and David White
  • 1917 – Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis, and Rebecca Cole

Two years ago, Kazu Hiro won this award for his work in transforming Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill. This time around, he and his fellow makeup artists work their magic to turn Charlize Theron and John Lithgow into Megyn Kelly and Roger Ailes respectively, and once again the work is extraordinary that should ensure another Oscar comes his way. With its likely wins in Best Actor and Best Original Score, Joker represents Bombshell’s biggest threat.

Will Win:  Bombshell

Should Win: Bombshell

Best Costume Design

  • The Irishman – Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson
  • Jojo Rabbit – Mayes C. Rubeo
  • Joker – Mark Bridges
  • Little Women – Jacqueline Durran
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Arianne Phillips

Of the six nominations it received, this category unfortunately probably represents Little Women’s best chances of success, and while period pieces usually do well here,it’s by no means a given that it will win (see last year with Black Panther triumphing over The Favourite.) Furthermore, both Sandy Powell and Mark Bridges have already won multiple awards in this category, but hopefully the power of those lavish 19th century frocks will propel Jacqueline Durran and, Little Women, to victory.

Will Win: Little Women

Should Win: Little Women

Best Film Editing

  • Ford v Ferrari – Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker
  • The Irishman – Thelma Schoonmaker
  • Jojo Rabbit – Tom Eagles
  • Joker – Jeff Groth
  • Parasite – Yang Jin-mo

To have made a three and a half hour film feel so well paced that it rarely drags is a testament to Thelma Schoonmaker’s talents as an editor. Through her collaboration with Scorsese, she has bagged three Oscars and with The Irishman, it should bag her another Oscar. Yet it likely won’t, further raising the very real possibility of The Irishman walking away empty handed. As Russell Bufalino would say “It is what it is.”

The brilliant way that the two opposite strands of the sharp and witty story in Parasite come together is a testament to the marvellous editing by Yang Jin-mo, that should be rewarded with the trophy. But it would be dangerous to write off Ford v Ferrari as the editing helps ensure those racing scenes are as well realised as they are. Given that editing for Jojo Rabbit and Joker was fairly unremarkable, Lee Smith’s role in helping the continuous tracking shot element of 1917 has been unfairly overlooked.

Will Win:  Yang Jin-mo 

Should Win: Thelma Schoonmaker 

Should have been nominated: Lee Smith for 1917

Best Visual Effects

  • Avengers: Endgame – Dan DeLeeuw, Matt Aitken, Russell Earl, and Dan Sudick
  • The Irishman – Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, and Nelson Sepulveda
  • The Lion King – Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, and Elliot Newman
  • 1917 – Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, and Dominic Tuohy
  • Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach, and Dominic Tuohy

Last year, Black Panther grabbed the MCU its first three Oscars, but incredibly the record-breaking franchise has never won an Oscar for visual effects. Now would be the time for the Academy to recognise the extraordinary work of these artists whose work has been such an integral part of the MCU. The Irishman, and its use of the de-aging technology generated plenty of chatter, but not all of it was positive. While it would be ironic it would be if a Scorsese film beats a Marvel film to an Oscar, further disappointment for the MCU’s visual effects artists, and Scorsese are probably afoot, because the technical mastery of 1917 should ensure it is triumphant.

Will Win:  1917

Should Win: Avengers: Endgame

Should have been nominated: Captain Marvel

And, last and certainly by no means least….

Best Picture

  • Ford v Ferrari – Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and James Mangold
  • The Irishman – Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff
  • Jojo Rabbit – Carthew Neal and Taika Waititi
  • Joker – Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff
  • Little Women – Amy Pascal
  • Marriage Story – Noah Baumbach and David Heyman
  • 1917 – Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, and Callum McDougal
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, and Quentin Tarantino
  • Parasite – Kwak Sin-ae and Bong Joon-ho

Click here to see my ranking of the Best Picture contenders.

Unlike last year, that had a slew of films that felt undeserving of the Best Picture nominations (one of which ended up winning), the overwhelming majority of the films here are very much deserving of their place at this table. While, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood seemed to be the odds on favourite at one point to take home the big prize, it has since lost momentum. This has enabled latecomer 1917 to storm into the lead, with Parasite not too far behind. These two have been battling out for the top prizes and so it’s likely that one of these two films will take home the big prize.

Should Parasite emerge triumphant, it will become the first foreign language feature to win Best Picture, which would be a hugely significant accomplishment. In my eyes, as these are my two favourite films of this entire awards season, a win for either of these two masterpieces would be more than well deserved. That being said, I’m hoping for a 1917 victory, but should Parasite take home the trophy, there will be no complaints from me, as to paraphrase Al Pacino in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, “What a pair of pictures!”

