Oscar Nominations 2017

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to part one of the annual Oscar spectacular! So, before we start, a quick note about the format. If you remember last year's post, you may recall that I ended up doing a mini-dissection of each best picture candidate based on what I could glean from their IMDb blurb. Originally just a one-off idea, I actually quite like how that format turned out, so I think I'm going to keep it as a staple for my best picture discussions from here on out.

Unlike last year, however, I actually have something to say for quite a few of the other categories this year, so with that in mind, I'm also going to be bringing back the category-by-category discussion from 2015's post. Just one problem with this: this year's post is nearly 2000 words long. Now, I know that's not unheard of on this blog, but for an Oscar post, that is quite a lot (frankly, I'm just impressed that I managed to turn around a comprehensive post of this magnitude in only three days!). So buckle up, guys: this is gonna be a long one.

Best Picture
First, let's have a look at Arrival. I left it out of my top 5, but it's still a decent film, maybe just not quite as good as everyone keeps saying. The idea of linguistics being applied to understand a visiting alien species is fantastically creative, and the film was, on the whole, really well executed, but I felt the ending kind of lost me. It wasn't that it was confusing: I pretty much understood what was going on, it just felt a bit like it was being profound for the sake of being profound, kind of like Interstellar and its 'love is the 5th dimension' bullshit and that weirdness with the black hole (not spoiling, but if you've seen Interstellar, you know what I mean).

Of course, it wouldn't be the Oscars if there wasn't a token racism film, Fences. You know the drill: African-Americans living through the 20th century and facing racial discrimination, with the aim of teaching us all the innovative but bitter truth: racism is bad. Almost certainly to be forgotten, my apathy for Fences is only amplified by the fact it won't be playing in cinemas until 10th February.

If all goes to plan, I'll be checking out Hacksaw Ridge at some point this weekend, along with T2: Trainspotting (so much hype!). In the meantime, based on trailers and it's current position on IMDb's Top 250, there seems to be a fair amount of promise here. I get a sort of Saving Private Ryan vibe from it, only a little more colourful and luckily not quite as long. I don't think it'll win, but I'm interested to see it.

I'd very vaguely heard of Hell and High Water prior to the Oscar announcements. I've heard from a couple of people who have seen it that it is pretty good, and if it's anything like No Country for Old Men (which it kinda reminds me of), then there's a chance I might find some enjoyment here. If I've got a spare afternoon and it happens to be playing, I might go check it out.

I'm torn on Hidden Figures, because although it looks like more of your bog-standard Oscar-bait about contemporary social issues, in this case, a double-dosage of feminism and racism, I actually really like the sound of it. It follows a group of African-American women who played a key part in performing calculations for NASA's first space missions. With decent user and critic scores to boot, it looks like I might just be persuaded.

I think it's clear from just the sheer number of nominations it's got (a record-tieing 14), La La Land is going to be the critical darling at this year's ceremony. And you know what, I'm happy for it. La La Land was an absolutely fantastic and delightful modern update of the classic Hollywood musicals like Singin in the Rain, managing to perfectly blend modern cinematic visuals with the atmosphere and 'magic', for lack of a better word, of Hollywood's golden era, capturing the best of both worlds. My one niggle is that the film feels very much like a fantasy, somewhat divorced from reality, which is great, that's how this kind of musical should be. Which is why it falters a bit towards the middle when proper drama is introduced and it loses a little too much of its joy (probably the only time I'll ever criticise a film for not being light-hearted). In a similar vein, the ending bothers me too. But put that aside, and La La Land is a phenomenal achievement, and will, I imagine, remain my favourite of the Oscar picks: it's already become at least my second favourite film of 2016.

Before we get onto our last two serious candidates, there's Lion, more of your standard Oscar-bait. I've seen the trailer a couple of times, and frankly, it just bores me. I can't really see this being particularly memorable or talked about in the future, so why start now.

Which brings us to Manchester by the Sea, another film that I have actually seen. A poignant film about responsibility and family, I found it very enjoyable and actually quite funny, even despite its absolute sucker punch to the feels about half way through that really made this film stick in my mind. It's a worthy pick and well worth a watch.

