The 6th Annual 'Bamboo' Awards: Panda's Top 20 of 2019 (List is COMPLETE!)

[The Panda]

 

I got my go ahead from Water Bottle a few days ago that I could get this thread up and running.  So without further ado, welcome to what is pretty much an overly glorified revealing of what will end up being my BOFFY Ballot for the year.  I obviously have not seen every movie that's come out this year, but that's the case everywhere, so there'll be some omissions.  There's also bound to be some takes and 'snubs' that will raise somebody's eyes, so feel free to show your disapproval (or approval) as often as you'd like.  This whole ordeal should be done by the end of tomorrow (Sunday), and then it'll be some other blokes turn to have their tastes scrutinized by everyone on the forum.  During the countdown I'll reveal my top 20 films, and then a top 6 from the following categories:

 

DIRECTOR

ENSEMBLE

ACTRESS

ACTOR

SUPPORTING ACTOR

SUPPORTIN ACTRESS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

CINEMATOGRAPHY

EDITING

ORIGINAL SCORE

SOUNDTRACK

PRODUCTION DESIGN

COSTUME, HAIR AND MAKEUP DESIGN

SOUND DESIGN

VISUAL EFFECTS AND STUNT WORK

ALBUM (3 Picks)

TV SHOW (3 Picks)

 

For reference of what I've chosen in prior years

 

2018

Spoiler

BEST PICTURE

Blindspotting

Crazy Rich Asians

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

If Beale Street Could Talk

Roma

Black Panther

Eighth Grade

Annihilation

The Favourite

BlacKkKlansman

A Star is Born

Hereditary

Avengers: Infinity War

Sorry to Bother You

First Reformed

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Set It Up

Leave No Trace

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Incredibles 2

Mary Poppins Returns

Widows

Private Life

Death of Stalin

Paddington 2

 

DIRECTOR

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Carlos Lopez Estrada, Blindspotting

Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk

Ryan Coogler, Black Panther

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite

 

ENSEMBLE

Crazy Rich Asians

Blindspotting

Black Panther

If Beale Street Could Talk

The Death of Stalin

BlacKkKlansman

 

ACTRESS

Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade

Toni Colette, Hereditary

Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

KiKi Layne, If Beale Street Could Talk

Lady Gaga, A Star is Born

 

ACTOR

Daveed Diggs, Blindspotting

Ethan Hawke, First Reformed

Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman

Christain Bale, Vice

Lakeith Stanfield, Sorry to Bother You

 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Jasmine Cephas Jones, Blindspotting

Michelle Yeoh, Crazy Rich Asians

Kayli Carter, Private Life

 

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Rafael Casal, Blindspotting

Josh Hamilton, Eighth Grade

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns

Jesse Plemons, Game Night

Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther

Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman

 

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Blindspotting

The Favourite

First Reformed

Eighth Grade

Sorry to Bother You

Private Life

 

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

If Beale Street Could Talk

Annihilation

BlacKkKlansman

Black Panther

Crazy Rich Asians

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Roma

If Beale Street Could Talk

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Annihilation

The Favourite

Hereditary

 

EDITING

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

BlacKkKlansman

Roma

Blindspotting

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Star is Born

 

ORIGINAL SCORE

If Beale Street Could Talk

Black Panther

Mary Poppins Returns

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Avengers: Infinity War

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

 

SOUNDTRACK

A Star is Born

Mary Poppins Returns

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Crazy Rich Asians

The Favourite

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

 

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Crazy Rich Asians

Black Panther

The Favourite

Annihilation

Mary Poppins Returns

Roma

 

COSTUME, HAIR AND MAKEUP DESIGN

Black Panther

Vice

The Favourite

Crazy Rich Asians

Mary Poppins Returns

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

 

SOUND DESIGN

Roma

A Quiet Place

A Star is Born

Blindspotting

Avengers: Infinity War

Hereditary

 

VISUAL AND STUNT EFFECTS

Avengers: Infinity War

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Mary Poppins Returns

Incredibles 2

Annihilation

Ready Player One

 

HONORARY GOLDEN BAMBOO STICK FOR ART THAT IS NOT CINEMA

WINNER: The Most Beautiful Thing I've Seen by Lisa Gungor

HMs: Suite No. 1 "Oh Dreamer" by The Brilliance

The Good Place Season 2b and 3a

Crazy Ex Girlfriend Season 3b and 4a

Super Smash Brothers Ultimate

 

