Projection Room: The Smit Awards 2018
What a year it’s been. YouTube channels got ripped apart, launched and ripped apart even more, Disney actually closed the Fox deal, life at two cinemas has become the norm, superhero films have dominated the box office, and for a change Hollywood has had less scandal than it usually does… hang on, I sense a Gunn has been fired somewhere.
As ever, here on TheJackSmit.com, we end every year with our satirical awards that honour the best and worst of the last 12 months. It’s our way of looking back at a year where 66 films got reviewed in-cinema, a new strand of screening was conquered, and I got to witness actual film production for the first time. So, let’s just get on with it. Welcome to this year’s edition of the Smit Awards.
Before we begin…
Time for the usual rules and regulations of these elusive honours. There are none, except for the main Film of the Year- that has to have been screened on a British cinema screen (whether it’s previews, Screen Unseen or general release) between January 1st and December 23rd, and the important bit: if it was nominated for any of the major Hollywood awards back in February, it’s of no interest here. So, here we go, and be warned, there are potential spoilers ahead.
DIRECTION
Bart Layton, American Animals
This guy worked wonders on this film. After making a few documentaries in the past, his first true feature film blended the worlds of fact and fiction incredibly well, and stylistically, this film just worked on so many levels. I really wanted to give this award to a fresh filmmaker, and for Layton, he did his thing at the right time.
PERFORMANCES
Lead: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody and Viola Davis, Widows
These set of awards were difficult. And as usual, because of the way distribution works, I can’t go with the big films yet- so these two are the strongest performances in my eyes. Malek was able to become Freddie Mercury pretty damn well, and for Viola Davis, she is able to pull off quite a complex role and make it her own.
Support: Timothee Chalamet, Beautiful Boy and Claire Foy, First Man
Again, it’s been difficult to pick these awards. Chalamet continues his blistering rise into Hollywood’s elite with his work on Felix Van Groeningen’s adaptation of Beautiful Boy (and that performance arguably saved the film, believe me), and with Foy’s performance in First Man- a film which has been looked down upon by cinemagoers, it is subtle, nuanced and very thoughtfully worked out.
Ensemble: Bad Times at the El Royale
I can’t not give this film some love- when myself and film production guru Ed Greenberg seen this one back in October, we were rather taken back by the quality of the entire cast- so it felt like the natural choice for this year’s Ensemble award.
SCREENPLAYS
Original: Bad Times at the El Royale
And speaking of the El Royale, Drew Goddard’s script really did make that film come alive- we all know how good his films have been, and this one is no exception, every character has their own narrative, and it is balanced so well that even the mighty Ed Greenberg (who I have worked with more than ever for this blog over the last year) was impressed with it. And me and him are not easy to impress.
Adapted: Black Panther
Hail to the king. Ryan Coogler added a whole new take on the superhero genre with his work on Marvel’s February release this year, and his script with Joe Robert Cole felt refreshing. This may be the big award it scoops at the Oscars, and considering the success of this film, it is fully deserved if it wins the big one.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
First Man
You can’t really argue with the work of Linus Sandgren nowadays… unless it’s on films like Nutcracker and the Four Realms. Just the sheer scale of that landing sequence in First Man was enough to convince me for this award- but obviously shooting it for IMAX is the real reason that cinematography worked.
Traditionally we’d deliver an award for Visual Effects in this bit. But because the standard this year has been so good, picking one film wouldn’t do any justice. So here’s the best of the best.
- AQUAMAN
- AVENGERS INFINITY WAR
- READY PLAYER ONE
- MARY POPPINS RETURNS
All of these films had some top quality CG, and like I say, picking one sole winner would be too difficult.
MUSIC
ORIGINAL SCORE: Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
This guy has had an absolute killer few years. Steve Jobs, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Molly’s Game, Ocean’s 8, and now his masterwork- not bad for a guy who once upon a time wrote the title music for Peep Show. Watch the film first, then listen to that score again- because it fits the action perfectly.
SOUNDTRACK ALBUM: A Star is Born
Obviously. The impact this film has had in the charts kind of warrants this particular award, and potentially that Oscar for Best Original Song too.
WTF MOMENT OF THE YEAR (THE I SMELL BULLSMIT AWARD)
The entire film, Sorry To Bother You
Anybody who’s seen this film will know exactly what I mean when I say that the ending was literally unexpected. But seriously though, Sorry To Bother You is the most surreal thing I’ve seen in a cinema screen, and that’s saying something.
TURKEY OF THE YEAR
Awarded to the film that disappoints audiences and critics alike
There were so many contenders for this award in 2018. But there could only be one.
SHOW DOGS
Angry. Disappointed. Regular readers will know that those are the most scathing words I can bestow upon a film, and in this case, those are the most suitable.
In a year where we’ve had Venom, The Happytime Murders, Patrick, Nutcracker and The Four Realms as well as Robin Hood, none of them could compare with the mediocrity of Raja Gosnell’s Show Dogs. It truly was horrific. And that’s before I mention the infamous ‘zen place’ joke.
THE ‘MYSTERY FILM NIGHT’ AWARD
Awarded to the most surprising Screen Unseen film of the last 12 months
AMERICAN ANIMALS
I am honestly surprised that this film didn’t open wider than it did- because it was a film that really came out of nowhere. It was bold and unique, especially considering the true nature of the story, and quite honestly, seek this film out when it’s released on DVD- because it’s unlike any heist film you’ve ever seen.
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
WIDOWS
It’s been a rocky road for this film at the box office, but Widows was another masterclass from Steve McQueen, one that qualifies for this honour through its link with Film4- it’s Ocean’s 8, but way more serious, brooding, and it’s a much better take on the female heist movie.
BEST ANIMATED FILM
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
This was a real surprise considering that we finally got The Incredibles 2 this year- but seriously, Spider-Verse really delivered upon the goods, and broke Sony’s curse of making some pretty mediocre superhero films. It has some brilliant comic-inspired animation, a perfect script, and so much more.
THEJACKSMIT.COM FILM OF THE YEAR 2018
The big one. Which film will follow Dunkirk, Arrival, Brooklyn and others into the history books? It has been an incredibly difficult decision, but the 2018 Film of the Year is…
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT
Now, because of the way the awards films are released, we haven’t had the proper contenders like The Favourite or Green Book here in the UK yet, which is a real shame. But in terms of what Chris McQuarrie did with Mission 6, there isn’t much to fault. Everything about this film was incredibly well thought out, and even with a slight injury to Tom Cruise, the film got finished on time, and it delivered upon the hype. I rewatched it earlier this week during the final deliberations, and it is just hard to believe that this is a 2 and a half hour film.
2019: Back to Basics
And that just about does it for 2018 here on the blog- but as you’ve seen in December’s Journal and our little rebrand last week, there’s a few changes on the horizon. Guest writers, merch, podcasts, and 100% less bias to any cinema chain will become the norm over the next 12 months. And readers, you are a key part of it all. Keep your eyes peeled on the blog over the next few weeks for further announcements, because this is a bold new era for TheJackSmit.com. An era where we are all #BornIndependent.
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