Will Win:  1917

Should Win: 1917

Should have been nominated: Knives Out

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Final counts

Will win:

  • 1917 – 7
  • Parasite – 3
  • Joker – 2
  • Bombshell – 1
  • Jojo Rabbit – 1
  • Judy – 1
  • Little Women – 1
  • Klaus –1
  • Marriage Story – 1
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – 1
  • Rocketman – 1

Should win:

  • 1917 – 7
  • Marriage Story – 3
  • Parasite – 3
  • Little Women – 2
  • Avengers: Endgame – 1
  • Bombshell – 1
  • The Irishman – 1
  • Rocketman – 1
  • Toy Story – 1
Posted in 2010-2019, Film Feature

92nd Academy Awards: Best Picture Nominees Ranked

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The time has come for Hollywood to pay tribute to the best of the best that 2019’s cinematic offerings had to offer. With that comes a plethora of films competing for glory. With a total of nine films up for the big prize this year including a look at one of the most notorious villains in comic book history, a gripping war epic, another adaptation of a beloved novel, a thrilling satire at a capitalist society, and a love letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

There’s lots of quality to be found in this year’s bunch, but only one will walk away with the trophy. So the time has come to rank these from worst to best (per my opinion of course) starting with….

9. Joker

Full Joker review here

By far and away, Joker is the most divisive film among this year’s nominees. Every there’s always at least one film that I feel doesn’t deserve to be in the lineup, and this is that film for me. There’s no question it has plenty of admirers, most notably winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. On the flip side, it has no shortage of of detractors. While Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is superb and is likely to win him the Best Actor Oscar, the film has attracted plenty of criticism for being a poor imitation of the films that have quite clearly acted inspiration for the film, (namely Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy).

Now, I’m not of the opinion that Joker is a bad film. However, it should not be in the Best Picture conversation. Phoenix’s performance elevates it considerably beyond its pretty mediocre script, (as well as a great Hildur Guðnadóttir score) Furthermore, there’s nothing really remarkable about it. As well as arguably being a poor imitation of those aforementioned Scorsese films, it has plenty of problematic elements. Most notably, its depiction of mental health which leaves a lot to be desired and the fact that it felt as though it couldn’t make up its mind as to whether it was demonising its lead character, or heralding him as a hero against the backdrop of a broken society.

Now for these next eight that do (at least for my money) deserve to be in the conversation….

8. Little Women

Full review here

Even with the great calibre of all the other eight nominees, it feels like a disservice putting such a good film so low. However, it’s indicative of the quality of the eight remaining nominees that a film as good as this comes in eighth place. However, take nothing away from Greta Gerwig and what she has accomplished with only her second feature film. Having made something so wonderfully original for her directorial debut, her follow up reiterates what a talent she is both as a writer and a director. This beloved novel has had many adaptations in the past, but Gerwig puts her own stamp on the source material, with glorious results.

A key ingredient of why this film works is the brilliant work of each of the actresses playing the March sisters. The chemistry that they share feels so warm and affectionate. Like all siblings, they frequently go between loving each other, to loathing each other. What’s more, each sister brings something unique to the story. With every aspect of the production design and costumes on point, and another delightful Alexandre Desplat score, the entire ensemble cast all give excellent performances. Though the show is definitely stolen by Saorise Ronan and Florence Pugh, the latter of whom certainly made 2019 a year to remember with her first Oscar nomination.

 

7. Ford v Ferrari

Full review here

The mark of a truly great sports film is one that invests you in its story from the get-go, even if you’ve never heard of said event before. This is something that Ford V Ferrari does so brilliantly, but this is more than just a film about the 24 Hour Race at Le Mans in 1966. The intense battle between two men both striving for greatness in their fields, and the battle between them and the giant corporate machine that threatens to stomp all over their work is what keeps this well oiled machine of a film running smoothly.

As well as this absorbing drama, the work of the sound teams brings the film’s racing scenes to life in an exhilarating manner. With a truly excellent cast full of excellent performances, the best work comes from Matt Damon, and especially Christian Bale. Mixing in the back and forth between company head honchos and the absorbing, immaculately crafted racing scenes ensures that makes for extremely compelling storytelling, that helps this film race past the finishing line in flying colours.

6. Marriage Story

Full review here

Marrying someone you love can sometimes be a long-lasting and blissful experience that lasts the rest of your life. However, for others, it will sometimes end in heartbreak, causing the two people to go their separate ways. Noah Baumbach captures the pain of the divorce process with such raw emotion, which is lifted in part from his own experiences following his divorce from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh.

If I had my way, Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver would be winning Best Actress and Best Actor for their heart-breaking, powerful and emotional performances. With every moment, you feel the affection that they have for each other, and both strive to make this process as amicable as possible for the benefit of their son. But at the same time, there are moments where you feel the pain and rage that they’re both going through at that particular moment. In such a heavy drama, it’s a testament to Baumbach’s strong screenplay that he weaves some humorous moments expertly into the script, but it never negates the emotional weight of the story.

 

5. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Full review here

Quentin Tarantino films are so often known for two things: sharp, well written dialogue and some stylistic violence. And while his latest film ticks both those boxes, it definitely features more of the former than the latter. There’s something that feels very personal, almost fairytale like about this film, and it’s something that sets is apart from the rest of his filmography. It’s the director’s very personal love letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood, that so very obviously inspired him as a director.

