The Shadows Oscar picks. Who Will Win; Should Win; And Who Got Snubbed

I am going through the motions here. I was not happy with the change of qualification rules made this year for the Oscars.   For the first time in years I will not be watching.

Well let me start with........

BEST PICTURE

The Father

Mank

Minari

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound Of Metal

Trial Of The Chicago 7

Will Win

NOMADLAND

It is just an okay film...but in this award season it has a lot of momentum

Who Should Win

PROMISING YOUNG WOMEN

It is a train wreck you just cannot turn away from. It is so different from anything you have seen.

Snubbed

NEWS OF THE WORLD

Its just to happy of an ending for Hollywood awards.

BEST ACTOR

Riz Ahmed....Sound Of Metal

Chadwick Boseman ...Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Anthony Hopkins....The Father

Gary Oldman ......Mank

Stephen Yeun.....Minari

Will Win

CHADWICK BOSEMAN

I got nothing...he will win.

Should Win

RIZ AHMED 

He learned sign language. He learned how to play the drums. His performance was fantastic.

Snubbed

TOM HANKS

He makes acting look so easy, I think people just take what he does for granted. I would replace Anthony Hopkins.

BEST ACTRESS

Viola Davis... Ma Rainy's Black Bottom

Andra Day.....The United States Vs Billie Holiday

Vanessa Kirby...Pieces Of A Woman

Frances McDormand...Nomadland

Carey Mulligan...Promising Young Woman

Will Win

FRANCES MCDORMAND

She is really good in this part. She is the front runner going in.

Should Win

Carey Mulligan

She is bat shit crazy here, yet we are cheering her on. She should win, what a difficult role.

Snubbed

ELISABETH MOSS

They will never give an award for an actress in a horror film. However she acts circles around all of the above actresses. I would replace Andra Day.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Sacha Baron Cohen...The Trial Of The Chicago 7

Daniel Kaluuya...Judas And The Black Messiah

Leslie Odom Jr...One Night In Miami

Paul Raci...Sound Of Metal

Will And Should Win

PAUL RACCI

He has gained a lot of steam during the awards season. I think he will pull off the upset. Well deserved, he plays Joe so bright, so calm during the madness around him. He shines in such a soft way...lets not forget learning sign language for the role.

Snubbed

Demian Bicher In Land

He rides into this movie at the half way mark and steals it. He never gives a bad performance, period.

I would replace Sacha in a heart beat. Think about this, Hollywood thinks Sacha Baron Cohen acted better than Demian Bicher. Really? What a joke.This has never happened.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Maria Bakalova...Borat 2

Glenn Close...Hillbilly Elegy

Olivia Coleman...The Father

Amanda Seyfried...Mank

Yuh-Jung Youn.....Minari

Will Win

YUH-JUNG YOUN

For some reason people think she was great in Minari. She was barely in it and her character was annoying.

However she has all the momentum going in.

Should Win

GLENN CLOSE

She shape shifts for this part. Unrecognizable. She has the viewers hating her then almost loving her. What a great performance as Mamaw.

Snubbed

HELENA ZENGEL

In News Of The World she , in her first US film holds her own with Tom Hanks, in a mostly non-speaking part as a young girl who was raised by Indians. She kind of steals the film. I would replace Bakalova in an overrated part.

BEST DIRECTOR

Thomas Vinterberg...Another Round

David Fincher ....Mank

Lee Isaac Chung...Minari

Chloe Zhao...Nomadland

Emerald Fennell...Promising Young Woman

Will Win

LEE ISAAC CHUNG

This is a tough call but I will give the edge to Chung because the academy likes Minari and wants it to win something and this or supporting actor will go through.

Should Win

EMERALD FENNELL

I think it is a talent here to have such a crazy lead and us there cheering for her. Fennell must play a part in that controlling the tone. Well done.

Snubbed

ROBIN WRIGHT

Directing herself in Land. A beautiful looking film, filled with tension and heartbreak and hope. I would replace Vinterberg.

Well that is a wrap on the 2020 year of movies.

Its got to be better in 2021...where films are actually in the theaters.

From The Shadows As Usual Thanks For Your Time

The Shadow Awards For 2020 Movie Year!!

 Yes it is bigger than the Oscars!!

This is the moment!!

My annual Shadow Awards. Voted on by ...well...ME!!

So the tux is on. The ladies are in their gowns. 

