By this point, I think it’s abundantly clear that I’m passionate about film. I realize movies aren’t the most important thing in life, but they can often have a powerful, long lasting influence when done right and play significant roles in our culture. Awards shows in Hollywood, especially the Oscars, are shaped by the politics of the industry and often fail to present the best that the filmmaking craft has to offer. Unlike many of Academy voters, I’ve actually watched all the films that made my Best of 2017 list (and plenty more that didn’t) and at significant personal expense. Having watched over 100 films during the course of the year, I’ve decided to put together The First Annual Sheist Film Awards with some of my own categories, rather than merely chime in on what the Academy has put on the ballot. So, let’s kick things off with the fun categories…
(If you’re only interested in the big six…Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Supporting… then you can skip ahead to the end and work your way back up)
🏆 – indicates likely Academy Pick
🐎 – indicates Academy darkhorse
Most Original Movie
Directed by Dave McCary, Written by Kevin Costello and Kyle Mooney
Written and Directed by Nacho Vigalondo
Directed by J.D. Dillard, Written by J.D. Dillard and Alex Theurer
Directed by Ben Wheatley, Written by Amy Jump and Ben Wheatley
Written and Directed by Taran Killam
And the winner is…
Brigsby Bear, Kevin Costello and Kyle Mooney
(This was actually my favorite movie of 2017)
Weirdest Movie
The Killing of A Sacred Deer
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, Written by Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou
or
Written and Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Most Interesting Foreign Film
Blade of the Immortal (Japan)
Directed by Takashi Miike, Written by Tetsuya Oishi
(Hiroaki Samura original manga)
Thelma (Norway)
Directed By Joachim Trier, Written by Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
Raw (France)
Written and Directed by Julia Ducournau
And the winner is…
Raw (France)
Written and Directed by Julia Ducournau
Best Soundtrack
I, Tonya
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2
Call Me By Your Name
The Greatest Showman
And the winner is…
Baby Driver
Must See Documentary
City of Ghosts
Directed by Matthew Heineman
A group of anonymous citizen journalists, called “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently”, present a horrifying and unforgettable look at the atrocities being committed by Isis in their hometown.
Most Disappointing
Directed by Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon
Written by Zack Snyder, Joss Whedon and Chris Terio
Written and Directed by Rian Johnson
War for the Planet of the Apes
Directed by Matt Reeves, Written by Matt Reeves and Mark Bomback
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Written and Directed by Luc Besson
Original Comic by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres
Directed by Ridley Scott, Written by John Logan and Dante Harper
Directed by Rupert Sanders
Written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler and Ehren Kruger
Original Comic by Shirow Masamune
And the “Winner” is…
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Written and Directed by Luc Besson
Original Comic by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres
**These awards are for those who made a noticeable splash without necessarily factoring in to the rest of the larger awards picture**
Breakthrough Performers
Jacob Lattimore: Sleight, Detroit
&
Breakthrough Directors
Julia Ducournau: Raw
&
Josh and Benny Safdie: Good Time
Best Original Score
Daniel Lopatin aka Oneohtrix Point Never, Good Time
Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Wind River
Carter Burwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
🏆 Jonny Greenwood, Phantom Thread
🐎 Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water
And the Winner is…
Daniel Lopatin aka Oneohtrix Point Never, Good Time
Best Visual Effects
🐎 Blade Runner 2049
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
War for the Planet of the Apes
🏆 Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2
And the Winner is…
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Best Costume Design
Michael Kaplan, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Stacey Battat, The Beguiled
🏆 Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread
Ellen Mirojnick, The Greatest Showman
🐎 Luis Sequeria, The Shape of Water
And the winner is…
Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread
Best Production Design
Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau, The Shape of Water
🏆 Dennis Gassner and Alessandra Querzola, Blade Runner 2049
🐎 Nathan Crowley and Gary Fettis, Dunkirk
Rick Heinrichs, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Nathan Crowley, The Greatest Showman
And the winner is…
Nathan Crowley, The Greatest Showman
Best Cinematography
Thimios Bakatakis, The Killing of a Sacred Deer
🏆 Roger Deakins, Blade Runner 2049
Bojan Bazelli, A Cure For Wellness
Drew Daniels, It Comes at Night
🐎 Hoyt Van Hoytema, Dunkirk
And the Winner is…
Roger Deakins, Blade Runner 2049
Best Original Screenplay
🐎 Jordan Peele, Get Out
Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick
Taylor Sheridan, Wind River
Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, Good Time
🏆 Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Guillermo Del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
And the Winner(s) are…
Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick
Best Adapted Screenplay
Marc Meyers, My Friend Dahmer
🏆 James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name
Michael Almereyda, Marjorie Prime
Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green, Logan
🐎 Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game
And the Winner is…
Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game
**These awards recognize the performers who had the best overall body of work throughout the course of the year**
Actor of the Year
Idris Elba
Actress of the Year
Nicole Kidman
Best Supporting Actor
Ray Romano, The Big Sick
🏆 Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Jon Hamm, Marjorie Prime
🐎 Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water
Ali Fazal, Victoria & Abdul
And the Winner is…
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri
Best Supporting Actress
🐎 Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
🏆 Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Vicky Krepes, Phantom Thread
Katherine Keener, Get Out
And the Winner is…
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Best Actor
Jeremy Renner, Wind River
Ross Lynch, My Friend Dahmer
James MacAvoy, Split
Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger
Robert Pattinson, Good Time
Harry Dean Stanton, Lucky
🐎 Daniel Day-Lewis, The Phantom Thread
🏆 Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
And the Winner is…
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
Best Actress
Elizabeth Olsen, Wind River
Soarise Ronan, Lady Bird
🏆 Frances McDormand, Three Billboards
Nicole Kidman, The Beguiled
Judy Dench, Victoria & Abdul
Florence Pugh, Lady Macbeth
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
🐎 Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
And the Winner is…
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
Taylor Sheridan, Wind River
Kathryn Bigelow, Detroit
Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
🏆 Guillermo Del Toro, The Shape of Water
🐎 Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Sofia Coppola, The Beguiled
Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game
Jordan Peele, Get Out
And the winner is…
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Best Picture
Directed by Joe Wright, Written by Anthony McCarten
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Written by Hampton Facher and Michael Green
🏆Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh
Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig
Written and Directed by Taylor Sheridan
Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Written by Mark Boal
Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, Written by Guillermo Del Toro and Vanessa Taylor
The Big Sick
Directed by Michael Showalter, Written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani
Molly’s Game
Written and Directed by Aaron Sorkin
Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Brigsby Bear
Directed by Dave McCary, Written by Kevin Costello and Kyle Mooney
🐎 Honorable Mention: Get Out
Written and Directed by Jordan Peele
And the Winner is…
The Shape of Water
Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, Written by Guillermo Del Toro and Vanessa Taylor
If you made it this far, thanks for taking the time. Hopefully you found something you can enjoy!