Recruiting two of the most charismatic actors in the business definitely works in the film’s favour. The duo of Leo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt’s (likely) Oscar winning turn as stuntman Cliff Booth serve up a delightful bromance that I could watch all day long. While Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate was criminally underutilised, what screen time she had, she used effectively. Tarantino films of the past (mainly Inglorious Basterds) certainly demonstrate his fondness to rewrite the history books. With that, he takes us on an exciting journey through 1960s Hollywood, and provides us a very very satisfying pay off.

4. Jojo Rabbit

Full review here

The second Best Picture nominee to have created a fierce divide between audiences. Taking on subject matter like this is a brave decision for any film-maker. It could have all gone horribly wrong, but if anyone was able to take on this sort of premise and make it work, then Taika Waititi was the man to do that. And that’s just what he did, in spectacular, and truly hilarious, style.

In a similar vein to Marriage Story, there was a risk that the sharp and relevant satire could have negated the more intense dramatic moments of the film. Yet Waititi walks this line masterfully, combining the comedy and the devastating drama, whilst introducing the world to the star in the making that is Roman Griffin Davis. At a time when toxic ideologies have reared their ugly head, and have not been consigned to the history books where they belong, it’s a damning indictment on society that a film like this and its central message, of love triumphing over hate, feels all the more relevant in today’s society.

3. The Irishman

Full review here

Martin Scorsese and gangster movies are just a match made in heaven. Every time this legendary director ventures into the world of gangster film-making, it always seems to be a recipe for greatness and this is no exception. One of the most expensive Netflix productions to date, telling the fascinating story of delivery driver turned hitman Frank Sheeran and how he rose through the ranks of the mob, leading him to meeting charismatic Union Leader Jimmy Hoffa.

Under the expert vision of Scorsese, and long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker, the three and a half hours fly by as Scorsese absorbs you into this compelling and fascinating story that spans over multiple decades. Getting the best performances in years out of DeNiro and Pacino, whilst bringing Pesci out of retirement for one last hurrah. All three men are on stellar form, and DeNiro was inexcusably left out of getting a deserved Best Actor nomination, alongside Pesci and Pacino in the Supporting category. If this is Scorsese’s last venture into the world of mobster/crime films, then the Godfather of the genre has certainly bowed out in the finest way possible.

2. Parasite

Full review here

South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho is a name that might not be as instantly recognisable as a Tarantino or a Scorsese, but after watching his latest film, you’ll be hard pressed not to be utterly speechless by the brilliant work that the South Korean director has put together. Like last year with Roma, the fact that it stands a legitimate shot at becoming the first film not in the English language to win the top prize speaks volumes as to how well liked this film is, and it well deserved.

Looking at a case of one family living at the bottom of the barrel of society, who find a way to improve their situation by gaining employment with a family steeped in wealth. Filled to the brim with sharp, relevant commentary about the capitalist society that dominates many countries around the world, that simultaneously weaves in some brilliant humour into this story. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to the brilliance of this story that Bong Joon-ho has constructed, combine that with razor sharp performances from every member of this cast, and the end result is something that is a layered, enthralling piece of storytelling that you’ll want to revisit many times over.

1. 1917

Full review here

Being the history student I am, I gravitate to war films. But this is not the reason why Sam Mendes’s magnum opus is my pick for the Best Picture of 2019. It’s for the fact that it is an astounding cinematic achievement that just floored me in every way. Filmed to look as if it is one continuous tracking shot, it should clean house in the technical categories, and ensure that the legend that is Roger Deakins picks up another Oscar. But all that technical mastery would count for nothing, if the story being told in front of the camera was not compelling and emotionally investing, which it absolutely is.

Focusing on two young English soldiers who must go behind enemy lines to deliver a message to call off an attack to prevent an absolute slaughter. The premise is simple but it’s extremely effective, and that’s down to the extraordinary performances of Dean-Charles Chapman, and especially George MacKay who demonstrate they are far more than just the uniforms they are wearing. From the first minute, I was thoroughly invested in their mission, and the extraordinary camerawork fully immerses you in the time and the place. You do feel like you are on the ground with these men, and it never let up throughout the tense two hour run time. One of the finest war films ever made, not only is 1917 my favourite film of 2019, after multiple viewings, it has now cemented itself as one of my favourite films of all time.

—————————————————————————————

Could/should have been nominated…

Unlike last year, this year nine films have been chosen for the top honour. Yet once again, I find myself asking, why not just make it a perfect ten and nominate one extra film to have the honour of being in the company of these (mostly) great films. What could have joined their company? If I had my way, out would go Joker, and then choose from any of the following three films to make it a perfect ten:

Knives Out (review): After getting all that vitriol for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, it is delightful to see that Rian Johnson is now officially an Academy Award nominee, and very much deservedly so. Giving the Whodunnit genre a 21st century do-over, and the end result was an utter blast from beginning to end, with one of the best ensemble casts of the year.

Avengers: Endgame (review): Is this me being super biased towards one of my favourite franchises of the last decade? Perhaps, but the fact remains that this film marked the crowning glory of an extraordinary ten year journey, the like of which has never been seen in cinema before. Akin to Return of the King being very deservedly bestowed with a record-breaking number of Oscars for its extraordinary work, the extraordinary work that has gone into this franchise deserved to be recognised with a Best Picture nominee. The Academy definitely nominated the wrong comic book movie.

