The 2018 Scottscars!

On December 31st you're guaranteed 2 things every year. The passing of the year and my little film awards. And it was an alright year, wasn't it? I feel like I gave 90% of all movies this year 3 or 4 stars out of 5.

Here are some of my stats for the year.

I logged 109 films this year, up 6 from last year! Went to the cinema 43 times, down quite a bit from last year's 54. 

34 films were rewatches. I put this high number down to doing a Marvel Marathon before Infinity War, which I certainly won't be doing again this year.

I watched 2 more movies on streaming than physical Blu Ray and DVD, also helped by said Marvel Marathon, but I see next year as the year that streaming takes over for me.

First up are my wee awards, then the results of my predictions from last year and finally at the bottom my predictions for the next year in film!!!

2018 SCOTTSCARS

The Mark Ruffalo's Floating head  award for Visual Effects of the year

First Man

     There are very few times when I walk out of a cinema saying that I couldn't tell at all where the VFX were, but First Man was the standout occasion this year. Visuals that made it impossible to see the line or even guess where the line was between CG and live action. An unbelievably tense film throughout, with tension and full immersion being made possible by the flawless VFX, recreating the authentic rocket launches as well as the harsh emptiness of space.

Runners up:

Mission Impossible Fallout- Used masterfully, to enhance the impressive amount of practical FX and stunts.

Mortal Engines

The Steppenwolf award for Best Superhero Movie of the Year

Avengers: Infinity War

     The Russo brothers had a monumental task ahead. Make a film that balances 37,541 main characters and make Thanos a threat worthy of 10 years of build up. Somehow they achieved this and much more,  by making the bold of choice of making Thanos the protagonist, making him relatable, even if his ideas and methods were somewhat twisted. The result was a movie and certainly an ending that certainly stays with you, which is truly remarkable in this ocean of superhero noise.

Runners up

Spider-man: Into the Spider verse

Deadpool 2

Aquaman

Performance of the Year

Rami Malek

What a transformation! To play someone as iconic as Freddie Mercury is not an enviable task and yet Rami Malek is able to be both unmistakably recognisable as the legendary Queen frontman, while delivering a performance so engaging and emotional that it is much more than a mere imitation or impersonation of him. Bohemian Rhapsody is an undeniably enjoyable and polished film, elevated immensely by Rami Malek's performance.

Runners up

Gary Oldman -Darkest Hour

Lady Gaga- A Star is Born

Bradley Cooper -A Star is Born

The Logan Paul award for WTF moment of the year

Sorry to Bother You- The Entire film

As I was writing this list I had so many points from this film that I just had to pick the whole thing.  From "You have to use your white man voice" to horse people, this is the year's standout original film and like me,  you'll have your mouth hanging open in shock for the entire run time. 

Runners up

End scene of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Venom - Tom Hardy's performance.      But in a good way!

ICYMI award for film you should check out asap!

Bumblebee

     I'm hearing so many people aren't giving Bumblebee a chance because it's a Transformers movie and although I've ran out of ways to defend that franchise, I can honestly say THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY GOOD! Gone are Michael Bay, racist jokes, messy unclear action scenes, and enemy scrotum! It's a gal and her friendly robot, Iron Giant, kinda story, focussing on Bumblebee's arrival to 1980s Earth and his friendship with Hailey Steinfeld, with John Cena popping up for a one liner or two.

This one is directed by Travis Knight, from last year's excellent animated film Kubo and the Two Strings, so expect a little less Bayhem, and a little more heart.

Runners up

Sorry to Bother You

Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse (Seriously, not enough people have seen this movie)

The Godfather 3 award for Biggest Let Down

Mortal Engines

     Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting Mortal Engines to be film of the year, at least not for everyone. Based on a YA novel, it always had potential to fall into that plot thin, weak character Twilight category. But I watched the first teaser trailer early this year that just showed the city of London racing through a post apocalyptic wasteland on a Mad Max style monster truck, with a stupid high production value, then I seen the words 'Peter Jackson presents' and I got my hopes up. Executed right and taken seriously, could something this outlandish and original, with $100m and the mastermind of the Lord of the Rings behind it, be something truly special?

No.

The world is interesting and the characters are fine, the VFX are great, but a horribly weak script sees the film spiral into oblivion in the second half. Such a let down.

