THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FILMS OF THE DECADE

Not only is this year quickly coming to a close but we are about to move on to the next decade of the twenty-first century. And that also means looking back on the last ten years in cinema. Now I certainly have my own opinions on what were the best and influential movies of the decade but to be perfectly honest, I just simply don't have the time to try and put together my own list. So I decided to go with some reliable sources and share their lists with you. First up, the co-chief film critics of the New York Times, A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis have together selected the ten movies (and not necessarily the best) that have made an impact on entertainment and beyond. And then each critic gives their own personal favorites from the 2010's.

Click below to read the article:

The NYT Ten Most Influential Films of the Decade (and Twenty Other Favorites)

Richard Brody of the New Yorker has selected twenty-seven feature films that are from what he refers to as "the decade of mumblecore". You may recall these were movies that tended to be very low-budget, largely improvised works that were usually built around some personal experience of the filmmakers. These were not the only types of films chosen by Mr. Brody (more conventional filmmakers like Clint Eastwood, Spike Lee, Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese also appear on the list) but he wanted to place special emphasize on their importance and influence over the last ten years.

Click below to read the article:

The New Yorker Twenty-Seven Best Movies of the Decade

And the most ambitious of these lists is from the film critics of New York Magazine which attempts to rank every movie from the decade. For each film to be considered, they had to have played in at least four U.S. theaters (exceptions were made if a film had been nominated for an award or appeared on a critic's Best-of-the-Year list) released from 2010 to 2019. That leaves a total of 5,279 movies that were ranked and the list was broken down from the top 53 films, followed by 214 runner-ups, 4,961 just-okay movies and the final 51 which represents the very worse of the decade.

Click below to read the article:

Every Movie of the 2010's Ranked

QUEEN & SLIM (2019)

Written by Lena Waithe



Directed by Melina Matsoukas



Where & When: AMC Sunset 5, West Hollywood, CA.  December 1. 2019  8:30 PM




Some have casually referred to "Queen & Slim" as a "Black Bonnie & Clyde". But that assessment of this film is not only inaccurate but somewhat insulting. This vividly rendered and compellingly told story does feature an African-American couple, almost complete strangers, who are involved in a violent crime which results in the death of a police officer and become fugitives running from the law, committing other crimes in the process. However, these two are not hardened criminals or thrill-seekers but young professional folks who find themselves caught up in a situation triggered by systemic racism.

While at the film's core is actually a love story, director Melina Matsoukas, best known for her work in commercials and music videos, most notably with Beyoncé, and writer Lena Waithe, the Emmy-Award winner of "Master of None" and creator of "The Chi" (both making their feature film debuts), also have something richer and deeper they want to say with "Queen & Slim" about the Black experience in America, exploring the themes of racial inequality, injustice and police brutality.

When we first meet the couple (we are not given their actual names until near the the end of the film), they are sitting in a Cleveland diner on a date set-up through Tinder. "Queen" (Jodie Turner-Smith), a criminal defense attorney, suffered a bad outcome on one of her cases and divulges to her date, "Slim" (Daniel Kaluuya), who is between jobs, that the only reason she agreed to go out with him was for a distraction. Without much in common, the two struggle to connect. He is calm, laid back and devout with Queen tending to be prickly, impatient and a non-believer.

As Slim drives Queen home, she begins to warm up to him although it still seems unlikely they will have a second date. Colored lights soon begin flashing behind the car, summoning them to pull over. The police officer (country musician, Sturgill Simpson), claiming that Slim was driving erratically, seems determined to find some reason to arrest the couple. After having Slim get out in to the frigid night and open the trunk, the officer rummages through the car. Freezing, Slim asks if the cop could hurry up. This triggers the officer to pull out his gun, demanding him to put his hands behind his back to be handcuffed. Fed-up and infuriated, Queen gets out of the car demanding his badge number, pulling out her phone to record this incident. As the gun is pointed in her direction, a fight between the men ensues and the officer is accidentally shot.

Knowing full well that no one will believe their version of the story nor get a fair chance in the legal system, the couple reluctantly decide to get on the road to run. And where will they run to is what begins their riveting cross-country journey with these two very different people having to trust and rely on each other in order to have a fighting chance for survival.

In this day in age, cameras are everywhere which makes it incredibly difficult for anyone to really  hide. And it's not long before the police are on their trail and their faces are plastered all over the news. After a few close calls, the couple make it to New Orleans to hide out at the house of Queen's Uncle Earl (Bokeem Woodbine). As a pimp by trade, Earl doesn't want to get involved, especially with cops in hot pursuit. But after Queen cryptically reminds him that he owes her, he arranges a new car and a contact in Florida who can help get them to Cuba.

Waithe met James Frey, the controversial author best known for "A Million Little Pieces" which initially he claimed to be a memoir before it was revealed that he had fabricated part of the novel, at a party where he pitched her this idea he couldn't write. She went to work on a script (and giving Frey a story credit) that solidly features a thrilling adventure and provocative romance while also deeply rooted with the long simmering struggles of the African-American community.

Matsoukas first worked with Waithe on the Emmy-Award winning episode she co-wrote for "Master of None" and was approached to direct "Queen & Slim". With an extensive body of work directing videos and television, she was more than ready to do a feature film. It should be no surprise that Matsoukas displays a confident visual style with the help of cinematographer, Tat Radcliffe by merging a few flashy techniques usually found in music videos. But these showy additions don't distract from the narrative and actually help to heighten the director's overall bold vision.

Following his dazzling performances in "Get Out", "Widows" and "Black Panther", Mr. Kaluuya's role of Slim might be low-key but he provides the film warmth as a man guided by his deep faith, never losing the belief that they will make it through their ordeal. With her first major film role, Ms Turner-Smith, a former model, holds her own as a young woman filled with rage over the continuing injustice in our society yet begins to soften after finding her own sense of faith. While on the run, we see a shift in these characters as they let down their guard, allowing themselves to open up and have meaningful conversations. And from that we see them appreciating the beauty around them, a willingness to explore new experiences and building a profound bond that blossoms in to love.

Some may not like the pointed politics of "Queen & Slim" and that is okay as far as I'm concerned. Without any apprehension about not playing it safe or possibly aliening some in the audience, Matsoukas and Waithe clearly wanted to make a film that stirs anger, resentment and grief while also delivering a sense of pride and hope for African-Americans. And they have succeeded in rousing these emotions over the course of this tragic, sweeping tale with a work that makes a powerful statement with daring urgency, lyrical vision and dramatic impact.

MORE AWARD SEASON NEWS

The Screen Actors Guild has announced their acting nominations of the year and the major surprise is the cast of "Parasite", Bong Joon Ho's eerie tale of a poor family trying for a better life by working for a wealthy family from South Korea, has been recognized for Outstanding Performance By a Cast which is the equivalent of a Best Picture nomination. This is only the second time in the history of the SAG Awards that a foreign-language cast has been nominated in this category. But it was "Bombshell", the upcoming drama based on the sexual harassment scandal at Fox News, Martin Scorsese's mobster biopic, "The Irishman" and Quentin Tarantino's 1969 set drama, "Once Upon A Time. . . in Hollywood" that received the most nominations with each film collecting a total of four. And Scarlett Johansson became one of the rare double nominees with the actress this year being recognized for her lead performance in the divorce drama, "Marriage Story" and her supporting work in the satire, "Jojo Rabbit".