2017

Spoiler

BEST PICTURE

WINNER: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

RUNNER UP: Blade Runner 2049

Co-RUNNER UP: Get Out

4th: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

5th: Lady Bird

6th: Dunkirk

7th: The Big Sick

8th: Logan

9th: Wind River

10th: Wonder Woman

11th: A Ghost Story

12th: Coco

13th: IT

14th: Okja

15th: War for the Planet of the Apes

16th: The Shape of Water

17th: Baby Driver

18th: The Disaster Artist

19th: Darkest Hour

20th: Mudbound

21st: All the Money in the World

22nd: Wonder

23rd: Detroit

24th: Thor: Ragnarok

25th: Raw

BEST DIRECTOR

Winner: Rian Johnson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Runner Up: Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Co-Runner Up: Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049
HM1: Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
HM2: Jordan Peele, Get Out
HM3: Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside of Ebbings, Missouri
HM4: Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman

BEST ENSEMBLE

Winner: Three Billboards Outside of Ebbings, Missouri
Runner Up: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Co-Runner Up: Lady Bird
HM1: The Big Sick
HM2: Mudbound
HM3: Get Out
HM4: The Shape of Water

BEST ACTRESS

Winner: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside of Ebbings, Missouri
Runner Up: Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Co-Runner Up: Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
HM1: Daisey Ridley, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
HM2: Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World
HM3: Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman
HM4: Seo-Hyeon Ahn, Okja

BEST ACTOR

Winner: Mark Hamill, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Runner Up: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Co-Runner Up: James Franco, The Disaster Artist
HM1: Hugh Jackman, Logan
HM2: Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
HM3: Jeremy Renner, Wind River
HM4: Andy Serkis, War for the Planet of the Apes

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Winner: Carrie Fisher, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Runner Up: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

Co-Runner Up: Mary J Blige, Mubound

HM1: Holly Hunter, The Big Sick

HM2: Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

HM3: Sophia Lillis, IT

HM4: Dafne Keen, Logan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Winner: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards

Runner Up: Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World

Co-Runner Up: Adam Driver, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

HM1: Patrick Stewart, Logan

HM2: Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water

HM3: Jason Mitchell, Mudbound

HM4: Gil Birmingham, Wind River

BEST SCREENPLAY

Winner: Get Out

Runner Up: Lady Bird

Co-Runner Up: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

HM1: The Big Sick

HM2: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

HM3: Wind River

HM4: Logan

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Winner: Blade Runner: 2049

Runner Up: Dunkirk

Co-Runner Up: The Shape of Water

HM1: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

HM2: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

HM3: A Ghost Story

HN4: Logan

BEST EDITING

Winner: Dunkirk

Runner Up: Baby Driver

Co-Runner Up: Blade Runner 2049

HM1: Get Out

HM2: A Ghost Story

HM3: Darkest Hour

BEST USE OF MUSIC (Includes Original Scores, Original Songs and Soundtracks)

Winner: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Runner Up: Baby Driver

Co-Runner Up: A Ghost Story

HM1: All the Money in the World

HM2: The Shape of Water

HM3: Coco

BEST DESIGN (Includes Production Design, Hair and Makeup design and Costume Design)

Winner: Blade Runner 2049

Runner Up: Beauty and the Beast

Co-Runner Up: The Shape of Water

HM1: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

HM2: Dunkirk

HM3: Wonder Woman

BEST IMMERSIVE DESIGN (Includes Visual Effects, Sound Design and Stuntwork)

Winner: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Runner Up: Blade Runner 2049

Co-Runner Up: Dunkirk

HM1: War for the Planet of the Apes

HM2: Baby Driver

HM3: Wonder Woman

THE HONORARY GOLDEN BAMBOO STICK OF EXEMPLARY WORK IN AN ART FORM THAT IS NOT CINEMA

Winner: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Runner Up: Master of None Season 2

Co-Runner Up: Game of Thrones Season 7

HM1: Ola Gjeilo's Winter Songs

HM2: The Handmaid's Tale Season 1

HM3: Stranger Things Season 2

HM4: Super Mario Odyssey

 

