The "Ito Junji Collection"

Ito Junji is an undisputed master of horror. He is known primarily for body horror, as exemplified by his three most popular manga collections: Uzumaki, Gyo, and Tomie. But he has created many more aberrations and abominations, and international audiences have been fortunate enough to get to behold them in English-language anthologies like Fragments of Horror and Shiver. When the anime series "Ito Junji Collection" was first announced, fans like myself were obviously ecstatic. It's one thing to see these abhorrent, nightmarish images on print, it's another to see them moving and given voice.

Unfortunately, the 12-episode series (with each episode consisting of two stories) has ended up being a mixed bag, with several weak and unscary stories getting into the anthology in the place of some of Ito's stronger works. Some of the glaring omissions are the haunting "Hanging Blimp" and the silly but ultimately disturbing "Tomio: Red Turtleneck." Also, for a series based on some of the most otherworldly Lovecraftian horrors in modern literature, it has absurdly conventional opening and ending themes. It's as if the series doesn't quite know what to do with Ito's ouvre, which is a sad waste.

Still, there are gems in the collection that are definitely worth watching. I'd still recommend watching all 12 episodes, but in case you'd like to be selective, here are my rankings of and thoughts on the 24 stories.

24. "Hell Doll Funeral" (Episode 1.2)
Story: 2/5
Scare Meter: 2.5/5

It's not bad, and anyone who's scared of dolls to begin with won't find this pleasant, but it's too short to make much of an impact. Also, paired up as it is with an opener that's hardly any better, it's still almost totally unremarkable.

23. "Souichi's Convenient Curse" (Episode 1.1)
Story: 2.5/5
Scare Meter: 2/5



I get that they want to build up curse-wielding problem-child Souichi as the semi-regular that binds these nasties in a sort of shared universe, sure (he appears in a total of three shorts), but I would have wanted the series to start with something downright nasty and disturbing and THEN perhaps soften it a bit with Souichi's antics. It's a head-scratcher that almost had me giving up on the series right after this lame two-fer.

22. "Rumors" (Episode 12.2)
Story: 2.5/5
Scare Meter: 2/5

Oh look, it's Souichi again! In the last episode ever. The only thing that saves this almost-clunker is how it ends. No spoilers here, but it's rather glorious.

21. "The Circus Comes to Town" (Episode 8.2)
Story: 2.5/5
Scare Meter: 2.5/5

An interesting premise that nevertheless wastes the potential of the circus setting for genuine supernatural scares. It's a rather gruesome story, but neither exciting nor scary.

20. "Boy at the Crossroads" (Episode 3.1)
Story: 3/5
Scare Meter: 2.5/5



It's a rather interesting concept that takes its inspiration from various urban myths, but the scares from the "crossroads pretty boy" and the things in the mist could have been upped a notch.

19. "Cloth Teacher" (Episode 5.2)
Story: 3/5
Scare Meter: 2.5/5

What could have been a very frightening premise is given more comedic touches by the involvement of our favorite nail-biter (and I don't mean fingernails) Souichi, but it's not a bad approach. It isn't saying much, but this is certainly this character's most serviceable story in the series.

18. "Supernatural Transfer Student" (Episode 11.1)
Story: 3/5
Scare Meter: 2.5/5

It's like Chronicle by way of Ito Junji. The supernatural powers manifested here seem slightly out of place among the other episodes, but I wouldn't mind more stories involving the oddball Tsukano (certainly more than that other oddball).

17. "Town of No Roads" (Episode 7.2)
Story: 3/5
Scare Meter: 3/5



The transition from the first act to the longer second is a bit jarring, but once you get past that, you can appreciate the scary premise and the haunting visuals. The titular town is genuinely creepy.

16. "Honored Ancestors" (Episode 8.1)
Story: 3/5
Scare Meter: 3/5

Ito Junji is hardly known for subtlety, so it's a welcome surprise when he bothers to hide the gruesomeness of his monsters. And gruesome it truly is. Not really very scary, though.

