#⠀⠀⠀ › ⠀⠀ made by fire ⠀ ⸺ ⠀ noah wright ˖

[noahwright]

@athenahowards sent: “ get behind me ”

noah was so focused on the piece of wood they were craving into a spear that jumped pathetically at the sound of athena's voice, their head snapping to the source of the warning so fast they almost gave themself whiplash. “ what? no, mate, why, what the fuck? ” they questioned immediately, looking at their surroundings in a frantic manner, searching whatever threat that ignited such an alarm from athena, but they saw nothing.

[noahwright]

a soft smile touched their gesture at ariel’s words, if they were fully honest, they liked to be liked and ariel’s dad seemed like a cool guy to be around. he reminded noah of their own dad with the handyman thing, just … a lot gentler. 

the unexpected touch made them jump a little, but their body relaxed immediately the next second — they hadn’t been touched tenderly in a while and they had forgotten how nice it could feel.    “  yeah, don’t worry,  ”    they answered, trying to take the weight away from the topic, and didn’t say anything about how they believed they wouldn’t be home anytime soon, because neither of them needed to land on that conversation, things were hard enough already to get them worse.    “  i have a younger brother, his name is theo. he’s good, probably holding it together better than my dad.  ”    a laugh came out of their lips as a snort, slightly derisive thinking about theo’s current situation — they really hoped he was okay.

“  what about you? any siblings or got the fortune to be an only child?  ”    noah joked again, feeling themself falling back into their comfort zone, into their comfort self. they didn’t really think being an only child was a fortunate thing, though, but they always jested about it with theo, messing with him about how much of a burden he was to them.

"he would like you a lot," ariel said, immediately. because it was true. ariel's father always knew a helper when he saw them, no matter what, and they were his favorite kind of people. it was why he'd fallen in love with her mother, after all, even though they came from practically different worlds.

"oh." she hadn't meant to make noah upset, hadn't considered that noah might think she meant reality, not the imagined world in ariel's own head. guilt and panic flood ariel when she saw the grief in noah's eyes. she was such an idiot; why was she always doing this? her hands fluttered in the air, useless, for a moment, before she reached out and wrapped her hand around noah's wrist.

"i'm so sorry," ariel whispered. "i'm sure he's fine. we'll be home, soon, and you can see for yourself. do you have... is there anyone there? to take care of him?" ariel couldn't think of her own parents, home alone. she couldn't think about yeye, alone on saturday mornings. she couldn't think about what popo would think, if she and wai gong would still be in china-- she couldn't think about it, or she'd never think about anything else ever again.

she focused on noah, and the imagined world where her father was here with her, and forced herself to breathe. "do you have siblings? grandparents?"

[boardchairman-blog]

2024 Oscar Predictions

Best Picture

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

Best Director

Jonathan Glazer- The Zone of Interest

Yorgos Lanthimos- Poor Things

Christopher Nolan- Oppenheimer

Alexander Payne- The Holdovers

Martin Scorsese- Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone- Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hüller- Anatomy of a Fall

Greta Lee- Past Lives

Margot Robbie- Barbie

Emma Stone- Poor Things

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper- Maestro

Leonardo DiCaprio- Killers of the Flower Moon

Paul Giamatti- The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy- Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright- American Fiction

Best Supporting Actor

Robert De Niro- Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr.- Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling- Barbie

Charles Melton- May December

Dominic Sessa- The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt- Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks- The Color Purple

Penelope Cruz- Ferrari

Sandra Huller- The Zone of Interest

Da'Vine Joy Randolph- The Holdovers

Best Original Screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall- Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

The Holdovers- David Hemingson

Maestro- Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer

May December-  Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik

Past Lives- Celine Song

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction- Cord Jefferson

Barbie- Noah Baumbach & Greta Gerwig

Killers of the Flower Moon- Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese

Oppenheimer- Christopher Nolan

Poor Things- Tony McNamara

Best Animated Feature

The Boy and the Heron

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Elemental

Nimona

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Documentary Feature

20 Days in Mariupol

American Symphony

Beyond Utopia

Bobi Wine: The People's President

The Eternal Memory

Best Foreign Language Film

20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine)

Fallen Leaves (Finland)

Society of the Snow (Spain)

The Teacher's Lounge (Germany)

The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom)

Best Original Score

Jerskin Fendrix- Poor Things

Ludwig Göransson- Oppenheimer

Mica Levi- The Zone of Interest

Robbie Robertson- Killers of the Flower Moon

John Williams- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Best Original Song

“Dance the Night” from Barbie

“The Fire Inside” from Flamin' Hot

“I'm Just Ken” from Barbie

“It Never Went Away” from American Symphony

“What Was I Made For” from Barbie

Best Cinematography

Hoyte Van Hoytema- Oppenheimer

Matthew Libatique- Maestro

Rodrigo Prieto- Killers of the Flower Moon

Robbie Ryan- Poor Things

Łukasz Żal- The Zone of Interest

Best Film Editing

Jennifer Lame- Oppenheimer

Yorgos Mavropsaridis- Poor Things

Thelma Schoonmaker- Killers of the Flower Moon

Laurent Sénéchal - Anatomy of a Fall

Kevin Tent- The Holdovers

Best Costume Design

Barbie- Jacqueline Durran

Killers of the Flower Moon- Jacqueline West

Napoleon- David Crossman and Janty Yates

Oppenheimer- Ellen Mirojnick

Poor Things- Holly Waddington

Best Production Design

Barbie- Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer

Killers of the Flower Moon- Jack Fisk and Adam Willis

Oppenheimer- Ruth De Jong and Claire Kaufman

Poor Things- James Price, Shona Heath, and Zsuzsa Mihalek

The Zone of Interest- Chris Oddy, Joanna Maria Kuś and Katarzyna Sikora

Best Sound

Barbie

Ferrari

Maestro

Oppenheimer

The Zone of Interest

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Golda

Maestro

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best Visual Effects

The Creator

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Poor Things

Society of the Snow

Overall

Oppenheimer: 13

Killers of the Flower Moon: 11

Poor Things: 11

Barbie: 10

The Holdovers: 7

The Zone of Interest: 7

Maestro: 6

Anatomy of a Fall: 4

American Fiction: 3

Past Lives: 3

20 Days in Mariupol: 2

American Symphony: 2

Ferrari: 2

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: 2

May December: 2

Society of the Snow: 2

[casspurrjoybell-20]

FOOLS IN LOVE - Chapter 18 - Part 1 BOOK THREE: 'Fools Fall in Love' Trilogy

*Warning - Adult Content*

Noah Wright

I sat in the car of my building's parking garage for a solid fifteen minutes after dropping off Sam.

I thought about the way he still made my body feel like it was on fire from just his touch.

Or how kissing made the bats in my stomach go wild.

Or how fucking badly I wanted to be inside him.

But Sam wanted Boring-Benjamin Hernandez.

And whether there was a part of Sam that wanted me too, he chose Boring-Benjamin.

And that killed every fluttering bat in my stomach.

That was the reality check I needed.

Sam and I weren't getting back together.

I sighed, turning off car and heading up to my apartment.

Had I known who was waiting for me in my apartment, I wouldn't have sat in my car for so long.

Because when I opened my front door, a waft of very familiar perfume invaded my nose and sitting on my living room couch with my roommate, the Perfume culprit.

********

"Kaitlyn?" I questioned with a surprised laugh.

"Noah," she exclaimed, basically jumping off the couch and running towards me to wrap me in a hug.

I hugged her back.

"How are you? It's been like, forever," I said into her still very long blonde hair.

Kaitlyn was my ex-girlfriend, my first love.

I broke up with her my senior year after realizing I had feelings for Samuel Moretti 'and other reasons'.

It was weird and awkward between us at first but we remained friends, better friends.

"I'm good," we pulled back.

"I've just been thinking about you and I have some free time. My school is closed for the week for 'remodeling' I guess," she explained with a smile.

"You can definitely stay here, I can take the couch or..."

"Or she could stay in my bed," Ciera chimed in with an innocent smile that I knew was far from innocent.

"Oh... um..." Kaitlyn started hesitantly.

"Just ignored her. You can take my bed," I assured Kaitlyn.

"My bed is comfier, love. So, you're welcome anytime," Ciera said, getting off the couch and headed to her room.

I rolled my eyes at Ciera.

"So," I walked over to the couch and Kaitlyn followed.

"How do you like cosmetology school?"

Kaitlyn had taken a gap year after graduating high school before she started beauty school.

"Oh, I love it. I'm finally in phase two, which is on the floor and I actually get clients. Phase one is mostly text book and working on mannequins. Once I reach 900 hours, I can do the make up and eyelash course."

I loved how excited she sounded, even her intense blue eyes lit up.

"Hell yeah, maybe you could cut my hair," I said half jokingly.

