#and hugh laurie is just a fantastic actor

[mielianomalia]

be real w me should I watch house md

I would say yes but it also depends on what kind of media you like! It's a great show and a very interesting character study of a really messed up man made before that really became a trope. I think the mysterious medical cases paired with the character development we get during the show is balanced really well for a really fun show. I know I personally talk a lot about Hilson so I will say, they aren't canon but I do think they are queercoded. I could make a whole long post about that but tldr they are very important to each other and their relationship is central to the show.

It is also a quite good depiction of addiction and disability, specifically when it comes to House. The characters surrounding him have various opinions on it, ranging from good to bad, but that is also realistic. Obviously no depiction is ever perfect, but based on posts i have seen from people with disabilities, it's overall well received. Hugh Laurie is not physically disabled himself, so that's like the biggest negative i've seen ppl talk about when it comes to House's disabilities and their portrayal. also yes he uses his cane wrong, this is actually talked about in the show too. (if anyone who is disabled/struggles with addiction sees this and disagrees, definitely feel free to comment on this!)

However, despite all the good, there are things that range from just meh to straight up Yikes. Some of the stuff hasn't generally aged well and the offensive type of humor that House uses isn't really considered Great nowadays. It is also a show that was made for TV and a lot of the episodes are quite formulaic, especially early on. There is an overarching plot tho and the characters do change as the show goes on.

there was a discussion about the episodes that are particularly offensive on househeritageposts, that could be something you wanna check out. you can make your own call on if those eps are skippable for you or not. (I do personally like the house n wilson moments in Softer Side a lot)

In conclusion! It is a fantastic, well-acted medical mystery show that won awards for a reason, and it's also a show that ran from 2004 to 2012. I personally really like it and I would tell you to just watch a couple eps! The colour grading in the pilot is weird as hell but they don't keep that for the actual show.

[bakedspoonie]

I’m not great with faces and it’s been a while but I think Matteo is being played by one of my favourite actors. He played Jackson one half of firestorm in the flash and legends of tomorrow I think? He was fantastic in that, also pretty sure that’s not his original accent. I’m almost certain he’s actually English and just does an excellent American accent. I want him to be like Hugh Laurie tricking Americans into thinking he’s one of us but he doesn’t come from the land of burgers!! He comes from the lands of idk beans? Don’t the English like beans for breakfast or some weird shit?

[blahahala]

Watching Sam Hazeldine's Movies, part 2:

I've added three more of Sam Hazeldine's films to my watched list: The Machine (2013), Persuasion (2007), and The Last Duel (2021).

First up, I really enjoyed The Machine; it's a solid 90-minute AI thriller. Sam's role in it is fairly small, and it's actually one of the critiques I have of the movie - I would've liked a little more of his character. Besides that, the movie is filled with solid performances including those of Caity Lotz (who is excellent), Toby Stephens, and Denis Lawson. It's nothing life-changing, but is a solidly engaging film. It can be found for free on tubi.

Next, I watched Persuasion. I'll be honest that I was completely unfamiliar with this story, having never read the book or seen any other adaptation. I enjoyed the film and Sam's performance as Charles Musgrove; he reminded me a bit of Hugh Laurie in the role. This movie is very Adar heavy as Joseph Mawle is also in it! Really enjoyed him in his role. Overall, I can't say it's my favorite movie in the world, but I'm glad I watched it; there was a lot of running towards the end 😂 It can be watched on Peacock.

Most recently, I watched The Last Duel. This is a movie I'd been meaning to watch since it came out in 2021, so I was glad to finally sit down with it. Firstly regarding Sam's role - I spotted him a couple of times sitting next to several of the main supporting characters at the duel, but I didn't spot him anywhere else in the film? I'm not sure if I just missed him, or if most of his scenes were cut... given where he is sitting in the opening scene, I expected to see more of him.

Here he is in the opening scene:

The movie as a whole is good - I think I'd give it a 7.5/10. Jodie Comer is excellent in her role and Adam Driver also gives a solid performance. Where I came away a bit puzzled, though, was with Matt Damon and, in particular, Ben Affleck. Neither of their performances were bad, but they just seemed to be really odd casting. It didn't necessarily take away from the film (though good lord what was going on with Ben Affleck's hair) but I do think that some different actors might have added a bit to it. Jodie Comer was, in my opinion, the highlight of the film.

A few of my favorite clips:

Ben Affleck's fantastically protracted proclamation of "cuuunt!":

Adam Driver's epically devious cape swish in front of the king:

Jodie Comer's delightfully delivered "sow!":

This movie is available to rent online, though I got the DVD from my library (and ugh the DVD is so frustrating to navigate; I accidentally hit the scene back button and I swear it went back 20 minutes). Please read a bit about the content of this film if you are going to watch it, as it is very violent.

-------

I'm not sure what is up next - any recommendations? I'm also thinking of delving into Charles Edwards' filmography; I've seen a few things he is in, but there is a lot left to discover so I'd also be grateful for recommendations there!

✨

[charlieandluigi]

OMG I just finished watching House MD last week and Peter Jacobson just appeared as a (probably?) side character in this episode.

I loved him playing Taub is House he’s fantastic.

I know he might only appear this one time in this one episode but it’s cool to see him. I’m bad with faces so I love seeing actors and actresses that I actually recognize.

Since I watched House I was kinda looking for something with Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean (Lawrence) Leonard cause I loved their chemistry so much. Wilson was my favorite character on the whole show.

There’s no reason for me to be sharing any of this since nobody cares and I have nothing valuable to add but I’m posting it anyway

[263adder]

British Sitcoms: 20th Century Edition

I decided it was time to show some love to British content – specifically the British sitcom. There are so many I love though, that I’ve decided to split them into two: for the 20th century and for the 21st. So, if you want to try some British content or want to revisit the classics, have a look. I’ve posted links for some great scenes to introduce the shows.

1. The Vicar of Dibley – 1994 to 2000

It is set in a fictional village of Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar, Geraldine Granger, following the changes in the Church of England that permitted the ordination of women.

The Vicar of Dibley is a great fish-out-of-water show, with Geraldine “Gerry” Granger moving into the parish to the shock of the villagers. The entire cast is iconic and it’s very sad that several cast members have passed away in recent years. Their memories live on fondly in the UK however, with routine screenings of this show. There aren’t many episodes, but they continue to produce specials for charity fundraisers so we still get to see Dibley and all their loveable inhabitants.

The religious aspect of the show, as it usually is in British media, is usually downplayed with greater emphasis on Christian characteristics such as kindness, forgiveness and charity. Sample a scene here in which one character unexpectantly comes out of the closet in a very touching yet funny scene.

2. Yes, Minister (later Yes, Prime Minister) – 1980 to 1984, 1986 to 1988

Set in the office of a British Cabinet minister, the show follows the career of Jim Hacker. His various struggles to formulate and enact policy are opposed by the British Civil Service, in particular his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby.

This show is notable for its marvellous dialogue and proves a great insight into British politics which is still applicable into the 21stcentury. The dialogue is not just a triumph of the writers, but also the actors who somehow get through sometimes incomprehensible speeches which you have to rewatch a dozen times to finally understand (give this speech a try). I’m aware that might not be the best way to advertise a show, yet it accomplishes its purpose of uncovering the game of politics. How words are manipulated to hide ulterior meanings or to secure what an individual wants. If you watch the show, you’ll never be able to watch political news the same way again.