The 26th annual SAG Awards will be presented on January 19, 2020 in Los Angeles. Robert De Niro will receive the Life Achievement Award. Here is a partial list of this year's nominations:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

"Bombshell"
"The Irishman"
"Jojo Rabbit"
"Once Upon a Time . . . In Hollywood"
"Parasite"


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:

Cynthia Erivo, "Harriet"
Scarlett Johansson, "Marriage Story"
Lupita Nyong'o, "Us"
Charlize Theron, "Bombshell"
Renee Zellweger, "Judy"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:

Christian Bale, "Ford v Ferrari"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Once Upon a Time. . . in Hollywood"
Adam Driver, "Marriage Story"
Taron Egerton, "Rocketman"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Joker"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:

Laura Dern, "Marriage Story"
Scarlett Johansson, "Jojo Rabbit"
Nicole Kidman, "Bombshell"
Jennifer Lopez, "Hustlers"
Margot Robbie, "Bombshell"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:

Jamie Foxx, "Just Mercy"
Tom Hanks, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"
Al Pacino, "The Irishman"
Joe Pesci, "The Irishman"
Brad Pitt, "Once Upon a Time. . . In Hollywood"

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:

"Avengers: Endgame"
"Ford v Ferrari"
"The Irishman"
"Joker"
"Once Upon a Time. . . In Hollywood"

What was notable about the big winner at this year's European Film Awards is that "The Favourite"(which won four awards including Best European Film) had already won plenty of prizes in the U.S. the previous year with Olivia Colman (who took home a Best Actress Oscar) getting another award for her performance in the film. I know it's all about the release schedule yet another favorite that won several awards in 2018 was "Cold War" which received this year's People's Choice prize.

Here is the list of winners of the 2019 European Film Awards:

Best European Film: "The Favourite"
Best European Director: Yorgos Lanthimos, "The Favourite"
Best European Screenwriter: Céline Sciamma, "Portrait Of A Lady On Fire"
Best European Actor: Antonio Banderas, "Pain And Glory"
Best European Actor: Olivia Colman, "The Favourite"
Best European Comedy: "The Favourite"
Best European Documentary: "For Sana"
Best European Animated Feature Film: "Bunuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles"
Best European Short Film: "The Christmas Gift"
People's Choice Award: "Cold War"
European Discovery: Ladj Ly, "Les Misérables"

And here is a round-up of selections made by a few film critic groups for the best of 2019. What's clear is that "Parasite" has shaped up to become one of the biggest critical and box-office (for a foreign-language film) successes of the year. At this point, plenty of Oscar nominations are guaranteed but will Bong Joon Ho and his highly praised film actually win the gold?

Here is the list of winners from The Los Angeles Film Critics Association:

Best Picture: "Parasite"
Best Director: Bong Joon Ho, "Parasite"
Best Screenplay: Noah Baumbach, "Marriage Story"
Best Actor: Antonio Banderas, "Pain and Glory"
Best Actress: Mary Kay Place, "Diane"
Best Supporting Actor: Song Kang Ho, "Parasite"
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lopez, "Hustlers"
Best Documentary/Nonfiction Film: "American Factory"
Best Foreign-Language Film: "Pain and Glory"
Best Animation: "I Lost My Body"
Best Cinematography: Claire Mathon, "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" and "Atlantics"
Best Editing: Todd Douglas Miller, "Apollo 11"
Best Production Design: Barbara Ling, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"
Best Music/Score: Dan Levy, "I Lost My Body"
New Generation: Joe Talbot, Jimmie Falls and Jonathan Majors, "The Last Black Man In San Francisco"
Career Achievement Award: Elaine May

Here is the list of winners from the 2019 Chicago Film Critics Association:

Best Picture: "Parasite"
Best Director: Bong Joon Ho, "Parasite"
Best Original Screenplay: Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, "Parasite"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Greta Gerwig, "Little Women"
Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, "Us"
Best Actor: Adam Driver, "Marriage Story"
Best Supporting Actress: Florence Pugh, "Little Women"
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, "Once Upon a Time. . .in Hollywood"
Best Documentary: "Apollo 11"
Best Animated Feature: "Toy Story 4"
Best Foreign-Language Film: "Parasite"
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, "1917"
Best Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker, "The Irishman"
Best Art Direction: Nancy Haigh and Barbara Ling, "Once Upon a Time. . .in Hollywood"
Best Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran, "Little Women"
Best Original Score: Alexandre Desplat, "Little Women"

Here is the list of winners from the 2019 Boston Society of Film Critics:

Best Picture: "Little Women"
Best Director: Bong Joon ho, "Parasite"
Best Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, "Once Upon a Time. . .in Hollywood"
Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, "Little Women"
Best Actor: Adam Sandler, "Uncut Gems"
Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, "Marriage Story"
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, "Once Upon a Time. . .in Hollywood"
Best Ensemble: "Little Women"
Best Foreign Language Film: "Parasite"
Best Animated Film: "I Lost My Body"
Best Documentary: "Honeyland"
Best Cinematography: Claire Mathon, "Portrait of a Lady on Fire"
Best Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker, "The Irishman"
Best Score: Alexandre Desplat, "Little Women"
New Filmmaker: Joe Talbot, "Last Black Man in San Francisco"

GREAT PERFORMERS: THE BEST ACTORS OF 2019

For this year's New York Times Great Performers, there is no clever theme involved this time. It has simply presented what they consider are some of the best screen performances of 2019. A. O. Scott and Wesley Morris, the NYT film critics, have selected ten actors who delivered memorable and moving work that particularly stood out in a year that had quite a few outstanding performances.

Those included are Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio ("Once Upon a Time . .  In Hollywood"); Lupita Nyong’o ("Us"); Julianne Moore ("Gloria Bell"); Jennifer Lopez ("Hustlers"); Robert De Niro ("The Irishman"); Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson ("Marriage Story"); Antonio Banderas ("Pain & Glory") and Elizabeth Moss ("Her Smell"). The critics explain why each of these actors were selected and the article is accompanied by vibrant black & white photographs by Jack Davison.

Click below to read the article:

Great Performers: The Ten Best Actors of The Year

2019 NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY

The Library of Congress has added twenty-five movies to the National Film Registry which recognizes their artistic significance while helping to ensure their preservation for generations to come. These films selected include "Becky Sharp", the first full-length Hollywood movie filmed entirely in color from 1935; the Best Picture Oscar winners from 1984 ("Amadeus") and 1986 ("Platoon"); the Disney animated classic, "Sleeping Beauty";"The Coal Miner's Daughter", the biopic of country music legend, Loretta Lynn which starred, Sissy Spacek who went on to win the Best Actress Academy Award; Prince's semi-biographical musical fantasia, "Purple Rain"; "Body and Soul", the 1925 silent film written and directed by African-American film making pioneer, Oscar Micheaux and features Paul Robeson in his motion picture debut; and the feature film directorial debuts by Elaine May ("A New Leaf"), Kevin Smith ("Clerks") and Spike Lee ("She's Gotta Have It").