Kaitlyn shuffled my hair with her manicured nails.

"Yeah you need one."

"Hey," I swatted her hand away.

"It's not that bad."

Kaitlyn chuckled before giving me a knowing look.

"So... a little birdy told me, Sam attends the same college as you," she wiggled her eyebrows and that time.

I rolled my eyes at Kaitlyn.

"Hmm and who is this 'little birdy?'"

I assumed it was Carter because I knew Sam and him were still friends and Kaitlyn and Carter were good friends.

"No, one."

'Yep, Carter.'

"How's it been with you and Sam ?"

"What makes you think I talk to him?"

She gave me the 'I'm not stupid' look.

"Because you two are like magnets. You can stay away from each other."

"Say that while he's kissing Boring-Benjamin Hernandez," I muttered bitterly, as I reached towards the coffee table where an ashtray laid.

There was half of a joint in there which I relit using the lighter sitting next to the tray and took a hit.

"Hmm, yeah. I also heard about that. Poor Benjamin's gonna get his heart broken," Kaitlyn said like it was inevitable.

"I don't know about that," I said with the joint between my lips.

"Apparently Sam wants Boring-Benjamin."

I inhaled the burning pot.

"So you have talked to him," she exclaimed.

'Fuck.'

I exhaled, releasing the satisfying smoke.

"Okay, yeah, we've talked..." and stupidly I added...

"And we kissed."

Kaitlyn gasped, hand over her mouth and wide blue eyes.

"You guys kissed?" she squealed.

I groaned, I shouldn't have said that.

"Tell me everything."

So I did because I didn't really have a choice.

I filled in Kaitlyn on the events of Sam and I the past month, not that it was that exciting, plus I just got rejected which fucking sucked and by the end Kaitlyn told me exactly what I knew she'd say...

"Oh give it a month and Sam will be dumping Boring-Ben for you."

"Yeah well..."

I scratched the back of my head.

"Maybe this is for the best," I said genuinely.

"It's time Sam and I just go our separate ways."

And thought that was a tough notion for my heart to process, I knew it was for the best.

"Oh shut up. Don't be an idiot."

"Yeah? Tell me about your love life?" I said with an accusatory tone but what I didn't expect was Kaitlyn to immediately blush and shy away.

"I don't have a love life," she claimed which was clearly a lie.

"Kaitlyn Montgomery, you better fucking tell me. I did not just tell you about my shameful love life for you not to tell me yours."

"It's... it's really nothing. I've just been thinking..."

My eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"About?"

Oh God, I hope not about us but then again, she seemed to be in full support of Sam and myself.

Kaitlyn sighed.

"I don't know," she brushed it off.

"Kaitlyn."

"Fine. I'm not with anyone but I'm on a few dating apps, which haven't gone anywhere."

"What? You have to get a bunch of matches," I said because Kaitlyn was fucking gorgeous.

I mean, I would know, I've seen her body plenty of times.

"I do, I just... I don't know."

Kaitlyn didn't seem to want to tell me something but I let it go for now.

"Hmm. Well, if a guy fucks around with you, let me know and I'll beat his ass."

Kaitlyn smiled and bumped her shoulder into mine.

"I know. Wanna watch Matilda?" she grinned at me.

"No," I deadpanned.

She made me watch Matilda so much when we were together, I couldn't even count how many times on both hands and yet, we ended up watching Matilda.

[cinemaspire]

Oscar Predictions ‘24

BEST PICTURE

"American Fiction" "Anatomy of a Fall" "Barbie" "The Holdovers" "Killers of the Flower Moon" "Maestro" "Oppenheimer" "Past Lives" "Poor Things" "The Zone of Interest"

Who will win: "Oppenheimer" Who I want to win: "The Zone of Interest"

BEST DIRECTOR

Jonathan Glazer ("The Zone of Interest") Yorgos Lanthimos ("Poor Things") Christopher Nolan ("Oppenheimer") Justine Triet ("Anatomy of a Fall") Martin Scorsese ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

Who will win: Christopher Nolan ("Oppenheimer") Who I want to win: Jonathan Glazer or Yorgos Lanthimos

BEST ACTOR

Bradley Cooper ("Maestro") Colman Domingo ("Rustin") Paul Giamatti ("The Holdovers") Cillian Murphy ("Oppenheimer") Jeffrey Wright ("American Fiction")

Who will win: Cillian Murphy ("Oppenheimer") Who I want to win: Paul Giamatti ("The Holdovers")

BEST ACTRESS

Annette Bening ("Nyad") Lily Gladstone ("Killers of the Flower Moon") Sandra Hüller ("Anatomy of a Fall Carey Mulligan ("Maestro") Emma Stone ("Poor Things)

Who will win: Lily Gladstone ("Killers of the Flower Moon") Who I want to win: Sandra Hüller ("Anatomy of a Fall")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer Ryan Gosling, Barbie Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Who will win: Robert Downey, Jr., ("Oppenheimer") Who I want to win: Robert DeNiro ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Emily Blunt ("Oppenheimer") Danielle Brooks ("The Color Purple") America Ferrera ("Barbie") Jodie Foster ("Nyad") Da'Vine Joy Randolph ("The Holdovers")

Who will win: Da'Vine Joy Randolph ("The Holdovers") Who I want to win: Da'Vine Joy Randolph ("The Holdovers")

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik ("May December") Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer ("Maestro") Arthur Harari and Justine Triet ("Anatomy of a Fall") David Hemingson ("The Holdovers") Celine Song ("Past Lives")

Who will win: Arthur Harari and Justine Triet ("Anatomy of a Fall") Who I want to win: Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik or Arthur Harari and Justine Triet

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig ("Barbie") Jonathan Glazer ("The Zone of Interest") Cord Jefferson ("American Fiction") Tony McNamara ("Poor Things") Christopher Nolan ("Oppenheimer)

Who will win: Cord Jefferson ("American Fiction") Who I want to win: Tony McNamara ("Poor Things")

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

"Io Capitano" (Matteo Garrone, Italy) "Society of the Snow" (J.A. Bayona, Spain) "The Teachers' Lounge" (İlker Çatak, Germany) "The Zone of Interest" (Jonathan Glazer, United Kingdom) "Perfect Days" (Wim Wenders, Japan)

Who will win: "The Zone of Interest" Who I want to win: "The Zone of Interest" or "Perfect Days"

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

"The Boy and the Heron"  "Elemental" "Nimona" "Robot Dreams" "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"

Who will win: "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" Who I want to win: "The Boy and the Heron"

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"Bobi Wine: The People's President" "The Eternal Memory" "Four Daughters" "To Kill a Tiger" "20 Days in Mariupol"

Who will win: "20 Days in Mariupol" Who I want to win: N/a

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Jerskin Fendrix ("Poor Things") Ludwig Göransson ("Oppenheimer") Laura Karpman ("American Fiction") Robbie Robertson ("Killers of the Flower Moon") John Williams ("Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny")

Who will win: Ludwig Göransson ("Oppenheimer") Who I want to win: Jerskin Fendrix or Robbie Robertson

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"It Never Went Away"- Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("American Symphony") "What Was I Made For?"- Billie Eilish and Finneas ("Barbie") "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)"-The Osage Tribe ("Killers of the Flower Moon") "I'm Just Ken"- Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt ("Barbie") "The Fire Inside"- Diane Warren ("Flamin' Hot")

Who will win: "What Was I Made For?"- Billie Eilish and Finneas ("Barbie") Who I want to win: "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)"- The Osage Tribe ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ed Lachman ("El Conde") Matthew Libatique ("Maestro") Rodrigo Prieto ("Killers of the Flower Moon") Robbie Ryan ("Poor Things") Hoyte van Hoytema ("Oppenheimer")

Who will win: Hoyte van Hoytema ("Oppenheimer") Who I want to win: Rodrigo Prieto ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

BEST EDITING

Jennifer Lame ("Oppenheimer") Yorgos Mavropsaridis ("Poor Things") Thelma Schoonmaker ("Killers of the Flower Moon") Laurent Sénéchal ("Anatomy of a Fall") Kevin Tent ("The Holdovers")

Who will win: Jennifer Lame ("Oppenheimer") Who I want to win: Jennifer Lame or Thelma Schoonmaker

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Ruth De Jong and Claire Kaufman ("Oppenheimer") Jack Fisk and Adam Willis ("Killers of the Flower Moon") Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer ("Barbie") Elli Griff and Arthur Max ("Napoleon") Shona Heath, Szusza Mihalek, and James Price ("Poor Things")

Who will win: "Poor Things" Who I want to win: "Killers of the Flower Moon" or "Poor Things"

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Jacqueline Durran ("Barbie") Ellen Mirojnick ("Oppenheimer") Holly Waddington ("Poor Things") Jacqueline West ("Killers of the Flower Moon") Janty Yates and David Crossman ("Napoleon")

