2023 CGI Fridays Oscars

In a weird way, Will Smith's childish and inappropriate slap to the face of Chris Rock may have somehow saved the Academy Awards from extinction. Smith eventually took home Best Actor in a tumultuous evening - which I correctly predicted in the 2022 link below.

With Hollywood struggling to produce quality content and the political agenda becoming more important than providing entertainment, I fear we are just a few years away from the closing of theaters, a permanent switch to streaming and the Oscars being broadcast on social media.

Thankfully, I do not judge the last year of films solely from the Academy's field. I use my own as well, or I wouldn't be doing this at all. Plus I made up some of my own categories. Anyway, I have four subscribers to keep, so here we go.

Previous Years: 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018 is pictured below.

Actor

Academy: Austin Butler (Elvis)

CGI Fridays: Austin Butler (Elvis)

Worth Mentioning: Robert Pattinson (The Batman), Colin Farrell (Thirteen Lives), Viggo Mortensen (Thirteen Lives), Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front), Ben Foster (The Survivor), Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Ralph Fiennes (The Menu), Sam Rockwell (See How They Run)

The B+ I gave Elvis rides almost entirely on the shoulders of Austin Butler. He deserves this award. How many people can portray an icon like Elvis Presley and not leave mass audiences all shook up in all the wrong ways?

Actress

Academy: Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

CGI Fridays: Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Worth Mentioning: Aubrey Plaza (Emily the Criminal), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Jenny Slate (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), Saoirise Ronan (See How They Run), Viola Davis (The Woman King)

While I gave The Woman King an unimpressive C+, you will see a couple actors from that film on this list. Viola Davis is a titanic force in Hollywood and can play any role to award-worthy precision. However, Michelle Yeoh is pretty darn awesome in this year's Oscar darling, Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Supporting Actor

Academy: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

CGI Fridays: Pedro Pascal (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent)

Worth Mentioning: Joel Edgerton (Thirteen Lives), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Bullet Train), Tom Hanks (Elvis)

Remember Short Round from the second Indiana Jones movie? The one everyone considers a classic? Well I didn't like it and thought Short Round was annoying. He's all grown up in Everything Everywhere All at Once! The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent got no Oscar love, but man Pedro Pascal is just good at everything.

Supporting Actress

Academy: Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

CGI Fridays: Hong Chau (The Whale)

Worth Mentioning: Isabella Rossellini (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), Lashana Lynch (The Woman King)

Another win for Everything Ever --let's just call it EEAaO-- but the supporting role that really won me over was Hong Chau as the emotional lynchpin in The Whale.

Cinematography

Academy: All Quiet on the Western Front

CGI Fridays: Top Gun: Maverick

Worth Mentioning: The Batman, Thirteen Lives, Elvis, Don't Worry Darling, Werewolf by Night, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Woman King

I expect --and will be disappointed but not surprised-- if All Quiet on the Western Front doesn't have a big Oscar night.

International Film

Academy: All Quiet on the Western Front

CGI Fridays: All Quiet on the Western Front

Words.

Visual Effects

Academy: Avatar: The Way of Water

CGI Fridays: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Worth Mentioning: The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick, Beast, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Nope, Three Thousand Years of Longing

I didn't even see the new Avatar, but I have no doubt that it is a visual spectacle with the finest and newest technology on display. I'm also pretty sure the story was meh, but those who actually saw it can be the judge of that. (And A LOT of people saw it.)

Music

Academy: Volker Bertelmann - All Quiet on the Western Front

CGI Fridays: Michael Giacchino - The Batman

Worth Mentioning: Rob Simonsen - The Whale, Ludwig Goransson - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Two great movies with great scores, and then an honorable mention for The Whale and an MCU movie that isn't great but has a fantastic soundtrack from a great composer who defies the quality of the films he scores. (Goransson also worked on Venom - oof.)

Original Song

Academy: "Hold My Hand" - Lady Gaga (Top Gun: Maverick)

CGI Fridays: "I Don't Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here)" - The Old 97s (The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special)

Worth Mentioning: "I Ain't Worried" - OneRepublic (Top Gun: Maverick), "Lift Me Up" - Rihanna (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

Top Gun: Maverick had two bangers. Either could have one, but Lady Gaga's song is the emotional one where OneRepublic's is the fun one. The Academy doesn't like fun.