These films, which must be at least ten years old, have been named because of their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance and with these selections brings the number of films in the registry to 775. Here is the complete list of the films selected to the 2019 National Film Registry:

“Amadeus” (1984)



“Becky Sharp” (1935)



“Before Stonewall” (1984)



“Body and Soul” (1925)
“Boys Don’t Cry” (1999)
“Clerks” (1994)
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980)
“Emigrants Landing at Ellis Island” (1903)
“Employees Entrance” (1933)
“Fog of War” (2003)



“Gaslight” (1944)



“George Washington Carver at Tuskegee Institute” (1937)
“Girlfriends” (1978)
“I Am Somebody” (1970)
“The Last Waltz” (1978)



“My Name Is Oona” (1969)
“A New Leaf” (1971)



“Old Yeller” (1957)
“The Phenix City Story” (1955)
“Platoon” (1986)
“Purple Rain” (1984)
“Real Women Have Curves” (2002)



“She’s Gotta Have It” (1986)
“Sleeping Beauty” (1959)



“Zoot Suit” (1981)

2019 GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS

Netflix is proving it's might as a major power player in cinema as the streaming service dominated the nominations of the 2019 Golden Globes Awards. "The Irishman", "Marriage Story", "The Two Popes" and "Dolemite Is My Name" helped Netflix lead all studios with a total of 17 nominations with Noah Baumbach's divorce drama receiving the most with six and all the films nominated for Best Motion Picture. With The Globes having separate categories, joining these films for Best Motion Picture in drama are the WWI epic, "1917" and "Joker" while the Best Motion Picture nominations in comedy or musical are Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood", the WWII satire, "Jojo Rabbit", the whodunit mystery, "Knives Out" and the Elton John biopic, "Rocketman".

The Golden Globes have had a long reputation for offbeat nominations and this year there were a few that were more inspired than strange. One was recognizing the superb performance by the child actor, Roman Griffin Davis with his debut in "Jojo Rabbit" who expertly carried this film with ease. And there is almost the entire Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical category which includes nominations for the star-making turn by Ana de Armas in “Knives Out”, Beanie Feldstein's performance in one of my favorite movies of the year, “Booksmart”,  Awkwafina's subtle work in “The Farewell” and the always reliable Emma Thompson who did a great job in the little seen comedy, "Late Night".

And one glaring omission is that once again in the Best Director category, there are no females receiving recognition which is really problematic as there were many amazing works done this year by women.

The caustic comedian, Ricky Gervais will return to host the 77th annual Golden Globes for the fifth time on January 5, 2020 in Los Angeles. Tom Hanks (who also received the expected nomination for playing Mr. Rogers in "A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood") is this year's recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award and the Carol Burnett Award will go to Ellen DeGeneres.

Here is a partial list of the 2019 Golden Globe nominations:

UPDATED: Winners highlighted

Best Motion Picture (Drama):

“The Irishman”
“Marriage Story”
“1917”
“Joker”
“The Two Popes”

Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy):

“Dolemite Is My Name”
“Jojo Rabbit”
“Knives Out”
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
“Rocketman”

Best Director (Motion Picture):

Bong Joon-ho, “Parasite”
Sam Mendes, “1917”
Todd Phillips, “Joker”
Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman”
Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Best Screenplay (Motion Picture):

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

Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama):

Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet”
Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story”
Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women”
Charlize Theron, “Bombshell”
Renée Zellweger, “Judy”

Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy):

Ana de Armas, “Knives Out”
Awkwafina, “The Farewell”
Cate Blanchett, “Where’d You Go, Bernadette”
Beanie Feldstein, “Booksmart”
Emma Thompson, “Late Night”

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture:

Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”
Annette Bening, “The Report”
Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
Jennifer Lopez, “Hustlers”
Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”

Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama):

Christian Bale, “Ford v Ferrari”
Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory”
Adam Driver, “Marriage Story”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”
Jonathan Pryce, “The Two Popes”

Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy):

Daniel Craig, “Knives Out”
Roman Griffin Davis, “Jojo Rabbit”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Taron Egerton, “Rocketman”
Eddie Murphy, “Dolemite Is My Name”

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture:

Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”
Al Pacino, “The Irishman”
Joe Pesci, “The Irishman”
Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Best Motion Picture (Animated):

“Frozen 2”
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
“The Lion King”
“Missing Link”
“Toy Story 4”

Best Motion Picture (Foreign-Language):

“The Farewell” (USA)
“Les Misérables” (France)
“Pain and Glory” (Spain)
“Parasite”(South Korea)
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” (France)

Best Original Score (Motion Picture):

Alexandre Desplat, “Little Women”
Hildur Guðnadóttir, “Joker”
Randy Newman, “Marriage Story”
Thomas Newman, “1917”
Daniel Pemberton, “Motherless Brooklyn”

Best Original Song (Motion Picture):

“Beautiful Ghosts” (“Cats”)
“I’m Gonna Love Me Again” (“Rocketman”)
“Into the Unknown” (“Frozen 2”)
“Spirit” (“The Lion King”)
“Stand Up” (“Harriet”)

AWARD SEASON 2019 BEGINS

Award season has begun fast and furious with several critics groups and film organizations  announcing their picks for the best of the year. First we have the National Board of Review with the organization selecting "The Irishman" as Best Film while giving the Best Director prize to Quentin Tarantino for his work on the unique  tribute to the end of Hollywood's Golden Age, "Once Upon a Time . . . In Hollywood". Martin Scorsese's crime drama would also receive Best Adapted Screenplay and this year's Icon Award will go to the director and his stars, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. The National Board of Review has been around since 1909 and the group, which includes filmmakers, academics and movie enthusiasts, will hand out the prizes on January 8th in New York.

Here is the list of the 2019 winners selected by the National Board of Review:

Best Film: "The Irishman"
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino, "Once Upon A Time. . .In Hollywood"
Best Directorial Debut: Melina Matsoukas, "Queen & Slim"
Best Original Screenplay: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie and Ronald Bronstein, "Uncut Gems"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Steven Zaillian, "The Irishman"
Best Actor: Adam Sandler, "Uncut Gems"
Best Actress: Renée Zellweger, "Judy"
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, "Once Upon A Time. . .In Hollywood"
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, "Richard Jewell"
Breakthrough Performance: Paul Walter Hauser, "Richard Jewell"
Best Ensemble: "Knives Out"
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Roger Deakins, "1917"
Best Animated Feature: "How To Train Your Dragon:The Hidden World"
Best Foreign Language Film: "Parasite"
Best Documentary: "Maiden"
NBR Icon Award: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: "For Sama"
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: "Just Mercy"

The American Film Institute has announced their picks for the ten best films of 2019. "The Irishman" and "Once Upon a Time. . . In Hollywood" made the list as well as Lulu Wang's "The Farewell", Clint Eastwood's upcoming bio-pic, "Richard Jewell" and the violent comic-book thriller, "Joker". And a special award was given to Bong Joon Ho for his compelling black comedy thriller, "Parasite" which is designated for a work of excellence outside the institute’s criteria for American film and television. There will be an AFI Awards luncheon for the winners on January 3rd in Los Angeles.

