#costumes/lighting/set design/cinematography were predictably beautiful

[beetnelson]

Why did nosferatu make me h*rny

[kevzdg]

#OscarsSoDiverse: My 2017 Oscars Predictions

How could I begin telling you how positively different this year’s Oscar nominees are without being too dramatic? Well, I guess I would begin by saying: diversity. Yes, they have recovered quite a bit from 2016’s controversial #OscarSoWhite extravaganza and, being an avid Academy Awards fan since 2010, the year where a foreign language film won the prized Golden Statuette for Best Picture, The Artist (2012), I have been defending the Oscars from all the criticism and let me tell you: this year, I never had so much to say to defend it since the Oscars did not need the defense; they made it themselves. “How so?” one might ask. First, they have started inviting new members for the Academy, sending out more than 500 invitations to esteemed young and new actors such as Andrew Garfield (Spiderman), song writers such as Sia Furler (Zootopia), and foreign language film directors László Nemes (Son of Saul). This move was made after the criticism of the Oscars being only a “gentleman’s club”, literally, because almost 75% - 85% of the members of the Academy are, to quote the naysayers, “white old men,” hence the recruitment of a fresh new batch of women, young filmmakers, and people of color. Such a ploy paved way for a diversity in the nominee line-up: more women represented (most notable is Joi McMillon, the first ever woman, and a woman of color at that, to ever be nominated for Best Editing for the heartfelt movie Moonlight), and more people of color (Ava DuVernay for 13th). True enough, the nomination for most is not made only to show that the Oscars are noticing them, but that most of these people are also exhibiting great craftmanship in their particular field of expertise. And that, I guess, is how I begin my 2017 Oscar Predictions: an ode to the minorities now having a chance at getting the elusive and exclusive Golden Oscar Statuette.

Enough about that, I will get right into it:

Make-up and Hairstyling

Less is More, a saying most people use in their daily lives; a quote which earned a second nomination for Eva von Bahr and Love Larson (first in the work for The 100-Year old Man Whou Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared) in their minimalistic work in A Man Called Ove (also nominated for best foreign language film) making the effect of a man losing hair and simple design through makeup as it competes with Suicide Squad and Star Trek Beyond: both big-budgeted Hollywood blockbusters whose prosthetics is extremely detailed and delicately applied. Who won me over? I think my soft spot for underdogs made me call it out: I go for the less-budgeted one.

Would Win: A Man Called Ove

Could win: Star Trek Beyond

Costume Design

Period films and fantasy films dominates this category and this year is not an exception. Period films Jackie, Allied, and Florence Foster Jenkins made it as well as J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, whose costume were made by Oscar quasi-favorite Colleen Atwood, known for her work in Into the Woods. The surprise here, at least for me, considering the many period dramas and fantasy features came out last year, was La La Land. I don’t know about your choice but mine would have to be Jackie because of its well-woven Pink Chanel Dress, resembling the actual one Jackie Kennedy wore on the day JFK was shot in their car. What comes close is Fantastic Beasts because, well, of Colleen Atwood and her reputation.

Would win: Jackie

Could win: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Sound Mixing

The sound categories confuse people so here’s how I go about explaining it: sound editing is the making of the sound heard, sound mixing is how it is synced/synchronized to the scenes. For this one, I went to vote La La Land for its hypnotic tap dancing sequence and, conclusively, almost every scene that had made use of those neat sound mixing. I must admit I almost went swinging my vote for Arrival for its sequences of encounter with the other-worldly creatures, but I didn’t.

Would win: La La Land

Could win: Arrival

Sound Editing

Ah yes. The sound made for film. I almost thought I would go for the simplicity of the sounds in La La Land yet there’s something about war films that takes you on a different light, hence my vote goes to Hacksaw Ridge.

Would Win: Hacksaw Ridge

Could win: La La Land

Music (Original Song)

Most people ask me why this category is here, well, it just is, I guess. This year’s feud is between two musicals: La La Land, two song nominations, and Moana, one song nomination.

Would Win: How Far I’ll Go (Moana)

Could Win: Audition (Fools Who Dream) (La La Land)

Music (Original Score)

La La Land could have swept through this category easily, having Passengers as one of its contenders but here comes the unexpected-expected Jackie, whose score was made by Mica Levi, notable for her work in Under the Skin. There is kind of a difficult choice between a musical score of an actual musical and a drama because on the one hand, you have a performed one, on the other you have one that lacks lyrics but contributes to the overall feeling and emotion of  scenes.

Would win: La La Land

Could win: Jackie

Documentary Feature

The diversity in this category is spectacular: 3 of the 5 films nominated are directed or written by African-American directors and writers. One of those writers is a prominent figure in the formation of novels and literary pieces that center of African-American issues, James Baldwin (I am Not Your Negro). Another is the longest feature film to ever be nominated for an Oscar (467 mins or 7 hours), O.J.: Made in America, and one is directed the biggest snobs of the Oscars 2915 Ava DuVernay for her amazing directing for the powerful Selma, 13th. The biggest contenders are, without bias, are the 3 said films namely I Am Not Your Negro, 13th, and O.J.: Made in America. That is not to say that Fire at Sea and Life, Animated, are not great but their story, although they are equally heartfelt and sweet, is overpowered by the former. For me, the film 13th makes the more gritty and eye-opening experience for me as an individual: it’s not even about the black community anymore at some point; to me, it’s about how we view ourselves as people of a community and the role we play in it, how the institution of the powerful continues to oppress the powerless and strips them off of any of it. Moreso, it analyzes the US in its mass incarceration of criminals, mostly African-American, and how, in its history, specially during the Jim Crow, it is able to procure slavery in this particular form (I know it sounds like a propaganda but trust me, it’s not. This film is available for viewing at Netflix if you want to check it out). I am Not Your Negro is poetic for me and I don’t think the Academy would go for something like it; O.J.:Made in America is equally gritty as the 13th but it’s really too long for me. This battle is a true nail-biter.