Costume Design

Academy: Elvis

CGI Fridays: The Batman

Worth Mentioning: All Quiet on the Western Front, Elvis, Don't Worry Darling, The Woman King

Costume design is definitely the "I bet I could do it if I had the money" category.

Production Design

Academy: All Quiet on the Western Front

CGI Fridays: All Quiet on the Western Front

Worth Mentioning: The Batman, Thirteen Lives, The Survivor, Elvis, Don't Worry Darling, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Menu, See How They Run, Operation Mincemeat

A great war movie that deserves multiple awards. The sets and battles are incredible.

Makeup & Hairstyling

Academy: The Whale

CGI Fridays: The Whale

Worth Mentioning: The Batman, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Survivor, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Elvis, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Is Brendan Fraser's fat suit in The Whale technically a costume? Either way... it's a big deal.

Editing

Academy: Top Gun: Maverick

CGI Fridays: Thirteen Lives

Worth Mentioning: The Batman, All Quiet on the Western Front, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Elvis

Cutting together aerial combat seems difficult. So does cave diving, especially when actors obviously cannot actually accomplish the real thing without risking their lives.

Animated Film

Academy: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

CGI Fridays: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Worth Mentioning: Lightyear

A category I definitely should not be given a vote in.

Sound

Academy: Top Gun: Maverick

CGI Fridays: Top Gun: Maverick

Worth Mentioning: The Batman, Thirteen Lives, All Quiet on the Western Front, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Nope

I had a headache after seeing Top Gun: Maverick and I'm pretty sure that was the intent.

Documentary

Academy: N/A

CGI Fridays: Facing Nolan

My number one film of the year was a documentary. It's the only one I saw. View my 2022 rankings at the bottom of this amazing post.

Adapted Screenplay

Academy: All Quiet on the Western Front

CGI Fridays: The Batman

Worth Mentioning: Top Gun: Maverick

I'm adaptable.

Original Screenplay

Academy: Everything Everywhere All at Once

CGI Fridays: The Valet

Worth Mentioning: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Vengeance

I wasn't obsessed with Everything Everywhere All at Once like everyone else (I gave it a positive-but-not-CGI Fridays-worthy B) but there's no doubting its creativity in a Hollywood that is full of reboots and recycled ideas.

Best Director

Academy: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

CGI Fridays: Matt Reeves (The Batman)

Worth Mentioning: Bradley Jackson (Facing Nolan), Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), Ron Howard (Thirteen Lives), Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front)

Another predicted "W" for Everythere Everywing All at Once. The Batman is not a perfect film, but my minor faults with that picture come with the overflowing story, not the incredible production value and direction from Reeves.

Best Picture (why can't we just say best MOVIE?)

Academy: Top Gun: Maverick

CGI Fridays: Facing Nolan

Worth Mentioning: The Batman

In plain terms, you have to receive an A+ from CGI Fridays to be in consideration for the vaunted "Best Picture" category. These are the three.

Worst Picture

CGI Fridays: The Bubble

Worth Mentioning: Bones and All, Amsterdam, Jurassic World: Dominion

You can read more about these films in the 2022 link below, because there's not much more I want to say about them.

Sleeper Hit

CGI Fridays: Orphan: First Kill

Worth Mentioning: Emily the Criminal, The Valet, Hustle, Beast

Belayed sequels hardly ever work, especially in the horror genre. Somehow, Orphan: First Kill worked. AC/DC had it right all along: "Shoot to thrill, play to kill!"

Biggest Disappointment

CGI Fridays: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Worth Mentioning: Men, The Gray Man, Nope

The movie that could have righted the sinking ship at Marvel, instead Multiverse of Madness only sped up the downward spiral the MCU has been on since Avengers: Endgame.

2022 CGI Fridays Rankings

I like to think of myself as a kind person. Honest. Dependable. Trustworthy. I give everyone the so-called "benefit of the doubt" when it comes to trust. It's yours to lose. You have it until you show me you don't deserve it.

For my nearly 30 years of existence, the film industry has had my trust. Sure, Hollywood has produced a lot of garbage since it figuratively poofed into existence at the beginning of the 20th century. But for every loser, there seemed to be a winner. Every bust had a boom. Every flop had a hit. Every Evan Almighty had a Step Brothers. Every The Happening had an I Am Legend. Every X-Men: The Last Stand had a Spider-Man 2. 