Food is ready....at the Shadow awards I serve popcorn; Twizzlers; Cheetos puffs; and bottled water or a 32oz soda. I go BIIIIG at the Shadow Awards!!!

Here we go...oh I am hosting the Shadow awards...I did such a good job last year.\

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The Shadow Award For Making Me So Confused

TENET

Gary Nolan Is always a bit confusing, but this one!!

Well acted by John David Washington; Robert Pattinson; and Elizabeth Debicki so we have that lol.

I have no idea what is happening...where they are in time...and why are they doing this.

I am so confused. Help me. I am trying to understand!!!!

The I Want To Just Hug This Character Award

ADAM PLAYED BY CHARLIE PLUMMER;  IN WORDS ON THE BATHROOM WALL

Oh my gosh; Adam; well played by Charlie Plummer; is in high school and is diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Now he has navigate high school, which is tough enough, but he has to deal with the disease and his medication which has side effects. If you did not see this film, find it. So well acted and ...Adam needs a hug.

Shadow Award For Best Actor Of The Year

TOM HANKS

At 64 he may be the best american actor right now. In 2020 he starred in News Of The World and in Greyhound. He is not afraid of quiet moments, meaning he is an actor who feels he does not need to talk to make a statement. Two good performances in a quiet movie year. He is getting better with age.

Shadow Award For Best Actress Of The Year

ELISABETH MOSS

Yes you saw her this year in The Handmaids Tale, however this award is for her performance in The Invisible Man. Playing this physical part most of the time by herself or against someone in a green suit, she is freaking amazing. Plus she is in every scene, she carries this movie.

I cannot wait to see her in her first Wes Anderson film The French Dispatch this year.

Shadow Award For The Worst Performance Of The Year

K.J. APA in I Still Believe

It may be he is performing along the side of a really good seasoned actress in Britt Robertson, but Apa is stiff as cardboard in this movie. Often it seems he is just reading his lines. It is bad real bad.

Shadow Award For Best Newcomer Of The Year

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HELENA ZENGEL

This 12 year old from Berlin Germany, made her first US film with of all people Tom Hanks in News Of The World and she was amazing. She held her own and then some. Throw in she does not speak, she acts with just her face and body.

Shadow Award For Best Action Film

THE GENTLEMEN

Its has quick writing. A great cast. A twist at the end. It has action and humor. Throw in it is kind of stupid smart...if that makes sense. The Gentlemen is not your typical action film, the action comes in spurts, but you are all in because of the story.

The Shadow Award For Funniest Film Of The Year

BROKEN HEARTS GALLERY

Yes it is a Rom-Com, however I laughed out loud often during this film. I loved the lead Geraldine Viswanathan as Lucy who is awkward and newly single, thus she starts the gallery. It is a sweet funny film. I saw this in the theaters all by myself and thought...critics will hate this, it is too happy lol.

The Shadow Award For We Were Robbed By The New Oscar Desperation For Attention Rules

 JULIA GARNER IN THE ASSISTANT

BEN AFFLECK IN THE WAY BACK

These two were the front runners for the Oscar in their categories. Then the Oscar committee changed the rules. You did not have to have your film in a theater to qualify for an Oscar (Wouldn't that be called an Emmy nomination?). So instead of saying no Oscars this year, we will combine films in theaters for 2020 and 2021 for next year, they change the rules so they can have the attention. Not only that, they moved qualifying until 2021 February. Huh? Its bullshit and that is why I am not watching this year. Its like telling sport teams during the year we will give you two more months to try to be the best, and we will also count minor league teams. I get upset by this because it caused the close of movie theaters and especially the art house theaters who relied on the small films to show that big theaters did not. So be it for millionaire actors and actresses; production companies (looking at you Disney) to care about local workers. Affleck and Garner were robbed because of the rule change. Now they may have not won but they would have at least been nominated.

The Shadow Award For Best Trailer Of The Year

WONDER WOMAN 1984

I mean the this trailer ...the music..the look..the action..got me all excited for the next Wonder Woman. It is just a perfect trailer to get you interested and excited for a film. Sadly the film did not live up to the trailers hype.

The Shadow Award For Most Disappointing Film Of The Year

THE LITTLE THINGS

Denzel Washington, is silently good.

Jared Leto in a small role here is great

The script by John Lee Hancock is just awful, it goes no where.

It has a big reveal at the end that falls flat that has you going, that's it?

How this happens with three big talents, Hancock should not be able to script another film.

