(SPOILERS) An MCU Retrsopect: End of an Era (Beginning of Another)

If you've seen Avengers: Endgame. The hype. You get it. If you haven't...what're you doing here?

SPOILERS AHEAD 

The 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, running at a grand three-hour length, has shattered box-office records across the globe and received so much acclaim for the efforts of the Russo Brothers, Kevin Feige, and the collaborative cast and technical teams behind this decade-long journey beginning with a genius playboy billionaire philanthropist forced in a rusty suit, and culminating in Earth's  Mightiest Heroes fending off a massive purple megalomaniac. The buildup of so many films, superheroes, villains, and everything in between has resulted in an objectively epic universe. After Endgame, some characters' journeys will continue - the snapped returnees, with the likes of Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, Falcon, Scarlet Witch and many others likely to pave the way for the new Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy continuing their wacky exploits, and the arcs of Endgame showing that Rocket Racoon, Nebula, War Machine and especially Ant-Man still have roles to play in the universe. Plus with the Fantastic Four and X-Men rights...exciting times ahead.

Now, however, let's play tribute to the OG sextet of Avengers. Some will continue on in different wavelengths, some have waved their final goodbye...we shall see.

'None of this makes sense' - Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)

Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) took a bit of time to find his niche in the MCU. It's tricky to find a place for an archer, albeit an exceptionally skilled one, within the parameters of the increasingly large scale scope of the MCU. But find it he did. While he might have been a bit of a plot device in the first Avengers, by Age of Ultron for all the faults of that film it must be given credit for developing him into. the quipping, wisecracking and all too self-aware everyman and family man we've grown to love in Clint. Endgame placed him into some truly dark times and it's remarkable how it struck the perfect balance between this darker, grim transformed Clint while still letting us root for the sympathetic individual looking to do right, no matter how overwhelming and ridiculous the odds may be. He may well pop up again sometime soon in some capacity, but I kind of hope he just gets his happy ending with his loving family.

'That's my secret Cap. I'm always angry' - Bruce Banner aka The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)

Now while I do think having Professor Hulk in Endgame might've deprived us of the crowd-pleasing Hulk antics we've all grown to love, it does serve as a pretty natural endpoint for a character whose transition into the universe, while not the smoothest, has ended up being one of two major re-casts in the MCU that really worked well. Ruffalo's take on the Hulk has been remarkable in making for such a likeable geeky presence juxtaposed with the unease and paranoia of a man constantly on edge about being on edge. The CGI has only improved all the more with each film with regards to the big green guy, with Ragnarok being a particular high point in its use of the Hulk, and with Infinity War and Endgame we've seen him come full circle into accepting both sides of himself into one. He might not have gotten a lot to do here, but don't forget that his ultimate task this film was essential in causing a snap change in the Avengers's stakes against Thanos.

'I'm only alive because fate wants me alive' - Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth)

No character has made a bigger leap from 'serviceable' to 'great' than Thor in my eyes, and so much credit has to go to so many collaborative efforts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hemsworth has always been rock-solid in the role, he really is Thor and no one else could've introduced the thunder-wielding, Mjolnir-thrashing character like him. Admittedly however, in his earlier films he was a tad overshadowed by his nefarious brother Loki, and in the Avengers film by the more dynamic arcs of the other heroes. Over his last three appearances however, he's become in short, an absolute beast. Ragnarok exploiting his natural talent for comedy and badasses so well,   Infinity War bringing such emotional poignancy to his characterisation, and Endgame merging the comedic and dramatic sides of our loveable, flawed yet WORTHY hero so well. I'm glad we'll be able to see more of him again soon enough in a Guardians of the Galaxy film. Though really. Have a salad.

'I have no place in this world' - Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) 

It's easy to forget how long Nat's been part of the MCU, since Iron Man 2 where she was the sexy, sultry, enigmatic undercover spy. She's always been a welcome part of the universe, but I will say that it's the Russo Brothers films where she's really excelled in. From being a perfect partner to Captain America in The Winter Soldier to her conflicting arc between doing what she thinks is right and what she feels is right in Civil War, and to her absolutely heartbreaking culmination of her arc in Endgame, Natasha has gone from steely assassin without a family and any real connection, to perhaps the most empathetic of all the Avengers. The ultimate tragedy of someone with no real familial connections and a haunted past, making the ultimate sacrifice for the family she found along the way. Her conclusion to Endgame was perfect even though it unfortunately left her out of the grand finale, and my only nitpick would be I'd have loved if she'd had a little more screen time with Banner.

'I can do this all day.' - Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Chris Evans) 

Cap's been my favourite Avenger ever since his first solo film. While not without its own set of flaws, it was a great introduction to a man who's so much more than just the product of a bottle of super serum. No one could play Steve Rogers as well as Evans, a scrawny kid from Brooklyn who overnight becomes a national hero, yet never loses sight of what has always driven him: doing right by people, doing the right thing. Whether it's going to strength to strength in his old-values hero learning to adapt to modern society across the first two Avengers film, or showing how his optimism and will to do good results in an arc where he realises he can't save everyone, and how he simply can't compromise his ideals in The Winter Soldier and Civil War when it comes to his ol pal Bucky Barnes (a true bromance for the ages). In Endgame I thought Cap was just terrific, period.. By this point, you follow Steve Rogers wherever he goes. He just is unquestionably the hero everyone strives towards, sometimes without even saying a single word, in showing the simple yet brilliant resilience of the First Avenger. Evans in his portrayal manages to be heartbreaking, hilarious (his fight with himself is a particularly golden moment), and incredibly rousing in giving us some of the most goosebump inducing moments in the MCU, and I'm so glad he finally got his dance.

'I am Iron Man' - Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) 

The road for Tony Stark has both on films and within the film universe, not the smoothest. From the risky initial casting choice of RDJ and setting up a universe with a somewhat well-known yet not household name comic book character, to taking the risky approach of introducing Tony Stark as a damn charismatic, yet not immediately 'hero material' protagonist, 2008's Iron Man could've absolutely tanked. Luckily Jon Favreau, Downey Jr. and co absolutely nailed the terrific origin story Stark and while Iron Man 2 was a massive step-down in quality, both films helped to set up Stark and his iron-masked alter ego as the cornerstone of the film universe. Downey Jr.'s arc hasn't come in the most flawless of films sometimes, but he's managed to make every step count, from the PTSD afflicted Tony of Iron Man 3 and Age of Ultron naturally segueing into the Tony determined to keep heroes in check at all costs and avoid future collateral in Civil War. Going on from that he developed the growing family man in Tony with his dynamic with Peter Parker and his relationship with Pepper Potts finally blossoming into a marriage and in Endgame, a sweet child. In these past two films, Tony Stark has gone through hell and back. He's gone through the grief, anguish of defeat by Thanos, and the subsequent acceptance of the new life. And the sacrifice of that new life for the sake of the universe. It's never an easy journey for Tony, but he ends up finishing where he started: the man who started the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ends by, well, saving it. Because he's Tony, who will make the sacrifice play.

MCU Ranking so far: 

1. Avengers: Endgame
2. Guardians of the Galaxy
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Iron Man 
5. Avengers: Infinity War
6. Thor: Ragnarok 
7. Captain America: Civil War
8. Doctor Strange
9. Black Panther
10. The Avengers
11. Captain America: The First Avenger
12. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2
13. Iron Man 3
14. Captain Marvel 
15. Thor 
16. Spider-Man: Homecoming
17. Ant-Man
18. Thor: The Dark World 
19. Ant-Man and the Wasp 
20. Avengers: Age of Ultron
21. The Incredible Hulk 
22. Iron Man 2

Top 10: Nicolas Cage

10. Matchstick Men

You'll probably have seen the 'PISSED BLOOD' scene at the pharmacy even if you haven't seen the film, which is about two shifty con artists played by Cage and an ever-energetic Sam Rockwell. Cage's Roy has Tourette's, panic attacks and OCD, so it must be said this is one of his most mannered performances, and I'll say he mostly pulls it off into a rather entertaining portrayal of this shady man with so many phobias. His best scenes are however the ones he shares with an apparent daughter he never knew about (a terrific Allison Lohman, probably best known for Drag Me to Hell) as the two share a gradually burgeoning chemistry that's both funny and oddly sweet.

9. Bringing Out the Dead 

One of Martin Scorsese's most experimental films, it must be said that while I'm not a huge fan of the film overall (not that I dislike it), it's certainly got a great cast. Cage in many ways acts as the rock centre of the film, sure he has scenes where he goes off the bender as paramedic Frank Pierce, but it's mostly a rock-solid reactionary performance that bounces off his succession of partners. Cage plays off each one of them - John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore - with aplomb in their varying degrees of madness. Though the film is one of Scorsese's most stylistically heavy films Cage is never lost behind that vision and gives a terrific turn.

8. Face/Off

It's a shame Cage doesn't seem to enjoy playing villains in general since he's damned good at playing one. Castor Troy is one of the most arch archvillains in Hollywood history, amplified by the over-the-top direction of John Woo, but it all adds up to some of his nuttiest work as the ridiculously over-the-top terrorist. One wonders how it took so long to capture such a hammyindividual but I digress. Once the titular 'switch' of the film takes place between Troy and FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta), while Travolta struggles a bit with transitioning into the Cagey villain (though his performance is not without merit), Cage is great at playing the sudden 'hero' of the story, with a particularly amazing scene where he shows the madness, tragedy, and dark hilarity of a good man trapped in a bad man's body.

7. Joe 

Warning: this is not a pleasant film to watch. It's very bleak and blunt, and even though at its centre is the burgeoning friendship between Cage's titular foreman and a young boy who comes to work for him (Tye Sheridan), along the way there's a deadbeat alcoholic abusive father, dangerous criminal ties, and unpleasant clashes involving policemen and dogs. Having said that, Cage is captivating to watch in a particularly subdued turn, giving a very internalised portrayal of a man with a dark past, but also a softer side to him that feels very much earned, and is particularly great in his final scenes where he finally decides to take action for the greater good.

6. Raising Arizona 

It's a shame the Coen Brothers and Cage haven't collaborated together since one of the earlier films, for both parties' filmography, in this zany crime comedy about ex-convict 'Hi' McDonough (Cage) and his wife, police officer Edwina (Holly Hunter). Cage and Hunter are quite the charming pair and make their romance really work, their struggle to conceive rather moving, and their exploits to kidnap a baby from wealthy magnate Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson) rather hilarious. Cage's work is constantly on the move as the situation continually escalates and grows madder, and he makes it all the funnier with how consistently he keeps his character's laconic, laidback nature.

5. Mandy 

The utterly bonkers grandeur of what can be best described as a cinematic drug-fuelled trip, let me make note that Cage's performance here is as one of the more 'normal' elements of the film initially where his Red and onscreen titular spouse Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) lie a happy idyllic life together before it's torn apart by some particularly loathsome cultists led by Linus Roache's Jeremiah Sands, and some particularly gruesome biker demons. In his slow descent into madness and revenge in the second half of the film, is mostly scenes of him reacting and going mad against the psychedelic imagery and madness surrounding him as a man on a mission. He gives a largely silent, but rather powerful portrayal of such a transformation, and finds some incredible scenes to work with, particularly in the incredible bathroom breakdown after witnessing a life-shattering tragedy that may well be his best-acted scene of his career.

4. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

What should probably be seen as Cage's definitive 'Nic Cage' performance over stuff like The Wicker Man, quite frankly, because this is actually a good film, an intentional comedy, while still having a lot of classic nutty Nic Cage moments that gives the people what they want. As the titular lieutenant whose port of call is in, you guessed it New Orleans, Terence McDonogh. Not 'bad' as in sinister and evil, or wholly incompetent, but more of in the sense that he's casually corrupt and addicted to drugs. Cage's entire performance is a tight wire performance between a fairly commanding cop and a completely off-the-hook druggie, and it's a big, broad performance for sure, but what makes it work is how damn funny he is in the role, whether it's his excessively hostile interrogation at an old people's home, catching suspects in his own manic way, and watching a soul break dance into the afterlife with an iguana in toll.

3. Adaptation

What's better than Nic Cage? A pair of Nic Cages, playing the film's screenwriter Charlie Kaufman in a fictional portrayal of himself and his fictional doofus twin brother Donald. Individually he plays both brothers impeccably from the neurotic, insecure artist trying to make something 'important', to the naive yet endearing doofus energy of his twin who wants to emulate his brother, resulting in some particularly hilarious exchange of ideas about their respective screenplays, while also creating some powerful moments in the end as the brothers learn life lessons from one another. Watching how this pair of Cages interact with other characters, one another, and go through the film's gradually more insane plot is a sheer delight, and I highly recommend this film to all.

2. Wild at Heart

Cage at his most directly charismatic, quite frankly, as he once again like in Raising Arizona plays a charming Southern ex-con, Sailor Ripley, but in a much different type of film this time around with David Lynch taking the reigns. Cage is perfectly at-one with the bizzaro world that Lynch creates him of the seedy underworld his character has to manoeuvre through. He's never sleazy even though he is most certainly peculiar and dangerous in his own way, and instead has such charm in his interactions with Laura Dern's Lula Pace Fortune; the two have an insane amount of chemistry and every scene with them together is an absolute treat, and no matter how weird the film gets (and it gets very weird), the two are astonishing in the power they create through their romance. Then there's the Elvis impersonation of the character that is an inspired choice that drives his whole performance, and grants us some memorable moments of Nic Cage breaking into Elvis in two most unexpected song numbers. 

1. Leaving Las Vegas

Cage won an Oscar for his best performance thus far as alcoholic Ben Sanderson in this adaptation of John O'Brien's semi-autobiographical novel. Alcoholism having destroyed everything in his life back in L.A., Ben embarks on a trip to Las Vegas, where he plans to drink himself to death. Cage gives a hard-hitting portrayal of a functioning alcoholic hitting rock bottom and finding ways to go even further. It's a difficult performance to watch as Cage is just so good at hitting the extreme notes of a man for whom alcohol is a way of life, whether it's in the BIG scenes like the outburst at the bank, or quieter scenes as he drunkenly checks into a hotel and silently realises how far he's fallen. There are brief respites in the form of his relationship with Elizabeth Shue's prostitute Sera, as the two characters find a strange kinship in the different forms of abuse and torment they experience. Just taken from a few random clips out of context this might just seem like a Cage freakout performance, but it's an extraordinary, powerful and deservedly acclaimed performance, period.

Final: The Reel and Roll Awards 2018 (FULL LIST)

Best Picture

1. First Man ★★★★★
2. Roma ★★★★★
3. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs ★★★★★
4. Leave No Trace ★★★★★
5. Can You Ever Forgive Me? ★★★★★
6. Burning ★★★★★
7. The Guilty ★★★★★
8. Mission Impossible - Fallout ★★★★★
9. The Favourite ★★★★ 1/2
10. Boy Erased ★★★★ 1/2
11. If Beale Street Could Talk ★★★★ 1/2
12. A Star is Born  ★★★★ 1/2
13. Isle of Dogs ★★★★ 1/2
14. Blindspotting ★★★★ 1/2
15. Avengers: Infinity War ★★★★ 1/2
16. Creed II ★★★★
17. Deadpool 2 ★★★★
18. Mandy ★★★★ 
19. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ★★★★ 
20. Sorry to Bother You ★★★★
21. Stan & Ollie ★★★★
22. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ★★★★
23. The Old Man and the Gun ★★★★
24. Shoplifters ★★★★
25. Won't You Be My Neighbour ★★★★
26. Widows ★★★★
27. Crazy Rich Asians ★★★★
28. Support the Girls ★★★★ 
29. Dogman ★★★★
30. Black Panther ★★★★
31. Journeyman ★★★ 1/2
32. Cold War ★★★ 1/2
33. First Reformed ★★★ 1/2
34. A Quiet Place ★★★ 1/2
35. Thoroughbreds ★★★ 1/2
36. The Sisters Brothers ★★★ 1/2
37. The Rider ★★★ 1/2
38. Bad Times at the El Royale ★★★ 1/2
39. At Eternity's Gate ★★★ 1/2
40. BlacKkKlansman ★★★ 1/2
41. Tully ★★★ 1/2
42. Game Night ★★★ 1/2
43. Hereditary ★★★ 1/2
44. The Hate U Give ★★★ 
45. Disobedience ★★★ 
46. A Private War ★★★ 
47. McQueen ★★★ 
48. Blockers ★★★
49. Bumblebee ★★★ 
50. Love, Simon ★★★ 
51. Mary Poppins Returns ★★★
52. Mary Queen of Scots ★★★ 
53. Outlaw King ★★★
54. Christopher Robin ★★★ 
55. Halloween ★★★ 
56. Wildlife ★★★ 
57. Searching  ★★★ 
58. RBG ★★★
59. Suspiria ★★ 1/2
60. Bird Box ★★ 1/2
61. Ant-Man and the Wasp ★★ 1/2
62. The Other Side of the Wind ★★ 1/2 
63. Colette ★★ 1/2 
64. The Little Stranger ★★ 1/2
65. Incredibles 2 ★★ 1/2 
66. Green Book ★★ 1/2
67. Cargo ★★ 1/2 
68. Ocean's 8 ★★ 1/2  
69. Aquaman ★★ 1/2
70. Solo: A Star Wars Story ★★ 1/2 
71. Destroyer ★★ 1/2 
72. Bohemian Rhapsody ★★ 
73. Sicario: Day of the Soldado ★★ 
74. The Wife ★★ 
75. Ready Player One ★★
76. Annihilation ★★  
77. American Animals ★ 1/2 
78. Red Sparrow ★ 1/2
79. The Cloverfield Paradox ★ 1/2 
80. Beautiful Boy ★ 1/2
81. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald ★ 1/2 
82. Vice ★ 1/2
83. Mute ★
84. Pacific Rim Uprising ★ 
85. The Predator ★
86. The 15:17 to Paris ★ 
87. Life Itself ★ 

Best Director 

1. Alfonso Cuarón, Roma 
2. Damien Chazelle, First Man
3. Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs  
4. Lee Chang-dong, Burning 
5. Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
6. Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite 
7. Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk 
8. Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
9. Debra Granik, Leave No Trace 
10. Gustav Möller, The Guilty
11. Paweł Pawlikowski, Cold War
12. Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased
13. Wes Anderson, Isle of Dogs 
14. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
15. Steve McQueen, Widows 
16. Carlos López Estrada, Blindspotting
17. Panos Cosmatos, Mandy
18. Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born 
19. David Lowery, The Old Man and the Gun 
20. Drew Goddard, Bad Times at the El Royale
21. Hirokazu Kore-eda, Shoplifters 
22. Steven Caple Jr., Creed II
23. Matteo Garrone, Dogman
24. Paddy Considine, Journeyman
25. John Krasinski, A Quiet Place
26. Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You 
27. The Russo Brothers, Avengers: Infinity War
28. Chloe Zhao, The Rider 
29. Morgan Neville, Won't You Be My Neighbour 
30. Ryan Coogler, Black Panther
31. Julian Schnabel, At Eternity's Gate
32. Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman 
33. Ari Aster, Hereditary 
34. David Leitch, Deadpool 2
35. Orson Welles, The Other Side of the Wind 
36. David Gordon Green, Halloween
37. Jon S. Baird, Stan & Ollie
38. Jacques Audiard, The Sisters Brothers
39. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, Game Night
40. Andrew Bujalski, Support the Girls 
41. Ol Parker, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again 
42. Cory Finley, Thoroughbreds   
43. George Tillman Jr., The Hate U Give
44. David Mackenzie, Outlaw King
45. Paul Schrader, First Reformed 
46. Matthew Heineman, A Private War 
47. Travis Knight, Bumblebee
48. Jason Reitman, Tully
49. Josie Rourke, Mary Queen of Scots 
50. Paul Dano, Wildlife
51. Jon M. Chu, Crazy Rich Asians 
52. Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui, McQueen 
53. Lenny Abrahamson, The Little Stranger 
54. Aneesh Chaganty, Searching 
55. Sebastián Lelio, Disobedience  
56. Betsy West, Julie Cohen, RBG
57. Peyton Reed, Ant-Man and the Wasp
58. Rob Marshall, Mary Poppins Returns 
59. Luca Guadagnino, Suspiria 
60. James Wan, Aquaman
61. Greg Berlanti, Love, Simon
62. Brad Bird, Incredibles 2 
63. Marc Foster, Christopher Robin
64. Wash Westmoreland, Colette 
65. Susanne Bier, Bird Box 
66. Yolanda Ramke, Cargo 
67. Kay Cannon, Blockers
68. Karyn Kusama, Destroyer 
69. Ron Howard, Solo: A Star Wars Story 
70. Stefano Sollima, Sicario: Day of the Soldado
71. Gary Ross, Ocean's 8
72. Peter Farrelly, Green Book 
73. Steven Speilberg, Ready Player One 
74. Bart Layton, American Animals 
75. Bjorn Runge, The Wife
76. Bryan Singer, Bohemian Rhapsody
77. Alex Garland, Annihilation 
78. Steven S. DeKnight, Pacific Rim Uprising
79. Julius Onah, The Cloverfield Paradox 
80. Francis Lawrence, Red Sparrow
81. Shane Black, The Predator 
82. David Yates, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 
83. Duncan Jones, Mute 
84. Felix Van Groeningen, Beautiful Boy 
85. Clint Eastwood, The 15:17 to Paris
86. Dan Fogleman, Life Itself
87. Adam McKay, Vice  

Best Actor 

1. Ryan Gosling, First Man
2. Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased 
3. Ethan Hawke, First Reformed
4. Jakob Cedergren, The Guilty
5. Ben Foster, Leave No Trace 
6. Yoo Ah-in, Burning 
7. Willem Dafoe, At Eternity's Gate 
8. John C. Reilly, The Sisters Brothers  
9. Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born 
10. LaKeith Stanfield, Sorry to Bother You
11. Steve Coogan, Stan & Ollie
12. John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie
13. Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool 2 
14. Robert Redford, The Old Man and the Gun
15. Nicolas Cage, Mandy
16. Daveed Diggs, Blindspotting
17. Marcello Fonte, Dogman
18. Joaquin Phoenix, The Sisters Brothers
19. Paddy Considine, Journeyman
20. Michael B. Jordan, Creed II
21. Alex Wolff, Hereditary 
22. Stephan James, If Beale Street Could Talk 
23. Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
24. Bryan Cranston, Isle of Dogs
25. John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman 
26. John Cho, Searching 
27. Brady Jandreau, The Rider 
28. Tom Cruise, Mission: Impossible - Fallout
29. Nick Robinson, Love, Simon
30. Alden Ehrenreich, Solo: A Star Wars Story
31. John Huston, The Other Side of the Wind 
32. Shameik Moore, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
33. Barry Keoghan, American Animals 
34. John Krasinski, A Quiet Place
35. Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther  
36. Viggo Mortensen, Green Book 
37. Mahershala Ali, Green Book
38. Christian Bale, Vice 
39. Chris Pine, Outlaw King
40. Casey Affleck, The Old Man and the Gun  
41. Dominic West, Colette 
42. Josh Brolin, Sicario: Day of the Soldado
43. Tomasz Kot, Cold War 
44. Paul Rudd, Ant-Man and the Wasp 
45. John Cena, Blockers 
46. Jason Bateman, Game Night 
47. Martin Freeman, Cargo
48. Ewan McGregor, Christopher Robin 
49. Domhnall Gleeson, The Little Stranger 
50. Henry Golding, Crazy Rich Asians 
51. Ed Oxenbould, Wildlife
52. Jonathan Pryce, The Wife
53. Alexander Skarsgård, Mute
54. Benicio del Toro, Sicario: Day of the Soldado 
55. Jason Mamoa, Aquaman 
56. Craig T. Nelson, Incredibles 2 
57. John Boyega, Pacific Rim Uprising
58. Eddie Redmayne, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
59. Evan Peters, American Animals 
60. Boyd Holbrook, The Predator 
61. Tye Sheridan, Ready Player One
62. Steve Carell, Beautiful Boy
63. Paul Rudd, Mute 

Best Actress

1. Thomasin McKenzie, Leave No Trace 
2. Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me? 
3. Rachel Weisz, The Favourite 
4. Olivia Colman, The Favourite
5. Emma Stone, The Favourite 
6. Toni Collette, Hereditary 
7. Charlize Theron, Tully 
8. Jodie Whittaker, Journeyman
9. Lady Gaga, A Star is Born 
10. Regina Hall, Support the Girls 
11. Carey Mulligan, Wildlife 
12. Olivia Cooke, Thoroughbreds
13. Anya Taylor-Joy, Thoroughbreds
14. Yalitza Aparicio, Roma 
15. Rosamund Pike, A Private War 
16. Kiki Layne, If Beale Street Could Talk 
17. Lily James, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
18. Saoirse Ronan, Mary Queen of Scots 
19. Rachel McAdams, Disobedience
20. Rachel Weisz, Disobedience 
21. Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns
22. Keira Knightley, Colette 
23. Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians
24. Viola Davis, Widows 
25. Joanna Kulig, Cold War 
26. Nicole Kidman, Destroyer 
27. Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place
28. Hailee Steinfeld, Bumblebee 
29. Rachel McAdams, Game Night
30. Amandla Stenberg, The Hate U Give 
31. Ruth Wilson, The Little Stranger 
32. Sandra Bullock, Bird Box 
33. Glenn Close, The Wife
34. Holly Hunter, Incredibles 2 
35. Sandra Bullock, Ocean's 8
36. Dakota Johnson, Suspiria 
37. Amanda Seyfried, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again 
38. Evangeline Lilly, Ant-Man and the Wasp
39. Leslie Mann, Blockers
40. Cate Blanchett, Ocean's 8
41. Natalie Portman, Annihilation
42. Jennifer Lawrence, Red Sparrow

Best Supporting Actor 

1. Steven Yeun, Burning
2. Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? 
3. Tom Waits, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
4. Russell Crowe, Boy Erased 
5. Brian Tyree Henry, If Beale Street Could Talk
6. Tim Blake Nelson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
7. Nicholas Hoult, The Favourite 
8. Linus Roache, Mandy 
9. Lily Franky, Shoplifters
10. Daniel Kaluuya, Widows 
11. Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther 
12. Bill Heck, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
13. Jeff Bridges, Bad Times at the El Royale
14. Chris Hemsworth, Avengers: Infinity War
15. Lewis Pullman, Bad Times at the El Royale 
16. Alessandro Nivola, Disobedience
17. Rafael Casal, Blindspotting
18. Riz Ahmed, The Sisters Brothers
19. Russell Hornsby, The Hate U Give 
20. Anton Yelchin, Thoroughbreds 
21. Harry Melling, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
22. Jonjo O'Neill, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
23. Bryan Tyree Henry, Widows 
24. Sam Elliott, A Star is Born 
25. Josh Brolin, Avengers: Infinity War 
26. Jesse Plemons, Game Night
27. Dolph Lundgren, Creed II
28. Florian Munteanu, Creed II  
29. Josh Brolin, Deadpool 2
30. Topher Grace, BlacKkKlansman 
31. Grainger Hines, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
32. Armie Hammer, Sorry to Bother You 
33. Sterling K. Brown, Black Panther
34. Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman 
35. Liev Schrieber, Isle of Dogs
36. Sylvester Stallone, Creed II 
37. Jim Cummings, Christopher Robin 
38. Richard Brake, Mandy 
39. Joe Alwyn, The Favourite 
40. Johan Olsen, The Guilty
41. Colman Domingo, If Beale Street Could Talk 
42. Jake Johnson, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
43. Peter Bogdonavich, The Other Side of the Wind 
44. Tom Waits, The Old Man & the Gun 
45. Philip Ettinger, First Reformed 
46. Edoardo Pesce, Dogman 
47. Matthias Schoenaerts, Red Sparrow
48. Kairi Jō, Shoplifters 
49. Ving Rhames, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
50. Jake Gyllenhaal, The Sisters Brothers 
51. Tom Holland, Avengers: Infinity War
52. Mark Rylance, Ready Player One
53. Robert Downey Jr., Avengers: Infinity War 
54. Jake Gyllenhaal, Wildlife
55. Julian Dennison, Deadpool 2
56. Benedict Cumberbatch, Avengers: Infinity War 
57. Ike Barinholtz, Blockers
58. Andrew Dice Clay, A Star is Born 
59. Gabriel Byrne, Hereditary   
60. Jasper Pääkkönen, BlacKkKlansman 
61. Paul Bettany, Avengers: Infinity War 
62. Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased
63. Jermaine Fowler, Sorry to Bother You 
64. James Smith, The Favourite 
65. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns
66. Harry Belafonte, BlacKkKlansman 
67. James Franco, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
68. Colin Farrell, Widows 
69. Saul Rubinek, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
70. Chelcie Ross, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
71. Simon Pegg, Mission: Impossible- Fallout 
72. Anthony Welsh, Journeyman
73. Bill Camp, Wildlife
74. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Outlaw King
75. Sebastian Stan, Destroyer 
76. John Malkovich, Bird Box 
77. Willie Watson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
78. Dave Bautista, Avengers: Infinity War
79. Jon Hamm, Bad Times at the El Royale 
80. Cedric Kyles, First Reformed 
81. Ben Whishaw, Mary Poppins Returns
82. Trevante Rhodes, Bird Box 
83. Brendan Gleeson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
84. Brad Bird, Incredibles 2 
85. Michael Douglas, Ant-Man and the Wasp
86. Donald Glover, Solo: A Star Wars Story
87. Jason Clarke, First Man
88. Dick van Dyke, Mary Poppins Returns
89. Christian Slater, The Wife
90. Nicolas Cage, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
91. Edward Norton, Isle of Dogs
92. Jeff Goldblum, Isle of Dogs
93. Bob Balaban, Isle of Dogs
94. Bill Murray, Isle of Dogs 
95. Mads Mikkelsen, At Eternity's Gate
96. Brian Tyree Henry, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 
97. Steven Yeun, Sorry to Bother You 
98. Will Poulter, The Little Stranger 
99. Ron Livingstone, Tully
100. John Mulaney, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
101. Rupert Friend, At Eternity's Gate 
102. Andy Serkis, Black Panther 
103. Huckleberry Milner, Incredibles 2 
104. Danny Glover, The Old Man & The Gun
105. Cameron Sear, Boy Erased
106. Noah Jupe, A Quiet Place 
107. Henry Cavill, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
108. Forest Whitaker, Black Panther
109. Ben Mendelsohn, Ready Player One
110. Michael Beach, If Beale Street Could Talk
111. Chris Hemsworth, Bad Times at the El Royale 
112. Mark Ruffalo, Avengers: Infinity War
113. Jimmy O. Yang, Crazy Rich Asians 
114. Flea, Boy Erased
115. Dave Chappelle, A Star is Born 
116. Billy Howle, Outlaw King
117. Sam Rockwell, Vice
118. John Cena, Bumblebee 
119. Sean Harris, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
120. Omari Hardwick, Sorry to Bother You 
121. Jude Law, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 
122. Lukas Haas, Widows 
123. Chris Evans, Avengers: Infinity War
124. Mathieu Amalric, At Eternity's Gate
125. Mahershala Ali, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
126. Russell Hornsby, Creed II 
127. Live Schreiber, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
128. Jack Lowden, Mary Queen of Scots 
129. Garret Dillahunt, Widows 
130. Bob Odenkirk, Incredibles 2 
131. Ben Hardy, Bohemian Rhapsody 
132. Gwylim Lee, Bohemian Rhapsody
133. Joe Mazzello, Bohemian Rhapsody 
134. Jamie Dornan, A Private War
135. Xavier Dolan, Boy Erased
136. Niels Arestrup, At Eternity's Gate
137. Wood Harris, Creed II   
138. Joe Alwyn, Boy Erased
139. Paul Walter Hauser, BlacKkKlansman 
140. Johnny Depp, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
141. Ryan Eggold, BlacKkKlansman 
142. Troye Sivan, Boy Erased
143. Oscar Isaac, At Eternity's Gate
144. Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again 
145. Martin Freeman, Black Panther
146. Tom Hollander, Bohemian Rhapsody 
147. Alec Baldwin, Mission: Impossible - Fallout
148. Samuel L. Jackson, Incredibles 2 
149. Kevin J. O'Connor, Widows 
150. Sterling K. Brown, The Predator 
151. Michael Peña, Ant-Man and the Wasp
152. Winston Duke, Black Panther
153. Randall Park, Ant-Man and the Wasp
154. Chris Pratt, Avengers: Infinity War
155. Kyle Chandler, Game Night 
156. Jeffrey Donovan, Sicario: Day of the Soldado 
157. Nico Santos, Crazy Rich Asians 
158. Tom Hollander, Bird Box 
159. James McArdle, Mary Queen of Scots
160. Laurence Fishburne, Ant-Man and the Wasp
161. Jeremy Irvine, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
162. Walton Goggins, Ant-Man and the Wasp
163. Liam Neeson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
164. Mandy Patinkin, Life Itself 
165. Robert Duvall, Widows 
166. Trevante Rhodes, The Predator 
167. Burn Gorman, Pacific Rim Uprising 
168. Willem Dafoe, Aquaman 
169. Colin Firth, Mary Poppins Returns 
170. Thomas Jane, The Predator 
171. Dan Fogler, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 
172. Stephen Dillane, Outlaw King 
173. Blake Jenner, American Animals
174. Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy 
175. Keegan Michael-Key, The Predator 
176. Liam Neeson, Widows 
177. Augusto Aguilera, The Predator 
178. Jacob Tremblay, The Predator
179. Dave Franco, If Beale Street Could Talk 
180. Woody Harrelson, Solo: A Star Wars Story 
181. Daniel Bruhl, The Cloverfield Paradox 
182. Daniel Kaluuya, Black Panther 
183. Paul Bettany, Solo: A Star Wars Story 
184. Manuel Garcia Rulfo, Sicario: Day of the Soldado 
185. Joe Alwyn, Mary Queen of Scots 
186. Simon Pegg, Ready Player One 
187. David Oyelowo, The Cloverfield Paradox 
188. Antonio Banderas, Life Itself 
189. Jared Abrahamson, American Animals 
190. Guy Pearce, Mary Queen of Scots 
191. Alfie Allen, The Predator 
192. Rafi Gavron, A Star is Born 
193. Aiden Gillen, Bohemian Rhapsody 
194. Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Life Itself 
195. Ismael Cruz Córdova, Mary Queen of Scots 
196. Charlie Day, Pacific Rim Uprising 
197. Steve Carell, Vice
198. Billy Magnussen, Game Night
199. Jeremy Irons, Red Sparrow
200. Joel Edgerton, Red Sparrow
201. Patrick Wilson, Aquaman 
202. Justin Theroux, Mute 
203. Chris O'Dowd, The Cloverfield Paradox 
204. David Tennant, Mary Queen of Scots 
205. Allen Leech, Bohemian Rhapsody 
206. Max Irons, The Wife
207. Mike Myers, Bohemian Rhapsody
208. Alex Monner, Life Itself 
209. Jesse Plemons, Vice
210. Shea Wigham, Vice 
211. Oscar Isaac, Life Itself 
212. Scott Eastwood, Pacific Rim Uprising
213. Oscar Isaac, Annihilation 

Best Supporting Actress

1. Elizabeth Debicki, Widows 
2. Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk 
3. Jeon Jong-seo, Burning
4. Claire Foy, First Man 
5. Michelle Yeoh, Crazy Rich Asians 
6. Andrea Riseborough, Mandy
7. Cynthia Erivo, Bad Times at the El Royale 
8. Marina de Tavira, Roma 
9. Jessica Dinnage, The Guilty
10. Zazie Beetz, Deadpool
11. Nina Arianda, Stan & Ollie
12. Shirley Henderson, Stan & Ollie
13. Haley Lu Richardson, Support the Girls 
14. Zoe Saldana, Avengers: Infinity War 
15. Amanda Seyfried, First Reformed 
16. Sissy Spacek, The Old Man and the Gun 
17. Tessa Thompson, Creed II
18. Nicole Kidman, Boy Erased 
19. Sakura Ando, Shoplifters
20. Dale Dickey, Leave No Trace
21. Elizabeth Olsen, Avengers: Infinity War
22. Tessa Thompson, Sorry to Bother You 
23. Rebecca Ferguson, Mission: Impossible - Fallout
24. Mayu Matsuoka, Shoplifters
25. Zoe Kazan, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
26. Florence Pugh, Outlaw King
27. Olivia Cooke, Ready Player One
28. Regina Hall, The Hate U Give
29. Mia Goth, Suspiria 
30. Millicent Simmonds, A Quiet Place  
31. Letitia Wright, Black Panther 
32. Dakota Johnson, Bad Times at the El Royale 
33. Tilda Swinton, Suspiria 
34. Margot Robbie, Mary Queen of Scots 
35. Cynthia Erivo, Widows 
36. Dolly Wells, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
37. Emilia Clarke, Solo: A Star Wars Story 
38. Tatiana Maslany, Destroyer 
39. Vivien Lyra Blair, Bird Box
40. Danai Gurira, Black Panther 
41. Milly Shapiro, Hereditary 
42. Awkwafina, Crazy Rich Asians 
43. Vanessa Kirby, Mission: Impossible - Fallout
44. Cher, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
45. Tyne Daly, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
46. Anne Hathaway, Ocean's 8
47. Gemma Chan, Crazy Rich Asians 
48. Miyu Sasaki, Shoplifters
49. Geraldine Viswanathan, Blockers
50. Mackenzie Davis, Tully
51. Tan Kheng Hua, Crazy Rich Asians
52. Michelle Monaghan, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
53. Hanna John-Kamen, Ant-Man and the Wasp
54. Emily Mortimer, Mary Poppins Returns
55. Phylicia Rashad, Creed II 
56. Sarah Vowell, Incredibles 2 
57. Kathryn Newton, Blockers
58. Gideon Adlon, Blockers
59. Abby Ryder Forston, Ant-Man and the Wasp
60. Kirin Kiki, Shoplifters
61. Emmanuelle Seigner, At Eternity's Gate 
62. Shayne McHayle, Support the Girls 
63. Michelle Rodriguez, Widows 
64. Debra Messing, Searching 
65. Scarlett Johansson, Isle of Dogs 
66. Sharon Horgan, Game Night  
67. Lena Waithe, Ready Player One 
68. Teyonah Parris, If Beale Street Could Talk 
69. Greta Gerwig, Isle of Dogs 
70. Isabelle Moner, Sicario: Day of the Soldado 
71. Michelle Pfeiffer, Ant-Man and the Wasp
72. Emily Rios, If Beale Street Could Talk 
73. Olivia Munn, The Predator 
74. Amber Heard, Aquaman 
75. Zoe Kravitz, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
76. Lupita Nyong'o, Black Panther 
77. Scarlett Johansson, Avengers: Infinity War 
78. Ann Dowd, American Animals 
79. Tuva Novotny, Annihilation 
80. Amy Adams, Vice 
81. Katherine Langford, Love, Simon 
82. Seyneb Saleh, Mute
83. Bronte Carmichael, Christopher Robin 
84. Laura Harrier, BlacKkKlansman 
85. Danielle Macdonald, Bird Box 
86. Sarah Paulson, Ocean's 8
87. Katherine Waterston, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
88. Hannah John -Kamen, Ready Player One  
89. Carrie Coon, Widows 
90. Rinko Kikuchi, Pacific Rim Uprising
91. Angela Bassett, Black Panther
92. Hayley Atwell, Christopher Robin 
93. Jennifer Garner, Love, Simon
94. Angela Bassett, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
95. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, The Cloverfield Paradox 
96. Helena Bonham Carter, Ocean's 8
97. Rihanna, Ocean's 8
98. Awkwafina, Ocean's 8
99. Mindy Kaling, Ocean's 8
100. Linda Cardellini, Green Book 
101. Catherine Keener, Incredibles 2 
102. Charlotte Rampling, Red Sparrow
103. Jing Tian, Pacific Rim Uprising 
104. Elizabeth Debicki, The Cloverfield Paradox 
105. Rosa Salazar, Bird Box
106. Alison Sudol, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
107. Aunjanue Ellis, If Beale Street Could Talk
108. Meryl Streep, Mary Poppins Returns
109. Ebony Obsidian, If Beale Street Could Talk
110. Dominique Thorne, If Beale Street Could Talk
111. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Annihilation 
112. Tessa Thompson, Annihilation 
113. Olivia Cooke, Life Itself 
114. Lorenza Izzo, Life Itself 
115. Olivia Wilde, Life Itself
116. Gina Rodriguez, Annihilation
117. Jean Smart, Life Itself 
118. Annette Bening, Life Itself 

Best Ensemble 

1. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
2. The Favourite 
3. Widows
4. Shoplifters
5. Sorry to Bother You 

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. Can You Ever Forgive Me
2. Burning
3. First Man
4. Leave No Trace
5. Boy Erased 

Best Original Screenplay

1. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
2. The Guilty 
3. The Favourite
4. Blindspotting
5. Stan & Ollie 

Best Editing 

1. First Man 
2. Mission Impossible - Fallout
3. Can You Ever Forgive Me
4. The Guilty 
5. Roma 

Best Cinematography

1. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
2. Roma
3. First Man 
4. Mandy
5. If Beale Street Could Talk 

Best Costume Design

1. The Favourite
2. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
3. Bad Times at the El Royale
4. If Beale Street Could Talk
5. The Sisters Brothers 

Best Production Design

1. The Favourite
2. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
3. First Man
4. Bad Times at the El Royale 
5. At Eternity's Gate

Best Sound Editing

1. First Man
2. Roma 
3. The Guilty
4. Mission Impossible - Fallout
5. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 

Best Sound Mixing

1. First Man
2. Roma 
3. A Quiet Place
4. Burning
5. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs  

Best Visual Effects

1. First Man
2. Isle of Dogs
3. Mary Poppins Returns
4. Avengers: Infinity War
5. Solo: A Star Wars Story 

Best Makeup/Hairstyling

1. Mandy
2. Suspiria
3. The Favourite
4. Stan & Ollie
5. Hereditary 

Best Original Score

1. First Man
2. If Beale Street Could Talk
3. Mandy
4. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Soundtrack

1. A Star is Born
2. Cold War
3. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
4. Bad Times at the El Royale
5. The Favourite 

Best Original Song

1. 'When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings' - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
2. 'I'll Never Love Again' - A Star is Born
3. 'Revelation' - Boy Erased
4. 'Shallow' - A Star is Born 
5. 'Pray for Me' - Black Panther 

Reel and Roll Awards - Best Director 2018

10. Debra Granik, Leave No Trace

Granik's knack for finding such a quiet sort of harmony within the silent and the low-key, without becoming saccharine, is rather astonishing. Her direction is never flashy, never shows its hand, never cheats with your emotions, yet the effect it has is just so effective. Her style grants a cinematic touch while never compromising the earthly roots of the story, and knows to wisely let the performances drive the story wonderfully. Great work.

9. Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 

McQuarrie's second go at the franchise tops his previous excellent effort in Rogue Nation. The vibrancy of the action sequences have never been more outstanding than in here, and I think the film contains more than half of the best action sequences of the year. McQuarrie simply delivers in a capacity that I think some could take for granted, in that he steamrolls through with an extraordinarily entertaining motion picture.

8. Paweł Pawlikowski, Cold War

Remind me folks that I really need to see Pawlikowski's Ida. Though I do not love the film, it is undoubtedly a masterfully directed film that thematically, structurally, and with such strong atmosphere weaves in and out of a rather unique take on romance, a sort of stark juxtaposition to say, A Star is Born. It's rather brilliant work that really imbues every frame with this atypical sense of intimacy and coldness blending into one, that is truly the sign of great direction.

7. Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk 

Astonishing work once again by Jenkins in a strong follow-up to Moonlight. It's not as great as Moonlight but that's a hard one to follow up on. In a contrast to Pawlikowski, I did have reservations with some of Jenkins' choices, some of the voiceover, some of the indulgences, and from an acting point I felt he did not put every actor on exactly the same wavelength. Having said that when he's on point it is one of the most masterfully directed films of the year, using that visual element, and music, to create a truly stunning and emotionally resonant feature.

6. Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite 

The one-of-a-kind storyteller delivers with his one-of-a-kind take on the period drama. Though I have slight reservations with a couple of his choices, there is really nothing to fault in an overarching sense, certainly not with any of the technical elements, most certainly not with any of the performances with which he conjures up a truly brilliant tone between deadpan and ridiculousness, amplified so well by his visual storytelling. He does many scenes you feel like you've seen before in ways you've never seen before, with the dance sequences throughout being some of the most inspired directing choices I've seen the past year.

5. Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Heller's work is not typically 'grand' directing but rather just incredible, nuanced work that guides the film and its material along wonderfully. I cannot stress how important Heller's work is in guiding, providing the right sort of direction and guidance through the screenplay for the performances, and vice versa, and establishing such a tricky yet utterly successful tone between sincerity and scathing wit for her film. It's unfortunately the sort of directing that so often goes unnoticed critically and by awards organisations since rather than showing off, it shows off the various elements of the film in such an unassuming way that makes this one of the best of the year.

4. Lee Chang-dong, Burning

Lee as a director is really one-of-a-kind, and this film is a great representation of his talents. In that he 'springs' onto you with his very unique style that focuses so much on minimalism in terms of dialogue yet with so much focus on atmosphere, here to craft a particularly fascinating mystery. It's probably his most visually compelling film yet too, and he merges everything, alongside directing three fantastic performances, into a truly transformative experience.

3. Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs   

Once again, the Coen Brothers knock it out of the ballpark. This time around with six different stories which they handle in terms of the varying tones, varying plots, varying themes, with such aplomb, and particularly amazing in how they manage to cohere them all into one finished product that feels like it all fits like a puzzle, despite each story having no direct link to the next.

I'm actually still somewhat undecided between my top 2...and I want to write more about them when I have time. So for the time-being: 

2. Damien Chazelle, First Man

1. Alfonso Cuarón, Roma 

1. Alfonso Cuarón, Roma 
2. Damien Chazelle, First Man
3. Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs  
4. Lee Chang-dong, Burning 
5. Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
6. Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite 
7. Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk 
8. Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
9. Debra Granik, Leave No Trace 
10. Gustav Möller, The Guilty
11. Paweł Pawlikowski, Cold War
12. Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased
13. Wes Anderson, Isle of Dogs 
14. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
15. Steve McQueen, Widows 
16. Carlos López Estrada, Blindspotting
17. Panos Cosmatos, Mandy
18. Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born 
19. David Lowery, The Old Man and the Gun 
20. Drew Goddard, Bad Times at the El Royale
21. Hirokazu Kore-eda, Shoplifters 
22. Steven Caple Jr., Creed II
23. Matteo Garrone, Dogman
24. Paddy Considine, Journeyman
25. John Krasinski, A Quiet Place
26. Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You 
27. The Russo Brothers, Avengers: Infinity War
28. Chloe Zhao, The Rider 
29. Morgan Neville, Won't You Be My Neighbour 
30. Ryan Coogler, Black Panther
31. Julian Schnabel, At Eternity's Gate
32. Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman 
33. David Leitch, Deadpool 2
34. Orson Welles, The Other Side of the Wind 
35. David Gordon Green, Halloween
36. Jon S. Baird, Stan & Ollie
37. Jacques Audiard, The Sisters Brothers
38. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, Game Night
39. Andrew Bujalski, Support the Girls 
40. Ol Parker, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again 
41. Cory Finley, Thoroughbreds   
42. George Tillman Jr., The Hate U Give
43. David Mackenzie, Outlaw King
44. Paul Schrader, First Reformed 
45. Matthew Heineman, A Private War 
46. Travis Knight, Bumblebee
47. Jason Reitman, Tully
48. Josie Rourke, Mary Queen of Scots 
49. Ari Aster, Hereditary 
50. Paul Dano, Wildlife
51. Jon M. Chu, Crazy Rich Asians 
52. Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui, McQueen 
53. Lenny Abrahamson, The Little Stranger 
54. Aneesh Chaganty, Searching 
55. Sebastián Lelio, Disobedience  
56. Betsy West, Julie Cohen, RBG
57. Peyton Reed, Ant-Man and the Wasp
58. Rob Marshall, Mary Poppins Returns 
59. Luca Guadagnino, Suspiria 
60. James Wan, Aquaman
61. Greg Berlanti, Love, Simon
62. Brad Bird, Incredibles 2 
63. Marc Foster, Christopher Robin
64. Susanne Bier, Bird Box 
65. Yolanda Ramke, Cargo 
66. Kay Cannon, Blockers
67. Karyn Kusama, Destroyer 
68. Ron Howard, Solo: A Star Wars Story 
69. Stefano Sollima, Sicario: Day of the Soldado
70. Gary Ross, Ocean's 8
71. Peter Farrelly, Green Book 
72. Steven Speilberg, Ready Player One 
73. Bart Layton, American Animals 
74. Bjorn Runge, The Wife
75. Bryan Singer, Bohemian Rhapsody
76. Alex Garland, Annihilation 
77. Steven S. DeKnight, Pacific Rim Uprising
78. Julius Onah, The Cloverfield Paradox 
79. Francis Lawrence, Red Sparrow
80. Shane Black, The Predator 
81. David Yates, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 
82. Duncan Jones, Mute 
83. Felix Van Groeningen, Beautiful Boy 
84. Clint Eastwood, The 15:17 to Paris
85. Dan Fogleman, Life Itself
86. Adam McKay, Vice