The Farewell (review): Honestly, how this film got completely overlooked baffles me. Telling a deeply personal story that draws from director Lulu Wang’s own background, it’s a story that anyone no matter where they are from, or where they grew up can connect with. On top of that, it boasts an Oscar worthy performance from Awkwafina.

Posted in 2020-2029, Film Feature

Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2020

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Happy new year cinephiles! It is 2020, a brand new decade is upon us, and that means there’s a lot of exciting films to come our way over the next 12 months.  So without further ado, I present to you my picks for my top 10 most anticipated films that are set to hit UK cinemas in 2020.

Just a quick note to say that certain films that have marketed 2020 releases such as The Lighthouse, Waves, Just Mercy etc will not be counted here, partly because I have seen some of these at London Film Festival, and a few were included in my best of the year ranking, even though they are set to arrive into UK cinemas this year. Before we get into the main body of the list, I have a few honourable mentions, that I am looking forward to, but they just didn’t quite make the list. These are:

Venom 2, So if you saw my review of the first film, you’ll know that I hated it and it was one of the worst things I saw in 2018. However, Andy Serkis attached as director for this sequel has me intrigued. Given Serkis’s expertise with motion capture work, I hope that he can use that expertise to make something more compelling than that awful first film, and less of the horrendous cheesy dialogue would be great as well.

Godzilla VS Kong, The MonsterVerse hasn’t exactly had the easiest of starts to its existence as a cinematic universe. Both 2014’s Godzilla and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island were both beset by similar problems, namely too little screen-time for their eponymous titans, in favour of mostly very bland humans. Last year’s King of the Monsters certainly packed more action, but was bogged down by a problematic script. We go to these films to see giant monsters throw down, so if they can focus more on that and less on the humans, this titanic clash certainly could be an enthralling spectacle.

The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson’s films are almost always eccentric, but that eccentricity doesn’t prevent his films from being wonderfully crafted pieces of art. After making the wonderful Isle of Dogs in 2018, the quirky director makes his return to live action. With another stacked cast including Anderson regulars like Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Frances McDormand, Owen Wilson and Adrian Brody.

The Eternals, The Infinity Saga might have wrapped up 23 films worth of MCU build up, but even after all that, the folks at Marvel are not showing any signs of slowing down. The studio has proved that it can take lesser known properties in their roster of heroes, and make extremely entertaining movies out of them. With an exciting cast, the studio will be hoping they have another Guardians of the Galaxy on their hands.

Soul,The first of two Pixar films scheduled to come out in 2020, is from the mind of Pete Docter, the visionary genius behind two of the studio’s most emotional films in Up and Inside Out, which means the odds of this being another emotional tear-jerker from Pixar are extremely high.

Honourable mentions have been honoured, let’s see what cracked my top 10:

10. Birds of Prey

Release date: 7th February

By far and away, one of the best aspects of 2016’s Suicide Squad, was Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. So after said film seemingly left the DCEU in limbo, Margot Robbie is once again, suiting up once again as Harley Quinn. This time, however, she has ditched Jared Leto’s Joker, in favour of some more female company. Together, Harley and this group of women find themselves up against Ewan McGregor’s villain: Black Mask.

Of all the comic book movies slated to come out in 2020, four out of them will be directed by women, and all five of them feature women in significant, leading roles. This can only be a good thing not just for the comic book movie genre, for the film industry as a whole. Let’s hope that under Cathy Yan’s direction, that Harley and her band of vigilantes can start 2020’s superhero offerings with a bang.

 

9. Last Night in Soho

Release date: 18th September

The mere mention of certain directors can be enough to generate anticipation, and Edgar Wright is certainly one of those names. After directing the fast paced, and extremely entertaining Baby Driver, his next project as a director is being teased as a psychological horror film set in 1960s London with a cast that includes includes Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith and Dame Diana Rigg.

 

8. A Quiet Place: Part II

Release date: 20th March

For years, John Krasinski was most likely known from his role in the US version of The Office, but then he transitioned into a film director. As far as first films go, A Quiet Place was a masterfully well made horror film, that placed a real emphasis on sound. Having also written and starred in the first film, for reasons you will realise if you have seen the first film, Krasinski is just behind the camera this time.

The plot once again features real life wife Emily Blunt leading the Abbot family and her children, who have discovered some useful information that could defeat the terrifying sound monsters that have ravaged the planet. If this film can rebuild that tension that the first part was able to capture so masterfully, another horror gem could be on our hands. But, best be quiet about it.

7. Mulan

Release date: 27th March

Despite their three live action releases in 2019 enduring decidedly mixed reactions from audiences and critics, the Box Office returns for said films were more than prosperous for Disney, leaving them to continue on with their mission to remake all their live action classics. Next on their list is the 1996 classic Mulan.

From the trailers, this looks as though it has potential to be considerably more faithful to the Chinese legend, as there will be no Mushu to be found here. With an all Chinese cast, and this being only the second Disney film with a female director (Niki Caro) and a budget above $100 million, following A Wrinkle in Time, Disney will be hoping that this is the film that brings the honour back to their live action remakes.