Now, it seems like there is just loss after gut punch after loss after disappointment after loss. It wasn't all bad, but almost every single blockbuster (big event film) fell flat on its cinematic face.

For the first time in my entire life, in the year of 2022, I looked at movies and thought, "I don't trust you anymore."

And that hurts.

Hopefully 2023 is better.

To Best Friends

I don't have a lot of friends. The end.

Just kidding. About it being the end, not the friends part. It's true, I don't have a lot of friends.

I can count on one hand the amount of truly close friends I have. I'm a league leader in acquaintances, but when I consider how many actual close friends I have, it's a number lower than this 90s boy band name.

However, if you buy into the "quality over quantity" argument, I'm all set.

I have some really great best friends. And this is a thank you to them.

***

The Three Amigos (Brian, Jake, Me)

The day is September 29 and I just returned home from a productive day of teaching. Sort of. I had this mandatory training to go to and was out of the classroom all day. Because of the sub shortage, my fellow staff members had to take turns covering my classes throughout the day while I was away.

When I got back, this note was taped to my desk. (Click any photo to enlarge.)

"Rowel" = Raul

I returned to school to coach the 7th grade basketball game. We had our first road game of the year and came away with a win, improving to 4-0 on the season. It was a good and productive day for yours truly.

After getting home, I cleaned up and microwaved an underrated Lean Cuisine meal. (Trust me, I know about the sodium. I still love Lean Cuisine. The price is right.) I plopped myself on the couch, opened YouTube, and pulled up some fan recordings of a Killers concert from earlier in the week in Verona, New York.

Jake and I at the NBA All-Star Game in 2010 (excuse the low res - it was 2010)

I've always dreamed of seeing The Killers live, but concerts aren't really something I go to. Between the cost of a ticket, nobody to go with and my general disdain for loud crowds, it wasn't a natural fit.

My best friend Jake goes to a lot of concerts. I'd happily go to one with him and we did plan as much when we found out another one of my favorite bands, Green Day, was coming to Dallas Arlington in 2020.

Then Covid happened and the show was rescheduled for July 24, 2021. The night my sister got married. (I went to the wedding.)

The next potential opportunity came when The Killers visited Ft. Worth on September 10th in 2022. Now the problem was I no longer lived in Texas. Going to see The Killers, Green Day, Maroon 5, or a concert of any kind with Jake seemed unlikely in the near future.

So, I enjoyed my concerts through the internet, singing along to every word from the comforts of my own home. I did this all the time and enjoyed it. Still I thought, "How amazing would it be to see one of my favorite bands live one day?"

The only concert I had ever been to was *NSYNC with my mom on March 20, 2002. So long ago that it was at Reunion Arena in Dallas, which had been demolished way back in 2009.

***

The Killers open with "My Own Soul's Warning"

On September 30, the morning after a business-as-usual day for me, I was doing something I had never done before: going to New York City.

My other best friend, Brian, was getting married that Sunday in the "city that never sleeps." Apparently, it never takes a bath either.

I was completely blown away by New York. It is both the most remarkable, fascinating, scenic place I've ever been to. It's also dirty, smelly, overcrowded and loud.

You look up in New York, you see bright lights and beautiful buildings. You look down, you see garbage and used needles on the ground.

Still, it was a great trip, and the highlight (outside of Brian getting hitched) was a moment only made possible by the power of a best friend.

***

You only let a best friend posterize you in your own home

It didn't even occur to me until the weekend was over that The Killers concert I was watching the night before I arrived in New York was, in fact, in New York. A city called Verona that I had never heard of. A bus ride from this mysterious place to Manhattan would be about four hours.

But I digress. And also would digest some New York pizza with Jake and his girlfriend Lianna.

After landing in New York, I planned to meet up with Jake and Lianna at our hotel in Times Square. (I feel like such a big shot describing all the famous New York destinations.) While sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in my $100 Uber ride, I get a text from Jake.

(Side note: Brian covered the cab ride because he's a banker or something and I'm a teacher. He didn't even ask, just Venmo'd the money. What kind of person outside of a BFF does this?)

I opened my phone and text from Jake read: "Lianna and I just walked past Madison Square Garden and apparently The Killers are in town! Should we go?"

