Welcome to the 2021 Cinema Club awards…

To think back 12 months ago when January was sad & depressing & we were all locked down again, & the last time i had been to the cinema was September, was really a low point. & then in mid February we got a cinema reopening day, which was 3 months away but it gave me hope, then all the film schedules got moved around, & it really was like, so is this going to happen? are we ago? & then May came & everything opened & to get to the cinema 54 times in 7 & a half months is bloody impressive i must say. I mean lockdown & restrictions did mean my netflix & film viewing at home went through the roof too. So yea theres been a lots of films this year & i am so happy to be back watching films & blogging about them.

So what happens at my awards, well there is no actual award. Ive never made one to hand out, & they arent the most conventional awards either, if youve been here before. But some of these films wont be recognised in award season, so im here to make sure they bloody well are, for all the right & wrong reasons. We have our main awards too, which will culminate in the presentation of the golden buzzer winner & therefore the Cinema Clubs Film of the Year for 2021.

So lets press on shall we. 41 awards in total, yep back up to that number. I actually created a new award this year, which we will get to later on. Some categories have gone, some have returned, some have stayed the same & yes there is still an award in honor of the Swan from Hot Fuzz, which is even funnier now as the building i live in is called Swan & they often fly over my flat.

So peoples are we ready, welcome to the Popcorn for One Cinema Club Awards for 2021….. ekkkk feels so good to type that.
Ohhh spoilers by the way, thats your warning here. This is now your own fault if you see something you didnt want to know about.

41) My Personal Moment of 2021…
Getting Tweeted by James Gunn
Wasnt expecting this at all. I came out of The Suicide Squad & after a certain death in the film, which made the whole cinema scream noooo or go ahhhh, i tweeted him to say that he had made another cracking film & i was in shock. 40mins later when i got home i checked my phone & had a notification saying not only had he liked my tweet, but he had replied with heart emojis saying he was glad i had enjoyed it.
I freaked out quite a bit at that

40) Did I predict 2021 Correctly?
Considering what happened… yes i did
Most of the films i didnt see in 2021 that were on my Wishlist, were either due to streaming services i dont have, or they have been moved into 2022. So in that respect the fact i got so many of my Wishlist done year id say i did well. There were some surprises along the way & it wasnt smooth but yea i did a good job of it

39) The Number of Films I Considered as Film of the year for 2021…
5
2 of them have received big awards later on but the other considered for film of the year were Supernova, A Quiet Place Part 2 & King Richard. Spiderman just missed out on a buzzer contention.

38) The Film we didnt actually need in 2021
Respect
It was too long, it didnt flow & if shes up for an Oscar its only because of who shes playing. I remember leaving the cinema after watching it & feeling really let down & disappointed in it & the couple behind me we standing there saying thats the best thing they had seen at the cinema all year. Well that had either been all they had seen or they needed to go to the cinema more often.
It was made because they felt they had to make it, if you get me.

37) The Dullest Film of 2021…
Rebecca
Urgh
I was really looking forward to this & i had seen the epic cast & the stylishness & knew the story & it just dragged on & on & on. & everyone was upperty in it. I didnt connect & there was one point where i paused it to go get a drink thinking we were near the end & i had another hour to go. Yeah it bored me so much, i just wanted so much more from it. Maybe period drama isnt my thing…

36) Free Gifts & Goodies
Where is my Dune merch???
I won some Dune merch back in November, its not arrived yet. Ive messaged them to ask but i havent had it from them. I have no idea where it got to. So instead lets just say my popcorn advent calendar was a triumph, im sure you all enjoyed those videos online over the winter.

35) The Award for the best Animal Performance in a Film (in Honour of the Swan from Hot Fuzz)…
Pig (from Pig)
Time for the first big award.
The Pig in Pig is only on screen for all of 10minutes in Pig, however she is adorable & she is so sweet & her little nose & her love for Nicholas Cage & Truffles. I loved that Pig so much.
Oh we need to do a shout out to Sebastian in Suicide Squad too, he was sweet.

