Top 5 Films Of The Year So Far

Well, here we are halfway through the movie season, which to me, runs from the middle of January to the middle of July. So...here are my top 5 films I have seen this year. Now who knows if any of them will be in my top ten at the end of the year. Last year 4 films released in the first 6 months made my top ten. So...we shall see. In no particular order:

AIR

Directed by Ben Affleck

Who would have thought a film about a sneaker would be so dramatic. This film reminds us...after Argo..Affleck is still one of the best directors working today. He gets a lot of help from his pal Matt Damon: Chris Tucker; Jason Bateman; and of course Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Little shout out to Matthew Mahr who plays Peter Moore the actual creator of the Air Jordan the shoe. I love that they did not ignore him in the end.  What is amazing is how just one phone call between Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) and Deloris Jordan changed the industry, A very good film in my top 5.

ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET

Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig

This film is clearly not for someone my age. It was not meant for me. However, I agree with the reviews, it is wonderful. 

The film does so many things right:

-It takes the Judy Blume book and keeps it in the 70's making this film timeless. It also stays with the hard subjects that often films shy away from. Plus adding just enough humor to help with the awkward subjects.

- Casting. 

I feel the most underrated actress of our time Rachel McAdams as Margaret's mom (fighting her own inner turmoil in the 70's), is perfect here.

The real star, I hope they remember her at Oscar time but will be forgotten I am sure, Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret is fantastic. The film could not work without her perfect performance. What a find. Plus, they gave her some wonderful young actresses as her friends to play off of. So good!

Yes it has problems...

I did not care for the emphasis on grandma played by Kathy Bates, it took us away from the story. Plus poor casting of Margaret's dad Bennie Safdie, McAdams and Safdie have absolutely no chemistry.

Still....what a good film!

NO HARD FEELINGS

Directed by Gene Stupnitsky

I was just excited that a comedy went right to the theaters without going to streaming first.

Jennifer Lawrence was all in..as you can see by the beach scene, for laughs. 

Andrew Barth as Percy plays off Jennifer Lawrence's Maddie perfectly.

Will this film change the world? No. It will however make you laugh, with a sweet ending as both characters find something they need in this awkward relationship.

A good comedy..in the theater..who would have thought.

PAST LIVES

Directed by Celine Song

 PAST LIVES

Oh my goodness!

I got a pass for a screening of this film and I was going to pass on it. Then I started picking up a strong buzz about it. So off I went.

Here is what I can tell you. There is a reason this film  is at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

We follow Nora and Hae Song, best friends as children, broken apart as Nora and her family moves away. We pick up 12 years later as they reconnect and again 12 more years later. 

This is not your Hallmark ending. This film grabs you at your heart. It shows growth and also what is lacking there within the characters. There is an umbrella of sadness and longing here that is sometimes painful.

So why watch?

The script by Song is real, it harkens back to Linklater's Before Sunset trilogy, it's a "Talkie". You may find it boring, but I found it intriguing.

Then there is a fantastic Oscar worthy performance by Greta Lee as Nora. Words cannot not do this performance justice. You can see the push and pull in her face and body language...that has to be seen.

Which brings me to this, which is the discussion for after the film. Why the breakdown in tears: Missing the country? Sadness for Hae Song? Sadness for herself and her decisions? 

This film, more than any film this year, just stayed with me for days. The decisions we all make...and lives that move forward.

If you liked the Before Sunset trilogy you will like this.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE DEAD RECKONING PT 1

Yes..I got to go to a screening last week because I am special. However I have been called "Special" before.

Tom Cruise, AGAIN, he just knows how to entertain. He gives the audience what they want, and makes sure it is on the biggest screens possible.

You may be surprised this is in my top 5 because of the "Part 1" tag. My rule..you pay for a beginning, middle, end. You should not have to come back to the theater another time to see the end of a film. 

However, this 2 hour and 45 minute film grabs you. It is relentless, with the last 45 minutes on a train that is the most exciting piece of film you have watched in the last 5 years or more. Edge of your seat excitement.

Going in I had no memory of the other Mission Impossible films, it did not matter this stands fine on its own. Fantastic bad guys and women. Hayley Atwell is soooooo good in this movie, holding her own with Cruise.

I will stop..just see it, buy the popcorn and enjoy.

Well there are my top 5 so far...

As always thanks for your time from the shadows.

OSCAR WEEKEND!!! Who Will Win! Who Should Win! Who Got Snubbed!

