Tag Archives: Bradley Cooper

Brad reviews THE HANGOVER PART III (2013), directed by Todd Phillips!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

In THE HANGOVER PART III, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Doug (Justin Bartha) get back together so they can help Alan (Zach Galifianakis), whose gone off his meds and seems incapable of handling his dad’s sudden death. After a family intervention, the guys are driving him to a rehabilitation facility when their car is forced off the road and out steps the gangster Marshall (John Goodman), assisted by Black Doug (Mike Epps). Marshall kidnaps (white) Doug as leverage to force the guys to bring him their old friend Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong) within three days, or they won’t see Doug alive again. It seems that Chow, who recently escaped from a Thai prison, had stolen $21 million in gold from Marshall, and he’s pissed. The Wolfpack head back to Vegas, and with the help of a few old friends, they do whatever they have to do to save Doug one more time! 

Released in the summer of 2013, THE HANGOVER PART III pulled in around $362 million in worldwide box office against a $103 million budget. While definitely a box office hit, these numbers are a big step down from the prior film’s $586 million, so up to this point, Part III has remained the Wolfpack’s last adventure. While THE HANGOVER PART II was practically a remake of the first film, PART III seems to be going the opposite way and actively tries not to repeat itself. The “what the hell happened last night” plot lines are abandoned for something different, and honestly, that’s probably about the smartest decision the filmmakers could have made for this installment. The film plays more like a darker, R-rated crime comedy, leaning into the action, heist, and confrontation sequences. While the change isn’t entirely successful, I definitely appreciate the attempt to come up with something different.

Even though THE HANGOVER PART III isn’t as funny as the prior films, I still enjoy the chemistry between Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis as the primary members of the Wolfpack. I also thought it was funny that Justin Bartha’s pack member Doug is once again relegated to the guy who’s not really involved, as he’s the one who’s kidnapped. Ken Jeong’s Mr. Chow, as cartoonish and unhinged as he is, is probably my favorite character in the series at this point. He pretty much steals every scene he’s in. John Goodman is a welcome addition as the intimidating bad guy, and he’s good in the film, but it’s the kind of role he could do in his sleep. I also really liked the fact that PART III returned to the initial setting of Las Vegas, which provides a nice sense of closure to the series, while also allowing for the participation of former characters like Heather Graham’s Jade and her son Tyler! It was nice to check in with them again. 

Ultimately, THE HANGOVER PART III is a pretty good conclusion to the series. It’s certainly not as funny or outrageous as the prior films, but it does deserve some credit for trying something new instead of simply repeating the formula for a third time. And I also thought the final scenes were emotionally effective as they took us for a quick trip down memory lane with the Wolfpack. It felt like the end, and I felt good watching it.

Brad reviews THE HANGOVER PART II (2011), directed by Todd Phillips!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

In director Todd Phillips’ THE HANGOVER PART II, the night before his wedding, groom-to-be Stu (Ed Helms), his two best friends, Phil and Doug (Bradley Cooper and Justin Bartha), Stu’s soon-to-be brother-in-law Teddy (Mason Lee) and Doug’s brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis), sit on a beach in Thailand for a toast to the bride and groom. After cracking open sealed bottles of beer in the beautiful setting, the movie screen goes black, and soon we see Phil, Stu and Alan wake up in a seedy room in Bangkok with absolutely no memory of what happened the previous night. The room is trashed, there’s a monkey wearing a denim Rolling Stones jacket, a naked Chow (Ken Jeong) is sleeping under a pile of blankets, Alan’s head is completely shaved, Stu has a face tattoo, and both Doug and Teddy are nowhere to be found! Doug calls and he’s back at the resort, but the only trace of Teddy is his severed finger, which is now in possession of the monkey. With the wedding just hours away, the three friends follow any clues they can find in a frantic search for Teddy. The search leads to the surprise discovery that Stu had intimate relations with a transsexual stripper, a tattoo parlor run by Nick Cassavetes, a dangerous and duplicitous American gangster named Kingsley (Paul Giamatti), and an arrested, ancient Buddhist monk who’s taken a vow of silence and who’s also confused for the 16-year-old, Teddy. Hell, at one point Mike Tyson shows up and sings the classic Murray Head single, “One Night in Bangkok.” Most importantly though, will the friends find Teddy alive and still have time to get back to the resort in time for Stu’s wedding?!!