Would Win: 13th

Could Win:  O.J.:Made in America

Animated Feature

The frontrunners for this category are neck-and-neck in their fight as there are three of them. Zootopia tackled the sensitive issue of racism and community bias. Moana feels so close to people living in the Pacific (and the animation of the sea and beaches are beautiful). Kubo and the Two Strings is so beautifully animated in stop-motion that it was nominated for best visual effects. “Do I go for story or do I go for animation?” that is the question. I guess it’s high time that Laika win for their stop-motion animated feature.

Would Win: Kubo and the Two Strings

Could Win: Moana or Zootopia

Foreign Language Film

You know what wins me over almost every single time in this category? COMEDIES! And Toni Erdmann (Germany) is one! Yes. I have nothing to say other than it made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants (kidding). However, I have to also praise The Salesman (Iran) and A Man Called Ove (Sweden) for its dramatic takes, and Land of Mine (Denmark) for a heart-crushing experience. I would also like to acknowledge the first ever film to be nominated from the Oceania, Tanna (Australia)!!!!(I’m just sad that Elle from France was not nominated in this category but I’m glad for its best actress nomination)

Would win: Toni Erdmann (Germany)

Could win: The Salesman (Iran)

Visual Effects

The Jungle Book vs. Kubo and the Two Strings is how I see this category running its course, although the other nominees, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Deepwater Horizon, and Doctor Strange are not to be missed. I decided to choose the realistic talking, breathing, and running wildlife animals of The Jungle Book over the gorgeous visuals of Kubo.

Would Win: The Jungle Book

Could win: Kubo and the Two Strings

Production Design

Like the costume design, this one is heralded massively by the period films and fantasy films. This year is quite different, as one period frontrunner, Hail, Caesar! is challenged by the beloved musical La La Land. The former boasts spectacular set design as it shows the peak of Hollywood’s film industry: the big-budgeted studio-shot films during the mid to late 20th century whereas the later focuses on the matching of costume design to the setting with matching light engineering. As much as I love the set design of Hail, Caesar! since I’m a film enthusiast, I would have to put my hands down for La La Land’s neat and palatable serving.

Would win: La La Land

Could win: Hail, Caesar!  

Editing

Three films are winning me over here: Moonlight, its sharp editing that showed the three stages in the life of one black gay man, Hacksaw Ridge, its bold cut that showed a blood-bathed battlefield, or La La Land, its sleek edit that showed beautiful musical numbers one after the other. I went for THE musical.

Would win: La La Land

Could win: Moonlight

Cinematography

If only Lion did not win that American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Award for Achievement in Cinematography, I would have easily went for La La Land. I thought for sure it would win now I’m having second thoughts since ASC is like the best predictor for this Oscar category. Not to set aside, also, is Silence and its picturesque visuals perfect for a somber visual experience. I hope I set my heart to the right choice. What I loved about La La Land is that it incorporated cinemascope, reminiscent of the mid-to-late 20th century camerawork and mixed it with contemporary digital cinematic maneuvers.

Would win: La La Land

Could win: Lion

*Side note: here now, are the major awards of the Oscars*

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Moonlight or Hidden Figures? Both great. Both spectacular. Both impactful. Do I go for the coming of age story of a gay black man or the true-to-life story that presents the African-American women behind NASA who are responsible for the test flights back in the time where there still was Jim Crow?

Would win: Moonlight

Could Win: Hidden Figures

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Among the nominees, I really had so much praise for 20th Century Women but, admittedly, it all boils down to Manchester by the Sea and La La Land. Sure you have two great stories but which one garners the coveted prize? I like Manchester because it is timid but painful since it tackles the story of death; another thing about it is that it made the characters feel so three-dimensional: like you know them as people, something far too few films have ever accomplished. On the other hand, I like La La Land because it placed a familiar story in a familiar setting yet still summon what’s so different and peculiar about it: the enigma of the story that happens in it, the sheer coldness, the sparkling sun, and yes, the interplay of the characters. In a perfect world, I hope Manchester by the Sea gets it, however, the Academy loves La La Land so much they might just let it steal this one.

Would win: Manchester by the Sea

Could win: La La Land

Best Supporting Actor

Michael Shannon has been the surprise here as he portrayed a cancer-stricken police officer. However, much has been said and much has been heard, Mahershala Ali for his performance in Moonlight is put on the pedestal and the only one seen to garner this prize. To me, Ali’s performance lingers long after he’s gone in the film: he only appears around the first 15-20mins but the impact Ali and his character portrayal has left behind trembles and creates a rippled effect that is felt even long after the film finishes, and what a stellar sighting that is.

Would (and should) win: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)

Could win (in an imprefect world): Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

Best Supporting Actress

No one can take this prize away from Emmy and Tony award-winning character actress Viola Davis and her heartfelt portrayal of an African-American mother, wife, and companion.

Would win: Viola Davis (Fences)

Potential Spoiler: Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)

Best Actor

Oh my! The true nail-biter of this year’s category is this one. Casey Affleck or Denzel Washington. I hate saying it but Affleck did a better job than Washington. The reason why there is so much fuss because of the allegations of sexual harassment by Affleck which affects his chance at winning the Oscar. The main reason, in my humble opinion, why Washington is the one in the two frontrunners is the line delivery (since the lines are almost 24 sentences long because the film is an adaptation of a theatre play).

