GUEST COLUMN: Must Watch Movies for Web Developers

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Must Watch Movies for Web Developers

by Olivia Huntington

Web developers and programmers need to be very attentive to their work. Thus, they must stay constantly focused on every executed task. To stay focused, you need to have strong motivation. Besides, the proper time for breaks is also important. It helps to recharge your batteries and start with new energy. 

You can get both an improved motivation and time to relax once watching movies. Especially, when you choose the best movies about coding. These films can impress most viewers and even give some interesting ideas. Besides, they motivate you greatly to become better at what you do.

Therefore, this list of top movies for web developers is important to check. You surely can find a time to enjoy great coding movies on Netflix. What is more, you can check them at any time and on any device you like.

Best Movies for Web Developers and Programmers

There are a bunch of top-notch films that are focused on programming and related topics. It includes films about mobile app development company, social media creation, and other digital innovations. Most of the movies offered will be extremely interesting for web developers and IT workers.

The Social Network

This is probably the top film among the best software developer movies. It is based on real events. As a result, all the programming sequences are relevant in the film. This is the story of Mark Zuckerberg and his work on a Facebook social network development. It covers serious legal troubles because of possible intellectual property embezzlement. The movie brings the details of Facebook's social network expansion, with all the ups and downs defined. The film was highly appreciated by critics and specialists in the field since all the programming sequences were applicable.

Takedown

This movie is based on a self-titled book. The presented events in the movie are real. This is the story of a talented hacker who used his skills to get away from F.B.I. The main character, hacker Kevin Mitnick, uses all the tricks with programming to avoid F.B.I. The movie is exceptionally good for programmers who like to check the program writing challenges and how the main character deals with them. This is one of the top coding movies for sure.

Pirates of Silicon Valley

This is one of the most memorable and interesting computer science movies. Even despite the fact it was released in 1999, it is still the top movie for programmers and developers. It describes the history of the first personal computers’ development. The movie outlines the main events in Microsoft and Apple companies’ history. Therefore, it is a must-see movie for all programming and web development enthusiasts.

The Imitation Game

This is one of the top films on programming and creating the first computer. The events of World War II are described in the film, with the main focus on decoding the German Enigma Code. The main character, Alan Turing, was successful in decoding the machine and inventing the first computer. Both of his inventions have influenced the world greatly. This is an impressive movie for those who tend to learn about the biggest inventions in the history of programming.

The Matrix

The Matrix is an iconic film that is more oriented toward the possible future of programming. Many sci-fi movies tend to describe the Earth in the future with all the technological developments and innovations on the loose. Besides, this is a story about a programmer who works in a huge corporation during the day, and as a hacker at night. The concepts of recursion and time loops are the top things the programmers can surely pay attention to while watching a movie.

Jobs

This movie is a biographical drama released in 2013 about the life of the founder of Apple, Steve Jobs. The details of Steve Jobs' life are described in the film. You can find out about his life's top events starting from the high school period and ending with the iPod invention. Since Jobs was a programming guru and remains an inspiration for thousands of programmers and web developers worldwide, this movie is a must to watch. This firm is not a simple story of success, but also a revelation of Steve Jobs' motivation and desire to change the world.

The Fifth Estate

The Fifth Estate reveals the story of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. The WikiLeaks platform was created to make numerous government and military documents public. The main aim of the platform, according to Assange, was to reveal the corrupt and illegal activities in government and the army. The movie shows the top cases of highly classified information being revealed and the consequences it brought for the government and society.

Final Thoughts

It does not matter whether you like documentaries on programming or sci-fi movies, you can always find top films to watch. This list of must-movies for web developers and programmers can be very useful. You can watch the mentioned films to get higher motivation in your work and simply have a great time watching top-notch iconic movies.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: People Would Prefer It if the Story of "The Wolf of Wall Street" Weren't True

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People Would Prefer It if the Story of "The Wolf of Wall Street" Weren't True

by Lewis Robinson

In 2013, the film "The Wolf of Wall Street" was released in theatres all over the world. It became a blockbuster that earned $392 million and received 5 Oscar nominations and earned lead actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, the Golden Globe for Best Actor.

The film depicts acts and behaviors that are so outrageous and despicable that it has become a guilty pleasure for many moviegoers who comfort themselves by assuming that the story can't possibly be true. But it is. Almost entirely. In fact, there are only minor instances within the film that have been disputed at all.

Danny's Disputes

So the character of Donnie Azoff in the film is based on real-life former stockbroker Danny Porush, who was the best friend to Jordan Belfort, the titular character in "The Wolf of Wall Street". Porush is the only significant character depicted in the book and film that has come forward to argue the legitimacy of Belfort's story. And his protestations don't offer much relief from the sheer awfulness of this tale.

