MY FAVORITE FILMS OF 2021

When 2021 began, it appeared that we were on the right track of movies returning to theaters. And while audiences did return to some of the major-studio popcorn thrillers and sequels that had been delayed or current releases in large numbers, most dramas, indie fare and original movies struggled throughout the year to get people to come out to the cineplexes. Part of the reason is that the pandemic remains to be far from over (and in many ways, has gotten worse) which means that many folks were still not ready to return to going out to the movies. This meant that streaming remained the place where most viewers were watching new movies. I feel optimistic that once COVID is in a more manageable state (hopefully by summer, at the latest), people will finally feel comfortable to return to theaters. And even though they may not all have made big box-office, there were plenty of great films released throughout last year. Most of these movies I went to a theater to see (even some that were distributed and would end up shortly on a streamer) and I was thrilled to be able to watch them there.

Here are the films, in no particular order, that were some of my favorites in 2021:

"PASSING"

Based on the 1929 novel by Nella Larsen, "Passing" has been exquisitely adapted in to an extraordinary feature film by actor, Rebecca Hall, making her debut as a filmmaker. The term "passing" refers to a time when African-Americans who had skin light enough could pass as Caucasian, offering them opportunities for a better life yet sacrificing an integral part of their true identity. Irene (Tessa Thompson) lives a comfortable life in Harlem with her doctor husband (Andre Holland) and their young son. Being fair-skinned, Irene occasionally passes as white while out in the city and one day, a white woman approaches her at a hotel dining room claiming to know her. Clare (a radiant Ruth Negga) is actually a childhood friend of Irene's that has been secretly living her life as a white person. She has been so bold to have even married a wealthy man (Alexander Skarsgård) who not only has no clue about his wife's past but is also a raging racist. As these women rekindle their friendship, the charming Clare begins to infiltrate Irene's social and family life, deeply missing the connection with her people while Irene, who does care for her friend, finds herself resenting Clare's presence and life choices. Shot in black and white and using a 4:3 aspect ratio (capturing the stunning images in a square shape) by cinematographer, Eduard Grau, Hall has crafted a beautifully rendered and highly stylized drama. And it is no surprise that it's the performances that are truly impressive here with Thompson and Negga superbly playing off of each other with a mixture of admiration, envy and suspicion. "Passing" artfully examines the complicated dilemma involving race and identity, brilliantly capturing the tragedy and still unresolved issues surrounding these themes.

"KING RICHARD"

While Venus and Serena Williams may be two of the greatest tennis players the world has ever seen, many people are unaware of what it took to help them achieve their outstanding success. In "King Richard", the answer lies with not only their weary yet determined father, Richard (Will Smith) who is the main focus here but also their mother, Oracene (a spectacular Aunjanue Ellis) and three sisters (played by Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew, Daniele Lawson and Layla Crawford), a family that worked and sacrificed together in order for these girls to reach their full potential in professional tennis. As their coach, Richard trains with Serena (Demi Singleton) and Venus (Saniyya Sidney) daily on the rundown courts in their Compton neighborhood but knows he needs to find them a seasoned coach to take them to the next level. He finally gets Paul Cohen (Tony Goldwyn), who works with John McEnroe and Pete Sampras, to see his girls play and he's impressed. But Cohen will only train one for free and selects Venus. She does well in the juniors tournaments (which Serena secretly signs up to play) but Richard has his own ideas on the career path of his daughters, eventually firing Cohen. Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal) steps in to coach both girls and relocates the family to his facility in Florida. After three years, Venus wants to turn pro yet the stubborn Richard remains an obstacle, feeling it's too soon for his young daughter. With his third film as a director, Reinaldo Marcus Green displays a deft hand in creating a warm family drama while examining how race and class greatly impacts professional sports. And in a film with many exceptional performances, it is Smith, muting much of his considerable charm, who truly captivates by completely embodying the outspoken yet philosophical Williams, making this one of the more impressive turns in his career.