15. "Shiver" (Episode 4.1)
Story: 3/5
Scare Meter: 3.5/5

It's a fine example of body horror (stay far away if you're trypophobic!), and it's even scarier in motion than on the page. But as far as plots go, Ito has much more engaging ones than this.

14. "Marionette Mansion" (Episode 4.2)
Story: 3.5/5
Scare Meter: 3/5



It's a strong plot with particularly wicked visuals (marionettes! strings!), but with a rather bewildering, almost risible premise. Still, when you're a fan of Ito Junji, you learn to appreciate all that weirdness.

13. "Slug Girl" (Episode 3.2)
Story: 2.5/5
Scare Meter: 4/5

Now THIS is the Ito brand of body horror at its most deliciously convoluted and disturbing. Rather reminiscent of Uzumaki in its use of the spiral motif. Who cares if there's no sensible plot? It's totally wicked.

12. "Used Record" (Episode 7.1)
Story: 4/5
Scare Meter: 3/5

It's a genuinely creepy premise and is actually one of the better stories in Ito's collections. But as far as adaptations go, this is one of the weaker ones. The episode is unable to capture the terror that is much more effectively elicited on paper.

11. "Scarecrow" (Episode 11.2)
Story: 4/5
Scare Meter: 3/5

A sad, melancholic story with a disturbing tone. Some of the images will really stay with you, just as you're struck by how heavy it is.

10. "Painter" (Episode 9.1)
Story: 4/5
Scare Meter: 3/5

It's everyone's favorite wicked immortal! Tomie is, as always, frustratingly and achingly beautiful and alien, and she stirs a lot of trouble in the life of a painter who wants to capture the true essence of her beauty. Be careful what you wish for.

9. "Greased" (Episode 10.1)
Story: 4/5
Scare Meter: 3.5/5

It's more disgusting and disturbing than scary, but boy is it disturbing! Body horror with significant emphasis on bodily fluids. On both the page and the screen, you can almost smell that oil. It's horridly suffocating.

8. "Blood-Bubble Bushes" (Episode 9.2)
Story: 4/5
Scare Meter: 4/5

This is one of the odder episodes. Creepy vampiric kids start if off on the right note, and it only gets darker and more bizarre from there.

7. "Smashed" (Episode 12.1)
Story: 4/5
Scare Meter: 4/5

Talk about odd! The premise is almost risible with its absurdity, but it's so undeniably enthralling and out-of-this-world that you can't help but be shaken with both mirth and revulsion when the big reveal is done.

6. "The Ongoing Tale of Oshikiri" (Episode 5.1)
Story: 4/5
Scare Meter: 4/5



This one's more Lovecraftian than many of the other episodes. Calculated and chilling. More than the actual monsters, it's the dark implications that make this unsettling.

5. "Gentle Goodbye" (Epiode 6.2)
Story: 4.5/5
Scare Meter: 3.5/5

It's definitely a superior, powerfully emotional piece interspersed with chilling imagery. One of the better adaptations, as it fully captures the emotional heft of the original.

4. "Window Next Door" (Episode 6.1)
Story: 3.5/5
Scare Meter: 4.5/5

It's shorter than most episodes, and nothing much happens, but...it just happens to be scariest out of all of the episodes! With a mind like Ito's, he doesn't need a lot of minutes to create a piece of true, unadulterated horror. Watch for that neighbor at the window next door!

3. "Fashion Model" (Episode 2.1)
Story: 3.5/5
Scare Meter: 4.5/5



Fuchi, perhaps Ito's most famous creation aside from Tomie, the mutant fish of Gyo, and the spiral creatures of Uzumaki, is even more terrifying in anime because SHE. IS. MOVING. Her laughter, her glares, and her crazy speed are amped up by strong animation and an appropriately unsettling voice.

2. "Bridge" (Episode 10.2)
Story: 4.5/5
Scare Meter: 4/5

Ghosts are nearly always scary, especially when there's so many of them and they're waiting very, very patiently. But on top of that, this one has a powerful story of love, devotion, and tragic loss. It's mesmerizing. 