A massive box office hit in the summer of 2011, THE HANGOVER PART II became the highest grossing R-rated comedy up to that time, with a worldwide gross of $586 million, against an $80 million budget. It was also the highest grossing R-Rated film to have opened over Memorial Day weekend, raking in over $118 million in its first four days. The story went to the well again with its still clever, but not quite as unique premise, comprised of a mystery-driven plot line where we follow the investigative adventures of Phil, Stu, and Alan and discover what happened the night before at the same time that they do. This allows for another series of outrageous, raunchy, surprising, and funny moments that escalate in absurdity over the course of the film’s 102-minute running time, culminating with another secret roll of pictures on Teddy’s camera that fill in the crazy events from their wild night in Bangkok. Based on the familiarity with the characters and the types of situations, I didn’t laugh out loud quite as frequently this time around, but the film still has its share of amusing moments, and I enjoyed revisiting the film again after a number of years. One of the things that I noticed about THE HANGOVER PART II is that it does not have the re-quotability factor going for it like the first film does. Alan and Chow have some funny lines, but honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever re-quoted a single one of them. I will agree with Alan on one point though, “When a monkey nibbles on a penis, it’s funny in any language.” I’d say that this film is more about mining comedy out of the extreme and absurd situations that our heroes are put in and less about clever, quotable quips. 

THE HANGOVER PART II works because of the outrageous situational comedy, as well as the exceptional chemistry between Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis. Ken Jeong has a bigger part this time around as Mr. Chow, and of course he’s hilarious. I did get some solid laughs from its combination of shock-value, sight gags and character interplay. The Bangkok we see here also makes for a seedy, raunchy and dangerous background to the crazy action. Of course the biggest negative of the film, as is the case with many sequels, is the fact that it’s practically a remake of the first HANGOVER, just set in Bangkok instead of Vegas. Think Charles Bronson’s DEATH WISH (New York) versus DEATH WISH II (Los Angeles). Also like the first two DEATH WISH films, THE HANGOVER PART II pushes the boundaries even farther, with even more graphic nudity and just overall harder material in general. Sequels always up the ante, but lose a little of what makes them so special in the process, and that’s definitely going on here.

Ultimately, while THE HANGOVER PART II was even more financially successful than the original, it’s not quite as fun because we’ve seen it before in the first film. But I loved the first film, so I enjoyed this one as well, just not quite as much. 

Brad reviews THE HANGOVER (2009), directed by Todd Phillips!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

It seems kind of strange in today’s world of non-stop streaming, but there was a time when you would purchase a blu-ray of a movie, and they’d give you a free “digital” copy of the movie. In 2009, I purchased the blu-ray for THE HANGOVER and added the digital copy of the movie to my laptop that I kept at my tax and accounting office. Every night during the 2010 tax season, I would go home around 5:00 for dinner, and then I’d go back to the office at 7:00 to continue my work. When I’d get back to the office, I would always play two copies of digital movies on my laptop… first, I’d play THE HANGOVER and next, I’d play ZOMBIELAND. When those two movies would end, usually by around 11:00, I’d head home. Needless to say, I got to know each of these movies very well and love them both.  