Who will win: "Poor Things" Who I want to win: "Poor Things"

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

"Oppenheimer" "Poor Things" "Maestro" "Golda" "Society of the Snow"

Who will win: "Maestro" Who I want to win: "Poor Things"

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

"The Creator" "Godzilla Minus One" "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One" "Napoleon"

Who will win: Avatar: "Godzilla Minus One" Who I want to win: "Godzilla Minus One" or "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One"

BEST SOUND

"The Creator" "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" "The Zone of Interest" "Oppenheimer" "Maestro"

Who will win: "Oppenheimer" Who I want to win: "The Zone of Interest"

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT

"The After"  "Invincible"  "Knight of Fortune"  "Red, White and Blue" "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar"

Who will win: "The After" Who I want to win: "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar"

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

"Letter to a Pig" "Ninety-Five Senses" "Our Uniform" "Pachyderme" "War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko"

Who will win: "War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko Who I want to win: "Pachyderme"

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

"The ABCs of Book Banning" "The Barber of Little Rock" "Island in Between" "The Last Repair Shop"  "Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó"

Who will win: "The ABCs of Book Banning" Who I want to win: N/a

[noahwright]

noah blinked several times after hearing his words, their eyebrows raised to their hairline. they didn’t know if he was serious or just joking, and being on the other side of that feeling was so refreshing it made a burst of laughter bubble out of them at the apology.  “ nah, mate, don’t worry, ”  they assured, clicking their tongue in a indiferent gesture.  “ i am the one that should be sorry for slapping you before asking you out on a nice dinner and shit. offer that is absolutely on the table if you want— the dinner, i mean, not the slapping. i’m not good at that ... i think. ” they rushed to explain, snorting at their own words. what the hell.

skylar looked down at his hand for a moment. it had been forever since he'd had any water, and his brain felt like it was lagging behind. "i usually make me people buy me dinner before they're allowed to slap me," he said, without even thinking about. it still took a moment for him to get his thoughts enough to figure out what he should have said instead.

"sorry. what i meant was..." he blinked. "thank you?"

[a2zbookmark]

2024 Oscars Nominations Unveiled: Celebrating Cinematic Brilliance

Introduction:

The stage is set, and the spotlight is on as the 2024 Oscar nominations have been revealed, showcasing a stellar lineup of talent and creativity in the world of cinema. In this blog post, we'll delve into the nominees across various categories, celebrating the outstanding achievements that have captured the hearts and minds of audiences around the globe.

Best Picture Nominees: A Tapestry of Stories

The Best Picture category features a diverse array of films, each weaving a unique narrative tapestry. From the gripping "Killers of the Flower Moon" to the heartwarming "Maestro" and the thought-provoking "Oppenheimer," these films promise an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Acting Excellence: Leading and Supporting Roles

The nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role include stellar performances by Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti, Cillian Murphy, and Jeffrey Wright. In the Supporting Actor category, outstanding portrayals by Sterling K. Brown, Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Gosling, and Mark Ruffalo have earned well-deserved recognition.

Leading Ladies: A Celebration of Talent

Annette Bening, Lily Gladstone, Sandra Hüller, Carey Mulligan, and Emma Stone grace the Best Actress in a Leading Role category with their phenomenal performances. The Supporting Actress category sees the likes of Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, America Ferrera, Jodie Foster, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph adding depth and brilliance to the cinematic landscape.

Animated Wonders: Where Imagination Takes Flight

The Animated Feature Film category is a testament to the magic of animation, featuring enchanting creations like "The Boy and the Heron," "Elemental," "Nimona," "Robot Dreams," and "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

Behind the Scenes: Cinematography, Costume Design, and Directing

The unsung heroes behind the scenes are recognized in categories like Cinematography, with standout work in films like "El Conde," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Maestro," "Oppenheimer," and "Poor Things." The artistry of Costume Design shines in films such as "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Napoleon," "Oppenheimer," and "Poor Things." Directors leave their mark with nominations for "Anatomy of a Fall," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Oppenheimer," "Poor Things," and "The Zone of Interest."

Global Perspectives: International Feature Film

Representing cinema from around the world, the International Feature Film category includes "Io Capitano" (Italy), "Perfect Days" (Japan), "Society of the Snow" (Spain), "The Teachers' Lounge" (Germany), and "The Zone of Interest" (United Kingdom).

The Magic of Music: Original Score and Original Song

Original scores by composers like Laura Karpman, John Williams, Robbie Robertson, Ludwig Göransson, and Jerskin Fendrix elevate the emotional resonance of these films. Original songs, including "The Fire Inside," "I'm Just Ken," "It Never Went Away," "Wahzhazhe," and "What Was I Made For?" enrich the cinematic experience. Read Also: NFC Showdown: Packers vs. 49ers Playoff Thriller Unveiled

Crafting Visual Realities: Production Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Visual Effects

The nominees in Production Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Visual Effects showcase the artistry and technical wizardry that bring stories to life on the big screen. Films like "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Napoleon," "Oppenheimer," and "Poor Things" exemplify excellence in these categories.

The Pen is Mightier: Writing Categories

The writing categories honor the backbone of storytelling. Cord Jefferson's work on "American Fiction," the collaborative efforts of Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach on "Barbie," Christopher Nolan's screenplay for "Oppenheimer," Tony McNamara's "Poor Things," and Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone of Interest" all contribute to the rich tapestry of cinema.

Conclusion:

As we eagerly await the Oscars ceremony, these nominations stand as a testament to the power of storytelling, the magic of filmmaking, and the incredible talent that continues to shape the world of cinema. The 2024 Oscars promise to be a celebration of creativity, emotion, and the enduring impact of the cinematic arts. Read the full article

[playermagic23]

Oscars 2024 Nominations: Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer leads with 13 nods; Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Greta Lee, Charles Melton snubbed

The Academy Awards will take place on March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre, and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

The much-awaited nominations for Oscars 2024 are here and there have been quite a few snubs this season. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer starring Cillian Murphy emerged victorious, securing an impressive 13 nominations, including Best Picture. Greta Gerwig was snubbed for Best Director, and so was Margot Robbie for Best Actress but Barbie secured eight nominations. Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things starring Emma Stone trailed closely with 11 nominations. Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon earned 10 nods, with Leonardo DiCaprio being snubbed from the Best Actor. However, Lily Gladstone was nominated in the Best Actress category and so was Scorsese for Best Director. Julianne Moore and Charles Melton were snubbed for May December. The Academy Awards will take place on March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre, and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Check out the nominations:

BEST PICTURE  American Fiction Anatomy of a Fall Barbie The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things The Zone of Interest

BEST DIRECTOR Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

BEST ACTOR Bradley Cooper, Maestro Colman Domingo, Rustin Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

BEST ACTRESS Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Carey Mulligan, Maestro Emma Stone, Poor Things

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer Ryan Gosling, Barbie Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple America Ferrera, Barbie Jodie Foster, Nyad Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, Anatomy of a Fall David Hemingson, The Holdovers Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer, Maestro Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik, May December Celine Song, Past Lives

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Cord Jefferson, American Fiction Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, Barbie Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Tony McNamara, Poor Things Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE The Boy and the Heron Elemental Nimona Robot Dreams Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE Io Capitano (Italy) Perfect Days (Japan) Society of the Snow (Spain) The Teachers' Lounge (Germany) The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Bobi Wine: The People's President The Eternal Memory Four Daughters To Kill a Tiger 20 Days in Mariupol

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT The ABCs of Book Banning The Barber of Little Rock Island in Between The Last Repair Shop Nai Nai & Wai Po

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT The After Invincible Knight of Fortune Red, White, and Blue The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

BEST ANIMATED SHORT Letter to a Pig Ninety-Five Senses Our Uniform Pachyderme WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Laura Karpman, American Fiction John Williams, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer Jerskin Fendrix, Poor Things

BEST ORIGINAL SONG "The Fire Inside" from Flamin' Hot, music and lyric by Diane Warren "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie, music and lyric by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt "It Never Went Away" from American Symphony, music and lyric by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson "Wahzhaze (A Song for My People)" from Killers of the Flower Moon, music and lyric by Scott George "What Was I Made For?" from Barbie, music and lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell

BEST SOUND The Creator Maestro Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer The Zone of Interest

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Napoleon Oppenheimer Poor Things

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY El Conde Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer Poor Things Best Makeup and Hairstyling Golda Maestro Oppenheimer Poor Things Society of the Snow

BEST COSTUME DESIGN Jacqueline Durran, Barbie Jacqueline West, Killers of the Flower Moon Janty Yates and Dave Crossman, Napoleon Ellen Mirojnick, Oppenheimer Holly Waddington, Poor Things Best Film Editing Anatomy of a Fall The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Poor Things

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS The Creator Godzilla Minus One Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Napoleon