Would win (hopefully): Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)

Could win:  Denzel Washington (Fences)

Best Actress

Isabelle Huppert played an assaulted corporate executive, Emma Stone played a romantic actress-wannabe, Meryl Streep played Florence Foster Jenkins, a music enthusiasts who believes she hits the perfect notes even though she doesn’t, Ruth Negga played an African-American woman shunned for her marriage with a white man (back in the Jim Crow) whose case won the right for interracial marriage in America (true story), Natalie Portman played Jackie Kennedy: who then made the most out of here role? For me, it was Portman and Huppert. For the Screen Actor’s Guild, however, it was Stone. True enough, SAG awards predict the best actress quite precisely, and they moved me to consider Stone’s performance which led me to witness La La Land for the second time and truly immerse in her portrayal, and what a spectacle it really was.

Would win: Emma Stone (La La Land)

Could win: Natalie Portman (Jackie)

Direction

I seriously doubt if anyone can argue for a better winner that Damien Chazelle of La La Land for this category. He had created such a great vision and translated it magnificently into the La La Land that we have witnessed. A craftmanship like his is unmatchable this year.

Would (definitely) win: La La Land

Best Picture

The highest award of the night for me goes to...

  La La Land, not because of its hype but because of its near-perfect mixture of elements that blend well together as well as reviving an almost-forgotten genre of musical in film. The revitalization of everything in this film is fresh as it is neat. There are other great entries in this category as well, my top favorites being Manchester by the Sea, Hacksaw Ridge, Arrival, Hidden Figures, and Moonlight. The others, Lion and Hell of High Water are also both intriguing. However, there still is something about La La Land that makes it stand out above all the rest: the direction. If not for this direction by Damien Chazelle, such a film would not be possible.

There you guys go! Here are my predictions for the 89th Academy Awards. Although I am not fully confident with the predictions I wrote, I hope you have as much fun with it as I do. This year’s Oscars awards nominations give me great hope in the future of this award giving body and I hope it continues its current course. Here’s to the honoring of the best in 2016’s films! Cheers!

 Watch the Oscars February 26, 2017, 5:30 PM PST (9:30 AM February 27, 2017 Manila Time)

[randomrichards]

OSCAR 2020 PREDICTIONS PART 2: THE TECHNICAL AWARDS

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

·         1917

·         THE IRISHMAN

·         JOKER

·         THE LIGHTHOUSE

·         ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

Who Will Win?

Legendary Cinematographer Roger Deakins leads the charge for his work in 1917. As the film journeys with two young soldiers across No Man’s Land, Deakins creates the illusion of shooting the film in one take. This of course comes with great challenges.

The main challenge is having one shoot smoothly blend into another to make them feel like one shot. So Deakins choreographed his camera to pull this off. Then there was the extra challenge of moving the camera across fields, in No Man’s Land and through a war-torn city. So, the camera was not only attached to rigs, but also motorcycles and vehicles so they can chase the actors. That fact he made it so effortless is mind blowing.

He still manages to bring great beauty in the environment. The most notable standout is the night scenes when we see the flares light up the war-torn city. The image leaves you in awe.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:

·         THE IRISHMAN

·         JOJO RABBIT

·         JOKER

·         LITTLE WOMEN

·         ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

Who Will Win?

This is a one on one between Joker and Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood.

For Joker, it all comes down to the Joker’s outfit. This one switches the usual purple and green colour palate of the comics for a red and yellow suit. Usually fans get nitpicky when you change the designs of a classic character like him,[1] But Mark Bridges’ design has become almost as Iconic as Heath Ledger’s version.

But it’s best to go with flash and you get a lot of flash with Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood. This being set in late 60’s Hollywood, there are a variety of styles for costume designer Arianne Philips to try. Not only does she have to create contrasting costumes for different characters while fitting for the era, but she also must design costumes for a set of different tv westerns of the era. No one goes through more chances than aging actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio). In one scene, he’s heading to a bar in chic designer suit. Then he’s filming a tv western in the era’s idea of a cowboy’s outfit. Then he’s on the set of another western with a postmodern wardrobe. And he concludes the night getting wasted while wearing neon coloured shorts and shirt.

I’m rooting for the later film.

BEST FILM EDITING:

·         FORD V FERRARI

·         THE IRISHMAN

·         JOJO RABBIT

·         JOKER

·         PARASITE

Who Will Win?

It’s Ford V Ferrari. No Contest.   This award goes to the one with the most action and this film delivers a lot of action with its car race scenes. It’s an editors’ job to make the car races exciting while making it clear how close our hero is to first place. Thankfully, the editors don’t make the mistake of overcutting the race scenes unlike most recent action films.

It’s hard to explain good editing without any visual examples. You can check it out on YouTube or watch the movie. All I can say beyond that is that this film is the clear front runner.

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLE:

·         1917

·         BOMBSHELL

·         JOKER

·         JUDY

·         MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

Who Will Win?

The clear winner is Bombshell.

Thanks to Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker, Charlize Theron disappears and becomes real-life former Fox News host Megyn Kelly. Sure, they were also impressive in making Nicole Kidman and John Lithgow look like Gretchen Carlson and Roger Ailes, but neither holds a candle to their work on Theron.

The prosthetics for Kelly is way more subtle compared to the changes Theron went through for Monster, but these subtle changes go a long way to turn her into Kelly. The makeup looks so real that people were surprise that prosthetics were used and that’s the greatest compliment for a makeup artist.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

·         1917

·         THE IRISHMAN

·         JOJO RABBIT

·         ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

·         PARASITE

Who Will Win?