AFI Motion Pictures of the Year:

"1917"
"The Farewell"
"The Irishman"
"Jojo Rabbit"
"Joker"
"Knives Out"
"Little Women"
"Marriage Story"
"Once Upon a Time. . .In Hollywood"
"Richard Jewell"

"The Irishman" was also the pick by The New York Film Critics Circle for Best Film but some of their more inspired selections include the Best Actress prize going to Lupita Nyong’o for her captivating turn in the horror film, "Us", Antonio Banderas receiving Best Actor for his amazing performance in Pedro Almodóvar's drama, "Pain and Glory" and the Safdie brothers winning Best Director for their indie drama, "Uncut Gems" which features an impressively dramatic Adam Sandler. The NYFCC, which was founded in 1935, includes critics from daily and weekly newspapers, magazines and online publications.

Here is the list of winners of the 2019 New York Film Critics Circle:

Best Film: "The Irishman"
Best Director: Josh and Benny Safdie, "Uncut Gems"
Best First Film: "Atlantics"
Best Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, "Once Upon a Time. . . in Hollywood"
Best Actor: Antonio Banderas, "Pain And Glory"
Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, "Us"
Best Supporting Actor: Joe Pesci, "The Irishman"
Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, "Marriage Story" and "Little Women"
Best Cinematography: Claire Mathon, "Portrait of a Lady on Fire"
Best Foreign Language Film: "Parasite"
Best Non-Fiction Film: "Honeyland"
Best Animated Film: "I Lost My Body"

Noah Baumbach and his exceptional drama, "Marriage Story" was the big winner at the 2019 Gotham Awards with the film receiving four awards; Best Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and the Audience Award. And Awkwafina took home Best Actress for her moving performance in "The Farewell".

Here is a partial list of nominations and the winners (highlighted) of the 2019 Gotham IFP Awards:

Best Feature:

"The Farewell"
"Hustlers"
"Marriage Story"
"Uncut Gems"
"Waves"

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award:

Laure De Clermont-Tonnerre, "The Mustang"
Kent Jones, "Diane"
Joe Talbot, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"
Olivia Wilde, "Booksmart"
Phillip Youmans, "Burning Cane"

Best Screenplay:

Lulu Wang, "The Farewell"
Tarell Alvin McCraney, "High Flying Bird"
Jimmie Fails, Joe Talbot, and Rob Richert, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"
Noah Baumbach, "Marriage Story"
Ari Aster, "Midsommar"

Best Actress:

Awkwafina, "The Farewell"
Elisabeth Moss, "Her Smell"
Mary Kay Place, "Diane"
Florence Pugh, "Midsommar"
Alfre Woodard, "Clemency"

Best Actor:

Willem Dafoe, "The Lighthouse"
Adam Driver, "Marriage Story"
Aldis Hodge, "Clemency"
André Holland, "High Flying Bird"
Adam Sandler, "Uncut Gems"

Breakthrough Actor:

Julia Fox, "Uncut Gems"
Aisling Franciosi, "The Nightingale"
Chris Galust, "Give Me Liberty"
Noah Jupe, "Honey Boy"
Jonathan Majors, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"
Taylor Russell, "Waves"

Best Documentary:

"American Factory"
"Apollo 11"
"The Edge of Democracy"
"Midnight Traveler"
"One Child Nation"

Audience Award:

"American Factory"
"Apollo 11"
"Booksmart"
"Burning Cane"
"Diane"
"The Edge of Democracy"
"The Farewell"
"Hustlers"
"The Last Black Man in San Francisco"
"Marriage Story"
"Midnight Traveler"
"The Mustang"
"One Child Nation"
"Uncut Gems"
"Waves"

COMING SOON

An intriguing new teaser trailer has dropped for an upcoming film starring Janelle Monáe. Not much as been revealed yet about the plot for "Antebellum" but it appears to be a supernatural thriller based on the announcement that the film is from the producers of "Get Out" and "Us". What we do know is that Monáe will play a successful writer who finds herself trapped in an alternative reality which takes her back in time during slavery and must solve this mystery before it's too late. It sounds like a really creepy mind twist. This is the feature film debut from writers/ directors, Gerard Bush + Christopher Renz who are best known for their work with creating innovative visuals for social activist organizations. "Antebellum" also features Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Marque Richardson and Gabourey Sidibe.

"Antebellum" is due in U.S. theaters on April 24, 2020

JOJO RABBIT (2019)

Written & Directed by Taika Waititi



Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA.  October 16, 2019  7:30 PM



The idea of a movie about an enthusiastic Nazi youth who discovers a Jewish girl hiding in his home and has an imaginary friendship with the Führer himself, Adolf Hitler may sound off-putting and offensive to quite a few people. That was certainly my initial reaction when I heard the plot for "Jojo Rabbit", a pitch black WWII farce from Taika Waititi. Yet in the hands of this New Zealand actor/filmmaker, who brought us the hilariously eccentric comedies, "What We Do in the Shadows" and "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" and most famously invigorated the Marvel Universe by adding his offbeat wit to the conventional super-hero antics in "Thor: Ragnarok", he has managed to make one of the most absurd, charming, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny movies I have seen, not only this year but in a really long time.

This is quite an achievement considering how "Jojo Rabbit" could have easily gone extremely distasteful and intolerable due to the tricky story which is based on the book, "Caging Skies" by Christine Leunens. And after seeing the film, it's really no surprise that it won the Audience Award at this year's Toronto Film Festival as "Jojo Rabbit" has given Mr. Waititi the perfect opportunity to use his taste for weird, wild comedy while making a thoughtful and powerful statement on love and tolerance.

Our story starts in the middle of World War II Germany where we meet the ten year old Johannes Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) who is known as "Jojo". With his father off somewhere fighting in Italy and recently losing his older sister to illness, Jojo now only has his mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) who remain upbeat, giving him plenty of love and support. Oh, and then there is Hitler (played by Waititi), who the nefarious Nazi Leader is conjured up when Jojo needs advice from an apparent father figure.

Jojo attends a youth training group where the students learn the fine art of killing and the dangers of Jews from the Nazi perspective. When he is brought up to prove his murderous spirit by killing a rabbit, Jojo winds up setting it free and runs off crying, earning him the nickname, "Jojo Rabbit". After Hitler offers him some advice to prove his bravery, Jojo returns with a live hand grenade. But his plan backfires (literally) and leaves him seriously injured.

While at home recuperating, Jojo discovers someone hiding upstairs in the attic. She is Elsa Korr (Thomasin McKenzie), a friend of his late sister and Jewish. Jojo threatens to turn her over to the police but she informs him that they would arrest his mother as well for hiding her. He decides to use this situation to his advantage, insisting Elsa reveal "Jew secrets" to help him write a useful book on the subject. Deciding to play along with this ignorant boy, she confirms the wild stories Jojo has learned of Jews in school like them reading minds and drinking blood.