2016

Spoiler

BEST PICTURE

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: La La Land

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Arrival

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Deadpool

4th: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

5th: Hell or High Water

6th: Zootopia

7th: Moonlight

8th: Kubo and the Two Strings

9th: The Witch

10th: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

11th: Fences

12th: The Edge of Seventeen

13th: Moana

14th: Hacksaw Ridge

15th: Eye in the Sky

16th: The Nice Guys

17th: Finding Dory

18th: 10 Cloverfield Lane

19th: Manchester by the Sea

20th: The Little Prince

BEST DIRECTOR

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: David Mackenzie, Hell or High Water

4th: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

5th: Taika Waititi, Hunt for the Wilderpeople

6th: Robert Eggers, The Witch

BEST ENSEMBLE

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: Moonlight

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Fences

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Hell or High Water

4th: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

5th: Manchester by the Sea

6th: The Edge of Seventeen

BEST ACTOR

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: Denzel Washington, Fences

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Ryan Gosling, La La Land and the Nice Guys

4th: Chris Pine, Hell or High Water

5th: Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

6th: Sam Neill, Hunt for the Wilderpeople

BEST ACTRESS

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: Emma Stone, La La Land

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Amy Adams, Arrival

4th: Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen

5th: Helen Mirren, Eye in the Sky

6th: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 10 Cloverfield Lane

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: Viola Davis, Fences

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water

4th: Naomie Harris, Moonlight

5th: Ben Foster, Hell or High Water

6th: Angourie Rice, The Nice Guys

BEST SCREENPLAY

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: Arrival

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Fences

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

4th: Hell or High Water

5th: La La Land

6th: Zootopia

BEST USE OF MUSIC (Includes Best Score, Soundtrack and Original Songs)

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: La La Land

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Moana

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: The Witch

4th: Moonlight

5th: Kubo and the Two Strings

6th: Hell or High Water

BEST TECHNICAL WORK (Includes Best Cinematography, Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Visual Effects)

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: La La Land

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: Arrival

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Moonlight

4th Place: Hacksaw Ridge

5th Place: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

6th Place: Kubo and the Two Strings

BEST PRODUCTION WORK (Includes Best Production Design, Best Makeup/Hairstyling and Best Costume Design)

Golden Bamboo Stick Winner: La La Land

Silver Bamboo Stick Winner: The Witch

Bronze Bamboo Stick Winner: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

4th Place: Hacksaw Ridge

5th Place: Deadpool

6th Place: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

THE HONORARY GOLDEN BAMBOO STICK OF EXEMPLARY WORK IN AN ART FORM THAT IS NOT CINEMA

Game of Thrones Season 6

 

2015

Spoiler

GOLDEN BAMBOO STICK: Inside Out
RUNNER UP: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
CO-RUNNER UP: Mad Max: Fury Road
4. The Big Short
5. Spotlight
6. Ex Machina
7. Bridge of Spies
8. Creed
9. Sicario
10. Jurassic World
11. The Peanuts Movie
12. Beasts of No Nation
13. What We Do in the Shadows
14. The Martian
15. Kingsman: The Secret Service
16. The Hateful Eight
17. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
18. Brooklyn
19. The Last 5 Years
20. Spy
21. Slow West
22. The Good Dinosaur
23. Furious 7
24. Everest
25. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

 

2014

Spoiler

WINNER: Boyhood

RUNNER UP: Birdman: Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance

CO-RUNNER UP: Guardians of the Galaxy

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel

5. The Immigrant

6. Interstellar

7. Snowpiercer

8. The LEGO Movie

9. The Theory of Everything

10. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

11. Gone Girl

12. The Fault in Our Stars

13. Fury

14. Blue Ruin

15. X-Men: Days of Future Past

16. Into the Woods

17. Only Lovers Left Alive

18. The Imitation Game

19. How to Train Your Dragon 2

20. The Interview

 

Edited December 30, 2019 by The Panda

[The Panda]

 

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Directed by Vince Gilligan

 

 

"I've gone where the universe takes me my whole life. It's better to make those decisions for yourself."

 

Most Valuable Player: Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman

Box Office: N/A

Metacritic: 72

Synopsis: Finally free from torture and slavery at the hands of Tod's uncle Jack, and from Mr. White, Jesse must escape demons from his past. He's on the run from a police manhunt, with his only hope of escape being Saul Goodman's hoover guy, Ed Galbraith. A man who for the right price, can give you a new identity and a fresh start. Jesse is racing against the clock, with help from his crew, avoiding capture to get enough money together to buy a 'new dust filter for his Hoover MaxExtract PressurePro model', a new life.