My first reaction was, "How did I not know this?!" My second was a chuckle, treating the proposal as a joke. My third was goosebumps when I realized Jake is exactly the type of person to say, "f--- it, let's do it!"

I looked at my watch phone and checked the time.

6:15

The concert was at 7:30, but Jake says an opener usually plays for about an hour.

We had time.

At 6:23 and 11 seconds, Jake sent me a screenshot of the tickets.

It was happening. I was going to see The Killers. At Madison Square Garden. In an hour.

***

If not for Jake walking by Madison Square Garden --the venue also known as "The Mecca" despite the New York Knicks playing there-- and seeing the promo, the three of us would have ended up having a very nice dinner. Instead, I had one of the greatest nights and best memories of my life. Because of him. Because of a best friend.

I was in such a euphoric mood I could barely get out of my Uber. The driver literally started pulling away before I had my wedding tux out of the trunk.

After arriving at the hotel, I quickly checked in, threw my bags down and hustled to Jake and Lianna's Honeymoon Suite room. Apparently, marijuana is legal now in New York and a lot of people were taking advantage. Including at concerts. The smell had attached itself to Jake and Lianna like a tick and was painful, obvious, and painfully obvious.

But nothing could bring me down on this night.

We grabbed a slice of New York pizza, one of the countless pizza places within walking distance of the hotel, got on the Subway (which was exciting for me but not the locals) and by 7:15 we were at Madison Square Garden.

Jake was right about the opening act, and we made it in plenty of time. We grabbed three drinks --for a whopping $37.95 and I got a soda-- and eagerly awaited for The Killers to take the stage.

When they did, it was magic. I sang, I danced, I hugged strangers. I took photos. I took videos. I followed every word to every song. I was ecstatic to simply be in the same room as (lead singer) Brandon Flowers, someone I admire so much as a musician but even more as a human being.

It was an out of body experience that I will never forget and always struggle to describe. It was --to quote the other band I hope to see one day with Jake-- the time of my life.

***

All thanks to Brian. About 48 hours later, he got married. That was pretty cool, too. :) 

Those closest to me call me "Ace"              Brian had a good time at his wedding                      Jake, Lianna & NY Pizza             

***

The Killers' #1 hit, "Mr. Brightside"

***

***

Tres Amigos

2022 CGI Fridays Oscars

After taking the 2021 Oscars off due to the pandemic but moreso the lack of quality motion pictures, we are back in 2022 with a slate of slightly improved movies from the cinematic wasteland that was 2020.

2021 was better (I guess) and the Oscars are back to a live format after going sort-of virtual last year in an awkward, lowly rated ceremony which showed that people don't really care about the Academy Awards anymore. I'm not even sure I do.

But yeah, let's do this Oscars thing again. Friendly reminder about the CGI Fridays Oscars: I'll pick from the Academy's honorable candidates, but also from the entire cinematic field, regardless of real-life nominations.

For previous reference, the link to the 2019 CGI Fridays Oscars is above and my 2018 picks can be seen below:

Actor

Academy: Will Smith, King Richard

CGI Fridays: Will Smith, King Richard

Worth Mentioning: Tom Holland, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Jeremy Irons, Munich - The Edge of War, Michael Keaton, Worth, Mads Mikkelsen, Riders of Justice, Daniel Craig, No Time to Die, Winston Duke, Nine Days, Sir Anthony Hopkins, The Father & Benedict Cumberbatch, The Courier

For all of his notoriety, the Fresh Prince has never won an Oscar. He's nominated this year for a third time, and it's his best chance to win based on the magnificence of King Richard as well as an anemic opposing field.

The rest of my honorably mentions are personal selections, not from the actual Academy field. Some are from blockbuster films (Holland, Craig) and never had a chance. Others flew so far under the radar (Keaton, Mikkelsen, Duke) that they didn't either, one isn't technically from a movie this year and already won (Hopkins), and the other (Cumberbatch) is nominated, but for something else.

Actress

Academy: Kristen Stewart, Spencer

CGI Fridays: Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place Part II

Worth Mentioning: Jodie Comer, The Last Duel, Keira Knightley, Silent Night, Mila Kunis, Four Good Days & Juliah Sarah Stone, Come True

Kristen Stewart has always been near the top of my crush list, and I'd love to see her get awarded for her portrayal of Princess Dianna. Comer stars amongst many stars in The Last Duel while Knightley anchors the heart of the lesser-known Silent Night. Kunis doesn't do many films, but makes them coun, and Stone's starring turn in Come True is one of the best acting jobs of the year.

