Best Films/Performances: The Criminally Underrated Donald Sutherland

HM: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

This franchise is so odd in that the first two films are such strong, tonally assured and effective thriller/action films, but the last two, Deathly Hallows-divided ventures were so dull and plodding, despite not all that much being tinkered to the formula of the filmmaking. I say it's odd because the performances of all the cast members, bar Liam Hemsworth and the awful character of Gale, shine even in the briefest little moments, and even the weaker links like Josh Hutcherson improve considerably over the course of the series. Sutherland's role as President Snow, the 'big bad' till the last film or so, is a rather impressive bit of villainous work in a somewhat limited role. He's consistently menacing and whenever he gets a bit more to do, like in Catching Fire where he captures both the callous evil of the old man but also the insecurity of his tenuous power, he's pretty great.

10. Six Degrees of Seperation

A strongly acted if a bit too straightforward stage adaptation of a young black conartist (Will Smith in a career-best turn) who enters the lives of a wealthy older couple (Sutherland and Stockard Channing). The film is intelligently crafted, and Sutherland's astute wit and intellectually assured screen presence fits the character of somewhat pompous but genial art dealer Flan to the tee. He helps make some of the more iffy and on-the-nose bits of writing work through his naturalistic delivery and humorous depiction of a man who thinks he's a lot cleverer than he actually is.

9. Backdraft

In the same year Silence of the Lambs crafted some intellectual and haunting thrills through cannibals and psychopaths, Ron Howard's incredibly stupid but also quite enjoyable action thriller Backdraft used fire as a cruel and unsparing enemy to firefighters, and the 'friend' of another deeply twisted, incarcerated serial killer with such a strange eloquence to his nasty belief system. Ronald Bartel is not quite Hannibal Lecter in the villain stakes, but boy does Sutherland give it his all and have a ball as the nastiest piece of work he's ever played onscreen. The deranged mania and off-putting love for fire and destruction, and the way he toys with William Baldwin's inexeperienced fireman, is worth the price of admission alone.

8. Kelly's Heroes

A 'man on the mission' film that's predominately funny, Sutherland is great as the aptly named 'Oddball'. This is a simple performance, that's one-note and exists for one purpose, and one purpose only, to generate laughs aplenty. Sutherland is a hoot whether Oddball is expostulating on his strange but somewhat sensible chilled philosophies on life, or making odd metaphors about tigers and New Yorkers. It's telling that about half of the quotes on the IMDB page for the film are spouted from Sutherland's mouth.

7. M*A*S*H

I need to re-watch this, but as the literal predecessor to Alan Alda's character on the hit television series, Sutherland's Hawkeye Pierce is a brilliant comedic leading turn. In usual Sutherland fashion, he's funny without really trying, and takes a very relaxed and effective approach to the role of a chilled combat surgeon who's trying to make the best of his time in South Korea during the Korean War. The film's vigenette structure means that his character has no development, but that's fine because he's consistently funny throughout.

6. The Eagle Has Landed

The best part of an underrated film by an underrated director (John Sturges did Bad Day at Black Rock, The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape yet I rarely see people talking about him!) Anyway, Sutherland plays one of the few non-German characters in the film which is centred on a German plot to kidnap Winston Churchill. The film is a tricky watch in that it clearly identifies the Nazis as the 'villains' yet also wants you to symapthize with its principals. Sutherland doesn't face such a problem even though he's technically playing a violent IRA member who wants nothing more than to kill some Englishman. He manages to depict the character's nastier side without compromising the charm and innate decency to Liam Devlin beyond his grudges, and steals the show away from his co-stars.

5. JFK

I'll admit that upon re-watch, JFK is in my opinion a well-made film that just doesn't connect with me that much. It's a very well-made film about conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of Kennedy, with a very strong leading performance and great ensemble, but I don't know, maybe I prefer more of an intimate and emotional connection with the time period/context like the brilliant 11.22.63. As someone who's usually a mark for conspiracy thrillers like All the President's Men, this was more of an impressive but less involving watch for me. One segment where the film kicks into high gear and works brilliantly though, is in Donald Sutherland's one scene wonder as the enigmatic, 'Deep Throat' figure X. His beautiful voice and disconcerting delivery makes for the single best scene in the film that's kind of glorified exposition dumping, but what glorious exposition dumping it is.

4. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

You'll know the film from his final scene, which is an absolute knockout from a directing perspective. The film on the whole is the second scariest Veronica Cartwright film of the decade, which is to say that it's not as scary as Alien, but it's still a terrifying watch. Aliens that invade planet Earth invade and 'body snatch' people: when they fall asleep, they are duplicated by alien pods into walking, emotionless shell of their former selves. Sutherland leads the film brilliantly as everyman Matthew Bennell. He adds to every horrifying moment in the film in such an understated way, leading to a certain madness that helps him to survive but also drives him further away from his inner humanity. It's a reactionary performance that could've been lacking in impact in the wrong hands, but Sutherland's great work here amplifies the horror of the film...

