My Personal Awards for 2019
2019 has been a fascinating year for film, it has been full of controversy and debates about the artistic integrity of the industry yet full of some wonderful creative gems here and there. I thought rather than do a rundown of my favourite films of the year, that would look identical to a lot of lists floating around, I would do my own version of the Oscars. These aren't my predictions, they are just a fun collection of what I would like to win/be nominated, I am going to skip a few categories here and there but it should be mostly identical. I also haven't seen a lot of the big hitters this year (Parasite, The Irishman, OUATIH, Uncut Gems and Booksmart) either due to lack of time or access. Without further ado, let's begin.
Roman Griffin Davis - Jojo Rabbit
Willem Dafoe - The Lighthouse
Robert Pattinson - The Lighthouse
Jonathon Pryce - The Two Popes
Adam Driver - Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
Adam Driver's performance is beyond anything I have ever seen. This category is really tough as it has been a year of stellar performances but Driver stole this year as Charlie. He is drenched in sorrow, sympathy and complexity whilst rarely breaking his veneer. |But when he does, it creates two of the most memorable scenes of the year. A beautiful performance in every single way.
Chris Evans - Knives Out
Sterling K. Brown - Waves
Jake Gyllenhaal - Spiderman Far From Home OR John Mulaney's Sack Lunch Bunch
Sam Rockwell - Jojo Rabbit
Hopkins' role as Pope Benedict requires a lot from him, the character is drenched in controversy and he is written to be initially without any sympathy. Purely through his performance, Hopkins creates this fascinating three-dimensional portrayal of this historic character and is a treat to watch.
Lupita Nyong'o - Us
Scarlett Johannson - Marriage Story
Ana de Armas - Knives Out
Adele Haenel - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Noemie Merlant - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Saorise Ronan - Little Women
This was by far the toughest award of the year, it has been an incredible year for female performances but I had to give it to the incredible Adele Haenel. It is an electrifying performance, at times hypnotic and above all extremely personal and complex. She should win for those final moments alone which took my breath away.
Laura Dern - Little Women
Florence Pugh - Little Women
Thomasin Mckenzie - Jojo Rabbit
Taylor Russel - Waves
The most surprising thing to come out of Jojo Rabbit was the incredible performance by 19-year-old Thomasin Mckenzie. I don't want to spoil anything about her character but she is charming, sympathetic and probably one of the most confident performances of the year.
Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Toy Story 4
Maybe it was the fact we were the only people in the cinema, maybe it is my incredible adoration for Lord and Miller but I absolutely loved Lego Movie 2. It was severely overlooked, perhaps too clever for its own good but it manages to remain hilarious and succeed the original film's heart.
Claire Mathom - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Jarin Blaschke - The Lighthouse
Pawel Pogorzelski - Midsommar
Cesar Charlone - The Two Popes
I'm not the biggest fan of A Hidden Life but there is no denying the cinematography is on another level. Widmer does something fascinating with every shot, creating this overwhelming viewing experience, it is so good that I struggle to put it into words.
Jenny Eagen - Knives Out
Dorothee Guiraud - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Luca Canfora/ Beatriz De Benedetto - The Two Popes
Kym Barrett - Us
Little Women is a beautiful looking film in every single way but the costume design is on another level. The amount of thought and effort that has gone into every single character in every single moment is outstanding, the March siblings all have such a distinct and memorable look that I just adore.
Greta Gerwig - Little Women
Celine Sciamma - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rian Johnson - Knives Out
Noah Baumbach - Marriage Story
Robert Eggers - The Lighthouse
Knives Out is an ensemble masterpiece through and through so I had to give Rian Johnson the award without hesitation. Every performance is so engaging, the pacing is beyond masterful and I was full of adrenaline and excitement after this film finished.
Jennifer Lame - Marriage Story
Bob Ducsay -Knives Out
Lucian Johnston - Midsommar
Tom Eagles - Jojo Rabbit
From the opening moments of Marriage Story, Lame flexes her extraordinary talent in editing. This film has to essentially recreate the impression of a conflict between people through its editing, we see both sides, we see the effects and turmoil all with an excellent level of commitment in the editing.
Randy Newman - Marriage Story
Alexandre Desplat - Little Women
Nathan Johnson - Knives Out
Alan Silvestri - Avengers Endgame
Arthur Simonini/ Jean-Baptise de Laubier - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
I have always loved Desplat as a composer, he knows how to bring amazing energy to every film and Little Women manages to utilise its score in a beautiful way. I genuinely teared up at moments that were just moments of score, every scene is punctuated to perfection.
Henrik Svensson - Midsommar
Thomas Grezaud - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Craig Lathrop - The Lighthouse
Judy Rhee - El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story
It may be weird to give production design to a film that takes place predominantly in a field but Ari Aster has a talent for the attention to detail. The crazy detail from Aster's research into mythology is replicated wonderful and the world of Midsommar sticks in your head in such a terrifying way.