Mr. Waititi was aware that he would be drawing criticism from some corners for his lighthearted depictions of murderous Nazis, despite them being portrayed as bumbling idiots. One major change he made from Leunens' novel was the addition of the imaginary Hitler who is viewed as a wacky goofball and even somewhat likable. But the director obviously had no interest in making Nazis sympathetic or inoffensive. The aim was to consider that beneath these monsters were still human beings, with some very likely brainwashed to blindly hate. Drawn to the themes against hate and war in the book, Waititi has added his unique comic spin as a way to counterbalance the seriousness of this dark story.

As a mother who secretly has political beliefs that do not line up with her son's, Ms Johansson has never been more charming and intriguing. There is great supporting comedic work from Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant and Sam Rockwell as an army officer who runs the Nazi youth camp. But it is the eleven year old Griffin Davis who impresses in his first leading film role. The expressive young actor handles the confusing, conflicting messages that Jojo receives about Jews, Nazis and his own mother with considerable skill and expert comic timing. And special mention must be made about Archie Yates who plays Jojo's buddy and fellow Nazi-in-training, Yorki. Yates is adorable, hilarious and steals every scene he's in.

In this era of wokeness and #MeToo, filmmakers seem even more reluctant to stick their necks out to make anything that would be considered objectionable to the overly sensitive minds of today's audience. I think of Mel Brooks whose classic yet un-PC comedies, "Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein" (who some might find mocking the living dead) and "The Producers" (which features a musical love story about Hitler) I'm certain would not be made today or at least not in their current form. Trust me, I'm fully aware Hollywood does not have a great track record on being sensitive or considerate to the images of people of color, the LGBTQ community and women that have been put on the big screen. Yet it does seem like we are moving to the extreme of being overly careful not to offend anyone which I think can be potentially dangerous in creating art.

With "Jojo Rabbit", Mr. Waititi took a big risk in making a comedy set during one of the most horrific, contentious and emotionally fraught periods in human history. And because of that, it may be hard to convince people that they should see this film. But I really think "Jojo Rabbit" should not be missed.

We are made to laugh hysterically throughout most of "Jojo Rabbit" until there is an unexpected moment that is shocking to the core and completely heartbreaking. This shift makes us realize that the director wants to use his film to not only entertain but also offer insight and inspire conversation. I think Waititi has an extraordinary gift to make us feel many different emotions throughout his films; laughter, tears, hope and joy. And that remarkable experience is what going to the movies is really all about.

2019 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

Award season has officially been kicked off with the announcement of the nominees for the 2019 Spirit Awards which honors the best in independent cinema. "Uncut Gems", the latest from Safdie brothers which features comedian, Adam Sandler in a dramatic role about a NYC jewelry merchant unraveling due to a gambling addiction, and "The Lighthouse", a black & white period drama from Robert Eggers about two lighthouse keepers slowly losing their minds that stars Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, leads the field with five nominations each. While all of the directors of these films were recognized for Best Director, only "Uncut Gems" received a nod for Best Feature.

The other four Best Feature nominees are Terrence Malick's "A Hidden Life", a drama based on the true story of a devout Catholic farmer in Austria who refused to fight the Nazis during World War II. "The Farewell", a dramedy based on the real-life experience of director Lulu Wang about a family who decide not to tell their beloved grandmother she is seriously ill and only has a short while left to live. "Clemency", writer/director, Chinonye Chukwu's drama about a Death Row prison warden (played by Best Female Lead nominee, Alfre Woodard) whose difficult job has taken it's toll on her and now struggles with this before having to execute another inmate. And "Marriage Story" from Noah Baumbach (which received three total nominations) is another film loosely based on the filmmaker's personal experience and looks at the marriage of a young couple coming apart. Baumbach, his cast (which includes Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern and Alan Alda) and the casting directors (Douglas Aibel and Francine Maisler) received the special Robert Altman Award given to the best ensemble. However, this prestigious win made the director and actors ineligible for any individual nominations.

The 35th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards will be held February 8, 2020. Here is the complete list of nominations for the 2019 Spirit Awards:

Best Feature:

"A Hidden Life"
"Clemency"
"The Farewell"
"Marriage Story"
"Uncut Gems"

Best Director:

Alma Har'el, "Honey Boy"
Lorene Scafaria, "Hustlers"
Julius Onah, "Luce"
Robert Eggers, "The Lighthouse"
Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie, "Uncut Gems"

Best Screenplay:

Noah Baumbach, "Marriage Story"
Jason Begue & Shawn Snyder, "To Dust"
Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie, "Uncut Gems"
Chinonye Chukwu, "Clemency"
Tarell Alvin McCraney, "High Flying Bird"

Best Female Lead:

Karen Allen, "Colewell"
Hong Chau, "Driveways"
Elisabeth Moss, "Her Smell"
Mary Kay Place, "Diane"
Alfre Woodard, "Clemency"
Renée Zellweger, "Judy"

Best Male Lead:

Chris Galust, "Give Me Liberty"
Kelvin Harrison Jr., "Luce"
Robert Pattinson, "The Lighthouse"
Matthias Schoenaerts, "The Mustang"
Adam Sandler, "Uncut Gems"

Best Supporting Female:

Jennifer Lopez, "Hustlers"
Taylor Russell, "Waves"
Lauren "LoLo" Spencer, "Give Me Liberty"
Octavia Spencer, "Luce"
Zhao Shuzhen, "The Farewell"

Best Supporting Male:

Willem Dafoe, "The Lighthouse"
Noah Jupe, "Honey Boy"
Shia LaBeouf, "Honey Boy"
Jonathan Majors, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"
Wendell Pierce, "Burning Cane"

Best First Feature:

"Booksmart"
"The Climb"
"Diane"
"The Last Black Man in San Francisco"
"The Mustang"
"See You Yesterday"

Best First Screenplay:

Fredrica Bailey & Stefon Bristol, "See You Yesterday"
Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen, "Driveways"
Bridget Savage Cole & Danielle Krudy, "Blow the Man Down"
Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn Luebbe, "Greener Grass"
James Montague & Craig W. Sanger, The Vast of Night"

John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for under $500,000):

"Burning Cane"
"Colewell"
"Give Me Liberty"
"Premature"
"Wild Nights With Emily"

Best Cinematography:

Todd Banhazl, "Hustlers"
Jarin Blaschke, "The Lighthouse"
Natasha Braier, "Honey Boy"
Chananun Chotrungroj, "The Third Wife"
Pawel Pogorzelski," Midsommar"

Best Editing:

Julie Béziau, "The Third Wife"
Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie, "Uncut Gems"
Tyler L. Cook, "Sword of Trust"
Louise Ford, "The Lighthouse"
Kirill Mikhanovsky, "Give Me Liberty"

Best Documentary:

"American Factory"
"Apollo 11"
"For Sama"
"Honeyland"
"Island of the Hungry Ghosts"

Best International Film:

"Invisible Life" (Brazil)
"Les Misérables" (France)
"Parasite" (South Korea)
"Portrait of a Lady on Fire" (France)
"Retablo" (Peru)
"The Souvenir" (United Kingdom)