ACADEMY HONORARY AWARDS Angela Bassett Mel Brooks Carol Littleton

JEAN HERSHOLT HUMANITARIAN AWARD Michelle Satter

[dcbicki]

Here’s to Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Isaac Hempstead Wright, John Bradley, Liam Cunningham, Alfie Allen, Gwendoline Christie, Jacob Anderson, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ian Glen, Conleth Hill, Hannah Murray, Joe Dempsie, Carice van Houten, Rory McCann, Kristofer Hivju, Jerome Flynn, Pilou Asbæk, Richard Dormer, Gemma Whelan, Daniel Portman, Ben Crompton, Bella Ramsey, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, and Vladimir Furdik, Sean Bean, Michelle Fairley, Mark Addy, Richard Madden, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance, Natalie Dormer, Finn Jones, Diana Rigg, Aidan Gillen, Rose Leslie, Jason Momoa, Michiel Huisman, Jack Gleeson, Harry Lloyd, Peter Vaughan, Kristian Nairn, Natalia Tena, Joseph Mawle, Aisling Franciosi, Dean-Charles Chapman, Stephen Dillane, Kerry Ingram, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ellie Kendrick, Paul Kaye, Kate Dickie, Tobias Menzies, Clive Russell, Ian McShane, Donald Sumpter, Tom Wlachicha, Oona Chaplin, Ron Donachie, Esmé Bianco, David Bradley, Iwan Rheon, Michael McElhatton, Miltos Yerolemou, Julian Glover, Ian McElhinney, Tara Fitzgerald, Lino Facioli, Gethin Anthony, Wilko Johnson, Eugene Simon, Ben Hawkey, Jim Broadbent, Jonathan Pryce, Hannah Waddingham, Amrita Acharia, Noah Taylor, Anton Lesser, Rupert Vansittart, Josef Altin, Mark Stanley, Owen Teale, Pedro Pascal, Indira Varma, Richard Rycroft, Staz Nair, Ciarán Hinds, James Cosmo, Patrick Malahide, Will Tudor, Mackenzie Crook, Marc Rissman, Megan Parkinson, James Faulkner, Tom Hopper, Jessica Henwick, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Nell Tiger Free, Max von Sydow, Brenock O’Connor, Philip McGinley, Harry Grasby, Elyes Gabel, Richard Brake, Tom Brooke, Tim Plester, Joel Fry, Sibel Kekilli, Ian Beattie, Susan Brown, Mark Gatiss, Faye Marsay, Marc Rissman, Hannah John-Kamen, Ed Skrein, Margaret John, Ross Mullan, Ian Whyte, Ralph Ineson, Charlotte Hope, Elizabeth Webster, Nonso Anozie, Ian Hanmore, Steven Cole, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Eros Vlahos, DeObia Oparei, Ian Gelder, Essie Davis, Bart the Bear II, Lucian Msamati, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Brian Fortune, Michael Condron, Robert Aramayo, Alexander Siddig, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Enzo Cilenti, Toby Sebastian, Luke Roberts, Richard E. Grant, Eline Powell, Kevin Eldon, Dean Jagger, Tim McInnerny, Sean Blowers, David Rintoul, Kae Alexander, and more. Here’s to the actors who gave their all.

Here’s to David Nutter, Michael Slovis, Mark Mylod, Alex Graves, Alan Taylor, Jeremy Podeswa, Alik Sakharov, Neil Marshall, Matt Shakman, Brian Kirk, Michelle MacLaren, Daniel Minahan, Timothy Van Patten, David Petrarca, Jack Bender, Daniel Sackheim, and Miguel Sapochnik. Here’s to Dave Hill, Ethan J. Antonucci, Jane Espenson, Gursimran Sandhu, Vanessa Taylor, and Bryan Cogman. Here’s to Ramin Djawadi. Here’s to the visionaries and the storytellers.

Here’s to HBO. Here’s to David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Here’s to the producers and the casting department. Here’s to the second unit directors and the whole production crew. Here’s to the stunt guys, body doubles, and the choreographers. Here’s to the location scouts and the transportation department. Here’s to the sound editors, and the visual effects team. Here’s to the camera crew. Here’s to the cinematographers and editors. Here’s to the production and art departments. Here’s to the set designers, costume designers, and the makeup department. Here’s to those who made a whole world come to life.

Here’s to the Starks, the Lannisters, the Targaryens, the Baratheons, the Greyjoys, the Tullys, the Arryns, the Martells, the Mormonts, the Tyrells. Here’s to all the other houses. Here’s to the bastards: the Snows and the Sands and the Waters. Here’s to the direwolves: Grey Wind, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, Shaggydog, and Ghost. Here’s to the dragons: Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. Here’s to the Seven, the Drowned Gods, the Old Gods and the New. Here’s to the Red Priestesses. Here’s to the Brotherhood Without Banners. Here’s to the Faceless Men. Here’s to the Maesters. Here’s to the Knight’s Watch. Here’s to the Free Folk. Here’s to those who became wights. Here’s to the wargs and the Children of the Forest. Here’s to the giants. Here’s to the Bravosi, the Dothraki, and Unsullied. Here’s to the Knights of the Vale. Here’s to all the soldiers. Here’s to the fighters. Here’s to those we loved, and those we lost along the way.

Here’s to George R.R. Martin. Here’s to A Song of Ice and Fire. Here’s to Game of Thrones. Here’s to the fandom and the friends we made along the way. Here’s to you.

[holdmybvbeer]

I was tagged by @lxndonorris. Danke dir 💛

Rules. Spell your URL using song titles and tag more people to do the same 🎶

Smile Like You Mean It - The Killers

Ur Eyez - Peking Duk ft. Al Wright

No Diggity - Blackstreet

Sort It Out - COIN

Lycanthrope - +44

If We Were Made Of Water - BANKS

The Road I'm On - 3 Doors Down

Take It Easy (Love Nothing) - Bright Eyes

Lips - Noah Slee, MELODOWNZ

Eventually - Tame Impala

Shameless - The Weeknd

In Person - Low Island

Sugar, Sugar - The Archies

Taken By A Stranger - Lena

Electric Blue - Arcade Fire

R U Mine? - Arctic Monkeys

I'm tagging @footballffbarbiex @halasensio @henrythickcavill @julibrandtt @carvajalfc @niklasuele @lawsandother if you fancy doing this :)

[noahwright]

* TASK 002 ⸺ CENSUS OF SURVIVORS !

do they have any distinctive scars, tattoos, or marks?

“ yeah, i have twenty-seven tatts and, uhm ... a few scars. the biggest one is a burn scar in the left side of my torso, right under my ribs. it's quite the story too. oh! and i have a birth mark on the base of my neck, it has a weird leaf shape, i don't know. it's weird. ”

everybody’s hiding something—a fear, a weakness, a strength, an unpopular opinion. what are you hiding right now?

“ a chocolate bar i found in one of the suitcases. it's swiss, but got milk in it, so i'm saving it just in case. don't tell anyone, please. ”

do you believe rescue is possible at this point? why or why not?

“ i don't know, mate, i try not to think about it. we've been here for three months already and i— i just hope they hadn't forgotten or lost their hopes, that's all. ”

what did you dream about last night?

“ oh, my brother theo and i make this amazing, succulent black beans burgers with mashed potatoes that, ugh — they're so good? i've been dreaming with that for the last two weeks, it's torture, honestly. ”

what is the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you?

“ well, i ... do have an important, embarrassing amount of those, not gonna lie, but ... once i accidentally pulled down some random middle-aged lady's pants on the ice skating park because i was falling and didn't find anything else to grab so my fall wouldn't be so terrible so ... yeah. poor lady, had spongebob panties i'm afraid weren't even hers. ”

do you prefer fighting with your fists or using diplomacy?

