Month: March 2024

The Sixth Annual ASBO Awards

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Ladies and Gentlemen (Now we have removed our original scheduled post which had a title picture of a badly photoshopped Paddington, Oppenheimer, Barbie and Ken over some badly photoshopped royals) welcome to the sixth Annual ASBO awards with your hosts Ken, Paddington and Oppenheimer

K: Thank you, thank you. It’s great to host this years ASBOs live from Joe’s Mojo Dojo Casa Blog. 2023 has been a great year for films, with a film all about me, and other films by great men.

P: Yes, Mr Ken. There were great films by women as well. Let’s not forget about them.

K: Wait, women can make films now?

O: Oh why am I here? Haven’t I suffered in my eternal monologue enough now? They said if I joined this ceremony, this could be the beginning of the end. I think they were right.

P: Oh Mr Oppenheimer don’t say that. Here, have a cup of tea and a marmalade sandwich.

O: Wow. Life… suddenly seems… lighter. I should tell Einstein.

K: In the meantime, let’s begin with the first awards.

P: Every year we see people at the Oscars joke that animated films are for children.

K: We know that’s not true, because it’s in the script. Sometimes, films with animation in can be weird. They can have bears being family with middle class Londoners

O: Londoners who have to deal with the looming threat of Nuclear war thanks to my bomb. What have I done?

Here are the nominees

Hi, it’s Joe. I promise I will get bored. In the meantime, here are the ASBO nominees for best animated feature. TMNT was inspired by Spider-verse movies and gave it a decent go, while Bling Willow was a really odd charming animated feature, not necessarily made for family. Junk Head is a stop motion two person project which can even be found on YouTube. Again weird, but worth a watch. The winner this year will be The First Slam Dunk, a classically Japanese anime film about a basketball team in their big final, flashing back through their lives. It had a real balance of heart and thrilling moments. Not easy to find, it’s definitely worth fishing out.

K: Next up we’ll go to the sound categories. Sounds can make anything believable, like my stable of manly horses in my Casa Mojo Dojo.

P: Mr Oppenheimer, when your bomb went off in the film, it did give Mrs Bird a jolly good scare.

O:….

And the nominees for best sound are

Some really good options here if I may say so myself (My originally planned nominee actually won the Oscar annoyingly). Monster used sounds as cues in intertwining stories brilliantly, while Creed and Hunger Games both used them in increasing action scenes thrillingly. Society of Snow was fantastic, especially in its early visceral crash scene. However, the winner has to be How to Blow Up a Pipeline which not only knows when to use sound, but when not to in order to create tension fantastically. This climate activist thriller knew what it was doing, and left me not feeling able to breathe at times. It’s really really good thanks to the use of sound.

P: As well as sounds we also have music.

K: Yes, like I’m just Ken.

P: We’re talking about the whole score instead of just a song Ken

K: I don’t think we are

O: Yes we are. Here are the nominees

Another category where my top pick actually won the Oscar, the winner this year would’ve been my second pick overall. The late Ryuchi Sakamoto is a brilliant film composer, and his gentle piano score in Monster is as good a soundtrack as you’ll find. A brilliant composition which ties everything together nicely, it deserves a good win.

K: The biggest snub for the Oscars was the song that I sang barbie at the beach

Other Ken: The biggest snub for the Oscars was the song that I sang barbie at the beach

Other Ken: The biggest snub for the Oscars was the song that I sang barbie at the beach

K: I can’t wait to see it here, and the nominees are…

Some absolute bangers here. No Diane Warren losing her 15th oscar. Each of these songs were paramount and helped find the heart in the films. However, my choice for best song goes to John Carney’s usually Irish singing movie of this year (Also see Sing Street and Once), Flora and Son, with the song Meet in the Middle – Flora and Son sang by Joseph Gordon Levitt and Bono’s daughter

O: Now onto the writing awards. Having read books about science, I also like reading words on movies. A good story with great pacing is wonderful, and can make three hours feel like one.