Porush admits to engaging in such questionable sales enablement techniques as throwing lit cigarettes at underperforming brokers and, in one instance, eating one of their goldfish as a punishment; however, he swears that he never did any drugs. As though this incident looks better coming from a sober person.

He also denies that he and Belfort ever engaged in a threesome with one of their underage employees. He doesn't hesitate to brag that he's had many group sexual experiences, but stresses that they were always with women only. And of course, none of the women were underage. He also wants to make sure that everyone understands that he just wants to set the record straight; he's not homophobic or anything. But just to be clear, he's never, ever, ever done anything with a man.

Porush also insists that the scene in the movie in which he and Belfort have small people don helmets and get tossed across the room during an office party is completely made up. Oh, they did hire small people for the party because their size makes them so entertaining. And they did have them engage in a variety of demeaning activities. But they never tossed them. So anyone who might feel bad about loving a story that depicts the abuse and mistreatment of a minority group can relax. There was no tossing.

The Changing of Names

Several characters in the film have had their names changed from the real people they are based on. Many denialists have held this up as proof that these characters and their actions must be fabricated. Unfortunately, that simply isn't how it works in major films. 

Major motion pictures are multi-million dollar projects. Producers and directors guard their budget and their time very carefully. Porush's name was changed because, although he has no problem with being named in the book, he threatened to sue if they used his name in the movie. The fact that the producers caved and changed the name does not in any way indicate that they were portraying Porush untruthfully, only that they did not want to go through the time and expense to fight with him about it. They determined that the story was enough and that the use of his name was secondary.

It is also common when filmmakers are adapting a book, to combine certain characters into one for brevity. If they do this, they must change the name of the characters since they are creating a single person out of two or several in the book. This doesn't mean that the actions of these people aren't factual, simply that what you see being done by one character in the movie was actually done by a couple of people in real life. The names have changed, but the actions remain the same.

So, are there details in the film "The Wolf of Wall Street" that aren't entirely true? Probably. You can chip away at the edges if that makes you feel better about loving the characters in this film, but the film is based in fact and depicts the actions of some truly despicable men doing some truly awful things. 

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GUEST COLUMN: 8 Amazing Photo Editing Styles You Should Know

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8 Amazing Photo Editing Styles You Should Know 

by Rebecca Alston

If you’re just starting out in photography, your editing style may take a while to develop.

Start your editing journey with simple color correction and retouching. Once you get comfortable with that, you can apply filters and effects. Professionals recommend saving a clean, untouched copy of your photo with which to compare your edited copy. 

Here are eight popular editing styles:

1. Clean Editing a.k.a. No Filter

With natural body movements calling for a break away from over-edited photos, the clean editing style has become very popular in recent years. Clean editing is returning the photo to its natural state. You adjust sharpness, saturation, contrast, or clarity to bring your subject to life without artificial distortions to let the picture look untouched.   

2.  Damaged Film Look

This makes the photo look scratched, grainy, distorted or blotchy. It is similar to vintage/retro editing. Film textures change a clear digital photo into an old and degraded looking picture. The texture needs to be added and blended into the photo to meet your specifications. Once this is done, the exposure can be adjusted to make the photo look damaged, but the subject remains intact.

3.  Retro & Vintage

The effect we are trying for is your grandmother’s photo album. The photo’s subject notwithstanding–old, musty-looking photos bring back a feeling of nostalgia. Fortunately, we have a plethora of technology to help us recreate this weathered look in our photos today. A grainy texture, warm sepia colors, and glitch effects all bring back that feeling of comfort and ease. You can personalize your presets by adding grain or light streaks. 

4. Matte Effect

The matte effect is viral these days. It softens the contrast of light and shadows, which results in a photo with less sharpness and glare. Using a matte effect will make your picture look very casual or moody, depending on your context. Matte effects also add a touch of mystery to any black and white photo.  

5.  Soft & Natural

Soft and Smartphone cameras have popularized a natural style. These comfy images are the basis of Instagram photos and the easiest to recreate. Reducing the amount of glare softens the light and gives it a natural look. This draws the eye of the viewer to the subject of the photo. Light beige and neutral pastels are the color palette of choice for lifestyle blogs, fashion brands, and anyone who wants to keep it simple and elegant. Avoiding overexposure and high contrasts will give you a light and airy look. Aim for nature as far as possible.  