Lastly, Moonlight, which is still weeks away from being released (the bastard), and the other big contender at this year's ceremony. Receiving absolutely glowing reviews from critics and festival audiences alike, this film is gearing up to be a very late highlight to the year. It's another story that features racial issues, but this one just looks so much more interesting and nowhere near as generic as Fences, for example.

Now, some predictions. Honestly? I think it's going to be between Moonlight, La La Land and Manchester by the Sea: I don't think any of the others are going to even come close. La La Land will sweep the technicals by sheer probability at least, I'm sure, and if I were a gambling man, then that's where I'd place my money for best picture, but Manchester by the Sea is certainly a plausible winner with its moving and down-to-earth drama: something the Academy often likes. Without seeing it, I can't say much for Moonlight right now, but something in my gut tells me it's in with a chance.

Best Actor
I imagine that Casey Affleck will snag this award, and he would deserve it, as his performance in Manchester by the Sea really held the film together and communicated his internal struggle and the pain of his past. A slight nitpick: I found he did a lot of mumbling throughout the film, probably could have done with a note saying that it's possible to do a tortured psyche whilst still maintaining clear diction.

As great as Ryan Gosling was (as he always is), I can't really see him getting the award this year, purely because I think Affleck achieved more with his role, but that's primarily because he had a more complex character to work with, so it's hardly Gosling's fault. One last note: until I looked it up, I honestly thought Captain Fantastic was another Marvel film, one that hadn't received its pocket money from Disney, causing it to ditch its marketing campaign in order to fund its prerequisite amount of destruction porn.

Best Actress
Amy Adams has done some pretty great work this year. She starred in both Arrival and the nearly-unmentioned Nocturnal Animals, which wasn't quite good enough to make into my top 5 but was still a notable and really engrossing film. Anyway, Adams turned in great performances in both of these, portraying two very different characters, each with their own emotional turmoil and each convincingly realised.

But fuck it, we're not going to give her an Oscar nomination. You know who does need one, though? Another one, that is? Meryl Streep. Of course. Ok, ok, fine. I'll admit, I haven't seen Florence Foster Jenkins, so it's kind of unfair for me to say that she doesn't deserve it, but it's a matter of principle. It seems Streep keeps getting nominated out of some kind of tradition, or perhaps laziness on the Academy's part. Either they put her name down because they can't think of anything else or they feel they have to nominate her just because it's the Oscars and her getting a nomination is just part of the checklist, like celebrity guest stars at the ceremony or thinly-veiled racism.

Best Animated Film
Think I'm gonna have to go with Zootopia on this. What can I say? It was just a wonderfully realised film that accomplished everything it tried to do and appeals well to both kids and adults equally. You couldn't really ask for more. I have yet to see Kubo and the Two Strings (although I'm hopefully going to attend a screening of it at my uni's student cinema), but I've heard incredible things, and I wish it luck, especially as a big fan and supporter (and even practitioner) of stop motion.

I've also seen Moana, and while it was good, it just felt a bit too much like the generic Disney formula to really stand out. Put it this way: if I can predict the key moments of your film's third act with near-complete accuracy, you might want to try and change it up a bit.

Best Director
I can't remember if I've mentioned it here, but since Denis Villeneuve is directing Blade Runner 2049, a sequel to one of the greatest films of all time and one of my personal favourites, I've been keeping a close eye on his work, watching Arrival and Sicario, and hoping to catch up on Prisoners, Enemy and Incendies in due time. What I've seen has impressed me, enough to be confident that Blade Runner's precious sequel is in safe hands, and I'd definitely say he deserves an Oscar.

At the same time, Damien Chazelle has also impressed me. Between La La Land and Whiplash, two of the most popular and critically acclaimed (and personal favourites) of their respective years, Chazelle is developing a pretty phenomenal track record, and already getting several well-deserved Oscar nods, and he's (hopefully) only just getting started. Overall, I think I'd rather Chazelle wins this year, but I'm sure they'll both get them in time, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.