Critic Opinion: "It's an oddly quiet, yet ominous beginning for a movie that's a blockbuster project. Six years after creator Vince Gilligan provided the perfect conclusion to the epic saga of meth-making, ex-high school teacher Walter White, "El Camino" returns to complete the story of his former student and partner in the drug trade, Jesse Pinkman.  But this film is a smaller movie. It's not a grand return to the former glory of "Breaking Bad." It's a deftly directed tale about a desperate man fighting for his freedom. It picks up seconds after the finale of "Breaking Bad" as Jesse is speeding away from a compound where he was held captive by a gang of murderous neo-Nazis." - Erci Deggans, NPR

User Opinion: "Really enjoyed it. Wonderful little character piece, nice closure, well-earned." - @Plain Old Tele

Reasoning: In what seems to have been a breakout year for Netflix in producing prestige pictures en masse, there was one film that most people seemed to have moved on from in the online discourse, yet it's stuck in my mind.  El Camino is a movie that should have been entirely unnecessary, yet it ends up being a really nice epilogue that feels like it should have been apart of the Breaking Bad story all along.  There's bits of fanservice moments, but in general the film strays away from that and focuses solely on its lead character.  It's a nice and concise character piece that earns its major moments on its own terms, and not the looming shadow of the masterful TV Series that it is following.

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Her Smell

Directed by Alex Ross Perry

 

 

"Sorry for the delay."

 

Most Valuable Player: Elizabeth Moss as Becky

Box Office: 0,25m DOM

Metascore: 69 (nice!)

Synopsis: A self-destructive punk rocker struggles with sobriety while trying to recapture the creative inspiration that led her band to success.

Critic Opinion: "Moss is galvanizing, scary and very, very funny; she makes Lady Gaga in “A Star Is Born” look like even more of a Cinderella saint among pop divas, and for sheer hell-raising intensity, she eclipses Natalie Portman in “Vox Lux.” She has never been afraid to go deep and dark; from “Mad Men” to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” she’s been one of the best actors in television for a while. Her film work, a juicy recent role in Jordan Peele’s “Us” notwithstanding, hasn’t earned her as much attention, a situation that “Her Smell” deserves to remedy.  What’s remarkable about this star turn — apart from Moss’ more-than-convincing embodiment of Becky’s talent in three musical performances, each one crucial — is that it’s beautifully modulated even at its most unhinged. Becky grins and cackles like a demon one minute, then drops scarily silent the next. Her arias of verbal abuse are startlingly lucid and hyper-eloquent, peppered with all manner of baroque alliteration and goofy wordplay. (It would kill the joke to explain, but “Inward, ho!” is still making me laugh several days later.) Perry has his show-offy impulses as a writer, but Moss is so good she sells them as the character’s own." - Justin Chang, LA Times

User Opinion: *Insert one of @Ethan Hunt's Telegram raves here*

Reasoning: Easily one of the most overlooked films of the year.  Coming in at number 19 is yet another character piece carried by the lead actor.  Elizabeth Moss is electric and makes the rather open narrative structure of the film work seamlessly.  Her Smell is an effective five part film that tells its story in five rather long scenes and lets Moss go wild with it.  There's some really incredible character moments in this film that are entirely earned, my main reason I couldn't end up ranking this further up on the list is that it feels a little bit too aimless for the first three sections, and some amount of condensing could have been helpful for a tighter narrative.  Beyond that, a really solid film.

 

 

 

[The Panda]

I'll end for tonight by also revealing my top 3 albums and tv shows for this year.  The rest of this countdown should be finished by tomorrow night.  As in prior years, I won't really do much commentating for the 'awards' part, just reveal my picks!

 

Best Album

 

Number 3

i,i by Bon Iver

 

 

Number 2

Chrysaline by Josh Garrels

 

 

Number 1

My Finest Work Yet by Andrew Bird

 

 

 

Best TV Show/Miniseries

 

Number 3

Chernobyl, HBO

 

Number 2

The Good Place, NBC

 

Number 1

Watchmen, HBO

 

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by The Panda

[TMP]

Watchmen ruuuuuuuuuuuuuules. God Damon.

[The Panda]

 

Booksmart

Directed by Olivia Wilde

 

"Prepare to get consensually bashed."

 

Most Valuable Player: Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel and Katie Silberman for the Screenplay

Box Office: 22.7m DOM

Metascore: 84

Synopsis: On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.

