tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473306436899522912024-03-05T01:04:04.431-08:00SevenLinerSeven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-90253362722379318802020-05-08T19:51:00.001-07:002020-05-08T19:51:15.781-07:00The Last Kingdom (2020) - Season 4 - ReviewOne of the few shows that is fast-paced and makes you care about (like and also despise) its characters. The fourth season covers books 7 and 8 in Bernard Cornwell's Saxons saga but the plot unfortunately has become predictable.<br />
<br />
This historical fiction is about Danes attack to Saxon land (modern day England), with many of the characters are rooted in history. The main protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg who is the audience's main point of view is based on a fabled warrior who happens to be one of Bernard Cornwell's ancestors.<br />
<br />
Uhtred is Saxon who was raised by the Danes. This makes him a misfit in both camps. Although he fights for the Saxons, they dislike him for not being Christian. Some of the Danes are more accepting of him, but they cannot forgive him for siding with the Saxons.<br />
<br />
This premise was quite captivating, and I was (and still am, but to a lesser extent) a fan. Each season covers two books in Cornwell's series, and considering that he is going to end this saga with the 13th book, it seems the show has enough material for probably three more seasons. But much like every intellectual property that lives for too long, the creator(s) end up eventually repeating themselves. In <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2018/11/the-last-kingdom-season-3-review.html" target="_blank">every season</a>, there are savage Danes that have a personal vendetta against Uhtred (the story's hero) and also scheming and conniving Saxons that try to stab Uhtred in the back. These characters are despicable and fun to hate, while Uhtred himself is easy to root for. With this pattern being repeated over and over, I worry that the remaining seasons (if the show gets renewed) will be a rehash of the same formula.<br />
<br />
Season 4 of The Last Kingdom was still entertaining and enjoyable, and for this I'd give it a 7.5/10. But I do hope the show runners change a few things for the next season.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-76614889861079438812020-05-08T19:29:00.002-07:002020-05-08T19:29:20.362-07:00After Life (2020) - Season Two - ReviewThe snarky grieving widower returns to tolerate the odd people of his town and rewatch countless hours of home video that he'd kept from his wife. The <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/03/after-life-2019-season-one.html" target="_blank">first season </a>captured lightning in a bottle, but season 2 was simply a regression.<br />
<br />
At the end of the first season, Tony (Ricky Gervais' character) had gone through all the stages of grief and finally reached acceptance of the situation. He looked at peace with his community and even had a love interest. Season 2 takes a few steps back in Tony character development and shows a man who is still angry and in denial. One could easily insert season 2 in the middle of season 1, and still watch the first season's finale to get closure on this story. I understand that in reality people relapse, but Gervais didn't even take the time to explain this regression with a couple of lines of dialogue.<br />
<br />
Highlights of the season are Gervais' few rants, which as a fan of his stand ups, I quite enjoyed. The rest seemed pointless though. When we only had the first season, I used to recommend it to everyone. But now, with a lazy rehash of the same story, I don't have the same level of respect for this show. For this, I'd give the latest season a 5/10. Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-66258855761801457982020-02-08T17:08:00.002-08:002020-02-08T17:09:01.698-08:00Oscar Predictions (2020)Having seen a good majority of nominees this year, I'd like to predict what films will end up with the highest award of the season tomorrow.<br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"zapf dingbats";
panose-1:5 2 1 2 1 7 4 2 6 9;
mso-font-charset:2;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-CA;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:35.4pt;
mso-footer-margin:35.4pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 276px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: double #984806 4.5pt; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Category</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: double #984806 4.5pt; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Nominees</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: double #984806 4.5pt; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Prediction</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: double #984806 4.5pt; mso-border-left-alt: double #984806 4.5pt; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">My Vote</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td rowspan="9" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Picture</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ford v Ferrari</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Irishman</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jojo Rabbit</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Joker</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Little Women</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Marriage Story</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">1917</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Parasite</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Directing</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Irishman</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Joker</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">1917</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Parasite</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Actor</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Antonio Banderas</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Leonardo DiCaprio</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Adam Driver</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Joaquin Phoenix</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 19;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jonathan Pryce</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 20;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Actress</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cynthia Erivo</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 21;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scarlett Johansson</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 22;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Saoirse Ronan</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 23;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Charlize Theron</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 24;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Renee Zellweger</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 25;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Supporting
Actor</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tom Hanks</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 26;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Anthony Hopkins</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 27;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Al Pacino</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 28;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Joe Pesci</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 29;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Brad Pitt</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 30;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Supporting
Actress</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Kathy Bates</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 31;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Laura Dern</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 32;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scarlett Johansson</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 33;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Florence Pugh</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 34;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Margot Robbie</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 35;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Original
Screenplay</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Knives Out</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 36;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Marriage Story</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 37;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">1917</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 38;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 39;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Parasite</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 40;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Adapted
Screenplay</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Irishman</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 41;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jojo Rabbit</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 42;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Joker</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 43;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Little Women</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 44;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Two Popes</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 45;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Original Score</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Joker</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 46;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Little Women</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 47;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Marriage Story</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 48;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">1917</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 49;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Star Wars</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 50;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Original Song</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Toy Story 4</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 51;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Rocketman</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 52;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Breakthrough</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 53;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Frozen II</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 54;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Harriet</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 55;">
<td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: double #984806 4.5pt; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 81.4pt;" valign="top" width="81"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Best Cinematography</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Irishman</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 56;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Joker</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 57;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Lighthouse</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 58;">
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">1917</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: "zapf dingbats"; font-size: 14.0pt;">✔</span><span style="color: dimgrey; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 59; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 91.55pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #111111; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood</span><span style="color: dimgrey; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #984806 1.0pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 53.1pt;" valign="top" width="53"></td>