In director Todd Phillips’ THE HANGOVER, the night before his wedding, groom-to-be Doug (Justin Bartha), his two best friends, Phil and Stu (Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms), and his soon-to-be brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis), head to Las Vegas for a wild and exciting bachelor party. After taking some Jagermeister shots on the roof of Caesar’s Palace, the movie screen goes black, and soon we see Phil, Stu and Alan wake up in their hotel room with absolutely no memory of what happened the previous night. The room is trashed, there’s a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet, Alan doesn’t have on any pants, Stu is missing his lateral incisor, and Doug is nowhere to be found! With the wedding just hours away, the three friends follow any clues they can find in a frantic search for Doug. The search leads to the surprise discovery of a new stripper wife for Stu, the naked and dangerous Asian gangster Chow (Ken Jeong), who jumps out of the trunk of their car and attacks Phil with a crowbar, and Alan being tasered in the face by a kid visiting the Vegas police station. Hell, at one point Alan even gets punched out by Mike Tyson! More importantly, though, will they find Doug alive and have time to get him back to Los Angeles for his wedding?!!

A massive box office hit in the summer of 2009, THE HANGOVER became the highest grossing R-rated comedy up to that time, with a worldwide gross of $469 million against a budget of $35 million. One of the keys to the film’s success is its clever and unique premise, comprised of a mystery-driven plot line where we follow the detective-like adventures of Phil, Stu, and Alan and discover what the hell happened the night before at the same times that they do. This allows for a series of outrageous, raunchy, surprising, and hilarious comedic moments that escalate in absurdity over the course of the film’s 100-minute running time, culminating with an almost unbelievable roll of pictures on Stu’s camera that fill in the crazy events from their wild night in Vegas. Most movies, even comedies, don’t result in me laughing out loud. I laughed out loud frequently that first time I watched THE HANGOVER back in 2009, and I still do. It’s also a movie that, since that 2010 tax season, I have quoted endlessly in my personal life, whether it be “Classic,” to “Thanks a lot, Bin Laden,” and even “It’s not a purse, it’s called a satchel. Indiana Jones wears one.” I never know exactly when something will happen in my personal life that reminds me of THE HANGOVER, but if the time is right for an “in the face,” I’m always ready!  

Of course, the comedy in THE HANGOVER would not work without the great direction from Todd Phillips, as well as the exceptional performances and chemistry between Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis. Phillips moves things along at a perfect pace, allowing for tons of laughs, while propelling the story forward to its conclusion. He also seems to capture the chaos and “what happens in” feeling of an out-of-control night in Vegas. And when I watched the film, I was reminded of people in my own life who share certain traits with some of the characters, especially those played by Cooper and Helms. As such, the interactions between the characters seems natural and familiar to me, which makes it even funnier. Luckily, I can’t think of any friends like Galifianakis’ eccentric character, but that’s probably a good thing for my real life. In the context of the movie, however, he steals the film with his deadpan delivery.   

Ultimately, THE HANGOVER became a cultural phenomenon that launched a series of three films that grossed over $1.4 billion worldwide. It’s blend of clever writing, great casting and performances, and most importantly, great comedic moments, makes it one of my favorite comedies of the 21st century.

Lisa Marie Reviews An Oscar Nominee: Maestro (dir by Bradley Cooper)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I hope that Bradley Cooper  will win an Oscar soon.

It’s obvious that Cooper wants that Oscar and really, who can blame him?  After spending years being dismissed as a lightweight comedy actor, Cooper has really come into his own over the past thirteen years.  2012 was the year that he starred in Silver Linings Playbook and received his first Best Actor nomination.  In the years that followed, he was nominated for American Sniper, American Hustle, A Star Is Born and Maestro.  He deserved to be nominated for both Nightmare Alley and Licorice Pizza.  Cooper has shown himself to be both a talented actor and director.  He may not have been nominated for his direction of A Star Is Born but everyone knows that he should have been.  He’s come a long way from being the star of The Hangover films and it makes sense that he would want an Oscar to make it official.

(The Oscar itself may not carry the cultural cachet that it once did but seriously, an award is an award.)