Knives Out
Us
Jojo Rabbit
I haven't credited anyone in particular as each film had a team of twenty people. By its nature, Us is a film that requires a lot of wonderful Make-up and Hair. The team had to create otherworldly versions of our main characters to make them be visually striking and blood-curdling and they did an amazing job.
Marriage Story
Knives Out
The Two Popes
Us
Once again there was a really large team who worked on the sound design, I have also combined both awards as I do not have the technical knowledge to distinguish the two. The award goes to the amazing design of The Lighthouse, there are some sounds in this film that I have no idea how they were created. It is absolutely terrifying
and completely unique.
Jojo Rabbit - Taika Waititi
The Two Popes - Anthony McCarten
Avengers: Endgame - Christopher Markus/ Stephen McFeely
It takes a lot to make something new and exciting out of a novel that has been adapted almost as many times as Sherlock Holmes. But Little Women is a wonderful screenplay done beautifully by Gerwig. She makes it feel authentic yet modern, heart-warming and sometimes deeply sad. A truly beautiful script.
Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach
Knives Out - Rian Johnson
Midsommar - Ari Aster
Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Celine Sciamma
I had to give this award to Portrait as Sciamma does something absolutely extraordinary with this screenplay. She combines a genuinely beautiful romance with this outstanding level of thematic complexity, utilising mythology and the female experience to create a screenplay we might be studying for years.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Marriage Story
Knives Out
The Two Popes
The Lighthouse
It is the obvious winner and one of the best films I have ever seen in my life. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an effortless work of art, with a beautifully personal story that has left me emotional since I saw it. There were moments in this film I felt paralysed by, moments that made me forget everything and moments that haven't left me since. A true piece of cinematic history.
Because I'm a shill for stats here are some stats about my nominations and awards!
2019 has been a fascinating year for film, it has been full of controversy and debates about the artistic integrity of the industry yet full of some wonderful creative gems here and there. I thought rather than do a rundown of my favourite films of the year, that would look identical to a lot of lists floating around, I would do my own version of the Oscars. These aren't my predictions, they are just a fun collection of what I would like to win/be nominated, I am going to skip a few categories here and there but it should be mostly identical. I also haven't seen a lot of the big hitters this year (Parasite, The Irishman, OUATIH, Uncut Gems and Booksmart) either due to lack of time or access. Without further ado, let's begin.
Best Actor
Roman Griffin Davis - Jojo RabbitWillem Dafoe - The Lighthouse
Robert Pattinson - The Lighthouse
Jonathon Pryce - The Two Popes
Adam Driver - Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
Adam Driver's performance is beyond anything I have ever seen. This category is really tough as it has been a year of stellar performances but Driver stole this year as Charlie. He is drenched in sorrow, sympathy and complexity whilst rarely breaking his veneer. |But when he does, it creates two of the most memorable scenes of the year. A beautiful performance in every single way.
Supporting Actor
Anthony Hopkins - The Two PopesChris Evans - Knives Out
Sterling K. Brown - Waves
Jake Gyllenhaal - Spiderman Far From Home OR John Mulaney's Sack Lunch Bunch
Sam Rockwell - Jojo Rabbit
Hopkins' role as Pope Benedict requires a lot from him, the character is drenched in controversy and he is written to be initially without any sympathy. Purely through his performance, Hopkins creates this fascinating three-dimensional portrayal of this historic character and is a treat to watch.
Lead Actress
Florence Pugh - MidsommarLupita Nyong'o - Us
Scarlett Johannson - Marriage Story
Ana de Armas - Knives Out
Adele Haenel - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Noemie Merlant - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Saorise Ronan - Little Women
This was by far the toughest award of the year, it has been an incredible year for female performances but I had to give it to the incredible Adele Haenel. It is an electrifying performance, at times hypnotic and above all extremely personal and complex. She should win for those final moments alone which took my breath away.
Supporting Actress
Laura Dern - Marriage StoryLaura Dern - Little Women
Florence Pugh - Little Women
Thomasin Mckenzie - Jojo Rabbit
Taylor Russel - Waves
The most surprising thing to come out of Jojo Rabbit was the incredible performance by 19-year-old Thomasin Mckenzie. I don't want to spoil anything about her character but she is charming, sympathetic and probably one of the most confident performances of the year.
Best Animated
KlausLego Movie 2: The Second Part
Toy Story 4
Maybe it was the fact we were the only people in the cinema, maybe it is my incredible adoration for Lord and Miller but I absolutely loved Lego Movie 2. It was severely overlooked, perhaps too clever for its own good but it manages to remain hilarious and succeed the original film's heart.Best Cinematography
Jorg Widmer - A Hidden LifeClaire Mathom - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Jarin Blaschke - The Lighthouse
Pawel Pogorzelski - Midsommar
Cesar Charlone - The Two Popes
I'm not the biggest fan of A Hidden Life but there is no denying the cinematography is on another level. Widmer does something fascinating with every shot, creating this overwhelming viewing experience, it is so good that I struggle to put it into words.Costume Design
Jacqueline Durran - Little WomenJenny Eagen - Knives Out
Dorothee Guiraud - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Luca Canfora/ Beatriz De Benedetto - The Two Popes
Kym Barrett - Us
Little Women is a beautiful looking film in every single way but the costume design is on another level. The amount of thought and effort that has gone into every single character in every single moment is outstanding, the March siblings all have such a distinct and memorable look that I just adore.Best Director
Taika Waititi - Jojo RabbitGreta Gerwig - Little Women
Celine Sciamma - Portrait of a Lady on FireRian Johnson - Knives Out
Noah Baumbach - Marriage Story
Robert Eggers - The Lighthouse
Knives Out is an ensemble masterpiece through and through so I had to give Rian Johnson the award without hesitation. Every performance is so engaging, the pacing is beyond masterful and I was full of adrenaline and excitement after this film finished.
Best Editing
Louise Ford - The LighthouseJennifer Lame - Marriage Story
Bob Ducsay -Knives Out
Lucian Johnston - Midsommar
Tom Eagles - Jojo Rabbit
From the opening moments of Marriage Story, Lame flexes her extraordinary talent in editing. This film has to essentially recreate the impression of a conflict between people through its editing, we see both sides, we see the effects and turmoil all with an excellent level of commitment in the editing.
Original Score
Randy Newman - Marriage StoryAlexandre Desplat - Little Women
Nathan Johnson - Knives Out
Alan Silvestri - Avengers EndgameArthur Simonini/ Jean-Baptise de Laubier - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
I have always loved Desplat as a composer, he knows how to bring amazing energy to every film and Little Women manages to utilise its score in a beautiful way. I genuinely teared up at moments that were just moments of score, every scene is punctuated to perfection.
Best Production Design
Jess Gonchor - Little WomenHenrik Svensson - Midsommar
Thomas Grezaud - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Craig Lathrop - The LighthouseJudy Rhee - El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story
It may be weird to give production design to a film that takes place predominantly in a field but Ari Aster has a talent for the attention to detail. The crazy detail from Aster's research into mythology is replicated wonderful and the world of Midsommar sticks in your head in such a terrifying way.
Best Make-up and Hair
Little WomenKnives Out
Us
Jojo RabbitI haven't credited anyone in particular as each film had a team of twenty people. By its nature, Us is a film that requires a lot of wonderful Make-up and Hair. The team had to create otherworldly versions of our main characters to make them be visually striking and blood-curdling and they did an amazing job.
Best Sound
The LighthouseMarriage Story
Knives Out
The Two Popes
Us
Once again there was a really large team who worked on the sound design, I have also combined both awards as I do not have the technical knowledge to distinguish the two. The award goes to the amazing design of The Lighthouse, there are some sounds in this film that I have no idea how they were created. It is absolutely terrifying
and completely unique.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Little Women - Greta GerwigJojo Rabbit - Taika Waititi
The Two Popes - Anthony McCarten
Avengers: Endgame - Christopher Markus/ Stephen McFeely
It takes a lot to make something new and exciting out of a novel that has been adapted almost as many times as Sherlock Holmes. But Little Women is a wonderful screenplay done beautifully by Gerwig. She makes it feel authentic yet modern, heart-warming and sometimes deeply sad. A truly beautiful script.
Best Original Screenplay
A Hidden Life - Terrence MallikMarriage Story - Noah Baumbach
Knives Out - Rian Johnson
Midsommar - Ari Aster
Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Celine SciammaI had to give this award to Portrait as Sciamma does something absolutely extraordinary with this screenplay. She combines a genuinely beautiful romance with this outstanding level of thematic complexity, utilising mythology and the female experience to create a screenplay we might be studying for years.
Best Picture
Jojo RabbitPortrait of a Lady on Fire
Marriage Story
Knives Out
The Two Popes
The Lighthouse
It is the obvious winner and one of the best films I have ever seen in my life. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an effortless work of art, with a beautifully personal story that has left me emotional since I saw it. There were moments in this film I felt paralysed by, moments that made me forget everything and moments that haven't left me since. A true piece of cinematic history.Because I'm a shill for stats here are some stats about my nominations and awards!
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire: 9 nominations, 3 wins
- Little Women: 9 nominations, 3 wins
- Marriage Story: 9 nominations, 2 win
- Knives Out: 10 nominations, 1 win
- Jojo Rabbit: 8 nominations, 1 win
- The Lighthouse: 7 nominations, 1 win
- The Two Popes: 7 nominations, 1 win
- Midsommar: 5 nominations, 1 win
- Us: 4 nominations, 1 win
- A Hidden Life: 2 nominations, 1 win
- Waves: 2 nominations
- Avengers Endgame: 2 nominations
- The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part: 1 nomination, 1 win
- Joker: 1 nomination
- Spiderman: Far From Home: 1 nomination
- El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story: 1 nomination
Quick update now that the nominations are officially out for the Oscars. I guessed 22 nominations out of 84, which isn't too bad.
Thanks For Reading!