<td style="border-bottom: double #984806 4.5pt; border-left: none; border-right: double #984806 4.5pt; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 2.85pt 0cm 2.85pt; width: 49.6pt;" valign="top" width="50"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-51954557860847227102020-02-07T18:33:00.001-08:002020-02-07T18:36:04.419-08:00Oscar Nominees (2019) - Review RoundupI fell behind on reviewing the Oscar nominated movies, so instead of having rather long-form opinion pieces, I'll try to present a roundup of the best picture nominees and nominees from a few other categories in a few sentences.<br />
<br />
<b>Best Picture Nominees:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Ford V Ferrari: </b>Fantastic acting, practical effects, a true story that is stranger than fiction. One of the best movies of the year hands down. But not on top of the podium. Sure worth a watch in the theatres.<br />
<br />
<b>The Irishman: </b>One of the best movies of the decade, and hands down the best movie of the year. Detailed review is available <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/12/irishman-2019-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>JoJo Rabbit: </b>Taika Waititi (director of Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows) is one of the most creative minds in Hollywood. A satirical take on World War 2's German culture and a very realistic take on what makes us human. I take my hat off to Taika for his brilliance.<br />
<br />
<b>Joker: </b>A masterpiece that I don't want to see more than once. Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix present a nuanced take on one of the most troubled fictional characters in history. Seeing it (only once) is a must! A detailed review is available <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/10/joker-2019-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Little Women: </b>A feminist story that was revolutionary in 1860's. Luckily, we have progressed much farther than that today, and seeing three sisters fighting for the affections of one rich pretty boy is not as empowering today as it might have been two centuries before. Besides the dated story, Greta Gerwig (the director)'s decision to make time jumps back and forth only hurt the movie. Despite the general apprehension to criticize the movie for the fear of being called a misogynist, it was one of the worst movies of the last decade.<br />
<br />
<b>Marriage Story: </b>Noah Baumbach's (director, screenwriter, producer) real life divorce from his ex-wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was depicted in this melodrama. One cannot comment Baumbach on his creativity (as he just retold what had happened to him), but still he told a compelling, relatable, and moving story. It sure is worth your time and emotional investment.<br />
<br />
<b>1917: </b>A technical marvel of cinematography. Unless you have ancestors who fought in the great war, you may not feel a direct connection to any of the <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/01/what-makes-good-protagonist.html" target="_blank">protagonists</a>. But still, for the technical achievements, it certainly is worth a watch.<br />
<br />
<b>Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood: </b>A love letter to Hollywood and filmmaking. Tarantino the director is at his very best in constructing beautiful long shots and getting the best performance from his actors. Tarantino the writer, however, has written a fan fiction with inconsistencies, non organic tonal changes, and unearned subversion of expectations. Brad Pitt certainly deserves a best supporting actor Oscar! Full review is available <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/07/once-upon-time-in-hollywood-2019-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Parasite: </b>Bong Joon Ho (the director and screen writer) criticized the western audience for their fear of reading subtitles. I, personally, am not afraid of reading, but still believe reading subtitles takes away some of the attention that you should have given to performances and other visuals that the filmmakers wanted to present. Regardless of how much attention I managed to give to Parasite visually, I found it a role model in character development. The less you know, the more you would enjoy the movie, so I will refrain from any plot summaries or synopses. What I would is say is that Bong Joon Ho plays with your emotions like no other. He makes you care, despise, care, and then despise those characters over and over again. It is also a very fresh and realistic take on the culture in developing countries where there is no middle class. It did not stick the landing in my opinion, but still, it certainly is an accomplishment in creative story-telling.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Nominees:</b><br />
<b>The Two Popes (Best Leading and Supporting Actor): </b>Based on real life events, Anthony Hopkins delivers a nuanced performance that is despising yet heartwarming at the same time. Jonathan Pryce also portrays Pope Francis unlike any of Pryce's previous roles. The movie is boring whenever it does a flashback (which is almost 40% of the screen time), but when those two actors are on the screen, it's hard to think about anything else!<br />
<br />
<b>Bombshell (Best Leading Actress): </b>I have been a fan of Megyn Kelly for the better half of the decade. Charlize Theron had a Herculean task of portraying her. Adam McKay (the director) also had a difficult job of presenting an event that was fresh in everyone's memory. Theron did a magnificent job at portraying an influential character in the recent pop culture. McKay had some inconsistencies though. The characters break the fourth wall in the first 10 minutes of the movie and directly talk to the audience, but then they forget the audience for the rest of the movie. Even the cinematography changes from more hand-held present-in-the-moment style to a third-person omniscient invisible observer. Still, worth a watch.<br />
<br />
<b>Judy (Best Leading Actress): </b>Rene Zellweger portrays Judy Garland - a former child actor who suffers from substance abuse - masterfully. Besides the acting showcase of Zellweger, the rest of the movie is a let down.<br />
<br />
<b>Toy Story 4 (Best Animated Feature): </b>Still a good animated movie, but far from Pixar's best. It did not ruin the legacy of the franchise (unlike Game of Thrones, Star Wars Rise of Skywalker, or Terminator Dark Fate), but it was certainly far from what the franchise had delivered in the past.<br />
<br />
<b>Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Music - Original Score): </b>An underwhelming effort that left audience neither shaken nor stirred. Full review <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2020/01/star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-2019-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Rocketman (Original Song): </b>A fun sing-along experience. Bohemian Rhapsody was more nuanced, but still, Taron Egerton should be commended for his portrayal of Elton John.<br />
<br />
<b>Frozen II (Original Song): </b>Paint by the number sequel, with some impressive visuals (water and jungle animated in hyper realistic 3D models), but the title song, "Into the Unknown" was nowhere close to what "Let It Go" did culturally.<br />
<br />
<b>Avengers: Endgame (Visual Effects): </b>A marvel (pun intended) of story telling and universe building as the culmination of a 22-movie saga. Particularly, when you see how the other franchises (Star Wars, Terminator, Game of Thrones) failed in concluding their stories, you'll appreciate Avengers even more. Far from a transformative experience for the uninitiated, but still a major achievement. Full review <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/04/avengers-endgame-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Knives Out (Original Screenplay): </b>A classic whodunnit reminiscent of Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle's work. Great acting, smart plot twists, and good pacing. I wouldn't consider it ground-breaking by any means, but worth streaming it from the comfort of your couch at home.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-41256439779940541012020-02-07T17:41:00.001-08:002020-02-07T17:41:30.693-08:00Birds of Prey (2020) - ReviewAs a direct sequel to <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2016/08/suicide-squad-2016.html" target="_blank">Suicide Squad</a>, Birds of Prey does a soft reboot of the franchise and presents an experience that can be best described as a teenage girl's acid trip. Is it a fun ride? Yeah, it could be... But as much as it tries, it sure does not redefine the genre.<br />
<br />
The movie starts with an animated recap of Harley Quinn's background as an orphan who becomes a psychiatrist, falls in love with her most dangerous patient - the infamous Joker - and then breaks bad. For fans of the character who have followed her development since her first appearance in the Batman The Animated Series in 1992 - co-created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini - this Harley is a post #MeToo reincarnation of the character who demands reparation from everyone for all the bad things that her ex-boyfriend has done to her. She is still a uniquely complex comic book character who can be best described as a female Joker-Deadpool hybrid.<br />
<br />
Birds of Prey is produced by Margot Robbie, and as the boss, of course it is her show! She is probably in more than 80% of the scenes and to be fair, she does a great job at presenting a fresh take on the character. As cartoony as Harley is, she is still a three-dimensional character. The other players in the game (Huntress, Rene Montoya, Orphan, and Black Canary) are just there to support Harley - even though the movie's title is named after them.<br />
<br />
I don't have much to say, except that it is a high-octane, action-packed movie that does not push the envelop of neither action movies nor comic book adaptations by any means. But it is worth a viewing when it hits the streaming services. For me, Birds of Prey was a 6/10.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-90226189859609459402020-01-09T12:52:00.004-08:002020-01-09T12:52:41.948-08:00Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - ReviewOffering a satisfying conclusion to a nine-episode saga is a difficult and unenviable task that Rise of Skywalker had to undertake. With a lot of corporate oversight - classic example of too many cooks spoiling the broth - the writers and director delivered a product that did not resonate with the majority of Star Wars fans.<br />
<br />
Steering clear of spoilers is almost impossible, but I will do my best to review this movie in abstract terms:<br />
Rise of Skywalker is two movies crammed into one. It's fast-paced, yet feels slow. After the fan backlash on Episode 8: Return of the Jedi, Disney tried to undo some of the developments from that movie. Hence, the first half of Rise of Skywalker is course correction. I myself did not like Return of the Jedi at all, but it at least had a handful of spectacular nerd-gasmic scenes. Rise of Skywalker, unfortunately, doesn't even have that silver lining.<br />
<br />
My biggest problem with this movie, and all the other sequels (e.g., the new <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/11/terminator-dark-fate-2019-review.html" target="_blank">Terminator</a> movie), is that they tarnish childhood nostalgia and good memories that we had by rewriting the past. In the particular case of Episode 9: Rise of Skywalker, we see (spoiled in the trailers) the return of Emperor Palpatine. The fact that Palpatine is still alive, means that Anakin Skywalker (the redeemed Darth Vader) was NOT the promised Chosen One... His sacrifice did NOT bring balance to the force - the balance did not even last for a full generation... He did NOT end the Sith... Hence, there is no end to the struggle between Jedi and Sith. It is an inevitable fate that is going to repeat itself over and over and over again. There is no finality to the story, which negates the significance of any victory or conclusion.<br />