It’s no contest: Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood.

This film takes us from the flashy glamor of 60s Hollywood to the artificial sets of Western shows to the decaying seediness of Spahn Ranch. Each one stands out with their own visual style

There’s also the challenge of recreating 1969’s Hollywood with its grand neon lights and larger than life buildings. You be a part of that world thanks to the work of Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh.

Though Parasite could steal this one out from underneath them with their sharp contrast between the Kim’s dilapidated basement and the chic isolated paradise of the Park’s residence. That’s nothing compared to the secret twist halfway into the film.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

·         1917

·         AVENGERS: ENDGAME

·         THE IRISHMAN

·         THE LION KING

·         STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Who Will Win?

It’s either The Irishman or the Lion King. Each film offered innovative effects that blew audiences away.

When Scorsese intended to make The Irishman, Scorsese wanted a way for his de age his actor without putting on those distracting dots on their faces. So, the effects crew came up with the idea to shoot various scenes with infrared cameras to capture the details of facial expressions. Then they examined photos of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino from decades earlier.

The result is impressive. They managed to make the 76-year-old Robert De Niro look like he did in his 40s. The changes are so subtle you can barely tell the difference. However, it’s not quite there yet. Your eyes can still tell where the faces are digitized. Plus, they’re trying to fit a 40-year old’s man’s face on body of a man in his 70s. But you soon forget about it and enjoy the story.

And then we have remake of the Lion King. It’s equally impressive how realistic the animals look in this film as well as the environment. They did an excellent job of recreating the scenes from the original film in the real world.

But the problem is the effects work too well. The realist design of the animals hurt the emotional moments because the animals are unable to express the emotions the actors are delivering. That’s not the effects crew’s fault; they were just doing what they were directed to do.

It’s a hard call, but I’m going to lean on The Lion King.

[1] People even threw a hissy fit over Daniel Craig being cast as James Bond because he had blonde hair.

[mymoviesnob]

A Movie Snob Predicts the Oscars - 2017 Edition

Hello again! Welcome to the 2017 edition of A Movie Snob Predicts the Oscars.

As I have been preparing to write this, I’ve been going back over the list of nominees and I noticed a few themes in the films across categories… from overcoming adversity in Hidden Figures and Hacksaw Ridge. to complicated families in Fences. Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea. But the theme I found the most compelling is that of refugees fleeing war torn countries to find a better life for their children in several documentaries, 4.1 Miles, The White Helmets, Fire at Sea and to some extent, Ennemis Interieurs.  The Academy was certainly trying to shine a bright light on this global issue and I hope the nominations brought more viewers to hear these stories.  

While many of the films were heavy in subject matter, there were a few bright spots as well with small movies like Captain Fantastic, A Man Called Ove, La Femme et la TGV and the not so small and much beloved La La Land.

I typically wrestle with the films I personally enjoyed the most vs those which I believe will actually win. … because, let’s face it, I like being right. This year, I feel like the Academy and I will be pretty well lined up in that regard.  

And as the whitest white girl ever, I can’t claim that the diversity issue from past years has been resolved, but this year feels like a step in the right direction.

So, without further ado, here are my picks for the 89th Annual Academy Awards.

 Best Picture

Arrival – A film about aliens who land on earth and the linguists who attempt to communicate with them.  I found the concept to be interesting, but I could have done without the whole “special powers” thing that Amy Adams’ character experienced. Not a favorite.

Fences – Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, it was one of this year’s best. Solid performances all around and full of flawed characters and quick dialog.

Hacksaw Ridge – A lot of people who saw this one before I did raved about it. Maybe my expectations going in were too high but I personally did not love it. I agree that this man’s story is miraculous and he’s a true hero. I’m glad his story has been told, but this is not my choice for Best Picture. And who casts Vince Vaughn as a drill sergeant?? Seriously? 

Hell or High Water – The Dude, Chris Pine, Ben Foster… some bank robberies and lots of dirt. Good flick, but not the best in this bunch. See it though. I liked it.

Hidden Figures – this is another story I’m glad was told. I had no idea that these women had a hand in getting our space program off the ground. I thoroughly enjoyed it but I don’t think it’s the best.

La La Land – Hands down my favorite movie I’ve seen in years. I’m not typically one for glossy romances, let alone musicals, but this movie is pure magic. It was shot in Cinemascope and from the opening sequence, it had me. This is a throwback to the old Hollywood that made me fall in love with movies. And yes, I actually loved the singing and dancing and even the mushy stuff. This year I will not agonize about my favorite vs. the critical darling because they are one in the same! With all the darkness out there, it was refreshing to have a little light. Anyway.. much more gushing over this one later.

Lion – The amazing true story of a little boy who gets separated from his family in India and adopted by an Australian family. I found this to be more interesting than I expected but it was probably my least favorite of this bunch.

Manchester by the Sea – This is a heartbreaking story of a man who is forced to confront a dark past to care for his nephew after his brother passes away unexpectedly. This is slow and sad and looks at how people deal with loss and grief. This is one I had to reflect upon a bit. Initially, I was not a fan, but it’s not meant to be the “feel good movie of the year” and it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

Moonlight – this is one I saw almost as soon as it came out, not knowing anything at all about it. I went in with no expectations and left pleasantly surprised. Again, not a “feel good” movie, but one that tells the story of a boy, growing up in a drug infested community with a mother who is an addict and a drug dealer as his role model. and father figure. It follows him through three stages in his life and the internal conflict he experiences as he learns who he is. See it.