"C'MON C'MON"

What is extraordinary about the cinema of Mike Mills is in it's simplicity; the filmmaker takes modest, uncomplicated stories and breathes fresh life into them by creating warm yet emotionally chaotic characters. Once again using his life experiences as a springboard with his latest, "C'mon C'mon", Mills explores the pleasures and complications of parenthood seen through the unexpected eyes of Johnny, a single, childless radio journalist played by Joaquin Phoenix in a solid turn as an average guy. After a year of estrangement, Johnny contacts his sister, Viv (a wonderful Gaby Hoffmann). During their conversation, she asks her brother if he could stay in Los Angeles to watch her nine year old son, Jesse (Woody Norman) for a few days so she go to off to Oakland to help her partner, Paul (Scoot McNairy) who is suffering from an emotional breakdown. The uncle and his nephew begin to bond despite their different personalities. Viv needs more time with Paul but Johnny has to get back to New York for work so she reluctantly agrees to let him take her son to the East Coast. This begins a road trip with Johnny and Jesse where things become more complicated between them, each trying to understand the other's quirks and perspectives. Another film released this year that was shot in vivid black & white, "C'mon C'mon" is an engaging, subtle drama on familial relationships made memorable with insightful dialogue and formidable performances.

"SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME"

There's a reason why "Spider-Man: No Way Home" has become the biggest box-office hit of 2021 and currently the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time; this super-hero adventure combines a very clever plot with hilarious comedy, high-flying thrills and even some moving drama. This movie picks up where we last left off in "Spider-Man: Far From Home" when everyone has found out that Peter Parker is Spider-Man (Tom Holland). This creates havoc not only for Peter but for the loved ones in his life; Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon) and girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya). Desperate for a solution, Peter goes to see Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help. Dr. Strange begins a spell that would make the world forget that Parker is the Web-Slinger but Peter keeps interrupting him, not wanting his close family and friends to lose their memories of him, which forces Strange to stop before there is a problem. But it's too late. With some time-shifted problems created, Spider-Man will have to try and repair the broken multiverse. All I will say is that for fans of this current franchise and the two previous Spider-Man trilogies, you will truly enjoy this wonderfully fun and inventive installment.



"SUMMER OF SOUL"

"Summer of Soul (. . .Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)", the directorial debut of musician, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, is not only one the most thrilling documentaries of the year but one of the greatest musical experiences ever captured on film. Set over six weeks in 1969, the Harlem Cultural Festival was intended to provide healing and bring a sense of community a year after the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. And the weekly fest did achieve that, with some of the greatest African-American musical artists performing to over 300,000 people in attendance. The appearances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Hugh Masekela, B.B. King, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Staple Singers and Mahalia Jackson were filmed with excerpts airing only once on television. But then the hours of footage was placed in storage and forgotten about for almost fifty years, largely due to a shocking lack of interest. The recent discovery of this incredible treasure trove of live musical performances lead "Questlove" to want to shape this restored footage (with some never previously seen) into a film that the world could finally see to understand it's value and importance. He assembled a few of the musicians that performed and people who attended the event to share their thoughts on the experience of being there. "Summer of Soul" is an amazing historical document of an extraordinary gathering that will leave you feeling completely thrilled and elated.



"TICK, TICK. . .BOOM!"

"Tick, Tick. . .Boom!" was being developed by playwright, Jonathan Larson and was still a work-in-progress before his musical, "Rent" was set to premiere Off-Broadway in 1996. But on the morning of that preview, Larson tragically passed away from an aortic aneurysm at the age of thirty-five, never seeing his play, based on Puccini's 1896 opera, "La Bohème", become a phenomenal worldwide success. "Tick, Tick. . .Boom!" was originally written as a one-man show about Larson's experiences of struggling to write a musical based on Orwell's novel, "1984" and agonizing over not finding success as a playwright before he turned thirty. The show was revised by playwright, David Auburn and staged Off-Broadway in 2001. This has now been adapted into a wonderfully captivating movie musical with Lin-Manuel Miranda making his feature film debut as a director. Andrew Garfield plays Larson whose all-consuming drive to complete the show and get it into production before his big birthday creates tension with his girlfriend (Alexandra Shipp) and problems with his best friend (Robin de Jesús). Garfield is absolutely dazzling here (and surprises as a capable song-and-dance man) in his second impressive film appearance of the year (the other is playing televangelist, Jim Bakker in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"). And a lovely highlight is the centerpiece of the film during the number of "Sunday" that features cameos by some legends of musical theater.