1. "The Long Dream" (Episode 2.2)
Story: 5/5
Scare Meter: 3.5/5



Simply put: brilliant. The concept of dream-time is absolutely Lovecraftian and reminds me so much of The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, one of my favorite Lovecraft stories. This episode makes me think that a Lovecraft film made by Junji Ito would be the ultimate combo in existential fear.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE (91st)

SOON!

Another Oscar season over...

The 90th Oscars ceremony was simple, classy, and nostalgic, though I was expecting more to be done to celebrate the big 90, like the acting winners' reunion of past anniversaries. But the montages did a pretty good job of reminding people how awesome cinema is.

Not a lot of surprises in terms of winners, which makes my score of 16/21 (I don't make predictions in the three categories on short films) rather bad. But in my defense, even experts were thrown off by Three Billboards's rally at the precursors, including BAFTA. I had Shape of Water for Best Picture until two days before the big show, when I switched to Three Billboards. The other categories I got wrong:

Documentary Feature: I predicted Faces, Places instead of Icarus. I thought the Academy loved Agnes Varda that much, but I should have guessed that they'd go for an American-made doc on doping and Russian interference.

Original Song: I thought the uplifting anthem "This Is Me" would prove irresistible to the voters, but it turns out that they REALLY didn't like The Greatest Showman at all and they REALLY liked Coco, enough to give it 2 out of 2. Can't blame them, Coco is AMAZING and should have been up for Best Picture.

Production Design: I predicted Blade Runner 2049 instead of The Shape of Water. Very silly, in hindsight. Shape's set decoration was one of the best things about it.

Visual Effects: I predicted War of the Planet of the Apes simply because it deserves to win. Flawless effects. But the Academy didn't see fit to reward the closing chapter of this great trilogy and opted for a not-undeserving Blade Runner 2049.

Anyway, the 90th Oscar season is over...and the 91st has already begun! I'm excited to sift through the initial list of contenders and take a shot at my "Never Too Early Predictions." I've always found predicting nominees to be much more exciting than predicting winners, because less consensus has formed by the time we're guessing the nominees. Also, this year is particularly exciting because we'll likely see two fan favorites among this year's nominees repeating next year: Saoirse Ronan (for any of her three films, but likeliest at this point for Mary Queen of Scots) and Timothée Chalamet (for Beautiful Boy). Plus, a kid who starred and wowed in two big Oscar contenders this year (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Lady Bird) might be able to do what Chalamet failed to do: become the youngest Best Actor winner ever for a hopefully tremendous turn in Boy Erased. Oh, and a certain Glenn Close might win her first Oscar.

[Dream-] Casting the MCU X-Men and Fantastic Four (and Some Villains)

I am aware of and fully comprehend the apprehensions about Disney's acquisition of Fox, but I won't even pretend to be worried. All that matters to me right now is that the film rights to the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and their whole galaxy of villains (really, that's a HUGE part of why everyone should be excited about this) are back in the Marvel stable and in very capable hands (namely Kevin Feige's). We likely won't see them being integrated into the MCU Phases until late 2018 or 2019 because of the necessary deliberations on antitrust matters, but given the strong likelihood of a complete revamp of these properties with all roles being recast*, it's fun to think of who should be cast as our favorite Marvel characters when they finally join the Avengers, Guardians, and Spider-Man in the MCU films. It's very likely that none of these will actually pan out, and their actual casting has given me nothing to complain about so far (I won't lose sleep over Tony Revolori being cast as Flash Thompson, and that character that Ben Kingsley played in Iron Man 3 is NOT The Mandarin), but what the heck. Still, if the powers that be get to read this somehow...I'm glad to be of service.

*Note: I didn't include Deadpool here because 1) Ryan Reynolds IS Deadpool and 2) I have a strong feeling that Disney won't be recasting him (unless Reynolds himself backs out).

THE X-MEN**

**It's perfectly possible that Disney will choose to cast young, with the X-Men starting off as students in Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, but I don't think they will and so I have dreamed up my cast accordingly.

