Oscar Thoughts / Predictions 2022

 Oscar Thoughts / Predictions 2022

  Time for the Academy Awards again and back in March again... it will be interesting to see what is what with a season that has been both the samey for some picks but with more dark horses than ever so anything can happen if kind of middling overall.  

Best Picture

•  Belfast 
• CODA
• Don’t Look Up 
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard 
• Licorice Pizza 
• Nightmare Alley 
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Who Will Win:  Every year going in there's a film that is "the one" that wins this across shows whether it deserves it or not and this year it's been Power Of The Dog so that's the biggest contender. However CODA has been a big dark horse lately so it could be that or something more traditional like West Side Story or even Nightmare Alley Or Dune based on past praise. 

Who Should Win: Dune is to my tastes and is probably the best movie on this list ... or Don't Look up , or Licorice Pizza, or Nightmare Alley...all of the more spicier picks that won't win! Power Of The Dog is FINE, I get it ...but we'll see

Best Director

•  Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)
• Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
• Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
• Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car)
• Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)

Who Will Win: Another case of Best Picture + Best Director nearly locked in Power Of The Dog. Belfast is possible too... or a Parasite-esque and deserved Drive My Car. 

Who Should Win: To me this would be more Pizza vs Belfast vs Drive My Car over Power of the dog but all makes sense; it's hard to say

Best Actor

•  Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
• Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
• Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)
• Will Smith (King Richard)
• Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)

Who Will Win: Pre-season indicates this will finally be Will Smith's first Oscar but Best Picture trends could continue with the fantastic Cumberbatch or the buzz for Andrew Garfield

Who Should Win: I would pick Garfield, Washington, or Bardem of these. 

Best Actress

•  Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
• Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)
• Penélope Cruz (Parallel Mothers)
• Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)
• Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Who Will Win: Once again and so gladly Chastain has been sweeping because it just makes sense. Stewart could get what she deserves and I feel Colman or Cruz are dark horses

Who Should Win: Chastain indeed! Or Stewart with both being so amazing and originally underappreciated at release. 

Best Supporting Actor

•  Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)
• Troy Kotsur (CODA)
• Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)
• J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos)
• Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)

Who Will Win: Kotsur has been  sweeping the pre-season which is so nice to see. It's a tough category that could go to one of the many others especially the Plemons vs Smit-McPhee Dog duo. 

Who Should Win: No complaints for Kotsur what an underdog story yet also Hinds was fantastic. 

Best Supporting Actress

•   Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)
• Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)
• Judi Dench (Belfast)
• Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
• Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)

Who Will Win: DeBose has been strong in the pre-season but once again Power Of The Dog's Dunst may sweep it all. 

Who Should Win: It's hard to take a guess here but Dench again since I think Belfast should win some. DeBose is fine too.

Best Original Screenplay

•  Belfast 
• Don’t Look Up 
• King Richard 
• Licorice Pizza 
• The Worst Person in the World (written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier)

Who Will Win: This could be where Licorice Pizza actually wins or something like Belfast or Don't Look Up does. 

Who Should Win: Licorice Pizza or Don't Look Up please for being so original and different it's the name of the award. 

Best Adapted Screenplay

•  CODA
• Drive My Car 
• Dune 
• The Lost Daughter 
• The Power of the Dog 

Who Will Win: Potential sweepers CODA vs Power Of The Dog faceoff here but Dune was such a strong adaptation. There's a Lost Daughter vibe somewhere at this show .

Who Should Win:  DUNE PLEASE although fine with CODA, Dog, or Drive My Car. 

Best Animated Feature

•  Encanto 
• Flee 
• Luca 
• The Mitchells vs. the Machines 
• Raya and the Last Dragon  

Who Will Win: Disney has this category on lock with 3 of 5 however as for which it's hard to say. Encanto and Raya seem to have more substance than the lowkey Luca and each with their own cultural representation significance making them most likely. In the public consciousness Encanto is more traditionally Disney so that may be the winner even if Raya is far better. 

Who Should Win: MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES IS THE BEST ON THIS LIST! So that even if the odds are low but it may be a slight dark horse. Of the Disney releases please Raya or Luca but perhaps in a way cheering for Flee to disrupt the system. 