3. Don't Look Now

...although his best work in this sort of role has to be in Nicolas Roeg's iconic horror masterpiece. Sutherland's portrayal of John Baxter, who retreats to Venice with his wife Laura (Julie Christie) after the tragic death of their daughter Christine, is first and foremost a harrowing depiction of grief. It lingers in John's eyes in every scene, and Sutherland conveys so much of how this weighs on his mind often silently. Then as the film gradually becomes a horror, Sutherland transfixes the viewer with his realistic reactions to the terribly perplexing things occuring all around him; I always remember that deeply unnerving first encounter with the seance and of course his final reactions to a  most terrifying revelation. Then with Christie he earns the famous, all-time renowned sex scene's emotional power and connection through his depiction of a very genuine love and passion for his wife and family.

2. Citizen X

Brilliant work in a truly underrated film, if this was a cinematic release I actually think it might have gained some awards traction, in particular for Chris Gerolmo's great direction and screenplay based on the investigation of Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo (played by the brilliant Jeffrey DeMunn). I'd love to write more about the film as a whole at some point, but for now I'll focus on Sutherland's performance as Colonel Mikhail Fetisov, the government official in charge of Vikto Bukarov's (Stephen Rea) investigation into the horrifying serial killings. One might notice how Sutherland's best work seems to be in the gloomiest and most downbeat of films, interesting that, because Sutherland's work as Fetisov is anything but gloom and doom. There's the cynicism of a man disenchanted by the hypocrisies and corruption of Soviet bureaucacy and propoganda that prevents Bukarov from doing his job properly, but in his early scenes Sutherland brings such innate life and energy as something of the comic relief in the tensest of scenes. I absolutely love any scene where he's trolling the incompetent higher-ups in the government or making wry asides to Bukarov about how a man can thrive through clever manipulation. As the murders pile up and the stakes grow higher, Sutherland is brilliant in internalizing how this all deeply affects Fetisov, and how his relationship with Bukarov is strengthened into a powerful friendship. Rea and Sutherland share great chemistry together. The scene where Fetisov praises and apologizes for the strain he has caused Bukarov is a terrific scene that's so inspirational within such a bleak film, and is a perfect summation of the humorous, poignant command of the screen Sutherland has as Fetisov which very deservedly earned him a Golden Globe.

1.  Ordinary People

Great film. It's a very simple one about an upper middle-class family dealing with the death of the oldest son. It has a great screenplay, assured directing by Robert Redford, and an array of excellent performances of such different strokes of characters. You have Timothy Hutton's Oscar-nominated work as the depressed and emotional Conrad Jarrett who feels survivor's guilt, Mary Tyler Moore as Beth, the brutally cold mother who tries to convince herself she's anything but, Judd Hirsch as a humorous but deeply caring psychiastrist, Elizabeth McGovern as a sweet but not overly simplistic love interest, even Dinah Manoff as the off-kilter but kind best friend to Conrad makes quite the impact. Sutherland's portrayal of my namesake Calvin, though, is the unsung hero of the film, in a performance that simply grows on you with time. Sutherland has none of the big emotional scenes of Moore and Hutton, he has a quiet, underplayed approach to the grieving father trying to hold himself and his family together that is, to avoid hyperbole, perhaps the greatest example of this sort of performance. It's an intriguing counterpoint to his performance in Don't Look Now, and even more so Casey Affeck's performance in Manchester by the Sea, as both men are dealing with family tragedy in such a quite fashion. But while Lee Chandler's defense mechanism against grief was to push people away, Calvin's is to try to connect and get closer to the people he loves. It's an understated performance to the extreme, and what's remarkable is how he makes you really feel and understand such a reserved man's underlying passion to making things work out. Everything from his funny scenes of indifference to his wife's vacuous parties, to his heartwarming persistence in connecting with his troubled son, his heartbreaking reactions to his wife's golf course outburst, his contemplative reactions to a visit to the psychiastrist, and his knockout penultimate scene where he reveals how tired he is by having to hold everything together, makes this one of the biggest Oscar snubs of all-time. Seeing how much the Academy loved Ordinary People, it's ridiculous that they overlooked the most crucial element to its success.

A (Quick) Guide to Akira Kurosawa

When summer comes and my schedule frees up, I'll discuss the works of my all-time favourite director in more detail. In the meantime, I'll just do a little introduction for anyone who may not be all that familiar with the man's magnificent filmography: how his different films suit different tastes, their various levels of accessibility, and in what order I'd recommend checking them out.

His most 'accessible' films - Yojimbo (1961) and Sanjuro (1962)

Yojimbo (1961)

Moving at an incredibly brisk pace, both films focus on perhaps the greatest hero in cinematic history, Toshiro Mifune's nameless ronin who uses his master swordsmanship to deal with various lowlife criminals and aid some poor villagers. Yojimbo is one of the greatest films of all-time; with the most basic of concepts and 'good v.s. evil', it creates a fantastic and tense atmosphere with Kurosawa's direction, with equal parts humour and intense action, courtesy of the one-of-a-kind screen presence of Mifune. I could watch his ronin trolling dumb criminals, perform swordplay, and subtly pull the strings around the manipulative Unosuke (a marvellous Tatsuya Nakadai) all day long. It's fun but also deeply involving, and is just one of the most purely entertaining films ever made. Sanjuro is not as amazing a film, but it's still a terrific sequel, more lighthearted (till an unexpected conclusion), and once again has Mr Mifune in tip-top form.

