The Best Movies of 2020

These past few months have been pretty hectic for me in my personal life, so I kept delaying writing this for a long time and now I have run out of time! So forgive me if it seems like I have much less to say than in my past best movie blogs. As always, a TL;DR ranking my favorite films from the last cinematic year will be at the end of the blog.

DISCLAIMER: I did not see every movie from 2020 (including the extended awards season going into 2021), so there will be some potentially good or great films that will not make it onto my list. I did, however see every Best Picture nominee except one, so I should have pretty decent Oscar predictions for each category. But first, honorable mentions are due.

Honorable Mentions

Bad Education
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Color Out of Space
Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train (still in theaters and absolutely beautiful; my first theater movie in over 14 months!)
Driveways (worth watching for a memorable final performance from Brian Dennehy)
First Cow
The Forty-Year-Old Version
Greyhound
La Llorona (fantastic Guatemalan horror dealing with the genocide that happened there)
Let Them All Talk
The Mole Agent
Onward
Over the Moon
Palm Springs
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Tenet (very enjoyable Nolan flick but it just did not strike me as a favorite)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (this film did not do anything for me beyond the snappy dialogue)
Two of Us
The Way Back

Movies That I Did Not Get to See

All In: The Fight for Democracy
The Assistant
Collective
The Father
Hillbilly Elegy
The Life Ahead
The Mauritanian
The Midnight Sky
Miss Juneteenth
On the Rocks
Pieces of a Woman
Time
The Truffle Hunters
The United States vs. Billie Holiday

And now we continue with the Best Movies of 2020 according to Robert!

Oscar Predictions for Unincluded Categories

• Costume Design - Emma.
• Documentary (Short Subject) - I am unsure as I was unable to see any of the nominees.
• Film Editing - Sound of Metal
• Makeup & Hairstyling - Pinocchio
• Production Design - Mank
• Short Film (Animated) - See Documentary (Short Subject).
• Short Film (Live Action) - See above.

Best Cinematic Song: My Shot (Hamilton)

No, Hamilton, I will NOT throw away your shot at this award just because you are technically a stage play that was filmed and not a "real movie". I am bending the rules here and including Hamilton in my favorite films of 2020 because this is my list and I absolutely loved it. I could not honestly find a song in another movie that I enjoyed anywhere near as much as about 5 songs from Hamilton, which are worth mentioning briefly: "Wait for It", "Guns and Ships", "Yorktown", and "It's Quiet Uptown". But ultimately, I picked the most iconic song from this movie as the definitive best cinematic song from 2020. Hop on Disney+ and enjoy this amazing musical if you have not yet done so.

Honorable Mentions: This Is 40 (The Forty-Year-Old Version); and A Change Is Coming... (One Night in Miami...).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Io sì (The Life Ahead)

Best Horror Performance: Elisabeth Moss (The Invisible Man)

Until very recently, The Invisible Man was the last film that I had seen in theaters. Armed with my two vaccine shots and two weeks of time, I was able to go see Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train in IMAX this last week, and it did NOT disappoint. However, The Invisible Man still holds a very special place in my heart since it was my last theater experience for the longest time, and along with that comes Elisabeth Moss' incredible performance in it. She is anxious, terrified, furious, feral, and every kind of emotion in between in this role as a woman being stalked by her abusive ex. Moss elevates this film out of a pulp fiction thriller into a truly harrowing look into gaslighting and abusive relationships, and that makes her definitively worthy of this award.

Honorable Mentions: María Mercedes Coroy (La Llorona); and Nicolas Cage (Color Out of Space).

Best Animated Film: Wolfwalkers

I recently read an article aimed at the Academy that told them that they did not have to give the Best Animated Feature Oscar to Pixar every single year that they release a movie, and I have to say, I agree. Wolfwalkers is a GORGEOUS film filled with some of the best hand animation style and techniques that I have ever seen; in terms of pure animated beauty, I would have to put it up there with Bambi, Akira, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The story is also phenomenal with great characters and themes, but so few people saw this movie because of its exclusivity to Apple TV+. However, once it is available to own, I would highly recommend buying this or borrowing it from a friend because it is, without a doubt, the Best Animated Film of 2020.

Honorable Mentions: Onward; and Soul.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Soul

Best Music: Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor (Mank)

I very well could have just handed this award to Hamilton and no one would have been able to disagree, but after already bending the rules once for that movie, I had to go with another one in this category. I absolutely LOVE how Trent Reznor has developed over the past two decades into a phenomenal film composer during his partnership with Atticus Ross, starting with their Oscar win for The Social Network. Reznor's scores still have some Nine Inch Nails-esque sound to them for the most part, but his and Ross' work in Mank blew me away with how different it was from their previous outputs and how perfectly it captured the style of cinematic music during the era of Citizen Kane. Their collaboration with Jon Batiste on Soul was equally incredible, but I am giving this award to Mank because I guess I have been tainted a bit with the Golden Era nostalgia that Oscar-bait films all seem to have. Give it a shot on Netflix if you have access to it.

Honorable Mentions: Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) [like I said, this would have easily won if I bent the rules AGAIN for Hamilton]; and Ludwig Göransson (Tenet).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Jon Batiste, Atticus Ross, and Trent Reznor (Soul)

Best Supporting Performance: Youn Yuh-jung (Minari)

Youn Yuh-jung is the heart and soul of Minari as the elderly grandmother who immigrates from South Korea to help her daughter raise her two grandchildren. She also has the most complex character in a film filled with them, ranging from mischief to tenderness. Believe me when I say that she steals every scene that she is in, as I just do not have the time necessary to do her performance full justice here. Her growing relationship with her grandson, David (adorably played by Alan S. Kim), is something truly beautiful to watch and provides most of the best scenes in the film, especially during a conversation about death. If you have not yet seen Minari (which was filmed in Oklahoma), do so as soon as you can.

Honorable Mentions: Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night in Miami...); and Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm)

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Supporting Role - Youn Yuh-jung (Minari)

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Supporting Role - Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

Best Western Film: News of the World

There are two unspoken rules when it comes to my movie lists: there is always a Western film on it, and there is always a science fiction film on it. This year, the latter could have been Tenet (if it was better) but ended up being The Invisible Man. As for the Western, it goes without saying that News of the World was the best of the bunch in 2020 and it was not particularly close. Tom Hanks is fantastic (as always) as a traveling speaker who reads newspapers to small towns in the West, and his chemistry with young actress Helena Zengel carries the film as they develop a bond with each other. There are some intense and creative shootouts that get your heart racing, but the true strength of this film lies in how it handles emotional trauma and grief. I love this movie and could not have made this list without giving it an award somewhere.

Honorable Mentions: First Cow; and Nomadland (it is a sort of modern Western in a way).

Best Screenplay: Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami...)

Although this is considered an adapted screenplay, Kemp Powers wrote the original stage play as well, so I have no qualms with saying that it easily has the best dialogue of ANY film released in 2020. The back and forth between every character carries so much weight in a way that reminded me very strongly of the great August Wilson, whose recent cinematic adaptations (Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) deserve far more praise than they have received. Powers has a, um, powerful voice here that resonates through his characters and discusses the responsibility that black people in positions of influence have towards leading the fight for their community. There is not a single dull moment in this film that relies heavily on heated arguments, similarly to many of my favorite films (12 Angry Men, the aforementioned August Wilson adaptations, etc.), which makes it fairly easy to give Best Screenplay to Powers and One Night in Miami... If, like me, you have Amazon Prime for those easy deliveries (although I wish there was a similar company that actually treated its employees like human beings), you can watch this for free on there.

