The 2018 Eby Awards
Hello! As always, I feel very silly putting my opinions on the internet. You don't have to read them. If you do read them, it's very nice of you to read them. Please talk back at me about them. I like that when it happens.
This post is going to hand out my Eby Awards for movies that came out in 2017. I would do Emmy Awards, but somebody took that already and also I hate being called "Emmy." Don't do it.
My nominations and wins are based on my own personal criteria, which is super different from the Academy's. I'm only going to do my own for the Big Six Categories: the acting awards, directing, and picture. Here's a link to my ballot of people who are actually nominated: predictions on who will win, whether or not I want them to.
Just as a reminder, movies that are eligible for consideration at this year's Oscars were released between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. That's why you have to wait until next year to see Ryan Coogler, Danai Gurira, and Michael B. Jordan on my list. Because holy crap Black Panther. It changed me.
So here we go. Lights up on The Eby Awards. It's the last six categories of a three hour ceremony. These awards shows often drag on, but the Ebys have been a non-stop party a la the first Tina and Amy Golden Globes. Julia Louis Dreyfus and Tiffany Haddish are hosting, because it's absolutely insane that they keep trotting out essentially the same six boring dudes for the Oscars, barely ever cracking open the crate of reliable comediennes at their disposal.
Earlier in the night, Coco won for Best Animated Feature (narrowly edging out The Lego Batman Movie, which IS nominated at The Ebys). Remember Me from Coco won Best Original Song, because even though The Greatest Showman is delightful, the way the audience's understanding of Remember Me develops over the course of the film is [chef's kiss] perfection and worthy of so many awards. And of course, The Big Sick got Best Original Screenplay, because Emily and Kumail are the best (and because the similarly-great Get Out and Lady Bird won big in other categories).
The Southern Hemisphere's Best Blondes come out to present Best Supporting Actor.
And the nominees are:
Bradley Cooper, Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
Mark Hamill, The Last Jedi (but also Brigsby Bear)
Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me By Your Name
Jason Sudeikis, Colossal
Runners-up: Lucas Hedges (Lady Bird), Ray Romano (The Big Sick), Bob Odenkirk (The Post), Sebastian Stan (I, Tonya), Oscar Isaac (an impeccable ten minute performance in Suburbicon, a real stinker of a motion picture)
Bradley Cooper does really good voice work in the Guardians franchise; a particular scene between his Rocket and Michael Rooker's Yondu was one of my favorites of the year. I also think that the Academy undervalues voice work (still bitter about the ScarJo snub from Her), so I am refusing to make the same mistake.
Most people my age know Willem Dafoe as Spiderman's Green Goblin. He's got such a threatening face that it was hard for me to imagine him as anything else. But in The Florida Project, he plays a lovely, hardworking motel owner who has to follow some hard rules... but does so with kindness. He's a real-world protector, bird conversant, and overall excellent character. Completely astounding.
I'd be lying if I said Mark Hamill's nomination wasn't partially a "Most Improved" Award. But for kids who grew up with Star Wars, it's impossible not to compare his often-stilted line readings in New Hope with his lovely, nuanced portrayal of Broken Hermit Luke Skywalker in TLJ. He was also excellent in Brigsby Bear, a movie I recommend seeing with as little knowledge about the plot as you can manage.
Michael Stuhlbarg gets this year's Most Actor award, since he is in three of the actual Best Picture noms. But for my money, the best use of his significant talents is the tender dad character from Call Me By Your Name. I don't really like CMBYN (I find the pining a bit too painful to watch), but I am enraptured by how lovely the family in that movie is. If you watch nothing else of that movie, don't miss Stuhlbarg's speech at the end. It's lovely.
A brief aside: I DESPISE Phantom Thread. I would hate it in any year, but especially in this year—in which men abusing their power over women was all we talked about—I am mystified as to why a movie beautifying such behavior is so widely acclaimed. For me, the antidote is Colossal. Jason Sudeikis plays the abusive guy in that movie, and he does it so subtly that it raises red flags for women but probably slips right under the radar for most men until his behavior has escalated to the point of no return. It's a great performance from an underappreciated talent.
And the Eby goes to: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project. He's SO good, y'all.
Next, Emily's Two Boyfriends come out to present Best Supporting Actress.
