This is it. The big daddy. The one you’ve all been waiting for. The 2013 SAGMA Awards for Best Picture, Favourite Picture and Best Director. These are the awards everyone stays up for when watching the Oscars, or the Golden Globes. Thanks for staying up.
The awards being given out today: Best Picture, Favourite Picture, Best Director.
To see the nominees, click here.
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Before we give out the big awards, I did mention a secret award in my last post. Sneaky sneaky!
This award is brand new (along with all the other awards) and is just as, if not more prestigious than any other SAGMA.
This award was named after one of the best directors of all time, who could make any movie great, and directed timeless classics thanks to his attention to detail and want for perfection.
This award is called the “Kubrick Award” – For Film Appreciation, and is awarded to a movie that I deem worthy of the title “classic”. That’s blown me away with how beautifully it’s shot, written and produced. That made me feel emotion and invested me in the story. This award is for timeless classics of the past.
Kubrick Award – For Film Appreciation
2013 Awardee: The Usual Suspects (Directed by Bryan Singer)
Who is Keyser Soze?
What else can you say about The Usual Suspects besides….holy crap, was that as good as I think it was?
The Usual Suspects, starring the ever-so-brilliant Kevin Spacey and equally good Chazz Palminteri, is less of an action film and more of a manhunt. A manhunt for the famous super-criminal Keyser Soze. And what’s so brilliant about this manhunt is not only does it ironically all take place in a Police Station, but it’s a simpler kind of manhunt. It’s not chasing someone by running after them and tracking them down. It’s a manhunt with words and with stories. I believe few directors could achieve this feat to the effect Singer did.
This movie takes you on a ride. To find Keyser Soze and all his associates. To find out what he does, who he is and why he does it. Being engrossed in a story that you have no relation to or nothing in common with is a rare yet precious thing. The writing is so genuine and emotional – something few writers can say about their work nowadays.
I’m not sure if I’ve told you in all why this movie is so fantastic, so just see it for yourself…right now. Head on down to your BlockBuster or whatever you have down the road and watch this masterpiece. In terms of film making, this is perfection.
Best Director
WINNER: Wes Anderson – Moonrise Kingdom
Takin’ a stroll…Anderson style.
Moonrise Kingdom was an absolutely fantastic film. One of the best of the year, without a doubt. And sure, the actors contributed a lot. But really, how could you go past how well this film was directed?
Direction isn’t just about camera angles. Direction is also about style. Where should certain things go? What should be in the background of these scenes? What should the actors act like? How should we interpret this scene from the script? And then there’s of course how the scene should be shot. Well, Anderson’s wacky style certainly pulled through in this film. Some of his ideas would have seemed a little crazy in theory, but I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how he wanted it to be.
His direction was impeccable, not only in terms of shots, but his vision for this movie will go down in my book as one of the best I’ve seen. The unblemished sophistication and style that Anderson no doubt had control over has made Moonrise Kingdom a huge success.
Now you have a SAGMA, Wes. Without a doubt your biggest achievement.
Best Picture
WINNER: Argo (Directed by Ben Affleck)
These two were so awesome in Argo.
Are you really that surprised?
Argo was a total triumph. I didn’t get the chance to review it, unfortunately, but it really ticked all the boxes. Affleck’s acting is good, sure…but his direction is fantastic. The Town is a brilliant film and this is certainly nothing short of brilliant too.
If you haven’t seen Argo, you’re living under a rock. This is the film that EVERYONE was talking about, and still will be seeing as it’ll probably grab “Best Picture” at the Oscars – which I wish would hurry up and happen, by the way.
I went into Argo wrongfully unsure about what to expect. The Town was a triumph and I don’t know why I didn’t assume this would be too. Well, I was proved wrong yet again as this film took me on a fantastically interesting journey. Argo actually made me look up the Iranian Hostage Crisis on Wikipedia when I got home from the Cinema – something few movies have done to me.
The whole film had a suspense about it. The scene where they’re escaping Iran, although heavily dramatized, was one of the most intense scenes I’ve seen all year. Affleck’s knack for grabbing the viewers attention makes him a standout, and I’m sure in the next 10 years, he’ll have made quite a few more of these gems.
Oh, and his performance as Tony Mendez wasn’t half bad, either.
Favourite Picture
WINNER: Skyfall (Directed by Sam Mendes)
Think on your sins.
I decided I’d put this category in there because I thought Skyfall was totally and utterly badass, and I really wanted to give it Best Picture, but honestly, it wasn’t Best Picture worthy. So I snuck in the Favourite Picture category and had Skyfall as the winner from minute 1.
This film really showed how good a modern take on a classic series can be. It’s fair to say Quantum of Solace was a HUGE disappointment, and Casino Royale, while pretty good, wasn’t the best Bond ever made. Skyfall needed to step up. It needed to raise the bar, or get close to the bar at least. Otherwise, who knows what would’ve happened to the Bond franchise.
Mendes did it. He and his fireball of Skyfall momentum not only raised the bar, it flew right through the bar, smashing it into little tiny bar-pieces. Take THAT, critics!
Daniel Craig actually put in a performance you could say was “Best Actor nomination worthy”. When you think Bond films, you don’t usually see the actor playing Bond getting an award for it (unless it’s Sean Connery, then I say give it to him!). But Craig somehow made this less about fighting and more about persona. After all, for a Bond movie, this was very personal.
The whole M thing was just awesome. “Think on your sins”…creepy. It probably didn’t help my already creeped-out conscience that Javier Bardem was so friggin’ good. He was a total badass, unlike the soft and gentle Bane. God damn it…do I have to mention Bane in every review I do!?
So, if you’re looking for a fantastic film to watch, then look no further. Skyfall will do it for you.
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Well, that’s a great year for film gone. I appreciate you stickin’ around to see who I gave Best Picture to. If you’d like to see more of my reviews, then click the Follow button to the right.
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