6.  High Contrast

High contrast has to be the opposite of soft and natural. Here the aim is to stand out. Bright colors, dark blacks, brilliant whites, rich textures. Images have to pop out to the viewer. High contrast captures the extreme variance between light and dark. This is the filter to use when you want to show extremes, taking the contrast level over the top for a sharp and vivid picture. High contrast wants extra saturation and vibrancy added to the colors to make the image clear and stands out.  

7.  Creative Collages

Creating a collage–be it on your bedroom wall or social media–creates a story. You connect a series of images in a fun and accessible way. Instagram collages have been updated since the 2010s, with new and more natural scrapbook layouts. Use your imagination and let the story unfold naturally.  

8. The Bokeh Effect

Bokeh is blurring the background to produce a specific aesthetic effect. The blur produces out-of-focus parts of the image, which allows the photo’s subject to stand out. A good bokeh effect is a pleasing blur, whereas bad bokeh can be unpleasant or confusing to look at. For bokeh to be pleasing, there needs to be a very sharp and clear distinction between the subject in the foreground and the blurred background. 

In the modern technology age there are so many different ways to edit and style photos, so developing your photography style and then finding your editing style is recommended.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: 6 Mind-Bending Movies About Artificial Intelligence

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6 Mind-Bending Movies About Artificial Intelligence

by Lewis Robinson

Artificial intelligence has become highly important in today's world. Because of this, a lot of movies have been made about the topic. If this interests you, here are six mind-bending movies about artificial intelligence.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A Space Odyssey is probably the most well-known movie about artificial intelligence. This isn't because it provides a deep dive into the mindset of AI. Instead, it uses AI to depict on of the most terrifying villains ever made. Hal is the artificial intelligence that runs the characters' ship. Since the robot's main objective is to fulfill the characters' mission, he will stop at nothing to do so. Unfortunately, this results in the deaths of multiple crewmembers. While this may not portray AI in an appealing light, it will leave you wondering how things like wafer scale integration work.

2. Blade Runner

Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford, is an interesting film about the differences between AI and humans. It's hard to tell the two apart in this universe. The film also allows the audience to feel pity for artificial intelligence, even the ones that are killing people. In fact, a majority of the ending is spent on hearing the antagonist monologue about his memories. By the credits, the audience legitimately feels sad that each memory will be lost. 

3. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

A.I., like many films on this list, is a movie that explores the potential emotions of artificial intelligence. However, this flick does it from the point of view of a child. This change makes all the difference in how the audience views AI. Although the main character has difficulties fitting in, he still clearly has feelings and dreams. Because of this, the movie can get extremely sad at times. On the other hand, it's made clear that our main character is one of a kind. While there are many other robots in the movie, none portray as much emotion as the child. This results in a film that leaves us both scared of and sympathetic to AI.

4. Ex Machina

Ex Machina, similar to 2001, is not a film to watch if you want to sympathize with AI. Sure, most of the film follows a man trying to save a female robot. However, it turns out that he was just being used. She never truly cared for him or even felt fear. This realization, along with other emotionless bots in the movie, mainly serves to inspire fear of artificial intelligence. It's also important to note that there's a lot of moments which portray the uncanny. For instance, there's an odd dance scene that comes out of nowhere. Since artificial intelligence bots are often uncanny, this added element only serves to further the audience's discomfort towards AI.

5. WALL-E

WALL-E is, undeniably, one of the best children's films ever made. It's also a film that depicts an eerily realistic future. Earth is uninhabitable, humans have become entirely machine-reliant and artificial intelligence is used to clean up the planet. While the movie may prescribe some unrealistic emotions to the robots, it seems possible that enough active time could allow bots to feel. The entire first half of the film causes the audience to fall in love with WALL-E, a bot that is seemingly cleaning the Earth by himself. While no words are said, simply seeing the bot go through his day creates empathy within the audience. If you're looking for a charming film about AI, this is the one to pick.

6. Westworld

Ever since the HBO show came out, Westworld has become highly popular. Similar to the show, the movie portrays a Western theme park filled with AI. Unlike the show, it doesn't grapple with the ethics of using AI this way. Instead, the robots are portrayed as the film's villains, particularly when the bots begin to malfunction. Because of this, the film feels more like a horror flick than an analysis of AI. However, it's definitely worth watching if you want to see AI in action.

If you're interested in artificial intelligence, you should definitely check out these films. Sit back and enjoy learning about this futuristic technology.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: Five Movies About Airplanes You Should Watch

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Five Movies About Airplanes You Should Watch

by Lewis Robinson

There is something fascinating about airplanes. It is a wonderful thing to be able to go anywhere in the world in a matter of hours. Airplanes allow us to see our friends and family for important occasions and also have invented so many jobs for people. You may love learning about airplanes as many people do and enjoy watching how they work. Below you will find five of the best plane movies you should definitely watch soon.