<br />
Jenny Nicholson, a Youtube personality, has listed all the flaws of Episode 9 masterfully. Therefore, instead of repeating a subset of those points, I'll just embed her analysis below:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GErIPKjwuDg/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GErIPKjwuDg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
I understand why Hollywood doesn't take risk in new intellectual properties (IP) and wants to invest in what is proven to sell. I wish they rebooted the Star Wars or Terminator IP - like how we have a new Batman every decade, and it does not affect what the previous ones meant. Or if they made these movie franchises procedural like James Bond movies where every movie is just a new standalone mission.<br />
<br />
All said, Rise of Skywalker has to be seen by everyone who has followed the franchise. It is just an Okay movie worthy of a 6/10.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-67807799111179183182019-12-17T15:11:00.002-08:002019-12-17T15:11:33.391-08:006 Underground (2019) - Review6 Underground is a bombastic Bay-hem born out of Michael Bay's creatively bankrupt brain that violates your visual and auditory sensors to the point of numbness.<br />
<br />
I can't call 6 Underground the worst movie of the year, but certainly the worst utilization of talent and budget. The cast could have led or supported any other movie much better, but in 6 Underground, people just yell and quip (lamely) for two hours straight. The plot is thinner than a strand of hair, with the only saving grace of the production being its stunts department. They did their best to use practical driving and parkour effects, but Michael Bay's 10 cuts/second made me dizzy and somewhat nauseous.<br />
<br />
In the age of good blockbusters (e.g., all the Marvel movies), 6 Underground has a much harder time meeting anyone's expectations. Maybe 25 years ago, the Bay-hem was fresh and appealing, but in 2019, Netflix's 6 Underground is a 2/10 at best.<br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-58518778884108077252019-12-04T15:42:00.001-08:002019-12-04T15:42:58.375-08:00Irishman (2019) - ReviewMartin Scorsese came under a lot of scrutiny for claiming that Marvel (and all the other comic book) movies are not cinema. I myself found it impossible to find a definition of, let alone make one up for cinema. But I'm quite certain about one thing; Martin Scorsese has been delivering masterpieces one after another since early 1970's. Human creativity and ingenuity is finite and everybody reaches their plateau at some point, but the quality of Scorsese's work hasn't dropped yet. Irishman might even be his best work to date!<br />
<br />
Irishman tells the life story of Frank Sheeran (the narrator) from late 1950's to early 2000's. The movie is based on a book written by Frank's lawyer who documented his retelling of his life and interactions with real people who played somewhat significant roles in American history. Whether this narration is reliable or not is beyond anybody's comprehension. The historians have not reached a consensus on what actually transpired with regards to this story, and there is no objective truth. What we see, however, is a deeply grounded story of an outsider's journey in a foreign land: an Irish man who works at the front line of Italian Mafia in New York and Philadelphia and his dealings with a political figure of Dutch and German origin.<br />
<br />
How much of it is true? I really don't care! I care that I witnessed 50 years of one person's life in a span of 3.5 hours. I had the privilege of spending time with fascinating characters who I could understand, sympathize, and sometimes despise. The acting, music, visuals (even the de-aging effects), cinematography, and the edits were top-notch! I highly doubt if anybody could have done a better job (even by the smallest margins).<br />
<br />
I just have high praise for a magnificent viewing experience that made me care about the characters, with a story that made sense, and pacing that was a joy from beginning to end. Building up expectations is only going to lead to disappointments, but in all honesty, Irishman was the best movie of the decade for me. I would happily give it a 15/10!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-33544912511485511162019-11-01T17:34:00.000-07:002019-11-01T18:07:54.582-07:00Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) - ReviewBesides "I'll be back" and "hasta la vista, baby", perhaps the other memorable quote from the Terminator franchise is: "There's no fate but what we make". But the underlying message of the latest entry, Terminator: Dark Fate, is that regardless of what these characters do (or make), the fate is still going to be the same!! Let me elaborate:<br />
<br />
As shown in the trailers (no spoilers), there is a terminator and a guardian sent from the future to fight over someone's life. This plot device had been used in four of the previous five Terminator movies. The only 'supposed' novelty of Dark Fate is that it ignores Terminator 3-5 and goes on an alternative timeline that branches out of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Regardless of continuity (whether Terminators 1-5, or 1-2 and then Dark Fate), the fate of humanity remains the same: robots rebel against humans sometime in the future. It only may get delayed, but seems inevitable... In that very future, even though the robots have the upper hand, they still send a machine back in time to kill a human who might end up being important on day. In response, human rebels send a guardian back to protect that individual.<br />
<br />
As someone who <i>used to</i> be a fan of the franchise, I have recently realized that the logic makes no sense - at least the plot of the five out of six Terminator movies (i.e., all except for Salvation). Why the robots, who are dominating in the battlefields, need to change anything in the past? From their point of view, the status quo must be perfect! Why do they (i.e., robots) need to take a proactive role in this scenario?<br />
<br />
Those highly intelligent robots must be familiar with the butterfly effect! With the smallest change, the robots may cease to exist. At best they may eradicate a troublesome human leader, but worst case, is that their domination might end.. It would have made much more sense if humans decided to rewrite the past and sent someone (whether machine or human) in the terminator role to change/terminate the timeline, and then the robots (i.e., SkyNet or Legion) sent a guardian to protect/guard the chain of events leading to their supremacy!!<br />
<br />
Now back to Dark Fate: I went to see this movie with great enthusiasm. The first two entries in the franchise (logic aside) are masterpieces in my opinion. In particular, Terminator 2 is (or maybe was... need to sleep on it) one of my favourite movies of all time. In T2, Arnold (T-800) was an unstoppable bear sent to protect John Connor from a fast and elusive wolf, T-1000 or the mercury man - played by Robert Patrick. Dark Fate, does a good job of replicating T2's animalistic dynamic between the guardian and terminator. The terminator is of the Rev-9 model (Gabriel Luna) and is more like a Jaguar with unlimited stamina, can leave a copy of himself behind, and instead of mercury, perhaps 'tar' could be the substance that you associate it with. The guardian, Grace (Mackenzie Davis), is almost as relentless and strong, but can only operate in short bursts - very much like a video game character that has a special move and you need to replenish it before it can be used again - and also moves like a fast feline predator (I'll let the reader pick the animal).<br />
<br />
These two characters match up really well, and make a few memorable scenes, particularly their confrontations in the first act. Throughout the movie, the fight choreography was fast, smooth, and beautiful to watch. More positive comments can be said about Linda Hamilton's return as Sarah Connor and the always impressive Arnold Schwarzenegger. Their limitless charm is on full display. The pacing of the movie is good too. I only looked at my watch once, and it was after 1hr 45mins - only 15 minutes before the credits started rolling.<br />
<br />
Overall, Dark Fate is an entertaining movie, but my gripes are with overuse of computer-generated images (CGI), and the flaws in the plot of endless attempts at sending guardians and terminators back in time, with a seemingly unavoidable fate. I'm also disappointed in the marketing team for overhyping James Cameron's involvement. Has Cameron become creatively bankrupt? Is he out of fresh ideas? Is he going to repeat and contradict himself from now on? I wish Cameron and the studio stop milking this cash cow before it reaches the very last drop... The cast, budget, and choreography should have been utilized to build a new franchise (rather than rehashing this old story). In case of staying with this old Terminator story, Salvation was the freshest idea that we had. Showing how the future pans out is much more interesting than yet another foolish attempt at rewriting the past.<br />
<br />
At the risk of sounding redundant (much like this movie), Dark Fate's biggest sin was to tarnish the reputation and impact of Terminators 1 and 2! All it does is reaffirming that this loop or vicious cycle (or dark fate) is inevitable; the gender and race of characters might change, but the roles stay the same. So... why care at all? Clearly there will be sequels, but they will become void one day when the a new war between humans vs. machines begins.<br />
<br />
As an entertaining Fast and Furious clone, Terminator: Dark Fate is a 6.5/10.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-41000556479092133012019-10-11T13:56:00.000-07:002019-10-11T13:56:07.666-07:00Joker (2019) - ReviewJoker, the movie, is very much like a detailed sculpture that was crafted by a true master craftsman. I've been reflecting on what I experienced for almost a day now, and find myself still peeling layers and identifying new ways to interpret the film. From this perspective, I dare call this sculpture a masterpiece. But for sure I don't want to have this sculpture in my living room... or even see it again!<br />
<br />
First, let me preface this review by saying that I am a hardcore fan of the Batman mythology and hence, better-versed in the history of Joker than the general public. I have read most (if not all) of the seminal Joker stories, and consider <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2016/07/batman-killing-joke-2016.html" target="_blank">The Killing Joke</a> (by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland) and Mad Love (by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm) to be the top two defining character studies. One thing that both have in common is depicting the Joker's chaotic thought process vividly. A key quote from the Killing Joke, by the Joker, is: "if I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!". The Mad Love also shows how Joker fabricates different stories in order to manipulate others - in that particular case, his mark was his psychiatrist, Dr. Harleen Quinzel who later transformed into Harley Quinn. Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight also adopted this in Joker's characterization. Case in point: "You wanna know how I got these scars?"<br />
<br />