3. The Good Life – 1975 to 1978

Opening with the midlife crisis of Tom Good, a 40-year-old plastics designer, it relates the joys and setbacks he and his wife Barbara experience when they attempt to escape a modern rat race lifestyle by becoming totally self-sufficient in their suburban house.

If you like cottagecore, you’ll like The Good Life. Tom and Barbara are excellent together, and their neighbours Margo and Jerry are hilarious. It’s the ultimate comfort TV show. Watching them running around after their pet pig, trying (and often failing) at DIY projects. Making their own cheese, trying to generate their own electricity. It’s brilliant. You can watch the full first episode here.

4. Blackadder – 1983 to 1989

Each series is set in a different historical period, with the two protagonists – Edmund Blackadder and Baldrick – accompanied by different characters, though several reappear. The four seasons of this show were accompanied by several specials including the film Blackadder’s Christmas Carol.

Ah, the show that inspired my username (Adder). The only reason it’s not further up the list is that I don’t really care for the first season – it’s a bit too Mr Bean for my taste. Second season onwards is the classic portrayal of Edmund Blackadder as the acerbic, sarcastic and put-upon protagonist, doing his best to teach Baldrick how to count and giving Percy fashion advice. The dialogue is always excellent and there is an array of fantastic actors, including Rowan Atkinson, Miranda Richardson and Hugh Laurie.

5. Only Fools and Horses – 1981 to 2003

Set in Peckham in south-east London, it follows ambitious market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and his younger brother Rodney Trotter. The series follows their highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich.

Regularly voted as Britain’s favourite sitcom, catchphrases from the show have entered common usage in the UK such as: “this time next year we’ll be millionaires” and “you plonker”. There are several famous scenes, such as Del Boy falling through the bar and dropping a priceless chandelier (see GIF), but my favourite is from the above scene Heroes and Villains. Have a watch! There’s a reason this show lasted over twenty years and continues to be routinely aired on TV.

6. Father Ted – 1995 to 1998

Set on the fictional Craggy Island, a remote location off Ireland's west coast, Father Ted focuses on two priests exiled to the island as punishment for various mistakes, where they live together in the parochial house with their housekeeper.

This Irish-British sitcom may be incomprehensible to an international audience, but if you can handle the accents you’ll be in for a treat. It’ll also prepare you for an entry on the 21st century sitcom list! From a low-speed chase on a milk float, to a daring escape from the lingerie department, there is no shortage of laughs on this show. Unfortunately, the death of the lead actor one day after finishing filming of the final season prevented any special reunions like many other sitcoms on this last have had – but it remains much beloved in both Britain and Ireland.

7. Porridge – 1974 to 1977

This sitcom focuses on two prison inmates, Norman Fletcher and Lennie Godber, who are serving time at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland. The show's title is a reference to both the traditional breakfast that used to be served in British prisons, and a 1950s British slang term for a prison sentence.

The criminal yet loveable Norman Stanley Fletcher, played by beloved British comedian Ronnie Barker, takes cellmate Godber under his wing while the two serve out their sentences at HMP Slade. The show moves between the inmates and the prison wardens, showing off their excellent repartee as the wardens treat Fletcher with varying suspicion and sympathy. While it is frequently shown that Fletcher was a habitual criminal, often committing theft, it’s his heart-of-gold moments that shine through over his scheming ways – going out of his way to help fellow inmates and keep them out of trouble with the more menacing criminals. It also offers several poignant and thought-provoking ideas on the British prison system.

The series was so well-loved that it got a spin-off called Going Straight (1978) and a feature-length film Porridge (1979). Unfortunately, the actor playing Godber (Richard Beckinsale) died in 1979 so no further spin-offs or films were produced. For a sample of this lovely show, check out this clip.

8. Dad’s Army – 1968 to 1977

The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service during World War Two, either because of age (hence the title Dad's Army) or by being in professions exempt from conscription. Most of the platoon characters depicted in Dad's Army are over military age. They are led by Captain George Mannering.

The episode which remains with me is Branded, which focuses on the character Private Charles Godfrey who is a conscientious objector. He is at first ostracised from Home Guard, until his sister reveals he served as a medic during World War One, was given the Military Medal, and subsequently saves Captain Mannering from a smoke-filled hut.

9. Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads – 1973 to 1974

A sequel to the Likely Lads (1964-66) set in Newcastle upon Tyne (North East England). It follows the friendship, resumed after five years apart, of two working-class young men, Bob Ferris and Terry Collier. The humour was based on the tension between Terry's firmly working-class outlook and Bob's aspirations to join the middle class, through his new white-collar job, suburban home and impending marriage to librarian Thelma Chambers.

This is an obscure one, but I love it. Probably as it’s set in the North East, which is a setting I’m familiar with and that doesn’t get shown much in 20th century sitcoms. All of the characters are annoying to an extent – Terry’s antics, Bob’s fastidiousness, Thelma’s temper – but put together they’re hilarious.

10. Fawlty Towers – 1975 to 1979

The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a fictional hotel in Torquay. It centres on the owner Basil Fawlty, his wife Sybil, chambermaid Polly and the Spanish waiter Manuel. They show their attempts to run the hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests and tradespeople.

I know it will seem blasphemous to some that this only ranks tenth, but consider that the show only had twelve episodes total compared to the longer running series on this list. I fully recommend the scene from the above GIF as an introduction, it kills me every time!

Honourable Mentions:

Bottom, Citizen Smith, Ever Decreasing Circles, One Foot in the Grave, Open All Hours.

[mylifeincinema]

My Best of 2020: Supporting Actor

My Best of 2020 is a series of annual lists in which I pick the best of the best from 2020, all leading up to my official picks for My Top 10 Films of 2020.

I always love this category. I’m also always so frustrated with this category. There’s always so many fantastic performances that just miss the top ten. This year, that includes - but is certainly not limited to - Orion Lee in First Cow, Shia LaBeouf in Pieces of a Woman, and Billy Crystal in Standing Up, Falling Down. As for the ones who did make it, well... c’mon... just look at them! Laurie is perfection, and probably my second or third favorite overall performance of the year. Murray and Nighy are so effortlessly likable. And could Fincher have cast anybody nearly as perfect for LB & Hearst as Arliss Howard & Charles Dance?

Here they are...

My Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actor in 2020!

1. Hugh Laurie in The Personal History of David Copperfield

2. Bill Murray in On the Rocks

3. Sacha Baron Cohen in The Trial of the Chicago 7

4. Arliss Howard in Mank

5. Leslie Odom, Jr. in One Night in Miami...

6. Bill Nighy in Emma.

7. David Thewlis in I’m Thinking of Ending Things

8. Charles Dance in Mank

9. Glynn Turman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

10. Paul Raci in Sound of Metal

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

Next Up: Directing; Lead Actress

More of My Best of 2020…  

[insanityclause]

SINCE millions saw his pale bum in The Night Manager, Tom Hiddleston’s fans have wondered when he will be back on British telly.

I can reveal it will be in new Netflix drama White Stork.

Tom plays James Cooper, a charismatic ex-soldier turned charity entrepreneur groomed by Westminster kingmakers for political leadership.

It is being made by Eleven, the firm also behind the comedy-drama Sex Education.

A source said: “Netflix is over the moon to get someone as popular as Tom on board. They think the series sounds fantastic and will have viewers gripped.”