Supporting Actor

Academy: Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog

CGI Fridays: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah

Worth Mentioning: LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah, George MacKay, Munich - The Edge of War, Jannis Niewöhner, Munich - The Edge of War, Matt Damon, The Last Duel & Adam Driver, The Last Duel

Technically, Judas and the Black Messiah was part of last year's Oscars, but I follow a normal 12-month calendar when I make my selections, even if the Academy doesn't. Kaluuya and Stanfield share co-leads which relegates both to the supporting category. Both deserve recognition, as do a pair of actors from The Edge of War and The Last Duel.

Supporting Actress

Academy: Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog

CGI Fridays: Glenn Close, Four Good Days

Worth Mentioning: Camille Cottin, Stillwater, Zazie Beetz, Nine Days & Cate Blanchett, Nightmare Alley

If Plemons and Dunst both win, I have to believe it will be the first time a real-life couple take home Oscars in the same year, especially for the same category. The two-handed nature of Four Good Days relies on Kunis and Close, who really sell the mother-daugther relationship.

Cinematography

Academy: Dune

CGI Fridays: The Last Duel

Worth Mentioning: No Time to Die, Fear Street Trilogy, The King's Man, Gunpowder Milkshake & Last Night in Soho

Dune is a sprawling epic and director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) has solidified his role in Hollywood as an artistic genius. I think The Last Duel is a better film, but the period piece has a better shot in costume design than cinematography.

International Film

Academy: The Worst Person in the World

CGI Fridays: Riders of Justice

Riders of Justice is a Taken-like gritty, emotional thriller from Danish writer-director Anders Thomas Jensen. Mads Mikkelsen can do anything.

Visual Effects

Academy: Dune

CGI Fridays: Dune

Worth Mentioning: Spider-Man: No Way Home, Free Guy, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Black Widow, Finch,, The King's Man & The Tomorrow War.

I remember thinking around 2019 that visual effects had achieved a sense of realism like never before, especially in big budget films that could afford it. Since then, I've noticed some really lazy effects work in the movie industry, especially with CG backgrounds. The pandemic obviously hasn't helped studios and many VFX artists have been working from home. With that said, Dune still looks incredible in every scene.

Music

Academy: Hans Zimmer - Dune

CGI Fridays: Michael Giacchino - Spider-Man: No Way Home

Worth Mentioning: Joel P West -Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Lorne Balfe - Black Widow, Hans Zimmer - No Time to Die, Lorne Balfe - Silent Night, Matthew Margeson/Dominic Lewis - The King's Man & Sean Callery - The Marksman

A sequel technically doesn't have an "original" score, even if Giacchino mixes up the same sounds from his previous Spider-Man entry. This time there's more bells and choir, and sounds from previous generations of Spider-Man are mixed in nicely. The legendary Zimmer is back for Dune and No Time to Die, and hopefully wins even if the Academy doesn't think the category is important enough to televise.

Original Song

Academy: Somehow You Do - Reba McEntire

CGI Fridays: Second Nature - Bon Iver

Worth Mentioning: Michael Buble - The Christmas Sweater

"Second Nature" and its relevant lyrics are a sweet anthem for the end of the world. Buble's "Christmas Sweater" is a catchy jingle, and combined into Lorne Balfe's score for "All Is Calm."

Costume Design

Academy: Nightmare Alley

CGI Fridays: The Last Duel

Worth Mentioning: Judas and the Black Messiah, Fear Street Trilogy,The King's Man & The Harder They Fall

Both Nightmare Alley and The Last Duel flex their retro muscles and boast Oscar-worthy production value.

Production Design

Academy: Dune

CGI Fridays: Judas and the Black Messiah

Worth Mentioning: The Last Duel, No Time to Die, Gunpowder Milkshake, Reminiscence & The French Dispatch

I gave Dune a good-but-not-great B, but it deserves all the praise in every technical category. Since it's a book movie and not a comic book movie, it will likely be rewarded for its efforts.

Animated Film

Academy: Encanto

CGI Fridays: Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1

Worth Mentioning: Injustice & Batman: The Long Halloween Part 2

They're going to talk about Bruno, while I talk about Batman.