Robert Altman Award (given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast):

"Marriage Story"

Someone to Watch Award (given to a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant):

Rashaad Ernesto Green, Director, "Premature"
Ash Mayfair, Director, "The Third Wife"
Joe Talbot, Director, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco"

Truer Than Fiction Award (given to to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant):

Khalik Allah, Director, "Black Mother"
Davy Rothbart, Director, "17 Blocks"
Nadia Shihab, Director, "Jaddoland"
Erick Stoll & Chase Whiteside, Director, América"

Producers Award (will recognize a producer who demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant):

Mollye Asher
Krista Parris
Ryan Zacarias

Bonnie Award (will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines):

Marielle Heller
Kelly Reichardt
Lulu Wang

2019 AFI FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY AUDI

The AFI Film Festival Presented by Audi has made a major change for the 2019 edition. This year the Hollywood based fest, which begins on November 14th and runs through November 21st, has decided to begin transiting as a paid ticketing event after years of offering movie-goers free tickets to the screenings. The decision was made in order to create a smoother festival experience and to ensure that audiences will have a better opportunity to see all of the movies they wanted to see.

Now I agree that attending the Fest could be a hassle with long wait lines with absolutely no guarantee that you would get in to see the movie. But the free tickets offered people to take a chance on little known features, particularly foreign-language films, that they would most likely not be willing to pay top dollar to see. After learning how to navigate the AFI Fest over the years, I can certainly admit that I saw many films that I would not initially paid to have seen but was so thoroughly thrilled after seeing them. I love this fest yet I definitely will be seeing fewer films this year and will be far more selective on what I will be willing to pay to see.

"Queen & Slim", the feature directorial debut from Melina Matsoukas with a screenplay from Lena Waithe, has been selected as the Opening Night Film and will be making it's world premiere at the Fest. What begins innocently as a first date between an African-American couple (played by Daniel Kaluuya and making her film debut, Jodie Turner-Smith) escalates in to these two virtual strangers on the run after they are involved in the accidental death of a cop.



Other Gala presentations will include the world premiere of Clint Eastwood's "Richard Jewell", the tragic story of the security guard who was hailed as a hero before becoming the prime suspect after the bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.



"The Two Popes", the latest from Fernando Meirelles ("City Of God") which looks at Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins), after serving as pope for eight years, decides to abdicate the position which no pope has done in more than 700 years. He invites Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) to discuss the transfer of power although they both share different ideological views on the direction of the Catholic Church.



The upcoming third season of the award-winning Netflix series, "The Crown" will have Oscar winner, Olivia Colman taking over as Queen Elizabeth II while Tobias Menzies will play Prince Philip and Helena Bonham Carter is Princess Margaret. The first episode of the program will be making it's US premiere screening during the fest.



And to close out the festival will be "The Banker" from director, George Nolfi which will be making it's world premiere and the first feature from Apple TV +. Based on a true story, Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie star as two men who are interested in starting a real estate business. But it's the 1950's and these opportunities were not open to African-Americans. So they decide to hire a white man (Nicholas Hoult) to pose as their boss as a chance to open doors to them.



Special tributes will include one for Alan J. Pakula with the west coast premiere of the documentary on the late director, "Alan Pakula: Going For Truth" and free screenings of his films, "The Sterile Cuckoo", "Klute", and "Sophie"s Choice".





Cinema's Legacy, a section devoted to celebrating the history of the motion picture, will include "He Dreams of Giants", a documentary on director Terry Gilliam finally getting his dream film project of Don Quixote made seventeen years after he began actually filming; "Forman vs. Forman" looks at the career of the late Miloš Forman who won Best Director Oscars for "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" and "Amadeus"; and "Varda By Agnès", the final feature from French New Wave pioneer Agnès Varda who died earlier this year which merges documentary and fiction in her own unique way. A tribute has been added for Martin Scorsese with a screening of his latest, "The Irishman" on November 15th with a conversation with the legendary director following the film.





For the complete list of films, to purchases tickets or passes, please click below:

AFI Fest 2019

EVERY MARTIN SCORSESE MOVIE RANKED

When I visualize an idea of a "filmmaker", one of the first images that comes to my mind is Martin Scorsese. To me, he represents all that a director should be; extensively knowledgeable of film history, a great appreciation of our cinematic past with a passion to preserve these movies for future generations and a damn good creator of well-crafted motion pictures.

And because Scorsese is so respected and revered, it's not surprising that he has upset a few fans with his recent comments on movies based on comic-books and how he does not consider them actual "cinema". Now I don't necessarily agree completely with his assessment but I do understand what he's trying to say. These films, limited in scope and relevance, with their incredible box-office success are pushing smaller, more intimate dramas off the big screen. This is the concern of Mr. Scorsese and I share in his fear that eventually all that you will find playing in a movie theater are CGI heavy, event movies.

Mr. Scorsese has released his latest feature and it certainly serves as a reminder of what a movie can do that was not designed to help sell merchandise or used for product placement. "The Irishman", a three & 1/2 hour epic drama, features Robert De Niro as Frank Sheeran, a part-time hit man for the mob who claims to know exactly what happened to labor leader, Jimmy Hoffa, played here by Al Pacino. With the appearance of other performers long associated with Scorsese, Harvey Keitel and the semi-retired, Joe Pesci, on board and using CGI to de-age the actors, "The Irishman" has received some of the best reviews in Mr. Scorsese's legendary career.

The irony of this is that "The Irishman" was produced by Netflix which has contributed in their own passive/aggressive way of tearing down the theatrical movie-going experience. The streaming company wants their movies to be recognized as award-worthy, cinematic events yet insists on their own rules on how long they will play in a theater before being streamed on their network. With movie chains refusing to budge with their rules for a three-month theatrical window, Netflix has been creative on getting "The Irishman" in theaters with it being shown largely in independent theaters including an exclusive run at the Belasco, a Broadway theater in New York.

In honor of his latest film, Vulture has taken look back on the storied career of Martin Scorsese and ranked his cinematic efforts from least successful to sublime masterpieces (this list does not include his documentaries).

Click below to read the article:

Every Martin Scorsese Movie Ranked

JOKER (2019)

Written by Todd Phillips and Scott Silver



Directed by Todd Phillips



Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. October 7, 2019 5:45 PM




The Joker, the deranged and insane comic-book villain, is just as well known as his arch-nemesis, the Dark Knight or as most of the world refers to as Batman. I guess some thought that he deserved to have his back story told and we now have "Joker", a divisive and provocative work which explores how a sad, mentally disturbed man is pushed by a cruel, indifferent society in to becoming a cruel, homicidal messiah.

Todd Phillips, the director behind the high-concept comedies, "Old School" and "The Hangover" trilogy, has surprisingly been given the reins of this violent thriller. He has effectively created a world that goes far outside of what you would normally find in a movie based on comics, a place that is far more sinister, frightening and credible. And we have Joaquin Phoenix, the three-time Oscar nominee who is best known for his impressive work in playing strange, offbeat characters, taking on this title character in a deeply committed performance with the actor going as far as losing over fifty pounds to make himself appear even more deviant.