Best Visual Effects

•  Dune 
• Free Guy 
• No Time to Die 
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 
• Spider-Man: No Way Home  

Who Will Win: Aside the unlisted other categories on this list (cinematography etc) which are more clear locks Dune is both the best film on this list and has some of the best effects however MCU could win another Oscar here for the popularity of Spidey or Shang-Chi or veneration for James Bond

Who Should Win: DUNE as always but would be happy for Spidey to get the Oscars it deserved more of.

Best Costume Design

•  Cruella 
• Cyrano 
• Dune 
• Nightmare Alley  
• West Side Story  

Who Will Win: Dune could if it pulls a Mad Max Fury Road style sweep of everything but Cruella has some of the most outrageous fashion. 

Who Should Win: While of course Dune again please give Cyrano the award it deserves! Also Nightmare Alley should win at least one somewhere 

Best Score

•  Don’t Look Up 
• Dune 
• Encanto 
• Parallel Mothers 
• The Power of the Dog
  

Who Will Win:  This seems like something where something boring such as Power Of The Dog gets it if it sweeps but hopefully it's a truthful Dune sweep.  Encanto also has that Lin-Manuel Miranda + cultural bonus going on

Who Should Win: DUNE please but wouldn't mind Encanto since it's jamming 

We'll see what happens!

Top Ten Films, Video Games, and Music Albums Of 2021

 Top Ten Films, Video Games, and Music Albums Of 2021

It's that time again (a little belated as this all is) for the top movies / games / music albums notated here from 2021 "this" / last year. See below and as always if something obvious is missing I probably didn't have the chance to experience through / play it but happy to catch up or debate its absence wherever relevant. Bring on the next one! 

My Top Films 2021:

1. and thus Movie Of The Year: Dune (For its incredible attention to detail, cast, music, set pieces, epic scope.. EVERYTHING!) 

2. The Green Knight (For its surreal artistic metaphorical narrative, Dev Patel performance,  and gorgeous cinematography / music for such an ambiance) 

3. Spider-Man: No Way Home (For its masterful blend of old and new to make both the best Holland / MCU era climax alongside a nostalgic trip down villian / hero memory lane)

4. The Suicide Squad (2)/ (Gunn's) (For showing the DCEU can make a MCU movie just as good as the MCU can when it steals one of its directors allowing for a R-rated bloody funny time) 

5. Don't Look Up (For bringing up some very important points in well done by McKay's comedy return alongside terrific hilarious performances from Leo DiCap, Jlaws, Jonah Hill, etc) 

6. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (For its majestic scope, fight scenes, special effects, music,  and yet again important representation) 

7. The Last Duel (For its directorial attention to detail and action scenes alongside intense performances in a tragically dark tale)

8. James Bond No Time To Die (For a fitting end to the Daniel Craig era with exciting action and beautiful scenery)

9. Last Night In Soho (For something different from Edgar Wright and its spooky / music-filled retro ambiance in a twisty plot)

10. Nightmare Alley (For the usual Del Toro attention to detail in set design , music, and direction alongside many great performances)

Honorable 11-13:

11. Raya and the Last Dragon (For being perhaps the most darkly epic and mature Disney itself animated film in years while being gorgeously colorful and fun at the same time)  

12. I Care A Lot (For such a unique and exciting plot of evil vs evil with great Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage hamming-it-up roles) 

13. The Mitchells vs the Machines (For being the surprise no one expected for a straight to Netflix Sony Animated piece with tons of heart and laughs)

(Honorable Not Sure How'd They'd Count: Justice League: The Snyder Cut (For delivering an epic dark superhero saga as it was meant to be scene with so much backstory and lore that fits)

, Bo Burnham's Inside Special (For being not just a movie or a comedy special or a music album but excellling at all of the above with important COVID-era lessons and therapy.."BEZOOSSS") 

Overall: Really good year with the re-opening of the movie theaters felt for the largest blockbusters as well as the smallest of indie / A24 oscar bait; if anything a prolonged Oscar season led to so much

stuff total on both ends (this was at 30ish "top" true contenders!).. of course there was some mistakes but the media is healing and franchises are getting more exciting than ever.

