Lisa’s Marie’s Top 26 Films of 2019


And now, without further ado, I conclude my look back at 2019 with my 26 favorite films of the years.  Why 26?  Because Lisa doesn’t do odd numbers!

(Want to see my previous picks?  Click here for 2018, 2017, 20162015, 2014201320122011, and 2010!)

1. The Souvenir
2. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
3. Uncut Gems
4. Luce
5. The Irishman
6. Parasite
7. The Lighthouse
8. Crawl
9. Dragged Across Concrete
10. Doletmite Is My Name
11. Avengers: Endgame
12. 1917
13. Joker
14. The Two Popes
15. The Aeronauts
16. Hustlers
17. The Report
18. Brittany Runs A Marathon
19. Rocketman
20. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
21. Apollo 11
22. I Lost My Body
23. The Farewell
24. Us
25. Midsommar
26. Spider-Man: Far From Home

The Black Film Critic Circle Select Dolemite Is My Name As The Best of 2019!


On Sunday, the Black Film Critics Circle announced their picks for the best of 2019!

And here they are:

Best Film: Dolemite Is My Name
Best Director: Martin Scorsese (The Irishman) and Kasi Lemmons (Harriet)
Best Actor: Eddie Murphy (Dolemite Is My Name)
Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (Us)
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time In Hollywood)
Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite Is My Name)
Best Original Screenplay: Lena Waithe (Queen & Slim)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Steven Zaillian (The Irishman)
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins (1917)
Best Foreign Film: Parasite
Best Documentary: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Best Animated Film: I Lost My Body
Best Ensemble: Dolemite Is My Name
Pioneer Award: Ruth E Carter
Rising Star: Kelvin J. Harrison
Special Mention: Lloyd ‘Kam’ Williams

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle Honors 1917 and Da’Vine Joy Randolph!


The Kansas City Film Critics Circle went their own way earlier today and selected 1917 as the best film of the year!  I haven’t seen 1917 yet so I’ll withhold on saying whether it deserved the award more than Irishman or Parasite.  However, I have seen Dolemite Is My Name and I am absolutely thrilled that the KCFCC selected the excellent Da’Vine Joy Randolph as best supporting actress!

Here are the winners:

BEST FILM: 1917

BEST DIRECTOR – Sam Mendes, 1917

BEST ACTOR – Adam Driver, Marriage Story

BEST ACTRESS – Lupita Nyong’o, Us

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Joe Pesci, The Irishman

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dolemite Is My Name

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – Little Women

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – Knives Out

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – 1917

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE – Toy Story 4

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM – Parasite

BEST DOCUMENTARY (tie) – Amazing Grace & Apollo 11

THE TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBT FILM – Portrait of a Lady on Fire

THE VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM – Us

Here Are The Eddie Nominations!


The SAG weren’t the only folks announcing their nominees today!

The American Cinema Editors (ACE) announced their Eddie nominations today, for the best edited films and television of 2019!  Here are the film nominees!

(Click here for the television nominations.)

BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (DRAMA)

Ford v Ferrari
Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland

The Irishman
Thelma Schoonmaker

Joker
Jeff Groth

Marriage Story
Jennifer Lame

Parasite
Jinmo Yang

BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (COMEDY):

Dolemite Is My Name
Billy Fox

The Farewell
Michael Taylor, Matthew Friedman

Jojo Rabbit
Tom Eagles

Knives Out
Bob Ducsay

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Fred Raskin

BEST EDITED ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:

Frozen 2
Jeff Draheim

I Lost My Body
Benjamin Massoubre

Toy Story 4
Axel Geddes

BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE):

American Factory
Lindsay Utz

Apollo 11
Todd Douglas Miller

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
Jake Pushinsky, Heidi Scharfe

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
David J. Turner, Thomas G. Miller

Here Are The 2019 Nominees Of The Costume Design Guild


The Costume Design Guild has announced their nominees for the best of 2019.

And here they are:

Excellence in Contemporary Film

  • A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Arjun Bhasin
  • Hustlers – Mitchell Travers
  • Knives Out – Jenny Eagan
  • The Laundromat – Ellen Mirojnick
  • Queen & Slim – Shiona Turini

Excellence in Period Film

  • Dolemite is My Name – Ruth E. Carter
  • Downton Abbey – Anna Mary Scott Robbins
  • Jojo Rabbit – Mayes C. Rubeo
  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Arianne Phillips
  • Rocketman – Julian Day

Excellence in Sci-Fi / Fantasy Film

  • Aladdin – Michael Wilkinson
  • Avengers: Endgame – Judianna Makovsky
  • Captain Marvel – Sanja M. Hays
  • Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – Ellen Mirojnick
  • Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Michael Kaplan

The African-American Film Critics Association Honors Us


The African American Film Critics Association has selected Jordan Peele’s Us as the best film of the year!

