I think the difference between the Apes movies and Better Man to me is that the former series does an unbelievable job of staging/lighting the scenes to complete the illusion. The actual ape effect in Better Man looked great, but because the rest of the scene wasn’t shot with the effect in mind it wasn’t anywhere close to Kingdom in terms of successfully pulling off the magic trick IMO.
What makes you say that? I really disagree with you here.
I thought it was seamlessly integrated into the setpieces and it smartly used the effect to its advantage by creating impressive fantasy sequences instead of simply inserting a monkey into a biopic.
I mean the main thing that makes me say that is my experience watching the film. The performance capture effect doesn’t work as well with a highly-mobile camera, you get like a video game cutscene feeling. It also works better on close-in shots, but in Better Man so much of the dynamic nature of the movie comes from the dancing/concert sequences where the camera is constantly in motion and it’s a monkey with the proportions and movement style of a human. In the Apes franchise, whenever they have the wide shots they have the actors moving like apes. I didn’t hate Better Man (I didn’t very much like it, either) but I also just didn’t think the effect landed for me. It was like using a sushi knife to cut bread, just don’t think the tool made sense for the job even if it’s a very sharp knife.
2 Likes
I very much liked it - I think doing the monkey gimmick works on several levels. It gets around a lot of issues I have with music biopics and allowed Robbie himself to be more involved. I really do think the main numbers visually soar - especially the “Rock DJ” and “Let Me Entertain You” sequences. And I knew nothing about this guy going into it.
Anyway, my point is I don’t think this rises to the level of Bohemian Rhapsody getting nominated for (and winning!) Best Editing.
It might be because it’s fresh in my mind, but the worst nomination for me is Emilia Perez for Cinematography. It’s even worse given Nickel Boys was snubbed in that category, something I genuinely feel is advancing the art.
These don’t matter
3 Likes
Yeah, but when is the checklist coming out???
2 Likes
Will probably spend some time tomorrow putting together The Refuge Oscar Polls and the Watch Guide, stay tuned
3 Likes
If Dune 2 does not win best picture, we riot
Just go ahead and venture to your local military surplus store
11 Likes
I don’t know what to tell ya man
3 Likes
Challengers, in my humble opinion, was ass ass. I don’t need another 20 second close up of a face with rave music playing in the background.
1 Like
lebowskiopinion.gif
5 Likes
I’m glad there are a few Challengers dissenters among us!
I did not hate it, but I did think it was overrated.
4 Likes
Irrespective of whether you liked the movie, the soundtrack slaps
5 Likes
4 Likes
Fans of Film and Movies, welcome to the Third Annual Refuge Oscars!
I am once again thrilled to go through this award season with you and give an opportunity for the cinephiles and cine-casuals amongst us to have our voices heard on what we most enjoyed about the 2024 Year in Film.
Last year the Refuge agreed with the Academy and awarded Oppenheimer the award for Best Picture, though we differed on some of the acting and below the line categories.
With no clear freight train movie like Oppenheimer in the field I’m interested to see how our ballots shake out!
Below you’ll find polls for the Best Picture, Best Director, the 4 Best Actor categories, Documentary, Animated Feature, and International Feature. Shorts and the below the line categories (Editing, Score, Production, Sound, etc.) will be included in subsequent posts.
Polls will remain open until 7:00pm EST on March 2nd to allow folks the opportunity to watch however many of the nominees they can/want to right up until the broadcast. All votes will be public because we believe in transparency!
Film Club on 3/4 will be Oscars/Year in Movie focused where we can discuss these results, the actual results, and any other movies from the year.
These are intended to reflect what YOUR favorite performance or feature was in a given category, NOT predictive of what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will decide on 3/2.
As a way of lessening the burden of search for you, the voters, I’ve compiled a list of where you can currently watch all of these movies, (35 total features compared to 38 last year) see the sheet below. I’ll make an effort to update this as things inevitably change over the coming weeks as more gets brought to streaming.
Best Picture
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- A Complete Unknown
- Conclave
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- I’m Still Here
- Nickel Boys
- The Substance
- Wicked
0
voters
Best Director
- Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez
- Sean Baker - Anora
- Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
- Coralie Fargeat - The Substance
- James Mangold - A Complete Unknown
0
voters
Actor in a Leading Role
- Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
- Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
- Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
- Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
- Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice
0
voters
Actress in a Leading Role
- Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
- Karla Sofía Gascón - Emilia Pérez
- Mikey Madison - Anora
- Demi Moore - The Substance
- Fernanda Torres - I’m Still Here
0
voters
Actor in a Supporting Role
- Yura Borisov - Anora
- Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
- Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
- Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
- Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
0
voters
Actress in a Supporting Role
- Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
- Ariana Grande - Wicked
- Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
- Isabella Rosellini - Conclave
- Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez
0
voters
Best Documentary Feature
- Black Box Diaries
- No Other Land
- Porcelain War
- Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
- Sugarcane
0
voters
Best Animated Feature
- Flow
- Inside Out 2
- Memoir of a Snail
- Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
- The Wild Robot
0
voters
Best International Feature Film
- I’m Still Here - Brazil
- The Girl With the Needle - Denmark
- Emilia Pérez - France
- The Seed of the Sacred Fig - Germany
- Flow - Latvia
0
voters
2 Likes
I enjoyed the movie, but I don’t hate this take
1 Like
SO MUCH HULU 
Original Screenplay
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- A Real Pain
- September 5
- The Substance
0
voters
Adapted Screenplay
- A Complete Unknown
- Conclave
- Emilia Pérez
- Nickel Boys
- Sing Sing
0
voters
Production Design
- The Brutalist
- Conclave
- Dune: Part Two
- Nosferatu
- Wicked
0
voters
Sound
- A Complete Unknown
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- Wicked
- The Wild Robot
0
voters
Visual Effects
- Alien: Romulus
- Better Man
- Dune: Part Two
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- Wicked
0
voters
Cinematography
- The Brutalist
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- Maria
- Nosferatu
0
voters
Costume Design
- A Complete Unknown
- Conclave
- Gladiator II
- Nosferatu
- Wicked
0
voters
Film Editing
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- Conclave
- Emilia Pérez
- Wicked
0
voters
Makeup and Hairstyling
- A Different Man
- Emilia Pérez
- Nosferatu
- The Substance
- Wicked
0
voters
Original Score
- The Brutalist
- Conclave
- Emilia Pérez
- Wicked
- The Wild Robot
0
voters
Original Song
- El Mal - Emilia Pérez
- The Journey - The Six Triple Eight
- Like a Bird - Sing Sing
- Mi Camino - Emilia Pérez
- Never Too Late - Elton John: Never Too Late
0
voters