Sully

This movie has won many awards for the action, drama, and suspense it contains. The famous actor Tom Hanks plays a real-life pilot, Chelsea Sullenburg, who goes by the nickname "Sully". He becomes a hero after skillfully landing his airplane on the Hudson River to save the lives of his plane passengers and crew members.

It turns out that the plane crashed due to damages that were not obvious before takeoff. You may or may not have heard about borescope inspection. Nowadays airplanes have to go through several thorough inspections before they are able to leave airports in order to ensure as much safety as possible. 

The Terminal

This movie is also an action-filled drama. It is about a man who is a tourist in America from Europe. He arrives at the John F. Kennedy airport in New York City while war breaks out in his own country. He ends up in the middle of political war and due to this war, the Department of Homeland Security will not let him enter the United States or enter back into his own country. He is stuck at the airport. 

This film is filled with very popular actors and actresses. Tom Hanks plays the main character, Viktor Navorski. Catherin Zeta-Jones plays the love interest of Navorski, Amelia Warren, and Stanley Tucci plays Frank Dixon. "The Terminal" is directed by Steven Spielberg and was released in 2006.

Pearl Harbor

The movie "Pearl Harbor" is special because it shows a significant amount of world history while also providing a lot of drama and action in order to hold your interest. This film is directed by Michael Bay and actors Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale are the main characters. Although this movie is fictional, it does present the Japanese attack on the United States Airforce in 1941.

Rafe McCawley (Affleck) and Danny Walker (Hartnett) play lifelong friends who are both lieutenants in World War II. Evelyn Johnson (Beckinsale) is a military nurse who falls in love with Rafe, and later after Rafe's alleged death, falls in love with Danny. This movie received mixed reviews due to its historical inaccuracy, but still remains an airplane movie must-see.

The Aviator

"The Aviator" is another movie that tells a fictional version of history. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the aviation pioneer, Howard Hughes, and displays some of his life's victories and struggles. This film shows the part of Hughes' life where he became a film producer, aviation tycoon, and also began fighting his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. 

Hughes has two love interests during the movie, Katharine Hepburn, played by Cate Blanchett, and Ava Gardner, played by Kate Beckinsale. The movie shows you that Hughes is a very smart and talented man while also being paranoid and angry. This film has won many awards. 

Flight

William "Whip" Whitaker is a lonely alcoholic veteran pilot who miraculously lands a malfunctioning airplane and saves almost all of his passengers. Whitaker is played by the famous actor Denzel Washington, who was nominated for a couple of awards for his role. 

The film is said to be loosely based on the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 plane crash that took place in the year 2000. Soon after Whip's crash, he was labeled a hero, but further investigation into the crash showed him in a different light. It is discovered that Whip is in fact intoxicated during the flight and he is imprisoned. He later becomes sober and develops a relationship with his long-lost son. 

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Some of the Best Sci-Fi Movies and Believable Takes on Distinct Topics

For every sci-fi movie, the creator has a strong sense of what if's that they turned into an enchanting piece of art. Films differ in their concepts. Some speak about catastrophic events, climatic ups, and downs, some about superheroes and their superpowers. When incorporated with realistic episodes that are threatening, the movies earn audiences. Apart from that, a touch on the distinct human emotions is captivating. The filmmaker captures it in every shot to invoke feelings in the viewers. Every Sci-Fi movie holds a supreme topic projected with different events happening in the lives of the protagonists. Such moves tend people to think, which is, in turn, the primary aim of the filmmaker. 

Hollywood is the front-end player with top-notch productions and different dynamic showcases, backed up by huge investments. Other industries also produce classic sci-Fi pictures that have the potential to scavenge the attention of the entertainment geeks across the world but few in number. Let us have a look at some of the best sci-fi movies of all generations. 

The Day After Tomorrow - Climatic science fiction

The film is based on the robust theory that climate changes are impacting ocean currents. The catastrophic decline of the biological equilibrium and the impact it could cause is brilliantly dealt with in the movie, which is a relevant topic in today's world. Global warming and the consequences are everywhere seen in talks. The outcomes on the earth and the biome are evident with looming calamities, diseases, etc. The Day After Tomorrow talks about people caught in the north American storm. It is captivating in presentation and has solid cinematography. 