I initially had an apprehension towards the 2019 movie thinking that the "multiple choice" aspect of Joker's past is going to be lost with a movie focusing solely on the character's origin. While the movie covers one cohesive story line, it makes the viewer question what part of it was real and what was in Arthur Fleck's mind. His name even could be a sad joke, implying that he was just <i><b><u>a fleck</u></b></i> of little to no significance.<br />
<br />
The Arthur in this story is a mental health patient who laughs uncontrollably when he gets emotional (happy, sad, nervous, or stressed) and lives with his ailing mother, Penny. He earns a living as a party clown working for the HaHa agency in the rougher parts of Gotham City. After the city cuts down the budget on social services, Arthur is left without professional support and access to his medication.<br />
<br />
On one bad day (referring to the theme from <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2016/07/batman-killing-joke-2016.html" target="_blank">The Killing Joke</a>), Arthur is fired from the agency for taking a gun to a children's hospital - a gun that maybe a colleague gave it to him or maybe he bought it himself... On a train ride, three businessmen pick on Arthur. He kills two of them in self-defence and chases after the third one on an <u>empty</u> train and catches up with him in an <u>empty</u> station to shoot him in point blank. The murders are reported in the press in the following days - some call it an abhorrent crime by a serial killer, and some call it vigilante justice by the disenfranchised...<br />
<br />
The two other plot threads that we follow before the third act are the romantic relationship that Arthur establishes with his neighbour, and also the information about Arthur's parentage and childhood. The final act takes a leap of faith in how Arthur instigates a revolution in the city, but again, we are just seeing what Arthur sees.<br />
<br />
The themes of ambiguity and unreliable narration make it much in line with Joker's personality and chaotic mind. The audience is left questioning how much of it was real, and how much of it was actually happening in Joker's mind. One clue that I'm certain was not accidental was two clocks (one in the asylum in the very beginning of the movie, and one at the HaHa agency) showing 11:11 - the exact time that many people make a wish upon noticing. Is it all wishful thinking inside Arthur's mind? Was he at the mental hospital the whole time? Or did most of it actually happen? Well... a good Joker story keeps it multiple choice!<br />
<br />
Joaquin Phoenix's acting is certainly Oscar worthy. The pain in his eyes, the laughs (from crying laughs to the one that was actually genuine), the body language to the the way he ran, are all going to be studied by acting students for many years to come! Todd Phillips is also deserving of all the praise that he's receiving for his masterful direction. He was a writer and producer on the film as well!<br />
<br />
It might be obvious from all the praise that I consider this film a masterpiece and worthy of a 10/10 score! However, it was an uncomfortable experience and I may never watch it again. I only recommend it to true fans of the character, and those who appreciate a finely crafted character study (although very disturbing).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-65844919444857630782019-10-01T13:02:00.001-07:002019-10-01T13:02:16.418-07:00Rambo: Last Blood (2019) - ReviewAs a life-long fan of Sylvester Stallone, I was very much excited for the supposed last entry in the Rambo franchise. What seemed to be an analogue to Logan (2017 - Wolverine's swan song) , turned out to be a cross between Taken and Home Alone!<br />
<br />
The movie picks up almost a decade after the fourth film with John Rambo breeding horses in his father's ranch. We are quickly introduced to the two other residents on the ranch: a family friend (a middle-aged Mexican woman) and her niece, who is seemingly Rambo's god-daughter. The young girl is about to leave town for college, but before getting too far from her hometown, despite Rambo's warnings she decides to go on a road trip to Mexico to meet her long-lost biological father .<br />
<br />
The god-daughter meets and gets rejected by her absentee father, and later that night, is abducted by the cartel and forced into prostitution. Cue in the plot from Taken where the old man goes to save the young girl... After the rescue operation, the cartel is looking for retaliation and they decide to attack Rambo at his home. The last 30 minutes of the movie is split between Rambo setting traps, followed by the cartel facing violent deaths.<br />
<br />
The plot is thin and derivative, and the characters are poorly developed. John Rambo does not change much compared to the previous movies - the only bit of development comes from a short monologue by Rambo explaining how his love for his god-daughter changed his outlook for a while... The characters are also either extremely evil in case of the cartel members, or portrayed as heavenly angels (i.e., the god-daughter and her aunt). Worst of all, the pacing is slow too. The 89-minute runtime felt much longer...<br />
<br />
I've been a fan of both Rocky and Rambo franchises, and have a lot of respect for Sylvester Stallone and how he started from zero and made himself the powerhouse that has been for the last four decades. Despite this favourable bias, I only recommend watching this movie to hardcore fans once it hits the streaming services.<br />
I give Rambo: Last blood a 5/10.<br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-2241800384224210812019-07-26T15:10:00.001-07:002019-07-26T15:10:28.818-07:00Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019) - ReviewQuentin Tarantino's ninth movie is a love letter to Hollywood and filmmaking. Tarantino the director is at his very best in constructing beautiful long shots and getting the best performance from his actors. Tarantino the writer, however, has written a fan fiction with inconsistencies, non-organic tonal changes, and unearned subversion of expectations.<br />
<br />
Leonardo DiCaprio plays the character of Rick Dalton, a former A-list TV actor who is past his prime and has been relegated to guest appearances as the villain in other TV shows. His loyal stunt double, Cliff Booth - played by Brad Pitt, has his destiny tied to Dalton's star power. Besides these two fictional character, the rest are real people acting or residing in Hollywood in 1969.<br />
<br />
The first 90 minutes out of the 161-minute runtime of the movie is very much about how movies and TV shows were (and still are) made, rise and fall of fame, and the struggles of show business. As a life-long fan of movies, I very much enjoyed this part and I simply couldn't get enough! Not tonally, but spiritually, it was similar to Coen brothers' <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2016/03/hail-caesar-2016.html" target="_blank">Hail, Caesar </a>from 2016. DiCaprio was phenomenal acting as an actor on a production (very meta!), and how he dealt with an identity crisis. Brad Pitt also made me believe he had been a stunt performer all his life! As the trailers have shows, there are short appearances by other prominent Hollywood figures from 1969 (including Bruce Lee, Roman Polanski, and James Stacey).<br />
<br />
The latter hour of the movie transforms from a character study to a horror film when Brad Pitt's character visits the Spahn Movie Ranch after giving a ride to a member of the Manson family. The horror and thriller aspects reach their peak with Manson's disciples trip to Hollywood. This section is where the tone changes unexpectedly with a rather long narration by Kurt Russell. What was disorienting most about this narration was the fact that Kurt Russell had appeared earlier as a stuntman, and really had no reason to be the omniscient narrator 90 minutes into the movie!<br />
<br />
We also spend a few minutes looking at Margot Robbie (acting as Sharon Tate), watching a Sharon Tate movie! It's bordering on spoilers territory, but inclusion of Sharon Tate in "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" did not contribute to the plot one iota other than subverting an expectation near the end!<br />
<br />
Tarantino has expressed in interviews that he was a huge fan of Sharon Tate in his childhood, and this gives the impression that he simply wanted to write a fan fiction to appease his teenage self. I'm sure almost everyone has created scenarios about their childhood celebrity crushes in their minds. Of course, only an infinitesimal portion of us have the power and resources to make a movie based on the fan fiction. Quentin Tarantino is among that select few...<br />
<br />
The movie's high points are its actors' performances as well as the beautiful shots of Los Angeles. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood is still a pretty good film, but I'd rank it seventh out of the nine that Tarantino has made (above Hateful Eight and Death Proof), and give it a 7.5/10.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-75144267304315337452019-07-09T15:26:00.003-07:002019-07-09T15:26:25.749-07:00Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) - ReviewCalling the last five years a Spider-Man renaissance would be an understatement! Tom Holland's rendition stole the show in <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2016/05/captain-america-civil-war-2016.html" target="_blank">Captain America: Civil War</a> in 2016. We saw his solo movie - Spider-Man: Homecoming - in 2017. It was followed by Spider-Man's major role in Avengers Infinity Stone and <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/04/avengers-endgame-review.html" target="_blank">Endgame</a>, and now we have the character again in Far from Home. In addition, alternative versions of the character starred in the magnificent PS4 game and also the spectacular genre-bending <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/01/spider-man-into-spider-verse-2018-review.html" target="_blank">Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</a> in 2018... In this particular (and rare) situation, too much of a good thing is still good!<br />
<br />
Far from Home picks up a few months after <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/04/avengers-endgame-review.html" target="_blank">Avengers: Endgame</a> and shows the world in the aftermath of that event. Considering the huge personal toll of those events on Peter Parker, our hero needs a vacation more than ever, and luckily, his school is going to take the class on a tour around European. Keeping up with the spirit of the comic books and every prior portrayal, Spider-Man can never have an easy time and something needs to go wrong... The emergence of the "Elementals" in Europe makes Nick Fury draft Spider-Man into action to assist Quentin Beck - the stranger from another Earth! Beck or "Mysterio" is indeed a mysterious character with mind-bending powers. His full set of abilities manifest after the 75-minute mark, and in my opinion, this film's portrayal of those powers blows everything that comics and cartoons had done in the past right out of the water - this by itself is a truly commendable feat to make live-action more fantastical than animation!<br />
<br />
Since this review is intended to be spoiler-free, I'll avoid discussing the plot twists, which may not be too surprising to those familiar with the lore, but even for them, there are still quite a few pleasant surprises! Once the twists were fully revealed, I saw parallels with Iron-Man 3 and Batman Forever, but as always, Marvel and Kevin Feige take escapism to its highest level and give the audience a truly fun and pleasant experience. There are also two after-credit scenes that give you a different perspective about the film and somewhat warrant a second viewing...<br />
<br />