In the ten-part political thriller, Tom’s character is vetted to make sure he has no dark secrets.

I’ve done some digging of my own into Tom’s past and I’m alarmed to tell you I’ve just seen that picture of him in a Taylor Swift vest again.

The Golden Globe winner left people enthralled in The Night Manager and has said he can't wait to see what is in store for his character in series 2.

He is reprising his role alongside Olivia Colman and Hugh Laurie.

Although executive producer Simon Cornwell admitted they have yet to get the new plot down.

He said: "We don't have scripts for it yet, and we would only think about making a second series of The Night Manager if it was going to be really good.

"And I'm sure that Hugh and Tom and Olivia, who are not exactly underemployed actors, won't want to come back unless it's excellent, frankly."

Tom seems to be going from strength to strength and a sparkling Netflix deal can only help bolster his skyrocketing career.

[what2watch2night]

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD is Armando Iannucci's latest feature “inspired” by the cherished Charles Dickens’s story.  Of course, like many of his projects, it is a comedy film, but being based on the novel - and although “a-la modern woke sauce” - the film is still set in the Victorian era which allows for some drama, dramatics, and historical antics!  We follow the titular character, David Copperfield, in his present-day telling a packed audience in a theater (and us viewers) about his eventful journey since birth. The rest is history but with many twists that Iannucci turned into a literal tale. Not your usual fairy tale but a surprising and sometimes filled with bizarre wonders. THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD is a movie like very few, so because 7 is a magical number,  here are 7 reasons why you should watch it!

   1. The genius casting…

For this new adaptation, they decided to opt for a colorblind casting. Which frankly, should be the standard for all the classics that already had their go with the "appropriate looking cast" more than once (or 10 times!) But here, they really pushed it to the limit of supernatural by also not caring about logic and science! And the result was marvelous and kinda believable (if you believe most people in that era were adopted and racism was never a thing!) We have father-daughter or mother-son and many more members of the same family being from different ethnicities ( a Chinese dad with a Black child, a Black mother with White child) It is a fantastic combination that one can only wish more historical retellings, with or without twists, will adopt but as of now, THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD is the ultimate blind-casting fantasy!

     2. The genius casting...of this cast... 

So not only they managed to make us believe in the impossible but due to this creative casting direction, we end up with a phenomenal cast of British creme-de-la-creme actors. Of course, many of the director’s favs and muses are here among other Tilda (well, she is the muses of them all; the muse of many many directors for our viewing pleasure!) or Hugh Laurie, and the ALWAYS excellent Nikki Amuka-Bird easily shining all in this very large ensemble; if not for Copperfield himself, Dev Patel!

 If the film had to be summed up in one word, or just two, it would be (Sir) Dev Patel! (Yes, we said it: sir! Cuz you know it’s coming sooner or later mate!) Sure we might not get that actual knight movie (but we NEED it!) we’ve all been waiting for since the trailer dropped anytime soon, but hey this is still a good shot for Patel awards and career recognition! (would not that be grand; although apart for the BIFA, the lack of love for the film at UK’s awards is not encouraging) Patel might not be at his best in the comedy bits but the dude managed to make everything so emotional and making people connect to his character 100%.

  Talking about comedy...

    3. The genius casting...of this cast...(being all “commedia dell'arte” and quirky!)... 

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD might not be as riotous as Iannucci's THE DEATH OF STALIN  as this is more "family-friendly" but the cast truly accepted the challenge and went all in! It is refreshing and also shows their versatility (if we did not know already). And although some might not be sold on this style  (more on this later) it makes this project quite unique or one of the few in this particular field.

    4. The genius...casting of this cast...(being all “commedia dell'arte” and quirky!)...telling this story...  

We are not gonna tell you THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD is not weird especially in its specific subverting of Dickens' beloved story. One might find it outrageous, another one ridiculous, and another sort of charming!  It could be all of the above depending on the scenes but this David Copperfield modern take cannot leave one indifferent as the filmmaker surely made “decisions”!  We still have major elements of the book incorporated and being key to the narrative (him being an orphan, dysfunctional found family, betrayals and hardship, love, the countryside, the autobiographical aspect) but others, and on top of, that ��� things happen” for better or worse!

    5. The genius...casting of this cast...(being all “commedia dell'arte” and quirky!)...telling this story...in this surreal setting...

One might say since the filmmakers decided to opt for something a little surreal they could have gone way, wayyyyy, more bonkers and surrealist! Yet the ALICE IN WONDERLAND type of decors, sets, and touches of magic realism here and there, were much much appreciated. (Particularly the beach house with whimsical proportions) It is not really consistent, which is possibly the film's biggest flaws but it helps elevate the material enough so one knows we are drastically departing from the original. 

   6. The genius...casting of this cast...(being all “commedia dell'arte” and quirky!)...telling this story...in this surreal setting...might not be for everyone...

 The use of slapstick, comedy, satire, and massive changes twisting a famous classic is a perfect combo for not being everyone's cup of tea! As one might not like one of the former or all of them… 

Slapstick humor, in particular, is a very acquired taste, but it has a huge potential and many fans all over (C’mon most comedies are suffering because of this… that is the opinion on the matter here like it or not!) 

Satire, on the other hand, when refined might be more niche BUT can produce greatness! ( see THE FAVOURITE or the director’s previous THE DEATH OF STALIN).

Then, taking a Classic and completely throwing important details, or essences of it, out of the window will surely infuriate many! *Especially if “cherry on the dry cake” it is filled with POC!!! Guess conservatives or purists tend to have their - hummm, racist - preferences in the name of tradition and “accuracy”...

   7. The genius...casting of this cast...(being all “commedia dell'arte” and quirky!)...telling this story...in this surreal setting...might not be for everyone...Yet it is one of the best films of the year

 THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD might finish in many best of 2020 lists and it might stay there - or even stay in the top tier of those lists - unless release galore like an avalanche falls upon us or if theaters truly decide to open ( and, if we are still here by year-end and not contaminated through sticky seats, galloping mice, and covidiots moviegoers) 

But, so far, 2020 has been…a trip and it goes crescendo with all sorts of things/events coming up in the next few months worldwide, so who knows if there will still a point to all of this by the time award-season kicks (sometimes) in 2021. Hey, let’s not be gloomy hence if you have not watched it THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD it will surely cheer you up :) And that is something of a bonus as it will transport you to its universe and make you forget what’s up with now!

MORAL OF THIS STORY:  7.5/10

So, we highly recommend you watch THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD because of “the genius casting of this cast (being all “commedia dell'arte” and quirky!) telling this story in this surreal setting might not be for everyone...Yet it is one of the best films of the year!

[jadelotusflower]

August 2020 roundup

The end of another month - this year is truly going by at the speed of light. I hope everyone is coping okay - the state borders are still closed here and (for now) covid is under control, so I am grateful for that and feel for those who are not so lucky. 

Writing wise, I’ve not been as productive as I would like, but I did update Against the Dying of the Light, and it was an absolutely mammoth chapter with action/battle scenes which I always find difficult, so was fairly proud of the result.

I haven’t read much fanfic lately, my to-read list is a mile long, but I’ll get to it.

I have been reading more actual books, and finished The History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey Monmouth, which I found interesting as an faux-historical and early Arthurian reference, if not particularly enthralling.

