Category Archives: Film

The Columbus Film Critics Circle Honors Killers of the Flower Moon!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Way back on January 4th, the Columbus Film Critics Circle announced their picks for the best of 2023!

And here they are, with the winners in bold!

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

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

Best Lead Performance
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Leonardo DiCaprio – Killers of the Flower Moon
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Zac Efron – The Iron Claw
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Margot Robbie – Barbie
Andrew Scott – All Of Us Strangers
Emma Stone – Poor Things
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

Best Supporting Performance
Penélope Cruz – Ferrari
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Glenn Howerton – BlackBerry
Charles Melton – May December
Julianne Moore – May December
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things
Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers

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

Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work)
Willem Dafoe – Asteroid City, The Boy & The Heron, Inside, and Poor Things
Matt Damon – Air and Oppenheimer
Colman Domingo – The Color Purple, Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken, Rustin, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Sandra Hüller – Anatomy Of A Fall and The Zone of Interest
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction, Asteroid City, and Rustin

Breakthrough Film Artist
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon – (for acting)
Cord Jefferson, American Fiction – (for directing and screenwriting)
Charles Melton, May December – (for acting)
Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers – (for acting)
Celine Song, Past Lives – (for directing and screenwriting)

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

Best Film Editing
Michael Andrews – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Kirk Baxter – The Killer
Nick Houy – Barbie
Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer
Yorgos Mavropsaridis – Poor Things
Thelma Schoonmaker – Killers of the Flower Moon

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 Original Screenplay
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola – Asteroid City
Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik – May December
Sean Durkin – The Iron Claw
Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach – Barbie
David Hemingson – The Holdovers
Celine Song – Past Lives
Justine Triet and Arthur Harari – Anatomy Of A Fall

Best Score
Jerskin Fendrix – Poor Things
Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer
Laura Karpman – American Fiction
Robbie Robertson – Killers of the Flower Moon
Naoki Satô – Godzilla Minus One

Best Documentary
20 Days in Mariupol
32 Sounds
American Symphony
Anselm (TIE)
Kokomo City (TIE)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Best Foreign Language Film
Afire
Anatomy Of A Fall
The Boy & The Heron
Godzilla Minus One
Perfect Days
The Zone of Interest

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

Frank Gabrenya Award for Best Comedy
American Fiction
Asteroid City
Barbie
Bottoms
The Holdovers
No Hard Feelings
You Hurt My Feelings

Best Overlooked Film
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
BlackBerry
Rye Lane
Showing Up
Theater Camp
You Hurt My Feelings

Belatedly, Here’s What Won At The Golden Globes

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Mostly because I felt like crap on Sunday night, I did not watch the Golden Globes.  In fact, I was pretty much passed out during the majority of their run time.  I woke up a few times and, whenever I checked social media, people were complaining about the host.  Apparently, he made a mild joke about Taylor Swift that Taylor didn’t like and the Swifties came for him.  Or something.  Like I said, I was sick and I was running a fever and I really wasn’t sure what day it was.

Anyway, only now have I really gotten a chance to look at the winners.  It was a good night for Oppenheimer and Poor Things, though who really knows how much influence the Globes have anymore.  I mean, last year, they weren’t even aired and no one cared.  The show has gone from being hosted by Ricky Gervais and Tina Fey to some guy who was occasionally a part of the Chelsea Lately panel. He should have known better than to make a joke about Taylor Swift.  Not even I have the guts to do that and I actually enjoy being a contrarian.

Belatedly, here are the Globe winners!

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Anatomy Of A Fall
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
The Zone Of Interest

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Air
American Fiction
Barbie
The Holdovers
May December
Poor Things

BEST DIRECTOR, MOTION PICTURE
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Greta Gerwig – Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Martin Scorsese – Killers Of The Flower Moon
Celine Song – Past Lives

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Annette Bening – Nyad
Lily Gladstone – Killers Of The Flower Moon
Sandra Huller – Anatomy Of A Fall
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Cailee Spaeny – Priscilla

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL, OR COMEDY
Fantasia Barrino – The Color Purple
Jennifer Lawrence – No Hard Feelings
Natalie Portman – May December
Alma Pöysti – Fallen Leaves
Margot Robbie – Barbie
Emma Stone – Poor Things

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Julianne Moore – May December
Rosamund Pike – Saltburn

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Leonardo DiCaprio – Killers Of The Flower Moon
Barry Keoghan – Saltburn
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Andrew Scott – All Of Us Strangers

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL, OR COMEDY
Nicolas Cage – Dream Scenario
Timothee Chalamet – Wonka
Matt Damon – Air
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers
Joaquin Phoenix – Beau Is Afraid
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
Willem Dafoe – Poor Things
Robert De Niro – Killers Of The Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Charles Melton – May December
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

BEST SCREENPLAY, MOTION PICTURE
Anatomy Of A Fall
Barbie
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE, MOTION PICTURE
The Boy And The Heron
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
The Zone Of Interest

BEST ORIGINAL SONG, MOTION PICTURE
“What Was I Made For?” – Barbie
“I’m Just Ken” – Barbie
“Dance The Night” – Barbie
“Road To Freedom” – Rustin
“Addicted To Romance” – She Came To Me
“Peaches” – The Super Mario Bros. Movie

BEST MOTION PICTURE, ANIMATED
The Boy And The Heron
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Suzume
Wish

BEST MOTION PICTURE, FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Anatomy Of A Fall
Fallen Leaves
Io Capitano
Past Lives
Society Of The Snow
The Zone Of Interest

GOLDEN GLOBE FOR CINEMATIC & BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT
Barbie
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
1923
The Crown
The Diplomat
The Last of Us
The Morning Show
Succession

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, MUSICAL, OR COMEDY
Abbott Elementary
Barry
The Bear
Jury Duty
Only Murders in the Building
Ted Lasso

BEST LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
All The Light We Cannot See
Beef
Daisy Jones and the Six
Fargo
Fellow Travelers
Lessons in Chemistry

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Helen Mirren – 1923
Bella Ramey – The Last Of Us
Keri Russell – The Diplomat
Sarah Snook – Succession
Imelda Staunton – The Crown
Emma Stone – The Curse

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear
Elle Fanning – The Great
Selena Gomez – Only Murders In The Building
Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Riley Keough – Daisy Jones and the Six
Brie Larson – Lessons in Chemistry
Elizabeth Olsen – Love And Death
Juno Temple – Fargo
Rachel Weisz – Dead Ringers
Ali Wong – Beef

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES, MUSICAL/COMEDY, OR DRAMA
Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown
Abby Elliot – The Bear
Christina Ricci – Yellowjackets
J. Smith-Cameron – Succession
Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building
Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Brian Cox – Succession
Kieran Culkin – Succession
Gary Oldman – Slow Horses
Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us
Jeremy Strong – Succession
Dominic West – The Crown

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Bill Hader – Barry
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building
Jason Segel – Shrinking
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building
Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Matt Bomer – Fellow Travelers
Sam Claflin – Daisy Jones and the Six
Jon Hamm – Fargo
Woody Harrelson – White House Plumbers
David Oyelowo – Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Steven Yeun – Beef

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES, MUSICAL/COMEDY, OR DRAMA
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
Matthew Macfadyen – Succession
James Marsden – Jury Duty
Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear
Alan Ruck – Succession
Alexander Skarsgård – Succession

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A STAND-UP COMEDY ON TELEVISION
Ricky Gervais – Ricky Gervais: Armageddon
Trevor Noah – Trevor Noah: Where Was I
Chris Rock – Chris Rock: Selective Outrage
Amy Schumer – Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact
Sarah Silverman – Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love
Wanda Sykes – Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer

A Scene That I Love: Elvis Presley In Jailhouse Rock

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Elvis Presley would have been 89 years old today.

Elvis always said that one of his biggest regrets was that he never had full control over his film career.  While he had dreams of being taken seriously as an actor and admired James Dean and Marlon Brando, his management continually forced him into silly movies that only required him to sing a few songs.

Elvis’s early films, which were made before his military service and which allowed him to act as well as sing, were his best.  Today’s scene comes from one of those films, 1957’s Jailhouse Rock.

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special John McTiernan Edition

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Today is John McTiernan’s birthday!  Obviously, McTiernan’s career has had its ups and downs but he’s still responsible for directing some of the best action films ever made.

4 Shots From 4 John McTiernan Films

Predator (1987, directed by John McTiernan, DP: Donald McAlpine)

Die Hard (1988, directed by John McTiernan, DP: Jan de Bont)

The Hunt for Red October (1990, directed by John McTiernan, DP: Jan de Bont)

The Last Action Hero (1993, directed by John McTiernan, DP: Dean Semler)

Monday Live Tweets: A.P.E.X. and Payback!

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Hey, loyal readers, here are today’s live tweets or watch parties or whatever we’re calling them now in the X-era.

First off, #MondyActionMovie has got A.P.E.X., which is a movie about killer robots and time travel.  I’ve never seen it but it’s on YouTube and, if you want to watch it with us, you can find the movie on YouTube and join the watch party on Mastodon at 8:oo et.

Then, after that, #MondayMuggers is doing Payback, starring Mel Gibson as a thief seeking his money.  I’ve seen Payback a few times.  It’s intense.  The movie is on Prime and the watch party starts on X/Twitter at 10 pm et.

Retro Television Reviews: Death Cruise (dir by Ralph Senesky)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Sundays, I will be reviewing the made-for-television movies that used to be a primetime mainstay.  Today’s film is 1977’s Death Cruise!  It  can be viewed on Tubi and YouTube.

The thing with the Love Boat is that it promises something for everyone.  It’s a place where you set a course for adventure and put your mind on a new romance.

The same cannot be said of the Death Cruise.

Death Cruise opens with three couples winning an all-expenses paid trip on a luxury liner.  None of the couples are in a happy marriage.  Sylvia Carter (Polly Bergen) is tired of her husband, Jerry (Richard Long), and his philandering ways.  Elizabeth Mason (Celeste Holm) is frustrated with David Mason (Tom Bosley) and his loud dinner jackets.  Mary Frances Radney (Kate Jackson) is fed up with James (Edward Albert) and his smug refusal to start a family.  Of course, it’s not just martial problems that connects these passengers.  It’s also the fact that someone on the boat is stalking and killing them, one-by-one.  Can Dr. Burke (Michael Constantine) and Captain Vettori (Cesare Danova) track down the killer before it’s too late?

Death Cruise is an enjoyably twisty little murder mystery.  It aired in 1974, a good two years before the first Love Boat pilot film appeared on television.  However, both Death Cruise and The Love Boat were produced by Aaron Spelling so the two productions definitely have a shared DNA.  The Love Boat is basically Death Cruise with the addition of a laugh track and considerably less murder.  That said, I have my doubts as to whether Doc Bricker would have been as effective a detective as Dr. Burke.

One of the most interesting things about Death Cruise is how little anyone on the boat really seems to care about the fact that the passengers are turning up dead.  In fact, one widower is asking a widow to be his date to dinner within a few hours of the deaths of their spouses.  Of course, the murderer makes sure that dinner date is canceled but it’s still hard not to wonder whatever happened to an appropriate time of grieving.  Then again, I guess if you’re on a boat for a weekend, you just do whatever feels right at the moment.

(And certainly, if they were on The Love Boat, the walking HR nightmares that was Doc Bricker wouldn’t have wasted any time asking the widows to come by his office for a examination.)

Of the victims and suspects, Richard Long and Edward Albert are memorably sleazy while Tom Bosley plays up just how annoyed he is with the whole situation.  Michael Constantine is a good detective and the movie’s final twist is nicely executed.  Personally, when it comes to cruises, I will always prefer the safety and romance of The Love Boat but Death Cruise was an entertaining nautical diversion.

Live Tweet Alert: Watch The Believers With #ScarySocial!

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, for #ScarySocial, I will be hosting 1987’s The Believers, starring Martin Sheen!

If you want to join us on Saturday night, just hop onto twitter, start the film at 9 pm et, and use the #ScarySocial hashtag!  The film is available on Prime and Tubi!.  I’ll be there co-hosting and I imagine some other members of the TSL Crew will be there as well.  It’s a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.

 

Scene That I Love: Tom and Tessio in The Godfather

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

As we continue to observe Robert Duvall’s birthday, today’s scene that I love comes from my favorite movie, 1972’s The Godfather.

In this scene, Tom Hagen lets Tessio know that Michael knows that Tessio is the one who betrayed him.  It’s a short scene but one that is wonderfully acted by both Abe Vigoda and Robert Duvall.

Mario Puzo’s novel goes into a bit more detail about what is going through Tom’s mind while he watches Tessio being taken away.  Tessio was one of the last of the old breed of pre-prohibition era mobsters and he was someone who played a key role in Vito Corleone’s rise to power.  Tessio’s execution was not just revenge for betraying the family but also the end of an era, something that Tom full realized even if Michael didn’t.  When Tom tells Tessio that he can’t get him “off the hook for old time’s sake,” it’s a statement that those old times are gone forever.

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Robert Duvall Edition

Posted on 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 93rd birthday of Robert Duvall!  Robert Duvall is rightly known as one of America’s greatest actors but he’s also directed a few films as well.  Today, in honor of Mr. Duvall’s birthday, it’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Robert Duvall Films

Angelo, My Love (1983, dir by Robert Duvall, DP: Joseph Friedman)

The Apostle (1997, dir by Robert Duvall, DP: Barry Markowitz)

Assassination Tango (2002, dir by Robert Duvall, DP: Felix Monti)

Wild Horses (2015, dir by Robert Duvall, DP: Barry Markowitz)

Rest in Peace, David Soul

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I just heard that actor David Soul passed away yesterday, at the age of 80.

Horror fans, of course, will always remember David Soul for playing Ben Mears in Tobe Hooper’s adaptation of Salem’s Lot.  Personally, I’ll remember him for his chilling performance as a vigilante motorcycle cop in 1973’s Magnum Force.

In the scene below, Soul and his fellow vigilantes confront Inspector Callahan in a parking garage.  Though he doesn’t get the scene’s best line (“All of our heroes are dead,” is delivered by Kip Nevin), Soul does get to explain why he and his fellow motorcycle cops are doing what they’re doing.

It takes a good actor to believably intimidate Clint Eastwood.

David Soul, R.I.P.