Taking a step back from this particular movie, I never saw any part of myself in Spider-Man (even as an idealized fantasy); hence I never wanted to <b>be</b> him. But he is a great character that I always enjoyed; whether it was the cartoons or the video games. Going back to something I had written in the past, a <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/01/what-makes-good-protagonist.html" target="_blank">good protagonist</a> is someone that you either want to be, or be with (not necessarily in a sexual way) - better say spend time with... Tom Holland gives the best live-action portrayal of that character, and the fact that we can still enjoy that many appearances of the Spider-Man within the last four years is a testament to how great his interpretation is!<br />
<br />
Going back to this particular movie though, it was a solid a 9/10!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-79717114102977699182019-06-28T17:03:00.003-07:002019-06-28T17:03:51.242-07:00Good Omens (2019) - ReivewThe TLDR review of Good Omens mini-series: zany comedy, bromance, biblical!<br />
<br />
It is rare in Hollywood when the writer of a book gets to adapt it to screen. Neil Gaiman, who co-wrote Good Omens with Terry Pratchett, is continuing his conquest of the small screen (after the fantastic American Gods) with another societal commentary with dark comedy undertones in the mini-series co-produced by Amazon and BBC.<br />
<br />
The story starts at the Garden of Eden when Crowley, in his snake form, tempts Eve to take a bite from the forbidden fruit. We all know that the fruit of knowledge came with a hefty price, which was exile from heaven. To help them survive on vicious earth, Aziraphale, the guardian of Eden's east gate, gives Adam and Eve his flaming sword for protection. The show sets its tone when Crowley the demon and Aziraphale the angel (masterfully played by David Tennant and Michael Sheen) stand by the walls of Heaven and debate whether they acted according or against their nature; that is, did the demon actually perform a good deed for Adam and Eve by offering them the fruit of knowledge? Did the angel actually doom humanity by giving them the flaming sword?... These moral questions continue on throughout the rest of the show, particularly in the fantastic episode three, where we see how the angel and demon became best friends during the 6000 year biblical history.<br />
<br />
Aziraphale and Crowley are merely ambassadors of their respective head offices on earth. Heaven and Hell are of course at constant battle, which may come to an end soon with the birth of Satan's son, the Anti-Christ. Aziraphale and Crowley have grown fond of life on earth, hence, want to prevent armageddon at all costs. They keep a close eye on Anti-Christ -- ironically named Adam -- and constantly ask us whether there is such a thing as absolute good or absolute evil? What is the role of nature versus nurture? Are we supposed to understand every plan or should we accept "ineffability" of the Almighty's plans? As I mentioned, the show is strongly rooted in biblical mythology, but does not take a religious stance with regards to its underlying message.<br />
<br />
While the show sets up a possible sequel, it is still a self-contained story with fantastic acting by the leads and a phenomenal soundtrack (well, all Queen's songs). My only gripe is with some of the computer-generated images that look outdated for 2019, but the story is interesting enough that the CGI does not distract at all.<br />
<br />
Good Omens is a solid 9/10!Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-16814699133375638802019-05-31T15:20:00.001-07:002019-05-31T15:20:30.613-07:00John Wick 3: Parabellum (2019) - ReviewJohn Wick and the highly stylized world of suave assassins and sophisticated murderers have not lost their appeal yet! Actually, the deep lore of this universe is ripe for the picking in future instalments of the franchise. Needless to say that John Wick Chapter 3 is not a dramatic movie with a touching story, but a purely entertaining experience with new genre-defining standards for stunt work.<br />
<br />
The movie picks up mere minutes after the previous chapter with John Wick (Keanu Reeves) on the run from all the assassins in New York - who are interestingly a significant portion of NYC's population. Winston (played by the incomparable Ian McShane), the manager of the Continental Hotel in New York, declared John exocmmunicado from the guild, but gave him an hour head start. Once the grace period is up, a bounty of $14 million is placed on his head and goes up by the hour. John reaches out to different factions of the guild, who all still operate under the supervision of the High Table, and cashes in all the favours they owe him in an attempt to buy in more time...<br />
<br />
As I mentioned, it is not a deep story and can be simply summarized as 'John Wick fights to save his life'. But the visual spectacle of Keanu Reeves going through hordes and hordes of increasingly tougher enemies is a sight to behold. Very much like Mad Max: The Fury Road, it is a cinematic experience that needs to be seen on the big screen. Stories of John Wick and Mad Max may not make the best and most rewarding reading material, but they saturate your visual sensory channels in the most pleasing way!<br />
<br />
My two minor gripes with John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum are the following: i) John's reason for wanting to stay alive was thin and was not really necessary to express in the first place, and ii) some of the fights in the last act dragged on for a little too long and desensitized me to the stylized violence - maybe it was just too much of a good thing... But these two minor issues aside, John Wick chapter 3 "has served and it will be of service" to the fans of the genre.<br />
<br />
Hats off to Keanu Reeves for his dedication to the craft, and Chad Stahelski - the director - for the magnificent visual experience. Despite minor flaws, it was a 10/10 for me.<br />
Si vis pacem, para bellum! <br />
<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-2907479339922871762019-05-20T19:51:00.000-07:002019-05-20T21:26:33.034-07:00Game of Thrones - S08E06 Recap and ReviewSPOILERS follow...<br />
<br />
Picking up from sacking and burning of Kings Landing, we catch up with Tyrion and Jon Snow who are visibly shaken and in shock. Queen Daenerys finally lands on the ground with Drogon in the background taking off shortly, giving the image of Daenerys spreading her wings. She addresses her unsullied and Dothraki soldiers and tells them that the conquest of Kings Landing was just the beginning, and she plans to 'liberate' every city and kingdom on the map. Jon Snow is not quite comfortable with these sentiments, but as a man of his word, he does not dare question his queen. Tyrion, though, takes off the hand-of-the-queen pin and throws it away in disdain. Daenerys is of courses offended by this insult, and orders her unsullied soldiers to take Tyrion to a cell (rather than burning or executing him right there, which she should have).<br />
<br />
Jon visits Tyrion in the cell. Both are concerned with the mental state of their queen. Jon is in love with Daenerys and is also loyal to her by oath. He remembers Maester Aemon (a Targaryen by blood) of the Nights Watch and his quote of "love is the death of duty". Tyrion flips it around and says sometimes "duty is the death of love". This wordplay, along with a reference to Sansa, is enough to turn Jon against Daenerys. He goes to the throne room and meets up with Daenerys. She is walking towards the Iron Throne and examining one of the thousand sword hilts that formed the throne; this image is an exact recreation of a vision that Daenerys had back in season 2... Jon voices his concerns with Dany's "liberation agenda", but she tries to convince him that they (the Targaryens) know best... Jon tells her that she is and will always be his queen and then proceeds to kiss her. Daenerys suddenly pulls back in horror and we see a knife piercing her heart. Jon's duty to the realm made him end the life of the woman he loved.<br />
<br />
Drogon shrieks and comes to his mother's side. He nudges Daenerys hoping to wake her up, but soon realizes that it's too late... He contemplates burning Jon (or Aegon Targaryen VI), but decides against it and instead melts the iron throne with his fire breath. Maybe he sensed the Targaryen blood in Jon and couldn't bring himself down to executing him considering the fabled blood connection between Targaryens and dragons... Drogon grabs Daenerys and flies away, hopefully to Volantis where the red priests and priestesses believe in her and might be able to bring her back to life...<br />
<br />
We catch up with an unkept Tyrion, supposedly months after the death of Daenerys, as he is escorted by Grey Worm to the dragon pit. All the lords and ladies of the big houses are there to decide the future of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Tyrion takes the stage and says that the most important qualification for being a king is having a good story (and not benevolence, governance experience, or a competent track record...). Among all the people we know -- including Jon Snow the rightful heir who was thought to be a bastard for most of his life and served as the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, who once died and came back to life to lead the war against the undead, or Arya Stark the master assassin who travelled the world and then single handedly killed the Night King -- Brandon Stark (or Bran the Broken) is the person with best stories, and hence, he should be king. Bran's character development in the show included being thrown out the window in the very first episode, and from that point on has only been a plot device for flashbacks, In the books, Bran is a point of view character, so we get to hear his inner thoughts to some extent. But in the show, he has been merely an empty vessel. Even a few episodes ago, he said that he was not human anymore... Only a storage device for keeping the past history...<br />
<br />
Tyrion asks Bran the Broken if he will accept the crown, and Bran responds "why do you think I came all this way down here?" (or something equally stupid to that effect). Starting with Samwell Tarley (whose proposal of a democracy was rejected a few minutes earlier), everybody pledges fealty to Brandon Stark. The only house that refuses to accept Brandon Stark as king is the Stark house. Sansa says that the North had been independent for thousands of years and it deserves to be independent again, to which Bran gives a nod. This logic applies to the six other kingdoms as well, as they all had been independent until 300 years ago when Aegon 'The Conquerer' Targaryen united all of those kingdoms. Hence, this was a legitimate enough reason for all the other lords to ask for independence as well. Moreover, why should they accept a member of a separatist house (or the citizen of a foreign country) as their new king? Wouldn't citizenship be a necessary requirement for ruling the united kingdoms? Obviously the plot armour is thick enough, and nobody bats an eyelash.<br />
<br />
Bran the Broken is dubbed the King of the Six Kingdoms (Seven minus the Winterfell) and forms his small council (or cabinet) with Tyrion as the Hand, Bronn the sellsword as the Master of Coins, Sir Brienne (who had pledged to protect Sansa till her death) as the new Lord Commander of the King's Guard, Samwell Tarley as the Archmaester, and Sir Davos as the Master of Ships. Like an office sitcom, they gather to bicker and banter with one another about whether to rebuild the brothel or fund the navy. Bran the Broken decides that his top priority is wargging into (or hacking into the brain of) Drogon rather than concern himself with the boring chores of ruling the realm... Considering Bran's ability to see the past, present, and future, and also controlling animals and humans, I wonder why he did not do anything to stop Daenerys from burning all the innocent citizens of Kings Landing in the previous episode? Was it all part of his plan to become the king in the end? Is he any better than Daenerys who was accused of being a power hungry tyrant?<br />
<br />