34) Best Remake/Reboot of the year…
Jungle Cruise
stay with me on this.
This is basically restarting the next lot of disneys pirates of the Caribbean films isnt it? It was the classic set up & correct characters & enough tangent for any possible sequel to go off & launch into the next big disney franchise.
I know you were expecting Space Jam or Ghostbusters here, but Jungle Cruise knew exactly what it was trying to be & as much as i normally fault films for doing this, it at least went for some original bits at times & whos gonna diss the Rock, seriously.

33) The Film I will Never Look at in the Same Way Again…
Independence Day
For a good reason.
Before this summer, i had never watch independence day in it entirety, i had only ever seen the iconic moments & the end. So i sat down & watched it in one go & i bloody loved every second of it. Id always been like ah i’ll get to that one day, its just end of the world fodder from the 90s which was very popular & made every 6 months. but nah it was bloody epic & i loved every single second. Wish i had seen it sooner. & ive watched it again since… WOW

32) Best Performance in an Otherwise Crap Film…
Billy Burke for the first two Twilight Films
There was one real consistent thing in the Twilight films (other than Sheen but he only turns up when he wants too) & that is Bellas dad Charlie.
The first 2 films were rubbish, however the one thing that remained a constant & then did through the rest of the films, was her Dads love & protection to her no matter what, even when shit went down (in the films or the films script or staring). So thats why he gets this award.

31) Worst Home Viewing Film of the Year…
Capone
I knew it wasnt going to be good, but i thought well lets at least give it ago. It was weird & not in a good way or a trippy way. Tom Hardy was trying his hardest to salvage it, but even that didnt work. I just sat there thinking why why why. I wish i had forgotten i had seen this film, but it was so bad that i cant.

30) Animated / Childrens Film of the Year…
Klaus
I mean Luca, Encanto & Olaf Presents are probably livid at this.
Ali Plumb kept saying watch this film, & i did, & i was doing so well & it was sweet & well animated & a lovely story & amazing, & then the last 5 minutes of the film happened, & that last scene bloody ruined me & i sat hear balling my eyes out. Its going to be a christmas classic in years to come. If i ever have kids they will watch this each christmas.

29) Mis-sold film of 2021…
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Sold as a Paul Rudd film… but it wasnt
There is more Paul Rudd in Romeo & Juliette then there is Afterlife. Hes not even hunting them down.
It didnt know if it wanted to be an original, a nostalgia fest, or a new gen reboot or classic. Its for kids not adults & the kid i was sat next took didnt enjoy it so… Waste of time.

28) The Film that i liked that no one else in the Entire World knew even existed or didnt like…
Supernova
I understand that this isnt going to be everyone cuppa tea & it also came out at the same time as the father, which everyone went to see, due to Hopkins Oscar win. But this was the better film & the better performances & went under the radar a bit. Stunning & emotional & i loved every second of it.

27) Worst Film seen at the Cinema…
Nomadland
The Best Picture at every awards show in 2021, i say is the worst film i saw at the cinema, that says a lot. Nothing happened. I think we looked at a cactus more times than the plot changed. It was more a documentary than a film. It was just far too slow & boring & i just didnt connect & the more i look back at it the more, i think yea that wasnt a good film.
hay someone’s got to win worst film….

26) The Film i need to see in 2022 the most…
Mission Impossible 7
AHAHAHAHHAHAHAH
Cant wait, its all been filmed in the UK & Tom Cruise has been everywhere, & i just cant wait to see this, i really cant
(side note i now know we arent getting this til 2023 which was announced after id handed out my awards, before typing them up, darn you studios ruining my autumn viewing)

25) The Film i need to see in 2022 the most, that wasnt on last years list…
Thor: Love & Thunder
The revelation has begun… (said in Korgs voice)
yep Taika is going to take us on another Thor acid trip & i cant wait. Its going to be interesting to see how this all plays out & goes down especially with the guardians along for the ride too & Bale. Its going to be madness.