His 'masterpieces' - Rashomon (1950) and Seven Samurai (1954)

Seven Samurai (1954)

Rashomon is interesting in that it was the first Kurosawa film I saw, and it left me a bit cold the first time I watched it. I've since grown to appreciate it a lot more; I still don't think it's his best film, or even in his top 5 of all-time, but it's a taut, meticulously crafted piece of 'mystery' cinema that also packs quite the emotional punch with its conclusion. Seven Samurai is my preferred film of the two; it's a wonderful 'men on a mission' film that set the standard for everything from The Magnificent Seven to Rogue One. It features some of the most dynamic setpieces and cinematography of any Japanese film and its storytelling and characterizations are truly one-of-a-kind. These two are perhaps his most universally acclaimed films, and I must say they deserve that wholly even if they aren't quite my all-time favourites.

His epic, Shakespearean character studies - Throne of Blood (1957), Ran (1985)

Kurosawa loosely adapted Macbeth and King Lear for these two films, respectively, and it's pretty amazing what he does with the source material. The influence is there, but it all feels so fresh and with such unique, Kurosawa-esque spins on the material, for example in his immaculate handling of the final act of the deranged king's downfall in the former, and the terrific touches he places with the characters of Gloucester and Edgar in the latter. They're great companion pieces to the original plays but also so much more, and Ran in particular features all-time great costumes and cinematography - an assault on a castle makes for one of the most harrowing sequences in cinematic history.

His intimate character studies - The Quiet Duel (1949), Ikiru (1952), Kagemusha (1980)

Ikiru (1952)

I'll admit that The Quiet Duel is a step below the other two films. It's a solid and well-made film but lacking in originality and a bit too melodramatic at points. It's got Toshiro Mifune on top form though. The other two films present two other Kurosawa favourites as the leads. Kagemusha has Tatsuya Nakadai in a fascinating dual role of sorts as a powerful feudal lord and his secret double who is instated into power when the former dies. It's such an intriguing companion piece to Ran in that they both depict Japan in the Sengoku period of social and political upheaval, but with such different scopes and perspectives. And Ikiru is just a masterpiece, a masterclass in everything, direction, screenplay, and of course its toweringly meek lead performance by Takashi Shimura. It's one of the most unbearably tragic films of all-time, an unparalleled examination of dying and awaiting death, that becomes one of the most inspirational films of all-time as Shimura's Watanabe gradually finds the will to make the most of his remaining life.

His underrated gems - Drunken Angel (1948), Stray Dog (1949), The Hidden Fortress (1958), Red Beard (1965)

Stray Dog (1949)

These are all films rarely discussed when discussing Kurosawa's greatness, but they really should be. Drunken Angel is a brilliant sorta-crime film about a hardened gangster (Mifune) and his relationship with a drunkard doctor (Shimura). It's the first collaboration between Mifune and Kurosawa, and it's an effective low-key film which moralizes without forcing the message, and makes for a thrilling and heartbreaking fable. Stray Dog is a terrific crime thriller, a sort of Se7en before Se7en with its use of the wise mentor-eager rookie cop dynamic in a simple but unbearably tense cat-and-mouse game between the two policeman and a rogue guman through the streets of post-war Tokyo. Each scene builds up to something greater, and I particularly love it when the criminal/killer gets caught up to as it makes for some truly nerve-wracking scenes. The Hidden Fortress is just a good old-fashioned and enjoyable adventure/samurai tale that partially inspired Star Wars, it's slight but tremendously fun, and Red Beard is a tough watch, but a very rewarding one if you give it some time, but definitely one to watch only after Kurosawa's grown on you.

His true masterpiece - High and Low (1963)

See future blog posts for more info, but for the timebeing, watch it, now. One half a terrific acting showcase for a uniformly terrific ensemble, one half an amazing showcase for a director ramping up tension and the genre of the police procedural to its greatest heights, and throughout a tightly plotted, and intensely moving study of a good man doing the right thing against the odds, and a bad man doing the wrong thing with the odds thrust against him, and somehow managing to make both 'high' and 'low' equally sympathetic.

A mixed bag - One Wonderful Sunday (1947), Scandal (1950), I Live In Fear (1955), The Bad Sleep Well (1960)

The Bad Sleep Well (1960)

For someone I consider my favourite director of all-time, there's still a lot of his films I need to see. This lot is all a solid lot, but don't quite reach the heights of Kurosawa's best works. Scandal starts off strongly as a stire but ends up in a very tonally imbalanced state, in terms of tone and its performances, till its conclusion, which does admittedly work quite well. One Wonderful Sunday is a nice little film but never really stands out like the best of his work in any way. I Live in Fear is a very well-acted film but the central concept never really worked all that well for me, it kind of felt like Take Shelter but not nearly as memorable. The Bad Sleep Well is perhaps the strongest of this lot, a very well-made film and an effective pseudo-adaptation of Hamelt, but unlike the other two Shakespearean adaptations I never felt it went beyond that.

Kurosawa ranking:

1. High and Low (1963)
2. Yojimbo (1961)
3. Ikiru (1952)
4. Seven Samurai (1954)
5. Stray Dog (1949)
6. Ran (1985)
7. Drunken Angel (1948)
8. Throne of Blood (1957)
9. Rashomon (1950)
10. Red Beard (1965)
11. Sanjuro (1962)
12. Kagemusha (1980)
13. The Hidden Fortress (1958)
14. The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
15. One Wonderful Sunday (1947)
16. The Quiet Duel (1949)
17. I Live in Fear (1955)
18. Scandal (1950)

Rocky: The Greatest Underdog Film of All-Time

Rocky is one of those films I'd find impossible to not love. In fact, quite frankly I can't conceive why anyone would dislike the film. The iconic tale of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), small-time boxer and debt collector, and his one shot at becoming the world heavyweight champion, is now the stuff of cinematic legend. It's also frequently lambasted as one of the worst Best Picture winners ever. I don't understand; it was a competitive year, yes, with All the President's Men and Network being two fellow worthy contenders, but standing on its own, Rocky is the little film that could, that beat all the odds to become an iconic, one-of-a-kind sports movie that set the standard for not only all boxing movies, but all underdog movies to come.