Professor X

Patrick Stewart has been an EXCELLENT Charles Xavier regardless of the quality of the films that he's been in. He and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine are probably the only two actors that I wouldn't mind staying on in their roles. But I see Disney going for an actor who's just a bit younger but still has the gravitas and authority to capably pull off the role of world's strongest telepath and leader to all benevolent mutants. And of course, one who can rock the bald-headed look. Charles Xavier is actually not British (he was born in New York City), but he is Oxford-trained and in keeping with the logic of the Stewart casting, there's just something about the Brits in roles of intelligent authority. Of the British thespians in their 40s and 50s, Ralph Fiennes has the acting chops and the aura to play this powerful character not only in his moments of wise benevolence but also when his dark side (he certainly has one, and it sometimes even goes by the name Onslaught) takes a peek into the world that he holds dear.


Fun but very unlikely alternative: Imagine if Daniel Day-Lewis decided not to retire and signed a multi-picture deal to play ol' Chuck? One can dream.

Magneto

I love Ian McKellen and think the world of him as an actor, but Magneto has always been portrayed as being physically intimidating and not as advanced in age. Magneto is one of the best (many say THE best) villains (or anti-heroes) in all of comics, and that's because of the strength of his convictions and the character's refusal to be simplistically labelled as evil. MCU's actor should be someone who's convincing as an embittered, hardlining activist who would not hesitate to use violence to further his cause for mutantkind but, given the right circumstances, may fight for good in the name of honor and justice. With his physical stature, acting skills, and charisma, it is not at all difficult to see Liam Neeson taking over the role of the master of magnetism. You can totally imagine him as leader of either the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants or the X-Men. And wouldn't it be nice to see him squaring off with Ralph Fiennes some 25 years after Schindler's List?


Cyclops

They've got to give Scott Summers the portrayal that he deserves. Sure, he's stubborn, myopic, and often too serious, but those are some of the characteristics that make him the strong and uncompromising X-Men leader that he has been for so long. Whoever they cast as Logan, their Scott has to be someone who can convincingly put him in his place while being a leader for mutantkind and keeping the X-Men together and the powerful Jean Grey by his side. It's about time that the MCU brought into their fold the only "Chris" who isn't yet. Effortlessly charming in the Star Trek and Wonder Woman movies but also showing his strength as an actor in films like Hell and High Water, Chris Pine would make an excellent Scott Summers. It wouldn't be hard to imagine him being followed by mutants in battle.


Jean Grey

In my opinion, Famke Janssen rocked it as Jean Grey because she has a strong onscreen presence, but a recast is certainly necessary at this point because of her resurrection in the comics, her being a historical fan favorite, and the Fox movies just not getting her right. Sure, they got her apprehensions about her power, but neither Janssen nor Sophie Turner could quite show us that, just like Scott, Jean is also a leader. And one of the most powerful mutants in the world, with or without the Phoenix force. Considering how Disney has been [reputedly] wanting to cast her in an MCU role for a long time, as have the fans, it would be easy to dismiss an Emily Blunt casting as pure pandering or lazy, uninspired casting. But if you stop to consider how awesome she is as an actress (her performance in 2016's The Girl on the Train was a tour de force and almost got her Oscar-nominated) and how fierce she is as an action heroine (Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario), she would be a spectacular get for Disney as the other half of this power couple.


Angel

Wealthy ladies' man Warren Worthington III has never been portrayed as such in the X-Men movies, but Disney will likely get that right. Whoever is cast as Angel has to be able to pull off the brashness of the privileged, the bright optimism of a winged hero who at one point called himself "The Avenging Angel," and, should the MCU go there (which they likely will, given how irresistible it would be to do Apocalypse the right way), the darkness of the transfigured Archangel. Suave and debonair at one moment and then raging and despairing at another, Sam Claflin showed in Me Before You that he has just the right balance--not to mention the refined good looks--to convincingly and tragically play the avenging Angel.


