Dec 6

Dec 6 Escape Into Film nominations for 2019 Seattle Film Critics Society Awards

‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ / ‘Avengers: Endgame’ / ‘Parasite’ / ‘Marriage Story’

It’s time for the 2019 Seattle Film Critics Society awards! As a voting member of the SFCS, here are my nominations for this year's SFCS movie awards: 47 films nominated across 20 categories - every from Best Villain to Best Picture. (Listed in descending order of preference.)

SFCS members were asked to nominate 5 films in each category (10 nominees for Best Picture) and list them in descending order, starting with the voter’s top choice.

Due to the fact that SFCS nominations ballots are due evening Dec. 6, some films were not screened in time to include on this list, including Terrence Malick’s “A Hidden Life” or “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”

The final list of SFCS awards nominees will be unveiled Dec. 9. Winners will be announced Dec. 16 via the @SeattleCritics twitter account.

Best Visual Effects

'Avengers: Endgame'
'1917'
'Ford v Ferrari'
'The Aeronauts'
'Pokemon: Detective Pikachu'

For a moment, forget all the obvious visual effects of ‘Endgame’ - from Wanda Maximoff’s magical powers, Thor’s lightning or the massive CGI final battle. Even take Rocket - a dynamic, fully emotive, talking raccoon who fully interacts with his fellow Avengers - off the table. Captain Marvel’s short hair - completely CGI. The white quantum suits the Avengers wear to time travel - completely CGI. ‘Smart Hulk’ perfectly captures Ruffalo’s nuances, which are completely subtle. CGI Thanos was impressive, but Smart Hulk is the next step in CGI motion capture.

Just missed the cut: ‘Gemini Man’ and ‘The Irishman' - de-aging CGI just isn’t quite there yet. And in the case of the latter, it’s distracting.

Best Production Design

'Parasite'
'Little Women'
'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'
'1917'
'Joker'

With it’s sleek, ultra-modern design and odd layout, the mansion featured in ‘Parasite’ is so fundamentally important to the film that it’s practically a character. Its open concept boasts the Park family’s excessive wealthy, while its secret passages are bleak and oppressive. But the production team didn’t just location scout the perfect house - they built the mansion from the ground up on an empty lot. The house is one massive, practical set. Its windows perfectly angled and sized just to catch the perfect amount of natural sunlight.

Just missed the cut: ‘The Irishman’

Best Original Score

'Joker'
'Uncut Gems'
'Avengers: Endgame'
'1917'
'Marriage Story'

Most of composer Hildur Gudnadottir’s score was written before ‘Joker’ shot a single scene. The score itself is haunting, with an underlying intensity that keeps the audience on edge.

Just missed the cut: ‘Little Women’

Best Film Editing

'1917'
'Little Women'
'Marriage Story'
'Avengers: Endgame'
'Rocketman'

‘1917’ is mostly shot as if it’s a single two-hour long, frenetic shot - which infuses the film with harrowing intensity. This is not simply the lack editing, but rather, the brilliance of not just hiding the cuts and carefully maintaining simmering and explosive energy.

Just missed the cut: ‘Bombshell’

Best Costume Design

'Little Women'
'Rocketman'
'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
'Knives Out'
'Downton Abbey'

Greta Gerwig’s ‘Women’ is unlike any iteration before it, in that it flips back and forth between the past and the present. Yes the wonderful, beautifully composed costumes inform each character - but they also keep the audience from getting confused.

Just missed the cut: ‘Judy’

Best Cinematography

'1917'
'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'
'The Last Black Man in San Francisco'
'Joker'
'Waves'

From claustrophobic spaces to imposing expanses, Richard Deakins makes ‘1917’ a visually arresting spectacle.

Just missed the cut: “The Lighthouse”

Best Foreign Language Film

'Parasite'
'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'
'The Farewell'
'Atlantics
'Weathering with You'

This was an impressive year for international cinema. Two of these films are in my top 10 of 2019.

Just missed the cut: ‘Monos’

Best Documentary Feature

'For Sama'
'American Factory'
'Honeyland'
'Love, Antosha'
'Apollo 11'

‘For Sama’ is a heartwrenching love letter from a mother to her daughter - and is an essential film of 2019.

