Winners of the 94th Academy Awards

And The Oscar Goes To….. (94th Academy Awards Winners)

Now, here are the winners of the 94th Academy Awards.

As I predicted, Dune did win the Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Production Design, Cinematography and Original Score. It didn't win Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Costume Design. I'm also disappointed that Raya and the Last Dragon didn't get the Best Animated Feature Film award, but that's my opinion. I was pleased that Hans Zimmer had received his second Oscar for Best Original Score in Dune, the first being The Lion King in 1994.

When watching the ceremony, I was shocked that Will Smith slapped the comedian Chris Rock after the latter made an unsavoury comment about his wife. It's no wonder he didn't get arrested for that, but he did apologise when making his speech after winning the Best Actor award for his performance in King Richard.

Best Visual Effects

Dune - Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer

Best Film Editing

Dune - Joe Walker

Best Costume Design

Cruella - Jenny Beaven

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh

Best Cinematography

Dune - Greig Fraser

Best Production Design

Dune - Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Zsuzsanna Sipos

Best Sound

Dune - Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett

Best Original Song

"No Time to Die" from No Time to Die - Music and Lyrics by Billie Elish and Finneas O'Connell

Best Original Score

Dune - Hans Zimmer

Best Animated Short Film

The Windshield Wiper - Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez

Best Live-Action Short Film

The Long Goodbye - Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed

Best Documentary Short Subject

The Queen of Basketball - Ben Proudfoot

Best Documentary Feature

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) - Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein

Best International Feature Film

Drive My Car (Japan) in Japanese - Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Best Animated Feature Film

Encanto - Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer

Best Adapted Screenplay

CODA - Screenplay by Sian Heder; based on the film La Famille Bélier by Victoria Bedos, Thomas Bidegain, Stanislas Carré de Malberg and Éric Lartigau

Best Original Screenplay

Belfast - Written by Kenneth Branagh

Best Supporting Actress

Ariana DeBose - West Side Story as Anita

Best Supporting Actor

Troy Kotsur - CODA as Frank Rossi

Best Actress

Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye as Tammy Faye Bakker

Best Actor

Will Smith - King Richard as Richard Williams

Best Director

Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog

Best Picture

CODA - Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger

Honorary Awards

Samuel L. Jackson

Elaine May

Liv Ullmann

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Danny Glover

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Uncharted Review

Uncharted

Release Date: 17th February 2022 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

Arad Productions

PlayStation Productions

Atlas Entertainment

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: M

Runtime: 116 minutes

Budget: $120,000,000

Box Office Gross: $401,748,820 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Experienced treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan recruits streetwise thief Nathan Drake to help him recover a lost

500-year-old fortune

amassed by explorer Ferdinand Magellan. What began as a heist evolves into a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before it falls into the hands of the ruthless Santiago Moncada. If they can decipher the clues and solve one of the world's oldest mysteries, Nate and Sully could find $5 billion in treasure -- but only if they must learn to work together.

Cast

Tom Holland - Nathan Drake

Mark Wahlberg - Victor Sullivan

Sophia Ali - Chloe Frazer

Antonio Banderas - Santiago Moncada

Tati Gabrielle - Braddock

Steven Waddington - The Scotsman

Pingi Moli - Hugo

Tiernan Jones - Young Nate

Rudy Pankow - Young Sam

Jesus Evita - Guard at Museum

Georgia Goodman - Sister Bernadette

Diarmid Murtagh - Police Officer

Joseph Balderrama - Carlos

Serena Posadino - Goldie

Alana Boden - Zoe

Jonathan Failla - Unsuspecting Doorman

Anthony Thomas - Luxury Sedan Driver

Peter Seaton-Clark - Auctioneer

Robert Maaser - Guard at Auction

Eskindir Tesfay - Security Guard

Manuel de Blas - Armando Moncada

Carme Capdet - Spanish Nun

Julia Schunevitsch - Club Bartender #1

Alois Knapps - Club Bartender #2

Patricia Meeden - Spanish

Woman in Club

Nolan North - Hotel Guest (Cameo)