That desire for an Oscar is probably the best way to explain 2023’s Maestro, a film that really might as well have just been called Oscar Bait.  Not only did Cooper direct and co-write Maestro but he also donned a prosthetic nose (and was briefly the center of some online controversy) to play the role of composer Leonard Bernstein.  Filmed in both black-and-white and color, the film follows Leonard Bernstein from his young debut as a conductor through his marriage to Felecia (Carey Mulligan).  Throughout the film, Felecia remains Leonard’s strongest supporter and his muse, even when she’s embarrassed by the rumors of his own impulsive behavior and his habit of cheating on her with men.  The film is a portrait of the struggle to be a genius, the struggle to support a genius, and the love that can hold two people together even during the most difficult of times.  And it’s all very Oscar bait-y, giving both Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan several scenes that, while well-executed, still feel as if they were designed specifically to appeal to the voters.

I had mixed feelings about Maestro when I watched it.  On the one hand, I definitely admired the craft and the skill that went into the production.  I admired the performances of both Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan.  The movie’s soundtrack is full of the best of Bernstein’s compositions, all performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.  The movie looked wonderful and it sounded wonderful but it also felt strangely hollow.  Watching it, I realized that the movie really didn’t know what it wanted to say about Bernstein and Felecia.  The movie was so consumed with technical perfection that the emotions of the story sometimes felt rather remote.  It was a film about Leonard Bernstein that, despite Cooper’s strong performance, failed to really give us a reason to care about Bernstein.  Maestro is a film that you admire while you watch it but it doesn’t really stick with you afterwards.  It’s the epitome of Oscar bait.

Maestro did not win Cooper any Oscars, though it did bring some nominations.  The film was also nominated for Best Picture but it lost to Oppenheimer.  That said, I’m looking forward to the year when Bradley Cooper does finally win his Oscar and hopefully, he’ll win it for a film that’s more like the emotion-filled A Star Is Born than the rather detached Maestro.  He’s one of my favorite actors and he’s due.

Music Video Of The Day: I’ll Never Love Again by Lady Gaga (2019, dir by Bradley Cooper)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 50th birthday to the one and only Bradley Cooper!  Today’s music video of the day comes from Cooper’s Oscar-nominated version of A Star Is Born.  The chemistry between Cooper and Lady Gaga is still amazing to behold.

Personally, I hope Cooper wins his Oscar soon.

Enjoy!

Lisa Marie’s Oscar Nomination Predictions

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Oscar nominations are due to be announced in a few more hours.  I’m still struggling to get caught up with all of the movies that I need to see before I can post my personal Oscar nominations (expect to see them and all of my “best of 2023 lists” at the end of this month) but I have been following the precursor season and I feel confident about predicting what will be nominated in the major categories.

We’ll find out how correct I am in just a few more hours!

Best Picture

American Fiction

Barbie

The Color Purple

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

Best Director

Greta Gerwig for Barbie

Yorgos Lanthimos for Poor Things

Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

Alexander Payne for The Holdovers

Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper in Maestro

Colman Domingo in Rustin

Paul Giamatti in The Holdover

Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Huller in Anatomy of a Fall

Greta Lee in Past Lives

Carey Mulligan in Maestro

Emma Stone in Poor Things

Best Supporting Actor

Willem DaFoe in Poor Things

Robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey, Jr. in Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling in Barbie

Dominic Sessa in The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple

Penelope Cruz in Ferrari

Jodie Foster in Nyad

Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers

Lisa Marie’s Oscar Predictions For December

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here they are!  These are my final Oscar predictions for 2023.  The critics groups have certainly helped to show us which films are major contenders.  That said, the Guilds are even more important so I can’t wait to see who they nominate and honor in January.

Below are my predictions for December.  Be sure to also check out my predictions for March and April and May and June and July and August and September and October and November!

Best Picture 

American Fiction

Barbie

Godzilla Minus One

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

(Before anyone gives me a hard time about Godzilla Minus One, I always toss in one critically acclaimed long shot so that I can brag — or perhaps even gloat — if it actually happens.  Plus, everyone knows that having Godzilla at the Oscars would be entertainment gold.)

