2018 Cinema & Stadium Film Awards

2018 Cinema & Stadium Film Awards

While I generally like to write about whole movies, I also like to take the opportunity each year to recognize what I thought were the most outstanding individual accomplishments (plus, like many people, I like to share where I think the Oscars were right - and wrong).  As in previous years, there are two "rules" which make my awards a bit different from what you'll see at the Oscars:

1. Only films released widely in 2018 are eligible (this is getting murkier each year, so another way to put it: whichever year it came out in my theater is the year I'm sticking it, so certain films often have to "wait" a year), and 
2. Only films that I've actually seen are eligible.  

I'll note who the Academy Award nominees are for each category, too, and when there are differences it's often because of one or both of those rules.

Please also check out my companion post, where I count down my top 10 films of the year and dish out other "awards".  I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to let me know your own opinions!

Winners in bold
Runners-up underlined


Best Actress
Yalitza Aparicio (Roma)
*Jessica Chastain (Molly's Game)
Viola Davis (Widows)
Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)
Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Meryl Streep (The Post)

2019 Oscar nominees not listed: Glenn Close (The Wife), Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) - didn't see films; Olivia Colman (The Favourite) - film released in calendar 2019

This is possibly the best collection of performances I've seen from actresses in a single year; I must admit, I often simply don't go see the movies that showcase the best female performances.  Even after adding a sixth spot to recognize this, I left plenty of strong ones off the list, from those in physical, action roles (Alicia Vikander, Tomb Raider) to comedy (Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians).  I chose Jessica Chastain as my winner partly because she's one of my favorite actresses, and because the role offered such a variety of challenges.  But really, any of these performances are fully worthy of an Oscar win, and each one is so distinct.  That's why I don't have a runner-up - they're all winners.


Best Actor
*Christian Bale (Vice)
Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible: Fallout)
Ryan Gosling (First Man)
Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)
Robert Redford (The Old Man & the Gun)

2019 Oscar nominees not listed:  Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born), Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate) - didn't see the films; Viggo Mortensen (Green Book) - eligible but chose not to nominate

A very solid group of acting performances, even if they're overshadowed by the women this year.  While Cruise's is not a typical "Oscar" performance, I have to give him a nod for what is practically (in multiple senses) the ultimate action role.  Malek does a great job, though a bit overrated; meanwhile, Redford and particularly Gosling were snubbed by the Academy.  No one can touch Christian Bale this year, though, in what feels like a sequel to last year's award.  Like Oldman as Churchill, Bale's transformation - physical and interior - into his subject is just jaw-dropping.


Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams (Vice)
Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale)
Claire Foy (First Man)
*Danai Gurira/Lupita Nyong'o/Letitia Wright (Black Panther)
Anne Hathaway (Ocean's 8)
Sissy Spacek (The Old Man & the Gun)

2019 Oscar nominees not listed:  Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) - didn't see the film; Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz (The Favourite) - film released in calendar 2019; Marina de Tavira (Roma) - eligible but chose not to nominate

I only have one overlapping nomination, but still feel that this year's roster is extremely strong (like the lead women, I gave an extra nod).  This category does have some intriguing comparisons; Hathaway and Spacek add mischievous spice to their films, while Adams and Foy are incredibly strong spouses of the male leads.  Erivo is a revelation, too.  While the Oscars would never bend their rules this way, I can do whatever I want, so I'm handing the win to Black Panther's amazing trio of women - without whom the film would be a shell of the triumph it is.


Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War)
Steve Carell (Vice)
*Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther)
Jesse Plemons (Game Night)

2019 Oscar nominees not listed:  Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born) - didn't see the film; Mahershala Ali (Green Book), Adam Driver (BlackKklansman), Sam Rockwell (Vice) - eligible but chose not to nominate

This might be the most I've ever diverged from the parallel Oscar category in acting.  I totally agree on Richard E. Grant, in fact think that he should win, for his unique and inspired role in an otherwise badly overlooked film.  Ali and Driver were good, but to me, not quite good enough.  Instead, I'm giving the nod to two of the MCU's best villains to date.  Rockwell clearly benefits from recency bias as he won the award last year, but Carell's performance in the same film is superior.  Finally, Plemons' gonzo role in Game Night also deserves recognition.


Best Director
Ryan Coogler (Black Panther)
David Lowery (The Old Man & the Gun)
Steve McQueen (Widows)
*Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Infinity War)
Aaron Sorkin (Molly's Game)

2019 Oscar nominees not listed:  Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War) - didn't see the film; Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite) - film released in calendar 2019; Alfonso Cuaron (Roma), Spike Lee (BlackKklansman), Adam McKay (Vice) - eligible but chose not to nominate

This category is a little tricky for me to decide who is most worthy; usually, I look at degree of difficulty for the movie being successful, and a good balancing of the various elements (tone, pacing, performances, etc.).  Well, Infinity War definitely meets the criteria for degree of difficulty, so the guys in charge win for me.  I'd also like to note that both The Old Man & the Gun and Widows feel like they could have ended up badly if not for a strong director at the helm.


Best Screenplay
Liz Hannah, Josh Singer (The Post)
Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Adam McKay (Vice)
Mark Perez (Game Night)
*Aaron Sorkin (Molly's Game)

There are some absolutely brilliant contenders for writing this year.  Sorkin, one of the best writers out there, took his game to a whole new level so he takes the prize.  Can You Ever Forgive Me? edges the others because of its balance of humor and pathos, but the other three are all knockouts, too (in particular, Hollywood comedy writers: please take regular lessons from Perez.  PLEASE!!!)

Best Visual Effects
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Aquaman
*Avengers: Infinity War
Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald
Ready Player One



* By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43704847