My Top Video Games 2021:

1. and thus Game Of The Year: Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (For showing once again Sony makes gorgeous cinematic game experiences like no other truly being next gen more than anything else)

2. Metroid Dread (For a long awaited return to 2d platforming feeling just as ambient and hardcore as back in the day)

3. Psychonauts 2 (For its hilarious writing and unique level design being just like back in the day)

4. (Square's) Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy (For being spot on to the Gunn movies with wild set pieces and humor making up for ok same-y yet flashy combat) 

5. Halo (6): Infinite (For having a return to form gameplay especially in (free as a surprise!) multiplayer with a cool open world take on campaign I still haven't seen all of yet)

6. WarioWare: Get It Together (For silly fast multiplayer modes of various types and bringing action to the main game fusing old and new so well) 

7. Deathloop (For a unique take on the roguelike formula into FPS with so much style in setting / narrative / music)

8. Mario Golf: Super Rush (For its free DLC update season and so many modes with the fun speed / arena modes)

9. Knockout City (For its simple dodgeball chaotic fun that has so many layers)

10. Mario Party Superstars (For bringing back a bunch of classics in a new way; so many mini-games!)

Honorable 11-13:

11. Super Meat Boy Forever (For having an interesting new take on the Meat Boy hardness with just as good narrative and music)) 

12. Back 4 Blood (For scratching that co-op Left 4 Dead itch and kicking off a new wave of the genre with newfound intensity)

13. Destruction Allstars (For simple shiny smashing fun on the next gen)

(Honorable Mention Of A Port: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury(For this content stuff showing how open world and linear mario can be fused together!)) 

Overall: Hmm some solid gems and long awaited returns but hard to say that next gen truly kicked off with some of the same reveals being shown; there's much I missed too making assembling this list a struggle

with some almost embarrasing almost-here's. The future is starting to be known but yet also some of the same old wheels are being spun and oof not a year to be Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft, or others for

shady practices both moral and commercial it feels like a true new era is hopefully approaching. 

My Top Albums 2021 : 

1. and thus Album Of The Year: Willow Smith : Lately I Feel Everything (Highlight Song: Transparent Soulllll) 

2. Kanye West : Donda ( Original Mix Highlight Song: Jesus Lord , Deluxe Shoutout Song: Life 

Of The Party) 

3. Genghis Tron : Dream Weapon(Highlight Song: Ritual Circle) 

4. Fitz : Head Up High (Highlight Song: House Party) 

5. Weezer : Van Weezer (Highlight Song: 1 More Hit) 

6. Modest Mouse : The Golden Casket  (Highlight Song: Japanese Trees)

7. Adele : 30 (Highlight Song: My Little Love)

8. Of Montreal : I Feel Safe With You , Trash (Highlight Song: Extract the Masculine Germ from

Remote Memory)

9. Garbage : No Gods No Masters  (Highlight Song: No Horses)

10. Tyler the Creator : Call Me If You Get Lost (Highlight Song: Sweet / I Thought You Wanted

To Dance)

Honorable 11-13: 

11. AFI : Bodies (Highlight Song: On Your Back) 

12. Rob Zombie : The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Conspiracy (Highlight Song: Triumph

Of King Freak)

13. Limp Bizkit : Still Sucks (Highlight Song: Goodbye)

Honorable 3 EP's :

- Gorillaz : Meanwhile (Highlight Song: Deja Vu)

- Yves Tumor : The Asymptomatical World(Highlight Song: Jackie)

- Oliver Tree : Welcome To The Internet (Highlight Song: Rampampam)

Overall: Such a fantastic year of long waited albums across genres at one point this list was a top 50-60+!! A return of releases, Kanye ruckus, and concerts / fests too...wild. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home Review

 Spider-Man: No Way Home

Director: Jon Watts
Cast Headliners: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe, surprises that have to be seen
Original Release Date : December 17th, 2021 


  Tom Holland's era in the MCU has been mostly a hit but at times a mixed bag. He has more time in ensemble pieces like Captain America: Civil War and Avengers Infinity War / Endgame than within his own world but whether it was in those or in solo outings like Homecoming and Far From Home he has delivered quite well on his high school version.  Spider-Man: No Way Home is the most ambitious and darkest yet making it the absolute best yet due to its advertised inclusion of old Sony franchises but it must be seen to be believed. 

  Interestingly the film picks up exactly after the 2019 Far From Home second sequel. Peter Parker / Spider-Man (Tom Holland)'s secret identity has been revealed to the world by the late con-man Mysterio from that film.  Very quickly things become both dramatic and humorous as accusations and fandomship fly.   It is just the first example of stakes being raised thricefold as Peter has always wanted a normal life and now that can never be the case. This leads to situations both humorous and dramatic with supporting cast of sarcastic girlfriend Michelle Jones Watson "MJ" (Zendaya), easily excited best friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon), or caring parent figures in Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) and ex-Stark bodyguard Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) who would make the film enjoyable on its own if it weren't for the new elements being so good along the old. 