Sound

Academy: Dune

CGI Fridays: A Quiet Place Part II

Worth Mentioning: Spider-Man: No Way Home, Free Guy, Don't Look Up & Nightmare Alley

Dune, Dune, Duuuuune! Also, the lack of sound in A Quiet Place sounds nice.

Documentary

Academy: Ascension

CGI Fridays: Framing Britney Spears

Worth Mentioning: The Final Account & 'Til Kingdom Come

A couple political documentaries worth mentioning, but the Britney Spears story is too crazy -and the film does a good job telling it- not to give it my vote.

Adapted Screenplay

Academy: Dune

CGI Fridays: Munich - The Edge of War

Worth Mentioning: The Last Duel, Four Good Days & The Father

Turning a book as expansive as Dune into a movie made for a very bloated, crowded film, though it was certainly entertaining. Munich - The Edge of War isn't eligible for the actual 2022 Oscars, but I play by my own rules.

Original Screenplay

Academy: Don't Look Up

CGI Fridays: Judas and the Black Messiah

Worth Mentioning: Free Guy, Don't Look Up & Red Blood Sky

The words "original" and "Hollywood" don't really go together anymore. It's slim pickings from new IPs (intellectual properties) that are delivering original, quality content. Adam McKay's Don't Look Up is my pick for shining a (not-so subtle) light on what a joke society has become.

Best Director

Academy: Stephen Spielberg - West Side Story

CGI Fridays: Shaka King -Judas and the Black Messiah

Worth Mentioning: Jon Watts - Spider-Man: No Way Home, Christian Schwochow - Munich - The Edge of War, Ridley Scott - The Last Duel, Adam McKay - Don't Look Up & Anders Thomas Jensen - Riders of Justice

West Side Story might not even be a top 50 Spielberg film, but the field this year is so shallow. My pick and many picks this year go to Judas, but Jon Watts deserves praise for juggling all those spiders, as the messy script isn't on him. Best Picture

Academy: King Richard

CGI Fridays: Spider-Man: No Way Home

Worth Mentioning: Judas and the Black Messiah

My three A+ films from 2021 are all on display. I hope King Richard draws a royal flush on Oscar Sunday. No Way Home is a master class in fan service and saved the MCU from an underwhelming year. Judas and the Black Messiah is a social commentary film done right. More positive thoughts here.

Worst Picture

CGI Fridays: Coming 2 America

Worth Mentioning: Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Protege & Mortal Kombat

There are always going to be bad movies. But what makes a movie not just bad, but the worst, is when it's so bad it hurts. I didn't have any expectations for The Protege or Mortal Kombat, but I thought Ghostbusters would be serviceable and I assumed Eddie Murphy wouldn't let Coming 2 America be made without care.

Well... more negative thoughts here.

Sleeper Hit

CGI Fridays: Red Blood Sky

Worth Mentioning: Silent Night, Four Good Days & Nine Days

"Hit" is relative for 2021 as none of these films received at least an A- and therefore a place on the Infinity List. B+ is still a good score and these films went from off the radar to positively reviewed. Red Blood Sky gets the nod for being not just the most unknown, but featuring no big names in front of or behind the camera.

Biggest Disappointment

CGI Fridays: Godzilla vs. Kong

Worth Mentioning: Candyman, Venom: Let There Be Carnage & Eternals

Audiences are becoming more comfortable settling for mindless eye candy, and that's exactly what Godzilla vs. Kong is. The reason this is such a letdown is that the rebooted "MonsterVerse" starting out strong -Godzilla in 2014 and King Kong in 2017- and then went down a very steep hill after that.

Candyman isn't a good movie and worse, tries to shoehorn a political message into the final act. Venom: Let There Be Carnage is carnage, alright. And garbage. Eternals is the first MCU movie to ever get a negative score from yours truly.

Revisit the entire year with the 2021 CGI Fridays Rankings!

2021 CGI Fridays Rankings

After the nightmare that was 2020, people welcomed 2021 with very eager and very open arms. Among the many reasons to be excited for the re-opening of the world in the second quarter of the year was the the return to the cinema.

When my BFF and certified fresh movie partner Jake and I saw A Quiet Place Part II on May 31st, it was our first trip back to the theater since we saw Invisible Man almost 15 months earlier, way back on March 7th, 2020. 