"THE POWER OF THE DOG"

Jane Campion, the New Zealand filmmaker probably still best known for the 1993 Oscar-winning film, "The Piano", has returned to cinema with "The Power of the Dog", a powerful, period drama set in the American west. This might seem to be an unlikely genre for the director yet she surprises by deftly crafting a languid, unsettling psychological thriller. Adapted from the novel by Thomas Savage, the story is set on a cattle ranch in 1920's Montana run by two very different brothers; George (Jesse Plemons) is affable, considerate and polished while Phil (an intense Benedict Cumberbatch), who works the land, is aggressive, intolerant and habitually muddied. There is clearly tension between the two yet they have managed to make the arrangement work. But that changes after a stop during a cattle drive at a diner run by Rose (Kirsten Dunst), a widow and her son, Peter (an amazing Kodi Smit-McPhee). Finding Peter's delicate and soft-spoken manner offensive, Phil goes on the attack of the boy, upsetting his mother. After George consoles her, this eventually leads to their marriage, upsetting his brother. Phil becomes relentlessly hostile and cruel to Rose, causing her to retreat and turn to alcohol for comfort. From here, when Peter returns home from college to visit, the story slowly builds in an unexpected and curious manner before bringing us to a shocking conclusion. It has been about twelve years since Campion's last feature film yet "The Power of the Dog" reveals that her mastery as a filmmaker has only become more acute and persuasive. Let's hope we will not have to wait another extended period of time before her next film.

"I CARE A LOT"

"I Care a Lot" is a deliriously twisted black comedy by British writer/director, J Blakeson. Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) appears concerned when she goes before the court system to grant her legal guardianship over elderly people who are no longer able to care for themselves. However, this is nothing more than an elaborate and devious plot where she drugs her wealthy victims, dumps them into an assisted living facility and sells off their property and assets, making a nice living for herself and her business and life partner, Fran (Eiza González). But Marla makes the mistake of going after the wrong person. After being assured by a doctor working in on the scheme that she had no family that would miss her, she targets Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest). But someone is looking for Jennifer; Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage) who is a brutal gangster. He's also looking for the contents in Jennifer's safety deposit box, leading to a tenacious battle between Roman and a fearless Marla. Blakeson's clever and witty script takes us on a wild ride filled with outrageous twists and creates some unexpected suspense. With her severe bob and incessant vaping, Pike plays Marla as cool, calculating and completely deranged. This versatile British actress, who has shown her incredible range from a Bond girl in "Die Another Day" to a stunning turn with her Oscar-nominated performance in the thriller, "Gone Girl", is outstanding here, making this one of her best film performances and earned Pike a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical last year.



"THE LAST DUEL"

It's unfortunate that Ridley Scott's medieval epic, "The Last Duel" did not receive more attention from viewers when it reached theaters last year. But that doesn't mean it was not one of the most powerful dramas of 2021 with solid storytelling and commanding performances. This story focuses on Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), a knight whose wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), a squire and former friend, of raping her. Demanding satisfaction from what he sees as a personal insult, de Carrouges appeals to the King for a duel to the death which is granted. Told in three chapters (with the screenplay written by Damon, Nicole Holofcener and Ben Affleck who also makes an appearance in a supporting role as Count Pierre d'Alençon), with each of the three individuals involved recounting the same timeline from their perspectives. This is a meditative drama that explores the dynamics of male privilege and the long, disturbing history of misogyny. While each reveals their version of events, it becomes clear that the truth lies with the person with the least amount of control or power. Comer (who first found fame on the BBC television series, "Killing Eve") delivers an astonishingly moving performance as Marguerite who painfully discovers that despite this horrific violence that has been done to her, she is the one actually on trial.