“ it depends. diplomacy is nice and all, but sometimes ... a punch to the face is needed. people are dumb, you know? ”

[tabloidtoc]

People, June 22

Cover: The Pride Issue -- Anderson Cooper and Baby Wyatt

Page 3: Chatter -- Wanda Sykes after consuming George Clooney's Casamigos liquor, Jessica Alba on giving her husband Cash Warren a quarantine haircut, Kristen Bell on having difficult conversations with her two young daughters, Taylor Swift on staying positive amid unplanned circumstances, Catherine Giudici Lowe on her Bachelor experience as a Filipina, Snoop Dogg on leading by example

Page 4: 5 Things We're Talking About This Week -- Mariah Carey surprises Schitt's Creek, Bruce Lee gets a kick-ass doc, Elmer Fudd gives up his gun, Barbie self-isolates, the NBA scores a comeback

Page 7: Contents

Page 9: Editor's Letter -- Welcome to Our Pride Issue

Page 14: StarTracks -- Stars Demand Justice -- Michael B. Jordan at a Black Lives Matter protest in Beverly Hills

Page 15: Jamie Foxx participated in a kneel-in outside San Francisco City Hall, Pink at a #Peaceful Protest, Alyal Shearer and Harry Styles at a march in West Hollywood, Halsey walked in a protest in Los Angeles

Page 16: More Stars Demand Justice -- Ellen Pompeo and T.R. Knight kneel in protest in West Hollywood, John Boyega delivered an impassioned speech at a protest in London, Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez marched down Hollywood Boulevard, Stephen Curry and wife Ayesha took a knee in Oakland

Page 17: Madonna and her kids Mercy James and David Banda marched in London, Henry Golding and wife Liv Lo hit the streets in Los Angeles, Machine Gun Kelly and Cara Delevingne and Travis Barker marched through Los Angeles, Nick Cannon joined protesters at the site of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis

Page 18: Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson went on a hike with their dog Bo, Laura Dern matched her face covering to her outfit while walking her dog, Helen Hunt caught some waves on a bodyboard in Malibu

Page 21: Paris Hilton and boyfriend Carter Reum share a kiss during lunch in Malibu, Kerry Washington does yoga, Robin Wright and husband Clement Giraudet went for a bike ride, Christian Bale surfing in Los Angeles

Page 23: Scoop -- Meghan Markle's emotional plea

Page 24: Beyonce's empowering speech

Page 26: Heart Monitor -- Jordana Brewster and Andrew Form separated, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt and Chris Pratt happy anniversary, Gerard Butler and Morgan Brown going strong, Jared Leto and Valery Kaufman heating up

Page 28: Lea Michele under fire for past behavior, Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas speaking out and bonding with his kids

Page 31: Open House -- Kylie Jenner's starter mansion for sale for $3.599 million, Cameron Diaz's happy life as a mom

Page 33: Passages, Why I Care -- inspired by his Baha'i faith Penn Badgley is working to help immigrant women and girls find safety

Page 35: Stories to Make You Smile -- this costumed cat helps a town get curious about reading, a boomer father offer helpful Dadvice to millions

Page 37: People Picks -- The King of Staten Island

Page 38: Crossing Swords, RTJ4 from Run the Jewels, Q&A -- Adam Scott

Page 40: Da 5 Bloods, Mae West: Dirty Blonde, One to Watch -- Jake Manley

Page 41: Great documentaries about black lives -- I Am Not Your Negro, Quincy, 13th, What Happened Miss Simone?

Page 42: Books

Page 44: Cover Story -- Anderson Cooper and baby Wyatt -- This is a new level of love -- as a gay man the CNN anchor never imagined he could become a father but now he couldn't be happier or more grateful

Page 52: Caitlyn Jenner -- Happiness is the ultimate victory -- five years after very publicly transitioning the legendary gold medalist and now grandparent of 18 talks life, love and mistakes she's made but she has no regrets

Page 57: My Coming-Out Story -- 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Pride March. COVID-19 may have canceled the parades but LGBTQ Americans are still proud to share how they found love and acceptance -- Dominique Crenn

Page 58: Maria Bello, Jake Atlas

Page 59: Don Lemon

Page 60: Jeremy O. Harris

Page 61: Jaime Harker

Page 62: Hannah Gadsby, Noah Hepler

Page 63: The Trujillo family

Page 64: Protests, Pain and Officers Arrested -- seeking justice for George Floyd -- George Floyd is laid to rest as loved ones grieve and a mass movement for racial justice resolves to honor him with change 

Page 67: Breonna Taylor killed by police in her own home 

Page 68: Spike Lee -- We Must Keep Hope Alive -- the renowned filmmaker reflects on telling African-American stories onscreen, how brutal history has repeated itself and his dreams for a better future 

Page 72: The Real’s Loni Love -- This is my American story -- the comedian gets candid about her often painful past and how she found success through hard work, humor and endless optimism 

Page 77: Hollywood at Home -- Tarek El Moussa and Heather Rae Young’s beach house -- a new family’s fresh start -- the HGTV star and Selling Sunset realtor found an unexpected home for four in the middle of a pandemic 

Page 81: Face Masks Celebs Swear By -- Cindy Crawford, Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Brooke Shields, January Jones 

Page 87: Second Look -- Celebrity Family Feud with host Steve Harvey and RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Latrice Royale and Raven 

Page 88: One Last Thing -- Ralph Macchio 

[sueboohscorner]

72nd Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations: #Netflix Leads in Nod: #Watchman Leads Top Nomination

The 72nd Primetime Emmy nominations were announced on Tuesday and leading out the nominations is HBO's Watchman with 26 nominations that include Outstanding Limited Series and Regina King and Jeremy Irons getting nominations. Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel comes in second with 20 nominations followed by Netflix's Ozak and HBO's Succession with 18. 

But after coming in second place in the nominations last year, Netflix regained the top spot with the most nominations with 160! HBO got 107 followed by NBC with 47, ABC with 36, and FX with 33. Disney+ racked up 19 with Apple TV+ getting 18. 

Both The Good Place, Modern Family and Schitt's Creek score nominations for their final season. Fred Willard earns a posthumous nominated for Modern Family.

While there are the usual suspects to get the nominations there were some first-time individual nominees like Cate Blanchett, D'Arcy Caden, Billy Crudup, William Jackson Harper, Annie Murphy, Octavia Spencer, Cecily Strong, Kaitlin Olsen, and Zendaya. 

Here's the list of the nominations:

Outstanding Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO

Dead to Me, Netflix

The Good Place, NBC

Insecure, HBO

The Kominsky Method, Netflix

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Prime Video

Schitt's Creek, Pop TV

What We Do In The Shadows, FX

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul, AMC

The Crown, Netflix

The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu

Killing Eve, BBC America

The Mandalorian, Disney+

Ozark, Netflix

Stranger Things, Netflix

Succession, HBO

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Don Cheadle, Black Monday, Showtime

Anthony Anderson, black-ish, ABC

Ted Danson, The Good Place, NBC

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Methody, Netflix

Ramy Youssef, Ramy, Hulu

Eugene Levy, Schitt's Creek, Pop TV

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish, ABC

Christina Applegate, Dead to Me, Netflix

Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me, Netflix

Issa Rae, Insecure, HBO

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Prime Video

Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek, Pop TV

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Steve Carell, The Morning Show, Apple TV+

Jason Bateman, Ozark, Netflix

Billy Porter, Pose, FX

Brian Cox, Succession, HBO

Jeremy Strong, Succession, HBO

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Olivia Coleman, The Crown, Netflix

Zendaya, Euphoria, HBO

Jodie Corner, Killing Eve, BBC America

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve, BBC America

Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show, Apple TV+

Laura Linney, Ozark, Netflix

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Hugh Jackman, Bad Education, HBO

Jeremy Pope, Hollywood, Netflix

Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much is True, HBO

Paul Mescal, Normal People, Hulu

Jeremy Irons, Watchman, HBO

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere, Hulu

Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America, FX

Octavia Spencer, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker, Netflix

Shira Haas, Unorthodox, Netflix

Regina King, Watchman, HBO

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Andra Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, NBC

William Jackson Harper, The Good Place, NBC

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method, Netflix 

Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Prime Video

Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Prime Video

Mahershaia Ali, Ramy, Netflix

Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Daniel Levy, Schitt's Creek, Pop TV

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Laura Dern, Big Little Lies, HBO

Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies, HBO

Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown, Netflix

Samira Wiley, The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu

Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve, BBC America

Julia Garner, Ozark, Netflix

Sarah Snook, Succession, HBO

Thandie Newton, Westworld, HBO

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul, AMC

Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show, Apple TV+

Mark Duplass, The Morning Show, Apple TV+

Nichola Braun, Succession, HBO

Kieran Culkin, Succession, HBO

Matthew Macfadyen, Succession, HBO

Jeffery Wright, Westwold, HBO

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Betty Gilpin, GLOW, Netflix

D'Arcy Carden, The Good Place, NBC

Yvonne Orji, Insecure, HBO

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Prime Video

Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel, Prime Video

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek, Pop TV

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Dylan McDermott, Hollywood, Netflix

Jim Parsons, Hollywood, Netflix

Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend, Netflix

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchman, HBO

Jovan Adepo, Watchman, HBO

Louis Gossett, Jr, Watchman, HBO

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Holland Taylor, Hollywood, Netflix

Uzo Adubla, Mrs. America, FX

Margo Martindale, Mrs. America, FX

Tracey Ullman, Mrs. America, FX

Toni Collette, Unbelievable, Netflix

Jean Smart, Watchman, HBO

Guest Actress in Comedy

Angela Bassett, A Black Lady Sketch Show, HBO

Maya Rudolph, The Good Place, NBC

Wanda Sykes, The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel, Prime Video