The show ends with a montage of Arya sailing to west of Westeros on a ship with a direwolf figurehead, Sansa wearing a weirwood themed robe and crowned Queen in the North, and Jon Snow (whose real identity did not matter at all during the whole show) arriving at Castle Black. He finally pets Ghost (his direwolf) and then rides with the wildlings beyond the wall. Is he fleeing from Castle Black to finally live a normal life with the wildlings, or is he just escorting them to their now-safe lands? This is left to interpretation by the viewers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Final Words:</b><br />
After the showrunners (David Benioff and D.B. Weiss) had lowered my expectations gradually with each episode of season 8, my disappointment is only moderate! Daenerys' extreme change of character in the last episode made no sense. She was not a merciful ruler, as she executed anyone who refused to bend the knee and refused to forgive mistakes, but neither was Ned Stark - the epitome of morality in the show. Daenerys was a pragmatic ruler for 71 (out of 73 total episodes of the show), and then suddenly turned into a blood-thirsty tyrant. Even Emilia Clarke (the actress playing Daenerys) thought it came "out of f**king nowhere" (according to this <a href="https://ew.com/tv/2019/05/19/game-thrones-finale-interview-emilia-clarke/" target="_blank">interview</a>). Isaac Hempstead Wright (the actor playing Brandon Stark) was also caught off guard by the plot and thought Bran becoming king was a prank (see this <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/game-of-thrones-isaac-hempstead-wright-bran-being-prank.html" target="_blank">article</a>). The actors who embodied these characters for almost a decade know them better than almost anybody (except for George R. R. Martin who knows them better), and yet, these plot points did not make sense to them either, let alone us the viewers... I'd give this episode a 4/10.<br />
<br />
I have been a fan since Day 1, and read all the books back in 2011. So, I consider myself in (at least) the 95th percentile of the fans who know more than enough about this universe. The poor execution of this final season (from illogical character changes to #woke agendas and thick plot armours saving all the major players till the end), ruined the whole show for me. There are also many plot points that were left unanswered, including but not limited to Children of the Forest, the Azor Ahai prophesy, the three heads of the dragon, the spiral shapes that white walkers left behind, and many more... Game of Thrones was a 10/10 for me, but these last few episodes knocked it down a couple of points to an 8/10.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-61526142307822484552019-05-12T21:40:00.005-07:002019-05-12T22:03:20.309-07:00Game of Thrones - S08E05 Recap and ReviewSPOILERS follow...<br />
<br />
Following Missandei's death and learning that her advisors plotting against her, Dany is clearly shaken. She scolds Tyrion for his loose tongue and making too many mistakes. The only person who could have consoled Dany was Jon, but he instead walks out after just saying hello, and hence, makes Dany feel worse... I wish I knew what Kit Harrington (Jon's actor) had done to the writers of the show. It seems they have an agenda to ruin Jon, who was the hero of the story until the previous season, and portray him as the most useless and insignificant character.<br />
<br />
Within the campgrounds, Tyrion keeps defying his queen and frees his brother who was recently captured by the unsullied. Tyrion makes Jamie promise to persuade Cersei to surrender the throne and flea the city. The viewers of the show know how unlikely it is for Cersei to accept that proposition; the fact that Tyrion doesn't know his own sister is mind boggling to me.<br />
<br />
Besides Jamie, we also see Arya and the Hound sneak into Kingslanding while Dany's army are lining up outside the gate. When all the pieces are in their rightful place on the chessboard (from Dany's unsullied and Dothraki to Cersei's Golden Company and the Iron fleet), we suddenly see something penetrate the clouds making a hole for the sun to shine, and descend towards the sea... It's Dany riding Drogon who is ready to set the whole Iron fleet on fire. Euron Greyjoy shoots Scorpion arrows at Drogon, but Dany has learned her lesson from the previous encounter and knows how to dodge and take out the enemy without taking damage. The dragon also blows up the gate and kills the Golden Army troops lined up in the front. The battle seems to be over, and we hear the bells ring as a sign of the city's surrender. But suddenly Dany decides that surrender is not enough, and the whole city (military and civilian) has to pay for Missandei's death and maybe also for her own hardships earlier in life. Dany and Drogon set the whole city on fire and destroy most of the Red Keep (the king's castle). At this point, Cersei, Qyburn (hand of the queen), and the Mountain realize that they have lost and need to escape and save their lives.<br />
<br />
On the grounds, we see Arya and the Hound in the Red Keep. Hound pulls Arya aside and asks her to reevaluate her vendetta lest she becomes like the Hound. Seems the words land well with Arya, and Arya thanks the Hound after calling him by his first name, Sandor. They go separate ways, and we see Hound run into Cersei's entourage. Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane challenges his older brother, Gregor 'The Mountain' Clegane, to a duel. Cersei runs to the lower levels of the castle and lets us watch the much anticipated Clegane Bowl. Our friend, the Hound, takes the upper hand in the beginning, but the Mountain is an undead zombie and there is no killing him with natural means. As a poetic climax to the Hound's revenge story, he tackles his brother off the ledge and both jump into the fire. This is a poetic ending since it all began when the Mountain pushed the Hound into the fire when they were children. This incident had scarred the Hound for life (physically and mentally).<br />
<br />
Jamie also manages to find a way into the castle. He has to go through Euron Greyjoy first, but a few stab wounds are not enough to hold Jamie back from finding his way to Cersei. The twins / romantic lovers have an emotional reunion, and try to find a way out. All the exits are blocked with debris though, and the dragon is tearing down the castle. Cersei cries and says she doesn't want to die. Jamie holds her and says nothing matters but them. They seemingly die in each other's arms under the ruins of the castle.<br />
<br />
We catch up with Jon, who has a crisis of conscious and looks to his left and right with utmost confusion. The least valuable player of season 8 decides to gather a handful of his followers and get out of the city. Arya is also on the grounds. The most lethal and fearless assassin in the land is also shellshocked. She runs from a few stampedes, dodges debris, and drags people with her to their deaths!<br />
<br />
From a filmmaking point of view, these stampede scenes and the scale of dragon attacks are simply marvellous. But I was bored looking at Arya running away from a different stampede every few minutes. Instead of showing debris, rocks, and stampedes, perhaps more character development with other characters would have been useful... This was the only episode this season that I looked at my watch hoping that it would end sooner.<br />
<br />
I am seriously losing faith in the writers (David Benioff and D.B. Weiss) and their ability to conclude the series the way it deserves. The books spent a lot of time justifying each character's actions and motivations. In this season, though, characters turn on a dime. Dany is an empathetic leader who wants to free people from tyranny, and then in a split second, decides to burn them all. Arya, for the second time, becomes a scared little girl despite years of training as a faceless man. Jon, the pragmatic hero of the story, has turned into a bumbling idiot whose absence from the scenes wouldn't change the plot one bit. Or Tyrion, the smartest person in the realm, also becomes an emotional fool who doesn't have a goal or a plan.<br />
<br />
I read that George R. R. Martin (the author of the books) had given the showrunners an outline of how he wanted to end the saga. As we all know, the journey is almost as important as the destination. The show may take us to that destination, but so far, I'm disappointed with the route that they have taken us on in the last few episodes. Despite the impressive shots and spectacular filmmaking, I'd give this episode a 7/10.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-80807455030591269392019-05-12T20:38:00.000-07:002019-05-12T20:38:04.087-07:00Game of Thrones - S08E04 Recap and ReviewSPOILERS follow...<br />
<br />
The episode starts with saying goodbye to the fallen heroes of the battle of Winterfell. The mourners hold a wine-filled wake for the lost and party the night away. After sufficient libation, Jamie and Brienne take their relationship to the next step and spend the night together. As a result, Sir Brienne is not a girl anymore... Dany also talks to Jon and asks him not to share his true identity (Aegon Targaryen VI) with anyone, but Jon insists that he cannot lie to his sisters. Later, Jon gathers Sansa, Arya, and Bran under the redwood tree, and after asking them to swear secrecy, he nods to Bran to tell Sansa and Arya how Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen were married and hence, Jon is the true heir to the throne. I get Jon being as honourable as Ned Stark and not being able to lie, but I don't consider this act "not lying". It was basically voluntary disclosure of irrelevant information. Moreover, if the identity of Jon Snow had given him title to a land or position, then I could see how the burden of a lie could become too cumbersome for him. But as a bastard with no entitlement, why did he need to overshare and set a crisis in motion?<br />
<br />
The next day, the forces set for Kingslanding: Dany and the unsullied by sea, and Jon's army on foot. Once Jamie hears the news, he decides that he needs to be with Cersei and turns his relationship with Sir Brienne to a one night stand - which breaks Sir Brienne's heart. Another former couple, Sansa and Tyrion, also say goodbye to one another. Sansa's last words to her former husband are Jon's secret (which she had sworn to protect). I don't understand Sansa's angle here. Is she trying to sow the seeds of mistrust between Jon and Dany? Or is she just trying to weaken Dany's claim out of spite? Or maybe she wants these two remaining Targaryens to eliminate each other at the same time? Sansa has become too Machiavellian just for the sake of being Machiavellian and no other logical character or plot-driven reason.<br />
<br />
The saddest and most anti-climactic goodbye was between Jon and Ghost, his loyal direwolf. Jon simply nods at Ghost and asks Tormund to take Ghost with him north of the Wall. After all Ghost had done for that ungrateful piece of excrement, couldn't he pet the poor direwolf at least once??<br />
<br />
On Dany's ship to Kingslanding, Tyrion leaks Jon's secret to Varys, the self-proclaimed martyr of the realm. While these two are still discussing Dany and Jon's claims to the thrones, Euron Greyjoy attacks the fleet from his hideout. He kills Rhaegal the dragon, drowns most (if not all) of Dany's ships, and takes Missandei hostage.<br />
<br />
Once Dany's unsullied army regroups, they walk to the gates of Kingslanding to give Cersei one last chance to surrender. Cersei knows that Dany's dragons are not hard to kill and also that most of her army are dead after the battle of Winterfell. Thinking that the odds are mostly even, she refuses to surrender, and in order to send a message, she orders the Mountain to behead Missandei. Missandei's last words were "Dracarys", which mean fire in High Valeryan. The episode ends with Dany furiously walking towards her camp.<br />
<br />