Matt Barkley - Hotel Bellman

Jimmy Hart - Concepcion Helo

Pilot

Brett Praed - Concepcion Co-Pilot

Carlo Kitzlinger - Trinidad Helo Pilot

Pilou Asbaek - Gage

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Ruben Fleischer

Screen Story/Screenplay - Rafe Judkins

Screen Story - Jon Hanley Rosenberg and Mark D. Walker

Screenplay/Executive Producers - Art Marcum and Matt Holloway

Associate Producer/First Assistant Director -

Brian Reylea

Executive Producers - David Bernad,

Robert J. Bohrmann, Neil Druckmann,

Tom Holland, Asad Qizilbash,

Carter Swan and Evan Wells

Producers - Avi & Ari Arad,

Alex Gartner and Charles Roven

Co-Producer - Elise Callas

German Co-Producers - Christoph Fisser,

Henning Molfenter and Charlie Woebecken

Casting Directors - John Papsidera and

Denise Chaiman

Production Designer - Shepherd Frankel

Concept Artists - Victor James Martinez,

Giorgio Grecu, Thomas Möhring

and Jamie Rawa

Supervising Art Director - David Ingram

Art Directors - Robert Reblin,

Daniel Chour, Michael Fissneider,

Calla Klessig, Florian Müller,

Cornelia Ott, Nenad Pecur,

Sabine Engelberg and Patricia Woerler

Set Decorator - Eli Griff

Costume Designer - Marlene Stewart

Hair & Makeup Designer - Victoria Down

Director of Photography - Chung-hoon Chang

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Brad Shield

Director of Photography: Spain, Additional

Photography Unit - Eric Steelberg

"B" Camera Operator - Marcus Pohlus

First Assistant Director: Spain, Additional

Photography - Paul Barry

First Assistant Director: Second Unit - Joe Geary

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

Scott Rogers

Stunt Coordinators - Stephen Dunlevy,

Ryan Hanna, Kyle Weishaar and Keir Beck

Fight Coordinators - Wayne Dalglish

and Jimmy Chhlu

Special Effects Supervisor - Uli Nefzer

Special Effects Coordinator - Jonny Martin

Visual Effects Supervisor - Chas Jarrett

Visual Effects Supervisor: Sydney Unit -

Chris Godfrey

Digital Effects Supervisors: DNEG - Gregor Lanker

Daniel Elophe and Jolene McCaffrey

Visualisation Supervisor: The Third Floor -

Nicholas Markel

Editors - Chris Lebonzon and Richard Pearson

Additional Editors - John Schaeffer and

Joseph Kirkland

Supervising Sound Editors - Kami Asgar

and Erin Oakley

Sound Designer - Paul N.J. Ottosson

Re-Recording Mixers - Beau Borders,

Kevin O'Connell, Mark Paterson and

Tony Lamberti

Foley Artists - Gary A. Hecker and

Adam DeCoster

Music - Ramin Djawadi

Music Supervisor - Gabe Hilfer

Review

I never actually played the Uncharted games on the PlayStation because, at the time, I used to have an XBOX and Wii. Now I have seen the recent movie adaptation. I'm new to this source material. While Pokémon Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog are among a few that have shown respect, I'm unsure how accurate the movie is to the video games, considering that most of them turned out to be unsuccessful. I've just discovered that UNCHARTED is supposed to be an origin story that began with the two characters meeting for the first time. While UNCHARTED is mostly a lighthearted globe-trotting adventure, it gets too cliched in its plot and concept, and it's just a typical and safe action-adventure flick.

Director Ruben Fleischer has never tapped into anything like this and was known for officially shepherding the two Zombieland movies. And to a lesser extent, Venom. He relies on heavy inspiration to make UNCHARTED his own Indiana Jones adventure. The action sequences are exciting, but I don't see the comparisons to the video games, which many said are unwanted.

One reason I wanted to see the film is because of Tom Holland. He finished playing Spider-Man in the latest film for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While UNCHARTED is one of his attempts to break away from his famous role, Holland performs terrific as street-smart thief Nathan Drake, who gets embroiled in a treasure hunt. He even has Cocktail vibes of Tom Cruise when working at a bar during an action scene. Mark Wahlberg did alright with his acting but had good chemistry with Tom Holland in creating Sully as a father figure to Holland's main protagonist. Antonio Banderas was a great actor but had less screen time and is playing a forgettable villain.

Despite offering nothing new to the action/adventure genre, I find UNCHARTED a moderately entertaining film. It had a better shot at a decent adaptation than most games would have and is enjoyable. While it isn't great, I recommend all audiences watch this movie once you get past its cliches.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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The Batman Review

The Batman

Release Date: 3rd March 2022 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

DC Entertainment

6th & Idaho Productions

Dylan Clark Productions

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 176 minutes

Budget: $200,000,000

Box Office Gross: $770,836,163 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

After two years of fighting crime, Batman must look

for a sadistic serial killer

known as The Riddler,

who has killed Gotham's

key political figures and

has left behind a trail of cryptic clues. He must expose the corruption that has plagued the city and question his family's involvement.