And the nominees are:
Carrie Fisher, The Last Jedi
Holly Hunter, The Big Sick
Catherine Keener, Get Out
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Robin Wright, Wonder Woman
Runners-up: Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip),Beanie Feldstein (Lady Bird), Betty Gabriel (Get Out)
Come on, I wasn't not gonna nominate Carrie Fisher in her last year on Earth playing the princess/general who changed my whole life. She's nurturing and kind, but doesn't let Poe Dameron get cocky, kid. She's perfect and I miss her.
I've been on a Holly Hunter kick this year. The Big Sick led me to Broadcast News, which led me to Raising Arizona, which led me back to The Incredibles again, which led me to the conclusion that there's no one like Holly Hunter. I love the way she starts out suspicious of Kumail, and slowly opens up to him, eventually inviting him into her family. There's a moment where she runs her hand across Kumail's face that felt so fun and spontaneous and true to me... I love her so muhuhuch!
Get Out operates on a creeping sense of dread. For the movie to work, you need to feel both afraid and like you're overreacting. Of the Armitage family, the most impressive at riding that line is Catherine Keener. If you don't get spooked to your core when she shakes her head and says "that's my kid" to Chris, you really need to reevaluate how scared you are of the sheer will of white ladies.
Lady Bird. Oh, how I love Lady Bird. It tracks with my own high school experience weirdly well, especially in how Lady Bird and her mom Marion fight even though (or because?) they love each other. Laurie Metcalf's Marion is scary and warm and so many other things at once. When Lady Bird's boyfriend Danny tells Marion about Lady Bird's "I'm from the wrong side of the tracks" joke, 50 years of lower-middle-class pain and struggle appear right on her face. I am truly, deeply in love with this performance. A lot of movies remind me how much I love my mom, but this might take the cake.
Robin Wright is a great talent, one of my top five living actresses. But this year, she is nominated on the strength of this shot, and this shot alone:
The way it feels to see an older woman, with her own neck, being not just viable but valuable in battle? It's just the best.
And the Eby goes to: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird. See that movie and call your mom.
Natalie Portman emerges in a spectacular red dress to present Best Actor.
And the nominees are:
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Adam Driver, The Last Jedi
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Chris Hemsworth, Thor: Ragnarok
Hugh Jackman, Logan
I was really scraping in this category, to be honest. I could think of a lot of performances that I liked, but they were mostly women and supporting men.
Timothée Chalamet is adorable in Call Me By Your Name. Part of why I don't really like this movie is because I like him so much, and I don't want anything bad to happen to him! He seals his nomination in a spectacular long take at the end of the movie. Can't wait to see him grow as an actor.
I may have fudged it a little to call Adam Driver a lead actor in The Last Jedi, but it's okay. I think he's a once-in-a-generation talent. You get everything—his hurt, his fear, his attraction, his conflict—on his face. I maintain that if Hayden Christensen were as good as Adam Driver, we would all like the prequels. He's great.
Okay, so there's good acting. There's great acting. And there's transcendent acting. I think that Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out is transcendent. He has to convey all the normal acting emotions under a second layer of calm/cool/collectedness, without tipping his hand or speeding up the process of the movie. Kaluuya nails it. From the tears streaming down his face to his conflict over Georgina towards the end... dang. The whole weight of the movie rests on his performance, and he is absolutely up to that challenge. Transcendent.
Don't you say a word. Chris Hemsworth is an actor of range who respects women on and off-screen and his character can crack a joke while also grappling with a secret family history of colonialism and bloodshed and manage to not be outshone by Cate Freaking Blanchett in Ragnarok, give this man the respect he deserves please and thank you.
This nomination for Hugh Jackman in Logan is less about his years of playing Wolverine and more about celebrating the beginning of his Fancy Jackman Years. The man just wants to sing and declare and be frilly like in Kate & Leopold and The Prestige and The Greatest Showman. Finally he can do so, free of his Adamantium chains. THIS IS WHO YOU WANNA BEEEEEEE!!!
And the Eby goes to: Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out. Marvelous marvelous marvelous man.
Because this is MY awards show, a bespectacled Tom Hanks emerges to present Best Actress. Swoooooon.