 A major new element is Peter's quest to invoke the reality changing magic of fellow Avenger Dr.Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) stepping in for this movie's Iron Man / Nick Fury equivalent like the last two solo Spidey outings. Cumberbatch is as entertainingly funny and wise as ever with the element of magical trippy wonder giving this film a uniquely colorful slant compared to the more mundane prior films (of course with Thanos shenangins aside).  Important questions are asked and stakes are raised. 

 

    Reasonings must be seen by oneself but as advertised soon classic Tobey Macguire-era villians Doctor "Ock" Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) and Norman Osborn / Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) invade this MCU realm. Each are so incredibly spot on to their old selves that it feels as if one has plopped in a DVD of Raimi's films to see deleted scenes. Molina's Ock is cartoonishly fun and vile with his spouting of zingers and Dafoe's Norman possibly even surpasses his prior take with a mix of dastardly-ness , strength, and even a bit of surprising sincerity.  The old and new casts go together so well with top notch writing.    As for the Andrew Garfield era's Electro (Jamie Foxx), Lizard (Rhys Ifans) , and maybe some other friends and foes the, as Stan Lee once told,  "'nuff said" but they manage to redeem themselves from the weaker films of the trilogy.  

  Watts provides some excellent action spectacle with the film looking the best in the series with the second half being a non-stop ride of battles , laughs, and nostalgia lessons. Michael Giacchino adds to things with his memorable score (especially in anything Dr.Strange-related) which is rare for the MCU.    

Everything fires on all cylinders for the ultimate Spider-Man mashup. Perhaps at times the movie relays too much on its cameos (while not having enough of the great JK Simmons as J Jonah Jameson again!)  to be its own identity and of course some token slight cheese and lengthy-ness but this is nearly perfect. It both pays tribute to the legacy while leaving things in such an exciting place for the future. With its great responsibility of continuing the franchise (multiple even) it has great cinematic power.  9.05 out of 10 

2021 ReviewMontageMania: DUNE!! / Don't Look Up / Matrix 4 / Nightmare Alley / Finch / The Harder They Fall / Eternals / The Last Duel / Lamb / Last Night In Soho / Halloween Kills / No Time To Die / Venom 2 / Candyman Remake / etc

 2021 ReviewMontageMania: DUNE!! / Don't Look Up / Matrix 4: Resurrections / Nightmare Alley / Finch / The Harder They Fall / Eternals / The Last Duel / Lamb /  Last Night In Soho / Halloween Kills / No Time To Die / Venom 2 / Candyman Remake / etc


2021 last year (let's pretend it's this year ) has been.... a bit wonky for me for many reasons .... It's my resolution in this year to be better about this website. However there's some cinematic wonders I want to mention!  Rapid fire: 


- Dune (Originally Release October 2021): Absolutely worth the hype and yet another Denis Villeneuve masterpiece!!!! Incredible attention to detail and accuracy to novel...  the music the score the action scenes yet also the slowness..... what a cast praise to Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgard, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Jason Mamoa  and less so to Zendaya and Batista but maybe in the next ones.... a long beautiful burn.  9.1 out of 10 

- Don't Look Up (Originally Released December 2021 On Netflix) : So great to have Adam McKay return to a bit more of a comedy but very unique feeling and pretty darn political. Here too the music and effects and sense of dread are on point for direction. Enormous praise to its stellar leading duo of Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence bringing their best with Meryl Streep , Jonah Hill, and Mark Rylance providing some comedic / villainous foils aside from some other lesser used actors. .  It's all global warming., spoilers... or insert anything  important but ignored whether its an asteroid or not. 8.01 out of 10 

- The Matrix 4: Resurrections (Originally Released December 2021 on HBO Max): Oh no why does this exist?!?!  Somehow both the most back to roots yet craziest yet;  Keanu Reeves in a bit of a Nicolas Cage level of self aware shlock (or at least I hope so because then it's just bad otherwise).. not enough Carrie Anne Moss and the new cast doesn't impress aside Neil Patrick Harris (sorry the usually good Yahya A-M). Visuals that should have stayed in the 90s besides some interesting lore expositions. 6.95 out of 10 


