Reel Society of Film Critics Awards 2019

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Time for another featurette, courtesy of screen, for one of our Best Picture nominees.

Annihilation
It's not destroying. It's making something new.


The movie being presented is a uniquely disturbing yet beautiful experience. In ways, this could represent the experiences of the characters in the "Shimmer" - as Lena (Natalie Portman) herself states, "It wasn't always nightmarish. Sometimes it was beautiful." (paraphrased)
The film asks questions about the nature of humanity, and why we make choices we know will be self-destructive. The "Shimmer" is a metaphor for the different ways life affects us. This movie tells such a universal story through ambiguity, about how trying to answer questions just seems to lead to more questions, drawing links between questions like the cure for cancer and a living version of the disease. On the surface, the film is very well made. Stellar cinematography, the best score in years, and incredible special effects add to one of the best films of the year.

[Screen203]

That write-up was pretty rough in retrospect. Would have added more if I knew the date was extended.

[silversurfer19]

I liked it, I think it gave us a good sense of what you felt of the movie.

Onto the next award,

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

The nominees are:

Sam Elliot, "A Star Is Born"
Steven Yeun, "Burning"
Richard E Grant, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"
Mahershala Ali, "Green Book"
Riz Ahmed, "The Sisters Brothers"

and the winner is...

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Mahershala Ali, for "Green Book".

I only just caught this a couple of nights ago, but as with what I have seen from him in Moonlight and True Detective, his acting is absolutely top notch.

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And moving swiftly on to another featurette, again courtesy of tranny, here is Black Panther.

Black Panther
Marvel's decision to task a young director (Ryan Coogler) and relatively unheralded ensemble cast (Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Ny'ongo, Danai Guerra, Daniel Kaluuya, Letita Wright, Winston Duke) with bringing Black Panther to the big screen proved to be a stroke of genius. Crafting an elaborate espionage saga with political undertones while also delivering the likable heroes, compelling villains and pure popcorn spectacle you want out of a superhero movie is the type of ambitious feat that only an immensely talented group of creative people like this could pull off so effortlessly.

[transformers2]

Another award I 100% agree with. Also thanks for the reminder that I need to watch the new season of True Detective.

[Chienfantome]

First disappointment of the night. I really like Ali, he's a very fine actor, but Green Book is such a consensual film, I voted for Elliott, Yeun and Ahmed ahead of him.

[silversurfer19]

Another award I 100% agree with. Also thanks for the reminder that I need to watch the new season of True Detective.

Its definitely back on form following the disappointment of Season 2, a riveting story with really good acting, highly recommended. And whilst I agree, Green Book overall is not as good as the Oscars suggested, I do think Ali was the highlight of the film (and Viggo was very good too).

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Another supporting actor award, this time the female version.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

And the nominees are:

Rachel McAdams, "Disobedience"
Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk"
Jeon Jong-seo, "The Burning"
Emma Stone, "The Favourite"
Rachel Weisz, "The Favourite"

And the winner is...

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Emma Stone, for The Favourite.

Of the two actress from The Favourite, I personally preferred Rachel Weisz, but I cant knock Stones performance, she has really upped her game recently.

[Chienfantome]

Stone is more of a lead than a supporting actress in it that's why she was last on my ballott. But all nominees were good.

[transformers2]

FUCK YES. As great as Weisz and Coleman, Stone was the highlight of The Favourite for me.

[silversurfer19]

That is an interesting point, and I can see why you would have that opinion, but the line between lead and supporting can be so blurred sometimes its best to go with the majority rule, which is generally what I do with the nominees.

Next Best Picture featurette, courtesy of Chien, for Burning.

Burning
"I may be one of the persons on Earth that watch the most Korean films all year long. You might think it would prevent me from being surprised by Korean cinema, but Burning has been one of the best proofs of Korean cinema's vitality and audacity in 2018. The easiest thing would be to say that Burning is what a Korean film would look like if it were directed by David Lynch. It's a bit true. But there is also so much of Lee Chang-dong's cinema and personality in it. A film that is mysterious, yes, perfectly crafted, indeed, full of erotic tension, definitely. But what probably holds Burning together is its sharp look at Korean society. The "competition", for lack of a better word in my French mouth poor in english vocabulary, between the rich and the poor. This is the ground of the film, that allows us to have a grip on the characters, and move into these mysterious territories with fascination.
I had been waiting for Lee Chang-dong's new film for almost a decade. It was worth the wait."

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Time for another award, this time, Best Animated Picture.

Best Animated Picture

The nominees are:

Isle Of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks The Internet
Spider-man: Into The Spider-Verse
The Incredibles 2

And the winner is...

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Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse

I had so much fun with this movie, a great, fresh look at animation and wholly enjoyable to boot. Lord and Miller are geniuses.