K: Unless you’re sat there waiting for my movie, in which case your three hour long movie feels like six hours.

P: Firstly, Original Screenplay. These stories are brand new ideas, all of which provide really interesting stories.

Each of these films show emotions brilliantly. While How To Have Sex was so powerfully written, the winner of the ASBO will be Rye Lane, a quick quippy movie which has yet twists so many rom-com tropes. Each line of this under 90 minute movie is entertaining and exciting. You fall in love with the characters and each entertaining moment doesn’t feel wasted. One of the best rom-coms ever.

and now for adapted screenplay. The nominees are:

I’d argue that this year’s adapted nominees are the stronger of the writing category. Wonka was creative, Society of Snow showed resilience beautifully, while Pipeline took a book and turned it into a taut thriller which felt meant for screen. Leave the World Behind was snappy in its dialogue, while Margaret was really intellegent and was a brilliant story for women every where. However, the quiet and devistating conversations in every scene in All of Us Strangers means that has to take the win.

K: Next up is the technical awards. These awards can help you believe you’re reading an award show about a man who died decades ago or an animated fictional bear, or that women can be doctors.

O: Women can be scientists. We even had them on the manhattan project

K: Oh Oppenheimer, those aren’t women. They’re just visual effects. Speaking of which, your nominees are

Ummm, nothing really stand out this year, as I don’t watch most of the crap and my imagined ASBO choice again won the Oscars. The ASBO goes to Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

P: Next up is costumes.

K: Do you wear many clothes Paddington

P: Well, I’m a little bear.

O: and the nominees are

A really interesting and different lot here. The titular pretty red dress is so powerful, so are the costumes of Femme and Iron Claw. Smoking Causes Coughing has lots of fun, while Wonka throws us back to a magical character. Likewise, The Promised Land takes us back in time with its clothes commenting on class. The ASBO goes to Femme for telling the characters’ stories with the clothing.

P: Mr Ken, do you wear make up?

K: I can’t as my job is beach.

P: What about you, Mr Oppenheimer.

O: No, which is why we’re experts on our next award: Best Hair and Make Up. Here are your nominations:

Each of these films use Make Up in fun and different ways, making people turn into their characters. However, one film goes above and beyond in make up, and that’s Sick of Myself, a film about a woman who takes dangerous drugs to get attention, to horrific consequences.

P: Mr Oppenheimer, what is editing in a film?

O: Well, nobody really knows. But I think its about how scenes are stitched together and jump around.

P: Congratulations to the winner of best pictu..

Whoops, here are the nominees

Whether a brilliant show of tender conversations, visceral plane crashes or keeping us on edge throughout three consistent story lines, or creatively telling stories to a love interest, these films all edit fantastically. Despite it receiving a mixed reception, I personally thought the high tension showed brilliantly with a foreboding sense of danger means the ASBO winner is Leave the World Behind. The dystopian thriller was slow at times, but it built well leaving you to wonder who could be in danger. It also referenced Friends.

O: Production design is about bringing places to life, like Los Alamos

K: It’s pronounced Los Alamos Dojo Casa Scientific base, but close

Your nominees are

Each place here told a story, even the god awful Saltburn. I mean seriously, what a naff film. But the building was nice. Shout out to the Hunger Games for a far better grittier look and feel. However, best production design has to go to the pretentious Asteroid City.

K: Cinematography is about making films look nice

O: Yes, by doing more than splashing them with pink

K: Screw you, at least we had some colour.

P: Gentlemen, it seems you have forgotten your manners. Do I need to bring out the hard stare Aunt Lucy taught me?
O: No Paddington

K: No Paddington

P: Good, then without further ado, here are the nominees for best cinematography.

One movie this year made every frame look beautiful. The use of light and reflection was absolutely wonderful. Despite these all being elite, nothing could hold a candle to the frankly incredible All of Us Strangers.