The Matrix - an unparallel saga 

The Matrix is a known name for fiction movies, and the fourth part is already under production. Of course, it's no doubt that the original has earned more critics than the rest. The movie successfully created innovative ideas that underlined the machines and their infinite powers. The simulated world made to destruct the human race is an indication of the creative mind of the filmmaker about the forthcoming negative impacts machines could have on human lives. As artificial intelligence keeps growing, the topic is of great interest. 

X-Men and the game of gambits 

Gambit and their presence in fictional movies have been known for so long. Of course, Wolverine is one of the top superheroes of all time. The game and the game's card tactics are other significant factors to quench the interest of people who love superheroes. The superpower and the tactic in dealing with the tarot cards are those surprising factors for which the whole mass would go crazy. Such superheroes even exist as animated forms. Check out our article on why the art of animation is gaining popularity. The character meeting wolverine in the casino to team up to fight victor takes the story to a newer level in X-Men.

Gambling and casinos are almost always included in a film. Several casinos on online bookmaker sites frequently include sci-fi flicks. As evidenced by the fact that most casino sites even have their own X-Men-themed slots like the ones you see from the best online casinos, which have been compiled by experts in order for players to make an informed decision on where to gamble, gambling has apparently adopted the trend of featuring superheroes that you can now play like your favorite superheroes. The website provides legal guidance as well as tips, playing strategies, and various promotions.

Ex Machina - Syllable of machines 

Artificial intelligence and its impact on the human race have been in the media for so long. The advancements in technologies have caught people's attention across different sectors and have earned hot seats in every industry. AI-powered devices are leading the market in terms of handheld and superior other digital interfaces. However, the fascinating regime of digitalization and its bitter truths are the topics of interest in several movies. They have been subject to more global criticism. One of which is Ex Machina, wherein a tragic episode of human destruction is dealt with artfully. The movie speaks about the AI-powered prototype murdering her creator with her tactics to outwit him through different strategies and thoughts. The machine and consciousness have been subject to positive and negative opinions.

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SPECIAL: Nominations for the sixth annual Chicago Indie Critics Awards

NINE NOMINATIONS FOR THE POWER OF THE DOG AND EIGHT FOR DUNE LEAD ALL FILMS AS THE CHICAGO INDIE CRITICS ANNOUNCE THE NOMINEES FOR THEIR SIXTH ANNUAL AWARDS

From one challenging year to another, theaters are slowly returning and excellence in cinemas can always be found. The Chicago Indie Critics have announced the nominees for their sixth annual film awards. The voting members, including yours truly, completed ballots to select nominees in 24 categories. My fellow CIC members and I will commence a final round of voting ending on January 6, 2021. The 2021 CIC Award winners will be announced on the evening of January 8, 2021 in an online presentation posted on their YouTube Channel.

Leading all films with nine formidable nominations is Netflix’s The Power of the Dog, directed by Best Director nominee Jane Campion. The dramatic western also received nominations for Best Studio Film, Best Actor for Benedict Cumberbatch, Best Supporting Actor for Kodi Smit-McPhee, Best Supporting Actress for Kirsten Dunst, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Musical Score. Following next was the Warner Bros. epic Dune with eight nominations and CODA’s six nominations representing AppleTV+.

The CIC’s two awards of special recognition and interest are their annual Trailblazer and Impact Awards. The Trailblazer Award honors the work of an artist who truly pushed the boundaries of the medium in terms of form and content. The Impact Award celebrates a person whose work during the past year or beyond made a positive influence on society or the Chicagoland film community. Actress-turned-filmmaker Rebecca Hall, the director of Passing from Netflix, was nominated in both categories. 

In the Trailblazer Award field, Ms. Hall is joined by fellow filmmakers Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Sian Heder, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The other nominees for the Impact Award include filmmaker Steven Spielberg and local Chicago recognition for Rebecca Fons, the Director of Programming at The Gene Siskel Film Center, Ryan Oestreich, the General Manager of the Music Box Theater, and Jill Wheeler, the Director of Publicity and Promotions at the Chicago branch of Allied Global Marketing. 

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The complete list of nominees for the 2021 CIC Awards:

BEST INDEPENDENT FILM (budgets under $20 million)

CODA

Producers: Philippe Rousselot, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger, and Jerome Seydoux

NINE DAYS

Producers: Jason Michael Berman, Mette-Marie Kongsved, Laura Tunstall, and Datari Turner

PIG

Producers: Vanessa Block, Dimitra Tsingou, Joseph Restaino, Nicolas Cage, Steve Tisch, David Carrico, Adam Paulsen, Thomas Benski, Ben Giladi, and Dori Rath

SPENCER

Producers: Maren Ade, Jonas Dornbach, Janine Jackowski, Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, and Paul Webster

SUMMER OF SOUL

Producers: Ahmir “QuestLove” Thompson, David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent, and Joseph Patel

BEST STUDIO FILM (budgets over $20 million)

THE HARDER THEY FALL

Producers: Lawrence Bender, Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, and Jeymes Samuel

LICORICE PIZZA

Producers: Sara Murphy, Adam Somner, and Paul Thomas Anderson

THE POWER OF THE DOG

Producers: Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Jane Campion, and Tanya Seghatchian

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

Producers: Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal

TICK, TICK… BOOM!

