The 2019 Next Level Blockbuster Award Nominees

Best Picture

Aquaman

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

Creed II

Green Book

Isle of Dogs

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

A Star Is Born

Best Comedy Picture

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Blockers

Crazy Rich Asians

Deadpool 2

A Futile and Stupid Gesture

Best Action Picture

Aquaman

Black Panther

Bumblebee

Mission: Impossible- Fallout

Venom

Best Horror Picture

The First Purge

Halloween

The Nun

A Quiet Place

The Strangers: Prey At Night

Best Inspirational Picture

God Bless the Broken Road

I Can Only Imagine

March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step

Pick of the Litter

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Best Drama Picture

Bohemian Rhapsody

Creed II

First Man

Green Book

A Star Is Born

Best Science Fiction Picture

Avengers: Infinity War

The Cloverfield Paradox

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Ready Player One

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Live Action Family Picture

Benji

Christopher Robin

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween

The House with a Clock in Its Walls

Paddington 2

Best Animated Family Picture

The Grinch

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

Incredibles 2

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

Best Digital or Direct to Video Picture

Bird Box

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

The Cloverfield Paradox

A Futile and Stupid Gesture

Roma

Best Actor

Christian Bale
Vice

Chadwick Boseman
Black Panther

Bradley Cooper
A Star Is Born

Robert Downey Jr.
Avengers: Infinity War

Ryan Gosling
First Man

Michael B. Jordan
Creed II

Rami Malek
Bohemian Rhapsody

Viggo Mortensen
Green Book

Ryan Reynolds
Deadpool 2

John David Washington
BlacKkKlansman

Best Actress

Yalitza Aparicio
Roma

Emily Blunt
A Quiet Place

Sandra Bullock
Bird Box

Jamie Lee Curtis
Halloween

Lady Gaga
A Star Is Born

Jennifer Lawrence
Red Sparrow

Evangeline Lilly
Ant-Man and the Wasp

Danielle Macdonald
Dumplin’

Tessa Thompson
Creed II

Constance Wu
Crazy Rich Asians

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Aniston
Dumplin’

Awkwafina
Crazy Rich Asians

Marina de Tavira
Roma

Cynthia Erivo
Bad Times at the El Royale

Claire Foy
First Man

Danai Gurira
Black Panther

Zoe Kazan
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Regina King
If Beale Street Could Talk

Lupita Nyong’o
Black Panther

Michelle Yeoh
Crazy Rich Asians

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali
Green Book

Josh Brolin
Avengers: Infinity War

Adam Driver
BlacKkKlansman

Donald Glover
Solo: A Star Wars Story

Woody Harrelson
Solo: A Star Wars Story

Tom Holland
Avengers: Infinity War

Michael B. Jordan
Black Panther

Tim Blake Nelson
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Sylvester Stallone
Creed II

Patrick Wilson
Aquaman

Best Ensemble

Aquaman

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

Crazy Rich Asians

Mission: Impossible- Fallout

Best Director

Wes Anderson
Isle of Dogs

Steven Caple Jr.
Creed II

Damien Chazelle
First Man

Ryan Coogler
Black Panther

Bradley Cooper
A Star Is Born

Peter Farrelly
Green Book

Ron Howard
Solo: A Star Wars Story

Anthony and Joe Russo
Avengers: Infinity War

Bryan Singer
Bohemian Rhapsody

James Wan
Aquaman

Best Adapted Screenplay

Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Avengers: Infinity War

Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole
Black Panther

Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan
Solo: A Star Wars Story

Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, and Will Fetters
A Star Is Born

Best Original Screenplay

Anthony McCarten
Bohemian Rhapsody

Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, and Peter Farrelly
Green Book

Wes Anderson
Isle of Dogs

Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski
A Quiet Place

Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian
Searching

Best Original Music

Alan Silvestri
Avengers: Infinity War

Ludwig Göransson
Black Panther

Justin Hurwitz
First Man

Alexandre Desplat
Isle of Dogs

John Powell
Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Original Song

“All the Stars” performed by Kendrick Lamar and SZA
from the motion picture “Black Panther”

“Pray for Me” performed by The Weekend and Kendrick Lamar
from the motion picture “Black Panther”

“Shallow” performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
from the motion picture “A Star Is Born”

“Sunflower” performed by Post Malone and Swae Lee
from the motion picture “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

“Venom” performed by Eminem
from the motion picture “Venom”