24) Quote of the year…
Were looking for a box marked McGuffin (Red Notice)
I actually spat my drink out when he said that line.
There will be people who watch that film & just dont get that line at all, but there are film nerds all over the world like me who freaked out at that reference. It was brilliant.

23) Best Song in a film…
Anything that was sung by Baby Annette
There have been a lot of musicals this year, In the Heights, West Side Story & Encanto & also some epic soundtracks like Last Night in Soho & Suicide Squad.
But when Baby Annette started singing i laughed & then i just kept smiling. Its madness i know, but that was the point of the whole film & the music in it. I loved it all & then when it got to her big farewell & she didnt sing, that was brillaint. Yea that stayed with me for a while.

22) Cried when i should have…
The Kid with the Glasses at the funereal (Another Round)
So theres a funeral scene in Another Round & one of the kids thats been in the film already, who all the guys had been cheering on & supporting & that you took a vague interest in, was there with his team. & when it came to the coffin leaving, he went & paid respect & then he & his team started singing their song… & i cried. & it was beautiful. Seriously amazing.

21) Cried when i wasnt supposed to…
Its Okay to be you (Monsters University)
Pixar are the kings & queens of making people cry & i thought i would be okay with monsters university, as i know they end up at monsters inc. But its as Mike gets on that bus at the end realising his dream of being a scare monster is over, & Sully is apologising & hes just like you know what its okay because i am who i am & sometimes thats just enough & i feel apart. We all need to hear that now & then that its okay to just be you. You are good enough. It was what i needed to hear & i had a good old cry at it.

20) Person I cheered when they were rightly put in their place…
Samual Bottomley (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie)
The school bully in everybody’s talking about Jamie, needed his comeuppance he really did. & so often in films & storys like this they dont, but here he really did & it was brilliant, but then it was also life affirming as then once hed had his comeuppance, Jamie was like but its not just about me & its not your fault that youre like that, so come on its your day too, & thats what makes it good because Jamie was the bigger man.

19) The Person I wanted to Punch in the face for being such a convincing bad guy…
Tom Cruise (Collateral)
I had never seen Collateral, it has been on my list before i even had a list, but i finally saw it this year. & Tom Cruise who is always your good guy, was one of the coolest villains of the year (not talking Mendelsohn levels of bad guy but still). He was not nice & he didnt give a shit about anyone & he was so vile & it was so amazing to watch it really was. It showed his range & i loved every second of it.

18) The Film the didnt match the Hype…
Eternals
Its been a long wait for this star studded cast to see what they would do & how they would drop into the MCU, but it didnt really work. It was too long. It took a very long time to get going & we kept revisiting stuff we didnt need to. I mean its still a very clever film, but it could have been done in a better way. Also ruining the first end credit scene, almost a month in advance was not good, especially when it wa the press that did it.

17) The Film that exceeded the Hype…
The Suicide Squad
It was meant to fail, & some will say that it did, but i say it delivered. It made you realise how crap the first one was & how good that could have been. It was fun, it was crazy & it was cinema blockbusters going into over time for the summer. It was exactly what we needed at the right time & i loved it. Im still in shock tho at that death…

16)Best Ensemble / Cast Performance…
Dont Look Up
shout outs to Spiderman No Way Home & Dune & No Time To Die… but Dont Look Up, there wasnt a bad performance in it. Everyone was on their a game & cast so well & was so fantastic & I just sat there in safe hands enjoying everyone’s amazing take on there character. It really was that good an ensemble.

15) Best Actor…
Stanley Tucci
Supernova is Stanleys greatest performance ever.
Once youve seen it come back & speak to me okay
& then i also re watched all of the Hunger Games, A Private War, Worth & Beauty & the Beast. The mans just phenomenal. So for a body of work that ive seen this year he gets it.