I’m about two-thirds of the way through The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman which has long been on my to-read list. I am not as well versed in  the Wars of the Roses period as I am with the Tudor period, but knew this book was rather well regarded (particularly compared to the Gregory novels, which I find frustrating). Of course it’s unapologetically pro-Richard III, but I don’t mind the perspective and at least so far it doesn’t veer to far into canonising the character - the treatment of Elizabeth Woodville is slightly harsh but then I don’t think his dislike is ever painted as anything but classist, and therefore flawed.

I tend not to take a “side” in this period of history - I can understand the argument of both the Lancaster and York factions, and am generally sympathetic to most characters (except Warwick and Clarence). I do find it interesting that very little of the book is from Richard’s pov - instead his characterisation is mostly how he is seen through the (mostly friendly) eyes of others - Anne, Francis Lovell, Edward, etc. But I’m really enjoying this choice and the variance of pov to give a fuller picture of the time and events.

While not writing, I’ve have watched a lot of film/tv - theatres have reopened here and I saw The Personal History of David Copperfield (dir. Armando Iannucci) which I just loved. I’ve not read the book (although it’s on the list) so don’t know how it fares as an adaptation, but found it so enjoyable and highly recommend. It’s undoubtedly a light hearted take on the source material, but there’s still an emotional depth despite (I imagine) a great deal being cut from the novel - particularly the way in which we write (and re-write) our own stories. There’s a particularly good scene near the end (spoilers I guess) between Copperfield and his fiancé Dora, where he writes her into a scene for which she was not present, and she’s the one who tells him to write her out because she “doesn’t fit” and it’s so succinct and restrained yet so cleverly written. I gather this is a significant change from the novel, yet gives Dora more agency in the story than her original role (which was, as I’ve looked up, to get sick and die).

Dev Patel is of course wonderful (and gorgeous) in the title role, backed by a stellar cast - Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, Nikki Amuka-Bird (she is fantastic - I finally got around to watching Avenue 5 and I love her so much), Peter Capaldi - even Gwendoline Christie in a tiny role. Rosalind Eleazar as Agnes is also one to watch.    

I also highly recommend Little Fires Everywhere -  I heard Reese Witherspoon on Jameela Jamil’s podcast a while ago and it was so interesting to hear her discuss the challenges she’s faced as a woman in Hollywood (while acknowledging that others, particularly women of colour, are up against greater prejudice) - taking her career into her own hands, obtaining and producing female-driven content that might otherwise be overlooked. Little Fires Everywhere (adapted from the novel by Celeste Ng) is one such project - produced in equal partnership with Kerry Washington, and both sharing top billing as the show’s leads. What could be yet another story of Rich White Women Problems actually becomes a nuanced take on motherhood, race, class, family, art - with no conciliation that any of the characters have to be “nice”. In fact both Elena (Witherspoon) and Mia (Washington) can be at times downright unlikeable, and you can see both sides of the main conflict - on the primetimer forums there were commentators frustrated that they weren’t sure who they were meant to be “rooting for” but that’s the point - even if the ending is slightly unsatisfying, this is a messy story about messy people and there are no right answers.

Both women are incredible but Witherspoon has the flashier role, and is really a tour de force of white female privilege - the microaggressions, the slow unravelling, the obsession with perfection. I don’t want to spoil anything because it’s worth watching without expectations - I will also just give a shout out to Joshua Jackson who is sort of wasted in the husband role, but turnabout’s fair play I guess!

Hollywood. I...find Ryan Murphy projects very hit and miss. I enjoyed this for the most part, it’s obvious Murphy loves old Hollywood, both the glamour and the seedy underbelly, and both are on display here. I will also give him credit for good intentions in diversity, both in race and gender as well as age (both Patti Lupone and Holland Taylor have great roles), but I found the ending somewhat soured the entire thing for me. 

(Spoilers) While I understand that this was an alternate history wish fulfilment, it just felt rather cheap to have this movie sweep the Oscars and then suddenly bam, Hollywood is no longer racist or homophobic. The idea that if only someone had had the guts and taken the chance to make a movie like Meg with a black leading actress, written by a black gay screenwriter who holds hands with his boyfriend at the Oscars, it would break box office records, be almost universally embraced, and sweep the awards (except for the white guy), felt a bit...disingenuous? Of course, yes it would have been great if someone had taken those chances, I just feel it would have been almost more uplifting for the film to be a modest success, prove that such films/talent could be embraced, maybe win an Oscar or two, and set Hollywood down a more inclusive path, rather than immediate fairyland fantasy. For me, there just still needs to be internal consistency in your alternate history, otherwise it doesn’t resonate.

That said, there was a lot to like about the show, the actors were excellent across the board, the costumes were incredible, and there was a lot of interesting/heartbreaking real Hollywood stories (I never knew about Anna May Wong for example). 

[adivinationwitch]

I’ve finally been able to watch The Personal History of David Copperfield, and not only was it the best adaptation I’ve seen and made a very long book seem so short and was so anecdotal and lively, but I admit I got quite emotional at the ending, the entire happy ending. 

Also the fact they applied Colourblind Casting worked so well. People have said, in the industry, ‘oh colourblind casting only works on stage, never on screen’, and this film just completely and utterly proves them wrong. If we don’t use this type of casting all the time, then it means only white people ever get to be in these sorts of adaptations, and that’s not just unfair, it’s also a loss, as the audience only ever gets a limited choice of actors and misses out on wonderful performances. For example, Dev Patel was a perfect David Copperfield, but if we were to uphold traditional ideas of casting, he wouldn’t get a single role in the entire film. Also, this casting was very much in the same way I remember the R&H Cinderella being done, where even parents and children didn’t have to be the same race. The same story is told, we’re just opening up casting to allow talented actors that aren’t from a narrowed pool of whiteness. 

The entire cast was wonderful, if I’m honest. Peter Capaldi and Bronagh Gallagher as the Micawbers were a perfect pairing, and Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie were a treat as Aunt Betsey and Mr Dick, and Rosalind Eleazar was such a perfect Agnes, I genuinely don’t think I’ll be happy with any other portrayal now. 

But then, I don’t think I’ll ever be as happy with any other adaptation. This is fantastic. I also love the changes that were made, such as no longer having Dora die from miscarriage just so David can marry Agne, but having Dora recognise this isn’t for her, and giving her agency to choose to leave on amicable terms. It gave what was a female-dies-for-the-male character the personality and agency she deserved. Those are the changes I can always get behind. 

[chaotic-bells]

6 and 50, for the tv show ask thing

6- which shows do you think are underrated and need more love?

There are too many TV shows right now, with all the streaming available, so I'm horribly behind the times... But, these come to mind.

The Night Manager - this was just... perfection. I love Hugh Laurie to death and he is one of the best actors in my opinion, and he was brilliant in his role. Also Tom Hiddleston. It is hard to eve think this was underrated - it has 91% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, won a ton of awards... But I haven't seen people talking about it. Maybe I need new friends, but how something so good doesn't have everyone talking about it??

Jack Ryan - another brilliant show with fantastic actors and script. I still haven't seen people talking about it. Am I the only one who enjoys spy thrillers??? This TV show was so awesome, everything the multiple movies tried to do before and kind of failed.