This episode was a return to the earlier format of plotting, scheming, and playing games for the throne of the Seven Kingdoms. As I mentioned above, characters' actions and Jon's in particular (insisting on sharing the "secret" and leaving his allies behind) were frustrating, and didn't make much sense. But still, as a form of escapism, the show still manages to hold the viewer's attention and keep them invested in the characters and plot. I'm concerned about how the show is going to end, but I'd like to keep an open mind... This episode was a solid 8/10.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-48042721434053898442019-04-29T23:01:00.003-07:002019-04-29T23:01:43.310-07:00Game of Thrones - S08E03 Recap and ReviewSPOILERS follow...<br />
<br />
This episode on its own was breathtaking (literally). It was 82 minutes long, and I checked my watch a couple of times fearing that it would be over soon (and hoping it would last longer). The showrunners (in the video below) broke down the episode into three genres: suspense, horror, and action, each taking almost a third of the runtime.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZJ1yC3yESLQ/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJ1yC3yESLQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
Humans had four factions: Dothraki on their horses, the unsullied on foot, the Northeners within the walls of Winterfell, and Dany and Jon with their two dragons camping outside and waiting to ambush the Night King. Whoever came up with the attack strategy, decided to put the cavalry in the frontline (instead of flanks or behind the enemy) and placed the infantry behind them. Medieval historians consider this the worst strategy, which is why the Dothraki are decimated within seconds. Dany, seeing her Khalasar (Dothraki army) dead, decides to go against the initial plan and take her dragon to the offensive line. Jon of course follows her, and these two dragon riders spend almost the first hour of the episode in the air playing hide and seek with the Night King in the blizzard. Other characters are fighting to death to protect the living. Although, none of the A-list characters (whose names appear in the credits) is harmed except for Lord Friend-Zone himself - Sir Jorah Mormont. In the end, when all hope is almost lost, Arya (the ninja assassin) saves the day by stabbing the Night King in the chest with a Valyrian steel dagger.<br />
<br />
The episode is full of heart pounding moments, and instead of recapping each plot thread in detail, I'd like to rank the players in the game:<br />
<br />
<b>Most Valuable Players (MVPs):</b><br />
Arya Stark: Well, obviously! She is the one who tells god of death "not today". All those years of training in Bravos with the Faceless Men finally paid off. She took down many of the White Walkers, then hit her head on the ground and changed character (maybe she was concussed?) and became a scared little girl. Until Melisandre reminded her of their previous meeting and also Syrio Forell's teachings (her Bravosi swordmaster who taught her to say "not today" to the god of death in the first place). Arya snuck up on the Night King and delivered the killing blow.<br />
<br />
Lady Melisandre of Asshai: She showed up just before the battle to light up Dothraki's swords (Arakhs as called in the books). Later she lit up the trenches, and most importantly, gave the pep talk to Arya; maybe it was Melisandre who cured Arya's concussion too. She also saluted Beric Dondarrion as he gave his seventh life to save Arya.<br />
<br />
<b>Most Heroic Deaths:</b><br />
Jorah Mormont: He fought all night and gave his all to his Khaleesi. He first led the cavalry (the Dothraki army) and as one of two or three survivors of that attempt, managed to show up in the last second to save Daenerys from the undead (after she was pulled down from her dragon). He took a dozen stab wounds but kept on fighting until the death of the Night King to protect Khaleesi. His last words were "I'm hurt".<br />
<br />
Theon Greyjoy: As I had predicted in the season premiere, Theon was on his redemption path and he killed tens of the undead protecting Bran Stark while Bran had warged into the ravens. He died attacking the Night King<br />
<br />
Lyanna Mormont: The 12-year old lady of the Bear Islands fought a giant and stabbed him in the eye with dragon glass. She was a fan favourite since her first appearance, and she went out like a true warrior.<br />
<br />
<b>Least Valuable Players:</b><br />
Daenerys Targaryen: She broke the strategy and flied her dragon cluelessly in the blizzard for 70% of the episode. Then, in her attempt to save Jon from the undead, she landed her dragon on the ground and got attacked by the undead. Jorah Mormont had to give his life to save Daenerys.<br />
<br />
Jon Snow: He also spend 70% of the episode with Dany, and in the rest, he ran from cover to cover ducking ice dragon's fire. He was about to run to the dragon without any plans and get incinerated that Arya killed the Night King and all the undead went down with him. Jon was supposed to be the most heroic character of the show and probably the promised prince or Azor Ahai who ended the Night King. I don't mind that it was Arya who fulfilled that prophecy, but I wish Jon has been a little more useful in the battle. Maybe at least killed the ice dragon or one of the Wights.<br />
<br />
<b>Verdict:</b><br />
This would've been a pretty good movie, let alone an episode of a tv show! I was on the edge of my seat for 80% of the episode (except for the second horror act, where Arya was hiding from the undead in the library reenacting Jurassic Park's kitchen scene). As a standalone episode, I give it a 10/10. But considering that only three episode remain, I'm worried about how they would end the whole series, and whether they'd manage to answer all the remaining questions (e.g., What about the Lord of Light? Are the Children of the Forest all dead? What was the significance of this whole zombie plot to the overarching political game of thrones?)<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-70455954862959906322019-04-26T12:32:00.000-07:002019-04-26T12:32:04.487-07:00Avengers: Endgame - Review<b>Mini Review:</b><br />
We finally get to see the one out of 14,000,605 scenarios that Dr. Strange saw in Infinity War! Endgame was pretty much a series finale of the Infinity Stones saga with fan-service galore. It drags out a little, but overall, it is a satisfying movie experience and a must see for all MCU fans.<br />
<br />
<b>Full Review (spoiler free):</b><br />
The film picks up days after the events of Infinity War, and the remaining Avengers need to regroup and decide on possible courses of action. The tensions are high and the characters that we have spent the last 11 years (since 2008) following, need to make one last play to bring half the population back. What was shown in the trailers and the post credit scene of <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/03/captain-marvel-2019.html" target="_blank">Captain Marvel</a> only cover the first 30 minutes of the movie. The rest must be seen with as little background information or expectation as possible!<br />
<br />
So, without covering the plot, all I can say is that each Avenger grows and copes with the situation differently over the course of the movie, but at the same time, stays consistent with the characterizations developed over the last decade. You root for all the players in the Endgame, and everybody - literally every body - gets a money shot with the spotlight shining right over them! As a comic book movie, you need to leave realism at the door, but having said that, the plot makes sense! The only issue that I had was with certain moments that dragged a little. For example, knowing what is at stake and how easily things can get undone in a matter of seconds, some of the characters still procrastinated and delayed making the last push after 99% of their individual assignment was done. What's the point of lingering on and contemplating about a trivial issue when all you need to do is just push a button??? Those questions don't go anywhere, and you can muse about life after you pushed the button too!!!<br />
<br />
That frustration aside, which could have reduced the three-hour run time by at least 20 minutes, the rest of the movie flies by and you find yourself next to those characters right in the midst of the mission. There are many moments where I pumped my fists with joy and excitement. Fewer instances of heavy-handed virtue signalling exist, but they are not distracting.<br />
<br />
All in all, I don't think the ending would be polarizing, as I expect most audience to come out happy. Considering that it was like a series finale, many may hypothesize about more satisfying conclusions, but it was Kevin Feige and Russo brothers' story, and I have the utmost respect for their creativity!<br />
I'd give Avengers: Endgame a 9.5/10Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-61292119622016340662019-04-25T17:07:00.001-07:002019-04-26T12:10:44.588-07:00Game of Thrones - S08E02 Recap and ReviewSPOILERS follow...<br />
<br />
The episode picked up with Jamie Lannister's trial at the great hall of Winterfell. Daenerys stated how much she had been anticipating to come face to face with the King Slayer (her father's killer) and how she had fantasized about retribution. Jamie, however, did not defend his actions nor did he apologize. Tyrion's plea for his brother's life was immediately shut down (considering his previous record of showing blind spots towards his family). But it was Brienne of Tarth's turn to come to the rescue. Brienne might actually harbour some romantic feelings toward Jamie considering their rather long history: Jamie once saved Brienne's honour and paid a rather hefty sum for his chivalry by losing his right hand (which was his greatest strength as a swordsman). Jamie also once opened up to Brienne about his concept of honour and why he killed the mad king even though he was under oath to protect him as a member of his KingsGuard.<br />
<br />
Sansa Stark, due to her complete trust in Brienne, voted in favour of Jamie. Other than Brienne's testimony, perhaps Sansa's actions were fuelled by her power struggle with Daenerys in trying to establish who the alpha was in Winterfell. Daenerys treated Sansa's ruling as just a vote on her council, and then turned to Jon Snow for his opinion. Jon said they could use any additional soldier that they could get.<br />
<br />
Daenerys, clearly shaken by Sansa's power play, went to have a private conversation with her and extended an olive branch. After dissecting the issue, Sansa disclosed he skepticism regarding Daenerys and how she might be manipulating Jon. But Daenerys claimed the contrary and confessed that it was she who was blinded by her love for Jon! Sansa and Daenerys seemed to have reconciled for a second, but their disagreement over the North being independent or a part of the seven kingdoms put their peace on hold.<br />
<br />
Speaking of putting things on hold, Jon avoided Daenerys for much of the episode. He was clearly shaken by the news that he, Aegon Targaryen VI, was the rightful heir to the seven kingdoms... Daenerys finally caught up with him in the Winterfell crypts, next to Lyanna Stark's statue, where Jon told his lover and aunt of his recent findings. Daenerys' first impression was of mistrust for another pretender to the throne, but it seemed that their feelings for one another was deep enough to get over this hurdle. This conversation was caught short by a call to the wall...<br />
<br />
The other characters also tried to celebrate their potentially last night of life in style. Arya consummated her relationship with Gendry, and on another front, Tyrion, Jamie, Brienne, Podrick Payne, Tormund, and Davos drank wine next to the fireplace. Besides Arya becoming a woman, the other "empowering" moment was when Jamie granted Brienne's wish of becoming a knight of the seven kingdoms (which was also the title of this episode). As for ranks of chivalry and knighthood, "Dame" is the appropriate title for a female knight, but the writers decided to use "Sir" instead. If Brienne identified as male, then Sir would be the right rank, but she doesn't... If virtue signalling was any higher in Westeros, they might have called Daenerys and Cersei kings!<br />