Well there it is. I have to clean up the mess now after this awards show.

Thanks for watching the Shadow awards...thanks for your time as always.

My Top 5 Films Of 2020

 I know you are used to my top ten at the end of the year, however it really was half a year of films with Covid 19 shutting down theaters. So here is half of 10, my top 5 films of 2020. The year we want to forget!!

5

PHOTOGRAPH

I saw this in the theaters at the beginning of the year. It stuck with me. Its spans time. Its relatable. Maybe it stuck with me because I love my camera and I know the right picture can tell a story. It resonated with me. Plus, during the tough year, its nice to watch a movie and not be depressed while watching it.

LaKeith Stanfield, as we saw in last years Knives Out, is such a good actor. He knows how to let a moment sit, and we see how great he is again in this film. He is like a modern day Tom Hanks where he never goes over the top, he lets the words of the screenplay sit  and breathe.

4

LAND

Amazing job by Robin Wright as the lead and directing this film. She puts you in the middle of the beauty and the struggles of it all. She plays Edee as almost a mystery. She is brave, yet we find a bit naive. She reminded me a little bit of Cheryl Strayed in the film/book Wild played by Reese Witherspoon.  

The Cinematography by Bobby Bukowski...no words..just watch the film...so good.

Then there is Demian Bichir as Miguel. I mean has he ever given a bad performance? Here as Miguel he becomes a hero; a companion; and also he, like Edee holds a secret.

This 90 minute film flies by, you will have tears at the end and a little hope which I loved. Robin Wright is so good in this film, I just loved her and felt for her. 

You may not like the open ending, but you know,what Edee needs to do now, live.

3

THE SOUND OF METAL

I heard a buzz about this one. However I was not looking forward to it, I mean I am not a metal head for sure and I thought it was going to be about a heavy metal band. Obviously I did not see the trailer or read anything about the film before going in lol.

Riz Ahmed as Ruben playing a deaf person, learning sign language for the part. Learning drumming for the part. Saying so much with his eyes. This is really really a wonderful performance.

Paul Raci as Joe Ruben's mentor. Such a wonderful soft performance also often done in sign language.

Lets not forget the thankless role of Olivia Cooke as Lou. Her life changes drastically also as her boyfriend loses his hearing. It's also life altering for her. Olivia's performance is so soft and delicate, its a shame it gets ignored when people talk about this film. She is very good.

The story is so different, your heart hurts for all involved and you still have hope if they do the right thing.

The screenplay is also not afraid of silence. Which is an important part of telling this story and it works

This film is filled with layers, well done.

2

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

After watching this film I sat there thinking, how can I recommend this film. I mean, there's really not a good soul in this film. There are sleazy guys. There are females who are assholes. Then there Is Cassandra who is just batshit crazy.  However 2 days later the film still sticks with you. Its like nothing I have seen before, which is always a pleasant surprise. but this one is something.

Its spoiler free,I will not get into the whys and hows ...but..again batshit crazy. You will finish watching it and think...ugh...then the next two days you will keep thinking about it.

This is highlighted by an Oscar worthy performance by the always good Carey Mulligan. Her best performance since An Education (which is available on Netflix, also a little nutty). Mulligan is freaking good as Cassandra, she has you cheering for her, but also scaring you. She walks that fine line perfectly. She spends her nights pretending to be drunk until she get back to the mans apartment or home...then surprise. This is no spoiler its in the trailer and in the first 5 minutes. The tension never lets up. This is not a horror film in the sense of a slasher film, but it is horror on another level, psychological.

Credit goes to Director and Writer Emerald Ferrell. He keeps the film moving at a nice clip. It is never boring that is for sure. The camera work at the bachelor party makes you the viewer claustrophobic, you want out of there also!!! Well done.

Now before my number 1 I will give you a quick glimpse of 6-10:

6-Broken Hearts Club

7-Invisible Man

8-The Last Vermeer

9-Freaky

10-Words On The Bathroom Wall

Now joining this list of years past number ones:

2014 Wild

2015 The Martian

2016 Edge Of Seventeen (Many are saying now it is better than Lady Bird from that year..THANK YOU)

2017 The Big Sick

2018 Green Book

2019 Knives Out

Decade- Brooklyn

Go back and watch any of these films, you will not be sorry. Its funny I started this blog to be the uncritic critic, I think that is why this blog worked. Note most of these movies are fun and have a happy ending which critics roll their eyes at. God forbid you are entertained lol. So if you have friends tell them to check this out like 35000 did this year. It is meant to be the fun grammatically in-correct movie review blog. It works.