Here’s a full list of their winners:

Best Film: “Us” (Universal Pictures)

Best Director: Jordan Peele (“Us,” Universal Pictures)

Best Actor: Eddie Murphy (“Dolemite Is My Name,” Netflix)

Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (“Us,” Universal Pictures)

Best Supporting Actor: Jamie Foxx (“Just Mercy,” Warner Bros. Pictures)

Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“Dolemite Is My Name,” Netflix)

Best Breakout Performance: Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (“Waves,” A24)

Best Animated Film: “Abominable” (Universal Pictures)

Best Documentary: “The Black Godfather” (Netflix)

Best Foreign Film: “Parasite” (Neon)

Best Independent Film: “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (A24)

Best Screenplay (Presented with The Black List): Bong Joon-ho, “Parasite” (Neon)

Impact Award: “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)

We See You Award: Taylor Russell (“Waves,” A24)

The AAFCA 2019 Top Ten Films

1. “Us” (Universal Pictures)

2. “Dolemite Is My Name” (Netflix)

3. “Just Mercy” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

4. “Clemency” (Neon)

5. “The Irishman” (Netflix)

6. “Queen & Slim” (Universal Pictures)

7. “Waves” (A24)

8. TIE “Parasite” (Neon) and “Atlantics” (Netflix)

9. The Farewell (A24)

10. “Harriet” (Focus Features)

The San Diego Film Critics Society Honors The Irishman


The San Diego Film Critics Society announced their picks for the best of 2019 earlier today!

And here they are!

(Check out a list of the nominations here!)

Best Picture

  • Winner: THE IRISHMAN
    Runner Up: MARRIAGE STORY

Best Director

  • Winner: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, UNCUT GEMS
    Runner Up: Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY

Best Actor

  • (TIE) Adam Driver, MARRIAGE STORY Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER

Best Actress

  • Winner: Lupita Nyong’o, US
    Runner Up: Renée Zellweger, JUDY

Best Supporting Actor

  • (TIE) Joe Pesci, THE IRISHMAN & Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

Best Supporting Actress

  • Winner: Zhao Shuzhen, THE FAREWELL
    Runner Up: Laura Dern, MARRIAGE STORY

Best Comedic Performance

  • Winner: Wesley Snipes, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
    Runner Up: Taika Waititi, JOJO RABBIT

Best Original Screenplay

  • Winner: Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY
    Runner Up: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, UNCUT GEMS

Best Adapted Screenplay

  • Winner: J.C. Lee, Julius Onah, LUCE
    Runner Up: Steven Zaillian, THE IRISHMAN

Best Documentary
Runner Up: LOVE, ANTOSHA

  • Winner: ONE CHILD NATION

Best Animated Film

  • Winner: I LOST MY BODY
    Runner Up: TOY STORY 4

Best Foreign-Language Film

  • Winner: PARASITE
    Runner Up: TRANSIT

Best Costume Design

  • Winner: Ruth E. Carter, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
    Runner Up: Anna Robbins, DOWNTON ABBEY

Best Editing

  • Winner: Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker & Dirk Westervelt, FORD V FERRARI
    Runner Up: Benny Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, UNCUT GEMS

Best Cinematography

  • Winner: Jarin Blaschke, THE LIGHTHOUSE
    Runner Up: Roger Deakins, 1917

Best Production Design

  • Winner: Dennis Gassner, 1917
    Runner Up: Jess Gonchor, LITTLE WOMEN

Best Visual Effects

  • Winner: AD ASTRA
    Runner Up: 1917

Best Use of Music

  • Winner: ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
    Runner Up: JOJO RABBIT

Best Ensemble

  • Winner: KNIVES OUT
    Runner Up: THE IRISHMAN

Breakthrough Artist

  • Winner: Florence Pugh, LITTLE WOMEN, MIDSOMMAR
    Runner Up: Kelvin Harrison Jr., LUCE, WAVES

Here Are The Golden Globe Nominations!