Best Cinematography
Unfortunately nothing for Mr Deakins this year, but there has still been plenty of great cinematography on show. I think from the selection I'd have to pick La La Land, especially as I'm a complete sucker for long takes, of which it has several (and they're all magnificent), although Arrival still had some great efforts, especially in its establishing shots (just look at the poster!).

However, those who read my new year's post will be aware that my favourite film of the year was The Neon Demon, and part of what made me love it so much was its fantastic cinematography and use of music. Neither of which have got a nomination here. In fact, The Neon Demon has gone completely unmentioned in this year's awards. I guess I'm not massively surprised: I mean, it was hardly a mainstream film, and it didn't even do particularly well with the critics or even some audiences, but come on! This film is an audio-visual experience! I promise it's better than Lion!

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

I don't really have anything specific to say about this category. And regardless of how good Killer Croc's makeup was, I just wanted to note that Suicide Squad is now officially an Oscar-nominated film.

Suicide Squad....

Oscar-nominated....

Best Original Song
Another two nominations for La La Land. Moana had some pretty decent songs, but come on, the best song was clearly 'You're Welcome' by Dwayne Johnson; that song is awesome. Also, Trolls. Trolls is now also an Oscar-nominated film....

Best Original Screenplay

It's bothering me that The Lobster has been nominated for an award. Nothing to do with the film itself: I have yet to see it, but this was by pretty much all accounts a 2015 picture? I mean, it began its cinema run before some of last year's winners like Spotlight and The Revenant. Just...rather confused, is all.

And there we have it, that's this years' nominations. Tune in in a months time to see my thoughts on the winners, along with a more accurate look at the films I haven't yet seen. You know, all the '2016' releases that don't begin their cinema run until the middle of February. And I thought I left my work to the last minute...

See you all next time!

My Top 5 Films of 2016

At last, the trainwreck of a year that has been 2016 is finally drawing to a close. Even the most optimistic among us could struggle to argue with the menagerie of awful events that have happened over the last three hundred and sixty five days. We've lost so many iconic celebrities, especially entertainers, including the likes of David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, Kenny Baker and even Carrie Fisher, who's death was announced even as I wrote this post. We've also been subjected to an unfathomable number of shootings and terrorist attacks, the Brexit vote and the ensuing political fallout and, of course, the election of a moronic, racist, sexist, untrustworthy pig to the highest governmental position in the United States.

Even on a personal level, this hasn't been the best of years. While I've had a few triumphs such as getting into university and making Viewfinder, my year has still been saturated with various stresses and strife for me, my family and even my closest friends. It's been a hard time for everyone.

But, as ever, I've sought respite in the world of film and TV, and boy what a years it's been. Between uni screenings and just general exploration, I've watched so many films this year, certainly more than any other year. "But Nick," I hear an annoying voice shout from the back of my head, as some confused parallel with my readers, "We all know most of those films are obscure foreign films and mainstream classics you should have seen yonks ago. What about releases actually from 2016?"

Thanks for your input, annoying voice in the back of my head. Yes, that might be true for most of the one-hundred-and-sixty-odd films I've seen this year, but quip all you like, because I'll have you know I've seen a mind-boggling fifteen of 2016's releases (all stats according to Letterboxd, btw), more than enough to make a legitimate list this year...even if that did mean having to rent a couple of releases to catch up.

So yes, unlike last year, I'm pretty confident in saying this year's list is a top 5 of 2016, barring any latecomers too busy on the festival circuit and eager to hijack Osacar season ticket sales to actually make a cinema run this side of NYE, such as Moonlight and La La Land. Which leads me nicely to my exciting new feature.

I've often complained how the best films of each year are often not released properly until Oscar season: too late for this list. So, as a new feature, every year I will now also give a quick updated Top 5 for the previous year, now that I've had the chance to see some more of the bigger contenders. So, here are my revised lists for the previous two years.