AND NOW

1

NEWS OF THE WORLD

A gentleman travels from town to town reading to citizens of each town the news from outside of their area. Along the way he stumbles on a young girl in a wooded area and brings it upon himself to deliver her home.

I had a private screening of this in a movie theater, like, by myself, which was strange yet nice.

What a wonderful job done here by Paul Greengrass. I mean the Greengrass who brought us the Jason Bourne action films, somehow pulled off this nice little quiet wide open slow paced film. The pace is nice. The cinematography is just perfect. The score he brought to the film (Dariusz Wolski) is beautiful. Greengrass broke out of his comfort zone for sure.

Lets get to Tom Hanks, he plays Captain Kidd (No Shit). I am starting to think Tom Hanks is our version in our times of Jimmy Stewart, The constant close up of reaction. The acting, taking breaths and pauses with his lines. Is he the best actor working during these times? Well he is in top 5 for sure...(Sounds like I will have to do a blog on that). Well here every reaction, in every situation, he is pitch perfect.

Now to the real star, Helena Zengel as Johanna. She is a fish out of water. She cant speak English so she has to act with her eyes and body motions. You cannot take your eyes off of her. The best compliment I can give about her performance is she holds herself up to Tom Hanks's performance. She never looks like she is out of her league here.

As for the story. It is believable. It moves slow but it often has suspense, so that keeps you interested. The characters are interesting within the story. You find The Captain is sort of sad as he moves from town to town, and Johanna, for the first time in years, gives him purpose.

Its tense, it sometimes funny, it id beautiful and sweet( which is nice to see during these times)

MY NUMBER 1 film is NEWS OF THE WORLD

Now look for my shadow awards Oscar weekend and my Oscar predictions.

My Top 5 Worst Films of 2020

 There will be no top 10's this year. Lets face it 2020 sucked so I am going to give you my five best and worst of 2020...so here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This post is my lousy 5!!!!!!

5

DAVID COPPERFIELD

Not even Dev Patel can save this poorly done story. Throw in trying to be politically correct in a time where things were not politically correct, which made the story more of a mess

4

THE KID DETECTIVE

A depressing mess of a film. That is a hard watch, starring Adam Brody as a has been detective.

The trailer made it seem like a comedy, there is nothing funny here.

3

THEN CAME YOU

What could go wrong? I mean the very funny Craig Ferguson in a castle in Scotland! Well, it went wrong. The problems start and it ends with the screenplay by Kathie Lee Gifford. Good premise of a widow wanting to travel the world and ends up in Scotland first, this is where the hi-jinx should begin, sadly it does not. It all falls flat and Ferguson and Gifford, real friends in real life, strangely have no chemistry. It just bad.Then you have Ferguson and you do not let him be Craig Ferguson, almost like his humor was muzzled.

2

THE RHYTHM SECTION

Blake Lively plays a woman seeking revenge on those who caused a plane crash that killed her family.

It is boring.
It goes no where.
The film has a training scene that is plain stupid and silly.
I cant figure out why she is being trained. They had no one else...who is at least partially trained?
Her approach to ..revenge...is unrealistic.
I have to say...Director and Screenwriter Mark Brunell delivered a piece of crap.
Oh by the way ....did I mention this is boring

And now my number one worst film of 2020!!!!!!!!!!

First lets look at my other worst movies from past years:

2015 Ricki And The Flash

2016 The Hollars

2017 Everything Everything

2018 Mid90's

2019 Poms

And now to join that rotten list is:

1

DOWNHILL

Yes that trailer looks funny...do no be fooled.

I am one of the rare people who saw the French version in the theaters Force Majeure which was wonderful. I was excited to see the American version.

Well ...this version tries to add more humor it fails. Two directors, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, both could not make it work. The tone shifts were clunky. Pete (Ferrell) is a nervous wreck afraid all the time of death. Billie (Dreyfus) is just a miserable person.
There is not much that is good about this film. Awkward in a bad way. A flat tone. Not funny. We do not care about the characters to get or feel the drama.
It is just not pleasant.

The french version I think did not try the humor, it trusted the humor in the situation, everything flowed..This was not good...

So there you go my Number 1 worst film of 2020!!!

My top 5 films of 2020 is coming next.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time