Honorable Mentions: Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman); and Christopher Nolan (Tenet).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Adapted Screenplay - Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)

OSCAR PREDICTION: Original Screenplay - Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7)

Best Ensemble Cast: Da 5 Bloods

It is a shame that this movie got almost no recognition from the Academy, receiving just one nomination (Best Original Score). Spike Lee has crafted another gem with Da 5 Bloods that not only has a lot to say about race and war, but has many intense moments, making it one of the most entertaining films that he has made. On top of that, every actor brings their A game to this film, with some great scenes featuring the late Chadwick Boseman and wonderful interactions between Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, and especially Isiah Whitlock Jr. However, the true star of this movie is Delroy Lindo, who I mainly knew as an actor who always played in supporting roles (namely Gone in 60 Seconds). He gives an incredible performance here as a Vietnam vet and devoted Trump supporter who struggles with guilt, PTSD, and strong racism. I will sing his praises here and anywhere else because he did NOT get the recognition that he deserved for such a great role. If Da 5 Bloods was criminally underrated by moviegoers, Lindo was doubly so. Watch this on Netflix if you have not already.

Honorable Mentions: Minari; and One Night in Miami...

Best Documentary: Dick Johnson Is Dead

What starts out as a fun documentary with its fair share of gallows humor descends into the sadness that comes with watching an elderly parent slowly wither away mentally. There are so many themes in this very personal production from Kirsten Johnson about her father that hit me square in the chest, pushing me to remain deeply connected with my own parents before they reach this state as well. I watched my grandfather go through this same change before his death, but I did not truly understand how much it must have impacted my mother and her siblings until I saw this film. It is a heartfelt and slow goodbye to a wonderful man (who is still alive today, by the way) that celebrates who he was as a person and who he is now. Since this is on Netflix, you have no excuse for not watching this beautiful documentary.

Honorable Mentions: The Mole Agent; and The Way I See It.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Documentary (Feature) - Collective

Best Cinematography: Lachlan Milne (Minari)

For a film that resides in the emptiness of the Ozark countryside before the internet and focuses primarily on family interactions, you might be surprised with just how wonderful its cinematography is. Milne, alongside director Lee Isaac Chung, has captured the beauty that can be found in everyday life with such care and artistry in Minari. One scene in particular stands out to me because they had only one shot to get the perfect take when they burned down a building in real life at night time with little to no background lighting. This moment and many others like it help escalate this film from a great movie to one of the best movies made in 2020.

Honorable Mentions: Joshua James Richards (Nomadland); and Nicolás Wong (La Llorona).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Joshua James Richards (Nomadland)

Best Femme Fatale: Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman)

One of the aspects that I love most about Promising Young Woman is how it takes the femme fatale trope and flips it on its head. The traditional stereotypes of being a point of view from the male gaze, being a villain, being a supporting role, and being judged as promiscuous that are associated with femme fatales are transformed into being from the point of view from the character, being the protagonist, being the leading role, and using the appearance of promiscuity against male predators. None of this would be possible without Carey Mulligan's incredible performance as Cassandra, who seeks to punish would-be rapists that think having sex with inebriated women is consensual and consider themselves "good guys". Mulligan has moments where the pure rage inside her will make the hairs stand on the back of your neck, but also moments where the suppressed grief of losing a loved one will make your eyes tear up. Add in a twisting and wholly original plot (crafted expertly by writer-director Emerald Fennell) and you have one of my favorite films from 2020 along with a wonderful performance from Mulligan.

Honorable Mentions: María Mercedes Coroy (La Llorona); and Taylour Paige (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom).

Best Sound Effects: Sound of Metal

There was no universe that existed where any movie other than Sound of Metal took home this award. In a film that deals with deafness and how it affects one's life, the team behind the sound design of Sound of Metal has done a phenomenal job at putting us into the experience of what the loss of hearing feels like. The tinnitus that starts in the early stages drives dread into you along with Ruben, who is played fantastically by Riz Ahmed (very deserving of his Best Actor nomination). The confusion and frustration of not being able to understand others anymore can be felt during the moments of pure silence only interrupted by the occasional muffled voice. Finally, the sharp static of using a prosthetic to hear again gives us the sadness over what has been lost forever when a beautiful duet between a father and daughter gives way to the garbled mess that Ruben now has to decipher in order to hear. I absolutely loved this film, and so I also want to mention that Paul Raci is wonderful in his role as the head of an outreach for people with hearing loss. This one is also on Amazon Prime, so go enjoy this great film if you have not.

Honorable Mentions: The Invisible Man; and Color Out of Space.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Sound of Metal

Best Historical Performance: Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

I already loved Daniel Kaluuya as an actor for his memorable role in Get Out, but he delivers a performance here that is like no other as Fred Hampton. His replication of Hampton's charisma and skill as an orator blew me away, which reminded me of David Oyelow's terrific portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma (2014). Kaluuya has a strong presence in every scene that he is in and carries this film as its soul, showing us Hampton's great socialist and unifying message that is often buried beneath the propaganda touting the Black Panther party as just militant extremists (similarly to el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, a.k.a. Malcolm X). One of the magical things that this film does is show WHY the Black Panther party armed themselves: it was not to start an armed revolution; it was to protect themselves against a police force that was all too eager to gun them down in the streets (how the times have not changed). The tragic massacre and execution of Fred Hampton hits you like a hammer in this film, especially because Kaluuya spends a lot of time showing us who Hampton was as a person before his death. I highly recommend that everyone watch this film in order to educate ourselves on the United States' past and to see Kaluuya's portrayal of Hampton.

Honorable Mentions: Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom); and LaKeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah).

Best Crime Thriller: I'm Your Woman

Mark this down as the biggest surprise of 2020 for me. Rachel Brosnahan gives her best performance in this film as Jean, a newly-made mother who must deal with the aftermath of her husband's acts in the crime world. I found this very reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs in that what would traditionally be the central focus of a crime story happens completely offscreen. The helpless wife of the male criminal that is usually relegated to a supporting role in films like this one instead becomes the protagonist and gives us a great, original story that also is not afraid to touch on issues of race and class. Arinze Kene and Marsha Stephanie Blake also deserve praise for their strong performances, and director Julia Hart (who cowrote this with her husband Jordan Horowitz, of La La Land fame) needs to be credited with creating one of my favorite crime films in recent memory (probably since Baby Driver). I wish more people had seen this film, but I am very excited to see what Hart gives us in the future. This is currently on Amazon Prime so check it out on there!

Honorable Mentions: Da 5 Bloods; and Promising Young Woman.

Best Leading Performance: Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom)

Although Viola Davis is technically the leading role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Chadwick Boseman has so many incredible moments throughout the film that made both myself and most of Hollywood consider him to be a co-lead. Boseman displays incredible emotional depth as Levee Green, a tortured man who has been ridden down by society in a Jim Crow world. He has two separate scenes where he describes past experiences in the Deep South that will tear your heart open, making you fully understand his character and his ambitions. It gives me so much joy that August Wilson is finally getting the film adaptations that he always deserved before his death, and Boseman brings Wilson's beautiful words to life in such a way that will move you. This is also on Netflix, so take the time to give Boseman's final performance the honor that it deserves.