Here are the Golden Globe Nominees!  Oddly, no one seems to have much respect for the people who give out the Golden Globes and the show itself is always kind of a drag but, for whatever reason, the Globes have become perhaps the biggest of the non-guild precursors.  Getting a Golden Globe nomination will definitely help those who are trying to get the Academy’s attention right now.

My main thought on the nominees: Joker did really well.  Uncut Gems went unmentioned, which will probably be the end of Adam Sandler’s Oscar campaign, unless he manages to snag a SAG nomination.  It’s nice to see Dolemite Is My Name getting some attention.  That’s a film that gets better the more that I think about it.

I don’t know — there’s not any terrible nominations or anything like that.  I’m sorry that a few films and people were overlooked but it’s been a strong year for film and there’s a lot of legitimate contenders so there’s just not going to be room for everyone.  It happens.  There’s no outrageously terrible nominations, like when The Tourist was nominated several years ago.  At the same time, the Golden Globes always leave me with feelings of malaise and ennui.  I guess it’s because we are now leaving the “what if” phase of awards season and starting to get to the, “So, these are going to be our nominees” phase.

Here are the Golden Globe film nominations.  If you want to see the TV nominees, do a freaking Google search …. or just click on this link to a full list of nominees!

Best Motion Picture – Drama
The Irishman
Joker
The Two Popes
Marriage Story
1917

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Knives Out
Dolemite Is My Name
Jojo Rabbit
Rocketman

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language
The Farewell
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Les Misérables

Best Director – Motion Picture
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Todd Phillips, Joker

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Anthony McCarten, The Two Popes
Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won, Parasite
Steven Zaillian, The Irishman

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Renée Zellweger, Judy
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes
Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart
Ana de Armas, Knives Out
Emma Thompson, Late Night
Cate Blanchett, Where’d You Go, Bernadette?

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name
Daniel Craig, Knives Out
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Roman Griffin Davis, Jojo Rabbit

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Annette Bening, The Report

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Best Motion Picture – Animated
Frozen 2
Toy Story 4

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Missing Link
The Lion King

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Thomas Newman, 1917
Hildur Guonadottir, Joker
Randy Newman, Marriage Story
Alexandre Desplat, Little Women
Daniel Pemberton, Motherless Brooklyn

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“Spirit,” The Lion King
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen 2
“Stand Up,” Harriet
“Beautiful Ghosts,” Cats

Here Are The 2019 Nominations of the San Diego Film Critics Society!


On December 6th, the San Diego Film Critics Society announced their nominees for the best of 2019 and here they are!

Best Picture
1917
THE IRISHMAN
JOKER
MARRIAGE STORY
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

Best Director
Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY
Sam Mendes, 1917
Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, UNCUT GEMS
Martin Scorsese, THE IRISHMAN
Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

Best Actor
Christian Bale, FORD V FERRARI
Adam Driver, MARRIAGE STORY
Eddie Murphy, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER
Adam Sandler, UNCUT GEMS

Best Actress
Awkwafina, THE FAREWELL
Scarlett Johansson, MARRIAGE STORY
Lupita Nyong’o, US
Saoirse Ronan, LITTLE WOMEN
Renée Zellweger, JUDY

Best Supporting Actor
Willem Dafoe, THE LIGHTHOUSE
Al Pacino, THE IRISHMAN
Joe Pesci, THE IRISHMAN
Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Wesley Snipes, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

Best Supporting Actress
Laura Dern, MARRIAGE STORY
Thomasin McKenzie, JOJO RABBIT
Florence Pugh, LITTLE WOMEN
Zhao Shuzhen, THE FAREWELL
Octavia Spencer, LUCE

Best Comedic Performance
Daniel Craig, KNIVES OUT
Eddie Murphy, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
Sam Rockwell, JOJO RABBIT
Wesley Snipes, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
Taika Waititi, JOJO RABBIT

Best Original Screenplay
Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY
Bong Joon Ho, Jin Won Han, PARASITE
Rian Johnson, KNIVES OUT
Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, UNCUT GEMS
Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

Best Adapted Screenplay
Greta Gerwig, LITTLE WOMEN
J.C. Lee, Julius Onah, LUCE
Todd Phillips, Scott Silver, JOKER
Taika Waititi, Christine Leunens, JOJO RABBIT
Steven Zaillian, THE IRISHMAN

Best Documentary
APOLLO 11
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM
LOVE, ANTOSHA
ONE CHILD NATION
THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD

Best Animated Film
ABOMINABLE
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD
I LOST MY BODY
MISSING LINK
TOY STORY 4

Best Foreign-language Film
THE FAREWELL
PAIN & GLORY
PARASITE
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
TRANSIT

Best Costume Design
Ruth E. Carter, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
Julian Day, ROCKETMAN
Jacqueline Durran, LITTLE WOMEN
Arianne Phillips, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Anna Robbins, DOWNTON ABBEY

Best Editing
Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker & Dirk Westervelt, FORD V FERRARI
Jennifer Lame, MARRIAGE STORY
Fred Raskin, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Benny Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, UNCUT GEMS
Thelma Schoonmaker, THE IRISHMAN

Best Cinematography
Jarin Blaschke, THE LIGHTHOUSE
Roger Deakins, 1917
Hoyte Van Hoytema, AD ASTRA
Rodrigo Prieto, THE IRISHMAN
Phedon Papamichael, FORD V FERRARI

Best Production Design
Dennis Gassner, 1917
Jess Gonchor, LITTLE WOMEN
Clay A. Griffith, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
Barbara Ling, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Bob Shaw, THE IRISHMAN
Donal Woods, DOWNTON ABBEY

Best Visual Effects
1917
AD ASTRA
THE AERONAUTS
AVENGERS: ENDGAME
THE IRISHMAN

Best Use of Music
JOJO RABBIT
JOKER
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
ROCKETMAN
YESTERDAY

Best Ensemble
DOWNTON ABBEY
THE IRISHMAN
KNIVES OUT
MARRIAGE STORY
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

Breakthrough Artist
Jessie Buckley, JUDY, WILD ROSE
Julia Butters, ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Roman Griffin Davis, JOJO RABBIT
Kelvin Harrison Jr., LUCE, WAVES
Florence Pugh, LITTLE WOMEN, MIDSOMMAR

Here Are The 2019 Nominations of the Detroit Film Critics Society!


Earlier on Friday, the Detroit Film Critics Society released their nominations for the best of 2019!

Now, back in 2018, the DFCS honored some great films that were overlooked by the Academy, films like Eighth Grade, A Quiet Place, and First Reformed.  I mean, I really, really loved the 2018 DFCS awards.  And you know what?  I’m pretty happy with what they came up with for 2019 as well!  I especially like the nomination for Anna Paquin in The Irishman.  With all the overblown controversy about how many lines she spoke in the film, it is often overlooked that she gave a great performance and, with just the power of her withering glare, pretty much transformed Peggy into the conscience of the film.

Here are the DFCS nominees for the best of 2019!  The winners will be announced on December 9th!

BEST PICTURE
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Marriage Story
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite

BEST DIRECTOR
Noah Baumbach – Marriage Story
Bong Joon-ho – Parasite
Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Taika Waititi – Jojo Rabbit

BEST ACTRESS
Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story
Julianne Moore – Gloria Bell
Lupita Nyong’o – Us
Charlize Theron – Bombshell
Renee Zellweger – Judy

BEST ACTOR
Robert De Niro – The Irishman
Adam Driver – Marriage Story
Robert Pattinson – The Lighthouse
Joaquin Phoenix – Joker
Adam Sandler – Uncut Gems

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Willem Dafoe – The Lighthouse
Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Joe Pesci – The Irishman
Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Sam Rockwell – Richard Jewell
Wesley Snipes – Dolemite Is My Name

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell
Laura Dern – Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit
Anna Paquin – The Irishman
Florence Pugh – Little Women

BEST SCREENPLAY
The Irishman
The Lighthouse
Marriage Story
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Frozen II
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Toy Story 4

BEST USE OF MUSIC
1917
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Rocketman
Uncut Gems
Wild Rose

BEST ENSEMBLE
Dolemite Is My Name
The Farewell
The Irishman
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amazing Grace
Apollo 11
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
Knocking Down the House
Rolling Thunder Review: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese

BREAKTHROUGH
Ana de Armas – actress (Knives Out, The Informer, Yesterday)
Jessie Buckley – actress (Wild Rose, Judy)
Kaitlyn Dever – actress (Booksmart, Them That Follow)
Aisling Franciosi – actress (The Nightingale)
Paul Walter Hauser – actor (Richard Jewell)
Florence Pugh – actress (Fighting with My Family, Midsommar, Little Women)
Lulu Wang – director (The Farewell)
Olivia Wilde – director (Booksmart)