Oppenheimer Wins In North Carolina!

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The North Carolina Film Critics Association have announced their picks for the best of 2023!

The winners are listed in bold.

BEST NARRATIVE FILM
American Fiction
Barbie
Godzilla Minus One
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Zone of Interest

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
American Symphony
May the Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story
The Mission
Silver Dollar Road
Still: A Michael J Fox Movie

BEST ANIMATED FILM
The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Anatomy Of A Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Past Lives
Perfect Days
The Zone of Interest

BEST DIRECTOR
Celine Song – Past Lives
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Greta Gerwig – Barbie
Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon
Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Barbie
John Wick: Chapter 4
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

BEST ACTOR
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Andrew Scott – All of Us Strangers
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Charles Melton – May December
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

BEST ACTRESS
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy Of A Fall
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Margot Robbie – Barbie
Emma Stone – Poor Things

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
America Ferrera – Barbie
Julianne Moore – May December
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE IN ANIMATION OR MIXED MEDIA
Bradley Cooper – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Daniel Kaluuya – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Shameik Moore – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Chloë Grace Moretz – Nimona
Hailee Steinfeld – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Asteroid City
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Anatomy Of A Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
May December
Past Lives

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
All of Us Strangers
American Fiction
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

BEST EDITING
Barbie
John Wick: Chapter 4
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer

BEST STUNT COORDINATION
Extraction 2
The Iron Claw
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Sisu

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Barbie
The Color Purple
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

BEST HAIR & MAKE-UP
Barbie
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Priscilla

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Asteroid City
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

BEST SCORE
The Killer
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Am I Dreaming – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Can’t Catch Me Now – The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
I’m Just Ken – Barbie
Peaches – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
What Was I Made For – Barbie

BEST SOUND DESIGN
John Wick: Chapter 4
The Killer
Oppenheimer
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Zone of Interest

BEST DIRECTORIAL DEBUT
Mel Eslyn – Biosphere
Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Michael B. Jordan – Creed III
Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou – Talk to Me
Celine Song – Past Lives

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Abby Ryder Fortson – Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret
Milo Machado Graner – Anatomy Of A Fall
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Charles Melton – May December
Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Make-Up Artist
Rick Baker
Greg Cannom
Ve Neill
Tom Savini
Stan Winston

KEN HANKE MEMORIAL TAR HEEL AWARD
Fantasia Barrino – The Color Purple
Julianne Moore – May December
Hunter Schafer – The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
May the Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story
Silver Dollar Road

Oppenheimer Wins In Central Florida

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yesterday, the Critics Association of Central Florida announced their picks for the best of 2023!

And here they are:

Best Picture
Winner: Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Barbie

Best Director
Winner: Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig – Barbie

Best Actor
Winner: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Bradley Cooper – Maestro

Best Actress
Winner: Emma Stone – Poor Things
Runner-up: Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Ryan Gosling – Barbie

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Runner-up: Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer

Best Cast
Winner: Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Barbie

Best Documentary
Winner: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Runner-up: Beyond Utopia

Best International Film
Winner: The Zone of Interest
Runner-up: Anatomy of a Fall

Best Animated Film
Winner: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Runner-up: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Best Screenplay
Winner: Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach – Barbie

Best Cinematography
Winner: Hoyte Van Hoytema – Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Robbie Ryan – Poor Things

Best Costume Design
Winner: Barbie
Runner-up: Poor Things

Best Editing
Winner: Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Poor Things

Best Make-Up and Hairstyling
Winner: Poor Things
Runner-up: Barbie

Best Production Design
Winner: Barbie
Runner-up: Poor Things

Best Score
Winner: Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Daniel Pemberton – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Original Song
Winner: “I’m Just Ken” – Barbie
Runner-up: “What Was I Made For” – Barbie

Best Sound Design
Winner: Oppenheimer
Runner-up: Maestro

Best Stunt Coordination
Winner: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Runner-up: John Wick: Chapter 4

Best Visual Effects
Winner: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Runner-up: Oppenheimer

Austin Nominates Godzilla

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yesterday, the Austin Film Critics Association announced their nominees for the best of 2023! Godzilla made the best picture list so good for him! It may not translate to Oscar glory but it’s nice to see Godzilla finally getting some love.

