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“Babylon” Interview w/ Damien Chazelle

I got a chance to sit down with Academy Award winning director, Damien Chazelle for his new film, “Babylon”. We discuss the changes in the industry that affected him, who was the first person to recognize his talent, and more!

“Babylon” opens in theaters on December 23, 2022.

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Predicting the Winners: 92nd Academy Awards

Best Supporting Actor

Tom Hanks, Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Al Pacino, The Irishman

Joe Pesci, The Irishman

Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Brad Pitt

Could Win: No Contest

Want to Win: Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell

Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit

Florence Pugh, Little Women

Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Will Win: Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Could Win: Florence Pugh, Little Women

Want to Win: Florence Pugh, Little Women

Achievement in Costume Design

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Little Women

Could Win: Jojo Rabbit

Want to Win: Little Women

Achievement in Sound Mixing

Ad Astra

Ford v Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: 1917

Could Win: Ford v Ferrari

Want to Win: 1917

Achievement in Sound Editing

Ford v Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Will Win: 1917

Could Win: Ford v Ferrari

Want to Win: 1917

Best Original Score

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Will Win: Joker

Could Win: Little Women

Want to Win: Joker

Best Animated Short Film

Dcera (Daughter)

Hair Love

Kitbull

Memorable

Sister

Will Win: Hair Love

Could Win: Kitbull

Want to Win: Hair Love

Best Live Action Short

Brotherhood

Nefta Football Club

The Neighbors’ Window

Saria

A Sister

Will Win: The Neighbor’s Window

Could Win: Saria

Want to Win: The Neighbor’s Window

Best Documentary Feature

American Factory

The Cave

The Edge of Democracy

For Sama

Honeyland

Will Win: American Factory

Could Win: Honeyland

Want to Win: American Factory

Best Documentary Short Subject

In the Absence

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone

Life Overtakes Me

St. Louis Superman

Walk Run Cha-Cha

Will Win: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone

Could Win: St. Louis Superman

Want to Win: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone

Best International Feature Film

Corpus Christi

Honeyland

Les Miserables

Pain and Glory

Parasite

Will Win: Parasite

Could Win: No Contest

Want to Win: Parasite

Achievement in Production Design

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Parasite

Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Could Win: 1917

Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit

Achievement in Film Editing

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Parasite

Will Win: Parasite

Could Win: Ford v Ferrari

Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit

Achievement in Cinematography

The Irishman

Joker

The Lighthouse

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: 1917

Could Win: The Lighthouse

Want to Win: 1917

Achievement in Visual Effects

1917

Avengers: Endgame

The Irishman

The Lion King

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Will Win: Avengers: Endgame

Could Win: 1917

Want to Win: Avengers: Endgame

Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling

Bombshell

Joker

Judy

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

1917

Will Win: Bombshell

Could Win: Joker

Want to Win: Bombshell

Best Animated Feature

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

I Lost My Body

Klaus

Missing Link

Toy Story 4

Will Win: Toy Story 4

Could Win: Missing Link

Want to Win: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Best Original Song

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story

“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” Rocketman

“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough

“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II

“Stand Up,” Harriet

Will Win: “I’m Gonna Love Me Again”, Rocketman

Could Win: No Contest

Want to Win: “Into the Unknown”, Frozen II

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

The Two Popes

Will Win: Jojo Rabbit

Could Win: Little Women

Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit or Little Women

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory

Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Could Win: No Contest

Want to Win: Joaquin Phoenix or Adam Driver

Best Original Screenplay

Knives Out

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Parasite

Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Could Win: Parasite

Want to Win: Marriage Story

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet

Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Charlize Theron, Bombshell

Renee Zellweger, Judy

Will Win: Renee Zellweger, Judy

Could Win: No Contest

Want to Win: Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Best Director

Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Sam Mendes, 1917

Todd Phillips, Joker

Martin Scorsese, The Irishman

Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Will Win: Sam Mendes, 1917

Could Win: Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Want to Win: Sam Mendes or Bong Joon Ho

Best Picture

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Parasite

Will Win: Parasite

Could Win: 1917

Want to Win: Jojo Rabbit

The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will honor the best films of 2019 and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on February 9, 2020.