 

6. Onward

Release date: 6th March

Pixar so often find that magic touch in their films that can make grown adults bawl their eyes out at the beauty and the emotion of the events on screen, and when the studio is focused on crafting original stories (e.g Coco and Inside Out), they usually craft something pretty special.

This tale of two brothers off on a magical quest has all the recipe of being another Pixar classic. With Chris Pratt and Tom Holland voicing the brothers and Julia-Louis Drefyus and Octavia Spencer also lending their voices, it has all the makings of potentially another Pixar classic that will get the audience sobbing uncontrollably.

5. No Time to Die

Release date: 2nd April

After what feels like an absolute eternity, and amid constant speculation as to whether Daniel Craig would hand back his license to kill, the actor’s final outing as 007 is finally making its way to cinemas. With a production that seemed to be cursed from the outset, most notably being original director Danny Boyle being forced to drop out and an injury to Craig on set, new director Cary Joji Fukunaga has an almighty mission to deliver the goods.

Mixed in with the usual faces are an intriguing crop of new cast members including Lashana Lynch as a new 00 agent, Ana De Armas as a CIA operative, and Rami Malek as a rather sinister looking villain. After two great films, and two so-so films under his belt, Daniel Craig will be aiming to bow out on a high note.

 

4. Wonder Woman 1984

Release date: 5th June

Back in 2017, the DCEU was in limbo somewhat having had its previous two entries the preceding year, take something of a critical mauling, Hence, a lot was riding on the first Wonder Woman film to succeed, which it did in emphatic style. Now with another blast back to the past, 1984 strangely enough, we see Diana Prince battle a new foe in the form of Pedro Pascal’s Maxwell Lord as well as possibly Kristen Wiig as the Cheetah.

Goodness knows what Diana has been doing with her time in the years between WW1 and 1984, but with Patty Jenkins back in the director’s chair for this sequel, along with Birds of Prey, there’s every chance that this sequel can replicate the success of the first WW film, and should it achieve that it will be a further boost for the DCEU as it bids to continue along the trajectory that’s been set by the first WW and last year’s Shazam!

3. Black Widow

Release date: 1st May

SPOILER ALERT if you’re one of the very few people who didn’t see Avengers: Endgame, but said film sadly marked the heroic demise of Natasha Romanoff as she sacrificed herself to help the Avengers gather the Infinity Stones to save the universe. For a long time now, fans have clamoured to see her get her own film, especially given the success of Captain Marvel. While it is a little strange that this film has come now, given her Endgame fate,  it is great to see it finally happening.

Rumoured to be set between the events of Civil War and Infinity War, it teases more of her back story that has been so often the subject of fleeting mentions in previous MCU films, so to see Scarlett Johansson back in this role is undeniably exciting. Add in a top drawer cast that includes Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour, everything is in place to ensure that this off Phase Four of the MCU with a bang.

 

 

2. Tenet

Release date: 17th July

Christopher Nolan, a director who can generate anticipation by a mere mention of his name. There are many who believe that the director hasn’t made a bad film yet, and his latest promises to be the usual mind-bending wizardry that we have come to expect from Nolan. With a stellar cast that includes John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, and of course a customary appearance from Sir Michael Caine, expect more mind-bending awesomeness when this one debuts in cinemas….

 

And, my #1 most anticipated film of 2020 is……………………………………………………

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1. Dune

Release date: 18th December

In a similar vein to Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve is another director who’s name just captures the attention. Having hit a hot streak with Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, Villeneuve has proved himself to be one of the best directors working today, and now a fresh adaptation of the 1965 by Frank Herbert is in his sights.

In the wake of the film by David Lynch, which the director promptly disowned upon release, the potential for something truly special, especially with arguably the most stacked cast of the entire year that includes Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Rampling, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Jason Momoa. Fans of the novel can have hope that this masterful director can do the novel justice, which given that this is reportedly the first of two films, offers much promise.

Thus concludes my picks for the most anticipated films of 2020, What are your most anticipated films for this year? Let me know on any of the following platforms: Twitter, Facebook or Letterbox’d. 

Thanks for reading and here’s to another great year of cinema!

Posted in 2010-2019, Film Feature

Best Films of 2019

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

It is fitting in many ways, that as we reach the end of the decade, that a number of the franchises that have had a massive impact in the last ten years of cinema have been brought to a close. 22 films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe gave a very satisfying pay off, the curtain closed on the Skywalker saga for the final time, and the less said about that Game of Thrones finale, the better. Meanwhile, Netflix continues to assert itself in the industry producing some stellar content, all while an exhaustive amount of discourses and debates on a variety of subjects relating to film have raged all year long. It was certainly an eventful year of cinema to close out the decade, and so the time has come for me to rank all that 2019 had to offer on the big screen, at least of the films I saw.