Rest in peace to the playwright of Deep Azure; the embodiment of Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall; the soul of Levee Green; the legend of King T'Challa; the Black Panther himself: Chadwick Boseman. You will live on in the hearts of countless children across the world who got to see an African superhero on the big screen representing them and inspiring them to be great.

Honorable Mentions: Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal); and Frances McDormand (Nomadland).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Leading Role - Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman)

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Leading Role - Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom)

Best Director: Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)

In what will come as a surprise to literally no one, Chloé Zhao easily takes home this award for her masterpiece that is Nomadland. Although it is not MY favorite film of 2020, it did resonate with me (and many others) with its portrayal of a woman who has nowhere that she wants to go and has no roots holding her down. In many ways, I find this to be a modern update on Easy Rider, which also struck a chord with the young generation of boomers way back in 1970. Classify that statement as praise, not criticism, as Zhao brings us into the lives of these nomads in a way that feels incredibly real. It helps that Frances McDormand (who deserves all of the praise that she has been given) is one of just two actual actors in the film, which lives on the line between documentary and fiction. This hyper-realism is intensified by Zhao's perfect direction, and I am certain that she will be the second woman to win Best Director (after Kathryn Bigelow for the harrowing film The Hurt Locker) and the first woman of color to win the award. If you have access to Hulu, do yourself a favor and go enjoy this wonderful film about grief and living on the road.

Honorable Mentions: David Fincher (Mank); and Julia Hart (I'm Your Woman).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)

Best International Film: Another Round (Denmark)

Mads Mikkelsen has become one of my favorite actors in the world between my introduction to him as the creepy Le Chiffre in Casino Royale and his heartwrenching role in The Hunt. He delivers once again in Another Round, a Danish film about alcoholism and dissatisfaction with life. This film struck home for me in a personal way that I cannot describe, and its final stance on alcohol and self fulfillment is one of the most thoughtful and complex messages that I have ever heard or seen. This film pulls no punches and will make you question many things about your own absolute convictions. It should have won Best Picture - Foreign Language at the Golden Globes but that whole category was scuffed as soon as they slotted Minari into it despite it being an American film. At least Thomas Vinterberg got nominated for Best Director at the Oscars, so there is some retribution for Another Round. This movie is also on Hulu so go absorb this masterpiece at your leisure.

Honorable Mentions: La Llorona (Guatemala); and Two of Us (France).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Another Round (Denmark)

Best Charismatic Performance: Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami...)

I thought that no one would ever be able to top Denzel Washington's portrayal of el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (Malcolm X), and I was very wrong. Kingsley Ben-Adir has been acting for a while, but I had never heard of or seen him before this film, and he is absolutely electrifying as Shabazz in One Night in Miami... Very few people around me growing up knew much about Shabazz beyond being the "violent version of MLKJ", and I am not proud of that. But if I could show this film to them, they would see the passionate and compassionate side of Shabazz that made him so beloved during his lifetime. Ben-Adir fully immerses himself into the role of Shabazz, not only looking like him but speaking like him as well, matching speech patterns and the fire in his voice. I already spoke about how incredible the script for this film is, but everyone acting in this movie is phenomenal as well (shoutout to Leslie Odom Jr. in particular as Sam Cooke). But Ben-Adir truly brings Shabazz back to life in full form, which makes him well worthy of this award and many, many more. I cannot wait to see what director Regina King (primarily known for her acting but showing great potential in her directorial debut) helms next and what future films Ben-Adir will be in.

Honorable Mentions: Radha Blank (The Forty-Year-Old Version); and Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods).

Best Visual Effects: Wolfwalkers

Sure, this is technically an animated film, but I have never let that stop me before from awarding Best Visual Effects to the rightful winner (see Kubo and the Two Strings). Wolfwalkers was easily the most beautiful film made in 2020, and I already sung its praises earlier in this list. But I want to specifically laud the animation techniques that they used in creating this film. They would use 3D models to visualize what each shot would look like and how each scene would move, then use charcoal and pencil to draw the actual movie by hand. This results in a very fluid animation style that retains those hand-drawn qualities that make it so dazzling. In addition, the story follows an Irish girl during Puritan occupation who becomes able to shapeshift into a wolf, and using this framework, sets out to make some great commentary on religion and class. This was my favorite film of 2020 for a very long time before I saw the eventual winner. Speaking of which...

Honorable Mentions: Tenet; and Color Out of Space.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Tenet

Best Film: Minari

Family. A very heavy and complicated word. But Lee Isaac Chung was unafraid to bare his heart when he wrote and directed this film. Minari follows a Korean-American family as they move to Arkansas from California in order to build their own farm while raising two children, and it is unflinching in its depiction of every struggle that they have while doing so. Chung was raised in similar circumstances, so this movie is very much biopic and coming from a place of truth. This verisimilitude shines throughout the film and gives it that hyper-realistic quality that I pointed out in Nomadland. I mentioned how beautiful Youn Yuh-jung's performance is, but every actor is wonderful in this film. We see a father (played by Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead fame) struggle with his perceived self worth and distorted priorities. We see a mother (played by Han Ye-ri) who no longer trusts her husband and is straining to raise her children amidst her marital turmoil. We see a grandson (the aforementioned Alan S. Kim) who wants nothing to do with his atypical grandmother (Yuh-jung) but lives in fear of imminent death due to his heart murmur - a character based on Chung, of course. I will say that the daughter (played by Noel Cho) has a diminished role, but she is perfect as the strict older sibling to David.

All of these very difficult issues that every young family must deal with are navigated with such care by Chung and the cast. As a father in a young family myself, I connected strongly to this film in a deeply personal way that both moved me and inspired me. My favorite films of each decade often have that intimate bond to me that elevates them beyond all other films, such as Room and Roma. Other times, it is the depiction of a world viewpoint that immerses me in someone else's shoes that makes a film a masterpiece in my mind, teaching me things that I would never have understood on my own. Films like this include Schindler's List, 12 Years a Slave, Moonlight, and Wind River. Still others are simply cinematic masterpieces that push forward the medium in brilliant new ways, such as Birdman and The Lighthouse. In this case, Minari is all of the above; it connects to me personally, it shows me the viewpoint of an immigrant family during Reagan's America, and it is directed with beauty and perfection.

Minari is, without a doubt, the Best Film of 2020 to me, and I will be rooting for it during the Oscars just as I did with Moonlight during the 2017 ceremony. Minari is a film about family, and my family is where my heart lies.

Honorable Mentions: Wolfwalkers; and One Night in Miami...