"WEST SIDE STORY"

I have always been in the frame of mind that there is never a good reason to remake a perfectly good film. So when I heard that Steven Spielberg was going to create his own version of the stage musical, "West Side Story" which had already been adapted into a beloved movie (and won the 1961 Best Picture Oscar), I was more than little skeptical. But after seeing what Spielberg has accomplished, I'm more than willing to admit I might have been too quick to judge. Spielberg has created a magical, breathtaking and deeply emotional musical masterpiece that will absolutely become a classic. Just to be clear, the director has not remade the movie, "West Side Story" but has made something closer to the original 1957 musical that Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents conceived yet also nimbly reimagined their production so that the story (with a revitalized screenplay by Tony Kushner) would be more grounded, fitting more comfortably in our modern world. Inspired by Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", the 1950's-set story involves a turf war between New York City street gangs; the Sharks, made-up of recent immigrants largely from Puerto Rico and the Jets, a group of poor white teens, run by Riff (Mike Faist), that don't like outsiders moving into their territory. Caught in the middle is Tony (Ansel Elgort), a former Jet member fresh out of jail and trying to change his ways and Maria (Rachel Zegler in her film debut), a sweet, Puerto Rican girl who is the sister of Bernardo (David Alvarez), the leader of the Sharks. These two fall in love, creating additional tension between these rival gangs and leading to a tragic end. And there is Ariana DeBose, playing as Anita, Bernardo's girlfriend, an electrifying presence that you cannot take your eyes off of during any moment she's on screen. Rita Moreno, who won an Academy Award for playing Anita in the 1961 movie, is an executive producer of this film and the ninety year old makes an incredible appearance in a new role created for her as Valentina.



"TITANE"

And then there's "Titane (Titanium)", Julia Ducournau's trippy, fever dream that won the Best Film prize at the Cannes Film Festival. The French director has merged element of melodrama, mystery and horror to make one of the most fascinating, disturbing, thrilling and weirdest cinematic experiences of not only last year but possibly of all time. Agathe Rousselle makes her screen debut as Alexia, a young woman who was in a car accident as a child, leaving her with a titanium plate in her head. She has become a serial killer and after a botched attempted murder, she goes on the run, pretending to be the long missing son of a fire captain (Vincent Lindon). And the odd part is not that he accepts her without question as his child but that Alexia is pregnant with an automobile as the father. I will stress that "Titane" is not a movie for everyone and even those who like their movies "out there" may have a hard time here. But I really admire Ducournau's audacious nature and "Titane" was a movie that really stayed with me long after I had seen it.

Honorable Mention: "Annette", "Belfast", "Benedetta", "Don't Look Up" , "The Dry", "Everybody's Talking About Jamie" , "The Eyes of Tammy Faye", "The French Dispatch", "The Green Knight", "Luca", "Petite Maman", "Pig", "Red Rocket", "Saint Narcisse", "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", "The Tragedy of Macbeth", "Zola"

MORE AWARD NEWS

With Oscar voting starting today, many of the specialized guilds who will be receiving their ballots have already announced their nominations for the best in their respective fields from last year. Here is a rundown of what the producers, directors, writers, actors, cinematographers, editors and costume designers have selected for their awards in cinema:

UPDATED:  the winners are highlighted in yellow

Here are the nominees for the 33rd annual Producers Guild of America Awards:

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

Todd Black, "Being the Ricardos"
Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, "Belfast"
Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, "CODA"
Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, "Don't Look Up"
Mary Parent, Cale Boyter and Denis Villeneuve, "Dune"
Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, "King Richard"
Sara Murphy, Paul Thomas Anderson and Adam Somner, "Licorice Pizza"
Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier,"The Power of the Dog"
Julie Oh and Lin-Manuel Miranda, "Tick, Tick. . .Boom!"
Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, "West Side Story"

Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer, "Encanto"
Andrea Warren, "Luca"
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Kurt Albrecht, "The Mitchells vs. The Machines"
Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho, "Raya and the Last Dragon"
Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, "Sing 2"

Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures:

Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy and Nathan Truesdell, "Ascension"
Eligibility Determination Pending, "The First Wave"
Eligibility Determination Pending, "Flee"
Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements and Carolyn Hepburn, "In The Same Breath"
Eligibility Determination Pending, "The Rescue"
Robin Hessman, Megan Mylan, "Simple As Water"
Joseph Patel, David Dinerstein and Robert Fyvolent, "Summer Of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)"