Producers: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Julie Oh

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

BENEDETTA

Producers: Said Ben Said, Michel Merkt, and Jerome Seydoux

DRIVE MY CAR

Producers: Tsuyoshi Gorô, Misaki Kawamura, Osamu Kubota, Sachio Matsushita, Yoshito Nakabe, Keiji Okumura, Jin Suzuki, and Akihisa Yamamoto

FLEE

Producers: Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen

A HERO

Producers: Alexandre Mallet-Guy and Asghar Farhadi

PARALLEL MOTHERS

Producers: Pedro Almodovar, Agustin Almodovar, and Esther Garcia

BEST DOCUMENTARY

FLEE

Producers: Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen

THE RESCUE

Producers: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, John Battsek, and PJ. van Sandwijk

ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN

Producers: Morgan Neville and Caitrin Rogers

THE SPARKS BROTHERS

Producers: Nira Park, Edgar Wright, George Hencken, and Laura Richardson

SUMMER OF SOUL

Producers: Ahmir “QuestLove” Thompson, David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent, and Joseph Patel

BEST ANIMATED FILM

ENCANTO

Producers: Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer

FLEE

Producers: Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen

LUCA

Producers: Andrew Warren

THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES

Producers: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Kurt Albrecht

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON

Producers: Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho

BEST DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson, LICORICE PIZZA

Kenneth Branagh, BELFAST

Jane Campion, THE POWER OF THE DOG

Pablo Larrain, SPENCER

Edson Oda, NINE DAYS

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE FRENCH DISPATCH, Wes Anderson

A HERO, Asghar Farhadi

LICORICE PIZZA, Paul Thomas Anderson

NINE DAYS, Edson Oda

PIG, Michael Sarnoski

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

CODA, Sian Heder

DRIVE MY CAR, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe

PASSING, Rebecca Hall

THE POWER OF THE DOG, Jane Campion

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, Joel Coen

BEST ACTOR

Nicolas Cage, PIG

Benedict Cumberbatch, THE POWER OF THE DOG

Andrew Garfield, TICK, TICK… BOOM!

Will Smith, KING RICHARD

Denzel Washington, THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain, THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE

Olivia Colman, THE LOST DAUGHTER

Alana Haim, LICORICE PIZZA

Emilia Jones, CODA

Kristen Stewart, SPENCER

Tessa Thompson, PASSING

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Ben Affleck, THE LAST DUEL

Colman Domingo, ZOLA

Mike Faist, WEST SIDE STORY

Troy Kotsur, CODA

Kodi Smit-McPhee, THE POWER OF THE DOG

Jeffrey Wright, THE FRENCH DISPATCH

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Ariana DeBose, WEST SIDE STORY

Kirsten Dunst, THE POWER OF THE DOG

Aunjanue Ellis, KING RICHARD

Marlee Matlin, CODA

Ruth Negga, PASSING

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

BELFAST, Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockman

CODA, Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood and Lisa Zagoria

THE FRENCH DISPATCH, Douglas Aibel and Antoinette Boulat

THE HARDER THEY FALL, Victoria Thomas

THE POWER OF THE DOG, Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba and Nina Gold

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, Sarah Finn and Chris Zaragosa 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

BELFAST, Haris Zambarloukos

DUNE, Grieg Fraser

THE GREEN KNIGHT, Andrew Droz Palermo

THE POWER OF THE DOG, Ari Wegner

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, Bruno Delbonne

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

DUNE, Patrice Vermette, Richard Roberts, and Zsuzsanna Sipos

THE LAST DUEL, Arthur Max and Judy Farr

NIGHTMARE ALLEY, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh

WEST SIDE STORY, Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

CRUELLA, Jenny Beavan

DUNE, Bob Morgan, Jacqueline West

THE GREEN KNIGHT, Malgosia Turzanska

NIGHTMARE ALLEY, Luis Sequeira

WEST SIDE STORY, Paul Tazewell

BEST MAKEUP

CRUELLA, Nadia Stacey and Carolyn Cousins

DUNE, Donald Mowat, Love Larson, and Eva von Bahr

THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE, Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh

HOUSE OF GUCCI, Jana Carboni, Giuliano Mariano, and Göran Lundström

NIGHTMARE ALLEY, Cliona Furey and Jo-Ann MacNeil

BEST EDITING

DUNE, Joe Walker

THE HARDER THEY FALL, Tom Eagles

NINE DAYS, Michael Taylor and Jeff Betancourt

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, Leigh Folsom and Jeffrey Ford

WEST SIDE STORY, Michael Kahn and Sarah Broshar

BEST MUSICAL SCORE

DUNE, Hans Zimmer

ENCANTO, Germaine Franco

THE HARDER THEY FALL, Jeymes Samuel

THE POWER OF THE DOG, Jonny Greenwood

SPENCER,  Jonny Greenwood

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Be Alive,” KING RICHARD

Songwriters: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson

“Guns Go Bang,” THE HARDER THEY FALL

Songwriters: Jeymes Samuel, Scott Mescudi, and Shawn Carter

“Just Look Up,” DON’T LOOK UP

Songwriters: Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, and Taura Stinson

“No Time to Die,” NO TIME TO DIE

Songwriters: Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

“So May We Start,” ANNETTE

Songwriters: Ron Mael and Russell Mael

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

DUNE, Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Conner, and Gerd Nefzer

FREE GUY, Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, and Dan Sudick

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, Dan Glass, Huw J. Evans, Tom Debenham, and J.D. Schwalm

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Walker, and Dan Oliver

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein, and Dan Sudick

BEST STUNTS

BLACK WIDOW, Rob Inch

DUNE, Roger Yuan

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, Chad Stahelski

NO TIME TO DIE, Lee Morrison

SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, Andy Cheng

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, George Cottle

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SPECIAL AWARDS

TRAILBLAZER AWARD 

Honors the work of an artist who truly pushes the boundaries of the medium in terms of form and content

Paul Thomas Anderson, filmmaker 

Rebecca Hall, filmmaker

Ryusuke Hamaguchi, filmmaker
Sian Heder, filmmaker

Lin-Manuel Miranda, filmmaker

IMPACT AWARD

Given to a person whose work has had a positive impact on society or the Chicagoland film community

Rebecca Fons, Director of Programming - Gene Siskel Film Center

Rebecca Hall, filmmaker

Ryan Oestreich, General Manager - Music Box Theater

Steven Spielberg, filmmaker

Jill Wheeler, Director of Publicity and Promotions - Allied Global Marketing

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CIC AWARD NOMINATIONS BY THE NUMBERS

FILMS:

9: The Power of the Dog

8: Dune

6: CODA

5: The Harder They Fall, Spider-Man: No Way Home, West Side Story

4: Nine Days, Licorice Pizza, Spencer, The Tragedy of Macbeth

3: Belfast, Flee, The French Dispatch, King Richard, Nightmare Alley, Passing, Pig

2: Cruella, Drive My Car, Encanto, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Green Knight, A Hero, The Last Duel, The Matrix Resurrections, No Time to Die, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Summer of Soul, Tick, Tick… Boom!

1: Annette, Benedetta, Black Widow, Free Guy, House of Gucci, Luca, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, Parallel Mothers, Raya and the Last Dragon, The Rescue, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, The Sparks Brothers, Zola

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "You'll Probably Agree" YouTube show talking about "The Matrix Resurrections"

Mike Crowley of the You’ll Probably Agree website (and fellow 25YL film critic) was very eager to talk about The Matrix Resurrections. He and I rub our chins, scratch our heads, shake them too, and try to answer the hype of this blockbuster and how it came to be. Enjoy some excellent videogame play as the video while the two of us chat. We go deep enough to call it all regurgitation! Enjoy this energetic conversation and be sure to follow Mike’s work on 25YL.

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COLUMN: My 10 Best Movies of 2021

Last year at this time, I talked about a long sigh and a deep breath defining 2020. Go ahead and double it for 2021. This year felt, in many ways, more difficult because of the ongoing societal hurdles. After nearly a year away (between Onward in March of 2020 to Raya and the Last Dragon in March of 2021), in-theater movies and press screenings returned. It was great to see that circle of friends and acquaintances again. 

Nevertheless, the day job work was harder, family life was harder, the balance between them both was harder. It was all wonderful, but harder. Compared to 94 published reviews on Every Movie Has a Lesson in 2020, I only published 67 this past year (with a good two dozen still in the draft folder), including my 1000th on this site in its 11th year of service. Even with a lower written output, the personal growth of it all hasn’t stopped.