Ally McBeal - yes I will forever talk about it. To be honest it did have a good fan base back then, but it always deserves more love. This is where I fell in love with Robert Downey Jr, Calista Flockhart and Lucy Liu. It has more heart than any tv show I ever watched, it celebrates being weird, people are far from perfect but they grow and they learn which is amazingly rare in TV, and it is a realistic portrayal of what being an adult really is - everyone has no clue what they're actually doing and they're not even trying their best.

I've answer 50, just a couple posts ago 😁

📺 TV Show Asks 📺

[mermaidsirennikita]

I think that Paul Bettany or Hugh Laurie (who were rumored for the role) would have been a better choice for a continuation for Matt Smith's prince Philip but I think that Tobias is a better choice in general, especially acting vise, and actually looks like Philip. Except for Olivia who I could buy as a older Claire Foy as Elizabeth everybody else seems to have been picked because they evoke the person they are playing but aren't so much continuation of the previous portrayals (except for HBC).

Yeah, I agree with you.  Tbh, I think that Tobias could very well blow Matt Smith out of the water--I say that as someone who was very pleasantly surprised by how good Matt was, but also very aware of what a fantastic actor Tobias is.

The ONLY person I’m still uncertain about is HBC, because I wouldn’t say that she works as a continuation of Vanessa’s Margaret or as an evocation of the real Margaret... on paper, or from what I’ve seen so far.  Everyone else important pretty much got me in the trailer, though I could end up hating them when the show premieres lol.  But HBC... still seems like HBC to me.  Vanessa blew me away as Margaret--her performance was probably my favorite from the first two seasons.  She was just so... human.  I know that Olivia is fabulous; The Favourite and Fleabag convinced me that she could pretty much do anything.  I watched Tobias in Rome, and then watched him completely sell two completely different characters on Outlander.  I just... don’t know about Helena in this yet.  We’ll see.

[samtalksaboutshows]

Foreman is arguably my favorite character during this rewatch. It helps that he’s being played by a fantastic actor, although I’d argue that many of the actors on this show are pretty good.

Wilson would be up there too, because I remember liking him a lot more in my original watch of the show, but I just can’t stand how much he lets House get away with. He calls him out for shit from time to time, but he’s his best friend and he lets so much slide.

Chase is just so-so for me. And I would like Cameron a lot more, but I think the writing does her a disservice.

And when it comes to House, I just can’t stand him this time. Hugh Laurie is a great actor and everything, but this character is just very annoying.

[fandumbstuff]

Favourite films from 2017

1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Directed by Rian Johnson

Star Wars fans suck, and I’m so happy to see Disney wrench the franchise from their greasy paws and deliver it to a general audience. Rian Johnson picks up where J. J. Abrams left off by fleshing out the character development of the new franchise leads. Poe learns hard lessons about sacrifice. Rey and Kylo’s complex relationship is given more layers. Even the oft-criticized Finn and Rose subplot is an important bit of character development for Finn to gain unconditional courage. The movie is highlighted by standout performances from Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley, a career best Mark Hamill and an iconic turn from Laura Dern. Rian Johnson delivers rousing action sequences (_that _throne room scene) and emotional highlights. Accompanied by polished sound design, visual (and practical) effects, and John Williams doing what he does best, The Last Jedi is one of the franchises best. It brings the franchise into a new era, reinstating the true spirit of Star Wars- that anyone can be a hero, as long as we look to the stars and hope

2. Lady Bird Directed by Greta Gerwig

It’s hard to stand out in the field of coming of age movies, but Greta Gerwig manages to do it and tell a story that is simultaneously unique and relevant. The often-ignored daughter-mother relationship is given full attention, exploring some poignant moments in middle age and young adulthood equally well. This is an incredible script that makes every plot detail and situation count, giving the actors a lot to work with. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf deliver in spades, playing off each other with incredibly nuanced performances. Gerwig performs marvellously, allowing her actors to find the moments of humour and melancholy in her script, and creating a visually pleasing movie to boot. That she manages to do this all in her directorial debut is a remarkable achievement.

3. Logan Directed by James Mangold

Hugh Jackman is given a great vehicle for his final performance as Wolverine. Adapted from Mark Millar’s Old Man Logan, the movie hugely surpasses its source material. While it maintains the gritty sense of violence from the graphic novel, its emotional substance is much more… substantial. Logan is a superhero film that finds a distinctive voice both in terms of its visuals and its temperament. Its characters aren’t simply grappling with “doing the right thing” but with debility, lethargy, loneliness and remorse. Jackman and Patrick Stewart explore these themes expertly. They’re accompanied by Dafne Keen’s standout performance as Laura/X-23 forming an emotional crux to carry the story. It’s a story that stands out from the others in its genre, and one that I certainly consider one of the best.

4. Get Out Directed by Jordan Peele

In Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, he manages to tell a story that is remarkably relevant and important, without ever losing his distinctive creative voice. Get Out is very much a horror movie, but Peele lends a fair bit of levity whenever he can. He drops scares that are so jarring they’re practically self aware. The movie is sold by Daniel Kaluuya’s incredible lead performance, as we’re left to ponder the sheer ridiculousness of his circumstances, slowly evolving into genuine terror. This movie has a very clear message, and despite its importance if there are those who may complain that it’s too heavy handed, they need only look to it’s masterfully crafted finale. Watching the movie in a crowded theatre gives you a shared experience, where we all jump at the same scares, laugh at the same jokes, but most importantly feel the injustice that presents itself at the end, and cheer for the twist. It’s this shared experience that is Peele’s master stroke. A perfectly enjoyable finale that leaves us pondering the very real message of the film.

5. Wonder Woman Directed by Patty Jenkins

This is the most important superhero film since 1976’s Superman. Bringing to life the most iconic female superhero of all time took a long time to happen but it delivers in spades. Patty Jenkins has given the DCU it’s finest film yet, establishing a convincing mythos with interesting characters. Amidst DC’s penchant for dark brooding characters, Diana is a breath of fresh air: a hero that is compassionate and optimistic, even slightly naive. This lends to a truly compelling character arc that allows her to learn firsthand how complicated “the world of man” is. Gal Gadot commands the lead role expertly. She is the most convincing superhero performance since Christopher Reeve, and just like him it’s to bring to life an icon- a role model that she will forever be associated with.

6. Blade Runner 2049 Directed by Denis Villenueve

It is truly incredible that a sequel made 25 years after its predecessor can maintain the same tone and feel of the original, while lending a new creative voice. The original Blade Runner is one of sci-fi’s most contemplative stories, and it’s incredible that 2049 doesn’t do anything to damage this aura. It asks important questions while expanding on the franchise’s greater theme of what it means to be human. Denis Villeneuve is quickly becoming one of the most distinctive visual filmmakers currently working in Hollywood, and with this movie and Arrival it’s clear to see why. Hans Zimmer along with Benjamin Wallfisch manages to deliver some of his best work in years with a soundtrack that pays homage to Vangelis’s iconic original score. And then there’s the legendary Roger Deakins-lighting each scene with a painterly stroke to add a bit of nuance to already strong performances.

7. Thor: Ragnarok Directed by Taika Waititi

Perhaps more than any director in the MCU, Taika Waititi delivers his own distinctive creative voice to his entry in the franchise. While its easy to get carried away by the stunning 80’s visuals and synth score from Mark Mothersbaum, it’s Waiiti’s signature wit and charm that really shine through. He makes Thor, Loki and Hulk (and Banner) more likeable than they’ve ever been in the MCU and introduces new characters like Valkyrie and the Grandmaster that are instantly noteworthy. Stellar performances from practically the whole cast help to sell this, and we’re left with a movie that fully entertains while gearing us up for the MCU’s next big offering.