Critic Opinion: "The film exists in a strange matrix. It’s more John Hughes than Judd Apatow, and it’s a little more Bridesmaids than Lady Bird. As Amy and Molly embark on an epic quest to find the coolest graduation party in town, there are occasional aesthetic nods to the film’s indie roots, notably the lush scene shot in a backyard pool and soundtracked with great yearning to the billowy Perfume Genius song “Slip Away.” As Amy pursues her lust for Ryan (Victoria Ruesga), a giggly, laid-back skater chick with ambiguous sexual preferences, she shimmies out of a borrowed sequined dress and cannonballs into the pool. It’s one of the first scenes where we see Amy experience a sense of freedom and joy, even though the moment is cut short by crushing reality." - Kristen Evans, The New Republic

User Opinion: "Booksmart joins the likes of Lady Bird, The Edge of Seventeen, and Eighth Grade at the height of what feels like a recent renaissance in great teen films. As overseen with keen comedic and dramatic sensibilities from first-time director Olivia Wilde, it’s a hilarious film whose ribald humor pops, whose narrative feels fresh despite sounding like plenty of other teen films on a surface level, and whose characters feel real and relatable. Wilde gets tons of mileage from the terrific lead performances by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. Dever delivers upon the blistering promise she showed in the underrated Short Term 12 with a performance that hits just about every note right." - @Webslinger

Reasoning: Booksmart was one of the most tolerable things to come out of this last Summer's crop of films, in fact it was more than tolerable and actually a raucous good time.  The film is certainly plagued with issues that keep the film from elevating into something truly great, but as a slightly raunchy coming of age comedy Booksmart really does the trig.  With a smart screenplay and a dynamic breakout pairing on screen, Olivia Wilde delivered a solid debut that was one of the most purely entertaining films to come out during the year.

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

The Peanut Butter Falcon

Directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz

 

"You are not invited to my birthday party!"

 

Most Valuable Player: Zack Gottsagen as Zack

Box Office: 20.5m DOM

Metascore: 70

Synopsis: The Peanut Butter Falcon is an adventure story set in the world of a modern Mark Twain that begins when Zak (22), a young man with Down syndrome, runs away from the nursing home where he lives to chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler by attending the wrestling school The Salt Water Redneck. Through circumstances beyond their control Tyler (32), a small-time outlaw on the run, becomes Zak's unlikely coach and ally. Together they wind through deltas, elude capture, drink whisky, find God, catch fish, and convince Eleanor (28), a kind nursing home employee with a story of her own, to join them on their journey.

Critic Opinion: "And the man in the reeds? His name is Zack Gottsagen. In the film, he plays a challenged man without a home who wants to become a pro wrestler. In real life, all Gottsagen wanted to do was be in a movie.  Knowing all of this just makes The Peanut Butter Falcon an even more remarkable achievement. As LeBeouf’s line acknowledges, it is a modern take on Twain’s depiction of Huck and Jim floating down the Mississippi, on the lam from their past and other preconceptions." - Stephen Roderick, The Globe and Mail

User Opinion: "I saw this movie a couple weeks ago, and the more I think about it, the better and better it gets. I especially love the way Zak is written. A weaker script would have made him having Down syndrome as something to pity or take his character in a more sappy direction. But the creative team knew how to use Gottsagen's abilities and make him fully three-dimensional, where he does face discrimination and issues, but his disability isn't his only character trait. I really hope Gottsagen gets more work from this." - @Eric Laurence

Reasoning: One of the most good-natured films to come out this year.  The Peanut Butter Falcon is a familiar tale that never really goes into new territory, but through the work of great chemistry from the two leads, the film manages to be thoroughly sweet and enjoyable.  It certainly has its cheesy quirks that hamper down what's otherwise an excellent feature, but they're overcome by the fact that the moments that do shine really work to warm the heart.  It's also remarkably empathetic and fairly realistic in its portrayal of Down's Syndrome, something that a lesser movie could have easily botched.  If you're needing a film to lift your spirits, look no further than this one.

 

 

 

[The Panda]

Two of the categories revealed!

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Hustlers

Directed by Lorena Scafaria

 

"This city, this whole country, is a strip club. You've got people tossing the money, and people doing the dance."

 

Most Valuable Player: Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez

Box Office: 105m DOM

Metascore: 79

Synopsis: Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.