Best Director

Greta Gerwig for Barbie

Yorgos Lanthimos for Poor Things

Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

Alexander Payne for The Holdovers

Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper in Maestro

Colman Domingo in Rustin

Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Huller in Anatomy of a Fall

Greta Lee in Past Lives

Carey Mulligan in Maestro

Emma Stone in Poor Things

Best Supporting Actor

Robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey, Jr. in Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling in Barbie

Charles Melton in May/December

Mark Ruffalo in Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress

Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple

Jodie Foster in Nyad

Rachel McAdams in Are You There God?  It’s Me, Margaret.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society Honors Oppenheimer!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society announced their picks for the best of 2023!  The winners are listed in bold.

Best Picture
Barbie
The Killer
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer

Best Actor
Nicolas Cage – Dream Scenario
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

Best Actress
Annette Bening – Nyad
Emma Stone – Poor Things
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Natalie Portman – May December

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Glenn Howerton – BlackBerry
Charles Melton – May December
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Rachel McAdams – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Julianne Moore – May December
Rosamund Pike – Saltburn

Best Director
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Greta Gerwig – Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Celine Song – Past Lives

Best Original Screenplay
Air
Barbie
Maestro
May December
Past Lives

Best Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Cinematography
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Saltburn

Best Film Editing
Air
Barbie
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Score
The Killer
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Society of the Snow
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Best Song
I’m Just Ken – Barbie
What Was I Made For? – Barbie
Road to Freedom – Rustin
Peaches – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Better Place – Trolls Band Together

Best Documentary
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
Kokomo City
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
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Best International Movie
Anatomy of a Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Society of the Snow
When Evil Lurks
The Zone of Interest

Best Costumes
Barbie
The Color Purple
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

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

Best Visual Effects
The Creator
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Godzilla Minus One
Oppenheimer
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Best Action Movie
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Best Comedy
American Fiction
Barbie
Dumb Money
Joy Ride
No Hard Feelings

Best Horror/Sci-FI Movie
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One
Talk To Me
Thanksgiving
When Evil Lurks

Best Family Film
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Barbie
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Best Ensemble
Barbie
The Color Purple
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Saltburn

Breakout Filmmaker
Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Adele Lim – Joy Ride
Celine Song – Past Lives
Nida Manzoor – Polite Society
Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman – Theater Camp

Best Stunts
John Wick: Chapter 4
The Killer
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Polite Society
Silent Night

Youth In Film (Male)
Milo Machado Graner – Anatomy of a Fall
Jake Ryan – Asteroid City
Christian Convery – Cocaine Bear
Jude Hill – A Haunting in Venice
Chase Dillion – Haunted Mansion

Youth in Film (Female)
Abby Ryder Fortson – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Elle Graham – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Ariana Greenblatt – Barbie
Iman Vellani – The Marvels
Violet McGraw – M3GAN

The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award
Nicolas Cage
Paul Giamatti
Hayao Miyazaki
Julianne Moore
Rodrigo Prieto

Here Are The 2023 Nominations of the Las Vegas Film Critics Society

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Las Vegas Film Critics Society announced their nominations for the best of 2023 on December 8th.  While a lot of the usual suspects make an appearance on the list, there are still a few interesting nominations, like David Fincher’s The Killer for Best Picture and Nicolas Cage for Best Actor in Dream Scenario.

The winners will be announced on December 13th!

Best Picture
Barbie
The Killer
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer

Best Actor
Nicolas Cage – Dream Scenario
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

Best Actress
Annette Bening – Nyad
Emma Stone – Poor Things
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Natalie Portman – May December

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Glenn Howerton – BlackBerry
Charles Melton – May December
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

Best Supporting Actress
Jodie Foster – Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Rachel McAdams – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Julianne Moore – May December
Rosamund Pike – Saltburn

Best Director
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Greta Gerwig – Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos – Poor Things
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Celine Song – Past Lives

Best Original Screenplay
Air
Barbie
Maestro
May December
Past Lives

Best Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Cinematography
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Saltburn

Best Film Editing
Air
Barbie
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

Best Score
The Killer
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Society of the Snow
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Best Song
I’m Just Ken – Barbie
What Was I Made For? – Barbie
Road to Freedom – Rustin
Peaches – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Better Place – Trolls Band Together