As I've mentioned, when a film wins Best Picture it's almost always going to be subject to backlash of some sort. With Rocky, it's that it was such a straightforward, conventional, feel-good and simplistic film in contrast to the taut, tight, intelligent thrillers of All the President's Men and Network. All I can say to that is, all three films are great films, but great in their own ways. Rocky is undeniably powerful as an ultimate crowd-pleaser, and its emotional punch is unparalleled to any other film of the 70's. And though in many ways it is a very simple and straightforward story, the way which it is told is rather underrated in its originality and freshness.

Stallone, back then a complete unknown in Hollywood, spent ages peddling around Hollywood, but only agreeing to sell it to United Artists and Chartoff-Winkler Productions under the condition that he would star in the lead role. The studio had of course envisaged the screenplay with a big star like Ryan O'Neal (who just wouldn't have worked), Robert Redford (excellent actor but would've been miscast), Burt Reynolds and James Caan (would've been in their wheelhouse). I don't think any of these choices would have bettered Stallone. Some of them are undeniably more versatile actors than Sly, especially Redford and Caan, but none of them could have embodied that good-natured, somewhat slow-witted, humorous and determined individual the Italian Stallion was in and outside the boxing ring. There's a reason Stallone's portrayal of Rocky sprung a whole franchise, and recently with Creed another extended franchise; it's a character that has really stood the test of time. He would mould the character into different variations over the years, but it is here in 1976 where he first formulated the unforgettable character of Rocky Balboa.

As perfect as Stallone's performance is, I think his greatest asset to the film is his work as a writer. The screenplay to Rocky is really underrated in how it tells the small and tender story of a boxer fighting for his dreams and pursuing a sweet romance with the shy shopkeeper girl Adrian (Talia Shire), but also conveying such a vibrant sense of place and time in the slums of Philadelphia. We see Rocky at work as a debt collector and his interactions with the underworld, which aren't as On the Waterfront-levels of bleak as you'd expect (ball-breaking and aggressive loan shark he is, Tony Gazzo is quite nice to Rocky). We watch as he not only brings Adrian out of her shell, but also deals with her deadbeat brother and his best friend Paulie (Burt Young). Rocky's life is spent doing very inconsequential and 'little' things, yet its also so realistically drawn, so naturalistic in its dialogue and discourses between characters, and most importantly you really grow to sympathize and love our titular hero.

We also see Rocky at the gym and his strained relationship with the former boxer and trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith), and the 'bigger picture' of his opponent-to-be, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) planning out his next boxing match with his promoters. I'd like to draw particular attention to these contrasting scenes as we watch both boxers prepare for their inevitable head-to-head matchup. Rocky's preparations for the fight of his life are very deeply emotional and poignant scenes as we watch a man who's never really gotten much of a chance or much luck in anything, being presented with one shot at glory, one chance to prove he's not a nobody. Creed's scenes are brilliant and entertaining examinations of the boxing world and the business-minded ideas that go behind it. Creed comes across as almost more a businessman and entrepreneur than an athlete as he goes about exploring how he can make the most money and get the most media attention in his next bout. I absolutely love the infectious energy in these scenes of a man who lives for the showboating and glory that comes with being the heavyweight champion of the world. The character of Apollo Creed is one of the best elements of all the Rocky films, as it gave Rocky such a great foil to play off. Here he's an opponent, later on he's a friend, and in Creed he became the symbol of something more, something for Michael B. Jordan's Adonis/'Donnie' to aspire towards.


The writing behind his character is such a strong element through the films as he switches from adversary to closest confidant, but anyway here he's the opponent, but never just a straw man for Rocky to go against. Even in the later films in the series, the villains were always rather one-note (Rocky III and Rocky IV), downright awful (Rocky V) or just a bit forgettable, if serviceable (Rocky Balboa and Creed). In this film and its direct sequel, we get not only a worthy opponent, but one who is really a memorable person and character. Weathers is one point, as is Meredith as the gruff trainer, and really the whole cast is a great ensemble. One of the weaknesses of many boxing films nowadays is that besides the main boxer, and maybe his trainer, the other characters are either too thinly sketched or mere caricatures. These problems can sometimes be absolved with strong performances (The Fighter), but there's a reason why Rocky is still the masterpiece of the genre. A colourful supporting cast supports our underdog hero, and as we watch Adrian come out of her shell and Paulie become a slightly nicer fella, we really get invested in their little character arcs.


Of course, what is a boxing film if it doesn't deliver in the climactic match. Well I have to say that the climax to Rocky is the king of all climaxes. I'd say it begins even before the match officially begins, in that now iconic montage of Rocky training for the big fight to Bill Conti's rousing 'Gonna Fly Now'. Everything about that scene is perfect.

Then when we get down to the nitty gritty fight, it's fascinating watching how it begins as almost a theatrical show with Apollo pulling off some ridiculous showboating punches to toy around with the underdog Rocky, and gradually changing into a more primal, visceral and violent pummelling of fists against cheek, body shots, head shots.

There's so many great moments in this sequence, from Apollo's first fall, to Rocky getting up and gesturing for Apollo to do his worst, to the reaction shot of Adrian closing her eyes, fearing for Rocky's life, but continuing to support him. The boxing fight isn't just a montage of thrown punches and hits, there's little arcs to follow within it, culminating in that incredible ending. Rocky doesn't win, he loses by split-decision to Apollo, but he really couldn't care less, and nor could we.

As the winner's name resonates in the background, and we watch Rocky and Adrian embrace, the film's moral rings clearer than ever: winning or losing doesn't matter, as long as you've given it your biggest and best shot, you're a victor in everyone's minds, and a champion at heart.

'Get Out' Review

Think Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) meets The Gift (2015), and you have the vaguest outline of what Jordan Peele’s, the MadTV alumni and one half of the terrific comedic duo Kay & Peele, directorial debut is all about. It takes the formula of the former – white wealthy young woman brings her black boyfriend to meet the parents – and subverts it by having the parents fully welcoming, fully ‘accepting’ of this young gentleman; before the film oh so cleverly turns these overt niceties and friendly rapport into something quite twisted. Like The Gift, Get Out is quite the assured horror/thriller debut from an established actor; but it goes further than just being a taut and stylish scary film, with a great deal of nuance to its social subtext and satire, and some truly (often unexectedly) hilarious moments.

Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) is your average young American male, working as a photographer, going out with the rather sweet, if at times a bit too nonchalant and easygoing Rose (Allison Williams). Nothing stands out in particular about this young couple, and even the fact that they’re an interracial couple is brought up only in relation to how her parents will react; apparently he’s the first black guy she’s ever gone out with. The opening scenes of the film take a while to get going, admittedly, and Peele’s writing is perhaps a little less assured when trying to set up the plot, but once the couple arrive in high-end, very white suburbia to meet the folks (Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener), Peele’s direction and script really gets going. You never feel like he’s going straight for the jugular just yet in these initial scenes, but rather eases the film into its horror tones, while also developing the other aspects of the plot and his themes with remarkable aplomb.

Even in the cheeriest conversations, there’s an underlying tension, and therein lies one of the film’s greatest achievements. Chris’s race is often brought up in conversation, and all the folks seem to make as evident as possible that they’re not racist. An elderly ex-golfer emphasizes how much he loves Tiger Woods; a family friend none-too-subtly asks Rose what makes Chris ‘different’ in bed; Whitford’s cool dad talks about how his own father’s claim to fame was being beaten by Jesse Owens in front of Hitler. These scenes are often rather funny, but also deeply uncomfortable to watch, because even though the satire may be exaggerated, it is very much a reflection of the all-too-easy trap of people trying to prove they’re not ‘racist’, but end up being rather off-putting in doing so. The Armitages also have a deadbeat, abrasive son (Caleb Landry Jones) who more incisively tries racially attack Chris, and two black helpers (Betty Gabriel and Marcus Henderson) who are the most obvious signs that something is really amiss. Peele crafts some rather compelling horror sequences with the interactions between Chris and these strange individuals, and one truly harrowing sequence as Keener’s psychiatrist hypnotizes Chris into quitting smoking, and something more.

Peele never overplays his hand in gradually building the film up to a pretty amazing final act where everything comes together, both in a way that makes sense, and in a way you might not expect. He never compromises the horror with the laughs, apart from maybe a slightly misplaced interlude with Chris’s concerned best friend (the hilarious Lil Rel Howrey) at the police station – although that scene, like all his little interludes, are rather delightful, it does ever so slightly slacken the watertight tension. Thankfully, errors are far and few in between with Peele’s filmmaking craft, and that extends to the excellent ensemble. Kaluuya, best known up to this point for his role on Black Mirror and supporting turns in Johnny English Reborn, Kick-Ass 2 and Sicario, carries the film remarkably well as the comedic straight man, the reactionary face to the horrors, and the intrepid hero we root for. Here’s hoping this excellent leading turn brings about a proper breakout. He’s ably supported by a cast of everyone’s favourite character actors, from veterans Whitford and Keener playing with their usual ‘types’ of characters rather effectively, to short but memorable appearances by Stephen Root as a blind art dealer, and the incredibly talented Lakeith Stanfield as a truly odd and troubling party guest. MVP of the film, though, has to go to Williams, who is truly a revelation in a role that requires a lot, and she totally nails it.

The film is at times truly terrifying, at times truly hilarious, sometimes both, but perhaps most impressive is its social subtext. The cool dad says he’d vote for Obama for a third term if he could, the Uncle Tom dynamic of the house servants, the faux friendliness and ‘acceptance’ of the black male descending into something quite unnervingly derogatory…it all comes together so well, and never feels forced. Even the little twist at the end, played for laughs and relief, brings to mind some very timely issues in America. This is an excellent horror film, a stellar comedy, but also very much a product of our times in the best possible way.

Best of the Decade: 1990s

WINNER: L.A. Confidential

2. Goodfellas

3. The Thin Red Line
4. Schindler's List 
5. The Green Mile
6. Leon the Professional
7. Barton Fink
8. The Truman Show
9. Magnolia
10. Edward Scissorhands
11. Se7en
12. Fargo
13. The Crying Game
14. Ed Wood
15. Gettysburg
16. Jackie Brown
17. Silence of the Lambs
18. Boogie Nights
19. Toy Story 2
20. The Insider
21. The Shawshank Redemption
22. Dead Man Walking
23. Hamlet
24. The Remains of the Day
25. Misery
27. Braveheart
28. Pulp Fiction
29. Jurassic Park
30 Shakespeare in Love

Best Director

1. Terrence Malick, The Thin Red Line
2. Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas
3. Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential
4. Paul Thomas Anderson, Magnolia
5. Steven Speilberg, Schindler's List
6. Frank Darabont, The Green Mile
7. The Coen Brothers, Fargo
8. David Fincher, Se7en
9. The Coen Brothers, Barton Fink
10. Tim Burton, Ed Wood

Best Actor

1. Johnny Depp, Edward Scissorhands
2. Samuel L. Jackson, Pulp Fiction
3. Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story
4. Ian McKellen, Richard III
5. Morgan Freeman, Se7en
6. John Turturro, Barton Fink
7. Guy Pearce, L.A. Confidential
8. Russell Crowe, L.A. Confidential
9. Anthony Hopkins, Shadowlands
10. Stephen Rea, The Crying Game

Best Actress

1. Kathy Bates, Misery
2. Pam Grief, Jackie Brown
3. Holly Hunter, The Piano
4. Natalie Portman, Leon: The Professional
5. Frances McDormand, Fargo
6. Jodie Foster, Silence of the Lambs
7. Sigourney Weaver, Alien 3
8. Susan Sarandon, Dead Man Walking
9. Tilda Swinton, Orlando
10. Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth

Best Supporting Actor

1. Martin Landau, Ed Wood
2. Kevin Spacey, L.A. Confidential
3. John Goodman, Barton Fink
4. Gary Oldman, Leon the Professional
5. Richard Jordan, Gettysburg
6. Steve Buscemi, Fargo
7. Jim Caviezel, The Thin Red Line
8. Elias Koteas, The Thin Red Line
9. Michael Clarke Duncan, The Green Mile
10. Tom Cruise, Magnolia

HM: Joe Pesci and Robert de Niro, Goodfellas

Best Supporting Actress

1. Melora Walters, Magnolia
2. Marisa Tomei, My Cousin Vinny
3. Julianne Moore, Boogie Nights
4. Lorraine Bracco, Goodfellas
5. Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams (both films)
6. Darlene Cates, What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
7. Kirsten Dunst, Interview with the Vampire
8. Miranda Richardson, The Crying Game
9. Courtney Love, The People v.s. Larry Flynt
10. Emma Thompson, In the Name of the Father

Best Original Screenplay

1. The Crying Game
2. The Truman Show
3. Barton Fink
4. Ed Wood
5. Fargo
6. Shakespeare in Love
7. Pulp Fiction
8. Magnolia
9. The Big Lebowski
10. Before Sunrise

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. L.A. Confidential
2. Goodfellas
3. The Remains of the Day
4. Jackie Brown
5. The Shawshank Redemption
6. The Green Mile
7. The Thin Red Line
8. Schindler's List
9. Misery
10. The Age of Innocence

Best Cinematography

1. The Thin Red Line
2. Schindler's List
3. Boogie Nights
4. Miller's Crossing
5. Goodfellas
6. The Shawshank Redemption
7. L.A. Confidential
8. Fargo
9. Leon: The Professional
10. Se7en

Best Editing

1. Goodfellas
2. The Green Mile
3. L.A. Confidential
4. Magnolia
5. Leon: The Professional
6. Schindler's List
7. Pulp Fiction
8. Jurassic Park
9. The Truman Show
10. The Insider

Best Sound Editing

1. Leon: The Professional
2. The Thin Red Line
3. Braveheart
4. Fargo
5. Jurassic Park
6. The Green Mile
7. Goodfellas
8. L.A. Confidential
9. Barton Fink
10. Se7en

Best Sound Mixing

1. The Thin Red Line
2. Braveheart
3. Schindler's List
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. Leon the Professional
6. Se7en
7. L.A. Confidential
8. Gettysburg
9. Jurassic Park
10. The Green Mile

Best Original Score

1. Braveheart (tough choice)
2. Jurassic Park
3. The Shawshank Redemption
4. The Thin Red Line
5. Schindler's List
6. Titanic
7. Fargo
8. Edward Scissorhands
9. The Last of the Mohicans
10. Miller's Crossing

Best Costume Design

1. Shakespeare in Love
2. The Age of Innocence
3. Braveheart
4. Boogie Nights
5. The Big Lebowski
6. L.A. Confidential
7. The Addams Family
8. Goodfellas
9. Pulp Fiction
10. Gettysburg

Best Makeup/Hairstyling

1. Bram Stoker's Dracula
2. Ed Wood
3. The Green Mile
4. L.A. Confidential
5. Edward Scissorhands
6. The Thin Red Line
7. Gettysburg
8. Silence of the Lambs
9. Braveheart
10. The Last of the Mohicans

Best Production Design

1. L.A. Confidential
2. Bram Stoker's Dracula
3. Pulp Fiction
4. Schindler's List
5. Edward Scissorhands
6. Goodfellas
7. Boogie Nights
8. Hamlet
9. Braveheart
10. Se7en

Best Visual Effects

1. Jurassic Park
2. The Matrix
3. Babe
4. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
5. Forrest Gump
6. The City of Lost Children
7. The Nightmare Before Christmas
8. The Mask
9. Total Recall
10. Independence Day

Best Music Compilation

1. Goodfellas
2. Magnolia
3. Pulp Fiction
4. Tarzan (Sing Street got one thing wrong😏)
5. Jackie Brown
6. Beauty and the Beast
7. The Crying Game
8. Reservoir Dogs
9. Boogie Nights
10. Aladdin

Best Disney Songs

1. 'I'll Make a Man Out of You', Mulan
2. 'Son of Man', Tarzan
3. 'Circle of Life', The Lion King
4. 'Beauty and the Beast', Beauty and the Beast
5. 'Friend Like Me', Aladdin
6. 'You'll Be in My Heart', Tarzan
7. 'Out There', The Hunchback of Notre Dame
8. 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight', The Lion King
9. 'A Whole New World', Aladdin
10. 'I Just Can't Wait to be King', The Lion King

(Very Early) Oscar Predictions 2018 - Major Categories

Best Picture

Mudbound
Dunkirk
Call Me By Your Name
Katheryn Bigelow's 'Untitled Detroit Project'
Wonderstruck
Marshall
The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
Darkest Hour
Mary Magdalene
The Snowman

Daring early prediction? I wouldn't say so. After the small-scale winners of Spotlight and Moonlight in the past two years, the Academy might look to go back to awarding the big boys, and  they certainly don't seem to be getting any bigger than Christopher Nolan's WWII epic. As for the other nominees, they all seem to tick the award boxes, though I might switch the more unpredictable quantities of Wonderstruck and the possible late release of The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara for Battle of the Sexes and hm, you know what, maybe Logan could make a play for the big awards?

Best Director

Luca Guadagnino, Call Me By Your Name
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Kathryn Bigelow, 'Untitled Detroit Project'
Steven Speilberg, The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
Dee Rees, Mudbound

Like 2016, I expect all the Oscars to fall perfectly in line with the Best Picture nominees. Bigelow is the only one I'm extremely confident in, though. Speilberg hasn't had much success in this category as of late and I might replace him with perhaps Garth Davis for Mary Magdalene, or heck even Denis Villeneuve for Blade Runner 2049. Guadagnino has gotten early praise, so I'm keeping him in for now.

Best Actor

Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Daniel Day-Lewis, 'Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Project')
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Tom Cruise, American Made
Chadwick Boseman, Marshall

Oldman's role as Winston Churchill looks like it could be quite something, and I certainly hope it actualizes into an amazing performance. Day-Lewis could get in and provide some stiff competition if his film comes out in time, Chalamet could be the newbie entrant, Cruise could make a comeback, and I'm actually fairly confident in Boseman's chances if his film does well enough, since the role of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, seems pretty meaty, Look out too for Michael Fassbender in The Snowman.

Best Actress

Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes
Carey Mulligan, Mudbound
Rooney Mara, Mary Magdelene
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Annette Bening, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

Bening failed to garner a nomination for her work in 20th Century Women this year which was a shame, and I feel like her next role as the cancer-striken, ageing Gloria Grahame might just be the thing to garner her that long-sought for win. Martin McDonagh has never had a performance in his films nominated for an Oscar and I'm looking to Frances McDormand to break that trend. The jury's still out on whether or not Mudbound is an ensemble film, but Mulligan's surprisingly only been nominated once so far in her career so look out for her, Mara is going to be carrying a religious epic on her shoulders, and Stone should be able to ride the La La Land momentum well enough to garner her third nomination with renowned tennis player Billie Jean King.

Best Supporting Actor

Jason Mitchell/Garrett Hedlund, Mudbound
Sterling K. Brown/Josh Gad, Marshall
Patrick Stewart, Logan
Ben Mendelsohn, Darkest Hour
Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name

This is where things are always hardest to predict; last year around this time, I'd have never imagined that Liam Neeson would be shut out completely from the awards season, Mahershala Ali and Dev Patel would be battling it out, or that Jeff Bridges would be supporting. Anyway, for Marshall and Mudbound we'll have to wait and see who gets the largest amount of praise from the critics, if I had to pick now I'd say Mitchell and Gad, though who knows. This is the category I'm probably going to be provnen most wrong in since none of these gentleman have ever been nominated, or really even come close to, being nominated for an Oscar. I feel Ben Mendelsohn could find his way in if Darkest Hour does well enough, and I get the feeling that Call Me By Your Name is the Manchester by the Sea of this year. Hammer might be campaigned in either category, I'd imagine, so if he's campaigned in lead I'll switch him out for someone from Dunkirk, maybe Mark Rylance, maybe Cillian Murphy, maybe even Kenneth Branagh, it's too early to tell. And call me crazy, but I could see Patrick Stewart getting in; respected veteran who's never gotten a nomination giving career-best work.

Best Supporting Actress

Mary J. Bilge, Mudbound
Julianne Moore, Wonderstruck
Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour
Melissa Leo, Novitiate
Lesley Manville, 'Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Project'

Another unpredictable category. For now I'd consider Bilge the strong frontrunner, she's gotten a lot of praise for her work in Mudbound. Moore could find herself in the Oscar race again for a supposedly juicy role in another Todd Haynes film, though she might have competition with Michelle Williams, see thoughts above on Mendelsohn for Scott Thomas, and Melissa Leo is one of those actresses I always consider to be in award contention (and she's playing a Mother Superior of all things). Manville's the most unknown quantity, I imagine some other ensemble player in some other big film might find their way in instead, but I have a feeling PTA has crafted a juicy role for the veteran who's never been nominated.

Best Original Screenplay

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Battle of the Sexes
Marshall
Dunkirk
Downsizing

I'm expecting Dunkrik to be the huge award darling, so this extends to this category I'd say. But I think Marshall has the big chance in this category. The other nominees are fairly self-explanatory, and though I expect Downsizing to be one of those Alexander Payne films that misses out on the big categories, I'm sure he'll find traction for his screenplay as always.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Mudbound
Call Me By Your Name
Wonderstruck
The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
Kathryn Bigelow's 'Untitled Detroit Project')

Again, I believe Call Me By Your Name will be the Manchester by the Sea this year, and this may well extend to its screenplay chances.

Best of the Decade: 2000s

Best Picture

1. The Pianist/The Lord of the Rings trilogy (tie)
2. The Dark Knight
3. In Bruges
4. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 
5. The Lives of Others
6. Hot Fuzz 
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
8. Collateral
9. There Will Be Blood
10. Zodiac
11. Inglorious Basterds 
12. District 9
13. The Prestige 
14. Master and Commander
15. Kill Bill Vol. 2
16. Memories of Murder
17. Gladiator
18. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
19. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
20. Adaptation
21. Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
22. The Departed
23. A Bittersweet Life
24. Mulholland Drive
25. Memento
26. Wall-E
27. Pan's Labyrinth 
28. The Royal Tenanbaums
29. Big Fish
30. Dirty Pretty Things

Best Director

1. Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 
2. Michael Mann, Collateral 
3. Roman Polanski, The Pianist
4. Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a whole
5. Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
6. Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz
7. David Fincher, Zodiac
8. Neill Blomkamp, District 9
9. Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
10. Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

Best Actor

1. Ulrich Mühe, The Lives of Others
2. Adrien Brody, The Pianist
3. Viggo Mortensen, The Road
4. Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
5. Christian Bale, The Prestige
6. Casey Affleck, The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
7. Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
8. Colin Farrell, In Bruges
9. Guy Pearce, Memento
10. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Synedoche, New York

HM: Bruno Ganz, Downfall

Best Actress

1. Naomi Watts, Mulholland Drive
2. Charlize Theron, Monster
3. Nicole Kidman, Dogville
4. Uma Thurman, Kill Bill Vol. 2
5. Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose
6. Carey Mulligan, An Education
7. Christina Ricci, Black Snake Moan
8. Felicity Huffman, Transamerica
9. Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
10. Helen Mirren, The Queen

Best Supporting Actor

1. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
2. Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
3. Ben Foster, 3:10 to Yuma
4. Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
5. Albert Finney, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
6. Steve Zahn, Rescue Dawn
7. Paul Dano, There Will Be Blood
8. David Carradine, Kill Bill Vol. 2
9. Gary Oldman, The Dark Knight
10. Sean Astin, Return of the King

Best Supporting Actress

1. Mo'nique, Precious
2. Gwenyth Paltrow, The Royal Tenenbaums
3. Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There 
4. Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
5. Emily Watson, The Proposition
6. Marion Cotillard, Public Enemies
7. Michelle Monaghan, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
8. Melanie Laurent/Diane Kruger, Inglorious Basterds 
9. Imelda Staunton, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
10. Patricia Clarkson, Pieces of April

Best Original Screenplay

1. In Bruges
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. The Lives of Others
4. Inglorious Basterds
5. Memento

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. The Prestige
2. Adaptation
3. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
4. Zodiac
5. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Best Original Score

1. The Lord of the Rings films
2. Pirates of the Caribbean films
3. Gladiator
4. There Will Be Blood
5. Master and Commander

Best Editing

1. Hot Fuzz
2. Inglorious Basterds
3. Zodiac
4. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
5. Collateral

Best Cinematography

1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2. Collateral
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Master and Commander
5. Memories of Murder

Best Costume Design

1. The Royal Tenenbaums
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
3. Inglorious Basterds
4. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
5. The Dark Knight (sometimes, less is more)

Best Production Design

1. Pan's Labyrinth
2. The Pianist
3. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
4. Inglorious Basterds
5. District 9

Best Makeup/Hairstyling

1. The Lord of the Rings films
2. Pan's Labrinyth
3. District 9
4. The Dark Knight (sometimes, less is more)
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Sound Mixing

1. The Dark Knight
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
3. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
4. Mulholland Drive
5. Kill Bill Vol. 1

Best Sound Editing

1. Master and Commander
2. The Pianist
3. Children of Men
4. Apocalypto
5. Letters from Iwo Jima

Best Visual Effects

1. The Lord of the Rings films
2. District 9
3. King Kong
4. Transformers
5. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

Best Music Compilation

1. Moulin Rouge
2. In Bruges
3. Collateral
4. Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2
5. The Departed

Best Ensemble

1. Inglorious Basterds
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
3. The Dark Knight
4. Zodiac
5. Kill Bill Vol. 2