Now that you’ve watched all of our television recommendations, it’s time to focus on movies. With thousands of films to choose from, I tried to stick to films that came out within the past three years. From action thrillers to romantic comedies, this list has it all. Stay inside and watch movies. It’s that easy.
The Unafraid Show Quarantine Binge Guide: Movies
The Pound For Pound Streaming Champ – Mission Impossible: Fallout
Mission Impossible: Fallout: 147 minutes. Watch on Hulu or Amazon Prime.
Right now, the pound for pound champ on the streaming services is Mission Impossible: Fallout. It’s rare to find a franchise that continues to improve with each new addition, but that’s exactly what Mission Impossible has done. No actor or actress understands how to physically and emotionally channel a specific role more than Tom Cruise and his portrayal of Ethan Hunt. Don’t let the death dying stunts distract you from the film’s brilliant and suspenseful story. Watching Fallout will be the best two and a half hours you spend today.
“Shallow” was the best musical moment of 2018. In 2019, Lady Gaga passed the torch to Jessie Buckley with her performance of “Glasgow (No Place Like Home)” in Wild Rose. Why didn’t we pay attention to this film more upon its release in April 2019? Unfortunately, I’m guilty as well since I didn’t see the film until January 2020. However, I’m atoning for my mistake by shouting about the brilliance of Buckley from every rooftop in New York City. Unlike most stocks on the DOW, Buckley’s stock is trending upwards thanks to stellar performances in Wild Rose and Chernobyl. Don’t believe me? Listen to her sing “Glasgow” at the 2020 BAFTAs. I dare you to tell me she’s not a star. Go ahead. Try me.
Every so often, a movie comes along that leaves you speechless. Your mind can’t comprehend what occurred onscreen and it fills you with the belief that anything is truly possible. For me, that movie is Free Solo. The film profiles Alex Honnold on his journey to perform a free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. For those that don’t know, a free solo climb occurs when climbers don’t use any ropes, harnesses, or protective equipment. It’s you, a bag of chalk, and the rock. The visuals in Free Solo may be magnificent, but they can make you sick to your stomach. In a time where inspiration is hard to find, Free Solo will inject you with hope and optimism.
The surprise couple of 2019 was Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron. Who knew they had so much chemistry? I’m not trying to belittle the film by describing it as delightful. Long Shot is delightful because I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing throughout the movie. Maybe that’s because I was so surprised by how well it worked. Theron could turn water into wine, which is why she’s one of the best working actresses in Hollywood. However, I did not expect such a sweet and thoughtful performance from Rogen. The actor still made me laugh with his stoner persona, but it was his believable performance as a man in love with his crush that won me over.
The tagline should have been “A Quiet Place: You Will Need A Xanax To Watch.” It’s difficult to describe A Quiet Place without revealing any spoilers. Essentially, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, and their two children live in a world where blind creatures attack when they hear a sound hence why they need to be quiet. It’s a quick, entertaining horror film that’s a damn good time. Keep your chewing sounds to a minimum.
Welcome to the Maya Erskine Fan Club. Please take your seat as the meeting will begin shortly. As I wrote in this piece about rising actresses, Erskine had a great 2019. First, Erskine and her creative partner, Anna Konkle, released the charming and hilarious show, Pen15, on Hulu. Then, Erskine built on that momentum with Plus One, a romantic comedy about two friends that agree to be one another’s plus ones to future weddings. Erskine’s excellent comedic timing and strong chemistry with Jack Quaid made Plus One a contender for most underrated movie of the year. It’s one of the better rom-coms of the past five years. Go watch Plus One, and I’ll see you at the next meeting.
Rapid Fire
Let’s Blow Some Shit Up – 6 Underground. 128 minutes. Watch on Netflix. Ryan Reynolds plays Deadpool without a mask in a Michael Bay film with more explosions than Saving Private Ryan‘s opening scene. Sign me up.
You Need To See This Movie To Believe It – Midsommar. 148 minutes. Watch on Amazon Prime. Lol. That’s really all I have to say about Midsommar.
The Movie That Reignited Rom-Coms – Set It Up. 105 minutes. Watch on Netflix. Rom-coms didn’t die in the 2010s. They just took a break. Set It Up reignited the genre.
Pete Davidson Can Act – Big Time Adolescence. 90 minutes. Watch on Hulu. I really, really enjoyed this version of Pete Davidson.
Lizzo’s Lyrics As A Movie – Booksmart. 105 minutes. Watch on Hulu. I just took a DNA test turns out… You know the rest. Booksmart rules.