"Joker" was the unexpected winner for Best Film at the recent Venice Film Festival which makes it appear like this film rises well above the standard super-hero action-adventure. While the film is certainly grounded with no costumed crusaders or CGI enhanced battles to be found yet if you remove the comic-book connection, the troubling and brutal dramatic situations found in "Joker" would be seen as far less innovative or entertaining.

We first meet Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) on the streets of 1980's Gotham City dressed as a clown, flipping a advertisement sign to promote a business. A gang of kids steal the sign and when Fleck tries to get it back, they beat him savagely. And to add insult to his injury, his boss informs Fleck he has to pay for the missing board.

Life at home isn't much better for Arthur, who lives and cares for his seriously ill mother (Frances Conroy). He not only has to take medication to help control his fragile mental state but also suffers from a rare disorder that causes him to laugh during inappropriate moments when he is stressed. This clearly leaves Arthur feeling further isolated and lonely.

Fleck seems to have a large sign on his back saying "Easy victim right here" as he becomes the target for a trio of drunken businessmen. However this time, Arthur is not left in a bloodied heap. Pulling out a gun given to him by a co-worker to use as protection, Fleck leaves his would-be-assailants groveling and full of bullet holes.

With one of the men perishing, the city is sent in to a panic, fearful that a dangerous vigilante is on the loose. The victims happened to work for Wayne Enterprises and the billionaire owner, Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) is running for Mayor. He uses this tragic situation to his advantage to show Gotham City he will be tough on crime while labeling the criminal a cowardly clown envious of rich, successful people. Some citizens find this statement offensive and take to the streets to protest in clown masks.

Mr. Phillips' goal was to make "Joker" a complex drama that does not feel like a direct extension of the DC comic-book universe. And with that, the director is successful. As a filmmaker, Phillips creates an interesting blend of realism and fantasy with Lawrence Sher's camerawork highlighting the garish and muddy colors which helps add to the urban decay of this dystopian world. But as a storyteller, Phillips is less fortunate. The screenplay, co-written by the director and Scott Silver, may have been aiming for reflective social commentary yet it's not exactly clear in what the film is really trying to say. The horrific deaths and unsettling mayhem that occur seems to imply that these victims may have deserved what came to them. I'm sure the intention is not to be rooting for the sociopathic Fleck. Or is it?  Phillips has not made this clear enough in his script.

There are a few well-known character actors popping up in supporting roles including Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, Marc Maron and "Atlanta" co-stars, Brian Tyree Henry and Zazie Beetz who plays a neighbor who shows Arthur a brief moment of kind attention but none of them are really given much to do. And that includes Robert De Niro who appears here as Murray Franklin, a Johnny Carson-type, late-night television host. Arthur is a big fan of the show with Franklin as his inspiration to become a stand-up comedian. After performing during an open-mike and bombing quite badly, Fleck's taped performance ends up going viral, catching the attention of Franklin who invites him on the show. Fleck accepts but at this point, he's off his meds due to budget cuts and no longer in a joking mood. De Niro is kinda sleepwalking through the film but the real purpose of his appearance was clearly designed to make a subliminal connection to the disturbed and delusional characters he once played in the Martin Scorsese films, "Taxi Driver" and "King of Comedy". There are also elements of the celebrated director's early 1970's work used in "Joker" to help inspire an atmospheric shorthand for the dirty, gritty city of this world yet it comes across as lazy and trite.

What makes "Joker" work at all is the wiry and zany performance of Phoenix. It was reported that the actor was extremely reluctant to take on this iconic role. But once he was reassured that this would not be a conventional version of the character, he was comfortable to join the project and let himself go creatively. Nothing that Phoenix does here is remotely predictable, skillfully going from sensitive and caring to unhinged and ferocious, sometimes impressively all at the same time. Without the sensational work of Mr. Phoenix, you would be far more aware of the thin characterizations and cliched situations that fills the rest of the film.

To me, "Joker" is a sordid, unrelentingly bleak and miserable cinematic experience. Yet people have responded to the film in great numbers, clearly seeing it multiple times to make it not only one of the biggest hits of the year but on course to be one of the rare films to make over a billion dollars at the worldwide box-office. What does this mean? Perhaps people are connecting to the themes of destructive anarchy and violently rising up against the greedy rich. Maybe they are enjoying a refreshing new way of telling a comic-book story that doesn't involve super-powered, costumed heroes or high-flying battles. Or it could be that audiences are just simply entertained by the dark humor in this well-crafted yet unsettling drama that is anchored by a wildly dynamic performance by Mr. Phoenix. No matter. I'm certain nobody is going to see "Joker" to find any dark, hidden messages. Or are they?

DIAHANN CARROLL (1935 - 2019)

I know this is a little late but I couldn't let the moment go by without mentioning the passing of Diahann Carroll, the glamorous and talented entertainer that was one of the few African-American actors to receive an Academy-Award nomination, who died on October 4th after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. This beautiful performer also had the groundbreaking lead role in the 1960's television series, "Julia" where Carroll played a nurse and not the expected job for African-American women at the time as a domestic.

She was born Carol Diahann Johnson in the Bronx and got her first big break as a singer after wining the top prize on a television talent show in 1954. This lead to a supporting role in the film, "Carmen Jones" and a co-starring part in the Broadway musical, "House Of Flowers". Carroll would continue to appear on stage and screen before winning a 1962 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, becoming the first African-American female to win the prize.

After her trailblazing sitcom ended in 1971 (where she received a Golden-Globe Award and an Emmy nomination for her role), Carroll would get a major part in a feature film where she played against type in the 1974 romantic comedy-drama, "Claudine". She played a single mother with six children who is struggling to support her family on welfare assistance. When Claudine falls for a garbage collector (James Earl Jones), this threatens her benefits and complicates her relationship with her kids who are against this relationship. The film would earn Carroll an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

And in the 1980's during the era of the nighttime soaps, Carroll wanted to become TV's first "Black bitch". She got her wish by being cast in one of the most popular of the day, "Dynasty" where she played Dominique Deveraux, a wealthy nightclub performer who was also millionaire, Blake Carrington's half-sister.

I was a very young child when "Julia" came out on television yet I remember it to this very day. The program had such an impact on me (not only since there were not many African-Americans on television back then) because it really showed me that I could become anything I wanted to be when I grew up. I realize this was only a sitcom but what I saw on television and the movies at the time usually didn't include people who looked like me. This is why I know how important it is to see yourself represented in entertainment. And I want to thank Diahann Carroll, in a small yet meaningful way, for helping me realize that anything is possible.

15 ESSENTIAL JUDY GARLAND PERFORMANCES

Judy Garland, the beloved Hollywood musical star best known for her dramatic and moving singing voice, has been on the minds of many lately. One reason is that it was fifty years ago that Garland passed away at the age of forty-seven from an overdose after losing her battle against the many prescription drugs she had become addicted to since being given them as a young girl by her movie studio to keep her weight down and maintain energy throughout the long shooting days. And her tragic death has indirectly been attributed to sparking the New York Stonewall riots which would begin the modern gay liberation movement.