Updated Top 5 of 2014

5. Kajaki - Paul Katis
4. The Grand Budapest Hotel - Wes Anderson
3. The Imitation Game - Morten Tyldum
2. Whiplash - Damien Chazelle
1. Birdman - Alejandro González Iñárritu

Updated Top 5 of 2015

5. The Revenant - Alejandro González Iñárritu
4. Inside Out - Pete Docter
3. Jurassic World - Colin Trevorrow
2. Mad Max: Fury Road - George Miller
1. Ex Machina - Alex Garland

So now, without further ado, your feature presentation. Here are the five best films, in my humble opinion, to come out of this sorry excuse for a year.

5. Deadpool - Tim Miller
It's probably no big surprise, especially if you know me IRL, that I'm not the biggest fan of Marvel. The films themselves (Disney's output, at least) just seem a bit bland and forgettable: the only one I've seen that really left any kind of lasting impression was The Avengers. The fanbase for these films doesn't help my opinion either, but that's a topic for another day.

So while I did know a little about Deadpool beforehand, I wasn't expecting a whole lot from the film. But wouldn't you know, the fans are right for once: it's actually quite good. It's not any kind of masterpiece, but then it's hardly trying to be. The humour's pretty low-brow: primarily sex jokes and fourth-wall breaks, but it all fits with the character and the film's semi-parodic tone, so it all works surprisingly well and I found myself laughing more frequently than I would have predicted.

Again, nothing spectacular, but its an entertaining and off-beat little pastiche, with a surprising amount of heart behind it, and it will almost certainly make you chuckle, maybe even enough to warrant the brown pants. 8/10, Medium Recommendation

4. The Nice Guys - Shane Black
I'm not the biggest fan of Russell Crowe, but it is apparently possible to make him in to an enjoyable character. For those who missed it, The Nice Guys is a 70's-set comedy thriller about two detectives, Crowe and Gosling, who end up investigating the murder of a porn star, leading to a grand conspiracy (because it's never not a conspiracy). Pretty standard stuff, but what sets it apart from other detective thrillers is how outrageously funny it is. From Gosling's attempt at punching through a window, to a group of pollution protesters trying to play dead, this film is full of hilarious scenes as well as some great lines ("They had their balls removed. What's that called?" "Marriage?"). This is only Shane Black's third film, (after Iron Man 3) and I'm already excited to see what he does next, and to watch his first work, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

If you have a dark sense of humour, this is definitely worth a watch: I, for one, was pretty much laughing throughout. Either way, if you're looking for a solid, dark comedy to brighten up your evening, this is definitely a nice choice. 8/10, High Recommendation

3. 10 Cloverfield Lane - Dan Trachtenberg
At the heart of 10 Cloverfield Lane is a central dilemna that creates an incredible sense of drama and tension. Our two leads are locked in an underground bunker with an unstable conspiracy theorist who claims that the outside world has been ravaged by some kind of extra-terrestrial attack. They've either been saved by a misunderstood do-gooder, or they're being deceived and held captive by an unstable conspiracy nut, or possibly a mix of both, with no clear answer until right at the end. It's a fantastic catch-22 situation, and there's a constant paranoia and suspicions throughout the film, as the audience, along with the protagonist, scrutinize every detail to try and find the truth, and there's enough evidence to suggest either scenario. The end is really the only faltering point. Without spoiling, we do find out the truth and it does feel a little bit of a letdown. It's not enough to hurt the movie, but it would have been a lot stronger if it ended on an ambiguous note, maybe about ten minutes earlier. It also suffers a bit from it's 12 rating: there are some pretty violent and intense moments, and it does do a good job of doing a lot within its restrictions, but especially during a moment near the end involving corrosive acid, it could have done with a 15 certificate to really make it work.

These are minor nitpicks though, and otherwise this really is a pretty impressive and memorable film, and John Goodman is absolutely incredible as Howard, the conspiracy theorist; his performance is utterly terrifying at points, and really helps sell this films premise. Don't worry if you've never seen the original Cloverfield (although it too is worth a watch), this film is practically its own self-contained story and works just fine, arguably better, without any prior knowledge of the original. Definitely worth venturing outside the bunker for. 8/10, High Recommendation

2. Zootopia - Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
And yes, I am using it's original, American title. Because 'Zootopia' is an actual pun that works, and 'Zootropolis' is a nonsensical mess. Why the change? Apparently, there's a zoo somewhere in England already called Zootopia, and they didn't want the film to go by the same name. And who can blame them? How awful must it be to have a business that shares a name with a Disney property, thus generating a massive surge in business from the family demographic as kids flock there through sheer brand recognition. Just what would they do with all that money?