The winners will be announced on January 10th.

Best Picture
American Fiction
Barbie
Godzilla Minus One
The Holdovers
The Iron Claw
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Director
Greta Gerwig, Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Celine Song, Past Lives

Best Actress
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy Of A Fall
Greta Lee, Past Lives
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Andrew Scott, All Of Us Strangers
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

Best Supporting Actor
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Charles Melton, May December
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Rachel McAdams, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Julianne Moore, May December
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Best Ensemble
Asteroid City
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Original Screenplay
Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik, May December
Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, Barbie
David Hemingson, The Holdovers
Celine Song, Past Lives
Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, Anatomy Of A Fall

Best Adapted Screenplay
Kelly Fremon Craig, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Cord Jefferson, American Fiction
Tony McNamara, Poor Things
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Cinematography
Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer
Matthew Libatique, Maestro
Rodrigo Prieto, Barbie
Rodrigo Prieto, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robbie Ryan, Poor Things

Best Editing
Jennifer Lame, Oppenheimer
Yorgos Mavropsaridis, Poor Things
Thelma Schoonmaker, Killers of the Flower Moon
Kevin Tent, The Holdovers
Michelle Tesoro, Maestro

Best Original Score
Jerskin Fendrix, Poor Things
Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer
Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon
Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, Barbie

Best International Film
Anatomy Of A Fall
The Boy and the Heron
Godzilla Minus One
The Taste of Things
The Zone of Interest

Best Documentary
20 Days in Mariupol
Beyond Utopia
Four Daughters
Little Richard: I Am Everything
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Best Animated Film
The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Suzume
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital Performance
Bradley Cooper, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Ayo Edebiri, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Shameik Moore, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Chloë Grace Moretz, Nimona
Hailee Steinfeld, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Stunt Coordinator
Stephen Dunlevy & Scott Rogers, John Wick: Chapter 4
Wade Eastwood, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Chavo Guerrero, Jr., The Iron Claw
Crispin Layfield, Polite Society
Noon Orsatti, Extraction 2

Best First Film
Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane
Cord Jefferson, American Fiction
Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou, Talk To Me
A.V. Rockwell, A Thousand And One
Celine Song, Past Lives

The Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award
Ayo Edebiri, Bottoms, Theater Camp, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Unknown Country, Fancy Dance, Quantum Cowboys
Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers
Celine Song, Past Lives

Killers Of The Flower Moon Wins In Oklahoma

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yesterday, the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle announced their picks for the best of 2023! And here they are:

Top 10 Films
1. Killers of the Flower Moon
2. The Holdovers
3. Oppenheimer
4. Barbie
5. Past Lives
6. The Zone of Interest
7. Poor Things
8. May December
9. The Boy and the Heron
10. American Fiction

Best Actress
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Actor
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actress
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actor
Ryan Gosling – Barbie

Best Director
Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Original Screenplay
David Hemingson – The Holdovers

Best Adapted Screenplay
Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Documentary
American Symphony

Best Animated Feature
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse

Best Foreign Language Film
The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom/Poland)

Best Cinematography
Hoyte Van Hoytema – Oppenheimer

Best Score
Robbie Robertson – Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Ensemble
Barbie

Best First Feature
Celine Song – Past Lives

Best Body of Work
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy of a Fall & The Zone of Interest

Most Disappointing Film
Maestro

Special Citation for Achievement in Oklahoma Independent Filmmaking
Fancy Dance – Directed by Erica Tremblay

Here Are The 2023 Nominations of the Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists Guild

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

For all the attention that is given to the various regional critics groups during awards season, the true precursors are usually the guild nominations because the members of the Academy are also (usually) members of the guilds as well.

With that in mind, here are the 2023 nominations of the Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists Guild. The winners will be announced on February 18th!