Here are the nominees for the 74th annual Directors Guild of America Awards:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film:

Paul Thomas Anderson, "Licorice Pizza"
Kenneth Branagh, "Belfast"
Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
Steven Spielberg, "West Side Story"
Denis Villeneuve, "Dune"

Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Film Director:

Maggie Gyllenhaal, "The Lost Daughter"
Rebecca Hall, "Passing"
Tatiana Huezo, "Prayers for the Stolen"
Lin-Manuel Miranda, "Tick, Tick. . .Boom!"
Michael Sarnoski, "Pig"
Emma Seligman, "Shiva Baby"

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Feature Film:

Jessica Kingdon, "Ascension"
Stanley Nelson, "Attica"
Raoul Peck, "Exterminate All the Brutes"
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, "Summer of Soul (. . .Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)"
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, "The Rescue"

Here are the nominees for the 74th annual Writers Guild of America Awards:

Best Original Screenplay:

"Being the Ricardos", Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
"Don’t Look Up", Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
"The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun", Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola & Hugo Guinness & Jason Schwartzman
"King Richard", Screenplay by Zach Baylin
"Licorice Pizza", Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson

Best Adapted Screenplay:

"CODA", Screenplay by Siân Heder; Based on the Original Motion Picture, "La Famille Belier", Written by Victoria Bedos, Stanislas Carree de Malberg, Eric Lartigau and Thomas Bidegain
"Dune", Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth; Based on the novel, "Dune" Written by Frank Herbert
"Nightmare Alley", Screenplay by Guillermo del Toro and Kim Morgan; Based on the Novel by William Lindsay Gresham
"Tick, Tick. . .Boom!", Screenplay by Steven Levenson; Based on the play by Jonathan Larson
"West Side Story", Screenplay by Tony Kushner; Based on the Stage Play; Book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Play Conceived, Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins

Best Documentary Screenplay:

"Being Cousteau", Written by Mark Monroe & Pax Wasserman
"Exposing Muybridge", Written by Marc Shaffer
"Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres", Written by Suzanne Joe Kai

Here are the nominees for the 28th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

"Belfast"
"CODA"
"Don't Look Up"
"House of Gucci"
"King Richard"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:

Jessica Chastain, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"
Olivia Colman, "The Lost Daughter"
Lady Gaga, "House of Gucci"
Jennifer Hudson, "Respect"
Nicole Kidman, "Being The Ricardos"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:

Javier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"
Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick. . . Boom!"
Will Smith, "King Richard"
Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:

Caitríona Balfe, "Belfast"
Cate Blanchett, "Nightmare Alley"
Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"
Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"
Ruth Negga, "Passing" 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:

Ben Affleck, "The Tender Bar"
Bradley Cooper, "Licorice Pizza"
Troy Kotsur, "CODA"
Jared Leto, "House of Gucci"
Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"

Here are the nominees for the 36th annual American Society of Cinematographers Awards:

Best Feature Film:

Bruno Delbonnel, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"
Greig Fraser, "Dune"
Dan Laustsen, "Nightmare Alley"
Ari Wegner, "The Power of the Dog"
Haris Zambarloukos, "Belfast"

Best Documentary Feature:

Jessica Beshir, "Faya Dayi"
Isabel Bethencourt and Parker Hill, "Cusp"
Daniel Schönauer, "The Hidden Life of Trees"

Spotlight:

Ruben Impens, "Titane"
Pat Scola, "Pig"
Adolpho Veloso, "Jockey"

Here are the nominees for the 72nd annual American Cinema Editors EDDIE Awards:

Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic):

Úna Ní Dhonghaíle, "Belfast"
Joe Walker, "Dune"
Pamela Martin, "King Richard"
Tom Cross and Elliot Graham, "No Time To Die"
Peter Sciberras, "The Power of the Dog"

Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy):

Tatiana S. Riegel, "Cruella"
Hank Corwin, "Don't Look Up"
Andrew Weisblum, "The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun"
Andy Jurgensen, "Licorice Pizza"
Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum, "Tick, Tick. . .Boom!"