Movies that saw their release date delayed due to the pandemic - No Time to Die being the first blockbuster to get pushed  - finally got their long-awaited theatrical release.

With movies arriving left and right, there was a lot to see in 2021, not to mention the expansive library still available at home on name-your-streaming service. 

With so much content, how much of it would prove to be worth the wait?

Sports: It's Been 10 Years...

Growing up a sports fan in Dallas, I'm used to losing. 

Born in 1993, no part of me remembers the Dallas Cowboys winning the Super Bowl in 1993, 1994, or 1996. And truthfully, I've never been that big of a Cowboys fan. Not until the invention of NFL RedZone and Scott Hanson in 2009 was I really even that into football.

Early on, my sports loyalties were evenly divided between the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers. Not coincidentally, baseball and basketball were and always have been my two favorite sports, and my childhood is decorated with colorful sports memories.

Going early to batting practice with my dad. Taking family trips to baseball stadiums around the country. Getting in long, sweaty autograph lines hours before first pitch or tipoff and absolutely insisting that we stay until the final buzzer. No matter what.

While these were great times, there wasn't a lot of winning.

First, the Rangers. My favorite baseball team went to the playoffs three times between the years of 1993 and 2009. They faced the New York Yankees empire in the 1996, 1998, and 1999 American League Division Series, losing all three times and winning just one out of nine games.

Fast forward to 2010 and 2011, and the Rangers played in the World Series in back-to-back years. Thankfully I'm about to start talking basketball, because pretty much everyone knows how the Rangers World Series tale ends.

My dad has been a Dallas Mavericks season ticket holder since almost the very beginning of the franchise in 1980. He tells me stories about the cheap seats, the crazy Reunion Arena environment, and how he and his friends would get a free pizza if the Mavs scored 125 points.

(That deal today would put Domino's out of business.)

Since I was old enough to remember that I existed, let's say at age 5 in 1998, I inherited my dad's love for basketball and for the Mavericks.

In a twist of serendipity, that was the same year the team drafted Dirk Nowitzki and went from a franchise of perennial losers to a franchise of perennial losers that went really far in the playoffs.

In the midst of all those promising seasons with bitter ends, I had a friend ask me a very valid question: 

"Would you sacrifice a championship for a decade of suffering?"

At the time, I said yes. Now, I say yes. During the chaos that was the Mavericks existence from 2012 until the end of Dirk's career, I still say yes.

10 years ago today, on June 12, 2011, the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship.

In the words of Chuck Cooperstein, radio voice of the Mavs: "The Mavericks have scaled the NBA playoff mountain and have planted their flag! They are the NBA champions!"

It was a magical moment for a lot of obvious reasons, but few sports franchises had been through the pain, suffering, and humiliation that the Mavericks had been through over the previous decade-plus.

The Mavs were a playoff team every year from 2000 to 2012. That's certainly not something I took for granted growing up. Going through the thrill of the NBA Playoffs every year of my life from age 7 to 19 was an incredible treat that I'm forever grateful to the sports Gods for.

And by sports Gods, I mean the German one. (And I wrote more about that dude right HERE.)

Making the playoffs every year, but not winning a championship, is still a blast. The up's and down's, the heartache and triumph that sports teams put us through, that's what being a fan is all about. 

If it was all winning, it wouldn't be worth it. "Super Teams" born overnight through free agency or star-demanded trades don't provide the same satisfaction. It's about the journey, and Dirk and the Mavs certainly went on a wild one.

That ride didn't end, but certainly hit its peak, in the 2011 NBA Finals. Beating the Miami Heat was sweet, poetic justice after choking away a 2-0 Finals lead against the same organization five years prior.

Perhaps worse was in 2007 when the Mavericks somehow started 0-4, ended up 67-15, and then got punk'd in the first round to the 8th-seeded "We Believe" Golden State Warriors.

After so many years of sports misery, 2011 was everything. The final moments were emotional to say the least, myself watching through tears as Dirk left the court immediately following the game to collect his own emotions.

"Would you sacrifice a championship for a decade of suffering?"

Dallas bonded over that title. People came together. It wore off, like all things good and bad do. But it happened. Despite what followed, it can never be taken away.

Happy 10 Years!