Cast

Robert Pattinson - Bruce Wayne/Batman

Zöe Kravitz - Selina Kyle

Paul Nano - The Riddler

Colin Farrell - Oz/The Penguin

Jeffrey Wright - Lt. James Gordon

John Turturro - Carmine Falcone

Andy Serkis - Alfred Pennyworth

Peter Sarsgaard - District Attorney Gil Colson

Barry Keoghan - Unseen Arkham Prisoner (Cameo)

Jayme Lawson - Bella Reál

Gil Perez-Abraham - Officer Martinez

Peter McDonald - Kenzie

Con O'Neill - Chief Mackenzie Bock

Alex Ferns - Commissioner Pete Savage

Rupert Penry-Jones - Mayor Don Mitchell Jr

Kosha Engler - Mrs. Mitchell

Archie Barnes - Mitchell's Son

Janine Harouni - Carla

Hana Hrzic - Annika

Joseph Walker - Young Riddler

Luke Roberts - Thomas Wayne

Oscar Novak - Young Bruce Wayne

Stella Stocker - Martha Wayne

Sandra Dickinson - Dory

Jack Bennett - Travis

Andre Nightingale - Ritchie

Richard James-Neale - Glen

Lorraine Tai - Cheri

Joseph Balderama - Lead Detective

James Eeles - Another Officer

Angela Yeoh - Forensic

Photographer

Leemore Marrett Jr. - Muscle Cop

Ezra Elliott - Tactical Medic

Charlie Carver - The Twin

Max Carver - The Twin

Mark Killeen - Vinnie

Elliot Warren - Train Gang Leader

Jay Lycurgo - Train Gang Young Member

Crew

Writer/Producer/Director - Matt Reeves

Writer - Peter Craig

Batman Creators - Bob Kane

and Bill Finger

Associate Producer/First

Assistant Director - Toby Hefferman

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Simon Emanuel

Executive Producers - Walter Hamada, Michael E. Uslan and Chantal Nong Vo

Producer - Dylan Clark

Casting Directors - Lucy Bevan and Cindy Tolan

Dialogue Coaches - Jill McCullough and Andrew Jack

Production Designer - James Chinlund

Vehicle Concept Artist - Ed Natividad

(Uncredited)

Supervising Art Director -

Grant Armstrong

Supervising Art Director: US -

Maya Shimoguchi

Art Directors: Vehicles - Joseph Hiura and Will Newton

Set Decorator - Lee Sandales

Assistant Set Decorators - Ben Barrington-Groves,

Anita Gupta and Guy Mount

Property Master - Jamie Wilkinson

Standby Props - Sonny Merchant and Charlie Summerville

Costume Designer - Jacqueline Durran

Costume Designer: The Batsuit/Costume Supervisor - David Crossman

Costume Designer/Chief

Concept Artist: The Batsuit - Glyn Dillon

HOD Costume FX - Pierre Bohanna

Costume Cutters - Jennifer Alford, Sarah Humphrey

and Simone Feulmer

Makeup Designer - Naomi Donne

Prosthetics Design: The Penguin & Unseen

Arkham Prisoner - Michael Marino

Makeup Designer: Selina - Pat McGrath

Director of Photography - Greig Fraser

Supervising Location Manager/

COVID Compliance - Mark Somner

Chicago Location Manager - Adam Boor

Unit Production Manager: Second Unit -

James R. McAllister

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Tom Edmondson

First Assistant Director: Chicago Unit -

Julian Wall

Second Unit Director/Supervising Stunt

Coordinator - Robert Alonzo

Stunt Coordinators - Steve Griffin,

Samuel Le and Jacob Dewitt

Stunt Coordinator: Chicago Unit -

Rick LeFevour

Fight Co-Coordinator/Trainer - Daniel Arrias

(Uncredited)