Best Edited Animated Feature Film:

Jeremy Milton, "Encanto"
Catherine Apple and Jason Hudak, "Luca'
Greg Levitan, "The Mitchells vs. the Machines"
Fabienne Rawley and Shannon Stein, "Raya and the Last Dragon"
Gregory Perler, "Sing 2"

Best Edited Documentary Feature Film:

Janus Billeskov Jansen, "Flee'
Bob Eisenhardt, "The Rescue"
Joshua L. Pearson, "Summer of Soul. . .Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised"
Ting Poo and Leo Scott, "Val"
Affonso Gonçalves and Adam Kurnitz, "The Velvet Underground"

Here are the nominees for the 24th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards:

Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Costume Design:

Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan, "Dune"
Malgosia Turzanska, "The Green Knight"
Lindsay Pugh, "The Matrix Resurrections"
Kym Barrett, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"
Sanja M. Hays, "Spider-Man: No Way Home"
Judianna Makovsky, "The Suicide Squad"

Excellence in Contemporary Film Costume Design:

Ruth E. Carter, "Coming 2 America"
Susan Matheson, "Don't Look Up"
Mitchell Travers, "In The Heights"
Suttirat Anne Larlarb, "No Time To Die"
Derica Cole Washington, "Zola"

Excellence in Period Film Costume Design:

Jenny Beavan, "Cruella"
Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran, "Cyrano"
Janty Yates, "House of Gucci"
Luis Sequeira, "Nightmare Alley"
Paul Tazewell, "West Side Story"

GASPARD ULLIEL (1984 - 2022)

Although he is probably best recognized in this country as the face of Chanel men's fragrance, Bleu de Chanel, Gaspard Ulliel was an award-winning French actor who has tragically passed away on January 19th at only the age of thirty-seven, He was involved in a skiing accident in Savoie, France the day before in which he crashed in to another skier without a helmet, causing severe head trauma with the handsome actor sadly succumbing to his injuries.

Ulliel, who had a notable small scar on his left cheek which he got as a six year old from a dog attack, began acting as a child performer, appearing in several television movies before his breakout performance in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "A Very Long Engagement" with Audrey Tautou, which he was awarded a César Award for Most Promising Actor. Other highlights in his filmography include playing a young Hannibal Lecter in "Hannibal Rising" (which was his first English-language film); portraying French fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent in the biopic, "Saint Laurent" which he received a Lumières Award for Best Actor in 2014; appearing in Xavier Dolan's drama, "Juste la fin du monde (It's Only the End of the World)" which won Ulliel the Best Actor César in 2016. His last released feature film was the comedy-drama, "Sibyl" which was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Ulliel had completed work on the upcoming Marvel Studios series, "Moon Knight" which he plays the character, Midnight Man. This is such a sad loss of a great talent in the prime of his career.

MORE AWARD SEASON NEWS

The National Society of Film Critics have selected their picks for the best of 2021. This prestigious group, established in 1966, is made up of critics that write for a variety of weekly and daily newspapers along with major publications and media outlets. The NSFC are well-known for their high-brow picks and this year, they did not disappoint. Ryusuke Hamaguchi and his three-hour long drama, "Drive My Car" were selected as Best Film and Director along with star, Hidetoshi Nishijima as Best Actor. Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, the film deals with a a theater director about to stage a production of Chekhov's play "Uncle Vanya" while grappling with loss and grief and makes a connection with his driver. Penélope Cruz received Best Actress for her work in the latest from Pedro Almodóvar in "Parallel Mothers". Ruth Negga was recognized as Best Supporting Actress for her outstanding turn in "Passing". And Anders Danielsen Lie won Best Supporting Actor for his part in the Norwegian romantic-dark comedy, "Verdens verste menneske (The Worst Person in the World)". The NSFC also selected the late filmmakers, Bernard Tavernier and Peter Bogdanovich and Maya Cade with the Black Film Archive as winners of the Film Heritage Award.