Best Documentary
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
Kokomo City
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
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Best International Movie
Anatomy of a Fall
Godzilla Minus One
Society of the Snow
When Evil Lurks
The Zone of Interest

Best Costumes
Barbie
The Color Purple
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things

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

Best Visual Effects
The Creator
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Godzilla Minus One
Oppenheimer
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Best Action Movie
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Best Comedy
American Fiction
Barbie
Dumb Money
Joy Ride
No Hard Feelings

Best Horror/Sci-FI Movie
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One
Talk To Me
Thanksgiving
When Evil Lurks

Best Family Film
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Barbie
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Best Ensemble
Barbie
The Color Purple
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Saltburn

Breakout Filmmaker
Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Adele Lim – Joy Ride
Celine Song – Past Lives
Nida Manzoor – Polite Society
Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman – Theater Camp

Best Stunts
John Wick: Chapter 4
The Killer
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Polite Society
Silent Night

Youth In Film (Male)
Milo Machado Graner – Anatomy of a Fall
Jake Ryan – Asteroid City
Christian Convery – Cocaine Bear
Jude Hill – A Haunting in Venice
Chase Dillion – Haunted Mansion

Youth in Film (Female)
Abby Ryder Fortson – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Elle Graham – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Ariana Greenblatt – Barbie
Iman Vellani – The Marvels
Violet McGraw – M3GAN

The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award
Nicolas Cage
Paul Giamatti
Hayao Miyazaki
Julianne Moore
Rodrigo Prieto

Here Are The 2023 Astra Nominations!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Astra Awards used to known as the HCA Awards but the name was changed this year for reasons unknown.  At first, I thought they had named the awards after the dog from The Thin Man but then I remembered that dog was actually named Asta.

(Seriously, folks, don’t rename stuff.  It’s confusing!  I’m still getting used to twitter being called X.)

Anyway, here are the 2023 Astra nominees.  There’s a lot of them, which I like.  (They give out a lot of awards that the Academy does not.)  While these awards, whether you call the HCA Awards or the Astra Awards, are not exactly the best Oscar precursors in the world, every bit helps when it comes to building momentum for Academy recognition.

Best Picture
“Air” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“American Fiction” (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
“Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“The Holdovers” (Focus Features)
“Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
“Maestro” (Netflix)
“Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
“Past Lives” (A24)
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)

Best Director
Alexander Payne – “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)
Ben Affleck – “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Bradley Cooper – “Maestro” (Netflix)
Celine Song – “Past Lives” (A24)
Christopher Nolan – “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
Cord Jefferson – “American Fiction” (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
Emerald Fennell – “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Greta Gerwig – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Martin Scorsese – “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
Yorgos Lanthimos – “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Actress
Carey Mulligan – “Maestro” (Netflix)
Emma Stone – “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
Fantasia Barrino – “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Greta Lee – “Past Lives” (A24)
Lily Gladstone – “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
Margot Robbie – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Actor
Barry Keoghan – “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Bradley Cooper – “Maestro” (Netflix)
Cillian Murphy – “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
Colman Domingo – “Rustin” (Netflix)
Jeffrey Wright – “American Fiction” (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
Paul Giamatti – “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Best Supporting Actress
America Ferrera – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Danielle Brooks – “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)
Julianne Moore – “May December” (Netflix)
Rachel McAdams – “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate)
Viola Davis – “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios)

Best Supporting Actor
Charles Melton – “May December” (Netflix)
Colman Domingo – “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Dominic Sessa – “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)
Glenn Howerton – “BlackBerry” (IFC Films)
Robert Downey Jr. – “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
Ryan Gosling – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Cast Ensemble
“Air” (Amazon MGM Studios)
“Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
“Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
“The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Best International Feature
“Anatomy of a Fall” (France)
“Concrete Utopia” (South Korea)
“Fallen Leaves” (Finland)
“Jawan” (India)
“Perfect Days” (Japan)
“Radical” (Mexico)
“Society of the Snow” (Spain)
“The Taste of Things” (France)
“The Teacher’s Lounge” (Germany)
“The Zone of Interest” (United Kingdom)

