Saturday, March 3, 2018

Oscar Predictions 2017

I challenge you to fill out an Oscar ballot. Here are my predictions for this years Oscars

Best Picture

Winner (1st Pick): The Shape of Water
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Dark Horse: Get Out
My Vote: The Shape of Water

Actor in a Leading Role

Winner (1st Pick): Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Timothee Chalamet -Call Me By Your Name
Dark Horse: Daniel Kaluuta - Get Out
My Vote: Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour

Actress in a Leading Role

Winner (1st Pick): Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Saoirse Ronan - Lady Bird
Dark Horse: Margot Robbie - I, Tonya
My Vote: Saoirse Ronan - Lady Bird

Actor in a Supporting Role

Winner (1st Pick): Allison Janney - I, Tonya
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird
Dark Horse: Mary J. Blige - Mudbound
My Vote: Allison Janney - I, Tonya

Actress in a Supporting Role

Winner (1st Pick): Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project
Dark Horse: Richard Jenkins - The Shape of Water
My Vote: Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Directing

Winner (1st Pick): Guillermo Del Toro - The Shape of Water
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk
Dark Horse: Greta Gerwig - Lady Bird
My Vote: Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk

Writing: Adapted Screenplay

Winner (1st Pick): Call Me By Your Name
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Mudbound
Dark Horse: Logan
My Vote: Logan

Writing: Original Screenplay

Winner (1st Pick): Get Out
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Dark Horse: The Big Sick
My Vote: The Big Sick

Cinematography

Winner (1st Pick): Blade Runner 2049 
Runner-Up (2nd pick): The Shape of Water
Dark Horse: Dunkirk
My Vote: Blade Runner 2049

Film Editing

Winner (1st Pick): Baby Driver
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Dunkirk
Dark Horse: I, Tonya
My Vote: Baby Driver

Visual Effects

Winner (1st Pick): War for the Planet of the Apes
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Blade Runner 2049
Dark Horse: Kong: Skull Island
My Vote: War for the Planet of the Apes

Production Design

Winner (1st Pick): The Shape of Water
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Blade Runner 2049
Dark Horse: Beauty and the Beast
My Vote: The Shape of Water

Costume Design

Winner (1st Pick): Phantom Thread
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Beauty and the Beast
Dark Horse: Darkest Hour
My Vote: Beauty and the Beast

Makeup and Hairstyling

Winner (1st Pick): Darkest Hour
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Wonder
Dark Horse: Victoria and Abdul
My Vote: Darkest Hour

Sound Editing

Winner (1st Pick): Dunkirk
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Baby Driver
Dark Horse: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
My Vote: Baby Driver

Sound Mixing

Winner (1st Pick): Dunkirk
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Baby Driver
Dark Horse: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
My Vote: Baby Driver

Music: Original Score

Winner (1st Pick): The Shape of Water
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Phantom Thread
Dark Horse: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
My Vote: The Shape of Water

Music: Original Song

Winner (1st Pick): "Remember Me" - Coco
Runner-Up (2nd pick): "This Is Me" -  The Greatest Showman
Dark Horse: "The Mystery of Love" - Call Me By Your Name
My Vote: "This Is Me" -  The Greatest Showman

Animated Feature Film

Winner (1st Pick): Coco
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Loving Vincent
Dark Horse: Ferdinand
My Vote: Coco

Animated Short Film

Winner (1st Pick): Dear Basketball
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Lou
Dark Horse: Revolting Rhymes
My Vote: Lou

Documentary Feature

Winner (1st Pick): Icarus
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Faces Places
Dark Horse: Last Men in Aleppo
My Vote: Haven't seen any of these films, so no vote

Documentary Short

Winner (1st Pick): Edith+Eddie
Runner-Up (2nd pick): Heroine(e)
Dark Horse: Traffic Stop
My Vote: Haven't seen any of these films, so no vote

Foreign Language Film

Winner (1st Pick): A Fantastic Women
Runner-Up (2nd pick): The Square
Dark Horse: Loveless
My Vote: Haven't seen any of these films, so no vote

Short Film

Winner (1st Pick): DeKalb Elementry
Runner-Up (2nd pick): The Eleven O'Clock
Dark Horse: The Silent Child
My Vote: Haven't seen any of these films, so no vote 

Monday, January 1, 2018

End of the Year Review 2017

It’s that time of year again where I tell you, the internet, what movies were my favorite this past year and what movies I thought were stinkers. I’m not a professional blogger, vlogger, or movie critic, so I’m not privileged to early / press screenings. I also live in a small city that only has one 12 screen multiplex theater, meaning I usually have to wait for the national wide release date to watch any independent/low-budget films. With that being said, I’m limited on how many movies I can watch a year. The films on my lists may not be the absolute best films of the year because I see fewer movies than a professional. 

The Best:

  1. Dunkirk  
  2. Wind River 
  3. Baby Driver 
  4. Wonder Woman 
  5. Logan 
  6. The Big Sick 
  7. War for the Planet of the Apes 
  8. Coco 
  9. Spider-Man: Homecoming  
  10. Blade Runner 2049 
Broken Down By Genre: 

Action:  Logan 

Adventure: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword 
Animation: Coco 
Comedy: The Big Sick 
Comic Book: Wonder Woman 
Crime / Mystery: Baby Driver 
Fantasy: Star Wars: The Last Jedi 
Historical or Bio Pic: Dunkirk  
Horror: It 
Indie Film: Lady Bird 
Musical: The Greatest Showman 
Sci-Fi: War for the Planet of the Apes 
Thriller: Wind River 
War: Dunkirk  


Commentary & Notes: Any film highlighted in red is a film still on my need to watch list. If I don't get around to updating this list my current best Indie Film is I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore. The Beauty and Beast is favorite Musical at this time, but I'm sure The Greatest Showman will top once I get a chance to see the film. I have a feeling The Shape of Water may bump Star Wars: The Last Jedi off my list completely. Other films that may affect this list are The Darkest Hour, Detroit, The Disaster Artist, and The Post.       

The Worst: 



  1. The Belko Experiment 
  2. The Emoji Movie 
  3. The Dark Tower 
  4. A Cure for Wellness 
  5. Fifty Shades Darker 
  6. Transformers: The Last Knight 
  7. The Mummy 
  8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 
  9. Death Note (Netflix) 
  10. The Great Wall

Commentary & Notes: Most of the film on this list I have watched, the ones that I haven't are indicated in red. I didn't watch such films because of three reasons. One: It's not at all my type of movie, Two: There was a better movie out that I was willing to pay for, Three: It had bad reviews, word of mouth, and opening box office number, that I skipped.  

Most Anticipated of 2018: 


  1. Solo: A Star Wars Story 
  2. Avengers: Infinity War 
  3. Black Panther 
  4. The Incredibles 2 
  5. Ready Player One 
  6. Deadpool 2 
  7. Annihilation 
  8. Ant-Man and the Wasp 
  9. Aquaman 
  10. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom