Author Archives: Lisa Marie Bowman

The Boston Online Film Critics Association Honors One Battle After Another

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Boston Online Film Critics Association has announced its picks for the best of 2025.  And here they are:

TOP TEN FILMS OF 2025
1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
2. SINNERS
3. MARTY SUPREME
4. NO OTHER CHOICE
5. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
6. SENTIMENTAL VALUE
7. WEAPONS
8. HAMNET
9. THE SECRET AGENT
10. TRAIN DREAMS

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Best Actress
Rose Byrne – IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU

Best Actor
Wagner Moura – THE SECRET AGENT

Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Madigan – WEAPONS

Best Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

​Best Ensemble
SINNERS

Best Score
Ludwig Göransson – SINNERS

Best Cinematography
Adolpho Veloso – TRAIN DREAMS

Best Editing
Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie – MARTY SUPREME

Best Documentary
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR

Best International Feature
NO OTHER CHOICE

Best Animated Film
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS

Holidays on the Lens: Random Acts of Christmas (dir by Marita Grabiak)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In 2019’s Random Acts of Christmas, journalist and single mom Sidney Larkin (Erin Cahill) is assigned to discover who has been committing random acts of Christmas kindness throughout the city.  At first, Sidney doesn’t want to investigate the identity of “Secret Santa,” but then she meets another journalist named Cole (Kevin McGarry), who is also looking into the story.  It’s a love that springs from rivalry except …. have you ever noticed that you never see Cole and Secret Santa in the same place at the same time?

Oh, come on.  We would all love to live in a city with a Secret Santa!

Scenes That I Love: The Cemetery Scene From It’s A Wonderful Life

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I love It’s A Wonderful Life and I’m looking forward to watching it many times over the upcoming week. To me, it’s the rare example of a perfect film.

Below is one of the more somber but important scenes from It’s A Wonderful Life. George (James Stewart) and Clarence (Henry Travers) go to what would have been Bailey Park if George had been born. Instead, it’s now a cemetery and buried there is George’s brother, who would have died if George hadn’t been born. And, as Clarence explains, every man that George’s brother saved would have died as well. “Each man’s life touches so many other lives,” as Clarence puts it.

Here is a scene from a wonderful movie called It’s A Wonderful Life.

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special George Roy Hill Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films is all about letting the visuals do the talking.

4 Shots From 4 George Roy Hill Films

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, dir by George Roy Hill, DP: Conrad Hall)

Slaughterhouse Five (1972, dir by George Roy Hill, DP: Miroslav Ondříček)

The Sting (1973, dir by George Roy Hill, DP: Robert Surtees)

Slap Shot (1977, dir by George Roy Hill, DP: Victor Kemper)

Live Tweet Alert: Join #ScarySocial for Christmas Evil!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in a few weekly live tweets on twitter.  I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of #MondayActionMovie!  Every week, we get together.  We watch a movie.  We tweet our way through it.

Tonight, at 9 pm et, Deanna Dawn and I will be hosting #ScarySocial!  The movie?  1980’s Christmas Evil!  

If you want to join us this Saturday, just hop onto twitter, start the movie at 9 pm et, and use the #ScarySocial hashtag!  It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.

The film is available on Prime!

Here are the 2025 Nominations of the Georgia Film Critics Association

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here are the 2025 Nominations of the Georgia Film Critics Association.  The winners will be announced on December 27th.

Best Picture
Black Bag
Hamnet
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sorry, Baby
Train Dreams
Weapons

Best Director
Hamnet – Chloé Zhao
One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson
Sentimental Value – Joachim Trier
Sinners – Ryan Coogler
Train Dreams – Clint Bentley

Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners

Best Actress
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby

Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

Best Supporting Actress
Ariana Grande-Butera – Wicked: For Good
Regina Hall – One Battle After Another
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

Best Original Screenplay
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sorry, Baby
Weapons

Best Adapted Screenplay
Frankenstein
Hamnet
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Train Dreams

Best Cinematography
F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams

Best Production Design
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners

Best Original Score
F1 – Hans Zimmer
Hamnet – Max Richter
One Battle After Another – Jonny Greenwood
Sinners – Ludwig Göransson
Train Dreams – Bryce Dessner

Best Original Song
“Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters
“Highest 2 Lowest” – Highest 2 Lowest
“I Lied to You” – Sinners
“Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” – Sinners
“Train Dreams” – Train Dreams

Best Ensemble
Black Bag
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

Breakthrough Award
Miles Caton
David Corenswet
Chase Infiniti
Jacobi Jupe
Eva Victor

Best Animated Film
Arco
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Scarlet
Zootopia 2

Best Documentary
The Alabama Solution
The Librarians
My Mom Jayne
The Perfect Neighbor
Predators

Best International Film
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirāt

Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema
Bugonia
Meta Take One
The Naked Gun
Sister
Salad Days (Short)
Superman
Swimming Holes (Short)
Thunderbolts
Weapons
Withdrawl
Zora Head: The Life and Scholarship of Valerie Boyd (Short)

One Battle After Another Wins In Florida

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Florida Film Critics Circle has announced its picks for the best of 2025.  The winners are in bold.

BEST PICTURE
Grand Tour
The Mastermind
No Other Choice (RUNNER-UP)
One Battle After Another (WINNER)
Sinners

ACTOR
Lee Byung-hun (No Other Choice)
Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme)
Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)
Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
Josh O’Connor (The Mastermind) (WINNER)

ACTRESS
Crista Alfaiate (Grand Tour)
Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) (WINNER)
Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love) (RUNNER-UP)
Renée Zellweger (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rita Cortese (Most People Die on Sundays)
Amy Madigan (Weapons)
Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) (RUNNER-UP)
Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) (WINNER)
Mia Threapleton (The Phoenician Scheme)

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro (One Battle After Another)
Jacques Develay (Misericordia)
David Jonsson (The Long Walk) (RUNNER-UP)
Delroy Lindo (Sinners)
Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) (WINNER)

ENSEMBLE
Eephus
One Battle After Another (RUNNER-UP)
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners (WINNER)

DIRECTOR
Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
Bi Gan (Resurrection)
Kelly Reichardt (The Mastermind)
Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) (RUNNER-UP)
Park Chan-wook (No Other Choice) (WINNER)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Astronaut Lovers (Marco Berger)
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Mary Bronstein)
It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi) (WINNER)
Rent Free (Fernando Andrés & Tyler Rugh) (RUNNER-UP)
Sentimental Value (Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier)
Sinners (Ryan Coogler)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Bugonia (Will Tracy)
Hamnet (Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell)
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (Liane-Cho Han, Aude Py, Maïlys Vallade & Eddine Noël)
No Other Choice (Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar, Lee Ja-hye) (RUNNER-UP)
One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson) (WINNER)

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Grand Tour (Gui Liang, Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Rui Poças)
One Battle After Another (Michael Bauman & Paul Thomas Anderson)
Resurrection (Dong Jingsong) (WINNER)
Sinners (Autumn Durald Arkapaw) (RUNNER-UP)
Sirāt (Mauro Herce)

VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: Fire and Ash (WINNER)
Frankenstein (RUNNER-UP)
No Other Choice
Resurrection
Sinners

EDITING
Die My Love (Toni Froschhammer) (RUNNER-UP)
No Other Choice (Kim Sang-bum & Kim Ho-bin)
Marty Supreme (Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie)
One Battle After Another (Andy Jurgensen) (WINNER)
Sinners (Michael P. Shawver)

PRODUCTION DESIGN & ART DIRECTION
Frankenstein (RUNNER-UP)
The Phoenician Scheme
Resurrection (WINNER)
The Secret Agent
Sinners

ORIGINAL SCORE
The Mastermind (Rob Mazurek) (RUNNER-UP)
One Battle After Another (Jonny Greenwood)
Sinners (Ludwig Göransson) (WINNER)
Sirāt (Kangding Ray)
Resurrection (M83)

DOCUMENTARY
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions (RUNNER-UP)
The Perfect Neighbor
Predators
River of Grass
Sabbath Queen (WINNER)

INTERNATIONAL FILM
Grand Tour (WINNER TIE)
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice (WINNER TIE)
Resurrection
The Secret Agent
Sirāt

ANIMATED FEATURE
100 Meters (RUNNER-UP)
Arco
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (WINNER)
Zootopia 2

FIRST FILM
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
Eephus (RUNNER-UP)
Lurker
Sorry, Baby (WINNER)
The Ugly Stepsister

BREAKOUT AWARD
Miles Caton (Sinners)
Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another) (WINNER)
Jacobi Jupe (Hamnet)
Théodore Pellerin (Lurker)
Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby) (RUNNER-UP)

GOLDEN ORANGE
River of Grass – Sasha Wortzel
No Sleep Till – Alexandra Simpson

The Online Association of Female Film Critics Honors Sinners

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Online Association of Female Film Critics have announced their picks for the best of 2025.  The winners are listed in bold.

BEST FILM
Hamnet
It Was Just an Accident
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson – “One Battle After Another”
Ryan Coogler – “Sinners“
Jafar Panahi – “It Was Just an Accident”
Joachim Trier – “Sentimental Value”
Chloé Zhao – “Hamnet”

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Jessie Buckley – “Hamnet“
Rose Byrne – “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You“
Renate Reinsve – “Sentimental Value“
Chase Infiniti – “One Battle After Another“
Eva Victor – “Sorry, Baby“

BEST MALE LEAD
Leonardo DiCaprio – “One Battle After Another“
Joel Edgerton – “Train Dreams“
Ethan Hawke – “Blue Moon“
Michael B. Jordan – “Sinners“
Wagner Moura – “The Secret Agent“

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Elle Fanning – “Sentimental Value“
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – “Sentimental Value“
Amy Madigan – “Weapons“
Wunmi Mosaku – “Sinners“
Teyana Taylor – “One Battle After Another“

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Benicio del Toro – “One Battle After Another“
Jacob Elordi – “Frankenstein“
Paul Mescal – “Hamnet“
Sean Penn – “One Battle After Another“
Stellan Skarsgård – “Sentimental Value“

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Hamnet
It Was Just an Accident
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

BREAKTHROUGH FILMMAKER
Akinola Davies Jr. – “My Father’s Shadow”
Harris Dickinson – “Urchin”
Harry Lighton – “Pillion”
Kristen Stewart – “The Chronology of Water”
Eva Victor – “Sorry, Baby“

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Miles Caton – “Sinners”
Chase Infiniti – “One Battle After Another“
Jacobi Jupe – “Hamnet”
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – “Sentimental Value”
Eva Victor – “Sorry, Baby“


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sorry, Baby

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Autumn Durald Arkapaw – “Sinners“
Michael Bauman – “One Battle After Another“
Dan Laustsen – “Frankenstein“
Adolpho Veloso – “Train Dreams“
Łukasz Żal – “Hamnet”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Hedda
Sinners
Wicked: For Good

BEST EDITING
F1: The Movie
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Sinners

BEST STUNTS
Ballerina
F1: The Movie
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One Battle After Another
Sinners

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Sinners

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Arco
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

BEST DOCUMENTARY
2000 Meters to Andriivka
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
The Perfect Neighbor
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
The Voice of Hind Rajab

THE ROSIE
The OAFFC’s signature award celebrates the film that “best promotes women, their voices, and the female experience through cinema.”
Die My Love
Hamnet
Hedda
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Sorry, Baby

Sinners (2025, dir by Ryan Coogler, DP: Autumn Durald Arkapaw)

 

One Battle After Another Hits The Jackpot In Las Vegas

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society has announced its picks for the best of 2025.  The winners are in bold.

BEST PICTURE
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams

BEST ACTOR
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Jesse Plemons – Bugonia

BEST ACTRESS
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
Emma Stone – Bugonia

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emily Blunt – The Smashing Machine
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

BEST DIRECTOR
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Clint Bentley – Train Dreams

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sorry, Baby
Weapons

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Bugonia
Frankenstein
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Train Dreams

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams

BEST FILM EDITING
F1: The Movie
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams

BEST SCORE
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Tron: Ares

BEST SONG
Clothed by the Sun – The Testament of Ann Lee
Drive – F1: The Movie
Golden – KPop Demon Hunters
I Lied to You – Sinners
Train Dreams – Train Dreams

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cover Up
John Candy: I Like Me
The Perfect Neighbor

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Arco
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle
In Your Dreams
KPop Demon Hunters
Zootopia 2

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
It Was Just an Accident
Left-Handed Girl
No Other Choice
Sentimental Value
The Secret Agent

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Sinners
Wicked: For Good

BEST ART DIRECTION
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
Sinners
Wicked: For Good

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1: The Movie
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Superman
The Fantastic Four: First Steps

BEST ACTION FILM
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Predator: Badlands
Superman
The Running Man

BEST COMEDY
Eternity
Friendship
The Ballad of Wallis Island
The Naked Gun
One of Them Days

BEST HORROR / SCI-FI
28 Years Later
Bring Her Back
Frankenstein
Sinners
The Long Walk

BEST FAMILY FILM
How to Train Your Dragon
KPop Demon Hunters
Lilo & Stitch
The Legend of Ochi
Zootopia 2

BEST ANIMAL PERFORMANCE
Bing, the Great Dane – The Friend
Hercules, the Dog – Marty Supreme
Indy – Good Boy
Olga, the Cat – Sorry, Baby
Richard and Baba – The Penguin Lessons

BEST ENSEMBLE
Jay Kelly
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

BREAKOUT FILMMAKER
Clint Bentley – Train Dreams
Drew Hancock – Companion
Emilie Blichfeldt – The Ugly Stepsister
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby
James Sweeney – Twinless

BEST STUNTS
F1: The Movie
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Predator: Badlands
The Running Man

YOUTH MALE PERFORMANCE (UNDER 21)
Christian Convery – Frankenstein / The Monkey
Jacobi Jupe – Hamnet
John Wren Phillips – Bring Her Back
Mason Thames – How to Train Your Dragon
Miles Caton – Sinners

FEMALE YOUTH PERFORMANCE (UNDER 21)
Helena Zengel – The Legend of Ochi
Maia Kealoha – Lilo & Stitch
Nina Ye – Left-Handed Girl
Shannon Mahina Gorman – Rental Family
Sora Wong – Bring Her Back

WILLIAM HOLDEN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Kathryn Bigelow
Barbara Broccoli
Kathleen Kennedy
Delroy Lindo
Sigourney Weaver

Holidays on the Lens: The Spirit of Christmas (dir by David Jackson)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In 2015’s The Spirit of Christmas, Kate (Jen Lilley) is a broker who is convinced that she doesn’t have time for the good things in life.  She doesn’t have time for a boyfriend.  She doesn’t have time for Christmas.  Instead, she’s going to spend the holidays trying to sell a historic inn.  What she doesn’t know is that the inn is reported to be haunted and that the ghost, a former bootlegger named Daniel (Thomas Beaudoin), is seriously hot!  Kate helps Daniel solve his murder and, in the process, falls in love.

This film is a nice mix of holiday spirit and …. well, real spirits!