Bette Midler, The Politician, Netflix

Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Guest Actor in Comedy

Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel, Prime Video

Fred Willard, Modern Family, ABC

Dev Patel, Modern Love, Prime Video

Adam Driver, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Eddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Brad Pitt, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Guest Actor in Drama

Andrew Scott, Black Mirror, Netflix

Giancarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian, Disney+

Martin Short, The Morning Show, Apple TV+

Jason Bateman, The Outsider, HBO

James Cronwell, Succession, HBO

Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Is, NBC

Guest Actress in a Drama

Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu

Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away With Murder, ABC

Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black, Netflix

Harriet Walter, Succession, HBO

Cherry Jones, Succession, HBO

Phylicia Rashad, This Is Us, NBC

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Matt Shakman, The Great, "Pilot",  Hulu

Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, "It's Comedy or Cabbage", Prime Video

Daniel Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel, "Marvelous Radio," Hulu

Gail Mancuso, Modern Family, "Finale Part 2," ABC

Ramy Youssef, Ramy, "Miakhalifia," Hulu

Andre Cividino and Daniel Levy, Schitt's Creek "Happy Ending" Pop TV

James Burrows, Will & Grace "We Love Lucy" NBC

Outstanding Directing for a Drama

Benjamin Caron, The Crown, "Aberfan" Netflix

Jessica Hobbs, The Crown, "Cri de Coeur" Netflix

Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland, "Prisoners of Wars" Showtime

Mimi Leder, The Morning Show, "The Interview" Apple TV+

Alik Sakharov, Ozark, "Fire Pink" Netflix

Ben Semanoff, Ozark, "Su Casa Es Mi Casa" Netflix

Andrij Parekh, Succession, "Hunting", HBO

Mark Mylod, Succession, "This Is Not For Tears" HBO

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Micheal Schur, The Good Place, "Whenever You're Ready" NBC

Tony McNamara, The Great, "The Great" Hulu

Daniel Levy, Schitt's Creek, "Happy Ending" Pop TV

David West Read, Schitt's Creek, "The Presidential Suite" Pop TV

Sam Johnson and Chris Marcil, What We Do In The Shadows "Collaboration" FX

Paul Simms, What We Do In The Shadows, "Ghosts" FX

Stefani Robinson, What We Do in The Shadows "On The Run" FX

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

Thomas Schnauz, Better Call Saul, "Bad Choice Road" AMC

Gorden Smith, Better Call Saul, "Bagman" AMC

Peter Morgan, The Crown, "Aberfan" Netflix

Chris Mundy, Ozark, All In" Netflix

John Shiban, Ozark, "Boss Fight" Netflix

Miki Johnson, Ozark, "Fire Pink" Netflix

Jesse Armstrong, Succession, "This Is Not For Tears" HBO 

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Comedy Central

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS

Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ABC

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

A Black Lady Sketch Show, HBO

Drunk History, Comedy Central

Saturday Night Live, NBC

Outstanding Limited Series

Little Fires Everywhere, Hulu

Mrs. America, FX

Unbelievable, Netflix

Unorthodox, Netflix

Watchman, HBO

Outstanding Television Movie

American Son, Netflix

Bad Education, HBO

Dolly Parton's Heartstrings: These Old Bones

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Netflix

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs The Reverend, Netflix

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

The Masked Singer, FOX

Nailed It, Netflix

RuPaul's Drag Race, VH1

Top Chef, Bravo

The Voice, NBC

What are your thoughts on the nominations? Was your favorite nominated? Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts!

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will air September 20th on ABC hosting by Jimmy Kimmel.

[ellierreads]

Nonfiction Book List

A collection of nonfiction books by Black authors and/or related to intersectional race and gender studies, history, as well as other various topics. The list below is a compilation of various lists I have seen on Instagram, as well as research I’ve done on my own. I am sure I am missing important works, and am happy to add anything that is suggested. This list will be regularly added to and updated. 

Race & Anti-Racism

Diangeo, Robin - White Fragility

Eddo-Lodge, Renni - Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Kendi, Ibrahim X. - How to Be Anti-Racist

Mahzarin, Banaji & Greenwald, Anthony - Blindspot

Oluo, Ijeoma - So you want to talk about race

Omi and Winant - Racial Formation in the United States

Rankine, Claudia - Citizen

Roberts, Dorothy - Killing the Black Body

Smith, Andrea - Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy

Sowell, Thomas - Black Rednecks and White Liberals

Waheema & Lubiano - The House that Race Built

Ward, Jesmyn - The Fire This Time

Prison Abolition & the Justice System

Alexander, Michelle - The New Jim Crow

Davis, Angela - Are Prisons Obsolete?

Murakawa, Naomi - The First Civil Right

Stefanic & Delgado - Critical Race Theory: An Introduction

Stevenson, Bryan - Just Mercy

Rothstein, Richard - The Color of Law  

Policing

Vitale, Alex S. - The End of Policing

Intersectional Feminism

Bambara, Toni Cade - The Black Woman, An Anthology

Carruthers, Charlene - Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements

Cooper, Brittney - Eloquent Rage

Collins, Patricia Hill - Black Feminist Thought

Collins, Patricia Hill - Black Sexual Politics

Cottom, Tressie McMillan - THICK and Other Essays

Crenshaw, Kimberle - On Intersectionality

Davis, Angela - Women, Race, & Class

Davis, Dána-Ain - Reproductive Injustice: Racism, Pregnancy, and Premature Birth

Gay, Roxane - Bad Feminist

Gumbs, Alexis Pauline - Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugivity

Hernandez, Ed. Daisy and Rehman, Bushra - Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today’s Feminism

hooks, bell - Ain’t I a Woman

hooks, bell - All About Love

hooks, bell - Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics

Jenkins, Morgan - This Will Be My Undoing

Jones-Rogers, Stephanie E. - They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South

Kendall, Mikki - Hood Feminism

Lorde, Audre - Sister Outsider

Morales, Rosario - This Bridge Called My Back

Morgan, Joan - When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: A Hip Hop Feminist Breaks it Down

Oyěwùmí, Oyèrónkẹ́ - The Invention of Women: Making an African Sense of Western Gender Discourses

Shakur, Assata - Assata: An Autobiography

Simpson, Leanne Beta - As We Have Always Done

Williamson, Terrion L. - Scandalize My Name: Black Feminist Practice and the Making of Black Social Life

Wilson & Russell - Divided Sisters

Yamahtta-Taylor, Keeanga - How We Get Free

Masculinity

hooks, bell - The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love

hooks, bell - We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity

History

Asante Jr., M.A. - It's Bigger Than Hip Hop: The Rise of the Post-Hip-Hop Generation

Baldwin, James - The Fire Next Time

Berry, Daina Ramey & Gross, Kali Nicole - A Black Women’s History of the United States

Gates Jr., Henry Louis - Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow

Blackmon, Douglas A. - Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II

Du Bois, W.E.B. - The Souls of Black Folk

Hartman, Saidiya - Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Social Upheaval

Hurston, Zora Neale - Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo”

Johnson, E. Patrick - Black, Queer, Southern Women.: An Oral History

Jones-Rogers, Stephanie E. - They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South

Kendi, Ibram X. - Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America

Snorton, C. Riley - Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity

Taylor, Candacy A. - Overground Railroad: The Green Book & Roots of Black Travel in America

Washington, Harriet A. - Medical Apartheid

Wilkerson, Isabel - The Warmth of Other Suns

Zinn, Howard - A People’s History of the United States

Politics/Economy

Anderson, Carol - One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy

Baptist, Edward E. - The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism

Psychology

Menakem, Resmaa - My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Mending of Our Bodies and Hearts

Tatum, Beverly Daniel - "Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity

Literary Criticism

Morrison, Toni - Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination

Education

hooks, bell - Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom

Science & Technology

Benjamin, Ruha - Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code

Skloot, Rebecca - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Shetterly, Margot Lee - Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race

Autobiography/Memoir

Angelou, Maya - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Bernard, Emily - Black Is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and Mine

Broom, Sarah M. - The Yellow House

Brown, Austin Channing - I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

Coates, Ta-Nehisi - The Beautiful Struggle

Coates, Ta-Nehisi - Between the World and Me

Hinton, Anthony Ray - The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

hooks, bell - Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood

Jones, Saeed - How We Fight For Our Lives

Khan-Kullors, Patrisse and Bandele, Asha - When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir

Laymon, Kiese - Heavy: An American Memoir

Mock, Janet - Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More

Noah, Trevor - Born a Crime

Obama, Barack - Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

Obama, Michelle - Becoming

Shakur, Assata - Assata: An Autobiography

Welteroth, Elaine - More Than Enough

Wright, Richard - Black Boy

X, Malcolm - The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Comedy

Bell, W. Kamau - The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian

Haddish, Tiffany - The Last Black Unicorn

Rae, Issa - The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

Robinson, Phoebe - You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain

[casspurrjoybell-20]

FOOLS IN LOVE - Chapter 2 - Part 2

BOOK THREE: 'Fools Fall in Love' Trilogy

*Warning Adult Content*

Noah Wright

"Jude's not gonna be there," Ciera promised.

