The 92nd Academy Awards aired on Monday and of course I was glued to the television for the duration. I love all of the glitz and glamour and particularly enjoyed the brilliant opening routine which gave homage to some of the excellent movies of 2019 that didn't make the final nomination cut like Us, Midsommar, Queen and Slim and Dolemite is My Name.
I cannot express my joy at seeing the floral 'Midsommar' dress on Janelle Monae as she declared "Tonight, we celebrate all the amazing talent in this room. We celebrate all of the women who directed phenomenal films and I'm so proud to stand here as a black queer artist, telling stories. Happy Black History Month."
And what a wonderful night it was all around with Parasite smashing it out of the park with four Oscar wins, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. Turns out that when the South Koreans arrive at the Academy Awards, they mop the floors with their opponents. And good for them, Parasite was easily one of the best movies of 2019, and I for one have been advocating for more foreign film appreciation for decades, so it's about time really.
Now we just need another female to win a Best Director Oscar because that hasn't happened since Kathryn Bigelow broke the mould and won one in 2010 for The Hurt Locker, and it's been a mighty dry category for females ever since as well; here's hoping 2020 will change all that again.
However, enough of my own agenda, let's just get onto the very worthy Oscar winners for 2019, my congratulations and sincere appreciation to you all!
Best Picture:
“Parasite”
Lead Actor:
Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”
Lead Actress:
Renee Zellweger, “Judy”
Supporting Actor:
Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Supporting Actress:
Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
Director:
Bong Joon Ho, “Parasite”
Animated Feature:
“Toy Story 4,” Josh Cooley
Animated Short:
“Hair Love,” Matthew A. Cherry
Adapted Screenplay:
“Jojo Rabbit,” Taika Waititi
Original Screenplay:
“Parasite,” Bong Joon-ho, Jin Won Han
Cinematography:
“1917,” Roger Deakins
Best Documentary Feature:
“American Factory,” Julia Riechert, Steven Bognar
Best Documentary Short Subject:
“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone,” Carol Dysinger
Best Live Action Short Film:
“The Neighbors’ Window,” Marshall Curry
Best International Feature Film:
“Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho
Film Editing:
“Ford v Ferrari,” Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland
Sound Editing:
“Ford v Ferrari,” Don Sylvester
Sound Mixing:
“1917” Stuart Wilson
Production Design:
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh
Original Score:
“Joker,” Hildur Guðnadóttir
Original Song:
“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” “Rocketman”
Makeup and Hair:
“Bombshell” Kazuhiro Tsuji
Costume Design:
“Little Women,” Jacqueline Durran
Visual Effects:
“1917” Guillaume Rocheron, Dominic Tuchy, Greg Butler.
I cannot express my joy at seeing the floral 'Midsommar' dress on Janelle Monae as she declared "Tonight, we celebrate all the amazing talent in this room. We celebrate all of the women who directed phenomenal films and I'm so proud to stand here as a black queer artist, telling stories. Happy Black History Month."
And what a wonderful night it was all around with Parasite smashing it out of the park with four Oscar wins, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. Turns out that when the South Koreans arrive at the Academy Awards, they mop the floors with their opponents. And good for them, Parasite was easily one of the best movies of 2019, and I for one have been advocating for more foreign film appreciation for decades, so it's about time really.
Now we just need another female to win a Best Director Oscar because that hasn't happened since Kathryn Bigelow broke the mould and won one in 2010 for The Hurt Locker, and it's been a mighty dry category for females ever since as well; here's hoping 2020 will change all that again.
However, enough of my own agenda, let's just get onto the very worthy Oscar winners for 2019, my congratulations and sincere appreciation to you all!
Best Picture:
“Parasite”
Lead Actor:
Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”
Lead Actress:
Renee Zellweger, “Judy”
Supporting Actor:
Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Supporting Actress:
Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
Director:
Bong Joon Ho, “Parasite”
Animated Feature:
“Toy Story 4,” Josh Cooley
Animated Short:
“Hair Love,” Matthew A. Cherry
Adapted Screenplay:
“Jojo Rabbit,” Taika Waititi
Original Screenplay:
“Parasite,” Bong Joon-ho, Jin Won Han
Cinematography:
“1917,” Roger Deakins
Best Documentary Feature:
“American Factory,” Julia Riechert, Steven Bognar
Best Documentary Short Subject:
“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone,” Carol Dysinger
Best Live Action Short Film:
“The Neighbors’ Window,” Marshall Curry
Best International Feature Film:
“Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho
Film Editing:
“Ford v Ferrari,” Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland
Sound Editing:
“Ford v Ferrari,” Don Sylvester
Sound Mixing:
“1917” Stuart Wilson
Production Design:
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh
Original Score:
“Joker,” Hildur Guðnadóttir
Original Song:
“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” “Rocketman”
Makeup and Hair:
“Bombshell” Kazuhiro Tsuji
Costume Design:
“Little Women,” Jacqueline Durran
Visual Effects:
“1917” Guillaume Rocheron, Dominic Tuchy, Greg Butler.
PARASITE
Release Date: 2019
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 132 mins
A South Korean black comedy thriller, written and directed by Bong Joon-ho, Parasite is destined to become a modern cult classic with its unique and original style and engrossing storyline.
It swept the field at the 92nd Academy Awards, winning four Oscars and becoming the first film to ever win both the Best Picture and Best International Feature Film cateogories. At the 77th Golden Globe Awards Parasite also won the Best Foreign Language Film and was the first non-English film to ever win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Talk about buzz! This film had everyone talking and soon become the must see film of 2019.
In South Korea, the dirt poor Kim family are struggling to hold down low-paying temporary jobs and make ends meet. When their son begins tutoring for an extremely wealthy family, the Kim family seizes an opportunity to exploit them by integrating themselves into their lives through insidious and underhanded means.
What a watch! Parasite is absolutely riveting from start to end with its devious entanglements and dreadfully behaved characters. The cast are flawless here, delivering a tight, sharp and sophisticated script to perfection. Special mention must go to Kang-ho Song for his stellar depiction of Kim Ki-taek, the Kim family patriarch that has taught his family how to survive in the most unscrupulous of ways.
However, that being said, it is not just the storyline and cast that carry this film to great heights, becasue every detail of the cinematography here is stunning as well; at times the imagery was so strong that it literally took my breath away. Parasite is one of the best foreign language films that I have ever seen, and it's definitely a movie that no-one should miss.
FINAL SAY: They are nice because they are rich.
4.5 Chilli Peppers
Release Date: 2019
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 132 mins
A South Korean black comedy thriller, written and directed by Bong Joon-ho, Parasite is destined to become a modern cult classic with its unique and original style and engrossing storyline.
It swept the field at the 92nd Academy Awards, winning four Oscars and becoming the first film to ever win both the Best Picture and Best International Feature Film cateogories. At the 77th Golden Globe Awards Parasite also won the Best Foreign Language Film and was the first non-English film to ever win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Talk about buzz! This film had everyone talking and soon become the must see film of 2019.
In South Korea, the dirt poor Kim family are struggling to hold down low-paying temporary jobs and make ends meet. When their son begins tutoring for an extremely wealthy family, the Kim family seizes an opportunity to exploit them by integrating themselves into their lives through insidious and underhanded means.
What a watch! Parasite is absolutely riveting from start to end with its devious entanglements and dreadfully behaved characters. The cast are flawless here, delivering a tight, sharp and sophisticated script to perfection. Special mention must go to Kang-ho Song for his stellar depiction of Kim Ki-taek, the Kim family patriarch that has taught his family how to survive in the most unscrupulous of ways.
However, that being said, it is not just the storyline and cast that carry this film to great heights, becasue every detail of the cinematography here is stunning as well; at times the imagery was so strong that it literally took my breath away. Parasite is one of the best foreign language films that I have ever seen, and it's definitely a movie that no-one should miss.
FINAL SAY: They are nice because they are rich.
4.5 Chilli Peppers
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