Here is the list of 2022 winners from The National Society of Film Critics:

Best Picture: "Drive My Car"
Best Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, "Drive My Car"
Best Screenplay: Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, "Drive My Car"
Best Actress: Penélope Cruz, "Parallel Mothers"
Best Actor: Hidetoshi Nishijima, "Drive My Car"
Best Supporting Actress: Ruth Negga, "Passing"
Best Supporting Actor: Anders Danielsen Lie, "The Worst Person in the World"
Best Cinematography: Andrew Droz Palermo, "The Green Knight"
Best Non-Fiction Film: "Flee"

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association had also selected "Drive My Car" as their Best Picture on December 18th. Some other winners crossed over with the NSFC but the LAFCA went their own way with Simon Rex for Best Actor in "Red Rocket" for his performance as a washed-up LA porn star returning to his small Texas hometown to start over; Best Supporting Actress went to Ariana DeBose for her turn as Anita in "West Side Story"; a tie between for Best Supporting Actor with Vincent Lindon for his performance in the surreal French drama, "Titane" and a mesmerizing Kodi Smit-McPhee for "The Power of the Dog" and one of favorite films of 2021, "Summer of Soul" won for Best Documentary.

Here is the List of 2022 winners from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association:

Best Picture: "Drive My Car"
Best Director: Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
Best Screenplay: Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, "Drive My Car"
Best Actress: Penélope Cruz, "Parallel Mothers"
Best Actor: Simon Rex, "Red Rocket"
Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"
Best Supporting Actor (tie): Vincent Lindon, "Titane" and Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"
Best Documentary: "Summer of Soul"
Best Film Not in the English Language: "Petite Maman"
Best Animation: "Flee"
Best Cinematography: Ari Wegner, "The Power of the Dog"
Best Editing: Joshua L. Pearson, "Summer of Soul"
Best Production Design: Steve Saklad, "Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar"
Best Music/Score: Alberto Iglesias, "Parallel Mothers"
Career Achievement Award: Mel Brooks

And the Golden Globes used to be the first major televised award show to kick off the season with a riotous party serving dinner and drinks for the attendees. But that has changed this year due the controversy surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with no one willing to attend nor present at their event. The awards will still be handed out but there will be no formal show that will be shown on television. Trying to fix their damaged image, they will be focusing on their philanthropy work and humanitarian causes during the ceremony. As for the awards; "The Power of the Dog" and "West Side Story" were the big winners of the Globes with each winning three. Jane Campion's psychological western won for Best Motion Picture (drama), Best Director and Best Supporting Actor for Kodi Smit-McPhee while Steven Spielberg's re-imagining of the Broadway musical received wins for Best Motion Picture (comedy) with Rachel Zegler (in her first film role) and Ariana DeBose receiving Best Actress (musical or comedy) and Best Supporting Actress.

Here is the complete list of winners of the 79th Annual Golden Globes Awards (Motion Picture):

Best Motion Picture (Drama): "The Power of the Dog"
Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): "West Side Story"
Best Director (Motion Picture): Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
Best Screenplay (Motion Picture): Kenneth Branagh, "Belfast"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama): Nicole Kidman, "Being the Ricardos"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): Rachel Zegler, "West Side Story"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama): Will Smith, "King Richard"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick … Boom!"
Best Supporting Actress (Motion Picture): Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"
Best Supporting Actor (Motion Picture): Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"
Best Motion Picture (Foreign Language): "Drive My Car" (Japan)
Best Motion Picture (Animated): "Encanto"
Best Original Score (Motion Picture): Hans Zimmer, "Dune"
Best Original Song (Motion Picture): Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, "No Time to Die" from "No Time to Die"

SIDNEY POITIER (1927 - 2022)

Sidney Poitier, who became Hollywood's first Black movie star and the first to receive an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role, has passed away on January 6th at the age of ninety-four. This groundbreaking performer was also deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement and humanitarian and diplomatic service. With a low-key demeanor and natural charm, Poitier commanded the screen with remarkable skill and effortless grace, making him one of the greatest of screen actors.

Although his family lived in the Bahamas, Poitier was born in Miami due to his parents being in the US while traveling, giving him citizenship. He grew up on Cat Island before the family moved to Nassau. As a teen, Poitier began to exhibit some bad behavior and fearing that he was heading for serious trouble, his parents sent him off to live with his older brother in Miami. Since Jim Crow laws were in full effect at this time, Poitier's first experience with enforced racial segregation was jarring to him and would push back against this system whenever he could.