<br />
<b>Wrap up:</b><br />
Similar to the <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/04/game-of-thrones-s08e01-recap-and-review.html" target="_blank">season premiere</a>, we got another "calm before the storm" episode. The show tried to position all the secondary characters in the right place before the big war. We witnessed some dramatic conversations (a la earlier seasons), but no action. Considering the fewer number of episodes in the final season, audience may expect more progression after watching on third of the season (2 out of 6 episodes), but I actually didn't mind it. Even the slower episodes of Game of Thrones are still much better than anything else that is, or has ever been on TV. I'd give it an 8.5/10.<br />
<br />Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-66803378594597552932019-04-15T15:44:00.001-07:002019-04-26T12:12:08.066-07:00Game of Thrones - S08E01 Recap and ReviewThe wait is finally over and Game of Thrones is back on the air after a 20-month wait!<br />
<br />
<b>SPOILERS</b> follow.<br />
<br />
First, a recap:<br />
Season 7 ended with a one-sided truce between team 'Daenerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion' and Queen Cersei Lannister in the fight against White Walkers. After the negotiations, Daenerys and Jon Snow consummated their relationship (aunt and nephew) and set off to Winterfell where Sansa, Arya, and the rest of Stark banner-men were waiting for them begrudgingly. Perhaps more enthusiastically, Samwell Tarly and Bran Stark were there too and planning on informing Jon Snow of his true lineage. Sam had discovered in the Citadel records that Lyanna Stark was legally married to Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, and Bran had time-travelled to the moment of Lyanna giving birth where she asked Ned to protect her son, Aegon Targaryen VI, no matter what. Sam and Bran pieced together their information and deduced that Jon Snow was the true heir to the kingdom of Westeros... Last but not least, we also know that the Night King has broken the wall with the help of his ice dragon and is getting ever closer to Winterfell...<br />
<br />
<br />
Okay, now off to the new season:<br />
We witness the arrival of Daenerys and Jon Snow, along with Dothraki and the Unsullied, and two fully grown dragons to Winterfell. Many shots in this episode mirror the very first episode of Game of Thrones (S01E01), as the showrunners describe below, we see a royal army, reunion of old friends, excitement of young children, and uneasy alliances.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ha8Qsx6_OBw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ha8Qsx6_OBw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
One of the things that this show does so magnificently is making the audience care about the characters (a perfect example of a post that I had written <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2018/11/three-pillars-of-good-movie-or-tv-show.html" target="_blank">earlier</a>). Of course, through prolonged exposure and experiencing thick and thin with these characters, some of them may feel like family. The embrace between Jon Snow and Bran, and his reunion with Arya later, made me feel I was seeing my own relatives! Jon's (or Prince Aegon the sixth) dragon ride date with (his aunt) Daenerys was very sweet and touching as well (no pun intended)! The fact that Jon was riding the dragon named after his father (Rhaegal after Rhaegar) as well as Drogon (named after Khal Drogo) flaring his nostrils at Jon were nice touches! In Jon's defence though, he didn't know of his blood relationship with Daenerys at that point. He later meets up with Samwell Tarley in the Winterfell crypts, where Sam tells Jon that he is the true king of Westeros. Jon's first reaction is worrying about how Daeneyrs may perceive this new information as treason...<br />
<br />
Farther north, we see Beric Dondarrion and Tormund Giantsbane running into one another at an abandoned Night's Watch castles where they discover the body of Ned Umber spiked to the wall - courtesy of the Night King. They set the undead boy on fire and save him from the misery of becoming a White Walker.<br />
<br />
The last thing we see in the north is Jamie Lannister's arrival. Bran Stark (the three-eyed raven, who lost the use of his legs after Jamie pushed him down the tower in the very first episode) had been waiting to welcome his "old friend" near the gate. Jamie's first reaction was a mix of shock, remorse, and fear. I can't wait to see them interact next week.<br />
<br />
The show took a detour to King's Landing to catch up with Queen Cersei. She now has the Golden Army (without elephants though, damnit!) and Euron Greyjoy's ships. Euron demands to cash in on the favours that he has done for the Queen so far, and Cersei obliges reluctantly. While Euron was paying a visit to the Queen, Theon Greyjoy frees her sister, Yara, and they set sail to Iron Islands. Theon, however, wants to go to Winterfell and perhaps pay off the remainder of his debt to Starks and fully redeem himself.<br />
<br />
That was it for this week... What a fantastic comeback! I had goosebumps for most of the 54-minute runtime of this episode. I know it's gonna get better from now on, with grander fights and more horrific deaths, but still, this was a 10/10 for me!Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-65317480281766817752019-04-09T16:23:00.001-07:002019-04-15T16:17:15.103-07:00Shazam! (2019) - ReviewLatest DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movie is an action-comedy that seemingly won over the critics (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) but is their least ambitious film yet.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The movie's main inspiration came from Geoff Johns' backup stories in the New 52 Justice League comics (i.e., a quarter of each volume) from 2012 - 2013. As a fan of DC comics and Geoff Johns' writing, I enjoyed reading Billy Batson's story. But perhaps that story was better served in small doses (similar to the backup entries in Justice League comics). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The movie attempts to bring a lot of laughs and heart, and in my opinion, succeeds more in the latter than former. Billy as an orphan searching for his birth mother, goes through a self-discovery journey that has an emotional payoff in the end. But the comedy was underwhelming - as with most highly advertised comedies, all the funny parts had been shown a thousand times in trailers and tv spots before the movie went on screens. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The other flaw was the dissonance between Zachary Levi's Shazam and Asher Angel's Billy Batson. These two actors are playing the same character as Billy is the alter ego of the Shazam. However, their personalities were completely different. Billy Batson is a cynical and serious 14 year old who's scarred by abandonment issues, while Zachary Levi's portrayal is a happy-go-lucky goofball who doesn't have a serious bone in his body... Both characters are likeable, but they are not the same! Shazam is a young boy in an adult man's body, while Billy is an adult in a young boy's body.<br />
<br />
I should give props to other characters though, particularly Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong), as they were played by actors who were born to play those roles. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Overall, the movie had heart but not much spectacle. In that regard, <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2019/01/aquaman-2018-review.html" target="_blank">Aquaman</a> was a better movie (funny and full of heroics). I'd give Shazam a 7.5/10.</div>
Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-54789698748106532732019-03-12T17:49:00.001-07:002019-03-12T17:52:37.476-07:00Captain Marvel (2019) - ReviewThe 21st entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) works like a cog in a well-oiled machine. It doesn't add much the lore, but it's a connective tissue and gives you your fix until Avengers Endgame comes out.<br />
<br />
The movie starts with Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as an elite warrior among the Kree - an alien race - with no recollection of her past. The first act (out of the traditional three-act structure) establishes the relationships and dynamics that the titular character has with the rest of the Kree (fellow soldiers and their leader: the Supreme Intelligence). A mission gone slightly wrong brings Carol Danvers to earth in the year 1995. In this second act, she meets Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and somewhat figures out her backstory. The movie concludes with Carol Danvers' transition into Captain Marvel and winning the climactic battle.<br />
<br />
The whole movie is an easy-watch, and time flies by (i.e., excellent pacing, which was the third pillar in my <a href="http://www.thesevenliner.com/2018/11/three-pillars-of-good-movie-or-tv-show.html" target="_blank">taxonomy</a>). The second act is the strongest as it has some heart and humour, and hits the nostalgia factor (Nick Fury in the mid 90's!). But the rest is a generic cookie-cutter comic book hero introduction (with all the doubts and hero's acceptance of their power and responsibilities).<br />
<br />
The biggest flaw of the movie is within the main character. Carol Danvers or Captain Marvel is supposedly suffering from amnesia, and she doesn't remember who she was before joining the kree. In the beginning, she is this stoic, no-nonsense soldier that acts a lot like the Terminator (i.e., a robot). As the movie goes on, she pieces the puzzle together and figures out how she got there, but she still remains the robotic soldier. Frankly, the T800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger's character) in Terminator 2 had more character development (started as a robot, and almost became human by the end). But she is still likeable, and the rest of the cast (protagonists and antagonists) work well too.<br />
<br />
If it was the first movie in a new cinematic universe, it probably would havee failed to attract much attention. But as the 21st entry, it certainly entertains fans of the MCU (myself included). I'd give it a 7/10.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-747330643689952291.post-31655440025473640582019-03-12T17:11:00.004-07:002019-03-12T17:52:30.487-07:00After Life (2019) - Season One - ReviewRicky Gervais starred in, wrote, and directed a show about himself, but not the globally successful comedian, but as if he was a small town journalist who had picked love over career.<br />
<br />
Fans of Gervais (a group that also includes yours truly) will enjoy After Life, since it is very much like an extended interview with Gervais himself. His character, Tony, has recently lost his beloved wife to cancer, and now has nothing else to live for. He works for the local newspaper and has to cover trivial affairs of a small town (e.g., water stain on a wall that resembles a celebrity). Tony is too smart for his own good and could have been a big shot journalist, but picked this life to have the freedom to enjoy more time with the love of his life. Now that his wife has passed on, he has lost the will to live.<br />
<br />
Of course, the show is not this dark and nihilistic till the end. The journey that Tony (Gervais' character) goes on to find a new meaning of his life (manifested through his interactions with the social circle around him), is truly beautiful!<br />
<br />
If you're a fan of Gervais' comedy and world-view, then After Life is a must watch and a 10/10.Seven Linerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12184557509272110582noreply@blogger.com0