Feature-Length Motion Pictures

Best Contemporary Make-up
“Candy Cane Lane,” Tym Shutchai Buacharern, Michele Lewis, Jennifer Zide-Essex, Yvettra Grantham
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Jane Galli, Personal
“Haunted Mansion,” Kimberly Jones, Dionne Wynn, Bridgit Crider, Carla VanNessa Wallace
“Nyad,” Felicity Bowring, Ann Maree Hurley, Julie Hewett, Mahar Lessner
“Saltburn,” Siân Miller, Laura Allen

Best Period and/or Character Make-up:
“Barbie,” Ivana Primorac, Victoria Down, Maha Mimo,
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Alexei Dmitriew, Nicole Sortillon, Amos Samantha Ward, LuAndra Whitehurs
“Maestro,” Siann Grigg, Jackie Risotto, Elisa Tallerico, Nicky Pattison-Illum
“Oppenheimer,” Luisa Abel, Jason Hamer, Kerrin Jackson, Jamie Loree Hess
“Poor Things,” Nadia Stacey

Best Special Makeup Effects
“Golda,” Karen Thomas, Eva Susanna Johnson Theodosiou
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Alexei Dmitriew, Lindsay MacGowen, Shane Mahan, Scott Stoddard
“Maestro,” Kazu Hiro, Sian Grigg, Duncan Jarman, Mike Mekash
“Poor Things,” Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier
“Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire,” Ozzy Alvarez, Justin Raleigh, Kelsey Berk, Jonathan Shroyer

Best Contemporary Hair Styling
“Candy Cane Lane,” Yvette Shelton, Shian Banks, Stacey Morris, Maisha Oliver
“Joy Ride,” Jeannie Chow, Kim Lee
“Nyad,” Daniel Curet, Vanessa Columbo, Enzo Angileri, Darlene Brumfeld
“Pain Hustlers,” Michelle Johnson, Dennis Bailey
“Saltburn,” Siân Miller, Laura Allen

Best Period Hair Styling and/or Character Hair Styling
“Barbie,” Ivana Primorac, Marie Larkin, Clare Corsick
“Chevalier,” Roo Maurice, Francesco Pegoretti
“The Color Purple,” Lawrence Davis, Andrea Mona Bowman, Tym Wallace
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Cassandra Lyn Russek, Stephanie Fenner, Peter Tothpal, Connie Criswell
“Maestro,” Kay Georgiou, Lori McCoy-Bell, Jameson Eaton, Amanda Duffy-Evans

4 Shots from 4 Films: Special George Pan Cosmatos Edition

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More 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 lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, we celebrate the birth of director George Pan Cosmatos! It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 George Pan Cosmatos Films

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985, dir by George Pan Cosmatos, DP: Jack Cardiff)

Cobra (1986, dir by George Pan Cosmatos, DP: Ric Waite)

Leviathan (1989, dir by George Pan Cosmatos, DP: Alex Thomson)

Tombstone (1993, dir by George Pan Cosmatos, DP: William Fraker)

Scenes That I Love: Rambo Returns from George P. Cosmatos’s Rambo: First Blood Part II

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On this date, in 1941, future director George Pan Cosmatos was born in Italy. Cosmatos would go on to direct some of the most financially successfully (if critically lambasted) films of the 80s. He’s also credited as being the director on Tombstone, though it’s generally agreed that Cosmatos largely deferred to Kurt Russell on that film. (Cosmatos was a last minute replacement for the film’s original director.)

Other than Tombstone, Cosmatos is best-known for the films that he did with Sylvester Stallone. And today’s scene that I love comes from the 1985 film, Rambo: First Blood Part II. In this scene, Rambo — having survived being abandoned yet again in Vietnam — let’s the CIA knew exactly what he thinks about their operation. Whatever else you may say about the film (and I certainly prefer the first First Blood to any of the more simplistic sequels that followed), this scene is pure 80s action.

If you ever meet James Cameron, remind him that he wrote the script for this film and see how he reacts.

Here’s a scene that I love:

Catching Up With The Films Of 2023: Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story (dir by Neill Blomkamp)

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Having had a rough day, I decided that I needed to watch a crowd-pleaser tonight.

Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story is definitely that. The film may have an unwieldy title and it might not really break any new ground as far as sports films are concerned but it’s still definitely a film that will leave viewers feeling satisfied. It tells the story of Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), who gets a chance to turn his love for and skill at the Gran Turismo video game into a real life career when he is selected for GT Academy, a school in which the world’s best simulation drivers are trained to be real-life racers. Though GT Academy may have started out as a PR stunt that was masterminded by executive Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom), both Jann and his trainer, Jack Salter (David Harbour), are determined to prove that the simulation drivers deserve to be taken seriously.

Gran Turismo hits all of the expected moments. Jann’s father (Djimon Hounsou) is a former professional soccer player who worries that his son is going to waste his life pursuing an impossible dream. Jann’s mother (played by my favorite Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell-Horner) worries that Jann is going to be one of the drivers who wrecks his car and doesn’t emerge from the remains. Jann has a pretty and supportive girlfriend named Audrey (Maeve Courtier-Lilley). Jann has a quirky love for the music of Kenny G and Enya. Jann has to win everyone’s respect, including Jack’s. Jann has to deal with arrogant rivals. Jann has to conquer his own insecurities before he can win and Jack has to conquer his own past before he can truly help to lead Jann to victory.

And, of course, Jann is involved in a massive car wreck that causes him to lose his confidence right before the big race. The wreck is actually based on something that truly did happen to Jann Mardenborough, though it occurred two years into his racing career as opposed to at the beginning of it. Tragically, in both the movie and in real life, the crash resulted in the death of a spectator. One can understand why the car crash was moved (because otherwise, Jann would have been too confident going into the big race and there wouldn’t be as much suspense as to whether or not he would be able to conquer his fears) while also feeling that it was a bit of a tacky thing to do. The film reducing a real-life tragedy to a plot point feels all the more gauche when you consider that the filmmakers could have just made up some incident to cause Jann to lose his confidence. I mean, we all know that “based on a true story” doesn’t actually mean that a film’s story is 100% (or even 10%) true.

If you can overlook that bit of narrative tackiness, Gran Turismo is a well-made and likable sports film. Not a single moment really took me by surprise but, more often than not, I still found myself smiling whenever Jann proves the naysayers wrong and finished strong. Director Neill Blokamp made a huge splash with his first film, 2009’s District 9, but, his subsequent films have struggled to recapture the energy and narrative verve of his debut. Gran Turismo proves that Blokamp is still capable of directing a crowd-pleaser.

Scenes That I Love: Bugsy Attacks in Once Upon A Time In America

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In honor of Sergio Leone’s birthday, today’s scene that I love comes from his final film, 1984’s Once Upon A Time In America.

In this scene, which takes place in 1918 in New York City, a group of young street kids who fancy themselves sophisticated criminals are ambushed by their rival, Bugsy. With the combination of Ennio Morricone’s score and Leone’s haunting vision of New York City at the start of the 20th Century, this scene captures the loss of innocence that will eventually lead to all of the characters becoming ruthless (albeit successful) gangsters in their adult years.

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Sergio Leone Edition

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Sergio Leone (1929 — 1989)

95 years ago today, Sergio Leone was born in Rome, Italy. The son of actor/screenwriter Vincenzo Leone and silent actress Edvige Valcarenghi, Sergio was born into the Italian film industry. He began his career in the post-war rebuilding period, working as an assistant to Vittorio De Sica and, as an assistant director, for American films that were shot in Italy. (Albeit uncredited, he worked on two Oscar-nominated Biblical epics, Quo Vadis and Ben-Hur.)

After making his directorial debut with The Colossus of Rhodes, Leone went on to direct the films that would change the face of international cinema. Though he was hardly the first director of Spaghetti westerns, he was was the first to achieve far-reaching acclaim. With the Dollars Trilogy, he made Clint Eastwood a star and Eastwood has often said that the majority of what he knows about directing, he learned from working with Leone and later Don Siegel. Leone went on to direct the brilliant Once Upon A Time In The West and Once Upon A Time in America, two epic visions of American history that, sadly, were not initially treated well by their distributors.

Though Leone is only credited with directing eight films, his influence cannot be underestimated. As both a visual artist and a cultural and political commentator, his films continue to influence directors to this day.

For that reason, it’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Sergio Leone Films