Best International Filmmaker
Hayao Miyazaki – “The Boy and The Heron” (GKids)
J.A Bayona – “Society of the Snow” (Netflix)
Jonathan Glazer – “The Zone of Interest” (A24)
Justine Triet – “Anatomy of a Fall” (NEON)
Trần Anh Hùng – “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films)
Wim Wenders – “Perfect Days” (NEON)

Best International Actress
Alma Pöysti – “Fallen Leaves” (MUBI)
Juliette Binoche – “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films)
Layla Mohammadi – “The Persian Version” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Leonie Benesch – “The Teacher’s Lounge” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Sandra Hüller – “Anatomy of a Fall” (NEON)
Roberta Colindrez – “Cassandro” (Amazon MGM Studios)

Best International Actor
Christian Friedel – “The Zone of Interest” (A24)
Enzo Vogrincic – “Society of the Snow” (Netflix)
Eugenio Derbez – “Radical” (Pantelion Films)
Gael García Bernal – “Cassandro” (Amazon MGM Studios)
Koji Yakusho – “Perfect Days” (NEON)
Mads Mikkelsen – “The Promised Land” (Magnolia Pictures)

Best First Feature
A.V. Rockwell – “A Thousand and One” (Focus Features)
Adele Lim – “Joy Ride” (Lionsgate)
Celine Song – “Past Lives” (A24)
Chloe Domont – “Fair Play” (Netflix)
Cord Jefferson – “American Fiction” (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
Michael B. Jordan – “Creed III” (Amazon MGM Studios)

Best Animated Feature
“The Boy and The Heron” (GKids)
“Elemental” (Disney/Pixar)
“Nimona” (Netflix)
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
“Suzume” (Sony Pictures/Crunchyroll)
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” (Paramount Pictures)

Best Documentary Feature
“20 Days in Mariupol” (PBS Distribution)
“American Symphony” (Netflix)
“Beyond Utopia” (Roadside Attractions)
“Little Richard: I Am Everything” (Magnolia Pictures)
“Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (Apple Original Films)
“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” (AMC Theatres Distribution)

Best Action Feature
“Creed III” (Amazon/MGM Studios)
“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (Paramount Pictures)
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Disney/Marvel)
“John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate)
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (Paramount Pictures)
“The Killer” (Netflix)

Best Comedy Feature
“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate)
“BlackBerry” (IFC Films)
“Bottoms” (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
“Joy Ride” (Lionsgate)
“No Hard Feelings” (20th Century Fox)
“Theater Camp” (Searchlight Pictures)

Best Horror Feature
“Evil Dead Rise” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Knock at the Cabin” (Universal Pictures)
“M3GAN” (Universal Pictures)
“No One Will Save You” (20th Century Studios / Hulu)
“Scream VI” (Paramount Pictures)
“Talk To Me” (A24)

Best Short Film
“The ABCs of Book Banning” (MTV Documentary Films)
“The After” (Netflix)
“The Last Repair Shop” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Once Upon A Studio” (Disney)
“Strange Way of Life” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” (Netflix)

Best Voice-Over Performance
Ariana DeBose – “Wish” (Walt Disney Studios)
Bradley Cooper – “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Disney/Marvel)
Daniel Kaluuya – “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
Hailee Steinfeld – “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
Jack Black – “The Super Mario Bros Movie” (Universal Pictures)
Shameik Moore – “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)

Best Original Screenplay
“Air” – Written by Alex Convery (Amazon MGM Studios)
“Anatomy of a Fall” – Written by Justine Triet & Arthur Harari (NEON)
“Barbie” – Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Past Lives” – Written by Celine Song (A24)
“Saltburn” – Written by Emerald Fennell (Amazon/MGM Studios)
“The Holdovers” – Written by David Hemingson (Focus Features)