OSCAR PREDICTION: Nomadland

TL;DR

1. Minari - (Best Film, Best Supporting Performance, Best Cinematography)
2. Wolfwalkers - (Best Animated Film, Best Visual Effects)
3. One Night in Miami... - (Best Screenplay, Best Charismatic Performance)
4. Another Round - (Best International Film)
5. Promising Young Woman - (Best Femme Fatale)
6. The Invisible Man - (Best Horror Performance)
7. Nomadland - (Best Director)
8. Sound of Metal - (Best Sound Effects)
9. Hamilton - (Best Cinematic Song)
10. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - (Best Leading Performance)
11. Judas and the Black Messiah - (Best Historical Performance)
12. I'm Your Woman - (Best Crime Thriller)
13. Da 5 Bloods - (Best Ensemble Cast)
14. Dick Johnson Is Dead - (Best Documentary)
15. News of the World - (Best Western Film)
16. Mank - (Best Music)

Thanks again for reading through my miniature reviews and awards list! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and I look forward to doing this again next year. Leave a comment with your opinions, by all means!

The Best Movies of 2019

I am so excited to write these awards this year, as it feels like I have been writing way less than I want to recently. It is always incredibly fun to write these, as well as to get other's opinions on my list. I also enjoy making up unique categories every year in addition to my standard categories to award films that were magnificent in their own ways. However, I will also continue to put a TL;DR at the end of my awards with a ranked order of my favorite films of the year, for those who want a more direct comparison of each film.

DISCLAIMER: I did not see every film made in 2019, especially due to a busier schedule. As a result, there were definitely some films that I am sure were great that did not make the list. I was able to watch every Best Picture nominee, however, so I will make Best Picture predictions for each category, including those that I do not include in my list. Let us start with honorable mentions.


Movies That Were Great But Missed the Cut

Captain Marvel
Ford v. Ferrari (JUST barely missed out)
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Knives Out (incredibly fun mystery but did not quite make it)
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
Marriage Story
Midsommar
POKE'MON Detective Pikachu
Rocketman (also a fantastic biopic musical)
Toy Story 4


Movies That Are Probably Great But I Did Not See

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Bombshell
Dark Waters
Doctor Sleep
Frozen II
Harriet
It: Chapter Two
Judy
The Lion King
Missing Link
Pain and Glory
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
The Two Popes
Uncut Gems


Without further ado, here are the Best Movies of 2019 according to Robert!



Oscar Predictions for Categories Not Included Here

• Animated Feature Film - Missing Link (primarily because I love Laika Studios and I want them to win again. P.S. I was super bummed out that I missed this film)
• Costume Design - Little Women
• Documentary (Feature) - I am so sorry, but I am completely unsure because I saw none of the nominees.
• Documentary (Short Subject) - Refer to the above category.
• Film Editing - Ford v. Ferrari
• Makeup and Hairstyling - Bombshell
• Production Design - 1917
• Short Film (Animated) - Refer to the Documentary categories. I DO, however, want to shout out Kobe Bryant's amazing animated short film from 2017, Dear Basketball. If, like me, you never saw it until very recently, I HIGHLY recommend that you go watch it now. It is absolutely beautiful and moving and worthy of revisiting. The only problem is that it is now extremely hard to find, so you might have to visit some unofficial sites in order to do so.
• Short Film (Live Action) - Yeah, same here.

Best Cinematic Song: I Got 5 On It (Us)

Buh-dun-dun! Dee, do, dee, do.
By taking seven notes from Luniz's hip hop song and making them sound frightening, Jordan Peele has created the most iconic song in cinema from 2019. Combine this with a legendary crescendo of the remix during the final sequence of Us, and you have a masterpiece of an ending to yet another instant classic from Peele, following up his tremendous debut in Get Out. The commentary on class divide and privilege made this immediately my favorite film of the year very early on, until it was eventually dethroned by other excellent films. If you love smart horror films, get out and see Us as soon as you can.

Honorable Mentions: Saturday Night's Alright musical scene (Rocketman); and driving recklessly to Nobody Speak (Booksmart).

OSCAR PREDICTION: (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again (Rocketman)



Best Conclusion of a Cinematic Saga: Avengers: Endgame

I am sure that anyone who has followed the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as I have, was wholly and completely satisfied by this epic finale to the tales of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Thanos. The amount of nostalgia hits to reward loyal fans were bittersweet when combined with the end of an era that was filled with memorable moments from Robert Downey, Jr. and Chris Evans. Let us not forget the wonderful performances over the years by Scarlett Johansson and Idris Elba as well. This was easily the best blockbuster made in 2019, and it is not even close.

Honorable Mentions: I have not seen either of these yet, but I would hazard a guess that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and It: Chapter Two would be deserving here as well.



Best Stuntwork Performance: Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum)

I would be remiss to not reward Keanu Reeves for all of the amazing work he has done over the last few years in the John Wick saga. I truly thought that this would be the final entry in a trilogy, and so I am extremely happy to know that more of these creative action films are coming down the pike. Reeves and director Chad Stahelski (former stuntman for Reeves) have done such a great job choreographing and capturing many gun-fu action sequences throughout these films, and with Reeves returning in John Wick: Chapter 4, as well as many other upcoming films (The Matrix 4, Bill & Ted Face the Music, video game Cyberpunk 2077), I look forward to much more excellent performances from the One.

Side note: Halle Berry also has some awesome stuntwork in this film that deserves recognition as well, especially involving some dogs.

Honorable Mentions: Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood); and George MacKay (1917).



Best Visual Effects: 1917

It is no small feat to make a film seem like a one-shot, and this is even more difficult when you set your film in the middle of World War I. Besides setting up each shot to flow seamlessly into the next, we get an airplane crash, bullet sparks, and a magnificent sequence sprinting across a charging army with mortars landing all around. This film was truly a technical masterpiece and a treat to watch on the big screen, so do so if you can!

Honorable Mentions: Ad Astra; and The Irishman.

OSCAR PREDICTION: 1917



Best International Film: Parasite

You knew it. I knew it. Everyone knows it. Parasite is EASILY the best international film of 2019, and one of the best films of the year in general. It has the classic South Korean cinematic themes of karma, moral ambiguity, and a hint of pulp fiction. However, Bong Joon-Ho has created a film that crosses all cultures with much more universal themes of class divide, envy, and the struggles of the lower class to climb out of that hole that they are born into. This film is exciting, clever, funny, creepy, and downright tragic in all of the best possible ways. Were it not for Roma last year, I would say that this was my favorite international film of the 2010s, but it still deserves to be respected as more than a great Korean film, but a great film regardless of language.

Honorable Mentions: Once again, I have not seen them, but I would assume that Pain and Glory, as well as Les Misérables, were both great and deserving of mention here.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Parasite



Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse)

As a quick reminder to those who did not read my list last year, I have combined all acting awards as Actor and removed gender from the billing, so each acting award is open season for all actors and actresses.

It is a outright travesty that Willem Dafoe did not get nominated for his performance in The Lighthouse! He perfectly plays a crusty veteran sailor with extreme passion and vigor, delivering the best monologue of the year that shakes you with fear before making you bowl over with laughter due to Robert Pattinson's perfect response. For most of the film, you cannot tell if Thomas Wake (Dafoe) is truly a villain or a cantankerous old man, adding to the paranoia and mystery of the entire film. Dafoe was one of many acting snubs this year (including costar Pattinson) and it is a shame that many people did not get to see his wonderful role in The Lighthouse.