O:
Je suis devenu la mort, destructrice des mondes.
Je suis devenu la mort, destructrice des mondes
Je suis devenu la mort, destructrice des mondes

P: What was that Mr Oppenheimer?

O: Oh, nothing. Here are the nominees for best international film:

Again, all of these films are great. However, my favourite of this list was the sci-fi time travelling gothic French film The Five Devils which was a masterful story telling about family and love in a unique and interesting way. Go and watch it.

K: and now we’re onto the big awards. The acting awards, where Margot Robbie was shafted, for some darn other women.

P: So was Aunt Lucy. She seemed so sad, that she’s not being the same recently, as you’ll see in Paddington 3.

O: Let’s see if either of them were nominated. First up, best actress in a supporting role:

Okay, so let’s do a top 3. In third place, Rachel McAdams in Margaret. Regina George took on mother who had lost her way in human form in a dignified manor. She really was a lot of fun and sold a quiet role with lots of dignity. In second is Julianne Moore who’s predatory character in May December showed an uneasy child likeness which kept you on the edge of your seat as we, with Natalie Portman, tried to learn about her with disgust and intrigue. However, the winner of the ASBO has to be Claire Foy – All of Us Strangers. She was phenomenal in this movie. Her scenes in the diner, with Andrew Scott’s coming out and Always on My Mind were just fantastic pieces of emotional cinema. While most plaudits have gone to Scott and Mescal, I think she really stole the show. You fully believe she is his mother, despite them being the same age. This is what acting is.

This is probably the toughest award, with no clear winner. In third place is Charles Melton in May, December who shows more of the childlike vulnerability I mentioned for Julianne Moore with a quieter side. In second place is John Magaro in Past Lives who could’ve so easily been an easy to hate character, but he was really human in his relationship with the lead character. However, the ASBO goes to Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers, a first time actor who stands up to a powerhouse Paul Giamatti performance with wit and deep emotion in good balance. The film finds the fine line between humour and those deeper moments, and that’s in part thanks to him doing both ever so well.

What a brilliant year for acting talent in both the male and female lead roles. In third place I’ll go with Zac Efron for Iron Claw who put in a career best as part of a family ultimately cursed by their abusive father. In second is Natey Jones who carried Pretty Red Dress with a tender vulnerability. He would’ve won most years if it wasn’t for the equally as vulnerable, devistatingly quiet performance of Andrew Scott – All of Us Strangers. I praised Claire Foy earlier but Scott’s quiet vulnerability and almost childlike state which you see in his eyes is just brilliant. He was someone you needed to win and were heart broken for him when he didn’t. A lonely character, this film felt lived thanks to him.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Do we have to choose a best winner. Yes we do. The Color Purple movie was average, but Fantasia Barrino and case were all brilliant. She’s in third. In second place I’d put Greta Lee for Past Lives. Her scenes with Magaro and Yoo are just incredible, particularly the bar one. The ASBO goes to the BAFTA rising star winner Mia McKenna-Bruce – How to Have Sex. who was just fantastic in showing teenage angst and vulnerability on an interior against a brash performative exterior. For such a young performer to give such a mature performance, you know she’s destined for great things. Hopefully she doesn’t throw it all away to be in a tacky marvel movie.

I couldn’t find a good clip of her acting. Turns out just searching How To Have Sex into YouTube doesn’t get the results I hoped for.

K: And now for the big award

P: the award we would have won if the ASBOs started earlier

O: and the award we may have won if we didn’t win the Oscars.

K: Gentlemen, it’s been a pleasure. Let me know if you’re in Barbie Land.

P: Oh that’s very kind. I might bring Aunt Lucy. I think she’ll love it there.

O: Yes, thank you Ken. If you ever end up in 1940s New Mexico make sure to give me a ring as well.

KPO: Right, time for your nominees for best picture:

Here we go, the big award. The one you skipped everything else above to scroll down to.

