The National Board of Review Opens “Green Book”

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the National Board of Review announced their picks for the best of 2018!

Every year, the announcement of the NBR’s picks is considered to be the “official” start of Awards Season. (This despite the fact that the Spirit Nominations were announced a few weeks ago and the Gotham Awards were handed out just last night.) Getting honored by the NBR is considered to be a big boost, when it comes to getting Academy recognition. Of course, nothing’s guaranteed but, since 2010, every NBR best picture winner (with the exception of A Most Violent Year in 2014) has received a corresponding Oscar nomination.

(Interestingly enough, the last time that the NBR winner actually went on to also win the Oscar for Best Picture was way back in 2008. That’s when Slumdog Millionaire won.)

This year, the NBR named, as best picture of the year, Green Book. That’s certainly a boost that Green Book, which has been struggling at the box office, needed. The NBR also gave a big boost to A Star Is Born (Bradley Cooper for Best Director, Lady Gaga for Best Actress, Sam Elliott for Best Supporting Actor), If Beale Street Could Talk (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress), First Reformed (Best Original Screenplay and Top Ten of the Year) and maybe Black Panther and A Quiet Place (both of which were named as one of the ten best films of 2018).

Not getting a boost from the NBR: Spike Lee’s BlackKklansman and Damien Chazelle’s First Man, neither of which received any mention.

Here are the National Board of Review’s picks for the best of 2018:

Best Film: GREEN BOOK
Best Director: Bradley Cooper, A STAR IS BORN
Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen, GREEN BOOK
Best Actress: Lady Gaga, A STAR IS BORN
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Elliott, A STAR IS BORN
Best Supporting Actress: Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Best Original Screenplay: Paul Schrader, FIRST REFORMED
Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Best Animated Feature: INCREDIBLES 2
Breakthrough Performance: Thomasin McKenzie, LEAVE NO TRACE
Best Directorial Debut: Bo Burnham, EIGHTH GRADE
Best Foreign Language Film: COLD WAR
Best Documentary: RBG
Best Ensemble: CRAZY RICH ASIANS
William K. Everson Film History Award: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND and THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: 22 JULY
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: ON HER SHOULDERS

Top Films (in alphabetical order)

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Black Panther
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk
Mary Poppins Returns
A Quiet Place
Roma
A Star Is Born

Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order)

Burning
Custody
The Guilty
Happy as Lazzaro
Shoplifters

Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order)

Crime + Punishment
Free Solo
Minding the Gap
Three Identical Strangers
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order)

The Death of Stalin
Lean on Pete
Leave No Trace
Mid90s
The Old Man & the Gun
The Rider
Searching
Sorry to Bother You
We the Animals
You Were Never Really Here

6 Trailers For 6 Films That Still Scare Lisa

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I love horror movies but, unfortunately, many of them tend to get a bit less scary upon repeat viewings. Once you already know where the vampire is going to be hiding or who the werewolf is going to attack next, it becomes a bit more difficult to fall under in the film’s chilling spell.

So, on this Halloween, I’m going to do a very special edition of Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Film Trailers. Here are six trailers for six films that still scare me, even after repeat viewings:

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

To be honest, all of the Body Snatcher films scare me, even the really bad ones. Invasion of the Body Snatchers deals not only with the horror of conformity but also the horror of knowing what’s going on but being helpless to stop it.

The Exorcist (1973)

Maybe it’s because of my Catholic background but, despite the fact that it’s been endlessly imitated, this film scares me every time that I see it. I think a lot of it has to do with the documentary approach that William Friedkin takes to the material.

Shock (1977)

Mario Bava’s final film gets me every time. Even though I now know how many of the big scares were actually pulled off, this movie still makes me jump. In this film, Daria Nicolodi gives the best performance of her legendary career.

The Shining (1980)

Agck! Those little girls! That elevator full of blood! The way Wendy kept interrupting Jack while he was trying to write!

Sinister (2012)

Sinister gave me nightmares the first time that I saw it and it still does. That ending. AGCK!

The Conjuring (2013)

This is definitely one of the best haunted house films to come out over the past ten years. This film is scary because you actually care about the family in the house. They’re not just disposable victims. Also holding up well is The Conjuring 2.

Happy Halloween!