Honorable Mentions: Laura Dern (for both Little Women and Marriage Story); Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood); Florence Pugh (Little Women); and Al Pacino (The Irishman).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Supporting Role - Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) [I desperately want him to win and finally get an Oscar!]
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Supporting Role - Laura Dern (Marriage Story)



Best Sound Effects: Ad Astra



I guess it would not truly be a Best Movies according to Robert if I did not include some space-related film! Regardless, I loved this take on Heart of Darkness set in a very realistic future where we have colonized the moon and Mars, with both outposts being controlled primarily by profit-focused corporations. Brad Pitt is fantastic as the main character, Roy McBride, travelling across the solar system to find his father and stop a devastating event from occurring. But this award is for sound effects, and there are so many great examples of this, from rockets taking off to nearly silent but terrifying gunfights on the moon. The people who worked on sound design for this film did a fantastic job, as did everyone else in the cast and crew to create a very emotional and resounding movie.

Honorable Mentions: Ford v. Ferrari; and 1917.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Sound Editing - Ford v. Ferrari
OSCAR PREDICTION: Sound Mixing - 1917



Best Oscar-Bait Biopic: The Irishman

Yes, this category is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that the majority of Best Picture winners and nominees are biopics, but it does not detract from the fact that The Irishman was a fantastic film. Surprising nobody, Martin Scorsese has directed yet another masterwork, following Robert DeNiro as a lifelong thug for the Bufalino crime family in Philadelphia. The acting is extremely well done by DeNiro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino, as reflected in the Acting categories of the Oscars this year. On top of that, the visual effects team has done a fantastic job of de-aging these actors, especially with DeNiro, and makes an interesting case for more use of this technology. A sequence towards the end of the film between DeNiro and Pacino fills you with both dread and sadness, and was one of my favorite moments of 2019. This film is on Netflix, so you have no reason to not watch it, as long as you are able to handle three and a half hours of nonstop movement.

Honorable Mentions: Ford v. Ferrari; and Rocketman.



Best Ensemble Cast: Little Women



I grew up reading the series of books from Louisa May Alcott that this film is based on, and so to see a new version from Greta Gerwig (writer/director of this film and Lady Bird) was extremely gratifying and a pleasant hit of nostalgia for me. Gerwig has done a tremendous job taking the original feminist themes of the novel written in 1868 and updating it for 2019 while maintaining the period which it is set in. But the cast steals the show for me, especially Florence Pugh as Amy (who was also fantastic in the horror film Midsommar) and Saoirse Ronan as Jo. But I would also like to point out the wonderful acting done by Chris Cooper as Mr. Laurence, an old gentleman who lost his piano-aficionado daughter and finds peace in a touching relationship with Beth, played pleasantly by Eliza Scanlen. A lot of their scenes together brought tears to my eyes, and made a small portion of the film much more emotional than I expected. Do not tell yourself that this is just another period piece; go see it as soon as you can, if only to watch Ronan's great dialogue with Laura Dern, playing Marmie, about the expectations of women and loneliness.

Honorable Mentions: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood; and Parasite.



Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins (1917)



I guess it should be no surprise that Roger Deakins has turned in another cinematography gem with 1917 when you consider his resume (The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo, No Country for Old Men, Skyfall, Sicario, and Blade Runner 2049, just to name a few). However, this was his first foray into the one-shot film style, which has been developed and perfected by Alfonso Cuarón and Emmanuel Lubezki, and Deakins proves yet again that he is a master worth praising. Although you can spot the cuts if you look for them, typically being an object that "wipes" across the screen, the seamless transition between cuts and perfect portraiture of each shot blows you away. Two shots in particular stand out to me, being the aforementioned sprint across a charging front line but also an intense sniper standoff. The work done by Deakins with director Sam Mendes (his partner-in-crime from Skyfall, amongst other films) is gorgeous and worth multiple viewings to truly appreciate.

Honorable Mentions: Jarin Blaschke (The Lighthouse); and Hong Kyung-Pyo (Parasite).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Roger Deakins (1917)



Most Wild and Satisfying Ending: The Manson Family vs. Cliff Booth (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

WOW. I mean, Quentin Tarantino is notorious for bombastic endings (see: Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained), but this one takes the cake! I will try my best to avoid spoilers, but the historical significance of the time, setting, and people that this ending involves makes it one of the most tense and scary sequences in any film this year. But then a twist comes in, perfectly set up over the entire film by many different things (including a well-trained dog and a film prop), and it blows your mind. Brad Pitt (playing Cliff Booth) is both hilarious and terrifying during this brutal sequence that makes the audience cheer despite the hyperviolence. It is a great ending to a great film and easily my favorite moment of 2019 in cinema.

Honorable Mentions: Unveiling the swap (Us); and a betrayal leading to an unlikely alliance (John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum).



Best Actor: Song Kang-Ho (Parasite)



I really, really wanted to give this award to either Lupita Nyong'o (Us) or Saoirse Ronan (Little Women), but I had to correct yet another complete and total snub by the Academy in keeping their Acting categories nice and white (the sole exception being Cynthia Erivo for Harriet). Song Kang-Ho is an acting legend from South Korea, starring in such classics as The Host and Memories of Murder, as well as crossing over into American cinema with the underrated film Snowpiercer (which was directed by Parasite's Bong Joon-Ho as well). However, Kang-Ho's performance as a downtrodden patriarch who tries to make a better life for his family is hilarious, disturbing, and touching. My favorite moment from Kang-Ho is, of course, when he makes a very tragic decision at the end of the film, resulting in the perfect intertwining of every theme in Parasite, including its title. In all honesty, both Kang-Ho's performance and the movie as a whole reminded me a lot of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, the first entry in the Korean films known as the Vengeance Trilogy, as they both star Kang-Ho in the leading role as well as themes of revenge, morality, karma, and class struggle. But this film is on an entire other level, as is Kang-ho's performance, and worthy of praise and accolades that the Academy will likely ignore (besides International Feature Film). If you still have not seen this fantastic film, take the time to go and see it, and do not let a language barrier stop you from enjoying a masterpiece.

Honorable Mentions: Lupita Nyong'o (Us); Robert Pattinson (The Lighthouse); Saoirse Ronan (Little Women); and George MacKay (1917).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Leading Role - Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Leading Role - Renée Zellweger (Judy) [Although I desperately want Saoirse Ronan to finally win an Oscar for Little Women]



Best Screenplay: Robert and Max Eggers (The Lighthouse)

The Lighthouse is a truly unique film filled with symbolism and dread. Robert Eggers wears two hats as both director and screenwriter for this film, sharing the writing credit with his brother Max. They both show great talent at writing with terrifying monologues, amusing dialogues, and many references to ancient Greek mythology that help build the mystique and apprehension of the film. The ending sequence is at once both gratifying and completely open for interpretation, resulting in a great discussion point for film lovers to deliberate upon for many decades to come. The Eggers brothers knock this script out of the park, and it pains me to see them snubbed once again in the Oscars despite making an incredible film (much like Robert's debut with The VVitch).