8. The Post Directed by Steven Spielberg

Amidst all the hoopla surrounding Ready Player One, Spielberg manages to sneak away and make a movie with his dream team of Tom Hanks, John Williams and Janusz Kaminski. And include Meryl Streep. I mean, just on paper this looked to be a sure-fire success, and shockingly it doesn’t disappoint. It is absolutely a movie that speaks volumes about the current political climate in the United States, but it also honours the importance of investigative journalism and freedom of the press. Hanks delivers an incredible performance, but it is purely to support Streep’s powerhouse portrayal of Katharine Graham. She charts a fascinating and incredibly relevant character arc to show us just how important it is to find your voice and your courage in the face of prejudice.

9. The Big Sick Directed by Michael Showalter

Being such an incredible comedic talent, Kumail Nanjiani is finally given a chance to create a personal story. Along with his wife Emily V. Gordon they deliver a comedy movie that is so much more than just funny. It is deeply affecting, introducing us to two leads that are charming and worth rooting for. Culturally, relationally and physically, they contend with serious struggles that makes their character arcs incredibly meaningful. This is one of the strongest screenplays of the year and a testament to passionate storytelling.

10. The Shape of Water Directed by Guillermo Del Toro

The Shape of Water is very much Guillermo Del Toro at his best- telling an extremely humanistic story under a fantastical lens. As per most of his movies, it features an isolated hero searching for self-actualization. Mirroring this character with that of a monster, he subverts the idea of abnormal for a sense of harmony. He trusts his audience to be empathic, to see the benevolence in the creature and the compassion in Eliza. This is balanced by his clear depiction of immorality in Michael Shannon’s Colonel Stickland. Supported by incredible compositions from Alexandre Desplat and ethereal cinematography from Dan Laustsen, Del Toro once again proves that he is one of Hollywood’s most affecting storytellers and that even the most high concept fantasy stories can be poignant ones.

Honorable Mentions

War for the Planet of the Apes (Directed by Matt Reeves), God’s Own Country (Directed by Francis Lee), Mudbound (Directed by Dee Rees), Call Me By Your Name (Directed by Luca Guadagnino), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Directed by Martin McDonagh), The Florida Project (Directed by Sean Baker), Phantom Thread (Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson), Logan Lucky (Directed by Steven Soderbergh), The Disaster Artist (Directed by James Franco), Wind River (Directed by Taylor Sheridan)

[locke-writes]

what are your thoughts on the oscar nominations?

We’re doing this as a category by category breakdown and I’m prefacing this by saying this is just my opinion as a viewer and filmmaker.

Best Picture:

“Call Me by Your Name”“Darkest Hour”“Dunkirk”“Get Out”“Lady Bird”“Phantom Thread”“The Post”“The Shape of Water”“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

This is probably one of the toughest Best Picture categories I’ve seen in years. All in all such strong films. I am worried about what will happen should Get Out lose because I have a feeling it will. While it may be a strong film with a good centralized message it doesn’t stand in the same league as films like Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird, or The Shape of the Water. It doesn’t have many high profile names attached and it’s not so much an art film like the rest could be perceived as. If it doesn’t win I anticipate backlash against the Academy for racism and if it does win I anticipate backlash against the Academy for not choosing a film that would typically win. That being said I don’t think it will win but I could be wrong. All the film on this list have incredible stories and are beautifully shot films with strong performances by their actors. There’s a few that I want to win but I’d be happy with most of them taking home the Oscar.

Lead Actor:

Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

I was surprised to see Denzel nominated not because it was a bad performance but because so few saw the film. I think the top contenders are Daniel Day-Lewis and Gary Oldman as both their performances were incredible and they encapsulated their characters in every way possible. Timothée most likely will not win although his portrayal of Elio could be matched by no other actor in my opinion. However he’s currently filming (or maybe it’s in post) a movie that if it is done properly most likely will bring him back to the Oscars. Kaluuya seems like the odd man out although his performance was great. He might win it but again with heavyweights in this category I can only see it going to either of them. I’d be pleasantly surprised though.

Lead Actress:

Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”Meryl Streep, “The Post”

Again these are practically all heavyweight actors. Great performances all around but I’m not sure about Margot or Saoirse winning. They played equally excellent roles but with the pattern of wins in this category it seems more than likely that Frances will get it. Personally would like to see Sally Hawkins get the Oscar because she played a mute woman which is a difficult performance for an actor. Pulling all emotion into facial expression and in this case also ASL hand movements. I’d be happy with any outcome here though.

Supporting Actor:

Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

A little disappointed that Armie Hammer didn’t get a nom for Call Me By Your Name but it’s a good list nonetheless. Dafoe would be my pick but I’m cautiously doubtful and predict it going to either Rockwell or Harrelson. All in all the supporting cast for each of these films was excellent and tied everything together so I really think there’s some strong contenders even if some did happen to get snubbed in my opinion.

Supporting Actress:

Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread”Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water”

If Mudbound wins it’ll be a win for Netflix. The film industry hates streaming. Doubtful that Blige will win though what with who all is nominated. I’d love to see Spencer or Metcalf take it home but Manville might just beat them out based on her performance. Janney could take it based on the praise surrounding her performance it wouldn’t be surprising. Strong performances and some beautiful films chosen

Director:

“Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan“Get Out,” Jordan Peele“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig“Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro

It’s del Toro or Nolan. Gerwig is the fifth female director to be nominated in this category but I’d be very shocked if the Oscar went to her. Lady Bird was great and it clearly was done but an excellent director but when you’re in a category with del Toro and Nolan and with del Toro winning most of the Best Director awards I feel like she won’t win it. It’s about time another female director has been nominated though. Personally I’d like to see it go to del Toro, Shape of the Water was one of my favorite films of the year and the message that it brought with it is a poignant one. It was just wonderfully crafted and crafted with love clearly. PTA and Phantom Thread made for an intricate work of art as well and would not be surprised if he took it home. I’d be disappointed but not surprised.

Animated Feature:

“The Boss Baby,” Tom McGrath, Ramsey Ann Naito“The Breadwinner,” Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo“Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson“Ferdinand,” Carlos Saldanha“Loving Vincent,” Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan Mactaggart, Hugh Welchman

I have a feeling it’s going to go Coco because of Pixar. Pixar always tends to win Best Animated Feature but I would like to see Loving Vincent take it. The concept and execution were so unique and different from any animated film out there that I’d like to see the team rewarded for it.

Animated Short:

“Dear Basketball,” Glen Keane, Kobe Bryant“Garden Party,” Victor Caire, Gabriel Grapperon“Lou,” Dave Mullins, Dana Murray“Negative Space,” Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata“Revolting Rhymes,” Jakob Schuh, Jan Lachauer

Unfortunately animated shorts are hard to come by when they run the festival circuit alone so I didn’t get to see any of these. Revolting Rhymes and Negative Space have great titles though and when I see the little preview at the Oscars I’ll be hunting down a way to watch them all.

Adapted Screenplay:

“Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory“The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber“Logan,” Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green“Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin“Mudbound,” Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

For pue shock value I’d like Logan to take it. Highly highly doubtful because you’ve got Aaron Sorkin in the category but it is Screenplay and the Screenplay category doesn’t necessarily go to some of the higher valued films. Comic book films and random action films have been known to win based on the script alone so this category really is a toss up and I’d be very intrigued if Logan or even The Disaster Artist won.