14) Best Actress…
Vanessa Kirby
Well Tucci won it for a body of work, Kirby has won this for the birth scene & the trail in Pieces of a Woman. Wow. So raw, so emotional, so brilliant. I have never given birth, but i wanted to push with her & i cried as she spoke to the trail & as her life fell apart. It one of those performances that i will never forget.

13) The Wow I didnt know they had it in them, to do that, one off performance award…
Mark Strong (6 days)
I know Mark Strong can deliver, but considering hes never really the lead (always the side kick or a villain or bit part) here he was. & every time he picked up the phone to negotiate for those hostages, it was amazing. I got goosebumps each time & i loved every second of it. I kind of just wanted him to just negotiate forever. It was mesmerising.

12) Surprise film of the year…
Last Night in Soho
This was not on my radar at the start of 2021 at all, & i didnt think it would be when, i first saw the trailer for it. But typical me liking the worst types of horror & being shit scared for the next 2 days, i bloody loved it. So clever, such epic music, so well acted, twists i didnt see coming &, surprises i wasnt expecting, it just went for it & just was like yea were a big film & your either going to watch this behind your hands or on the edge of your seat… i did both.

11) DVD Film of the year…
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
for my birthday this year, my sister brought me a collection of films she knows i want to see but cant find on my streaming services, & eternal sunshine was the one i most wanted to see & her second favourite film of all time. & it was bloody wonderful & i cant wait to watch it again. Being a film buff i worked something out before it happened, but still i really enjoyed getting to that point.

Right here we go the Big 10 the awards everyone would really like to win which includes a new award for number 10, so lets look shall we…
Remember Spoilers may happen people…

10) Best Random Recommendation from someone from Letterboxd… (oooh a new award in the top 10 check me out)…
The Invisible Guest

there was a lot to pick from too (shout out to the platform)
Yea it took me a while to get into it as it was all in Spanish & getting used to the reading watching & my head going hang on who do i trust, but by the time i did & then my netflix crashed on me i was like the hell is going on no no no. It was brilliant. It was amazing & i would like to thank the amazing besties at letterboxd for recommending this to me.

9)The Inspirational Fuck Me That’s Stunning Moment…
The Cinematography in Dune

I mean im now pretty sure theres space ships somewhere in a forest & a worm in the Sahara. It was so seamless the CGI to the real world. I seriously sat there going hang on did we actually time travel to the future. It just worked & was so beautiful & effortless. It really did make your jaw hit the floor as to how right they got it. ITs magical & breath-taking & you need to see it on as big a screen as you can in the best quality too. Seriously amazing.

8) The Leonardo DiCaprio Award for Perseverance & Hard Work…
Willem Dafoe

I mean he should get it just for No Way Home lets be honest, i was really scared he was just going to be in it for like 2mins but no hes the villain, & hes just epic & my inner 12 year old was going crazy.
& then weve got the French Dispatch, What Happened to Monday & of course the Lighthouse which was such a trip & he scared the hell out of me in that.
It just ended up being the year of Dafoe for me & yes i saw people in more films than he was in, however whenever he popped up i knew i was going to get a good performance from him & that i was going to be safe.
& if that doesnt get you an award i dont know what does.

7) The Film that hasnt won an award but deserves a fucking award for being amazing…
The Trial of the Chicago Seven

It took a while to pick this winner, i kept thinking about all the different films i had seen in the last year which i hadnt seen before & every time i thought of one, my head said well its not The Trial of the Chicago Seven is it… & that just kept happening.
I would have loved to have seen this in the cinema this year, but only had it one netflix. Im sure the noise when he started reading out those names at the end in a screening would have been deafening as i stood up in my only lounge & clapped & i think i would have done that in the cinema too. If you havent seen this film, please go borrow someone’s netflix password, its so so worth it. I know legal dramas arent for everyone, but this is a good way to get into the genre trust me.