Last year I went 8 for 8!! Bragging..I know. However, that will not happen this year, it is just too wide open in many categories. So lets get started with who will...who should...and snubbed

BEST ACTOR

Austin Butler in Elvis
Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Fraser in The Whale
Paul Mescal in Aftersun
Bill Nighy in Living

Who Will Win And Should Win

Brendan Fraser

Now I did not like the film as much as others. I felt it was over long , and just depressing, and one note. However Fraser was very good. The only one here who can pull off the upset is Austin Butler I think. However I don't see that happening

Snubbed

Felix Kammerer In All Quiet On The Western Front

It's embarrassing that he did not get a nomination for this stunning performance...in fact he should be the winner. I would replace Mescall.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry in Causeway
Judd Hirsch in The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin
Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Will Win And Should Win

Ke Huy Quan

Oscar voters love a comeback story and this sure is one. The only threat is Brendan Gleeson and that will not happen.

Snubbed

Paul Dano

 As Burt Fabelman was sooo terrific, and heartbreaking. I would replace Hirsch with him. Hirsch was in that film for 5 minutes, that's wrong to get a nomination for that.

BEST ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett in Tár
Ana de Armas in Blonde
Andrea Riseborough in To Leslie
Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Will Win

Michelle Yeoh

It was all Cate Blanchett for Tarr up until a month ago, then momentum of Everything Everywhere steamrolled her, I see Yeoh winning a close one.

Should Win

Ana De Amaras in Blonde

I just think she does not get enough credit turning her self into Marilyn. The walk, the look, the speech; the mannerisms. I think she was great in a just better than okay film. 

Snubbed

Yes I have two

Daisy Edgar-Jones 

In Where The Crawdads Sing, she took on a role from a popular book knowing the pressure and expectations to be Kya from the book, and she pulled it off. Remember she is from London,and still convinced us she is living in the Carolinas.

Aubrey Plaza

In Emily The Criminal she is in every scene...That job interview scene should win her the Oscar. Of all the snubs this may be the biggest.

 I would replace Riseborough and William with these two.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau in The Whale
Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Will Win/Should Win

Angela Bassett was bad ass wonderful in Wakanda Forever. This is the closest race. It is between Bassett and Curtis. I give Bassett the edge because I think Hsu and Curtis will cancel themselves out.

Snubbed

Yes I have two snubs!!

Janelle Monae in Glass Onion strolled in and stole the movie from under many of the stars in that cast.

Mariana Trevino as Marisol in Otto held her own and then some with Tom Hanks.

I would replace Hsu and Condon with these two.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio — Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On — Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish — Joel Crawford and Mark Swift
The Sea Beast — Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger
Turning Red — Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins

Will Win

Pinocchio

It is between Pinocchio and Marcel. The voters love Del Toro.

Should Win

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

Well you know what I thought of this film, if you read my top ten of the year..and you really should.

No snubs for this category.

All I can say is..what happened to PIXAR and Disney?

BEST DIRECTOR

The Banshees of Inisherin — Martin McDonagh
Everything Everywhere All at Once — Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
The Fabelmans — Steven Spielberg
Tár — Todd Field
Triangle of Sadness — Ruben Östlund

Will Win And Should Win

Kwan and Scheinert For Everything Everywhere All At Once

I was not a big fan of this film but I can appreciate the job they did keeping track of time jumps and the different time jumps to direct the cast.

Snubbed

Joseph Kosinski

To direct Maverick is a huge challenge. Real sets. Real flying planes. It is crazy he is constantly ignored during award season. I would replace Ostlund for Kosinski

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick; Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler
“Naatu Naatu” from RRR; Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose
“This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once; Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne

Will Win

Lift Me Up 

Lift Me Up will edge out Hold my Hand. Lady Gaga had her moment and voters will then go toward Rihanna

Should Win

Hold My Hand

Lady Gaga wrote this song..and the lyrics fit perfectly with the storyline of the film. A perfect song to end Maverick. Gaga knows she will lose..she is not flying in for the show lol.

Snubbed 

Carolina

Where The Crawdads Sing

How can voters ignore this song. It was perfect for this film. Taylor Swift knew the book and wrote this for the movie. Replace Naatu Naatu with this.

NOW.... BEST PICTURE

All Quiet on the Western Front — Malte Grunert, Producer
Avatar: The Way of Water — James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
The Banshees of Inisherin — Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, Producers
Elvis — Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, Producers
Everything Everywhere All at Once — Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers
The Fabelmans — Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, Producers
Tár — Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert, Producers
Top Gun: Maverick — Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers
Triangle of Sadness — Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, Producers
Women Talking — Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand, Producers

Will Win

Everything Everywhere All At Once

This is becoming close to a lock after what we already have seen during award season. The outside chances are The Fablemans and Tar, but, they have no chance at this point.

Should Win

Top gun Maverick

Not only for the fun; exciting; and emotional film it was, but for bringing people back to the theaters.

Snubbed 

Crawdads and Otto should have been nominated. Both, near perfect movies but snobby critics roll their eyes at these films..I would replace the awful Triangle Of Sadness and the long messy Avatar Way Of The Water.

Well There are my Oscar picks, May the odds always be in my favor.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

 

The Shadow Awards for 2022 films have arrived!!!!