Critic Opinion: "Think Ocean’s Eleven with strippers and you’ve got the premise of Lorene Scafaria’s surprising, gripping Hustlers. Constance Wu stars as Dorothy, a.k.a. Destiny, the new girl at a hot Manhattan gentlemen’s club. The wildly successful Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) takes Dorothy under her wing and shows her how to get ahead in exotic dancing. But after the 2008 financial crash, the pair and their friends resort to criminal means to keep the cash coming in.  This is a deeply feminist film, one where men are given less screen time than the cameoing Cardi B and Lizzo. These women are objectified by the world, though rarely by Scafaria’s camera. They use that fact to scam money and take revenge on Wall Streeters. Scafaria treats the women as flawed, fractious characters and folk heroes, not sex dolls. She packs in some visual flourishes too, like a shaky-cam shot of one of the crew’s walk of shame to her daughter’s school. It’s a reminder that there’s more at stake for these women than the ability to buy designer clothes." - Helen O'Hara

User Opinion: "This definitely surpassed the initial expectations I had for this. An entertaining empowerment tale filled with energy (starting with the Magic Mike-esque strip club scenes that make up the bulk of the movie's first 30 minutes) that also renders the characters as believable individuals, showing the depths some will go to just to survive and make a living. Recent Twitter drama aside, Constance Wu continues to be a compelling presence, and everyone else in the cast provides good work, but the whole movie belongs to Jennifer Lopez in arguably the best role she's received since the Twin Towers were still standing. It's a magnetic performance that reminds us she's a more than capable actress and will hopefully open the door to her finally getting richer work again. I don't think the framing device of Wu retelling the story to reporter Julia Stiles was necessary, but that's a minor complaint when the rest works as well as it does. This joins The Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short, and Molly's Game as movies from the past couple of years based on real-life events that make for an easily recommended time at the movies even if the subject matter doesn't immediately capture your attention." - @filmlover

Reasoning: Hustlers is a movie that if you asked me at the beginning of the year which films I thought would end up being among my favorites for the year that I wouldn't have even thought to include.  It's a film that caught me by surprise with the humanity it shows its characters, and manages to be a film about strippers that completely avoids overt objectification and instead focuses on issues of empowerment.  While its driving plot is of interest, the real heart of the movie lies in the relationship developed between Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez's characters, both of which give the film a rich depth under all of the glamour and blind surrounding it.

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Always Be My Maybe

Directed by Nahnatchka Kahn

 

"The man who embraces his mediocre nothingness shines greater than any."

 

Most Valuable Player: Keanu Reeves as Himself

Box Office: N/A

Metascore: 64

Synopsis: Childhood friends Sasha and Marcus have a falling out and don't speak for 15 years. But when Sasha, now a celebrity chef in Los Angeles, returns to her hometown of San Francisco to open a new restaurant, she runs into her old pal - a happily complacent musician still living at home and working for his dad. Though the two are reluctant to reconnect, they soon find the old sparks - and maybe some new ones - are there.

Critic Opinion: "And then there’s Keanu Reeves, who enters the film as a glamorous impediment to the course of true love. Netflix insists critics shouldn’t reveal who Reeves plays, but trust me, the John Wick star is dynamite in a role much closer to home. His self-mocking wit is simply delicious. Still, the movie holds its center when it stays whisper-close to its bruised heart. The question of whether friends can be lovers is a Hollywood staple (see When Harry Met Sally…) that only works when we form a rooting interest in the characters. That we do that here is a tribute to how well Wong and Park play it naughty and nice. Wong is a comic tornado who never sacrifices truth for a laugh, and Park possesses acting instincts that keep it touchingly real. No maybes about it, they’re too good to miss." - Pete Travers, Rolling Stone

User Opinion: "Solid sweet romcom with leads who are not only likeable but with personality and a believable connection/relationship.  Also some nice supporting characters.

 

Keanu as Douche Movie Star Keanu stole the show and was hilarious." - @TalismanRing

Reasoning: Another Netflix film, yet one that feels like it was nearly completely overlooked.  Always Be My Maybe follows in the footsteps of Set it Up and Crazy Rich Asians by working to bring back the romantic comedy as an actually good genre of entertainment.  The film manages to stay sincere in the relationship between the two lead characters, and while it doesn't reinvent the genre, it has enough lovable quirks to make it worth watching and remembering.  And of course there is the glorious cameo from Keanu Reeves that elevated the film up nearly a letter grade for me, it has some of the funniest moments in a comedy all year.