“Happy Halloween!”

4 Shots From 4 Halloween Films

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

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

Today, we acknowledge the release of David Gordon Green’s Halloween with….

4 Shots From 4 Halloween Films

Halloween (1978, dir by John Carpenter)

Halloween III: Season of The Witch (1982, dir by Tommy Lee Wallace)

Halloween H20 (1998, dir by Steve Miner)

Halloween (2007, dir by Rob Zombie)

4 Shots From 4 Martian Films: A Message From Mars, Invaders From Mars, Devil Girl From Mars, Santa Claus Conquers The Martians

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today we celebrate October’s favorite planet, Mars!

4 Shots From 4 Martian Films

A Message From Mars (1913, dir by J. Wallett Waller)

Invaders From Mars (1953, dir by William Cameron Menzies)

Devil Girl From Mars (1954, dir by David MacDonald)

Santa Claus Conquers The Martins (1964, dir by Nicolas Webster)

Lisa’s Oscar Predictions For October

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

And now, we take a short break from TSL’s annual horrorthon to bring you Lisa Marie’s Oscar predictions for October!

Be sure to check out my predictions for January, February, March, April, May. June. July, August and September!

Best Picture

Black Panther

Boy Erased

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

First Man

Green Book

If Beale Street Could Talk

The Mule

Roma

A Star is Born

Vice

Best Director

Damien Chazelle for First Man

Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born

Alfonso Cuaron for Roma

Peter Farrelly for Green Book

Barry Jenkins for If Beale Street Could Talk

Best Actor

Christian Bale in Vice

Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born

Clint Eastwood in The Mule

Robert Redford in Old Man and the Gun

John C. Reilly in Stan & Ollie

Best Actress

Glenn Close in The Wife

Lady Gaga in A Star is Born

Felicity Jones in On The Basis of Sex

Nicole Kidman in Destroyer

Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali in Green Book

Timothee Chalamet in Beautiful Boy

Bradley Cooper in The Mule

Sam Elliott in A Star is Born

Michael B. Jordan in Black Panther

Best Supporting Actress

Claire Foy in First Man

Nicole Kidman in Boy Erased

Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk

Sissy Spacek in Old Man and the Gun

Michelle Yeoh in Crazy Rich Asians

4 Shots From 4 Witchy Films: Burn, Witch, Burn, Season of The Witch, The Craft, Maleficent

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, we celebrate witches everywhere with….

4 Shots From 4 Witchy Films

Burn, Witch, Burn (1962, dir by Sidney Hayers)

Season of the Witch (1973, dir by George Romero)

The Craft (1996, dir by Andrew Fleming)

Maleficent (2014, dir by Robert Stromberg)

4 Shots From 4 Evil Alien Invasions: Cloverfield, Battle Los Angeles, Skyline, 10 Cloverfield Lane

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Over the past few years, the idea of this planet being invaded by aliens has suddenly gotten very popular. Now, I know that some films continue to suggest that the aliens would actually be benevolent explorers or that they would land here and order us to protect the environment. However, I don’t really buy the whole idea of friendly aliens. (Actually, I don’t really buy the idea of alien visitors in general but that’s something was can discuss in anothe post….)

So, in order to keep our readers from getting complacent, here are….

4 Shots From 4 Evil Alien Invasions

Cloverfield (2008, dir by Matt Reeves)

Battle Los Angeles (2011, dir by Jonathan Liebesman)

Skyline (2011, dir by The Brothers Strause)

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016, dir by Dan Trachtenberg)

My Pet Dinosaur: Movie Preview, Review and Trailer

Posted on September 8, 2018 by paddiesthoughts

My pet dinosaur poster

Cast:

Jordan Dulieu as Jake Emory

Annabelle Wolfe as Abbie Tansy

Beth Champion as Jennifer Emory

Rowland Holmes as Colonel Roderick

Directed by Emmy award winning Matt Drummond (Life After People)

Plot:

Recently after his father passes away, Jake is flung into a science project with the new girl in town, Abbie. After their science project goes wrong, with the help of a failed military experiment, a new being and chaos is launched on the town of Brightwood.

Preview:

A cross between E.T and Monster’s Inc, My Pet Dinosaur fixes on the unlikely friendship between a boy and a dinosaur.

Featuring state-of-the-art visual effects, a heart-warming tale of friendship and the beautiful Australian countryside, My Pet Dinosaur is the perfect family treat.

Review:

If I had to pick a late summer movie to curl up with my dinosaur (or any other pet) and watch, this is probably the one. It has everything in a family drama you would want. Yes, you parents will enjoy some of the snarkyness while your kids will enjoy the heart-felt moments. I fell in love with ‘Magnus’ from the moment I saw him. The movie is driven by a very young cast (Dulieu, Wolfe, Williams) who all give an amazing performance.

Would I recommend this movie?

This is a perfect Saturday evening family watch! Snuggle up with your kiddos, make some popcorn and have a great family evening!

my pet dino pic

When is it available?

On VOD October 2nd and on DVD November 6th

Trailer:

Credits:

My Pet Dinosaur is an Empress Road Pictures, in cooperation with Pinnacle Films Distributed by Uncork’d Entertainment

Lisa’s Early Oscar Predictions for September

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

It’s that time again!

It’s time for my somewhat random Oscar predictions!

Judging from the reactions at Venice Film Festival, Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born would appear to be the current Oscar front runner. At the very least, it seems destined to be nominated. Personally, I still wonder if a remake of A Star is Born is going to have enough political cachet in a year that, so far, has been dominated by Hollywood virtue signaling.

Anyway, it’s a bit of a cliché to say the Oscar race is wide open but, despite all of the buzz around A Star is Born, it still feels as if it is. That said, it’s also becoming a bit more clear. Former front runners like Mary, Queen of Scots have fallen off the radar. It seems likely the Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman will not be released until next year. There are rumors that Clint Eastwood’s The Mule might get a December qualifying run but, for now, those are just rumors.

Below are my predictions for this month. The usual caveats about wishful thinking and wild guesses apply. To be honest, we won’t know anything for sure until the critics and the guilds make their voices heard in December and January.

Be sure to check out my predictions for January, February, March, April, May, June, July, and August!

Best Picture

Beautiful Boy

BlackKklansman

Black Panther

Crazy Rich Asians

The Favourite

First Man

Green Book

If Beale Street Could Talk

Roma

A Star is Born

Best Director

Damien Chazelle for First Man

Jon M. Chu for Crazy Rich Asians

Bradley Cooper for A Star is Born

Alfonso Cuaron for Roma

Spike Lee for BlackKklansman

Best Actor

Steve Carell in Beautiful Boy

Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born

Ryan Gosling in First Man

Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody

Robert Redford in Old Man and the Gun

Best Actress

Glenn Close in The Wife

Olivia Colman in The Favourite

Nicole Kidman in Destroyer

Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Julia Roberts in Ben Is Back

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali in Green Book

Timothee Chalamet in Beautiful Boy

Sam Elliott in A Star is Born

Ben Foster in Leave No Trace

Michael B. Jordan in Black Panther

Best Supporting Actress

Claire Foy in First Man

Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk

Sissy Spacek in Old Man and the Gun

Rachel Weisz in The Favourite

Michelle Yeoh in Crazy Rich Asians

Barry and Oscar

Lisa’s Early Oscar For Predictions For August

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

It’s time once again for my monthly attempt to predict next year’s Oscar nominations!

As always, these predictions should be taken with a grain of salt. BlackKklansman has emerged as a contender and there’s a few impressive trailers out there. If the Academy goes through with this stupid Best Popular Film Oscar, I’m going to assume that’ll knock Black Panther out of contention for Best Picture. For now, I’m going to hope that the backlash will cause the Academy to abandon the idea.

(For the record, it now appears that the whole Best Popular Film fiasco was due more to pressure from ABC than from actual members of the Academy. And, let’s just be honest — Best Popular Film sounds just stupid enough to be the idea of a television executive.)

So, as usual, these nominations are a combination of wishful thinking, wild guesses, and sincere intuition. If nothing else, they should be amusing to look back upon when the actual nominations are announced.

Be sure to check out my predictions for January, February, March, April, May, June, and July!

Best Picture

Beautiful Boy

Black Panther

BlackKklansman

Boy Erased

First Man

Green Book

If Beale Street Could Talk

Old Man and the Gun

Roma

Widows