Anyway. I've always had a bit of an indifference towards Disney. I was brought up on their films as a kid like everyone else was, but they just must not have left that much of an impression because I barely remember any of them to this day. That being said, Zootpia definitely seems to capture that so-called Disney magic, and it had me smiling from ear-to-ear by the end credits. There's some absolutely superb writing, both in the dialogue and humour, as well as the integration of themes and morals of racial discrimination in such a way that was obvious enough that it was clear for the kids, but still really engaging and not too preachy, at least, not to the excruciating degree that most racism films are. The world building and lore also show a lot of attention to detail: it's clear that a lot of effort has been put into fleshing out this city of animals, and the mechanics that allow it to operate.

I was really taken aback by just how good this film was, especially considering my previous preconception of Disney as this corporate, money-grabbing supergiant (which it still is), but no, there was genuine effort and heart on display here, and definitely a great film for kids. 9/10,  High Recommendation

1. The Neon Demon - Nicholas Winding Refn
Bit of a controversial choice for number one, but I stand by The Neon Demon as being one of the best of the year. Certainly a divisive film: most people seem to either love it or hate it, much like marmite. A fitting comparison, as this film is dripping with a heavy, dark and unsettling atmosphere: one that really helps to make this more of an experience than just a film.

The only other film I've seen of Refn's is Drive (I know right, aren't I a special snowflake) and both it and this have this sort of strange surreality to it, and while Drive left me cold for taking itself a bit too seriously, The Neon Demon fully embraces its utter absurdity and really flourishes because of it, playing out like some kind of beautiful nightmare. As with Drive, the cinematography and use of lighting are orgasmically good, and the soundtrack by Cliff Martinez contributes a lot to the film's heavy atmosphere: it's a film that demands a cinema viewing. It's certainly not for everyone, but I'd encourage anyone even remotely interested to give it a try. For me at least, this was the one that stood out the most to me this year, and I can't wait to rewatch it when I get ahold of it on Bluray. This film is a diamond in a sea of glass. 9/10, Medium Recommendation

Well, that concludes another year. I guess besides 'A Muse Retrospective' I haven't posted too much this year, but there are plenty of posts in the works, don't you worry. The Oscar double bill should be up in January and February as usual, then after that I'm going to try and finish off some of these draft posts (one of them's about 1000 words in and I haven't touched it for months!). Thanks to everyone for their continued patience with me and my procrastination: I am very grateful to all of you who actually read the stuff I write, it makes it all worth it.

So, I wish you all a belated merry Christmas and a hopefully better new year!

Mini-Update: Facebook

Good afternoon, all. I know, it's yet another update post instead of any actual content but I've got something pretty neat to announce.

There now exists a Facebook page for all my creative works! I know right, it's the peak of internet innovation circa about five years ago. There's a link here, and soon there'll be a permanent link in the sidebar somewhere.

This page will essentially be the central hub for anything me-related. I do try to post updates about stuff I do on the blog, but it is much quicker and more accessible to do it over on Facebook. This page will have:

• Updates for new blog posts (especially helpful considering how irregular these posts are)
• Updates for releases of new short films and videos
• My photography work, sorted into albums by subject/theme
• Any updates on interesting developments, such as awards or upcoming projects
• Permanent links to my Instagram, Vimeo, Letterboxd and the blog.

So, if you wanna keep up with everything I'm doing, I'd highly recommend liking the page, that way you can receive actual notifications when stuff happens instead of just having to check the blog on the off-chance I've posted something new.

And if you've come here for the first time via the new Facebook page, firstly, Hello! Secondly, check the about me page or the intro post if you need some more information, otherwise, head up to the archive and have a look round, see if anything takes your fancy. If you like reading Oscar predictions or apologies for not posting much, you're in for a real treat.

That's it for now, but there is more content on the way soon, I promise! Thank you all for your continued patience, and I'll be back soon.