Due to staggered UK release dates, it can be extremely messy to determine what film belongs in what year. Therefore regarding the eligibility of films for this list, I always aim to include films that are listed as 2019 releases on IMDB. Also, some of the films listed here haven’t yet made their way into UK cinemas, but since I was fortunate to be able to catch some of these films at London Film Festival this year, they are eligible for inclusion. On the other hand, there’s a 2019 release that doesn’t get its UK wide release until February 2020, so that film will be deferred for my 2020’s list, and I am absolutely certain that will make an appearance.

Secondly, the grade a film receives does not necessarily determine its place on the list. Getting the perfect grade does not mean it will rank higher than a film that got a lower grade. This is, as is the case for all of us who review films, our one chance to be completely biased about the films that we enjoyed the most, and these are the films that I will remember from 2019.  Before I get into the main list, some honourable mentions need to have their time to shine. These films are excellent that you should definitely check out, but they just didn’t quite make the list. First up…

Ad Astra [review] Many films have illustrated just how terrifying the eternal chasm that is space, and Brad Pitt’s enthralling turn as an astronaut who must venture deep into space in search of his long lost father is another example. It’s a slow burner, but well worth the investment.

Harriet [review] Harriet Tubman’s story is nothing short of inspirational, a woman born into slavery who escaped and then daringly made several missions to free people from this appalling institution. This biopic, while told in a very conventional manner, tells her story with sincerity, and boasts a magnificent performance from Cynthia Erivo, whose career as an actor is going from strength to strength.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood [review coming soon] Tom Hanks is simply put, one of the most charismatic answers in the business, and so the decision to cast him as the legendary TV children’s presenter Fred Rogers was an utter masterstroke. As you’d expect Hanks’s performance is wonderful and Marielle Heller’s direction is so charming, that it’s guaranteed to give you a warm feeling by the time the credits have begun to roll.

Hustlers [review] For women who work in a strip club, it can be a difficult situation to find themselves in. For one group of women however, it’s a situation they choose take full advantage of, by devising a scheme to get back at the wealthy patrons of the strip club that employs them. With an excellent group of actresses at its core, and a fascinating story, the entire show is stolen by an electric, awards worthy performance from Jennifer Lopez.

Toy Story 4 [review] After Toy Story 3 wrapped up one of the best animated trilogies ever, in beautiful and heart-wrenching fashion, many were left wondering, was there any need for another Toy Story? Fears that this would prove to be a cynical cash grab were soon dismissed as Pixar, as they so often do, delivered the goods with a fourth film that absolutely needed to be told. It doesn’t quite match the lofty standards set its predecessors, but it comes mighty close.

Captain Marvel [review] It shouldn’t have taken as long as it did, but 2019 marked the first time that the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a female led film, and it was certainly worth the wait. While the story was certainly a tad formulaic, it was extremely entertaining and flew its way to a billion dollars at the Worldwide Box Office, firmly shutting up those individuals that tried to derail the film prior to its release.

Little Women [review] Making yet another adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott seemed to be a tad unnecessary. However, in the wake of her stunning directorial debut. Greta Gerwig took this beloved novel and put her own take on it, and in so doing may have created the definitive big screen adaptation.

Honourable mentions have been honoured, time to crack on with the main list, which due to the vast number of great films we have had this year I’ve made it into a top 15 list, and we begin with…

15. Official Secrets

review

Working for the government can put any employee in a difficult position, especially when they handle such confidential information. For one employee, deciding that a confidential memo demands to become public information, she bravely takes on her government by leaking the aforementioned memo to the Press.

The intrigue is maintained throughout thanks to some excellent writing and a sensational lead performance from Keira Knightley who carries the film on her shoulders magnificently. There’s a very important message at the centre of this gripping film that remains very relevant to the world we live in today, namely that governments need to be held to account when they try to sweep such damning information under the rug.

14. Midsommar

review

After terrifying audiences with his debut feature Hereditary, Ari Aster has reinforced his growing reputation as a horror maestro with his sophomore feature. Telling the story of a woman goes with her boyfriend to a Swedish Pagan festival, and some dark and disturbing events soon start to unfold.

With a magnificent, haunting, awards worthy lead performance from Florence Pugh, that captures raw grief and pain in such a powerful manner. One of the best directed films of the year, filled with some thought provoking themes and imagery, with plenty of scenes that I will certainly not be forgetting in a hurry.

13. Ford V Ferrari

review

The mark of a great film, especially one about a sporting event, is that you shouldn’t have to be the most devout follower of said sport to be thoroughly invested in it. The 24 Hour Race of Le Mans isn’t the most glamorous, or indeed the most iconic of sporting events, but that didn’t prevent James Mangold from crafting an extremely compelling film about it.

With a truly excellent cast full of excellent performances, the best work comes from Matt Damon, and especially Christian Bale. Mixing in the back and forth between company head honchos and the absorbing, immaculately crafted racing scenes ensures that makes for extremely compelling storytelling, that helps this film hit race past the finishing line in flying colours.

12. Marriage Story

review

The day the two people tie the knot is so often the happiest day of those people’s lives, but sometimes, that loving relationship can be soured, causing people to go their separate ways. The pain of the divorce process is captured so powerfully by director Noah Baumbach, as two people go through a problematic and painful divorce that will push both both parents to the limits, whilst trying to do what’s best for their son.