Best Production Design

Aquaman

Black Panther

First Man

Mute

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Cinematography

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

First Man

Roma

A Star Is Born

Best Costume Design

Aquaman

Avengers: Infinity War

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Bohemian Rhapsody

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best 3D Presentation

Aquaman

Avengers: Infinity War

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Skyscraper

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Film Editing

Avengers: Infinity War

Bad Times at the El Royale

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Sound Editing

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Bohemian Rhapsody

Solo: A Star Wars Story

A Star Is Born

Best Sound Mixing

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Bohemian Rhapsody

Solo: A Star Wars Story

A Star Is Born

Best Special Effects

Aquaman

Avengers: Infinity War

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Ready Player One

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Best Makeup Effects

Avengers: Infinity War

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Deadpool 2

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Vice

Best Stunt Work

Black Panther

Deadpool 2

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Mission: Impossible- Fallout

Skyscraper

 Best Home Video Release

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes MVD Rewind Collection Blu-ray
Avengers: Infinity War 4K Blu-ray
Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition Blu-ray Set
Deadpool 2 Super Duper $@%!#& Cut 4K Blu-ray
Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Blu-ray Set
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Blu-ray
Justice League 4K Blu-ray
Night of the Living Dead The Criterion Collection Blu-ray
Stranger Things Season 2 4K Blu-ray Set
Supergirl Warner Bros. Archieve Collection Blu-ray

Next Level Blockbuster Icon Award

Marlon Brando
Heath Ledger
Christopher Reeve
Gene Roddenberry
Orson Welles

Next Level Blockbuster Legacy Award
Ghostbusters
The Godfather
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Superman: The Movie

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” Movie Review

    From the very beginning of it's announcement, things started looking not so hot for "Solo: A Star Wars Story".  To say the movie was riddled with problems is an understatement.  Heck, just the idea of a young Han Solo film divided fans.  It seemed either fans loved the idea or felt Han Solo's past should remain a mystery.  I am of the school of thought that if there is a good story to tell, nothing should be off the table so I was personally open to a young Han Solo film, that is until of course all the drama with the production happened.
    When Kathleen Kennedy announced that the directing duo of Lord and Miller were directing this movie, I was excited.  The pair had just come of the successful Jump Street franchise as well as the hugely popular LEGO movie so they seemed like the perfect filmmakers to help lead Star Wars into a new era.  Rumor is that Lord and Miller even turned down a big money deal to direct a Flash movie at Warner Bros. to make this film for Lucasfilms.  Then news broke that the pair had been fired (which seems to be an ongoing pattern over at Lucasfilms) from the project after completing most of the film.  Ron Howard was hired to finish the film and reshoot it to more align with Kathleen Kennedy's "vision" of the film.  I had no idea what to expect from this film which seemed like a mixing pot of different creative directions.  Luckily, by some miracle, the film works.  I was actually pretty entertained throughout most of the movie.
    There were several rumors going around about Alden Ehrenreich needing an acting coach because he was doing such a poor job but if that were true, bravo to the acting coaches because he definitely did a better job than I thought he would.  While I didn’t think of Harrison Ford during his performance, I definitely felt a Han Solo vibe and that is what is important in a young Han Solo movie.
    As far as the supporting cast, the highlight was definitely Donald Glover as a young Lando Calrissian.  He brought the charm and swagger of Billy Dee Williams to his performance in a way few could.  Woody Harrelson was also a welcomed addition to the Star Wars family as a mentor to Han.  Emilie Clarke also co-stars as Han’s love interest.  Unfortunately, Clarke doesn’t add much to the movie but she also doesn’t take anything away either.
    My favorite aspect of the movie was the origin of Han and Chewbecca’s friendship.  The bond they share throughout the movie enhances the friendship they have  in the Star Wars saga films.  This movie could have been a Chewbecca origin film and I would have been happy.  Have I mentioned how awesome Chewbecca is yet?
    Now on to some gripes about the film.  First, the cinematography in the first ten minutes of the film  was terrible and you could hardly see what was going on.  I understand it was supposed to be dark, but the audience needs to see what is going on.  Also, while I liked the secret cameo, I am not sure the reason for his inclusion.  Do they plan to explore the character in a future film?  They will also need to explain his apparent rise from the dead somewhere down the line in a film (and not an animated show).
    The film turned out to be a flop of Lucasfilms part and lost the studio money which is a shame since it wasn’t a bad film.  It was definitely better than the last few Star Wars films.  I just hope they give the Obi-Wan Kenobi movie a shot down the line.  Too bad Han always has to shoot first.

Grade: B+