Best Adapted Screenplay
“American Fiction” – Screenplay by Cord Jefferson (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” – Screenplay by Kelly Fremon Craig (Lionsgate)
“Killers of the Flower Moon” – Screenplay by Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese (Apple Original Films)
“Oppenheimer” – Screenplay by Christopher Nolan (Universal Pictures)
“Poor Things” – Screenplay by Tony McNamara (Searchlight Pictures)
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” – Screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Dave Callaham (Sony Pictures)

Best Casting
Mary Vernieu & Lindsay Graham Ahanonu – “Air” (Amazon/MGM Studios)
Jennifer Euston – “American Fiction” (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
Allison Jones & Lucy Bevan – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
John Papsidera – “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, and Destiny Lilly – “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Susan Shopmaker – “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Best Cinematography
Dan Laustsen – “John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate)
Rodrigo Prieto – “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
Matthew Libatique – “Maestro” (Netflix)
Hoyte van Hoytema – “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
Robbie Ryan – “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
Linus Sandgren – “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios)

Best Costume Design
Jacqueline Durran – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Oliver García – “Chevalier” (Searchlight Pictures)
Judianna Makovsky – “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Disney/Marvel)
Jacqueline West – “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
Holly Waddington – “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck – “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Editing
Laurent Sénéchal – “Anatomy of a Fall” (NEON)
Nathan Orloff – “John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate)
Thelma Schoonmaker – “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
Jennifer Lame – “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
Michael Andrews – “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
Kevin Tent – “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Best Hair and Make-Up
Nick Houy – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Ryo Murakawa – “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (Paramount Pictures)
Cassie Russek and Alexei Dmitriew – “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Disney/Marvel)
Kazu Hiro, Sian Grigg, Kay Georgiou, and Lori McCoy-Bell – “Maestro” (Netflix)
Nadia Stacey – “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
Carol Rasheed, Saisha Beecham, Lawrence Davis, and Tym Wallace – “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Original Song
“Camp Isn’t Home” from “Theater Camp” – Written by Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, and Mark Sonnenblick – Performed by Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin, Alexander Bello, Bailee Bonick, Donovan Colan, Jack Sobolewski, Kyndra Sanchez, Luke Islam, Madisen Lora and Quinn Titcomb (Searchlight Pictures)
“Dance the Night” from “Barbie” – Written by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa, and Caroline Ailin – Performed By Dua Lipa (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie” – Written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt – Performed by Ryan Gosling (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Peaches” from “The Super Mario Bros Movie” – Written by Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, and John Spiker – Performed by Jack Black (Universal Pictures)
“This Wish” from “Wish” – ​​Written by Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, and JP Saxe – Performed by Ariana DeBose (Disney)
“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” – Written By Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell – Performed by Billie Eilish (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Production Design
Adam Stockhausen – “Asteroid City” (Focus Features)
Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer – “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jack Fisk & Adam Willis – “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films)
Ruth De Jong – “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
James Price & Shona Heath – “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
Suzie Davies & Charlotte Dirickx – “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios)

Best Publicity Campaign
“Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate)
“M3GAN” (Universal Pictures)
“Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
“The Super Mario Bros Movie” (Universal Pictures)
“Wonka” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Score
“Elemental” – Thomas Newman (Disney/Pixar)
“Killers of the Flower Moon” – Robbie Robertson (Apple Original Films)
“Oppenheimer” – Ludwig Göransson (Universal Pictures)
“Poor Things” – Jerskin Fendrix (Searchlight Pictures)
“Saltburn” – Anthony Willis (Amazon MGM Studios)
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” – Daniel Pemberton (Sony Pictures)

Best Sound
“Ferrari” (NEON)
“John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate)
“Maestro” (Netflix)
“Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
“The Killer” (Netflix)

Best Stunts
“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (Paramount Pictures)
“Fast X” (Universal Pictures)
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Disney/Marvel)
“John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate)
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (Paramount Pictures)
“Polite Society” (Focus Features)

Best Visual Effects
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Disney/Marvel)
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (Paramount Pictures)
“Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)
“Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
“The Creator” (20th Century Studios)