There is also a new biopic, "Judy" which covers the final year of Garland's life. Broke, unemployed and unstable, she was forced to leave her young children behind with her ex-husband in Los Angeles so she could accept a job performing in a London nightclub. The long-suffering yet still gifted entertainer is brought to life with an impressively mesmerizing (and award-worthy) performance by Renée Zellweger who perfectly captures Garland's sharp wit, gentle spirit, deep-set anxieties and self-destructive behavior.

Vulture has put the focus back on Garland's talent and career with a look back on fifteen of her most captivating screen appearances. While the list is certainly heavy with the musicals that greatly contributed to her legendary fame, there are also a few dramatic roles that Garland was equally adept such as her performance in "The Clock" (1945) which was her first non-musical part and her brief yet riveting work in "Judgment at Nuremberg" from 1961.

Click below to read the article:

The Fifteen Best Screen Performances by Judy Garland

LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE (2019)

Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman



Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. September 22, 2019 12:30 PM



At one point in the engaging documentary, "Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice", Bonnie Raitt describes the singer as the "Beyoncé of her day". And that would be an accurate assessment of this versatile song stylist. Linda Ronstadt ruled the pop charts throughout the 1970's which helped make her become one of the biggest female recording artists of all time. But while she was at the top of her career, Ronstadt grew tired of the grind of the rock & roll lifestyle and needed to challenge herself creatively. She ventured out to record albums that explored theatrical comic opera, the Great American Songbook, classic country, jazz standards, Mexican Mariachi and Tropical Latin music. Her record label thought for sure that Ronstadt would ruin her career by going so far outside of conventional expectations of a pop singer. Yet thankfully they didn't stop her either. And these records became critical and commercial successes, helping to introduce Ronstadt to a wide new audience.

Ronstadt was born in Tucson, Arizona in 1946 and raised on a large ranch with her parents and three siblings. As the family was fairly isolated, the children had to find their own entertainment and that would be with music. Ronstadt was exposed to a variety of different genres of music through records and the radio while the entire family would harmonize together in song. This would help later in her career influence how she wanted her music to sound and to insist on firm creative control to make sure that would happen.

Ronstadt began singing professionally with her older brother, Peter and sister, Suzy as teens around the Tucson area. The three Ronstadts eventually joined musician Bobby Kimmel's folk-rock outfit, The New Union Ramblers and together enjoyed some local success. But Peter left to become a police officer, Suzy went off to get married and Kimmel headed to Los Angeles which left Ronstadt on her own with no idea of what she wanted to do with her life.

Kimmel knew Ronstadt would do well in LA, luring the eighteen year old out to the West Coast in 1964. They formed a group called the Stone Poneys, signed with Capitol Records and had a top ten pop hit with "Different Drum" (written by Monkees member, Mike Nesmith) by 1967. The band broke-up not long after this success but the label was more interested in their female vocalist anyway.

And Ronstadt became an incredibly popular artist and enjoyed a string of hit singles (with most being covers of some of her favorite songs) including "You're No Good", "Blue Bayou", "When Will I Be Loved", "Heat Wave", "Love is a Rose", "Ooh Baby, Baby" and "It's So Easy". But being viewed as a "chick singer" was challenging for her as there were expectations to be sexy and tough which Ronstadt was not comfortable doing. Since she was one of the few women performing in rock music, Ronstadt had to occasionally endure sexist behavior and received some resistance from her all-male band members from her calling the shots. But she never let any of this interfere with her ability to do what she loved.

Ms Ronstadt had absolutely no interest in participating in a film about her life but the filmmakers, Epstein and Friedman were persistent, frequently sending her warm and thoughtful letters. The now retired seventy-three year old performer eventually relented, in part due to their 1984 Academy-Award winning documentary on Harvey Milk which Ronstadt admired and made her feel like she would be in good hands. Yet she still had a couple of ground rules; Ronstadt didn't want to have an on-camera interview nor did she want the film to dwell on her Parkinson's disease which she has been dealing with since around 2009.

"The Sound of My Voice" covers a vast majority of Ronstadt's lengthy life and career but the film moves briskly. The highlight of this documentary, without a doubt, are the several thrilling live performances from Ronstadt in her prime which perfectly capture her skill and grace as a vocalist. Some of Ronstadt's musical contemporaries appear in the film to sing her praises which include Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, J.D. Souther (which she had a brief relationship with), Aaron Neville and Don Henley who was at one time a part of a group of Ronstadt's backing musicians that would eventually become The Eagles.

Ronstadt never felt any competition with the other talented female performers who were around at the time and went out of her way to befriend them. Raitt and Karla Bonoff would become her life-long friends while she collaborated with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton on two highly successful country albums. The only criticism you will find about Ronstadt in the film is from the singer herself. She's notoriously self-deprecating, continuously going on about how she's not a great singer and that many of her recordings are not very good.

While she found her great fame during the era of the singer/songwriter, Ronstadt did not write her own material. "The Sound of My Voice" brings to focus her unique ability to reinterpret beloved, familiar tunes while reshaping them to feel like fresh new songs. Near the end of the film, we are treated with Ronstadt singing along with her brother and nephew to a traditional Mexican folk ballad. While the disease has robbed her of the powerful voice she once had, Ronstadt gives her all, looking elated and stating that there was no way she wouldn't join her family in song.

2019 NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

The 57th Annual New York Film Festival begins today and runs through October 13th. In the Main Slate, there will be twenty-nine feature films from seventeen countries with "The Irishman", the latest from Martin Scorsese, as the Opening Selection. This epic crime drama (at 209 minutes!) examines the life of Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran (Robert DeNiro), a hitman that worked for the mob family of Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and his involvement in the disappearance of labor union leader, Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) who also happened to be his longtime friend.



The Centerpiece Selection is "Marriage Story", Noah Baumbach’s new film about the beginning and the end of a relationship between a married couple; a theater director (Adam Driver) and an actress (Scarlett Johansson). This dramatic-comedy appears inspired in part by Baumbach's divorce from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh.





"Motherless Brooklyn", actor Edward Norton's new film as a writer/director, has been chosen as the Closing Night Selection. Norton also stars in this New York set period drama (based on the novel by Jonathan Lethem) about a private investigator with Tourette syndrome trying to solve the mystery involving the death of his mentor (Bruce Willis). Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Alec Baldwin and Willem Dafoe co-star.



Some Special Events at this year's fest include the New York Premiere of "Joker" with a discussion with director, Todd Phillips and star, Joaquin Phoenix; a Screenwriting Master Class with writer/director, Olivier Assayas and a screening of his latest feature, "Wasp Network" that stars Penélope Cruz and Édgar Ramirez; and the one I can't wait to see, "The Cotton Club Encore", Francis Ford Coppola's re-cut, restored and re-imagined version of his 1984 drama that featured an impressive cast that included Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Lonette McKee, Bob Hoskins, Laurence Fishburne and Gregory and Maurice Hines.



For the complete list of films, purchase festival passes or individual tickets and any additional information, please click below:

2019 NY Film Fest