My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

Batman Ninja

The Fortnite award for Turd of the year

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

      I don't even know where to start on this one and I don't even want to think about it too much as it will ruin my memory of 2018.

Runner Up

Pacific Rim: Uprising

The Con Air award for Film of the year

Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse

     After I watched Sam Raimi's Spider-man as was a young and ridiculous child, I knew that I had to work in fantasy or film in some way. While I have obviously enjoyed my fair share of sci fi, comic book and fantasy films since, Spider-verse brought me right back to that exact inspired, creative and mesmerised mindset in a way that few other films have. With its unique art style, ludicrous dimension hopping plot, stunning sound effects and score, every frame brings something new and the love and hard work that has clearly gone into it by every artist it is constantly bursting through the screen.  Sony took a huge risk by throwing out the rule book with this one and I seriously hope it pays off by encouraging studios to stop making copy paste safe movies, as well as encouraging Westerner audiences that animation is no lesser a medium for adults than live action.

Oh and Nic Cage voices a Spider-man so obviously that's the real reason it won ;)

Runners up

Avengers Infinity War

Bohemian Rhapsody

Bumblebee

Films I missed this year

Holmes and Watson (likely would have been a contender for Turd of the year)

Bad Times at the el Royale

Vice

Mary Poppins Returns

The Ballad of Buster Scrubs

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTIONS!

1. Jurrasic World: Fallen Kingdom will be laughably bad. 

Holds 48% on Rotten Tomatoes, I wasn't a huge fan. Is 5/10 laughably bad?

I'm saying yes. 1/1

2. Bumblebee will be loved by audiences, will revitalise interest in the Transformers franchise.

Yes! People are already saying they want to see more from Cybertron and Bumblebee sits at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. 1/1

3. Deadpool 2 outgrosses both X-Men: Dark Phoenix and New Mutants put together.

Deadpool 2 is sitting at $741m at the worldwide box office. New Mutants and Dark Phoenix were both shelved until next year and technically didn't make a penny. But I'll push this one to next year

N/A

4. Disney announce a Fantastic Four animated movie.

Lol no.

0/1

5. Tomb Raider to be the worst film of the year for me, gets slated critically.

Nope, I gave it 3/5. Was just a bit bland.

0/1

6. Alita: Battle Angel to be a massive financial disaster, potentially the biggest flop of the year.

It was pushed to next year, so I'm pushing this to next year.

N/A

7. Solo to be criticised for adding nothing worthwhile to the Star Wars mythos and being 'pointless'.

Yep, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't needed.

1/1

8. Aquaman to be pushed back to 2019. Nope, came out on time and was pretty good!

0/1

9. Del Toro's The Shape of Water to be my film of the year.

Nope and I liked it, rather than loved it.

0/1

10. Avengers: Infinity War is everything we hope for. Highest grossing movie of the year.

Yes! For the most part Thanos and his cronies delivered critically and as for commercially....

1/1

RESULT

4/8

Not bad!

2019 PREDICTIONS!

1. Avengers Endgame will be widely criticised for resolving the conflict with a convoluted time travel or alternate dimension gimmick. Will review considerably worse than Infinity War.

2. The Lion King outshines Aladdin and Dumbo both commercially and critically.

3. Pokemon: Detective Pikachu does well enough commercially and critically to have a sequel announced.

4. Meanwhile Sonic the Hedgehog bombs HARD.

5. Hellboy is going to be Let Down of the year or Turd of the Year. At least sniffing for one of those titles.

6. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is going to outmatch Toy Story 4 critically and for me personally, sending me into a deep depression. 

7. Frozen 2 is the highest grossing animated film of the year.

8. They announce an Animated War for Cybertron Movie.

Paramount see the success of Spider-verse and decide to strike while the iron's hot.

9. Terminator 6 is delayed, due to extensive reshoots and rumours circulate saying it just isn't working.

10. My Film of the year is Captive State. 

BONUS!  Ones carried from last year.

11. Deadpool 2 outgrosses both X-Men: Dark Phoenix and New Mutants put together.

Deadpool 2 is sitting at $741m at the worldwide box office. The 2 new movies would have to flop pretty hard to not make that between them. But I have full confidence in Fox letting us down.

12. Alita: Battle Angel to be a massive financial disaster, potentially the biggest flop of the year.

Standing by this one

See ya on the flip side! Happy New Year!!!