 

 

 

[TalismanRing]

 

The Irishman really?   

 

When Pecsi calls DeNiro kid when they first met I could not stop laughing.  He's supposed to start in his 30s or early 40s and he never looks or moves a day under 65.  Ditto Pacino (though he's a bit more lively) and Hoffa was dead by that age. 

[The Panda]

 

[The Panda]

9 minutes ago, TalismanRing said:

 

The Irishman really?   

 

When Pecsi calls DeNiro kid when they first met I could not stop laughing.  He's supposed to start in his 30s or early 40s and he never looks or moves a day under 65.  Ditto Pacino (though he's a bit more lively) and Hoffa was dead by that age. 

The Irishman's effects aren't perfect by any means, but I found it effective overall.  Plus it works towards breaking some new grounds VFX-wise, even if the tech still has quite a ways to go in perfecting itself.

Edited December 29, 2019 by The Panda

[The Panda]

 

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Directed by Marielle Heller

 

"Hello, neighbor."

 

Most Valuable Player: Marielle Heller's Direction

Box Office: 55.9m+ DOM

Metascore: 80

Synopsis: Two-time Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. After a jaded magazine writer (Emmy winner Matthew Rhys) is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America's most beloved neighbor.

Critic Opinion: "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, directed by Marielle Heller and starring Tom Hanks as the cherished children’s television host Fred Rogers, is one of those movies you didn’t know you needed. It’s drawn, to a degree, from the friendship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod, who profiled Rogers for Esquire magazine in 1998 and found himself surprised by the man’s depth and genuine warmth. And if you saw last year’s marvelous documentary by Morgan Neville, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, you’ll already have some sense of Rogers, an ordained minister and a longtime Pittsburgh resident who loved swimming and playing the piano; he’d been a chubby kid, taunted by his schoolmates, and he never forgot how that felt. Neville’s documentary showed how closely Fred Rogers hewed to his TV persona, in his kindness and his strong desire to help children to express their feelings—although, as that film and Heller’s both point out, he was a human being, not a saint." - Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine

User Opinion: "So uh....this might be my new favorite movie of the year." - @Spaghetti

Reasoning: Set up as if you were watching an episode of Mr Rogers on TV, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a wonderful little film that provides justice to the soul of the title character of the film, played charmingly by Tom Hanks.  The film is tenderly directed, and although it moves exactly in the direction you'd expect it to, every moment hums swellingly.  There's quite a few creative decisions taken by Marielle Heller at the helm that really bring the film to life.  It's a movie that's great for the entire family and should work to inspire empathy, which is exactly what you'd want from a tribute to the man who worked his whole life to do just that.

 

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

The Two Popes

Directed by Fernando Meirelles

 

"Mercy is the dynamite that blows down walls."

 

Most Valuable Player: Jonathan Pryce and Athony Hopkins as the Two Popes

Box Office: N/A

Metascore: 75

Synopsis: An intimate story of one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world. Inspired by true events.

Critic Opinion: "“The Two Popes” belongs to the rich cinematic tradition of the two-hander, in which quiet conversations and subtle moments serve to elucidate the complex depths of the soul. That it pulls off what can be a difficult endeavor is only more impressive considering that the characters are a current and future pope at a moment of profound crisis, rather than friends at a cafe (“My Dinner with Andre”) or romantic lovers (“Before Sunrise”). The stakes in telling this story could not be higher." - Robert Levin, Newsday

User Opinion: "Everyone go see Two Popes, it's THAT good." - @misafeco

Reasoning: A wonderful character piece that focuses in on a series of conversations between Pope Benedict and soon to be Pope Francis during one of the most explosive (yet peaceful) transitions of power within the Catholic Church.  The film is a nuanced take on two clashing worldviews and the bonds of friendship that forms despite the great divides in philosophies between the two leaders.  The Two Popes is a dynamic and engaging exploration of power and mercy, and you'll probably learn a little bit along the way.

 

 

 

 

[TalismanRing]

44 minutes ago, The Panda said:

The Irishman's effects aren't perfect by any means, but I found it effective overall.  Plus it works towards breaking some new grounds VFX-wise, even if the tech still has quite a ways to go in perfecting itself.