Except Jude was there.

Ciera and I got to the party around tenish and it was in full swing.

People dancing, people making out or drinking.

There was a lot of people vaping and I was sure there was a room in this house specifically for people to smoke weed or do a line.

The plan was to find that room, for the pot nothing else but before that, Ciera wanted a beer.

Making our way towards the kitchen, I bumped into someone.

"Sorry," I muttered, until that someone turned around.

'Jude. Fucking great.'

Jude and I were friends my freshman year of college when I was dating my ex.

Jude was disruptive towards my relationship and things ended very badly.

Then Jude came on to me when I explicitly told him no.

So yeah he's an asshole.

Jude gave me his ugly, evil grin.

"Hmm, didn't expect to find you here."

I already wanted to hit him.

I gave him bored eyes.

"Didn't realize you were searching for me."

"No but I was looking for your lost puppy dog, put him in his kennel tonight?"

I gritted my teeth.

He was talking about my ex-boyfriend, Sam which was why I made a step to hit him but Ciera pulled me back.

"Let's be civil, boys. I'm trying to have a good time," she said, gripping the sleeve of my red and black flannel.

Ciera dragged us away until we were in the kitchen.

I yanked my arm free, feeling waves of anger hit me over and over but I tried staying a float.

"Jude won't be here, huh?" I mocked her bitterly.

"Noah, I'm sorry, okay?"

I rolled my eyes at Ciera who stood behind me.

"I didn't know Jude was gonna be here."

"Fuck off," I told her.

Ciera's loyalty lied with me, I knew but I also knew she was still friends with Dinah, so who knew if Ciera did or didn't know Jude was going to be at the frat house party that she begged me to go to.

I had built up a high dosage of trust issues in my system over the past year.

There was three people in my life last year that took my trust, ripped it in half then picked up the pieces just to toss it into the fire.

One being Carter, my high school friend, supposed to be my friend, until he fucked the person I loved more than anything in this world. and Cater knew very well how much I loved that person.

Second being Jude.

A manipulative fucked up person who tried pushing me away from the person I mentioned who I loved and the third was the worst letdown.

The person I loved more than anything in the world and he fucked me up the most.

I hated thinking about him.

Thinking about him only made me angry and bitter.

Which was probably why I was always in a bitter mood.

I told myself I hated him but deep down, that wasn't true.

I wished I hated him.

So, excuse the fuck out of me for questioning people's honesty.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I really didn't know," she reiterated.

Ciera was there for all the betrayals.

I wanted desperately to believe that I could trust her but it was so hard to let my guard down but she was the only constant in my life then and my neediness for her was uncontrollable.

I was going to say something to her when I felt a hole burning into my head. I looked around to find the source and my eyes landed on someone I wished to never see again and yet, my heart started throbbing and beating out of my chest.

The person I used to love.

Sam Moretti.

My ex-boyfriend, I was trying desperately to forget.

I haven't seen him in months.

Nine months to be exact.

"Stay here," I told her before stalking over toward Sam.

He kept his eyes on me the entire time.

I gripped his wrist tightly and forced him to follow me.

I didn't know if I was more furious or confused at seeing him here but my heart was racing as fast as my head was spinning.

"Noah..." Sam said my name and it was the first time I heard him speak in almost a year.

I didn't know how to feel.

I pushed past people and went into a bathroom.

"Yo, what the fuck? Get in line," a guy shouted at me but I ignored him and shoved Sam into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind us. I turned to him with a glare.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Being in the bathroom lighting, I got a good look at him.

He looked almost exactly as I remembered, piercing green eyes, smooth skin, perfect sandy hair and beautiful.

The only difference was he looked skinnier.

He had lost weight or maybe I was just imagining it.

"I go here now. I start school on Monday," he told me, firmly with his head held high like always.

I scoffed.

"You better be fucking joking."

Sam looked at me as if I was stupid.

"Why are you surprised? Me going to UIC was always the plan."

"It was my plan," I yelled while pointing at myself.

"You could go anywhere. You chose my school?"

"It's not your school," he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I applied and I got it."

I got in his face, towering over him.

"Apply somewhere else."

"No," he said firmly and I gritted my teeth with my jaw set.

I stepped back.

"You're un-fucking-believable. If we ever cross paths on campus, don't fucking talk to me, don't even look at me," I warned him but before storming out of the bathroom.

"Have fun at the party, there's plenty of guys to fuck you."

"Noah, wait," I heard Sam call me.

I went back to where Ciera stood in the kitchen.

"Are you okay?"she asked.

"Was that Sam?"

I poured myself a shot but she stopped me, gripping my arm.

"Hey, no. You're three months sober, don't let seeing him ruin that."

It wasn't just Sam, though, it was that whole fucking day that was complete Hell.

My eyes watched Sam move through the crowd.

"The urge to drink until I have to get my stomach pumped seems more appealing than seeing him."

Who the fuck did Sam think he was showing up at my school?

"Okay, this was a bad idea. I'm sorry, let's go home," Ciera told me, worriedly as she took the alcohol out of my hand.

Sam and I locked eyes.

I gritted my teeth, jaw locked as I grabbed Ciera's hand and moved us through the crowd until we were out the door and I could finally take a breath.

[doomonfilm]

Memories : The Best Films of the 2010s

Only a few years into my tenure as a film blogger, and I’ve been tasked with a monumental undertaking : ranking the top films of the last decade.  Reflecting year by year is a journey in its own right, and with things like recency bias to take into account, plus the dice roll of blessing and curse that perspective and time bring to older films, I knew that this would be memorable at best, and stressful at worst.

That being said, I don’t claim to have seen every movie, so I know that there are some ‘glaring’ omissions.  I am always open to recommendations for films I should watch (for the purpose of blogging on them or otherwise), but DOOMonFILM has always been about my personal experience as a film fan, first and foremost.  Discussion is welcome, and constructive criticism will always be considered, but this is one man’s opinion.

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THOUGHTS ON THE DECADE

The 2010s, despite moments of controversy in terms of diversity, turned out to be surprisingly forward-thinking in hindsight.  On more than one occasion in the decade, the film of the year (in terms of awards or in terms of critical/public reception), as well as highlight films of each year, were made by foreign directors.  Women and minorities also managed to be recognized in front of and behind the camera at what seemed like a higher rate.  Newer technologies were embraced, such as pushes forward in new cameras or directors opting to shoot on devices as small as iPhones, leaps forward in special effects, and a multitude of movies given the iMax treatment.  A handful of directors happened to put out multiple movies throughout the decade, and a few of those in that handful managed to make multiple award-winning and widely accepted films.  Marvel left such an impact on Hollywood, and the worldwide movie industry, that DC was forced to try and follow suit, and mergers with Sony and Disney were top tier news for months on end.  Actors like Scarlett Johanson, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Leonardo DiCaprio, among others, solidified themselves as box-office legends, while actors on both sides of their career (first-timers and those in the twilight of their career) found success throughout the decade.  All in all, it was a decade that continued to make me happy to be a movie fan, and as hard as it was to do, I managed to find 100 films throughout the decade to rank. 