Just missed the cut: ‘Cold Case: Hammarskjold’

Best Animated Feature

'The Lion King'
'Weathering with You'
'Toy Story 4'
'Frozen 2'
'Dragon Ball Super: Broly'

The new ‘Lion King’ is a photorealistic marvel - but it’s a cartoon, not live action.

Just missed the cut: ‘Missing Link’

Best Screenplay (Adapted or Original)

'Marriage Story'
'The Two Popes'
'Parasite'
'Hustlers'
'Booksmart'

‘Marriage’ is a heartbreaking work, and its words on paper alone can bring a person to tears.

Just missed the cut: ‘Jojo Rabbit’

Best Villain

Arthur Fleck / 'Joker'
Red (Lupita Nyong'o) / 'Us'
Red Dress / 'In Fabric'
Steven Knight (writer-director-producer of 'Serenity')
Family Law / 'Marriage Story'

The great trick of ‘Joker’ is brutalizing a marginalized character on every front - something that should make him more sympathetic … yet having him not only making increasingly sinister decisions … but find empowerment in cruelty.

Note: Steven Knight is on this list not just because ‘Serenity’ is an unwatchable atrocity - but because he put FOUR Academy Award nominees in his film … and arguably NONE of them are watchable in this disaster.

Best Youth Performance (18 years of age and younger at time of performance.)

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Noah Jupe / 'Honey Boy'
Thomasin Mackenzie / 'Jojo Rabbit'
Roman Griffin Davis / 'Jojo Rabbit'
Poppy Cunningham / 'The Death of Dick Long'
Jack Dylan Grazer / 'Shazam'

Young Shia proxy is the heart of ‘Honey Boy.’ He deserves the recognition just for being screamed at during scenes with LeBeouf (playing his father).

Best Action Choreography

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'Ford v Ferrari'
'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum'
'Triple Threat'
'1917'
'Triple Frontier'

Anyone able to watch ‘Ferrari’ racing sequences without gripping the theater armrests with sweaty palms should have their pulse checked — because they might be dead.

Best Ensemble Cast

'Little Women'
'Avengers: Endgame'
'Waves'
'Knives Out'
'Marriage Story'

Saoirse Ronan. Florence Pugh. Emma Watson. Timothee Chalamet. Laura Dern. Meryl Streep. Chris Cooper. Bob Odenkirk. From top to bottom, this is the best grouping of characters in 2019, played by some of the best actors working today.

Just missed the cut: “Dolemite Is My Name”

Best Supporting Actress

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Laura Dern / 'Marriage Story'
Jennifer Lopez / 'Hustlers'
Margot Robbie / 'Bombshell'
Florence Pugh / 'Little Women'
Zhao Shuzhen / 'The Farewell'

Laura Dern in ‘Marriage Story’ is best single performance of 2019.

Just missed the cut: Anna Paquin in ‘The Irishman’

Best Supporting Actor

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Brad Pitt / 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'
Song Kang-ho / 'Parasite'
Anthony Hopkins / 'The Two Popes'
Robert Downey Jr / 'Avengers: Endgame'
Joe Pesci / 'The Irishman'

Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the core of OUATIH’s story and themes, but Cliff Booth (Pitt) is the film’s effortlessly cool soul.

Best Actress

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Renee Zellweger / 'Judy'
Elisabeth Moss / 'Her Smell'
Charlize Theron / 'Bombshell'
Lupita Nyong'o / 'Us'
Scarlett Johansson / 'Marriage Story'

Portraying a real-life person is always tricky. It can result in a bad impersonation or a good performance that’s just not convincing. In ‘Judy,’ however, Zellweger becomes the Golden Era superstar.

Just missed the cut: Awkwafina in ‘The Farewell’

Best Actor

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Joaquin Phoenix / 'Joker'
Adam Driver / 'Marriage Story'
Antonio Banderas / 'Pain and Glory'
Adam Sandler / 'Uncut Gems'
Jonathan Pryce / 'The Two Popes'

Phoenix’s performance is empathetic and whole bodied. A beautifully tragic performance that embodies Arthur's longing for a voice as well as a festering resentment at the world that ignores or rejects him.

Just missed the cut: Taron Egerton in ‘Rocketman’