Original Screenplay:

“The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani“Get Out,” Jordan Peele“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh

This might actually be the one category Get Out wins because of the interesting concept and it’s screenplay. The Shape of the Water or Three Billboards most likely will as they’re considered larger Oscar type art films (they’re not technically art films but they're more of the Oscar kinda films if you get what I’m trying to say). This category is again very up for grabs based on writing alone and it could go any which way. 

Cinematography:

“Blade Runner 2049,” Roger Deakins“Darkest Hour,” Bruno Delbonnel“Dunkirk,” Hoyte van Hoytema“Mudbound,” Rachel Morrison“The Shape of Water,” Dan Laustsen

Although I don’t think she’ll win the Oscar can we first talk about how amazing it is that Rachel Morrison is even nominated. Cinematography is a male dominated field with a low percentage amount of female cinematographers so first for any film this year to have a female cinematographer is sorta a big deal. The bigger deal is her nomination because she's the first female cinematographer nominated ever at the Oscars. That’s 90 years and not one female cinematographer. Really pretty damn cool. Having said that just going purely off the aesthetic of each film because cinematography is the aesthetic category (the angles and lighting and way the film was shot), Blade Runner 2049 or The Shape of Water might take it. Dunkirk and Darkest Hour are also very plausible.

Best Documentary Feature:

“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” Steve James, Mark Mitten, Julie Goldman“Faces Places,” JR, Agnès Varda, Rosalie Varda“Icarus,” Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan“Last Men in Aleppo,” Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed, Soren Steen Jepersen“Strong Island,” Yance Ford, Joslyn Barnes

I haven’t seen any of these so I really can’t say much about any. 

Best Documentary Short Subject:

“Edith+Eddie,” Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee Wright“Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” Frank Stiefel“Heroin(e),” Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon“Knife Skills,” Thomas Lennon“Traffic Stop,” Kate Davis, David Heilbroner

I legit don’t know what Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 is truly about but fuck the 405 and I’m intrigued. I only saw the preview for Edith+Eddie because it’s only on a festival circuit right now but it seems like a heart-wrenching documentary. Don’t have any preference on these so I’d be pleased with any result.

Best Live Action Short Film:

“DeKalb Elementary,” Reed Van Dyk“The Eleven O’Clock,” Derin Seale, Josh Lawson“My Nephew Emmett,” Kevin Wilson, Jr.“The Silent Child,” Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton“Watu Wote/All of Us,” Katja Benrath, Tobias Rosen

Again I haven’t seen any of these nor do I know any of the filmmakers so I can’t speak much on this category.

Best Foreign Language Film:

“A Fantastic Woman” (Chile)“The Insult” (Lebanon)“Loveless” (Russia)“On Body and Soul (Hungary)“The Square” (Sweden)

A Fantastic Woman was a wonderful film and if that won I’d be pleased. Not only for the fact that it is a beautiful film but they cast a trans woman as the lead which shouldn’t be surprising but too many trans characters are played by cis actors. Other than that I’ve not seen the rest and can’t say anything for their merit. Have heard The Square is a great film though.

Film Editing:

“Baby Driver,” Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss“Dunkirk,” Lee Smith“I, Tonya,” Tatiana S. Riegel“The Shape of Water,” Sidney Wolinsky“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Jon Gregory

I just. All of the editing was fantastic for each of these films. The Shape of Water and Dunkirk are the two top contenders but I’d like to see Baby Driver win it. Any editor will know that editing to music is easy but editing on beat is very incredibly difficult. And for a movie that’s wall to wall sound with a precisely cultivated soundtrack it makes it even more impressive.

Sound Editing:

“Baby Driver,” Julian Slater“Blade Runner 2049,” Mark Mangini, Theo Green“Dunkirk,” Alex Gibson, Richard King“The Shape of Water,” Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Ren Klyce, Matthew Wood

Dunkirk or The Shape of Water might get it. Would be surprised to have Star Wars win the category even though the sound editing was phenomenal. Baby Driver had some insane sound work which might make it also a top contender but either way no one cares about this category but me. I’ll be fine with either Baby Driver or The Shape of Water winning. Either way this goes the sound for all of these films was gorgeously crafted.

Sound Mixing:

“Baby Driver,” Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin“Blade Runner 2049,” Mac Ruth, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hephill“Dunkirk,” Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo“The Shape of Water,” Glen Gauthier, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Stuart Wilson, Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick

Again no one cares about this category but me. I’d like to see Baby Driver win this due to the carefully crafter sound wall they built. I mean sound is such an integral part of film which often goes taken for granted. The one rule of sound is if the audience didn’t notice it then you did your job right. Which basically means if you don't get recognition then you did something right because if they noticed you fucked up. All in all gorgeous sound mixing for each so I’d be pleased all the way around.

Production Design:

“Beauty and the Beast,” Sarah Greenwood; Katie Spencer“Blade Runner 2049,” Dennis Gassner, Alessandra Querzola“Darkest Hour,” Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer“Dunkirk,” Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis“The Shape of Water,” Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin, Shane Vieau

Difficult category. The sets for every film were so well put together and the entire design for each film was magnificent. I have a hard time picking and whoever wins certainly deserves the award.

Original Score:

“Dunkirk,” Hans Zimmer“Phantom Thread,” Jonny Greenwood“The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” John Williams“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Carter Burwell

I’m not a composer but I can appreciate music. Scores were beautiful all around. Would like to see Desplat take it because his score was very central to the film as a whole what with there being such a dialogue gap in scenes because Eliza can’t speak. Again, this category is very well chosen and I have no qualms with whoever wins.

Original Song:

“Mighty River” from “Mudbound,” Mary J. Blige“Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name,” Sufjan Stevens“Remember Me” from “Coco,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez“Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall,” Diane Warren, Common“This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

First of I’m just surprised the Mystery of Love got put on here. Personally I would have gone with Visions of Gideon instead but either way I love all the songs on this list and I just really wanna see the This Is Me performance so uh I really don’t care who wins I love them all.

Makeup and Hair:

“Darkest Hour,” Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick“Victoria and Abdul,” Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard“Wonder,” Arjen Tuiten

Give it to the Darkest Hour please. Like you knew it was Gary Oldman but there was no resemblance at all which is hard to do. The makeup and hair was fantastic for all three so either way it’s a good win.

Costume Design:

“Beauty and the Beast,” Jacqueline Durran“Darkest Hour,” Jacqueline Durran“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges“The Shape of Water,” Luis Sequeira“Victoria and Abdul,” Consolata Boyle

I’d be surprised if Phantom Thread doesn't win because it’s about a fashion designer so that's what you have to work with as a costume designer. However the costumes for all fit their characters perfectly so any which way this goes they all had fantastic costume designers.

Visual Effects:

“Blade Runner 2049,” John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover, Gerd Nefzer“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner, Dan Sudick“Kong: Skull Island,” Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza, Mike Meinardus“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,”  Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Chris Corbould, Neal Scanlan“War for the Planet of the Apes,” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett, Joel Whist

The visual effects intensity for each is immense. I know how much time and effort goes into visual effects work on films such as this so personally all of the visual effects artists deserve Oscars. I have no real choice because all these films were made by the visual effects. The performances were needed but lacking that perfect amount of visual effects each would have fallen flat. I feel like perhaps Blade Runner 2049 might take it but so could War for the Planet of the Apes or GOTG 2.