Watch Parasite Before You Watch Anything Else – Parasite. 132 minutes. Rent on VOD or wait until April 8 when it streams on Hulu. Nothing else matters until you watch Parasite. It will change your life.
What movie will you be watching? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.
Ready for the 2020 Oscars? First, I gave you my picks. Now, I want to make you some money. Betting the Oscars is not a typical bet. It’s not like a sports bet where the result is determined live. Oscar bets are voted on by the Academy so essentially, we’re betting on how a group of people voted. It’s not easy, but there are some keys to look for while betting the 2020 Oscars.
Use Results From Other Award Shows As Guide – It’s very rare for an award winner to come out of nowhere. Usually, each category has one to three contenders. In most cases, these contenders won awards at major shows like the Golden Globes, SAGs, or BAFTAs. Furthermore, for technical awards, there are guild awards given out for crafts like writing, editing, and cinematography. The more awards won at the guilds, the better the chances of winning an Oscar.
Favorites Win A Lot – This doesn’t help when it comes to making money, but it does pay off to pick favorites if you are doing an Oscars pool where you have to pick winners without odds.
Look For Bets With The Best Value – The bets I’m suggesting to make are not “locks.” Most of them are underdogs and long shots. They may not win, but it’s your best chance of making money. Try to avoid categories where the favorite is significantly out of reach.
Bet At Your Own Risk – I’m not legally obligated to say this, but I’m going to say it anyway. Have fun, but be smart!
*Odds taken from Draftkings at 5:30 PM EST. Subject to change.
My picks do NOT reflect who I believe will win. They reflect the best bet you can make to win the most money.
Best Picture
Great value here for the top three spots. 1917is the favorite because of Best Picture wins at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and PGAs. Right on its tailis Parasite, which won the Best Ensemble Award at the SAGs and will win Best International Feature Film. My pick is 1917 because the PGA winner has won 8 of the last 10 Best Pictures at the Oscars. Plus, it has great odds for a frontrunner. I’d bet on both 1917 and Parasite. If you have extra money to blow, sprinkle a little cash on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The Academy loves Tarantino and they love movies about Hollywood. 10 to 1 odds make for a great payout.
Bets To Make: 1917 in Best Picture -125 and/or Parasite in Best Picture +150
Every Acting Category
Do you like lighting your money on fire? If so, then you’ll love betting on the acting categories. I’m trying to make a case for any actor not named Renée Zellweger, Joaquin Phoenix, Brad Pitt, and Laura Dern, but I can’t do it with a straight face. All four actors are heavy favorites and have few losses on their resumes this season. Even though I don’t believe this will happen, if I had to pick one upset, it would be Scarlett Johansson in Best Actress. I can’t advise anyone to place a bet on an underdog in any of these categories, but Scar Jo in Marriage Story would be my play.
Bet To Make: Scarlett Johansson in Best Actress +1000
Best Original Screenplay And Best Adapted Screenplay
Two categories, two underdogs that have legitimate shots at winning. Let’s start with original screenplay. Parasite is the favorite because of wins at the WGAs and BAFTAs. However, right on Director Bong’s heels is Mr. Quentin Tarantino. You can never count out Tarantino in the original screenplay category because of his two previous wins for Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained. I would never blame someone for betting on Tarantino. In adapted screenplay, Jojo Rabbit also picked up wins at the WGA and BAFTAs. However, Greta Gerwig wrote the best adaptation of Little Women to date. Do not count her out, butTaika Waititi and Jojo is the best bet to make.
Bets To Make: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in Best Orginal Screenplay +150 // Jojo Rabbit in Best Adapted Screenplay -177
Best Sound Editing And Best Sound Mixing
The 1917 domino starts in the technical categories. If it wins in both sound editing and sound mixing, then 1917 is due for a huge night. That’s a possibility that may end up happening. However, for betting, Ford v Ferrari as a slight underdog in both categories is juicy. Ford v Ferrari is a very loud and effective film. If I had to choose which category Ford v Ferrari will win, I’m going with sound mixing.
Bet To Make: Ford v Ferrari in Best Sound Mixing +125
What are your best bets for the 2020 Oscars? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.
Oh, happy day! The 2020 Oscars are finally here. I love the Oscars. I always see people complaining about how it’s boring or too long on Twitter. I’m in the opposite camp. Make the ceremony 10 hours long and I’ll watch it from start to finish.