 Actress:

Isabelle Huppert – Elle – I wasn’t able to see this movie… it’s not available anywhere yet in the States, but she did win the Golden Globe so I think she has a shot.

Ruth Negga – Loving – Good movie… I’m surprised it didn’t get more nominations.

Natalie Portman – Jackie – I think she was good in this, but I found the character to be super annoying. I realize she was playing a real person… so maybe that means I would have found Jackie Kennedy to be super annoying? Anyway, not my favorite.

Emma Stone – La La Land – She’s my pick. Singing and dancing and being vulnerable in that way made me love her.

Meryl Streep – Florence Foster Jenkins – She can do no wrong… we all know this. 

 Supporting Actress:

Viola Davis – Fences – Hands down, no brainer, this is her night. She was AMAZING. She put Denzel in his place like her life depended on it. She will win and if she doesn’t it will be a travesty!

Naomi Harris – Moonlight – She was great as the crack addicted mother in this film. I also saw an interview with her later and realized she’s not American… accent was spot on. I would never had guessed!

Nicole Kidman – Lion – I’m not sure why she’s in this bunch. I like her, but I don’t get it this year.

Octavia Spenser – Hidden Figures – Another great performance from her, but Viola kicked her butt this go round.  

Michelle Williams – Manchester by the Sea – I don’t think she got enough screen time to warrant a nomination. Sure, she was good when we saw her, but she didn’t make a huge impression for me.

 Actor:

Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea – He gave a heart wrenching performance of an incredibly complicated character. It was more nuanced, less in your face than the other front runner and that is my reason for going with him.  He gets my vote but I’ve read that there have been some recent harassment suits brought against him that may cause him to lose votes.

Andrew Garfield – Hacksaw Ridge – nope.

Ryan Gosling – La La Land – I don’t think he will win, but I need to say that he proved to be more than a pretty face (and perfect abs, etc, etc). He sang. He danced. And as I was leaving the theater, I immediately looked up whether or not he played his own piano to find that HE DID! I find that to be incredibly impressive. And can we talk about his speech at the Golden Globes where he thanked his lady for being home raising their daughters while he was making this movie? Love him.

Viggo Mortensen – Captain Fantastic – I had no idea what this movie was until it was nominated and I really, really liked it. He plays a single father, living off the grid with his six children. I know that sounds riveting, but it was surprisingly sweet and funny and entertaining. I recommend it.

Denzel Washington – Fences – If Affleck doesn’t take it, it’s got to go to Denzel. He’s Denzel.  And delivering those lines had to have been one hell of a challenge.  Someone i feel it must be “easier” to be bold and boastful as he was in this performance vs quiet and subdued as Affleck was. 

 Supporting Actor:

Mahershala Ali – Moonlight – He’s my favorite to win. He’s that character you’re not supposed to like by the nature of what he does, but you find out that he’s a compassionate guy doing what he had to in order to survive.

Jeff Bridges – Hell of High Water – He’s THE DUDE! No other explanation necessary … you know that means he is, and always will be, awesome.

Lucas Hedges – Manchester by the Sea – He’s the teenager dealing with the loss of his father and an uncertain future.

Dev Patel – Lion – He’s the lost Indian boy, all grown up and trying to find his family. I’m not sure who he was “supporting” though... he was the main guy in this movie... 

Michael Shannon – Nocturnal Animals – He’s a cop with nothing to lose… (you know you want to read that in the “movie announcer voice”). Anyway, he is a great actor. Does great with creepy and/or crazy characters. This is not his year though. I wish this nomination had gone to his counterpart in this film,  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, instead. He played a really good psychopath. 

 Animated Feature:

Kubo and the Two Strings

Moana – I loved this, and I think it would win if not for Zootopia

My Life as a Zucchini

The Red Turtle

Zootopia – this is our winner

 Cinematography:

Arrival

La La Land

Lion

Moonlight

Silence

Costume Design:

Allied

Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them

Florence Foster Jenkins

Jackie

La La Land

 Director:

Damien Chazelle – La La Land – yes, yes, yes a thousand times, yes, he should win. He also directed Whiplash (which was amazing… you should see it)  and is likely becoming my new favorite director! He’s brave and only 32 years old. I’m looking forward to his long, beautiful, brilliant career!

Mel Gibson – Hacksaw Ridge – I’m just glad he wasn’t IN this movie. And I hold him responsible for the whole “Vince Vaughn as a drill sergeant” thing.

Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea

Denis Villeneuve – Arrival

 Documentary Feature:

Fire at Sea – about refugees fleeing the African coast for a small Italian island, and the people who rescue them

I am not your Negro

Life, Animated – this is about an autistic boy who grew up relating life to what he learned watching Disney movies. I liked it.

O.J:. Made in America – I think this will win due to its pure scope and scale. It literally goes on for days… (ok… 7 hours and 47 min but that felt like days..) and I did walk away having learned things I didn’t know about him and the murder trial.

The 13th – This is the one I secretly hope will win.

 Documentary Short Film:

Extremis – about doctor’s helping terminally ill patients and their families make difficult end of life decisions

4.1 Miles – about Syrian refugee’s fleeing for a small Greek island

Joe’s Violin – about a 92 year old holocaust survivor’s violin which has been passed on to a young music student at a school for immigrant girls in the Bronx. As the one not about the refugee crisis, it stands out, which is why I think it will win.