And the nominees are:
Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman
Anne Hathaway, Colossal
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post
Runners-up: Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), Brooklyn Prince (The Florida Project), Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
I found Wonder Woman in college, and have been a bit of a fan ever since. To say I was skeptical about Gal Gadot is an understatement. To say I was wrong is also an understatement. The idea of "strong female protagonist" often manifests as the Frances McDormand character in Three Billboards: gruff, angry, uncompromising. It was great to see Gal play Diana as a strong woman who is also genuine, romantic, sweet, often right, but sometimes wrong. She's even wonderful in the DC team-up stinkers. Go Gal.
I mentioned how much I loved Colossal above, and Anne Hathaway anchors the movie much like Daniel Kaluuya anchors Get Out. She plays it quite well, in addition to playing a recovering(ish) alcoholic. The last ten minutes of that movie really give her an opportunity to showcase her power. Seriously, watch Colossal.
I accidentally became a Tonya Harding fan this year, and it was great to see her played by one of my generation's greatest talents, Margot Robbie. I, Tonya tells her story cleverly. It doesn't let Tonya off the hook. It uses Fleetwood Mac. Margot gets her post-triple-axel smile so perfectly, it gives me chills. TEAM TONYA FOREVER
Saoirse Ronan has been award-worthy since Brooklyn. She's especially delightful in Lady Bird because she's so familiar to me, a perfect mix of me and my sister. Her cafe scene with Lucas Hedges rules so hard. She's going to have a long career... but only if she wants it.
Okay, look. I know Meryl Streep is a perennial nominee, earning acclaim for movies that would be ignored with any other star. Nominating her for something as tone-deaf (pun intended) as last year's Florence Foster Jenkins was totally unnecessary. But her performance as Kay Graham in The Post is something to behold, my favorite of hers since The Devil Wears Prada. In preparing for the role, Meryl read a lot of Kay Graham's writing about her own timidity in being the first woman to run a Fortune 500 Company. Every time you think Meryl should make a grand declaration, she makes a simple statement. She underplays it SO well at every turn, sprinkling in details and wearing the most magnificent caftan ever worn. I've seen this movie three times and every time, Meryl's performance gets richer. I love this movie, and Meryl makes it.
And the Eby goes to: Meryl Streep, The Post. She's still got new tricks up her sleeve.
An adorable Jacob Tremblay and Abraham Attah, the two least problematic men at my awards show where only good ones are invited, come out to present Best Director.
And the nominees are:
Sean Baker, The Florida Project
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Jordan Peele, Get Out
I don't know much about directing, but I'll say what I can: Sean Baker brings lightness and warmth to the incredibly sad story of The Florida Project. Guillermo del Toro is one of my very favorite directors, a lovable weirdo with a steady hand and a sweet monster fetish epitomized in The Shape of Water. Greta Gerwig is such a talent, and Lady Bird is a remarkable first film. This is Christopher Nolan's first nomination as a director, which is NUTS because he is the sixth highest grossing director of all time and also he's very very good.
And then there's Jordan Peele. His first time out of the gate, Jordan Peele delivers a crossover between horror and comedy that uses film to get white people to understand (on the most basic level) how it feels to be black in America. I think Get Out changed the whole damn game, and it's Jordan's first movie. This movie rules on a short-term level AND a long-term level, and that's all thanks to the intelligence and thoughtfulness of Jordan's creation and execution.
And the Eby goes to: no surprise, Jordan Peele, Get Out.
Now it's time for the last award of the night: Best Picture, presented by Amy Adams, our greatest living un-Oscar-awarded actress. Luckily, she got the Eby Award for Arrival last year, so here she is to present.
And the nominees are:
The Big Sick
Colossal
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
The Last Jedi
The Post
The Shape of Water
Thor: Ragnarok
Wonder Woman
These are my best of the best: comedies with heart and new points of view, action movies that grapple with really big ideas, dramas about people (or muscular fishmen) who don't often get the spotlight. War is ugly and impersonal. Love is weird and complicated. Our heroes aren't who we thought they were, and we've got to be better than they were. I loved this year of movies, and these were my ten favorites. But as you've probably guessed...
The Eby goes to: Get Out.
Julia Louis Dreyfus thanks you for watching, and Tiffany Haddish jokes that she'll be looking to console Timothée Chalamet at the afterparty (she's already texted him a peach emoji). And I, too, thank you. This was a remarkably self-indulgent exercise and I'm lucky that any of you would ever be interested in coming along.