Iceman

Another one of the original X-Men and still a fan favorite because of his cool, suave demeanor and his Omega-level powers, Iceman has been a fixture of Fox's X-Men movies but has been cast too young and without much strength of character. Bobby Drake will likely be played as being the most easy-going of the original five when the reboot happens, but he will still have to be played by a mature enough actor to show conviction and not seem like mere comic relief. With his natural charm, coolness, and comedic timing, best showcased in 500 Days of Summer and 50/50, Joseph Gordon-Levitt could be just the man to bring Bobby Drake to the vanguard of the team where he rightly belongs. He was reportedly considered by Disney for the role of Ant-Man, so him being cast in the MCU is not at all unlikely.


Beast

Even before he was cast as Hank McCoy/Beast in X-Men: The Last Stand, many fans (including myself) already imagined Kelsey Grammer because of his dignified voice and sardonic wit. If only he were younger; we should have had Grammer's Beast in more films! Still, what his Beast lacked was the athleticism that is a key trait of the comic book character, so it's likely that Disney will be casting someone with a stronger physical presence but still with dignified intellect and wit. I must admit to having had the most difficulty with this casting, but surely Don Draper himself, Jon Hamm, isn't a bad choice? His ardent admirers probably wouldn't want to see him covered in all that blue fur (well, most of them, at least), but Hamm has proven with past performances that he's perfectly capable of shining even through layers of prosthetic.


Storm

In the comics, hailing as she does from a long line of African witch-priestesses and being the Queen of Wakanda, Ororo Munroe has been portrayed as being of powerful physical (and spiritual) presence and regal bearing. While a fine actress, Halle Berry was never able to show any of that. The actress cast as Storm must be convincing as a warrior, mutant leader, and Earth mother. Though her acting chops were recognized (with an Oscar nomination, among others) through a thoroughly different type of character in Moonlight, Naomie Harris has the physique, fierce intelligence (she has a degree in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge), and warmth of a true mutant goddess. A plus: she and Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) are just about the same age (he's 40, she's 41), so if Disney decides to take it there, it's a very easy fit.


Rogue

As with many of the X-Men characters, a lot of fans would agree that the definitive onscreen portrayal of the team's southern belle Rogue has been the one in the excellent 90s animated series. Due to no fault of her own, Anna Paquin's portrayal lost everything that made Rogue a true fan favorite. Playing a fiercely loyal and extremely powerful mutant with an awesome but largely uncontrollable power and a tragic past deserves a character actress with true grit, maturity, and skill. Certainly, Disney might go for a true southern belle (Amber Heard might have been an interesting choice had the DCEU not gotten her first), but when it comes to playing accents and characters with spunk, few have proven themselves as gifted as Tatiana Maslany. With her multiple roles in "Orphan Black" alone, she has proven herself to be versatile, endearing, and phenomenally talented. She won't have any trouble at all bringing Rogue to life.


Wolverine

How do you even recast this after Hugh Jackman? I'm totally fine with him staying on in the role, though he's getting a bit too old for it. While Disney has found gems with casting relatively little known actors like Chrises Hemsworth and Evans in key roles, I don't think they'll go down that route with a character played so well by Jackman and who will likely play a central role in bringing the X-Men to the MCU. Of the bankable actors of his age group, few others have shown such skill playing angry and feral, but also vulnerable, as Tom Hardy, who was all of these in The Fighter and The Revenant. He's on many people's dream cast list, and I'm sure that Disney is aware of that. A potentially big obstacle (depending on how the Disney-Fox merger plays out movie-wise): he's been cast as Eddie Brock/Venom in his stand-alone movie. Barring that, they'd be lucky to be able to cast such a popular and talented actor in this critical role.