Honorable Mentions: Jordan Peele (Us); and Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, and Katie Silberman (Booksmart).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Adapted Screenplay - Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Original Screenplay - Bong Joon-Ho and Han Jin-Won (Parasite)



Best Heartfelt Comedy: Booksmart

This movie came out of nowhere for me and ended up being the most fun that I have had in a film in a very long time. Both lead actresses Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein are hilarious and have amazing chemistry together as high school seniors going for a night out in Los Angeles. Billie Lourd is also an absolute showstopper in every scene that she is in as the ultimate wild card Gigi. First time director Olivia Wilde (a great actress in her own right) also shows some incredible skill behind the camera, particularly during a long take involving a very emotional argument that made me think of the close facial style of Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman, The Revenant), which is as high of praise that I could give to any directing newcomer. This film is an uproarious, moving, and incredibly charming look at modern high school and all of its ups and downs, and deserves to be considered a coming-of-age classic for years to come.

Honorable Mentions: Jojo Rabbit; and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.



Best Music: Alexandre Desplat (Little Women)

I remember walking out of the theater and thinking, among other things, about how great the music in this film was. When I got home, I looked up who composed the score and said aloud, "Of course it's him!" Alexandre Desplat has made so many great scores that I guess I should not have been surprised that he created this gorgeous work as well (his repertoire includes Fantastic Mr. Fox, The King's Speech, The Tree of Life, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Isle of Dogs, just to name a few). His music perfectly matches the period that Little Women is set in, as well as eliciting emotions when necessary. Sometimes the score is light and playful, making you smile as you watch the sisters put on a play for the town's children. Other times the score is sad and tragic, making you tear up during THAT sequence involving Beth. Desplat always knows what to bring to each scene, and once again has created a soundtrack that I adore.

Honorable Mentions: Max Richter and Lorne Balfe (Ad Astra); and Michael Abels (Us).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Alexandre Desplat (Little Women)



Best Portrayal of a Historical Figure: Margot Robbie (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)



One of my biggest reservations about going to see Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was the knowledge that both the Manson Family and Sharon Tate (pregnant at one point) were in it, and that it was set during the late 1960s. If you have any knowledge about historical events or pop culture from that time period, you will understand why I was so hesitant about watching this film. However, Quentin Tarantino handles this scenario with great care and gives us something that we did not expect, which brought me great joy. A huge part of that enjoyment is due to Margot Robbie's fantastic portrayal of Sharon Tate. There has been some controversy over the amount of lines and screen time that Robbie gets in this film, but when she is onscreen, she absolutely steals your heart and makes it ache for the person that was Sharon Tate. We get to see Tate as the gleeful and glowing person that she was rather than a tragic figure in history. Robbie brings her back to life with such youthful vigor that you cannot help but smile at every scene that she is in. For Tarantino and Robbie to decide to go this personal route with Sharon Tate was a gamble, but it pays off with one of the warmest and most affectionate storylines of any of Tarantino's films, as well as any film in 2019.

Honorable Mentions: Robert DeNiro (The Irishman); and Christian Bale (Ford v. Ferrari).



Best Director: Sam Mendes (1917)

Sam Mendes has made some classics in his time, including American Beauty, Road to Perdition (massively underrated), and Skyfall. But I would argue that this is his best film to date, at least on par with American Beauty, and it is the most immersive war film that I have seen in a long time, perhaps as great as my 2017 Best Film, Dunkirk. The amount of skill that Mendes displays in getting his actors to perform so well over very long takes, as well as setting up each shot to be visually stimulating, has sold me on his future films, which I will now look forward to with great interest. It is also worth mentioning that 1917 has a great story that has great emotional pull (especially during a scene when a man is bleeding out), making it NEARLY my favorite film of 2019. However, there was one film that stood above the rest.

Honorable Mentions: Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse); and Bong Joon-Ho (Parasite).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Sam Mendes (1917) [although I would love for them to reward Quentin Tarantino with his first Best Director Oscar for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood].



Best Film: The Lighthouse



I am sure that this will be a major surprise to a lot of people, but there was truly no film greater or more unique than The Lighthouse in 2019. Robert Eggers might have already made his magnum opus on only his second film, as it will be difficult to ever top this masterpiece that he has created (having been both writer and director on each of his films). Robert Pattinson perfectly shows how a new sailor, Ephraim Winslow, can slowly go crazy while stuck on an island in a lighthouse with a kooky older sailor as his boss. His desire for physical affection, human interaction outside of the irritable Thomas Wake (portrayed with legendary skill by Willem Dafoe, as I mentioned before), and knowledge of what mystical power is hidden above in the lantern room are each pieces of the psychological deterioration that happens to him, and it is written, directed, and acted so well that the audience also wants all of these things as well. We all want to know: what the hell is going on in that lighthouse?! What secrets is Wake withholding from Winslow, and in turn, from us?

On top of the great acting and writing in this film comes one of the most perfectly shot films that I have ever seen. I honestly would have given Robert Eggers my award for Best Director were it not for the fact that I wanted to honor 1917 and Sam Mendes for their great work. But the way that Eggers chose to shoot this film makes it immediately timeless, much like how Steven Spielberg decided to shoot Schindler's List in black and white with a documentary feel. Instead of the traditional 1.85:1 aspect ratio that we are all used to in a movie theater, The Lighthouse is shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio, exactly like old films that were made before the 1950s. Eggers uses this aperture in very clever ways, such as hiding the edges of the screen when filming a shot almost entirely in black, and he also makes use of natural lighting, making the movie even more grim and foreboding. The set design is perfect to capture the era that the film is set in (roughly the late 19th century) and the use of black and white further creates that timeless effect that I mentioned before. The use of many practical effects as well further heightens that antiquated feeling that the movie tries to (and does) create, with the exception of one single visual effects shot that is quite terrifying.

This film is also LOADED with symbolism (especially regarding Greek mythology) that personifies the eternal struggle of man versus god, and it has so many layers to be examined and captured upon each viewing. The music from Mark Korven is haunting and feeds into the atmosphere of the film during every scene. The final two scenes of the film are mesmerizing and eldritch. There is not a single aspect of this film that I would change or improve. I absolutely loved this film in every way possible, making it well deserving of being crown my Best Film of 2019, regardless of whether the Academy acknowledges its greatness or not.

Honorable Mentions: 1917; and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

OSCAR PREDICTION: 1917 (I have the same sentiment here for Tarantino to win his first Best Picture Oscar, but it would also be awesome to see an international film win for once in Parasite!).



TL;DR
1. The Lighthouse (Best Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay)
2. 1917 (Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects)
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Best Portrayal of a Historical Figure, Most Wild and Satisfying Ending)
4. Parasite (Best Actor, Best International Film)
5. Little Women (Best Ensemble Cast, Best Music)
6. Us (Best Cinematic Song)
7. Booksmart (Best Heartfelt Comedy)
8. The Irishman (Best Oscar-Bait Biopic)
9. Ad Astra (Best Sound Effects)
10. Avengers: Endgame (Best Conclusion of a Cinematic Saga)
11. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (Best Stuntwork Performance)


Thanks again for reading through my miniature reviews and awards list! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and I look forward to doing this again next year. Leave a comment with your opinions, by all means!

The Best Movies of 2018

It's just been one of those years for me. I find myself with less free time and so I am getting this list up very late, with only a few hours before the Oscars begin. Therefore, this year will be much more of a lightning round, with less time spent on each category, but I will still make sure to point out my favorite aspects of each film that I award. As always, I have a TL;DR at the end of this blog that is essentially a ranked list of my favorite movies from this year.

