The Reel Society Of Film Critics Awards 2014 Ceremony

[silversurfer19]

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the 2014 Reel Society Of Film Critics Awards, the ceremony that celebrates and honours the movies and actors that sought not just to ensure quality, but also to entertain each and every member of the fantaverse and beyond. All movies released during 2013 within the United States have been considered, and after a long and diligent process, the valued members of the committee have narrowed down the prestige of those movies to tonights nominees. It is from these nominees that voting has been canvased, and tonight I will reveal the winners of each award.

However, this is not just another opportunity to create a list (not that we need another excuse to manifest one of those!), nor is it a glitzy ceremony just to fawn over the talented and beautiful members of Hollywood. No, this is a ceremony for the Fantaverse, by the Fantaverse. No expense has been spared to ensure the Reel Society is able to host an award show befitting of it's inhabitants. To that end, pizza is available, but remember to tip the guy with the mountie hat, and selfies are only admissable if every effort is made to include the vertically challenged (here's looking at you, Liza Minelli, well as long as you stand on your tip toes).

2013 was another spectacular year in cinema, from the visually stunning Gravity, a movie that has set the bar for visual effects in the future, to another epic from Martin Scorcese, The Wolf Of Wall Street featuring a powerhouse performance from Leonardo DiCaprio. Strong male roles were in abundance this year, from Matthew McConaughey's unrecognisable performance in Dallas Buyers Club to Joaquin Phoenix's tender turn in Spike Jonze's Her. Steve McQueen and Denis Villeneuve also stepped up to the big leagues with the Prisoners and the historical drama 12 Years A Slave, while David O. Russell continued his own rise with his second crowd pleaser in two years, American Hustle. The coming of age genre also found a return to form in the shape of The Way, Way Back and The Spectacular Now, while well honoured directors The Coen Brothers and Alex Payne also returned with smaller, more intimate movies in Nebraska and Inside Llewyn Davis that once again enchanted us all.

We should also remember the movie stars we lost in the past year, from the majestic Philip Seymour Hoffman to the gruff, yet always endearing James Gandolfini. Icon Peter O'Toole also gained his wings, as did the biggest thesp of all Richard Griffiths. The critic in us all was saddened to hear of Roger Ebert's passing, and no doubt he had many a favourable remark towards Paul Walker's Fast and the Furious series. Many of our favourite stars passed in 2013, and will long be remembered. But I'm sure they are all up there looking down on just who will steal away with the coveted Fanties this year. So please, will you join me in looking back at the year that has passed and the movies that graced our cinemas, courtesy of Fantaverse member, Sleepy Skunk.



There will be in total 16 awards handed out this evening, celebrating films for their acting, technicalities, writing and overall vision, and they will be announced in the following order, with Best Picture nominees celebrated at various points of the evening:

Best Breakthrough Performance

American Hustle Featurette

Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay

Dallas Buyers Club Featurette

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

Gravity Featurette

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

Her Featurette

Best Animated Feature
Best Documentary Feature

Inside Llewyn Davis Featurette

Best Cinematography
Best Visual Effects

Mud Featurette

Best Score
Best Foreign Language Picture

Prisoners Featurette

Best Cast

The Spectacular Now Featurette

Best Actress In A Leading Role

The Way, Way Back Featurette

Best Actor In A Leading Role

The Wolf Of Wall Street Featurette

Best Director

Best Picture

Thankfully I pulled a muscle while out for a run this morning so I will not burden you with the tap dance little number I had all ready to go, so without further adue, I give you, The 2014 Reel Society Of Film Critics Awards!

[transformers2]

God damn it I was really excited for that tap dancing number too...

[silversurfer19]

First award of the evening is for:

Best Breakthrough Artist

The nominees are:

Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Michael B. Jordan, Fruitvale Station
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years A Slave
Tye Sheridan, Mud
Miles Teller, The Spectacular Now

[silversurfer19]

And the winner is....

Michael B. Jordan

[silversurfer19]

I thought Jordan gave a spectacular performance in Fruitvale Station, and that final 30 minutes or so is mesmerising. Certainly an actor to keep an eye on in the future, and would not be surprised to see him up for the big awards very soon too.

Anyway, first featurette of the evening to celebrate the Best Picture nominees. Transformers has provided a piece for:

American Hustle

David O. Russell is seemingly unstoppable at the moment. Russell is able to follow up The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook with his third consecutive masterpiece in American Hustle. Like Russell's other recent work, American Hustle is an actor's film. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K, Michael Pena and Robert De Niro (in only a single scene) are all at the top of their respective games. While the film is loaded with powerhouse performances, Adams and Renner manage to steal the show. Adams plays Sydney Prosser, the sleaziest of all the film's con artists, who can masterfully manipulate any man she meets. Adams brings an easy confidence and plenty of emotional depth to the role, which is amongst the strongest performances of her storied career. Renner, on the other hand, portrays politician Carmine Polito, the lone good soul amongst a group of sleazy, power-hungry characters. Renner's performance is the perfect combination of likability, charisma and swagger. Before he steps on screen, Polito is made out to be a people person that everyone likes and once Renner shows up; he embodies the well-liked everyman politician that fights for the people absolutely flawlessly. The spectacular acting ensemble is bolstered by a script that is loaded with sharp dialogue and surprises, an intoxicating 70s' atmosphere and of course, the bonus eye-candy of Adams and Lawrence. This is a crime drama with a unique flair that relies on characters and comedy; not violence, to entertain. This is American Hustle.

[Buscemi]

Human Torch, we salute you.



I'd shake his hand but I'm afraid I'll get a bad burn.

[numbersix]

Great to see Michael B Jordan win. He held Fruitvale Station together.

[transformers2]

Hell yeah Michael B. Jordan!!! Very glad he got recognition for this performance, it was absolutely phenomenal.

[silversurfer19]

Next award is for:

Best Original Screenplay

The nominees are:

American Hustle
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Mud
The Way, Way Back

[silversurfer19]

And the winner is....

Inside Llewyn Davis

[Buscemi]

Now that's a surprise.

[numbersix]

Relatively happy with that. Her was more innovative, but ILD was a smart and distinct character study.

[transformers2]

No complaints from me with this one. It takes a strong script for a character study to work so well.

[silversurfer19]

Indeed, I had anticipated American Hustle would steal away with the award, yet once again The Coens prove their writing is right up there with the very best. It was certainly, for me at least, one of the strongest aspects of the movie, in that it could at first appear quite subtle, maybe too subtle, yet the more you think about it, the more I grasped the mastery of the writing. Well deserved, in my opinion.

[Buscemi]

While Surfer is out collecting himself, here is the greatest moment in Oscar history.