- Nightmare Alley (Originally Released December 2021): Guillermo Del Toro back in the director's chair is always of interest and here he brings his usual directorial expertise for some beautiful carnival scenery. Solid Bradley Cooper although it drags in the back half with Cate Blanchett's role (despite her skills) and not enough Willem Dafoe but everyone in bit parts brings their a-game (Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, David S, etc).   A long slow mysterious burn that is thought provoking and exciting by the end. 8.05 out of 10 

- Finch (Originally Released November 2021 on Apple TV+): A perfect blend of I Am Legend's dog portions with Wall-E ambiance and robots. A warm Tom Hanks in some desire situations; shiny and emotion packed. 8 out of 10 

- The Harder They Fall (Originally Released November 2021 on Netflix): If one likes Django Unchained this will fit right at home in a world where western and racial tension meet; this time however it's more of a slightly upbeat swashbuckling fantasy alternate history despite plenty gore. A slow middle but some awesome action and so much style; great performances from Idris Elba, Regina King, Jonathan Majors, and more. 8 out of 10

- Eternals (Originally Released November 2021):  Not sure what my fellow critics felt irked by in this as its far from terrible. In fact its a strongly unique part of the MCU with its own majestic eons spanning saga of romance and betrayal. There's some absolutely incredible visuals and action with some of the usual nice jokes (this time scenery even better). It's just drawn back by the fact there is some pacing issues.  Cast highlights in this family in Richard Madden's Ikaris, Barry Keoghan's Druig, Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo, and more. Go see this in a few weeks when it's free. 7.95 out of 10 


- The Last Duel (Originally Released October 2021): A hidden gem with trademark gorgeously gory / intense dark Ridley war / action scenes (especially the climax!) . Great performances from saddened Matt Damon, vile Adam Driver, struggled Jodie Comer, and too (despite his silly haircut) Ben Affleck. A long slow pretty medieval burn 8 out of 10 

- Lamb (Originally Released October 2021): Another A24 joint but with some deceiving trailers. Noomi Rapace leads a minimalist dialogued cast mainly of lambs. Beautiful Icelanding scenery and an odd ambiance but less so much a horror like the trailers lead one to believe than it is an introspection .  7.3 out of 10 

- Last Night In Soho (Originally Released October 2021): Edgar Wright dives into a new genre though his quality directorial touch is felt; the music choices and neon create such a retro ambiance. Solid turns from leading girls Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, less so key but creepy effective Matt Smith and Terrance Stamp that need to be seen and this is especially true for the late Diana Rigg. 8.2 out of 10 

- Halloween Kills (Originally Released October 2021): David Gordon Green / Danny McBride followup the great 2018 film with something that tries some new things to mixed but mostly effective results. This is less so much of a Strode family movie (especially for the injured Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie) than it is a tale of Anthony Michael Hall leading the townspeople as a grown up Tommy Doyle. The spooky hallo gore is felt although its attempts to have darker social themes are a mixed landing but fans will be happy for this more-of-the-same. 7.6 out of 10 

- No Time To Die (Originally Released October 2021): The final ever Daniel Craig James Bond movie an end of an era ... pack one's feels.  Really brings the whole series together with multiple old faces. Rami Malek is an effective  new villain though and there's some awesome action. 8.4 out of 10 

- Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage (Originally Released October 2021): Much better than the first one with everything improving whether it's Tom Hardy's grasp of the internal bromance or the visuals / action / plot / overall experience. Woody Harrelson's Cletus Kasady / titular Carnage cheeses it up but is on point with it going very hard PG-13. A fun refined ride with some silly moments and attempted otherwise universal connections. Cheese is the secret ingredient to the taste of the recipe. 7.25 out of 10


- Candyman (Remake/ Sequel) (Originally Released August 2021):   Nia Dacosta (perhaps with just a bit of Jordan Peele's production touch) captures masterfully as director the spooky reflective ambiance of the 90s original as well as some surprising other elements. The vibe and scores are immaculate as are the trippy kills. Colman Domingo astound as ever with  Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Teyonah Parris doing the best with what they are given with there of course being some horror movie  slight shlock but its hidden deep. The important themes are masterfully told through flashbacks and other experimentations. 7.9 out of 10