In third place is The Five Devils. It’s an interesting lesbian back to the future gothic romantic french fairytale. This blog wouldn’t be pretentious enough if it didn’t make top three. In second place is one of the greatest rom-coms of all time, it’s Rye Lane.

As you’ve probably guessed scrolling through the awards, the ASBO for Best Picture goes to All of Us Strangers. It’s the best film I’ve seen for a few years, showing grief and loneliness in an intimate way. The writing is incredible, cinematography brilliant and acting is top class. Cinema is meant to make you feel and I don’t think there is another film which will make you feel as much as this one does.

Congratulations All of Us Strangers. You join an elite crew.

See you next year

P: …re All of Us Strangers

Oscars 2024

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Has it been a year since I’ve done this? Yes, my favourite thing to write on my phone on the train as I end up inexplicably busy this time of year is back. This year the films were mixed, but all interesting. Unlike last year’s set of remakes which provided a dull set of bloated best picture nominees, all ten of these were at least something different. Naturally they missed the best film of the year, but that’s what the ASBOs are for and I will eventually get round to them in the next couple of weeks, but here is who should win tonight. If you don’t agree, tough. Art is fundamentally objective and as a man I know I’m right.

Best Supporting Actor

This is probably the weakest category of the big ones. Robert De Niro was indeed in Killers of the Flower Moon, but barely worth knowing. Meanwhile, Sterling K. Brown was fine in American Fiction, but again probably lucky to get an Oscar nomination. Mark Ruffalo was interesting in Poor Things, however chosing a single role which makes him not as dull as dishwater seems a bit much. Therefore, it’s between Robert Downey Jr in Oppenheimer or Ryan Gosling in Barbie. While RDJ did well, I’d personally pick Ryan Gosling as Ken in Barbie, who’s comedic turns were some the most memorable moments of the movie.

Supporting Actress

There were definitely some very good picks here, however one of the most suprising was America Ferrara who had one monologue. I’d hardly call hers one of the great performances. Emily Blunt was fine in Oppenheimer, while Jodie Foster was probably the best part of Nyad (an absolutely okay feel good by the numbers family film). Danielle Brooks was fantastic in The Color Purple as Sofia. She got her emotional cues perfectly and had some great big numbers. However, Da’Vine Joy Randolph‘s performance as the grieving Mary in the holdovers was understated and brilliant. She really brought the film together and gave it a sense of levity.

Best Actress

The line up for Best Actress is stacked this year, and is probably the best one since Ladybird, Billboards, Shape of Water and I Tonya came out in the same year. Annette Bening was decent in Nyad, while Sandra Huller was very good in Anatomy of a Fall, carrying that film brilliantly (As well as Zone of Interest for which she wasn’t nominated). Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montague, Emma Stone in Poor Things and Lily Gladstone were all fantastic, with the latter being the only good thing in Killers of the Flower Moon. This is a really tight one, and I might change it before clicking publish, but I’ll go for Lily Gladstone in KotFM who did significantly better than pouty Leo Di Caprio.

Best Actor

The ladies won this year, but there were some good male performances. Bradley Cooper as Bernstein in Maestro was fine (His writing certainly let him down), as was Jeffrey Wright as a writer in American fiction. Colman Domingo was good as gay black activist Bayard Rustin, in a solid biopic movie. The best performances were Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer and Paul Giamatti as a disenfranchised teacher in The Holdovers. Murphy’s contrast between steely focus and regret are fantastic, as he really acts with his face and posture. While Giamatti is great at showing a bitter anger, I doubt he has any for me saying that Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer was the best male performance this year.

Best Picture

While this year’s nominees didn’t suck, there were lots of middling films.