Well first, you have to settle down. I know you are excited, the tuxedos and gowns are on. As you know the Shadow Awards are bigger than the Oscars because..well..they are voted on by me. This year I added Music and books!! I KNOW...RIGHT!!!

So grab your popcorn and here we go...lets go for the throat early...

Worst Performance Of The Year Award:

The award goes to...

Julia Roberts in Ticket To Paradise

I do not know what happened here. Julia Roberts was awful in this just okay/awkward film. It was almost like she had no interest. She mailed in her performance, looking bored throughout. It seemed like Clooney, I felt, was pushing her through. It was..just ..bad.

Best Actor Of The Year Award:

The award goes to...

TOM HANKS

I mentioned in my review of Otto, to discuss if Tom Hanks has become the best actor of all time. I think the answer is yes. That's including better than Deniro; Redford; James Stewart; Gable; and Daniel Day-Lewis. He is just better all around.

This year playing Colonel Tom Parker in Elvis he was amazing as well a jerk. Then in Otto as a grumpy man trying to kill himself. Both parts go against his personality, yet you believe him on the big screen every minute.

Favorite Comeback Award

The award goes to

Daniel Radcliffe in Lost City

I just found him hilarious playing a villain in Lost City. His comic timing was spot on. I love the charcuterie board and how proud he was of it, but then it blows everywhere. He was so over the top..he was great.

My Favorite Character Award

The Award goes to

Joey King as Prince in Bullet Train

I am starting to realize, by the last 3 awards, Hanks, Radcliffe, and now King, I was attracted to actors playing against type in 2022. Joey King sure did here. I mean look at her in the picture, so sweet, but she is an assassin!! So good in this film, a film that is kind of an enjoyable mess and it works because of her. Great casting.

Best New Trilogy Award

The Award Goes to 

X...Pearl...Maxxxine is next

I am not a horror fan at all. However Mia Goth has me pulled into this bat shit crazy series, as she so far has played two different characters. Let us not forget Jenna Ortega and Brittany Snow are in X which helps. Ti West screenwriter and director should get some credit lol.

WHY? Just Why?Award.

The Award goes to 

LIGHTYEAR

Soooo much went wrong...so I am just going to leave it there. It won.

Best Actress Award

The award goes to Anya Taylor Joy

A triple threat this year...

Convincing in the mud as Olga Of The Birch Forest in The Northman . Brilliant as always

A small part as Libby Vose in the just okay film Amsterdam. I could watch a movie with just Margot Robbie as Valerie Vose and Joy as Libby Vose and be very happy. When they were together on the screen it was hilarious and pure magic.

Then, of course, playing Margot in the bat shit crazy The Menu. Perfectly cast.

Scariest Movie Award

The award goes to

FALL

Now as for the movie, it worked for awhile, it had a crazy twist at the 3/4 mark. Oddly it never showed us what happened at the end, just the results. Still, with my fear of heights, I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time.

The I Still Don't Get It Award

The Award Goes To 

Everything Everywhere All At Once

I tried. I saw it twice. I still don't get it. I came to the conclusion that it was not meant for me. That is okay I guess.

The Top Three Albums I Listened To Over And Over Again Award. You Should Too...

The Award Goes To....

SARA BAREILLES LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL

It's amazing that she sounds even better live. This vinyl covers her past songs. Some wonderful, well written new songs. Plus songs from her musical Waitress. 

HAIM WOMEN IN MUSIC PART THREE

Yes, not released in 2022, but I just noted albums I have been listening to most. I have never heard of Haim before I saw Alana Haim in Licorice Pizza. So I listened to the vinyl. Again and again and again. The music is so different. The sisters are very talented at playing many different instruments themselves.  There are many highlights in this vinyl of these sisters who just rock with strong vocals and heartfelt lyrics...like The Steps; Gasoline and of course Hallelujah.

MIRANDA LAMBERT PALOMINO

As she gets older her writing ages with her. Here on Palomino she writes about traveling and places and people she meets and she takes us along. The finish is the highlight and the best song never released this year. Carousel is just a story of a former circus performer looking back at her past life that no one today knows about. Her lost love. It is so haunting and beautiful you play it over and over.

The Top Three Books Of 2022 Award

The Winners are...

PARIS LIBRARY

Based on a true story of an American Library during World War 2 and the bonds of friendship and bravery within the library., written by Janet Skeslien Charles. 

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

Well you know I loved the movie. The book by Delia Owens is even better. This came out in 2018, but I finally read it this year due to the films release. I am glad I did.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

Finalay is a broke writer who is mistaken for a contract killer and is offered a boat load of money to off someones husband. Its funny, fast paced and a thriller. So good..that there is a part 2 and 3 in print by author Elle Cosimano.

Well the awards are over. Go to your after parties and don't drink and drive please.

'

From the shadows as always thanks for your time....Oscar predictions coming next!!