The Star Wars spin-offs continue as my friend Kate and I discuss the latest entry Solo: A Star Wars Story, which delves into the background of everyone’s favorite scruffy-looking nerf herder: Han Solo. We then discuss the daunting task of catching up on Arrested Developmentin time for the brand new 5th season and also recap the unhinged silliness of the new comedy Game Night. Find us on Facebook, Twitterand Letterboxd.
We brought the whole family together, including my wife Aubree and our dog Ebert, as we talk over Isle of Dogs, the new stop-motion animated film from Wes Anderson. Then, we go over some of our streaming favorites these days, including the harrowing new season of The Handmaid’s Tale and the re-mixed fourth season (and upcoming fifth season) of Arrested Development. Of course, neither of these are a match for the guilty pleasure that is Catfish: The TV Show. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
2 guests are better than 1 as my friends Matt and Nick join me to discuss Avengers: Infinity War, the super-sized superhero film that serves as the climax of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We also give shout-outs to the final season of the Netflix series Love and to the upcoming second season of the HBO series Westworld. I also refer to the Paddington films as “charming” no fewer than 4 times. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
This week on Awake in the Dark, I’m joined by my friend Bailey Suits as we break our silence on the new supernatural thriller A Quiet Place, starring (and directed by) John Krasinski and his real-life wife Emily Blunt. We then recap our latest binge sessions with the Netflix series Grace and Frankie and the Amazon Prime series Sneaky Pete, whose 2nd season was just released last month. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
This week on Awake in the Dark, I’m joined by my friend Bart Good as we enter The Shimmer and attempt to break down Annihilation, the new sci-fi horror mind-bender from writer/director Alex Garland. Then we sing the praises of unhinged Nicolas Cage in his newest film Mom and Dad and Brigsby Bear takes a well-deserved victory lap. Our entire conversation could generally be described as Kafkaesque. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
On the third episode of Awake in the Dark, I’m joined by my friend Taylor as we unravel time and space to discuss A Wrinkle in Time, the latest Disney film based on the children’s novel by Madeleine L’Engle. We’ll also discuss a couple notable Netflix series, including The Crown and the new docuseries Flint Town. Then we do a brief Oscar recap and give the Academy some advice for next year’s telecast. There’s even a Mars Needs Moms reference for good measure. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
On this slightly delayed second episode, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Jared Kalish as we delve into Black Panther, the latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ll also discuss some of the latest offerings from Netflix, including A Futile and Stupid Gesture, The Open House, and the new TV series Altered Carbon. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
On the inaugural episode of the Awake in the Dark podcast, I’m joined by my wife Aubree as we discuss the year 2017 in film. We’ll run down each of our 10 favorites from last year and then go in-depth with the recently-announced Oscar nominations. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
Best Picture
More than most years, this group of Best Picture nominees is particularly stellar. Each of my top 3 films from last year are present, along with a few others from my top 20, and even the ones that didn’t quite work for me are respectable achievements in their own right. It seems to be a two pony race between Shape and Billboards (Shape currently holds favor, thus my prediction) but I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of the other 7 make a February push, especially after the shenanigans from last year’s Best Picture race.
My Prediction: The Shape of Water
My Vote: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Overlooked: The Big Sick
Best Director
Again, another excellent field marked with very deserved nominees. Gerwig is only the fifth woman to be nominated in the field, while Peele is only the fifth black nominee ever for the category, even more impressive when you factor in that both of their films were directorial debuts. This award is more firmly predicted for del Toro at this point, with Nolan being a dark horse for his determined work on Dunkirk.
My Prediction: Guillermo del Toro
My Vote: Paul Thomas Anderson
Overlooked: Martin McDonagh – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor
Darkest Hour remains one of my few Oscar blindspots from last year and while I’m sure Oldman does a terrific job in it as he almost always does, the role whiffs strongly of Oscar bait (especially in a year with so little of it) and I wish some of these other actors had a chance. Unfortunately, they don’t; this is one of the surest picks of the evening.
My Prediction: Gary Oldman
My Vote: Daniel Kaluuya
Overlooked: Robert Pattinson – Good Time
Best Actress
Like Oldman for Actor, McDormand is all over this category but given how big a fan I am with her performance in Billboards (I can’t imagine what the film would have been without it), I’m excited for her to walk home with Oscar gold for the second time. Newcomer Meryl Streep nabs her very 1st nomination in…ah, sorry. Read that wrong. It’s 21st. Meryl Streep has been nominated for an Oscar 21 times.
My Prediction: Frances McDormand
My Vote: Frances McDormand
Overlooked: Jennifer Lawrence – mother!
Best Supporting Actor
My Prediction: Sam Rockwell
My Vote: Willem Dafoe
Overlooked: Ray Romano – The Big Sick
Best Supporting Actress
My Prediction: Allison Janney
My Vote: Lesley Manville
Overlooked: Holly Hunter – The Big Sick
It’s Rockwell and Janney in front, with Dafoe and Metcalf trailing distantly behind them. Odd that things have shaken out this way, as Dafoe and Metcalf have been scooping up other awards left and right for their performances but as the Oscars loom large, two other frontrunners emerge. Plenty of great nods here, especially the stunt pick of Christopher Plummer in a performance captured entirely during reshoots approximately a month or two before the film was released.
Best Original Screenplay
My Prediction: Lady Bird
My Vote: Get Out
Overlooked: Logan Lucky
Best Adapted Screenplay
My Prediction: Call Me By Your Name
My Vote: Logan
Overlooked: Their Finest
Best Animated Feature Film
My Prediction: Coco
My Vote: —
Overlooked: The Lego Batman Movie
Best Foreign Language Film
My Prediction: A Fantastic Woman
My Vote: The Square
Overlooked: Raw
Best Documentary – Feature
My Prediction: Faces Places
My Vote: —
Overlooked: The Work
Best Documentary – Short Subject
My Prediction: Edith & Eddie
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —
Best Live Action Short Film
My Prediction: DeKalb Elementary
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —
Best Animated Short Film
My Prediction: Dear Basketball
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —
Best Original Score
My Prediction: The Shape of Water
My Vote: Phantom Thread
Overlooked: Good Time – Oneohtrix Point Never
Best Original Song
My Prediction: “Remember Me”
My Vote: “Mystery of Love”
Overlooked: “The Pure And The Damned” from Good Time
Best Sound Editing
My Prediction: Dunkirk
My Vote: Baby Driver
Overlooked: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Best Sound Mixing
My Prediction: Dunkirk
My Vote: Baby Driver
Overlooked: John Wick: Chapter 2
Best Production Design
My Prediction: The Shape of Water
My Vote: Blade Runner 2049
Overlooked: It Comes At Night
Best Cinematography
My Prediction: Blade Runner 2049
My Vote: Blade Runner 2049
Overlooked: The Killing of a Sacred Deer – Thimios Bakatakis
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
My Prediction: Darkest Hour
My Vote: —
Overlooked: Bright
Best Costume Design
My Prediction: Phantom Thread
My Vote: Phantom Thread
Overlooked: Wonder Woman
Best Film Editing
My Prediction: Dunkirk
My Vote: Baby Driver
Overlooked: The Post
Best Visual Effects
My Prediction: Blade Runner 2049
My Vote: Blade Runner 2049
Overlooked: A Ghost Story
Enjoy the show!
Hot off of last year’s heartfelt sci-fi hit Arrival, director Denis Villeneuve returns to the same genre once more but this time, he has his sights on something even more ambitious: a direct sequel to one of the genre’s most influential and visually quoted works that comes 35 years after the original. Given how much could have gone wrong, it’s remarkable just how much Blade Runner 2049 gets it right, from its flawless production design to its nuanced storytelling that muses on the same existential themes that ran through the 1982 future-noir classic. This is an awe-inspiring follow-up that further expands Blade Runner‘s already vast scope to a futurescape with dazzling depth and a grandeur without rival.
The story follows sullen LAPD detective K (Ryan Gosling) as he carries out his duty as a Blade Runner by tracking down a class of older generation Replicants (advanced robots made to look identical to humans) and “retiring” them as their very existence is illegal. After a visit with one such Replicant, he discovers a chest buried deep in the ground (with the help of a handy drone that detaches from the roof of his car) that leads him on an investigation that could have cataclysmic ramifications on the relationship between man and machine. His search for answers pits him against tech mogul Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) and his Replicant enforcer Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) while eventually leading him to legendary detective Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who’s been in hiding since the events of the first film.
Even more so than its predecessor, Blade Runner 2049 is a thorough and intentionally paced detective story that uses its futuristic setting to further deepen the mysteries at the heart of its story while adding a layer of insight into how humankind may look 30 years from now. Among the film’s most prevalent themes is that which speculates humankind’s relationship to artificial intelligence and what we deem as “real” or “unreal”, whether it be a Replicant or an interactive advertisement or a sophisticated computer simulation meant to mimic human behavior. The role of Joi played brilliantly by Ana de Armas is the most consistent evocation of this concept, as she is characterized as the most empathic and understanding presence in K’s life despite the fact that her translucent appearance is a reminder that she is ultimately a collection of light dictated by 0s and 1s.
The nimble and seamless effects work is always first-rate, whether it is utilized in small ways like the depiction of raindrops falling softly on the hands of a hologram to the larger scale uses that bring the urban monoliths and pyramids of the first film back to life again. The production design is just as meticulous and makes every space feel like something we’ve never seen before and yet completely believable at the same time; I was struck in particular by the layout of Wallace’s office, whose minimalist wood-based configuration both looks stunning and reminds us that this world’s scarcity of trees means that a room like his could only be afforded by someone of great means. All of this is framed with the excellence of all-time great cinematographer Roger Deakins, previously nominated for an Oscar in his field on 13 different occasions and if there’s any justice, he won’t go home empty-handed next February.
Ryan Gosling continues his streak of seeking out challenging roles that still play to his strengths as a performer and here, he works off the baseline stoicism that we’ve seen from his roles in Nicolas Winding Refn’s films but adds notes of longing and warmth to his role. Similarly great is Ford, who, despite his more limited screentime in this movie, may actually give a better performance here as Deckard than he did in his first occasion playing the grizzled gumshoe all those years ago. Blade Runner 2049 is proof that sequels can be so much more than a retread of their source material and with the right minds at work, they can even supersede the legacy of the original.