Watani: My Homeland

The White Helmets  - about a group of men, former builders, tailors, blacksmiths, etc, who risk their lives volunteering to save civilians (from either side of the fight) in Aleppo as bombs fall around them.  Everyone who believes that we should not allow refugees in to our country should see this movie. I realize that things are more complicated than that, but there is nothing complicated about parents not wanting to have to teach their toddlers the difference between the sound of a regular plane and the sound of one carrying bombs or not wanting to have to dig them out of a pile of concrete that used to be their home or school. I’ve heard the “if it’s so bad, they should leave” argument… but they need a place to go.

 Film Editing:

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

La La Land – let’s keep this lovefest going…

Moonlight

 Foreign Language Film:

Land of Mine

A Man Called Ove - really, really enjoyed this one. 

The Salesman – for political reasons, I think this will win

Tanna

Toni Erdmann

 Makeup and Hairstyling:

A Man Called Ove 

Star Trek Beyond – because of the Spock ears and stuff. (BTW… I hate these movies)

Suicide Squad – I can’t believe I sat through this garbage.

 Original Score:

Jackie

La La Land – YES! The music is as much a part of this movie as Stone and Gosling.

Lion

Moonlight

Passengers

 Original Song:

Audition (The Fools Who Dream) –  La La Land – I love this! And I had a really hard time between this and City of Stars…

Can’t Stop the Feeling! – Trolls – as much as I would like to see JT win an Oscar, I don’t think this will win, even if it is the only song in this bunch that most of you  know.

City of Stars – La La Land – this is the one I’ve had stuck in my head since I saw the movie. I love it!

The Empty Chair – Jim: The James Foley Story

How Far I’ll Go – Moana – I want Lin-Manuel Miranda to win, but not this year

 Production Design:

Arrival

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Hail, Caesar!

La La Land - the sets are amazing!

Passengers

 Animated Short Film:

Blind Vaysha

Borrowed Time

Pear Cider and Cigarettes

Pearl – this one is made to be viewed in virtual reality so its ground breaking and cool… I think it could win. But Piper is Pixar so... 

Piper –  will win… and it’s cute.

 Live Action Short Film:

Ennemis Interieurs – this is about the interrogation of an Algerian man who has lived in France for years but is trying to gain official citizenship. I hope this doesn’t happen in real life but something tells me it is likely not far off from reality…

La Femme et la TGV-about a woman who lives alongside the tracks of a high speed train and strikes up a friendship with the train operator she’s never met.

Silent Nights – didn’t love it.

Sing – about a girl who wants to join her school choir and a teacher who is hell bent on them winning a competition. I really liked this one too. 

Timecode  - silly and weirdly sweet

 Sound Editing:

Arrival

Deepwater Horizon – I sat through this garbage too. Marky Mark needs to go away

Hacksaw Ridge – this is where I throw this one a bone…

La La Land – if Hacksaw doesn’t take it

Sully

 Sound Mixing:

Arrival

Hacksaw Ridge

La La Land – because it’s a musical

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

 Visual Effects:

Deepwater Horizon

Doctor Strange

The Jungle Book

Kubo and the Two Strings

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

 Adapted Screenplay:

Arrival

Fences – I’m torn…

Hidden Figures

Lion

Moonlight – I’m going with this, but Fences may take it.

 Original Screenplay:

Hell or High Water

La La Land – again, torn, but…

The Lobster – quite possibly the weirdest movie I’ve ever enjoyed. Very, very strange.

Manchester by the Sea- I’m going with my gut and saying this is the winner

20th Century Women

Well, there you have it! 

This year I’ve been fortunate enough to have brought a few more friends into the “watch all the movies” challenge and it’s been so much fun! Can’t wait to see what next year brings! 

[randomrichards]