[olliefilm]

A Slap On The Wrist or A Pat On The Back: The 90th Academy Awards

The Oscars is, in a way, a perverse thing to follow. If you are serious about film then you know it’s not good for you. Yes, the politics. Yes, the tackiness. Yes, the phoniness of it all. However, the Oscars feed my unbearable smug sense of opinionated satisfaction. Like the Grammy’s, the Oscars usually pick winners according to their populist appeal, or who Harvey Weinstein happened to lobby for. But then again, the mood has changed and the self- congratulatory tone of Hollywood is under more scrutiny than it arguably has ever been. It’s not going to be enough to throw around a Kevin Spacey joke, there is going to have to be a careful acknowledgement about what needs to change.

Whilst that is going on, I would like to provide a quick throwaway roundup of this year’s main categories. The focus is on the big six – Picture, Director, Actress, Actor, Supporting Actress, and Supporting Actor. Unfortunately, the awards are set to a US release schedule. So whereas I’ve seen Loveless and The Square, I haven’t seen the three other nominees in the Best Foreign Language category.

Best Picture

Ever since the Academy decided to increase the nominees from five to nine or ten, there has been a greater chance to pick a number of films which don’t belong. Thank goodness there is only one this year: Darkest Hour. A broad historical drama which looks more suited for the BBC Original Drama slot on a Sunday evening. The other nominees range from timely offerings (The Post, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Get Out), tender coming-of-age (Lady Bird, Call Me By Your Name) and filmmaking masterclasses (Phantom Thread, The Shape of Water, Dunkirk).

The gist is that this is between two frontrunners: Three Billboards and The Shape of Water. My personal gripe is that Three Billboards has been misconstrued as the ‘transgressor entry’ this year. Unlike what many commentators pointed out, I don’t think its attitude to race is the problem. The problem with Three Billboards is that too often, it likes to eat its cake. Too bad, because it has a message worth exploring. Instead, I think Get Out should’ve taken the mantle. It has more bite and wit to its social commentary, as well as being devilishly funny.

Three Billboards has dominated the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, but I have a feeling The Shape of Water will edge it. It won at the Producers Guild Award for Best Film – which is usually a solid indicator for Best Picture – and lets not forget how we all thought La La Land was going to sweep the board

during award season, only to be pipped to the post by Moonlight. The point is the Oscars haven’t always been complicit with its forerunners.

If there is any outside heat come the night, it will most likely come from Lady Bird. My personal picks are split into two categories: the Best Film and the Defining Film of the Year. The exquisite and thrilling Phantom Thread for the former, and Get Out for the latter. Academy voters, if you want to make a genuinely interesting and deserving pick, pick Get Out.

Will Win: The Shape of Water Should Win: Phantom Thread Missed Out: The Florida Project

Best Director

One cannot put a finger wrong with the nominees in this year’s director category. Whatever you may think about Dunkirk – and it admittedly did leave me a bit cold - it has been directed within every inch. Christopher Nolan’s time will undoubtedly come, but he was just shy of making a truly great film. Plus, he has got to contend with Guillermo Del Toro for The Shape of Water. It’s hard to ignore the labour of love Del Toro has put into it, even if it’s a sum of a lot of elements he has explored before.

Otherwise, Greta Gerwig does a tactful job of directing the coming-of-age qualities of Lady Bird, and Jordon Peele brings a cracking intelligence to Get Out. The one nomination that niggles me the most is Paul Thomas Anderson for Phantom Thread. It’s probably because he has more discreetness to his mastery compared to the others, but moreover, he is in a different league. Therefore, he has the least chance. Go figure.

Will Win: Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water) Should Win: Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread) Missed Out: Dees Rees (Mudbound)

Best Actress

For all my doubts about Three Billboards, everyone seems to be in agreement about one thing: Frances McDormand. I will go as far as to say she gives that film a lot more distance than it probably should’ve got. The

closest competition to her is between Sally Hawkins for her dexterous performance in The Shape of Water, and the faultless Saorise Ronan for Lady Bird. Both actors put themselves wholeheartedly behind two very personal projects.

Margot Robbie also deserves plaudits for her ferocious turn in I, Tonya. It’s a performance that is commanding, brimming with energy, but most of all it’s exhausting to take in. It’s a pity she is in a tough company of actors at the top of their game. Save for Meryl Streep with her serviceable presence in The Post.

Will Win: Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Should Win: Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) Missed Out: Kristen Stewart (Personal Shopper)

Best Actor

Darkest Hour was built around showcasing one performance, and that obviously was Gary Oldman. So the Paul Newman award for Great Actor- Wrong Film (Best Actor) will go to him without a doubt. Ok fine, I’m being a bit snooty, but I’ll be damned if his Winston Churchill was the most affective performance out of the five nominees. Oldman puts his all into portraying the gargantuan politician, but it’s too tailor-made for the award circuit.

In my opinion, two performances stand out based on skill and insight. I’ll state the obvious: Daniel Day-Lewis is fantastic. More than that, it might be one of the best performances he’s turned in since In The Name of the Father. Better than his Lincoln, better than his Bill The Butter, maybe even better than his Daniel Plainview. The other is Timothée Chalamet for his part in Call Me By Your Name, which exudes intellect and heartbreak.

Will Win: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread) Missed Out: Robert Pattinson (Good Time)

Best Supporting Actress

Again, it’s another tough category full of impeccable acting. I’d like to think this is as close as it was a month ago, but after the BAFTAs it looks like

Allison Janney will win out. Make no mistake; she brings out the toxicity as Tonya’s mother in I, Tonya. It’s a role so loud that it casts a shadow on the rest. Laurie Metcalf is wonderful as an exasperated mother trying to bring out “the best version” of her daughter in Lady Bird. Pretty much the central mother-daughter dynamic is what makes the film work so well. I think the Academy will underestimate that.

Out on the left field, Leslie Manville is on sniping form as a lurking overseer in Phantom Thread. It’s this years Mrs. Danvers. Octavia Spencer has a more grounded presence in The Shape of Water – which is much needed in retrospect. Finally, Mary J. Blige gives an impressive performance full of motherly strife in Mudbound.

Will Win: Allison Janney (I, Tonya) Should Win: Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) Missed Out: Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip)

Best Supporting Actor

The presence of two supporting actors from Three Billboards, hammers home my earlier point about actors propping up a meretricious script. Sam Rockwell injects a captivating layer to his character, and Woody Harrelson is perfectly droll. This only leaves three other nominees. Christopher Plummer’s nomination is more like a frank acknowledgement for stepping in at the last minute (he replaced Kevin Spacey), and Richard Jenkins plays his role in The Shape of Water in a delicate manner.

However, this should be Willem Dafoe’s year. Not many American actors commit themselves in switching between mainstream and art-house, on a regular basis, quite like Dafoe. Whether it is European cinema (Pasolini, Antichrist, The Dust of Time), American Cult Cinema (Wild At Heart, Auto Focus, American Psycho) or Blockbusters (Spider-Man, The Fault In Our Stars, Speed 2). Need I say more? As a stringent, but caring janitor in The Florida Project he blends excellently into the flaky backdrop of a motel.

Will Win: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Should Win: Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project) Missed Out: Hugh Grant (Paddington 2)