Emma Frost

In my opinion, January Jones's casting as Emma Frost is one of Fox's most atrocious mistakes. Though a fine actress in the right roles, Jones had none of Frost's lethal coldness, intelligent ferocity, and aristocratic bearing to be expected of a key member (the White Queen) of the exclusive Hellfire Club. For years, I have maintained that Rosamund Pike is the ideal Emma Frost, and if she gets cast as such, I'd still call it perfect. But I've cast her as someone else (more on her down this list), so I had to switch to another gorgeous Brit who has been wowing critics and audiences in recent years with her strong portrayals of fierce, independent women: Rebecca Ferguson. I can easily imagine her only with the blonde hair and trademark white costume but with that haughty stare that has served her both as a villain and as a hero.


Mystique

Rebecca Romijn played Mystique quite competently before Fox decided to mess up her character's story line and miscast with the normally skilled Jennifer Lawrence. Lawrence never got the sexy appeal and, yes, the "mystique" of the character, and even Romijn probably came up short in the second aspect. If the rumors that she has been cast as Death in the MCU films prove false, then the ethereal Eva Green might be a good choice. She can easily build a stronger physique and train for combat sequences that Raven Darkholme would likely be put in, but there's no denying that Green already has the enigmatic appeal that would make her a strong casting coup for this villainous chameleon.


THE FANTASTIC FOUR

Mr. Fantastic

One of the most brilliant minds on the planet, Reed Richards can go toe-to-toe in an intellectual conversation with Tony Stark and Hank Pym and in a world-altering conference with the rest of the Illuminati. Fatherly and heroic but prone to bouts of arrogance because of his astonishing intellect, Reed has to be played by an actor who can lead comics' "first family" in their MCU incarnation and also make a strong impression when he finally, inevitably meets Tony, Doctor Strange, Captain America, etc. Certainly, Clive Owen has the commanding presence and gravitas--and a sense of humor--to pull it off. He'd look good with those white streaks, too.


Invisible Woman

As a matriarch of the Richards family and bearer of powerful cosmic abilities, Sue Richards should be played by someone who can be equal parts warm and steely, one who can command the respect of a room of men who are used to listening only to other men of her husband's stature. While her Oscar-nominated performance in Gone Girl may in fact be used as justification for casting her as Emma Frost as I had initially advocated for, Rosamund Pike's considerable talents and striking beauty would be put to better use as the Invisible Woman (though let's hope she won't be invisible too often!). She'd be a very strong addition to the MCU's growing stable of female powerhouses.


The Thing

Whoever plays Ben Grimm must be physically intimidating yet be able to exude a warm vulnerability. Sure, Negan "The Walking Dead" certainly wasn't warm, but the other past roles of Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who is a natural athlete, have shown that he can be warm and fuzzy, too. Disney better snatch him up before Warner Bros. casts him as Batman if rumors are to be believed.


Human Torch

Chris Evans played Johnny Storm so well because he got the character's cocky, devil-may-care attitude and all-American hero bravado. Disney might want to play him younger, especially if they'd like to see him hanging out and having fun with Spider-Man. With a Golden Globe nomination to prove it, Ansel Elgort's star-making turn in Baby Driver convinced audiences that he can be effortlessly charismatic while being serious about doing the right thing. Sure, Baby isn't as cocky as Johnny, but someone of Elgort's talents can easily turn that up and still give us a true hero worth rooting for.


Doctor Doom

Ah, one of the best villains ever in comics, and yet never gotten right on film! Victor von Doom is a despot, a brilliant mind, and a master sorcerer, with an ego as large as his skill set. Done right, he could easily end up being the MCU's best villain who could be used against not only the Fantastic Four but everyone else. Mads Mikkelsen would have been an awesome choice had he not gotten the Doctor Strange gig already. But if we want someone who can smolder onscreen, play scary and vicious, do Eastern European accents, and know how to play a king, one can hardly do better than think of Viggo Mortensen as the guy. He'd be someone the best of our MCU heroes would be scared of crossing.