With awards worthy performances from just about everyone, though without any doubt, the spotlight shines brightest on Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. The performances of these two are arguably the best performances of the year. To go from a funny moment, to a remorseful moment in a heartbeat is a skill, and it’s a testament to the strength of Baumbach’s screenplay that he combines these two contrasting emotions so strongly, without tainting the experience.

11. The Farewell

review

Family, an institution that can mean so much to so many of us. When such sorrowful news about a loved one’s declining health reaches our ears, it can be difficult news to take. Especially when, the traditions between generations and cultures can be such a stark contrast.

The film is such a surprise with how much humour it finds in this situation, but Lulu Wang expertly balances the delightful moments, with ones that are just raw with emotion. At the centre of all, Awkwafina gives the performance of her career as a woman who’s caught between two different customs and traditions. No matter who you are or where you’re from, you’ll connect with this film in some capacity.

Now for the top 10…

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Posted in 2010-2019, Film Feature

91st Academy Awards Predictions: Lead and Supporting Actor

Posted on by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Hollywood’s biggest night is upon us once again, and I have teamed up with a group of awesome fellow film bloggers as we try and foresee the future by predicting who will be triumphant by the time the 91st Academy Awards have come to a close. I will be discussing the ten gentlemen who are up for both Actor in a Leading Role and Actor in a Supporting Role. As always, there are some magnificent performances, but there can only be one winner in each category. Let’s get started with:

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Christian Bale – Vice

Last year’s winner of this award Gary Oldman totally transformed himself via a great heap of make-up into Winston Churchill, and it paid dividends. This year we have fellow Brit Christian Bale disappearing under a lot of make up to transform him into the most powerful Vice President the US has ever had. It helps to add authenticity to Bale’s performance, it’s just a pity then that the film around him is very vulgar and put together in a way that will piss people off. The Academy does love a good transformation though, so Bale might yet take home his second Oscar *shudders at thought*.

Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born

This is Bradley Cooper’s fourth acting Oscar nomination (seven if you count the other awards he’s up for), and honestly he is the man who should be winning that statue. For a film in which he does just about every job going (acting, singing, writing and directing) it’s honestly Cooper’s best performance of his career so far. He clearly is a guy who is battling some fierce personal demons, but watching him connect with Lady Gaga’s upcoming musician is just so touching and heart-warming, which all comes to a crescendo when the duo first perform “Shallow” together. It is just beautiful and so deserving of an award.

Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate

Regrettably since this film has not arrived on UK shores, I cannot comment on this performance. While I have no doubt that an actor of Dafoe’s talents gave a great performance, the Academy really should have nominated John David Washington for his performance in BlacKkKlansman.

Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody

While my heart wills it to be a triumph for Cooper, it seems almost certain that the next recipient of this award will be Rami Malek for his remarkable performance as the iconic frontman of the legendary Queen, the one and only Freddie Mercury. It is quite the transformative performance as Malek practically becomes Freddie Mercury. His performance is one of the factors that really elevates the movie, given that as far as biopics go, it is pretty by the numbers. What stands out by far, is the final 20 minutes or so which brings to life Queen’s Live Aid show, and though the rest of the film is fine, this is by far and away, the highlight.

Viggo Mortensen – Green Book

A far cry from his work in Lord of the Rings, but it shows the incredible versatility of Viggo Mortensen that he can go from the badass Aragorn, to the brass and vulgar Tony Lip, and do such a sterling job with both of them. He is very much the opposite of Mahershala Ali’s Dr Shirley but through spending a lot of time together, the two men develop a solid friendship that really drives the film forward. Though it was a bit simplistic in how it handled some of the subject matter, it was heart-warming to watch him connect with Mahershala Ali’s Dr Shirley and stick up for him during their travels in the hostile Deep South.

Will win: Rami Malek

Should win: Bradley Cooper

 

Here’s what everyone else had to say:

Maddy: @madelexne:

“The big fight this awards season seems to have been between Rami Malek and Christian Bale, but I would love for it to go to Bradley Cooper. Though I maintain the fact that Malek’s performance was the one good thing in the mess that was Bohemian Rhapsody and wouldn’t feel it was a wrongful win; I just can’t stop thinking back to Cooper’s performance in A Star is Born. There are at least five stand out scenes from the film I can remember from him, and it only gets more impressive with time.”

Nathan: @__Nathan

“When you consider that the best leading actor performance – Ryan Gosling in First Man – was snubbed, it only seeks to emphasise what a lacklustre line-up this really is. Of those nominated, Bradley Cooper should have walked this thing but two *ahem* shallow, vapid and flashy imitations turns are duping it out instead: Rami Malek will take it over Christian Bale, because the Academy can’t resist a transformation – and the man knows how to work a room.”