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: – ARRIVAL – LA LA LAND – LION – MOONLIGHT – SILENCE Who Will Win? It’s La La Land Vs. Moonlight in their first of many one on ones. In terms of cinematography, these two films have a lot in common. There’s a notable use of colour in both films. For La La Land, cinematographer Linus Sandgren would bring out the reds, blues, yellows and greens of costumes and set pieces during musical numbers to contrast with the realistic scenes in between them. It’s especially notable in the opening number “Another Day of Sun,” Which sees the colourful dresses of the dancers clash with the realistic blue skies and grey freeways. While that film emphasizes basic colours, cinematographer James Laxton emphasizes neon colours for Moonlight. Drawing inspiration from the film’s original title “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue”, Laxton shoots night scenes with a hint of blue, especially when Chiron’s alone on the beach. Other colours he focuses on are greens from buildings, yellow for street lights, and pinks for neon lights, each one used in selective moments to bring beauty to the shot. A perfect example is a scene where Chiron’s mother (Naomie Harris) screams homophobic slurs at her son. Laxton shoots the scene with a point of view shot in slow motion, with pink neon beams through a door right behind her. He also shows a POV shot of Chiron standing in a dingy kitchen, taking the verbal abuse. Both films use the colours sparingly. Most scenes are shot with realism, so when they go for a stylistic approach to a scene, it’s something special. At first, La La Land seems to only go for stylization for musical numbers, but they also use it for scenes when we go inside our main character’s heads. Whenever Sebastian starts to play a solo tune or Mia’s deep in thought, the world around them goes dark, with a spotlight on them. Moonlight is more particular with their stylization. For the most part, Laxton brings a beauty to the lower-class Miami setting, portraying days with a bright sunny tone and nights with dark blue skies and yellow street lights. They feel realistic, and yet there’s a beauty to how he shoots the scenes. Even when it’s just someone’s just cooking’ it’s shot with a particular beauty. The stylization’s a little lower key with this one, but the film still equals La La Land in its beauty. But the award’s going to go to the more impressive and flashy La La Land. BEST EDITING: – ARRIVAL – HACKSAW RIDGE – HELL OR HIGH WATER – LA LA LAND – MOONLIGHT Who Will Win? This award will go to La La Land. I could tell from the extended drum solo in the climax of Whiplash that editor Tom Cross would win the 2014 Oscar for Best Film Editing. Now Cross reteams with writer/director Damien Chazelle for this modern musical. This is quite a sharp contrast from the fast-paced editing of Mad Max: Fury Road with Cross’ more patient editing. I notice the musical numbers rarely uses cuts, consisting of long takes. It reminds me of musical numbers of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, who use long takes to showcase their dance skills. These shots serve the same purpose, especially when Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone tap dancing across a LA Freeway. In an era where most music videos and modern musicals resort to disorienting quick cutting in a misguided attempt to keep the audiences’ attention, Cross’ nuanced editing style feels refreshing. When Cross does cut a musical number, the results are dazzling. It’s a challenge to describe film editing without the film, so I’m going to use the number “Someone in the Crowd” as an example. When Mia (Stone) and her friends head to a party, we’re treated to images at home in classic musicals. At first, we get the four of them dancing across the street, each dressed in her own colour. Then we are treated to a montage of street signs followed by close-ups of champagne poured into glasses. It all ends with the camera spinning around a pool, blending into another scene. You can imagine these scenes in a classic musical, and yet it still feels modern. BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLE: – A MAN CALLED OVE – STAR TREK BEYOND – SUICIDE SQUAD Who Will Win? This one will be a battle between Star Trek Beyond and Suicide Squad. Suicide Squad’s strength in this category comes from the character of Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who looks amazing with his scaly flesh and razor sharp teeth. The fact they didn’t rely on CGI for this character is a major bonus. The film also has some creative styles with Harley Quinn’s (Margot Robbie) and the Joker’s (Jared Leto) makeup. Too bad you can’t see the same effort in the jumbled mess of a script and incompetent editing. While Suicide Squad had to create one realistic looking human-crocodile hybrid, the latest Star Trek film faced the bigger challenge of creating humanoid aliens. Not just one type of aliens, but multiple unique race, each unique in their looks and culture. After already create a series of alien races in two Star Trek films, makeup artists Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo must make the new alien characters stand out in looks. They didn’t disappoint. Contrast the looks between the villain Krall (Idris Elba) and ally warrior Jaylah (Sofia Boutella). Krall has this jagged, leathery skin ripped off a sting ray. Jayla, however, has this pale look with a unique face paint that may be a representative of a unique culture. For these reasons, I’m predicting Star Trek Beyond as the winner for makeup. BEST COSTUME DESIGN: – ALLIED – FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM – FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS – JACKIE – LA LA LAND Who Will Win? Now we have a tough one. You’d probably expect me to predict La La Land. Not so much this time. While there are some stunning colourful clothing throughout the film, the film faces tough competition this time. But don’t leave it out just yet. After some consideration, I’ve narrowed it down to either Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Jackie and La La Land. It’s a battle between the three things this category loves; fantasy, period pieces and musicals. In terms of wardrobe, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them has quite a fascinating obstacle. The clothing of the Harry Potter films stand out amongst other fantasy films, with robes and scarves as much a part of JK Rowling’s mythology as Hogwarts or Hippogriffs. For a spinoff prequel to the Harry Potter series, the costumes should both feel like a part of the Potterverse while standing on its own. Enter Colleen Atwood. As a frequent collaborator of Tim Burton, Atwood has a real niche for fantasy clothing. Along with Burton films, she’s also created costumes for such films as The Silence of the Lambs, Gattaca and the entire Arrowverse[1]. Throughout her 30-year career, she has been nominated twelve times and won three times.[2] She meets the challenge head on and doesn’t disappoint. A notable perk with designing costumes in a fantasy film is the opportunity to get more creative with the design. There’s also more opportunities to add to the character’s personalities through their clothing, which Atwood takes advantage of. Each character’s clothing brings out his/her personality. Queenie’s (Alison Sudol) pink attire and dinner dresses brings out her Marilyn Monroe-like bubbliness. Credence’s (Ezra Miller) starchy suite and tight collar shirts really emphasize his abusive, repressive upbringing. But one that stands out the most is our hero Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). As the new lead character of the Potterverse, Redmayne needs a wardrobe to help him stand out. From the moment, you see his blue trench coat and yellow button vest, and undersized clothes, Newt automatically becomes a memorable character. It seems to bring out his social awkwardness. Plus, his Hufflepuff scarf brings sheer glee to the members of that house. This film also scores points for taking place in 1926, which feeds into this category’s fetish for period pieces. By period pieces, I mean the dazzling looking part of those periods. But the franchise element might work against it here. Plus, the predictions’ been swinging between Jackie and La La Land like a pendulum. Like I said, this category adores period pieces, with nearly every winner taking place decades before it was made.