10) Maestro: While there weren’t any true stinkers of the ilk of Don’t Look Up, Maestro was definitely the weakest of this year’s nominees. A biopic about Leonard Bernstein directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, the whole thing is just a bit flat. It really fails to find and deliver themes in a way that last year’s conductor movie Tar was able to. Carey Mulligan brings a powerhouse performance, and Doris from work is in the Ely Castle scene which was the best bit, but otherwise it was a tad so-and-so in it’s begging to be loved

9) Killers of the Flower Moon: The Martin Scorcese.epic about really interesting native Americans having their land stolen which focuses on the most boring white guy, KotFM very much struggled to justify its very long run time. There were highlights. It was well shot, however the main reason to watch was a star turn from Lily Gladstone.

8) American Fiction I really wanted to like this movie. A debut film with a good cast, American Fiction wanted to say something brilliant. However, after it ran out of steam with its one joke, it didn’t really know how to say it. A fairly easy Saturday night film, it’s by no means a bad movie. However, it’s never going to be remembered as one of the very best.

7) Barbie Maybe it was my own fault for going in with really high expectations. Barbie was a guns blazing feminist film which lacked that polish. The whole thing felt like it lost its way half way through. However, it’s success was not undeserved. Margot Robbie was great, likewise Ryan Gosling and every costume and set design was on point. It just needed to be a little bit tighter.

6) The Zone of Interest This film seemed to be one to appreciate more than like. Based on a family who live a banal existence next to Auschwitz, technically it’s a really good film with great production and sound design. However, the lack of hook towards a character made it one for those more pretentious than me. I appreciate the message and the parallels with what’s happening today, it was just very implicit.

5) Anatomy of a Fall Now we’re getting to the films we enjoyed. Anatomy of a Fall was very much a good standard court drama, expect that it’s not about who done it. A film about communication and ambiguity, the question is whether Sandra Huller’s character pushed her husband or whether he fell from the top storey of their house. A solid script and some good performances make this a decent watch.

4) Past Lives While this year’s indie darling wasn’t top of my year end list, unlike seemingly all the big critics, I was warm towards Past Lives. Wonderfully shot, and criminally overlooked for the acting Oscars (Both Greta Lee and Teo Yoo should’ve been in there) this gentle movie about love over time and distance was a real pleasure. There is a scene in a bar about 20 minutes before the end which is one of my favourite ones, and until the emotion came pouring out from the characters (which felt inconsistent with the rest of the movie), I was engaged and rooting for these two.

3) The Holdovers Now at the point where I’d be happy if any of these movies won best picture. The Holdovers took us back to a simpler time, where movies were just about the characters. Much like some of my festive favourites in It’s a Wonderful Life and The Apartment, The Holdovers is just people being sad at Christmas. When a teacher, a cook and a student are left at a boarding school, all somewhat empty bitter and alone, the film sees them find comfort and family as they get to know one another much better. It’s a sweet melancholy movie of days gone by and will definitely be on future festive watch lists.

2) Oppenheimer The film that will win best picture tonight, it will certainly be deserved. Much like the best pictures of the 80s/90s, a three hour historic biopic about a scientist caused a shock with the amount of interest and sales it garnered. No doubt helped by Barbie, it also stood strong on its own with a well balanced focus on the science and the characters. Technically it was fantastic, it was well written and the acting was brilliant. Much like The Holdovers, these are the films which felt like they were relics of the past, so it’s great to see one this good do so well.

1) Poor Things A best picture always seems to reflect a time as well as a brilliant film. Parasite reflected increasing social inequality, The Best Days of Our Lives as post WWII struggles and Nomadland a feeling of post COVID loss. Poor Things reflects a fight for gender equality and the struggles there, much like Barbie does, but in a much less compromising and gentle way. Bella has the brain of a child but the adult of a body. She goes out and learns about the world. The world is full of horrible scummy men who look to take advantage, so basically Barbie. The script, set design and acting from Emma Stone are all brilliant in this career best from Yorgos Lanthimos, a director I’m usually lukewarm on. Out of the ten movies for best picture, this one is surely the best.

The Best of the Rest

Best Director – A prime example of the Oscars picking some wrong names (Celine Song anyone), however the deserved winner is in there. While Glazer made some art, and Triet and Lanthimos did their things, the career best biographical epic for Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer deserves this one.

Best Original Screenplay – Probably the strongest of all categories, all of these films are so well written. Maestro is a bit crap, but oh well… Anatomy of a Fall and May, December were both very slick and that scene in Past Lives at the bar is just magic. However, the perfectly balanced dialogue and mood of The Holdovers means it deserves a win.

Best Adapted Screenplay – Definitely the weaker side of the screenplay draw, with Barbie and American Fiction both feeling like films that knew what they wanted to say, but not how. Zone of Interest provided an interesting look into a story but without the hook from the dialogue and an off-beat second half. Oppenheimer was great, with some fantastic lines. However, the madness of Poor Things and the naturally evolving dialogue of Bella deserve this one.

Best Animated Film – I’ve not seen Elemental (Don’t really want to) or Robot Dreams (Do want to). Out of the rest, we have three really strong films each of which are worth a watch. However, Spider-verse’s dull half-baked story and Nimona’s simplicity can’t compare to the art and imagination of The Boy and The Heron.

Best International Film – So I’ve only seen three of these movies. I was lukewarm on Zone of Interest. I enjoyed the slow slice of life of a content toilet cleaner is Japan’s Perfect Days. However, best film of the three was Spain’s Society of Snow which is on Netflix.

Best Original Score – Can’t remember much of American Fiction’s score being brilliant, nor Killers of the Flower Moon. I didn’t watch Indiana Jones 5 so can’t comment. Again, it’s between Poor Things and Oppenheimer. Poor Things was mad, but Oppenheimer‘s score was just incredible.

Best Original Song – I’m Just Ken, from Barbie (but not the version of Matt Hancock Lip Synching)

Best Sound – This is a really good category. Sure, The Creator was good and I never watched Mission Impossible, but Maestro was fantastic, especially in the scene in Ely Cathedral. Oppenheimer was ridiculous, especially the bomb test scene. That sent a shockwave through me. However, The Zone of Interest has simply incredible sound work. A film about a family who live next to Auschwitz, you see domestic bliss next to this background screaming to paint a really horrific picture.

Best Production Design – Again, a really strong catergory. I didn’t see Napoleon. Flower moon was good, as was Oppenheimer. However, it’s going to be between Barbie and Poor Things, both of which were weirdly vibrant. As much as I’d love to give Poor Things a bit more love, I think this has to go to the set which caused a world pink paint shortage, Barbie

Best Cinematography – Barbie used its light and camera in interesting ways. I STILL haven’t seen Napoleon and Flower Moon was fine. El Conde exists. I’ve watched it. Thatcher’s a vampire or something. Poor Things and Oppenheimer are again very close here, but I’ll go with Oppenheimer being the better at it.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling – I never watched Golda, but everyone is going to be talking about Bardley Cooper’s nose which makes this a non-contest. Oppenheimer was good, while Poor Things had some very interesting looking characters. However, the slow madness of Society of Snow was really well done, as we see people more and more desperate to survive so I’ll go off-piste and award that movie.

Best Costume Design – Poor Things was really cool, and I’ve seen the dresses in person which is nice. However, this one has to go to Barbie.

Best Editing – This is the one about how they cut up the film. Oppenheimer is great with its pacing, as are Holdovers and Poor Things. Flower Moon is also there. However, the best edited movie has to go to Anatomy of a Fall which shows actions and reactions equally well.

Best Visual Effects – I’ve only seen two of these. The Creator was vibrant, but Godzilla minus one showed the horror of people fantastically, and I’d rather reward that film, because it was also actually a solid film which did fantastically well on a low budget.

The Count:

4 – Barbie, Oppenheimer

3 –

2 – The Holdovers, Poor Things, Society of Snow

1 – Anatomy of a Fall, The Boy and the Heron, Godzilla Minus One, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Zone of Interest