Picture Vehicle Supervisor - Alex King

Special Effects Supervisor - Dominic Tuohy

Special Effects Supervisor: Chicago Unit -

Andre Christopoulos

Special Effects Coordinator - Alicia Davies

Visual Effects Supervisor - Dan Lemmon

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Russell Earl

Visual Effects Supervisor: Weta Digital -

Anders Langlands

Visual Effects Supervisor: Chicago Unit -

Mark O. Forker

Additional Visual Effects Supervisor -

Jeremy Burns

Visual Effects Associate Supervisors: ILM -

Malcolm Humphreys and Anthony Smith

Visual Effects Supervising Producer: ILM -

Jill Brooks

Visual Effects Producers - Alex Bicknell and

Bryan Searing

Visual Effects Producer: Weta Digital -

Sophie Cherry

Editors - William Hoy and Tyler Nelson

Supervising Sound Editor - Douglas Murray

Supervising Sound Editor/Re-Recording Mixer -

Will Files

Sound Designers - Lee Gilmore,

Craig Henighan and and Chris Terhune

Sound Recordist - John P. Fasal

Re-Recording Mixer - Andy Nelson

Sound Mixer - Stuart Wilson

Music - Michael Giacchino

Music Supervisor - George Drakoulias

Music Editor - Joe E. Rand

Score Recordists & Mixers - Peter Cobbin

and Kirsty Whalley

Review

Fans are wary of THE BATMAN since it's not canonically part of the DC Extended Universe, which is supposed to star Ben Affleck as the titular caped crusader and produce, co-write and direct the film. It was a bold reinvention of the title character that has been countlessly adapted many times on the silver screen. The movie managed to arrive in theatres by the time it came. Co-writer/director Matt Reeves is a longtime Batman fan and has poured his heart and soul into making his spin on the Dark Knight with inspiration from a few of David Fincher's films. He's not as masterful as Chris Nolan, who did the character justice in The Dark Knight trilogy. Reeves knows how to push certain limits when making this recent cinematic interpretation a noir thriller.

Why some fans are disappointed with this iteration, I don't understand. Perhaps they expected an adaptation similar to The Dark Knight but with a tonal balance of light and dark. I admire its action sequences, in which the fighting felt very similar to the combat style from the Arkham games I've been playing. Plus, it had an engaging storyline with so many twists and turns.

After years of seeing Christian Bale and Ben Affleck's takes on the character, I was uncertain that Robert Pattinson would be an ideal actor to portray Bruce Wayne/Batman. Given that he played a sullen vampire in the Twilight series. I didn't watch his work. However, Pattinson gives a vulnerable edge to his protagonist and proves that he's good at it. Few people complained that Batman was too much of a wimp and not a strong enough character, but they're probably not used to seeing the new version.

Paul Dano did a fantastic job as The Riddler, whereas Jim Carrey's is comical and lighthearted. His was darker, homicidal and extremely psychopathic and would probably rival Heath Ledger's Joker as the terrifying arch-foe of Batman. Colin Farrell looks unrecognisable as the Penguin, although the makeup team did an incredible job of making him look like that. Zöe Kravitz was terrific as Catwoman, and this wasn't the first time she played that anti-heroine, which she reprised from The Lego Batman Movie.

On the technical side, Greig Fraiser's cinematography is simply dazzling. Michael Giacchino's score is hauntingly brutal but eerily similar to Danny Elfman's compositions in the first two Batman movies by Tim Burton.

While it isn't as insightful or original as Nolan's films, THE BATMAN is a superbly daring movie that reinvents the Caped Crusader bleakly for a crime thriller/detective drama. It could be the second-best Batman movie, with The Dark Knight still on top. I highly recommend it to Batman and DC fans, and most would want to see it anyway.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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In Memory of William Hurt (1950-2022)

William Hurt (1950-2022)

The Academy Award-winning actor William Hurt passed away on March 13th, 2022, after a battle with prostate cancer one week before his 72nd birthday. He was best known for roles such as "Body Heat", "The Big Chill", "Kiss of the Spider Woman", and "Broadcast News", and was also known for his portrayal of General Thaddeus Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Hurt made his screen debut in 1980 with "Altered States", playing a psychopathologist, and quickly emerged as one of the decade's foremost leading men. The following year, Hurt starred opposite Kathleen Turner in a steamy noir film by writer/director Lawrence Kasdan, "Body Heat". It changed the lives of the two performers who positively ignited on screen into the major league players of Hollywood stardom. Hurt would have another lead role in "Gorky Park" and was part of an ensemble of a drama about a group of friends reuniting entitled "The Big Chill", which became a touchstone for the baby boomer generation.

Then came "Kiss of the Spider Woman", for which Hurt won the Best Actor Oscar for portraying a gay window dresser in a repressive dictatorship of South America. Following his award win in "Kiss of the Spider Woman", Hurt landed in roles that garnered him Oscar nominations in movies like "Children of a Lesser God" and "Broadcast News". Playing as a speech teacher at a school for the deaf and a likable, slightly-dimwitted newsman had showcased his talents, and the critical and commercial success of these films propelled Hurt into the A-list. However, the actor didn't seem to care about his celebrity status.

William went through a turbulent period in the 1990s, when he became acclaimed for playing an arrogant surgeon in "The Doctor". Films such as "Second Chances" and "Until the End of the World" don't have the same immeasurable success Hurt had in the 1980s. Even his attempt at popcorn entertainment with the big-screen adaptation of "Lost in Space" didn't earn enough money to spawn a franchise, despite being a modest hit and Hurt looking bored throughout the movie.

He also appeared in the television mini-series adaptation of "Dune", as well as films like Steven Spielberg's "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" and M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village". William Hurt settled into supporting roles with his scene-stealing performances in "The Good Shepherd", "Into the Wild", and most notably "A History of Violence". The latter film, Hurt, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as a sinister mob boss.

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