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89th Academy Awards: Prediction Scores and Thoughts

Well, that was a crazy ceremony. Too bad Warren Beatty's and Faye Dunaway's appearance as a tribute to Bonnie and Clyde was rather marred by the mistake of the Academy's long-time accountants (and the two legends' own befuddlement). Still, the big upset, Moonlight winning over the juggernaut that was La La Land, was just the shocker that an otherwise predictable night needed to end on. The winners were all deserving, as La La Land also would have been, but we live for the surprises (as much as we want our prediction scores to be high). Predictions for the 90th Academy Awards will be up soon, but in the meantime, here are the winners and my prediction scores. Those that I had predicted correctly have asterisks.

Predicted Winners:

PICTURE
MOONLIGHT

Predicted La La Land but had Moonlight as the potential spoiler. La La Land is a bigger technical achievement but I will not begrudge Moonlight, a wonderfully directed and acted film that has more emotional heft, this well deserve Oscar.

DIRECTING
DAMIEN CHAZELLE (LA LA LAND)*

At least he won this one. If at least for the epicness of the film's razzle dazzle, he truly deserves it.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
CASEY AFFLECK (MANCHESTER BY THE SEA)

Predicted Denzel Washington (Fences) but of course had Affleck at #2. None of the others really had a chance (which is sad for Viggo Mortensen, because he was the most deserving of the win IMO).

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
EMMA STONE (LA LA LAND)

Predicted Isabelle Huppert (Elle), which was rather too hopeful and naive in retrospect. Emma is one of those actresses who just has to wait for the right role but has had an Oscar win written in the stars for her early in her career. She was unstoppable. And was it just me, or was the applause for Isabelle during the ceremony rather lukewarm? Seems like the Academy members aren't as impressed by her resume and status in global cinema as we regular fans of film are.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
MAHERSHALA ALI (MOONLIGHT)*

Classy guy. Not my personal choice, but a worthy winner nonetheless.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
VIOLA DAVIS (FENCES)*

Slay! One of the world's greatest living actresses finally has an Oscar. And no, she was NOT in the wrong category. She may have had a long screentime but hers was clearly a supporting character to Denzel's. Dev Patel's Best Supporting Actor nomination was the only true case of category fraud this year.

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Barry Jenkins, based on the play by Tarell Alvin McCraney (MOONLIGHT)*

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
kenneth Lonergan (MANCHESTER BY THE SEA)

ANIMATED FEATURE
Byron Howard, Rich Moore (ZOOTOPIA)*

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE SALESMAN (IRAN)

I had a strong feeling that The Salesman was going to win it after the shitstorm that Trump precipitated in the US, but I hesitated to predict against Toni Erdmann at the last moment.

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Linus Sandgren (LA LA LAND)*

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Coleen Atwood (FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM)

Is this the first Oscar win for any of the films in the Harry Potter universe?

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
John Gilbert (HACKSAW RIDGE)

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson (SUICIDE SQUAD)

Suicide Squad now has one more Oscar than thousands of film classics. But what the heck, I can't say it didn't deserve it. Let the haters hate. I love this branch for not caring what the others think.

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Justin Hurwitz (LA LA LAND)*

Samuel L. Jackson really hated the movie, huh? He couldn't even fake enthusiasm when reading Justin's name.

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
"City of Stars" (LA LA LAND)*

I still wish Ryan and Emma had performed this. John Legend's rendition was underwhelming.

ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
David Wasco (Production Design); Sandy Reynolds-Wasco (Set Decoration) (LA LA LAND)*

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
Sylvain Bellemare (ARRIVAL)

Yey Arrival! Glad to have been wrong in this one. That film deserved many more Oscars.

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace (HACKSAW RIDGE)

Kinda weird that the musical didn't win it, especially as it was such a behemoth coming in. But it's great that Kevin O'Connell is finally an Oscar winner after over 20 nominations.

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon (THE JUNGLE BOOK)

I just now realized that I had predicted Rogue One instead of this. I don't even know why. Silly me. It was probably always between The Jungle Book and Doctor Strange. Or Kubo. This branch loves CG animals (explains the win for the otherwise shunned The Golden Compass).

TOTAL SCORE: 9/20. Terrible score, but I had fun predicting against the grain like with Huppert over Stone.