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100. It Comes at Night (dir. Trey Edward Shults, 2017) 99. Kick-Ass (dir. Matthew Vaughn, 2010) 98. The Peanuts Movie (dir. Steve Martino, Andy Beall and Frank Molieri, 2015) 97. Everybody Wants Some!! (dir. Richard Linklater, 2016)  96. Upstream Color (dir. Shane Carruth, 2013) 95. Avengers : Age of Ultron (dir. Joss Whedon, 2015) 94. John Dies at the End (dir. Don Coscarelli, 2013) 93. Doctor Strange (dir. Scott Derrickson, 2016) 92. Keanu (dir. Peter Atencio, 2016) 91. Free Fire (dir. Ben Wheatley, 2017) 90. Upgrade (dir. Leigh Whannell, 2018) 89. Chappie (dir. Neill Blomkamp, 2015) 88. American Ultra (dir. Nima Nourizadeh, 2015) 87. I, Tonya (dir. Craig Gillespie, 2017) 86. Boyhood (dir. Richard Linklater, 2014) 85. The Grand Budapest Hotel (dir. Wes Anderson, 2014) 84. La La Land (dir. Damien Chazelle, 2016) 83. Ex Machina (dir. Alex Garland, 2015) 82. Nightcrawler (dir. Dan Gilroy, 2014) 81. Sicario (dir. Denis Villeneuve, 2015) 80. Looper (dir. Rian Johnson, 2012) 79. The Killer Inside Me (dir. Michal Winterbottom, 2010) 78. Hell or High Water (dir. David Mackenzie, 2016) 77. End of Watch (dir. David Ayer, 2012) 76. Django Unchained (dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2012) 75. Thoroughbreds (dir. Cory Finley, 2018) 74. Chronicle (dir. Josh Trank, 2012) 73. Melancholia (dir. Lars von Trier, 2011) 72. Black Mirror : Bandersnatch (dir. David Slade, 2018) 71. Detroit (dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 2017) 70. BlacKkKlansman (dir. Spike Lee, 2018) 69. Black Panther (dir. Ryan Coogler, 2018) 68. I Am Not Your Negro (dir. Raoul Peck, 2017) 67. Straight Outta Compton (dir. F. Gary Gray, 2015) 66. Kubo and the Two Strings (dir. Travis Knight, 2016) 65. It Follows (dir. David Robert Mitchell, 2014) 64. Logan Lucky (dir. Steven Soderbergh, 2017) 63. Get Out (dir. Jordan Peele, 2017) 62. Booksmart (dir. Olivia Wilde, 2019) 61. Beats, Rhymes & Life : The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (dir. Michael Rapaport, 2011) 60. Lady Bird (dir. Greta Gerwig, 2017) 59. Moonrise Kingdom (dir. Wes Anderson, 2012) 58. The Cabin in the Woods (dir. Drew Goddard, 2012) 57. Black Swan (dir. Darren Aronofsky, 2010) 56. Captain America : The Winter Soldier (dir. Joe Russo, 2014) 55. If Beale Street Could Talk (dir. Barry Jenkins, 2018) 54. Avengers : Infinity War (dir. Anthony Russo, 2018) 53. True Grit (dir. Ethan and Joel Cohen, 2010) 52. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (dir. Martin McDonagh, 2017) 51. Whiplash (dir. Damien Chazelle, 2014) 50. Midsommar (dir. Ari Aster, 2019) 49. Journey to the West : Conquering the Demons (dir. Stephen Chow and Derek Kwok, 2013) 48. Sorry To Bother You (dir. Boots Riley, 2018) 47. Mid90s (dir. Jonah Hill, 2018) 46. Logan (dir. James Mangold, 2017) 45. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2017) 44. Phantom Thread (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017) 43. The Hateful Eight (dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2015) 42. Exit Through the Gift Shop (dir. Banksy, 2010) 41. The Irishman (dir. Martin Scorsese, 2019) 40. Suspiria (dir. Luca Guadagnino, 2018) 39. The VVitch (dir. Robert Eggers, 2016) 38. Dogtooth (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2010) 37. The Lighthouse (dir. Robert Eggers, 2019) 36. Annihilation (dir. Alex Garland, 2018) 35. Drive (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, 2011) 34. Beyond the Black Rainbow (dir. Panos Cosmatos, 2012) 33. The Favourite (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018) 32. Searching (dir. Aneesh Chaganty, 2018) 31. Tangerine (dir. Sean Baker, 2015) 30. Snowpiercer (dir. Bong Joon-ho, 2014) 29. Under the Skin (dir. Jonathan Glazer, 2013) 28. Dunkirk (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2017) 27. Blade Runner 2049 (dir. Denis Villeneuve, 2017) 26. Baby Driver (dir. Edgar Wright, 2017) 25. Joker (dir. Todd Phillips, 2019) 24. The Neon Demon (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, 2016) 23. Spider-Man : Into the Spider-Verse (dir. Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman, 2018) 22. The Shape of Water (dir. Guillermo del Toro, 2017) 21. The Social Network (dir. David Fincher, 2010) 20. Frances Ha (dir. Noah Baumbach, 2013) 19. Under the Silver Lake (dir. David Robert Mitchell, 2019) 18. Mad Max : Fury Road (dir. George Miller, 2015) 17. Good Time (dir. Josh and Benny Safdie, 2017) 16. Mandy (dir. Panos Cosmatos, 2018) 15. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (dir. Quentin Tarantino, 2019) 14. Her (dir. Spike Jonze, 2013) 13. The Lobster (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015) 12. Inherent Vice (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014) 11. The Master (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012)

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10. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (dir. Joe Talbot, 2019)

I saw this film as the decade was winding to a close, but it made easily one of the starkest impressions on me of any film-going experience I can recall.  The movie looks amazing, the score and soundtrack are powerful, the acting is rich and dynamic, San Francisco is as beautiful on film as it is in real life, and the thoughts that arise from the narrative presented are the kind that hang around and result in personal changes that matter.  A shining achievement from a stellar year of film.

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9. Inception (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2010)

If Christopher Nolan wasn’t already considered top tier prior to Inception, any doubters were left floored at the close of this masterpiece.  For a story that could have easily been way too convoluted for standard audiences, the visuals, direction and pacing guide us through the madness perfectly.  For anyone interested in dream depictions on cinema, for fans of stellar action, and for the smart people who know the quality that comes with the Nolan name, this one was a no-brainer.

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8. mother! (dir. Darren Aronofsky, 2017)

After being a bit on the nose with Noah, in terms of a film on religion, most directors would take that as a sign to move on from the topic.  For a director like Darren Aronofsky, however, the next step was to seemingly go back to your mind-scrambling roots, dig deeper symbolically, narratively and metaphorically, and come back to the table with one of the most divisive and controversial films of the decade.  mother! will clearly be a film ripe for analysis for years to come, and for as subjective and deep an experience as the film is, this reflection is welcome, as it serves to enrich future viewing experiences.

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7. Uncut Gems (dir. Josh and Benny Safdie, 2019)

How long does a film have to be out to be considered one of the best of the decade?  In the case of Uncut Gems, I will allow recency bias, as it is clearly evident at the beginning of the closing credits that the film is special and will resonate for years to come.  The Safdie brothers already had a classic under their belt with Good Time, and throwing that Sandler magic into the mix only amplifies their heightened and immersive style.

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6. The Florida Project (dir. Sean Baker, 2017)

There are a small fraternity of directors that put out their first films and follow-up films in the 2010s, and while examples of possible award snubs can be found for these directors, there was one clear-cut case of oversight : the 2017 lack of recognition for Sean Baker’s immaculate, beautiful and moving The Florida Project.  While Tangerine was certainly the loudest of warning shots a first time director could provide, the amount of growth, nuance and confidence found in this follow-up deserved multiple awards, not just an acting nod for Willem Dafoe.  Perhaps Baker’s next film will bring him the recognition he deserves in terms of awards, but he’s already made a clear cut name for himself.

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5. Hereditary (dir. Ari Aster, 2018)

I rediscovered a love for horror films in the 2010s, and a key reason would be the emergence of director Ari Aster.  Upon seeing trailers for Hereditary, I knew that it would probably scare the life out of me, but the taste of the story given was so gripping I had to see it.  The fact that the trailer was so powerful, only for the movie to unfold in ways that I never would have imagined or discerned from the trailer, was one of the most rewarding film experiences of the decade.  Toni Collette also gave a performance for the ages.

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4. You Were Never Really Here (dir. Lynne Ramsay, 2018)

It’s arguable that Joaquin Phoenix may have had the strongest decade of any actor, and for my money’s worth, he was at his best in You Were Never Really Here.  Much of the angst presented was previously explored in The Master, and as great as Joker is, it’s essentially the DCEU version of You Were Never Really Here, tonally and in terms of specific elements.  Nobody short of the Safdie brothers are making movies that look, sound and feel like this one, and the unfortunate practice of human trafficking hitting the news forefront makes this film as timely as it is sad.

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3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (dir. Edgar Wright, 2010)

Hands down the coolest film of the decade.  Not since Who Framed Roger Rabbit? had so many elements that I loved from other properties managed to find their way into the same movie, and the way that the gumbo was prepared and served was pitch perfect.  As my friend Erin stated after we viewed the film, ‘If you watch this movie and don’t like it, I don’t think we can be friends’.  Some of my favorite sequences of any film are in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and this is the EXACT kind of film I look forward to one day sharing with my children. 

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2. Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho, 2019)

Another recent film that made an instant impact.  In terms of topics like honesty, entitlement, and family dynamics, nothing I can think of in recent memory is touching Parasite.  The parallels between the two families presented are perfect both visually and in the performances, and with each new bit of information presented, much of what you were previously presented is immediately recontextualized and put into question.  This film, from front to back, is one of the most gripping journeys a filmgoer can take. 

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1. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2014)

Easily my favorite film of the decade.  This is the closest thing to a song-poem that I’ve ever seen presented on film, and it’s heartbreakingly beautiful.  Nothing else released in the decade looked or sounded like this film, and the way it meta-reflects on Hollywood, Broadway, superhero films and the importance of actors is equal parts hilarious, thought-provoking and wonderfully frustrating.  The film answers enough questions it posits so as to not completely confound the viewer, but it leaves enough open-ended so that repeat viewings are rewarding.  A true achievement of film, regardless of decade.