Will tonight be all chalk or will history be made? 1917 could clean up in all of the technical categories along with wins for Best Director and Best Picture. Parasite could become the first foreign film to win Best Picture. All of the acting categories include huge favorites, but the technical categories are up for grabs. Overall, I’m excited for tonight.
Without further ado, here are my picks.
BEST PICTURE
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite
The biggest award of the night is a two-horse race. 1917 is the favorite thanks to Best Picture wins at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and PGAs. However, Parasite, my favorite movie of 2019, is making a late push thanks to its win at the SAGs. If Parasite wins Best Picture, it would be the first foreign film to ever accomplish this feat. However, 1917’s win at the PGA was significant since 10 of the last 12 PGA winners went on to take home Best Picture at the Oscars. My pick is 1917.
P.S. The wild card in this race is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Quentin Tarantino has a lot of support in the Academy. It’s a movie full of stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood. It’s right up the Academy’s alley. Plus, OUATIH has multiple acting nominations. The last film to win Best Picture without an acting nomination was Slumdog Millionaire in 2009. (1917 and Parasite both have zero acting nominations.) If Tarantino wins for original screenplay, look out for OUATIH.
P.S.S. Enough with the narrative that 1917 winning Best Picture is boring. It’s an achievement in filmmaking that people are going to remember for a while.
Who Should Win:Parasite Who Will Win: 1917
BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese – The Irishman
Todd Phillips – Joker
Sam Mendes – 1917
Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon-ho – Parasite
Take my Best Picture argument and apply the same principles to Best Director. Mendes has won practically every directing award on the awards season circuit. However, people (including me) love Director Bong and Parasite. Tarantino is on the outside looking in. However, 1917 is in for a big night and Mendes will pick up his second win for Best Director.
Who Should Win: Bong Joon-ho – Parasite Who Will Win: Sam Mendes – 1917
BEST ACTOR
Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory as Salvador Mallo
Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Rick Dalton
Adam Driver – Marriage Story as Charlie Barber
Joaquin Phoenix – Joker as Arthur Fleck / Joker
Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
I wish this category was more of a competition between Adam Driver and Joaquin Phoenix. I preferred Driver’s performance because of his ability to capture the emotional trauma and brutal truth of what happens during a divorce. However, Joaquin’s physical and mental transformation in Joker was undeniably good. I like Joaquin and I enjoyed Joker so I have no problem with him winning.
Who Should Win: Adam Driver – Marriage Story as Charlie Barber Who Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix – Joker as Arthur Fleck / Joker
BEST ACTRESS
Cynthia Erivo – Harriet as Harriet Tubman
Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story as Nicole Barber
Saoirse Ronan – Little Women as Josephine “Jo” March
Charlize Theron – Bombshell as Megyn Kelly
Renée Zellweger – Judy as Judy Garland
Confession: I never saw Judy. I had the opportunity to watch it on a plane, but I chose to watch The Peanut Butter Falcon instead. Renée Zellweger hasn’t lost in this category all season and I don’t expect that to change. However, I’d love for Saoirse Ronan to win. She’s probably the best actress of her generation and it sucks that she’s going to have to wait a little longer to win an Oscar.
Who Should Win: Saoirse Ronan – Little Women as Josephine “Jo” March Who Will Win: Renée Zellweger – Judy as Judy Garland
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood as Fred Rogers
Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes as Pope Benedict XVI
Al Pacino – The Irishman as Jimmy Hoffa
Joe Pesci – The Irishman as Russell Bufalino
Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Cliff Booth
Brad Fucking Pitt. This is the speech I’m looking forward to the most.
Once Upon Time in Hollywood / Sony
Who Should Win: Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Cliff Booth Who Will Win: Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Cliff Booth
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell as Barbara “Bobi” Jewell
Laura Dern – Marriage Story as Nora Fanshaw
Scarlett Johansson – Jojo Rabbit as Rosie Betzler
Florence Pugh – Little Women as Amy March
Margot Robbie – Bombshell as Kayla Pospisil
I love Florence Pugh and she’ll be a force for years to come, but it’s time for Laura Dern to collect some hardware. No arguments here.
Who Should Win: Florence Pugh – Little Women as Amy March Who Will Win: Laura Dern – Marriage Story as Nora Fanshaw
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Knives Out – Rian Johnson
Marriage Story – Noah Baumbach
1917 – Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Quentin Tarantino
Parasite – Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won
Toughest category to predict. All five of these scripts are stellar. However, this will come down to Tarantino and Bong. Tarantino has the experience thanks to his two previous wins in this category. That being said, Bong won at the Writers Guild Awards (Tarantino was not eligible) last week, but I still believed Tarantino would win at the Oscars. Fast forward to the BAFTAs and Bong beat Tarantino head-to-head in this category. Because of that, I’m going with Bong by the slimmest of margins.