DISCLAIMER: I have not seen every film made in 2018 and so some great films will surely be left out from this list. However, I am happy to state that I have watched all of the Best Picture nominees even before they were nominated, so that felt pretty good. Like usual, I will make Best Picture predictions for every category, including those that I do not award myself. Let us begin with the honorable mentions!


Movies That Were Unworthy

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Black Panther (great neo-Africanism but a boring protagonist and story)
Leave No Trace
Mary Poppins Returns (another light remake/sequel from Disney)
A Quiet Place
Widows


Movies That Would Have Been Worthy

Apostle
Bohemian Rhapsody (first half is a terrible concert film, second half is a fantastic biopic drama)
Crazy Rich Asians
The Favourite
Green Book
The Incredibles 2
Overlord (loved this action-horror film, especially Wyatt Russell)
Ralph Breaks the Internet
A Star Is Born
Tully
Vice
Won't You Be My Neighbor?


Movies That I Just Did Not See

Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Cold War
Mary Queen of Scots
Ready Player One
The Wife


And now here it is, the Best Movies of 2018 according to Robert.



Oscar Predictions for Unrepresented Categories

Costume Design - Black Panther
Documentary (Short Subject) - No clue, haven't seen any of them.
Film Editing - The Favourite
Makeup and Hairstyling - Vice (because Christian Bale LOOKS like Cheney)
Production Design - Black Panther
Short Film (Animated) - Bao
Short Film (Live Action) - See Documentary (Short Subject) above.



Best Cinematic Song: The Power of Poetry (Blindspotting)

You know a movie is truly unique when its climax comes in the form of an ad-libbed rap delivered by the protagonist to the antagonist. The far more impressive feat is that this moment works and perfectly encapsulates the entire film. All I can say is "Bravo!" to writer-actors Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal for creating such an amazing final scene. And yes, rapping can be both poetry and music.


Honorable Mentions: Singing Bohemian Rhapsody at the Live Aid concert (Bohemian Rhapsody); and Shallow (A Star Is Born).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Shallow (A Star Is Born)



Best Stuntwork Performance: Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible - Fallout)

I think that there is not much more that I can say about Tom Cruise's magnificent work in the Mission: Impossible series, but I will say that he outdoes himself in this excellent action film. The helicopter chase in particular is both terrifying and terrific, just one of many excellent set pieces in one of the best practical effects action films made since Mad Max: Fury Road. I created this award just for you, Cruise, so enjoy!




Honorable Mentions: Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) for an oceanside rescue when she did not know how to swim and has Thalassophobia; and Jovan Adepo (Overlord) for a thrilling one-shot escape from an exploding military base.



Best Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Not only does this film have a great and creative story, but its animation style is a wonder to behold. Both Shameik Moore and Jake Johnson have a wonderful chemistry as Miles Morales and Peter B. Parker, respectively, and the rest of the voice cast is just as wonderful. If you have not yet seen this beautiful film, go see it in 3D in theaters; it will absolutely be worth it!





Honorable Mention: Isle of Dogs (which lost by a hair).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse



Best Music: Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury (Annihilation)



There is a sequence that happens at the end of Annihilation that perfectly demonstrates the astounding aural artistry that Barrow and Salisbury give us in this film. I have been completely hypnotized by the scene for minutes on end, and the sinister, warbling music in this scene is a big reason for why. Well done, lads; you should have been nominated for an Oscar!

Honorable Mentions: Alexandre Desplat (Isle of Dogs); and Justin Hurwitz (First Man).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Alexandre Desplat (Isle of Dogs)



Best Performance-Capture Actor: Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War)

Andy Serkis has truly pioneered the area of performance-capture acting; so much so that I decided to create a category in his honor. However, Josh Brolin easily deserves this new award this year for his outstanding performance as Thanos. He somehow looks very real while also balancing a menacing villain with the suffering of a foster-father. For once in a Marvel film, the villain stole the show for me (with respect to Michael B. Jordan's great work in Black Panther).



Best Sound Effects: First Man

This is the first space(ish) film that truly made me frightened during a launch scene. Unlike other films, director Damien Chazelle chose to film every launch from inside the rocket from start to finish, putting emphasis on the rattling of bolts and unsteadiness of the machinery surrounding these pioneers. It is truly awe-inspiring to imagine these brave men designing, building, then piloting these glorified buckets of metal before shooting off into space. In addition, the scene on the Sea of Tranquility makes me break out in tears every time. This film is a true masterpiece for any parent to experience.

Honorable Mentions: Annihilation; and They Shall Not Grow Old (remastering film footage without audio).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Sound Editing - A Quiet Place
OSCAR PREDICTION: Sound Mixing - First Man



Best Ensemble Cast: BlacKkKlansman

Spike Lee has outdone himself with this excellent biopic, which has the power to inspire, humor, and scare its viewers. This is made especially stronger by terrific performances from John David Washington (who may be a better actor than his old man, in my opinion), Adam Driver, Topher Grace, and many others. The ending of this film is also a stark slap-in-the-face for many easygoing moderates, and although Lee takes creative freedom with some aspects of this story, it is still very powerful and very well made.

Honorable Mentions: If Beale Street Could Talk; and First Man.



Best Foreign Language Film: Roma

Alfonso Cuarón has made yet another masterpiece with Roma, and two of my favorite aspects of it are that it is almost entirely in Spanish and was filmed in black and white. Much like my favorite film of all time, Schindler's List, the effect of filming a modern film in black and white has an ageless effect on the film that makes its time period feel even more real. This is a devastating and beautiful film that features even more of Cuarón's amazing one-shot scenes that he has pioneered in Children of Men and Gravity, including a birthing scene that will be stuck in my head for years to come.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Roma



Best Screenplay: Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting)

I already extolled the genius of Diggs and Casal for using an impromptu rap as the crescendo of their film, but there are many other areas in which their writing made me fall in love with Blindspotting. There is plenty of humorous moments that show The Grapes of Wrath kind of growing anger that residents of Oakland feel towards the increasing gentrification of their city due to spillover from San Francisco. There is also an important message to be told about police racism, as well as the perception of convicts. This was easily the most well-written and unique story to be told in cinema this year, and I thank this duo for having the courage to go out and make it.

Honorable Mentions: Searching (especially with its great use of technology in a film); and Annihilation.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Adapted Screenplay - Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel & Kevin Willmott (BlacKkKlansman)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Original Screenplay - Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara (The Favourite)



Best Voice Actor: Bryan Cranston (Isle of Dogs)

I absolutely adore both Fantastic Mr. Fox and Japanese culture, and so having the two meet in Wes Anderson's latest movie was a dream come true for me. The dialogue is snappy and hilarious, like most Anderson films, and Bryan Cranston plays his part as protagonist Chief, a stray who embraces his place in society but also has a heart of gold that shines through by the end of the film. A big part of selling this transformation comes from Cranston's excellent

performance, making this an easy award to give.

Honorable Mentions: Shameik Moore (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse); and really all of the other Spider-People voice actors, especially Nicolas Cage as the hilarious Spider-Man Noir ("Sometimes, I let matches burn down to my fingertips just to feel something.").