2016 Film-Otaku Awards: Horror Edition

Here are my choices for this year's best in horror:

BEST HORROR FILM
The Witch

The Love Witch
Train to Busan
The Conjuring 2
Under the Shadow
Don't Breathe
The Wailing
10 Cloverfield Lane
Evolution
Seklusyon

BEST HORROR FILM DIRECTOR
David Eggers (The Witch)
Anna Biller (The Love Witch)
Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan)
Fede Álvarez (Don't Breathe)
Babak Anvari (Under the Shadow)

BEST HORROR FILM ACTRESS
Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring 2)

Blake Lively (The Shallows)
Anna Taylor-Joy (The Witch)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane)
Rhed Bustamante (Seklusyon)

BEST HORROR FILM ACTOR
Do-won Kwak (The Wailing)

John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane)
Ralph Ineson (The Witch)
Stephen Lang (Don't Breathe)
Yoo Gong (Train to Busan)

BEST HORROR FILM SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kate Dickie (The Witch)

Maria Bello (Lights Out)
Laura Waddell (The Love Witch)
Roxan Duran (Evolution)
Jung Yu-mi (Train to Busan)

BEST HORROR FILM SUPPORTING ACTOR
Harvey Scrimshaw (The Witch)

Jun Kunimura (The Wailing)
Ma Dong-seok (Train to Busan)
Jung-min Hwang (The Wailing)
Neil Ryan Sese (Seklusyon)

BEST HORROR FILM SCREENPLAY
Robert Eggers (The Witch)
Anna Biller (The Love Witch)
Babak Anvari (Under the Shadow)
Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken, Damien Chazelle (10 Cloverfield Lane)
Anton C. Santamaria (Seklusyon)

BEST HORROR FILM CINEMATOGRAPHY
Jarin Blaschke (The Witch)

Flavio Martínez Labiano (The Shallows)
M. David Mullen (The Love Witch)
Manuel Dacosse (Evolution)
Neil Bion (Seklusyon)

BEST HORROR FILM SCORE
Anna Biller (The Love Witch)

Mark Korven (The Witch)
Francis de Veyra (Seklusyon)
Marco Beltrami (The Shallows)
Roque Baños (Don't Breathe)

BEST HORROR FILM ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Love Witch

The Witch
Don't Breathe
Under the Shadow
The Conjuring 2

BEST SCARED AS SHIT PERFORMANCE
Jane Levy (Don't Breathe)

Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring 2)
Madison Wolfe (The Conjuring 2)
Kate Siegel (Hush)
Corbin Reid (Blair Witch)

BEST "MONSTER"
Black Phillip (The Witch)

Djinns (Under the Shadow)
The Blind Man (Don't Breathe)
Zombies (Train to Busan)
The creature (Blair Witch)

BEST SCENE/SEQUENCE
Timing the crossing of the train cars (Train to Busan)

Opening scene, body being dragged across the street (Don't Breathe)
Mating ritual on the beach (Evolution)
Elaine's dance of darkness and rainbow (The Love Witch)
Nightmare: Djinn through the crack in the ceiling (Under the Shadow)

Call Me By Your Name

The film Call Me By Your Name was hailed by critics and audiences in the recent Sundance Film Festival and got a similarly enthusiastic response as it closed the Berlin Film Festival just two days ago. Next year's Oscar favorite? Maybe, if the homosexual nature of the story (it's an intense romance between two men, played by Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer) doesn't put off the voters the way it did with Brokeback Mountain and, more recently, Carol. But acting nominations are probably in the bag for Chalamet, Hammer, and maybe even Michael Stuhlbarg, who plays the father of Chalamet's character Elio.

Had to read the book as soon as I learned of the raves coming from Sundance. It is exceptionally beautifully written. The prose of writer André Aciman is staggering. Seems a perfect fit for the aesthetics of Italian director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love, A Bigger Splash, and the upcoming Suspiria remake). I just can't help but wonder how he'll pull of some scenes, especially a certain one involving a peach...