But he soon left Florida and headed to New York, struggling to make a living with several odd jobs. Lying about his age, the sixteen year old Poitier joined the army during WWII and worked as an orderly at a veterans hospital on Long Island. This job became too much for him and pretended to be mentally ill in order to be discharged. Back in the City, he attempted to join the American Negro Theater but was rejected due to his heavy West Indian accent and lack of theatrical skills. Poitier worked hard to rid himself of his accent and six months later, auditioned again and was accepted.

Poitier worked regularly on stage before Hollywood came calling with Darryl F. Zanuck offering him a role in the film, "No Way Out" in 1950. His performance as a doctor who tries to treat a Caucasian bigot (Richard Widmark) earned him notice and more work. The actor's breakout would be in a supporting role as a rebellious student in "Blackboard Jungle", the 1955 social drama about teachers working in an inner-city school. Glenn Ford starred and the film is notable for the use of rock & roll in it's soundtrack. He teamed up with Tony Curtis for another film dealing with racial politics in Stanley Kramer's "The Defiant Ones" in 1958. The story of two escaped prisoners who are shackled together and must work together in order to survive was a critical and box-office success, earning Poitier his first Academy Award nomination and became the first Black actor to ever receive the honor. Poitier returned to the stage as an original cast member of the 1959 Broadway production of "A Raisin in the Sun" and would later star in the film version in 1961.

Poitier would come back to the screen in the films, "Porgy and Bess" and "Paris Blues" before winning the Oscar in 1963 for his role in "Lilies of the Field". His subsequent work in "Patch of Blue", "To Sir With Love", "In the Heat of the Night" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" would make Poitier a major movie star. 

After the director, Joseph Sargent dropped out, Poitier moved behind the camera to direct his first feature film, "Buck and the Preacher", a western made in 1972 which he co-starred with his friend, Harry Belafonte. He would direct and co-star in the comedies, "Uptown Saturday Night", "Let's Do It Again" and "A Piece of the Action". His most successful film as a director was the Richard Pryor-Gene Wilder 1980 comedy, "Stir Crazy". 

Poitier's later work as an actor-for-hire would include "Shoot to Kill", "Sneakers" and "The Jackal" in 1997 which would be his final role in a theatrical movie. He would appear in several television movies and miniseries throughout the 1990's including "Separate but Equal", "To Sir, with Love II" (directed by Peter Bogdanovich), and "Mandela and de Klerk".

As an actor of many "firsts",  the achievements of Sidney Poitier tended to be viewed as a symbol of how far this country had come. And while that was not a complete nor accurate assessment, the actor did help show that success in Hollywood was possible while being able to maintain your dignity and have some control over your career. Poitier helped to open doors for other African-Americans performers, giving them the opportunity to create and display their talents. Throughout his life, Sidney Poitier has remained a symbol of class, excellence and positivity. He will be missed but his great talent and compassionate spirit will never be forgotten.      

41 MOVIES TO SEE IN 2022

Going in to 2021, it was hopeful that the movie business would be able to return to some sense of "normal". And while people did return to theaters, they were venturing out largely to see the major event movies while comedies, dramas and indie fare still struggled to get audiences back into seats. Now that there is a new variant of COVID, effecting the fully vaxxed and non-vaxxed alike, it's unclear how this will impact the upcoming release schedule.

Vulture have rounded out the slate of movies that are planned to be released throughout this upcoming year, highlighting forty-one that are of particular interest. I'm sure this list will inevitably change, with some films either being delayed or moved to streaming only, but it is a list filled with intriguing films; there are the expected sequels ("Jurassic World: Dominion", "Legally Blonde 3", "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom", "Thor: Love and Thunder" and the two-year delayed "Top Gun: Maverick") reboots ("The Batman", "Scream", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre") and some interesting original films ("Everything Everywhere All at Once", Robert Eggers' "The Northman", Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis", Damien Chazelle’s period drama, "Babylon" and Jordan Peele's "Nope"). And there is the very, long-awaited sequel to James Cameron's 2009 sci-fi adventure, "Avatar".

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2022 Movie Calendar and the Most Anticipated