Best Visual Effects: Annihilation

To say that the visual effects in Annihilation are entrancing would be an understatement. There are so many moments of beauty combined with an eldritch terror, much like a Lovecraftian take on the classic story of Heart of Darkness. The bear, in particular, stood out to me as one of the most terrifying combinations of practical effects and CGI. I must also applaud the Creation-esque scene towards the end of the film for its creative appearance. Alex Garland knows how to make enthralling visual spectacles between Annihilation and Ex Machina.

Honorable Mentions: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; and First Man (mainly for its practical effects).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Avengers: Infinity War



Best Mystery Thriller: Searching

The last mystery film that I remember keeping me as gripped to my seat as this one would probably be Prisoners, although I may be missing a few more recent films. Sicario is another film that comes to mind with its nerve-wracking tension, and Searching also channels this intense feeling. The most impressive thing about all of these traits is that it is done entirely through the screens of phones, tablets, and computers. John Cho gives an outstanding performance as a father desperately trying to find his missing teenage daughter, and the story not only delivers on the thrills and twists of a mystery, but gives us some really heartfelt messages that every parent and child could learn from in this modern age.

Honorable Mentions: Overlord; and Widows (despite its trashy content due to Gillian Flynn's involvement).



Best Director: Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk)



After creating the masterpiece that is Moonlight, Barry Jenkins has once again crafted a gorgeous piece of cinema that continues to focus very personally on its characters. Jenkins gives us so many close-up soft-focus shots of his characters' faces, which creates such a feeling of intimacy that we grow very quickly to love each and every one of them. Although I consider the pacing of this film a bit slower than I would like, it still has many great moments and shots that made it very simple for me when selecting a winner for this category. I eagerly await for more films from Jenkins!

Honorable Mentions: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma); and Alex Garland (Annihilation).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman, as a lifetime achievement for his first nomination)



Best Actor: Yalitza Aparicio (Roma)



I decided this year that it feels a little silly to separate actors into categories based on their gender, and so I instead made one category for both leading and supporting roles, then made two additional categories for other kinds of acting, as shown with the Performance-Capture Actor and Voice Actor awards. As such, Yalitza Aparicio made this a no-contest award this year with her stellar role in Roma that seemingly came out of nowhere. She plays a meek, loving housemaid with such verisimilitude that you honestly believe that she is Cleo, her character. The range of emotions portrayed by Aparicio shows what an incredible actor she is, highlighted by that same birthing scene that I mentioned before. She will absolutely break your heart and steal it at the same time.

Honorable Mentions: Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting); and Ryan Gosling (First Man).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Leading Role - Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Leading Role - Glenn Close (The Wife)



Best Documentary: They Shall Not Grow Old

I was not sure what to expect when I went to one of the very few showings for this documentary, and what I got was one of the best documentaries ever crafted. Peter Jackson has shown his skill in nonfiction cinema with this film, taking 100 year old film footage and remastering it for the big screen, including an outstanding 3D format that makes it feel incredibly real. The added voicework and sound effects, as well as recordings of interviews with World War I veterans, makes the horrors of war more real than you will care for at times. This is without a doubt the best documentary that I have seen in many years.

Honorable Mention: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

OSCAR PREDICTION: RBG



Best Cinematography: Rob Hardy (Annihilation)

In case you could not tell, I really loved this film. Its story features an all-female cast underscored by a handful of male actors, proving that you can make female-led films without resorting to ripping off male-led originals (ahem, Ghostbusters and Ocean's 8). The camerawork done here by Rob Hardy is something to behold, including that final sequence along with an intense standoff with a bear and a found-footage clip of the dissection of a human being. Hardy and writer-director Alex Garland switch between moments of beauty and moments of horror so perfectly that you are never once visually bored. This was truly one of my favorite science fiction films in recent memory (although not quite above Arrival) and worthy of this award.

Honorable Mentions: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma); and James Laxton (If Beale Street Could Talk).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)



Best Supporting Actor: Rafael Casal (Blindspotting)

The character of Miles in Blindspotting is one of the most interesting aspects of a phenomenal film, one of my absolute favorites of the year. Rafael Casal portrays Miles completely naturally, showing a white man who grew up in Oakland culture in such a way that his best friend, Collin (acted perfectly by fellow writer Daveed Diggs), yells at him during an argument that "you're even more of a n***a than I am!" However, other African Americans in Oakland see him as another culture-appropriating yuppie, mistaking him for one of the many new arrivals who are gentrifying their city. This leads to a complex internal clash for Miles that is wholly unique from any story that I have ever read, and I absolutely love the boldness of Casal and Diggs to make this one of their themes in Blindspotting. Casal absolutely deserves this award, and Blindspotting should have gained far more recognition for its brilliance than it has.

Honorable Mentions: Rachel Weisz (The Favourite); and Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman).

OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Supporting Role - Mahershala Ali (Green Book)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Supporting Role - Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)



Best Film: Roma



This will be the first time that I have given Alfonso Cuarón an award for Best Film, despite him being one of my favorite directors of the last decade. This film follows Cleo, a handmaid for an upper class family in Mexico City, and is loosely based on Cuarón's own childhood. That personal attachment is present throughout the movie, filmed in black and white and shot in such a way that makes it feel almost like a documentary at times. Cleo's struggles with relationships, motherhood, and her own connections to the children that she attends to give us almost a Cinderella-esque story without the magic of a fairy godmother to rescue her. Watching her relationship change with both her household's matriarch (played by Marina de Tavira) and the children from formal interactions to true familial love is wonderful to behold, leaving us with a happy ending after an absolutely devastating scene.

I am trying my best to avoid spoilers, but the scene that I keep referring to throughout this blog in Roma was the single best scene in cinema since the conversation between Chiron and Mahershala Ali's Juan at the end of the first act of Moonlight. It is a gorgeous, excruciatingly long one-shot that is amazing if only for its practical effects. However, the emotional force of the scene is absolutely brutal, especially since I can relate pretty heavily to certain aspects of it. I would compare the difficulty of watching it with Schindler's List, which you should now know, is incredibly high praise coming from me. I absolutely loved this film and would watch it again, even if it can be hard for me to get through. And so, without a doubt in my mind, Roma is my best film of 2018.

Honorable Mentions: Both Annihilation and Blindspotting were at the top of my list for some time throughout the year, making the top 3 of my list this year very difficult to decide between. But in the end, Roma was definitively the best film.

OSCAR PREDICTION: Green Book (and I'm not happy about it)



TL;DR

1. Roma (Best Film, Best Actor, Best Foreign Language Film)
2. Blindspotting (Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematic Song)
3. Annihilation (Best Cinematography, Best Music, Best Visual Effects)
4. First Man (Best Sound Effects)
5. BlacKkKlansman (Best Ensemble Cast)
6. Searching (Best Mystery Thriller)
7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Best Animated Film)
8. If Beale Street Could Talk (Best Director)
9. Isle of Dogs (Best Voice Actor)
10. They Shall Not Grow Old (Best Documentary)
11. Avengers: Infinity War (Best Performance-Capture Actor)
12. Mission: Impossible - Fallout (Best Stuntwork Performance)


Thank you for enjoying my personal film awards again this year, despite the more shortened format. I love writing these and love getting your feedback, so please leave comments with your own opinions!