6) Life Time Achievement…
Christopher Plumber

There have been lots of deaths again this year due to Covid & just the normal ones too, so its always bitter sweet to hand this out, but its got to be Christopher.
A legend, always seemed like a genuinely nice guy when he did any press & always just felt like he was there. Maybe thats what growing up with watching the sound of music does to you.
Proper legend
We lost a goodun peoples.

5) The I stole the Show award…
Chris Evans (TWICE)

Yeah who’d have thought that at the start of the year, not me oh definitely not me
When i saw it at secret cinema for Free Guy i was like nah no way & then i told my sister before we saw it that there would be a moment in the film but she then needs to concentrate after that or she will miss it. So when it happened i just turned to her to look at her reaction & she laughed & was falling apart for a good 2 mins afterwards.
& then to do it again as Devin Peter in Dont Look up… that was just one step to far…
I just saw that half face on a poster & was like OMFG its Chris Evans AGAIN!
So by steeling the show with cameos twice i mean thats got to be worth an award right…
& if it doesnt then… what the shit… hehe

4) Unsung Hero…
Richard E Grant

First of all his lockdown videos & quotes & words of wisdom genius
Then Classic Loki AHHHHHHHHHHHH I mean that was so epic
Hitmans Wife Body Guard wasnt expecting him to reappear was a highlight of it if im honest
Everybody’s talking about Jamie… I mean he looks better as a woman in make up that i do, his song about the 80s & his attitude was amazing & i loved him & his story it was perfect
Robin Robin was a triumph as well, knew he was the magpie before he even opened his beak to speak
& then what he went though at the end of the year was so horrible & the outpouring of love for him by everyone was amazing & he was so dignified & lovely still during it all
I mean hes a bloody legend & i think its time he got some recognition
So Richard here you are heres your award you are my unsung hero for just making me smile no matter what

3) First Time watching Film of the Year…
Dont Look Up

This snuck in it really did, a last minute steel from The Trial of the Chicago Seven above. One of the best films of the year, if it had been at the cinema, id have probably put this fourth in my films of the year list.
I do get that you either love it or hate it & theres nothing in-between, its one side of the other, but its so well acted & its so clever, it really makes you think about modern culture & the state of the world. & it also worry’s you that our governments, we really wouldnt put it past them to do some shit like that. Its amazing & i cant wait to re-watch this again very soon.

2) Cinema Film of the year…
Dune

I know shock horror it didnt win but after what i said about the cinematography above, this was the film that you have to see on as big a screen as possible in as high a definition as possible, hence ive got it arriving on bluray soon. My dad & my Jaws have only just been picked up off the floor it was so amazing & stunning & breath-taking. So well acted & so well staged. Its a triumph & i cant wait for Part 2 in a couple of years time. In years to come people will ask you oh where did you see Dune at… its that important a film to cinema.

& finally the award youve all been waiting for
1) The Golden Buzzer & winner of Cinema Club 2021’s Film of the Year…
Free Guy

I can tell that some of you are shocked by this & this wasnt a decision taken lightly it really wasnt. But the fact i saw it at secret cinema & then took my sister to see it a week later as i knew she would adore it says alot. It made my laugh, it made me smile, it had some serious cameos & WTF moments in it & it was a film about friendship & the cultural world we live in today. & ive been thinking about the film since i saw it & whenever i do i smile. If i hear Mariah or see a gold fish i think of this film. So yea its not a better film than Dune, but it was the film that had the biggest impact on me in the last year. Its what Summer blockbuster films should be about & im glad they are still alive & well.

& that is that for my awards for the 2021. Cinema club 2021 is officially shut
Thanks for getting or skipping down this far my lovelies, its always appreciated.
I hope youve found some films here that you might not have seen or heard of that you go you know what im going to go & watch that now.
Now off to the cinema with you, go on go, its awards season after all.