It didn't break ground with VFX.  Lola has been doing better aging effects since Benjamin Button and their work for Marvel in aging and de-aging is eons ahead of what is in The Irishman.  Just look at  SLJ in Captain Marvel.  He just turned 71 - he's believably in his 40s  Or de-aging Michael Douglas and Kurt Russell etc or aging Atwell and Evans

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by TalismanRing

[The Panda]

Given the fact the next categories are completely audio based, I'll share a YouTube track with the graphic of the winners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

Rocketman

Directed by Dexter Fletcher

 

"For my next trick... I'm gonna fucking kill myself."

 

Most Valuable Player: Taron Egerton as Elton John

Box Office: 96.4m DOM

Metascore: 69 (nice!)

Synopsis: A musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John's breakthrough years.

Critic Opinion: "From that white lie, though, comes the highlight of the film. As the song hits its stride, Elton dispenses with his piano stool and—keeping his hands on the keys, like little Reggie—lofts his legs into the air. And there he stays. So hot is the thrill that the action freezes. And such is the uplift that the revellers at the Troubadour, too, begin to levitate; we watch their feet leave the ground. The joint is jumpin’, and that jump, as every pop star knows, and as all fans feel in their bones, matters more than the life, however staid or fraught, from which the music sprang. Forget therapy. Screw gravity. For a few minutes, exultant and exalted, “Rocketman” takes off." - Anthony Lane, New Yorker

User Opinion: "By making it a musical fantasy than a straight biopic, it is able to tell Elton's story in a way that oddly works. The first ten minutes are a bit slow but really ramps up once Taron Egerton shows up as adult Elton. The casting is mostly spot on apart from Bryce Dallas Howard who seems a bit miscast as Elton's Mum Sheila." - @Jonwo

Reasoning: If you're going to do a musical biopic, please make them more like Rocketman and a whole lot less like Bohemian Rhapsody.  Through framing what could have been a conventional rise, fall and rise again story as a fantasy jukebox musical, Rocketman manages to reinvigorate energy into what was turning out to be a rather boring genre of film.  Taron Egerton is rather explosive as Elton John and nails the part to the extent where there's points it feels as if you're actually watching Elton (which is pretty tough to do given how unique of a persona he is).  While it's far from a perfect movie, when the film takes off (such as the great title sequence of the film or the Crocodile Rock Sequence) it's pretty spectacular.  

 

 

 

 

[The Panda]

 

J'ai perdu mon corps (I Lost My Body)

Directed by Jeremy Clapin

 

*Insert squeaking rats and something about an Igloo here*

 

Most Valuable Player: Whoever animated that wonderful hand

Box Office: N/A

Metascore: 81

Synopsis: In a Parisian laboratory, a severed hand escapes its unhappy fate and sets out to reconnect with its body. During a hair-raising escapade across the city, the extremity fends off pigeons and rats alike to reunite with pizza boy Naoufel. Its memories of Naoufel and his love for librarian Gabrielle may provide answers about what caused the hand's separation, and a poetic backdrop for a possible reunion between the three. Based on Guillaume Laurant's novel "Happy Hand."

Critic Opinion: "Note the title is I Lost My Body, not I Lost My Hand. Naoufel’s resilient go-getting hand is the star. This little guy is the Indiana Jones of appendages as he embarks on an odyssey to get back to his body. The POV animation is edge-of-the-seat thrilling as he fights off a pack of rats with a cigarette lighter and glides down an electricity cable on a clothes hanger (we eventually learn how man and hand came to be parted near the end of the movie). There is wonderful poetic montage sequence near the beginning, sketching out the hand’s memories of childhood: gripping the handlebars of a bike, trailing out of the window of a car, reaching for his dummy - a homage perhaps to the start of Pixar’s Up. Hands down, this is the best animation of 2019." - Cath Clarke, Guardian

User Opinion: "It's a *great* movie" - @SLAM! in the telegram chat

Reasoning: Yet another Netflix film (at least that's how I saw it) and quite easily the best animated film of the year by a large margin.  I Lost My Body follows a hand on an epic journey through a de-glamorized take on Paris as it attempts to find its way back to its body.  It's a gripping film, full of odd dangers for a hand, and it contains some of the most tender moments in cinema this year.  It's pretty wondrous how an animated chopped off hand is able to become a character of such empathy, but you're rooting for the little guy the entire way.  It's a remarkable animation that does quite a bit of work to show that animation is not just for children's movies.

 

 

 

 

[The Panda]