[3] Jackie fits that category perfectly. With the film taking place during the events around JFK’s assassination and his funeral, designer Madeline Fontaine needs to recreate the exact clothing Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) and her family wore during these real-life events. Of course, you have Jackie’s trademark pink coat and hat, but there’s also her funeral clothing and the dresses she wore before the events. Fontaine also creates other dresses for her to wear in one scene where Jackie downs her grief in booze and tries on multiple dresses while listening to the Camelot soundtrack. This film has a great chance of winning based on accuracy alone. But La La Land could add this to a long list of potential wins. While this category loves period pieces, it also loves musical, with wins for Chicago and Moulin Rouge.[4] For the costumes, designer Mary Zophres blends the vintage with the modern, putting women in bright colourful dresses and men in classy white collar shirts and ties. Like the cinematography, the colours on the costumes pop out in glorious fashion. Plus, the loose style makes it easy for the actors to move during the dance number. Plus, if it wins, it will be the first Best Costume Design winning film to take place in its current era since 1994’s Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Like I said, it’s either Jackie or La La Land. BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: – ARRIVAL – FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM – HAIL, CEASAR! – LA LA LAND – PASSENGERS Who Will Win? So, who created the best world? If it were up to me, I’d give this to Arrival because I love the design of the spaceship. I mean, it has a gravity breaking wall you can walk sideways. But this award’s most likely going to be another win for La La Land. First, Hollywood loves themselves a tribute to the golden age. You can imagine a lot of these set pieces being used for a Gene Kelly musical. This is especially true when we go to the Hollywood lot where Mia (Emma Stone) works. It’s made deliberately artificial in a satirical sting towards Hollywood. When Mia and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) walk across the lot, they walk past an old timey western with actors dressed as cowboys. Next, they get stopped on a grassy side, where a romance is being shot. We also see stylization in such set pieces as Mia’s bedroom, which has a giant photo of Ingrid Bergman on the walls. But the set design shines the most in the closing number, where we many set pieces pay homage to classic Gene Kelly films, especially his dance number with Cyd Charisse in Singin’ in the Rain. As with nearly every aspect of the film, the production design contrasts the stylized setting with realistic environments. Some locations are designed with notable realistic flair, from the clutter of Sebastian’s apartment to the poorly hung Christmas decorations of a dingy bar where he works. These contrasts add to the films’ themes of dreams vs. reality that runs throughout the film. BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: – DEEPWATER HORIZON – DOCTOR STRANGE – THE JUNGLE BOOK – KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS – ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Who will Win? This here’s a tough one. Usually, you’d expect a Star Wars film to be the forerunner. Despite many amazing special effects, the film will suffer a loss due to the uncanny valley creepiness of Tarkin and Leia.[5] I would love for this award to go to Kubo and the Two Strings. First, the idea of this award going to an animated film makes me quite giddy. Plus, it would a great recognition for Stop motion animation as a technical process. For frame of film, technicians and animators face the tedious task of gently moving the limbs of every character, replace every face with a new expression and tip every single leaf before they shoot a frame of film. On top of that, they must do this multiple times to create movement that flows naturally. It would take them a whole day just to make a character blink. Considering the fact a second of film takes 24 frames, imagine the persistence it takes to make a 104 minute film. That’s just the beginning of the achievements of Laika Studios. They’ve taken stop motion a step further by using 3D printing to design the faces of the characters, which allows more nuanced expressions. Plus, they use computer effects to digitally remove creases on character’s faces and create wider environments. That’s not including the hand-designed creatures of this film. I mean, they created monsters bigger than themselves. That’s impressive. I’d recommend watching this episode of Frame By Frame to see the work Laika puts into their films. But it’s more likely to go to a live action film. I would like that film will be Doctor Strange, not so much for technique, but it will win for style. In terms of techniques, it doesn’t offer anything special. What makes this special is how it uses it. To give the magic a unique feel, the effects artists draw a lot from the psychedelic artwork co-creator Steve Ditko used on the original comics. Whenever characters bend reality, the environment twists into a revolving kaleidoscope. The result is many visually stunning scenes, from the time reversal fight scene to design of Dormammu. But the biggest standout is the chase scene that inceptions the shit out of New York. Seeing buildings folding in on themselves into various universes is an acid trip without the acid. Here’s another episode of Frame by Frame, detailing the films’ psychedelic style. But its top competitor is the Jungle Book and for good reason. Like fellow Oscar winner Life of Pi, the making of the film has an Indian actor acting alone surrounded by green/blue screen with only a few set pieces to fall back on. This time, it’s a child actor (Neel Sethi)[6] interacting with puppets atop a rock. Then the SFX artists tries to turn the green screen into a jungle and the puppets into monkeys. And they pull it off, creating a believable world. When I watch the film, I believe that’s the kid’s living in the jungle. Talking animals are a challenge to pull off. It’s not enough to just animate a dog’s lips moving, the dog also should look like it knows what its saying. The makers of Babe understood this, and that’s why it won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Making a live action animal talk is a delicate balance. If they are too realistic, they’ll fall into uncanny valley. Besides, animals aren’t usually expressive with the more nuanced side of emotions. If they are too cartoony, it’ll be a challenge for the audience to suspend their disbelief. It’s a difficult tightrope, but The Jungle Book walks it with surprising grace. The effects team does an excellent job making the animals look realistic, like they were taken from the wildlife. When they speak, I’m blown away by how natural they look. The most notable is Baloo, who seems to share Bill Murray’s droll facial expressions. Looks like the odds are in favour of either Doctor Strange or The Jungle Book. Mostly the Jungle Book. [1] The DC television universe, which includes Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl. [2] For Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha and Alice in Wonderland [3] Or in the case of Mad Max: Fury Road, decades after the film is made. Apparently, some articles are counting the future as period pieces. [4] Then again, there were also loses for modern musicals including Into the Woods, Les Miserables and Nine, so being a musical isn’t a guarantee. [5] Not to mention the moral questions of digitally inserting dead actors into films. [6] While we’re at it, let’s give props to Neel Sethi for his performance. He’s pretty much acting alone throughout the film, interacting only with puppets and people in blue suits. To do this while convincing us he’s interacting with a giant bear or a panther must be difficult for a child actor.