92nd Academy Awards Nomination Announcements!

Best Supporting Actor

Tom Hanks, Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Al Pacino, The Irishman

Joe Pesci, The Irishman

Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell

Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit

Florence Pugh, Little Women

Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Achievement in Costume Design

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

Achievement in Sound Mixing

Ad Astra

Ford vs. Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

Achievement in Sound Editing

Ford vs. Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best Original Score

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best Animated Short Film

Dcera (Daughter)

Hair Love

Kitbull

Memorable

Sister

Best Live Action Short

Brotherhood

Nefta Football Club

The Neighbors’ Window

Saria

A Sister

Best Documentary Feature

American Factory

The Cave

The Edge of Democracy

For Sama

Honeyland

Best Documentary Short Subject

In the Absence

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone

Life Overtakes Me

St Louis Superman

Walk Run Cha-Cha

Best International Feature Film

Corpus Christi

Honeyland

Les Miserables

Pain and Glory

Parasite

Achievement in Production Design

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Parasite

Achievement in Film Editing

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Parasite

Achievement in Cinematography

The Irishman

Joker

The Lighthouse

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Achievement in Visual Effects

1917

Avengers: Endgame

The Irishman

The Lion King

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling

Bombshell

Joker

Judy

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

1917

Best Animated Feature

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

I Lost My Body

Klaus

Missing Link

Toy Story 4

Best Original Song

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story

“I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” Rocketman

“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough

“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II

“Stand Up,” Harriet

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

The Two Popes

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory

Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Best Original Screenplay

Knives Out

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Parasite

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet

Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Charlize Theron, Bombshell

Renee Zellweger, Judy

Best Director

Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Sam Mendes, 1917

Todd Phillips, Joker

Martin Scorsese, The Irishman

Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Best Picture

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Parasite

25th Annual Critics Choice Awards Winners

“ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD” NAMED BEST PICTURE TAKES FOUR AWARDS AT 25th  ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS
 “1917” EARNS THREE AWARDS
“FLEABAG” LEADS TELEVISION RECIPIENTS WITH THREE AWARDS

Keegan-Michael Key was on hand to deliver a special tribute to Eddie Murphy, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.  Murphy was feted for his extraordinary career, including most recently his brilliant performance in Best Comedy winner “Dolemite Is My Name.”  As previously announced, Kristen Bell received the #SeeHer Award for portraying strong female characters while promoting women on screen and off, and the award was presented by co-star from “The Good Place” Ted Danson.

WINNERS OF THE 25th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS

FILM

BEST PICTURE

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Sony)

BEST ACTOR

Joaquin Phoenix – Joker (Warner Bros.)

BEST ACTRESS

Renée Zellweger – Judy (Roadside)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Sony)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Laura Dern – Marriage Story (Netflix)

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Roman Griffin Davis – Jojo Rabbit (Fox Searchlight)

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

The Irishman (Netflix)

BEST DIRECTOR (TIE)

Bong Joon Ho – Parasite (Neon)

Sam Mendes – 1917 (Universal)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Sony)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Greta Gerwig – Little Women (Sony)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Roger Deakins – 1917 (Universal)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Sony)

BEST EDITING

Lee Smith – 1917 (Universal)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Ruth E. Carter – Dolemite Is My Name (Netflix)

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

Bombshell (Lionsgate)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Avengers: Endgame (Disney)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Toy Story 4 (Disney)

BEST ACTION MOVIE

Avengers: Endgame (Disney)

BEST COMEDY

Dolemite Is My Name (Netflix)

BEST SCI-FI OR HORROR MOVIE

Us (Universal)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Parasite (Neon)

BEST SONG (TIE)

Glasgow (No Place Like Home) – Wild Rose (Neon)

(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again – Rocketman (Paramount)

BEST SCORE

Hildur Guðnadóttir – Joker (Warner Bros.)


TELEVISION

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Succession (HBO)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Regina King – Watchmen (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Jean Smart – Watchmen (HBO)

BEST COMEDY SERIES

Fleabag (Amazon)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Bill Hader – Barry (HBO)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag (Amazon)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Andrew Scott – Fleabag (Amazon)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

BEST LIMITED SERIES

When They See Us (Netflix) 

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (Netflix)

BEST ACTOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Jharrel Jerome – When They See Us (Netflix)

BEST ACTRESS A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Michelle Williams – Fosse/Verdon (FX)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE
FOR TELEVISION

Stellan Skarsgård – Chernobyl (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Toni Collette – Unbelievable (Netflix)

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

BEST TALK SHOW (TIE)

The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS)

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL 

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons (ABC)

DFW Film Critics Association’s Best Of 2019!

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association voted the war epic 1917 as the best film of 2019, according to the results of its 26th annual critics’ poll. Following is a complete list of award winners, with choices listed in order of votes received.

BEST PICTURE

Winner: 1917

Runners-up: MARRIAGE STORY (2); PARASITE (3); THE IRISHMAN (4); ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (5); JOJO RABBIT (6); LITTLE WOMEN (7); THE FAREWELL (8); THE TWO POPES (9); KNIVES OUT (10)

BEST ACTOR

Winner: Adam Driver, MARRIAGE STORY

Runners-up: Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER (2); Antonio Banderas, PAIN AND GLORY (3); Leonardo DiCaprio, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (4); Robert De Niro, THE IRISHMAN (5)

BEST ACTRESS

Winner: Scarlett Johansson, MARRIAGE STORY

Runners-up: Renee Zellweger, JUDY (2); Charlize Theron, BOMBSHELL (3); Saoirse Ronan, LITTLE WOMEN (4); Awkwafina, THE FAREWELL (5, tie); Lupita Nyong’o, US (5, tie)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Winner: Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

Runners-up: Willem Dafoe, THE LIGHTHOUSE (2); Joe Pesci, THE IRISHMAN (3); Al Pacino, THE IRISHMAN (4); Shia LaBeouf, HONEY BOY (5)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Winner: Laura Dern, MARRIAGE STORY

Runners-up: Margot Robbie, BOMBSHELL (2); Florence Pugh, LITTLE WOMEN (3); Jennifer Lopez, HUSTLERS (4); Annette Bening, THE REPORT (5)

BEST DIRECTOR

Winner: Sam Mendes, 1917

Runners-up: Bong Joon-ho, PARASITE (2); Martin Scorsese, THE IRISHMAN (3); Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (4); Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY (5)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Winner: PARASITE

Runners-up: PAIN AND GLORY (2); THE FAREWELL (3); LES MISERABLES (4); PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (5)

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Winner: APOLLO 11

Runners-up: ONE CHILD NATION (2); AMERICAN FACTORY (3); HONEYLAND (4); FOR SAMA (5)

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Winner: TOY STORY 4

Runner-up: I LOST MY BODY

BEST SCREENPLAY

Winner: Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY

Runner-up: Steven Zaillian, THE IRISHMAN

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Winner: Roger Deakins, 1917

Runner-up: Hong Kyung-pyo, PARASITE

BEST MUSICAL SCORE

Winner: Thomas Newman, 1917

Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, LITTLE WOMEN

RUSSELL SMITH AWARD (best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film)

Winner: THE LIGHTHOUSE

The Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association consists of 32 broadcast, print and online journalists from throughout North Texas. For more information, visit dfwcritics.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @dfwfilmcritics.

Movie Review: “By the Sea” is a Dull and Pretentious Vanity Project

Dear Angelina Jolie, please give up trying to direct anymore films. To sum it up, at best, you are not very good at directing. Too harsh? Well then you clearly haven’t endured Jolie’s latest project, By the Sea, in which the Academy Award winning actress directed, wrote, produced, and starred.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for Angelina Jolie, and I believe she is an incredibly talented actress, when she’s not directing herself that is.

By the Sea follows Vanessa (Jolie) and her husband Roland (Brad Pitt) as they vacation in France so that they may mend their marriage, and he can gain inspiration to write his next book. After what feels like an hour of nothing, they discover a peep hole in their hotel room that allows them to watch a newlywed couple (Melanie Laurent and Melvil Poupaud) on their honeymoon.

Let me first say, for a good thirty or more minutes we have no clue what this film is about. It is clear Vanessa is depressed and awkward, as she is quiet and almost always crying. Not knowing what’s wrong with Vanessa, you would assume her husband is some kind of monster and we’re just waiting for him to go off. Spoiler alert, he’s not. Don’t hold your breath on that one. Basically something did happen between these two. When it’s finally revealed, the story does come together and makes sense to a point. However, it is not worth the pay off, nor the two hours of your life you have wasted.

Pitt is the only saving grace to this wretched film. He seems to be the only character that has any sense and real personality. Unfortunately, for Jolie’s character, she clearly cannot get the best performance out of herself. It was as if she was an amateur actress trying way too hard throughout the entire story.

Though the setting of France in the mid-1970s was beautiful, the shots and the style produced came off too artsy and irrelevant towards moving the story forward. Jolie’s attempt at “deep” and “meaningful” scenes has a much more comical affect.

I’d like to say By the Sea had potential, but sadly, Vanessa’s opening line, “Smells like fish,” foreshadows all too well just how much of a stinker this movie is.

Rating: 1/5

By the Sea opens in theaters November 20.

“By the Sea” Official Trailer HD

Movie Review: “The Counselor” is one Boring Philosophical Conversation after Another

Now I did not have super high expectations for this film, but I’ll admit I did expect a certain level of quality given the strong casting.  I easily passed up a screening to see Bad Grandpa, thinking that of course I would rather see a film with an actual storyline and interesting characters.  However, about 10 minutes into the film, I think the alternative might have been more entertaining.

To sum up the film in the best words I can with out confusing myself, The Counselor (Michael Fassbender) is a big shot lawyer involved in a huge drug deal.  He has the love of his life (Penelope Cruz) by his side, in what seems to be the perfect romance. His partners in the deal are the mysterious, riddle talking Westray (Brad Pitt) and the eccentric dressing, spiky haired Reiner (Javier Bardem).  This might be Bardem’s worst hair style since No Country for Old Men.   Anyways, with any drug trafficking deals you are bound to have mishaps, which lead to dire consequences.

The beginning of the film moves slow because of the extended “philosophical” conversations each one-on-one scene has.  Rarely are more than two people on screen together.  Every discussion these characters have is filled with analogies. So much so that you loose all meaning to whatever they are saying.  I am sure there was some thoughtful lessons behind these speeches, but feeling forced and out of place, you simply loose all interest.

This is the first screenplay for Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men, All the Pretty Horses).  Notably known for his novel writing, The Counselor may have been more understandable on paper.  McCarthy fails to write a script with relatable dialogue.  His characters come off as pretentious and rambling snobs.

Reiner manages to be the most practical speaker of the cast.  Especially when describing to The Counselor a shocking moment he had with his sex-crazed, cheetah tattooed girlfriend, Malkina (Cameron Diaz).  In what is sure to go down as one of the raunchiest and biggest WTF scene in a film this year, she performs a spread-eagle masturbation scene on the hood of Reiner’s car.  It is the only thing from the film that is unforgettable.

The actors give great performances, which is no surprise.  With a cast this strong you would think director, Ridley Scott (Prometheus) noticed they were not being utilized in a monotonous script.  It just felt more like they were reading for an audition, giving their all in useless dialogue that does not move the story forward.

Though the big picture of the film was clear the transitions and some of the reasoning for the actions that take place are not.  The Counselor has essentially no plot, outlandish characters, and leaves you with lack satisfaction from an A-List cast.

Luckily, Brad Pitt’s and Michael Fassbender’s performance in 12 Years A Slave is far more memorable than anything they did in The Counselor.

Rated R for graphic violence, some grisly images, strong sexual content and language.

The Counselor opens theaters today.

The Counselor Official Trailer HD