Flying the 25YL banner where my work is professionally published, I was admitted into the prestigious and nationally-recognized Critics Choice Association. That’s a ladder rung I never thought were attainable when I started all this years ago. Thanks to their membership, I’ve had new levels of press access and perks, including my first trip to Los Angeles. I was also admitted into the Internet Film Critics Society and Globe Film Awards as well. Between my continued standing with the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) and my own director work with Chicago Indie Critics (CIC), the hat is filling with feathers, and I’m incredibly honored.

After years of appearing on other creators’ podcasts and shows (including 48 appearances this past year), I also embarked on a bold new creative endeavor this past year in that direction. I was propositioned by 25YL and their partnership with the Ruminations Radio Network to start a film podcast with Phoenix-based writer Will Johnson. With rocking enthusiasm, the Cinephile Hissy Fit podcast was born, and we’ve produced 41 episodes so far with no signs of slowing down. Thank you to all of those new fans and listeners out there!

Alright, that’s enough about me. Let’s talk about the movies of 2021. I can’t see everything (see that rant early about everything being harder) and I’ve got my sizable blind spots. Still, I feel I’ve seen enough to give all of you a solid “10 Best” list for this past year. My Letterboxd followers have seen these ranks in progress for a little while, but let’s make them official on the home site.

(all poster images from IMP Awards)

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MY 10 BEST FILMS OF 2021

1. CODA

2. Belfast

3. The Tragedy of Macbeth

4. Nine Days

5. Swan Song

6. In the Heights

7. Malcolm & Marie

8. West Side Story

9. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

10. The Harder They Fall

I think I’ve got quite an eclectic list that mixes good, old fashioned feels with some appreciated and worthy cinema. To highlight the ongoing online trend of things that has grown during the pandemic, seven of my Top 10 films were available on streaming platforms alongside or ahead of theatrical showings. Three of them call AppleTV+ home, along with two from Netflix, one from Amazon Prime, and another that dropped on HBO Max.

During the early third of the year, Malcolm & Marie was my early leader in the clubhouse. I still think it’s the ballsiest talker of the year, right there with the stinging Shakespearean poetry of The Tragedy of Macbeth. In the Heights was my peak for a year of impressive musicals that I sure didn’t see coming, even with the vaunted Spielberg doing West Side Story. Even if it’s one movie, it’s nice to see a proper western treatment with The Harder They Fall. 

In the end, emotional experiences won this softie over more often than not. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things was easily the breeziest and most pleasant movie experience I had this year, even with the Irish treat that is Belfast toasting the talent of Kenneth Branagh. The astoundingly unique and masterfully soulful duo of Nine Days and Swan Song crushed my head and my heart. I can’t get either of those two journeys of existential dread out of my head and I love that. 

Last and certainly not least, I was late to the party on the Apple Original Film CODA, the wonderful drama of a deaf family guided by their one hearing teen daughter. Everything about tugs the simplest heartstrings far from any blockbuster. I was so late that I don’t have a proper review written (see again that early rant about work-life balance). I urgently need to remedy that someday. Until that rainy day and after, I will sing its praises and check its awards boxes every chance I get.

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THE NEXT TEN:

11. The Mitchells Vs. The Machines

12. Spider-Man: No Way Home

13. Judas and the Black Messiah

14. Here Today

15. King Richard

16. Passing

17. The Ultimate Playlist of Noise

18. Nobody

19. A Journal for Jordan

20. Supernova 

There’s plenty to love even in this next ten. If you discover and love The Map of Tiny Perfect Things from my Top 10, seek out The Ultimate Playlist of Noise as a double feature of teen love and engaging original storytelling. The Mitchells vs. The Machines packed more messages than most live-action movies and stands as the best animated film I saw in 2021. I don’t think I have to advertise Spider-Man: No Way Home or King Richard. They’re well-known commodities.

In the tearjerker department, I have one big and two small movies to recommend from this second list. The Michael B. Jordan flick A Journal for Jordan directed by Denzel Washington debuts wider here in January and should find an audience. The smaller indies require a little digging that will be worth your times. Seek out Supernova starring the on-point duo of Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth and Billy Crystal’s first directorial effort in over a decade with Here Today. Those three are wholly different movies with wonderful drama in their own realms. If that’s not your speed, just let Bob Odenkirk punch people all day in Nobody.

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Other four-star reviews this past year: 

The Lost Daughter, The Ultimate Playlist of Noise, American Underdog, Being the Ricardos, No Time to Die, Surge, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Candyman, Free Guy, The Suicide Squad, Long Story Short, A Quiet Place Part II, The Water Man, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and Raya and the Last Dragon

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