Tag Archives: Movies

One Battle After Another Wins In Hawaii

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Hawaii Film Critics Society has announced its picks for the best of 2025!  The winners are in bold.

Best Picture
Jay Kelly
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein
Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
Chloé Zhao, Hamnet

Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

Best Actress
Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
Sally Hawkins, Bring Her Back
Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
Sophie Thatcher, Companion

Best Supporting Actor
Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly
Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

Best Supporting Actress
Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan, Weapons
Amanda Seyfried, The Housemaid
Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Best Original Screenplay
Eddington
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Weapons

Best Adapted Screenplay
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
The Housemaid
Train Dreams

Best Editing
F1: The Movie
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Together

Best Cinematography
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams

Best Art Direction
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners
The Phoenician Scheme

Best Costume Design
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Sinners
The Phoenician Scheme
Wicked: For Good

Best Animated Film
Arco
Dog Man
KPop Demon Hunters
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
Zootopia 2

Best Documentary
George A. Romero’s Resident Evil
Orwell: 2+2=5
Pee-wee as Himself
Predators
The Perfect Neighbor

Best Make-Up
28 Years Later
Frankenstein
Sinners
Weapons
Wicked: For Good

Best Sound
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
The Testament of Ann Lee

Best Score
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Tron: Ares

Best Song
“As Alive as You Need Me to Be,” Tron: Ares
“Highest 2 Lowest,” Highest 2 Lowest
“Hurry Up Tomorrow,” Hurry Up Tomorrow
“I Lied to You,” Sinners
“Train Dreams,” Train Dreams

Best Visual Effects
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Frankenstein
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Predator: Badlands
Sinners

Best Action Movie
Ballerina
F1: The Movie
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One Battle After Another
Predator: Badlands

Best Stunt Work
Ballerina
F1: The Movie
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One Battle After Another
Sinners

Best New Filmmaker
Ugo Bienvenu, Arco
Ben Leonberg, Good Boy
Charlie Polinger, The Plague
Michael Shanks, Together
Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby

Best First Film
Arco
Good Boy
Sorry, Baby
The Plague
Together

Best Overlooked Film
Clown in a Cornfield
Eddington
Nouvelle Vague
Rental Family
The Life of Chuck

Best Vocal / Motion Capture Performance
Eric Bauza, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
Oona Chaplin, Avatar: Fire and Ash (TIE)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Sam Rockwell, The Bad Guys 2 (TIE)
Alison Wright, Predator: Badlands

Best Animal Performance
Bing the dog, The Friend
Indy the dog, Good Boy
Jolene the dog, Superman
Olga the cat, Sorry, Baby
Tico the cat, Caught Stealing

Best Horror Film
Bring Her Back
Keeper
Shelby Oaks
Together
Weapons

Best Comic Book Movie
100 Nights of Hero
Captain America: Brave New World
Superman
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Thunderbolts*

Best Foreign Language Film
It Was Just an Accident
Left-Handed Girl
No Other Choice
Sentimental Value
The Secret Agent

Best Underrated Film
Companion
Heart Eyes
Rental Family
The Life of Chuck
The Long Walk

Best Hawaiian Film
A Paradise Lost, dir. Laurie Sumiye (Hawaii)
Lahaina Rising, dir. Matty Schweitzer (Maui)
MĀHŪ: A Trans-Pacific Love Letter, dir. Lisette Marie Flanary (Oahu)
Reeling, dir. Yana Alliata (Oahu)
Sharing Aloha, dir. Blair Treu (Hawaii)

The Ha’aheo Award (Pride in Achievement for Film, TV, or Theater)
Chief of War

The Jason “Phormat” David Award celebrating originality and artistic playfulness in cinema
The Phoenician Scheme (dir. Wes Anderson)

Worst Film of 2025
Death of a Unicorn
Eddington
Hurry Up Tomorrow
Karate Kid: Legends
The Strangers: Chapter 2

Sinners Wins In North Dakota

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The North Dakota Film Society has announced its picks for the best of 2025.  The winners are in bold.

Best Picture
HAMNET – Nicolas Gonda, Pippa Harris, Liza Marshall, Sam Mendes, Steven Spielberg (Focus Features)
MARTY SUPREME – Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Timothée Chalamet, Anthony Katagas, Josh Safdie (A24)
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – Paul Thomas Anderson, Sara Murphy, Adam Somner, JoAnne Sellar (Warner Bros.)
SENTIMENTAL VALUE – Andrew Berenstsen Ottmar, Maria Ekerhovd (Neon)
SINNERS – Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian (Warner Bros.)

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Warner Bros.)
Ryan Coogler – SINNERS (Warner Bros.)
Josh Safdie – MARTY SUPREME (A24)
Joachim Trier – SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Neon)
Chloé Zhao – HAMNET (Focus Features)

Best Actress
Jessie Buckley – HAMNET (Focus Features)
Rose Byrne – IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU (A24)
Chase Infiniti – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Warner Bros.)
Renate Reinsve – SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Neon)
Emma Stone – BUGONIA (Focus Features)

Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet – MARTY SUPREME (A24)
Leonardo DiCaprio – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Warner Bros.)
Ethan Hawke – BLUE MOON (Sony Pictures Classics)
Michael B. Jordan – SINNERS (Warner Bros.)
Lee Byung-hun – NO OTHER CHOICE (Neon)

Best Supporting Actress
Elle Fanning – SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Neon)
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Neon)
Amy Madigan – WEAPONS (Warner Bros.)
Wunmi Mosaku – SINNERS (Warner Bros.)
Teyana Taylor – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Warner Bros.)

Best Supporting Actor
Benicio del Toro – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Warner Bros.)
Jacob Elordi – FRANKENSTEIN (Netflix)
Paul Mescal – HAMNET (Focus Features)
Sean Penn – ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Warner Bros.)
Stellan Skarsgård – SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Neon)

Best Ensemble
HAMNET – Joe Alwyn, Jessie Buckley, Jacob Jupe, Noah Jupe, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson (Focus Features)
MARTY SUPREME – Odessa A’zion, Timothée Chalamet, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Gwyneth Paltrow (A24)
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – Benicio del Toro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor (Warner Bros.)
SENTIMENTAL VALUE – Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård (Neon)
SINNERS – Miles Caton, Michael B. Jordan, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O’Connell, Hailee Steinfeld (Warner Bros.)

Best Screenplay
HAMNET – Maggie O’Farrell and Chloé Zhao (Focus Features)
MARTY SUPREME – Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie (A24)
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – Paul Thomas Anderson (Warner Bros.)
SENTIMENTAL VALUE – Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt (Neon)
SINNERS – Ryan Coogler (Warner Bros.)

Best Cinematography
HAMNET – Łukasz Żal (Focus Features)
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – Michael Bauman (Warner Bros.)
SINNERS – Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Warner Bros.)
SIRAT – Mauro Herce (Neon)
TRAIN DREAMS – Adolpho Veloso (Netflix)

Best Costume Design
FRANKENSTEIN – Kate Hawley (Netflix)
HAMNET – Malgosia Turzanska (Focus Features)
SINNERS – Ruth E. Carter (Warner Bros.)
THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE – Małgorzata Karpiuk (Searchlight Pictures)
WICKED: FOR GOOD – Paul Tazewell (Universal Pictures)

Best Editing
MARTY SUPREME – Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie (A24)
NO OTHER CHOICE – Kim Sang-beom, Kim Ho-bin (Neon)
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – Andy Jurgensen (Warner Bros.)
SENTIMENTAL VALUE – Olivier Bugge Coutté (Neon)
SINNERS – Michael P. Shawver (Warner Bros.)

Best Visual Effects
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH – Richard Baneham, Daniel Barrett, Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon (20th Century Studios)
F1 – Ryan Tudhope, Nikeah Forde, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, Eric Leven, Edward Price, Keith Dawson (Apple Original Films)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON – Christian Manz, Glen McIntosh, Andy Kind, Terry Palmer (Universal Pictures)
SINNERS – Donnie Dean, Espen Nordahl, Michael Ralla, Guido Wolter (Warner Bros.)
SUPERMAN – Stephen Ceretti, Enrico Damm, Stéphane Nazé, Guy Williams (Warner Bros.)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling
BUGONIA – Torsten Witte (Focus Features)
FRANKENSTEIN – Cliona Furey, Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel (Netflix)
SINNERS – Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Shunika Terry (Warner Bros.)
THE UGLY STEPSISTER – Thomas Foldberg, Anne Cathrine Sauerberg (Independent Film Company)
WICKED: FOR GOOD – Laura Blount, Mark Coulier, Frances Hannon (Universal Pictures)

Best Original Score
BUGONIA – Jerskin Fendrix (Focus Features)
HAMNET – Max Richter (Focus Features)
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – Jonny Greenwood (Warner Bros.)
SINNERS – Ludwig Göransson (Warner Bros.)
SIRAT – Kangding Ray (Neon)

Best Original Song
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS – “Golden” – EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick (Netflix)
SINNERS – “I Lied to You” – Ludwig Göransson and Raphael Saadiq (Warner Bros.)
SINNERS – “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” – Miles Caton, Ludwig Göransson, and Alice Smith (Warner Bros.)
THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE – “Clothed By the Sun” – Daniel Blumberg (Searchlight Pictures)
TRAIN DREAMS – “Train Dreams” – Nick Cave (Netflix)

Best Production Design
FRANKENSTEIN – Tamara Deverell (Netflix)
HAMNET – Fiona Crombie, Alice Felton (Focus Features)
MARTY SUPREME – Jack Fisk, Adam Willis (A24)
SINNERS – Hannah Beachler, Monique Champagne (Warner Bros.)
WICKED: FOR GOOD – Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales (Universal Pictures)

Best Sound
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH – Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Brent Burge, Gary Summers, Michael Hedges, Alexis Feodoroff, Julian Howarth (20th Century Studios)
F1 – Gareth John, Al Nelson, Juan Peralta, Gary A. Rizzo, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle (Apple Original Films)
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – Jose Antonio Garci, Christopher Scarabosio, Tony Vallaflor (Warner Bros.)
SINNERS – Steve Boeddeker, Benny Burtt, Felipe Pacheco, Brandon Proctor, Chris Welcker (Warner Bros.)
SIRAT – Laia Casanovas (Neon)

Best Animated Feature
ARCO – Ugo Bienvenu, Félix de Givry, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman (Neon)
BOYS GO TO JUPITER – Julian Glander, Peisin Yang Lazo (Cartuna)
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS – Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang, Michelle L.M. Wong (Netflix)
LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN – Maïlys Vallade, Claire LaCombe, Edwina Liard, Henri Magalon, Nidia Santiago (GKids)
ZOOTOPIA 2 – Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino (Walt Disney Pictures)

Best Documentary Feature
THE ALABAMA SOLUTION – Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman, Alelur “Alex” Duran, Beth Shelburne (HBO Documentary Films)
COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT – Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Ryan White, Stef Willen (Apple Original Films)
COVER-UP – Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus, Yoni Golijov, Olivia Streisand (Netflix)
IT’S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY – Amy Berg, Brad Pitt, Ryan Heller, Christine Connor, Mandy Chang, Jennie Bedusa, Matthew Roozen (Magnolia Pictures)
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR – Alisa Payne, Geeta Gandbhir, Nikon Kwantu, Sam Bisbee (Netflix)

Best International Feature
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT – France (Neon)
NO OTHER CHOICE – South Korea (Neon)
THE SECRET AGENT – Brazil (Neon)
SENTIMENTAL VALUE – Norway (Neon)
SIRAT – Spain (Neon)

 

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Rob Zombie Edition

Posted on 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 is all about letting the visuals do the talking.

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to Rob Zombie!  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Rob Zombie Films

House of 1000 Corpses (2003, dir by Rob Zombie, DP: Alex Poppas and Tom Richmond)

The Devil’s Rejects (2005, dir by Rob Zombie, DP: Phil Parmet)

Halloween II (2009, dir by Rob Zombie, DP: Brandon Trost)

3 From Hell (2019, dir by Rob Zombie, DP: David N . Daniel)

Here’s What Won At The Golden Globes!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I didn’t watch the Golden Globes on Sunday night.  Technically, it’s because I wasn’t feeling well and I needed to get some rest.  In reality, even if I had been healthy, I don’t know that I would have watched.  A few years ago, the Golden Globes were not televised and I discovered how liberating it was to not have to pretend to care about this stupid show.

That said, the Globes are considered an Oscar precursor, despite the fact that no one’s even sure who is voting on them nowadays.  So, here’s what won on Sunday night:

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Frankenstein
Hamnet
It Was Just an Accident
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Blue Moon
Bugonia
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
Nouvelle Vague
One Battle After Another

BEST DIRECTOR, MOTION PICTURE
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Chloe Zhao – Hamnet

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Jennifer Lawrence – Die, My Love
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Julia Roberts – After the Hunt
Tessa Thompson – Hedda
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL, OR COMEDY
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good
Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
Emma Stone – Bugonia

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
Emily Blunt – The Smashing Machine
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams
Oscar Isaac – Frankenstein
Dwayne Johnson – The Smashing Machine
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Jeremy Allen White – Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL, OR COMEDY
Lee Byung-hun – No Other Choice
Timothee Chalamet – Marty Supreme
George Clooney – Jay Kelly
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Jesse Plemons – Bugonia

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Paul Mescal – Hamnet
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Adam Sandler – Jay Kelly
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

BEST SCREENPLAY, MOTION PICTURE
Hamnet
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE, MOTION PICTURE
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirat

BEST ORIGINAL SONG, MOTION PICTURE
Avatar: Fire and Ash – “Dream as One”
KPop Demon Hunters – “Golden”
Sinners – “I Lied to You”
Train Dreams – “Train Dreams”
Wicked: For Good – “No Place Life Home”
Wicked: For Good – “The Girl in the Bubble”

BEST MOTION PICTURE, ANIMATED
Arco
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amelie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

BEST MOTION PICTURE, FOREIGN LANGUAGE
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirat
The Voice of Hind Rajab

GOLDEN GLOBE FOR CINEMATIC & BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1: The Movie
KPop Demon Hunters
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
Sinners
Weapons
Wicked: For Good
Zootopia 2

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Alfonso Arau 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 birthday of Mexican director and actor Alfonso Arau!  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Alfonso Arau Films

Calzonin Inspector (1973, dir by Alfonso Arau, DP: Jorge Stahl Jr.)

Like Water For Chocolate (1992, dir by Alfonso Arau, DP: Emmanuel Lubezki)

A Walk In The Clouds (1995, dir by Alfonso Arau. DP: Emmanuel Lubezki)

The Trick In The Sheet (2010, dir by Alfonso Arau, DP: Vittorio Storaro)

The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association Honors One Battle After Another

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Greater Western New York Film Critics Association has announced its picks for the best of 2025.  And here they are:

BEST PICTURE
The Ballad of Wallis Island
Bugonia
Frankenstein
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams

BEST FOREIGN FILM
It Was Just an Accident (Iran/France)
Misericordia (France)
No Other Choice (South Korea)
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
Sentimental Value (Norway)

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Arco
Boys Go to Jupiter
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Afternoons of Solitude
Cover-Up
The Encampments
The Perfect Neighbor
The Tale of Silyan

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Mary Bronstein – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme

LEAD ACTOR
Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Jesse Plemons – Bugonia

LEAD ACTRESS
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Jennifer Lawrence – Die My Love
Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
Emma Stone – Bugonia

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Odessa A’zion – Marty Supreme
Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Mary Bronstein)
It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi)
Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein)
Sentimental Value (Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier)
Sinners (Ryan Coogler)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Bugonia (Will Tracy)
Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro)
Hamnet (Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell)
No Other Choice (Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee & Don McKellar)
One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)

BEST ENSEMBLE
It Was Just an Accident
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Frankenstein (Dan Laustsen)
Marty Supreme (Darius Khondji)
One Battle After Another (Michael Bauman)
Sinners (Autumn Durald Arkapaw)
Train Dreams (Adolpho Veloso)

BEST EDITING
It Was Just an Accident (Amir Etminan)
Marty Supreme (Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie)
One Battle After Another (Andy Jurgensen)
Sinners (Michael P. Shawver)
Weapons (Joe Murphy)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Frankenstein (Alexandre Desplat)
Marty Supreme (Daniel Lopatin)
One Battle After Another (Jonny Greenwood)
Sinners (Ludwig Göransson)
Train Dreams (Bryce Dessner)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Odessa A’zion – Marty Supreme
Miles Caton – Sinners
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby

BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR
Clint Bentley – Train Dreams
Mary Bronstein – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Harris Dickinson – Urchin
Carson Lund – Eephus
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Walter Hill 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 here at the Shattered Lens wish a happy 84th birthday to the great director Walter Hill.

Walter Hill is one of those legendary figures who has a devoted cult of fans but it still seems like he’s never quite gotten all of the opportunities and the acclaim that he deserved.  Perhaps because so many of his films are considered to be genre pieces, they were often not appreciated until a few years after they were first released.  But for film lovers and film students, Walter Hill is one of the most important directors of the past 50 years.

Today, we celebrate with….

4 Shots From 4 Walter Hill Films

The Warriors (1979, dir by Walter Hill, DP: Andrew Laszlo)

Southern Comfort (1981, dir by Walter Hill, DP: Andrew Laszlo)

Wild Bill (1995, dir by Walter Hill, DP: Lloyd Ahern II)

Dead For A Dollar (2022, dir by Walter Hill, DP: Lloyd Ahern II)

Brad reviews MISSION KASHMIR (2000), starring Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

Happy 52nd Birthday to Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan!

Around the turn of the century, I first became aware of the films being made in Bollywood, India’s Hindi-language film industry. It was then I noticed that the film MISSION KASHMIR was for sale at the Best Buy in Little Rock, AR. I figured that this must be a pretty good film to find itself manufactured, packaged, and being sold all the way over here in Central Arkansas. That was also around the time that I first signed up for Netflix. Not yet a streaming giant, Netflix was just a service for renting movies through the mail. I immediately put MISSION KASHMIR in my queue so I could check it out. This was only my third Bollywood experience, behind the very good films DIL SE (1998) and ASOKA (2001). I remember being fired up about the chance to see some new actors and discover a Hindi action film. Although not completely satisfying, I did find MISSION KASHMIR to be an enjoyable experience.

The plot finds Inspector Khan (Sanjay Dutt) living the good life. He has a beautiful wife (Sonali Kulkarni), a good son, lives in a beautiful house, and gets paid to periodically kick the posteriors of some bad Indians. Unfortunately, his success in his professional life has had some bad side effects. One particularly bad guy has put out the word that any doctor who treats Inspector Khan, or his family, will be killed, and as one scene proves, this guy is a man of his word. Next thing you know, Khan’s son falls and hits his head. Tragically, the boy dies because all of the doctors refuse to help him until it is already too late.

Seeking revenge, his face covered by a black ski mask, Khan tracks down the men responsible and viciously kills them all, including the innocent father, mother, and daughter of a family being held captive by the bad guys. The only survivor is the young son of the slaughtered family, Altaaf, who has terrifying dreams of the black-masked killer of his family. Inspector Khan, who feels extreme guilt over what he has done, allows his wife to talk him into bringing the boy to their house rather than allowing him to spend his childhood in an orphanage.

Life is just starting to get good again when Altaaf figures out that the killer of his family was actually his new father, Khan. After first pausing to try to kill Khan unsuccessfully, Altaaf takes off, not to be heard from again for 10 years. When Altaaf finally shows back up, he has turned into heartthrob Hrithik Roshan, is under the control of a psycho terrorist (played by Jackie Shroff) who has a plan to bomb the heck out of Kashmir, and has a new laundry list of goals in life:

  1. Use childhood sweetheart for terror purposes even though I still love her – check!
  2. Establish well-groomed bearded stubble look – check!
  3. Use kung fu training to good action effect – check!
  4. DESTROY INSPECTOR KHAN AT ALL COSTS!!! – ??????

I’ll let you discover the results of goal number four.

Before I go into my thoughts on MISSION KASHMIR, I want to note that while the film is set against the backdrop of the Kashmir conflict, it mostly uses that setting for its story of personal melodrama and high-octane action. I am no expert on the region’s complex politics, so this review focuses only on what I think of the movie itself, with no added political commentary.

As a movie, MISSION KASHMIR has a lot of good things going for it. First and foremost, I am a fan of action films, and I was looking for some good action scenes. This film did not disappoint in that department. From the MATRIX-like introduction to Altaaf’s adult persona to the final attempts to thwart the master terrorist’s plot, the action is presented in a highly stylized manner. Wirework kung fu, slow-motion carnage, and a hero wielding a massive missile launcher aimed at bad guys make for a pleasant viewing experience in my book.

Secondly, the film features some good performances. Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Inspector Khan is commanding, and I found myself really pulling for his character. It is hard not to be sympathetic to a guy who endures as much as he does here. This was the first time I had seen Hrithik Roshan in a film. With his matinee idol good looks, Roshan was emerging as a major star of Hindi cinema, even challenging Shah Rukh Khan, the reigning megastar of Bollywood. Roshan gives a solid performance as the grown-up Altaaf and is especially strong in the action scenes. The other major performance comes from Preity Zinta, who plays the girl Altaaf loved as a child and still loves as a man. I had seen her before in DIL SE and really like the naturalistic, best-friend, girl-next-door vibe she brings to her roles, albeit a very beautiful girl next door. It is easy to see why Altaaf has always loved her. Finally, as with the other Bollywood films I have seen, this movie is just beautiful to look at. I think the greatest cinematography of landscapes in the world is being done in India.

I do have a couple of complaints with MISSION KASHMIR. First, clocking in at over two and a half hours, the movie is too long. The story could have been made into a very exciting ninety-minute film. As it is, the movie seems to drag in places, with the insertion of songs and sequences that do not add much to the proceedings. There were times I found myself thinking, “OK, I get it. He really loves her. Now let’s move on with it,” or “Not another song…” Secondly, I felt that some of the songs were simply not appropriate for what was happening on the screen. For example, there is one peppy little dance number that leads directly into a horrific tragedy. Granted, the scene is effective for the surprise element, but when the film should have been building action and suspense, it instead throws in this routine, which took me out of the movie for a bit. These are the only real complaints I had.

Overall, I did enjoy MISSION KASHMIR. The movie is filled with strong action sequences, along with good performances from a talented cast. Although it overstays its welcome in certain areas, I still recommend this film and give it a 7 out of 10.

Sinners Wins In Central Florida

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Critics Association of Central Florida has announced its picks for the best of 2025!  And here they are:

Best Picture
Winner: Sinners
Runner-up: One Battle After Another

Best Director
Winner: Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Runner-up: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

Best Actor
Winner: Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme
Runner-up: Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

Best Actress
Winner: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Runner-up: Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
Runner-up: Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Amy Madigan, Weapons
Runner-up (TIE): Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good/Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Best Cast
Winner: Sinners
Runner-up: One Battle After Another

Best Youth Performance
Winner: Jacobi Jupe, Hamnet
Runner-up: Cary Christopher, Weapons

Best Documentary
Winner: The Perfect Neighbor
Runner-up: Stolen Kingdom

Best International Film
Winner: No Other Choice
Runner-up: It Was Just an Accident

Best Animated Film
Winner: KPop Demon Hunters / Zootopia 2 (TIE)

Best Screenplay
Winner: Sinners
Runner-up: One Battle After Another

Best Cinematography
Winner: Sinners
Runner-up: One Battle After Another

Best Score
Winner: Sinners
Runner-up: One Battle After Another

Best Original Song
Winner: “Golden,” KPop Demon Hunters
Runner-up: “I Lied to You,” Sinners

Best Sound Design
Winner: F1
Runner-up: Sinners

Best Editing
Winner (TIE): One Battle After Another / Marty Supreme

Best Make-Up and Hairstyling
Winner: Frankenstein
Runner-up: Sinners

Best Production Design
Winner: Frankenstein
Runner-up: Sinners

Best Visual Effects
Winner: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Runner-up: Superman

Best Costume Design
Winner: Sinners
Runner-up: Frankenstein

Best Stunt Coordination
Winner: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Runner-up: F1

Best Hybrid Performance
Winner: Oona Chaplin, Avatar: Fire and Ash
Runner-up: Zoe Saldana, Avatar: Fire and Ash

Best First Feature
Winner: Eva Victor, Sorry Baby
Runner-up: Andrew DeYoung, Friendship

Pittsburgh Chooses Sinners

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Pittsburgh Film Critics Association has announced their picks for the best of 2025.  And here they are:

BEST PICTURE
Winner: Sinners
Runner-Up: One Battle After Another

BEST LEAD ACTOR
Winner: Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Runner-Up: Jessie Buckley — Hamnet

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Amy Madigan — Weapons
Runner-Up: Wunmi Mosaku — Sinners

BEST FEATURED ACTOR (15 minutes or less of screen time)
Winner: William H. Macy — Train Dreams
Runner-Up: Naomi Ackie — Sorry, Baby

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Winner: Miles Caton — Sinners
Runner-Up: Chase Infiniti — One Battle After Another
Bark-through performance: Indy the Dog — Good Boy

BEST ANIMATED VOICE PERFORMANCE
Winners (Tie): Arden Cho — KPop Demon Hunters; Ke Huy Quan — Zootopia 2

BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Runner-Up: Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Runner-Up: Eva Victor — Sorry, Baby

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
Runner-Up: Rian Johnson — Wake Up Dead Man

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Autumn Durald Arkapaw — Sinners
Runner-Up: Adolpho Veloso — Train Dreams

BEST EDITING
Winner: Michael P. Shawver — Sinners
Runner-Up: Andy Jurgensen — One Battle After Another

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Winner: Hannah Beachler — Sinners
Runner-Up: Tamara Deverell — Frankenstein

BEST SCORE
Winner: Ludwig Göransson — Sinners
Runner-Up: Jonny Greenwood — One Battle After Another

BEST SONG
Winner: “I Lied to You” — Sinners
Runner-Up: “Golden” — KPop Demon Hunters

BEST SOUND DESIGN
Winner: Steve Boeddeker — Sinners
Runner-Up: Al Nelson — F1: The Movie

BEST HAIR, MAKEUP, & COSTUMES
Winner*:* Siân Richards, Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, Shunika Terry (Hair and Makeup); Ruth E. Carter (Costumes) — Sinners
Runner-up: Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey (Hair and Makeup); Kate Hawley (Costumes) — Frankenstein

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: KPop Demon Hunters
Runner-Up: Zootopia 2

BEST FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Winner: Sentimental Value
Runner-Up: It Was Just an Accident

BEST STUNT PERFORMANCE & CHOREOGRAPHY
Winner: Wade Eastwood — Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
Runner-Up: Andy Gill — Sinners

GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD
Winner: It Was Just an Accident for director Jafar Panahi’s continued critique of the Iranian regime.