Who Should Win:Parasite – Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won Who Will Win: Parasite – Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Irishman – Steven Zaillian based on the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt
Jojo Rabbit – Taika Waititi based on the novel Caging Skies by Christine Leunens
Joker – Todd Phillips and Scott Silver based on characters created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson
Little Women – Greta Gerwig based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott
The Two Popes – Anthony McCarten based on his play The Pope
Once again, another early frontrunner came back to the pack. This should be Greta Gerwig’s first Oscar win because Little Women was brilliant. Unfortunately, I don’t think she wins here. Taika Waititi has all the momentum in the world thanks to two wins over Gerwig at the WGAs and the BAFTAs. Taika walks home a winner.
Who Should Win:Little Women – Greta Gerwig based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott Who Will Win: Jojo Rabbit – Taika Waititi based on the novel Caging Skies by Christine Leunens
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – Dean DeBlois, Bonnie Arnold, and Brad Lewis
I Lost My Body – Jérémy Clapin and Marc du Pontavice
Klaus – Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh, and Marisa Román
Missing Link – Chris Butler, Arianne Sutner, and Travis Knight
Toy Story 4 – Josh Cooley, Jonas Rivera, and Mark Nielsen
When in doubt, Pixar at the Oscars. When in even more doubt, Toy Story at the Oscars.
Who Should Win:Toy Story 4 – Josh Cooley, Jonas Rivera, and Mark Nielsen Who Will Win: Toy Story 4 – Josh Cooley, Jonas Rivera, and Mark Nielsen
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Corpus Christi (Poland) in Polish – Directed by Jan Komasa
Honeyland (North Macedonia) in Turkish and Macedonian[9] – Directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov
Les Misérables (France) in French – Directed by Ladj Ly
Pain and Glory (Spain) in Spanish – Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Parasite (South Korea) in Korean – Directed by Bong Joon-ho
Who Should Win:Parasite (South Korea) in Korean – Directed by Bong Joon-ho Who Will Win: Parasite (South Korea) in Korean – Directed by Bong Joon-ho
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
American Factory – Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, and Jeff Reichert
The Cave – Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod, and Sigrid Dyekjær
The Edge of Democracy – Petra Costa, Joanna Natasegara, Shane Boris, and Tiago Pavan
For Sama – Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts
Honeyland – Ljubomir Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska, and Atanas Georgiev
Flip a coin between American Factory and Honeyland. I’ll back the Obama-produced American Factory.
Who Should Win:American Factory – Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, and Jeff Reichert Who Will Win: American Factory – Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, and Jeff Reichert
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Joker – Hildur Guðnadóttir
Little Women – Alexandre Desplat
Marriage Story – Randy Newman
1917 – Thomas Newman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – John Williams
Five really good scores. If any person in this category won, I’d be happy. It’s a win-win-win-win-win for me. One of my favorite scores of the year belongs to Randy Newman, who has never won in this category. However, Hildur Guðnadóttir’s haunting score was the co-MVP of Joker.
Who Should Win:Marriage Story – Randy Newman Who Will Win: Joker – Hildur Guðnadóttir
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4 – Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
“I’m Standing with You” from Breakthrough – Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren
“Into the Unknown” from Frozen II – Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
“Stand Up” from Harriet – Music and Lyrics by Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo
This should have happened at the Oscars. It’s a damn shame. Since it’s not happening, I’ll always root for Elton John.
Who Should Win: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin Who Will Win: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Irishman – Rodrigo Prieto
Joker – Lawrence Sher
The Lighthouse – Jarin Blaschke
1917 – Roger Deakins
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Robert Richardson
Roger “The God” Deakins.
Who Should Win:1917 – Roger Deakins Who Will Win: 1917 – Roger Deakins
*Note: The difference between sound editing and sound mixing at the Oscars is confusing and I still don’t understand it. However, if you said 1917 wins all of the technical categories, I wouldn’t blame you. That being said, Ford v Ferrari might split with 1917. I’m honestly not sure and I’ll stop talking.