Plain, Simple Tom: @PlainSimpleTom

“A strong year for the leading men, Rami Malek looks to be the favourite to win this year for his powerful and memorable performance in the otherwise average “Bohemian Rhapsody”. And he deserves it, in spite of the harsh treatment that he seems to be enduring on Twitter. I’d say that Bradley Cooper is the most deserving nominee – for giving us a truly compelling and flawed character as well as singing and playing music like a pro, all the while directing the whole shebang. Christian Bale could also be in with a chance for his transformative turn in “Vice”, Viggo Mortensen sure was entertaining in “Green Book” but he won’t win, and Willem Dafoe is the least likely to win the big prize – I mean, had anyone even heard of “At Eternity’s Gate” before the nominations were announced?”

Ryan @morris_movies:

“In what can only be described as the category’s weakest lineup in years, the Best Actor race has staggered its way to a frustrating, underwhelming finale. Rami Malek looks poised to take the statue home with him for his middling, impressionistic performance in Bryan Singer’s Bohemian Rhapsody despite Bradley Cooper giving a soulful, career best performance in his own A Star Is Born. It’s an anger-inducing category for a number of reasons this year, but perhaps in no way more so than Ryan Gosling’s lack of inclusion. His performance in First Man is blunt and subdued, sure, but filled with quiet heart and pent up emotion. He should be winning the statue, but instead he isn’t even in contention for it.”

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Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Mahershala Ali – Green Book

Having won this award for Moonlight a couple of years ago, Ali is in contention once again and very much the front runner to scoop his second statue in three years. His performance in Green Book was certainly one of the highlights of the film. He plays a very refined gentleman who is accompanied in a journey across the Deep South by Viggo Mortensen’s Tony Lip. Watching these two men, very much polar opposites form a friendship in the very harsh Deep South was heart-warming and Ali showed why he’s likely to become a two time Oscar winner with this emotional performance.

Adam Driver – BlacKkKlansman 

My personal choice for the winner of this award. It’s honestly about damn time an actor of Driver’s immense talents was recognised with an Oscar nomination. Aside from crushing it in the new Star Wars franchise, he’s been superb and has worked with such directors as Martin Scorsese and now Spike Lee. His performance as a cop who becomes part of this mission to infiltrate the KKK gave Driver the chance to demonstrate his serious acting chops, whilst also showing off his comedic ones, and he pulls off both aspects of this role brilliantly.

Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born

Much like Driver, this is also Elliott’s first Oscar nomination, which is crazy when you think about how long he has been working in the business, but better late than never I suppose. As the brother to Bradley Cooper’s fading rock star, though he is a tad hard to understand in places at least to my ears, there are one or two moments in particular that just hit you like a ton of bricks (case in point, the driveway scene). You really feel the love he has for his brother and it just makes it all the more tragic given what happens in the end.

Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

If you haven’t fallen in love with this guy’s infectious joy across this Oscar campaign, I must ask you, do you not like joy or something? Another first time nominee, and I think many people would love to see this guy triumph. As Sam Hock, he plays a misfit like Melissa McCarthy’s Lee Israel, and watching these two get up to all sorts of mischief, and have a bundle of fun whilst doing so is just uproariously entertaining. Being a fellow Brit I would love to see him win, but I sadly just don’t see it happening.

Sam Rockwell – Vice

The recipient of this award last year, but Sam Rockwell is unlikely to make it two consecutive wins on the bounce. He’s without question, a good actor as he demonstrated last year, but his inclusion here is just baffling to be honest. He wasn’t in the film all that much from what I can recall (to be honest my brain has pushed out 75% of this film) but there were other performances that were far more worthy of recognition that should have been nominated in Rockwell’s place in all honesty, gentlemen such as Daniel Kaluuya (Widows) or Brian Tyree Henry (Widows/If Beale Street Could Talk) gave, in my opinion, far more award worthy performances.

Will win: Mahershala Ali

Should win: Adam Driver or Richard E Grant

Here’s what everyone else had to say:

Maddy:

“I desperately want Richard E. Grant to win for Can You Ever Forgiver Me? Yes, Mahershala Ali is the coolest person to walk this Earth, we have all established that; but Grant was electric in his role as Jack and poured so much charisma and simultaneous awfulness into the character that I really would punch the air if he won.”

Nathan: 

“Despite some category fraud at hand, Mahershala Ali seems nailed on to take Supporting Actor. It’s no doubt a good performance and arguably the film’s strongest element, yet Richard E. Grant’s extraordinary performance as Jack Hock in Can You Ever Forgive Me? is an exemplary masterclass on what it takes to give a SUPPORTING performance. He impressively blends humour with pathos with incredible results, enhancing the work of others while standing out in his own right. He deserves every award for his work in this film (and for being the most joyous thing about this tumultuous award season).”

Ryan:

“It’s a stronger lineup than its Leading Role counterpart, but Supporting Actor still comes with its own quibbles and frustrations this year. Mahershala Ali is probably walking home victorious with his second Oscar in a matter of years, and despite his performance being the highlight of Green Book, it’s difficult not to look for a stronger winner elsewhere. Richard E. Grant is probably most deserving, for his funny, moving performance in Marielle Heller’s Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and Adam Driver made a big impression in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman. Still, at least when Ali wins it’ll be for a genuinely good performance. That’s more than we can say for Lead Actor this year, unfortunately.”

Please find the links below to the other pieces written by these awesome film bloggers: