44th César Award Winners

Last night the French Academy had their award ceremony and was able to watch live the beginning, but soon enough couldn't keep my eyes open as show became really tedious.  Nevertheless at the beginning there were a couple of moments where I laugh like crazy, which is good as do not particularly like French humor.

The president of the 44th ceremony was none other than Kristin Scott Thomas, who opened the ceremony with a speech that felt to me like a reminder to all that she can do French cinema (and she's extraordinary in French cinema); so, let's hope someone heard the plea and gives her a movie ASAP as the quality of French movies need to improve fast.  For me this year the quality of the honored movies was a tat below the average, sigh; then, there are a couple of good actor's performances but couldn't save the movies.  Ah! yes, I love Jacques Audiard films, he's truly a master-filmmaker, but The Sisters Brothers is more American than French cinema, so it does not count for my perception.

By-the-way having in one place Kristin Scott Thomas and César d'Honeur Robert Redford was like The Horse Whisper reunion with just Scarlett Johansson missing.  Eddy de Pretto honored late Charles Aznavour, Cécile Cassel and Stéfi Celma honored late Michel Legrand, and Diane Kruger lead a tribute to honor late Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld.

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21st Costume Design Guild Awards Winners

Last Tuesday, February 19, the guild announced the award winners for the current edition of the annual prizes. Winners suggest The Favourite and Black Panther are the Oscars front runners as Crazy Rich Asians doesn't have an Academy nomination.  When considering costumes in both movies, there is no doubt in my mind that Black Panther costumes grab a lot more the attention that those in The Favourite; but, there are some (mostly male) costumes in The Favourite that are truly work of art, so if any wins Oscar I'm okay with it.

Glenn Close was honored with the Spotlight Award, Betty Pecha Madden with Distinguished Award, Ryan Murphy with Distinguished Collaborator Award, and Ruth E. Carter with Career Achievement Award.

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6th Annual Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards Winners

Last Saturday the guild had their awards ceremony where announced winners in 23 categories of film, television, commercials and live theater.

Believe Vice double win makes film a contender for top award at Oscars; but, Borders definitively has a more interesting and visual outstanding makeup and hair styling.   There are only three Oscar nominees in this category so IF Vice does not win, then has to be Border or Mary Queen of Scots. (lol)

Winners are in *BLUE.  To check winners in all categories go to official site here.

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66th Annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards Winners

Last Saturday the MPSE had the Golden Reel awards ceremony and to my pleasant surprise, Roma won an award.

Award winners are in *BLUE.  To check winners in all categories go official site here as soon they will update winners; meanwhile go to THR article here.

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1/22/19
Yesterday the Motion Picture Sound Editors organization announced the nominations for the current year awards and there are three films with three nominations each leading: Roma, A Quiet Place, and First Man.

Let's recall that nominees represent the work of the world's most talented sound artists and their contribution to the past year's most outstanding feature film, television, animation, and computer entertainment productions.

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55th Cinema Audio Society Awards Winners

Last Saturday night the society had their awards ceremony with some surprises, especially in the animation category as group honored a film forgotten this awards season, Isle of Dogs.

Bohemian Rhapsody win comes as no surprise for me; but, as many do, wonder if Academy members will honor film with an Oscar as even do film is a crowd pleaser, it might have too-much negative baggage.

Winners are in *BLUE. To check winners in all categories go official site here.

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71st Writers Guild Awards Winners

Yesterday the guild had their awards ceremony and as many comment, there is no clearity in what could happen at the Oscars as industry guilds, societies and groups have been honoring different movies.  Tend to agree but when review winners it's noticeable that top prizes went, with one exception, to movies that are expected to get a nomination for best picture.

Writers guild have not a good record of predicting Oscar winners as often do not include critically acclaim movies because writers are not guild members.  Nevertheless there are years when they coincide and maybe this year will happen in the adapted script category as WGA winner is at least nominated, which is not the case for original script.

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69th Berlin International Film Festival Award Winners

Awards ceremony has been emotional because Dieter Kosslick tributes, homages and the spontaneous reaction of the ceremony audience. I will miss him as believe not many celebrities have what he does, HUGE charm with very-dark and very-dry humor, which simply LOVE it!

The movie clips are always welcome and today are helping to focus more on the movies than on the departure of beloved festival director.

My reactions to fest winners is, in general, as a whole have a traditional flavor, which in my book is just perfect.  Very glad that last Berlinale directed by Dieter Kosslick has been good and Juliette Binoche's hand is absolutely allover in top award winners, which is also perfect.

Lapid, Ozon, and newcomer Fingscheidt won the one, two and three film awards at 2019 Berllinale.   Wait, wait a gift from the jury for DK a huge bear, lol.  Will also miss Anke as assume she'll be gone too.  Not afraid of change, change is good BUT has to be equal or better than what Kosslick is leaving, sigh; Let's hope next year there will be nothing to regret.

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33rd Teddy Awards Winners

At post bottom there is a video with the awards ceremony in full if you wish to see the show -more than the awards (lol)-.

Top feature and documentary winners come from Latin American filmmakers, which makes it a great night for LGBT cinema of a region lately bringing outstanding films with queer relevant themes.  Congrats Latin American filmmakers and keep them coming.  Thanks.

Winners are below in *BLUE.  To check films that got a "nominated" mention go to post with all festival winners here.

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1/30/19
As Berlinale program has been published in full, here are the films that will compete this year for the most famous LGBT film award.

But first let's share that the Special Teddy Award goes to Falk Rickter and most interesting, for the first time the online magazine queer.de is going to be media partner of the Teddy Award and there is a diverse jury of five people to select the winner of the Teddy Readers' Award 2019.

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17th Annual Visual Effects Society Awards Winners

On February 5th the society had their awards ceremony and winners are below in *BLUE.  To check winners in all categories go official site here.

Visual effects category this year is kind of weird as by now we know BAFTA winner is Black Panther a film that has no nominations here nor at Oscars.  When checking winners here and the Oscar nominations there is a suggested front runner: Avengers: Infinity War with a runner up, Ready Player One. All of the above is confirmed when we consider that in six of the last ten years the winner of outstanding VFX in photo-real feature category went to win the VFX Oscar.  By-the-way it is the first time a Marvel movie wins top prize.

Believe best visual effects I have seen lately in a non-comic book-action-hero are the ones in Mortal Engines, then in the DC/Marvel world no doubt that Black Panther has the best effects.  Both films have NO Oscar nomination, so there is no chance that my favorites win (lol), sigh.

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1/18/19
A couple of days ago the Visual Effects Society (VES) announced the nominees for the 2019 edition of the awards that honor outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials and video games plus the VFX supervisors and producers.

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31st Annual Scripter Award Winner

For those that do not believe this is a very unusual awards season this group gave another example of how weird the season is and how unpredictable has become as top award winner did not receive an Oscars nomination!   Just because relevance, TV winner also has no Emmy nomination. 

Scripter award usually predicts the best adapted screenplay Oscar winner but this year its streak is over; still is a well-deserved award for a film that many consider deserved a whole lot more attention during this awards season.

Great director Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini and Peter Rock were honored with the Scripter Award and because really enjoyed the miniseries will share the TV winner: A Very English Scandal.

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33rd American Society of Cinematographers Awards Winners

On Saturday, February 9, in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland complex the society had their ceremony awards with a surprising win on their milestone 100th anniversary.

My major surprise is that Roma didn't win, but as mentioned when posting the nominees the other movie with outstanding cinematography was Cold War and yes, won the top award.  This award increases Cold War Oscars winning possibilities but by now we know which film won BAFTA cinematography, so Roma is still a strong contender.

Most interesting fact, this year the ASC honored European films as both film awards went to east Europe cinema countries, Poland and Georgia.  The Spotlight Award went to Giorgi Shvelidze for Namme.  Big congrats to always outstanding European cinema.

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23rd Annual Art Directors Guild Awards Winners

Last Saturday, February 2nd the guild announced winners o fits 23rd Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards in 11 categories of film, television, commercials, music videos and animation features during an award ceremony hosted by David Alan Grier and presided by ADG President Nelson Coates and Art Directors Council Chair Mark Worthington.

The theme for this year's Gala was Landscape of the Imagination and the Cinematic Imagery Award went to Rob Marshall; Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to: Jeannine Oppewall, Ed Verreaux, Jim Fiorito, and William F. Matthews.  Benjamin Carre was inducted in the ADG Hall of Fame.

A special tribute was presented to long time Hollywood orchestra leader Johnny Crawford honoring his final year performing at the ADG Awards.  His Orchestra, featuring the Starlite Sisters have been part of the ADG Awards Gala for two decades.

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69th Annual ACE EDDIE Awards Winners

Last Friday, February 1st the group had their awards ceremony presided by ACE President, Stephen Rivkin and perhaps the biggest surprise for me is Roma not winning and instead top award dramatic went to Bohemian Rhapsody!  But group is forgiven only because comedy went to The Favourite which in my opinion, deserves the tech award, even do film is not a comedy.

Well, to be honest Roma not winning was not a huge surprise as remember film didn't got an Oscar nomination in this category.  By-the-way IF film had gotten an Oscar nomination in editing, then would have held the record for the most nominations, sigh.

Now Oscar frontrunners are The Favourite and Bohemian Rhapsody as both have Oscar nominations; no matter who wins, tech award should go to magnificent The Favourite as editing moved film in the right direction and yes, helped to make it more accessible to become Yorgos Lanthimos most accessible film up-to-date.

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71st Annual Directors Guild of America Awards Winners

Saturday night the guild had their awards ceremony and as expected Alfonso Cuarón got the top award which makes a big celebratory win as it was Guillermo del Toro who presented with the award.

Most interesting milestone is since 2014 -with the exception of 2017- top award have been given to a Mexican-born director, 2014 Alfonso Cuarón, 2015 Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2016 Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2018 Guillermo del Toro and 2019 Alejandro G. Iñárritu again.  All these directors went to win the Oscar for Directing therefore we can predict Alfonso Cuarón is not only the front-runner but also the most likely Oscar winner.  A milestone that will make Oscar history too and shows the dominance of very creative and imaginative filmmakers.

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69th Berlinale Complete Lineup Final

Post is ready with all sections verified and yes, have read about each of below films. Festival has about 400 films and below list has most of them.  Sections listed with films have ALL films (features and shorts, if applicable) and Forum has some additional older films that interested me.

There are many films that I'm looking forward to watch, which have exponentially increased my viewing queue, sigh.  No doubt this year Berlinale Competition is very interesting with films of well-known directors -which is always welcomed as believe newcomers should debut in fests other than-competitition sections, unless their film is outstanding...

In about a week the fest will began and yes, I'm starting to feel sad as will miss Kosslick and his pleasant larger than life casual personality.  But will try to enjoy him for one last time during the festival.  Wonder if he leaves, will fun-to-watch (in a very dark way) Anke Engelke leave too?  The chemistry these two had was like oil and water but was the funniest I have seen in any festival and elsewhere; remember that I like very-dark dry humor (lol).

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