BEST SOUND EDITING
Ford v Ferrari – Donald Sylvester
Joker – Alan Robert Murray
1917 – Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Wylie Stateman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Matthew Wood and David Acord
Who Should Win:1917 – Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate Who Will Win: 1917 – Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate
BEST SOUND MIXING
Ad Astra – Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano
Ford v Ferrari – Paul Massey, David Giammarco, and Steven A. Morrow
Joker – Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland
1917 – Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler, and Mark Ulano
Who Should Win:Ford v Ferrari – Paul Massey, David Giammarco, and Steven A. Morrow Who Will Win: 1917 – Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Irishman – Production Design: Bob Shaw; Set Decoration: Regina Graves
Jojo Rabbit – Production Design: Ra Vincent; Set Decoration: Nora Sopková
1917 – Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Production Design: Barbara Ling; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
Parasite – Production Design: Lee Ha-jun; Set Decoration: Cho Won-woo
Who Should Win:Parasite – Production Design: Lee Ha-jun; Set Decoration: Cho Won-woo Who Will Win: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Production Design: Barbara Ling; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
Bombshell – Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, and Vivian Baker
Joker – Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou
Judy – Jeremy Woodhead
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten, and David White
1917 – Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis, and Rebecca Cole
Who Should Win:Bombshell – Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, and Vivian Baker Who Will Win: Bombshell – Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, and Vivian Baker
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Irishman – Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson
Jojo Rabbit – Mayes C. Rubeo
Joker – Mark Bridges
Little Women – Jacqueline Durran
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Arianne Phillips
Who Should Win:Little Women – Jacqueline Durran Who Will Win: Little Women – Jacqueline Durran
BEST FILM EDITING
Ford v Ferrari – Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker
The Irishman – Thelma Schoonmaker
Jojo Rabbit – Tom Eagles
Joker – Jeff Groth
Parasite – Yang Jin-mo
Who Should Win:Parasite – Yang Jin-mo Who Will Win: Parasite – Yang Jin-mo
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avengers: Endgame – Dan DeLeeuw, Matt Aitken, Russell Earl, and Dan Sudick
The Irishman – Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, and Nelson Sepulveda
The Lion King – Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, and Elliot Newman
1917 – Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, and Dominic Tuohy
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach, and Dominic Tuohy
Who Should Win:Avengers: Endgame – Dan DeLeeuw, Matt Aitken, Russell Earl, and Dan Sudick Who Will Win: 1917 – Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, and Dominic Tuohy
Note: I’m a novice when it comes to shorts at the Oscars so these predictions are based on what I’ve read.
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
In the Absence – Yi Seung-Jun and Gary Byung-Seok Kam
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) – Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva
Life Overtakes Me – John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson
St. Louis Superman – Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan
Walk Run Cha-Cha – Laura Nix and Colette Sandstedt
Who Should Win:Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) – Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva Who Will Win: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) – Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Brotherhood – Meryam Joobeur and Maria Gracia Turgeon
Nefta Football Club – Yves Piat and Damien Megherbi
The Neighbors’ Window – Marshall Curry
Saria – Bryan Buckley and Matt Lefebvre
A Sister – Delphine Girard
Who Should Win: Brotherhood – Meryam Joobeur and Maria Gracia Turgeon Who Will Win: Brotherhood – Meryam Joobeur and Maria Gracia Turgeon
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Dcera (Daughter) – Daria Kashcheeva
Hair Love – Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver
Kitbull – Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson
Memorable – Bruno Collet and Jean-François Le Corre
Sister – Siqi Song
Who Should Win:Hair Love – Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver Who Will Win: Hair Love – Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver
Do you agree with these predictions for the 2020 Oscars? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.
Determining the 10 best movies of the decade is a somewhat impossible task. For starters, there are thousands of movies to choose from so narrowing it down to 10 is not easy. That being said, a huge selection is a great problem to have. Think about how far movies have come in a decade. Who would’ve thought that streaming services would be winning Oscars? Maybe I’m the “old man yelling at cloud” but I didn’t think it would happen, but I’m glad it has.
When making my best of the decade list, I took into account the following factors:
Do I rewatch the movie frequently and can I find something new every time?
Do I think about it often?
When I watch a film in the same genre, do I compare it to this film?
Do I revisit scenes on YouTube?
Was it a memorable theater viewing?
There were so many films I had to cut and if you talk to me in a few weeks, I’m sure I’ll adjust this list in some way, shape, or form. That being said, here are the 10 best films of the decade.
10. Free Solo
I watch movies to be inspired, and one of the most inspiring movies I’ve ever seen is Free Solo. I can’t remember leaving a theater saying “humans are awesome” until I saw Free Solo. Not only is the story of Alex Honnold’s death-defying climb inspiring, but it’s visuals are jaw-dropping. Even though I knew Honnold would complete the climb, my heart could not stop racing to the point where I debated on taking a xanax after it ended.
9. Get Out
By far, Get Out is the most memorable viewing experience I’ve ever had at a theater. I saw Get Out on a Sunday afternoon a few days after its premiere. The sold-out crowd was laughing, screaming, and cheering throughout the entirety of the film. I felt like I was at a basketball game. It’s an experience that will never be replicated. Get Out is one of the most unique pieces of social commentary I’ve ever seen. Jordan Peele is a genius.
8. Moneyball
Every year, you can make a case that X should have won the Oscar over Y. I understand it’s completely subjective and arguments can be made for or against every performance. That being said, one of the biggest crimes of the decade happened at the 2012 Oscars when Brad Pitt lost in Best Actor for Moneyball. Look at this category and make the case that any of these performances should have won over Pitt.
Billy Beane is my favorite Brad Pitt performance of all time. Pitt somehow made a movie about spreadsheets and on-base percentage so entertaining and riveting that whenever it’s on television, I stop everything I’m doing to watch.
7. Sicario
A “Best of the decade” list without a film from Denis Villeneuve should be invalid. This is Villeneuve’s decade of movies since 2013: Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049. Swap in any of those for Sicario and you won’t hear a peep out of me. However, I’m going with one of the most underrated films of the 21st century, Sicario. It’s a thriller that relentlessly punches you in the stomach and shakes you to your core for two hours. It’s terrifying but brilliant.
6. The Wolf of Wall Street
I’m not fucking leaving! I’ve done an entire 180 on The Wolf of Wall Street. When I first saw it in 2013, I thought it was over-the-top, long, and ridiculous. Now, it’s one of the funniest movies of the decade and I appreciate all the aspects that I initially believed held it back. It’s an adrenaline rush fueled by cocaine and quaaludes. Oh, it also has one of the greatest living directors, Martin Scorsese, and actors, Leonardo DiCaprio, at the top of their games.
5. Parasite
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect a South Korean black comedy thriller from 2019 to be included in the best of the decade list. That all changed when I saw Parasite. I saw Parasite on a Friday afternoon in November, three weeks after it premiered in my local theater. The theater was packed. Parasite fever is real. Masterpiece is the only word that comes to mind when describing Bong Joon-ho’s film. Parasite successfully manages to be a popcorn thriller disguised as a social commentary piece on the wealthy versus the poor. Could this be recency bias? Honestly, who cares. Parasite is phenomenal.
4. Inception
Christopher Nolan is the greatest living director of mass spectacle. His ability to craft gigantic set pieces and enthralling action sequences is second to none. This spot on my list came down to Dunkirk or Inception. You can’t go wrong in my opinion. However, I went with his 2010 follow-up to The Dark Knight. Imagine directing the greatest comic book movie of all time and following that up with a film about the unconscious mind and our perception of what’s real and what’s a dream. That takes stones and Nolan has major onions. It’s a genius and innovative film that still keeps you guessing a decade later.
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
In an age where content is often rushed, Mad Max: Fury Road is the perfect example of when patience is rewarded. After a 30 year absence, Max Rockatansky returned to the big screen in 2015’s Max Max: Fury Road. This film is the greatest action film of the decade. From the exhilarating chase sequences to the spectacular performance from Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road proved that blockbusters can be both entertaining and thematically compelling.
2. The Social Network
The Social Network is a perfect movie. Having both David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin was a cheat code. Between Sorkin’s sharp script and Fincher’s keen direction, The Social Network is a spell-binding look into the mind of one of the most important minds of the 21st century. Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield Armie Hammer, and Justin Timberlake all give career-best performances. The score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is a triumph for cinematic music. How it lost Best Picture is beyond me. Spend your next two hours revisiting this 21st-century classic.
1. La La Land
This musical is a joy to watch. La La Land a love letter to all of the dreamers searching for a better life. The musical numbers are breathtaking and bring me so much joy. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have so much chemistry together that it’s shocking to learn that they’re not a real-life couple. From Justin Hurwitz’s score to Damien Chazelle’s script and direction, La La Land is a film I find myself revisiting every week of my life. The ending is not your fairytale ending, but its sheer honesty is beautiful. Simply put, La La Land is why I watch movies.
What are your favorite movies of the decade? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet me, @danny_giro.
